Chapter 36
Dongsheng was hospitalized for a week this time
Luckily, Xu Wen had half a month off for the fall harvest
During this week, both aunt and aunt came to see Dongsheng, but Xu Man did not feel comfortable giving Dongsheng to them again, and even rested in the hospital room
I can’t say I blame them, but this time I was shocked
Fortunately, Dongsheng is slowly recovering
When the Xu family heard that Dongsheng was hospitalized, they also came to see him Xu Wen came to stay with Dongsheng twice at night and told Xu Man to go back to rest
Xu Man did not want to go home, so he went to the school dormitory to sleep for two nights
When Shao Yue and Li Yun heard that Dongsheng was sick, they took advantage of the lunch break to come and see Dongsheng, and brought a lot of delicious food
Shao Yue bought Cream of Wheat and Li Yun bought two bags of milk powder
On the day Dongsheng was discharged from the hospital, Uncle Lu Yuanzheng drove the production team’s tractor to pick him up
Xu Wen knew that the whole production brigade had only one iron guy, and it should not be used to pick up people during the busy season
Originally still want to go to find a house, Xu Man is not good to ink again, holding Dongsheng on the tractor
See Dongsheng a little unhappy, Xu asked: “What’s wrong with you?”
“I still want to be hospitalized”
Xu asked, “”
“Which one likes to be hospitalized? Why?”
“Hospitalization has Ma Ma accompanied ah! Sister Li Yun and Sister Shao Yue will play with me Uncle also came, grandparents also came, all surrounded me alone”
Xu Wen was saddened to hear this, and raised his hand to touch Dongsheng’s head, “Don’t worry, you’ll have your mother with you even if you’re not hospitalized”
“Really?” Dongsheng was very happy, then shook his head, “No You have to go to school You have to go to school, dad said I can’t disturb you at school I want to go to kindergarten too”
“It’s necessary for you to go to school, but it’s not necessary for Ma Ma to go to school, because I have more important things than school right now I won’t let you go to someone else’s house anymore, let’s go back to our own house, okay?”
“Yes!” Dongsheng happily applauded
Wei Zhuang Commune’s fall crops were mainly corn and soybeans, supplemented by mung beans and sesame grains and peanuts
Although Xu Man’s household registration has been moved, he has only just done so, and is still considered a member of the Taoyuan Production Brigade this season
So Xu went back to the courtyard at night and helped out in the production team during the day
Dongsheng is sick, so Xu Man takes him with him wherever he goes, preferring to earn fewer work credits rather than leave him at home
This year, the weather was good, the harvest was good, and the members of the community had a lot of energy to work
In the midst of all the hard work, they joked and laughed, and it was very lively
The fall harvest is also a cooperative effort, and the division of labor is very detailed
For example, the corn harvest
The women were responsible for breaking the corn off the stalks and throwing it into bamboo baskets, and the men were responsible for transporting the corn to their homes
There are also people who specialize in harvesting the corn stalks back
Of course, even within a production brigade, each squad worked differently
For example, the seventh production team, in which Xu’s family lives, harvests the corn differently from the other teams
In his team, the men cut down the stalks with the cornstalks on them, transported them in oxcarts, and set them up on the walls of their houses to dry
This way, people like Grandma Hsu could earn work credits Grandma could put the cornstalks down on the ground and sit on a bench to pick the corn
She would break the corn off the stalks and throw it on the ground, and then unify it in the yard to dry
When it was dry, the corn had to be rubbed
The entire commune did not yet have any specialized machinery for threshing corn kernels, so they could only do it manually
Usually a chopstick or a screwdriver would be used to rub a row in the direction of the corn cob and then jerk the corn down by hand
Experienced old people like grandmothers would often hold the corn in their left hand and rub the dried cornstalk flesh, which was removed from the corn, onto the corn with their right hand
The stick-flesh is the bone from which the corn was removed
Harvesting the soybeans is easier, as they are usually harvested and transported directly to the yard for repeated drying, and then beaten It is to use a stone mill to come back to grind and thresh
Cornstalks and soybean stalks are dried and then chopped with a guillotine and used to feed livestock
All other crops are considered secondary crops, and not too many are planted But it’s not easy to harvest them either
Like peanuts, they are pulled from the ground and put in the yard to dry
After drying, take a stone or board on the ground, holding the peanut branches and leaves to the stone, peanuts will fall off
