Chapter 70 (1)
What era is it now? Xia Juhua, who has been reported twice, knows it better than anyone. Even if Qi Weidong said that the sweet potatoes obtained by exchanging vermicelli would be enough for the people of Ping'an Village to eat for ten years, Xia Juhua still did not intend to agree.
Anyway, she knew that the natural disaster would only last for a year. Although Ping'an Village did not have enough food now, they could supplement their food with wild vegetables in the fields in spring and summer, and by the time the collective could sell back some relief food in the autumn of next year, there would be no problem.
Therefore, Xia Juhua, who had just been shaking her head slowly, shook her head faster after hearing Qi Weidong's words: "Xiao Qi, it's not that I don't want to help you. It's already this time, and the New Year is just around the corner. We've been busy for a month, and we're all tired and can't do anything anymore."
"That person can exchange seven and a half kilograms of sweet potatoes for one kilogram of vermicelli." Qi Weidong thought that with Xia Juhua's calculating mind, she would be able to figure out how much profit the people of Ping'an Village could get from it.
The two Liu brothers put down their bowls at the same time and looked at Qi Weidong in surprise, trying to tell whether he was telling the truth or a lie. Qi Weidong was anxious to persuade Xia Juhua to agree, and his expression was not fake at all.
It was a really well-calculated deal.
Liu Zhiquan and his brother looked at each other, hesitating whether to persuade their mother. Then they heard their mother say, "Seven and a half pounds of sweet potatoes for one pound of vermicelli. Did someone you know steal the grain station?"
Apart from the grain station, Xia Juhua really couldn't think of anyone who could or dared to stockpile so many sweet potatoes - the last time the production team exchanged vermicelli, they kept half a pound of sweet potatoes for every seven pounds, which was nearly four thousand pounds. After discussing with Fifth Master and Chen Qiu Sheng, Xia Juhua didn't dare to put the sweet potatoes in the production team's grain warehouse, and secretly moved them to the vegetable cellars of Fifth Master and Liu Daxixi's families.
The sweet potato production team had to hide the extra 4,000 kilograms of sweet potatoes. Qi Weidong knew someone who had more sweet potatoes than he brought to Ping'an Village, and he dared to say that he would exchange 7.5 kilograms for 1 kilogram of vermicelli. So where did all those sweet potatoes come from and where could they be put so that they would not be discovered? !
Seeing Xia Juhua's attitude getting more and more firm, Qi Weidong's face became more and more aggrieved: "Auntie, not to mention that your production team didn't suffer any loss last time when the vermicelli was exchanged, just based on my hearing that Zhishuang was cheated, I quickly found someone to help him out. Isn't that good enough for your nephew? I've been so good, auntie, how can you not help me with this?"
Liu Zhishuang was cheated again? This was the first time Xia Juhua had heard of this. She looked at Liu Zhishuang with more than just anger. Liu Zhishuang was also very worried. He put down his bowl and stood up to assure his mother, "Mom, I have been staying at home and drinking milk these days. I haven't been anywhere."
"I only went to the county town today, and my eldest brother followed me the whole time. I really didn't do anything else. Don't listen to Qi Weidong's nonsense. Apart from being... "
At this point, the mother and the daughter both recalled the 110 yuan that the Red Team had inexplicably recovered from Old Sun's house. Liu Zhishuang asked tentatively, "Qi Weidong, was it you who asked the Red Team members from our commune to go to Old Sun's house?"
Qi Weidong, who wanted to be an unknown hero, had to play the emotional card in order to avoid a repeat of what happened in the past few days. He was a little embarrassed, and his tone when he spoke to Liu Zhishuang was not very good:
"You are the one who caused me so much trouble. You didn't keep your own money safe, and a woman took it away for nothing. If I wasn't worried that my aunt would get upset and have a bad New Year, I wouldn't bother to care about your business."
No matter how bad his tone was, it couldn't hide the fact that it was Qi Weidong who came forward to help the Red Team recover the money that Liu Zhishuang had taken away. Liu Zhishuang walked up to Qi Weidong, bowed to him solemnly, and said, "Brother Qi, thank you. At that time, I thought the Red Team just recovered my money, but I didn't expect..."
