My 1995 Small Farm.

"Uncle Fugui, you should have said so earlier! If you have any work, come to our house. We have nothing going on this year. Don't even mention after the fifth day of the new year, we can start working for you right away as early as the fourth day of the new year."

I had just returned home from the third year of junior high school when I learned that Chen Ling's house was going to be renovated.

The two brothers, Wang Juying and Wang Jujie, took the initiative to approach Chen Ling and started shouting.

at this time.

Chen Ling and Liang Yuemin's family, who had just returned from their father-in-law's house in Changle Township, were helping Chen Xiaoer's family clean their yard on the hillside and playing cards in the yard.

Chen Xiaoer's family went back to Beijing for the Spring Festival this year and did not stay in the village for the holiday.

This place, apart from the primary school, became a gathering point for everyone to play during the day.

Because the sun is very warm on the slope during the day.

It's just in time for the warm spring sun.

So every afternoon, after everyone had finished their work and the relatives had left, people would come here to play cards or chess.

"Oh, right, Juying and Jujie don't have anything to do this year, they don't need to visit relatives or entertain guests."

Chen Sangui chuckled.

Chen Ling was also just beginning to realize what was going on.

'Wang Juying and Wang Jujie's father, Wang Laifu, passed away just before the Lunar New Year. He died of a fever after being bitten by a pack of wild dogs in the mountains.'

"When a loved one dies, especially one's parents, people in the countryside here cannot visit relatives in the first year after the death of their parents, and they cannot even put up Spring Festival couplets or the character '福' (good fortune)."

If you're going to put up stickers, make sure they're blue; red ones are strictly prohibited.

The house should be kept in a quiet, serene state, like during the Cold Food Festival.

All in all, all in all.

No matter who died in the family, as long as there was a funeral in the previous year, it was the death of a family member.

Cousins ​​and maternal relatives do not count.

During the Chinese New Year, people are not allowed to visit relatives.

During the Chinese New Year, people tend to be idle and have little to do.

Finding someone like this to work for, or to work for a family like this, would be absolutely no problem.

Since I'm just idling around anyway, I might as well make some money; that would be a good idea.

"Yes, yes, Uncle Fugui, if you need people over there, just look for people like us. We're all idle at home during the first month of the lunar year, isn't that enough?"

The two brothers, Wang Juying and Wang Jujie, had such a father before; no one taught or cared for them.

They are very immature.

It's not that they're ignorant, but rather that they lack social skills and are bad at handling situations.

The things he does and the things he says make people frown when they hear them.

Things are much better now.

He's a genuine and honest person, and now he understands how to sincerely consider Chen Ling's needs.

That's very reassuring.

"You two are right, I'll ask around for you."

Chen Ling smiled and nodded, offering them two cigarettes, which made them beam with joy.

Feeling that he had gained Chen Ling's approval, he was incredibly excited.

Now their father is dead, and their mother is too old to manage things.

The two of them suddenly felt that it was time for them to take charge of the household affairs.

They are two men, and what they need most at this moment is recognition.

If any ideas you come up with are adopted by others...

That could make them happy all day long, to the point that they couldn't stop smiling even in their sleep.

Men, you know, should be able to speak up and sit at the table when the village holds meetings.

This is when you feel most accomplished.

“Uncle Fugui, let us ask around for you. We’re just killing time anyway. Tell us where to ask, and we’ll go there.”

The two young people got excited.

They all vied to help Chen Ling again.

Chen Ling laughed: "So you're so eager to work? Others haven't even had enough rest during the first month of the lunar year, but you two are all focused on getting to work."

"Of course, we can't visit relatives, and my brother and I don't know how to play cards or anything like that. We always lose when we do, and we can't hold our liquor. We get drunk easily. It's too much trouble for us to stay at home."

The two were sincere and honest young men. They spoke their minds directly, which made everyone around them burst into laughter.

I thought to myself, I don't know how these two kids grew up. They had such a smart father who almost got into college and became a high-ranking official.

You raised two such honest and kind-hearted kids.

Fortunately, I'm starting to understand things a bit now.

Otherwise, it will be difficult for him to find a wife in the future.

"Haha, since you two are so enthusiastic, why don't you go to Huangni Town first and ask around? Take my motorcycle there, and go straight to the cannery to find Boss Han Chuang..."

Let him ask and inquire about it.

"Don't talk nonsense. Asking people who's had a funeral during the Lunar New Year is dangerous; you'll likely get beaten up."

As Chen Ling spoke, he took out his motorcycle keys and gave them to them.

"Wow, Uncle Fugui, he even lets us ride a motorcycle!"

The two young men were overjoyed and couldn't wait to go out and wander around the village to show off.

"Alright, alright, stop shouting. Go ride your motorcycle and drive carefully."

Chen Ling waved his hand and handed each of them a pack of cigarettes, so that they could use them to help others if they encountered any problems.

Regardless of whether it's during the Lunar New Year or not, if you want to get things done in the countryside, you always have to consider social relationships.

"Okay, I got it, I got it."

They say he's at an age where he can handle things, but he's still young and has a bit of a childlike mentality.

Overjoyed, it ran down the hillside like a rabbit.

……

"They're still so rich and kind, letting their two kids ride motorcycles. That must cost a fortune in gas."

"Look at what you're saying. Fugui even cooked for us himself, and he ordered pig's head meat. That guy can stew a big pot of pig's head until midnight. What rich family would do that for you?"

Upon hearing this, the group burst into laughter again.

"Alright, alright, stop talking. Fugui is here, and Baoshuan is following behind him. Baoshuan just ran away from his wife, so maybe he wants Fugui to find him a wife."

"Don't speak yet, let's listen to what they have to say. If they're not going to talk, we can try to get information out of them later."

"Why bother with the formalities? Just ask directly. My wife's uncle's family has an old maid who has a problem with her legs."

"Oh, come on, although Baoshuan's wife is ignorant and inhuman and can't get pregnant, she is still good-looking and has a good figure. Now, you're telling me about someone with a problem with their legs."

"Still an old maid who can't get married, aren't you afraid Baoshuan will beat you when he gets angry?"

They were playing cards and talking in Chen Xiaoer's courtyard on the slope when Chen Ling and Chen Baoshuan came over.

But after arriving, they didn't even go into the courtyard.

Instead, he walked over and started talking to Liang Yuemin and the others who were playing with the children.

Everyone strained their ears to listen, but it wasn't about Baoshuan, nor was it about building a breeding farm.

They were talking about a woman.

It's extremely rare for Chen Ling to talk about a woman.

Even before he became successful, he wasn't that kind of person.

Even if they have these thoughts, they can't bring themselves to say them.

"Fugui is the young wife from the family planning office. She said someone called or something and found out something."

"What's going on? Director Qin and the female teacher from Xinling Middle School are very close to Susu, aren't they? They often come over to visit."

"I don't know. For something as important as Fugui, it must be something extraordinary."

"It's best not to go over there at this time."

Indeed, it was at this time that Liang Yuemin's friend brought back the news from Shenzhen.

It's about news concerning Qin Qiumei's husband.

When Chen Ling heard about this incident while paying New Year's visits on the first day of the Lunar New Year, he imagined a lot of melodramatic scenarios.

They assumed that Qin Qiumei's man had started a relationship with her and then abandoned her, or that he disliked her for not being able to have children.

After making money outside, he took a mistress and had her bear his children.

However, to his surprise, the information Liang Yuemin gathered was far more outrageous and complicated than this.

Chen Ling was even incredulous that such a windfall could actually happen. (End of Chapter)