Lin Lan returned inside and feigned a troubled expression, saying, "Now the old lady is truly angry. If you had just left when I told you to earlier, that would have been fine. Why on earth are you sewing a quilt? Leave it to me."
Han Qingsong looked up at her, "It’s almost finished."
Lin Lan smiled, Yo, who knew, Director Han!
Han Qingsong felt a bit flustered under her gaze, "Hm?"
Lin Lan: "Sew a school bag." She brought over the fabric scraps given to her by Sister Liu.
Han Qingsong glanced at them, "Don't piece them together." Without a sewing machine, doing it by hand is tiring for the eyes and hands, and not worth it.
The family had a relatively new military satchel that Han Qingsong needed to carry to work, and another half-new one that he had just brought back.
Lin Lan, however, felt that since there was only one bag, the four students wouldn't be able to share it; giving it to one would be unfair to the others. It would be better to keep it as a prize, rewarding it to whoever studied the most diligently when the time came.
Let alone elementary school students, even college students were proud to carry a military-style school bag.
Back in the day, Han Jinbao had strutted around school showing off the military uniform and bag his third brother brought back.
Lin Lan felt this could serve as a motivational tool, especially since the bag she carried to the fields and the market was nothing but patch upon patch.
Han Qingsong pointed to the homespun cloth Lin Lan had bought, "Use this fabric for the bag. It’s thick and durable."
Lin Lan couldn't bear to use the workwear fabric for that.
As for the fabric she had on hand, it took a large piece to make a school bag, and she was a bit reluctant.
Seeing her hesitation, Han Qingsong said, "Just sew one; it doesn't take much, let Dawang carry it."
Lin Lan felt that one bag for four children wouldn't work; they needed at least two. So, she still had to sew two, but the fabric on hand had to be used for quilts, cotton-padded clothes, and shoes. The school bags would have to wait.
She fiddled with the fabric; a single layer would be too soft. It would be best to use gebei (pasted fabric backing) underneath as a lining so the bag would be sturdier. But all the gebei had to be saved for making shoe soles. There was only a little bit in the house, not even enough for two pairs of shoes, and there were so many children in the family who needed footwear.
Upon calculating, Lin Lan felt she was short on everything and had to find a way to get more.
Seeing her struggling with the fabric, Han Qingsong said, "Why not take two feet of cloth coupons to the supply and marketing cooperative and buy a school bag?"
Lin Lan sighed. Once upon a time, how many clothes, bags, and shoes had she discarded? Now, she couldn't even bear to part with a scrap of cloth.
"When you go to work at the commune, do you get more cloth coupons and cotton coupons than the ordinary members?"
Lin Lan wasn't short on money now; what she lacked most were coupons.
Han Qingsong thought for a moment, "Definitely more than the ordinary members. I'll ask when they are issued later."
He wanted to get more cloth coupons so Lin Lan could buy shoes, saving her from having to stitch soles in her spare time like the other women.
For some reason, he couldn't imagine Lin Lan carrying a shoe sole everywhere she went, stitching it wherever she stood, like the other women.
The two of them were busy—one sewing a quilt, the other a bag—when Han Qingyun came looking for him. He shouted from outside and then entered the courtyard.
Lin Lan hurriedly went to greet him, smiling, "Qingyun is here."
Han Qingyun smiled brightly, "Sister-in-law, is Third Brother in?"
"He is."
Han Qingyun entered the room and froze when he saw Han Qingsong sewing the quilt. Even the laziest and most incompetent man in the village wouldn't do women's work. Cooking, laundry, and mending were all jobs for women; how could a man do this?
He glanced at Lin Lan with surprise.
To hide her embarrassment, Lin Lan smiled, "I... I pricked my finger, and your Third Brother said he'd help me sew it."
Han Qingsong looked at Han Qingyun, "Something up?"
Han Qingyun laughed, "Third Brother, I came to learn how to sew a quilt from you."
Even though he knew he was joking, Han Qingsong didn't smile, just kept his head down and continued sewing.
Lin Lan said, "If you have something to say, just say it."
Han Qingyun leaned over to examine the quilt Han Qingsong was sewing, "It's all because of that Yu-zi, he's driving me crazy. Running to my house, howling and crying. They know Third Brother is the newly appointed Public Security Bureau Chief, and they insist that Third Brother is deliberately refusing to release people, asking my father to plead for them. My father can't be bothered with them; he scolded them and told them to behave themselves, or else they'd all be dealt with according to the law. My father asked me to tell you that you should just do your work as normal and ignore those messy affairs. If anyone comes to bother you, just tell them to go find my father; he has ways to deal with them... Aiya Third Brother, you really sew quite well, no worse than my mother."
