The little Fubao in the deserted village made all the dignitaries in the court go crazy with envy

The registration work did not come to a halt until late in the evening.

After packing up the tables and chairs and walking out of the temporary recruitment office in the workshop, Lin Erhe felt that all his bones were stiff.

Holding a pen is more tiring than picking up mud in the fields all day.

"Dad! You're done!"

"Uncle! We're waiting for you to come home! Are you cold? Let me warm your hands with a small fire! I made it especially hot!"

Next to the recruitment office, several small figures jumped out.

Before Lin Erhe could see the person clearly, he smiled as soon as he heard the voice.

"Oh my, our little Baixiang is more caring than her two brothers! Come, uncle will carry you home!" He leaned over and took the small fire basket with one hand, picked up the little girl with the other hand, and weighed her easily. "She's a little heavier than yesterday. You must have eaten a lot of delicious food today, right?"

Bai Xiang giggled and patted his belly with his little hands, "You can't miss out on delicious food!"

Lin Huaisong and Lin Huaibai punched and kicked their father from behind, beating him from a distance, "You think we are not considerate enough? Why didn't you and mother give birth to us as girls?"

"Can you blame me for this? Ask your mother. She gave birth to the child."

The three children, one adult and three children, walked home laughing and joking.

In the winter evening, the sunset is still gorgeous and beautiful, but it is wrapped in the coldness of winter and has a touch of loneliness and sadness.

Today, there are two more scenic spots at the entrance of Yuxi Village than in previous years.

A leather drum for people to complain.

A stone tablet written by the emperor.

They stand quietly side by side in front of the stone bridge, and together with the Yu Shui River, they silently guard the small village behind.

Bai Xiang nestled in his uncle's arms, listening to the gurgling sound of the water under the bridge approaching and fading away. "Uncle, the old man and old woman of the Zhang family are not good people. They don't treat you and Aunt well either. Why did you help them register their names and give them a chance to work?"

Lin Huaisong and Lin Huaibai, who were playing in the back, didn't say anything, but suddenly became quiet, and their ears all pricked up.

Lin Erhe pinched the kid's face and said with a smile, "Second uncle didn't have much education and doesn't know many words, but I heard this saying from your uncle when he was reciting at home: A gentleman is open and honest, while a villain is always worried and concerned.

How can I understand such a fancy words? I just want to ask what your uncle means by this sentence?

Your uncle explained that a gentleman has an open mind and so lives a carefree life, whereas a villain has a narrow mind and so is always worried.

We don't have to be gentlemen with high moral standards, but people with good character, who know how to let go and don't dwell on past unpleasantness, will definitely live a happier and more comfortable life than a villain.

Do you think so?

Besides, there is no need for us to avoid anyone on purpose. Second Uncle is a real man. He is not picky and is not afraid of trouble. He treats everyone equally. What is there to be afraid of?"

The three kids laughed and said in unison, "Yes! There's nothing to be afraid of!"

"Let's go! Let's go home! Let's eat braised pork today!"

"Go home and eat braised pork!"

Naturally, there are people who are puzzled and murmured about this matter behind the scenes.

I don't understand why the second son of the Lin family gave the Zhang family the opportunity to register, as it caused such a commotion in the first place. He could have clearly refused to give the Zhang family the opportunity to register, but why did he do it?

But when I think about the Lin family's character and style, it doesn't seem strange.

Be objective about things, not people.

Isn’t this also the reason why everyone likes to deal with the Lin family?

When Zhang Cui'e learned about this, she, who was usually talkative, became silent.

I only ask men when I turn off the lights and lie down at night, "How dare they come here?"

Lin Erhe patted her head and said, "The workshop is recruiting workers from all over the country. People can come and we select people according to the regulations and conditions. They have signed up, but whether they can be selected is decided by the workshop manager. Don't think about it. To us, they are just the old Zhang family of Shangdong Village now."

