Chapter 89

Xu Wen Buchanan said: "You asked me for help but you bought wine for Lu Yuanzheng and snacks for Dongsheng, but I didn't get any?"

Shi Lei put his hands up with a bitter face: "Isn't there anything we can do? I want to buy something for you, but Lao Lu won't even let me in!"

Lu Yuanzheng retorted: "It's still okay for you to give a red envelope."

Shi Lei immediately searched his pockets, but found no money. He said awkwardly, "How can I give a red envelope if it's not the New Year or a festival? Sister-in-law, you helped me this time. I'll give you a big red envelope during the New Year."

Xu Wen saw that Lu Yuanzheng was deliberately making things difficult for him, and Shi Lei was cooperating with him. He knew that this was really a problem, so he asked him, "What do you need me to do?"

"Try to find something for the children or sisters-in-law on the island to do to distract their attention." In fact, it means that if the children are busy, the sisters-in-law must be busy too.

Shi Lei had a face full of bitterness and hatred, "I am a teacher and I am almost the director of women's school."

Lu Yuanzheng drank the wine that Shi Lei brought, and mocked him in a particularly unkind way: "I think this job is quite suitable for you."

Shi Lei glared at him and said, "Don't think you can stay out of it. The soldiers are on fire in their backyard, and I don't believe you can manage it easily."

Lu Yuanzheng said shamelessly: "It's OK, the impact is not big."

Xu Wen knew that he was just pretending, but it still had an effect.

She did not reject Shi Lei's request and asked them both, "Didn't they say that we would be given private plots? If we have land to grow crops and raise chickens and ducks, then the sisters-in-law will have something to do!"

Lu Yuanzheng pinched his brows and said, "It's not that I don't want to, but I don't have time for the moment. The harbor needs to be built, the windmill needs to be installed, the soldiers need to be trained, and there will be... other missions in the future. In short, I can't take care of it."

Shi Lei sighed, "Me too! I don't have time to divide the land. Besides, it's not easy to divide the private plots."

Speaking of private plots, not to mention Shi Lei, even Lu Yuanzheng had a headache.

Lu Yuanzheng took a sip of wine. The wine on the island was of low quality and tasted very spicy. He pulled his lip and said, "This is different from the production team. If the land of the production team is distributed to each household, it can be divided directly according to the number of people. But the family members of the army on the island are not fixed. If we divide it according to the number of sisters-in-law currently, what will happen to the sisters-in-law who come in the future?"

"Reserve some?" Xu Wen suggested.

"How much should we keep? How long should we keep it? Besides, it would be better to give it to my sister-in-law to plant than to leave it to waste, right?" Shi Lei said. He had discussed this with Lu Yuanzheng, but they were both busy and did not study it in detail.

Xu Wen also sat at the table, tapping the table with his fingers. After a while, he spoke: "The land will only be divided for two years. It will only be counted until 1980. Married officers and soldiers who follow the army will report in advance. There will be as many plots of land as there are married soldiers on the island. The military dependents who follow the island will cultivate one plot. For those who don't have military dependents, we can cultivate the land collectively, or entrust one or several military wives to cultivate the land or raise poultry and livestock. When the grain is collected, it will be sold to the battalion headquarters, or sold outside, and converted into cash to be distributed to the sisters-in-law who didn't come.

Of course, we have to give some hard work fees to the sisters-in-law who help manage this part of the land. This money can be deducted from the harvest of grain or the sale of poultry and given to the sisters-in-law."

Shi Lei wondered: "Why only two years? Will they be divided again after two years?"

Lu Yuanzheng praised: "This is a good idea. Let's do it this way for now. Let's get through these two years first and then talk about it two years later."

Of course he knew why Xu Wen said two years.

Xu Wen told him that the land would be subcontracted to households starting next year.

Reform and opening up will be gradually implemented next year and the year after next, and by then it will be reasonable and legal for individuals to trade.

At that time, the land can continue to be divided according to the existing model, or it can be contracted to someone.

Xu Wen told him that once reform and opening up were possible, she wanted to do something with her sisters-in-law.

So Xu Wen gave a time limit of two years.

Besides, the island is changing every day. Who knows what it will be like in two years?

Shi Lei thought about it and agreed happily, "Then I will go back and arrange for people to divide the land."

Xu Wen raised his hand and said, "Don't worry. Just farming is not enough. I estimate that each person will not get much land, so it will take some time to prepare the land and sow seeds or buy chickens and ducklings. Once everything is sorted out, it can be done in the morning or evening. It won't take up much of the sisters-in-law's time."

