Mrs. Zhao tried to pretend she didn't understand, "Big sister, what are you talking about? You already know everything about us, what else is there to say? Haha." She even smiled at her old man.
Old man Zhao was a taciturn man. He felt a little awkward standing in someone else's house, not knowing where to put his hands and feet.
Jiang Lin said: "Let's be frank and honest. When I took the two children with me, I actually wanted to cheat you out of your money. Later, when I saw that it was not easy for you, I didn't do it well. I apologize to you here." She bowed to the two men.
Mrs. Zhao quickly reached out to support her and said, "Don't be so formal, sister. We are too greedy. Where can we buy such a good child for two hundred yuan? I wonder if two hundred yuan can be enough to make her a godmother." She laughed again.
Cheng Dabao watched from the side, poked Xiaobao, and whispered in his ear: "Mom corrects her mistakes and is a good child. You should do the same."
Cheng Xiaobao: "I am not wrong."
Yan Runzhi heard what Mrs. Zhao meant and knew that she wanted to adopt Dabao and Xiaobao as her godsons. The locals used to have the custom of adopting godparents for children in order to make it easier to raise them. However, most people would say that adopting godsons would be bad for their own offspring, so they would not adopt them unless they had a very close relationship.
She guessed that Mrs. Zhao was thinking that since she had no children, adopting two godsons might really help to bring good luck in having children.
Yan Runzhi quietly tugged at Jiang Lin's sleeve, meaning that it would be fine for her to be a godmother, which would be a bond between the two families, and they would just let the matter rest.
Jiang Lin understood and said with a smile: "You are too polite. If you really like the child, you can recognize a godmother. But can you tell me the truth?"
The Zhao family had bought a son before, why did they suddenly change their tune? She had to find out.
Dabao and Xiaobao ran to bring small stools and straw mats for them to sit on, and Mrs. Zhao quickly gave the two little brothers some candies.
Cheng Xiaobao wanted to answer it, but was stopped by Cheng Dabao, who looked at Jiang Lin and Yan Runzhi.
Jiang Lin said: "Auntie is not a bad person, take it."
The two brothers happily took the candies. Cheng Xiaobao stuffed his pockets full and also stuffed some into Yan Runzhi's apron pockets. Cheng Dabao made sure he didn't put too much into his mouth.
Several people sat down in front of the door. The sun set in the west, making the yard golden but a little cooler than in the daytime, not so hot.
Mrs. Zhao smiled and said, "This story has to start from the beginning. Ever since Jiang Zhiqing and Dabao and Xiaobao came to our village, our home has been very lively, and many more people have come."
Jiang Lin listened quietly and thought that at least Liu Honghua and Chang Jihong had gone there, and if there were real children being sold, it would probably be quite lively.
Mrs. Zhao hesitated for a moment, and then looked at the old man. She said, "Sister, in fact, on the second or third day after you left, a girl came to ask about you."
Jiang Lin was stunned. "Who? What?"
Mrs. Zhao said, "That's the one who came over but was scared away by Xiaobao with the bug."
Good for you, Meng Yiyi! Jiang Lin was alert. Why did she go to Zhao's house? "What did she ask?"
Mrs. Zhao said, "Just to ask about the situation at that time."
She recalled that when Jiang Lin took Dabao and Xiaobao away, Mrs. Zhao and Old Man Zhao felt that they were fooled and extorted for several dollars. They were so angry that they couldn't sleep well at night.
Later, when Meng Yiyi came to ask about Jiang Lin selling her son, Mrs. Zhao was annoyed and said, "She is not selling her son at all. She is just trying to trick us."
Asking for 10,000 yuan, what else could it be but a joke? No one in the village has 10,000 yuan.
Meng Yiyi asked in detail about Jiang Lin's trip, but Mrs. Zhao refused to say anything and seemed annoyed.
Later, Meng Yiyi took out three dollars, and Mrs. Zhao asked for eight dollars, in order to get back the money that Jiang Lin had extorted.
Although Meng Yiyi had a headache, she agreed. Mrs. Zhao took Jiang Lin and the child over and told him that it would cost one hundred yuan at first, then two hundred yuan, and then ten thousand yuan after she kowtowed her head. In fact, it was just a few words and there was nothing new about it after repeating it over and over again.
However, Meng Yiyi repeatedly emphasized to Mrs. Zhao that Jiang Lin went there to sell her son, but the deal fell through because the money was too little. She also told Mrs. Zhao to remember this and say so if anyone asked.
Liu Honghua and Chang Jihong went there later, and this is what Mrs. Zhao said.
Jiang Lin: You are so good, Meng Yiyi! She is doubting her own character and going to confirm it, while digging a hole for herself. So Meng Yiyi had planned for Liu Honghua or someone else to go to Zhao's house to confirm it?
