Chapter 8

Xu Wen turned around and started looking for a stick, this time to beat Xu Wen.

Sang Xiaoqing didn't know whether to laugh or cry, and said to him: "I was just asking you a question as a joke!"

Xu Wen was so angry, "Is this something you can joke about? Can a girl joke about her innocence?"

"You deserve to be beaten!"

Xu Qiushi's voice.

Xu Wen, Xu Wen and Sang Xiaoqing were all stunned and looked towards the door.

Xu Qiushi pushed the door open and walked in, his face livid. He pointed at Xu Wen and ordered, "Stand up right there."

Zhu Meizhen and Xu Qi followed behind, supporting grandma on both sides, and their faces were not looking good.

Xu asked: "..."

Do you know all this?!

Xu Wen looked at his second brother for help.

Xu Wen snorted and turned his head away.

Xu Wen looked at Sang Xiaoqing.

Sang Xiaoqing lowered her head and looked at the ground.

Xu asked to see Zhu Meizhen.

Zhu Meizhen tapped her forehead with her index finger and said angrily, "You deserve it!"

Ask and see.

Xu Qie made a face at her: "You're done!"

Xu asked: "..."

A look of help fell on grandma's face.

Grandma waved her hand and motioned her to sit down: "Why are you all questioning us one by one to vent your anger? It's not her fault."

"It's not her fault, and it has nothing to do with her. How can a normal child call her mom?"

Grandma patted Xu Wen's arm and said, "Let me ask you, what's going on between you and that soldier Comrade Lu? Why does his son call you mom?"

Xu Wen touched his nose and explained, "It was really just a misunderstanding. That day..."

He recounted the entire story of his acquaintance with Lu Yuanzheng, which was similar to what he had told Xu Wen before, except that he had accidentally fallen into the water but did not mention that he was swimming.

It wasn't to protect Lu Yuanzheng, but because she didn't want her family to know that she had sneaked out to take a shower, for fear that they would think too much.

The Xu family was silent.

After a while, Xu Qi spoke first: "Sister, that PLA uncle...my brother saved you, will you marry him to repay him?"

He was young and had simple thoughts. He didn't have as many concerns as adults. He just thought it was great to have a brother-in-law who was a soldier.

Xu asked: "..."

Comrades of the People's Liberation Army are saving people on the streets and even risking their lives to help. Is that repaying a favor or taking revenge?

Xu Wen also particularly liked soldiers, and he had wanted to join the army. However, there were only two able-bodied people in the family, Xu Qiushi and Xu Wen. If he joined the army, Xu Qiushi would be the only one who could support the family, and Xu Meizhen would be the majority of the labor force.

The family was already poor, and if he enlisted in the army, the family might not even have enough food to eat.

He hesitated for a long time but still did not sign up, and never told his family that he wanted to join the army.

Knowing that Lu Yuanzheng was a soldier, I liked him better, but I felt a little regretful. "It's a pity that the guy named Lu is not only a second marriage but also has a child. Otherwise, it would be a good place to ask him."

Zhu Meizhen frowned and shook her head: "What is suitable? You are only 19 years old. How can you be a mother to others when you are a child? Or a stepmother. It is difficult to be a stepmother! Everything is wrong!"

Sang Xiaoqing nodded: "That's right! We can definitely find a better young man if we ask such a young and beautiful woman. Being a military wife is great, but it's also really hard. The couple can only be together for a few days a year, just like the Cowherd and the Weaver Girl!"

Xu Qiushi also disagreed: "Comrade Lu has done us a favor, we should thank him! But marrying him is two different things, no way!"

Xu asked: "..."

Still I couldn't help but interject, "Lu Yuanzheng never said he wanted to marry me." Look how wronged I am.

Xu family: "..."

Zhu Meizhen pointed at her and said, "Xu Wen, you better stand still! What's your attitude? You're already turning your elbow outward without even starting a conversation!"

Xu asked: “…” Unfair.

Grandma shook her head: "No matter what, after this incident, I'm afraid it will be difficult for Wenwen to find a partner recently. Everyone is spreading gossip about Wenwen, who would dare to come to her house? In my opinion, we should put the search for a partner for Wenwen on hold and talk about it later! After all, Wenwen is young, so there's no rush."

