The sound of getting off work came from the radio in the village, and the two daughters-in-law of the Zhang family had already finished dinner. Now the Zhang family's food has improved. The corn residue is finally gone. After building two yards, the family's coarse grain will be enough for the whole family to last until the beginning of spring next year.

Originally, Dad Zhang planned to rush to the market before the year to prepare some coarse grains, plus the fine grains distributed at the end of the year were replaced by coarse grains. Then there will be no shortage of food in the coming year. was eaten by Zhang Guoqing from time to time with a table of good meals. Well, the adults in the family can't swallow the corn residue, let alone the children?

Dad Zhang thought about the food supply for the children in the family, and they would not be able to get rations in the coming year. Now that I have a lot of money, I immediately bought a lot of fine grains and coarse grains.

Now the Zhangjia warehouse is full of food in addition to the purchased grain, plus the rations distributed at the end of the year. Zhang Guoqing hunted wild boars and other wild things, and the cellar was full. There is no shortage of meat, and there is no shortage of fat at home. The Zhang family now cooks and cooks no longer to fill their stomachs, and gradually improves their food.

After dinner. Men gathered in the hall to listen to the gramophone and listen to Daddy Zhang's talk about the past. The women all went to Zhou Jiaonara's house to do needlework.

In the living room outside the west wing, a kerosene lamp is lit. The two Mai Miao sisters took care of the peace on the kang, Zhang's mother kept holding the soles of her shoes, and Huang Cuilan and the two concubines were wearing sweaters in their hands, talking about what they saw in the market.

Zhou Jiao sat boredly beside Zhang's mother, watching them busy, looking at their hands, only to feel that their hands were itchy. She also has a lot of work to do, and she can't stand it anymore. I felt the room and took out the yarn.

Lin Juhua saw her secretly glancing at her mother-in-law, and smiled, "It's uncomfortable to be idle, right?" It's okay to have a ball of wool, but not a sweater. In a few days, you're still afraid that you won't have work? ”

Mother Zhang scolded with a smile, "Stupid." It's silly. I'm afraid I won't have a job. Let's make a yarn! ”

Zhou Jiao declined Mai Miao's request for help. He took a chair and placed it in front of him, happily grouping the thread. Listening to the sister-in-law being selected in that lecture team.

Hearing that Uncle Zhang's eldest son was competing for the position of accountant, he smiled slightly. I feel that there is no drama in my heart, so it is better not to go up, directly recommend Xiao Dashi, and also fall into personal favors.

The mother-in-law and daughter-in-law were chatting about family life, and when they heard the sound of talking at the gate of the courtyard, they all stopped to look at each other.

Mother Zhang stood up and patted her clothes, "It's Qingshan's daughter-in-law, it seems that she knows that Jiaojiao is back looking for you." After that, he picked up the basket and was about to go out.

Zhou Jiao didn't wait for Zhang's mother to go out, so she quickly picked up the wool and hid it in the inner room. There are a lot of people who listen to the voice, and these daughters-in-law are not strict-mouthed, and they can do one less thing.

Mother Zhang saw that Zhou Jiao had cleaned up, opened the curtain and went out.

Huang Cuilan and the others laughed, every time they saw Zhou Jiao, as long as outsiders came, they would hide things, which was very fun. Their little brothers and sisters are afraid of publicity, but everyone has eyes.

Aoyama's daughter-in-law came in with a group of women, and she heard them laughing, "What are you so happy about?" We don't come out to meet us. ”

"I'm glad you're here. Sit down, there is no stool to sit on the kang. Lin Juhua pulled her to sit down and greeted everyone.

After the seven or eight little daughters-in-law sat down, they chattered one by one.

Zhou Jiao hurriedly greeted them, pointing to the candy and melon seeds on the table, "Feel free to do whatever you want." Why did you come over so well today? ”

"Didn't you see you coming back? The county is fun, right? I calculated that you should come back today, and tomorrow they will go up the mountain, and you will not be able to stay in the county seat. Ye Zi said with a smug face.