Of course, not pure violence, this is to pay attention to the skills
Anyway, Xu Wen is not very good at it, smashing the dirt bumps flying all over the place, a day down the arm can not lift up
Of course, she didn’t have to do this kind of “hard labor” in the production team
The work was light work for most of the strong laborers in the production team, but not for the students
Xu Wen was ten years old, but she had always been treated as a student laborer in the production team, and was even the best among the students
Their captain liked cultured people and took good care of Xu, putting her in charge of drying soybeans and grains
The soybeans and grains were spread out in a clean yard
A yard is a flat, clean, open space that is often so compacted that a car can’t make a rut when it passes over it
All Xu Man has to do is to flip these soybean grains
Hundreds of acres of soybeans spread thinly on the ground, every two or three hours to turn a little
Sounds like an interval can rest, in fact, so many soybeans, total head to tail turn over the first time a little rest will have to turn over the first time
Turning time either with a rake around once, or with the foot trip
Most members are more accustomed to the first
That is, feet standing on the pile of beans along a line trip over to the head and then trip back, in fact, is to use the feet as a plow to turn over the soybean again
This work Dongsheng also especially like, with Xu Man side to help
Little children can’t get it right and often splash all over the place, and need Xu Man to take care of the aftermath
Xu Man see him play happy, also let him
Xu Man’s work is light and fast in not using the power gas, but also can get off work early, nine o’clock in the morning when the sun is high to start turning, four or five o’clock in the afternoon do not need to turn again
It is important to know that the fall harvest is not a time to get off work, in fact, the tanning yard is 14 hours a day without leaving the people
Most of the members got up earlier than the chickens and slept later than the dogs during the fall harvest But everyone was happy
Because when the grain was in the barn, it was ready for distribution
When the crops were dried and put into the barn, we would know the total yield and could figure out how much each family got
For example, after the soybeans are dried and put into the barn, we have to set aside next year’s seeds, the rations that need to be turned in, and the water grain for the river workers of all sizes, and then the remaining part can be distributed
In addition to grain, the production team has a side business revenue will also be counted together for distribution, such as Xu Wen sheep, the end of the year after the sale of sheep money will also be unified distribution
Before distribution, a meeting will be held to discuss the distribution plan, and in the Taoyuan production brigade, the distribution plan is generally seven workers and three workers, and occasionally six workers and four workers
It took Xu a long time to figure out what the distribution program of seven workers and three workers meant
For example, the Taoyuan production team produced ten pounds of wheat, of which seven pounds according to the production team’s headcount distribution down as rations, the remaining three pounds according to the distribution of labor points
According to the head of a good understanding, this according to the labor points is a bit of a problem, before and after to toss half a month
First of all, the bookkeeper has to summarize the statistics of all the members of the community to the accountant, who will calculate the total number of work points of the whole team posted on the bulletin board of the production team for the members to check the shortcomings and fill in the gaps
With manual counting, mistakes and omissions were inevitable
The members could check the labor points according to their own records, and if there were mistakes or omissions, they would go to the bookkeeper, who would then go to the accountant to make corrections
Only after all the members’ labor points have been verified as correct can the accountant begin to calculate the amount of money for each labor
A laborer was defined as ten centimeters Generally, a strong laborer such as Xu Wen and Xu Qiushi was ten centimeters The rest of the points varied
Like Zhu Meizhen, they may work for eight or nine cents a day, and occasionally, when they are busy with the fall harvest, they will be paid ten cents
Xu Man’s sheep herding would be six centimeters, and most of the time Xu Che could only earn five centimeters, or half a cent
The production team income of grain according to the market price of money, if there is a side income will be added and then divided by the total number of working days can be calculated how much money a working day
After calculating the total income, each household was then given its share
