Chapter 90 (1)
When Xia Juhua heard Uncle San ask her, she understood what he was thinking and knew what attitude she should have. She called out, "Uncle San," and then told him the truth:
"Xia Long and the others told you about the starch leakage in our production team last year, right? The most time-consuming part of the starch leakage is drying the clarified starch. Now some people in our production team have started to make it, but we have to wait until the winter when we have time to make large quantities."
"Last year, everyone vacated their houses to bake starch. I felt that it was not a good thing for people to live together all the time, so I wanted to build a few more houses to bake starch. Adobe bricks can be used, but they are not as strong as fired bricks, and they don't last as long. That's why I came back to ask you for help today."
Xia Juhua said to her uncle sincerely, "Don't worry, Uncle San. Whether you are the one who burns or you bring Mantun to burn, you will be given ten work points for one day according to the work points of Ping'an Village." She lowered her voice a little and said, "Those ten work points are exchanged with your production team. In addition, you will be given a subsidy of two yuan a day, which is for you personally."
Uncle San's eyes widened. This Juhua was too bold to say anything. Xia Juhua understood Uncle San's expression and smiled at him nonchalantly: "Whether the craftsmanship is popular or not, our production team has been making things for such a long time, how can I not know?"
Uncle San was speechless, still staring at Xia Juhua in disbelief. Mantun only listened halfway, and came over to ask affectionately: "Uncle San, can I learn to make bricks from you?"
Uncle San sighed and said, "Your aunt is just daydreaming. To make bricks, you need more than just adobes. You also need coal. Besides, if she only asked people to remove the adobes, then the house would only need bricks. What kind of house would it be if the brick walls were not covered with tiles and the roof was covered with straw?"
"Uncle San, can you also make tiles?" This time it was Xia Juhua's turn to be wide-eyed. After asking, she realized that she had asked a stupid question, because if someone could make bricks, he could make tiles!
"I'll let them make the tiles when I get back." Xia Juhua wanted to stand up and go back to Ping'an Village right now: "It's still easy to dig mud in the river now. Once the bricks are baked, it's time to make the tiles."
With such a quick-witted personality, it's no wonder that she can accomplish things that seem extremely difficult to others. Uncle San sighed in his heart and splashed cool water on Xia Juhua: "Do you think that making tiles is the same as making bricks, and that you only need a square frame?" That requires a special tool!
Xia Juhua didn't feel despised at all. She asked with a smile: "Uncle San, just tell me where the mold is. As long as you tell me the place, I can find it." Only after she said that she realized that there was sympathy in her uncle's eyes when he looked at her.
After listening to Uncle San's explanation of where the tile molds were, Xia Juhua finally understood where the sympathy in his eyes came from: the reason why the Xiawo Brigade only burns bricks and not tiles now is because the tile molds were stolen by the Red Team when the movement started, and it is unknown whether they still exist now.
"Then can we find someone to make two new ones?" Xia Juhua asked her uncle spinelessly, based on the principle of not having to deal with the Red Team if possible.
Uncle San just kept shaking his head: "It's not easy. The people I know who can make molds are almost gone, and the rest can't even hold a saw. I don't know if the skills have been passed down."
Xia Juhua was disappointed, but she had finally achieved her first goal of burning bricks, so her disappointment was only for a short while and not that intense. Uncle San had been observing her the whole time, and when he saw that she had quickly recovered, he nodded in his heart.
Since she had agreed to make bricks for Ping'an Village, Third Uncle gave Xia Juhua serious instructions and told her to find the captain of the Xiawo Brigade as soon as possible - opening a kiln was not something that Third Uncle could decide alone, as brick kilns were now collective property and had to be approved by the brigade.
Xia Juhua hurriedly ate two steamed buns and rode her bicycle to the Xiawo Brigade Headquarters. Unexpectedly, everyone in the brigade had gone home to eat, and there was no one to be seen. Xia Juhua didn't know where Xia Hongmin lived, and she didn't want to go back to Xia Long's house and waste time, so she simply sat in the yard of the brigade headquarters and waited.
