Chapter 76 (1)
When Master Wu was brought here by Qixi, he saw a busy scene in the yard. He was so angry that he shouted at everyone, "What are you all yelling about? Are you dissatisfied with Dazhuang's family's indifference?"
Xia Juhua, who had just been helped out of the door, couldn't help but grin. It seemed that she still had a long way to go to clear her name. The old man started calling Da Zhuang's house in a hurry, and this time it sounded a bit friendly.
Zhao Xianzhi saw Xia Juhua coming out, and regardless of whether Wu Ye was angry or not, he stepped forward to support Xia Juhua and walked slowly toward the tractor, saying, "Captain, please walk slower."
Xia Juhua was now a little more energetic, and she even had time to smile at Zhao Xianzhi and say, "No need to support me."
Zhao Xianzhi pretended not to hear and held Xia Juhua's arm firmly: "Don't worry about home, your daughter-in-law is under your care. I will accompany you to the hospital."
An Baoling next to her was not happy: "What are you going to do? I have to follow my sister-in-law."
Xia Juhua, who was handing her hand to Liu Zhishuang in the car fight, heard An Baoling and Zhao Xianzhi quarreling over who should accompany her to the commune clinic. She did not think it was a quarrel, but was moved. She turned around and said to them gently:
"Neither of you are allowed to go there. You still have to keep an eye on the yard."
Zhao Xianzhi and An Baoling immediately formed a united front and refused to give up accompanying Xia Juhua to see the doctor no matter what - the captain (sister-in-law) was pale and bloodless, and the only daughter-in-law was pregnant and had a two-year-old child. It was obvious that she could not accompany him to the hospital.
If she didn't accompany him, could she count on the two rough men, Liu Zhiquan and his brother? Even if she was his biological mother, it would be inconvenient for her son to do some things when he was grown up.
Liu Hongling and Liu Hongcui suddenly ran to the tractor and without saying a word, they used their hands and feet to climb into the tractor. Li Daya behind them tried to pull one and couldn't hold the other: "You two, get off quickly. Your aunt is going to see a doctor, not to the supply and marketing cooperative to buy things. Why are you making trouble?"
"Mom, you all have to stay in the yard to weave mats. Hongcui and I will go and look after Auntie." Liu Hongling looked at her mother seriously, as if she would cry if she didn't agree.
Seeing the two girls looking at her with red eyes and pleading, Xia Juhua's heart softened, and she whispered to Li Daya and others: "I just have a little fever, it's nothing serious, just let the two girls follow me. Everyone should do what they need to do, don't delay the work."
With Xia Juhua's words, the people who followed her to the commune clinic were Liu Zhiquan and Liu Hongling. After the dust settled, Chen Qiusheng shouted to everyone, "Come on, go back to your own homes and work. You women should go and make mats. The team leader is tired and sick, don't let her worry about the team's affairs, or she won't be able to recover."
The Fifth Master said to Liu Daxi and his brother in a very stern voice, "Stay here with three or four of you to shred the sweet potatoes that your sister-in-law's family needs to shred today."
Zhao Dagou carefully rubbed against Liu Daxi and said to Master Wu, "Master Wu, Ergou, Uncle Daxi and I will stay here. No one else is needed."
Unexpectedly, this boy is someone who knows how to be grateful. Fifth Master pretended not to see Zhao Tiedan's gloomy face and said to Liu Daxi: "You guys should be more careful. There are more leftovers than those wrapped twice. Don't waste them." Since the Liu family is not around, they have to do the work more efficiently.
Liu Daxi responded with a shout of joy. On the other side, the two pairs of sisters-in-law, Li Daya, An Baoling, and Zhao Xianzhi, Chang Xiancao, also agreed that Li Daya and Chang Xiancao would stay to take care of Wang Caifeng and her son, and cook and deliver meals to those going to the hospital.