Lin Lan felt instantly cured. See, it wasn't that her sewing was bad, but that Han Qingsong's standard was just too high.
Hahaha.
Han Qingsong nodded, "With Uncle holding things down, I can save some worry. I'll go find Uncle for a drink later."
Han Qingyun laughed and continued watching him sew the quilt.
Han Qingsong glanced at him, "Do you really want to help me sew?"
Han Qingyun shook his head hurriedly.
Han Qingsong then said, "If there's nothing else, go do what you need to. I've got it."
Han Qingyun smiled at Lin Lan and took his leave. As he walked into the courtyard, he leaned over and whispered to Lin Lan, "Sister-in-law, if you don't know how to sew, find my mother or sister-in-law to help you. It doesn't look good for my Third Brother, a dignified Bureau Chief, to be sewing quilts."
The men in the village basically did nothing when they got home; they wouldn't even lift a fallen oil bottle, let alone do housework.
He looked up and met Han Qingsong's gaze through the window, waving his hand, "Third Brother, I'm leaving now. If you're free, come over for a drink."
Lin Lan returned to the room and smiled, "Qingyun is a pretty good guy, enthusiastic and loyal."
Back when Han Jinbao was acting up, Han Qingyun had helped out.
Han Qingsong continued to sew the quilt with a rhythmic shila sound.
Although it was still bright outside, the room grew dark early, so Lin Lan lit the oil lamp.
Over there, Han Qingsong had already finished one quilt.
Lin Lan: !!! Director Han has skills!
Han Qingsong checked that there was still time and signaled for Lin Lan to bring the other one over to sew together.
Although the house had two military quilts, they were single-person quilts; though thick enough, they lacked width, so only one person could cover themselves with one, and there was no matching mattress.
Han Qingsong and Maisui could each have one, she and Xiaowang could share a large one, and the three brothers needed another large quilt.
So she had prepared the cotton and fabric for two. The previous one had been a self-dyed blue cloth made by dismantling and patching other quilts, the most rustic kind. This one was yarn-dyed fabric Lin Lan had bought; it looked much better than the indigo dyed by those homespun cloths, and the red, blue, and green colors looked particularly bright in the dim room.
Lin Lan only made one quilt with the patterned fabric, planning to use the rest to sew a jacket for Maisui.
The two of them worked together to spread the plain lining, fluff the cotton, and place the three-colored plaid cover, which was much faster. Lin Lan's movements were light and quick when doing this.
After it was laid out, Han Qingsong stitched the four sides of the quilt together.
"Mother, my eldest brother is fighting with someone again!" Erwang ran home and shouted.
He placed his basket against the wall, hung the sickle on the wall in the main room, and turned to pick up a bowl to drink water. When he looked up, he saw his father on the kang sewing a quilt, "Pfft... cough, cough, cough..."
Lin Lan hurriedly patted his back, "What are you snatching at?"
Erwang looked as if he had seen a ghost, "Mother, mother... he, my father, he..."
"Why make such a big fuss? This is called being versatile, you should learn from him; it’ll give you an advantage when looking for a wife later."
Erwang drank his water silently.
Lin Lan remembered the business about Dawang fighting and said to Han Qingsong, "I have to go talk to Secretary Uncle and the Principal, and let Dawang go to school with them. What if he is two years older? We are paying, so how could they not let him in?"
Previously, the original host had delayed Dawang's education. Now, whenever she asked Dawang to go to school, he would refuse, citing his age.
Han Qingsong looked up at her.
Lin Lan: "Are you saying he's too old to attend school?"
Han Qingsong: "... I didn't say anything."
Lin Lan said: "I'm going to tell the teacher right now. You talk to Dawang. Anyway, he has to go to school. If he doesn't go to school, he won't understand reason; he'll just go around fighting and acting like a bully."
Erwang smiled, "Going to school doesn't necessarily mean one understands reason."
His eyes rolled, and Lin Lan understood. The xiaogu (little aunt/sister-in-law) and xiaoshu (little uncle/brother-in-law) also went to school, but they were still like that.
However, they still had to go to school.
Lin Lan instructed Erwang to cook, and by then Maisui had brought Xiaowang back.
Xiaowang was playing his flute. Although he couldn't play a tune, at least he could make the holes sound one by one.
Lin Lan didn't hold back her praise for her son, "My little one is truly amazing! Strive to make all these little holes sound." The child's hands were small and couldn't block them, but it was already quite something that he could make them sound.
Xiaowang immediately focused on exploring, watched by his three loyal listeners.
Lin Lan left the house and first went to find Han Yongfang.
It had been raining for two days, and the members didn't have to work in the fields, but there was still some work to be done.