After waiting for nearly an hour, someone finally entered and left the Xia Kuo Brigade Headquarters. The brigade accountant recognized Xia Juhua at a glance and asked, "Captain Xia, what brings you here?"
"Hello, Accountant. I'm here to discuss something with Captain Xia. I just want to ask if the kiln in the brigade is available and if you can burn some bricks for our production team." Xia Juhua greeted him politely and asked, "Will the captain come to the brigade headquarters this afternoon?"
"Come, why not come?" The accountant opened the door and let Xia Juhua in, and poured her a glass of water. The treatment she received was much better than when she went to Ping'an Village. However, the questions he asked were similar to those of Uncle San, that is, whether Ping'an Village Brigade, specifically Ping'an Village Production Team, would pay public rations, and what standards they would use to pay public rations.
Because the brigade had not yet reached a consensus, Xia Juhua's answer was ambiguous: "We have to wait for the notice from the commune. We will pay whatever the higher-ups decide."
Well, asking yourself is the same as not asking at all. The accountant of Xiawo Brigade is patient and good-tempered like all accountants. He didn't ignore Xia Juhua just because she didn't give an accurate answer. He even asked her what she did with burning bricks.
Xia Juhua could answer this, so she did. Xia Kuo Brigade accountant was envious: "We all know about your production team leaking powder last year. I even asked Xia Long to leak some for me. It's just that we found out too late, so not much was leaked."
"If nothing happens now, we can dry the sweet potato starch out first, so that it will be easier to leak in the future." Xia Juhua talked about her own experience: "It takes too much time to dry the starch in winter, otherwise we don't have to build a house to dry the starch."
"Then why don't your production teams dry the starch now?" The accountant asked casually. Xia Juhua couldn't tell him because she was afraid that Uncle Qi would not let Ping An Zhuang off this year and let Ping An Zhuang turn all the sweet potatoes in the county into powder. Then it would be useless for Ping An Zhuang to rot all the sweet potatoes now.
It's time to be busy in winter.
"Isn't it because we are worried that we will have to repair the canal right after the fall? Who will have time to do this after the canal is built?"
The accountant nodded and said, "That's right. By the way, Captain Xia, I heard that other production teams in your brigade have learned how to leak powder from you. If others want to learn it this year, will you still teach them?"
Xia Juhua was a little embarrassed: "Accountant, I'll tell you the truth, if you learned it last year, I could still teach you. But you know this year's harvest, vermicelli is not as good as sweet potatoes. The members of our production team all leak a little less at home, who knows when they will leak." They can't turn all their sweet potatoes into powder just to teach you.
Although the people from Ping An Zhuang were planning to do so this year, Xia Juhua didn't want everyone to think that learning how to leak powder was something they could learn as long as they went to Ping An Zhuang - if someone had relatives willing to teach, that was their relationship, and she, as the production team leader, would not make the decision.
Seeing that the accountant finally showed a disappointed expression on his face, Xia Juhua whispered: "Accountant, if you want to leak it, just go find Xia Long and the others. They all learned it last year." It would be possible to give Xia Long and the others some help in being the team accountant.
"I'm just worried that Xia Long and the others are too tired." The accountant looked considerate.
Xia Juhua continued in a low voice: "Then let someone help them. Leaking powder is a laborious job. It's not difficult. You can learn it after watching it for a few times."
The accountant smiled after hearing the explanation: "Okay, I will continue to trouble Xia Long and the others."
"Who did you tell so happily?" Captain Xia Hongmin asked the accountant as he entered the room. When he saw Xia Juhua, he also greeted her happily: "When did you come? Why didn't you tell me you would come to my house to find me? You haven't eaten yet, right? Come to my house and I'll ask your sister-in-law to make you noodles."
After hearing Xia Juhua say that she had already eaten at Xia Long's house, Xia Hongmin complained regretfully that Xia Juhua was too distant with him. Since she had something to ask him, why didn't she come to his house for a meal?