The first thing that each family had to do was to share the food for their population, like the Xu family, which was a family of seven, and they had to ask for food rations for all seven of their members
However, food was not given for free, but needed to be exchanged for work-points
If there is still a surplus of grain after the exchange of work-points, then the surplus work-points will be exchanged for cash and distributed to the household
This is called a surplus household
What if there is not enough money to exchange for rations before the labor points are exchanged? You have to pay for the difference in grain, and this is called an overdraft household
Most of the time, the Xu family is considered to be in between, that is, work points and food exchange, most of the family’s money depends on the dividends of the side business
This year’s harvest has been good, with about 80 cents a laborer
That’s one hundred and ninety-one dollars for three hundred and sixty-five days a year
Of course, it’s not enough to work 365 days, but strong laborers have work all year round, like Xu Wen and Xu Qiushi, who each need more than 300 jobs a year
This year, Xu Qiushi worked 348 jobs for 178 yuan and 40 cents Xu Wen worked 350 jobs for 180 yuan
Zhu Meizhen earned one hundred and ninety-one dollars, and Sang Xiaoqing one hundred and seventy-nine dollars and ten cents
Xu Wen earned forty-eight dollars and thirty cents, and Xu Che had forty-one dollars
This was just the labor money
Each person was three hundred and sixty pounds of gross grain, and their family of seven would need two thousand five hundred and ten pounds of grain
Xu asked the population did not want to grain are exchanged for money, so that after deducting the grain money is still left a lot
In fact, the production team’s specific figures have not yet come out, but the difference is not bad, because the Xu family themselves also keep track of the work, Xu asked and learned, can be completely their own calculations
This is the number she calculated
The Xu family is very happy, so that next year to build a house will have a little more money less debt
Taking advantage of the fact that the Xu family was happy, Xu Man took the opportunity to speak, “Grandma, mom, dad, brother and sister-in-law, I’d like to discuss a matter with you I want to quit school!”
The Xu family was quiet for a split second, then suddenly became anxious
Could they not be anxious?
The fall harvest had just ended before the accounts were settled, when the most authoritative newspaper published a news or notice announcing the resumption of the college entrance examination, which had been suspended for eleven years
The whole country was abuzz
That night was a high point for the Xu family
On the threshing floor, all the members of the community gathered around the Xu family to praise them
Who would have thought that the college entrance examination, which had been suspended for more than ten years, would suddenly be resumed?
Those members of the community who watched the Xu family’s activities and felt that the Xu family’s spoiled daughter was a bit of a no-no, and who didn’t talk about it behind their backs, were even more likely to turn around and praise the Xu family for their foresight
They also said that Xu Wen was a good student and would definitely be able to go to university
Then Xu Wen will be the first female college student in their production team
No one else praised her, but the Xu family was very happy about such a good thing
At this time, Xu Wen wanted to quit school again?
This time, not to mention Xu Qiushi, even Xu Wen was so anxious that he slapped the table, “Xu Man, are you crazy? How big of a deal is it that you have to quit school at this time? You used to say that it was because your family didn’t have any money, but now you live in a big courtyard by yourself, and Lu Yuanzheng left you enough money to spend until you go to university, and now you’re even saying you want to quit school?”
“Xu Che, you take Dongsheng outside to play for a while” Xu Wen patted his brother with his son
Xu Che let out a cry and led Dongsheng outside, “Go, little uncle will take you to buy candies to eat!”
Seeing that Xu asked had to send Dongsheng away before he could speak, there was something else he didn’t understand
“You for this child?” Xu Qiushi frowned, “Xu Man, do you know what it means to go to college?”
“Know” Compared to the excitement of the Xu family, Xu Man was a little too calm, “I seriously considered it for more than half a month Only then did I decide!”
Zhu Meizhen had an anxious look on her face, “Ask, I know that you like this child Dongsheng I also know that this time your aunt didn’t take care of him and you were very angry and heartbroken when he had such a serious illness But then again, a stepmother can’t take a lifetime, right? You’ve been going to school for so many years, and you’re only two months away from the last two months, Xu Wen! How can we not endure these two months?”
