The Sweetness of the Seventies-Chapter 22 - Livestock Team_1
Chapter 22: Chapter 22 Livestock Team_1
Chapter 22 -22 Livestock Team_1
The old saying goes, “Heed advice and you’ll eat well.”
He Tiantian was a child who could take the advice of others, and her future would not be bad.
When Third Grandma Qi saw that He Tiantian understood, she said with relief, “Child, you are still young and without your parents by your side, you must discern right from wrong on your own.
Although you live with me, you are not from Qijia Village.
If you have time tomorrow, you should give some sour dates to other young people in the city.
In case something happens, those young people will not isolate you.
People, no matter when, should never break away from the group to be able to have room to maneuver.”
He Tiantian felt a warm feeling in her heart; Third Grandma Qi was truly a kind person.
Her tragedy in her past life stemmed from her cowardice, her avoidance of others, and her unwillingness to contact them.
As time passed, she invisibly isolated herself from the group of young people in the city, had no friends, which allowed Qi Jianguo’s lies and schemes to succeed step by step.
“Yes,” He Tiantian said, “I’ve noted it down and will deliver some sour dates to them tomorrow.”
Third Grandma Qi sat on a small stool by the ditch at the edge of the yard, cleaning wild rabbits.
She salted one and hung it in the storeroom to dry, and chopped the other into small pieces for stir-frying rabbit meat in the evening.
The rabbit was very fat, and one rabbit was chopped to fill a small basin to the brim.
Third Grandma Qi started the fire, teaching He Tiantian how to cook rabbit meat, and added some long beans to the pot for it to stew together in a big dish.
Once the meal was prepared, Third Grandma Qi dished out two large plates and placed them in a basket.
Without time to eat, she took He Tiantian with her to visit Village Chief Qi and Zhao Dajiao.
Third Grandma Qi originally wanted He Tiantian to deliver the food herself, but, fearing that others would gossip about He Tiantian behind her back, she decided to accompany her instead.
Luckily, the home of Village Chief Qi was just in front of Third Grandma Qi’s house, and Women’s Director Zhao Dajiao lived next door to Village Chief Qi.
Village Chief Qi, hearing that the wild rabbit was caught by He Tiantian in the mountains, said with a grin, “Girl Tian is lucky; she’s a blessed one.”
“Yes, after catching a rabbit, it would not be proper to enjoy it alone,” said Third Grandma Qi.
“This child is sensible despite her age.
Please look after her when arranging work tomorrow, my dear nephew.”
Village Chief Qi, with no outsiders at home, made a decision on the spot, “Auntie, rest assured.
My girl is the same age as this child, and just as sensible.
I will naturally take care of her, and I’ll talk it over with the others tomorrow.”
“That’s good,” Third Grandma Qi said.
“I have another bowl here that I need to take to Er Gouzi; that kid had a hard time running around for me yesterday.”
He Tiantian was inwardly impressed; wisdom really did come with age.
In her past life, she had lived for quite some time but never handled things as comprehensively.
Third Grandma Qi didn’t mention asking for Zhao Dajiao’s help but rather expressing gratitude to Qi Ergou, which flattered Village Chief Qi’s feelings.
At Zhao Dajiao’s place, Third Grandma Qi made a similar request and Zhao Dajiao also promised to take care of He Tiantian, assigning her lighter work.
After visits to both houses, Third Grandma Qi and He Tiantian finally returned home to eat.
Third Grandma Qi had bad teeth, but since the rabbit meat had been stewing in the pot, it had become very tender and easy to chew.
After they had eaten their fill, there was still some left.
Third Grandma Qi told He Tiantian to add a bit more salt to it, suggesting frying it with some beans the next morning so it could still be eaten.
At that time, there was no tendency to not eat leftovers or to throw them away.
The next morning, after Tiantian had breakfast, she sent Third Grandma Qi to the place where she would be working, then headed to the village branch.
On her way, Tiantian ran into Huang Jingli, Lin Xiaoru, and Li Mingkai.
