After eating and drinking, everyone worked together to clean up the venue, and then it was time for the second highlight of the day - dividing the meat.
The meat in Huaihua Brigade was distributed on a household basis, also according to the number of work points. Huaihua Brigade consisted of two small villages, with a total of only about 40 households.
The number of work points each household would receive this year had already been calculated when the grain and money were distributed.
Excluding the pig's head, internal organs and large bones, the whole pig lay on the door panel. A 180-pound pig only had about 110 pounds of meat on the bones. This amount of meat would definitely not be enough to eat until the New Year.
However, there are many people raising pigs in the team, and many of them have already reserved pork from the pig farmers in advance. Of course, the price cannot be based on the purchase price of the purchasing station. It is two cents more expensive than the purchase price of the purchasing station and two cents cheaper than the market price.
Gu Aiguo picked up the loud speaker and said, "Each household will send a representative to draw lots. The number of lots you draw will be yours. Everyone line up honestly. Anyone who cheats will not get any meat."
It’s not that Gu Aiguo’s words were unpleasant, but some people like to take advantage of their seniority, and some are extremely thick-skinned. In order to get a share of the good meat, they will easily act like a spoiled brat.
There was a small basket in front of Gu Aiguo, which contained slips of paper with numbers written on them. The numbers on the slips determined the order in which the pork would be collected.
Although the educated youth were a group, each of them was responsible for their own work points, so they all followed the team members and lined up enthusiastically.
Everyone was a little excited and a little nervous. Some were hoping for luck and would draw the numbers at the front, while others were worried that they would draw the numbers at the back because of bad luck. Those at the back couldn't wait for their turn to draw the lots.
The people queuing behind became nervous when they heard someone had drawn a number within 10. Some even prayed in their hearts, muttering to the Buddha to protect them from drawing a number within 10.
Suddenly she closed her mouth and burst into laughter. She drew number 1.
"Wow, I drew number 1. I actually drew number 1. Chen Zhiqing, no, Teacher Chen is right. Being a good person really does bring good rewards."
Chen Qiangwei lowered her head slightly and supported her forehead with her right hand to block the gazes from all directions.
After hearing what Bi Dazui said, the others thought about it carefully and found that things had indeed been getting better and better since Bi Dazui had controlled her big mouth. Her already filial son and daughter-in-law became even more filial, her grandchildren studied hard, and now she could even draw the first place in the meat distribution lottery. You know, last year she got number 42 due to her bad luck.
Thinking of this, they all became thoughtful. Do they really have to accumulate more merits to have good blessings?
Chen Qiangwei, Gu Sannai and Wang Xiaomai, except for Gu Sannai who drew number 8, the numbers she and Wang Xiaomai drew were quite standard, one was number 27 and the other was number 20. Anyway, there would definitely be no good meat when it was their turn.
Everyone wants to eat fat, but there is only so much meat. In order to allow more people to eat the fat, the Huaihua Brigade does not specifically separate out fat. The best meat is pork belly.
The pork in Huaihua Brigade is divided into several parts: loin chops, ribs, front and back legs, pork belly and tenderloin. Among them, the front and back legs are the most, and the pork belly is in the middle. Everyone's eyes are glued to the pork belly.
It was Goudan's father who divided the pork. This was his specialty, though not quite as good as a butcher butchering an ox. But he was quick with the knife and knew exactly what he said. If he asked for a pound, he wouldn't give you an extra ounce, and he certainly wouldn't give you less than half an ounce.
Sure enough, the people in the front of the line asked for pork belly first. When it was Chen Qiangwei, No. 27's turn, there were only ribs, tenderloin and not much front leg meat left.
Hearing the people behind her whispering that they hoped the people in front wouldn't divide up all the meat, Chen Qiangwei smiled and chose the ribs while the people behind her held their breath.
When this decision was made, the people behind her in the queue were very happy, but those who had already received the meat looked at her and shook their heads.
"Hey, why did Teacher Chen choose ribs? If not, there's still tenderloin and shoulder meat. The shoulder meat is a little fatter, so delicious."
In fact, compared to fatty meat, Chen Qiangwei prefers tender ribs. Besides, she has taken out the meat in the space to improve her diet whenever she has the chance in the past few months. Since she bought a pot and put it in the space, she has been going there to enjoy it alone whenever she has time. She is not as greedy for meat as those people in the team who can only eat meat a few times a year.
Carrying the ribs back, Chen Qiangwei decided to make steamed glutinous rice ribs tonight.
After the pork was distributed, the festive atmosphere became stronger and stronger. Chen Qiangwei and other new educated youth were not eligible to return to the city to visit their relatives this year, so they had to wait until next year.
Chen Qiangwei discovered that the old educated youth who were on home leave were still calmly moving around in the Huaihua Brigade. After thinking about it, she understood what was going on.
The old educated youth were waiting to be divided into groups of fish. After the fish were divided, they could carry the meat and fish home to celebrate the New Year.
On the 24th day of the twelfth lunar month, the Huaihua Brigade began to clean the pond and sort the fish.
The fish pond is just below the small hill where Liang Fugui and Widow Zhou had an affair. People usually don't come here unless they have nothing to do.
However, whenever we went up the mountain to dig wild vegetables or cut grass for pigs, adults would always detour here and throw a few handfuls of wild grass and vegetables into the pond.
Early in the morning, Chen Qiangwei woke up to the sound of everyone making noise.
A group of half-grown children called out to their friends, "Hurry up! I hear the sound of the pump. We'll be able to catch fish soon."
It was quite lively for a while.
Catching fish was the job of the young and middle-aged people in the team, and had nothing to do with Chen Qiangwei and the others, so she was not in a hurry at all. However, Wang Xiaomai, who was still childish at heart, heard the noise outside and ran over with a wooden bucket to watch the fun.
When Chen Qiangwei arrived, the water in the fish pond had already dried up. The fish were rolling and wriggling in the mud, which made everyone happy.
Despite the severe cold weather, the old people stood by the pond, "pointing out the situation" and estimating the size of the fish and the harvest this year, with faces full of anticipation and joy.
Following Gu Aiguo's shout of "Let's go to the pond and catch fish", the young and middle-aged men in the team rolled up their trousers and went to the pond to catch fish. They put the fish they caught into a large wooden basin. The fish kept jumping around in the basin, and some even jumped out of the basin, making their work in vain.
Liu Jinhua and a group of women had been waiting on the shore. They had several extra-large wooden basins beside them. When the basins in the pond were full, they would carry them to the shore. Liu Jinhua organized the women to pick fish on the shore and put the fish into the basins according to size.
Those who stand on the shore and watch the fishing give advice to the people in the pond from time to time.
"Chunlai, there's a big one behind you, catch it quickly."
"Annan, there's a big grass carp at your feet, right next to your right foot!"
Some mischievous people were even giving orders on the shore, causing the people fishing in the pond to laugh and curse.
After most of the big fish in the pond were caught, Gu Aiguo began to announce the "pond strike and fish distribution."
As soon as Gu Aiguo finished speaking, the children who had been waiting on the shore for a long time seemed to be started, and they ran into the pond with their small wooden buckets.
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