Chapter 99
Li Changshun thought he knew why Xia Juhua was so unwilling to be the team leader. Why didn't he realize that Li Daniu was so ignorant before? "You dare to say that you collect vermicelli? Remember this, the vermicelli of Ping'anzhuang team is all for their own consumption. We have never sold it before, and we will not sell even a pound in the future. No one has ever collected vermicelli in any production team!"
After he finished yelling while panting, Li Changshun had only one thought in mind, that is, he had to be like the fifth master of Ping'an Village and not come to the brigade headquarters anymore. Instead, he would watch Li Daniu and the people of the production team in the small village every day to see if they dared to say anything.
If he didn't shut them up, Li Changshun would not be able to see Xia Juhua again.
Thinking of this, Li Changshun suddenly remembered that Li Daniu from Xiaozhuangtou was like this, so did the people from Team 4 and Team 5 also want to stop Xia Juhua and ask for an explanation like Li Daniu?
Oh my God, those two guys should quiet down a bit. Li Daniu alone is already annoying enough. If those two were to do the same as Li Daniu and ask Xia Juhua in person, Li Changshun would feel that Xia Juhua would have to take over.
If Li Changshun knew that what he was worried about had become a reality, and that Xia Juhua was now standing and talking with the production team leaders of Team 4, he would probably have to bypass Xia Juhua and hold a meeting with those production team leaders to teach them what they could and could not say to Xia Juhua.
Fortunately, the fourth team leader was a few years older than Li Daniu and was much more tactful. When he saw Xia Juhua riding a bicycle past his production team, he stopped her with a smile and said, "Captain, you are here to instruct our production team again?"
Xia Juhua smiled helplessly: "You are the old production team leader. You have more experience than me in everything you do. Do you still need my guidance?"
The fourth team leader was annoyed when he heard this: "You can't say that. Even though I have been the production team leader for more years than you, compared to you, I feel that all these years I have been the team leader have been in vain."
"Come on, come on, Captain, come sit in our production team for a while." The fourth captain did not give Xia Juhua a chance to refuse, and started to help Xia Juhua push the bicycle. Xia Juhua held the handlebars tightly and asked directly: "Fourth captain, if you have anything to say, just say it here, I still have to go to the commune."
When he heard that Xia Juhua was going to the commune, the fourth team leader's eyes lit up: "Captain, are you going to ask for a tractor? If a tractor comes, can our team use it to repair the canal?"
"There are only two tractors, and we haven't even chosen the tractor operator yet. Once we choose one, we need to train it for a while. It's not like we can use it right away." Xia Juhua thought it was time to choose another tractor operator. But she had to listen to the opinions of Li Changshun and others before choosing, and she was afraid that there would be another argument.
The fourth captain smiled and said, "No matter who you choose as the tractor driver, they will definitely be smart and capable and will learn it quickly."
Xia Juhua didn't know whether to accept the flattery from the captain who was a few years older than her. Just as she was feeling awkward, an old man from the fourth team slowly walked over and asked, "Captain, is this our new captain?"
The fourth captain nodded: "Yes. This is our Captain Xia."
"Captain Xia, you are a good man." After the old man shouted this, his legs went weak and he actually knelt down in front of Xia Juhua. Xia Juhua was so scared that she didn't even care about her bicycle and hurried forward to help the old man.
The old man refused to get up and said with tears in his eyes: "We old guys have heard from the captain that it was you, Captain Xia, who asked him to give each of us three pounds of white flour. Captain, I have lived to such an old age and have never eaten noodles made of pure white flour. Thanks to you, I can eat them now."
"Grandpa, please get up quickly. If you continue to behave like this, I won't dare to come to Team 4 again." Xia Juhua and the captain of Team 4 finally managed to get the old man up. The old man was still muttering to thank Xia Juhua.
The fourth captain listened to him nagging endlessly and said to the old man in embarrassment: "Second uncle, you should go back first. Captain Xia has something important to do. If you mess up her business, you won't get any flour next time."