In other villages, the Revolutionary Committee Chairmen were all detached from production, spending their days either holding meetings, entertaining guests, or gesturing around. Han Yongfang, however, always worked in the fields with the members, so the old members all liked him. Han Yongfang was someone who couldn't stay idle; even when not in the fields, he led people to check the river channels and irrigation canals, and also checked on the corn and peanuts to make sure they wouldn't get waterlogged or flattened.
Now was the critical ripening period, and it couldn't be delayed.
Lin Lan found Han Yongfang in the brigade's threshing ground; he was resting, smoking, and chatting with several old men.
Lin Lan stated her intention: she wanted Dawang and Sanwang to go to school with Erwang and Maisui.
Han Yongfang looked at her with surprise, "All four of them?"
The other old men were also very surprised. Was she talking in her sleep? It wasn't easy to support students. It was already difficult enough for a family to have one child detached from labor to attend school. Look at those families with students—they were basically the most hardworking and poorest, unless the man was some kind of cadre.
One person not working and not earning work points, yet still having to be fed, clothed, and paid for tuition, books, etc.—it was a strain even for three or four laborers to support one student.
She was actually asking for all four children to go to school; even if Han Qingsong had a bit of salary from his demobilization, it was still a pipe dream.
Everyone thought she was joking; it wasn't realistic.
Han Yongfang, however, didn't question her, only saying, "If you're willing, then go. As military dependents, our village doesn't charge tuition for school; you just need to buy the books yourselves."
Their village had its own elementary school. Initially, they didn't charge tuition, but some people treated it as a place to have the teachers babysit their children, and then when the kids were older, they would call them back home to work.
The teachers kept complaining.
Later, Han Yongfang decided to charge tuition: 1.5 yuan per semester for first and second grade, 2.5 yuan from third grade upwards...
Three yuan a year blocked ninety percent of the parents who didn't want their children to go to school, while keeping the students who truly wanted to study.
However, Han Yongfang didn't deliberately make things difficult for people. Any child who studied well would be given stationery every few days, and there were rewards during holidays. After a year, those few yuan for tuition were mostly earned back.
Moreover, the teachers led the children to cut grass—one basket in the morning, one in the afternoon—which could earn three or four work points.
Ordinary members couldn't do the math; they just said the old Secretary was making things difficult and was arrogant and domineering.
But Lin Lan could see it clearly.
After talking to the Secretary, Lin Lan went to find the Principal, Han Qingping.
She also wanted to test if she could find time to listen to lectures at the school and learn some cultural knowledge.
She really didn't want to do physical labor; even being a scorekeeper or an accountant would be fine, but she didn't know how to succeed at that. Positions like scorekeeper or accountant couldn't just be held by anyone; it depended on qualifications, standards, and prestige, and also on the wishes of the Revolutionary Committee. It required the masses to recommend and the Revolutionary Committee to approve.
After all, the zhiqing (educated youth) sent down to the countryside were all considered cultured people, yet they still followed the members to work in the fields. Many who had attended elementary school or even middle school still had to work in the fields after returning home.
As for the prestige among the masses, she couldn't pass that hurdle at the moment; the original host's reputation was too poor.
Lin Lan wasn't discouraged. She would prepare first. At least being able to read a few words would allow her to pretend she was eager for progress. Slowly, as she learned to read, write, and keep accounts, opportunities always favored those who were prepared. If she wasn't prepared, and an opportunity came, she wouldn't be able to grasp it, right?
She didn't want to be roasted into dried meat working in the fields in the summer.
Lin Lan headed towards the village elementary school in the east. On the way, she happened to run into two teachers, a man and a woman. The man was the Principal, thirty-seven or thirty-eight years old, named Han Qingping. The woman was Huo Yuan, an educated youth sent down from the region.
She called out happily, "Principal Han!"
As soon as he saw her, he turned and was about to run.
Lin Lan shouted hurriedly, "Principal Han, don't be afraid, I don't hit people—"
With her shouting like that, the Principal ran even faster.
Lin Lan nimbly blocked Han Qingping's path and smiled, "Principal, don't be afraid, I don't hit people, really. I'm talking to you about the children going to school."
Han Qingping looked incredulous. Relying on Huo Yuan being there, Lin Lan couldn't hit him, so he steeled himself to listen.
For a shrew to want her children to go to school—unless he had seen a ghost, he wouldn't believe it.
Lin Lan said, "Principal, my Dawang, Erwang, Sanwang, and Maisui should be in first grade. I'll send them tomorrow; I hope you'll put in extra effort."
Seeing Han Qingping look as if he'd been struck by lightning, she didn't want to continue scaring him, so she smiled and took her leave.
Han Qingping breathed a huge sigh of relief. Aiya wei, her words were truly startling.
