By Jia Xiuzhen

As soon as it was daylight, Mrs. Qiao got out of bed, first lit the stove, boiled water, poured two bowls of broken rice, covered the pot, and then went to the yard to fetch water to freshen up.I washed a few clothes by hand, seeing that it will be sunny today, just in time to dry.After busy work, the aroma of porridge was already wafting from the pot, and I chopped up a handful of green vegetables that had been washed yesterday, put them in, and went to the stove to watch the fire.I took out a few pieces of larger charcoal, put them in a clay pot beside it, and covered it with a shovelful of grass ash.

After a while, I took out a rough pottery bowl from the miscellaneous wooden cupboard by the stove, lifted the lid of the pot, and scooped the top layer of soup and vegetables with the porridge noodles.After two or three mouthfuls, Xiaoqi started humming, and seeing that she was awake, she hugged her and nursed her.

All of a sudden everyone got up one after another, Sun Dabao got up and saw that Mrs. Qiao was breastfeeding, lightly shook Xiao Qi's little fist, and went out to fetch water to wash his face and eat.Opening the lid of the pot, he turned his face and said to Qiao Niangzi: "You only drank the soup again, and there is no heavy work to do now, you still have to feed Xiaoqi."

Miss Qiao looked at Xiaoqi, raised her face slightly to look at Sun Dabao, and said softly: "The workshop is in charge of the food, and I can eat solid porcelain." She pointed to a shauke on the stove and said: "There are still a few buns in there. Mo, eat it."

After hearing this, Sun Dabao uncovered the earthen cloth that covered it, and there were seven or eight buns of miscellaneous grains inside, so he asked, "It's not a festival, where did it come from? It's from the workshop?"

Qiao Niangzi nodded and said: "Yesterday, I was the last to leave. My sister-in-law Qiu gave it to me before leaving the house. She said that she cooked too much food. If I don't eat it at this time, I'm afraid it will be ruined."

Sun Dabao said: "You guys worked so late yesterday?"

When Xiaoqi was full, Lady Qiao covered her skirt, and replied, "I don't know when it will be, anyway, it's dark."

While serving porridge, Sun Dabao said: "It took three days to finish after dark, so don't be too tired."

Qiao Niangzi smiled and said, "Why are you tired! A pair of socks costs ten dollars. I've been in a hurry these few days. I knitted six and a half pairs yesterday for 65 Wen. I also ate two meals. Before I left, I gave me another bag." Momo."

After hearing this, Sun Dabao laughed foolishly and said, "I think our Xiaoqi is a bit fatter!"

Qiao Niangzi touched Xiaoqi's face and smiled: "Our Xiaoqi is not thin at all." Suddenly remembering, she said: "By the way, sister-in-law Qiu also said yesterday that work is very rushed now, and there are still machines. Many. If there are half-grown children who can sit still at home, they can also do work. As long as they can make a pair a day, they can stay."

Sun Dabao was distributing buns to the children. Hearing this, he was taken aback for a moment, then turned around and said, "Are you planning to let Xiao San and Xiao Si go too?"

Qiao Niangzi nodded and said: "Follow me, I wish you could all go."

Sun Dabao laughed and said: "I am a man who has no such patience. It has been better for the past two days. The head of the village said to let the buckwheat be replanted, so Da Niu and the second son have to work with me. But you took Xiaosan and Xiaosi away , what about Little Five and Little Six?"

Qiao Niangzi said: "Sister-in-law Qiu asked me to take them all, Xiaowu Xiaoliu also went there to look for me a few days ago, it would be honest to stay on the sidelines."

Sun Dabao sighed: "This host's family is really kind. If you have to work elsewhere, how can you take Xiao Qi there. It's good here, even Xiao Wu and Xiao Liu are allowed to take you."

Qiao Niangzi said with a smile: "The master's family is good, and our children are also upright. You don't know, the rules are strict, and children who make trouble will be kicked out face to face."

Sun Dabao said: "This sounds scary, I wanted to go and see it."

Qiao Niangzi said happily: "What are you afraid of, you can still kick you out, old man?"

