Chapter 46

"Don't mention it, this is really labor-saving." said the carpenter who was having a lot of fun.

The other one leaned over with his hands behind his back to see: "Can this be washed clean?" "

Almost." Qiao Wei said, "I soaked it in advance. I used a scissors to crush the soap shavings, and then melted it in hot water to soak the clothes."

But many of the aborigines in the town are the same as those in the countryside. They are reluctant to use soap.

Qiao Wei saw the expressions on the faces of the two carpenters and changed her words: "I will try soap pods another day. I thought, first crush the soap pods with a garlic mortar, and then melt them in hot water to soak the clothes. It should have the same effect as soap. This way I can save soap."

At this time, the most difficult thing was not food, but industrial products.

Many families were reluctant to use soap. But as soon as Qiao Wei changed to soap pods, the woodworking masters immediately felt that this thing was not far away.

They even suggested to her: "You can also soak clothes in stove ash."

Stove burns firewood and dry grass, so stove ash is plant ash, which also has the ability to remove dirt. It is a method that has been passed down by our ancestors for thousands of years.

"Yes!" Qiao Wei said, "This is actually changing the beating of clothes to spinning clothes. Isn't beating clothes also for mixing soap pods and clothes evenly? The principle is the same, but the expression is different."

She sounds like a cultured person in her choice of words. Her

speech temperament is also different, especially generous and natural, and she looks like someone from a big city.

Both carpenters looked at her with admiration, and one even asked, "Did you draw that picture?"

"I drew the picture, but the idea was not my idea." Qiao Wei smiled, "I have seen it somewhere else before, and I want to learn it to save some effort."

One carpenter gave her a thumbs up.

Qiao Wei smiled brightly.

The two carpenters left Yan's house, pushed the flatbed cart, and chatted as they walked.

"This cadre's house is not as rich as I thought." One said, "It's quite shabby. Did you see that there are straw sandals hanging on it?"

The other said, "I don't know what is on the sunbed, the waist cushion? It's all made of homespun cloth. And only one is dyed."

Qiao Wei's three cushions have two original colors and one indigo.

Homemade cloth is not expensive to begin with, and original colors are even cheaper than indigo because they don't need to be dyed.

This captain Yan's wife didn't even bother to make three indigo ones. She only made one indigo one, and used the original colors for the other two.

Did they not buy enough cloth or what?

This is a bit... shabby.

"How can it be called shabby." A carpenter said, "Look, they are generous with sugar when making mung bean soup, and they are also generous with cigarettes. I am not, I am not that kind of person..."

Another one also said, "Yes, yes, yes, not shabby, not shabby, um... yes, um..." "

Hardworking and simple!"

"Yes, you are right, hardworking and simple, and not forgetting your roots."

Qiao Wei had no idea that the two carpenters were talking about her pastoral style behind her back. She happily washed a basin of clothes.

Yan Xiang just woke up from a nap, so she asked Yan Xiang to come over and help her knit, mainly because she had trousers, which were not easy to knit.

Although Yan Xiang is not very strong, he just needs to hold on tightly and not let go.

It is much easier with two people.

Yan Xiang also played with the "washing machine" for a while and had a lot of fun.

Tuesday is Yan Lei's meeting day.

After discussing all the routine affairs, Yan Lei submitted to the leader "Suggestions on raising cows to obtain milk to improve the nutritional supplements of the army's family members and children".

Who are the army's family members and children? They

are the wives and children of the leaders and cadres at this table.

In particular, Yan Lei was popularized by Qiao Wei, and he also popularized the issues of height growth and calcium supplementation.

The leader thought: "This is good. Get it done, get it done!"

The army originally raised pigs and sheep, and originally had cattle, but they were beef cattle. There is a big difference between cattle and cows.

Moreover, if we want to ensure milk for all, or at least most, of the children in the families of cadres, it is not something that can be solved by one or two cows.

This matter must be handed over to the logistics department for discussion and planning. It must be put on the agenda seriously.

With the ability of the army, it will be realized soon.

Yan Lei finished the meeting in the morning and asked for leave from the political commissar in the afternoon and left early. After

he left, the political commissar was still holding an enamel pot and drinking tea and said to others: "Why does Yan look so energetic today? Is there any good news?"

