Chapter 141 Wang Yuqing Holds Snail Competition
After work in the evening, the brigade headquarters was bustling with activity. In addition to the eleven people selected by Wang Yuqing to compete, the brigade headquarters was also crowded with commune members watching the excitement.
Ji Daming, Ji Xiaoming, and Ji Meimei were all among them. The three children were very excited, after all, their beautiful mother, whom they admired, had become the captain of the non-staple food team, and they all felt proud.
Before, the three of them were the ones who envied other people's parents; now, it's the other people who envy their parents.
Even Liu Huo, who had been reprimanded, came to watch the commotion, leaning on his cane. Although he was just there to watch, he actually hated it to death.
The Cao family also came. Lin Meili didn't sign up this time because she knew she wouldn't be selected. Moreover, she went to Lin Xuemei's house in the county town yesterday and learned that what Wang Yuqing said was true, so she dared not offend Wang Yuqing even more.
According to Lin Xuemei, Wang Jiandong, and Wang Yuyan, this person was terrifying, as if possessed by a ghost!
Under Wang Yuqing's supervision, everyone started making snails. Every step was strictly required, and not a single grain of sand was allowed.
Wang Yuqing paced back and forth in the kitchen like an exam proctor, making the eleven people a little nervous.
After an hour of busy work, eleven people each brought out a bowl of snails from the kitchen. Several tables were set up in the middle of the yard. They placed the snails on the tables in front of them, each feeling uneasy.
Wang Yuqing, the former Party Secretary, Ji Xuening, He Guangliang, Yuan Aiguo, the director of the Poor People's Association, Cao Guangping, the cashier, and Hong Erye, the custodian, each held a pair of chopsticks and a bamboo skewer, tasting the food one by one.
Everyone followed Wang Yuqing's method of stir-frying snails, but Tang Wan did it differently. She made stir-fried snails plain, which had a light flavor and tender meat, making it suitable for people who don't like spicy food. It tasted very good.
Everyone praised her after tasting it.
Tang Wan stood in front of the table, her back straight, shoulders open, eyes looking straight ahead, chin slightly tucked in, and lips slightly closed, exuding an elegance and intellect unlike that of a rural woman.
Especially with eleven people standing side by side, her refined and elegant demeanor was even more striking.
Wang Shuo stood at the very front of the crowd, staring wide-eyed, inwardly praising Tang Wan's stunning beauty; she instantly outshone everyone else.
She is like a lotus flower in a pond, while the rest of the people are like weeds by the roadside.
"What's that word again?" Wang Shuo thought for a moment, something like fish in the water or geese in the sky. He asked Yang Hui, who was also watching the excitement, in a low voice, "What's that word again, something about fish and geese?"
Everyone around him heard what he said.
He smiled awkwardly, wondering if he had already asked in a low voice.
Yang Hui smiled amiably: "It should be something that makes fish sink and geese fall from the sky."
Zhou Shan jokingly asked, "Hey, instructor, who are you describing with that word? It sounds really nice..."
Wang Shuo said, "What's it to you?"
Just as he finished speaking, he happened to see Cao Guangping and Hong Erye constantly eating the plate of snails in front of Tang Wan. He said, "You two eat less. Didn't you have dinner tonight? Are you here to freeload? Leave some for me... for our militia comrades."
The two were a little embarrassed, so they went to the others to taste it.
The final selected individuals are: Tang Wan, Chen E, Lei Yongxia, Zhao Sufen, Cao Huan, Li Xiuer, Chen Xiang, and Hua Yan.
Niu Zhenzhen and Huang Dacui were not selected, but they were not angry. They felt that Wang Yuqing had done them a favor, and that it was their own fault for being incompetent. They were willing to accept the loss because they had tried and found that they were indeed not as good as the others.
Jiang Gaofen had nothing to say. She chuckled and said, "The cooking time must have been a bit too short, and we added too little ginger. What a pity."
The remaining snails were shared among everyone, and everyone practically scrambled to eat them.
Tang Wan's portion was snatched away by the tall and burly Wang Shuo. He had said he would leave it for the militia members, but he didn't give any to anyone. He hid and ate it himself. He loved spicy food, and the stir-fried snails were too bland for his taste. However, he still ate while muttering to himself, "Tsk tsk, a delicacy."
Tang Wan suddenly walked over.