After listening to him, the Fifth Master nodded and said loudly to the crowd that had not yet dispersed: "Why did Da Zhuang fall ill? Everyone should know, right?" Seeing everyone nod, the old man continued: "Even if she was ill, she didn't want adults to take care of her because she was worried that it would delay everyone's work. So let's not let her worry, let her rest assured and recover, and then lead us to live a good life!"
"Yes, we can't let the captain worry."
"Let's go, go home and work quickly. The sooner the powder is out, the sooner the goods can be delivered. Then the captain can rest and recuperate."
Chen Qiu Sheng found that Zhang Cuiping neither arranged to go to the health hospital to accompany Xia Juhua nor asked to stay to take care of Wang Caifeng and her son. He approached his wife in some surprise and asked in a low voice: "Why are you so obedient today?" Didn't she get anxious when she heard that the captain had something wrong?
Zhang Cuihua rolled her eyes at him. "If we all follow the captain to the commune, who will watch over the yard? And I have to check the words the girls learned yesterday before they can continue to weave mats today. How can I leave? If I stay, the captain can focus on recuperating and not worry about weaving mats. Wouldn't he get better faster?"
Well, his wife could actually be so thoughtful. Chen Qiu Sheng had no other way to express his gratitude except giving her a thumbs up.
Xia Juhua and others had not returned from the clinic all morning. Li Daya could not sit still at home, so she put the prepared meal into a basket and had Liu Erzhuang take it to the commune clinic on a bicycle.
"You are here to see Captain Xia, too, right?" The nurse from the health center knew that Li Daya and her husband were genuine country folk when she saw their attire. She smiled and led them to the infusion room while saying:
"Captain Xia is just tired and caught a cold. He has a bad cold and a fever. He is listless. After the IV, his fever has gone down. He can go home and rest in the afternoon."
For rural people at that time, being sick to the point of having to receive an IV drip was already a serious illness. Li Daya asked nervously, "Can I go home in the afternoon after receiving an IV drip? Doctor, why don't you check my sister-in-law carefully? If our health center can't check her, can we go to the county or a large regional hospital for a checkup?"
Liu Erzhuang pulled Li Daya and told her to stop talking loudly in the health center. Liu Zhiquan had already heard the voice of his aunt and came out from the infusion room: "Uncle, Aunt, you are here."
Liu Erzhuang nodded, and Li Daya asked anxiously, "How is your mother?"
Liu Zhiquan smiled a little: "The doctor said it's okay, and my mother also said that after the infusion, she feels much better."
"It's good that you're okay, it's good that you're okay." Li Daya finally felt relieved and let Liu Zhiquan take the basket from her hand. She told him, "Go in and have a bite with your mother. I heard there are a lot of people in there. Are there so many people getting IV drips?"
Liu Zhiquan said proudly: "It was the team leader and several other team leaders who heard that my mother was ill and came to see her."
"The production team leaders are here?" Liu Erzhuang was a little bit unconvinced. What kind of people are those production team leaders? He has been dealing with them for several years, how could he not know them?
Liu Zhiquan nodded and said, "Not only are they here, but Caifeng's cousin is here too."
Li Daya knew that Wang Caifeng's cousin was Wang Caixia, the deputy director of the supply and marketing cooperative. She smiled and said, "She has a good relationship with your mother. If she knew that your mother was ill, she would definitely come to see her."
As he spoke, Li Changshun had already led four production team leaders out. Liu Zhishuang, who had just brought the basket into the infusion room, followed behind to see them off. Li Changshun saw Liu Erzhuang and his wife there, nodded at Liu Erzhuang and said, "Your sister-in-law has been very tired recently. Let her take a good rest for a few days, and you can also take care of the production team's affairs for her. Don't just think about..."
Liu Erzhuang knew what Li Changshun wanted to say before he said the following. It would be a lie to say that he had not thought about bringing Sun home for the New Year. However, when people are busy, they are too tired to even think about things. Liu Erzhuang did not speak to Li Changshun or Xia Juhua.
