Chapter 162 What Happened in the Bullpen
She had noticed before that because the new house was close to the village, there were usually not many people around. In particular, there was a secret path up the mountain behind the house, which could turn halfway and lead directly to the cowshed. From now on, it would be much more convenient to visit Shen Wanxue and Yang Qiushi.
Moreover, I was afraid that the three little ones would cry, so it was not convenient to carry them over to show them. But in the future, I could let them come over secretly under the cover of night.
Xia Juanjuan asked Xia Shuangshan to leave a back door in the backyard, saying that it would be more convenient to go up the mountain in the future.
Now we have to go out through the back door and secretly deliver the food to the cowshed.
Xia Juanjuan usually didn't have much contact with the educated youth center, so she didn't invite any of the educated youth from the center to the full-month banquet. As for the cowshed, Li Zhan's public identity was there, so she couldn't invite them even more.
We could only secretly send them some food.
Shen Wanxue, Yang Qiushi and several other people from the cowshed were feeding the cattle with sieved hay.
The commune had a good harvest this year. After paying the public grain, Secretary Zhao asked for everyone's opinions and kept a portion of the grain that was to be distributed to each household according to work points to sell to the grain station. He also sold a big fat pig for 200 yuan and bought two calves. This way, when the summer and autumn harvests come next year, there will be three oxen to pull the plow and work will be much easier.
However, this means that the tasks in the bullpen have become much more difficult.
Shen Wanxue raised her head with back pain and looked at Xia Juanjuan's newly built house from a distance, feeling somewhat anxious.
After getting along for more than a year, she already regarded Xia Juanjuan as her own daughter. Now she only knew that she had successfully given birth to triplets, all of them big fat boys, but she had never had a chance to take a look at them!
Unexpectedly, when I looked up, I saw Xia Juanjuan walking towards me with a basket.
Shen Wanxue was so scared that she quickly put down the fork she was using to fork the grass, ran out and pulled her to a secluded place, and whispered anxiously, "Why did you come here in broad daylight? What if someone sees us?"
Xia Juanjuan smiled and said, "Auntie, it's okay. All the men, women, and children in the village are having a feast at our house. Besides, the road leading to our new house is off the beaten path, so not many people can see us. I thought I couldn't invite you and Master to the feast, so I brought some food over to keep things nice."
Shen Wanxue was touched and had no temper: "You kid, you are so busy at home today, and you still miss us. Come on! Come in with Auntie and sit for a while, so that no one will see you."
After entering the house, Shen Wanxue couldn't wait to ask, "How are the three little ones? I heard they are white and chubby, like you and Lizhan."
Xia Juanjuan smiled and said, "They have grown up in the past two days and are a bit prettier. When they were just born, they were skinny and small, like little monkeys..."
Shen Wanxue was amused by what he said: "How can you say that about your own child? All newborn babies are like that..."
As he said this, he couldn't help but think of his own son, who was sent to live with a farmer when he was just three days old. He never saw what he looked like after the company commander passed away...
However, she quickly forced herself to stop thinking about it.
It was such a happy event that Xia Juanjuan gave birth to triplets. But she was not Xianglin Sao. It was so disappointing that she had to bring up her own sorrows for no reason!
Xia Juanjuan smiled and said, "The three little ones are crying so hard that it's not easy to bring them over to you and the master. But you can sneak over from the cowshed at night and go home to see them. It will be the same."
When Shen Wanxue heard this, she couldn't help but feel delighted: "Can I really go and see it? Isn't that too risky?"
"It's okay. There are hardly any people walking along the road from here to my backyard, and no one will pay attention to it at night."
Shen Wanxue smiled and said, "Oh! That's great! I'll discuss it with Lao Yang and go over there in the evening."
Xia Juanjuan took out the food from the bamboo basket.
In addition to the food on the table, she also brought two pounds of white flour, two pounds of sweet potato flour, two pounds of sweet potatoes, and two pounds of pork, so that they could cook and eat them themselves.
Shen Wanxue did not express her gratitude out of politeness. These days, she had received so much material support from Xia Juanjuan, and she had never been stingy with medicinal herbs such as ginseng and angelica. That was a life-saving favor, how could she repay it with just a few words of thanks?
