Lin Yiyi was certainly not ready to have a baby. She planned to start preparing for pregnancy at the age of 19 and give birth around the age of 20, which would be about two years away. So she prepared the rocking cot early to avoid any problems such as the wood not being smooth enough. After two years, all the smell would be gone and the wood would definitely be smooth, so the baby wouldn't get hurt when sleeping.

However, she couldn't say that to Qin Xiangju.

She said: "I will be 18 next year. I plan to start preparing for having a baby after getting my marriage certificate next year, so I will prepare the cradle first. A bed that is too new will have a smell and the baby will definitely not be comfortable sleeping on it."

It's the end of August, and there's only half a year until next year. Qin Xiangju can't wait half a year. She's been waiting for so many years, what's half a year? And her daughter-in-law said that she would wait until she turned 18 and got the marriage certificate before preparing for the baby, which actually made sense. Although their village doesn't care about marriage certificates, they just want to have a show here, but the son is the deputy director and the daughter-in-law is a scholar, so they have to get the marriage certificate.

Qin Xiangju put away the drawings and thought about making new furniture for her son's house and the birth of her precious grandson. She was in a very good mood.

Lin Yiyi took the opportunity to gossip a little: "Mom, when we were in the county, didn't you say that you should pay the 60 yuan first? Why has it changed now?" Lin Yiyi asked in a low voice.

Speaking of this, Qin Xiangju sighed and said, "Come on, I'll talk to you while we walk."

Lin Yiyi: “Oh.” This reminded her of her mother. In the past, after she and her mother had a good meal, they would go for a walk, and then her mother would tell her gossip, about the neighborhood, about relatives and friends. In fact, her mother loved gossiping, but she would only talk to her and her father.

The mother-in-law and daughter-in-law walked towards the new house. Qin Xiangju said: "When I came back that night, your father and I talked about this matter with your grandparents. Your grandfather said the same thing as the second child. He said that the children have grown up and we are getting old. Do we have to think about leaving some money to them after we die? ? Now we are paying for it, and if they have no money in the future, we will pay for it. How much money can we have? We can't do this. The third family had no money to give birth to a child, so there is no way to help with the house matter this time. Whatever you have, you can do whatever you want. "

Lin Yiyi felt that Grandpa Xiao was a wise man. She said, "Sister, you are right. When you are older, you should save some money for yourself. To put it bluntly, if you need money in the future, you will have

, if you have no money, you can ask your children for money. It would be fine if the children give it to you, but what if they don’t? You are already old, and you still have to look at the children’s faces. How much suffering it is.” This logic was of course not said by Lin Yiyi, but by her mother. Her mother said that Lin Yiyi has a job, a house, a car, and savings. They will not subsidize her after she gets married. Although they only have one daughter, the money in the future will be given to her, but that is their business a hundred years later. If they give money now, if there is an emergency in the future and they have no money, their life will be difficult. Asking your daughter for money is never as comfortable as having money in your own pocket.

Lin Yiyi felt that her mother's reasons were all very logical. Apart from urging her to get married, she was very open-minded about other things.

Qin Xiangju said: "No, you are more transparent. And your grandfather also said that although we know that the third child has no money and cannot take out 60 yuan, and the eldest brother has money, if we help to take it out and let them draw lots, it will be unfair to the eldest brother. So, we will not take the money and let their brothers discuss it. If we can come up with the money at the same time, then draw lots. If not, the house will definitely be for the eldest brother."

Lin Yiyi: "Actually, my eldest brother's family is in urgent need of a house. Xiaorui and Xiaozhu are starting to grow up, and it's not convenient for them to live with my eldest brother and his wife. We can use a piece of hanging cloth to separate the inside and the outside of our room, with Xiaozhu sleeping inside and Xiaorui sleeping outside." Girls start to develop at the age of thirteen or fourteen. Before development, it's okay for a brother and sister to sleep in the same room. After development, it's not suitable for a brother and sister to sleep in the same room. But there are still six or seven years, maybe after six or seven years, the big house can be built.