He then turned around and told Xu Qiushi and Zhu Meizhen: "Qiushi, you and Meizhen should prepare some generous gifts and go to the Lu family brigade. No matter what, we must thank you for saving our lives! We cannot let others say that our Xu family is dishonest."

Intentions are one thing, strength is another.

Zhu Meizhen, who was in charge of the family's finances, took out the cloth handkerchief containing the money, spread it out on the square table, and counted it in front of the whole family.

Except for Xu Qi who had little idea about money, the family of six were all silent.

Sixteen dollars and seventy-eight cents.

The family will spend this money until the autumn harvest, around National Day.

Wei Zhuang Commune has two harvests a year, summer and autumn, and there are three unified distributions a year: one for each of the two autumn harvests, and one for the year-end dividend.

In Taoyuan Production Brigade, every ten work points count as one full work day. Generally, one work day is paid 70 cents, but sometimes it can be more or less. The exact amount of one work day depends on the harvest of that year.

It doesn't mean that you can get money just by earning work points. It also depends on whether there is any money left after distributing the rations to the population.

For example, the Xu family, a family of seven.

First, the work points of the whole family must be added together and converted into money, and then the money is used to buy food for seven people.

If there was any work points left after buying the population rations, it would be converted into cash and distributed to the Xu family. This was called a surplus-grain household.

If the work points are not enough to buy food for the population, the difference must be made up to the production team before the population rations can be distributed. This is called an overdraft account.

The Xu family is large but has few workers. Xu Qiushi and Xu Wen are one worker. Zhu Meizhen and Sang Xiaoqing can only be counted as 07 workers.

After exchanging all the work points for the family's food, there was basically nothing left, and sometimes the account was even overdrawn.

How can life be easy with two students at home? !

They all rely on the eggs laid by their chickens for retail or on slaughtering and selling pigs at the end of the year to supplement their family income.

Originally, the Xu family was slightly better off. At the end of last year, Xu Wen married Sang Xiaoqing. The family emptied their savings and even borrowed some money to make up the betrothal gift for Sang Xiaoqing, and then arranged a wedding for them. The family, which was not well-off to begin with, went directly into a financial deficit.

Zhu Meizhen sighed softly, "Wenwen and Xiaoqie are about to start school. Wenwen's tuition is three yuan and miscellaneous fees are two yuan, Xiaoqie's tuition is two yuan and textbooks are one yuan. It will cost eight yuan for two people. Mother's illness cannot be cured without medicine..."

She reported a bunch of necessary expenses, and there was nothing left after counting the food and drinks.

Sang Xiaoqing quickly said, "Mom, it's okay. I can still go to work."

She was not the only pregnant young wife in the production team. Everyone went to work, so there was no need for her to be so delicate.

Having rested for a few days has made other pregnant wives in the production team envious.

We are all poor people, we can’t stop eating just because you are pregnant.

Xu Wen shook his head: "No! You've been vomiting these past few days and can't eat or drink. You can't even sleep. You've lost a lot of weight. How can I let you go to work?"

Zhu Meizhen also nodded: "That's right, you have suffered enough, just rest at home!"

Xu Wenju said: "I can really drop out of school and earn work points." One must fill his stomach before thinking about the future.

"It's none of your business!" Xu Qiushi glared at Xu Wen, then sighed and frowned: "I'll find a way to deal with the money. If it really doesn't work, I'll go and borrow some money."

Grandma nodded, took off the silver bracelet on her wrist, and handed it to Zhu Meizhen: "Meizhen, find a place to sell it and get some money. Comrade Xiaolu should not be owed a favor. If we owe him, we will ask the girl about it. We will not be able to stand up straight in the future."

Xu asked: "..."

He tried to dissuade his family again: "Grandma, Dad, Mom, brother and sister-in-law. Comrade Lu is a member of the People's Liberation Army and has a high level of awareness! He will not accept your gifts. He has discipline and cannot accept even a needle or a thread from the masses."

"Is this for free? This is a thank-you gift. It's not the same thing." Xu Qiushi once again refuted Xu Wen's request, "Besides, whether to accept it or not is Comrade Lu's business, and whether to give it or not is our attitude!"

Seeing that she could not convince her family, Xu Wen secretly made up her mind that if Lu Yuanzheng really dared to accept it, she would go to their house to ask for it back.

