Xuemei looked at Lanhua and Dai Dongfeng beside her and sighed.
Lanhua is one year younger than Xuemei. She is nineteen years old this year and is the daughter of my great-grandfather's eldest son, Liu Guangwei. Two years ago, she fell in love with Dai Dongfeng and helped him with his work. Everyone in the village thought she was deceived by Dai Dongfeng. In the past two years, there has been no private contact between Lanhua and Dai Dongfeng, and everyone has gradually forgotten about this matter. Besides, Lanhua was originally a diligent girl.
Liu Guangwei and his wife had originally planned to start finding a boyfriend for her after the autumn harvest this year, but unexpectedly, during the harvest, Lanhua and Dai Dongfeng became a couple, and were even seen kissing in a cornfield by several eleven or twelve-year-old children in the village.
Liu Guangwei was so angry that he took his son and nephew to find Dai Dongfeng to settle the score. In the end, they were stopped by the villagers and Lanhua. Lanhua was also in love, silly and stubborn, and she admitted on the spot that she and Dai Dongfeng were dating.
What could Li Guangwei's family do? They could only ask Dai Dongfeng to send a matchmaker to propose marriage. Liu Guangwei's family looked down on Dai Dongfeng from the bottom of their hearts. Although Dai Dongfeng's work points were enough to support himself, it was impossible for their daughter to marry him. Compared with the capable young men in the village, even compared with the male comrades in the educated youth institute, Dai Dongfeng was considered a lazy guy. He earned seven work points during normal work and eight work points during the busy farming season. Sometimes he was not as hardworking as the hardworking women in the village.
If Lanhua were to marry him, she would have to work hard in the future, otherwise how would they raise their children?
Lanhua and Dai Dongfeng got married after the autumn harvest. The banquet was modest, with only three tables of people. Dai Dongfeng gave Lanhua a 26-yuan betrothal gift, and Lanhua's dowry consisted of a new dress and 10 yuan. It's fair to say that Liu Guangwei's family had no intention of skimping on Lanhua's betrothal gift. They were primarily angry at Lanhua's disobedience and lack of ambition.
Now Lanhua and Dai Dongfeng live together in the educated youth home. After Li Fangyang moved out, Dai Dongfeng went to the brigade headquarters and bought the middle room where Li Fangyang lived and the small compartment above it for 25 yuan.
Later, Lanhua went home to ask her father and brother for help, and they helped her and her husband build a small kitchen and firewood shed next to their two rooms. Now the couple cooks their own meals.
Although Dai Dongfeng's family conditions were not outstanding compared to other people in the educated youth center, he heard that his parents were both employed and he received two or three packages from home every year. These were all witnessed by the villagers.
Dai Dongfeng was relatively frugal in his food, clothing, and clothing while at the educated youth center. Aside from some money spent on food during his first year, he spent virtually nothing when the village distributed grain. He also earned a fair amount every year from picking mushrooms and other mountain products, though not as much as the rest of the village. Adding to that the educated youth subsidy, he must have around a hundred yuan on him.
But Dai Dongfeng actually wanted Liu Guangwei's family to build a house for him for free, just like Han Chen and Xuemei's house, on Liu Guangwei's homestead.
Liu Guangwei and the great-grandfather refused on the spot, thinking that Dai Dongfeng was daydreaming. Their family was already living in a crowded place now, and the homestead was to be used for building houses for their grandchildren. There was only five mu of land left, and they didn't know if it would be enough in the future. There were six boys in Lanhua's generation in their family.
How could they use the money to build a house for their married granddaughter, especially when the son-in-law was Dai Dongfeng, whom they disliked. Furthermore, Dai Dongfeng wasn't even willing to pay for it, so he wanted Liu Guangwei and the others to build it for nothing. They could only think about it in their next life!
When Dai Dongfeng came to Liu's house to borrow Han Chen's bicycle in the afternoon before his wedding, Xuemei was also at home.
