Chapter 89

Xu Man refused: “You asked me for help but you gave Lu Yuanzheng a drink and bought snacks for Dongsheng, but not me?”

Shi Lei spread his hands with a bitter face, “Isn’t it impossible? If I want to buy you something, that old Lu won’t even let me in!”

Lu Yuanzheng retorted, “You can still give a red envelope”

Shi Lei immediately dug into his pocket, and after feeling around for a while, he didn’t find any money, and snapped, “How can I give you a red packet if it’s not for New Year’s or holidays? Sister-in-law, you helped me this time, I’ll give you a big red packet in the New Year”

Xu Wen saw that Lu Yuanzheng was deliberately making things difficult, but Shi Lei cooperated, knowing that this was a real problem, and asked him, “What do you need me to do?”

“Think of ways to find something for the children or sisters-in-law on the island to do, to distract their attention” In fact, the same meaning, the children are busy, the sisters-in-law must also be busy

Shi Lei had a bitter face, “I’m an instructor and I’m about to become a women’s director”

Lu Yuanzheng drank the wine brought by Shi Lei, but also particularly unkindly ridiculed him: “I think this job is quite suitable for you”

Shi Lei glared at him, “Don’t think you can stay out of it A fire in the warriors’ backyard, I don’t believe you’ll be able to manage it well”

Lu Yuanzheng was particularly shameless, “It’s not bad, the impact isn’t too big”

Xu Wen knew that he was pretending, and it still had an impact

She didn’t rebuff Shi Lei’s request and asked the two of them, “Didn’t you say you’ll be sharing your own land? If we have land to plant and raise chickens and ducks, sisters-in-law will have something to do!”

Lu Yuanzheng pinched his eyebrows, “It’s not that I don’t want to, but I don’t have the time yet The harbor has to be built, the windmill has to be installed, the soldiers still have to train, and in a while there will be missions In short, I can’t take care of it ”

Shi Lei sighed, “I’m the same! I don’t have time to deal with the matter of dividing the land Besides, it’s not easy to divide the land”

When it comes to reserving land, not to mention Shi Lei, even Lu Yuanzheng had some headaches

Lu Yuanzheng took a small sip of wine, the wine on the island is relatively poor quality, a sip of spicy, he pulled his lips, “This is different from the production team, if the production team’s land is distributed to the households, it will be directly distributed according to the number of people But the families with the military on the island are not fixed, if they are divided down according to the number of existing sister-in-laws, what about the sister-in-laws that come back later?”

“Set aside a portion?” Xu Man proposed

“How much? For how long? Besides, it would be better to leave it fallow than to give it to your sister-in-law to plant, wouldn’t it?” Shi Lei said, this was something he had discussed with Lu Yuanzheng, but both of them were busy and didn’t look into the details

Xu Wen also sat at the table, tapping his fingers on the desktop, and after a while he spoke, “The land will only be divided for two years It will only be counted up to eighty years Married soldiers and officers who accompany the army will all report in advance How many married soldiers there are on the island, how many shares of land will be distributed The military family members who come with the island plant one share, and if there are no family members who come with the military, we can plant them collectively, or we can entrust them to one or a few military wives to plant the land or raise poultry and livestock When the grain is collected and sold to the battalion headquarters or sold outside, it will be converted into cash and distributed to those sisters-in-law who have not come

Of course, one has to appropriately give a portion of the hard-earned money to the sisters-in-law who helped take charge of managing this portion of the land, and this money can be deducted out to the sisters-in-law after the grain is collected or the poultry is sold”

Shi Lei wondered, “Why only count for two years? Redistribute it after two years?”

Lu Yuanzheng appreciated, “This is a good solution Let’s start with this Let’s get through these two years first and wait until two years later”

Of course he knew why Xu Man said two years

Xu Man had told him that next year he would start subcontracting land to households

Next year and the year after that, reform and opening up would gradually begin, and by then, it would be reasonable and legal for individuals to do business

When that time comes, the land can continue to be subdivided according to the existing model, or it can be contracted out to someone

Xu Man told him that she wanted to bring her sisters-in-law to do something when she could reform and open up

So the time Xu Man gave was two years

Besides, the island is changing every day, who knows what it will be like in two years?

Shi Lei thought about it, and painfully agreed, “Then I’ll go back and arrange for someone to get the land division”

Xu Man raised his hand and stopped, “Don’t be in a hurry Just planting the land won’t work It is estimated that there is not much land in one person’s hand, and it will take some time to begin to organize the land and sow seeds or buy chickens and ducks, and when things are straightened out, they can be finished in one morning and one night, and it won’t take up much of your sisters-in-law’s time”

Shi Lei thought about it and sat back, “Sister-in-law, do you have any other ideas?”

