Time flies when you're celebrating happy occasions.
Soon, it was the end of the twelfth lunar month.
Starting from the twenty-third of the twelfth lunar month, the Lunar New Year atmosphere in Hongxin Brigade grew stronger with each passing day.
The pig farm in Hongxin Brigade was doing well, with over a hundred pigs sent to slaughter this year.
Although most of these pigs were handed over to the state and the collective, the people of Hongxin Brigade had indeed become much more prosperous.
If nothing else, in previous years, each person could only receive one to two catties of meat. This year, each person received ten catties of meat.
In fact, besides pork, there were also pig heads, trotters, and offal, which were not counted by weight.
In addition to pork, each person also received three catties of eggs.
Grandma Su looked at the large basin of eggs placed before her and murmured, "What shall we do with so many eggs?"
The Su family was large. Even though Su Laosan and his wife, along with Qi Liangying, were not considered members of Hongxin Brigade, there were still fifteen people in the family.
Forty catties of eggs were something they wouldn't have even dared to dream of in previous years.
And all that pork, ten catties per person, meant a hundred and fifty catties for their family, plus two pig heads, ten trotters, and two whole sets of offal. This was more than a whole pig.
As Grandma Su was murmuring, Li Zhuzi arrived, carrying a basket on his back and holding his son, Da Niu, with his wife.
"Auntie, what are you mumbling about?" Li Zhuzi placed his son in the yard to play by himself and walked over to talk to Grandma Su.
"Zhuzi, why have you two come over? Have you prepared everything for the New Year?" Grandma Su said with a smile.
Zhuzi's wife, cradling her belly, said with a smile, "We've just prepared a little. We have a small family, so we don't need to prepare too much."
In the years since Zhuzi's wife married Li Zhuzi, they had worked together to make a good life for themselves.
After Su Laosan went to the city's bus depot, Li Zhuzi became the tractor driver for the brigade.
"Auntie, you and Uncle have taken good care of me over the years. We have nothing to repay you and Uncle with. This year, the brigade distributed a lot of goods, so my wife and I discussed it and came to wish you a Happy New Year in advance!"
Upon hearing this, Grandma Su put on a stern face and said, "Zhuzi, this is not right. My old man and I helped you not for you to give us things."
Li Zhuzi was not an ungrateful person, but life had been difficult these past few years, and he hadn't had anything good to give the old Su family during the New Year.
Finally, this year, the brigade distributed plenty of grain, meat, and eggs, so the couple prepared a generous gift to offer their New Year's greetings in advance.
Seeing Grandma Su's stern face, Zhuzi's wife smiled and said, "Auntie, Zhuzi always says that you treated him like a son before, and he also says that we will be as filial to you as our elder brothers and sisters-in-law in the future. You must accept this little gift no matter what."
Zhuzi's wife placed the basket in front of Grandma Su.
Their gift was so impressive that it would dazzle people, not just in the countryside but even in the city.
A wide strip of meat, looking like it weighed about ten catties, and a small basket of eggs, weighing about three to four catties.
"Zhuzi's wife, you're due to give birth in two months. You should save these eggs for yourself to recuperate. Why did you bring them to us?"
Grandma Su knew that the couple was sincere, and her tone softened, but she still didn't want to accept it.
"We still have plenty of eggs at home, enough to eat," Zhuzi's wife said gently.
It had to be said that Grandma Su's judgment in choosing sons-in-law was not great, but her judgment in choosing daughters-in-law was truly impeccable. From her three daughters-in-law to Zhuzi's wife, each one was an excellent woman.
"I'll accept the eggs. As for this meat, you take it back yourselves and cure it into preserved meat. It can last for several months."
"But..." Li Zhuzi wanted to say something, but Grandma Su interrupted him.
"Zhuzi, I know your intentions. Your life has been difficult these past few years, but you've brought me and your old man food and daily necessities every year-end. That's enough!"
Hearing Grandma Su say this, Li Zhuzi felt even more ashamed.
What had he given them in previous years? It was either beans or dried pumpkin and winter melon. It was only because Auntie didn't dislike them. If it were another family, they might have thrown it away.
However, the old Su family didn't dislike it and always gave them a bag of candy or a piece of cloth.
Seeing that Li Zhuzi and his wife were about to say something else, Grandma Su put on a stern face again and said, "Or, you can take these eggs back too!"
Only then did Li Zhuzi and his wife stop insisting.
When they left, Grandma Su packed a bag of fruit candies for Da Niu, a bag of peanuts, and a bag of brown sugar.