As more and more sweet potatoes were delivered, the process of leaking rice flour became more and more tiring, and Liu Erzhuang's mind gradually changed: if his mother was still at home, would he and his third son have to help Liu Sizhuang leak rice flour first before leaking our own rice flour? Or maybe Liu Sizhuang didn't have to leak rice flour at all, and Sun Shi could just come forward and take the rice flour that their two families had leaked for themselves.
Not to mention that the three families have already separated. Liu Erzhuang knows his mother too well, and knows that if she wants to make trouble, she won't care whether the family is separated or not. Thinking about it this way, it is not a bad thing for Sun to stay in the study class temporarily. At least the whole family can do their own work peacefully without worrying that the fruits of their labor will become others.
Therefore, Liu Erzhuang did not feel that Li Changshun had exposed his shortcomings at all, and he readily agreed: "Everyone in the production team has been assigned their own tasks, and Daya and the others are taking care of the family, so there is nothing for my sister-in-law to worry about."
Li Daniu passed Li Changshun and approached Liu Zhiquan, saying in a buzzing voice, "Zhiquan, I was embarrassed to tell your mother in the room just now. Go in and tell her later that I was not good at speaking before, so that she won't take it to heart."
Not to mention Liu Zhiquan, even Liu Erzhuang, who had been dealing with Li Daniu for half his life, opened his mouth in surprise: Is this still the Li Daniu he knew, nicknamed Li Laojue? How could Liu Erzhuang hear words of submission from Li Daniu?
