Chapter 67 Chapter 67 Base
"Mom, the new mattress is so soft. It smells like sunshine."
"Just don't smell pee in there."
"Lu Yao, you're making fun of me again... I'll just do it this once, just this once, okay?!"
The children were making noise in the house when Zhao Zhanming came back.
Upon hearing the voice, Zhao Zirui didn't even dare to greet his father. He jumped directly onto the bed and covered his head with the quilt, leaving only his butt exposed.
Zhao Zimo passed by and slapped him.
"Ostrich, come out of the cave!"
Zhao Zirui whimpered twice and refused to come out.
"I'm back." Lu Qinghe poked his head out of the bathroom. "You said the trip would be short this time. I thought I'd be home in just two days."
Zhao Zhanming: "It snowed, so it was delayed for two days."
"Thankfully, I made some preparations this time. A lot of kids at school have colds and fevers, so I decided to give them some time off after the snow. There aren't many days left in the semester anyway, so they might as well stay home and study for the exam."
After entering the room, Zhao Zhanming changed out of his thick military coat and looked around the room.
"Dad, you're back!" Lu Yao leaned forward. "We're all good kids at home, so you have to be good kids too when you come back."
Zhao Zhanming smiled, "Well, what happened to Zhao Zirui?"
"I wet the bed two days ago." Lu Yang explained.
Lu Yao: "Mom bought new mattresses for him and Lu Yang. He might be embarrassed to see you right now."
"What's there to be embarrassed about?"
Zhao Zhanming simply went in and dragged the man out.
Zhao Zirui covered his eyes with his hands, trying to hide his mistake.
"Why are you hiding? It's just a bedwetting. Every kid wets the bed. If you did it on purpose, Dad will punish you. If not, you'll learn a lesson."
Zhao Zirui opened his eyes cautiously, "I didn't mean to do that. I didn't wet the bed for the next two days!"
"Well, if there is a problem, you must face it bravely. There is no use hiding." Zhao Zhanming tried to reason with Zhao Zirui.
Zhao Zirui thought about it and nodded, "Did Dad wet the bed when he was a child?"
Zhao Zhanming: “…”
Maybe there was, but saying this is too hurtful to my pride as a father.
Lu Qinghe just happened to walk in at this moment. "Your father's childhood was decades ago, and he has long forgotten it. Now that the bedding is made, change the sheets quickly. Or should I change it for you?"
"I'll do it myself!" Zhao Zirui hurried to get the list.
"Where's Lu Yang?"
Lu Yang stood at attention and said, "I'll change it myself too!"
"You two go and help." Lu Qinghe directed Lu Yao and Zhao Zimo.
After the children went in, Lu Qinghe handed the perilla ginger soup in her hand to Zhao Zhanming, "Drink some, it will get rid of the cold."
“Hey.”
"Did you encounter any trouble outside this time? Are you injured?"
Lu Qinghe had asked this question countless times.
He knew that as long as no one from the military district came to talk to Lu Qinghe suddenly.
Knowing that as long as Zhao Zhanming could walk into this yard safely.
Then he must be fine.
But Lu Qinghe couldn't help but ask every time.
At first it was just a tentative understanding, but later I became more concerned about long-term meal tickets, and now it should be a tacit understanding.
"Everything is fine."
Zhao Zhanming picked up the porcelain bowl and drank it all in one gulp. "I just saw it snowing outside and was a little worried about you."
"Don't worry about your family. The children are sensible, and there are neighbors and military families who will help keep an eye on them. Next time, don't overthink it or get distracted. Your safety is the most important thing when you're out there."
"I know what's going on," Zhao Zhanming said seriously. "I'm not a new recruit anymore. I definitely don't have a problem concentrating. It's just that I keep thinking about it subconsciously. And I'm more worried about you than my family."
Lu Qinghe: "Me?"
"Well, I'm worried that you'll be tired at home alone, and I'm also worried that you'll worry about me."
Lu Qinghe laughed: "So someone is afraid that I'm not worried about him, you should just say it directly."
The couple smiled at each other.
"By the way, Zhao Laosan came the day before yesterday."
Zhao Zhanming frowned before he finished speaking.