"Come on, if you want to thank me, just persuade my aunt to agree to buy me some more vermicelli." Qi Weidong never forgot his purpose.
Xia Juhua started thinking: It was not a coincidence that the Red Team went to Sunjiazhuang to find trouble with the old Sun family, but was instructed by Qi Weidong. This shows that Qi Weidong was not bragging before, but really had a backer, and could order the people in the Red Team around.
For someone with such a strong backing, if he wanted to collect vermicelli, he should not just rely on the Ping An Zhuang production team. However, he first did a favor and then gave New Year gifts, and the conditions he proposed were more generous than expected. It didn't seem normal no matter how you looked at it.
"Xiao Qi, where did you get vermicelli before you came to Auntie's place to exchange it?"
Qi Weidong, who was scolding Liu Zhishuang in a bad mood, answered Xia Juhua's question without thinking: "Isn't it that each production team collects what they can? Their vermicelli techniques are different, and some are coarse and some are fine. None of them are as chewy as the ones you guys make."
The chewiness of vermicelli depends on how long it is cooked in the soup. Xia Juhua continued to chat with Qi Weidong: "The thickness varies. You can just pick and sort them yourself after you collect them. Why do you have to ask for the vermicelli that your aunt has left?"
"That's different." Qi Weidong couldn't care less about Liu Zhishuang: "Other people's vermicelli is transported to different places, and they have to go to several production teams. It's too eye-catching to transport sweet potatoes and vermicelli back and forth. It's not like you, auntie, you just need to transport it to one place."
Okay, I understand. Xia Juhua continued with a smile: "But Auntie can't really do that much here, so you should take care of it yourself and go to more places. This vermicelli is popular before the New Year, but after the New Year, all the food that should be bought is sold out, and there won't be much left. You won't want too much, right?"
Qi Weidong was anxious again: "My dear aunt, vermicelli is not easy to sell, but it can be stored. Dry it a little and it will be fine for a year. But sweet potatoes are not the same. They will sprout in the spring, and they will be wasted if they rot."
After saying this, Qi Weidong wanted to cover his mouth. When he looked up, he saw Xia Juhua looking at him with a smile.
I was careless, I was really careless. I had originally thought of using small talk to persuade Xia Juhua, but I didn't expect that I would be tricked by this seemingly honest and almost dull rural woman.
Since the truth had already been revealed, Qi Weidong didn't intend to keep it secret any longer, and said to Xia Juhua, "Auntie, isn't it time for Zhishuang and his brother to go back to their room and rest?"
The Liu Zhiquan brothers, who were asked to go back to their rooms to rest, looked at the remaining soup in their bowls and thought that they didn't need to drink it all in the main room. If their mother wanted them to stay, she would have asked when Qi Weidong finished speaking. Since their mother didn't say anything until now, it meant that they could indeed go back to their rooms to rest.
The two brothers each carried their bowls out, considerately closed the door for their mother, and went into the kitchen together. Liu Zhishuang asked, "Brother, are we still going to have noodles today?"
"Of course I will. I think mother will agree to Qi Weidong in all likelihood. Tell me, why do you make mother so worried? If he hadn't helped you, mother wouldn't have to agree if she didn't want to. How great it would be." Liu Zhiquan, who had always been honest, was very good at complaining about Liu Zhishuang.
What could Liu Zhishuang say? He could do nothing except wash the dishes for his brother, fetch firewood to light the fire, and do all the preparations for the rice noodle soup by himself.
Xia Juhua in the main room stared at Qi Weidong but couldn't say anything.
Qi Weidong felt more and more uncomfortable when Xia Juhua stared at him: "Auntie, I can't help it. They have already seen the goods and paid a deposit. Can I not deliver the goods?"
He had delivered the goods but they were seized and he was not allowed to leave unless he exchanged the sweet potatoes for vermicelli. He had never thought about it. Thinking of the person who placed the order with him, Qi Weidong wanted to slap himself twice. Why did he let down his guard just because the person looked better dressed and gave a bigger deposit?