Others: "No..."

Strange.

Because the cadres went home together in a jeep, Yan Lei's return home time was basically very stable every day. Qiao Wei would prepare dinner according to the time.

But today, Yan Lei didn't come back at that time. Just when I was wondering, Yingzi from Captain Zhao's house came: "Aunt, my dad asked me to tell you that Uncle Yan asked for leave today for something. He said he might be back late, and asked me to save some food for him."

"Oh, okay. Thank you. Yingzi, don't go~"

Qiao Wei called Yingzi, opened the can and took out two pieces of biscuits for Yingzi: "Here."

Yingzi took the biscuits and went back happily.

She ate one on the way, took the rest home, broke it into two pieces, gave half to Junzi and half to Wu Ni'er.

The two younger ones stuffed it into their mouths immediately, fearing that if they were a step slower, they would be snatched away by their brothers.

In a family with many children, eating is a matter of hand speed.

"Where did you get it?" Sister Yang saw it and asked.

"Aunt Qiao gave it to me."

"You silly girl, I told you not to ask for food from others!"

"I didn't ask for it! I was about to leave, but Aunt Qiao stopped me and gave it to me." Yingzi stiffened her neck, "Aunt Qiao is so generous. It's a high-quality biscuit, and she was willing to buy it. She was willing to open it and eat it."

Sister Yang glared at her, "Whose family can compare with hers? They only have one child. I have to feed so many mouths."

Yingzi: "Tsk. Then don't have so many children."

It was obvious that Yan Xiang's life was much better than theirs. A few days ago, Wu Ni'er said she had eaten canned yellow peaches at Yan's house. She was so pissed.

She asked her mother to buy some, but when she went to the supply and marketing cooperative, she found no more, as they were sold out.

Sister Yang gave her a hand.

"But," Sister Yang praised, "your aunt Qiao is really generous. No one else can compare to her."

Yan Xiang came back later, and he brought someone with him, a fellow villager.

"Come on, come on, stay here." He carried a sack and led the fellow villager into the yard.

The fellow villager was carrying a large roll of hay on his shoulders.

Qiao Wei came out of the house and immediately understood: "Did you go to buy hay?"

"No, no." The fellow villager waved his hands, "I gave it to him, it was a gift."

Qiao Weiwei stuck out her tongue: "Yes, yes, it was a gift."

Individuals can't just negotiate a deal.

Yan Lei nodded at her and went into the house. Soon he came out and gave the fellow villager money and grain coupons.

Coupons are unique to cities, and farmers don't have grain coupons. But for various reasons, farmers still have some demand for grain coupons.

There was a skit in the Spring Festival Gala in the 1990s, which was about farmers pushing bicycles to "exchange grain coupons for rice." Farmers exchanged rice with urban residents for grain coupons.

The fellow took the promised money and food stamps, and after grinding for a while, he wanted to return the sack.

These days, I can't bear to throw away even a piece of tattered paper, and I want to use everything over and over again until it breaks.

Yan Lei didn't argue with him, poured the hay in the sack onto the cooling bed, and returned the broken sack to the fellow villager.

He was so generous, and the fellow villager was very happy. Before he left, he told him, "If you need anything, come to me. I'm close."

Yan Lei closed the door and turned around. Qiao Wei was twisting the hay with her hands: "Why are there loose hay and straw mats?"

It turned out that the hay in the sack was loose, and the large roll that the fellow villager carried in unfolded into a tied straw mat.

"This is for your cushion." Yan Lei said, "This is for your bed."

"This thickness is good, it won't hurt your knees in the future." He pinched the brim of his hat, his eyes shining.

Comrade, don't talk about this in this dress.

Qiao Wei felt a lot of pressure, as if she had corrupted a decent person, and pushed him hurriedly: "Go change your clothes and eat."

Yan Lei took the straw mat in.

He first removed the mat on the kang, rolled up the mattress, and revealed the brick kang underneath. He laid the thick straw mat on top, then the mattress, and then the mat, and pressed it with his hand. It was soft!