Xia Juanjuan smiled and said, "We have moved to the new house now, so we can have more frequent visits in the future. I will take less each time to avoid danger."
After talking for a while, Xia Juanjuan went back first.
After all, there was a banquet at home, and Lin Yuru couldn't keep up with the three little kids alone. She was away for too long, which also aroused suspicion.
Shen Wanxue's heart moved, and she asked hesitantly, "Juanjuan, Lizhan will be home tonight, right?"
She had always wanted to take a look at Lizhan's appearance, but she never had the chance. The best she could do was to glance at him from a distance, but couldn't see him clearly.
Although the hope is slim, but...if she doesn't even have this thought, she will not be able to live any longer.
Xia Juanjuan smiled and said, "Yes. He finally got ten days off, so he should be at home during these days. Auntie, don't worry, I've told him about you and the master, and he doesn't object to my association with this place."
Xia Juanjuan thought Shen Wanxue was concerned about this, so she smiled and comforted her.
Shen Wanxue didn't know how to explain, so she nodded and smiled, "Oh! Auntie, please don't be so mean! Auntie knows that he is a good person, otherwise he wouldn't have helped me fetch water last time."
Even though it was not her child, he ignored her status and picked up the carrying pole to help her fetch water without saying a word. His character is beyond reproach!
Shen Wanxue sent Xia Juanjuan out, and only after she was far away did she go back to screen the hay, fetch water for the cows, and wash their bodies.
After working for a while, it was time for dinner.
Shen Wanxue secretly distributed some of the mixed buns, meat and vegetables that Xia Juanjuan brought to everyone in the cowshed. She also sent some food and other things to every room in the evening.
Over the past six months, Shen Wanxue and Yang Qiushi had distributed some of the things Xia Juanjuan had sent them.
On the one hand, they were all feeling the same as being destitute in the world. On the other hand, the cowshed was very small. Even if those who had lived here before were well-educated and had status, Shen Wanxue and Yang Qiushi were the only ones eating alone. Over time, it was hard to guarantee that other people would not become jealous and feel disgusted.
This is the most basic human nature. Don't test human nature. This is the truth that Shen Wanxue and Yang Qiushi have realized after living for most of their lives.
Only when everyone benefits and there is no better solution can the secret be kept for a long time.
Xia Juanjuan naturally knew all these things, but she would not bring too many supplies here just because of them, so she pretended not to know.
All the favors here belong to Shen Wanxue and Yang Qiushi.
Everyone has worked for the whole morning and now they can enjoy the delicious fried crispy spareribs, steamed meat with sweet potato cubes, scrambled eggs, etc., as well as hot beef soup. Everyone is in a good mood.
After dinner, everyone went back to work in the cowshed.
At this time, Fu Qingye and a male educated youth ran to the cowshed and said to Yang Qiushi and the others in the cowshed with a smile: "Uncle Yang, we are running out of firewood for cooking and we haven't had time to collect any yet. Can you bring us some fodder to use for cooking?"
Although her expression was smiling, anyone could hear the arrogance in her words.
Having said that, without waiting for a response from the people in the cowshed, he ordered the male educated youth to carry some fodder.
Some of the educated youths were used to doing this kind of thing, and Fu Qingye, who did not learn from the good ones but from the bad ones, soon joined them, so he thought this time was similar to the previous ones.
Unexpectedly, this time he was stopped by Yang Qiu Shui.
Yang Qiushi was a man of strong temper and impatient. He immediately stood up and stopped the male educated youth: "Hey, hey! You are not allowed to carry it! This fodder is for feeding the cows. It would be a waste to burn it! If you don't have enough firewood, go to the mountain to collect it yourself. How can you come here to take the fodder for the cows?"
Cows have green grass to eat in the summer, but in the winter, they can only eat hay. Hay is cut in the summer, dried and stored, and other foods include wheat or corn stalks.
Normally they would have tolerated it, but this year they bought two new calves and there was not enough fodder to begin with. If they were allowed to waste the fodder, they would be criticized if they did not feed the calves properly.
The other two people also stood up and said, "That's right. Fu Zhiqing, Liu Zhiqing, please bear with us. We bought two new calves this year, and the fodder is really not enough..."