Chapter 62 (1)
Brother Qi is Brother Qi. Xie Hongbing and Li Lin admired the back of Qi Weidong riding his bike. He rode steadily and without any shaking, as if he was not riding on a country road in the dark, but on a flat road in the county. This courage was something they could not compare to. Otherwise, how could Brother Qi make a lot of money while they could only drink soup.
But this soup is really delicious. They worked until late at night, and when it was just dawn, Fei Jinbali delivered sweet potatoes to Ping'an Village by the truckload. Xie Hongbing and Li Lin drank the simple version of hot and sour noodles while looking at Xia Juhua who was talking to Qi Weidong under the window. They couldn't imagine how such an ordinary rural woman like their mother could become the production team leader and have the nickname "Xia Xiaohuo".
If you are incompetent and not recognized by men, you will not be called that. Although it is not really a compliment for a woman to be called a young lady.
Qi Weidong also finished a bowl of hot and sour noodles, and said to Xia Juhua with a half-smile: "Auntie, your cooking skills are really not cheap."
"Look at what you said, kid, what kind of cooking skill is this?" Xia Juhua was as humble as ever in front of Qi Weidong: "Isn't it just to fill my stomach? If the food tastes better, everyone will be happy."
How could I not be happy? Qi Weidong took a deep breath and uttered through his teeth: "Auntie wants to fill her stomach, but she can't let me go hungry, right?"
Xia Juhua smiled and said, "You are a city dweller. You are supplied with food every month. How can you be hungry? But you are too polite. You give so many things to auntie, and I don't even have anything to say in return." After saying that, she looked at the four canned fruit bottles and two bottles of maltose neatly placed on the windowsill.
This gift comes so strangely!
Xia Juhua knew from the beginning that Qi Weidong would definitely ask about her situation, but she didn't expect him to find out so quickly. Not only that, but after knowing her situation, Xia Juhua expected him to continue the cooperation. However, with all these things given to her alone, Xia Juhua was really unsure.
Qi Weidong, however, looked unconvinced, smiled and said, "My aunt is willing to exchange vermicelli for me personally, which is the best gift in return. If I ask for other gifts in return, wouldn't I be a greedy person?"
This was half true and half false. Even if Xia Juhua didn't know that Qi Weidong could get sweet potatoes for only four cents per kilogram, he dared to ask for seven kilograms of sweet potatoes in exchange for one kilogram of vermicelli, which showed that he made money from this transaction. Not only did he make money, but he could make a lot of money.
Xia Juhua had no interest in knowing how much money Qi Weidong made. The people in Ping'an Village could earn two kilograms of sweet potatoes for every kilogram of vermicelli this time, and Xia Juhua was already very satisfied. As for Qi Weidong's offer to personally exchange the vermicelli for her, Xia Juhua didn't take it seriously at all.
Getting the sweet potatoes is the most reassuring thing. Qi Weidong felt that he had been cheated and was unhappy. He wanted to criticize himself if he wanted to.
After Qi Weidong finished speaking, he kept waiting for Xia Juhua's answer, but what he waited for was the same expression he had seen last night. Xia Juhua's almost wooden expression made him feel like he had punched a cotton field.
Why do I feel so aggrieved ever since I started dealing with this rural woman?
Qi Weidong was unwilling to give up: "I heard that Auntie is pretty good at frying peanuts. Even the supply and marketing cooperatives are vying for Auntie's help. Why don't you fry some for me? I'll pay five cents for one pound of processing fee."
This is much cheaper than exchanging sweet potatoes for vermicelli, isn't it? The rural woman in front of me can still refuse it. If she accepts it, will she dare to treat me like this in the future?
Xia Juhua shook her head: "You are making fun of Auntie again. You city people have seen all kinds of good things, and you still want those peanuts fried by Auntie. Besides, eating too much of that will make you get irritated. If your relatives really like it, you should persuade them to eat less."
