When Li Jinhua saw Wen Guoer coming in wearing a military coat, her eyes widened and she blinked hard before she was sure that this was really the fourth son's wife.
"Mom, mom, come and see." Her shout called everyone in the house out.
"Come in quickly. You must be frozen after riding in the ox cart all the way." Tang's mother called her two daughters-in-law to come in quickly.
Tang Zhan immediately stepped forward and took the things on their backs and in their hands.
The whole family crowded into the main room again.
Zhao Lai Di's eyes were full of flesh, and Li Jinhua's eyes never left the military coat that Wen Guo was wearing.
Tang's mother was also surprised by what they brought back. Old Man Tang stopped smoking his pipe while sitting in the main seat of Tang's house, watching Tang's mother rummaging through the backpack one by one.
The children stopped making noise and became quiet. Tang Ming and Tang Zhe looked at the pile of things on the ground and grinned.
Tang Zhan stood beside his young wife, expressionless, holding her hand to keep her warm.
"Guo'er, the money mother gave you for these things is not enough, right?" Tang's mother asked affirmatively.
"Mom, I bought these rice, flour, and meat with the money you gave me. Because I didn't ask for a receipt, they're a little more expensive than at the supply and marketing cooperative. The rest of the things were bought by Tang Zhan this morning with some money he gave me and told me to buy for my family."
Tang Zhan: I just watched you lie quietly without saying anything.
"Then how did you buy so many things? There are 60 feet of cloth, a quilt of cotton, two bottles of white wine, so many hair ornaments, and about 10 notebooks. Yes, and the military coat you are wearing." Tang's mother kept counting.
Everyone present knew that these things could not be bought even with tickets. In the past, the family had to save up enough cloth to buy a shirt, but the fourth daughter-in-law actually bought 60 feet.
And this bed of cotton. Cotton is in such short supply now. It’s worth the price but not the market!
The shape of this flower is obviously what people in the city wear, and the paper of this notebook is obviously of high quality.
And this wine, I can smell the aroma before I even open the lid, it is definitely a good wine.
Not to mention the military coat that the fourth brother's wife was wearing. It was a thick cotton coat with a whole piece of fur underneath. This was something only the leading cadres in the team could have, right?!
Everyone in the Tang family... was stunned. This fourth daughter-in-law was so capable.
"Mom, there are 40 feet of good cloth and 20 feet of defective goods from the supply and marketing cooperative.
Today I helped a lady at the supply and marketing cooperative. She happened to work there. Some of the money was taken from the cooperative's employee benefits, and some was helped by the lady. Even those who didn't need tickets were given extra money.
"Put the rice, flour and meat in the kitchen, and Guo'er will distribute the rest." Tang's mother made the final decision, and everyone's expectant eyes turned to Wen Guo'er.
"Mom, the military coat is for Dad, the cotton and 20 feet of cloth are for the old couple to make a bed quilt, the wine is for the men in the family to drink during the New Year, the hair flowers are for the two girls and the sisters-in-law, and the notebooks are for the school-age children. As for the remaining 40 feet of cloth, you can arrange it."
Wen Guoer warmed up after a while, took off her military coat and placed it on Old Man Tang's legs while he was sitting.
Old Man Tang felt the warmth in his military coat and thought to himself, "I'll wear it and take a few walks around the village."
"Each family will get 8 feet of cloth, and the old man and I will get a share. The women will each choose a head flower. The children will each choose a notebook. I will keep the rest and use it as a reward for students." Tang's mother finalized it again.
"Mom, how can this be possible? We have three children in the eldest family, and only one in the third family. How can we divide it like this?" Li Jinhua thought about it and was unhappy.
"Why can't you divide it like this? This is given to the family by your fourth brother and his wife. You three brothers should treat them equally. You can't favor one over the other!" Tang's mother quickly divided the things and drove everyone out of the main room.
Seeing that Tang's mother had made up her mind, Li Jinhua turned her attention to Wen Guoer and followed Wen Guoer and Tang Zhan's footsteps to their house.
"Guo'er, look, your fourth brother just bought you two pieces of cloth a few days ago. Can you give three feet to your sister-in-law?" Li Jinhua held Wen Guo'er's hand in a flattering manner.
Seeing that the two women wanted to talk, Tang Zhan went into the house first.
"Sister-in-law, it's not that I don't want to give it to you, but that would be unfair to the second and third sisters-in-law." Wen Guoer said embarrassedly.
"Guo'er, look at your sister-in-law's family. There are three half-grown children. These 8 feet of cloth are not enough. Can you please feel sorry for your nephews?" Li Jinhua kept playing the family card.
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