Wang Shuo was startled, stood up, and chuckled loudly, "This stir-fried snail is so delicious, even better than what Comrade Wang Yuqing makes!"
To her surprise, Tang Wan was displeased and her face darkened: "What nonsense are you talking about? I can't cook as well as Yu Qing. And you, don't be two-faced."
After being reprimanded, she held out her hand: "I'll take my own plate."
Wang Shuo handed her the plate, which still contained a few snails. He poured them directly into his palm and said, "Both of your dishes are delicious..."
Tang Wan ignored him and turned to leave.
Wang Shuo patted his mouth, but then, after thinking for a moment, he was a little confused: "What's wrong? I'm praising you, and you're getting angry? I don't understand women! Tsk tsk."
After everyone dispersed, Wang Yuqing held another short meeting, registering everyone's name, age, production team, etc., and then assigning tasks for tomorrow. The first task was to collect snails, with each person responsible for collecting two buckets of snails.
After the team members left, she wrote a list of kitchen utensils and seasonings that needed to be purchased.
She handed it to the old Party Secretary for a quick look, and he glanced at it briefly before passing it to Ji Xuening, telling him to buy it at the Shuangdai store the next day, and if he couldn't find it there, to buy it at the commune's supply and marketing cooperative.
However, before he could even borrow money from the commune credit union, and with the brigade's finance department also out of money, the old Party Secretary finally told Ji Xuening to go home with him to get the money.
Wang Yuqing was exhausted that day and went home to sleep early.
The old Party Secretary took his own private savings. He went back into the house to get the money suspiciously and came out furtively. He stuffed all the money and tickets into Ji Xuening's hands, who was waiting outside the courtyard, and urged him on, saying, "Hurry up, go, go, go quickly."
No sooner had Ji Xuening left than the old Party Secretary's wife noticed something was wrong. She came out of the house and started berating the old Party Secretary, then made him stand at the door as punishment and had him raise his hands.
Ji Xuening heard the cursing behind him. He guessed what was going on and walked even faster. Halfway there, he saw a stack of money and receipts of various sizes with an old, yellowed photograph tucked inside. It was a group photo of the old Party Secretary, his wife, and their five daughters, with happiness radiating from every face of the family.
Ji Xuening suddenly thought of her parents and older brother, and couldn't help but feel a pang of sadness in her heart.
When he returned halfway, he saw the old Party Secretary standing at the door like a child being punished, repeatedly saying, "Old woman, I was wrong."
Just then, their eyes met.
Ji Xuening paused for a moment, then pretended not to see it. He stepped forward, stuffed the photo into the old secretary's pocket, and without expression or a word, turned and ran out.
The old Party Secretary stopped making him stand as punishment, covered his face and went inside. He looked at Huang Jiahua, who was washing his feet, and said, "Oh dear, I've lost all face. It's all your fault, you old hag, that made me lose face in front of the younger generation."
Huang Jiahua snorted, "You still have no shame? It's long gone. You old codger, tell me the truth, how much secret money have you been hiding? Do you believe I'll call my daughters home tomorrow and have them teach you a lesson? You've gotten so bold, hiding so much secret money."
Ji Xuening heard the sounds coming from the back room. Although it was a quarrel, the tone wasn't harsh; instead, it sounded quite warm and friendly.
He even started to wonder if he and Wang Yuqing would end up like that when they got old. However, he didn't have the guts to hide money from her; given Wang Yuqing's personality, she'd probably even have to scrape together some for herself.
Thinking this, a smile appeared on his lips, and he couldn't help but look up at the sky. The Big Dipper was there tonight too, and Wang Yuqing's words came to mind: "Do you know? The Big Dipper's star language is—to protect you forever."
In the past, his life consisted of working to earn work points, with the goal of supporting Grandma Ji and his three children. He didn't have high expectations for the future, and he didn't think much about who he would marry. He just wanted someone with good character who was good to his family.
But ever since Wang Yuqing came home with him, his whole perspective changed...
When he got home, Wang Yuqing was already fast asleep, exhausted.
He quietly slipped the money and receipts into the drawer, then quietly went out, closed the door, ate a quick bite, and sat down in the yard outside to continue his carpentry work.
He needed to hurry up and finish making Yang Hui's cabinet and bed, and also make an office desk and a chair for Wang Yuqing, as well as a stool to sell at the market.
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