The room was full of men. The heads of households were collecting the money now, and the women would collect the receipts later. Chen Junjie came out shortly after, saying that the money had been collected. The men then made room for each household to send a representative to collect their receipts.
When the last person came out to collect the money, the bolder women chased the men out of the house. No one knew better than them what kind of coupons the family needed. Also, the men were concerned about saving face in some matters, and in the end, it was their own family that suffered. So, they had to go to the brigade leader to exchange the coupons themselves.
"Now that everyone's here, let's distribute the receipts. But before we do, I want to reiterate something I always say. Our village's sideline businesses aren't doing very well. They're not as good as the neighboring brigades. Why is that?"
It's all because you guys slack off at work every day. If you slack off, when it comes to the New Year, whether it's invoices or cash payments, you won't get as much as others. You'll argue with this person and that person over counting the invoices. Can't you go to the mountains to dig up some medicinal herbs more often? No matter what I say, you just won't believe me.
"Since that's the case, let's talk about who dug the most medicinal herbs in the brigade this year, and how many receipts she received. Let's see if you'll act the same way next year. If you do, let me make this clear: next year when the receipts are issued, everything will be exactly as it was, and I won't care."
Who is it?
"Yes, Captain. Who is it? Tell me."
"Alright, stop interrupting."
"I'm letting you know this so that you won't just dawdle at work every day. Look at how others do it."
"Tch," someone's voice, I don't know.
"An knew everyone was anxious, so she didn't waste any more words. Everyone knows this person; she's Comrade Li Mianmian, who just came to our brigade this year as an educated youth."
"How...how is this possible?"
"yes"
"Comrade Li Mianmian, don't underestimate her because of her young age. She has a good sense of ideology and always finishes her tasks ahead of schedule. Not only does she complete her tasks well and quickly, but she also actively goes up the mountain to dig for medicinal herbs. From the end of July this year until before the autumn harvest, and before the heavy snow closed the mountain, Comrade Li Mianmian dug a total of 124 jin. Let's not talk about how much money she received, but just how many tickets she received, a total of 22 tickets. Think about it yourselves."
Not only Comrade Li Mianmian, but also Comrades Chen Enpeng and Chen Junjie, who came with her, received more than ten receipts each. Tell me, what were you thinking?
"How is that possible?"
"yes"
"yes"
"Whether you believe it or not, it's up to you to decide. But in order to commend Comrade Li Mianmian for her outstanding performance in our brigade's sideline business, the brigade has decided to issue her an industrial allowance, a meat coupon, and a sugar coupon as encouragement."
At the same time, Comrades Chen Enpeng and Chen Junjie were commended, and each was given a meat coupon and a candy coupon as encouragement. Everyone applauded.
Whether it was the women sitting below or the comrades outside the house, they only realized that the people had really received so many receipts after hearing the brigade's commendation.
After the three of us received our awards, we heard the brigade leader say, "In order to encourage our brigade members to actively participate in sideline businesses, our brigade headquarters has also decided to make some arrangements."
Next spring, after the spring planting is finished, our brigade leaders will lead all the commune members to reclaim another fifty mu of land on the south slope. The crops grown on these fifty mu, after deducting the grain tax and keeping enough for seeds, will be tied to medicinal herbs. That is to say, you will receive not only money and coupons for the medicinal herbs you deliver, but also grain. As for the specifics of how you will receive them, that will depend on how much grain is left over. We'll calculate how much medicinal herbs our brigade delivers then.”
"this?"
"Alright, let's start distributing the receipts our brigade received for exchanging grain this year. It's the same as before, except for the cloth ration coupons, which will be issued according to policy. Whoever's name I call out, that person goes to the accountant to collect their receipt."
After receiving the receipts, I roughly calculated that they were indeed issued according to work points, although the ratio was a bit high. But it's alright, no matter what, there's still something to be gained.
It's just that it can't compare to places with larger populations, sigh!
I just witnessed the scene where the captain was arguing over a receipt. It was so annoying that it took more than two hours just to distribute a few receipts. I finally saw a real spectacle.
Seeing that many people were staring at the three of us, we exchanged a glance and quickly slipped away quietly. If we didn't leave, they might eat us alive. They'd do anything for a few tickets.
On the 26th day of the twelfth lunar month, the New Year's pig is slaughtered. The way the pig is divided is quite interesting. Regardless of age or gender, it is divided according to the standard of 2 jin (1 catties), which reflects the advantage of having a large family. However, where you get your share depends on your luck. The fairest way is to draw lots.
First, the pigs are slaughtered and divided into four categories: meat, head and feet, offal, and fat. The quantity of each category is weighed. Then, the population of the production team is counted, and the population is divided by the quantity of each category to determine the average weight per person in each category.
Secondly, the production team categorized the families within the team, grouping families with the same number of people into one category. Then, they opened up several drying mats used for drying rice.
Then, signs are erected to indicate the population categories and number of households. When distributing meat, it is allocated according to the average number of people in the four categories of meat, head and feet, offal, and oil, and then matched by quantity.
For example, if there are ten households in the category of five-person families, weigh out the quantities that each family should receive in the four categories, pile them into ten heaps, and number them accordingly. The same principle applies to the others.
Next, and finally, is the final step: catching the pig. In rural areas, people draw lots according to the categories of family members. The person who draws a number goes to the drying mat and finds the corresponding piece of pork to take home.
Unfortunately, only the three of us in the brigade lived in separate households, so there was no need to draw lots; everyone got the same share, and we could just take any one.
While I was waiting for my share of the meat, several women came over to try and strike up a conversation, all because they wanted the tickets I had.
I originally thought that life in the countryside is tough, and people are always lacking things, so I planned to lend them the tickets. But after listening for a while, I still couldn't figure out how they planned to exchange the tickets with me. However, the more I listened, the clearer it became that they were planning to get something for nothing.
Don't believe me? Listen:
"Li Zhiqing, you distributed so many receipts yesterday, I don't think you'll need them. Why don't you give them to your sister-in-law?"
"Yes, Li Zhiqing, your aunt's younger siblings haven't had candy in a long time. Why don't you give your aunt some candy coupons? Besides, I heard you get some every month."
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