“Mom, these two months are good What about after that? What about after I go to college? I can’t take him to college with me, can I? We still have to separate This time, the doctor said that if we send him a little later, Dongsheng will be gone
When I married Lu Yuanzheng, his only request was for me to take care of Dongsheng If anything happens to Dongsheng, I will never forgive myself
I can take the college entrance exam next year, and if next year doesn’t work there’s still the year after that”
Because Dongsheng is the son of two martyrs who died for the country
This is a secret that cannot be told to others for the time being
Dongsheng parents sacrificed to protect the people, but he did not get the care he deserved, really made a mistake here in his own, Xu Wen really can not forgive himself
Sang Xiaoqing was so anxious that she cried out: ”Ask, it’s all my fault, I’m the one who caused you harm If I hadn’t been so blinded by lard that day, you wouldn’t have been in such a hurry to get married If you hadn’t married, you wouldn’t have to give birth to a stepmother, and you would have been able to go to college! It’s all my fault!”
Sang Xiaoqing was truly remorseful
She complained that she could not have imagined that the college entrance examination would be resumed so soon
If Xu Man could go to college, she would go out and straighten her back for a few minutes, but if Xu Man could not go to college because of Dongsheng, not to mention the Xu family, she could not forgive herself
Just because she is careful, she will harm Xu Man for the rest of his life?
Xu Man shook his head and comforted Sang Xiaoqing, “Sister-in-law, it’s really not because of you”
Sang Xiaoqing didn’t know that the college entrance examination was going to be resumed she knew
Even after Wen Yiming told her that the college entrance exam would be reinstated in October, she still nodded her head and married Lu Yuanzheng
Xu Wen let out a long sigh and slapped himself
Xu Wen was busy stopping him, “What are you doing, First Brother?”
“Maybe you’re not all because of me and your sister-in-law, but at the very least me and your sister-in-law accounted for a few of the reasons you got married I thought that after you got married and moved out of the house to be free, I didn’t realize that the child had become a burden to you again Xu Man, I promise you that if you keep Dongsheng in our family, I will treat him as my own son, and I will never let him suffer, and you will continue to study, okay? I’m begging you! If you quit school now, your sister-in-law and I will have a bad conscience for the rest of our lives!”
Xu Man was silent
The opportunity to take the college entrance exam was too precious for people nowadays
Compared to those who had given up on their studies for a long, long time, Xu Man’s advantage as a freshman was particularly great
Of course, not being a freshman also gave her a big advantage
After two lifetimes of studying hard, can the advantage not be great?
Grandma’s idea: “Ask, now Dongsheng is not kindergarten? You have to let go, to the county to rent a house to live, you give him to the county to find a kindergarten on the line? No matter what, let’s take the university exam first We’ll see if we can pass the exams, okay?”
“Grandma” Xu Wen sighed softly, “I’ve also thought about letting Dongsheng go to kindergarten in the county But I have to go to school earlier than him in the morning, and I can’t pick him up later in the afternoon”
“I’ll be responsible for picking him up and dropping him off!” Sister-in-law raised her hand, “It’s only for two months? I’ll accompany you to the county town, and I’ll pick up and drop off the child for you Now that the farming season is over, there’s less work for me to do in the team”
“I think this is a good idea!” Zhu Meizhen expressed her approval, “This way your sister-in-law can still have a good rest after picking up and dropping off the kids”
“I also think it’s okay” Xu Qiushi nodded
Xu Wen looked at Xu Wen expectantly, “Ask, will it work?”
Sang Xiaoqing added, “I can also cook for you two!”
She was now past the stage of pregnancy vomiting, and was able to eat, drink, and sleep very well, so cooking was not a problem at all
Xu Wen hesitated, but still nodded
She knew very well that this was quenching her thirst for plums, but with the Xu family being like this, there was really no way for her to refuse
Xu Wen is very clear that she can get into the university, wait until the acceptance letter down, or have to face the decision again
I’ll talk about it when the time comes! The big deal is to rent a house near the school and bring Dongsheng to work and study half-time
The premise is that Lu Yuanzheng returns peacefully