Xu Wen shook her head, “There isn’t too good a way”

She thought about leading her sisters-in-law in a square dance, but there was no suitable music

Moreover, people in the seventies were generally simple and capable, and didn’t push for mere fun and games

After a pause, Xu Wen added, “How about a competition? Or a series of contests”

“A competition?” Lu Yuanzheng raised his eyebrows, what kind of competition could a group of women and children organize? Surfing wasn’t realistic

Xu Man nodded and said an idea that had been in the works for a long time but hadn’t been very mature, “Such as judging the most beautiful military wife?”

Shi Lei raised his hand, “Sister-in-law, how can we compare this? I’ll just give you the award directly”

Xu asked, “”

For a moment, he didn’t know whether to be ashamed or embarrassed, crying and laughing, “I don’t mean this I meant to evaluate from various aspects, moral, intellectual, physical, aesthetic, and labor Or get a separate competition For example, the island warriors’ shoes cost extraordinarily much, and they can’t keep up with the war preparations You can let your sisters-in-law help make them, and see who makes more and does a better job!”

The officers and soldiers didn’t have to pay for their own food, clothing, housing, and transportation, but there were standards for all the food and clothing

For example, three meals a day, each soldier a dollar standard, a company of one hundred people, then this day to supply the company all the food, including firewood, rice, oil and salt is worth a total of three hundred dollars, the rest is not refundable, less will not make up

Clothes and shoes, too, are issued yearly or quarterly, and from the time of this receipt until the next, breakage is at one’s own expense, and no excuse is allowed for not wearing them

Theoretically, the clothes, shoes, socks, and all kinds of labor insurance supplies were given only as much as they needed, and most of the soldiers would have leftovers, and some of them would even send them home

In the past, when they were in the compound Lu Yuanzheng was also, there would always be some left over, and they had also sent some to their uncles

However, when they first came to the island this island was still uninhabited, it was all reclaimed by them little by little, the grass stubble mud and hard gravel were all particularly unfriendly to shoes

Even the green rubber shoes were useless, and would still break down at an alarming rate

The highest selling item in Sister Li’s kiosk is also the shoes

When Shi Lei heard this, he clapped his hands and praised, “This is really a good idea that kills many birds with one stone!”

It can both help the soldiers and find something for the sister-in-laws to do

Lu Yuanzheng, however, shook his head, “Sister-in-laws shouldn’t be able to make rubber shoes”

“Right!” Shi Lei’s smile froze on his face, “This is a big trouble”

Xu Wen was also hit by this, “The temperature on the island is high, and it’s hot for most of the year Wearing rubber shoes for a long time is bad for your feet I think most of the soldiers, their feet or legs should have blisters that itch more and more the more they scratch, right?”

They were prone to getting foot odor

Lu Yuanzheng nodded his head

Shi Lei also concurred, “Right, right! The vast majority of people have it I’m also It’s too painful!”

“It’s also related to the fact that you guys wear airless shoes for a long time That’s why my suggestion is to not let my sisters-in-law make rubber shoes but instead make cloth shoes with thousand-layer soles, which are both comfortable and nourishing to the feet”

“This is a good idea!” Shi Lei applauded

Lu Yuanzheng still had a doubt: “Not all the sisters-in-law know how to knit soles”

“I don’t either” Xu asked, “So before the official competition, we can ask the sister-in-laws who are particularly good at shoe-making to teach everyone for a while first At that time, we can then choose a day for everyone to compete together”

Lu Yuanzheng nodded, “That’s fine The prizes can be better if the sister-in-laws work so hard”

“Right! No matter if we win or lose, every stitch is a token of the sisters-in-law’s appreciation Then, sister-in-law, I’ll have to trouble you to take care of this” Shi Lei had a headache, “I’m too busy with too many things on my hands”

Xu Man spat nonchalantly, “As far as I know, you two, as the biggest officials on this island, at least one of you is assigned a clerk, and there are eight company commanders and eight instructors, and then below that, there are platoon commanders and squad leaders And all the soldiers have one order and one action, easily will not give you trouble

So even if you’re busy formulating new policies on the island, it’s not as if you don’t have time to communicate with your sister-in-law, right?”