Huo Yuan was also very curious. This Third Daughter-in-law of the Han family was really interesting—one moment she was like a crazy woman, capable of screaming at the heavens to debate with God, and the next moment she was refined, like an educated youth from a big city.
Listen to that, "put in extra effort"—most people really wouldn't say that.
Han Qingping was even more surprised than her because he had scolded Lin Lan before.
At that time, he wanted Dawang to attend school and sought out Lin Lan, but Lin Lan said that those who went to school were mentally ill, and her own children wouldn't go to learn those inappropriate things.
"What use is there in going to school? Don't you still have to come back to farm? If going to school is useful, why are the educated youth still sent to the countryside? Why does Chairman M still make them go to the vast world of the countryside to accomplish great things? Why not let the farmers all go to the city to accomplish great things?"
If he tried to persuade her further, she would curse directly: "Do you wish ill on us? Look at you, you call yourself a scholar, what use are you? Can't carry anything on your shoulders, can't lift anything with your hands. If it weren't for our old Secretary taking care of you, you would have been locked in the cowshed long ago. Yes, those locked in the cowshed, locked in the cellars, are all you scholars? Who knows what kind of bullshit you read in your books? It can't see the light of day, otherwise why would you be locked in the cowshed and cellars? You're trying to fool us into studying, save it. You're pathetic yourself, and you want to make our children pathetic too."
It made Han Qingping tremble as he pointed at her, "You... you... you have such a good appearance, why are you so self-deprecating as to be a shrew that everyone hates? Is it true that once you're married, you're just a dead fish's eye?"
Because of this sentence, the original host chased Han Qingping for several streets, scolded him whenever she saw him, and cursed him whenever she thought of him, saying that scholars were indeed not good things, and were specifically looking down on her.
Now that Lin Lan was speaking so nicely, Han Qingping was really unaccustomed to it.
Huo Yuan smiled, "Principal, it's not a dead fish's eye anymore."
Han Qingping wiped the sweat from his forehead, "It's not. It feels like she's alive." He just didn't know if what she said was true or false. Would she really send the children over tomorrow?
After dealing with a major event, Lin Lan went home happily. On the way, she happened to run into Liu Chunfang, who was hovering behind her house.
Lin Lan glanced at her, didn't bother to greet her, and walked away with her head held high.
Liu Chunfang: ...
When she got home, Erwang and Maisui had already made dinner, and Dawang and Sanwang were standing under the eaves.
Lin Lan said casually, "Yo, so obedient, what are you doing?"
Dawang held his head high and didn't speak, his handsome face full of defiance.
Sanwang pouted, his eyes rolling, and gave Lin Lan a coquettish look.
Lin Lan understood in a second: they were being punished by standing still.
Hahaha, you have such a day too!
The old mother can't discipline you, but naturally there is a Buddha to subdue you.
Haha, let me laugh for a while.
Lin Lan's unabashed laughter annoyed Dawang and Sanwang, and both of them glared at her.
Just then, a cold snort came from the room. The two children were so frightened that their expressions tightened. They immediately stood up straight, looked forward, and appeared very serious.
Lin Lan pursed her lips and entered the room, "Erwang, Maisui, it smells so good."
Xiaowang ran over, "Mother, I made another one sound." He immediately tapped with his small hand and started playing the flute.
Lin Lan said in surprise, "My little one, you're truly amazing! Mother really admires you!"
Xiaowang was even more delighted.
Lin Lan went over to look, and Han Qingsong had actually finished sewing the patterned quilt almost entirely.
"Aiya, worthy of being Director Han, truly impressive!" She gave a thumbs up.
Xiaowang: "Mother, who is more impressive, me or Father?"
Lin Lan smiled and scraped his little nose, "Of course the little one is more impressive, Father probably couldn't even make one hole sound."
The child was happy and led Wangwang to see the duck brothers—actually, they were duck sisters.
When eating, Lin Lan asked the two children to come over to eat, but Han Qingsong said, "Let them stay hungry."
Lin Lan whispered, "Education is education, but there's no need for hunger; don't make them sick."
Han Qingsong: "Who eats whose food, obeys whom. If you don't listen, you don't eat."
Lin Lan nodded, no problem.
If you pick up the bowl to eat and put down the bowl to curse, that is indeed wrong.
However, the children didn't seem that bad; they just had the typical faults of children.
But seeing Han Qingsong's cold expression, she really didn't dare to pull the whiskers of a tiger.
So, brothers, sorry, Mother will eat first.
Besides the regular food, Erwang also stewed an egg with pickles, which contained eggs, dried shrimp, and chopped scallions; it was surprisingly delicious.
Lin Lan's eyes lit up as she ate, "Hmm, delicious, Erwang's cooking skills are getting better and better."