Starting with Li Daniu, except for the captain of Team 3, the captains of the other two production teams also expressed similar opinions to Li Daniu, and then left quickly amid the shocked gazes of the family.
Li Changshun couldn't walk fast, and he didn't want to run away like those four losers. He cleared his throat and said to Liu Zhiquan, "Tell your mother that they apologized because they wanted to make amends to your mother a long time ago, and I didn't pressure them to say so. Your mother did the job, and they should be convinced."
Xia Juhua, who was lying in the room receiving an IV drip, also heard Li Changshun's evaluation of herself. She didn't know whether to cry or laugh: after living a new life, she had begun to not care about how others evaluated her, and as a result, the evaluations she received were getting better and better.
中午飯吃的并不是李大丫做好送來的，而是王彩霞從國營飯店裏買來的大肉包子和小米粥，吓得夏菊花輸完液就張羅着回家：看王彩霞的架勢，大有夏菊花輸幾天液，她就請大家吃幾頓飯的意思，都是過日子的人，夏菊花怎麽好意思讓她一直破費。
問過衛生院的大夫，開了兩天的液拿回平安莊找赤腳大夫輸，夏菊花就被薛技術員用拖拉機送回了平安莊。跟着劉志雙等人把夏菊花送到炕上，薛技術員才抹了把臉：
“夏隊長，你這人緣也太好了，都是咋認識的？”還有縣城裏的人，特意跑到衛生院去看夏菊花。
所謂縣城裏的人，就是齊衛東，他今天又得到齊小叔的命令，來到平安莊想跟夏菊花商量事兒，不想聽到了人進了衛生院的消息，又追到衛生院得到人沒啥大事兒的答複，才怏怏的回了縣城。
回縣城的頭一件事兒，就是找到齊小叔的辦公室，把夏菊花累病了的消息告訴他。齊小叔聽了一愣：“這就累病了”
我的親叔，你可真是站着說話不腰疼，齊衛東有些埋怨的看着親叔說：“小叔，上次夏嬸子都說了，他們平安莊的人已經連續漏了快三個月的粉兒，還得編供銷社的葦席，鐵打的人也得累完了。”
齊小叔剛才其實就純感嘆，并不是質疑夏菊花的意思，被侄子這麽一埋怨，也有些來氣：“她不是生産隊長嘛，最多也就是指揮指揮，又不用親自幹活。”
“小叔。”齊衛東覺得跟親叔講不通了：“夏嬸子能當上生産隊長，就是因為比別的婦女更能幹，比起男社員來也不差，大家才信任她推舉她做生産隊長。她們生産隊葦席的花樣，都是夏嬸子想出來的，還有漏粉兒也是夏嬸子手把手教給社員的。你說說她能幹出讓別人幹活，自己光動動嘴的事兒嗎？”
自己親侄子頭一次這麽推崇一個人，齊小叔想想自己打聽到的關于夏菊花的情況，不得不贊同的點了點頭：“這個夏隊長真跟一般農村婦女不一樣。對了，人家生病了，你沒買點兒東西看看？”
如果眼前的不是自己親叔，齊衛東是一定會給他一巴掌的：“這點兒人情事故我還不懂。小叔，我來是想跟你說，漏粉兒這事兒你也別太催着夏嬸子了，她連輸液的時候都不敢讓大人跟着，全是她兩個侄女照顧，就怕耽誤了漏粉兒。”
“你不懂。”齊小叔對夏菊花的責任心，也是很感動的，更覺得自己找對了人：“人家夏隊長和我一樣，都不願意看着好好的紅薯放爛了浪費，這才加緊讓平安莊的社員漏粉的。”
夏菊花的确做不出明知道有糧食被糟蹋，自己還當沒事兒人的事兒，哪怕回家聽說生産隊裏漏粉兒的活沒耽誤，還是跟五爺、陳秋生商量，怎麽才能更多更快的漏粉兒。
