Chapter 37 Chapter 37 The autumn harvest season begins.
Whether it is National Day or a birthday, it is something worth being happy about.
It's double the joy to meet each other! !
On such a good day, Mu Mian not only celebrated her birthday, but also decided to send out picture books.
I was supposed to go to the commune today.
Nowadays, there are no birthday cakes or other miscellaneous things when celebrating birthdays.
Some families with many children may even forget their children’s birthdays, let alone specifically announcing them. However, this is the norm.
Of course, Mu Fugui and his wife would never forget Mu Mian’s birthday. Every year on her birthday, the whole family would go to a state-owned restaurant to have a meal together.
It's the same no matter what era.
When good things happen, have a good meal.
---
The National Day holiday nowadays is not as long as in later generations, only three days, so Comrade Mu Fugui of course also had a holiday.
It was a nice day on National Day.
The sun is shining, the sky is blue, with a few white clouds floating by occasionally.
Mu Mian slept until she woke up naturally. Following the sounds of her parents busying around, she sat up from the bed, reached out to grab the clothes on the bedside table and put them on.
She was wearing a ruffled short-sleeved shirt that her mother had made for her. Although it had been made for several months, it was still brand new as she had only worn it a few times.
Mu Mian usually only wears it when he goes out. He usually wears old clothes when he runs around in the team.
Although Mu Zhuo had sent back a lot of red cloth before, saying that she could make new clothes for her birthday, Mu Mian thought about it and decided not to let her mother make it.
She already has one, so she can save the red cloth to make a jacket for the New Year.
It’s Chinese New Year, so of course it has to be red! !
After using the cloth to make her coat, her mother and grandmother could also use it to make two small cotton vests, and there would be just enough cloth.
If it were only the ten feet her eldest brother sent back, there might only be enough for two people.
But isn’t this the five-foot-long piece given to me by a kind-hearted comrade?
Three people can be accommodated!
By then, except for her father, the three female comrades in the family will all be dressed in red. How festive it will be!
Have a prosperous New Year, and everything will go smoothly and you will make a fortune in the coming year!
As expected, there are still many good people in this world. The platoon leader named Wen Zhan is also a good person! !
---
Mu Mian started her ninth day of life with the joy of "the sun is so bright and the world is so beautiful".
As soon as she opened the door and went out, she saw Comrade Mu Fugui's big smiling face, "Hey, our little birthday boy is awake, why is your hair not combed? Come, daddy will braid two braids for you."
Mu Mian immediately shook his head like a rattle, "No no, Dad, go do something else. I just couldn't find a comb."
Her father's hands were not good at doing delicate work, so for the sake of her hair she decided not to do it.
I’ve tried it before when I was bored, so how do you describe it?
She felt like the pig lying on the board, with her hair combed like it was shaved.
I really don't want to have this experience again.
Mu Mian shouted towards the kitchen, "Mom, have you seen my comb?"
Liu Shuangcui's voice came from the kitchen, "It's probably in our room, look for it."
It’s really there.
Mu Mian saw it as soon as he entered the room.
A beautiful morning starts with a nice hair style.
Nearly half a year has passed, and Mu Mian's hair has grown a lot longer. It can now be tied up at the back. The high ponytail makes her look particularly energetic.
Since I had to go to a state-owned restaurant for lunch, I just had a simple breakfast.
After the meal, the family worked for half a day before deciding to ride their bicycles to the commune.
Today the old lady no longer said that she was afraid that Mu Fugui would throw her down.
At the gate of the yard.
Comrade Mu Fugui put his feet on both sides of the bicycle, firmly supporting the weight of the three female comrades in the family.
Mu Mian and her grandmother were squeezed in the back, and Comrade Liu Shuangcui was sitting on the horizontal bar in the front.
At this moment, Liu Guizhi happened to pass by and laughed when she saw the family of four. She said to Liu Shuangcui, "You're right, when you sit on this horizontal bar, you look just like the bride-to-be who comes in to welcome the new bride."
Those young people in the city who are in a good relationship like this. When picking up the bride, the female comrade sits on the horizontal bar, and the male comrade wears a big red flower and smiles brightly.
Mu Fugui didn't know what shame was, and agreed carelessly, "That's still a little bit off, it's only like a mother without my daughter behind her."
Hearing this, Mu Mian immediately started to make fun of her, "So it seems that grandma and I are the ones getting in the way~"
Liu Shuangcui is not as shameless as Mu Fugui. She is in her forties and she doesn't feel embarrassed about having a new daughter-in-law come into the house.
She patted Mu Fugui's arm and said, "Don't dawdle. Your butt will hurt if you sit on this pole for too long."
