pdf-ebookys Chapter 197 My Wife is So Thoughtful
Chapter 197 My Wife is So Thoughtful
"Attention all villagers! Tomorrow morning at 7:00 AM, all members must attend a meeting at the brigade headquarters to assign spring plowing tasks. No one is allowed to be absent!"
"repeat……"
When Li Xiangyang and Wang Ergou returned to the village, they had just parked their bicycles when they heard the loudspeaker broadcast the resonant announcement of the new production team leader, Zheng Dehou.
Since Zhang Dashan was dismissed from his post because of that incident, and Li Xiangyang's mother resigned as team leader after joining the Agriculture Bureau, Zheng Dehou became the team leader.
Zheng Dehou was a soldier with high ideological awareness, making him the perfect candidate for team leader. The old Party Secretary's decision to appoint him as team leader was indeed a good one.
However, he is still quite young, and it remains to be seen whether he can win people's hearts.
Of course, who is the captain doesn't matter much to the two of them; their main principle is simply to follow orders.
Of course, it would be even better if I could find a leisurely job that didn't require me to farm.
After parting ways with Wang Ergou, Li Xiangyang went home, tidied up, and went to bed early.
The next morning, before dawn, the entire courtyard of the brigade headquarters was filled with people.
The commune members gathered in twos and threes, chatting idly.
"This year, our team must unify our thinking!" Zheng Dehou stood on the platform, his voice booming. "Last year, our yield was only 400 jin per mu, but this year the county has set a target of 700 jin per mu! This is not just empty talk."
A murmur arose from the audience.
"Quiet!" Zheng Dehou slammed his hand on the table. "We must learn from Dazhai's team and implement the spirit of 'Learning from Dazhai in Agriculture.' This spring, from land preparation to sowing, everything must be done according to the rules. There must be standards for how many seeds to use per acre and how deep to plant them!"
He pulled out a notebook, opened it, and said, "Now, let's assign tasks. Li Manfu, you take ten men to be in charge of the rice paddies in the south. Wang Dazhu, you take men to the north..."
Halfway through the allocation, Zheng Dehou suddenly said, "There's also the livestock part; someone needs to look after the cattle and horses. Last year, our team's livestock lost a lot of weight; we can't let that happen again this year."
The audience fell silent.
Raising livestock is a dirty and tiring job; it's really hard to do if you're not a strong laborer.
However, no one would be willing to do this job if it were a strong laborer, because the work points are few.
"Wang Ergou and I will do this job!"
After a brief silence, as Zheng Dehou's expression grew increasingly grim, Li Xiangyang's voice rang out from the crowd, and everyone turned to look at him.
"Are you sure?" Zheng Dehou was taken aback, not expecting him to be so aware. He immediately said, "The work points for raising livestock are low, only twenty work points a month."
“I know,” Li Xiangyang nodded. “This work is much easier than plowing, so it’s understandable that the work points are lower. Wang Ergou and I are strong, and we often go up the mountain, so we’re familiar with the animals and are perfect for taking care of cattle and horses.”
Wang Ergou quickly chimed in, "Yes, Captain, let us do it!"
Zheng Dehou thought for a moment: "Alright, then this job is yours. The team currently has four oxen and two horses. You need to keep them well-fed and healthy. Otherwise, if it delays spring plowing, you can't afford the responsibility."
"We guarantee to complete the mission!" Li Xiangyang and Wang Ergou said in unison.
After the tasks were assigned, the crowd gradually dispersed, and the educated youth walked back in twos and threes.
Li Xiaoyun wanted to wait for Li Xiangyang, but Ma Hongxia grabbed her arm.
"Xiaoyun, are you waiting for Brother Xiangyang?" Ma Hongxia said with a smile, but her eyes were glancing in the direction of Wang Ergou.
“Yes,” Li Xiaoyun said softly, “we haven’t really spoken to each other for many days.”
“That’s perfect, I’ll wait for Er Gou too.” Ma Hongxia’s face flushed.