Zhou Jiao really didn't know that she was going to hunt tomorrow. Don't talk about her, even Zhang Guoqing doesn't know. The two of them thought they had already gone up the mountain. It's been a long time.

"Awesome. That's all for you. Why didn't you bring your children here? ”

A little daughter-in-law next to her listened, "The children are too noisy." None of us could speak. It's going to be dark, just staying home. Jiaojiao, you haven't been at home these days, but you've missed a lot of things. ”

Zhou Jiao smiled and looked at several people talking about things in the village. This time, I came to live near Beishan. What happened to those people in the village was all their fun. There is a regional difference.

Lin Juhua was talking to her little daughter-in-law beside her. Zhou Jiao knew her and married Wang Xiaohua before and after her. I can't believe that this shy little daughter-in-law doesn't blush when she talks about meat now.

Qingshan's daughter-in-law approached Huang Cuilan and asked her in a low voice, is the warm house lively today? Look at Huang Cuilan nodded. He looked at her enviously. It's good if you don't have a family, and you don't have to show your own favors.

Everyone talked and talked about the selection of the women's director in the village. Everyone looked at the leaves.

Ye Zi glared at them embarrassedly, "Don't talk nonsense. My man said I couldn't. You have to take care of your family first and figure out what is going on at home. ”

"Can your man dwell in your lord? Who doesn't know that your man loves you the most. Yezi, tell everyone how your man hurts you? A daughter-in-law spoke and everyone laughed.

"It's not serious. See if I don't tear your broken mouth. ”

Zhou Jiao was afraid that they would say anything next, so she hurriedly changed the topic, "Xiu'e, has your brother-in-law taken a fancy to the object?" ”

Everyone looked at Xiu'e and waited for her to tell her about her little brother-in-law.

Chen Xiu'e laughed heartily, "Last time, this kid was a fat girl." Oops, our family was so happy by what he said. He said that he should find a thin one who does not occupy the kang. This time, I took a fancy to Zhou Xiaoling from the next village, and the two families said that they would get married at the end of the year. I see that my brother-in-law has long paid attention to other girls, and as soon as the matchmaker said it, he agreed. ”

"That girl is very good, and there are a lot of people who ask to marry. How much money did your family give? ”

Chen Xiu'e pointed to each other, "There is no shortage of daughters-in-law in our Zhangjia Village, especially at the foot of the North Mountain. Two hundred bride price was given. People fancy our yard. I know that we have a good relationship in this neighborhood. ”

Everyone nodded in agreement, everyone came from the girl's house. At the beginning, the main thing to look at was the family background, and then the young man. Compared with those earthen embryo houses and a large family living in the east and west houses, they have a large yard and a spacious house, and they are really not afraid of not being able to marry a good daughter-in-law. The bride price of 200 yuan is a lot, needless to say, in the village, even the girls in the county will marry in.

Zhou Jiao saw that they talked about the bride price, but she didn't say anything. Her 800 bride price is the largest in the county. She wished everyone had forgotten about it.

In fact, when Zhang Lao Er married his wife, he could give a 500 dowry. Originally, the two parties agreed to bring back 300 yuan, but who knew that the appointment would be broken. When Zhang Guoqing gets married, her parents-in-law can pay 800 yuan, one is to take a fancy to her, and the other is to give Wu Baiyuan as a gift to Zhou Xue of the Zhou family.

Zhang Guoqing privately added 200 yuan, but in fact, the bride price given by the Zhang family was only 600 yuan according to the family. gave a hundred more than the second child.

Thinking of Zhou Xue's Wu Baiyuan bride price, Zhou Jiao couldn't help but sneer, she didn't feel guilty at all for what happened to the Wang family, just because she could give so much bride price with the position of the village head, she was not a good person.

How can you have so much savings in the countryside by farming? Where did the Zhang family's money come from? Zhang Lao's second Wu Baiyuan bride price was earned by Zhang's father and his two sons who were busy with farm work and private work.

