"It's delicious!" Zhang Youcai couldn't help but praise, "This craftsmanship is really good!"
Lingao noodles are considered a local snack locally and can be found all over the streets. They are also served every day in factories, schools, and military canteens. If Zhang Youcai can say "good craftsmanship", it is naturally extraordinary.
"Sister-in-law Huang made this." The village chief carefully held Tan Shuangxi Jing's White Holy Boat, played with it for a long time, then put it on his lips, lit it, and took a deep breath, "Her powder-making skills are beyond praise.
! Number one in the village. When guests come to the village, she is always arranged to cook."
He watched the two soldiers snoring while eating rice noodles, and said with a smile: "Eat slowly, don't be in a hurry. I will ask Mrs. Huang's son to take you there later. It is busy farming time recently, so he must be at home."
After eating, Tan Shuangxi took out the bill and paid. This kind of double bill is specially used to pay business expenses and can be used to offset taxes. The village chief called the child who had just delivered the meal over: "Liuzi
! Lead the way for these two comrades to Father Fang’s house!”
When Liu Zi heard that he was going to Father Fang's house, he visibly flinched. The village chief smiled and cursed: "What are you afraid of?! The two bosses will go with you. Old Man Fang won't eat you!"
After hearing what he said, the child nodded in agreement. Then he timidly asked the village chief: "Boss! My mother asked when the food money will be given? It hasn't been given for three or four months!"
The village chief said nonchalantly: "The summer tax hasn't been collected yet, where will the money come from? She is indispensable, and I will give it to her after the summer tax is settled!"
Liu Zi did not dare to say anything anymore and only led the two of them on the road. The roads in the village were dirt roads, and it could be seen that they were maintained by people, and they were relatively smooth. Windbreaks were planted on both sides of the road. Botang is a mixed village, with both old local villages and "market villages"
There are also new immigrants resettling in "Bingtun", so the styles of each village along the way are different: some are simple and some are brand-new. Pedestrians on the road also speak with a southern accent and a northern accent.
When walking was boring, Zhang Youcai teased Liu Zi and asked, "I see you are afraid of that old man Fang. Could it be that he is a very difficult person to talk to?"
Liu Zi was only ten years old, and he said angrily: "Not only is it difficult to speak, but he also makes angry remarks in a weird way. If you are not as good as him, you will be angry to death even if you are angry with him for a few words!"
"So, I'm not very popular, right?"
"It depends on whether you have money or not. If you have money, it's good. If you don't have money, it's not good." Liuzi said, "Otherwise it would be the village chief, stationed policemen, and special commissioners of the Tiandihui. He would also be polite.
Dogs look down upon people! Bah!"
Tan Shuangxi and Zhang Youcai looked at each other, it seemed that this family was in trouble.
"Is his family very rich?"
"He was a rich man before the chiefs came, and he is even richer now." Liu Zi said, "He is just very stingy. No one can take advantage of him."
Hearing what the child said, the two of them became more and more depressed. It was not that they wanted to take advantage, but that most of the instigating people were weird and stubborn, and this errand was likely to get tangled up.
After walking for a while, Liuzi suddenly said: "This is the boundary of his home."
Along the way, the land along the way has been carefully cultivated, and the growth is gratifying. But when we get here, a water canal divides the fields on both sides, and there is a clear difference. The land to the west of the water canal is flat, and the canals are crisscrossed. Not only the crops grow better, but all the corners
Cash crops are planted in Kakudo, and it can be seen that every inch of land is carefully utilized.
"Daddy Fang is a master!" Tan Shuangxi, who was also a farmer, praised sincerely.
"Heaven and Earth will teach him." Xiao Liuzi said with some envy, "Originally he was just a small landowner!"
"Has your family invited the Heaven and Earth Party?" Zhang Laicai asked casually.
"After my father died, our family had no money. We couldn't afford to hire people from the Tiandihui. Their seeds are good, but we couldn't afford them either." Liuzi sighed.
While chatting about other people’s sad things, Zhang Youcai had no choice but to change the topic:
"I think your village is well planted!" Tan Shuangxi said sincerely.
"Nothing good is planted anymore." Liuzi said that since the Senate promulgated the "Provisional Regulations on Homestead Land", although each family's land cannot be bought and sold, the management rights can be transferred within a time limit, and families with less land or less labor have gradually
The land was contracted out to large households for cultivation. The land of Liuzi's family was also contracted out.
"... Big households pay land rent every year, so it's not a problem to make ends meet."
“If you don’t farm, what are you going to do in the future?”
"I'm much more capable. I'm not old enough now. I'll go out to be an apprentice when I turn twelve." Liuzi was full of confidence, "My mother's uncle works in Nanbao's printing and dyeing factory. Last time he wrote to me asking what I wanted.
I don’t want to be an apprentice. If I become an apprentice, I can get a salary of one yuan and two cents!”
When he said "one piece and two dimes", his eyes lit up.
Tan Shuangxi smiled: "How old are you? Why don't you go to school?"
"Eleven. I have graduated from junior primary school. My grades in senior primary school were not good and my family couldn't afford it. So I ran errands for the village office to earn a couple of meals."
Zhang Laicai joked: "I see you are quite smart. You might as well sign up for the Army Youth School when you are twelve years old. It's all at public expense!"