This was better than the old mother; it was a gratifying achievement. The kitchen could be handed over to you later, and the old mother could sit back and enjoy the fruits of her labor. Hahaha.
Seeing Lin Lan reveal a proud and triumphant expression, Erwang felt happy inside, but he felt that the way his mother was looking at him was somehow calculating.
Lin Lan coughed and said seriously, "I have a big thing to announce."
Han Qingsong put down his chopsticks, and the other children did the same upon seeing this, all watching her.
Lin Lan was a little embarrassed, "No need to be so serious, it's just that starting tomorrow, you all have to go to school."
Erwang and Maisui were already prepared, but Dawang and Sanwang outside were crestfallen.
Dawang didn't say anything.
Sanwang opposed it right then, "Mother, I'm not old enough yet, I'm only seven."
Lin Lan: "Seven—is that small? Liu H Lan sacrificed herself for the country at fifteen."
Sanwang: "Well, there are invaders now, I'm not afraid to sacrifice either!"
Lin Lan slammed the table: "Why so much talk?" Dede, thinking the old mother can't out-argue you?
Han Qingsong gave a light snort, and Sanwang didn't dare to make a sound.
His mother, though loud, didn't hit anyone, or if she did, it was just like tickling.
His father was black, dark-handed!
That slap on the bottom—oh my mother, his bottom was still numb.
Dawang was even more miserable, having encountered the Dark Father's Dark Foot, a kick to the bottom that sent him flat on the ground.
The Dark Father even said that starting tomorrow, they would have to do morning drills, and anyone who was late or couldn't keep up would be punished, and the form of punishment would be decided by him.
But mostly, it would be the whip, ah! ( ⊙ o ⊙ )
Sanwang couldn't help but look down at the rattan cane by the corner of the wall. Don't look at the fact that it was only the thickness of a little finger; it was painful when it whipped someone.
Sanwang subconsciously squeezed towards his eldest brother, pushing Dawang until he swayed. Dawang threatened him with his eyes, but he wasn't afraid.
After the meal, Han Qingsong continued to sew the second quilt.
Lin Lan whispered, "The brothers eat?"
Han Qingsong: "You decide."
Lin Lan went out and said, "Eat."
Dawang gave a light snort, somewhat unconvinced, but Sanwang rushed into the room, holding his bowl, and slurped his porridge, "Delicious, delicious!"
Starving.
Lin Lan didn't bother with Dawang. Anyway, Han Qingsong was at home, so she wasn't afraid he'd be too unruly.
Lin Lan brought out the military satchel, "The school bag your father brought back. Whoever does best on the exams at the end of the year, I'll reward it to them!"
She hung the military green school bag on the wooden wedge on the wall, letting the children drool and covet it every day to motivate them.
Erwang and Maisui's eyes shone, and both wanted it.
Sanwang also swallowed his saliva.
Dawang didn't even look, as if he remained unmoved.
Lin Lan also took out the pencils and notebooks she had bought: one pencil and one notebook for each, and one eraser for every two. As for the textbooks, she would ask the teacher to find a way tomorrow. When the time came, one for two children would be enough.
Four children, two tables, one book for two—it was enough.
She placed the school bag she had sewn on the table and also used a piece of gebei to make a pen roll, rolling the four pencils inside to protect their tips.
If there was a chance, she would buy a pencil case later.
Erwang and Maisui were very interested in the pen roll; they had never seen one like this before.
Erwang: It's useful, but too ugly, and didn't even have any flowers embroidered.
He glanced at Han Qingsong, who was still sewing the quilt, wondering if Director Han knew how to embroider.
At night, Lin Lan and Maisui cuddled Xiaowang, and the three of them covered themselves with the new quilt—it was hot and warm, it was truly wonderful.
The men covered themselves with the military quilt brought back by Han Qingsong. Han Qingsong led Erwang, Dawang, and Sanwang; the quilt was a bit small.
Sanwang was a child who played boxing in his sleep and snatched the quilt, so at first Dawang couldn't cover himself. Later, Dawang covered himself tightly, but Sanwang buried his head in his elder brother's arms, while his lower body ended up on the wall, and every now and then he did a doggy paddle, as if he were swimming.
The next day, before dawn, Han Qingsong got up, and while he was at it, he pinched the little rattan cane and lightly flicked the edge of the kang. Dawang immediately sat up.
Erwang also got up hurriedly.
Once the eldest brother left, Sanwang fell off the wall and was sleeping spread-eagled, smacking his lips; he was dreaming about eating some good food and didn't know what it was.
Han Qingsong hesitated a bit, about to shout for him to get up.
Lin Lan woke up and hurriedly made a gesture, "Let the child sleep a little longer."