Lu Yuanzheng drank and didn’t answer when he didn’t hear

Shi Lei also wanted to drink and pretend to be deaf, but the water in the enameled jar in front of him was at the bottom, so there was no way to even pretend to drink, so he could only touch his nose and heave a dry laugh twice

“Sister-in-law! It’s really not that I’m lazy We are all a group of brown men who will not deal with the pussy women So this matter still needs to trouble sister-in-law you to step in and help Don’t worry, the red packet will definitely not be missing you Tomorrow I’ll call my clerk to assist you, if you need help from the battalion, you can just ask”

Having said this, Xu Wen couldn’t refuse It wasn’t for the sake of receiving Shi Lei’s red packet, it was mainly a bit funny to see the two of them worried like this

Previously, because of the surfing competition cheating, Lu Yuanzheng had once called the people of the first company to the cabin for dinner

Xu Wen listened to them chatting, blowing not, stating over the former splendor of their first company

The most desperate is that they are less than a hundred people, was two thousand people forced to a nowhere to hide in the depression, thought it was going to be heroic, but Lu Yuanzheng how to lead everyone to break through, and finally realized that fewer than more than a beautiful turnaround not to mention that, but also to make their company in the enemy army reputation

This is just one example of the once glorious

Regardless of whether the compliment was sincere at the time, at the very least, Lu Yuanzheng’s might on the battlefield was a fact known to all

Although he hadn’t heard much about Shi Lei, he had been promoted from instructor to instructor, and was also the best of the best from seven or eight instructors

The fact that so many two people were tossed around and came to her for ideas seemed to be a genuine fear of dealing with their sisters-in-law

In fact, Xu Wen didn’t really like it either

Regardless of whether it was in her previous life or this one, Xu Man had good grades and wasn’t poorly liked, but she never liked serving as a student cadre because it was too much of a hassle

For the sake of Lu Yuanzheng, she was happy to be troubled

Xu Man is a man of action, Shi Lei’s front foot, she found a pen and began to do detailed planning for the event

The theme is tentatively set: celebrate New Year’s Day and send warmth

Lu Yuanzheng laughed at her, “The National Day is just a few days away, you’re stretching it too long”

Two months

Xu Wen rolled her eyes and disliked Lu Yuanzheng: “If I say, with your style of behavior, don’t blame your sisters-in-law for getting you into trouble

Do you know how the shoes with thousand-layer soles are made? Do you know how much time and effort it takes for your sisters-in-law to make the thin, lightweight pair of shoes that the soldiers receive from their hometowns? For people like Mrs Li, who were very good at making shoes, two months was not a lot, and it was enough for Mrs Li to make ten or eight pairs of shoes But for someone like me who hasn’t held a needle and thread much, two months isn’t necessarily enough to make a pair”

Lu Yuanzheng: “”

Just one sentence, such a big hat to put on

It was clear that the two of them were the only two people and hadn’t caused any unpleasantness, and now it had become us and you as well

Xu asked with his sisters-in-law, him and his soldiers

Not daring to say any more, he only said, “Alright, you guys take your time to prepare, tomorrow I’ll have someone go out and buy scissors, needles and threads and whatnot”

However, Xu Man didn’t let him off the hook, “Lu Yuanzheng, don’t be unconvinced Don’t be like Shi Lei and think that those sisters-in-law are just looking for trouble because they have nothing better to do They all left their homes and followed them to this isolated island, far away from their parents and friends If they hadn’t suffered great grievances, how could they easily ask for a divorce?”

The seventies were not the twenty-first century, and divorce was worse than death for women at some points

In such a situation, if a woman still wants to talk about divorce, she can only say that the grievances she suffered are far more than they can bear

Lu Yuanzheng was silent for a while before speaking, “There are two sides to everything If you only see how hard it is for your sisters-in-law, you must also see how hard it is for the soldiers Both are difficult!”

Xu Wen gave a short heave, “Yes, you guys are not easy, this I admit”

She had also seen with her own eyes how hard it was for them

But

Xu Wen continued, “Some of the things that are not easy are really self-inflicted The sister-in-law next door, you know, right?”

Lu Yuanzheng really wasn’t too familiar, squinted his eyes and thought for a while, not quite sure, “Li Mao his fiancée?”

Xu Wen nodded, “She’s already argued with Li Mao two or three times this month”

“That’s not all Li Mao’s fault Of the sister-in-laws that give Shi Lei a headache, this Jiang Yi Yi is even one” Lu Yuanzheng couldn’t match the name with the person for a while

“You mean Jiang Yiyi is being unreasonable?” Xu Wen raised an eyebrow, his eyes looking a little annoyed

Their two families were neighbors, and often the two of them, Jiang Yi Yi and Li Mao, would quarrel, and Xu Man could hear it clearly from the bedroom, not to mention, every time Jiang Yi Yi finished quarreling, she would come to Xu Man to complain

Lu Yuanzheng hurriedly pacified Xu Man, “I didn’t say that I’m just being objective and factual”

“Then you mean I’m biased and biased and biased?”

Lu Yuanzheng pinched his brows, “Daughter-in-law, are you planning to argue with me over someone else’s business?”