Lu Qinghe: "Old Zhao, let me be frank. Although I have a bad impression of those people in my hometown, Zhao Guodong seems to be a little more obedient."
Afterwards, Lu Qinghe told the story of Zhao Guodong going to the shelter.
Lu Qinghe: "Zhao Guodong has suffered a lot this time and learned a lesson, so he has become more honest. However, there is one thing that needs to be done: he is our younger brother from our hometown. If he loses face, people will definitely talk about him, and the rumors will spread, which will be unpleasant. So we simply arranged for him to stay in the guesthouse first."
"You're still soft-hearted. In my past, I would have kicked him in front of everyone. Zhao Bowen came to see me once, and I sent him back home."
"You are the eldest brother, and I am the sister-in-law. This is different."
Zhao Zhanming thought about it and nodded: "I was just too angry. What is he doing here this time? Joining the army or looking for a partner?"
"Neither. He just asked me to help find a job." Lu Qinghe frowned. "It's not that easy to find a stable job. Since you're back, go and have a look. If you can introduce one without any trouble, that's fine. If not, tell him to go home as soon as possible."
Zhao Zhanming took two more sips of hot tea and said, "I'll go now."
"You're going there right after you got back? Why don't you wait until tomorrow so you can get some rest."
"No, I..."
Just as he stood up, Zhao Zhanming suddenly thought of something, "I suddenly have a place to recommend him, but it's only a temporary job."
"I haven't heard of any factory hiring recently."
"The agricultural and sideline production base in the nearby village of Zhaizi is hiring. The work is intense and they're desperately short of people. It's going to be hard, but it provides food and accommodation. If he can stay there peacefully, he can be considered making a contribution to the production base."
Lu Qinghe nodded: "Well, as the eldest brother, you should share as much as you can. Besides, this is suitable for him. I just don't know if he is willing to do such heavy physical work."
"I told him directly and clearly that if he didn't want to go home, he could go home. If he did, and he could hold on, I would look up to him."
Zhao Zhanming said that he had wanted to go anyway, but Lu Qinghe said that he had just returned and wanted to rest first. After thinking about it, they went to the guesthouse the next morning.
When he saw Zhao Guodong, Zhao Zhanming almost didn't recognize him at first glance.
"Brother!" Zhao Guodong's call of "brother" was more emotional than any other time before.
Zhao Zhanming hummed, "How much weight have you lost?"
"More than ten pounds!" Zhao Guodong sighed. "Only after going out did I realize how difficult the outside world is. I also... I also realized how much my eldest brother has sacrificed to support our family. Big brother, I'm not here for anything else. I don't want to find a partner anymore as my parents said. I just want to find a job now."
"I heard what your sister-in-law told me."
Zhao Guodong: "Although the outside world is hard, it is much better than the mountains. I have never thought about going back since I came out once. Brother, I know it is difficult to find a job, even if it is a temporary job, I will do it."
Zhao Zhanming was even more surprised and told Zhao Guodong in detail about his trip to the agricultural and sideline production base.
"Isn't this a farm?" Zhao Guodong said anxiously. "There's a farm behind Zhaojiagou. Life there is hard. If I go to the farm, what else would I do? Brother, you..."
"Hear me out."
"But……"
"The place you're going to is an agricultural and sideline production base. It's right next to the farm. You'll be working mostly on the assembly line, there's a packaging workshop, and you'll also be assigned farm work. The monthly salary is 20 yuan, including food and lodging. If you can make something of yourself and get a permanent position, the salary will be 35 yuan. These conditions are definitely better than the farm back home."
"twenty!!"
Zhao Guodong was immediately attracted.
Twenty!
You might not even see this kind of money in the mountains all year round, let alone keep it in Hua City.
"I'm telling you in advance, don't run away halfway through. I can't afford to lose face."
Zhao Guodong gritted his teeth and said, "Okay, I'll go!"
After it was decided that Zhao Guodong would go to the base, Zhao Zhanming took him to complete the on-the-job training that same day.
There was a shortage of young and middle-aged labor force there, so dormitories were arranged for us when we arrived. Although the conditions were large bunk beds, we could eat whatever we wanted in the cafeteria. For Zhao Guodong, who had experienced being in a shelter, these conditions were very good.