"You're in your advanced months, so you must be careful. Zhuzi, your mother passed away early. You must take good care of your wife," Grandma Su reminded them with repeated instructions.
Zhuzi's wife couldn't help but feel touched.
Speaking of which, the old Su family and Li Zhuzi had no blood relation, yet they took great care of Li Zhuzi.
When Su Xiaotian returned, Grandma Su was still worrying about not being able to eat all the eggs.
"Why don't we sell them in the city?" Su Xiaotian suddenly said.
Hundreds of eggs at home would go bad if not eaten.
With the New Year approaching, the city's supplies would surely be insufficient, and they would fetch a good price if sent there.
Grandma Su was so startled that she quickly stood up and reached out to cover Su Xiaotian's mouth.
This child, how could she be so muddled? How could she say such things? Be careful not to have her capitalist tail cut off.
"Grandma, you don't know, but there are some small vendors secretly operating in the city now, and it seems no one is managing them."
By next year, it would be reform and opening up, so what was there to fear?
Grandma Su had actually noticed this phenomenon that Su Xiaotian mentioned, but the old woman had been frightened for years and dared not even think about it.
"But this is speculation and profiteering!"
"Grandma, it's okay. I'll go to the city with my elder brother tomorrow and sell the eggs that we can't eat at home to get some money. We can use it to bring for our brothers when they go to Beijing."
When Grandma Su heard that it was for her grandsons' tuition, she instantly felt that this might be feasible.
Her three grandsons were going to study, which would be a considerable expense, especially since the eldest son's family only had two children. If they, as elders, didn't contribute some, how could it be right?
"We also have a lot of meat. Why don't we sell some of it too?"
Su Xiaotian thought for a moment and said, "That's fine too, Grandma. Tomorrow we'll go to the city, give Auntie ten catties of meat, sell forty catties, and take three hundred eggs, leaving forty for Auntie, and sell the rest."
Hearing her granddaughter speak so methodically, Grandma Su actually agreed.
However, she still worriedly reminded her, "If the atmosphere in the city is not right, don't sell them!"
Su Xiaotian quickly nodded.
The next morning, Su Xiaotian and her elder brothers, Su Shouwen and Su Ciliang, went to the county town.
There were other people from the brigade on the same bus to the county town. Everyone was carrying a basket, and it was clear from their appearance what they were going to do, but they all tacitly agreed not to mention it.
Occasionally, when someone asked, they would say that the brigade had distributed meat and eggs, and they were sending some to relatives in the city.
Upon arriving in the city, Su Xiaotian and her brothers went directly to Su Manxiu's house.
Su Manxiu was washing bed sheets and pillowcases at home. She was truly startled to see Su Xiaotian and the others suddenly appear.
"Why have you come? Is something wrong at home?"
After all, it was almost the New Year, so who would come to the city at this time if there was no problem!
"Auntie, nothing's wrong. It's just that the brigade distributed meat, and we're bringing some to you." As Su Xiaotian spoke, she ran towards the child Chen Xiuyuan playing in the yard.
"Auntie, the brigade distributed a lot of meat and eggs this year," Su Shouwen said. "Grandma asked us to bring some to you, and the rest, we're going to see if we can sell them."
Su Manxiu smiled and said, "How much did you get this year, and you're selling some?"
Her family's conditions were not bad. If it wasn't really a lot, they definitely wouldn't sell it.
Although she had already made an estimate in her mind, upon hearing the amount of meat and eggs distributed, Su Manxiu was still greatly shocked.
"Why so much this year?" Su Manxiu asked in surprise.
"It's because the pig farm raised pigs well this year, so the brigade leader killed a few more pigs and distributed them. He said it was to celebrate us getting into university."
Su Manxiu had to sigh that the brigade leader was indeed bold to make such a decision.
With so much meat distributed, wasn't he afraid of being held accountable?
However, starting from the summer of this year, the situation seemed to have changed. More and more people were doing small business on the streets recently, and it seemed no one was managing them.
Even so, Su Manxiu was still worried that the children would really be targeted by selling meat and eggs on the street, so she said, "I know a few families who want meat and eggs. I'll go and ask them right away."
In the end, the eggs and meat brought by the old Su family were all taken away directly from Su Manxiu's house.
Su Xiaotian had originally wanted to try the feeling of doing business.
With over twenty catties of meat coupons and more than seventy yuan, the three siblings could hardly believe what they saw.
"Big Brother, did we really get this much money and coupons?"
Su Manxiu couldn't help but smile when she saw Su Ciliang's silly appearance, saying, "It's rare to see the second child looking so foolish."