When he heard that he would no longer be given white flour, the old man said, "I'm content to have gotten this once. I've never seen a captain who treats us old fools like human beings." Having said this, he still walked towards the village.
"Captain Four, your production team paid for the bran, and you sifted out the flour yourselves. Even how much to distribute to the elderly was decided by your production team. How can you attribute the credit to me?" Xia Juhua felt very troubled.
The fourth team leader smiled and said, "Captain, you don't know, ever since we brought back the sweet potato vines from Ping'an Village in the spring and planted them according to the method you taught us in Ping'an Village, everyone in our production team is willing to believe what you say."
"Originally, when those people saw the white flour being sifted out, they all wanted to get some for themselves. Even if each person could only get a handful, they were willing to take it for themselves. I had no choice but to say that it was you who said that the white flour should be given priority to the elderly over 65 years old. That's why..."
Xia Juhua was speechless, so she wanted to ask the fourth captain: Who taught you to blame her for the split because you were afraid that the members would have opinions?
But Captain Four had already spoken, and Xia Juhua couldn't take it back even if she didn't admit it, so she could only smile bitterly: "Captain Four, you're forcing me to never dare to come to Team Four again."
The fourth team leader was not afraid of Xia Juhua's threats at all: "If you don't dare to come to the fourth team, I will go to Ping'an Village to find you. I have thought about it. After the task of repairing the canal comes, I will repair it for five days in Ping'an Village first, and then repair the canal of our production team."
Your good attitude is a little scary. Seeing that the fourth team leader didn't seem to be joking, Xia Juhua nodded: "As long as you production team members have no objection, it's fine."
"Why would they have any objections?" The fourth captain said with a smile, "If it weren't for the fact that they are not allowed to relocate their household registration now, they would be eager to relocate their household registration to your Ping'an Village. By the way, Captain Xia, your two nieces should find a husband, right? We have a few good young men in our production team. I'll bring them to you when we build the canal."
These words frightened Xia Juhua so much that she quickly got on her bike and ran away, only caring about what Captain Four said: "That's my niece, not my daughter. If you take someone with you, you have to find her parents."
The fourth captain looked at Xia Juhua's panicked back with a smile, wondering which people he should take to build the canal for Ping'an Village.
Xia Juhua could not have imagined that the fourth team leader was so persistent. Director Zhang could not have imagined that Xia Juhua wanted the tractor so urgently: "The county agricultural machinery station just issued a notice to ask the commune agricultural machinery station to bring back the tractor. Why are you here so soon? You have such long ears."
Xia Juhua smiled apologetically: "It's almost time to repair the canal. Since they said they would give us a tractor, we should drive it back earlier so that the tractor operator can get familiar with it for two days."
Director Zhang had to remind Xia Juhua: "Even if the tractors are given to the Ping'anzhuang Brigade, the two tractor operators must not both be from the Ping'anzhuang Production Team."
Xia Juhua had also thought of this, and she had been thinking about another candidate for the tractor driver. But today she came to the commune to find Director Zhang and ask when the tractor would arrive, which was just a cover: "Director Zhang, I have something to report to you."
I told him about the militiamen who patrolled on an empty stomach every day and were not very motivated, fearing accidents. Director Zhang was also troubled when he heard it: "It's not just your brigade, other brigades have this situation too. But the reserve grain cannot be moved in any brigade. As for the granaries of the production teams, I think except for your Ping'anzhuang Brigade, the grain in the granaries of other brigades is not as much as the grain in the rat hole."
"There is not much food in the granaries of the production teams in our brigade." Xia Juhua quickly stated.
Director Zhang was too angry to care and walked back and forth in his office, saying, "The relief rations must not be moved. Other brigades are counting on them. By the way, I heard that you guys have come forward from the wheat bran screening?"
Xia Juhua nodded and asked, "Can we buy some more bran?"
Director Zhang shook his head: "Impossible. Last time you brought so many people to the noodle factory, the factory manager called me right away and said he would rather not eat fried peanuts than have anything to do with you."