現在平安莊的絞漿機已經有六臺，每家想絞漿的話用不着排幾個人就能用。裝漿的大盆什麽的，齊衛東也送過來了上百個，都不知道他是從哪兒淘換來的。
可是對于源源不絕的紅薯來說，這些還遠遠不夠。
時間不等人呀。
齊小叔希望平安莊生産隊，把平德縣所有公社糧站的紅薯都漏一遍，按夏菊花算，他們到目前為止，最多才漏了兩個糧站的紅薯。
而平德縣下屬足足有七個公社！
哪怕只按已經漏過的兩個糧站運來的紅薯算，仍有近五十萬斤紅薯需要通過平安莊社員的手，一點兒一點兒漏成粉！
咋算都是不可能完成的任務。
夏菊花靠着被垛向五爺苦笑着說：“五爺，明知道有那麽多紅薯要放爛，咱們卻漏不完，是不是太造孽了？”
看着手上還挂着輸液針的夏菊花，五爺張了張嘴什麽話也說不出來——夏菊花和所有平安莊的人，在不知不覺之中已經盡了他們最大的努力，可是擔子太重，能怨他們擔不起來嗎？
不管是誰當着五爺說夏菊花一聲不是，五爺都會沖那人揮煙袋杆，可說話的是夏菊花本人，他那煙袋杆子就揮不動了。
“夏嬸子，你在家嗎？”齊衛東的聲音從院子裏傳來，五爺沒動，陳秋生已經迎了出去，就聽齊衛東向陳秋生介紹：“這是我小叔，小叔這是平安莊生産隊的會計陳秋生。”
夏菊花趕緊小聲向五爺說明了來人的身份，自己的身子也坐正了，努力讓自己看起來更精神一點兒。
齊衛東幾個人已經進來了，除了齊小叔外，公社革委會張主任和大隊長李長順，竟然都跟來了。也對，齊小叔是平德縣主抓農業的副主任，公社張主任陪着他很正常。以張主任和李長順之間的關系，更不會不通知他。
“夏隊長，辛苦了。聽說你生病了，我來看看你。”齊小叔一進來，就溫和的向夏菊花說明了自己的來意，示意齊衛東把自己給夏菊花帶來的營養品放到櫃頂。
夏菊花手上還輸着液，人不好下地推讓，嘴裏着急的沖齊衛東說：“你這孩子，咋不說勸着點兒齊主任。我就是感冒了，不是啥大不了的病，還讓齊主任破費。齊主任，張主任，快坐，家裏太亂了，都沒個落腳的地方，讓你們笑話了。”
五爺終于從聽說齊小叔身份的震驚中醒過神來，有些手足無措的站在地上，不知自己該走還是該留。李長順拉了他一把，好把地方讓給領導們，自己跟着他咬耳朵：“老東西，等一會兒領導說話的時候，你可別亂插嘴。”
領導說話，自己當然不會亂插嘴，五爺有點兒不滿的看了李長順一眼，發現李長順的表情有點兒興奮與期待？
五爺聽說過李長順跟張主任關系親近，那也不用這麽興奮吧？還是張主任一會兒要說什麽讓李長順期待的話，他才提前給自己打預防針？
李長順發現五爺一直打量自己，有點兒不自在的把頭扭到一邊，做出認真聽齊主任和夏菊花說話的樣子。五爺又不能拉着他一直說小話，只好跟着聽。
“夏隊長，都是我考慮的不全面，才讓你累病了，說實話我的心裏是很內疚的。你這麽實幹的同志，我不應該給你這麽大的壓力。”齊主任正在認真的向夏菊花道歉。
夏菊花沒輸液的那只手擺的跟風車一樣：“齊主任，你千萬別這麽說。剛才我們生産隊的幾個人還在商量，怎麽才能完成領導交給我們的任務。可是……”
張主任接過話來：“夏隊長，這事兒你不用有什麽心理負擔，說起來平安莊是在為公社、縣裏分擔壓力，可也不只能讓平安莊一個生産隊承擔這麽重的責任。”
嗯？夏菊花和五爺對視一眼，同時把嘴閉上不再接話了。領導這麽一說，應該是有他們的打算了，平安莊的人只是聽話幹活的，還是別說話了。
齊主任見談話冷了場，看了張主任一眼，轉向夏菊花的時候卧蠶眉不再皺攏，好商好量的說：“當然了，能力大的生産隊，要承擔的責任也會大一些。平安莊的社員有技術，還毫不保留的傳授給其他生産隊的社員，這麽大公無私的行為，是值得鼓勵和表揚的。”
齊衛東飛快的看了自己小叔一眼，又扭頭看向若有所思的夏菊花。如果齊主任第一次見面的時候，跟夏菊花說這和番話，夏菊花會心生反感。
現在她的心态已經不知不覺發生了變化，即有李長順跟五爺說，會有平安莊社員的親戚端碗上平安莊要糧食的影響，也有齊主任這樣每月有定量糧吃，卻還擔心着種地的社員沒飯吃的領導的影響。
不管在哪個時代，總有一些人心裏裝的不只是自己。這樣的人無疑是值得佩服的，夏菊花自問做不到，并不防礙她對這樣的人心懷敬意。
這份敬意，足以讓夏菊花心平氣和的聽下去。