According to her wishes, Erwang should also sleep a little longer; nine years old was still a child.
Dawang should indeed be educated; after all, she couldn't control him.
She wanted to plead for Erwang, but was afraid Dawang would be unbalanced, so she endured and didn't say anything, giving Erwang an encouraging look.
Erwang had been feeling a bit troubled, thinking about how cold it would be in winter and how warm the quilts were; he didn't want to get up at all.
Now, feeling his father's majesty and his mother's encouragement, he had no choice but to climb up reluctantly.
Consequently, Maisui, Sanwang, and Xiaowang, plus Wangwang, were sleeping soundly.
Early in the morning, the two brothers were drilled by their biological father, starting with learning stretching movements with him, then running to warm up, and then returning to do push-ups.
Erwang: "Father, the road is hard to walk because it rained, we can't run."
"If you tread the road flat, you can run." Han Qingsong didn't give any face at all.
The two brothers: ...
Erwang: "Father, the mud will ruin our shoes, Mother will be angry."
Han Qingsong considered it, "Find your own spots for push-ups. The eldest does forty, the second does thirty."
Dawang wasn't bothered, but Erwang was having a bit of trouble.
As long as the movements weren't correct, Han Qingsong's rattan cane would lightly or heavily whip their legs, demanding they pull in their abdomens; their heads, backs, buttocks, and legs had to be in a straight line. If they weren't standard after being reminded, he would add one level of force for every lash.
Without running, it was push-ups plus squat jumps. Within half an hour, the two boys were sweating profusely and their whole bodies were numb.
By the time they finished training, Maisui and Sanwang were walking out while yawning, and said in surprise, "Where did you guys go?"
Dawang gave a snort and entered the house angrily. Erwang was in a state of feeling life was hopeless, "Sister, why are you a girl?"
Maisui: "Do you want to be a girl?"
Erwang would have been willing—at least he wouldn't have to be ruthlessly drilled by his father.
They all said that having a father who was a soldier was quite something—some head!
All they had were blood and tears.
After the children were drilled, their appetites grew, so Lin Lan couldn't help but put some thought into breakfast.
Han Qingsong: "The two of you, step on each other's legs to relax the muscles."
He didn't have the rattan cane in his hand when he said this, so Dawang didn't take it to heart.
Han Qingsong didn't bother with him either.
Lin Lan advised Erwang, "Listen to your father, it won't do any harm."
Erwang listened to Lin Lan, so he let Sanwang and Maisui step on his legs. The sweet and sour feeling while stepping on them was simply intoxicating.
Lin Lan looked at him with the kind eyes of an old mother, "Erwang, tomorrow you will know the benefits."
Wait until tomorrow when Dawang's legs are so sore he's gritting his teeth, and you feel as light as a swallow, you will know your father didn't lie to you.
Don't think that because you didn't have idle time doing farm work that you're okay—these squat jumps and push-ups exercise different muscle groups.
This is all gained from experience!
At breakfast, the two children's appetites indeed grew. Lin Lan thought that she still had to find a way to get food and couldn't live off the mountain's resources forever.
Growing boys eat their parents into poverty.
Lin Lan brought out the school bag she had worked so hard to sew, put the notebooks and pen roll inside, and handed it to Dawang, "Dawang, you carry it. When you get to the classroom, hand it out to your younger brother and sister, and pack them all inside together after school. Don't you dare ruin them or lose them; a pencil is three cents."
She also said to Han Qingsong, "You send the children over; it's their first day of school, parents should send them."
It was also about a sense of ritual.
Han Qingsong glanced at her and nodded.
Lin Lan also gave him money, "This is the tuition, and ask the teacher about buying books for the children; one set for two is enough."
She thought to herself that she had to give Han Qingsong pocket money later; a man couldn't go out without money on him.
Han Qingsong didn't have a penny on him. He took it when his wife gave it to him and swept a look at the children—whether happy or not, they had to suppress it and follow him to school.
When they arrived at the school, Han Qingping was already there, and there were thirty or forty students in the classroom.
The school was just one large classroom, put together from three rooms, with blackboards in the front and back, and a total of three teachers.
Han Qingping was the principal and taught Chinese for grades one through five. Another teacher taught mathematics for grades one through five, and Huo Yuan taught art, music, and nature.
They said it was five grades, but in fact, there weren't many children. There were more in first and second grade—a total of less than twenty—and that had to include those from surrounding villages. There were ten in the third grade, and ten in total for the fourth and fifth grades.
At this time, nobody was studying seriously anywhere, especially in the countryside; it was just to learn a few characters.