Well, Xia Juhua didn't think it was possible for her to have dealings with the noodle factory again - at least not in an open way.
Then Director Zhang continued, "The noodle factory was criticized by the county for filtering noodles from wheat bran. They said they were not careful in their work and it resulted in waste. Do you think you can still sell wheat bran?"
If they don't want to buy it, then they don't want to buy it. But the problem of the militia patrolling at night with hunger still needs to be solved. Xia Juhua asked, "Director Zhang, I heard that the Red Team subsidies gets every day?"
Director Zhang told her to quickly dispel this idea: "Official members of the Red Team will each be given ten work points per day in the production team where their household registration is located, and the commune will also give them a subsidy of half a pound of grain coupons. This is a unified regulation of the county. Basic militia patrols also have their work points recorded separately, and their nature is the same as that of the Red Team."
It's the same, but every grassroots militiaman is a person who lives a serious life. They are different from the Red Team. Many people in the Red Team just live from day to day and don't even care whether their parents have food to eat.
"Director, I'm worried that the relief rations won't last long. Once they're gone, someone will come up with other solutions. The militia will be hungry themselves, and what will they do if they're instigated by others? Besides, our brigade can still think of solutions on its own, but other brigades may not even be able to keep the little relief rations they have."
The words may sound alarmist, but they are not impossible. Director Zhang paced around the room again, and after a while he finally picked up the phone and made a call. Xia Juhua could tell that he was talking to Deputy Director Qi.
Xia Juhua slowly pushed the door open and waited outside the office. After a while, Director Zhang called out to Captain Xia from inside the room, and Xia Juhua came back in: "Director Zhang, what did the county say?"
Director Zhang shook his head and said, "The county can't do anything about it. Your team has to solve it yourself."
"Then can we borrow some food first?"
"Comrade Xia Juhua." Director Zhang called Xia Juhua's name seriously: "Don't make any mistakes."
"Okay." What else could Xia Juhua say except agree?
She rode her bicycle slowly back to Pingan Village, where members could be seen everywhere digging out stubble in the fields. In the spring, everyone planted seeds in the fields with hope, and from spring to autumn, they dared not delay a single moment of care. In the end, they harvested either rotten seeds or dry ears of corn. Now they had to dig out the stubble to prepare for next year's spring ploughing.
Farmers who depend on the weather for their livelihood have a very hard life.
The scene she saw made Xia Juhua's already depressed mood even worse. After returning to the brigade headquarters, she said hello to Accountant Chang and rode her bike home.
After Xia Juhua left, Accountant Chang had already heard Li Changshun talk about Liu Zhishuang and Xiaoman, and he was in no mood to chat with Xia Juhua. He only remembered it after she had gone far away, and he had not yet asked Xia Juhua about the result of her visit to the commune.
Xia Juhua didn't want to tell anyone that she hadn't gotten the job done, until she saw Qi Weidong at her home again, and then she perked up a little: "Why are you here again? Didn't you collect all the vermicelli yesterday?"
Qi Weidong smiled at Xia Juhua with a flattering look on his face: "Auntie, my brother just accepted one production team yesterday, and there are still three production teams. I thought I'd trouble my brother to run another trip tonight."
Xia Juhua's heart moved, and she asked, "Xiao Qi, can you still get some sweet potatoes?" Although Ping'anzhuang Brigade has a good harvest of sweet potatoes this year, it is still far from last year when all the sweet potatoes in the county were harvested.
Qi Weidong also nodded: "Auntie, you know that this year, except for your team and Xiajiazhuang, there is no harvest anywhere else. It's not just Pingde County, the whole Chengping area is the same. There is really no place to find sweet potatoes."
"What about other food?" Xia Juhua felt that Qi Weidong could not have been doing only business in Pingde County after being in the black market for so many years, otherwise he would not have thought of selling vermicelli to Chengping area last year.
Qi Weidong was a little puzzled: "Isn't there enough food at home? Auntie, what kind of food do you want? How about I bring you some fine food?"
