Seeing her anxiously walk into the yard, Tian Xiaolan glanced around nervously. Seeing no one around, she pulled Wang Suzhen over and said, "Okay, I'll only tell you. It's nothing serious. I saw Chen Dong being arrested by Uncle Gong'an with my own eyes. I heard that it seemed like he was trafficking women. I was so scared that I ran back quickly."
Wang Suzhen remained silent, listening to the follow-up: "Oh my god, he's so bold, he's just craving bullets instead of food!"
Everyone in the surrounding area knows that Wang Suzhen from Wangjia Village has a bad mouth. If you tell her a private word in the morning, everyone in the village and even the neighbors will know it by tomorrow.
"I was shocked. I didn't expect him to be such a person!" Tian Xiaolan nodded.
"He usually hides it very deeply. It's normal for a girl like you to not see it clearly. I don't think he is a good person!" Wang Suzhen said her opinion without even eating.
After hearing the news, Wang Xiuzhen couldn't wait to leave and made an excuse: "Look at me, I forgot the stove was still hot. I have to go back and check. We'll talk about it next time."
Tian Xiaolan saw her eagerness and did not try to persuade her to stay. "Auntie, you go ahead and do your work."
"Go back quickly."
Fang Guihua stopped sharpening her knife and looked at her, "Why are you telling her this?"
"I just want Chen Dong to be ruined." This is just an appetizer, the best part is yet to come.
"No matter what, protect yourself." Fang Guihua warned worriedly.
As they were talking, Li Weiguo came back from get off work, squatted next to Fang Guihua, stretched out his hand, waited for her to put the handle in her palm, then held both ends tightly with both hands, grinding the rust that had not yet fallen off. The red rust that had not been used for a year was firmly grown on the knife. He poured water on the stone and rubbed it back and forth non-stop.
Red rusty water spread on the ground. After one grind was completed, there were two more on the side. They were obtained by Fang Guihua from the farm tool room of the brigade. Li Weimin was at work, so only Fang Guihua, Li Weiguo and Tian Xiaolan could participate in the autumn harvest at home.
The sickle must be returned after the busy farming season. After all, it is public property and cannot be embezzled.
During the autumn harvest, these little kids at the primary school where Li Weiguo works also have a "busy farming holiday" to help their parents with things they can do.
Li Weiguo asked with a smile: "Did you hear the broadcast?"
"I heard it, what's wrong?"
Tian Xiaolan went into the house and without disturbing them went to the kitchen to see that the sweet potatoes were still being cooked in the pot.
She felt like if she ate it for a few more days, she would turn into a sweet potato. She comforted herself by telling herself to endure it for a few more days until the rice husks were harvested and she could eat the new rice.
After dinner, the whole family went to the home of the village chief Wang Dawei. Before they arrived, they saw that the outside of the house was crowded with people, and there was even an old man squatting on the millstone smoking.
In this age of lack of communication tools, all output depends on shouting, and important matters can only be discussed in large meetings.
People gathered together in a bustling atmosphere, like a boiling kettle. Women gathered around to gossip about other people, while men squatted or stood. Wang Dawei glanced around and saw that most people had arrived, so he started talking.
"Okay, stop talking. I called everyone here today because I have two pieces of good news. I just went to a meeting in town. The county has arranged for rice harvesters to help us harvest the rice. We'll draw lots tomorrow to determine the order in which they'll be used. You all know how lucky I am."
Everyone didn't trust Wang Dawei's luck. He had been drawing lots in previous years, and he always got the last place. His luck was really bad.
Everyone thought that he must not be allowed to draw again this year.
"Dawei, you don't have to go this year. Let the captain go."
"Yes, yes, we don't want to be the last one." The others echoed.
Seeing that Wang Dawei was hesitant, he changed the topic and said, "Everyone can pick one at random, or you can pick one."
It would definitely be easier to have a machine to help. If it was the last one, would Wangjia Village still have a chance to use it among so many other villages? I'm afraid they would see it but not use it.
Accountant Hu leaned close to Wang Dawei and whispered in his ear, "Since you don't want to go, why not let the captain go? Then if the draw doesn't go well, it won't be your fault."
"I didn't say I wanted to go. Since you said captain, then captain should go." Wang Dawei made the final decision.
Under the watchful eyes of other villagers, Captain Lei Zhong gritted his teeth and took on this arduous mission.
"What's the other news?"
"Yeah, come on, don't keep me in suspense."
"We're short on people to operate rice harvesters. Each village has two people trained to operate them, and then three are selected to operate them and harvest millet." Wang Dawei spoke slowly, stroking his beard and spitting. "The village also gives work points to those who operate rice harvesters, double the pay."
After hearing what he said, everyone talked about it and wanted their children to try it. If they were selected, it would bring honor to the whole family.
A man pushed the child forward, bent over and laughed, "Dawei, look at my son, he's strong and healthy. I think he's very suitable for driving an excavator."
Wang Suzhen's eyes widened as she scoffed, "What? You can't even explain the machine, and you're driving an excavator! That's hilarious! It's even questionable whether your weak kid can even climb up there. Dawei, I'm not saying this to you, but you've been the village chief for so many years. You know who supported you the most, right?"
"Bah, gossip, you'll die if you don't gossip about others for a day! You have no right to speak when I'm talking!"
"Oh, you're not very capable. All you do is beat your wife and children." Wang Suzhen was not willing to be outdone and started a fight with him.
The two of them quarreled more and more fiercely, and their voices became louder and louder, gradually attracting the attention of the people around them, who came to separate them.
"Stop arguing! If you want to go, go find Accountant Hu and sign up." Wang Dawei roared, pushing the two people who were arguing away. "Don't think it's easy. There will be a unified test in two days. You can only start studying after you pass it."
"Do you have a textbook?"
"What's the test? Tell me about it." Facing everyone's gaze, the village chief couldn't stand it.
"Go find it yourself. I can't control this."
No matter what, many people still surrounded Accountant Hu, wanting to register their children or themselves.
After watching this farce, it was impossible for Li Weimin not to be moved. Knowing that he was not that kind of person, he gave up the idea.
Li Weiguo thought about the location of the books at home. He had bought many books at the scrap collection station before, and he went back to look through them.
I rummaged around under the bed and found the "Mechanical Repair Manual".
He handed it to Tian Xiaolan and said, "I see you seem very interested. Let me show it to you. Go and sign up to try it out."
"Okay." Tian Xiaolan took the yellowed book, flipped through it quickly, and agreed.
With this book, she had a desperate sprint during the final exam week. Although she was not 100% sure, she had at least a 50% chance of success.
Li Weimin's eyes dimmed when he saw this scene. He turned to look at his mother and found that she was also smiling at Tian Xiaolan, as if she had full confidence in her.
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