In the next half month, Zhao Zhanming intentionally asked him once, and found out that Zhao Guodong had actually persisted and worked hard without even asking for leave.
A month later, Zhao Guodong received his first salary and excitedly wrote back to his family.
A week later, Zhao Guodong received a letter from home and was stunned.
"Guodong, the family is very happy to know that you have settled down over there and have a job. We can't count on your eldest brother anymore, so now we are counting on you. Guodong, your sister-in-law is going to have a third child. As an uncle, you should show some appreciation. I also heard that there are good furs in Hua City. Now you can earn your own salary. Your father has not been in good health. Why don't you send back two furs as soon as possible? You are the most filial child. It is worth it for the family to pool money for you to go to Hua City. Now it is your turn to repay the family. Don't forget that everything you have now is because of your parents and second brother. People should know how to be grateful."
Since coming to Hua City, Zhao Guodong has been to the Public Security Bureau and lived in a shelter. In the past month, he has been working at the base. All the sweat and tears he has shed added up to more than he has experienced in his entire life.
During this process, he certainly reflected, felt resentful, and felt aggrieved, so after receiving his salary, he immediately bought some things that he would not normally buy and sent them home.
But he never expected to get such a response from his family.
Is it related to parents?
Humph, even the money I gave when I went out was saved from the money my eldest brother sent home in previous years.
As for his second brother and sister-in-law, he even bought some clam oil that his sister-in-law specifically asked him to buy before he left, but he didn't expect that his family would still ask him for something.
Suddenly, Zhao Guodong fully understood Zhao Zhanming.
I don't know what my eldest brother felt every time he received a letter from home...
After thinking for most of the night, Zhao Guodong got up the next day and wrote a reply letter to his family, saying only that he did not have enough money on hand and did not buy anything else. Instead, after sending the letter, he went to the supply and marketing cooperative to buy two kilograms of eggs, and carefully took them to the military family compound.
-
"Qinghe, how are you going to celebrate the New Year this year?"
"I've discussed with Lao Zhao that we're going home. It's been a whole year since I left, and I miss my parents. How about you guys?"
Yu Lili: "I'm not going back. My family is all here. I can save some money on travel expenses if I stay here for the New Year."
Wang Ningyu's little girl can already walk. She was playing wobbly on the street. When she walked to the other side, she stepped on something and fell to the ground, crying loudly.
"Oh, this kid hasn't fallen for a long time." Wang Ningyu stuffed the pumpkin seeds in his hand to the person next to him and hurried over.
"Wu Ni'er, don't cry. Just fall once and be strong."
Lu Qinghe watched Wang Ningyu persuading him while picking up the child, but her eyes caught sight of the obvious kitchen waste fragments where Wu Ni'er had fallen.
"Who threw this away?" Lu Qinghe asked with a frown, "How shameless!"
Wen Xiaohua, who was on leave at home with a big belly, just came out with a recliner in her arms. When she heard the noise, she looked over.
Wen Xiaohua: "Sister-in-law, you haven't noticed. That area has almost become their special garbage dump. Every time I pass by it all day long, I have to cover my nose. It's a good thing it's still winter. If it were summer, it would be suffocating."
"Whose house is this?"
Yu Lili was also curious.
This side is separated from the opposite side by a road. Although there is communication between the two sides on weekdays, there is not much contact. In addition to the yard, there is a building next to it. There are too many residents in the building. If no one sees it, it is really hard to guess who threw the garbage.
Wen Xiaohua gestured with his chin, "The one next door, who else could it be?"
Living next door is the new arrival, Political Commissar Chu Aiguo and his family.
His wife, Song Yuzhi, is a straightforward person who speaks her mind and is ambitious. She works as a teacher in an elementary school. Since moving here, she has gotten along well with everyone.
"Song Yuzhi?" Lu Qinghe was very surprised: "She is a nice person. I don't think Xia Tian is good."
"I know." Yu Lili patted her thigh. "It must be her mother-in-law. I heard that Sister Yuzhi is pregnant for three months and her mother-in-law came all the way here to take care of her. It must have been thrown away by her mother-in-law."