OK, I understand. You just want to make money from selling vermicelli and make it look like you are selling vermicelli for yourself. Is it just a favor between friends? Qi Weidong looked at Xia Juhua in silence. He couldn't understand why Xia Juhua was not tempted when the conditions he proposed later were more profitable and only her family could get them.
That's right, Qi Weidong was sure that when he came to pick up the vermicelli that Xia Juhua had "replaced" (forget about that) for him in the evening, it must have included a lot of vermicelli from other shops in Ping'anzhuang.
Qi Weidong, unwilling to accept defeat, grinned again and said, "Auntie, the New Year is coming soon, and my family needs to make new clothes. If you are willing to help me fry peanuts, no matter how much cloth you need or what kind of cloth you need, just tell me. I promise not to take your money."
Xia Juhua looked at Qi Weidong strangely. Qi Weidong had never seen such a look in Xia Juhua's eyes before. For some reason, it made him feel uneasy.
"Really? Any kind of cloth will do. I'll have as much as you want?" Xia Juhua suddenly spoke.
Qi Weidong shuddered, and his uneasiness grew even stronger: "You can't say how many you want, there are only a few people in my aunt's family."
After saying this, Qi Weidong slapped himself in his heart: since he started trading in the black market, he has never taken back what he said! This is also the reason why Qi Weidong continued the cooperation yesterday even though he knew that he was not the one who fooled Xia Juhua, but she fooled him without knowing it.
After doing a few deals, Qi Weidong has already learned the importance of honesty. But now he really wants to take back what he just said. Not only does he want to think about it, he has already started to do it!
It was impossible to take it back, not even in front of Xia Juhua. She also grinned like Qi Weidong: "Well, although there are not many people in our family, we have many relatives. Who wouldn't make new clothes for their children during the New Year?"
Qi Weidong especially wished that he had not met Xia Juhua yesterday, and that the person he had been dealing with was Liu Zhishuang. That way, he could not only make money, but also make more money by controlling people, and he would not have to be trapped by his own words just to make the rural woman in front of him suffer.
Like Qi Weidong, he doesn't steal, rob houses, or beat people up. He just wants to make some money. Why is it so difficult?
Qi Weidong's voice was a little trembling: "Auntie, how many relatives do you have in your family?"
Xia Juhua waved her hand over the sky above Pingan Village and said, "You should have asked around. Most of the people in Pingan Village have the surname Liu. Zhishuang has to call him either uncle or brother. No matter which one he chooses, he will be blamed."
Aren’t you Liu Zhishuang’s friend? Didn’t I help you exchange vermicelli from someone else yesterday because you two are friends?
"Forget it, I thought about it and realized that greed will lead to fattening. I'd better not bother my aunt to fry peanuts." Qi Weidong decided to put integrity aside for now. Protecting his own interests was the most important thing.
Xia Juhua glanced at him and sighed, "Okay, Auntie won't make things difficult for you."
So easy to talk to? Qi Weidong looked at Xia Juhua in disbelief, and then heard someone say, "In fact, our relatives are very quick. The sweet potatoes you sent should be sold out before the New Year."
Qi Weidong quickly calculated the difference between the cloth that made no money and the vermicelli he might get, but he was still firm in his thinking.
"I am the production team leader of Ping'an Village." Xia Juhua suddenly said, "I can still decide what and how much to plant in the fields of our village next spring."
You are so cruel!
Qi Weidong's expression changed twice, and he pulled the corners of his mouth to the sides to smile: "Auntie, I'm going to tell you something from the bottom of my heart. I can guarantee that I won't make a penny from your family's cloth. But you can see that I'm not the only one doing this business. Those who work with me should also earn a few extra New Year's gifts."
Xia Juhua smiled and said, "How come you think your aunt is so easy to take advantage of? Even though your aunt is just a rural woman, how can she always take advantage of you? You are Zhishuang's friend."