He was careless, really careless. Qi Weidong didn't expect that person to find someone else to test him.
It's all because I've been making money so smoothly these days. Qi Weidong looked at Xia Juhua with some resentment. Who made his most profitable products, vermicelli and fried peanuts, so closely related to Xia Juhua?
Xia Juhua was a little scared by his gaze: "Xiao Qi, did they beat you?"
Qi Weidong shook his head.
"Did they report you to the Red Team?"
Qi Weidong still shook his head: "They want to exchange more vermicelli from me, report me to the Red Team, who else can they find to exchange vermicelli with."
This is the logic of the person. How could he force someone to agree to exchange vermicelli? Is he really a reasonable person?
In contrast, Qi Weidong was the best possible partner. Xia Juhua made up her mind: "Okay, let's do as they say, seven and a half pounds for one pound. But we have to agree that I will only recognize you as my only friend. If anyone else comes to exchange with me, I will have no vermicelli to give him."
Okay, Qi Weidong understood. His role was the same as last time, which was to find someone among relatives and friends to help leak fans. Others didn't know Xia Juhua and Liu Zhishuang and were not their friends, so Xia Juhua would not acknowledge them even if they came.
"I still say the same thing. Auntie can't let you suffer too much. Ping'an Zhuang doesn't want the extra half pound of sweet potatoes. They are all yours." Xia Juhua would give it to Qi Weidong regardless of whether the person who provided the sweet potatoes would give him any benefits or not.
To put it bluntly, Qi Weidong is just a middleman. If both parties are threatened, Qi Weidong may not benefit. Qi Weidong is a trader. If he doesn't make money, why would he work for both parties?