Just as Li Xiangyang and Wang Ergou were about to walk towards the livestock shed, they saw two girls standing not far away.
Under the sunlight, Li Xiaoyun wore a gray-blue cotton jacket, and a faint smile graced her delicate face.
"Xiaoyun." Li Xiangyang walked over quickly, his eyes full of tenderness.
Wang Ergou also ran up to Ma Hongxia's side, but didn't know what to say, so he just grinned foolishly.
"Are you going to check on the livestock?" Li Xiaoyun asked. "Do you need my help?"
“No need,” Li Xiangyang quickly shook his head, “that place is dirty and smelly.”
“I don’t mind,” Li Xiaoyun smiled. “Besides, after we get married, I’ll have to learn to do these chores too.”
Upon hearing these words, Li Xiangyang felt a warmth in his heart.
Ma Hongxia, who was standing next to Wang Ergou, also glanced at him secretly, and her face turned even redder.
"Then, shall we go and take a look together?" Wang Ergou finally found a chance to speak.
The four of them chatted and laughed as they walked toward the livestock shed.
On the way, Li Xiaoyun quietly took Li Xiangyang's hand and whispered, "Did you deliberately choose this job?"
"Yes." Li Xiangyang nodded. "Although the work points are fewer, there's more free time, and I can spend more time with you after we get married."
Hearing this, Li Xiaoyun felt a surge of joy, but deliberately put on a stern face: "If I get fewer work points, I'll get less food too. Don't let me go hungry."
"Don't worry," Li Xiangyang said with a smile, "Even if you get fewer work points, I'll still make sure you live a life of luxury."
Hearing this, Wang Ergou, who was walking behind, wanted to say something to Ma Hongxia, but he swallowed his words back.
Ma Hongxia glanced at him furtively and sighed inwardly. This simpleton, why can't he speak properly?
When they arrived at the livestock shed, the group started cleaning together.
Although Li Xiaoyun and Ma Hongxia were city girls, they weren't afraid of getting dirty. One swept the floor and the other wiped the trough, working enthusiastically.
"Little Tiger, Black Cat!" Li Xiangyang suddenly shouted.
Two little guys suddenly appeared out of nowhere and were wandering around outside the livestock shed.
"Are they hungry?" Li Xiaoyun asked.
“No,” Li Xiangyang said with a smile, “If these two little guys were really hungry, they would have gone into the mountains to find food on their own if I didn’t feed them. They must be bored at home and came looking for me. It’s good that they’re here; with them around, the fodder won’t be ruined by the mice.”
Just as Li Xiangyang had said, Xiao Hu's boundless energy was fully released upon seeing the mouse.
The black cat watched its antics with disdain.
In just one morning, the livestock shed was completely transformed.
Around noon, Li Xiaoyun took out a few steamed buns and a small jar of pickled vegetables from her cloth bag.
“I brought this especially for you,” she said, her face slightly flushed. “You must be tired from working, have something to eat.”
Li Xiangyang took the steamed bun and looked at her tenderly.
This instantly made Li Xiaoyun feel embarrassed.
"You two eat too." Li Xiaoyun divided the steamed buns among Wang Ergou and Ma Hongxia.
Wang Ergou took the steamed bun and secretly glanced at Ma Hongxia: "You eat too."
After saying that, she blushed and lowered her head.
Ma Hongxia smiled, broke the steamed bun in half, and handed one half to Wang Ergou: "Half for each of us, we're all family."
The group sat on the stone at the entrance of the livestock shed, eating steamed buns and talking.
The spring sunshine is warm and pleasant, and it feels incredibly comfortable on the skin.
“Oh, right,” Li Xiaoyun suddenly remembered something, “I have a copy of ‘Rural Youth’ here, there’s an article in it about raising cattle, would you like to take a look?”
Li Xiangyang laughed and said, "My wife is so thoughtful."
The word "wife" brought a blush to Li Xiaoyun's face.