No, I never thought of being friends with Liu Zhishuang.
Xia Juhua was still chattering with a smile: "Since you are Zhishuang's friend, his relatives are almost the same as your own relatives. But friends are close or distant, and relatives are thick or thin. No matter what my aunt says, I can't let you suffer a loss."
"Auntie, you've thought it through. The cloth has to be at least 20 cents more expensive per foot than the one sold at the supply and marketing cooperative. Only then can you make money, right?"
Qi Weidong finally breathed a sigh of relief. He had his own channels to get the cloth, and the purchase price was the same as the selling price of the supply and marketing cooperative. So when he calculated it this way, he didn't suffer any big loss.
Young people always have good wishes, but reality will teach them to grow up step by step. Xia Juhua became the person who helped Qi Weidong grow up: "You know, our relatives only have one foot of cloth coupons per person per year, and we can't give them more. So you see..."
Wait, when did your relatives become our relatives? Qi Weidong looked at Xia Juhua's mouth in disbelief, and realized how childish and ridiculous his idea of embarrassing Xia Juhua by giving her something was.
Are you here to embarrass others? You are clearly asking others to take advantage of you!
After leaving Ping An Manor, Qi Weidong heaved a sigh of relief and said to Xie Hongbing and Li Lin fiercely: "If any of you two don't persuade me or fail to persuade me, don't even think about making money from me again if I say I'm coming to Ping An Manor in the future."