"It's not that I'm being formal with the team leader. You said that I went back to Xiajiazhuang, but didn't eat at my brothers' homes in my mother's family, but went to the team leader's house to eat. People must have wondered if my brothers' wives have a problem with me, their sister-in-law, and they are reluctant to give me a meal." Xia Juhua made a joke before talking to Xia Hongmin about business.
Hearing that Ping An Manor wanted to burn some bricks, Xia Hongmin agreed without thinking: "The kiln is idle anyway, as long as Third Uncle agrees to watch the fire for you, you can go ahead and burn it."
Xia Juhua hurriedly thanked Xia Hongmin and made it clear that she wanted to exchange work with the Xiajiazhuang production team. Xia Hongmin repeatedly refused: "That's not possible. You helped Xiajiazhuang so much in the spring. Their production team produces much more food than other production teams. How can you give work points to your uncle?"
He smiled and said, "But if you really feel bad, I have something to ask of you."
Xia Juhua was alarmed, fearing that Xia Hongmin, like the accountant, wanted everyone in the Xiawu Brigade to go to Ping'an Village to learn how to make flour. But Xia Hongmin said, "I heard that you planted sweet potatoes this spring using a new method learned from the technicians at the Agricultural Technology Station. It can save you money. Can you teach us next spring?"
That's no problem. Xia Juhua nodded repeatedly. "It's just a little troublesome during the breeding and vine pruning. The rest of the time, it's the same as in previous years. I can ask the forest technician to come over when the time comes."
Xia Hongmin's expression of gratitude became even stronger: "I'm telling you, otherwise we wouldn't be able to hire technicians from the Agricultural Technology Station."
Xia Juhua disagrees: "I think the comrades at the Agricultural Technology Station are all very patient. It's just that we have never dealt with them before, so we think they are difficult to approach."