"My mother refused." Liuzi shook his head, "My biological father died during the war with us. My stepfather was also disabled in the war. Actually, I do want to go."
"Is your father a martyr?" Tan Shuangxi was quite surprised and asked, "Which battalion is he from?"
"It's not any battalion. I heard from my stepfather: they are all from the old security group. They fought with the pirates in Bopu, and many people died and were maimed. Those who were soldiers at the time were not dead or maimed, and now they are at least a company.
It’s grown.” He sighed helplessly as he spoke.
"You are a bereaved family member. You don't need any money to study in high school."
"Free tuition does not mean free living expenses. My father is missing an arm and cannot do heavy work. I have younger brothers and sisters, and I cannot support a large family with my two father's pensions alone."
"Is this how the village chief still owes money?" Tan Shuangxi became a little angry.
"Although I am in arrears, I will still get paid. At least I can still earn some money by cooking for the public." Liu Zi said rather helplessly.
"Actually, your mother's craftsmanship is pretty good. Since you don't farm in the village, why don't you set up a stall and open a small shop in a nearby market? It's much better than staying in the village and suffering."
Liu Zi said: "They have thought about it, but they are hesitant and have not made up their mind yet. After all, it requires capital to open a store, and I don't know if it can be done. At least they can continue to do errands in the village..."
As he was talking, he suddenly heard someone calling from afar: "Sixth Son——"
Several people looked intently and saw three or four people driving cattle to work in the field. The leader was saying hello to Liu Zi.
Liu Zi also took off the broken straw hat on his head and waved towards the other party.
"This is……"
"He is the foreman of Father Fang's family. His name is Chen Linhuang, and he is also a happy man."
As he was talking, Chen Linhuang had already arrived on the road. He was a strong young man with tanned skin. He only wore a thin linen sweatshirt that was soaked with sweat. His bare forearms showed strong muscles.
What a great young man. Not only is he strong, but his steps are also very light and flexible. He is a good material for a light infantryman. Tan Shuangxi couldn't help but think.
Before he could speak, Liu Zi introduced him: "These two generals came from the team and came to see Father Fang."
Chen Linhuang was originally smiling, but when he heard this sentence, his expression became serious. He looked at the two of them and asked softly: "Is it about Hu Weide?"
Tan Shuangxi knew that most of the people who came were Hu Weide's acquaintances, so he nodded and said, "Yes."
"He..." Chen Linhuang's face became more solemn, "He's not here anymore?!"
Tan Shuangxi nodded heavily: "Yes. We are here to notify his family."
"This fool!" Chen Linhuang was disappointed and angry.
"how……"
Chen Linhuang did not answer his words and said to Liu Zi: "How about you go back and I will take the two bosses to find dad."
"Okay, okay." Liu Zi didn't want to see Old Man Fang at first, but he couldn't be happier to see someone take over.
Chen Linhuang sent away his six sons, said a few words to the long-term workers in the field, and then led the way.
"Dad Fang is not at home right now. Today he is in Xizhuang directing the long-term workers to work. I will ask someone to deliver the letter." After Chen Linhuang finished speaking, he called a person over and gave some instructions. The person ran away quickly.
.
The group of people went to Fang's house. On the way, Zhang Youcai couldn't help but asked: "If the Fang family has West Village, then there must be Dongzhuang?"
"The Fang family's house is in Dongzhuang. Xizhuangzi is just a farmyard, where a few long-term workers live, raise animals and pile things."
"With two Zhuangzi, that's a lot of land, right?" Tan Shuangxi secretly exclaimed, never expecting that Hu Weide's father-in-law was actually a wealthy man!
"About seven or eight hundred acres. Half of it is his own, and the other half is rented from villagers." Chen Linhuang wiped the sweat on his forehead with a towel, "Originally, his family didn't even have a hundred acres of land.
With the support of Tiandihui, we even opened up wasteland and rented land, and now we have become a model household."
"Hu Weide was originally a long-time employee of Father Fang's family, right?"
"Yes, he originally lived in the same house as us. Awei is a well-educated and smart person, and he does things in a very orderly manner. Everyone said that he was delayed in becoming a long-term laborer at Zhuangzi-" Chen Lin
Huang smiled bitterly and said, "It's better if you don't say this!"
Tan Shuangxi had a strange feeling of strangeness while chatting. The Hu Weide mentioned by the foreman and the Hu Weide he knew seemed not to be the same person. Compared with the exaggerated and bragging person he knew, who talked all day long and could not handle basic training well.
Hu Weide, a volunteer soldier, and Hu Weide, a long-term worker, are enthusiastic, capable, and popular. That's right, otherwise, why would the girl from the Fang family fall in love with him? If she wanted to marry him, given the wealth of the Fang family, she would have a lot of room for choice.
In short, this man who was ridiculed by others in the company and platoon probably did have many shining points, but he was just not suitable for the army.
"How is his wife?" Zhang Laicai asked suddenly. He probably felt that what he said was inappropriate, so he quickly added, "I mean, how is their relationship as a couple?"
"Okay." Chen Linhuang sighed a little, "How can a newlywed couple have a bad relationship?"
Tan Shuangxi glared at Zhang Laicai, feeling that his desire for gossip was a bit too strong.