Xie Hongbing and Li Lin: When you were leaving just now, didn’t you say to your aunt with a smile that you would come back tomorrow morning to eat her hot and sour noodles?
Liu Zhishuang was also puzzled: "Mom, why did you say Qi Weidong would come again?" When Qi Weidong left just now, his face was so black.
Xia Juhua looked at the sweet potatoes piled up in the yard and the rising sun, and said with a smile in a good mood: "He was afraid that if he didn't come, the few things he sold would become the property of Ping An Village."
劉志雙更加奇怪了：“娘，你咋那麽信齊衛東的話呢，要是他不把布送來，別人說你怎麽辦？”
為什麽那麽信任齊衛東？夏菊花不能告訴劉志雙，她上輩子聽說過齊衛東的一些傳聞，知道那是一個說話算話的人，在八十年代最初做生意的人中，常被笑話太傻。
可就是這麽一個被人笑話成傻子的人，生意越做越大，九十年代就離開平德縣，把生意做到承平地區去了。而那些笑話過他的人，很多還是守着自己的小買賣，沒有幾個真賺了大錢的。
所以自從确定齊衛東，就是自己聽說過的那位姓齊的生意人，夏菊花對他就有一種自己都沒察覺的信任——人的品性是注定的，除非受到巨大的刺激，否則不會有太大的改變。
“怕啥，就算是買不上布，大家手裏的紅薯是不是實實在在的多了起來。”夏菊花往四處看了一眼，小聲說：“我是不是還能賺一斤五分錢的加工費？”
劉志雙都聽呆了，這還是他那個一板一眼，生怕別人說出一個不字來的親娘嗎？
不管是不是吧，應下別人的活兒總得做。劉志雙為難的問：“娘，咱們家就兩口鍋，要是漏粉的話你炒花生別人可就都知道了。”
夏菊花搖了搖頭說：“今天你和你哥，先跟你表弟他們把你舅家的粉漏完，他們回家之前，咱們家先不漏粉。”
見劉志雙不解，夏菊花只好跟他解釋：“不是娘不信你幾個表弟，可是他們還小着呢，萬一跟別人說漏嘴了，那可要出大事兒了。”
娘兩個說着話，滿囤他們也吃完飯過來了，見到一地的紅薯，有些好奇的問：“大姑，你這又是要幫誰家漏粉，這麽老些可不好漏。”
“可不是，我正跟你二哥商量，不行讓他二叔他們幫忙吧，咱們家先把你們的粉漏完了。”
滿囤的了十分不好意思的撓撓頭說：“要不我帶着他們幾個回去得了，反正我也學得差不多了，等回去帶着他們一起漏。”
夏菊花笑了：“你想回家，正好替姑辦點兒事。”說完拉着滿囤到一邊，讓他回家去問自己的兩個娘家兄弟媳婦，今年都要給誰做新衣裳，都用啥顏色的布，并告訴滿囤：“悄悄跟你娘說，你二哥一個朋友有本事，能買來不要布票的布，不過不能太多。”
從到了大姑家，已經覺得自己思想受到沖擊的滿囤，再次受到了震動，他姑咋啥都會、啥都能買到呢？
十七歲的滿囤，已經到了知道輕重的年紀，不會把話問出口，反而沒等夏菊花囑咐，就鄭重的說：“大姑你放心，除了我娘我誰也不說。我也會跟我娘說，不能一下子把二哥的朋友吓跑了。”
夏菊花樂的拍了拍滿囤的肩膀：“知道就行，快回去吧。”
滿囤一走，夏菊花在家裏也呆不住，她得去找五爺和陳秋生兩個商量一下，紅薯應該怎麽分配，最先應該從誰家拿粉條，還得跟婦女們打一聲招呼，問清楚大家需要布的數量和顏色。
至于質地，除了斜紋布，就是平紋帶點花兒，現在哪有什麽挑選的餘地。
等事情商量得差不多了，平安莊上空就籠罩了一層努力壓抑着的興奮，大人們個個不自覺的嘴角上揚，連帶的孩子們犯點兒小錯，也不會挨罵。