In many places, the Chinese class was taught by poor farmers to recount their family history, to remember the bitter and appreciate the sweet. The math class followed the production team to calculate work points, the nature class researched how to plant crops and compost fertilizer, and music and art were just reciting quotations and singing patriotic songs.
After all, at this time, everyone felt that studying was useless. Even if you went to middle school, you still had to return home to farm, the factories weren't recruiting workers, and the universities weren't enrolling students; it was truly useless.
So the school also had tasks: the teachers would lead the children to cut grass, once in the morning and once in the afternoon, and they would also have to work in the fields to help harvest crops during busy farming seasons.
In this way, the children could learn to read, write, and calculate, and also earn work points, so parents were willing to let them continue school. Otherwise, if they weren't cutting grass, they were watching children; they basically wouldn't come to school.
Han Qingsong sent the children over. Han Qingping was very happy and talked a lot with Han Qingsong, the most frequent being, "Qingsong, Lin Lan has made great progress now! Very good, very good! Not afraid of being dull, only afraid of not changing. She knows progress now, she is truly a rare and good woman."
The more he praised, the more spirited he became, always having a kind of pride in his own edification, which was very gratifying.
Han Qingsong: "The children don't have textbooks, see if you can buy two; one set for two children is enough."
Dawang and Sanwang at one table, Maisui and Erwang at another.
Han Qingping was a bit troubled, "The books were issued earlier, I'm afraid it's not easy to buy them now."
Over there, Dawang immediately raised his eyebrows triumphantly and shoved the school bag into Maisui's arms at the front desk, "If there are no books, what class is there to have? I'm leaving first."
He stood up, and Sanwang immediately followed suit, quite pleased with himself.
Han Qingsong said coldly, "If there are no textbooks, then copy them! Memorize them!"
Dawang: "..."
Sanwang: (⊙o⊙) Oh!!
After Han Qingsong finished speaking, he said to Han Qingping, "The children are handed over to the teacher; if they don't follow the rules, just beat them."
Han Qingsong left after speaking.
The four children of the Han family: ...
Dawang held his pen like a sickle, his eyes full of murderous intent. Going to school was a waste of time, sitting here like an idiot—it would be better to go cut grass and earn work points.
Han Qingping first introduced the classroom discipline, and then talked about the daily schedule, "Students, don't be anxious, we have labor courses; it won't delay cutting grass. We can lecture while cutting grass."
He talked about the content of the first Chinese class. The convention for the first sentence was always to first learn, "Wish the great leader Chairman M a long, long life!"
After being able to read it, they had to learn to write, and writing started with the simplest things.
Han Qingping saw Dawang holding his pen in the posture of gripping a sickle or hoe, and hurriedly demonstrated how to hold a pen, letting the students follow suit.
Dawang couldn't learn it; he was annoyed and irritated, and almost snapped the pencil in two.
Sanwang hurriedly reminded him, "Eldest brother, three cents!"
If he snapped it, Mother would definitely nag when they got home, and if Mother nagged, he should just wait to be beaten.
He had understood it clearly: Father listened to Mother, as long as Mother was unhappy, no one would have any good fruits to eat.
The couple, who had been labeled as "the wife sings and the husband follows," were still sewing quilts at this moment. Han Qingsong was finishing the second one that hadn't been finished last night, while Lin Lan was planning to sew a mattress.
The kang was too hard, and she wasn't sleeping comfortably.
At this time, many families covered themselves with just that one quilt; a mattress was something one shouldn't even dare to hope for.
The original host previously only had two quilts—one big, one small—and had never spread a mattress.
For a small family like Lin Lan's to have four quilts was absolutely top-notch in the village.
She checked it. If the remaining rags were patched together, along with a little of the discarded old cotton, it would be enough to make a thin mattress.
It certainly wouldn't be warm, but fortunately it didn't need to be; being padded was still softer than the bare kang.
At this moment, Xiaowang led Wangwang back from the outside, the flute tied to his back with hemp rope. Seeing the adults sewing the quilt, the child couldn't help but want to go up and roll on it.
Lin Lan was more tolerant of Xiaowang than the other children, but she didn't want him to roll on the new cotton quilt with the dust from outside, so she coaxed him not to go up.
Xiaowang was rarely naughty and coquettish; the temptation of the cotton quilt was truly too great, and he still wanted to roll on it.
Han Qingsong was about to stiffen his face, but Lin Lan gave him a look, signaling him not to be so fierce to the child.
Han Qingsong's expression softened, "Come here, I'll tell you a story."
Lin Lan pricked up her ears; he could tell stories? That was to fool children.
Xiaowang had always been distant from Han Qingsong, and even a little afraid. As soon as he heard about a story, he leaned over, "Wangwang likes listening to stories the most."