Shi Lei thought about it and realized that this was the case. He sat back down and said, "Sister-in-law, do you have any other ideas?!"

Xu Wen shook his head, "There's no better way."

She thought about leading her sisters-in-law in square dancing, but there was no suitable music.

Moreover, people in the 1970s were generally simple and capable, and did not advocate simple entertainment.

After a pause, Xu Wen added, "How about holding a competition? Or a series of competitions?"

"Competition?" Lu Yuanzheng raised his eyebrows. What kind of competition could a group of women and children have? Surfing was unrealistic.

Xu Wen nodded and said an idea that he had been thinking about for a long time but had never been very mature, "For example, judging the most beautiful military wife?"

Shi Lei raised his hand, "Sister-in-law, do you need to use a code for this? I'll just give you the certificate directly."

Xu asked: "..."

For a moment, I didn't know whether to be ashamed or embarrassed, and I didn't know whether to laugh or cry: "That's not what I meant. I meant to evaluate from many aspects, including morality, intelligence, physical fitness, aesthetics, and labor. Or we can hold a separate competition. For example, the soldiers on the island need a lot of shoes, and their combat readiness can't keep up. We can ask the sisters-in-law to help make them, and see who can do more and better!"

Officers and soldiers do not have to pay for their own food, clothing, housing and transportation, but all food, clothing and other expenses are subject to standards.

For example, the standard for three meals a day is one yuan for each soldier. If a company has 100 people, then all the food provided to the company that day, including firewood, rice, oil and salt, is worth a total of 300 yuan. There will be no refund for any leftover, and no replenishment for any less.

The same goes for clothes and shoes, which are distributed annually or quarterly. You are responsible for any damage from the time you receive them until the next time you get them, and you are not allowed to not wear them for any reason.

Theoretically, the clothes, shoes, socks and various labor protection supplies provided to most soldiers would be enough, and some would even send some left over.

When I was in the compound, I would always have some left over from long expeditions, and I sent some to my uncles.

However, when they first arrived on the island, it was uninhabited. They had reclaimed the land bit by bit, and the grass, mud, and hard stones were all particularly unfriendly to shoes.

Even green rubber toe shoes are useless and will still break down at an alarming rate.

The best-selling item in Mrs. Li’s store is shoes.

When Shi Lei heard this, he clapped his hands in praise, "This is really a good idea that kills two birds with one stone!"

It can help the soldiers solve problems and also give the sisters-in-law something to do.

Lu Yuanzheng shook his head and said, "My sisters-in-law probably don't know how to make rubber shoes."

"Yes!" Shi Lei's smile froze on his face, "This is a big problem."

Xu Wen was also criticized. "The temperature on the island is high, most of the year is hot. Wearing rubber shoes for a long time is not good for the feet. I think most soldiers should have blisters on their toes, and the more they rub, the more it itches, right?"

They are very susceptible to beriberi.

Lu Yuanzheng nodded.

Shi Lei also agreed: "Yes, yes, yes! Most people have it. Me too. It's so painful!"

"This is also related to the fact that you wear non-breathable shoes for a long time. So my suggestion is to not let sisters-in-law make rubber shoes but cloth shoes with thousand-layer soles, which are both comfortable and good for feet."

"This is a good idea!" Shi Lei applauded.

Lu Yuanzheng still had a doubt: "Not all sisters-in-law know how to sew shoe soles."

"I don't know how to make shoes either." Xu asked, "So before the official competition, we can ask my sister-in-law who is good at making shoes to teach us for a while. Then we can choose a day and compete together."

Lu Yuanzheng nodded: "Okay. Sisters-in-law have worked so hard, the prize can be better."

"Yes! Regardless of winning or losing, every stitch and every thread is the love of the sisters-in-law. Then sister-in-law, I'll have to trouble you to take care of this matter." Shi Lei had a headache, "I have too many things to do and I can't handle it."

Xu Wen complained bluntly: "As far as I know, you two, as the highest-ranking officers on this island, at least have a clerk for each of you, and eight company commanders and eight instructors, and below them are platoon leaders and squad leaders. And all the soldiers follow orders and actions, so it won't be easy for you to cause trouble.

So even if you are busy formulating new policies for the island, you can't say that you don't have time to communicate with your sister-in-law, right?"

Lu Yuanzheng was drinking and pretended not to hear the call.

Shi Lei also wanted to drink some wine and pretend to be deaf, but the water in the enamel jar in front of him was empty. He couldn't even get some water to drink. He could only touch his nose and chuckled twice.