李長順來時看到的就是這樣的情景，不解的問竟在街上走動的五爺：“你們生産隊的人是咋啦，一個個都這麽高興呢？”
五爺從算子裏哼了一聲：“一群眼皮子淺的東西，聽說過小年那天殺豬就都忍不住了，現在就開始想着咋吃殺豬菜呢。”
吃個殺豬菜就能高興成這樣？李長順并不相信：“咋沒見大壯家的？”
“她忙着呢。”五爺面色不變的擡了擡下巴：“你沒見我們平安莊現在廚房裏的都是男人，那幫婦女們都忙着呢。娘的，這叫啥事兒？”
你要抱怨的話，把嘴角放下是不是可信一點兒？李長順背起手，一瘸一拐的往場院走。五爺在身後問了一句：“你找大壯家的有事兒呀，要是有事兒我讓人叫她一聲。再忙，大隊長來了還能讓大隊長親自去找她？”
李長順聽出五爺對夏菊花好象真的有些不滿，調回頭來勸他：“我知道你覺得一個婦女當生産隊長，心裏肯定不得勁。一開始我跟你想的一樣。可是這都快三月了，她幹的不是挺好的。照這麽幹下去，來年你們生産隊的分紅差不了。”
不光來年分紅差不了，今年大家都能過個好年。五爺心裏想着，臉上的表情還是有些別扭：“過日子還能光指着分紅？平安莊這些老爺們兒，臉算是丢盡了，天天進廚房裏忙活，算什麽老爺們。”
李長順不得不走回來，小聲說：“要我說你們生産隊的人就是太實在了，親戚那麽多，誰扛着紅薯來了都幫着漏粉，自己生産隊的活兒咋辦？耽誤了生産隊的活，是不是得扣工分？一句現成的話說說，不比……”
考慮到自己大隊長的身份，下頭的話李長順真不方便說了。就這，也足夠讓五爺吃驚的：“這不是大壯家的讓人給舉報怕了，又怕你們大隊覺得，我們生産隊的人不幫助兄弟生産隊嘛。”
李長順一下子被噎得說不出話來，好一會兒才說：“走，走，上你家我好好跟你說道說道。”
等夏菊花被劉七喜找來的時候，李長順和五爺兩個早已經心平氣和的說起各生産隊買來的麥麸怎麽處理好來了。
夏菊花還有些後怕，想着等李長順走了，就跟五爺商量一下，得在村口安排兩個人，看到不是平安莊的人來了提前告訴自己一聲。否則哪兒有那麽好的運氣，回回李長順這樣的外村人來了，都能碰着五爺。
不過現在她得問：“大隊長，是又有什麽任務嗎？”
五爺已經點着了煙袋鍋子，等着聽李長順的來意——剛才他都套半天話了，李長順愣是一個字都沒透露。
李長順看了五爺一眼，說：“剛才我都跟五爺商量半天了，也沒想出啥好法子。那幾個生産隊我也去過了，都一個樣。”
夏菊花聽的一頭霧水，不解的看着李長順，等他說的明白點兒。五爺把煙嘴拿下來，問：“敢情你剛才不是跟我扯閑篇，是真想把那些麥麸變成吃的東西？”
“我還有心思跟你扯閑篇？”李長順皺着眉，看着五爺新鋪的炕席，說：“你又不是真走不動，地裏的墒情啥樣你能看不出來？咱們種了這麽些年地，除了四二年大旱那年，哪年冬天這樣過？”
“那是你四二年以後沒在村裏。”五爺繼續吧嗒他的煙嘴：“四七年還有一回來着，你沒趕上。”
“大隊長，我們平安莊不是幫着各生産隊漏粉了嗎？”夏菊花小心的問出一句，也有替過兩天平安莊依然漏粉做鋪墊的意思。
五爺瞪了夏菊花一眼，想想她不是那麽沉不住氣的人，不會因為李長順幾句話就把黑市說出來，才垂下眼皮。
李長順又嘆口氣：“你們幾個生産隊産量都差不多，秋天各家分了多少紅薯你心裏沒數？都漏成粉又能吃幾頓。那玩意還不如蒸紅薯飽肚子。”
夏菊花無語了。她所以厚着臉皮粘上齊衛東，不就是為了讓平安莊的人手裏能多點兒紅薯嗎？這個辦法在平安莊可行，那是因為平安莊的人心齊，也在夏菊花這裏得到了足夠的好處。
別的生産隊呢？夏菊花可不敢用自己的安全試別人的人心，所以她只能沉默。
李長順也知道現在就讓夏菊花說出個主意來，是為難她，又嘆了一口氣：“大壯家的，我知道你們生産隊最近都挺忙的。可誰叫你主意多呢。要是有空的話你也想想，那些麥麸還能怎麽用。”說完一手支着炕沿，慢慢站了起來。
五爺和夏菊花都跟着站起身來，一起把李長順送到門口，同時請李長順小年那天來平安莊吃殺豬菜。李長順搖頭：“現在就是給我龍肉吃，我也咽不下去。”
被他這麽一說，剛上工時還滿心歡喜的五爺和夏菊花，心裏都不好受。五爺讓夏菊花忙她自己的去，自己則留在家裏想主意。