Xia Juhua is making concessions now for the sake of Qi Weidong after the opening up, not for the sake of Qi Weidong who is still under threat.
Qi Weidong, who didn't know that Xia Juhua was playing the long game to catch the big fish, felt a sour taste in his heart: Qi Weidong knew the man who detained him too well, and he had to be the one to settle things when he encountered problems. But in order to make himself tell the truth, he couldn't sleep well for several days.
Even if that person didn't do it for himself, it was enough to make Qi Weidong feel a little resentful - he only dared to feel a little resentful.
Xia Juhua and I are merely in a cooperative relationship here, and she has her own reasons for whether to do so or not.
難道自己能跟那人威脅自己一樣，威脅夏菊花嗎？就算威脅了，夏菊花稍微暗示一下，平安莊有人集體磨洋工，到開春紅薯開始爛了，粉條還是漏不出來，自己照樣兩頭都不落好。
可是聽說自己遇到的事兒後，一直拒絕的夏菊花，首先關心的是自己挨沒挨打，然後就一口同意了。不光同意了，她還考慮到了自己的利益，每斤粉條讓自己得到半斤紅薯的好處。
這點好處跟自己賣粉條自然不能比，可自己也不用起早貪黑，提心吊膽的在黑市裏蹲着等買主不是？
關鍵兩邊對自己的态度相差太多，齊衛東想不多想都難：“嬸子你放心，既然這麻煩是我給你惹出來的，那該我擔着的事兒，我說啥也要擔到底。”
面對齊衛東難得的鄭重，夏菊花抱的是姑罔聽之的态度——當初齊衛東都能跟着劉志雙找到平安莊，敢做出扣下齊衛東舉動的人，就不能找到平安莊嗎？
不過是盼着大家看在利益的份上，都留着窗戶紙別捅破罷了。
事實竟然按着夏菊花的希望來了，第二天晚上平安莊的男勞力們等于全員出動，用了一個晚上的時間，生生在生産隊院子裏堆起了一座紅薯山。
夏菊花不得不慶幸收葦杆的工作已經結束了，要不然送葦杆的人見到這一座紅薯山，平安莊的人再裝啞巴也沒法掩蓋。
齊衛東也跟着一宿沒睡，看着一個個面露疲色的壯勞力們，良心發現的問：“嬸子，要不我拉頭豬來，合本賣給你們生産隊的社員吧？”
夏菊花都沒力氣看他：“我還以為你要送我們社員一頭豬呢。”
“嬸子，好嬸子，”齊衛東現在叫嬸子叫的那是實心實意：“現在豬肉多難買你能不知道？我要不是看着大家夥兒辛苦，能只要本錢？”
行吧，你說的是實話。夏菊花讓陳秋生去問問大夥，有沒有要肉的，都要啥地方想要多少，把齊衛東問的眼睛發藍：“嬸子，你們咋還挑揀上了？”
“你都想着做好事兒了，那就好事兒做到底，讓大家吃個順心，大家才更有力氣漏粉兒不是。”
一提到漏粉，齊衛東馬上蔫了，讓謝紅兵跟着陳秋生記下社員的要求，自己帶着李林早跑沒影了。
他們能跑，平安莊的人跑不了。忙碌了一晚上之後，還得盡快把紅薯山分到社員們的菜窖裏，要不讓大隊的人看到了，不是鬧着玩兒的。
都說怕什麽來什麽，夏菊花以前不信，見到一臉凝重的李長順時，馬上把這句話信了個十成十。
“大隊長，你咋來了呢，是要找五爺嗎？”夏菊花都不敢看李長順的眼睛，話裏透着十二分的心虛。
