When there was time, Fang San Di would do the work in the fields, so Yu Ji Hong would have more time to make lanterns at home.
Fang San Di returned from the fields, carrying a hoe as he walked home, his trousers rolled up to his knees, speckled with mud.
As we passed the old camphor tree at the intersection, seven or eight villagers gathered under its shade. Some were carrying hoes, having just finished work, their trousers still covered in mud. Others were carrying bamboo baskets, not yet having had time to go home and cook. The group huddled together, chatting as if they were discussing some major news.
Fang Sandi didn't like joining in the fun, so he glanced at it and was about to head home when another voice panicked, "Really?" "Really? Wenzhou is so close to us, won't there be a riot?"
Upon hearing the word "Wenzhou," Fang Sandi stopped in his tracks, walked to the side, propped his hoe on the ground, and leaned over, asking, "What's wrong with Wenzhou?"
"Something big has happened in Wenzhou!" Erzhu, who was standing next to me, was still holding a half-eaten ear of corn in his hand, with kernels still stuck to his mouth. "They say the coal mining association has collapsed, and a lot of people who invested money can't get it back. It's a complete mess right now."
"Taihui?" Fang Sandi frowned. He had heard of the name before. It seemed to be a kind of thing where rich people put their money in to earn high interest. It had nothing to do with farmers like him.
Another woman carrying a basket chimed in, “My nephew runs a small business in Wenzhou. Yesterday, he sent a message saying that things are not safe in the streets and that we should not go there recently to avoid getting into trouble.”
The murmurs in the crowd grew louder, and someone whispered, "I heard that if they can't get their money back, they'll arrest them, tie them to pillars, prick their fingernails with needles, and burn their chests with red-hot pliers."
"Some even took explosives to blow it up. They said if they didn't get the money, they'd all die together."
"Birds die for food, people die for wealth, and several people have died."
"Fortunately, none of us here have any money and can't participate anyway."
More and more people came to listen, and Fang San Di stayed there the whole time.
After listening to the whole story, I finally understood that the syndicate relied on constantly recruiting new members and promising high interest rates. However, this money did not generate any actual profits. Later, when fewer people joined, the cash flow dried up, and the money that had been deposited could not be recovered, leading to a riot.
When you got home, Yu Jihong had already prepared dinner. "You're back now? I was about to go to the fields to call you."
"Just now under the camphor tree, they were talking about Wenzhou, and I listened for a while."
"Wenzhou? What's going on in Wenzhou?" Yu Jihong also became interested. She was planning to visit Fang Sandi after the busy farming season, since his leg had been resting for another six months.
"It's just been said in the village that the Wenzhou 'carrying fair' has collapsed, and things are in complete chaos." Fang Sandi told Yu Jihong everything he had just heard.
Yu Jihong shuddered. "Is what they said true?"
"It's true, they have relatives over there, and they all sent messages saying not to go. Luckily, we heard about it, otherwise what would we have done if we had run into them?"
"We didn't borrow any money from anyone, so what could possibly happen?"
"Don't go, don't go. Once a riot breaks out, who cares who you are? There are other ways to make money, why take this risk?"
Yu Jihong felt apprehensive after thinking about it, "It's too chaotic to go. Let's see what else we can do."
"Isn't it already being done? When we have time after doing field work, we can use these colorful lights. It's quite nice."
"Let's eat!" Yu Jihong served rice to Fang Sandi and brought it over. But in her heart, she was thinking about what else she could do. Making lanterns could only supplement the family income. Yu Jihong wanted to do something more profitable so that she could buy the things she liked.
As usual, Hua Mei was responsible for washing clothes in the back basin. While she was washing, a sudden sharp pain shot through her stomach. She bent over, holding onto the washboard, and sweat instantly beaded on her forehead. "It hurts! It hurts!"
As Fang Shugen's mother, who was cooking, went over calling out, "Shugen, Shugen! Huamei's stomach hurts!"
Fang Shugen was repairing a bamboo rice basket that had broken yesterday when he threw down what he was holding and ran over.
Hua Mei's face turned pale, and her voice trembled, "It hurts, my stomach hurts!" Fang Shugen supported her arm.
"Quickly push the cart out. Put that straw mat over there on top." Fang Shugen's mother helped Hua Mei to the door. "You stay here, we'll lay the cart out."
Fang Shugen's mother ran back to her room, grabbed a prepared cloth bag, and quickly spread the quilt on the straw mat.
Fang Shugen and his mother helped Hua Mei lie down slowly. "Hua Hua, sit next to me, we're going to the clinic." Fang Shugen grabbed Hua Hua's arms with both hands and lifted her up to place her next to Hua Mei.
When Hua Hua saw Hua Mei frowning and gritting her teeth, she also frowned, her eyes instantly reddening, and she was about to cry.
"Hua Mei, we're going to the health center now. Just bear with it, it'll be fine when we get there."
Seeing Hua Hua's frightened expression, Hua Mei endured the pain without showing it.
Fang Shugen slung the cart rope over his shoulder, bent down, and pulled the cart, his steps steady and quick. The cart wheels creaked as they rolled over the stones.
Fang Shugen's mother followed beside him, holding onto the edge of the cart and hurriedly following.
"Is Hua Mei about to give birth?" A villager leading a cow pulled the cow's rope to the side.
"Ugh, my stomach hurts." Fang Shugen's back was quickly soaked with sweat, his coarse cloth jacket clinging to his body. He gritted his teeth, the cart rope tightening his shoulders, but he dared not slow down. The sooner he arrived, the less Hua Mei would suffer.
Hua Mei lay on the cart, trembling with pain, but when she caught a glimpse of Hua Hua's worried eyes beside her, she held back from groaning.
"Hua Mei, hang in there, we'll be there soon!" Fang Shugen gasped for breath, his voice hoarse.
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