夏菊花是真忙，就沒跟五爺客氣，還得勸他老人家別太操心，說不定車到山前有了路，集體明年會早點兒發救濟糧呢。
五爺背手回屋，傳來一句：“這話你自己都不信吧？”
不信，當然不信，可這不是沒辦法嗎？已經學會解決不了的事兒先放一放的夏菊花，要去做她能馬上做好的事兒。
場院裏的婦女們見她來了，一個個邊編着席邊對着她笑。夏菊花知道她們在笑什麽，裝出沒好氣的樣子說：“都笑啥，常旺家的看看，誰編的席不合格，誰沒按着進度把席編出來，該扣工分的扣工分。”
李常旺家的随叫随到：“剛才我都看過了，一個個編的還行。雖然比不上隊長你編的，可是供銷社肯定挑不出毛病來。”
她一說完，整個場院又傳來婦女們歡快的笑聲。
怎麽能不笑。七斤紅薯換一斤粉條的好事兒，她們各家都能攤上，不要布票的布，家家都能買上幾尺，以前敢想？好事是誰帶來的，人人心裏的數。這人就站在大家跟前，還會帶更多的好事給大家，更該笑。
夏菊花自己也繃不住了，坐回安寶玲跟前，發現她手裏拿着巴掌大的一塊紙，還捏了一小截鉛筆頭，在紙上畫着夏菊花看不懂的符號。
“你這記的是啥東西？”
安寶玲擡頭看她一眼，理所當然的說：“記誰家要多少布呀。”
牙疼，夏菊花前所未有的牙疼：“這個是誰家的，要幾尺？”她随手指了中間的幾個鬼畫符，問安寶玲。
安寶玲自己端詳了半天，不确定的說：“好象是趙華山家，要七尺，能出三尺布票。”
趙華山家的正好坐的不遠，聽到安寶玲提到自己，怕到時真買錯了，忙說：“三壯家的，我不是要七尺，是要九尺。布票倒是能出三尺。”
夏菊花終于知道李長順和五爺嘆氣時的感受了：“算了，一會兒還是讓秋生來記吧。要不好不容易有這麽件好事兒，記差了鬧的不高興，就不好了。”
安寶玲臉騰的一下紅了：“嫂子，我……”
“你別往心裏去，我就是怕把好事辦砸了。”夏菊花連忙拍了拍安寶玲的手：“我還不如你呢，要不我早自己記了。”
被安慰的安寶玲反而更內疚了——嫂子是相信她才讓她記着點兒誰家都要什麽布，可嫂子剛離開這麽一小會兒，她就給記亂了。
“要是我認字就好了。”安寶玲從來沒有一次這麽恨自己不認字。
在場院裏的婦女人，又有誰認得字呢？要知道夏菊花最初教大家編福字席的時候，返工最多的就是編字的地方，最後大家都是靠硬記，才把字編周正的。
聽到安寶玲感嘆，夏菊花猛地想起一個問題：她重活以來，就沒見一個平安莊的孩子上過學！！
要知道國家早就有複課的規定，上輩子夏菊花家沒有适齡的孩子，就沒注意過平安莊的大人孩子是什麽時候開始注重學習的，可是這輩子竟然一個孩子都不上學，将來咋辦？
因這事不是着急的事兒，夏菊花先讓陳秋生家的快把陳秋生喊來。陳秋生來後又把婦女們報出的數目登記了一遍，陳秋生家的看着男人下筆利落，臉上跟着放光。
趁着陳秋生記數的空檔，夏菊花問他：“咱們生産隊的孩子們，都不認字嗎？”
陳秋生看了夏菊花一眼，想起他們家的情況，笑了一下說：“也有幾個認字的，可是停課之後就再沒上過學。”
夏菊花忙問是哪幾個孩子，都上了幾年學。陳秋生說一個人名，那孩子的親娘聽到了就遠遠的應一聲，因不知道夏菊花為什麽要問，嘴上都誇自己孩子幾句，仿佛她們的孩子真的還天天在家寫字一樣。
李常旺家的幾次撇嘴都強忍下了，最後忍無可忍：“要不把這幾個孩子叫來得了。反正秋生也在呢，讓他考考還記着幾個字。”真當隊長好糊弄是吧，她李常旺家的可不好糊弄。
剛才答應過的婦女們一個個把頭低下。
夏菊花的頭也擡不起來——誰讓她上輩子後幾十年已經知道，農村孩子想跳出農門，最大的捷徑就是讀書呢。可剛剛陳秋生告訴她，整個平安莊認字的孩子才九個，讀完小學的只有三個。
如果說明年的天災影響的只是平安莊一年的收成，孩子們普遍不認字，影響的就是平安莊兩代甚至三代的收成。
想想吧，五六年之後就要包産到戶，平安莊的人還能再窩在村裏等着上級配發化肥農藥嗎？等不到配發，是不是得自己去買，不認字說不定就要買到假貨，那一年在地裏下的工夫就白費了。
還有将來的打工潮呢。不認字的人出的是最苦的力氣，掙的最少的錢，那點兒錢除了翻修一下自己家的房子，還夠幹啥？