夏洪民沒反駁夏菊花的話，心裏依然決定來年開春的時候，得通過夏菊花跟那位林技術員打好關系。
跟夏窪大隊說好了開窯的事兒，夏菊花就得張羅買煤，還不死心的想到公社紅小隊問問，那打瓦片的模子還有沒有——三叔說的沒錯，能一次性蓋瓦房，誰願意讓磚牆頂着草帽子？
讓陳秋生開始帶人往夏家莊運土坯，夏菊花自己騎着自行車到了公社，頭一個落腳地當仁不讓的就是供銷社，這次她給王彩霞帶的是自己做的紅薯餅。
王彩霞吃了一口就沖夏菊花豎大拇指：“你這手藝真沒話說，我吃了多少年紅薯了，也沒想到把紅薯這麽做。”
夏菊花小聲笑着說：“又是白面又是油的，也就是給你吃我才舍得這麽做呢。”氣的王彩霞撞了她一下：“肯定是我那外甥想吃，你捎帶着給我做兩個。”
哪怕她說的是實情，夏菊花也不想承認，催着王彩霞趁熱吃完，才問她有沒有辦法搞到煤。對此王彩霞同樣無法可想，不過給夏菊花支了個招，那就是去找公社革委會張主任：“糧站和挂面廠哪年都有用煤指标，他們今年都沒咋開工，主任一開口，誰均給你點都夠你用了。”
開窯燒磚用的煤，可不是誰均出一點兒來就夠的，不過夏菊花覺得自己可以試一試：沒多有少，能買一點兒先買一點兒。
公社門口沒有看門的，夏菊花也不好推門就進，好不容易有人從辦公室裏出來，夏菊花連忙向人打聽張主任在不在。
聽說她要找革委會主任，那人十分警惕的看向夏菊花，發現她神情平和自然，不象要找領導告狀的，才問：“你找張主任有事兒？”
夏菊花點頭說明自己的來意，那人馬上客氣起來：“原來你就是平安莊生産隊的夏隊長，不好意思，主要是現在各生産隊的收成不好，好些農民一撥一撥來找張主任，都是要救濟糧的，搞得他連正常工作都沒法做了，我們才……”
夏菊花理解的點頭說：“都不容易。”領導不容易，餓肚子沒飯吃的農民同樣不容易。
那人就跟着點頭：“誰說不是呢，張主任這些日子都沒咋合眼，天天愁着四處找糧呢。”說着把夏菊花帶到張主任辦公室門口，還替她敲了門。
得到允許進門的回複，夏菊花向帶路的人感謝的點點頭，才自己推開門進去。跟頭一次見到的張主任不一樣，現在的張主任頭發創創着，下巴上一大截胡子茬，眼睛裏一片紅血絲，看上去有點兒狼狽。
“夏隊長，你咋來了呢。來來來，快坐，坐。”張主任嘶啞着聲音招呼夏菊花坐下後，才問：“有事兒？”
夏菊花有些同情的看着張主任，覺得自己現在找人家是給人百上加斤，有些不好意思開口。張主任見她一直看着地面不說話，笑了：
“有啥事兒你就說吧，也不差你這一件兩件的。好歹你肯定不是來跟我要糧食的，要不剛才見到你，我就把你趕出去了。”
雖然說的是玩笑話，可張主任露出來的仍是實打實的苦笑。夏菊花只好開口說出自己想燒點磚，要蓋專門烘澱粉房子，但是沒處買煤的窘境。
“用煤呀。”張主任摸着自己下巴上的胡子茬，好一會才說：“你們具體用幾噸，算出來了嘛？”
“至少得四噸。”夏菊花這次可一點兒埋伏都沒打，實打實的說出自己的需求。
“得四噸呀。”張主任繼續摸自己的胡子茬，一會兒站起身，拿起桌子上的電話往出撥，接通後跟對面的人先打了兩句哈哈，才轉入正題：
“你們現在也用不上，先均給平安莊用點兒吧。對，就是那個去年幫你們炒花生的夏隊長，他們用的也不多。行，按價付你錢。行，我讓夏隊長今年多給你炒點兒花生。”
放下電話，張主任啐了一口：“趁火打劫。”才轉身向夏菊花說：“挂面廠你不是知道在哪兒嘛，我剛才已經跟他們廠長說好了，你随時可以去那兒拉煤。”
夏菊花剛想說感謝的話，張主任在她張嘴前擺手說：“你也別太高興，那玩意不是個東西，非得按調撥價賣給你們。明明他們挂面廠今年沒活幹，煤全白堆着，還要調撥價。還有臉讓你給他們炒花生呢。”
只要能買到煤，多出點兒錢跟社員少受點罪相比，夏菊花毫不猶豫選擇後者——掙錢，不就是為了過好日子嘛。
見夏菊花答應的這麽痛快，張主任突然問了一句：“你們生産隊今年編那些東西，沒少掙錢吧？”
一句話讓夏菊花一臉警惕：“我們那小打小鬧的，能掙啥錢，就是勉強給社員分點兒紅過年。今年又交不成公糧，除了圈裏那幾口豬，哪兒有來錢的地方。”
張主任被逗樂了：“我就是問問，又不管你們生産隊要錢，至于吓這樣嘛。”
夏菊花表示自己不禁吓：“我們農村人，不象主任你月月有工資，還有商品糧吃，全指望着這點兒錢過日子呢。”
是呀，誰不指望着錢過日子？夏菊花決定，回生産隊後就讓陳秋生好好算算帳，等自己買了煤回去後，就給大家分紅，讓大家覺得好日子不遠！