Was he trying to kill me when he failed to persuade me to go back to the city? If Cheng Rushan and Yan Runzhi knew that I really went to sell the child, wouldn't they fall out with me?
It seems that she has definitely been thinking about Cheng Rushan, otherwise there is nothing for her to covet. She hates cheating men, but she also hates women who hook up with other people's men. There are no men in the world, why do you have to keep an eye on me?
Jiang Lin was furious. Well, you can't blame me for being unjust even if you are unkind!
You deserve a beating!
"Then why do you want to change your words?"
As Meng Yiyi expected, if Liu Honghua and Chang Jihong went to find Mrs. Zhao to verify the situation, they would certainly let Mrs. Zhao prove that they sold the child and alienate their relationship with the Cheng family.
Mrs. Zhao said, "I think they have bad intentions and are exaggerating. Although I don't have children, I can't be immoral. That's what I discussed with the old man."
Jiang Lin didn't believe it. Mrs. Zhao said that Meng Yiyi, Liu Honghua and others spoke very fluently, but this one started to stumble. It seems there is something fishy going on.
"Nothing else?" Jiang Lin was not suspicious, but she felt that under normal circumstances, Mrs. Zhao would not help her for no reason. Liu Honghua and the others went to Mrs. Zhao and used coercion and bribery to deal with her. But now Mrs. Zhao did not deal with her, but helped her solve this problem. Jiang Lin felt that it must not be that simple.
There is no love without reason.
Even though Mrs. Zhao said that she loved Dabao and Xiaobao and wanted to adopt them as godsons, they did want to buy a son before and had no intention of adopting one. So she naturally felt that there was something wrong when they suddenly wanted to adopt one.
Jiang Lin: "I think you should explain things to us clearly."
Mrs. Zhao began to hesitate again and glanced at Old Man Zhao.
Old Man Zhao said, "There's nothing you can't say. Just say it."
Mrs. Zhao retorted to him, implying that he was not allowed to say it.
Old Man Zhao: "He just said not to tell outsiders, but my eldest sister is not an outsider."
Mrs. Zhao thought for a moment and said, "That's right. Sister, it's like this. A few days ago, two young men came to my house. One was very tall and handsome, and the other looked like an educated youth."
Jiang Lin: ! ! Isn't this Cheng Rushan and Qianbo? On the day Cheng Rushan left, he did say he and Qianbo were going back to the provincial capital together. How did they go to Zhao's house?
When Wei Qiongfang mentioned the matter of selling the child before, she thought Cheng Rushan accepted it as a joke and should not care. She didn't expect that he actually went to the Zhao family.
So, he cares? He asked Qianbo about the situation, then went to the Zhao family to investigate, and finally asked the Zhao family to help her cover up. What does that mean? Does he believe it or not? He won't keep it to settle accounts with her, right?
If he was angry, he should have come back to settle the score that day. Since he didn't, does it mean that he believed she was not selling the child, but just playing a trick on her or for some other reason?
She asked the couple carefully about Cheng Rushan's departure.
At noon that day, when the couple came home from work and were about to cook, two young men came to their house. One of them was tall and thin, handsome, with bright and cold eyes, which looked very scary.
At that time, Mrs. Zhao was worried that he was someone from the government and was very scared, but he started by asking about a woman who brought two children to sell.
The man was so scary that she didn't even dare to think of fooling him. She told him everything like a quail about Jiang Lin bringing the child with her.
At first, she said 100 yuan to sell the child, but later she asked for 200 yuan. After some tugging and shoving, she hit her head and got up. She didn't even want 200 yuan but insisted on 10,000 yuan. She also said that if she wanted the child, she should give it to someone for adoption and not buy it. It's illegal to buy a child. It's obvious that she didn't want to sell the child but was trying to trick people. Of course, this also includes the inexplicable and confusing things Jiang Lin said after she hit her head and got up.
The entire process was told to Cheng Rushan exactly as it happened.
Mrs. Zhao couldn't help but complain to Cheng Rushan, "That woman didn't really want to sell the child. She was just trying to fool us. If she really wanted to sell the child, how could she ask for 10,000 yuan?"
Cheng Rushan didn't make any comment, he just listened, and after they finished speaking, he asked the same question over and over again until Mrs. Zhao couldn't say anything new.
When Jiang Lin heard Mrs. Zhao say that Cheng Rushan had asked about the situation over and over again, she couldn't help but recall that when she had just come through, she couldn't help but scold Bian Haitao, so she asked Mrs. Zhao.