越想越不好，夏菊花問陳秋生的語氣跟着變差了：“大隊不是有小學嗎，咋沒人送孩子去上學？”
陳秋生奇怪的看了夏菊花一眼：“那小學就是個擺設，自從運動以來，老師被打倒了上頭只派過一回教師。可是紅小隊幾次又跑到學校找教師的麻煩，人家呆不住調到別處去了。”
造孽不造孽？！
夏菊花的臉完全陰了下來，陳秋生雖然搞不清好好的她怎麽就不高興了，不過還是憑本能給她出主意：“孩子們認字的雖然不多，可是我們這麽大的認字的還有幾個。對了，劉力柱還上過初中呢。”
劉力柱？夏菊花記得他身體不好，要不也不會過成平安莊的欠帳戶，只是他上過初中，還真沒印象。
見夏菊花露出思索的表情，陳秋生認為自己可能說到點兒上了，忙說：“力柱其實在學校的時候學習挺好的，要不我們幾個，也不能只有他一個考上了初中。運動一開始他沒跟着打倒老師，就被紅小隊的人給打傷了，還落下了個病根。”
對于紅小隊造的孽，夏菊花已經不去想了，只問：“你說要是讓劉力柱教一下孩子們認字，生産隊給他記工分，他願意不願意？”
當然願意！陳秋生想也不想的替劉力柱答應下來：“這些年他們家全靠他媳婦掙工分，要是力柱自己能掙工分的話，幹啥不願意。”
場院裏突然傳來了一陣壓抑的哭聲，夏菊花一看正是劉力柱家的，忙站起身來走過去：“力柱家的，你要是不願意只管說，我就是跟秋生話趕話說到這兒了，不是讓力柱非得答應不可。”
“嬸子，我願意，我咋能不願意。”劉力柱家的忙擦了一把眼淚：“我這是替他爹高興的，這些年了他老覺得對不起我，天天念叨着要是他也能掙工分就好了，還後悔自己不該去念書，說要是不念書就不會……”
整個場院的人都不說話了。能說什麽？看隊長剛才着急的樣子，還有安寶玲記的那些東西，大家都知道了認字的好處。可偏偏，劉力柱坐下病根，就是因為讀書。
“行了，你也別太高興了。”夏菊花只能順着劉力柱家的說：“你答應了不管用，還得回去問問力柱同不同意。快回去吧。”
劉力柱家的哽咽着答應一聲，回家去了。夏菊花的目光則在婦女們身上掃了一遍，說：“剛才大家也看到了，如果力柱答應了，誰想讓孩子跟着學認字的，就到秋生那兒報個名。也不非得是孩子，大人有想學的也可以跟着學。”
“隊長，我倒是想學，可就是白天得編席，哪兒來的空兒。”李常旺家的永遠是頭一個做出反應的人。
夏菊花笑了一下：“我記着原來掃盲的時候，不都是晚上學嗎，不行咱們就讓秋生辛苦點兒，晚上教一下大人。秋生，你願意不？”
陳秋生家的一直站在他身邊沒走，聽到夏菊花問陳秋生是不是同意，忙擰了他一把，把陳秋生擰的呲牙咧嘴的直點頭。
都在一個村裏住着，誰家兩口子怎麽過日子，都了解的差不多。一個跟陳秋生家的年紀差不多的媳婦，就笑話陳秋生：“會計，你這也不行呀，咋讓你翠萍擰青了都不敢吱一聲。是不是在家裏被擰慣了？”
陳秋生本就紅的臉，一下子成了紅布，埋怨的看了自己媳婦一眼。夏菊花也覺得好笑：“原來秋生家的叫翠萍，我覺得比陳秋生家的好聽多了。”
哎呀把陳秋生家的高興的，連不好意思都顧不上了，拉着夏菊花問：“隊長，你真的覺得我名字好聽？”
夏菊花笑着點頭。
陳秋生家的一下子忍不住看了男人一眼，又轉頭對着場院裏的婦女們大聲宣布：“以後誰要是不喊我的名字，還叫陳秋生家的，我可不答應了。”
“把你給美的。好象就你有名字一樣，別人都沒名？”人太得意，自然容易刺激別人，有人不服氣的說了一句。陳，呀不，是張翠萍把頭一揚：“你有沒有名子我不知道，反正隊長說我的名字好聽，那你們就得叫我的名字。”
陳秋生……
場院裏的婦女更不服氣了，一個個報上自己在娘家時的名字，非得拉着夏菊花給她們評評理，看看誰的名字好聽，誰的名字難聽。
How could Xia Juhua compare with this? Even she, the elders, still called her Da Zhuangjia. Could she learn from Cuiping and not allow people to call her that?