It was just a misunderstanding, she didn't really drown.

Oh! It wasn't that she wanted to lie. If she did, she was afraid that the whole family would be entangled between beating Lu Yuanzheng and thanking him and would suffer from insomnia.

Looking back, I feel guilty and think I owe her something.

Zhu Meizhen waved her hands repeatedly: "Mom, how can I accept such an expensive thing from you?"

This was the dowry my grandmother brought when she got married.

Life was so difficult ten years ago that my grandpa didn’t even let my grandma sell.

The silver bracelet is not very valuable, but it is a very valuable item for the Xu family.

"Why should we distinguish between you and me as a family? I am an old woman who can barely catch my breath, why would I need this thing? I should use it for emergency purposes first."

Zhu Meizhen looked at Xu Qiushi.

Xu Qiushi hesitated for a moment, then shook his head: "I'll think about it."

Thanks to Lu Yuanzheng, Xu Wenwei has become the topic of conversation among all the members of Wei Zhuang Commune ever since they went to the movie together on a blind date.

Xu Wen was more discussed among members than the movie shown that day.

She was on a blind date, and halfway through a child who called her "Mom" showed up, clearly to add some fun to the boring life of the working people.

A nice way to put it is that Xu Wen is young, beautiful and charming, and even three-year-old children are fascinated by her.

The unpleasant version of the story is that Xu Wen has no sense of self-discipline and has promiscuous relationships between men and women, even seducing the child's father.

If it weren't for Lu Yuanzheng's career that was there and could not be questioned, she would probably have been accused of having an affair and having a child at such a young age.

Xu Wen didn't really care. Compared with the cyberbullying that would be unleashed by keyboard warriors a few decades later, this little gossip didn't hurt at all.

At most, no one will come to propose marriage anymore.

The Xu family members were not as open-minded as Xu Wen. They all felt very aggrieved and helpless.

People are gossiping about them behind their backs but not to their faces, and they can't explain the whole story to everyone.

Moreover, it is not explained clearly.

You say Dongsheng is young and ignorant? Then why doesn't he care if others call him mom?

As for Xu Wen who was at the center of the vortex, he could only think of the famous quote from teacher Lin Yanni's essay: Once you see xx, you will be misled for life.

To her at this moment: One sight and a lifetime of mistakes!

Delayed mistake!

In the blink of an eye, it was the day before school started.

The No. 1 Middle School in the county where Xu Wen was studying had four holidays a year. The autumn and harvest holidays were half a month each, the winter vacation was half a month, and the summer vacation was about 20 days. School would resume as soon as the dog days were over.

After a whole night of torment, Xu Wen couldn't wait to take the sheep to the pond beside the cemetery to take a bath early in the morning.

From a distance, I could see a man standing on the hillside beside the pond. He was wearing army green pants and a blue and white sailor shirt, and his figure was tall and straight.

As I approached one, I realized that it was indeed a long journey.

Enemies often meet on a narrow road!

Seeing that he couldn't take a bath, Xu Wen stopped walking up the hillside and pretended not to notice Lu Yuanzheng turning his head.

"Comrade Xu Wen!" Lu Yuanzheng called her.

Xu Wen turned around in confusion, pointed at himself, and asked him, "Call me?"

Lu Yuanzheng nodded. He was tall and had long legs. He trotted down the hillside and walked a few steps to Xu Wen. "Comrade Xu Wen, can I talk to you? I wanted to visit you directly, but I was afraid that you would be unhappy. After thinking about it, I decided to talk to you first."

Although he had only met Xu Wen a few times, and the results of each encounter were not very good, it did not prevent him from seeing that Xu Wen was different from other girls.

Although Xu Wen appears to be gentle and non-confrontational, she is actually a very opinionated girl.

Just looking at her attitude towards Dongsheng, you can tell that she is a lesbian who needs to be respected.

"What's the matter?" Xu asked with a defensive look on his face.

It's not that she is stingy, it's just that every time she sees Lu Yuanzheng, she is always the unlucky one.

Lu Yuanzheng seemed a little embarrassed. He was silent for a while before speaking. When he spoke, a faint blush appeared on his tan face: "Xu Wen, are you willing to marry me?"