齊主任沒有賣關子，誠懇的對夏菊花說：“夏隊長，我相信你對現在的情況多少有些了解，我們現在就是在跟時間賽跑。現在看來，平安莊生産隊的社員同志們，很難獨自完成任務，所以我和你們張主任商量了一下，有了一點兒想法，想征求一下你的意見。”
夏菊花又跟五爺對視了一眼後，向齊主任點了點頭，表示自己明白了領導的意思，想聽聽具體是什麽想法。
說起來沒什麽複雜的，因為平安莊已經漏粉漏出經驗了，所以齊主任希望他們可以把自己的技術，教給全平安莊大隊願意學技術的人。
這樣會的人多了，參與漏粉的人就多，漏粉的速度就會加快，即能解決平安莊人力不足的問題，也不用擔心天氣回暖之前紅薯還沒漏完，生芽後有毒或爛掉，造成不必要的浪費。
“齊主任，教技術沒有問題，可如果參與漏粉的人多了，保密方面……”夏菊花很擔心人多嘴雜，最後全平德縣的人都知道平安莊大隊漏粉的事。
張主任笑了一下說：“接下來的工作，我們會當成公社任務下達給平安莊大隊，再由李大隊長具體組織。夏隊長你身體不好，只進行技術指導就可以了。公社會請你做技術員，按照農技站技術員的工資給你些補貼。”
聽說還要給自己補貼，夏菊花連忙說：“到時侯各生産隊的社員來學技術，都是我們生産隊的社員們教，用不着我，不用給我補貼。”
齊主任連連搖頭：“夏隊長，這是你應該得的，就沖你早早把技術教給平安莊的社員們，就該拿這份補貼。”
這句話齊主任說的真心實意，畢竟不是所有人都會無私的把自己的技術教給別人，還一教教一個生産隊，又帶着生産隊的社員不停的用技術賺糧食，而自己除了家裏兩個兒子賺來的，和生産隊長該記的工分，夏菊花沒多取一分一毫。
夏菊花對齊主任心懷敬意，齊主任何嘗不覺得夏菊花這個農村婦女，身上有太多值得讓人贊嘆的品行。
五爺聽來聽去，發現領導們沒提平安莊生産隊社員下一步的安排，忘記李長順剛才不讓他随便插嘴的囑咐，開口就問：“領導，那我們生産隊還接着漏粉兒嗎？要是繼續漏粉兒的話，還給加工費嗎？教給別人漏粉耽誤的時間咋算？”
這樣的問題，的确由五爺問出來最合适，夏菊花也在等着齊主任回答。
顯然，來找夏菊花之前，齊主任等人也商量過平安莊可能會問出這樣的問題，因此回答的是張主任：
“老人家，這一點請你放心。平安莊社員們對公社乃至全平德縣的貢獻，大家是不會忘記的。公社決定，現在已經運到平安莊的紅薯，仍由平安莊的社員繼續漏完，加工費還是按照已經說好的，一分五一斤支付。至于教給別的生産隊社員漏粉耽誤的時間怎麽辦，李大隊長，要不你來說說？”
李長順清咳了一聲，對五爺說：“老東西，你可真是一點兒虧也不吃。放心吧，你們生産隊教給其他生産隊社員一天，教給哪個生産隊的人，就由哪個生産隊給記十個工，工分值按照你們平安莊今年年底的工分值算，咋樣？”
挺好呀。
五爺聽說教給別的生産隊技術，還能給社員記工分，并且按照平安莊的工分值計算，已經滿意的點頭——教給別人技術，說起來是似乎很困難，其實就是在自己幹活的時候，說說為啥這麽幹，還有需要注意的東西，并不怎麽耽誤時間。
而學技術的人，不可能傻站着光聽不動手試試，等于給平安莊帶來好些免費的幫手。
夏菊花見五爺明顯同意，自己也跟着點頭：記工分按哪個生産隊的工分值算，是應該提前說清楚。畢竟明眼人都能看出來，今年平安莊的工分值，肯定遠遠高于其他四個生産隊。
事情都已經談清楚了，齊主任等人又跟夏菊花他們商量，為了不引起其他生産隊不必要的議論，紅薯還是要先運到平安莊來，然後再由各生産隊先運回去儲存起來。
至于平安莊漏完現有的紅薯之後，如果還有餘力的話，也可以算好自己還能漏多少，到時優先把紅薯分配給平安莊。
對夏菊花來說，平安莊的人還會不會接着漏粉兒，都該由社員們自己決定，她不提倡但也不會阻攔，只要不耽誤春耕就行。
都說病來如山倒，病去如抽絲。對于常年勞做不怎麽生病的夏菊花來說，這句話真是太貼切了。雖然她得的只是重感冒，可硬生生在炕上躺了五天才下了地，下地的時候腿都是軟的，走起路來跟踩在棉花地裏一樣沒根。
邁着這樣沒根的步子，夏菊花頭一站就來到場院，發現婦女們都在埋頭編席，一個人都沒少，自然滿意的心裏暗點頭。
趙仙枝可算是見着夏菊花了——生病期間，夏菊花非得把趙仙枝妯娌兩個給趕回場院編席，不許她們照顧自己和王彩鳳母子——高興的撅折了一根葦皮，氣的常仙草一直拿眼睛瞪她。