……

At night, the lights in the village gradually went out.

The howling of the cold wind filled the night, and the old doors and windows that had not been repaired for many years were rattling in the wind and looked like they would fall apart at any time.

Zhang Shicong propped the gate of the courtyard tight with a wooden stick, gathered his clothes and prepared to go back to the house, then glanced at the yard next door.

The light in the main room was rarely on, the door was half open, and the smoke from the brazier floated out, bringing with it the aroma of firewood.

Thinking of the gossip he heard when he came back from work today, he hesitated for a moment, then walked towards the other room.

When I entered the main room, I saw a brazier burning in the room.

There was no light, only the flames of burning firewood.

The two old men sat by the brazier. They were very old and thin, and their faces looked only half the size they used to be.

The light was dim and flickering. Old lady Zhang was sewing the soles of shoes with needle and thread in her hands. She squinted her eyes and seemed to be struggling to thimble through the thick insoles.

Old man Zhang was trying on a pair of newly sewn shoes with one foot.

The uppers were old, but after being washed and replaced with new soles, they were quite presentable to wear.

Obviously it is worn when preparing to go to work.

Hearing the sound of someone coming in, the two of them tilted their heads to look, without much reaction and without saying a word.

Zhang Shicong pulled a stool and sat down beside the brazier, staring at the swaying flames. "I heard from the villagers that you went to sign up for work today. Lin Erhe registered your name."

Old man Zhang took off his shoes, wiped off the dust on the soles with a rag, and carefully put them back in the basket. "Okay."

Old Lady Zhang tied the thread into a knot, bit off the thread, and spat the thread ends out of her mouth. "With no land and no food, I have to find a way to earn money for two coffins. Am I really going to starve to death and become a lonely ghost?"

Each person spoke a word, and there was silence for half a day.

The wind blowing in from outside cuts my face so hard that it hurts.

Zhang Shicong stood up and prepared to leave. "If you are accepted, I will bring you a nest of eggs as a thank you gift."

"No need." Old Man Zhang's voice sounded behind him, without any emotion, "No need to bring anything, no need to make any thank-you gifts, and no need to look for the Lin family. From now on, we will just be strangers, and no one should get involved with the Lin family. We two old men won't get involved with you, and similarly, you don't have to come to show your filial piety afterwards."

Zhang Shicong paused and walked out.

I turned to the other side of the yard in the cold wind, feeling very uncomfortable.

The two large workshops in Wutong Town are both related to the Lin family, so when Zhang Shicong heard the news of expanding the recruitment of workers, he rejected it without even thinking about it.

The workshop would never hire anyone but the Zhang family.

But he didn't expect that the two elders would go there and register.

Registered by Lin Erhe.

The Lin family seems to be open and honest at all times.

So always keep your back straight.

Comparing myself like this, I seem even more ridiculous. I judge others by myself and feel chest tightness and face pain.

Three days flew by in the blink of an eye.

For those who are waiting for news, the days seem like years.

Early in the morning, the workshop notice board was crowded with people, craning their necks to look at the huge red paper in front of them, looking for their names one by one.

"Sun Da'er..."

"Zhao Jiao..."

"He Sanshui..."

"Zhang Desheng..."

Outside the crowd, Old Lady Zhang took a few steps to meet the old man who had squeezed out of the crowd and asked in a trembling voice, "How is it? How is it?"

"Yeah." Old man Zhang had his hands in his pockets, his hood pulled down low, his head lowered so that his expression could not be seen clearly, and his voice was faintly nasal. "I was selected for the winery, and you were selected too. When you are frying tea in the workshop in the future, don't wipe the sweat directly with your hands. You have to work cleanly here."

Old lady Zhang burst into tears, wiped her tears and nodded, then nodded again, "It's not in vain that I packed up my things at home. When do we start work? We can go back and pick up our bags and move in!"

"Go back and get your things first."

"Eh, eh!"