李長順倒背着手，一拐一拐的繞着紅薯山轉了一圈，吓得正在稱重的劉大喜手腳都沒處放，領紅薯的社員更是恨不得自己的頭鑽進紅薯山裏。
夏菊花陪着李長順轉了一圈，見他一直不說話，有心想找個話題，又不是多會說的人，場面怎是一個尴尬能描述完的？
好在七喜将功補過把五爺找來了，沒等走到李長順面前，老頭已經埋怨起來：“你說你來了，咋不去我家呢，大冷天非得在外頭喝風，還以為自己是年輕人呢是吧？”
李長順看了五爺一眼，又深深看向夏菊花：“你們平安莊生産隊，很團結呀。”
夏菊花尴尬的堆個似笑似哭的表情：“都是大隊教育的好。”
“大隊可沒教育你們……”李長順放下倒背的手，伸出左手指向剛分一半的紅薯山，點了又點，嘴張了張終究沒說別的。
五爺先給了七喜兩巴掌：“大隊長來了你都不知道早點兒告訴我，看，惹大隊長生氣了吧。得了，這混小子我教訓他了，快跟我回家去歇會兒，我正有事兒要跟你商量呢。”
說完，不由分說的扯過李長順的胳膊，拉着人就走。五爺的身子到冬天本不該出門，強忍着上街來，跟李長順說幾句話的工夫被冷風一嗆，驚天動地的咳嗽起來。這下李長順不想跟着五爺走都不成了，七喜更是愧疚的看了夏菊花一眼後，扶着五爺慢慢往家走。
夏菊花知道七喜在內疚什麽——自從上次李長順突然出現在平安莊後，為了不被人發現平安莊的秘密，夏菊花安排七喜和陳冬生的小兒子陳留柱每天盯着村口。
只要不是平安莊本村人，外來的不管是誰，都要盡早告訴夏菊花或是五爺、陳秋生三人中的一個，好提前做些應對準備。
今天李長順又一次悄無聲息的出現在平安莊，等于宣告七喜兩個人失職。可夏菊花能埋怨七喜他們兩個嗎？昨天晚上全平安莊的男人還有力氣大些的婦女，都出動挑了一夜紅薯，七喜和陳留柱兩個也跟着挑了半夜的紅薯。
都還是半大小子，累了半夜睡都睡不夠，盯着村口時打個盹、晃個神都很好理解。夏菊花能想到的補救措施就是下次得多派兩個人看着村口，不光看着通向大隊的方向，從小莊頭過來的方向也要守住。
唯一值得慶幸的是今天來的人是李長順，他跟夏菊花一樣明白糧食對社員們的重要性。
麻煩的也是來的人是李長順，主要是他放眼的是整個平安莊大隊，而不是跟夏菊花一樣，擔心的只有一個平安莊生産隊。
所以當李長順敲着五爺家的炕沿，問夏菊花分了一半的紅薯山是咋回事的時候，夏菊花除了沉默還是沉默。五爺明白沉默不是辦法，不能仗着李長順不屑于搞舉報、批/鬥之類的動作，就連一個解釋都不給人家。
人家只是不屑搞那些惡心人的動作，不是不能。
咂摸了兩口煙袋，五爺還是替夏菊花開口了：“這事你也不用問菊花了，都是我這個老頭子搞出來的，她是替我背了黑鍋。”
“她替你背黑鍋，你給她背黑鍋還差不多。”要不說人家李長順能做大隊長呢，整個大隊能數得上來的人，都是什麽脾氣秉性，他哪個說不出個大概？五爺要真有讓人背黑鍋的本事，前兩年怎麽不見讓劉二壯背？
五爺被堵的無話可說，索性利用自己年老體弱耍起了無賴：“那你說怎麽辦，來年整個平安莊生産隊都指着這點兒紅薯呢。好不容易趕上了這麽一個機會，你就算是去公社舉報，我也得讓平安莊的人不做餓死鬼！”
夏菊花心裏默默給五爺豎起大拇指，臉上仍然是惶恐不安的：“五爺，如果大隊長去公社舉報，我就算進了學習班，你也要讓大家把粉條都給人漏出來。要不平安莊攤上說話不算數的名聲，以後誰還敢跟咱們打交道。”
李長順被這兩個人一唱一合的給氣樂了：“你們既然覺得我會舉報，我要是不上公社去一趟的話，好象挺對不起你們對我的信任。”
大隊長，這麽反話正說，真的還能愉快的交流嗎？夏菊花看了李長順一眼，見人正死死盯着自己，慫了，低頭裝起了鹌鹑。
“你們讓我咋辦？”李長順見五爺和夏菊花都不說話了，才嘆了一口氣：“五個生産隊，哪個生産隊有人挨餓，都是我這個大隊長沒幹好。再說都是鄉裏鄉親的，別的生産隊挨餓，你們真能咽得下去？”
咋就咽不下去了，平安莊的人不偷不搶，靠着自己的技術掙了點兒紅薯，才有了應對天災的底氣，憑啥咽不下去。
這話夏菊花也就在心裏想想，說是不敢當着李長順的面說的。
她不能說，五爺倒沒什麽顧忌：“大隊長，老話說的好到什麽山唱什麽歌。平安莊的紅薯是自己吃苦受累掙來的。你看看平安莊現在老老少少，有一個閑人沒有？別的生産隊呢，個個都靠牆根曬暖吹牛呢吧！”
李長順也很無奈呀：“他們能跟你們比嗎，一個個除了種地，啥啥不會。”