I heard my mother-in-law say that the family did not have enough money at the beginning, in addition to the secret subsidy of the eldest sister and the second sister, I also borrowed money to make it up. Seeing that the family had no money, Zhang Guoqing went crazy every day to hunt wild animals and sell them for money, so that the family had savings. After six or seven years, the family worked together to get 800 yuan in bride price. The above two brothers and sisters-in-law did not object, and they also knew that the largest income in the family was earned by Zhang Guoqing. According to her mother-in-law, her family can be one of the best in the village, and it really depends on Xiao Wu. So no matter how eccentric she is, no one dares to say anything.

She really believed her mother-in-law's statement. After marrying into this family, it is roughly calculated that whether the eldest brother's bricklayer work or the second brother's carpentry work is not as good as Zhang Guoqing's income. In the early years, Zhang Guoqing should have given all the money to his family, and in the last year or two, he kept private money, and handed over 300 yuan to her after getting married, plus 200 yuan for the bride price. With 500 yuan, you can know how much he earned.

Ye Zi asked her curiously, "Then there are two hundred dowries, how many are in your parents-in-law's hands?" I see that your family has shared a lot of dividends this year. ”

Chen Xiu'e shook her head, "I really don't know." The old couple should have a lot of money. There have been no expenses in the past few years. My eldest sister doesn't want to supplement her husband's family. How much money did the uncle spend on school. ”

A little daughter-in-law looked at her enviously and said, "Your man has two brothers, and the family is rich." You've had a good day. My man has five brothers, and there are two below who have not yet started a family, and they still have to survive. ”

Qingshan's daughter-in-law looked at her strangely, and couldn't help but ask her: "Last time, I heard your mother-in-law say that she would divide you and the second child." When you divide your home, what are you going to boil? The little brother-in-law below, that's your father-in-law's business. ”

She mentioned it. She wanted the second child and my man to move out, but she didn't say anything about building a yard for us. My man died of sorrow during this time. A few days ago, I looked at the chrysanthemums and the delicate yard and said that it would cost at least a hundred yuan. I really want to split up the family and let his father and mother give him some money to make it up. No, I'm going to come over and ask a few of them, how much did it cost? Seeing that the old man was tempted, it was better to get acquainted and plan early. ”

Huang Cuilan and Lin Juhua all looked at Zhou Jiao. Zhou Jiao smiled, "We don't know much, let him personally ask Xiao Wu how good they are." Some time ago, several families had already made an appointment to build a yard together. I probably estimate that it doesn't cost much, but it requires manpower. The biggest money spent was on the master bricklayer, and then the carpentry and the purchase of some tiles. In terms of manpower, you can prepare the big bluestone, clay embryo and wood by yourself. If you start building a house in April or May next year, you have to prepare food before that year. ”

"Haha..... I can't say it clearly, isn't it quite clear. I'll count it as soon as you say that. When I went back, my mother-in-law said that she should divide the family, and she should prepare something. ”

Ye Zi reminded her on the side, "There is still a foundation to be approved early." Don't build into the village. I've heard that a few families have started to inquire about our foundation. ”

Aoyama's daughter-in-law nodded, "Listen to the leaves." There are really a lot of old people who take a fancy to this place. Uncle Arida's house has been cracked and will not be repaired, so I will wait for the yard to be built in front of my house in May next year. The foundations have been approved. ”

"I'm glad you reminded me. Alas...... This is the foot of the North Mountain, which no one wanted to come to at the beginning, but now they are all eyeing it. Isn't it nice in the village? ”

Everyone joked and asked her to live in the village and try it. Women have a lot of topics together, and after a while, they talk about what they sell and how much they make when they catch up with the market. Talk about which bazaar is the most crowded and how much more insoles are sold.

Zhou Jiao listened to their gossip with relish and found that there were still many things that could make money. I wondered if I should come up with an idea to make some head flowers, sell some red couplets, and window flowers. Let the two sisters-in-law earn some pocket money. Now the situation can still make money, and after next year, the market will not be open, and the money will not be profitable. The large and small markets at the two ends of the first three days are also not conspicuous. Do it secretly at home, and the big winter bag is strict, and I am not afraid that someone will turn over the old accounts in the future.