Yu Jiu was very generous, and the two of them discussed in detail what they should buy for these dozen or so impoverished households.
Little An'an nestled obediently in her father's arms, listening intently, occasionally letting out a few "ah" sounds to practice her voice and remind her parents of her presence. The family of three chatted and made dumplings together, thoroughly enjoying themselves.
After the buns were wrapped, they were steamed. They were made with the best flour and filling, so there was no reason for them not to taste good. As soon as they were steamed, the aroma wafted out. Yu Jiu smelled them with satisfaction and praised himself as if he were a vendor selling melons.
"My cooking skills are really good!"
"Of course, your cooking skills are the best! Come on, hold An'an while I take out the cooked buns and steam the second batch."
Xu Zi handed An'an to Yu Jiu to hold, so that she wouldn't get burned when she went to pick up the steamed buns.
"We'll deliver it to everyone while it's still hot after it's steamed."
"Okay, no problem."
Yu Jiu and Xu Zi chatted and laughed as they steamed the buns. As soon as they were done, they delivered them to Gouzi's house and Yu Caihong while they were still hot.
As for Zhou Chunrong and his wife, they lived quite far away. Xu Zijiang and Yu Jiu had already eaten before he delivered the buns to them. However, the buns were still warm at that time, and the two of them had kept them warm in the pot. After delivering the buns, Xu Zijiang brought back some ingredients, which were dried mushrooms. They were sent by Wen Hongjuan's family, and they were going to share some with Xu Zijiang and Yu Jiu.
After delivering the steamed buns, Xu Zijiang called a meeting over the loudspeaker to discuss the fundraising.
"We're all on the same team and need to help each other. But I also know that everyone is having a hard time, so this is something we should do according to our own feelings. If you have something, donate it; if you don't, that's fine too. Also, whether you donate money or other food, it's fine. I'll donate 15 yuan first."
Xu Zijiang explained in detail the current situation of the 15 households, who were indeed among the poorest in the team. Xu Zijiang was acting out of good intentions, donating some things to them so that even a small amount could help them have a good New Year. Originally, everyone was very dissatisfied with Xu Zijiang holding this kind of fundraising meeting. No one was rich, and they had to be careful with every penny they had. Under such circumstances, who would be willing to give their money to others?
However, seeing how generous Xu Zijiang was, donating 15 yuan right away, everyone had nothing to say. Moreover, Xu Zijiang didn't force anyone; if they had money, they could donate, and if they didn't, that was fine too. He accepted all donations, whether it was money or food. Xu Zijiang also considered everyone's feelings, so there was really no way to criticize him.
"In that case, I'll donate 50 cents too, just to show my appreciation."
"I'll donate two eggs."
"I'll donate two yuan!"
The two yuan was what Gouzi shouted. He works at a department store and earns a lot of money a month. Without Xu Zijiang and Yu Jiu, he wouldn't be where he is today. Naturally, he wants to support Xu Zijiang. Besides, two yuan isn't much to him now.
People donated money one after another, and soon a basketful of items was collected, which was quite a lot.
Because the fundraising went better than initially expected, in addition to a basket of goods, the money totaled 23 yuan. Xu Zijiang thought for a moment and decided to stick to the previously agreed standard of one yuan per household, and then distribute the rest to the elderly in the team who were over 70 years old. This way, he could take care of the poor households, help the elderly, and also subsidize their welfare.
Tomorrow is Lunar New Year's Eve, so Xu Zijiang naturally needs to purchase the goods today and distribute them at least before noon tomorrow, so that everyone can have a good New Year before the eve of the holiday.
He used the money to buy some meat. Each family could only get a small piece, enough to make soup and taste, but that was still pretty good. He also bought some eggs, pooling the eggs donated by everyone. It was about two eggs for each poor household and each person over 70 years old, plus a meat bun and half a pound of rice for each household.
The rest are just some odds and ends, just for good luck.
To be honest, even families with better financial conditions were a little envious of these things. There was meat, eggs, rice, and meat buns. Although there weren't enough to go around for everyone, it was still quite nice for each person to have a bite. The impoverished households and elderly people who received the gifts were extremely grateful to Xu Zijiang, and almost wanted to kneel down in gratitude on the spot.
"Captain, I don't know how to thank you enough. My grandson hasn't eaten meat for over a year. His eyes are practically glowing with longing. A couple of days ago, he was crying and begging for meat, and I broke two sticks in the process, but I still couldn't buy it for him. My family is just too poor. There's nothing we can do. We can only give them sweet potatoes to eat. It's already a struggle to keep them from going hungry."
"I'm already this old, and any good food at home is reserved for my children and grandchildren. I haven't smelled meat in years. If this food hadn't been specifically given to me, it wouldn't have ended up in my hands. Now that we have meat, eggs, and rice, these two meals are enough for me to live on for several years!"
Everyone was satisfied and didn't dare complain about having too little. When Xu Zijiang came to distribute the gifts, they were all extremely grateful to him. The families that Xu Zijiang had chosen were indeed very poor, which explained their excitement. After distributing the gifts, Xu Zijiang still felt that his efforts were too limited. If he could be richer and lead them to prosperity, making their villages better off, then he wouldn't feel so bad.
Unfortunately, in the current environment, he is willing but unable to do so. Even if he has money, he has to hide it and dare not flaunt it.
"Don't worry, there might be an opportunity in a few years. Now that we've started, let's keep at it. Every year, we can set aside some money to give some things to the poor families in the village, and at the same time, we can raise funds in the village so that everyone can contribute their thoughts and promote unity and friendship among us."
Yu Jiu held Xu Zijiang's hand and comforted him, saying that after a few years when the market opens up, they can plan the entire village and work together to make money. They wouldn't dare say they could provide them with a luxurious life, but ensuring they had enough to eat and wear, and could regularly eat meat, shouldn't be too difficult.
"Okay, my dear wife, you're so sweet. It's my blessing to have married you!"
Moved, Xu Zi hugged Yu Jiu and An An into his arms. His wife never stopped him from doing anything, but only supported him in various ways. With such a wife, what more could a husband ask for?
"You know that's good. You mustn't change your mind in the future and you have to treat me well."
Yu Jiu chuckled and tugged at his handsome face before going to bed.
"I promise I'll never change my mind!"
Xu Zijiang said gently, and another intimate kiss landed, his hot body covering hers. However, An'an was not asleep yet, and looked at her parents with her big, dark eyes. Yu Jiu pushed Xu Zijiang away in embarrassment, panting as she spoke.
"No, An'an isn't asleep yet!"
"Then let's put her to sleep now. Sweetie, go to sleep quickly, Mom and Dad have other things to do."
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