想到好日子，夏菊花試探着把想找紅小隊要打瓦模子的事兒，也跟張主任提了提，惹得張主任笑話她：“你這事兒一件接着一件的，咋還沒完了呢？”說完還是讓紅小隊的夏隊長，快點到自己辦公室來一趟。
難得夏隊長沒帶着人抓壞分子，竟然真的很快過來，一見夏菊花也在主任辦公室，進門時的笑臉就有些端不住，仍先跟主任打了招呼：“張主任，你找我？”
張主任點了點頭問：“夏隊長她們生産隊要打瓦片，聽說你們收了幾套模子，在哪擱着呢，給她找出來。”
果然一碰到這個農村婦女就沒啥好事兒，夏隊長隐晦的挖了夏菊花一眼說：“那東西還是運動初期抄回來的，早不知道在哪個倉庫裏擱着呢。等哪天我讓人找找，找出來給夏隊長送去。”
這樣推托的話在張主任面前可不好使：“你們那兩個倉庫，幾下就翻完了。你要是沒工夫就讓夏隊長從他們生産隊叫人來找。”
被逼得沒法兒，夏隊長只好帶着夏菊花打開不知鎖了多長時間的門，冷笑着說：“夏隊長，張主任都說讓你自己找了，你就辛苦點兒吧。”說完也不管夏菊花咋找，自己扭身就走。
為了防止夏菊花問他問題，那貨竟然帶着所有的紅小隊一起上街抓壞分子去了。
夏菊花被這樣孩子似的賭氣行為，搞得好氣又好笑，一想紅小隊的人不在跟前催着，她能多找一段時間，說不定能找着呢，馬上就平了氣。
小時候夏菊花見過三叔打瓦片，對那模子多少有些印象，摸索着找到堆放木器的地方，慢慢翻了起來。很快，夏菊花心裏，就推翻了自己剛才對紅小隊只是孩子氣的想法，看着一件件被破壞的農具，她只想罵人。
多少好好的家什，都被砸的缺頭少尾，沒牙斷齒。那東西就算原來是地主家用的，後來不是也都成了集體財産？咋能這麽糟蹋東西呢。
邊心疼邊翻找，夏菊花把看起來能修修用的東西都挑到一邊，繼續找打瓦片的模子。等她終于找到的時候，長出了一口氣：幸虧找到了，幸虧沒壞，幸虧翻到一半就找着了，要不夏菊花光看着挑出來的農具就得心疼死。
敗家孩子，知道要打這些東西得費多少工費多少料嗎，關鍵是跟打瓦片的模子一樣，好些東西可能都沒人會打了！
不行，她得把這些東西都帶回去。
咋能在紅小隊的眼皮子底下，把明顯不是打瓦模子的東西帶走，可把夏菊花給難為夠嗆——雖然紅小隊不見得認識哪樣是打瓦片的模子，可夏菊花翻出來的明顯不是一種東西上的，他們還能看不出來？
想來想去，還真讓夏菊花想起一個人來，就是原來跟王彩霞一起去平安莊拉葦席的車老板兒，他是夏隊長的親叔，要是讓他來替自己拉東西，夏隊長應該不會也不敢反對。
怕紅小隊的人突然回來，夏菊花連門都沒鎖就跑去供銷社，等夏車老板兒趕着馬車跟她一起重回紅小隊時，夏隊長正一臉陰沉的站在門前。
“夏隊長，你找東西就找東西，找完走了不打聲招呼不說，連門都不鎖，萬一丢了東西咋辦？！”
“就你們這破銅爛鐵的，還有人肯偷？再說，壞分子不都讓你們抓完了嘛，能有人敢到紅小隊來偷東西？”夏車老板兒不慣着親侄子，把夏菊花不敢說的話都說出來了。
夏隊長本就拿親叔沒辦法，今年年景不好更不敢跟他叔炸刺：“叔，我這不是怕……”
“都啥時候了你還怕這怕那的。真怕就好好回家種地去。二十多歲的人了，天天領一幫混小子到處得罪人，我都替你丢不起這臉！”夏車老板兒說完，也不管親侄子的臉色，把人扒拉到一邊，重新把門推開。
他自己進去了不算，還沖夏菊花招呼：“夏隊長，你說都是哪些東西，我替你搬到車上去。”
夏菊花聽的正過瘾，見他招呼自己還愣了一下，沖着夏隊長微微點點頭，也進了門，指着堆在門口的那些家什說：“這些能裝下嗎？”
“就這點兒東西？”車老板兒有些不滿意的說：“我咋覺得這些都是用得上的呢？”說完對着夏菊花還沒來得及挑的東西一劃拉，還沖夏菊花擠了擠眼睛。
那頭親叔雖然背對着自己，說出的話還是把夏隊長氣了個倒仰：“叔，打瓦片的模子就一兩個，咋會是這麽老些東西？”
“你說不是，哪樣不是，來，來，你給我指出來。我可跟你說，要是人家夏隊長回去後那東西不能用，再來找你可別說我沒提醒你。”車老板兒怼起親侄子來，那叫一個得心應手。
夏菊花不管這叔侄兩個咋打嘴仗，自己先把模子搬到馬車上，然後回來接着搬別的東西。那位車老板兒也沒閑着，自己上手搬起一個看起來磨什麽的東西，幾步就出屋放進馬車。
夏隊長見這兩人沒一個把自己的話當回事兒，想喊，自己親叔跟着搬呢。不喊，自己面子上過不去，只能一甩手回紅小隊辦公室，來個眼不見心不煩。
等他進屋了，車老板兒才小聲對夏菊花說：“你這人也太實在了，他們抄上來的東西多着呢，你光拿這些笨家什值幾個錢。”
夏菊花同樣小聲說：“能把這些都拉回去，我就知足了，這些東西有的我都不知道幹啥用了，還得回去讓老人兒看看呢。”
車老板就不忙着往出搬東西，自己翻騰起來，一邊翻一邊嘟嚷着：“咋還有一堆舊書呢，不是都燒了嗎？”
聽說有書，夏菊花來了精神，她雖然不認字，可上輩子沒少聽說古書值錢的傳言，湊到車老板跟前一看，他打開的是一口破木頭箱子，裏頭整整齊齊碼的全是書。