夏菊花不贊同的說：“大隊長，編席的事兒我不好說，可是怎麽漏粉兒，我們生産隊可真沒瞞着誰。不管是哪家的親戚想學，都是手把手的教給他們了。可那些人圖省事，把紅薯往我們社員家裏一放，就等着拿現成的粉條。為了替親戚漏粉兒，我們生産隊好些人不得不請假，連生産任務都耽誤了。”
五爺就從鼻子裏哼了一聲：“你就該扣那些人的工分，憑啥給外隊幹活，耽誤了自己生産隊的活計。”
李長順老臉熱的呀，都不好意思張口了。可平安莊那座紅薯山太饞人，他也舍不得馬上離開，三個人只好對坐着發愣。
好一會兒，五爺磕打煙袋鍋子的聲音，才打破了屋裏的寂靜。李長順又長嘆了一口氣：“你們覺得我不講理也好，偏向那四個生産隊也好，反正那紅薯，你們得分點兒給他們。”
五爺把煙袋鍋子敲的呯呯響：“那紅薯是人家要換粉條的，都分給那四個生産隊，我們拿啥給人家漏粉條？”
繼續僵持下去并不是一個好辦法，夏菊花把自己能想到的主意說出來：“大隊長，你擔心的跟我和五爺擔心的都一樣，就怕過完年還沒有雨水，開春種下的莊稼沒有收成，大隊得有很大一部分人挨餓。”
見李長順點頭，夏菊花就向他承諾：“都說救急不救窮，我只能說來年要是哪個生産隊真有揭不開鍋的，我們生産隊能提供點兒粉條。不過得要錢，還得比平時的價錢高，大隊長你說應該不應該？”
五爺知道夏菊花打的是他窖裏那些紅薯的主意，也跟李長順一樣嘆氣：“大隊長，咱們都看得出來地裏墒情不好，那幾個生産隊的隊長看不出來，他們生産隊的老人們還看不出來？我們生産隊打算開春多種點兒紅薯，別的生産隊是不是也多種點兒？”
哪怕中間當了十來年的兵，李長順骨子裏還是地地道道的農民，啥作物抗旱，哪樣作物産量高，心裏門清兒。聽說平安莊來年要多種紅薯，自然點頭覺得這主意不錯。
身為大隊長，他還是提醒五爺和夏菊花：“年年交的公糧是啥，你們心裏都有數，可別光怕天旱就連種都不種，到時候就不好交待了。”
五爺就掰着手指頭跟李長順算起各種作物，該種多少才能讓公社檢查的人說不出什麽，又能盡可能多的省出土地來種紅薯。
算完了，才發現各生産隊需要的紅薯種子就不是一個小數目。這次夏菊花都沒用李長順開口，直接說：“要是哪個生産隊缺紅薯種，我們生産隊可以提供一點兒。還是那句話，得買，糧站多少錢收我們就賣多少錢。”
李長順點了點頭，沒要求平安莊必須無償的向各生産隊提供紅薯種——哪怕夏菊花能答應，他該怎麽向別的生産隊長解釋，平安莊為啥留出那麽些紅薯種，還不要錢的白送給別的生産隊？
總算把李長順送走了，夏菊花一顆心都快不會跳了：“要是再這麽吓唬我一回，我真不當這個生産隊長了。”
五爺就想把七喜兩個叫過來罵一頓，夏菊花連忙擺手：“昨天七喜他們兩個跟着忙前忙後，夠累的。他們都還是半大孩子呢，能天天盯着村口不偷懶，我覺得挺不錯。咱們再找兩個穩當孩子，跟他們一起替換着看就行了。”
人家孩子自己都內疚得不行了，哪兒還架得住五爺罵，再給罵得逆反了，摞挑子了怎麽辦？
現在夏菊花別的不怕，就怕哪個人、哪家突然要摞挑子。
因為社員們真的是太累了。只拿把紅薯絞成漿來說，就需要壯勞力不停的砸、擠、壓，為了保證能賺到那一斤半紅薯，每一家都不敢不把紅薯盡可能磨細再磨細，耗費的體力可想而知。
光是把紅薯絞成漿就完了嗎？那只是萬裏長征走了頭一步，後頭還得每天給紅薯漿換水，換上三天之後又得細心倒去表面澄清的水，把剩下的濕澱粉小心鏟到笸籮裏，放到炕上烘幹。
哪一步不加小心，多流出一點兒澱粉去，都夠人心疼老半天。
平安莊有多少人家為了給紅薯澱粉騰地方，一家幾代人擠到一起睡上幾個小時，天一亮就接着重複前一天的勞作。等好不容易紅薯澱粉烘幹了，男人們又得進廚房裏不停的漏粉兒：
不快點兒把粉條漏出來的話，家裏的家什就不夠用，沒東西盛紅薯漿或是濕澱粉。
就算齊衛東真的按平安莊人的需要，把肉送來，都沒讓平安莊人停下忙碌的腳步。過年大家的确都包了餃子，可夏菊花聽起來剁餃子餡的聲音都那麽有氣無力，跟白天生龍活虎絞紅薯漿的仿佛不是同一個生産隊的人。
這就是夏菊花說什麽也不肯把紅薯分給別的生産隊的原因。平安莊的人這麽累死累活，漏出來的紅薯粉條掙來的一斤半紅薯，別人上嘴唇一碰下嘴唇，就得讓出去？
看看平安莊的社員吧，連七奶那麽年老體弱的人，都幫着替她漏粉的人燒火，夏菊花怎麽也說不出讓紅薯的話來。
