Xue Huahua squinted her eyes and didn't say anything. Lu Dewen lowered his head submissively, maintaining this posture and not daring to move. He wanted to be tough and walk a few steps, but … he really couldn't …
The rain was pouring down, and the raindrops hit the basin in the house, making a beautiful sound in Lu Dewen's ears. He moved his ears and pointed at the house, embarrassed, "Mom, the basin in the house seems to be full."
There was a difference between a full basin and not a full raindrop. At first, the sound was loud and clear, but gradually it became softer and softer. When the basin was close to full, the sound was closer to the sound of water.
"Go in and pour it out." Xue Huahua sighed. She thought of something and immediately put on a serious face. A filial son is born under the rod. When it's time to be strict, one should be strict and not be soft-hearted.
He didn't notice the change of expression on Xue Huahua's face. When he heard Xue Huahua asking him to enter the house, Lu Dewen put down the carrying pole in a hurry, put it gently on the bucket and went into the room …
In the afternoon, Lu Dewen carried half a bucket of water back and forth in the corridor. Gradually, the bucket was half full. Before the sky turned dark, it was finally full.
He was so tired that he wanted to cry.
His clothes and pants were wet. Xue Huahua asked him to put them on the stool in the room and wear them tomorrow.
When he fell on the bed, he didn't even have the strength to turn over.
"Caizhi, how did mom know that my injury has healed?" Lu Dewen grumbled and pulled the bedding over to cover himself. He didn't understand how Xue Huahua knew that his injury had healed and he could walk. The scar on his wound was almost gone. It didn't hurt much, but it itched so much that he wanted to scratch. In order not to expose himself, he only dared to scratch through the gauze.
Chao Caizhi could only lie down and sleep at night. Seeing that Lu Dewen had snatched all the bedding, she gently pulled it back and whispered, "This morning, Liu Huaxian said that she was going to look for Captain. Mom is afraid that Captain will bring people over. If your injuries are not as severe, you can help out. That way, they won't make a fuss."
In this day and age, work points were equivalent to food. No family had enough food to eat. If it dragged on for too long, the villagers would think that they were deliberately acting shamelessly. Even if they were in the right, they would become unreasonable.
Lu Dewen was unhappy. Was he supposed to work just because he was lightly injured? And it was the work of picking manure … Just thinking about it made his shoulder burn with pain. He didn't even need to look to know that a layer of skin must have been scraped off.
However, the worst part was yet to come. Before daybreak the next day, Xue Huahua woke him up. He yawned all day long. Even if he was dispirited, he still had to carry water. If he couldn't, he would carry stones.
Lu Dewen's waist and back were aching. His entire body felt like it was falling apart. Last night, he could carry a bucket of water, but in the morning, it was difficult for him to carry half a bucket of water. However, Xue Huahua didn't care. If he didn't carry water, he wouldn't be able to eat. She told him to do as he saw fit.
"Mom, can I carry it with my hands?" His shoulder was really hurting.
"Boss, can I starve you to death?" Xue Huahua carried a bundle of straw and placed it at the door. She sat on the doorstep and twisted the rope. She twisted the straw until it was smooth and smooth. She saved it for the production team when they butchered the pigs at the end of the year.
Lu Dewen was suffering. He picked up the shoulder pole and walked back and forth in the corridor. Xue Huahua was like a team leader supervising the members of the club. Whenever he stopped for a moment, Xue Huahua would frown. He was so scared that he didn't get a chance to rest the whole morning.
After lunch, they continued.
Lu Dewen was going crazy. He almost fell to the ground and pretended to be dead. Even if he pretended to be dead, it would be useless.
It was probably useless even if he pretended to be dead. Xue Huahua's attitude was strong, and her face showed that there was no room for negotiation.
After three consecutive days, Lu Dewen was more tired than working for a year. Seeing Xue Huahua carrying the basket out of the door, he immediately put down the shoulder pole. "Caizhi, Caizhi, get me a bowl of water …"
As soon as his butt touched the stool, he saw Xue Huahua standing outside the yard with a fierce look. Lu Dewen stood up and staggered. "Mom, didn't you leave?"
"Why do you care if I leave or not? Hurry up."
Lu Dewen was caught red-handed and his face turned red. His son was still leaning against the doorsill, looking at him with his bright eyes. He gritted his teeth and said, "Xixi, watch how Dad carries water. You will carry water for me in the future."
Xixi blinked, turned around, and walked away. Before she left, she said two words clearly, "Get to work."
Lu Dewen fell to the ground.
He didn't know if Xue Huahua was hiding in the dark and watching him. He didn't dare to be lazy anymore and carried water. He walked from west to east and from east to west …
Xue Huahua didn't know that Lu Dewen was afraid that she was hiding in the dark and worked hard to carry water. She carried the big basket on her back and wore a patched cotton shirt. She held a bamboo pole in her hand and staggered to the production team four next door.