Mrs. Zhao said a little embarrassedly: "The young man asked, and we didn't remember it at first. Later, he asked this and that, and the old man remembered that you scolded that person. We didn't know him and didn't remember his name clearly. But the young man knew that his name was Bian Haitao."
Cheng Dabao immediately stared at Jiang Lin with dissatisfaction. This was the name that the old witch always mentioned, and she urged his mother to find this man!
Jiang Lin deliberately ignored his sharp eyes, but she was thinking that Cheng Rushan knew Bian Haitao. What did he think? Knowing that she scolded Bian Haitao, he should think that she had cut off the old relationship and lived a good life.
Forget it, don't think too much, Jiang Lin asked again: "Did he ask you to ask the child to fill the hole?"
Mrs. Zhao: "This is what I thought. At that time, my eldest brother said that if no one came to ask, it would be fine, and he would come home with his wife and son to pay respects to the godparents. If someone came to ask about this, I would just go along with what they said, and talk about paying respects to the godparents when I met my eldest sister. I didn't expect that my eldest brother really calculated it, and someone really came to ask about it."
Of course, she couldn't tell Jiang Lin that the big brother was scary. When he talked to her and the old man, he had a smile on his face but a knife in his eyes.
The Zhao couple said that Jiang Zhiqing did not go there to sell the child at all, but rather to cause trouble and play tricks on others.
Even if the elder brother didn't come to explain, they would tell the truth. They want children, but they are not greedy for money! They will never be bribed to harm others! I am not a bad person!
After asking this question, Jiang Lin realized that Cheng Rushan took Wei Qiongfang's gossip to heart. He asked about this matter while walking with Qian Bo, and then went to Zhao's house to investigate and make some arrangements.
Thinking of how thoughtful Cheng Rushan was, Jiang Lin became a little nervous. She was happy that he helped her clean up the mess, but also worried that he might doubt her.
Yan Runzhi was very happy, "Baoer's mother, I said Dongsheng had you in his heart. He must have been angry when he heard people gossiping about you, so he arranged this matter before he left." If a son loves his wife, the family will be harmonious and prosperous in the future.
Mrs. Zhao went to see Dabao and Xiaobao again, and she was very fond of them. "Jiang Zhiqing, can we become godparents? If Dabao and Xiaobao call me mother, maybe we will have children in the future."
Jiang Lin: If you are infertile, you should go see a doctor. Why do you always believe in superstition?
She looked at Yan Runzhi.
Yan Runzhi wanted to ask Baoer's mother to make the decision, but seeing that her wife wanted to make a decision herself, she said, "I think it's good to have a godparent. This way, there will be two more people who will love our Baoer."
In the past, there were many details to pay attention to when paying homage to godfathers and godmothers, such as choosing an auspicious day, giving gifts, setting up banquets, holding ceremonies, etc. Now, all of these have been simplified. Basically, the two families have a meal together, and then the children kowtow three times to the godfathers and godmothers. The godfathers and godmothers give the children money or gifts for kowtows, and the children give gifts to the godfathers and godmothers.
Mrs. Zhao gave her and her husband's names. The husband was Zhao Dagen, and Mrs. Zhao's maiden name was Wang, and her maiden name was Lanzi. In fact, they just looked old. Zhao Dagen was 35 years old this year, and Wang Lanzi was 32. Wang Lanzi had been doing manual labor at her mother's house since she was a child, working in the wind and rain. She looked like she was in her 40s in her early 30s. Some people thought that she didn't have a baby because she was exhausted when she was a girl and hurt her body.
Jiang Lin said: "Let Dabao and Xiaobao kowtow to their godfather and godmother, and we will visit them again when their father comes back."
Wang Lanzi and Zhao Dagen were very happy. They quickly patted their bodies, straightened their sleeves and collars, and pulled at their hems to make themselves straight.
Cheng Dabao was a little reluctant, but Cheng Xiaobao was very happy, pulling Dabao over to kneel down and kowtow. After just one kowtow, Wang Lanzi kept saying "OK, OK", and quickly helped the two children.
Cheng Xiaobao looked unsatisfied and said, "I'll kowtow two more times."
Wang Lanzi was so excited that she picked him up quickly and said, "Good boy, that's enough." She took out two red paper bags with five yuan in them from her pocket and gave one to Dabao and Xiaobao.
Jiang Lin thought there wouldn't be much in it, so she asked the child to take it.
Calling them godfather and godmother makes us a family.
Cheng Xiaobao is not shy at all and has his pockets full of candies given by his godmother. Cheng Dabao is more reserved and just responds when someone calls him.
Yan Runzhi said: "You two should stay for dinner."