李長順過年那天又來過一次平安莊，見識過平安莊社員拼命勞作的場面之後，什麽也沒說就離開了。過後七喜還不解的問過夏菊花：“嫂子，我不是已經向你報告過大隊長來了嘛，你怎麽不讓大夥停一停呢。現在大隊長知道咱們用換來的紅薯漏粉兒了，去舉報咱們咋辦？”
咋辦？涼拌。
多日着急上火的夏菊花，已經完全把平安莊可能會被人舉報抛到了腦後，腦子裏只剩下兩個字：漏粉，把分到各家的紅薯，盡快的漏成粉兒。
不快不行，一過了年，天氣就會一天比一天暖和起來，再不加快速度，菜窖裏的紅薯就會長芽，別說漏粉兒了，喂豬都怕把豬毒死。
直到大年初七，林主任再一次出現在平安莊，夏菊花的心思才終于從漏粉上移開一點兒，想起自己已經有近十天的時間，沒有關注過場院裏編席的進度了。
“林主任，你過年挺好的？”盡管有些心虛，夏菊花還是笑着先向林主任致以新年問候。
林主任手裏提了個網兜，裏頭裝了兩瓶桔子罐頭，邊跟夏菊花問好邊把網兜遞給她：“這是給你家保國的，大過年的，你可別跟我客氣。”
夏菊花大大方方的接過網兜，笑着說：“那我可就真不客氣了。來，林主任快進屋坐。”
林主任也看着夏菊花笑：“夏隊長，這可不象你辦事兒呀。”
夏菊花一愣，林主任的笑容更大了：“往常我一來，你就讓我快點兒清點葦席，恨不得馬上把我兜裏的錢放進平安莊的錢櫃裏。今天咋還請我進屋坐了，不會是你們生産隊的席沒編完吧。”
這玩笑有點紮心的感覺。
夏菊花還得撐起笑臉：“往常是往常，這次不是過年嘛。咋也不能讓你一口水不喝，不把身子暖和暖和，就去場院裏清點數量不是。”
林主任連忙擺手：“啥過年不過年的，我是想着今天頭一天上班，縣城裏人都沒收心呢，坐在辦公室裏也是幹呆着，就來看看咱們生産隊的席編的咋樣了，算算應該哪天來拉席。”
不是馬上點數就好。夏菊花放下心事，又跟林主任說了幾句，才帶着他往場院走。還是沒靠近葦牆，就聽到了婦女們的說笑聲，林主任不由感慨的說：“夏隊長，光聽你們社員這精神勁，我就願意多來咱們平安莊幾回。”
誰說不是呢。夏菊花自己知道，平安莊的社員太能吃苦了——哪怕過年沒休息，婦女們沒有一個人回娘家，她都沒聽到一句抱怨的話，反而不時聽到大家相互打趣的笑鬧聲。
與夏菊花記憶裏那個得過且過的平安莊，是天差地別的存在。
“林主任來啦？你過年挺好的呀。”趙仙枝見夏菊花領着林主任來了場院，自來熟的跟他打了聲招呼，才看向夏菊花，問：“隊長，是現在點數嗎？”
看吧，大家都已經很熟悉套路了，夏菊花除了點頭，一句話都說不出來。
張翠萍和安寶玲同時站了起來，一齊走到放編好葦席的地方，當着林主任的面，一張一張拿起來，請他看好後再單另放好。這樣即點了數又讓林主任驗了貨，節省了一道工序。
沒想到安寶玲和張翠萍想出這麽好的辦法，夏菊花嘴角翹起，那表情裏即有欣賞也有欣慰。等點完場院裏的席，夏菊花才發現了問題：婦女們編席太賣力，場院裏已經存下了三百零七張席，加上上次運走的三百五十張，超出供銷社訂單五十七張。
“林主任，你要是為難的話，這五十七張席就留下吧。”說出這句話，夏菊花的心都滴血了：五十七張席，都是婦女們一蔑片一篾片摸出來的，裏頭有多少大家的心血呀。
林主任也有點兒為難：“都編了這麽多啦。”說完餘光看到還在編席的婦女們，還有足足四十幾張席。加到一起就快一百張，他自己還真做不了主。
“夏隊長，要不你們少編一百張雙喜席？”林主任想出了一個主意。
夏菊花有些為難的說：“林主任，當着你我也不說假話，雙喜席我已經安排別人編了，因為場院裏地方太小，坐不開，她們都在家裏編呢。這幾天忙着過年，我還沒顧上問雙喜席編了多少。”
就算把福字席留下，夏菊花也會讓林主任把雙喜席帶走——那可是姑娘們自己頭一次承擔任務，不帶或是少帶都會打擊她們的積極性。
聽說夏菊花還安排了人編雙喜席，林主任也知道有點麻煩了，問：“那雙喜席編多少張了？”
Xia Juhua felt even more embarrassed, so she called Li Daya and asked her to go home and ask Hong Ling how many double-wedding banquets her sisters had made.