Then he gestured to Liu Guizhi and said, "Let's go."
Liu Guizhi waved her hand and said, "Let's go, I have to get busy too."
---
Because there were four people on the bicycle, Mu Fugui rode a little slower than usual.
Anyway, there is enough time, because state-owned restaurants don’t open until that time.
After arriving at the commune, Mu Fugui followed his daughter's instructions and parked his bicycle in front of the post office.
As soon as we stopped, an aunt from the team came out to get something.
Liu Shuangcui and a few others stood there and chatted with her for a while.
Mu Mian didn't wait for her parents and went into the post office with her bag on her back. She was no longer the eight-year-old child who asked her parents for money when she sent a letter.
She is nine years old now!
There are more than twenty yuan in liquid funds!
Mu Mian bought stamps and envelopes as if he was familiar with the process, then took out a pen, leaned over a stool in the corner and began to write the recipient information.
Well... although some people are nine years old, it is still difficult for them to reach the high counter in the post office, so they can only lie on a low stool to write.
she
I had just written a delivery address when a voice suddenly came from the front, "Xiao Mian?"
Mu Mian looked up, "Hey... Sister Sihui, why are you here? Are you here to get something?"
Nie Sihui walked a little closer and said, "No, I'm sending something to my friend."
The moment Nie Sihui finished speaking, she glanced down casually and saw the name of an extremely familiar publishing house.
I had heard this countless times from her friend Biqin when we were in school, and it was also mentioned in her recent letter.
Because Biqin graduated from high school and successfully got admitted to the publishing house where her father also worked, the father and daughter now work in the same place.
Mu Mian didn't notice the slight surprise in Nie Sihui's eyes. She tilted her round face up and asked, "Are you here alone?"
Nie Sihui retracted her gaze, "No, she came with Mulan. She is outside talking to your mother and Aunt Wang."
After saying that, Nie Sihui signaled with her eyes, "I'll go over there and send it first."
Letters and parcels are not sent at the same counter.
Mu Mian nodded, "Yes, Sister Sihui, you should go quickly."
After everyone left, Mu Mian continued writing, not noticing that his address had been seen.
To be precise, she didn't want to block it, and it wasn't something that couldn't be known.
Mu Mian only subconsciously thought of the moment Nie Sihui turned around...
This publishing house is in Shanghai, and her sister Sihui is also from Shanghai.
What a coincidence.
It was just a small coincidence, and Mu Mian immediately put it out of her mind. She had chosen this publishing house from among several others, and it was very suitable for her style.
Only when it is suitable can it be easily passed.
Although she often said that if it didn't work, forget it, but after all she had put so much energy into it, which took three or four months, so she still wanted some reward for all the hard work.
After writing the recipient's information, Mu Mian started writing the sender's information below, and only after finishing did he stuff the entire book into the envelope.
The first page facing up was a cover that she had drawn casually, with the words "Autumn Rain" written in the lower right corner of the picture.
The publication of comic books is different from the publication of periodicals. Periodicals require real identity to be used in submissions.
This is not the case with comic books. The ones that Mu Mian had read all used pen names.
So she got one for herself.
Autumn Rain, as the name suggests...
Mianmian was born on a rainy day in autumn, and it happened to rain on the day she was born.
It's really simple and crude.
---
In the other corner of the post office hall.
Nie Sihui did not send it directly. Instead, she opened the folded letter again and added two sentences at the end with a pen.
She had always known that Mu Mian loved writing and drawing, and she had also read the two articles published in the Youth Magazine, which were very well written.
As for the picture book, the little girl didn't know exactly what was drawn in it. She only glanced at it occasionally. Every stroke on the paper was very vivid.
It should be said that she is a very smart girl, and it is particularly comfortable to get along with such a person.
During the few months she spent in the countryside, the Mu family took good care of her.
Bi Qin had mentioned in the letter before that she is now in charge of the manuscript.
Nie Sihui has only had Bi Qin as her friend since she was a child. Influenced by Bi Qin, she also knows something about the manuscript processing procedures of publishing houses.
Sometimes, the reason why a manuscript is forgotten is not because of its poor quality, but because there are too many manuscripts and the publisher may not even see them.
Nie Sihui didn't know what name the little girl used when she sent the letter, but the address must be Qingfeng Brigade of Red Star Commune.
There wasn't much she could do. She could only mention it to Bi Qin and make sure the manuscript was seen. The rest was up to the girl herself.
But it is also possible that she was doing something unnecessary, as she remembered that this little girl had always had good luck.
Just as Nie Sihui finished writing, Jian Mulan's voice rang out behind her, "I was wondering why you haven't come out for so long. Why are you writing again?"