Wang Lanzi waved his hands and said, "We can play again when we have time. We can go out more often in the winter when we are not busy with farming. We still have chickens and pigs at home today. They cannot do without someone to feed them. If you don't feed the pigs, they will scream as if you want to kill them."
Everybody laughed.
Wang Lanzi took out all the candies he had brought and placed them on the table in the main room. His pocket was big, holding more than half a pound of candies.
Jiang Lin went to the beam and picked half a cured chicken and half a cured duck, wrapped them in dried gourd leaves, tied them up with a piece of firewood skin, and then took out a six-foot work cloth.
"This is a gift from the two treasures to godfather and godmother. Don't refuse it."
Wang Lanzi said hurriedly, "Keep the cloth to make clothes for the children. Don't take the chicken. Just take the duck back to try it. I've never eaten it before."
Jiang Lin insisted that they take it, so the two of them had no choice but to take it. However, they refused to take the cloth and waved goodbye to the two children reluctantly.
After sending them off, Yan Runzhi felt relaxed and happy. "Mother Bao, what do you want to eat?"
Jiang Lin was still thinking about Cheng Rushan. She had felt relaxed and didn't miss him these days since he was not at home, but now her heart and mind were full of him. She wished he would come back and express his stance, whether he believed her or not.
She said, "Mom, just cook it as you like. Everything you cook will taste good."
Yan Runzhi was puzzled. After solving such a big problem, dealing with the gossiper and asking her to apologize and pay, and even getting Cheng Ruhai fired, why was his wife unhappy? Was she angry that Dongsheng went to the Zhao family?
No way.
It looks like she wants to give birth to Dong.
For dinner, Yan Runzhi cooked a casserole of cornmeal porridge and fried pumpkin pancakes and eggplant boxes.
Slice the eggplant, break it in the middle, stuff it with the prepared leek and meat filling, roll it in the egg batter and fry it in oil. There is no fresh meat, so Yan Runzhi puts dried shrimp, bacon and leek. There is not much oil, so just a little oil is used to fry or roast it over low heat. It has the same oily aroma as pan-fried dumplings but is not greasy.
Pumpkin is similar to zucchini, but it is larger than zucchini and tastes better. It is especially sweet when grated and mixed with egg batter and fried in a frying pan.
Yan Runzhi fried a small pot of delicious food. Jiang Lin, Dabao and Xiaobao all loved it. In the end, they finished all the food and burped just in time to hear the loudspeaker announcing the start of a meeting.
Jiang Lin: "Let's go, let's go to the theater."
Dabao and Xiaobao immediately pulled Yan Runzhi to follow, "Hurry up and go."
The four of them walked out of the door, chatting and laughing, but saw Cheng Ruhai standing there. Jiang Lin immediately protected her family, "What are you going to do?"
Cheng Ruhai was originally full of anger and hatred, gritting his teeth, wishing to kill Jiang Lin. If it weren't for her, he wouldn't be so unlucky, moving from a big house to a shabby house and being smashed by her and her husband, and even having to kill his captain.
How could she be so cruel!
But he knew that it was useless to be tough with Jiang Lin. She was not even afraid of Cheng Fuwan, so how could she be afraid of him? So he could only beg for mercy.
Cheng Ruhai immediately put on a pitiful expression, "Sister-in-law, you said we are all family, why do you have to kill us all? We have already separated peacefully and are living our own lives."
Jiang Lin said coldly: "Let's live our own lives? Are you going to report me to the commune?"
Cheng Ruhai immediately said, "No, I didn't. It was all because of that bitch who didn't know better. She was instigated by someone. I'll beat her up to make you feel better. Don't worry, I'll let her come and apologize to you!"
Jiang Lin: "No, I'll go to the brigade right away, and they'll apologize to me in front of the whole brigade."
"Mom! Please be merciful!" Cheng Ruhai suddenly turned sideways and bowed to Yan Runzhi, which scared Yan Runzhi.
Oh, he called himself mother?
This is the first time in so many years!
What the hell, I am not your mother. Do you think you are my Baoer's mother and I will be so excited if you call me mother? I don't care if you call me mother.
"I don't deserve it, I don't deserve it!" Yan Runzhi waved her hand, "We have already drawn a clear line, it doesn't matter."
Jiang Lin: "Please move aside."
Cheng Ruhai, the captain, must be removed, otherwise Liu Honghua will not know how powerful he is! To be honest, Jiang Lin hated Cheng Ruhai much more than Cheng Fuwan and Ma Kaihua. Because Cheng Ruhai was betrayed by his family, it was more painful than an outsider who came to cause trouble and hurt people. For such a brother who stabbed him in the back, he must be beaten to death.
Cheng Ruhai saw that asking Jiang Lin and Yan Runzhi for help was useless, and he immediately became angry and said, "Don't regret it!"
