Daily life of female supporting actresses in the 1970s

After washing up, the team leader went to the backyard. "I'll arrange for someone to build a house for you. They'll pay you 60 cents a day, four hours in the morning and four hours in the afternoon. Starting tomorrow, they'll come in at 10:30 every day, with a one-hour break for lunch, and finish at 7:30. Do you have any objections?"

"No!" They all knew in their hearts that everyone was still reluctant to give up their work points. If they worked in the morning and were fast, they could earn a lot of work points.

"Okay, since we need to shovel the small slope and fill the ditch at the back today, it's also a good deed for the village. We'll work all day, and you'll still get 60 cents per worker. The team will use the public funds to subsidize everyone for the extra money."

"Thank you, Captain!" Several people were not polite. If they refused, the captain would not agree.

Although the captain seems fierce at ordinary times, he is very principled in doing things.

Although no one liked him very much, he treated locals and educated youth equally.

Praise those who deserve praise, and scold those who deserve scolding without being polite, but scold more and praise less.

After the discussion, Lin Shaoyang and his team went to buy building materials. Before leaving, they gave the team leader three bags of Mudanjiang and asked him to help distribute them to the people who helped build the house.

He also gave Jiang Yanqiu a bag of tea and asked her to remember to bring water to everyone from time to time.

That's very thoughtful.

Jiang Yanqiu also took out a notebook and wrote down the tea and cigarettes. She would convert them into money and give it to Lin Shaoyang later. She couldn't take advantage of him for nothing.

Lin Shaoyang and Gu Qingshi took Liu Yuanda to the commune to buy building materials.

As soon as I left, Lin Xiaomei got up, mumbling, "Why are you making so much noise so early in the morning? Can't I sleep?"

Jiang Yanqiu ignored her and went to work.

The team leader called thirty people to help, because there is strength in numbers.

People these days are very honest. They work hard after receiving the money, as if they are afraid that they will not be allowed to work the next day if they don’t do a good job.

Before noon, the small slope was flattened, and the unused saplings, branches and roots were neatly piled aside.

Then they began to lay the foundation. The team leader looked at Jiang Yanqiu and his team's blueprints and muttered, "How pretentious! Why is there so much trouble building a house? I really have so much money but nowhere to spend it."

Having said that, he still picked up the blueprint and arranged for people to lay the foundation.

As for the size, Jiang Yanqiu decided on 20 square meters, but it depends on how the team leader and others arrange it.

When building a house in Northeast China, the biggest project is laying the foundation. The ground here can be frozen more than one meter deep in winter, so the foundation has to be dug about two meters deep.

Otherwise, if it freezes for one or two winters, the foundation and walls will crack, and the doors and windows will also be deformed, causing drafts everywhere in the house.

Don't worry about the stones for the foundation, there are bluestones on the mountain behind.

By the afternoon when the villagers finished work, the foundation was almost dug, and all the stones needed for the foundation had been pried back.

When the educated youth returned from work, Gu Qingqing saw a large pile of stones and asked curiously, "Are you going to build a stone house?"

Gu Qingqing and his team dug a shallow foundation, and no one knew how much bluestone they used. They were indeed a little surprised to see how many stones Jiang Yanqiu and his team had used.

Jiang Yanqiu explained: "No, they are all used for laying the foundation."

Gu Qingqing asked again: "Is it really necessary to have so much?"

Jiang Yanqiu said: "We need to build a foundation about two meters deep."

Lin Xiaomei appeared out of nowhere and interrupted, "Why waste such money? We might be back in the city in less than two years. Why would we build such a nice house?"

Jiang Yanqiu and Gu Qingqing both admired her strong mental quality. After all, such an embarrassing thing happened yesterday, but she was able to act as if nothing had happened. She is truly a talented person.

If you want to replace someone, you have to keep a low profile for a few days.

Jiang Yanqiu didn't argue with her and continued with a smile, "We're not sure when we'll be able to leave yet. Those who've been here for six or seven years haven't left yet. I don't want the house I worked so hard to build to start leaking out after only one or two years."

"That's true." Gu Qingqing felt a little regretful that she had moved out too hastily.

Her house was built too hastily, and even though it was summer, it was noticeably cold, and it would probably be even colder in winter.

If she had known that so many people wanted to build houses, she would not have been in such a hurry and would have built the houses better. She did not lack the one hundred or eighty dollars.

At that time, they were afraid that others would come to live with them. In addition, the land was limited, and the kitchen and bedroom together were only 12 or 13 square meters.

Today's workday started early, and the team leader didn't ask everyone to work until 7:30, instead calling everyone off at around 6:00. Jiang Yanqiu also gave the team leader the day's wages, who then distributed them to the workers.

After seeing off the team leader and others, Jiang Yanqiu returned to the front yard and happened to meet Zhao Lanlan who was cooking.

Jiang Yanqiu took the initiative to say to Zhao Lanlan: "Sister Lan, how much food have you borrowed from me these days? I went to buy some food today and I'm returning it to you now. We won't be living together anymore."

This afternoon, Jiang Yanqiu went to the village office and bought 30 kilograms of corn grits.

Although she had asked Lin Shaoyang to help her buy food, it was now a period of famine, and it was still unknown whether the grain store had any food supplies.

She wanted to buy more in the village, but the accountant said that without special circumstances, she could only buy 30 kilograms a month.

Zhao Lanlan was stunned for a moment when she heard Jiang Yanqiu's words, then replied, "No, you haven't finished your food yet, there's still some left."

Jiang Yanqiu did have some food left, and what happened yesterday made her worried that the village chief would investigate the matter, so she quickly scooped two bowls of her own food and put them into Jiang Yanqiu's bag.

Lin Xiaomei, who was also frightened, took advantage of the moment when no one was paying attention and secretly put two bowls of her own food into Jiang Yanqiu's bag.

Stealing is not like spreading rumors, where the village chief can just criticize you a few times and that's it. But once you are investigated, the consequence may be being sent to a farm for labor reform.

After hearing what Zhao Lanlan said, Jiang Yanqiu responded sarcastically, "Oh? There's more. I thought it was all eaten up a long time ago."

Zhao Lanlan explained awkwardly, "Xiaomei didn't explain it clearly. It's almost gone, not gone. And you've only been drinking porridge these past two days, so there's still quite a bit left."

You were there when they were talking, but you didn't say anything then. Now you just let it go because you didn't say anything clearly?

Jiang Yanqiu felt a little unhappy, but she didn't show it.

She didn't want to become close friends with Zhao Lanlan, but she also didn't want to completely offend her. At critical moments, she still had to rely on the educated youth, as they all shared common interests.

Even if you get along well with the villagers, they will not offend them just because of you, an outsider.

So, she smiled and said, "Is that so? Maybe I didn't hear you clearly. Then after I finish my food, I won't share the food with you anymore. I won't put the food I bought this time together."

"Okay." Zhao Lanlan nodded in response.