Nie Sihui folded the letter again and stuffed it into the package. She smiled and said, "I suddenly remembered that I forgot to say something, so I added a few more words. Where are Aunt Shuangcui and the others?"
Jian Mulan nodded her chin and said, "Well, I'll go find Mu Mian."
Mu Mian has already prepared the letter.
She didn't know that Nie Sihui had guaranteed her manuscript. When she walked out of the gate, she saw that Nie Sihui hadn't finished yet, and waved to her, "Sister Sihui, Teacher Jian, we're leaving first~"
She is going to have her birthday meal! !
Nie Sihui and Jian Mulan responded at the same time.
State-owned restaurants don’t actually open that early, it’ll take a while.
After coming out of the post office, Mu Mian took her grandmother to the Public Security Bureau again to call her cousin Liu Tao.
Liu Shuangcui took Mu Fugui to Liu Dongping's house, planning to call Liu Dongping as well.
We happen to be in the same commune, so we can eat together.
When we came out of the Public Security Bureau and went to the state-owned hotel, the Liu Shuangcui sisters and Mu Fugui were already waiting there.
Liu Dongping also brought a small gift for Mu Mian, a new pencil case.
Mu Mian was very happy and smiled sincerely, "Thank you, auntie~ I like it very much!"
She was really pretty. She had never seen her in the supply and marketing cooperative.
Liu Dongping: "I guessed you would like it. I happened to see it when I passed by the county a few days ago, so I bought it."
Liu Tao pretended to be jealous and asked, "Why didn't you buy me one?"
Liu Dongping: "You like little girls' things too?"
Liu Tao laughed and said, "Who is not a little girl? Xiaomian, don't you think so? Am I still young, your sister?"
Mu Mian nodded, saying obediently, "Yeah, Sister Taozi is right!"
Liu Dongping: "What's right? When your mother was her age, she already had your brother."
Sure enough, the elders’ urging for marriage is regardless of occasion or time.
Mu Mian turned her head and looked at her sister Taozi. The two sisters made faces at each other at the same time and did not dare to speak.
Sisters Liu Dongping and Liu Shuangcui have probably gotten used to the fact that their eldest niece is always carefree and unhurried when it comes to finding a partner.
After a few words, the two started talking about other things.
A lot of people came to eat during the National Day holiday. Before the time came, there were already many people waiting at the door.
Among the six people on Mu Mian's side, except for the old lady who is a little old, the others are all capable of fighting.
The old lady’s fighting ability is actually quite strong. When she fought with the Shi family before, she was very vigorous.
As soon as the door opened, the whole family successfully squeezed to the front.
Today's main dish is chicken stewed with mushrooms. It is said that it is stewed with an old hen. It is very expensive, but it is very delicious. Mu Mian was still savoring the meal after he got home.
Come to think of it, this was the first time she had eaten chicken in half a year.
The old hen at home needs to lay eggs, and no one would kill it and eat its meat for no reason.
Unless everyone is so tired that they really need to replenish themselves, such as... autumn harvest.
---
Not long after National Day, the horn of autumn harvest sounded.
This is definitely the most important thing for a brigade throughout the year. After being busy for half a year, everyone is just waiting for this little bit of food.
The day before the autumn harvest, Xu Yongshou held a mobilization meeting with a loud speaker and spoke at the top of his voice.
The theme is just one...
Everyone should show the spirit of not fearing hardship or fatigue and fight the battle of autumn harvest well.
At the very last moment, just this shiver.
All schools, whether elementary, middle or high school, were on holiday.
The slaughterhouse is not busy at this time. After all, the pigs from various brigades have not been delivered yet, and it will take another two months.
Every year during the autumn harvest, the slaughterhouse will make appropriate adjustments to its personnel, leaving only those who live in the commune and do not need to be busy with the autumn harvest. Therefore, Comrade Mu Fugui does not have to go to the commune during this period.
Of course, corresponding to this, he lost his salary at the slaughterhouse during this period.
It makes sense, after all, I don’t work there.
---
Wait until the day when the autumn harvest officially begins.
At daybreak, Mu Mian was awakened by the sound of a gong. She woke up in a daze and saw that her grandmother had already prepared the meal.
Her parents had also gotten up a long time ago. Liu Shuangcui ordered them in a hurry, "Eat quickly, and then help your grandma prepare the dishes for lunch."
Although she got up a little earlier than usual, Mu Mian was still in high spirits, "I know, don't worry, Mom. Just eat more!"
Today, their children also have to go to the fields to pick up rice grains, and their work points are calculated based on the quantity.
But you don’t have to go so early, after all, the premise for picking up is…
An adult has to harvest the rice first before they can pick it up.