Xia Juhua shook her head and said, "It's not necessary to deliver fine grains. You all know that Ping'anzhuang Brigade has a harvest this year. Now everyone outside is keeping their eyes on Ping'anzhuang Brigade. It's all thanks to the militia patrolling every night that they have secured this little grain. Ping'anzhuang is not bad, but the militia families of those production teams are reluctant to eat dry food at night. They patrol on an empty stomach. It won't take a few days for them to be unable to bear it."
"You can't let auntie figure out a solution for that." Qi Weidong had just said this when Xia Juhua glared at him and he dared not say anything further - if he continued, Xia Juhua would have to bring up Qi's uncle, the culprit, again.
Xia Juhua explained to Qi Weidong that the production teams actually had enough food this year, but everyone was unsure how long the drought would last, so they thought about saving every bit of food while they had it so that they could last longer next year.
"I don't think the drought will last until next autumn, but who would believe me if I told them otherwise?" Xia Juhua felt a little disappointed.
Listening to the conversation between the two, Liu Zhiquan really wanted to tell his mother that if everyone in Ping'an Village could believe what she said, even most of the people in Team 3 would believe it.
Xia Juhua, who was totally unaware of this, said to Qi Weidong, "Since there will be a harvest next autumn, why not waste your body now? Isn't that just wasting your life? But no one wants to do that. Why don't we quietly buy some food and give it to the patrolling militiamen every night?"
Qi Weidong was very happy to hear Xia Juhua say that the drought would not last long. He was willing to believe what Xia Juhua said - the drought-stricken farmers had no money and were reluctant to sell their food and eggs, so his business was also difficult.
"Okay, auntie, I'll think of a solution for you." Thinking about how easy the business would be in the future, Qi Weidong couldn't hide the smile on his face and responded happily.
He was happy, and so was Xia Juhua: "Okay, let's have dinner quickly, and then let Zhiquan go to Team 4."
"Go to Team 4?" Liu Zhiquan asked in confusion, "Xiaozhuangtou is close to our production team, why don't we go to Xiaozhuangtou first?"
"Team Leader No. 4 told me today that they would build the Wutian Canal for us first and then build their production team's. What's wrong with you collecting vermicelli from their production team earlier?" Xia Juhua glanced at Liu Zhiquan and said, "Tell the team leader No. 4 that he will deduct three cents for every pound of vermicelli and ask him if he agrees."
Seeing Qi Weidong and Liu Zhiquan looking at her together, Xia Juhua couldn't help but say, "How did the brigade keep accounts for the money they spent on buying food? The vermicelli was all left over from each household, and when it went into each family's stomach, they were just being forced to eat what they themselves were reluctant to eat."
OK, I understand. I also understand why Xia Juhua insisted on collecting the fourth team first. The captain of the fourth team has surrendered to Xia Juhua today. He may agree to the condition of deducting three cents from a pound of vermicelli. However, it is not certain for Li Daniu from Xiaozhuangtou.
Qi Weidong was still puzzled: "Auntie, why not just tell the production team leader that a pound of vermicelli is only 72 cents? That will make them feel better."
Xia Juhua had her own reasons: "How do we explain the future food supply? The brigade only provides the basic militia with extra meals at night. Where will the food come from?"
"Then big brother, you have to talk to the production team leader and ask him to be more strict." Qi Weidong still felt that Xia Juhua was taking a risk, but that was her personality. Once she thought of something, she would do it. Qi Weidong completely gave up the idea of ​​persuading her.
As soon as he finished speaking, Liu Zhishuang came in: "Mom, you're back. Why did you come back so early today? I just ran into Qixi, and he said that Master Wu asked you to come back and visit his home."
Xia Juhua knew what Fifth Master wanted to see her for, so she asked Liu Zhiquan and his brother to talk to Qi Weidong while she went to Fifth Master's house and found that Chen Dongsheng and Sun Zhaodi were there too.
That brat Liu Zhishuang didn't say just now that the couple was at the Fifth Master's house.