“Tiantian, are you getting used to life here?” Huang Jingli asked.
“If you don’t feel comfortable staying with the villagers, you could come back and squeeze in with us.”
Tiantian knew they were just saying this and didn’t genuinely mean it, but she still showed a thankful expression and replied with a smile, “Thank you, Sister Jingli.
I’m quite accustomed to staying at Grandma Qi’s house, so there’s no need for me to squeeze in with you all.
Besides, it’s so hot during the day, and if I don’t get good sleep at night because of the work, that would be bad.”
Lin Xiaoru covered her face with both hands to shield it from the sun and said, “Yeah, it’s really hot, and there are so many mosquitoes.
I wonder what kind of work they’ll assign us.”
“It’s not the busy farming season now, so I doubt they would have us do anything too strenuous,” said Tiantian, thinking about the rice and corn in the fields, weeding, fertilizing, and catching bugs.
“Let’s hope so,” replied Huang Jingli.
“By the way, did you know?
Li Mingkai can play the accordion; come over tonight and listen with us.”
“Accordion, that’s impressive,” Tiantian feigned admiration.
Li Mingkai had attracted many village girls and young city women with that old accordion in her previous life.
Eventually, he married Qi Xiaoyan, the Village Chief Qi’s daughter, just so he wouldn’t have to work hard and could have enough to eat.
Later, when it was said they could go back to the city, Li Mingkai tried to leave several times but was suppressed by Village Chief Qi.
Unexpectedly, Li Mingkai ended up going to college and still left the countryside, abandoning Qi Xiaoyan.
Listening to the praise, Li Mingkai was inwardly pleased, knowing that no one could resist his charm whenever he played his accordion.
They soon arrived at the village branch, where Village Chief Qi, the accountant Qi Shuli, the director of the Women’s Federation Zhao Dajiao, and two team leaders—the five important figures of Qijia Village—were all present.
“Have a seat.
Based on the discussions within the village, the following arrangements have been made,” said Village Chief Qi, reading from a red-covered notebook, “Huang Jingli and Lin Xiaoru will join the weed and bug removal team.
Li Mingkai will join the team cleaning the drainage ditches, and Tiantian will join the animal husbandry team, not only to feed the livestock but also to clean the premises daily.”
Huang Jingli and Lin Xiaoru saw that other young city folk had to go into the fields to pull weeds as soon as it got light, and their bodies would be cut by corn leaves.
It was hot, and this was no easy task.
The ditch cleaning work assigned to Li Mingkai wasn’t light either.
As for Tiantian’s work, it was even dirtier; she had to spend her whole day with those filthy things, dirty and exhausting.
When Tiantian heard about the animal husbandry team, she was overjoyed inside.
Since the animal husbandry team was at the foot of the mountain, if the work involved herding sheep or cows, she could also go up the mountain.
With the Snake King around, Tiantian wasn’t afraid of encountering any dangerous animals on the mountain, and she’d also have the chance to improve her diet often.
“Any objections?” asked Qi Shuli.
“If you have any now, you can bring them up.
If not, then let’s go to work in the fields.”
They said it had already been discussed by the organization; what could their objections change?
“None,” answered the group.
Since they had to work anyway and had already seen other city youth set an example, they didn’t dare to put on airs about not doing their share.
They were well aware, from the anecdotes shared by other city youth, that the lazy ones got less food, while those who worked diligently got more.
To avoid going hungry, they too had to work hard.
“Alright then.
We’ll each take you to your places,” said Village Chief Qi.
He took Li Mingkai to the place where the ditches were being repaired, and Accountant Qi Shuli took Huang Jingli and Lin Xiaoru to the weeding team.
Zhao Dajiao led Tiantian to the animal husbandry team, and only when they were at a distance did she speak in a low voice, “You might think the animal husbandry team is dirty, but it’s not.
There are two people there, raising ten pigs, four cows, and a few goats.
They do the heavy work; you just have to mind the sheep well, and take care of the six sheep, and that’s all.”
