Chapter 184: Don't do useless work
Wang Chunmei's home was very close to the commune and belonged to the Haoping Brigade. She was in her forties, had a cadre-style haircut, and was wearing a Lenin suit that had been washed until it was pale. She was wearing black twill trousers and a pair of deep-mouthed velvet cotton shoes, which she dressed very neatly.
He only has primary school education, but he can come to the commune and be the director. He must be smart and good at dealing with people. He can make the dead come alive with his mouth. He always has a smile on his face when he meets everyone. They are either cousins or older brothers.
Seeing Lu Dongping from a distance, he greeted him first: "Hey, Xiao Lu, you finally brought your new wife here."
A group of women were laughing, with a playful and good-natured smile: "Such a beautiful daughter-in-law must be hidden, how could she be easily shown to us."
Lu Dongping's mouth curled up wildly, his hands in his trouser pockets: "Alright, that's almost done. I've sent the person over. I'll pick him up this afternoon."
Wang Chunmei waved at him: "Go and do your own thing, you have none of our business here. Don't worry, your wife won't lose a single hair." Young people nowadays are really different from those in previous years. They are getting thicker and thicker-skinned, and they look sticky outside, which makes people so jealous just by looking at them.
Lu Dongping waved to Wen Wan and left.
Wen Wan turned around and asked Wang Chunmei, "Director Wang, what should I do today?"
Wang Chunmei said, "Let's confirm today that we'll have performances in addition to the traditional community fire shows. Come, let me introduce you. This is Teacher Chen from the commune's junior high school, Chen Dongmei. This is Teacher Zhang from the commune's elementary school, Zhang Xueqin. These two have been involved with the community fire shows for many years and are very experienced. And these two girls are coming over from the junior high school this year. They'll be the boat girls rowing the flower boats."
Wen Wan followed her and greeted the others. Those who were able to attend the event were generally outgoing. Chen Dongmei was slightly older, about the same age as Wang Chunmei. Unlike Wang Chunmei, she didn't smile much, but spoke softly and gently. Zhang Xueqin had a loud voice, the kind whose voice would arrive before her.
The two girls were about the same age as Lu Chun'e. They were chosen to participate in the performance because they must have some talent and good looks, with thick eyebrows and big eyes. One was called Zhang Qingqing, and the other was called Hu Yueya.
There were also a few men dancing the lion dance and a few young men walking on stilts. After going around, Wen Wan got to know quite a few people.
The yangko team has new members this year. Their costumes are not very particular. The only thing that is consistent is that everyone has a big red flower tied around their body and holds a red cloth in their hands, which they swing while twisting their body. It looks very nice.
Except for the teachers from the two schools in the commune, Wen Wan looked around and found that the other teams seemed to have come on their own.
Wang Chunmei gave her a detailed introduction: "There will be people beating drums and gongs, and blowing trumpets. These people will go in front, followed by flower boats, then lion dances, and then stilt walking. The yangko team will be at the end." After that, she asked her, "Teacher Wen, do you know how to dance yangko?"
Wen Wan nodded: "A little bit."
"I heard that Teacher Wen sings very well and can also arrange programs. This year is different from previous years. We will have fun in our commune in the first half of the first lunar month, and then we have to go to the county town to participate in the art performance on the 15th. Although we are just welcoming the art troupe from above, it is just a runner-up, but we have to prepare for it and show some sincerity."
"I don't quite understand this yet. You have to make the decision, and I'll just cooperate."
Wang Chunmei smiled and said, "Then wait a moment. I'll let them practice first, and then we can discuss how to do it."
"OK!"
In the first half of the day, Wen Wan was just watching the fun there, and by the way, she got acquainted with two little girls from junior high school, because they both knew Lu Chun'e. One was in the first grade, and the other was in the second grade, and they happened to be in the same class as Lu Chun'e.
Lu Chun'e often showed off her sister-in-law in school, so the two little girls were very curious about Wen Wan.
Lu Dongping was still worried, so he came over and took a look from a distance. Seeing that she was busy, he said nothing.
They said they were busy, but in fact, it was just Wang Chunmei and a group of women who were testing her.
She wasn't there to participate in the show, but to help arrange it. To put it in a different way, she was the teacher and these people were the students, who had to obey her instructions. They were all experienced and experienced people, and though they appeared polite on the surface, they were still unwilling to accept the situation.
Wen Wan didn't notice their little thoughts. When Wang Chunmei asked her if she could dance the yangge, she didn't hide it and said yes.
Wang Chunmei called Zhang Xueqin to beat the rhythm and get a group of women to dance. Wen Wan also ran to the back of the group excitedly and joined in the dance. Her steps were perfectly fine, and her slender figure even made her look more beautiful.
After twisting two steps, Wen Wan began to express herself freely and unrestrainedly.
These people had the same steps, and the back and forth movements were not fun, and it wasn't a formal performance anyway, so it was just a chance for her to recall the ones she used to do at home.