Jiang Lin sneered, "Cheng Ruhai, when you bullied us, you thought we didn't dare to resist. You couldn't bully us, so you came to show weakness and beg for mercy. When we didn't forgive you, you got angry and embarrassed. Do you think you are a child?"
Cheng Dabao: "Children are not so annoying!"
Cheng Xiaobao: "Old demon!"
Cheng Ruhai was so angry that the veins on his neck popped out. "Just wait and see!"
He was so angry that he turned around and left, not even going to the team. He knew that Cheng Fujun sided with Jiang Lin, and as long as Jiang Lin didn't give in, Cheng Fujun and Cheng Fujian would take the opportunity to take his position as team leader back and give it to Cheng Yulian's brother. If he went, he would be embarrassed, so he simply hid.
Jiang Lin and Yan Runzhi took Dabao and Xiaobao to the brigade headquarters. She didn't see Meng Yiyi among the educated youth, so she probably hid. The brigade was preparing to hold a meeting to criticize Ma Kaihua, Liu Honghua, Wei Qiongfang and other women, asking them to clarify the rumors that Jiang Lin sold the child and apologize to Jiang Lin.
"I, Ma Kaihua/Liu Honghua/Wei Qiongfang, apologize to Jiang Zhiqing for spreading rumors about her selling her son. I know I was wrong and I will never say it again. I sincerely apologize and repent. I will behave myself and do things honestly from now on. I will be a good person from now on. Please supervise me, fellow members."
This was so shocking that everyone had to recite it three times in a row and apologize over the brigade loudspeaker at mealtime for three consecutive days.
This shocked the members of Shuihuai Village. It was only Ma Kaihua who bullied others, but also when others bullied her? Her vegetable garden was next to other people's houses. She would pick the vegetables of other people's houses when she saw that they were good. If someone asked her about it, she would immediately scold them back, and even slap them in the face. Anyway, she was the only one who took advantage and never suffered any loss!
She was the best in the brigade, especially the second brigade, and it was no mistake to say that she was the real captain. So now she had lost all her face and dignity, and most of the members applauded.
Cheng Fujun: "This incident has had a very bad impact on our Yanghong Brigade. It has damaged the relationship between cadres and the masses! It has destroyed the close relationship between the educated youth and the members! This is unacceptable. From today on, everyone should work hard in production and stop thinking about those irrelevant things. I think you are just idle when you gossip behind people's backs. In the future, when you don't go to the fields, you should ferment fertilizer and sweep the streets. Sweep the village roads until they are shiny and there is no dust at all. I think you still have time to gossip!"
Then he had to pay Jiang Lin one hundred yuan in compensation.
After Jiang Lin got the money, she thought everything was fine, but Cheng Yulian said, "Look, the women and children are so scared that they are all huddled like quails."
Yan Runzhi immediately hugged Dabao and Xiaobao and started shivering. They were already thin and dressed simply, and when they looked frightened and depressed, it was hard to arouse more sympathy for them.
Cheng Yulian started to fight for eggs, rice and flour again. She asked Jiang Lin for thirty eggs, thirty kilograms of flour, and thirty kilograms of glutinous rice.
Ma Kaihua relied on the fact that her husband was the production team leader and watched other women like thieves all day long to prevent them from stealing food, but she herself stole a lot of food!
Cheng Yulian threatened her privately, and Ma Kaihua had to agree and bargained for these.
Jiang Lin was very grateful to her.
Cheng Fulian added: "Captain Cheng Ruhai is dissatisfied with the team's decision. Let's elect a new captain."
Many members were very happy to get rid of Cheng Ruhai as the team leader. Cheng Ruhai had learned nothing good from Cheng Fuwan, but only learned all kinds of messy things. He assigned the easy work to the members who were on good terms with him, and the dirty and tiring work to those who did not obey him. There was also a difference in the work points. Many people did not obey him. After Cheng Ruhai was removed, Cheng Yulian's brother was elected, and the members were jubilant.
It was past nine o'clock when the meeting ended. The moon was shining brightly outside, the ground was shone with silver light, the shadows of the trees were swaying, and a cool breeze was blowing, which made people feel extremely comfortable.
Jiang Lin carried Xiaobao on her back, Yan Runzhi led Dabao, and the family went home.
Cheng Xiaobao was so sleepy that he could not open his eyes. He lay on Jiang Lin's back and muttered, "Why hasn't Dongsheng come back yet?" Linlin was reluctant to give him candy. She told him that it was okay to have broken teeth, they would grow back, but Linlin just wouldn't agree. The bag given by her godmother was taken away by her biological mother before she could even warm it up.