Between going home and giving Liu Zhishuang a beating or facing Chen Dongsheng and his wife head-on, Xia Juhua made a difficult choice and chose the latter, even though her smile was a little awkward.
Sun Zhaodi didn't feel embarrassed at all. She looked at Xia Juhua and smiled like a flower: "Why do you want to meet me? Just tell me directly. Why bother Fifth Master to worry about us at such an old age?"
Xia Juhua was even more embarrassed and smiled as if she had half a piece of coptis in her mouth: "I heard that you have already introduced Xiaoman to someone else, and I was afraid that you were not satisfied with Zhishuang, so..."
Chen Dongsheng glanced at Fifth Master, then said to Xia Juhua, "We have been neighbors for many years, and we know what the children are like. Zhishuang can't be blamed for what happened in the past. We are all happy for Xiaoman that he chose her."
No, Liu Zhishuang's market is so good, how could Xia Juhua not know it? She said tentatively: "As a mother, I shouldn't say it, but Xiaoman grew up under my care. The child has a good temper and a smart mind. I'm afraid of wronging her."
"No, no, no." Sun Zhaodi was still laughing: "You don't know, our Xiaoman has people at home praising you every day, wishing you were her real mother. Look at the life Caifeng leads, which young wife in the village would not want to live a life like Caifeng."
Come on, if Xia Juhua continues to say bad things about Liu Zhishuang, it won't just be belittling him alone, but she will be belittling herself as well.
But I have to make it clear: "Zhao Di, I won't hide it in front of you. Zhishuang married a wife before, and his family paid the bride price once. So when he got divorced, I told his brother and sister-in-law that he would pay the bride price himself when he got married again. At that time, I didn't know that he could be with Xiaoman..."
Sun Zhaodi's smile faded after hearing this, but Chen Dongsheng spoke up: "What does it matter if there is a dowry or not? It's more important for them to live well after they get married. Even if there is no dowry, we will be happy to live next door and listen to them living happily together."
"You..." Sun Zhaodi couldn't understand. She had originally wanted to find a husband like Chen Dongsheng for Xiaoman who could give more dowry, but why did the candidate for aunt become Liu Zhishuang, who said that even no dowry was acceptable.
Chen Dongsheng glared at his wife and showed his family's aura: "I said this in front of Master Wu, and I will still say this when I get home. The purpose of raising a daughter is to let her live a good life, not to use her in exchange for a dowry."
The Fifth Master had been smiling as he listened to what the others were saying, as if he was just providing a venue for the two families. It was not until Chen Dongsheng said this that he smiled and said, "Dongsheng, what you said hits the nail on the head. There have been many boys in Ping'an Village in recent years, and the girls have all married off to other villages. I think several young men who are getting older are having trouble finding a partner."
"If Xiaoman and Zhishuang's relationship is successful, and they live a prosperous life, it will also let those who want to exchange a daughter-in-law for a dowry see whether it is better for the daughter-in-law to live a happy life or to make enemies with her family by exchanging the dowry for a dowry."
Seeing that Sun Zhaodi wanted to open her mouth, Chen Dongsheng did not give her a chance to speak: "It is just like what Fifth Master said, it is better for the children to live a good life. If our captain had not arranged it for a year, would we dare to let Xiaoman and her brother meet together?"
Xia Juhua finally found the opportunity to speak and said, "Maybe I didn't make it clear just now. Letting Zhishuang pay the betrothal gift is not not giving it. Whoever gets the dividends in our family in the past two years should take half. Zhishuang also has some money in his hands. Don't argue about how much it is."
Sun Zhaodi's smile widened again, and she pulled Xia Juhua and said a little embarrassedly: "Don't think I'm greedy. The main thing is that other people's daughters have dowries when they get married, but if our Xiaoman doesn't have a dowry, she's afraid that people will laugh at her and say she's worthless. As long as there's a dowry, even if it's just one dollar, it's fine."
Xia Juhua smiled awkwardly but politely.
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