CH 36

After breakfast, Zhang Qiaoer let Mei Xiang stay at home with Yingbao, and she took Jia Hui to the captain’s house for a trip.

“Your brother Huaishan and our family’s friendship was not bad. I had already talked to him. You can do whatever work he arranges for you. If you meet someone who has made things difficult for you, don’t keep it to yourself. Come back and tell me. I’ll find a job for you. “

On the way, Zhang Qiaoer told Jiahui about the team. There were dozens of families and more than 200 people on the production team. There were 16 production teams in Shanghe village.

The most important things that she needed to know were: who is close to their family, who is the most difficult to get along with, who likes to gossip, who likes petty theft, and so on. She explained it all to Jiahui one by one.

Dong Jiahui is Dong’s new wife. She hasn’t been around much for a few days after the marriage. Except for a few acquaintances, she didn’t know more than half of the people in the village. So Zhang Qiaoer wasn’t able to talk about it all with him for a moment.

At this point, when people in the village went out one after another, they saw Zhang Qiaoer walking on the road with Jiahui, so they had to come forward and say a few words.

“Guixiang, where are you taking your daughter-in-law?”

“We’re going to Huaishan’s house.”

After Zhang Qiaoer replied, she turned to Jiahui and introduced her. “This is your Aunt Wu. She lives in the third house in the front row of our house. “

Dong Jiahui stood aside and gave a decent smile, “Good day, Aunt Wu.”

Aunt Wu has been observing Dong Jiahui without moving. Today, Dong Jiahui wore a red coat, black pants, and white sneakers. Her hair was twisted into a braid and was left hanging behind her head. She had a medium-part bang, a bright face, her eyes were smiling at people, her thin lips were smeared with a bright-red color. It looked elegant and beautiful.

She clicked her tongue twice in her heart, thinking that this Zhao family really had married a new daughter-in-law. Before, Wang Mei was not bad looking, and their second daughter-in-law, Yuefen, was not even close to this new daughter-in-law. She looks dignified and generous.

“Aiya, your daughter-in-law looks well-behaved, making people like her at first sight.”

Aunt Wu’s words were half true and half false. Dong Jiahui’s appearance was really pleasing. Who doesn’t like the appearance of a smiling face? But Aunt Wu can’t accept the fact that she has been divorced. She doesn’t understand Zhang Qiaoer’s attitude towards treating her as a baby.

But even if that’s what she thought, she couldn’t say it. She still has to say something good. As for how to say it in private, it was another matter.

Zhang Qiao’er didn’t care whether Aunt Wu was sincere or not; anyway, she was very happy to hear the compliments.

“Exactly. She’s clever and sensible. She can cook well, make clothes and do housework quickly. But I’m worried. It’s just that she’s too honest. “

Aunt Wu smiled and said, “I see, you don’t have an additional daughter-in-law, but you seem to have an extra daughter.”

Zhang Qiaoer also laughed and said, “That’s not true. This daughter is more considerate than my own daughter.”

After a few laughs, Zhang Qiaoer took Jiahui and continued to walk forward. After walking for about 500 meters, they finally arrived at the captain, Ding Huishan’s, home.

“This is our production team leader, your brother Huaishan. This is your sister-in-law, Ping.”

Ding Huaishan was not old, but he was a very anxious man. He is tall and burly. He smiles with a simple and honest temperament. Aunt Ping was very enthusiastic. When she saw them coming, she quickly asked them to come in and sit down. She kept asking them if they had had breakfast.

“We ate at home.”

“Seriously? Don’t be polite, we have sweet potato porridge in the pot. “

“Really, don’t mention it. What else is there to be polite about with you?”

As an aunt, Zhang Qiaoer’s age was not much different from that of Aunt Ping’s. Speaking of Zhang Qiaoer’s father, he is also a man with a lot of stories. When he was young, he was very mischievous and handsome. He had a mouth that could deceive young ladies. Ding Huaishan’s mother is one of them.