When we got home, Xiaobao was already asleep and Dabao was still trying hard to stay awake.
Jiang Lin asked Yan Runzhi to strip them naked, and she used a towel dipped in warm water to clean them. The two children were sleeping soundly, and they turned over and raised their arms, and did not resist any manipulation.
Yan Runzhi helped the two children dry up while humming, "Repairing the roof to fight the evil woman, clanging heroine, don't look at me as a delicate girl, but I am braver than men~~~"
When Jiang Lin listened carefully, she almost jumped up. She felt like she would be praised by her parents and all her relatives if she got 85 points in the exam.
"It's getting late, go to bed." Jiang Lin quickly went to the outer room to wash herself, and came back to change into a vest and shorts.
Jiang Lin lay down, unable to sleep, and thought about how to deal with Meng Yiyi. It would be best if she could break up with her so that she would never dare to have any ideas about Cheng Rushan again!
Early the next morning, the loudspeaker echoed with the tearful self-criticisms of Wei Qiongfang and the other two.
Because the brigade had not yet connected to electricity, the brigade's loudspeaker was also powered by a small generator and could not be wasted, so each person only had two or three minutes.
Jiang Zhiqing's reputation for toughness spread. Everyone in the surrounding villages knew that there was a Jiang Zhiqing in Shuihuai Village. He removed the production team leader, helped the educated youth to get back to the city, and beat up several gossipy women, causing them to suffer blood and tears every day.
It was spread in various ways, and in the end it all became a story, about a female educated youth fighting a bully village cadre, a female educated youth...
After the loudspeaker finished playing, Cheng Yulian and her husband came to give Jiang Lin the promised apology.
Jiang Lin hurried out to greet them, "Thank you so much for troubling you."
Cheng Yulian said proudly: "This is my job. Jiang Zhiqing, you are really great, a role model for us women! You can definitely hold up half the sky in our village!"
Jiang Lin felt a little embarrassed, "They were bullied too badly. If I don't do it tougher, they won't remember it."
After Cheng Yulian and the man Shang Baozhu left, Yan Runzhi, Dabao and Xiaobao all looked at Jiang Lin with admiration, "Linlin, you are so awesome!"
Jiang Lin hurriedly said, "Don't blow it up. We don't treat people like this."
Yan Runzhi put the eggs, rice and flour in place. She grabbed a handful of rhubarb rice, looked at it and praised, "It's really the best food, better than the public grain handed in." It must be what Ma Kaihua had intercepted for himself to eat.
She said to Jiang Lin, "I'll make you some steamed yellow rice cakes today."
Cheng Dabao and Xiaobao clapped their hands and laughed, "There's something delicious again."
Yellow rice cake does not need to be ground, but steamed with fat and sugar, then pounded in a pot until it is sticky, and then red dates, walnuts, sesame seeds, peanuts, fat, etc. are added to shape it, and then steamed again. When it is done and cooled, it becomes a hard piece. When you want to eat it, slice it, steam it, fry it, or dry-bake it, dip it in sugar, and eat it. It is fragrant and sweet.
These are all the recipes of Yan Runzhi’s family. In the past, they would steam yellow rice rice cakes and white rice rice cakes during the Chinese New Year. They were called golden and silver longevity cakes.
She made Jiang Lin's mouth water. She had to make money and buy meat! She had to buy all kinds of delicious food and let grandma cook for them!
After breakfast, Jiang Lin went to check the roofs of some houses. She found that the living conditions of the rural members were really terrible at that time!
Shuihuai Village is a big village, with roughly 400 households. Less than a quarter of them are made of brick and tile, and some have brick and tile foundations and rammed earth or adobe walls, with roofs that may not be tiled. More than half have adobe walls and straw roofs. Even so, there is still a contempt chain, because in Jiang Lin's opinion, some people's houses are dangerous, with shaky walls, cracked beams, and some are even full of wormholes bitten by termites.
Jiang Lin felt that they were so pitiful and really needed to improve their living environment, so there was a huge business opportunity here!
Although industrialization will destroy the living environment, basic living security is still needed.
Having enough food, warm clothing and a safe house are basic human needs. Everyone should work hard to meet these basic needs of their family.
While inspecting houses and repairing roofs for people, Jiang Lin was instilling this idea in them - buy bricks and tiles. Even if you don't build a house, put tiles on the roof first!
As a result, Jiang Lin received many more commissions. He calculated that three carts of tiles were not enough, and estimated that ten carts would be needed. The demand was huge. Of course, it would take a long time to transport these ten carts, after all, Master Duan still had to run errands for the commune, so he could only do it when he had time.