“隊長，你可算是下地了。你要是再不下地，發火我也要去給你做飯了。”趙仙枝才不管嫂子是不是瞪她，直接對夏菊花說自己的打算。
夏菊花笑了：“你就說這幾天你編了幾張席，編的合格不合格吧。別以為跟我說幾句好話，我就不看你編席的質量了。”
一句話，打破了場院裏幾天來的安靜，大家都跟着樂呵起來，紛紛把自己手裏正編的席給夏菊花看，恨不得讓她把每個人都誇一遍才好呢。
這幾天雖然躺在炕上，也不讓生産隊的社員探望自己，可能攔得住別人，攔不住劉紅玲劉紅翠姐兩個。小姐倆不光每天早早來到家裏替王彩鳳掃院子喂雞，還不時把村裏的八卦說給夏菊花聽。
說得最多的，就是李大丫回家後學的，場院裏發生的事兒。有劉紅玲這個小喇叭，夏菊花早知道，在她養病期間，趙仙枝、常仙草、張翠萍和安寶玲幾個人，分工合作的十分愉快，自己的活沒耽誤，檢查質量敢較真，點數點的認真，分配葦杆更是盡責。
所以夏菊花當着大家把這四個人好一通表揚，吓得趙仙枝在她話音落了一會兒後，才怯聲聲的問：“隊長，你不會覺得我們管的太多了吧？”
夏菊花笑着搖頭：“我是嫌你管的太少了。我想了一下，等到春耕開始以後，我來場院的時間會越來越少，可咱們編席的事兒不少。”
“所以咱們這個編席組，就由趙仙枝做組長，常仙草、張翠萍和安寶玲做副組長，組長每天記九個工，副組長每天記八個工，大家覺得怎麽樣？”
“好。”婦女們把四個人這些日子的付出都看在眼裏，沒有一個人覺得她們不該記高工分。
“不行不行。”推辭的是剛被宣布做組長、副組長的四個人，用趙仙枝的話說，她們幾個是因為跟夏菊花關系好，所以自願幫着她忙活，用不着給她們記高工分。
夏菊花勸她們：“讓你們當組長、副組長，你們別當只是為了給你們記高工分。以後不管是跟縣供銷社聯系編席，還是收葦杆、檢查編席質量，你們誰也別想跑。誰都能摞挑子不幹，你們四個人也別想摞挑子。”
話說到這份上，趙仙枝四個就不好再推辭了，當面向夏菊花和所有婦女們保證，自己會好好帶着大家編席，又一疊聲讓夏菊花不要管場院的事兒，快點兒回家歇着去。
夏菊花打趣她們：“看，剛才還說不想當組長，現在就嫌我在這兒礙事兒要攆我走了。”說的場院裏笑聲一片。
逗趣完，夏菊花真的離開了場院，順着街一路走一路看，各家的院門都沒關，可以看到裏頭忙碌的身影，有好些人都很陌生，應該是別的生産隊來學漏粉兒的人。
也不知道別的生産隊收的加工費，是不是跟平安莊收的一樣。帶着這個疑問，夏菊花順腳進了五爺的院子。
現在五爺的院子，可以說是平安莊難得安靜的地方。因為五爺年紀大了，漏不動粉兒，子孫們怕吵到他，除了每天把紅薯漿送到他西層的炕上烘幹，別的時候都在各家院子裏漏粉兒。
“你咋今天就下地了。”一見夏菊花，五爺先來了一句。
一路上夏菊花聽到這樣的問話太多，再聽五爺關心自己，夏菊花臉上很有些不好意思：“五爺，我早好了。”
“這些年你自己身子啥樣，自己心裏沒數？”五爺看似埋怨的說：“就憑一口氣硬撐着，現在找上了吧？等你到了我這個歲數，就知道年輕時不注意的苦頭了。”
“那五爺你把煙戒了吧。”夏菊花順嘴就來了一句，被五爺瞪了一眼忙轉移話題：“我看各家都有人學漏粉兒了，我們家倒沒人學。”
五爺到底沒點他的煙袋鍋子：“我和秋生沒讓人去你們家。一來你們家也不差那幾個工分，二來你不是還養着病呢嘛，來人亂哄哄的能養得好？”
夏菊花已經懶得說自己病早好了，直接問：“五爺，咱們的紅薯漏得咋樣了？”
說起這個五爺也有點犯愁：“有了絞漿機，大家是比以前輕省不少。可紅薯漿澄水，淘澱粉和烘幹，哪樣也少不了。主要是烘幹太費時間了，大家連一半還沒漏上。”
平安莊連一半都沒漏上，別的生産隊可想而知。夏菊花不由擔心的問：“別的生産隊跟薛技術員訂了多少絞漿機？”
Speaking of this, Master Wu was even more worried: "That bunch of short-sighted people, after hearing that a pulping machine costs more than 60 yuan, they set their sights on our Ping An Manor, and they want to borrow it when we don't need it anymore."