Qin Xiangju: "You are right, the first room is more stressful than the third room."

The things in the new house had been moved in. Then, Lin Yiyi and Qin Xiangju calculated the expenses for the house and the banquet. It cost about 400 yuan in total, which was more than what the Lin family spent on building the house, but because they paid for the bricks themselves, they were expensive. Lin Yiyi rounded up the number and gave Qin Xiangju 400 yuan. Qin Xiangju didn't have much money in her hand. Everyone's wages had not been paid yet. After taking Lin Yiyi's money, she still had to pay the wages. In addition to the 400 yuan, Lin Yiyi took out another 40 yuan: "Mom, this 20 is for grandpa's hard work, and this 20 is for you."

Qin Xiangju: "No, no, I haven't worked hard at all." As parents, they should prepare a house for their children, but their family doesn't have the conditions for this. The house was prepared by the children themselves, so how could she ask for hard-earned money?

Lin Yiyi: "I still want you to do me a favor later. If you say so, I will

I feel embarrassed to ask my mother for help again."

Qin Xiangju knew her daughter-in-law had said that on purpose, so she took the money and asked, "What can I do for you?"

Lin Yiyi said, "The yard is full of mud. After the rain, the soles of shoes must be dirty. I want to lay some stones. Do you think it's okay? Just lay a one-meter-wide stone road from the yard gate to the hall gate, and then sprinkle some cement on it."

Qin Xiangju said, "That's possible. I'll talk to your grandfather. If there's enough cement, we can build a cement road."

Lin Yiyi: "I looked at the cement, it seems not enough."

Qin Xiangju said, "Just go dig some clay, mix it with cement, and pave it on the gravel road to make it smooth. In the past, houses in the village were all made of clay. Even earlier, some were made of glutinous rice water and glutinous rice flour."

Lin Yiyi was very surprised when she heard this: "Using glutinous rice water is understandable, but using glutinous rice flour, glutinous rice is a fine grain of rice."

Qin Xiangju: "There was no cement at that time, and even if there was cement, we couldn't get it. No matter how fine the glutinous rice was, it was not as expensive as cement. Besides, not much glutinous rice flour was needed. Another thing was chestnut flour. When the chestnut harvest season came, people collected chestnuts from the mountains. They were sticky and could be used as cement."

Lin Yiyi was really educated by what she heard. No wonder the wisdom of our ancestors was so great. Although today's scientists and inventors are all highly intelligent, their wisdom is based on the wisdom of their predecessors, with the knowledge and experience accumulated by their predecessors as a reference. Therefore, our predecessors are even greater.

However, when it comes to ancient buildings, the most magical ones, which are called miracles, are the pyramids of ancient Egypt.

Looking at Qin Xiangju who was talking freely, Lin Yiyi suddenly felt that she was the one with little knowledge. What she knew, what she did, and what she said were just relying on the future. If there were any, she was not as good as her mother-in-law. Lin Yiyi said, "Mother, you know so much."

Qin Xiangju laughed out loud: "Mom also heard it from others."

After the new house was completed, Lin Yiyi and Xiao Yu went back, and the rest of the work was left to Qin Xiangju and Grandpa Xiao.

The two of them rode their own bicycles. When they came, they brought a basket filled with things. When they left, they also brought a basket filled with things. There were small corns given by the Lin family and tofu that Qin Xiangju had exchanged for from other villages. At today's banquet, Qin Xiangju had exchanged a lot of tofu, some of which were prepared for them to take back to the county.

Lin Yiyi:

Brother Yu, do you know why the houses today were not drawn by lot as we said before?"

Xiao Yu: "Well, grandpa talked to me about this when I got home, and I think what grandpa said makes sense. I don't want my father and his friends to think about what will happen after they die while they are still strong."

Lin Yiyi: “You didn’t tell me?” She didn’t even tell him such gossip.