Along the crisscrossed country road, there were shabby adobe houses scattered around. A few wisps of smoke slowly came out from the chimneys. After passing through a few barren fields, she arrived at Liu Huaxian's house.
The adobe houses in the countryside had the same layout. The central house was connected to a big house, and the east was the kitchen and firewood shed. Liu Huaxian was carrying firewood out of the shed when Xue Huahua called out to her. "Comrade Liu Huaxian …"
Liu Huaxian was stunned. She recognized Xue Huahua and her calm face suddenly became angry. "What are you doing here? I haven't looked for you yet. How dare you come here?"
She complained to Lu Jianguo but it didn't work, so she came back to find the captain of the production team four. The captain urged her to hurry up and sow more seeds before the rain. If there was anything else, they could talk about it when they didn't have to work.
Yesterday, she went to talk to the captain again. The captain asked her to wait until the new educated youth settled down and got used to the life in the countryside. She made up her mind that she would ask the accountant to record the work points to them. Otherwise, she would go to the commune to pester her brother and ask her brother to help.
She had thought of everything, but she didn't expect Xue Huahua to come to her.
The rain fell on Xue Huahua. Apart from itching, she didn't feel anything.
"I'm here to talk to you about something." There were many footprints in the yard. Xue Huahua didn't go in. She stood outside and talked to Liu Huaxian. "From today onwards, the work points you earn are yours."
Liu Huaxian smiled happily. She didn't believe it. She stared at Xue Huahua suspiciously. "Are you serious?"
Xue Huahua nodded. "Yes. But, you have to do me a favor. "
"I knew you wouldn't be so kind …" Liu Huaxian thought quickly. She put down the firewood and walked out. "What favor?"
"Tell Captain Lu about my family's situation before you go to work." Xue Huahua had already planned to put some pressure on Lu Dewen and the rest. No matter what, he wouldn't be the one to carry the manure, but he could change it to someone else.
Did he really think that she went to the village before she recovered? She had other plans.
After talking to Liu Huaxian, Liu Huaxian agreed almost without any hesitation. As long as she got her work points back, anything could be discussed.
After the two discussed, Xue Huahua went back. Lu Dewen swung the shoulder pole listlessly. The two buckets were almost at the height of his shoulders. When he saw Xue Huahua coming back, Lu Dewen instantly became obedient. He went back to the house and poured the rainwater into the buckets. He carried the water and walked back and forth steadily.
Xue Huahua didn't bother to look at him and went back to her room.
The sky was clear. The dawn light shone through the clouds and sprinkled on the earth. The crops in the fields were washed clean and translucent by the rain. They floated with the wind in high spirits.
This year, Fenggu Township was divided into four groups of educated youth. Taking advantage of the rain, Lu Jianguo taught them how to use the hoe and sickle, how to sow the seeds, and how much of each kind of seed to sow. While the members were not working, he took the educated youth to walk around the production team. It was a simple familiarization of the environment.
After that, he took them to the storage room to get the hoe and asked the old educated youth to take them up the mountain to work. As soon as he sent them away, Xue Huahua came limping, followed by the overbearing Liu Huaxian and the emaciated Lu Dewen.
Lu Jianguo's eyebrows twitched, and he wanted to turn around and leave.
Both of them were not easy to deal with. Liu Huaxian didn't matter because she had a powerful brother, but Xue Huahua was the one who gave him a headache. In the past, when he heard half a word from her in the village, he didn't know when she started to talk. From the hardships of the Red Army's Long March to Jian She's fighting spirit in the countryside, the commune cadres had to read the quotations, but Xue Huahua just came out of her mouth.
There was a member who was more eloquent than the cadres, so he couldn't refute her. He could only listen to her for everything. How could he not have a headache?
"Captain Lu, Comrade Xue Huahua and I are here to talk to you about the work points." Liu Huaxian had to go back to work in the team. Time was tight, so she went straight to the point. "Comrade Xue Huahua has a high level of awareness. She said that in response to the slogan of 'self-sufficiency', they will earn their own work points from today onwards. We want you to be our witness."
Lu Jianguo smiled. "Okay, okay." Self-sufficiency. Hearing this, it sounded so smooth. Last time, he was tricked by Xue Huahua to stand up for her.
He didn't know what Liu Huaxian was tricked by.
"But." Liu Huaxian changed the topic. "You know about her family's situation. Her leg injury hasn't healed, and Dewen's daughter is about to give birth. Only Dewen's health is slightly better. Can you give him a job with higher work points?"
