Because Su Li wanted Xie Zhengchuan to arrange for some unemployed retired soldiers to work for her, she called Tao Yu and asked him to build a few rooms first. The male dormitory was outside the yard, and the female dormitory was at the other end of the factory building.
In the built house, she placed some simple bunk beds, basin racks, chairs and benches. She did not put other things in the room. The necessities of work could be given to people when they arrived. Su Li arranged it according to her memories of her previous life. In the past, weren't the workers who entered the factory given mats, bedding, work clothes, thermoses and washbasins?
According to this idea, she took a lot of things from the space and placed them in the utility room in the courtyard, so that she could give things to people when they came.
A few days later, Xie Zhengchuan arranged two people to come to Shanghe Village. Each of them carried a large cloth bag and followed Xie Zhengchuan to Shanghe Village in the evening. Su Li felt uncomfortable when she saw the two of them.
One of the two men was called Pang Wei and the other was called Zhang Lai. They were both really ragged. Their coarse cloth clothes were covered with patches and you couldn't even see the original color. Even their shoes had several small patches of patches on them, and the soles were visibly thin.
However, the two of them were in very good spirits, and greeted Su Li with a smile when they saw her.
"Hello, sister-in-law. My name is Pang Wei. Hehe... I used to follow Captain Xie when I was a new recruit."
"Hello, sister-in-law. My name is Zhang Lai. I also followed Captain Xie when I was a new recruit."
Su Li also smiled and said, "Hello, you must be tired. Come to the main hall and sit down to rest and drink some water."
"Hey, thank you, sister-in-law."
Su Li went to the main room and poured a cup of brown sugar water for each of them, and added a few drops of spiritual spring water.
These two people were really pale and thin, just like the people in Shanghe Village that she had seen when she first arrived in this era. However, the folks in Shanghe Village had lived a little better in the past two years, and could eat meat and fine grains twice a month.
Especially during the Spring Festival, when every household received the red money from the brown sugar factory, it seemed that their lives were much better than before.
Su Li basically lives in the village. Except for going to the county town for a while, she spends the rest of the time in Shanghe Village. Although she knows that the times are not easy now, she is blinded by happiness, and what she sees is different from what she thinks in her heart.
The two of them had relaxed smiles on their faces just now, until they took the enamel pot and looked at the big cup of fragrant brown sugar water inside, their eyes turned red.
"Why did sister-in-law make me some brown sugar water? Isn't this a waste? Give it to Captain Xie. Captain Xie will give it to you." As he said this, he handed the cup to her.
"Yes, yes, sister-in-law, we don't need it. A glass of boiled water will do. Brown sugar is hard to buy and expensive. Wouldn't it be a waste to give it to us?"
Xie Zhengchuan looked at the dark and thin hand in front of him and said seriously: "Take it back. Your sister-in-law poured it for you. Aren't you giving her face? Drink it."
Su Li also sat opposite them.
"Hurry up and drink it. Listen to your captain. There is a brown sugar factory in our village. It is very convenient to buy brown sugar."
The two looked at each other without saying a word, then took a big sip with trembling lips. It was silky, fragrant, and had a long aftertaste. It was delicious.
Zhang Lai was drinking so much that tears were streaming down his face. Xie Zhengchuan raised his hand and patted him.
"You little brat, what did I teach you before? You're a grown man, and you're still crying?"
The two young men in their teens felt very embarrassed by what he said, and a suspicious blush appeared on their faces for no apparent reason.
Su Li looked at the two people and said, "I wonder if your captain Xie has told you what to do here?"
Pang Wei said: "Sister-in-law, Captain Xie asked us to protect you."
"Yes."
Su Li glanced at Xie Zhengchuan.
"Yes and no. I'm working on a garment factory. It's not finished yet. You can help out there first. You'll be paid the same as the workers, 80 cents a day. I'll assign you specific positions after the factory is built. There are already a few dormitories in the factory, so you can stay there after dinner."
The two were moved to tears when they heard this. "That's a lot of money. Thank you, sister-in-law. Thank you, sister-in-law."
Su Li looked at the two people with red faces due to excitement, "No, they are the same as the workers here. By the way, are you two married?"
The two blushed, thinking that they would follow Su Li in the future, so there was nothing to hide. Pang Wei said, "Sister-in-law, I'm not afraid of you laughing at me. I'm fourteen years old and I'm not married yet. My family is too poor. My allowance in the army is not high, so I save and send it all home. My older brothers, sisters and younger brother are all married.
After I was discharged from the army, there was no place for me at home. I slept on a bed in the kitchen during the two years after I was discharged. The subsidy I received was ten yuan a month, which I gave to my family. I had no choice but to ask my parents to take the money out to help my older brother and younger brother with their expenses. They said they would take care of my food and would not let me starve. I could not watch them commit suicide.
I originally wanted to stay in my hometown and farm the land, so I could make a living, but my parents wouldn't let me because they had their own land, and my brothers and sisters also had their own land, so I had to work for them. It was Captain Xie who found me and asked if I was willing to come out with him. In fact, I knew that my family didn't want me to stay and eat for free. When I said I wanted to leave, my mother packed my things overnight. I guess she still cared about the family relationship, so she gave me five yuan for travel expenses. "
Su Li felt sad when she heard this, but she didn't say anything. Xie Zhengchuan walked out, walked to the door of the main room, took out a cigarette and started smoking.
Zhang Lai opened his mouth and said hoarsely: "I... I am not married either. I am ten years old. I am much better off than Pang Wei. My parents have left a room for me. My brothers and sisters also love me. I gave them all my money. I am the youngest child in the family. They used to leave all the food for me.
My eldest sister used to catch frogs at night so that I could have some meat. She broke her leg and became ill, becoming a cripple. My two brothers used to fight over me because they were afraid that I would be bullied. I felt comfortable when I gave them money. Fortunately, they all started their own families, and my parents couldn’t bear to leave me.
But my two sisters-in-law don't like me. My brothers finally got married, and I didn't want to cause trouble at home every day. My parents gave me ten yuan for travel expenses, saying that the poor family means rich travel, but I didn't want it. I only took two yuan and secretly put the rest under their pillows. I told my mother when I was young. I will do my best, sisters-in-law, really."
Su Li's eyes turned red and her nose felt sore after being scolded by the two young men.
She coughed twice and said, "Well, no, sister-in-law knows that you are all good people, so you can just work in my factory with peace of mind. When you make money in the future, sister-in-law will find a wife for each of you, okay?"
The two of them also laughed.
Xie's mother cooked dinner in the evening. She had always been friendly to Xie Zhengchuan's comrades, such as Shi Xiaomeng, so she cooked several dishes and also took out two glasses of white wine for the two of them to drink, thinking that her son would have to drink a few sips to cheer himself up when he saw his comrades.
Su Li had no objection, so she just let her do as she pleased. As long as the old lady was happy, that was fine.
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