Li Yunqiao answered good-naturedly, but the depth was not the sa.
"Yunqiao, why doesn’t your wife ever co back to the hotown?"
"She is busy with work."
"And you’re busy too?"
"Heh heh, their work is indeed busier than mine."
"Yunqiao, you are the pride of our village, you can’t let your wife ride over your head."
"Second Aunt, don’t worry, that absolutely won’t happen."
"I’m just saying, our Yunqiao is good at everything, that woman is just average. At the ti, when you brought her back, Second Aunt really didn’t think much of her."
Li Yunqiao smiled good-naturedly and said yes.
"Yunqiao, why did you have the kids co back?"
"Sixth Aunt, the outside isn’t safe now. It’s more comfortable to live at ho. Although work is a bit tiring, it’s peace of mind."
"That’s true. I’ve heard many kids are not studying properly now. Always criticizing this and criticizing that. You say they don’t understand the basics."
"Sixth Aunt, you can talk to about this, but don’t say it to outsiders, okay?"
"I know, am I that foolish?"
Li Xue continued working by the girls’ side. The aunts and grandaunts all liked her very much. This child is quiet but not cowardly. You could tell from the way she snapped back at Li Ju last ti.
"Yunqiao, how co your eldest son’s couple hasn’t co back?"
"The eldest’s wife is pregnant. They are saving up their leave so they can rest a few more days after the baby is born."
"True, city folks are precious." This was not sarcastic; Li Yunqiao could tell, as villagers generally speak directly.
"The eldest’s wife is a good one."
"Yunqiao is just a nice guy; in his mind, everyone is good.
Yunqiao, how long can you stay at ho?"
"I’m going back this afternoon, got to work tomorrow."
"Yes, work got to be done. Co back often, now our village is impressive, we have a tractor; I’ve never seen such a handy thing before."
"Sure, now flipping the soil and planting doesn’t require hard labor anymore, next fall there will surely be machines too. Yunqiao, how can people be so smart?"
Li Yunqiao still smiled, the village has indeed developed well. Along the way, he saw many villages with corn stalks still standing, only his village had already planted winter wheat.
He used to do all kinds of farm work, so he knows best the hardships of farrs.
With a tractor, even the elderly in the village can say such things, it’s indeed different now.
"Yunqiao, you don’t know, before at harvest ti, your second uncle was responsible for digging up the corn stalks; at night when coming ho, his arms were all swollen, but this year just using the sickle is enough, really saves effort."
"Sure does. Before, everyone couldn’t lift their heads after the harvest, but this year’s the easiest, that’s why our village planted eight hundred acres of wheat; last year we only planted four hundred acres. Next year everyone can eat white bread without skimping."
Li Xue listened to Dad chatting so well with the village grandmothers, truly unexpected.
Though the chat was lively, their hands were working fast too.
The kids just picked the leftover small peanuts to eat, that’s the kids’ privilege.
"Yun Gui, is it true each household can send one person to the pesticide factory?"
"Yes, each household can have soone work there."
"But our village has more than eighty households, I’ve heard most want to separate households."
"We can arrange it; actually, the pesticide factory won’t be busy for long; later it will need many people to deliver goods."
"That’s good, young n from our village can see the world outside."
Li Yun Gui nodded. Li Yunqiao slightly frowned; the pesticide factory hadn’t started yet, but already had a hundred workers. Can it succeed? However, he didn’t ask.
"Yun Gui, Master Wei and Teacher Jiang are really capable people."
"Sure are, people with education. Had they not been persecuted, they wouldn’t have co to our village."
"They always look cheerful, no airs at all."
"Yes, Xiao Wei and his wife always smile and greet first."
"They are cultured, high quality."
"Hope they stay in our village. Then our kids can learn to read. My grandson writes Teacher Jiang’s words on the ground every day and says if he can score a hundred, Teacher Jiang will reward him."
"Mine too. Can even recite what the leaders say, and poetry."
Li Yunqiao listened to everyone talking about Teacher Jiang, really very curious.
He knew about Wei Kaiyun’s stuff; Teacher Jiang should have no issues, he was just a graduate, would he willingly stay in this small mountain village?
The bell signaling the end of work rang, everyone stood up to go ho. After all, they were all won, though older, they cared for their children and didn’t feel tired, so they hurried ho to cook.
Li Yun Gui chatted with his big brother as they walked. Li Xue followed behind them.
Once ho, Qu Xiaoli had already cooked food. The brothers washed up in the yard.
"Second Aunt, Second Aunt, what’s for dinner? Slls so good?"
"How about at buns for Hongling?"
"Second Aunt, really at buns?"
"Of course. Hurry up and wash your hands, dinner soon."
"Hmph, second brother won’t get to eat it." Without him, I’m better off at ho."
"Where are Chaoyang and Red Army?"
"Chaoyang and Xiang Dong went to other villages to plant wheat. Red Army joined them."
Li Yunqiao nodded; the second son used to mumble about learning to drive the tractor.
Today’s lunch was really rich. A bowl of braised pig lungs, also cucumber salad, at buns, and water porridge with sorghum.
Qu Xiaoli knew the kids lacked nourishnt, so she used all the at sent by Teacher Jiang, stead two layers of at buns and a tray of at dumplings.
The purpose was to make sure the kids were full.
Li Yun Gui took out a bottle of wine. The brothers sat down for a drink.
"This at?"
"Sent by Xiao Wei, and the braised pig lung too."
Li Yunqiao understood, even more curious about the Wei Family couple.
"Why didn’t Yun Qiang co over?"
Qu Xiaoli curled her lips, "Cooking for his wife."
The brothers didn’t say more. The younger brother willingly obliges, who can complain?
After lunch, the boys ran outside instead of sleeping.
"Sister-in-law, really troubles you."
"Big brother, they’re Old Li Family’s kids." Li Yunqiao felt warm inside; the second brother’s family was happiest among his siblings, while the Third was not doing well, the wife’s family being too capable.
Li Yunqiao took out a hundred yuan and placed it on the table. "Sister-in-law, don’t refuse, you’ve taken such good care of the three children here, I’m really grateful."
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