“我們生産隊的孩子正缺書呢，這個我也搬着行不行？”夏菊花看着發黃的書箱，覺得自己眼神一定變綠了。
車老板不在意的說：“有啥不行的，放這兒他們冬天就該引火使了，不如讓你們生産隊的孩子們學認字。”說完呯一聲把箱子一蓋，自己一使勁托起箱子，夏菊花忙扶了一把，幫他搭到肩膀上，一起放到馬車上。
直到夏菊花到辦公室門口打招呼，說自己把東西都挑好了，請夏隊長檢查，得到的也只是一聲“那就走吧。”連夏隊長的面都沒照上。
不見面更好，夏菊花挺真誠的向屋裏人道謝後，坐上了馬車。車老板“駕”的一聲，馬打個響鼻踢打踢打走了起來，很快走上了去平安莊的土路。
“夏老哥，今天多虧你幫忙，要不我真不知道這些東西能不能拉回去。”夏菊花真誠的向車老板兒道謝。
車老板覺得她見外了：“咱們都打多少回交道了，誰還不知道誰。你要真想謝我，等我們生産隊分紅薯的時候，替我漏成粉條就行。還有你去年炒的那個花生，也給我再炒點兒。我去年過年拿着走親戚，個個都說好吃。”
這對夏菊花來說都不算個事兒，一口答應下來，連聲讓車老板兒不用給自己拿花生，她自己就能送給車老板兒。
同樣農民出身的車老板兒，當然不肯占夏菊花這樣的便宜，非得說過兩天自己就把花生給夏菊花送來，兩個人因此推讓了一路，還沒說清楚究竟這花生送還是不送。
不管送不送花生，夏菊花都不能讓車老板兒卸下東西就走：從缸裏掏出塊腌肉炒了一盤，再炒個雞蛋又是一盤，花生米肯得得上，拌個涼菜湊成了四個菜。請來五爺和陳秋生做陪，幾個人熱熱鬧鬧的，把今天夏菊花咋拉回這麽些東西說個盡興。
直到把車老板兒送到村口，看着人把馬車趕遠了，五爺才問：“這人可靠呀？咱們飯桌上說的可不少。那個夏隊長，咋說也是人家的親侄子，要是回去學給他聽咋辦？”
夏菊花覺得沒必要擔心：“他是一個是非分明的人。”不是非分明，也不會到現在，還勸看起來威風八面的侄子不當紅小隊隊長回家種地。
信用好的優勢在于，不管你說什麽，別人都會選擇相信。夏菊花一臉對夏車老板兒真心的認同，讓五爺不能不贊同她的話。
“也是，要是是非不分，也不會你一找就幫你把東西拉回來。”五爺這樣說。
可夏菊花覺得五爺的标準有點兒怪——夏車老板兒幫夏菊花拉回來的東西，可不光是打瓦片的模子，完全是是非不分，能劃拉多少劃拉多少的拿法兒。
不過能讓五爺放心就行，夏菊花還有一堆事兒要安排，最重要的就是從挂面廠把煤拉回來。這事兒還不能讓陳秋生帶人去，因為挂面廠說了要請夏菊花炒花生，她得當面跟人家說定了讓人安心。
好在挂面廠廠長要的調撥價不算離譜，話也說得明白：“夏隊長，不是我非得多要這兩塊錢，主要是煤運來總有一些損耗，這損耗我們廠裏沒法上帳。”
夏菊花點頭表示理解：“廠長，我都知道。這就跟我們生産隊打糧食，放進糧倉裏跟剛打下來時候份量不一樣，是一個道理。”
挂面廠廠長：我覺得你在內涵我，可我沒有證據。
最終兩人的口頭協議還是達成了，那就是夏菊花得在十天之內，替挂面廠炒出兩千斤花生來。至于為啥得炒這麽老些花生，還要的這麽急，廠長也沒瞞着夏菊花：
“你這糖霜花生可是出名了，跟我們有業務的廠子都想嘗嘗。我這也是沒辦法，要是不給他們送去，人家就卡着不給我們結貨款。”
夏菊花心裏一動：“要是不給貨款的話，咱們挂面廠拿啥買麥子磨面粉，沒面粉咋開工呢？那可不行，那工人不是也沒飯吃了嘛。”
廠長看向夏菊花的眼神起了變化，不再高高在上，而是帶着些審視。夏菊花覺得自己就是有感而發，一點兒也不怕別人打量。
“對了，夏隊長，你們生産隊去年好象買了不少麥麸，今年還需要嗎？”廠長突然來了一句。
夏菊花狂點頭：“需要，咋能不需要。廠長我和你說，去年那些一麥麸可是救了我們生産隊社員的命，這一年大家都是吃着麥麸才頂過來的。”
廠長點頭說：“那好，我問問陳科長，要是還有的話，也可以再均給你們一點兒。”說完看向已經裝好煤的牛車，問夏菊花：“你們這一車也拉不了多少呀。”
自己只買了四噸煤，豎起擋板來一牛車也裝下了，夏菊花沒覺得裝得少：“還行吧，煤沉不占地方，看上去象裝得少。”
廠長就說：“麥麸又輕又占地方，下回夏隊長來拉的時候，可得多趕幾輛車，省得讓人看到你老來挂面廠，起什麽誤會。”
“還是廠長想的周到，我老給廠長添麻煩自己心裏也過意不去。要是廠長為難的話，我們就晚幾天再來拉麥麸。”夏菊花一臉替廠長着想，嘴裏更是給廠長出主意：“或者晚上來拉也行。”
廠長幾次交鋒都落了下風，麥麸的事兒又是自己提起的，花生還得夏菊花炒，臉上的表情就有些不對勁：“那倒不用，咱們是正大光明支持農民兄弟，不用弄得跟做賊似的。”
說完，微笑着跟夏菊花告別。夏菊花再次一臉真誠的感謝廠長全心全意為農民服務，才跟着牛車一步一步往回走。
