After the autumn harvest and winter storage, the vast number of farmers in Zhu County in eastern Sichuan entered the slack season.

Wu Sifu did not go out of the gate for several days, and did not step out of the second door, weaving bamboo sieves and weaving baskets, as if he was sulking, and worked hard.

Shuangjiang Town rushes to the scene every 369. Although there are now far fewer people living in rural areas, people who are old and unable to run outside are still staying at home.

It's a Saturday.

Wu Sifu ate breakfast early, released the chickens and ducks out of the house, fed pig food to the two fat pigs, packed up the bamboo products that had been woven for a few days, locked the door, and went to Shuangjiang Town to catch up.

He limped down the downhill road in front of the door and walked along the Lion Beach River at the foot of the mountain in the direction of the village office. Suddenly, I heard someone call him: "Wu Sifu!" Wu Sifu! ”

Wu Sifu looked back and saw that it was Shen San's wife Li Dacui.

Li Dacui is a little younger than him, and he is almost 50 years old, about the same age as Zhang Pingping, but he is not as beautiful as Zhang Pingping. She is short and fat, with a pair of hanging legs and collapsed eyes, a big mouth with thick lips turned out, her face is covered with horizontal meat, and her voice is sharp and loud.

"There are not many things in front of the widow's door", Wu Sifu didn't want to pay attention to her. But when he heard people shouting for him, he had to stop and wait for her.

"When did you make so many baskets? And a bamboo sieve? I can't see that your craftsmanship is better than your old man's. Li Dacui saw Wu Sifu and said to himself.

"It's okay to be idle, just make up a few and sell them in the town to see if you can exchange them for a few dollars. Xiaotian is about to graduate from high school, and the cost is high. Wu Sifu said painlessly, as if explaining.

"I'm going to catch up too, we're just going all the way." Li Dacui said.

After a while, Li Dacui saw that Wu Sifu didn't speak, and said to himself: "Alas. You said that your family used to be so good. In the past few years, I don't know what luck I have, and unfortunate things have happened to your family. You said that your father and your mother, you used so much money, you should be cured, but you still died. "Li Dacui just didn't mention which one.

When Wu Sifu heard it, didn't this have the same idea as Pingping? Do your best, obey the destiny of heaven! Do you understand this truth? Stupid woman. Wu Sifu sneered.

"If you don't treat it, how do you know if you can be cured? In the face of his father and mother, can't he die without help? What kind of logic do you have? Wu Sifu shouted in a low voice with a little anger.

Li Dacui was a little angry when he heard Wu Sifu, and quickly stopped. I was telling the truth, but I didn't think this man was really angry. Pingping deserves not to come back.

The two walked forward in silence.

When I came to the village office, there was not a single motorcycle carrying passengers. Wu Sifu saw that his things were large and loose, and it was difficult to sit in the car, so he had to carry them and continue walking. If you think you can not take the car, you will not take the car, and if you can save some money, you will save some money.

Li Dacui saw that there was no motorcycle to sit on, so he also walked with Wu Sifu. Thinking that he had made Wu Sifu unhappy just now, he felt a little weak in his heart, so he said flatteringly: "Wu Sifu, I'll help you choose." Hurry up, or you'll end up in town. ”

Li Dacui said as he moved Wu Sifu's flat shoulder onto his shoulder. Wu Sifu was stunned for a moment, so he had to let Li Dacui carry the basket and bamboo sieve in front.

After a while, Li Dacui broke the silence and said, "I heard that the village has a meeting and wants to register poor households. I don't know if there is any benefit to registering. ”

"I heard the third uncle say that only those with a per capita annual net income of less than 2,700 can be considered poor households." Wu Sifu replied.

"No matter what net income is not pure income, I will definitely register as a poor household this time. Shen San has been dead for the past two years, and I have made trouble many times, but I will not be given a subsistence allowance. The cadres in the village were blind. Li Dacui said angrily.

"Your son works outside the home, and I heard that the salary is quite high. How can you be considered a poor household? Wu Sifu asked curiously.

"Why is it not considered a poor household? The money his son earns from his part-time job is his. My house is rotten, and I don't have the wind in winter and the rain in summer, isn't it poor? Just because my family has no house and no savings, my son has not been able to get married until now, is he not poor?

I'm a woman, planting some land, collecting some grain, and I'm busy until dark, where can I earn money except for a mouth? Li Dacui said sharply.

"Your house does suck a bit. In the first two years, the state had indicators for the renovation of dilapidated houses, why didn't you demolish and build new houses? Wu Sifu asked suspiciously.

"The men are gone, how can I repair a woman? Besides, what is the purpose of repairing a rotten house? Li Dacui said again.

Wu Sifu was confused. Just now I said that the house was rotten, and I told her that the country has a policy, but she said that she would not repair it. What does this woman's brain think?

Seeing that Wu Sifu didn't respond, Li Dacui continued: "In this ravine, ghosts don't, birds don't lay eggs, and they still repair the house here, will they be poor for the rest of their lives?" The tree dies, and the man lives. Let's tell you the truth, I have all the money for Shen San's life, and then I will go to the town to buy a house for my son, so that he can marry a wife. Li Dacui whispered proudly.

It seems that this mother-in-law is not stupid, she still has big plans in her heart, it is not simple. Wu Sifu thought to himself.

"Isn't your family poor, and you keep saying that you want to be a poor household?" Wu Sifu sneered.