"Sister-in-law! I'm not being lazy. We are all rough guys and don't know how to deal with girls...women. So I have to trouble you to help me with this matter. Don't worry, you will definitely get a lot of red envelopes. Tomorrow I will call my clerk to assist you. If you need any help from the camp, just ask."

At this point, Xu Wen couldn't refuse. It wasn't for the red envelope from Shi Lei, but mainly because it was a little funny to see them both so worried.

Previously, because of cheating in a surfing competition, Lu Yuanzheng once called a whole company of people to the wooden house for dinner.

When Xu Wen listened to their conversation, he was bragging... no, he was describing their past glory.

The most desperate thing was that they had less than a hundred people and were forced into a valley with nowhere to hide by two thousand men. They thought they were going to die heroically, but Lu Yuanzheng led them to defeat the enemy one by one and finally won a beautiful comeback battle with fewer troops, which also made their company famous among the enemy.

This is just one example of a glorious past.

Regardless of whether the compliment was sincere at the time, at least Lu Yuanzheng's strength on the battlefield was a well-known fact.

Although I haven't heard much about Shi Lei, he was promoted from an instructor to a coach, and he was a standout among seven or eight instructors.

These two people were so troubled that they came to her for advice. It seemed that they were really afraid of dealing with their sisters-in-law.

In fact, Xu Wen didn't like it very much either.

Whether in his previous life or this life, Xu Wen had good grades and good interpersonal relationships, but he never liked to serve as a student leader because he found it troublesome.

She was glad to have the trouble for the sake of the long journey.

Xu Wen is a person of action. As soon as Shi Lei left, she immediately took out a pen and started making detailed plans for the event.

Theme tentatively decided: Celebrate New Year’s Day and send warmth.

Lu Yuanzheng laughed at her: "It's only been a few days since the National Day, you've taken too long."

Two months.

Xu Wen rolled his eyes and disdained Lu Yuanzheng: "If you ask me, with your straight-laced behavior, you really shouldn't blame the sisters-in-law for giving you trouble.

Do you know how shoes with thousand-layer soles are made? Do you know how much time and effort the sisters-in-law put into making the pair of thin thousand-layer soles that the soldiers received from their hometown? For someone like Li who is very good at making shoes, two months is not a short time. It is enough for Li to make eight or ten pairs of shoes. But for someone like me who has rarely held a needle and thread, two months may not be enough to make one pair. "

Lu Yuanzheng: "..."

Just one sentence and such a big hat was put on him.

They were clearly a couple and had never had any unpleasantness, but now they have become us and you.

Xu Wen and his sisters-in-law, him and his soldiers.

I didn't dare to say anything else, I just said: "Okay, you guys take your time to prepare, I'll have someone go out to buy scissors, needles and thread and so on tomorrow."

However, Xu Wen did not let him go. "Lu Yuanzheng, don't be dissatisfied. Don't be like Shi Lei and think that those troublesome sisters-in-law are just idle and looking for trouble. They left their hometowns one by one and followed to this isolated island, far away from their parents, relatives and friends. If they had not suffered a great injustice, how could they easily file for divorce?"

The 1970s were not the 21st century, and divorce was sometimes worse than death for women.

In such a situation, if a woman still wants a divorce, it can only mean that the injustice she has suffered is far beyond what she can bear.

Lu Yuanzheng was silent for a while before speaking, "Everything has two sides. You can see the difficulties of the sisters-in-law, but you also have to see the difficulties of the soldiers. They are all difficult!"

Xu Wen uttered a short sigh, "Yes, it's not easy for you, I admit that."

She also saw with her own eyes how difficult it was for them.

but……

Xu Wen continued, "Some of it is not easy, it's really self-inflicted. You know the sister-in-law next door, right?"

Lu Yuanzheng was not really familiar with her, so he squinted his eyes and thought for a while, then asked uncertainly, "Li Mao's fiancée?"

Xu Wen nodded: "She has quarreled with Li Mao two or three times this month."

"It's not all Li Mao's fault. Among the sisters-in-law who gave Shi Lei a headache, Jiang Yiyi is one of them." Lu Yuanzheng couldn't match the name with the person for a moment.

"Do you mean that Jiang Yiyi is making trouble unreasonably?" Xu Wen raised his eyebrows, looking a little annoyed.

Their two families were neighbors, and Jiang Yiyi and Li Mao often quarreled. Xu Wen could hear it clearly in the bedroom. Moreover, every time Jiang Yiyi finished a quarrel, she would come to Xu Wen to complain.

Lu Yuanzheng quickly comforted Xu Wen: "I didn't say that. I was just being objective and realistic."

"So what you mean is that I should only listen to and help others?"