跟來裝車的劉志雙沒忍住問：“娘，我咋覺得那個廠長說話怪了吧唧的？”
可不就是怪嘛，夏菊花看了小兒子一眼，小聰明不好使了吧？然後還是跟他說明：“你想想煤又不是糧食，風吹吹日曬曬就跑份量了。他非得說有損耗，一噸多收了咱們兩塊錢，還要咱們好好感謝他。”
“不多收那兩塊錢，咱們當然得感謝人家把煤均出來。可多收了那就是買賣，憑什麽還向咱們要人情？讓我炒花生是為了跟買挂面的處好關系結款，是對他跟我都有利的事兒。結果還得讓我感謝他，憑啥？沒我炒的花生，他們挂面廠收不回貨款來工人拿啥發工資？”夏菊花從鼻子裏冷哼了一聲。
不是，剛才親娘和廠長說這些話來着嗎？覺得自己可能沒聽全的劉志雙，疑惑的看着走在前頭的親娘，打心眼裏希望自己只是漏聽了。要不咋親娘沒說，挂面廠廠長突然主動問平安莊還要不要麥麸的事兒。
When they were almost at Ping'an Village, Xia Juhua woke up Liu Zhishuang who had been in a daze all the way and said, "Go to the brigade headquarters and tell Captain Li that the noodle factory still wants to sell us some wheat bran. Ask him to ask those production teams if they want to buy some as well."
Liu Zhishuang, who hadn't figured it out all the way, agreed and walked away. Then he remembered that the factory manager seemed to have only asked whether Ping'anzhuang production needed bran, but did not ask whether the entire Ping'anzhuang team needed it.
Li Changshun and Xia Juhua thought the same thing. The factory director was talking about Ping'anzhuang, and the Ping'anzhuang Brigade was also called Ping'anzhuang. There would be no problem if a few more cars went there. At worst, they would just not buy more in the future - could God continue to cause droughts?
"I understand. Go back and tell your mother that she has done a great job this time. I will have the four production teams repair five canals for your production team." Li Changshun patted Liu Zhishuang on the shoulder and said, "Boy, learn something from your mother. Learn a lot from her in the future."
Xia Juhua accomplished so many things that he, the team leader, could not do. Li Changshun even wished he could send those production team leaders to learn from Xia Juhua every day.
Unfortunately, Xia Juhua was unwilling to come to the brigade now, and she would ask Chen Qiusheng to come whenever there was a meeting. But she was indeed busy. If she came to the brigade for meetings all the time, where would she get the coal from, and where would she get the bran for the production teams?