Fortunately, the girls promised Xia Juhua that they would make 200 double-wedding banquets, so they only made 200 banquets. Even though they had finished making them, the girls became the main force of household chores because their father had to make the rice flour and their mother had to make the banquets. Therefore, they did not make more banquets.
When Hong Ling came to report the number to Xia Juhua, she was still a little nervous and asked in a low voice: "Auntie, didn't we make too few? How about I go back and tell everyone to make more?"
"No, no." Xia Juhua quickly pulled Hong Ling and said, "It's enough. You have completed your task very well. The supply and marketing cooperative will come to collect banquets soon. Go back and tell your sisters that you have been very hard-working these days. Take a rest."
But I dare not make up any more stories. This has already made Director Lin very embarrassed.
Director Lin was in no mood to talk to Xia Juhua anymore. He told her that he would report to Director Zheng when he got back. They might have to hold a meeting to discuss whether Ping An Zhuang could accept the extra 100 mats with the word "Fu" on them.
He told Xia Juhua not to worry. If he hadn't come to Ping'anzhuang in the next few days, it meant that the leaders had not had time to hold the meeting. The county supply and marketing cooperative would definitely accept at least 600 tables with the word "Fu" and 200 tables with the word "double happiness".
This did not comfort Xia Juhua at all, nor did it comfort the women who heard the conversation between the two. As soon as Director Lin left, Zhao Xianzhi came over and said, "Captain, are you going to make up the seats you have?"
I have already finished knitting halfway, can I just throw it away if I don't finish it? Xia Juhua nodded and said, "Knit, we must finish knitting what we have now. Those who have finished knitting can go home and rest, and I will teach you new tricks tomorrow."
Such a firm attitude calmed the women's anxiety. They now believed everything Xia Juhua said and believed that as long as Xia Juhua was there, their work would not be in vain.
Therefore, even though Xia Juhua had already told those who had finished weaving mats to go home and rest, no woman actually left. Instead, they carefully cleaned up the reed pith around them and then cleaned up the areas around those who were still weaving mats.
By the time the last person had finished weaving the mats, there was no scattered reed stalks left around the reed pile. The broken reed skins were carefully tied up, and the cushions in the yard were arranged more neatly.
"Okay, let's go home. The captain will teach us new tricks tomorrow." Zhao Xianzhi looked back at the yard where he had been sitting for two or three months. He was reluctant to leave and could only persuade himself with words.
There were many people who felt the same as her. Chang Xiancao even asked for the first time out of concern, "Have you finished making the clothes at home?"
Zhao Xianzhi shook her head: "I have been so busy these days that I don't have time to make clothes."
Many people nodded in agreement. Of course, in previous years, we had always wanted to make new clothes, but it was difficult to get enough cloth coupons. This year, we finally bought cloth that did not require cloth coupons, but we did not have time to make new clothes.
"Then go home and cut it out quickly, and I'll roll it for you on the sewing machine tonight.