The Sweetness of the Seventies
Chapter 348 - 319 Collecting Grain (4/6)_1

Chapter 348: Chapter 319 Collecting Grain (4/6)_1

After the public grain was delivered, Qijia Village began the distribution of food. Thanks to a better harvest this year, the amount of public grain turned over was the same as before, so there was more leftover grain for each household, which amounted to a few dozen more pounds than in previous years.

With these extra dozens of pounds of grain, everyone could have a few more meals of dry rice.

Once the grain distribution was finished, it was time to start dredging the river.

This year’s task was twice as large as last year’s, but Qijia Village was the quickest to act and completed it in only twenty-five days.

After the villagers of Qijia Village returned, the atmosphere became even livelier.

All year round, once they had grain and a bit of money in hand, they would start preparing for the weddings of their sons and daughters.

So during this period, the villagers of Qijia Village were constantly celebrating one event or another.

He Tiantian only needed to clean the sanitation of the livestock team in the morning; Aunt Liu would take over in the afternoon. As for tasks like cutting forage, Qian Shikun and Sun Sihao took care of them.

He Tiantian, having nothing to occupy her time, would often go to Peach Orchard behind the hill to keep her parents company.

The peach trees needed their branches pruned, and the good branches were not discarded by He Jingyu, who kept all of them.

Not long ago, He Jingyu had found some stones on the mountain and built a greenhouse, which now housed some small peach tree cuttings he had planted.

Wang Shuping had planted a large patch of Chinese cabbage in the vacant land, and the cabbages were already forming hearts. Worried they might freeze, Wang Shuping asked He Tiantian to help cut grass to cover them. This way, the cabbages under the grass could continue to grow, and cabbages that had experienced frost became even tastier!

Next to the cabbages was a patch of radishes, which they planned to harvest in a few days.

"Mom, let’s pickle more dried radishes this year! I love to eat them," He Tiantian said. "In previous years when we were in Nan City, supplies were scarce, and we didn’t have enough fresh radishes to make many dried ones. Each time we could only make a little."

Not even to mention that last year before the New Year, He Tiantian had to wake up at three or four in the morning to stand in line at the supply and marketing cooperative. Because of the high demand and scarce supplies, each purchase was limited, and having tickets and money did not mean one could buy more.

Now there was an abundance of goods, and their living conditions had improved.

"Yes, let’s make more this year. If we can’t eat them all, we can still give some away," Wang Shuping said. "The Chinese cabbage is also good, I’m going to make some spicy Chinese cabbage."

He Jingyu and Wang Shuping were now quite fond of living here.

Despite lacking complete equipment, she and her husband did not cease their research and experimentation.

After helping out with the Chinese cabbage patch, the mother and daughter headed home to cook.

Just as they got home, someone came to inform them to pick up a letter at the village branch.

Wang Shuping accompanied her daughter to the village branch to collect the letter, where Qi Shuli was all smiles and very courteous.

After the mother and daughter left, Qi Shuqiang clicked his tongue in admiration, saying, "City girls and ladies are just naturally beautiful. These two don’t look like mother and daughter standing next to each other; they’re like a pair of sisters!"

"Heh, indeed!" Qi Shuli agreed, "Your wife, she’s just like a fierce ogress!"

"True, I’ve drawn the short straw in this lifetime," Qi Shuqiang said wistfully. "If I could sleep with a woman as beautiful as that, my life would be complete."

Qi Shuqiang had always had a taste for this kind of thing.

Qi Shuli chuckled, finished his cigarette, and scolded, "Look at you, so lacking in ambition! If you want to sleep with a woman, it’s not that difficult!"

Qi Shuqiang’s eyes lit up, and he quickly pulled out a cigarette to offer, asking, "Second brother, do you have any good ideas?"

"I’ve heard," Qi Shuli said with a chuckle, "that in other villages, those village cadres have slept with plenty of virgins! We’ve got power in our hands too, if we don’t use it now, when are we waiting for?"

"My uncle is also a leader in the village. I heard this from him while drinking once, and I thought he was just boasting! Could this actually be true?" Qi Shuqiang was skeptical, those people must be bold.

"Hmph!" Qi Shuli sneered, "Let’s not talk about those far away. Even the accountant from the village next to us, Accountant Hu, he did the same thing. He had guts, for that woman and the child in her belly, he took the blame. Before they shot him, his family went to see him, heard that the woman had run away, and he spilled everything."

"I never would have guessed that the serious-looking Accountant Hu could do such a thing," Qi Shuqiang said. "Caught in adultery, committed murder, the price he paid was a bit high."

Qi Shuli laughed and said, "That’s because he was stupid. Not only did he sleep with her once, but he even got her pregnant."

Qi Shuqiang, itching with curiosity, asked pleasingly, "Second brother, then what do you think we should do?"

"Simple," Qi Shuli said with a lewd smile, "target those who want to leave the countryside, who need us to issue a certificate, and then..." Qi Shuli smiled suggestively, leaving the rest unsaid...

Qi Shuqiang also felt there were great opportunities and smirked lewdly as well.

But then Qi Shuqiang immediately realized that with Secretary Qi around, those sent-down youths wouldn’t come to him for a certificate!

"It might work in other villages, but not in ours. Qi Dazhu, that blockhead, would never let us exploit our power for personal gain." In the end, Qi Shuqiang felt it was not feasible; better to play it safe. The accountant from the village next door, Accountant Hu, was already executed.

"Heh, Qi Dazhu is a hypocrite," Qi Shuli commented, "With us watching over him, he wouldn’t dare. The unwilling ones might be difficult, but there might be some who are willing to come to us themselves, you just..."

"Willing to come on their own?" Qi Shuqiang was overjoyed inside, "Who?"

"Speak of Cao Cao, and Cao Cao arrives," Qi Shuli chuckled and looked outside.

Qi Shuqiang looked outside and saw Lin Xiaoru.

"Lin Xiaoru?" Qi Shuqiang asked in confusion, "Why is she coming over?"

"There’s a spot in the commune’s propaganda team, but it requires a recommendation from within the village..." explained Qi Shuli, "If you like..."

"Is that okay?" Qi Shuqiang had lust in his heart but not the courage.

"Heh, why not!" Qi Shuli said, "Qi Dazhu won’t obstruct it in the first place; we just need to play our cards right, and it’s done."

Qi Shuqiang was indecisive, then said, "Second brother, Lin Xiaoru is no angel! Capable of making accusations like that, she must be trouble. If I slept with her and things didn’t work out, she might report me, and I’d be in bad luck."

"Lin Xiaoru has been busy with the propaganda team since last year; she’s familiar with the people there. If there wasn’t some assurance from that side, Lin Xiaoru wouldn’t be so proactive," Qi Shuli replied, "Besides, this woman, just by looking at her, you can tell she’s no virgin. If others have slept with her, why can’t you?"

Qi Shuqiang thought about it, yeah, if she’s been with others, what does he have to fear!

"Second brother, have you been with her before?" Qi Shuqiang asked with a lewd wink and gesture.

Qi Shuli shook his head and said, "As I’ve gotten older, the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak! Otherwise, why would I let you have all the fun?"

Hearing Secretary Qi say this, Qi Shuqiang dropped his guard.

Maybe he should give it a try?

Before long, Lin Xiaoru arrived at the village branch office, holding a piece of paper, to get a stamp.