As she twisted her body, she soon felt a layer of heat rising from her body. She also called Zhang Qingqing and Hu Yueya to join her. The two girls were also very talented. Besides, the steps were simple and they could quickly keep up with the pace.
After warming up, Wang Chunmei became even more enthusiastic during the conversation. Even the serious Chen Dongmei came over to chat with her and asked her what she was best at.
Wen Wan is best at two things: singing and piano.
There are no pianos here, and you've never even heard of them. What you have here are sheepskin drums, gongs, and trumpets, all made by a group of men who love these.
Wang Chunmei said, "Well, how about singing? We all like to sing folk songs here. We just sing them for fun when we have nothing to do. We don't care about the lyrics or tune. Teacher Wen, why don't you sing one for us first?"
There was naturally no problem with singing. Wen Wan thought for a moment and chose a song called "Liuyang River".
When the song ended, there was warm applause and a few people shouted, "Good job, Teacher Wen's voice and tune are really beautiful."
Chen Dongmei asked her, "What other songs does Teacher Wen know? Should we write them down and select them for solo or chorus singing? We need to discuss this carefully."
"I know quite a few songs. How about this, I'll bring the radio from home over tomorrow. I have some tapes there, some purchased and some I recorded myself. You can have a listen and we'll choose whichever one you think is good. As for solo or chorus, we'll decide after we've listened to it. If anyone has time today, everyone can perform and I'll see how many people like to sing and what their voices are like." With so many songs, it's impossible for her to sing them all to everyone.
After the discussion, Wen Wan had nothing to do. She just listened to people playing the suo (locking stalk) and watched people walking on stilts. There was also a master who would guide and train new people.
It was quite lively and time passed quickly. When Lu Dongping came over after get off work, the place was still bustling with activity.
After asking Wang Chunmei and getting the OK to leave, Wen Wan went back with him.
It was a little after five o'clock, and it was already late in the twelfth lunar month. The sun had already set, and the mountain wind was blowing like a knife, making people's faces hurt.
Lu Dongping held her hand and put it in his pocket, accommodating her pace as if she were taking a stroll. As they walked, he asked her, "How do you feel? Are you happy getting along with everyone?"
“It’s great. They are all very enthusiastic people.”
Lu Dongping asked again: "Well, do you feel tired? Can you do it? I guess as long as it doesn't rain, we'll have to stay in the open air, which will be quite cold."
"Not at all. I was sweating while dancing with them. They had a fire over there, but no one was roasting it. Everyone was in high spirits."
"Dancing the Yangko?" Lu Dongping raised his eyebrows and glanced at her: "I've never seen you dance before!"
Wen Wan said: "Then I have sung a song for you, but you haven't sung for me yet!"
Do you still remember this? Lu Dongping nodded: "Okay, I'll learn it well and sing it for you after I learn it."
Lu Dongping's voice is still very nice when he speaks, especially when he laughs, it is very bright and clean, but when it comes to singing, probably due to cultural limitations, he really doesn't seem to have any talent.
After so long, he could only barely recognize the entire lyrics. As for the Russian version, that bird language sounded like chanting, and he still couldn't recite a complete sentence.
When I got home, Xu Qingming was there, which was rare.
Wen Wan shouted happily, "Seventh Brother! How could you bear to come here today?"
Xu Qingming said, "Uncle Minghai wanted to talk to me about something. I just finished talking to him, so I came to look for you, but he said you went to the commune?"
Wen Wan nodded: "Yes, let's go to the commune. There is a community fire here at the end of the year. It is said that this year they will perform in various brigades, and then go to the county to perform with the art troupe. So the commune organized a few new programs and asked me to help."
"Wow, you've made such a difference!"
Wen Wan sneered: "What kind of tone are you using? I'm already very successful."
Xu Qingming nodded seriously: "Yes, our Anbao has always been very successful."
For some reason, Wen Wan sensed a hint of derogatory meaning in his tone.
"Xu Qi, why do I feel that your words are sarcastic? Are you jealous?"
Xu Qingming felt like hitting her: "Why would I be jealous of you? I'm going to be a teacher soon, too. The teachers in the production team are much better than you."
Wen Wan:?
Then Xu Qingming told her that the team was going to start a literacy campaign.
A mobilization meeting will be held in the next two days. It is also a task given to the educated youth who went to the countryside to help the people learn to read and write.
This was a job with no work points and no subsidies. Lu Donghai went to the educated youth camp and told them about it, but no one responded, so he called Xu Qingming over.
Because Wen Wan is her niece-in-law and Xu Qingming is her brother, with this relationship, Lu Minghai feels that it might be much easier to do his work for him.
Xu Qingming agreed readily. This actually had its benefits. He didn't know how long he would stay here, but he always felt that he couldn't stay here forever. Sooner or later, he would have to go back. So, as long as he did it well, what he did here would not be in vain.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
