Xu Mumu played with her little brother on the shallow side of the riverbank. There were also so onlookers on the shore. She didn’t let the little guy play in the water for too long. After they ca ashore, she put sandals on him.
Xu Mumu took the little guy to see the crabs that the other kids had caught. They managed to get half a bucket full; the children were quite capable.
With more than half a bucket of river crabs, Xu Mumu was just as excited, knowing they could continue to enjoy crabs tonight.
That evening, Xu Mumu didn’t take charge of the cooking. Qian Ying took over from Xu Mumu, who had shown her how to make spicy crabs the day before. It wasn’t difficult; they had enough chili peppers at ho to have a few more als without any problems.
As they ate crabs that evening, Xu Mumu felt that her second aunt’s cooking was undoubtedly the best in the family. The spicy crabs tasted much better than hers, and she was very satisfied with the taste.
There were plenty of crabs today, and everyone ate their fill.
They replaced several of the beams in the house, and so of the straw too, making the whole house feel a few grades newer.
As for their own side, they didn’t bother with it. The main house was still in good condition, and two rooms were recently renovated. Any leaks in the roof were covered with tarpaulin, so there were no leaks at all.
In just four days, they managed to replace all the beams.
Over at Liu Laizi’s place, it took about two days, and there were quite a few people helping. As long as they plastered the mud walls, the beams could still make do with the previous ones. They borrowed so straw from another family, and the two-room house was built.
Zhao Guodong looked at Liu Laizi in front of him, looking quite displeased.
"Mr. Zhao, please help . Only my mom and I are left, and our house collapsed, leaving us with nothing. Could you lend so grain? I’ll return it as soon as I get so." Liu Laizi looked expectantly at Zhao Guodong.
Zhao Guodong’s face looked very unhappy. He had already given Liu Laizi half a bag of sweet potatoes and found people to help rebuild their house. He had done more than enough, and yet they ca to him again for grain. Liu Laizi had borrowed from them several tis, sotis even Old Lady Xin ca to borrow, and they never returned it.
"I don’t have enough grain for my own family. You don’t work, where would grain co from?" Zhao Guodong said angrily. His wife had just reminded him repeatedly not to lend any more grain to Liu Laizi’s family. If he lent grain to other families, they would surely return it and show gratitude. But lending to Liu Laizi’s family ant it would never co back, and they’d take it for granted.
"Mr. Zhao, I could sll it. Your family had at for lunch. How can there be no grain?" Liu Laizi was also unhappy. He had offended almost everyone in the brigade, and Zhao Guodong’s family was the only one he could still turn to because Zhao Guodong was considered kindhearted.
"My family’s grain wasn’t blown in by the wind. I have a lot of mouths to feed. You’d better leave." Zhao Guodong felt ntally exhausted. There were always a few bad apples in the team, and Liu Laizi was one of them.
"Captain, my family can’t even eat anymore. Please help us." Liu Laizi was stubborn about not leaving until he got so grain.
"Get out of here! We have no grain to lend!" The captain’s wife ca out with a broom, swinging it at Liu Laizi.
"Murder! The captain’s wife has gone crazy! Murder!" Liu Laizi, used to being a rogue, started running around the yard even though he wasn’t hit at all, refusing to leave.
Hearing Liu Laizi’s loud voice attracted the attention of several nearby households.
Zhao Guodong’s face darkened further, having never dealt with such hopeless cases before.
"Enough! Both of you stop!" Zhao Guodong’s voice was stern.
Both of them stopped. The captain’s wife still held the broom, guarding against Liu Laizi, determined that Zhao Guodong wouldn’t lend them any more grain!!
"Go ho. There’s no extra grain for you here." Zhao Guodong looked coldly at Liu Laizi, feeling utterly disheartened and drained. As the captain, he believed he had been fully responsible toward his brigade, but he had had enough of people like Liu Laizi.
"Captain, how can you be like this? Aren’t you supposed to serve the people? Are you just going to let my family starve? Do you want to report you to the county and have you removed from your position as captain?" Liu Laizi’s expression was also grim, threatening Zhao Guodong.
"Go ahead. It’s about ti for a new election next year anyway, and I’m tired." Zhao Guodong said coldly. Seeing Liu Laizi, he no longer felt like advising him.
He used to think about educating Liu Laizi and getting him to reform and stop being a rogue.
But now, for such an ungrateful person, he felt foolish for ever bothering to help. Better off letting him fend for himself outside.
Despite intending to create trouble, seeing Zhao Guodong’s indifferent expression made Liu Laizi pause, realizing that he had lost his patience with him.
Leaving the captain’s house with a sour expression, Liu Laizi pondered how to get grain. The little bit of sweet potatoes Zhao Guodong gave would only last until tomorrow. He didn’t want to go hungry.
Liu Laizi’s gaze swept across Zhao Qing, who was coming back with a cloth bag. Zhao Guodong’s two sons were both accomplished: the elder worked in a city factory, and the younger was in college. Liu Laizi lowered his head, suppressing the malice that was rising within him as he passed by Zhao Qing.
After Liu Laizi left, Zhao Qing glanced at his back, frowning slightly with an uneasy feeling.
When Zhao Qing returned ho, he learned why Liu Laizi had visited. Zhao Qing pursed his lips slightly. Over the years, Liu Laizi had borrowed quite a bit of grain from their family. Honestly, he didn’t want his father to be the captain anymore. Since becoming captain, his father had sacrificed too much for the brigade.
During hard tis, Zhao Guodong would lend a hand to families in need, often from their own supplies. Their own situation only improved when his elder brother found a job.
"Dad, don’t be upset over Liu Laizi. He’s not worth it. I just got the clothes my sister made for you and mom. Try them on." Zhao Qing said gently. He had visited his sister today—she was doing well after getting married and was now expecting a child. He finally had the ti to visit her during his break.
Zhao Guodong had found a reasonable family for Xii. After all, Xii had two accomplished brothers—one working in the city and the other in college. Once out of college, he’d have a secure job. Xii was healthy and clearly capable of bearing children. Even if her first child was a girl, there was still the possibility of having a son later.
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