Wang Ningyu was also an impatient person. After listening to this, he knocked on the door opposite while holding the crying child.
"Is anyone home? Is anyone home? Is Sister Yuzhi here?"
"Who is it? Is there a fire or something? Why are you knocking so urgently?"
The person who opened the door was Song Yuzhi's mother-in-law Niu Liru.
"You guys are littering. Don't you know how to be careful? This street is maintained by everyone. You're destroying the public environment by littering. It's easy for people to step on it. Look at how my daughter fell!"
Wang Ningyu angrily showed Niu Liru the scratch on the back of her daughter's hand.
Niu Liru curled her lips and said, "Who knows how this little injury happened? Why do you say it was me?"
Lu Qinghe also disliked this behavior.
What she hates most, besides urinating and defecating anywhere, is littering. Not only does it smell bad, it's also harmful to people.
Lu Qinghe: "We all saw it. The child fell because he stepped on the wet garbage you threw. Are we really working together to deceive people?"
Wen Xiaohua snorted, "Exactly. Didn't you see how many times your family has thrown away the garbage? It's just that I've been too lazy to do anything lately, otherwise I would have gone to the military dependents' compound to complain!"
"Yes, we saw it too." Yu Lili stood up.
Niu Liru looked around, somewhat unconvinced. "You're the one who's interfering with something as simple as throwing away trash? Who are you? I think you're just looking for trouble! Isn't it normal for a child that young to fall? Are you all mentally ill?"
"You're the one with the problem!" Yu Lili retorted, "You old woman, you just come up and start cursing without saying a word. If it weren't for Sister Yuzhi and Political Commissar Chu, I would have shoveled up the garbage and thrown it into your yard!"
Niu Liru spat, "Throw one and let me see. Isn't this the place to throw garbage? What else is there to throw? Why are you pretending to be a city person? Bah!"
"Pah, pah, pah!"
"Pah, pah, pah!"
“…”
Yu Lili was also angry. Niu Liru also knew that garbage should not be thrown in front of her house, so she always threw it a little to the side, and the side was facing Yu Lili's doorstep.
Yu Lili just felt unlucky. Then she thought that if the old woman really stayed until Song Yuzhi gave birth, wouldn't she have to take care of her during the confinement period? If this continued, the smell would be even worse in the summer.
Thinking of this, Yu Lili became angry and argued with Niu Liru for half an hour. Even Wang Ningyu was pushed aside to watch the fun.
"Song Yuzhi, bad news! Your mother-in-law is arguing with someone!"
"Director Ying, go check it out! There's a fight brewing over there at the corner!"
Both sides called for help, and soon a circle of people gathered at the intersection.
After figuring out what happened, Song Yuzhi quickly pulled Niu Liru to apologize to others.
"I'm sorry, my mother-in-law just came to the military family compound and doesn't know the situation here. Don't worry, I won't let her throw away the garbage anymore."
Niu Liru was also unconvinced, "What right do you have to control me? I cook for you, take care of your children, and I even have to listen to you when I take out the trash? Don't follow outsiders to bully me!"
"Mom, please stop talking. You are wrong in this matter."
"What's wrong with me? Is it wrong for me to cook for you?"
"It's not that I was wrong to cook for me, it's that I was wrong to take out the trash, oops..."
Song Yuzhi argued with her mother-in-law for most of the day without getting tired of it, and Ying Lu was also very angry listening to it.
Lu Qinghe frowned and said simply, "Why don't we wait until Political Commissar Chu Aiguo comes back."
"You have the worst intentions and you want to cause trouble for my son on purpose!" Niu Liru twisted her neck and came over to quarrel with Lu Qinghe again.
Lu Qinghe: "I'm not looking for trouble with Political Commissar Chu Aiguo, you are the one looking for trouble with him!"
"I just can't believe it. Throwing out garbage can cause trouble. I'm just going to throw it out! I'm just going to throw it out! If anyone of you cares about me, I'll throw it in your house!"
Ying Lu frowned. "I'll talk to Political Commissar Chu Aiguo about the garbage issue later. Also, Auntie, if you want to throw it into someone else's house, it will be suspected of provoking trouble. If this causes serious consequences, you will be arrested."