Lu Yuanzheng pinched his brows and said, "Wife, are you going to quarrel with me because of other people's affairs?"

What happened today? Xu Wen is not usually like this.

"Is this someone else's business? It's about your attitude!" Xu Wen became angrier and angrier. "You don't know that when Jiang Yiyi first came, she smiled sweetly when she mentioned Li Mao. It's only been more than a month, and she looks like a flower about to wither."

Xu Wen still remembers the first time he met Jiang Yiyi. She was sitting by the lake washing clothes for Li Mao with a beaming smile on her face. She looked forward to their future happily, and her eyes were shining with happiness.

Now the light in Jiang Yiyi's eyes gradually faded, and Xianglin Sao's trend could be vaguely seen.

When we met yesterday, Jiang Yiyi cried and said she wanted to leave the island and go home. Later, Li Mao came and coaxed her away again.

As for the reason for the quarrel, Jiang Yiyi listed a series of reasons why Li Mao didn't care about her.

For example, drinking.

Li Mao is an instructor. On his days off, he would invite a few squad leaders, platoon leaders, or several shifts to come to his house for dinner in turns.

If we talk about dinner, there must be wine.

At that time, Jiang Yiyi cried and complained to Xu Wen about Li Mao: "He is really too much! I know he works hard and it is not easy for him, so I never interfere with his smoking and drinking. But there must be a limit, right? Usually he is busy with work and has no time to accompany me. I am alone at home every day and look forward to him spending some time with me on Wednesday nights and weekends when he is resting.

I imagine that on Wednesday night I cook two dishes and drink with him. After dinner we walk hand in hand to the beach. On weekends we go to the beach together and he teaches me how to swim. Or we sleep together until we wake up naturally and chat for a while.

But I have been here for more than a month, and he has never accompanied me, not even once!

It's okay to drink on Wednesday night, but they are not easy for me to understand.

It was only on the weekends. On Saturday mornings, when they came back from the meeting, it was almost time for lunch. As a result, every time they came back in a group, they would crowd into the living room. Although I didn't have to cook, Li Mao didn't have time to accompany me.

At first I was very happy. I especially liked them talking about things I didn’t know. This way I felt I was closer to Li Mao.

But you know what? They can have this meal from 11am to 4pm, and then another group of people will come in the evening and wait until lights out before leaving.

Although they are very conscious of always taking away the leftovers and garbage, I still have to wash the dishes, wipe the table and mop the floor, right?

The worst one was Li Mao, who drank twice and became so drunk that he couldn't even scream. He couldn't even talk to me in private!"

Xu Wen couldn't help but interrupt, "What about Sunday? Sunday should be free, right?"

As a result, Jiang Yiyi felt even more aggrieved. "Even on Sunday, there was no such thing. Li Mao couldn't drink much and was hungover. He slept until after ten o'clock. When he woke up, he would just pull me to do that. Then, not long after lunch, he had to go to the battalion headquarters for a meeting, and then to the company for a meeting. Anyway, it would be nine o'clock when he got back in the evening. A week's hope was dashed.

It wasn't just once, it was every time! He never accompanied me when I came to the island. I felt that I just came to provide a place for him to drink and chat with his comrades. "

After Xu Wen finished talking about Jiang Yiyi's grievances, he questioned Lu Yuanzheng: "Could it be that Li Mao had to drink? Although you didn't explicitly ban alcohol, you didn't encourage drinking either? Did Jiang Yiyi come all the way to the island just to party with him?"

Lu Yuanzheng stretched out his hand to grab Xu Wen's arm, and forcibly pulled her into his arms. He first complained for himself: "This stupid thing was done by Li Mao, not me. Don't be angry with me!" He then explained for Li Mao, "Li Mao really has his own difficulties. You may not believe it, but Li Mao doesn't drink normally. Usually, when the family members of the soldiers in the squad come to the team to ask him to go, he will easily refuse to go."

"Then why do you invite people to drink during breaks?"

"It's a long story. Actually, you know part of the reason. The discharge rate hit a record high a while ago. The pressure is not only on Shi Lei and I, but also on all the instructors. After all his family members came to the team, he should introduce Jiang Yiyi to his comrades. The company commander should invite them, right? And the platoon leaders and squad leaders should also invite them, right? To be precise, Li Mao doesn't need to invite them, everyone will take the initiative to ask. When family members come to the team, they are all comrades, so they should come and see them, right?

If you don’t believe me, ask Jiang Yiyi. I’m sure no one goes to her house empty-handed.

Besides, the atmosphere at home is often more relaxed, as men talk more after drinking. Li Mao also took the opportunity to start his ideological work on them.