Xiao Yu smiled and said, "I didn't see you at all."

Lin Yiyi: "We have a house built in our home. Am I not happy?"

When Xiao Yu heard Lin Yiyi say the word "our family", the corners of his mouth curled up slightly.

Lin Yiyi: "I'll go get some cloth and make some curtains later. What color curtains do you like?"

Xiao-Woo: "It's up to you."

Lin Yiyi didn't expect him to give her any suggestions. She started to think about what kind of curtains to make. The color must be elegant, so that she wouldn't have to change them in 1966. After much thought, she decided that light gray was the best.

The next day, she went to the old tailor to make four curtains, just enough for the three rooms and the large living room. There was no need for curtains in the kitchen, and there was no window in the bathroom, only a ventilated place that could be directly plugged with a wooden plug.

It takes several days to make the curtains. The next day was the ribbon-cutting ceremony for the brigade nursery. Lin Yiyi rode her bike to join in the fun. After all, the brigade captain had invited her, and it would be impolite for her not to go.

When we arrived at the brigade, it was very lively today. Almost everyone from every household, big and small, went to join in the fun. What's more, the president was coming today. Normally, they didn't have the chance to see the president, so today everyone could see the president and wanted to come and see him.

Lin Yiyi arrived at the nursery and looked at the three newly built bungalows, which were made of clay and earth bricks and covered with tiles. The nursery had a large yard surrounded by a wall. There was a wooden board hanging on the wall with the words: Datang Branch of Sunshine Commune Nursery.

Director Yang: "Comrade Lin Yiyi, here, here."

Lin Yiyi followed the voice and saw Director Yang. She hurried over and said, "Hello, Director Yang."

Director Yang: "You are finally here. The president will talk to you later about something."

Lin Yiyi was stunned: "Is it related to the nursery?"

Director Yang said, "No, it's a good thing after all. You'll know it later. I'm just saying hello to you first."

Lin Yiyi: “…Thank you, Director Yang.” It would be better not to tell her so that she wouldn’t worry.

President Cheng and Captain Zhang also came and greeted Lin Yiyi. I don't know if it was because Director Yang reminded me, but when Lin Yiyi saw President Cheng, her heart beat faster and she was actually a little nervous.

After the ribbon-cutting ceremony, President Cheng gave a speech. The villagers were very enthusiastic and gave the loudest applause to President Cheng. After the speech, President Cheng came to find Lin Yiyi.

President Cheng: "Comrade Lin Yiyi..."

Lin Yiyi was a little confused: "Hello, President."

President Cheng said, "Let's go and talk while we walk. I heard that your new house is ready. Can you take me to see it?"

Lin Yiyi said: "Please come this way."

Director Yang also left with President Cheng.

On the way, President Cheng said, "Yiyi, you will be a freshman in high school in September, right? I heard that you skipped a grade in junior high school."

Lin Yiyi said, "Yes, I will start the first year of high school in September. My husband is a college student and he gave me extra lessons during the holidays, so I learned the knowledge of junior high school faster and was able to skip a grade."

President Cheng: "Deputy Director Xiao is one of the few college students in our commune, but he is the only one who was admitted to the military academy."

Lin Yiyi thought, fortunately it is a military academy, which is the safest place. Anything related to the army and the military will be safer in the future. Of course, it is safer for ordinary people like them, because the struggles of the leaders above them have nothing to do with them.

Lin Yiyi: "Thank you for the award."

President Cheng: "Yiyi, how about you work hard in high school and skip a grade?"

Lin Yiyi: "Can you skip a grade just because you want to? I have already returned all the knowledge I learned in high school to my teacher."

President Cheng said, "Look, from growing vegetables on a stove to raising pigs to opening a nursery, I think you are a talented person. Our leaders have said that women can hold up half the sky, and you are the woman who can hold up half the sky."

Lin Yiyi: "Thank you for the award."

President Cheng: "So I want to say, after you graduate from high school, come to the commune and work."