Li Changshun, who had figured it out, had wrinkles on his eyes. He asked Liu Liqun, "If I tell the commune now that Xia Juhua should be the team leader, will they agree?"
Liu Liqun shook his head and said, "You'd better not tell me. I'm afraid that if the commune agrees, Xia Juhua will even quit her position as the production team leader of Ping'an Village." That means he is not someone who wants to be an official.
After being reminded by Liu Liqun, Li Changshun felt that this possibility was very high: "Why does she have such a temper? If she were the team leader, Ping'anzhuang Team would have to stand ahead of the commune in everything."
Liu Liqun usually doesn't talk much, but today he answered Li Changshun's question: "I think Xia Juhua is a person who treats people well. She has always lived in Ping'an Village and is willing to lead the people of Ping'an Village forward. But she doesn't know the people in other production teams very well, so why should she lead you?"
People's feelings are developed through getting along with each other. You can't just open your heart to someone for no reason. Moreover, at the beginning, the four production team leaders looked down on Xia Juhua, a woman, as a production team leader. Couldn't Xia Juhua feel it?
Isn't it that something happened now, Xia Juhua was willing to lead three teams, but the other production teams had to be led because Li Changshun pressured them?
Li Changshun sighed and said, "What can I do? Which production team would not push the problem to the main team if it has problems?"
When there was something wrong with Pingan Village, Xia Juhua found a way to solve it herself. Liu Liqun thought so in his heart, but didn't say it out loud for Li Changshun's sake. How could Li Changshun not think of it himself?
"You said that I've never seen her go out before, when did she become so capable?