At noon, Jiang Lin returned home and found Yan Runzhi pounding rice cakes at home, while Dabao and Xiaobao were helping to tear red dates and shell peanuts. While working, Dabao pursed his lips and worked seriously, while Xiaobao stuffed one into Dabao's mouth and then into his own.
Jiang Lin discussed with Yan Runzhi: "The educated youth helped, and everyone is happy. I will bring something to thank them." Although she did not owe them a favor by securing such an opportunity for the educated youth, she still wanted to have a better relationship with Sun Qinghui and other righteous educated youth. When they return to the city in the future, it will also be a relationship.
Yan Runzhi was of course happy. "Yellow rice cake is delicious. I made so much that we can't finish it. I was planning to send some to the women's director and Secretary Shang's home."
Jiang Lin washed her hands to help her.
Yan Runzhi said, "Mother Bao'er, I went to the big locust tree to embroider today, and Meng Zhiqing came to talk to me about something."
Jiang Lin: "Her? I haven't had time to settle accounts with her yet, why would she come to you?"
Yan Runzhi: "It's nothing, just gossiping. She said that maybe because she protected you too much, Dabao and Xiaobao had a misunderstanding about her, and she wanted me to help talk to Dabao. She also said that you have a bad temper and asked me, as your mother-in-law, to be more tolerant."
Jiang Lin was shocked. "She said that?" How could she be so shameless? She had already made it so obvious. Did Meng Yiyi still think that she was on good terms with her but not with her family?
Yan Runzhi added: "Bao'er's mother, why do I feel like she wants to test me a little bit, asking me if I think you've changed or something. I said of course I have, who hasn't changed? Girls change a lot when they grow up."
Meng Yiyi talked to her for about ten minutes, and Yan Runzhi summarized it in these aspects.
Jiang Lin sneered in his heart, thinking that today is the best day to turn against Meng Yiyi!
After the food was ready, Jiang Lin didn't eat it. She first used a rice basket, put some washed corn husks on it, put the yellow rice cake in it, and took it to the educated youth site.
When Dabao and Xiaobao saw that she was going to the educated youth site, they wanted to follow her.
There are some educated youth who can return to the city. The men may kidnap their mothers, and the women may instigate their mothers. In any case, we need to be fully alert.
Jiang Lin thought that the two of them were just playing around, so she took the two little bodyguards on the left and right to the educated youth site.
The educated youth point was at the southeast end of the village, a little distance away. The yellow rice cakes along the way gave off a sweet aroma, which made the children on the road very greedy.
Goudan, Gousheng and the like were drooling and biting their fingers, looking at Dabao and Xiaobao with envy.
Dabao and Xiaobao are like two great generals, puffing out their little chests and being very proud. Now they won't insult others anymore, but the little expressions of "I know you are jealous and I am very happy and proud" are vivid and lifelike.
Jiang Lin: “…”
Passing by the private vegetable garden of the educated youth, Cheng Dabao despised the vegetable leaves and mocked them. Jiang Lin knew that collective labor was like this, competing with each other, "I work more, you eat more, you take advantage of me", and no one wanted to work harder. Brothers in the same family compete with each other when they get married, let alone a group of people who are not related by blood.
When they arrived at the educated youth center, they were cooking. The gate was open. Jiang Lin called out to the child and walked into the yard. She glanced around the yard but didn't see Meng Yiyi.
Hearing her voice, Sun Qinghui and others ran out, and said happily: "Jiang Lin, why are you here?"
Jiang Lin smiled and said, "This is the rhubarb rice that Ma Kaihua paid for, and the rice cake that our grandma steamed. I'll give it to you to try."
At this time, Meng Yiyi heard it, ran out of the house, and said happily: "Linlin, are you here to see me?"
She reached out to take Jiang Lin's rice basket, "You said you would come, so what are you bringing? It's the same if I come over to eat."
In the past, when Jiang Lin came to give gifts, they were always given to her and never shared with other educated youth. Now that he brought so much today, isn’t he going to let others take advantage?
Who knew Jiang Lin would hand the rice basket to Sun Qinghui, "Sun Qinghui, thank you so much."
Meng Yiyi stood there frozen as if she had been slapped hard in the face. Jiang Lin was embarrassing her in public!
Her eyes immediately turned red, "Linlin, you?"
Cheng Dabao snorted coldly with a tense face, "I'll let you instigate my mother again!"
Cheng Xiaobao smiled proudly and said, "My mother doesn't love you anymore, she loves me now."
Not only Meng Yiyi was stunned, the other educated youth also didn't understand what was going on. They knew that Jiang Lin and Meng Yiyi were so close that they slept in the same bed and wore the same pants, so when did they fall out?