Lin Yiyi was stunned: "But...but it will take another three years. Even if I try hard, it will still take two years."

President Cheng smiled and said, "Then you should work hard, and when you become a clerk, you can also help Old Yang."

Director Yang: "What President Cheng means is that we are waiting for you and keeping an eye on you."

Lin Yiyi calculated that it would take about 20 minutes to ride a bicycle from the commune to the county town, and from the commune to the countryside, so it would be very convenient to go to either home. Besides, when she graduated from high school, the Ten Years of Turmoil would soon begin. She would have to stop writing after finishing her last story, and she would not be able to stay at home and be an idler by then. That would be too boring. It was indeed good to work in the commune. The job was stable, and there were not so many right and wrongs.

.

In fact, the ten-year turmoil had little impact on a small place like theirs. When she first read the novel, she saw what the author wrote and thought it was just like that, but in fact it was exaggerated. The turmoil depends on the place. For example, the impact on their place was very small. The place where her grandmother and her grandmother live now was a rural village. Later, with the development of the city and the expansion of the urban area, those villages became districts, so that's how the second generation of demolition came about.

My grandmother and my great-grandmother both said that they were not affected at that time, and the village was not affected either, so for those ten years, it depends on the place. However, poverty at that time was really poor.

After Lin Yiyi figured it out, she said, "Thank you for your appreciation, President. I will live up to your expectations and work hard for the commune and the people. Just like the leader said, women hold up half the sky. I will definitely work hard." As for whether she could get up in the morning, Lin Yiyi didn't have to worry about it at all, because there were no entertainment activities at night in this era. If she went to bed early, she would wake up very early in the morning.

President Cheng said: "Well said, Yi Yi, I am optimistic about you."

Lin Yiyi: "Thank you, President."

President Cheng: "Remember to strive to graduate in two years."

Lin Yiyi: “Yes.” She really needs to ask Brother Yu for extra lessons now, as she is afraid that she cannot handle high school math.

After negotiating with President Cheng, Lin Yiyi went to Xiao's house. Qi Bocai was in a good mood today. After the president's speech, the children in the nursery began to register. Qi Bocai registered both children and paid a total of four kilograms of food. The fee for the nursery is two kilograms of food per child per month, which can be paid month by month, that is, if you go for one month, you can skip the next month. However, even if you skip a few days within a month, the food cannot be refunded.

It's only two kilograms of food, so people won't be so stingy, so many children signed up today. The main reason is that two kilograms of food a month is cheap. If it were converted into money, people would back down.

Qi Bocai saw Lin Yiyi and said enthusiastically, "My second brother and his wife are here. Today I registered Xiaorui and Xiaozhu. These two children can go to the nursery in the future. Their father and I can rest assured when we go to work."

Lin Yiyi said: "That's right, there are still many benefits to opening a nursery."

Qi Spinach: "That's what I mean. Grandma can relax a little bit in the future. Otherwise, it would be hard for her to take care of two children when we go to work."

Lin Yiyi was surprised. How could Qi Bocai say such a thing?

The spinach is in front because 60

She was embarrassed because of the incident involving a large sum of money, and was scolded by her mother when she returned home, so she became "sensible" again.

Lin Yiyi did not respond to Bocai's words. She took out two school bags and said, "Sister-in-law, Xiaorui and Xiaozhu are going to the nursery. I will give them a school bag each. I hope they will study hard and make progress every day."

Qi Bocai was very happy when he saw two schoolbags: "Thank you, my second brother and his wife, that's great. I was just worrying about making a study room for them. Xiaorui and Xiaozhu, come here quickly. Your second aunt has sent you Jiefang bags..."

Lin Yiyi saw that she was happy, and bought a liberation bag in the system mall for eight yuan each.

Xiao Rui and Xiao Zhu ran over and looked at the military green Jiefang bag with their eyes shining.