They had just finished their breakfast when the captain started to beat the gong for the second time.
We have to gather for work formally for the third time, and no one is allowed to be late.
Not long after the second ring, Mu Xinglong and Zheng Xialan came here with Xiao Chengzi and the sisters Xiao Miao.
At such an important time, Zheng Xialan of course had to go to the fields to work, and the two sisters Xiao Miemiao had to be left to the care of the old lady.
Just imagine that it must not be easy to take care of children and cook at the same time.
After the adults went to work, Mu Mian first helped her grandmother prepare the food to be cooked for lunch, and then went to the fields with a small basket.
There were already quite a few kids there, all sticking their little butts out, picking up the grains one by one.
However, most of the kids are unstable and some of them started fighting while picking up the things.
Mu Mian, Xu Lele and Shi Xiaolian got together, and the three little girls naturally did not fight with each other.
I worked diligently for a whole day and worked like a tiger, but when the settlement was settled, I only got five work points.
Of course, this "young" is only from Mu Mian's perspective, because her parents both got full work points.
For other kids, that was quite a lot.
Most of them only got two or three work points, and those little naughty monkeys who liked to run around and had no stability even picked up only one work point.
Even the scorekeeper said, "You three are amazing. You picked up four or five work points! Other kids didn't get that many."
Xu Lele, this real kid, was very proud of the scorer's praise. She picked up four today! !
Last year there were only two work points. Her mother said that if she could pick up three work points, she would give her ten cents after the autumn harvest.
She exceeded her targets, she is awesome! !
The other two pseudo-children were much calmer. Shi Xiaolian looked very steady. She had tried her best. She couldn't do other work. She was very satisfied with the five work points.
Mu Mian accepted the compliment with a smile, and then thought about it for a while.
Picking rice grains is really a delicate job. Although it is easy, it is time-consuming and the efficiency is not very high. It seems that it is not suitable for her.
So, early the next morning.
When it was time to go to work, Mu Mian no longer carried her small basket, but turned around and moved a small stool.
Mu Fugui was puzzled, "What are you doing with the bench?"
Mu Mian told the truth, "Dad, let me go to the threshing ground with you to thresh rice today. I don't want to pick up rice grains anymore."
For a woman of her height, it might be a bit sore to keep her arms raised during threshing, but there are always more solutions than problems, so she could just stand on a bench and solve the problem.
Liu Shuangcui was a little worried, "Can it be done? Fighting for a whole day is very tiring."
Mu Mian waved her hand and said, "If my uncle can fight, I can definitely fight too!"
She is stronger than her uncle, and she didn't even use her full strength when they were arm wrestling that day.
Only about 60% to 70% was used, and of course she didn't tell her uncle about this.
After all, he is our elder, so we should still give him some face.
Mu Xinglong, who happened to be carrying his two daughters, heard these words directly.
Mu Xinglong said, "Hey, you're slandering me behind my back."
Mu Mian blinked and smiled innocently, "How can it be considered as insulting? I was just giving an example."
Just at this moment, the third gong sounded.
Liu Shuangcui put the straw hat on her daughter's head and said, "If you want to go, go ahead. If you get tired, go pick up rice grains."
Mu Mian nodded while tying the rope under his straw hat, and happened to meet Xu Lele when he went out.
The little girl seemed very active and energetic, and the small basket in her hand swayed as she walked.
She didn't even notice that Mu Mian was holding a bench instead of a basket, and Mu Mian took the initiative to say, "Le Le, you should follow Shi Xiaolian today. Dad and I will go to the threshing ground."
Xu Lele finally reacted and looked down, "Going to the threshing ground? Sister Mianmian, are you going to thresh rice?"
Mu Mian nodded, "Well, I don't like picking up rice grains."
Xu Lele: "Okay then, I like to pick up trash. I told my mom that I want to get five work points today!!"
Mu Mian expressed his support and belief in his younger sisters without hesitation.
Xu Lele was so excited by the praise that he felt like he was injected with chicken blood.
Mu Mian was also very excited. When she arrived at the fighting place, she stood between her father and her uncle.
One fighting platform can accommodate about four people. Next to Mu Xinglong is Mu Xingwang, and the family is complete.
At first, some male comrades were a little confused about the arrival of a little girl.
About a quarter of an hour later.
The entire threshing floor was so quiet that the only sound left was the sound of rice hitting the wood.
No one spoke, and some people didn't even bother to wipe the sweat off their faces.
When they were changing the rice, they would secretly glance at the Mu family, and they would smack their lips in their hearts.
Really...
How could there be such a capable girl!
If you don't try harder, you'll lose all your dignity as a gay man! !
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