Zhang Qiaoer was her father’s eldest daughter, so she was not a few years older than Ding Huaishan. She still remembers when Ding Huaishan’s mother was the young wife of her father.

When she was six years old, Ding Huishan’s mother left the Zhang family and married an honest man in the same village who did not marry a wife. This man was Ding Huishan’s father.

The rare thing is that they do not feel embarrassed themselves. The relationship was even quite good.

Anyway, when Dong Jiahui knew that the two families were in such a relationship, her mood could not be described as just “shocked.”

Ding Huishan went back to the house to get a key and handed it to Dong Jiahui, “The work in warehouse storage is very simple; you just need to make sure that the things are brought back. Take this key, people from the team go to the warehouse every day to collect things. When they borrow equipment, they have to return it on the same day they borrowed it.

The production team now has a lot of labor tools, such as scythes, hoes, plows, wooden carts, wheelbarrows, tractors, etc. They are important properties of the production team; these are the things they have to rely on when working in the field.

Like the tractor, the entire Shanghe village has only five of them. Their team belongs to the advanced production team, which has one. Usually, it is driven by Ding Huaishan’s son.

The team leader explained the precautions once, focusing on two points: one is that there must be no missing things, and the other is to ensure that she must be in the warehouse before everyone starts to work.

On her first day, Zhang Qiaoer accompanied Dong Jiahui to the warehouse. On their way, he was afraid that Jiahui would feel psychological pressure and comfort her. Don’t worry, this job is not difficult. You just have to remember to open the door before 7:40 every day. Remember who took it and when they returned it. Just close the door before you go. “

Dong Jiahui said he understood that this job was actually similar to some factory custodians in modern times.

On her first official day of work, Dong Jiahui was naturally surrounded by people.

“Is this sister’s eldest daughter-in-law?”

“She looked thin on the day of her wedding, but today she looks good.”

When did our team arrange for a custodian? It’s just a few things. Does it still need to be watched? “

“Hey, it was arranged by the captain. For whatever reason you said, does it still have a use? “

“If he wanted to arrange a job for it, he should have arranged it earlier. The benefits are all taken up. “

“You’re just jealous. If you have the ability, go find the captain to arrange a job for you.”

Being a warehouse custodian was easy; there wasn’t much work, unlike working in the field. Besides, the custodian has to know two words to write every day. The slightly older people in the village were illiterate. Moreover, everyone was used to working, so they felt constrained to being a warehouse keeper.

But it doesn’t matter if they can’t read. The children at home can read. It’s not cost-effective for men to do this. Isn’t it just for women?

For so many years, they had not set up a custodian, and now the captain suddenly gave this job to Donglin’s wife. No one believes it when they say there is nothing behind it.

After opening the warehouse, Dong Jiahui divided farm tools such as hoes and harrows, took a notepad and recorded the personnel and approximate time of borrowing farm tools with self-made excel.

“We didn’t need to register before. Why is it so troublesome today? “

Most of the people who come to the warehouse to get farming tools are young and strong or older laborers, and there was no custodian on the team before, so naturally, no one registered this.

“Grandpa, as you can see, this is my first day on duty today, at least cooperate a little, you just need to move your mouth, and I will write it down. After I register a few times, you will get used to it.”

As the saying goes, “Reach out without hitting the smiling person.”[1] When a young wife with a smile on her face speaks to you in this way, who cannot really put down their face? So naturally, he had to finally register the tools.

When all the people who received tools had left, Captain Ding Huishan came over to see how Dong Jiahui was doing.

“Sister-in-law, how is it? Can you adapt?”

Dong Jiahui handed over her record book. “Captain, I don’t know if this is right. Why don’t you take a look at it?”

Ding Huishan looked at the results in the record book. When he looked at the table made by Dong Jiahui, he wasn’t able to respond. It was mainly because it was too formal. It was like how the accountant in the commune recorded the accounts.

The top of the table was divided into columns; agricultural tools, borrowers, borrowing time, and time of return. In a vertical column was the date.