The two Jiefang bags are the same except for the words on them. However, one has a red five-pointed star with a line of words underneath, one says "Serve the People" and the other says "Study Hard". In fact, there are other patterns on the Jiefang bags, some with images of great leaders and some with images of revolutionary comrades, but Lin Yiyi didn't buy this one. She thinks the five-pointed star is more reliable and will not go wrong.

Xiao Rui and Xiao Zhu put on their Jiefang bags and said to Lin Yiyi, "Thank you, aunt." The two children were not as introverted as before. In fact, they were not introverted before, but at that time Lin Yiyi had just married into the Xiao family and later went to the county town. She had not been with Xiao Rui and Xiao Zhu for two days, so they were relatively unfamiliar with her and did not dare to speak to her. Now two years have passed, so of course they are familiar with her.

Xiao Rui: "Aunt, can we carry him out to show our friends?" Xiao Rui, who is already five years old, is more fun to play with his friends, and his friends also like to play with him. This is also due to the relationship between Xiao Yu and Lin Yiyi. Because they are a promising couple, the adults in other families will tell their children to play well with the Xiao family. The Xiao family only has two children, Xiao Rui and Xiao Zhu, so naturally they play with them.

Lin Yiyi: "Of course you can, but don't go to places where there's water."

Xiao Rui: “I know.” Children like to play in the water, especially in summer, but they also have their own rules. For example, they won’t go to water when they are wearing new clothes, because they don’t want to dirty the new clothes. New clothes are hard-earned for them. Now Xiao Rui and Xiao Zhu have new school bags, which they like more than new clothes, so they naturally won’t go to places where they play in the water.

Qi Bocai: "My second brother and sister-in-law like children so much, why don't you have one as soon as possible?" She is used to having a rough voice, and she talks to children in the same way.

She is not used to the tone of her second brother's wife, saying "what the heck" and "oh what the heck".

If Lin Yiyi knew her inner thoughts, she would probably label her as the best. To be honest, Qi Bocai really made her laugh and cry. Every time she tried to make trouble, she would be slapped in the face, but she was just like a cockroach, and she never gave up. She was very cockroach-like. To be honest, even if she was not smart, Liang was smarter than her. Otherwise, Liang would not have surrendered to her when she was washing clothes the day after she got married.

Lin Yiyi had lunch at Xiao's house. Qin Xiangju made vegetable dumplings, and she ate a big bowl of them. After dinner, Qin Xiangju told her about the carpenter's work. It would take about two months to finish what she had on the drawing, because now that the work had started, the carpenter couldn't just focus on this every day.

Lin Yiyi was not in a hurry anyway and expressed her understanding.

After saying this, Qin Xiangju went to work, and Xiao Ye also went to work. Xiao Ye was not tired at work, and he found the easiest job, but it was only 2 work points, which was not comparable to Qin Xiangju's 5 or 6 work points. But they are not short of food now. Xiao Daqiang now has a stable job. They also have food at home, and they have four mu of land. In addition, the first and third rooms will give 100 kilograms of old-age food every year starting this year, adding up to 200 kilograms, which can feed the four old people for four months. In addition to the food they exchanged for work points, the food in their private plots, and the Fuqiang flour given by Lin Yiyi every month, they really have no shortage of food.

After Qin Xiangju and Grandpa Xiao went to work, Lin Yiyi also left. Grandma Xiao had nothing to do, so she picked up a basket and prepared to pick up small stones to pave the road for Lin Yiyi and her family.

Lin Yiyi returned to the county town. After Xiao Yu got off work in the evening, she told Xiao Yu what President Cheng said: "But I haven't told my parents about this yet. If I don't go to the commune after graduating from high school, it will be embarrassing."

Xiao Yu was surprised: "You won't be taking the college entrance exam then?"

The author has something to say: When I was writing until about 11 o'clock last night, I felt thirsty, so I went to get a bottle of Yuanqi Forest to drink. However, when I unscrewed the cap, I didn't hold it firmly, and half of the bottle spilled onto my computer. I have to buy a new computer in the next two days, haha!