Jin Lei couldn't stand it anymore and blamed Jiang Lin: "Jiang Lin, Yiyi came to help you yesterday, but not only were you not grateful, you even let the child treat her like that? Look how much pain it caused her."
Cheng Xiaobao: “You deserve it!”
Meng Yiyi was about to cry, "Linlin, you..."
Jiang Lin, like a heartless boss, said coldly, "Meng Yiyi, why did you sneak to the Zhao family?"
Meng Yiyi's face turned from red to white, "Linlin, you, you don't think I betrayed you, do you?"
Jiang Lin: "What did you betray me for? You brought back the news about the cart shop, and I don't know much about it. I met the Zhao couple when I took my child to the county town, so what did you go to the Zhao family to confirm? To confirm why I didn't sell my son according to your instructions? Instructing the Zhao couple to follow your arrangements, saying that I didn't sell my son because the money was not enough? I didn't go to sell my son at all! I said ten thousand yuan was just a joke, and you took it seriously and tried to trick me?"
ah?
Sun Qinghui and others shouted in surprise, "What's going on?"
Jiang Lin stared at Meng Yiyi, her voice getting colder and colder: "Meng Yiyi, I know I was stupid before. I was cut off from my family and had no one to rely on. I could only be manipulated by you and act as a puppet in your hands. You thought the work was too tiring, so you asked me to marry someone and use your connections to help you get a better job. Now you tell me that Bian Haitao still likes me and wants me to go back and reunite with him! You told me that the Zhao family in Dachedianzi bought a son and said that our two sons were a burden! You told me that Qian Bo Neng could use his connections to let me go back with him! Why did you do all this?"
She approached step by step, and Meng Yiyi retreated step by step, looking at Jiang Lin in horror.
She didn't expect that Jiang Lin would dare to say these words in public. Is she shameless or is she not afraid that Cheng Rushan will know?
"Linlin, you misunderstood. I'm doing this for your own good. I..."
"For my own good?" Jiang Lin interrupted her without giving her a chance to explain. "Why don't I expose your purpose? You must have some ulterior motive for doing this."
Jiang Lin stared at her coldly, "Meng Yiyi, when we were in school, you told me every day how good and sincere Bian Haitao was to me, and how rare he was in the world. I was stupid, because I regarded you as my best friend, so I had some feelings for him. But when he betrayed me and lived off women, I already looked down on him as a coward and broke up with him a long time ago! Now that you have your eyes on Cheng Rushan, you want to use this as an excuse to get me back to the city to find him. Do you think I'm a fool?"
Jiang Lin glanced at her with disdain. Most women are suspicious and jealous, and she is no exception. It was nothing to suspect that Meng Yiyi had a crush on Cheng Rushan before, but later she had such suspicions, and she took it seriously even if she was not sure it was true. Especially knowing that Meng Yiyi went to the Zhao family in the big cart shop behind her back, and said such words to Yan Runzhi today, if she didn't get angry, she would be really practicing Zen.
Since she was going to break up with Meng Yiyi, she had to be prepared. She couldn't hide the matter of Bian Haitao. As long as Meng Yiyi thought it could be used as a trump card against her, she would take the initiative to reveal it and leave it in the open as if it were nothing new.
In this way, there is no need to worry about Meng Yiyi using this as a handle to stir up trouble.
What's more, Cheng Rushan already knew about Bian Haitao's existence, so there was no need to hide it from himself. It would be more frank to say it out loud.
Sun Qinghui couldn't believe it. "Meng Yiyi, you are too shameless! You actually covet Jiang Lin's husband!"
Jin Lei was extremely anxious: "It was all Jiang Lin who said it. One-sided statements cannot be trusted."
Meng Yiyi argued incoherently: "I didn't, I didn't!" Her face was full of tears, and she looked like she was in great pain because of being slandered.
Someone said, "You brought back the words from the cart shop."
"Jiang Lin married Cheng Rushan and got a teaching job, but she gave it to Meng Yiyi. She was afraid of being tired and didn't want to be a teacher for Meng Yiyi. How good is that for Meng Yiyi. Meng Yiyi, if you plot against Jiang Lin like this, you are too shameless!"
Meng Yiyi covered her face and cried bitterly, "Jiang Lin, I have loved you since I was a child, and you slandered me like this!"
Jiang Lin said coldly: "Is it slander or not? Don't you have any idea? Since you think you didn't scheme against me, then give up your teaching job. You should be carrying manure and working in the fields."
"Jiang Lin, you've gone too far! No wonder Liu Honghua called you an ungrateful person. I've been so good to you since you were a child. I played with you when you had no one else to play with. Your parents are partial to you, and it's me..."
"Don't disgust me!" Jiang Lin got angry and slapped Meng Yiyi.
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