"I don't believe it. Stop scaring me. I've seen everything. I've eaten more salt than you've walked!" Niu Liru was still unconvinced.
This made Song Yuzhi very angry, but as a daughter-in-law, she couldn't argue back, and she couldn't pull anyone away.
Lu Qinghe thought about it and walked to Song Yuzhi's side.
"Sister Yuzhi, you are..."
Song Yuzhi's eyes lit up after hearing this. After Lu Qinghe left, she saw Niu Liru still arguing with Ying Lu. Suddenly, she covered her belly, which was not yet visible, and fell against the wall.
"Ouch, ouch, I can't take it anymore, ouch, why does my stomach suddenly feel so heavy..."
"Hiss, it hurts so much, I can't take it anymore..."
Lu Qinghe immediately said, "Oh, Sister Yuzhi, could it be that her excitement has affected the baby in her belly?"
Niu Liru was really panicking now. She walked over and said, "Don't get involved in my business. Look, the baby is moving now!"
"Mom, why don't you help me go home and lie down for a while? I'm in so much pain." Song Yuzhi grabbed Niu Liru's arm.
Ying Lu was also a little anxious, "Otherwise I'll call a car to take you to the hospital, so that nothing really happens."
Song Yuzhi turned her head and blinked wildly at Lu Qinghe.
Lu Qinghe nodded and walked over to pull Ying Lu's sleeve.
Song Yuzhi then quickly said, "I must be a little emotional. I need to go back and lie down. Mom, please help me go back quickly."
Niu Liru dared not refuse, and hurriedly held the person up. Wang Ningyu and Yu Lili, who were standing beside her, were afraid that she could not hold on, so they hurried forward to help lift Song Yuzhi up and sent them home together.
"Thank you." When they got home, Song Yuzhi thanked him.
Wang Ningyu: "Why thank me? Isn't this how we in the Military Family Residence help each other? I'm leaving."
After everyone left, Niu Liru still didn't dare to relax. She boiled eggs and brown sugar for Song Yuzhi and massaged her solar plexus, fearing that there was really something wrong with Song Yuzhi.
After a while, Niu Liru anxiously lifted Song Yuzhi's quilt again, "No, I have to take a look before I can be assured. Take off your pants."
Song Yuzhi: “…”
"Cough, cough, cough..." Song Yuzhi almost spit out the brown sugar chicken soup in her mouth. After taking a break, she quickly said, "Mom, I feel much better after drinking the brown sugar soup. I must have been too nervous at that time."
Niu Liru was suspicious: "Really?"
"Of course it's true."
Niu Liru gradually breathed a sigh of relief, and after a while, she rolled her eyes. "Ah, the two people who were arguing with me so fiercely just now, seeing that you are in trouble, are actually willing to come forward to help. It's really, alas..."
Song Yuzhi smiled: "Of course, we are all military dependents here. On weekdays, when the men are away, women have to help each other. When encountering problems, we know what to do. So it is better to live in harmony and be peaceful. There will be less friction and everyone will be happy."
Niu Liru snorted, "That's what you said, but I don't understand why you can't throw away the garbage. I didn't throw it directly in front of her house. Besides, isn't the street for throwing away garbage? These broken rules are really annoying."
"Just think of it as me and the child's sake, so bear with it. If things really get out of hand, and something urgent happens in the future, no one will be willing to help because you're not popular, then you'll really be in trouble."
Although reluctant, Niu Liru actually nodded.
When Chu Aiguo came back in the evening, Ying Lu went to check on him again. Chu Aiguo personally held an educational meeting with his mother, and the garbage disposal issue was finally over.
In the evening, before Zhao Zhanming returned home, Lu Qinghe received the news that Zhao Guodong had come to the military family compound.
After thinking about it, Lu Qinghe went to the door.
"sister in law!"
Seeing someone, Zhao Guodong waved quickly, extremely excited, "Sister-in-law, the weather has been cold recently. Are the children at home okay? Where is my brother?"
Lu Qinghe: "He's not off work yet, why did you come here suddenly? How have you been staying at the base for over a month?"
Zhao Guodong smiled and said, "It's not bad. Although it's hard work, it's still rewarding. Sister-in-law, take this home for the children to eat."
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