Su Ciliang was a very intelligent child, and it was indeed rare for him to show such a foolish look.
Su Xiaotian also looked at Su Ciliang with a meaningful gaze.
This second brother was very good at painting and calligraphy. His academic ability was not as good as his elder brother's or third brother's, but it was not bad either.
However, from today's events, it was clear that he was definitely not a businessman.
It was one thing that he couldn't recognize the scale, but he didn't know how to bargain with people at all.
If it weren't for their elder brother being quite clever, they probably wouldn't have sold so much money today.
Later in the evening, Su Laosan, Liang Xiu, Qi Liangying, and others returned.
Seeing the three children, they were first shocked. When they learned that they were here to sell meat and eggs, they were all very surprised.
When did Hongxin Brigade start distributing so much meat and eggs to its members?
But then they thought about how the people at home had poured their heart and soul into the chicken farm and pig farm day and night, and they understood.
If they had put in so much effort and heart, it would be strange if there were no rewards.
"Perfect, we also have a holiday tomorrow, so let's go back together!" Su Laosan said with a smile. "We won't be back to work until the eleventh day of the first lunar month, so we can stay home for a good while!"
Liang Xiu and Qi Liangying also said that they would go to their workplaces tomorrow morning to collect their New Year's benefits and then go home.
Su Manxiu, hearing her brother and sister-in-law say this, invited them to have dinner at her house tonight, adding that this was the best time to make dumplings.
"In previous years, we only got to eat dumplings during the New Year, and we didn't dare to eat our fill. Each person only had three or four dumplings," Liang Xiu said with emotion while making dumplings.
She never expected that now they could eat dumplings whenever they wanted. Life had truly become better.
"In the future, you'll get tired of eating dumplings. Then, you'll have all the big fish and big meat you want!" Su Xiaotian said while peeling garlic.
As soon as the dumplings were out of the pot, Chen Zi'an also returned.
"Why are you back so late tonight?"
"It's almost the New Year, and we won't be going to work tomorrow. I'm rushing to finish the remaining tasks tonight!" Chen Zi'an said with a smile while washing his hands. "These dumplings must have been mixed by Third Sister-in-law, right? They smell so fragrant."
Liang Xiu playfully chided, "Why is the food I usually cook not delicious?"
"Xiu, I didn't say that. You can't wrong me. The food you cook is delicious. Look at me these past two days, I've gained weight!" Chen Zi'an quickly said.
Su Xiaotian couldn't help but chuckle when she saw Chen Zi'an's survival instinct-filled demeanor.
Hearing Su Xiaotian laugh, the others couldn't help but laugh too.
Hearing that everyone was going to Hongxin Brigade tomorrow, Chen Zi'an said, "Why don't we go back together tomorrow to celebrate the New Year!"
After all, he had no parents. Rather than spending the New Year as a family of three, it would be more lively to spend it at his father-in-law's house.
He had always known that the New Year at his father-in-law's house was very lively.
Not only his own family would be there, but his uncle-in-law and Elder Du would surely be there too.
Su Manxiu had not expected Chen Zi'an to suddenly make such a suggestion.
"Are you serious?"
"Really. Tonight, let's go borrow lodging at Sister Taohua's house!" Chen Zi'an said as if it were a matter of course.
Upon hearing this, Su Manxiu knew that Chen Zi'an truly intended to spend the New Year at the brigade, and he had even thought about where to stay.
"We have room at home," Su Shouwen said quickly. "My parents are currently living at the factory and don't live at home."
"That's fine too!" Chen Zi'an said agreeably.
"Teacher Shen is back and said that after the New Year, she will pick up Aunt Taohua and Xiao Mei and Xiao Gang to go to Beijing. She also said that the three of us will go with them and don't need our family to send us specifically," Su Ciliang said, remembering this after eating a dumpling.
Chen Zi'an clearly hadn't expected Shen Zizhen to personally come back to pick them up.
Normally, wouldn't they just write a letter and let the people here go on their own?
Shen Zizhen was indeed a person of deep emotion!
The next morning, the whole family set off in a grand procession.
Nine people, big and small, carrying a large pile of New Year goods. Fortunately, they had a car to transport them.
When the car arrived at Hongxin Brigade, the people in the brigade looked at the New Year goods being unloaded. Thinking of the large amount of meat in their own homes, they didn't feel envious or jealous.
For farming families, the most practical things were meat and eggs. These were things that could truly change their lives. As for things like sponge cakes and pastries, they were novelties, but could they be eaten as a meal?
[Author's Note]
Happy New Year! Wishing all my dear readers happiness every day in the new year!