Why not?! After hearing that there was a third woman named Zhaodi, Xia Juhua suddenly felt unfair: for many years, after a woman got married, except for her natal family and in-laws, the whole village only knew that she was someone's daughter-in-law, or someone's mother, and they didn't remember that she was an independent individual with a name of her own.
Yes, even if they once had their own names, their parents gave them perfunctorily, and Li Daya was not an exception. Some of them also carried strong disdain, such as those Zhaodi. But that was also a symbol of their own, not as obvious as "whose family" or "whose mother".
In her previous life, Xia Juhua was called Liu Dazhuang's daughter for decades, but she didn't feel anything. At that time, her biggest wish was to have a good relationship and balance with her two daughters-in-law. But after living again, Xia Juhua was not only called Liu Dazhuang's daughter, but also called Xia Xiaohuo and Xia Captain.
Especially the latter, Xia Juhua was respected and trusted by everyone in Pingan Village. When Cuiping casually said that her name was nice, she would not allow others to call her Chen Qiusheng's daughter. This made Xia Juhua realize that as long as women can stand up for themselves, they can get the same respect as men.
She can, and so can the other women in Ping An Village!
"Okay, have you finished weaving today's mats?" Xia Juhua looked at Cuiping with some helplessness, and decided to stop calling her Chen Qiusheng's wife from now on: "Cuiping, stop making noises, go and weave your mats."
Cuiping felt fulfilled when Xia Juhua called her name in person. She sat back in her seat with her neck raised proudly, and no longer paid attention to the other women.
She stopped talking, and the other women were still discussing: "Are we really going to call her Cuiping from now on?"
"If I call her by her name and let her call me Erxi's, then I will be at a loss."
"What's the harm? If she doesn't care about you calling her Zhaodi, then you don't have to pay any attention to her."
Chen Qiusheng: Who am I, where am I, and what do I hear? The women of Ping An Village are not rebelling against heaven, they are seeking to ascend to heaven!
Captain, these women all listen to you, why don't you do anything about it? Chen Qiusheng silently glanced at Xia Juhua and found that she was listening to the women's discussion with great interest. He wanted to remind his silly wife, but he knew that if he told her that the captain called her name, she would unilaterally cease fire and let others talk about her. I'm afraid the silly wife would think that he was trying to sow discord between her and the captain.
There was no way. Ever since the captain taught his wife how to weave mats, Chen Qiu Sheng had already realized the position of himself and the captain in his wife's heart.
Xia Juhua spoke only after the women's chatter died down: "Everyone thinks it's a bit awkward that Cuiping insists on you calling her by her name, right? But think about it, are we called someone's family when we are born? We have our own names, but we were called that for more than ten or twenty years before we became someone's family."
"It turns out that we women have little strength and cannot earn enough money.