During the conversation, several people had already had breakfast, and Xiao Wu and Xiao Liu also got a share of steamed buns. The two of them shared half to eat, and handed the remaining half to Daniel, saying: "Brother, eat it, you have to work." .”

Daniel didn't take it, so he patted the heads of the two of them, and said: "Brother has drunk a lot of porridge, you can eat it."

Xiao Wu said: "Brother, you can eat, Xiao Liu and I have also had porridge."

Sun Dabao felt hot when he saw it, and said to Daniel, "you can eat what my brothers gave you. We planted a field and steamed some more to eat next year."

The little three and the little four at the other end also gave half to the second son.Qiao Niangzi looked at a few half-grown children who were pushing and giving way, her eyes were a little damp.He said in a loud voice: "Okay, hurry up and finish eating. The three, four, five, and six will go to the workshop with me today." Then he turned to Sun Dabao and said, "Now you have to do your own work for lunch."

Sun Dabao hastily responded.This clever lady carried Xiaoqi on her back, and Xiaosan said beside her: "Mother, let me carry Xiaoqi."

Qiao Niangzi patted him, and said in a warm voice: "It's a long way to go, you are small and weak, and your mother's back moves."

When we arrived at the workshop, before a few people came, Yunqiu entered the room and saw the group of people, and said with a smile: "Ms. Qiao came early." Mrs. Qiao hurriedly asked the children to call for someone, and all the children called auntie.Yun Qiu saw that the clothes on several people's bodies were patched so that the original cloth could not be seen, but they were tidied up. Although the children were young, they behaved well.He smiled and said: "Okay, okay, the older two are Xiao San and Xiao Si, right? You follow your mother today and learn to play with that machine first. If you can do it, you can stay here and work."

Little San and Little Si nodded tightly.Lady Qiao thanked her from the sidelines.Yun Qiu looked at Little Five and Little Six again, and said, "These two little guys can go to the backyard to play."

Xiao Liu tightly grabbed Xiao Wu's clothes, and Xiao Wu replied: "Thank you, auntie, we won't go to play anymore, my mother will work later, and I will help take Xiao Qi."

When Yunqiu heard this, he said strangely: "What a clever boy. Don't worry, your mother is too busy and we are still here. But so, since you don't like to play, are you willing to help with other tasks?"

Xiao Wu blinked and said in a low voice, "I don't know how to knit that."

Yun Qiu hurriedly waved his hands, and said with a smile: "It's not that, then, do you know how to choose vegetables?"

Xiao Wu followed Mrs. Qiao to do these things, nodded quickly and said: "I know how to do this, and Xiao Liu will help mother choose green onions."

Yun Qiu smiled and said, "Okay, come with me to the back kitchen to help choose dishes."

Turning to Mrs. Qiao, she said, "Can you rest assured?" Mrs. Qiao knew that Yunqiu was looking for food for the two children, so she was in a hurry to thank her.Yun Qiu smiled and took Xiaowu and Xiaoliu to the back.

Nanny Xu was coming out of her yard, and seeing Yunqiu taking two and a half older children to the back kitchen, she took a closer look, and asked with a smile, "Is it from Mrs. Qiao's family?"

Yun Qiu said: "Mama has good eyesight, it's the fifth and sixth of his family, I let them come and play later, but he wants to help his mother take care of the seventh, now I said to help the cook choose dishes, so I came along. "

Nanny Xu nodded and said, "It's not easy. Although it is difficult, the child is taught well."

Yunqiu said: "That's not true. Due to the disease and the large population due to the loss of strong labor force, among the few listed by Zhuangtou, this family has three of them."

Mother Xu smiled and said, "It's also their luck, anyway, Grandma also means this."

Yun Qiu nodded and said: "If it's someone who doesn't care about two things, it's hard for us to manage. These children make people feel distressed."

Mother Xu said quickly: "You can be strict with yourself, don't let people say anything."

Yun Qiu said with a smile: "This is Zhuangzi, not the mansion, don't worry, Mammy." After saying that, he took Xiao Wu and Xiao Liu to the back kitchen.