"Isn't this just a waste of time? Captain, why don't you say something to them?"
Wu Ye reached for his pipe again, and finally threw it aside in resignation, muttering, "I've been smoking all my life. The team leader scolded me, but each production team only ordered two machines. Didn't you see that Technician Xue didn't come to Ping'an Village these few days? He was just testing the machines in the various production teams."
According to Ping An Village's experience, each production team must have at least four pulping machines to ensure that each household can pulp sweet potatoes without wasting time. If there are only two machines, disputes may arise.
But that was the business of other production teams, each with its own production team leader to deal with. Xia Juhua was worried about the drying problem. Although the weather was almost 69 degrees, the cold was still raging in the northern plains, and everyone had to continue to give up the kang where people lived so that the wet starch could be dried as quickly as possible.
"It would be great if there were a few more rooms available." Xia Juhua sighed unconsciously, which made Master Wu's eyes light up: "Let each family figure it out on their own. If you want to make more money, you have to be willing to endure hardships and sufferings."
For thousands of years, the old farmers have survived and multiplied just like the weeds in the cracks by relying on these two rules. Xia Juhua realized a truth from the women's own quantitative issues, that is, it's not that people don't know how to find a solution, but that they are used to obeying.
If they are given a chance, they will burst out with creativity beyond imagination. Therefore, Xia Juhua nodded to the Fifth Master's request to let her family figure it out, "Okay, I'll let Zhishuang live in my west room later, vacate the west wing where he lives, and dry both kangs with starch."
Liu Zhishuang had no objection. Now, as long as his mother could get out of bed, he would be willing to do it even if she scolded him. During the few days when his mother was lying on the kang, the Liu brothers seemed to have lost their backbone. They wanted to go to the main room to ask their mother's opinion on everything they did.
Seeing Liu Zhishuang agreed so readily, Xia Juhua remembered something she had forgotten so much that she called her son and daughter-in-law over and said, "Qi Weidong gave me a bicycle ticket. How do you think it would be best to buy it?"
Liu Zhiquan exchanged glances with Wang Caifeng and said carefully, "Mom, whoever you tell to buy it will buy it."
Liu Zhishuang was more direct: "Mom, why don't you buy it? It will be more convenient for you to ride it when you go to the brigade and commune meetings in the future."
"I can go to the commune a few times." Xia Juhua thought for a moment and said, "If you want me to buy it, that's fine. Let's make it clear that when we have a big purchase in the future, whoever pays for it gets it, so don't argue with me when we divide the family property."
Why did my mother bring up the idea of splitting up the family again? The Liu brothers and even Wang Caifeng were frightened, thinking that the answer they had just given did not satisfy their mother, and they were very eager to change their words.
Unfortunately, Xia Juhua didn't give them a chance to change their words. She took out the bicycle ticket and 170 yuan and handed them to Liu Zhishuang: "This time you still have to run errands for me. I checked last time. A Forever bicycle is 168 yuan."
Well, the Liu brothers gave up the idea of changing their words completely - none of them had 170 yuan.