“You’re great. You’ve studied accounting before?”

“No. I just read a few books on accounting; I did not learn it formally. “

Ding Huishan nodded with satisfaction and handed the record book to Dong Jiahui.

“Good, quite good. I’m relieved to see that you’re doing so well.”

Originally, it was for the sake of Zhang Qiaoer and Zhao Donglin’s faces. He was reluctant to let Dong Jiahui be the custodian. On the way here, he met those pricks on the team and was secretly offended, which meant that he abused power for personal gain. Now it seems that his decision was not bad. At least Dong Jiahui is not an embroidered pillow[2], and when you encounter other people’s nonsense, he has something to say.

Everyone returned the farming tools at noon after finishing their work. Zhang Qiaoer was uneasy, even though she didn’t borrow any farming tools, she also went to the warehouse.

“How is it today?”

“Pretty good.”

Your brother Huaishan also said you did a good job. He said you made a table yourself, as good as those accountants in the commune. He also praised you for your good writing. “

Zhang Qiaoer walked over to look at the paper. There were horizontal and vertical lines scratched on the paper. It looks quite profound, she couldn’t recognize many words, but she could still distinguish the word good or bad. At least the words written by Dong Jiahui were arranged neatly one by one, which was different from the words poured on the paper and written like drunkenness.

“Go, let’s go home to eat, and I do not know what Meixiang cooked today.”

Zhao Meixiang also learned to cook with Dong Jiahui two days ago. Jiahui began to teach a little bit about preparing dishes. Her cooking skills are a little better than before. At least she knows what an oil explosion is.

“You do not have to stay all the time; you can go back in the middle when no one is around.”

Dong Jiahui also knows that she can come back home after letting everyone borrow the farming tools and return before the villagers were done with fieldwork, but today was her first day of work. She belonged to those who were new to the workplace. She didn’t dare start behaving like a veteran.

“Then I’ll go back and cook when I have time later.”

When they returned home, the meal was already on the table. It was just waiting for them to arrive home and start eating.

When Yingbao saw Dong Jiahui coming back, she came over with her short legs, asking for a hug. Dong Jiahui smiled and picked her up. She kissed her face and said, “Did Yingbao miss me?

“She missed you. You gave her delicious this and delicious that food at home, so I made her food, but she was still picky about it.”

Heidan sat at the dinner table and watched Dong Jiahui hug Yingbao and watch her give a kiss to Yingbao.

This intimate look, which even Wang Mei had never given to him, was somewhat envied by Heidan in his heart. His eyes were locked on her, but his small lips were pursed, presenting an on-guard posture.

After lunch, Dong Jiahui took the initiative to wash the dishes. Heidan ate alone and played with stones under the tree. Dong Jiahui looked through the window and saw that Heidan’s trouser legs were scratched and his trousers were somewhat short. Heidan’s shoes were seriously worn out. He followed Zhao Manzhu every day. His clothes and shoes were easy to get dirty.

“Heidan is four years old; shouldn’t he be enlightened?”

“En, why mention this suddenly?”

At this time, there are not many kindergartens. The children in the village go to elementary school at the age of six or seven. At Heidan’s age, it is not yet time to go to school.

Besides, there was no such thing as enlightenment for rural children at this time.

“He is at his best age to learn, so when you teach him a little bit every day, he can learn faster than others when he goes to school.”

Although she never claimed to be their “mother” or “mom,” she still has basic compassion for children and tries to do her best to fulfil her responsibilities as an adult when considering problems.

In modern times, early childhood education has become popular, and children have started to attend various early classes for children. Children who are a few months old begin to take all kinds of early education classes, and those who start prenatal education just after pregnancy. It can be said that a series of competitions has begun between the mother and fetus.

When Dong Jiahui asked this question, It’s false to say that Zhao Donglin was not moved. In real life, Dong Jiahui has taken enough care of Heidan and Yingbao. She is a very competent stepmother. No matter what, she can’t be blamed because she not only takes care of the children’s lives but also takes into account their education. This is her heartfelt concern.