Lu Jianguo frowned and glanced at Lu Dewen, who was so skinny. He didn't have the strength. He was already struggling with the work of a Level 3 laborer. What else could he do?
"I don't think he can do other work."
"Why not?" Liu Huaxian frowned. "The bolder a person is, the more productive he will be. You are the backbone of the production team. How can you not believe in your own members? I think carrying manure is suitable for Comrade Dewen. "
Lu Jianguo started to have a headache again. Liu Huaxian puffed out her chest and continued to speak valiantly. "He is not afraid of hardship, and he is not afraid of death. Comrade Dewen has the spirit of hard work. You should give him a chance. How can you know if he can do it if he doesn't try?"
Lu Jianguo interrupted Liu Huaxian just in time. "Those who carry manure are old members in the village who know how to farm. The whole village is watching. Dewen is too thin. He can't do it."
Xue Huahua pulled Liu Huaxian and said very softly. "Dewen's injury hasn't healed completely. It's a little difficult for him to carry manure."
"How can that be? He is the only laborer in your family. If he doesn't earn more work points, the harvest won't be enough for next year." Liu Huaxian looked serious.
Lu Jianguo couldn't help but wonder when their relationship was so good that Liu Huaxian stood up for Xue Huahua. Lu Dewen couldn't carry manure. However, Lu Dewen could be arranged to transplant rice seedlings.
"After sowing the corn, the next step is transplanting rice seedlings. If you are willing to work, you can go to the field to transplant rice seedlings." Transplanting rice seedlings cost 8 work points. With Lu Dewen's performance last year, he won't have a chance to do it. Lu Jianguo also saw that their family was in a difficult situation this year, so he wanted to help. "But I have to warn you first. If you are still like last year, I will replace you after I catch you once."
Lu Dewen immediately promised that he would not be lazy anymore. He carefully glanced at Xue Huahua. When he came here, he said that he would carry manure, but now he suddenly changed to transplanting rice seedlings. He didn't know if Xue Huahua would be happy or not.
"Captain, rest assured. I will improve his awareness and not let him be a burden." Xue Huahua interrupted in the middle.
Lu Jianguo nodded. Since Lu Dewen came, he asked him to register with the accountant and go to the field to sow corn seeds. It was 6 work points and he earned it day by day.
Lu Dewen sighed and put down the shoulder pole in his hand. After saying hello to Xue Huahua, he ran away. His steps were steady and strong. Lu Jianguo was surprised. He had caught Lu Dewen going to the mountain to be lazy many times. Why is he so enthusiastic today?
"Captain, this is the shoulder pole I borrowed from you last time. Thank you." Xue Huahua handed the shoulder pole to Lu Jianguo. She chatted with Liu Huaxian for a while and then turned to the field. After the rain, plants grew wildly. Bright green wild vegetables could be seen everywhere. She walked along the side of the road while digging. The sun slowly climbed up the mountain and shone on the people working in the field. It was warm and full of hope.
In the crop field, the person responsible for digging the pit is an old educated youth. In previous years, he and Lu Dewen cooperated to sow the seeds. He found that today Lu Dewen is not normal. In the past, when he dug two rows of pits, he still slowly counted the seeds behind.
People with a little experience can count the number of seeds with three fingers. Lu Dewen is lazy and counts the seeds one by one. He can count four or five corn seeds in a pit for a few minutes. When the old educated youth first came, he was full of enthusiasm. He couldn't stand Lu Dewen's tricks and laziness, so he ran to Lu Jianguo and reported him.
Lu Dewen's work points were deducted, but next time he worked, he still found opportunities to be lazy.
Slowly, the old educated youth got used to it. When he met Lu Dewen, he would slow down.
But now, Lu Dewen is excited as if he had been injected with chicken blood. He dug a pit with the hoe, and Lu Dewen's corn seeds fell into the pit. He secretly counted, and each pit has four or five seeds, no more and no less.
The new educated youth was excited to see it. They also have two hands. They can't let the members of the club lose to them. They rolled up their sleeves and started to work.
Hearing the new educated youth praise Lu Dewen, the old educated youth couldn't keep his face. He spat and rubbed his palms, rolled up his sleeves, and sped up with high fighting spirit. With one hoe, he dug a pit, not deep nor shallow, just right. He didn't hear the new educated youth praise him, and a few corn seeds fell into the pit.
Lu Dewen seemed to want to waste time with him. He chased after him. He dug a pit, and Lu Dewen planted a seed. After he finished the field, the sun had just climbed to the top of his head.
Unlike the new educated youth next to him, the old educated youth almost gritted his teeth and persevered. He waved the hoe into the ground and stared at Lu Dewen. "Comrade Dewen, what do you mean?"
Who doesn't know what kind of conduct Lu Dewen used to have … Who is he showing his diligence to?
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