Chapter 92 Starting Elementary School: It seems my sister-in-law really does run the household. ...
By the end of August, the drought had finally eased, and after nearly two months without rain, the heavens finally sent down a timely rain to nourish the earth.
The island's total annual rainfall is actually not low, but most of it is concentrated in the plum rain season in May and June, and the typhoon rains from August to October. If there is no rainfall for a long time in spring and summer, the reservoirs will dry up, which will lead to spring drought and summer drought. In the 1970s, there were not many medium and large reservoirs, and the water storage during the rainy season was small.
Today, middle school students on the island also participate in reservoir construction every summer. The summer water shortage was not alleviated until the construction of medium and large reservoirs on the island was completed.
In fact, water shortages were severe across the country during the summer, especially in Shanghai and Beijing.
"It's raining! I've finally seen rain!"
A single drop of rain fell, and the whole city was shaken. This meant that the drought was over and normal drinking water could be restored. The waterworks resumed normal supply, and the commune members were waiting to plant autumn and winter crops. Because this year was too dry, having experienced spring and summer droughts, most of the island communes chose to plant drought-resistant crops, namely sweet potatoes, with only a small amount of rice planted near the streams.
When the people of the commune saw the rain, they almost burst into tears. They happily took out their utensils to collect the rainwater, using all sorts of iron pots and earthenware jars—anything that could hold water.
Even if the house is leaking, people happily place buckets at the leak and laugh as they watch the stream flowing inside.
"It's raining! It's finally raining!"
This joyful commotion also spread to the family compound. If it weren't for the rule against setting off firecrackers, everyone would have wanted to bang drums and gongs to welcome the rain. At this moment, the children in the compound went crazy, running outside to get soaked in the rain amidst the adults' exclamations.
The pattering raindrops pattered on my body, dispelling the oppressive heat of the summer.
Little Fatty played in the rain with the other kids in the compound.
"Little Fatty, come and chase me!"
"Come and chase me!"
"You all come after me!"
When Qin Xiangxiang saw this scene in the second-floor corridor, her vision went black. The chubby boy was particularly conspicuous in the rain, soaking wet and covered in mud. Several other children were rolling around in the sandpit together, looking like savages from a primitive society.
They squatted in the sand pit and dug sand holes to collect rainwater.
—You little fatso! Come back here!
Qin Xiangxiang felt that she could throw this son away.
"Xiao Qin, your son is playing downstairs too. He's so cute and eye-catching. He seems to be having a lot of fun. If I were still young, I would go down and play too." Zhong Li stood on the second-floor corridor with a palm-leaf fan, looking into the distance. Water splashed against the window frame, creating clear, sparkling droplets.
Qin Xiangxiang: "Are your children all inside?"
"They're all staying inside." Zhong Li's two daughters and a very quiet son are all staying obediently at home.
Qin Xiangxiang felt that she was about to break down.
When she saw Li Jianzhi, soaking wet, going upstairs to go home, she completely broke down her guard and blocked his way, saying, "You were carrying an umbrella, how come you're all wet?!"
Your trouser legs are covered in mud.
Li Jianzhi: "When I came back, I saw that the streets were full of people getting soaked in the rain."
Qin Xiangxiang was stunned: "You lent out the umbrella?"
"I got soaked in the rain with them."
Qin Xiangxiang: "???" I think you've gone mad!
Li Jianzhi returned with an umbrella, but none of the young soldiers on the road used one. They ran and played happily in the rain without umbrellas. Captain Li, who was holding an umbrella, felt isolated and like a lonely person, having lost the vitality of youth.
So he silently put away his umbrella, joined the group of young people, and strolled home in the rain.
"Stop right there! Don't go home, Li Jianzhi! Stop right there! Little Fatty's down there, grab him and bring him back!"
Li Jianzhi: "Alright, I'm ordered to arrest Comrade Little Fatty."
Qin Xiangxiang: "Go quickly!"
Soaked to the bone, Li Jianzhi couldn't go home. He went downstairs to catch his son and managed to capture the little fat boy, but he was surrounded by the compound's boy scouts. He entered the fray alone and found himself trapped.
"Little Fatty, your dad's calling you home!"
"Uncle Li, come play with us! You can be the pirate."
Li Jianzhi: "..."
Finally, Comrade Li, carrying his chubby son, rushed out of the Boy Scouts. He felt that he wasn't a pirate; he was a hero slaying a dragon.
Although the Boy Scout was no match for him, he was also covered in muddy handprints left by the children hugging his legs, which were washed away by the rain and left with traces of sand.
"Dad! Charge! We've discovered a new continent!"
"The New World has monkeys! It has bananas! It has elephants! I want to ride an elephant to school!"
Li Jianzhi thought to himself: Your mother will definitely punish you when she gets back.
"Little Fatty, you're under arrest."
When Qin Xiangxiang saw the father and son's appearance, she felt as if half of her soul had been ripped out. "You two came back from begging for rice?"
Li Jianzhi: "I'm back from collecting trash."