Zhao Donglin held Dong Jiahui’s hand and rubbed her palm, and no amount of words could express the emotion he felt at this moment.

“I’ve made many decisions in my life, and besides going to the army, the most correct decision was to marry you at home. Really. “

This sudden confession made Dong Jiahui blush a little, and her face turned red.

“Why did you say this suddenly?”

Zhao Donglin smoothly took her into his arms, his heart full of tenderness.

I’m talking from the heart. Before, I was most worried about Heidan and Yingbao, afraid that I might find someone that might make them suffer. The first time I saw you, I thought you would be a good mother and a good wife, and it turns out, my choice was not wrong. “

This is the first time Zhao Donglin mentioned the topic of Heidan Yingbao completely. Dong Jiahui has an unspeakable feeling in her heart. Although she really loves Heidan and Yingbao, the two are not her own children after all. They are the children of Zhao Donglin and the other person. She sometimes wondered if Zhao Donglin often thought of his ex-wife, Wang Mei. Just like how the saying goes, “one night, a hundred days of grace”. The two of them have children, not to mention that they are in a constant state of disarray.

“What’s wrong?”

Dong Jiahui shook her head, “Nothing, I was just thinking, if I am not good to Heidan and Yingbao, will you be very disappointed with me, our feelings…”

“There is no such thing as an “if.” That is what I saw in you. I know you will be good to them, and I believed it from the beginning. “

“Don’t think too much. I didn’t want to marry you because of this. I really liked and appreciated you. Your character and morality are only part of it. “

Zhao Donglin feared that Jiahui would misunderstand it. He was in a hurry to explain. Dong Jiahui laughed. What are you nervous about? I only asked that. Anyway, as long as you treat me wholeheartedly and don’t think about others, I will be good to the children, but if you change your mind, I will have to give you a good look. “

She was willing to marry Zhao Donglin and be this convenient stepmother. In addition to being forced by the situation, she naturally appreciates Zhao Donglin. Although he was divorced and had two children, he was handsome and not old. At the very least, 30 years old was the ideal age in modern times.

Moreover, he has an indescribable temperament, the perseverance of a soldier, and the connotation of a sub-cultural person. This kind of man was born in the wrong era. If he is in modern times, he can certainly have a good career.

Dong Jiahui put on the watch that Zhao Donglin bought for her when she went to the warehouse in the afternoon. It was inconvenient to wear it for household chores, but now that she is doing the job of a custodian, it was quite suitable.

Dong Jiahui just happened to run into Zheng Yuefen when she went out, and Zheng Yuefen’s eyes were like radar. She noticed Dong Jiahui’s wrist right away.

My sister-in-law still has a watch. I haven’t seen you wear it since two days ago. “

Zheng Yuefen’s eyes were burning and her words were inexplicable. Dong Jiahui said, with a half-genuine smile, “I don’t have to tell anyone what I have. I just have a watch, and I can wear it whenever I want.” Is there a problem? “

When Dong Jiahui finished talking, she did not care about Zheng Yuefen’s face. She went directly in the direction of the warehouse, leaving Zheng Yuefen with a terrible look on her face. She gritted her teeth as she looked at Dong Jiahui’s back.

The watch still looks new. It was definitely new. Did her mother-in-law secretly give it to her as a bride price? If it was the Dong family’s dowry, why didn’t she take it out when giving the dowry? Besides, the Dong family’s conditions can’t be said to be very good. They can’t give a sewing machine and a hand watch at the same time. It’s a Shanghai brand, it should be more than 100 yuan!

I have to say that Zheng Yuefen guessed the truth, but she got the wrong person. This watch is not a bride’s price. Zhao Donglin used his military allowance to buy the watch for his wife. It is his personal money.

Notlucia: I know, the schedule was not messed up (；′⌒`). Next update will be on Sunday! (2 Chapters maybe.) And thanks for reading!

References