What’s going on today? Xu Wen wasn’t usually like this

“Is this someone else’s business? It’s also about your attitude!” The more Xu Man spoke, the angrier he got, “You don’t know, when Jiang Yi Yi first arrived, she mentioned Li Mao with a honeyed smile on her face It’s only been a month or so, and she looks like a flower that’s about to wither”

Xu Wen still remembered the first time he saw Jiang Yi Yi, she was sitting by the lake with her eyebrows fluttering as she washed Li Mao’s clothes, looking forward to the future of the two of them with a happy face, and her eyes were filled with a happy light

Now the light in Jiang Yi Yi’s eyes is gradually dispersing, can vaguely see the tendency of Mrs Xianglin

Yesterday meeting, Jiang Yi Yi also cried and said to leave the island to go home Later still, Li Mao came and coaxed people away again

As for the reason for the quarrel, anyway, Jiang Yi Yi is from all aspects of the list a series of Li Mao to her do not care

For example, drinking

Li Mao was an instructor, every day off, he would call a few squad leaders, platoon leaders, or a few squads to take turns to come to the house for dinner

Saying dinner, there must be wine

At that time, Jiang Yi Yi cried while complaining to Xu Man about Li Mao: “He is too much! I know he works hard and it’s not easy for him, so I’ve never interfered with his smoking and drinking But there has to be a degree, right? He’s usually too busy to spend time with me, so when I’m home alone every day, I look forward to his Wednesday nights and weekends off to spend time with me

I imagine that on Wednesday nights I fry two dishes and drink a little wine with him After dinner we go for a walk on the beach hand in hand On weekends we go to the beach together and he teaches me how to swim Or we sleep together until we wake up naturally and talk for a while

But I’ve been here over a month and he’s never been with me, not once!

Drinking on Wednesday nights is just fine, they’re not easy I understand

It’s the weekends that are too much On Saturday mornings they come back from meetings and it’s almost time for lunch, and every time a bunch of them come back and crowd into the living room Even though I didn’t have to cook, Li Mao didn’t have time for me either

At first I was happy, I especially liked it when they talked about things I didn’t know together, so I felt I was a little closer to Li Mao again

But you know what? They could eat this meal from eleven in the morning to four in the afternoon, and after that, they would change to another wave in the evening and wait until just before lights out before breaking up

Although they are very conscientious and always take away the leftovers including the garbage, then I have to wash the dishes, wipe the table and mop the floor, right?

The most outrageous was Li Mao, who was so drunk that he couldn’t even get up from two consecutive drinks He couldn’t even call out He didn’t even have a chance to say a few words to himself!”

Xu Wen listened and couldn’t help but interject, “What about Sunday? You should be free on Sunday, right?”

As a result, Jiang Yi Yi became even more aggrieved, “Not even on Sunday Li Mao alcohol is not good, but also hangover, a sleep to more than ten o’clock, woke up at most pulling me to do that thing Then after lunch not a moment, you get to the battalion meeting, go to the company meeting, anyway, the evening and then back on nine o’clock A week of dashed hopes

Mainly not once, but again and again! He’s never been with me when I’ve come to the island I feel like I just came to provide a place for him to drink and chat with his comrades”

Xu Man finished telling Jiang Yi Yi’s grievances and questioned Lu Yuanzheng, “Can it be that Li Mao has no choice but to drink? Although you guys don’t explicitly ban alcohol, you don’t encourage it either, right? Did Jiang Yi Yi come all the way to the island to party with him?”

Lu Yuanzheng reached out and pulled Xu Man’s arm, forcibly pulling her into the crook of his arm, and first spoke up for himself, “This stupid thing was Li Mao’s doing, not mine Don’t take it out on me!” Then he explained for Li Mao, “Li Mao really has his own difficulties You may not believe me when I tell you, but Li Mao doesn’t usually drink When a soldier’s family comes to the squad and asks him to go, he easily doesn’t go”

“Then why is he buying people drinks as soon as he gets a break now?”

“It’s a long story In fact, you know part of the reason, a while ago the discharge rate hit a record high in previous years The pressure isn’t just on Shi Lei and I here, the various instructors are also under a lot of pressure It’s not easy for his family to come to the team, so does he have to introduce Jiang Yi Yi to his comrades The company commander has to invite, right? The platoon commanders and squad leaders at the bottom have to be invited, right? To be exact, there was no need for Li Mao to invite, everyone would take the initiative to ask When a family member comes to the team, they are all comrades in arms, so they have to come and take a look, don’t they?

If you don’t believe me, ask Jiang Yiyi, surely no one goes to her house empty-handed

And the atmosphere at home is often more relaxed, men! Drinking a drink also talk more Li Mao is also taking the opportunity to do their ideological work”