It just so happened that the dishes prepared by the kitchen arrived today, so I first asked the woman on duty today, and ordered everyone to do their work, and then I turned around and took a basket and said to Xiaowuxiaoliu: "This is your job. The onions in the basket were carefully selected and cleaned, the yellow and rotten leaves had to be removed, and the dry ones had to be pinched off too. Do you understand me?" Xiao Wu nodded as he heard it as usual.Yun Qiu put down the basket, and told the women nearby to go ahead and get busy.

There are not many people in this village who come from the mansion, and with the addition of the few families in the small village that originally grew fungi, they couldn't take care of the huge village, so they recruited some servants later.Naturally, these people didn't know that Li Wan and Yun Qiu were already in charge. Seeing that Yun Qiu had brought the two children here, assigned them jobs, and greeted them, they naturally didn't dare to neglect them.

Little five and little six were working quietly on the sidelines, they really didn't look like such a child.The on-duty Mrs. Chen brought a beam pot and two pottery bowls over, put them aside, and said to Xiao Wu: "Don't be busy with work, this basket of green onions is as long as you can pick it up before lunch." Pointing to the pot and bowl Said, "This is mung bean water, drink it upside down when you're thirsty." Xiao Wu quickly agreed, and thanked her mother-in-law.The mother-in-law narrowed her eyes and smiled and said, "What a good boy."

The little three and the four on the other end took a machine, and sat beside Qiao Niangzi, listening to Qiao Niangzi talk about how to thread and how to rock the stick.Qiao Niangzi kept her hands on while talking, but she didn't delay her work. Mo Yu watched from the side and nodded secretly.Xiao San and Xiao Si looked at it for a while, and then each took out the loom and tried it out. After all, they were children, and after a whole morning of tossing around, each of them could only weave a small section.

Thinking of what Yunqiu said in the morning, one day can weave a couple and both can stay, and I am very anxious.Mo Yu saw the meaning at the side, walked over and said in a low voice: "These first three days are for beginners, and they don't count. On the fourth day, if you can weave a pair, you can keep it." The two listened. Only then did I feel relieved.One after another, women brought their half-babies over. After Mo Yu saw it, they all got the machines and went to learn from their mothers.

As the number of people increased, there would be chatter and chatter, but everyone was not slow in their hands.Mrs. Qiao was doing her work when she saw Xiao Wu running over with a pottery bowl and handed it to her, "Mother, drink some water." Mrs. Qiao took it and heard it, and was about to ask questions when she saw that Xiao Wu was tight Blinking, he swallowed the first few mouthfuls and drank.After a while, Xiao Qi woke up, and Mrs. Qiao quickly picked her up and nursed her.

After Si Shi, Mo Yu invited everyone to have lunch, Mrs. Qiao was a little embarrassed leading Xiaosan and Xiaosi, and was hesitating when she heard Mo Yu raise her voice and say: "The children who came here are also eating here, the steward said, The first three days are counted as practice, and on the fourth day, if you can’t weave a pair of socks, you can’t keep them. If you stay, if you can’t sit still later, and if something goes wrong, please leave as usual. I said I'm here, everyone has to remember clearly." After hearing that the children were allowed to eat here, Mrs. Qiao felt relieved.

Xiaosan and Xiaosi also understood, and followed Qiao Niangzi to another hall, smelling the aroma of the food, their stomachs growled.Look at the big wooden tables, there are grains and rice in a large wooden basin, several large pottery dishes, shredded water lumps, pickled eggplant, boiled gourd in sauce, boiled amaranth, and a wooden bucket of loofah soup.Each of them has a big pottery pot, and a few women are at the other end of the case to prepare meals and vegetables.

Xiaosan quietly asked Mrs. Qiao: "Mom, are these just for us to eat?"

Qiao Niangzi patted his head and said softly: "Yes."

Xiao Si tilted his head and asked, "Don't we need to pay?"

Qiao Niangzi replied: "No need."