"When the government comes to register, it must fight for it. Who knows if it will be good later. The country's money, if you don't take it for nothing, you don't take it. Li Dacui said narrowly, "When the time comes, you will also strive to register as a poor household." Your family is already poor. ”

After Li Dacui said this, he immediately realized that he had said the wrong thing again, and quickly shut up.

Wu Sifu was so angry. Today, Li Dacui's feelings are with him all the way, is he specially here to squeeze himself? Why does this woman become more annoying the more you look at it?

"It's not a very honorable thing to be poor, and you still line up to register?!" Wu Sifu said angrily.

Li Dacui didn't answer again, and walked away quickly with something.

Li Dacui came to the farmers' market and waited for a while before Wu Sifu arrived. She handed over the bamboo products to Wu Sifu, and was about to walk away, when a middle-aged man with a long apron on his chest and a fat round face walked over.

"Boss, do you want to buy a basket?" Li Dacui greeted.

The middle-aged man took the basket and bamboo sieve in his hand and looked at it over and over, and asked Li Dacui suspiciously: "Your man made it up?" ”

"It's not. He made it up. Li Dacui pointed at Wu Sifu.

Wu Sifu hurriedly walked over and said, "I made it up." ”

The middle-aged man looked at Wu Sifu, and from the way he walked just now, he found that his feet were not corded, and he was probably disabled. Busy praised: "Your bamboo sieve is very meticulous." How many are there? Give it all to me, and I'll use it for drying chili peppers. ”

"Why doesn't this man ask the price? Do you want black to eat black? Wu Sifu thought to himself.

"Boss, this bamboo sieve costs 30 yuan a piece." Li Dacui hurriedly said.

The middle-aged man glanced at Li Dacui obliquely, didn't you just say that it wasn't made up by your family? Now it's time to negotiate the price. It seems that this woman is really not good at stubble.

"30 yuan is a bit expensive. I think this big brother is doing well, 20 yuan a piece, okay? The middle-aged man said.

Li Dacui still wanted to bargain, but Wu Sifu hurriedly said: "Okay, okay." I have 4 of them here, 80 yuan. As he spoke, he took out the bamboo sieve.

Wu Sifu thought, last time the old man called 15 yuan a piece, and he wanted to call it 15 yuan today, but he didn't expect Li Dacui to dare to open his mouth. However, the price of 20 yuan is very good. I couldn't help but ease my hatred for Li Dacui.

The middle-aged man drew a hundred-yuan bill and handed it to Wu Sifu, who hurriedly looked out of his pocket for change. The middle-aged man rummaged through the bamboo products again and found that Wu Sifu's basket was very well woven, but it was a little smaller. However, the round basket is beautiful. In the past, no one had woven a basket into a circle, but it was a bit creative. So I picked two more small baskets.

Wu Sifu calculated the account, handed the change to the middle-aged man, and handed him a cigarette. The middle-aged man took the cigarette and lit it for Wu Sifu before lighting it for himself. casually asked, "Which village are you?" ”

"Takemura." Wu Sifu replied.

"Oh, Bamboo Village, there's bamboo everywhere. I know you're there. The middle-aged man paused, and then said, "Do you know how to weave a big basket?" It is a large basket used for rural dam mats. ”

"Absolutely. What wouldn't be a scornmaker. Wu Sifu smiled honestly and said sincerely.

"You weave me four big baskets, they need to be so big." The man said, his hands in the air to gauge the size, and said, "Weave two more small baskets, a little bigger than your current small basket, and I will use the chopsticks." The next rush day will be delivered, okay? The middle-aged man said.

Wu Sifu looked at the size of the man's gesture, and quickly estimated in his heart, one in three days, 4 big and 2 small, it will take at least a day and a half to cut bamboo and draw scorn, and there is still a day and a half left, which can't be driven out anyway. told the middle-aged man what he was thinking.

Li Dacui stood aside, anxious, wouldn't it be okay to accept it in one bite? It's still grinding there, what if people are impatient and the business runs away? I'm dying.

"Boss, he's fast, he should be fine. Knit a little later at night, yes, yes. As he spoke, he gave Wu Sifu a look.

Wu Sifu ignored Li Dacui and said to the middle-aged man, "You are opening a restaurant in the town, right?" Otherwise, postpone it for a day, and I'll send it to you on the 10th. If you are in a hurry, send 2 big ones first. Brother, what do you think? ”

Seeing that Wu Sifu was sincere, not like a cunning person, the middle-aged man nodded and said, "Okay!" He also negotiated the price and process requirements with Wu Sifu, left a contact number, and left with the bamboo sieve and shakpan he had just bought.

Li Dacui hurriedly said, "Why don't you ask him to give a deposit?" What if you send him and don't want it? ”

Wu Sifu didn't expect this at all. He felt that the middle-aged man was an upright and cheerful man, not like a fraudster. However, I really don't have enough experience, and I used to sell things in the town by my father. In the future, you have to have more eyes on your heart.

Wu Sifu snorted and said, "I really didn't expect this. Looks like he won't want to. ”

Li Dacui pursed his lips and didn't say anything more. Turned around and hurried to the scene.

Wu Sifu stayed at the farmers' market for a while, and there were still a few baskets that were not sold. Two more peasants came to see and said it was a little smaller. It seems that it will have to be woven a little bigger in the future. Farmers don't care about beauty, as long as it's big enough to hold something.

Wu Sifu went around the farmers' market again, except for a few people selling chickens, ducks, and eggs, there was no one left. The stalls in the town are not in a hurry, and the goods on the stalls are also neatly piled. In the middle of the stumbling, I bought myself a pair of yellow cloth rubber shoes.