On the first day of the Lunar New Year, Zhang Chunnuan received all the children in the village at home, ranging from 18 to just learning to walk.

I don't know where they heard that the Shen family had a lot of sweet candies, and they came in droves.

Hearing the auspicious New Year greetings, Zhang Chunnuan's ears almost became calloused, so he sent the children away after consuming two kilograms of melon seeds, three kilograms of maltose, and two kilograms of fruit candy.

Later, Zhang Chunnuan found out that the mistress had given her the snacks when she went to set off the cannons the night before. She brought a bag of candies to show off and caused the incident.

Later, she asked the mistress about the reason. The mistress mistakenly thought that she was going to be scolded, so she cried and said that she wanted other children who had parents who loved her to see that he was also loved by others.

Later, the matter ended like this, but Zhang Chunnuan still made it clear to the mistress seriously.

From now on, you can no longer tell others what you eat or what you wear at home.

In order to make the mistress remember, Zhang Chunnuan even threatened him that if others knew that his family was living a good life, they would come and steal, and they would starve and freeze.

The mistress, who had experienced days of hunger and cold, remembered Zhang Chunnuan's words and never told the outside world about her family affairs.

The custom on the second day of the Lunar New Year is to go back to her parents' home. Zhang Chunnuan didn't even think of the Zhang family in Luosigou Village, so she didn't go back.

As a result, Zhang's mother-in-law and daughter-in-law, who were waiting for Zhang Chunnuan to come home for help, ignored the taboos of celebrating the festival and cursed wildly at home.

Zhang Chunnuan: "A sneeze - a sneeze -"

What little brat is scolding Ba Ba!

On the third, fourth, and fifth day of the lunar month...the days passed as Zhang Chunnuan ate, drank, and took care of her baby to entertain her mistress.

On the second day after the Lantern Festival, Zhou Lixue, the production team leader of Shanjiao Village, who had gone to the brigade to hold a meeting, called the heads of every household in the village to a meeting.

When he came back in the afternoon, Father Shen rarely went to see the two little kids. Instead, he squatted in the courtyard and smoked.

Zhang Chunnuan had just finished cooking dinner and was about to order dinner when he saw Father Shen's wrinkled and frowning face amid the smoke.

She walked over and said softly: "Dad, it's time to eat."

"Ah? Oh, eat, yes eat." Father Shen seemed to be distracted, and did not react immediately when he heard Zhang Chunnuan's words.

He turned the smoking pot upside down and knocked it on the ground twice before getting up and walking into the main room.

Zhang Chunnuan followed him two steps behind, thinking as he walked, what on earth made Father Shen so worried?

Entering the main room, the mistress has already set out the bowls and chopsticks and served the rice.

Dry pot cured fish, stir-fried cabbage, egg drop soup, and white rice.

Although it is not as sumptuous as the New Year's Eve dinner, it can still be called a luxury in this era.

However, faced with such a meal, Father Shen felt like it was nothing, and he ate mechanically without saying a word.

Because of him, the atmosphere at the entire dinner table was extremely solemn.

After the meal, Father Shen didn't say anything. He just sat in the main room and smoked. It wasn't until Zhang Chunnuan finished giving the two children a bath and she was about to go back to the room that he stopped her:

"Nuan'er, wait a minute, daddy has something to tell you."

Zhang Chunnuan said "Okay", sat down in the main room, looked at Father Shen, and couldn't help but say:

"Dad, please stop smoking. Even if it's not for your own health, you should think about it in Qi Qi and Qi Qiu."

When Father Shen heard this, his hand holding the pipe paused, he put out the tobacco, and let out a long sigh.

"Dad, if you have any difficulties, just tell me and let me and my mistress listen. Maybe it's not as difficult as you think!"

Zhang Chunnuan said, waving to the mistress who was looking out of Father Shen's room.

"Grandpa, my aunt is right, don't worry." The third son ran over and gently patted Father Shen on the shoulder.

After the two men's persuasion, Father Shen finally spoke.

"The team went to a meeting today, and Shuanzi brought a message from the brigade, saying that our brigade is going to dig a ditch to divert river water from Xiahe Village to the brothers' brigade next door."

Zhang Chunnuan was a little confused. Did digging ditches make Father Shen so worried?

Before she could ask her doubts, Father Shen continued:

"Shuanzi said that the two brigades started working separately, digging from both ends according to the route prescribed by the commune, and finally connected them into a ditch.

Because it is a task assigned by the commune and we are helping each other with the brother brigade, we are required to send one person from each household of the Peace Brigade to participate in the ditch digging task."

When Zhang Chunnuan heard this, he snarled and said, "Just go! Dad, you are old. Digging ditches and doing water conservancy work are all hard work. Don't go, I will go!"

"Alas..." Father Shen sighed again: "Nuan'er, you can't go!"

Zhang Chunnuan was confused: "What do you mean? Why can't I go?"

Father Shen looked at her: "Dad has already made an agreement with Shuanzi. In our family, dad will go. As for you, you will take care of the children at home."

"Dad, you can't go!" Zhang Chunnuan said anxiously: "Why can't I go?"

Digging ditches in this day and age is not something we will do in the future. We use excavators to dig trenches, but they are dug manually with hoes.

The terrain near Daliang Commune is a bit like the karst landform of her time, with many rocks.

If there happens to be a large rock that is shallowly buried or exposed under the trench route planned by the commune, you can only use a pickaxe to tap it little by little.

Coupled with the collective tasks, there must be a big pot of rice to eat. Not to mention the lack of oil and water, I don’t know whether I can eat enough.

Letting Father Shen go is just like booking a high-speed train ticket for him to the underworld in advance!

When Father Shen saw that Zhang Chunnuan did not agree to go, he could only persuade her with earnest words: "Nuan'er, it's not that I don't want you to go, but you really can't go!

Do you know where Xiahe Village is? After crossing Tieniushan Mountain and walking another ten miles, the first big village you encounter is Shanghe Village. Walking ten miles along the river from Shanghe Village is Xiahe Village.

And if we want to go there, we can't climb over Tieniushan Mountain. We have to take a long detour from Niutou Village, which is even further.

If you dig ditches, you won't be able to go back home and have to live with the others. What about seventeen and eight months?"

Seeing the two arguing endlessly, the youngest son hurriedly interjected: "I'm going! I'm going! Since grandpa can't go and aunt wants to take the younger brothers and sisters, then I'll go!"

Zhang Chunnuan rolled her eyes at him, "You're not as good as a hoe! Where are you going!"

After scolding the mistress for causing trouble, Zhang Chunnuan lowered her head and fell into deep thought. However, listening to Father Shen's sigh, she really couldn't think of any solution.

He could only say: "Dad, don't think so much first. I will go to the brigade to ask questions early tomorrow morning. We will definitely be able to come up with a solution!"

After saying that, she rushed her mistress and coaxed Father Shen to sleep.

However, that night, the young and old of the Shen family kept their eyes open until dawn, and no one fell asleep.

Early the next morning, Zhang Chunnuan went to Zhou Li's house without even having time to eat breakfast.
Chapter completed!