Little Fatty: "Mommy, I was just kidnapped by a group of pirates! Mommy, I'm so hungry! I barely managed to escape from the pirates! Mommy!"
“They used the tiger bench and pepper spray on me, but I never betrayed the revolution.”
"Mom, my heart will always be with you."
Qin Xiangxiang: "..."
Li Jianzhi: "..."
"You two come in." Qin Xiangxiang felt a headache coming on. "The water's boiled, hurry up and wash up, don't both catch a cold."
Li Jianzhi: "Wife, I also went through a tough battle. I was trapped in the enemy camp and had to go in and out seven times to bring Comrade Xiaopang back."
"Look at me, I'm covered in heroic wounds."
Qin Xiangxiang said, "But I think the relationship between you two is very complicated. Who knows if you are an undercover agent sent by the enemy? You can't be trusted."
Li Jianzhi: "Little Fatty is not to be trusted, but I will always be your loyal husband."
Little Fatty: "I am your loyal son."
Qin Xiangxiang said, "You two should wash yourselves clean before you talk."
The father and son went to the toilet to take a shower. Qin Xiangxiang went back to see her daughter, who was almost six months old, and breathed a sigh of relief. Fortunately, she had given birth to a fair-skinned and tender girl.
The little girl smelled sweetly of milk, and she looked at her mother quietly, which melted everyone's heart.
Li Jinling: "Sister-in-law, your family is so funny when you talk."
"When Sui Sui grows up, she'll be even happier, going out to play in the mud with her brother."
Qin Xiangxiang: "???"
She initially wanted to argue, but then she thought, how can her daughter playing in the mud be called playing in the mud? It's called the little princess building a castle with her own hands.
"It's raining today, let's celebrate by eating wontons, and then finish off all the frozen ribs in the freezer."
Li Jinling: "???"
“Sister-in-law, you said yesterday that it hasn’t rained for so long and life is so hard. Let’s have wontons and ribs.”
Qin Xiangxiang continued, "Since it's raining, we have to celebrate!"
Qin Xiangxiang rewards herself every day under various pretexts.
The ribs were bought yesterday after queuing up. In reality, such good food doesn't stay in Qin Xiangxiang's refrigerator for long. She was thinking about celebrating and eating them.
“Sister-in-law, you’re right!” Li Jinling originally wanted to say that they should live frugally, but she chose to follow her heart.
Never mind, let's eat first.
After taking a bath with his son and drying his hair, Li Jianzhi obediently listened to his wife and the two of them cleaned the floor and kneaded dough to make wontons.
"The primary school for children of employees is about to start, let's send Little Fatty to first grade."
Xiao Pang is over five years old this year, but he is taller and stronger than ordinary children. He is not short among first-grade children, and he also knows more knowledge than ordinary children. So Li Jianzhi decided to send him to primary school.
Qin Xiangxiang paused for a moment, then said, "That works too."
In the dream, Little Fatty didn't start elementary school so soon, but this time Li Jianzhi often urged him to learn to read and do math. He was more precocious and intelligent than ordinary children, and he spoke more fluently.
Most of the military personnel's children stationed on the islands in the region study at the same school, including those from the army and navy. Those whose parents are not on the island can choose to board, while those whose parents are on the island can choose to commute.
"We want to arrange for the children to attend day school. All the children in the compound attend the same primary school, so they can come back together on their way."
Li Jinling: "Wow, the baby is so small—uh—"
She paused, glanced at her eldest nephew, who didn't look like a little boy at all. "He's in elementary school at this age?"
Li Jianzhi: "He was a bit of a bully in kindergarten, and the teachers even suspected that we had written the wrong age."
"More than one teacher asked me if I had written the age wrong."
Qin Xiangxiang: "The teacher said he was the bully in the kindergarten."
Little Fatty, with a sweet smile, said, "Mom, I listen to my teacher very well."
Li Jinling: "Yes, he also brought other children to our land to weed and catch insects."
Li Jianzhi decided: "Let's start elementary school."
"Mom, will I get pocket money when I start elementary school?" Little Fatty's eyes sparkled. Elementary school kids all get pocket money.
Qin Xiangxiang: "Five cents a week, and your allowance will be deducted if you don't behave well."
Little Fatty cheered.
Li Jinling: "Sister-in-law, you're being too generous. Just give him two cents."
"Aunt, you must listen to Commander Qin Xiangxiang's orders."
Qin Xiangxiang knew she wasn't a stingy person and didn't want to skimp on her child's allowance.
"To celebrate Little Fatty starting elementary school, I want to make him a new outfit, buy him a new pair of shoes, and then what should we eat to celebrate?"
Li Jinling was dumbfounded. "Sister-in-law, didn't you celebrate a little too much?"
Little Fatty: "Mom, you're so pretty, of course you should get new clothes, and you should also get some for my little sister."
Li Jianzhi: "I'll cook a celebratory meal."
Li Jinling: "...Then what about me?"
"Jinling, why don't you get a new outfit made too?"
After a struggle within herself, Li Jinling concluded that her sister-in-law was indeed in charge of the household.
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