As soon as Dai Dongfeng came in and saw Han Chen and Xuemei's house, he said to Han Chen with a sour look on his face, "Han Chen, you're the best. Look, the village chief helped you and your wife build such a nice house. I also want to build a new house to live in, but Lanhua's parents don't agree!"
When Xuemei heard this next to Han Chen, she couldn't help but lower her head and roll her eyes. Xuemei knew Dai Dongfeng's little thoughts, and Liu's mother told her everything.
Han Chen also knew Dai Dongfeng's character, so he deliberately said, "My parents are good to Xuemei and me, but my Wei Guangbo and his people are very good too. You go to the village to get the foundation approved, and then give them the money for building the house. I guarantee that you can live in a new house by the end of the year!" Dai Dongfeng didn't answer when he heard Han Chen say this, but just chuckled twice to hide his thoughts.
Seeing Xuemei staring blankly at something, Liu's mother patted her on the shoulder and said, "Xuemei, what are you looking at?"
Xuemei recovered and looked at Lanhua supporting her waist. She turned her head and whispered to Liu's mother, "Mom, is Lanhua pregnant too?"
"Yes, it's been three months! I hope this generation of educated youth will never be able to return to the city, otherwise Lanhua will have a hard time!" Liu's mother said worriedly.
Liu Xiu also nodded. Everyone thought that Dai Dongfeng was sincere to Lanhua, but not much. He loved himself more. Once he had the chance to return to the city, he would most likely abandon Lanhua and return to the city.
When Liu's mother heard Liu's father's name being called, she stood up and said, "Xuemei, your father's name has been called. I'll go over and take a look. Just stay here by our cart and don't wander around. There's so much coming and going here!"
Xuemei nodded and said, "Don't worry, Mom! I'll just sit here and watch over the food. I won't move!"
The pear trees planted by Liujia Village in the past few years have all borne fruit this year. Thanks to this, Liujia Village has earned a lot of money this year. Not only has it made up for the loss of corn production in Liujia Village this year, but the work points in Liujia Village have also increased a lot this year. This year, the work point of one worker in the village has increased to 1.7 cents.
However, after the summer harvest this year, the prices of grains have increased. Now the price of fine grains in the village, such as rice, is 1.1 cents per catty, wheat and glutinous rice are 1.3 cents per catty, and the price of coarse grains, such as millet in the shell and corn grits, is 7 cents per catty.
Han Chen has obtained full work points this year, 3,600 points. The work points he received plus a subsidy of three yuan totaled sixty yuan and sixty cents.
The grain I requested during the grain distribution was the same as last year, costing me 14 yuan and 4 cents, a little over 2 yuan more than last year. Later, considering I'd have a child next year, I bought a slightly larger amount of rice, 20 jin (approximately 120 kg), and other coarse grains, totaling 180 jin (approximately 25 yuan and 80 cm), for a total of 25 yuan and 80 yuan.
That is to say, when Xuemei and Han Chen divided the grain this year, they spent a total of 39 yuan, 84 cents and 5 yuan, 84 cents more on grain.
This year, one worker earns three cents more than last year. Based on Han Chen's 304.6 jobs last year, it means an increase of nine yuan, ten cents, three cents and eight cents. It can be said that although the price of grain has increased this year, the income of the villagers in Liujia Village has still increased.
The day after the grain was distributed, Han Chen and Liu's father went to mail packages. Han Chen sent packages to the Lin family and Lin Ziying's family. Before the Mid-Autumn Festival, Lin Ziying sent Xuemei a bag of malted milk and two bags of peach cakes. Liu's father went to send things to grandma and grandpa, Wang Weiguo, Wang Weixi and others.
Lin Hongzhi's wife Zeng Yu is also pregnant. She became pregnant right after getting married. The month of pregnancy is about the same as the baby in Xuemei's belly. Therefore, Xuemei specially stuffed a set of baby clothes she made herself into the package this time.
The village slaughters pigs on the 24th day of the twelfth lunar month. Xuemei and Han Chen still bought ten pounds of meat and pig intestines, planning to ask Liu's mother to make some sausages for them, as they hadn't eaten them for many years.
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