He changed his clothes and came to the yard, where he saw the manual washing machine next to the hand-operated well: "Is it installed? How is it? Is it easy to use?"

"It's easy to use. I've already washed a basin of clothes." Qiao Wei said, "I'll wash the clothes in the future, you don't have to worry about it. You just need to wash the dishes."

She sat on the sunbed and tried to stuff hay into the mattress.

It failed the first time, so she simply took out all the rehabilitation cloth strips, mixed them evenly with the hay, and stuffed them in together. This time it worked. After

the three mattresses were installed, Qiao Wei leaned on them and was surprised: "It really doesn't collapse anymore."

The mixture of hay and cloth strips can support the cushion. The feeling of fullness is basically the same as the backrest of a fabric sofa.

Yan Lei looked at her with a smile while eating.

Qiao Wei leaned back on the cushion comfortably: "What are you looking at?"

Yan Lei said: "Looking at you."

Qiao Wei: "?"

Yan Lei said: "Looking at you."

He had a smile in his eyes.

It's over, the serious old cadre has really been corrupted by her.

Today he actually asked for leave just to buy that straw mattress. That's the army.

This Sima Zhao's intention is too obvious.

Qiao Wei turned her face away and smiled.

Yan Xiang was puzzled and didn't know what his parents were laughing at. The child had packed up his things and urged: "Dad, eat quickly, let's go take a shower!"

Qiao Wei opened her eyes and regretted it to death on Wednesday morning.

After putting on the straw mattress, the kang did become a lot softer, and her knees didn't hurt anymore.

But she let the tiger out of the cage.

The man's already good self-learning ability was finally put to good use.

This man has endless energy and a strong desire to explore.

He was an abstinent person before the opening of the gate, but now he is completely OOC.

As for Qiao Wei, she thinks two or three times a week is a very good frequency for young people in their twenties. Why two or three times? Because you have to rest in between.

Yan Lei didn't rest for two consecutive days and worked until midnight. His bones are about to fall apart.

He messed up the fitness plan of getting up early and running.

Qiao Wei was so angry that she pounded the bed.

"Mom, are you awake?" Yan Xiang ran in after hearing the voice, "Dad left a note for you."

He ran out again and brought the note in: "Here!"

Qiao Wei took it and looked at it. The handwriting was a bit sloppy, and it was obviously written by Yan Lei on the spur of the moment:

[There are no vegetables at home. If you really can't get up to buy vegetables, go to the cafeteria to eat. ]

Qiao Wei certainly knew that there were no vegetables at home. She couldn't get up yesterday morning. The farmers' market here is an early market, and if you go too late, there will be nothing.

She didn't go to buy vegetables yesterday because she was too tired to get up. There are absolutely no vegetables at home today.

"Have you eaten?"

"I ate some biscuits."

Damn, the bad father made his son eat biscuits for breakfast for two days in a row.

"Give mom a piece too, I'll eat one, let's go buy some food!"

But after walking out of the courtyard with the knitting basket, Sister Yang came over with an ugly face.

"Xiao Qiao!" She grabbed Qiao Wei, "Xiao Qiao!"

Qiao Wei was surprised: "What's wrong with sister-in-law?"

Sister Yang was also carrying a basket of vegetables, which contained meat and eggs. She had obviously just returned from the farmers' market and had not yet returned home.

She grabbed her arm very tightly and was trembling slightly. She was in an unstable mood, either angry or afraid or both.

Sister Yang's lips moved.

Qiao Wei took her arm: "Let's go, let's talk at home."

She took Sister Yang's arm and went back home, letting Yan Xiang go out to play by himself, and pulled Sister Yang to sit on the cool bed: "What's wrong? What happened?"

Sister Yang's chest rose and fell, and she calmed down a little, and her eyes suddenly turned red: "I heard them at the market, they said... our old Zhao was flirting with a female soldier."

She was stunned when she heard it at first.

She was a traditional woman, her life was to give birth to children, take care of her husband and raise them.

When her husband became successful, she lived a good life with him, and every time she returned home, she was looked up to by her relatives.

When she first heard that her husband was having an affair with another woman, she was completely stunned.

But Qiao Wei lowered her eyes and thought for a while, then she said: "Impossible."