The two were so shocked that they couldn't speak. The Sun family "eat dry when they are busy, and eat less when they are free."How can I expect to work here, not only pay money, but also eat dry rice and several dishes!

When Mrs. Qiao was queuing up, she was looking left and right. Mo Yu came over and smiled softly: "Ms. Qiao, Xiao Wu and Xiao Liu are helping in the kitchen today, and they will eat later. They won't be hungry, so don't worry." Mrs. Qiao hurriedly thanked .

This day was so busy until it was dark that before leaving, the younger ones followed suit for a whole day, but they kept asking questions along the way, which made Qiao Niang very happy.When they got home, they washed in the yard under the moonlight, Sun Dabao came out and said, "I wanted to pick you up."

Qiao Niangzi said: "No, you don't know sooner or later, it's not good to go early or late." She pointed to the cloth bag on the table and said, "Give me food again."

The little three and the four started yelling early, and said, "Dad, dad, I ate two dry meals today! Seven or eight dishes! There is a lot of oil in the pickled eggplant!"

The other said: "The two of us knitted one sock, we will surely be able to knit a pair tomorrow!"

Sun Dabao was entangled and couldn't do anything, he asked Mrs. Qiao, "How do you say this, where are Xiao Wu and Xiao Liu?"

Xiao Wu said from the side: "Aunt Qiu asked us to help in the kitchen. We picked onions and peeled beans in the afternoon. I ate with the mother-in-law and aunts in the kitchen at noon. I ate rice, some yellow and some white. "

Qiao Niangzi smiled and said, "I eat two rice in the kitchen."

Thinking about it, he asked Xiao Wu, "Where did you get the sugar water you brought me this morning?"

Xiao Wu said: "Aunt Qiu asked me to bring it over, saying that Mother drank it so that I could breastfeed Xiao Qi."

Qiao Niangzi was taken aback when she heard this, wiped the corner of her eyes and said, "It's theirs."

Sun Dabao was puzzled, and Mrs. Qiao said: "I arrived early in the morning, and after two hours, Xiao Wu brought me a big bowl of brown sugar water. After a while, I felt that the milk was enough, and Xiao Qi just woke up. Hello."

After hearing this, Sun Dabao murmured: "How can you say that, you are a good man." Then he said, "Tomorrow we are going to the village, and the village head has sent someone to inform us to get the buckwheat seeds. Replanting."

After hearing this, Mrs. Qiao hesitated for a moment, and said: "This year's wheat is only half of what it was in previous years. The sorghum planted is gone, and the rent is not available. If the buckwheat seeds are borrowed, it will not be beautiful today... ..."

Sun Dabao listened, nodded and said: "I have thought of this too, but there is no other way. Now I can only replant buckwheat and harvest it in a hurry. What is the excuse for this kind of seed? I will go to listen tomorrow. It's okay to make plans again." The little three, four and five were talking about today's adventure with Daniu and the second son, and they chattered until they couldn't hold on anymore before falling asleep.

Sure enough, on the second day, the little three and the little four each knit more than one pair of socks, just in time for the next day's knot, Qiao Niangzi knitted thirteen and a half pairs in two days, and the little three and the little four each knit a pair and a half. According to the double knot, Mrs. Qiao got 130 Wen, and the third and fourth got ten Wen. The three earned 150 Wen in two days and saved several food rations for the family.

Yunqiu also asked Mrs. Qiao to bring Xiaowu and Xiaoliu every day to help peel beans and choose vegetables in the kitchen, or pass on a word to run errands, and eat two meals a day in the back kitchen.Sun Dabao took the buckwheat seeds according to the size of the registered field, and came back to tell Mrs. Qiao that according to the master's intention, the buckwheat seeds will be planted by various families, and no rent will be charged for those who can't succeed.As for this year's land rent, it can be halved directly and paid in full within three years. If the rent can be paid with the new crops on the farm, even the interest will not be charged.

For the new crops on the farm, the seeds are also provided by the owner, and the cost of the seeds can be paid back one-to-one after the harvest.After hearing that, Qiao Niangzi was stunned for a long time, and said: "Didn't we meet a Bodhisattva?"