Han Qingsong told him a story about a clumsy woman and a greedy man. The clumsy woman was sewing a quilt and sewed herself inside the quilt, while the greedy man thought about eating at all times. When it rained, he said the pili-pala sound hitting the window was like frying beans; when it snowed, he said it was floating and dancing like torn noodles...
To Lin Lan, the telling was dry and uninteresting; there was truly no emotional color to it at all.
Xiaowang, however, listened with great interest, asking incessantly, "Did the clumsy woman get out? Did the greedy man get to eat?" Children didn't care what kind of story they were listening to—they liked happy endings.
Han Qingsong looked at Lin Lan, "The clumsy woman had a diligent man, and the greedy man had a crafty-handed wife; both were satisfied."
Xiaowang was satisfied too.
Lin Lan, however, was guilty and almost placed herself into the role. Was he using a roundabout way to mock her for being clumsy?
Han Qingsong became more and more skilled as he sewed, and in no time, he had sewn the quilt well, and even wanted to help Lin Lan sew the mattress.
Lin Lan hurriedly refused, "No need, no need; the mattress is very thin, I can do it myself."
Han Qingsong didn't insist, "I'll go to the brigade to see about buying some wood."
Lin Lan had previously said she wanted to have two chests made to put clothes in; there was no place in the house to lock up valuable items, so it was truly unsafe.
At this time, the furniture for young people's marriages was basically a table, two stools, or perhaps one bench, a wardrobe, and two hand-chests. The wardrobe was a square, deep cabinet with a very large storage space, which could hold five or six quilts without a problem, and could also stuff seasonal clothes. If there were still conditions, a large box could be stacked on top, which was half the size of the wardrobe.
Those two hand-chests were very small, generally for storing small or private items.
At this time, there was no concept of a wardrobe in the countryside.
Anything different was just a kang cabinet placed on the kang. However, families generally had many children, and couples slept on the same kang with their children, so there was no space on the kang to put things like kang cabinets.
This furniture was all square, without any special shape, which could maximize the value of the wood and also provide the largest storage space.
Lin Lan and Han Qingsong's marriage was very shabby; they only had one limping table and two hand-chests, one of which she had given to her nephew, and the other one was not in shape either. They had nothing else like wardrobes, large chests, or kang cabinets.
Han Qingsong wanted to make Lin Lan a set of furniture: a set of table and stools, two hand-chests, a wardrobe plus a large chest. If he could buy a lot of wood, he could also make a five-drawer dresser or something like that.
He calculated that it would require a lot of wood.
Fortunately, he had a job now and could receive a salary every month, so paying the carpenter's fee wasn't a problem.
Generally, people in the village who made furniture invited the local carpenter to make it, or had them come home to treat them to a meal, give a little money, or send the wood over and ask them to help make it, then give a bit more money.
Han Qingsong inquired, and the local carpenter's craftsmanship was average. Everyone who had asked him to build furniture a few years ago said it was already not in shape, or the legs were wobbling and couldn't stand steadily.
He went to find the brigade leader first, using the elm tree the size of a waist from the family split to exchange with the brigade for air-dried elm wood. In addition, regardless of the tree species—elm, qiu wood, poplar, parasol tree—he would exchange for a few more pieces of ready-made wood and boards.
The wood for making furniture couldn't use freshly cut trees; it had to be air-dried for a year or two, otherwise, once the wood shrank, the furniture would be finished.
He wasn't in a hurry to pull the wood after exchanging it; he just left it at the brigade office. Everyone knew it was his, and no one dared to take it at this moment.
They could still vividly recall the appearance of the four thieves' feet and arms hanging down—the shadow area was not small, so who still dared to have designs on the Bureau Chief's house?
Han Qingyun knew he was exchanging wood to build furniture, so he enthusiastically gave him ideas, "Third Brother, let me tell you, don't look for 'Grasshopper Leg' to make furniture; his craftsmanship is too poor. My eldest brother's furniture was all ruined, and my eldest sister-in-law won't stop nagging about it. You should look for Carpenter Wang in Wanghetun to the south. His craftsmanship is good; my second brother's was made by him, and it hasn't changed at all."
"Grasshopper Leg" was the nickname for the local carpenter who liked to drink small liquor but had no side dishes. He could drink a meal of liquor with just one grasshopper leg, and he was known as the one who liked grasshoppers the most.
Han Qingsong had also inquired about it before, and it was about the same as what Han Qingyun had said, "Alright."
Han Qingyun asked him again what furniture he was building, and Han Qingsong said, "A full set."
Han Qingyun looked at him with surprise, "A full set? Third Brother, you're building so much furniture, the room can't hold it."
Han Qingsong thought seriously for a moment, "Mm, it's time to build a new house."
No comments:
Post a Comment