Father's Land Mother's River

Chapter 22 Father's Test Field
After the college entrance examination, just in time for potatoes to be produced at home, Liu Xiaonan experienced the hard work of farming for the first time.

Jiang Changling's mother and son shared two and a half acres of river depressions, two acres of paddy fields, and five acres of hillside land.Just after Qingming, the villagers were sending dung to the fields for plowing, and Liu Zhixin and his brothers were already busy in the field.

Liu Zhixin learned a new farming method from the book: film mulching technology.There are six ridges in the river depression at home. He decided to take out a ridge in the middle to plant potatoes. Covering them with film can make them appear on the market half a month to 20 days in advance, and they can be sold at a good price.

Moreover, planting potatoes does not affect the growth of corn.The potatoes are just ripe when the corn rises, and the ventilation and sunshine can increase the yield of the corn virtually.

He told his family what he thought, and Jiang Changling completely trusted his man.

Although Liu Zhitai didn't really believe that one less row of land would increase the yield of corn, but he has been under the influence of his brother since he was a child, so he would rather believe what his brother said.The river depressions of the two brothers are side by side. He has seven ridges of land, and he also took out one ridge from the middle for his brother to do experiments.

Liu Zhixin specially shifted shifts to rest for a few more days, and went home to instruct his family to plant potatoes with film.

Liu Zhixin's plans and experiments were widely supported by rural workers. He read agricultural books in the dormitory, and everyone could see that he was sincerely doing research.

"23 Gan" Lao Yan especially admired him. He didn't read books and couldn't understand them, but he bought a book on agricultural technology and gave it to Liu Zhixin.

Everyone is looking forward to Liu Xiucai's successful experiment, and when they retire and return to the countryside, they can also follow Liu Xiucai's method.

The weather was fine and the land was humid. Liu Zhixin and his brothers planted potatoes with film in the high-yield field, which aroused the villagers' onlookers and discussions.Potatoes in the vegetable garden are enough for my family to eat. Isn't this a waste of a row of land?
Thin film, can it really increase production and advance maturity?Liu Yunqi and Guan Deyu came to help, and after listening to Liu Zhixin's technical principles and origins, they all thought it was amused: how can anyone plant a field with books in their hands?

Guan Deyu said unceremoniously to Liu Zhixin: "Brother, you have been away from the land for almost 30 years, can't you wait for retirement honestly? Why bother changing the whole family with new tricks?"

Liu Yunqi chimed in: "If the experiment fails, don't pretend to be an experienced farmer in the future."

Liu Zhixin is very confident: "True knowledge comes from practice, we will find out later."

The potatoes are planted, covered with film, and the two straight white strips reflect the bright light in the sun, which is fresh and strange.The villagers were all waiting to see Liu Zhixin's joke.

Results came after more than two months.The potatoes in the vegetable garden are still blooming with purple and pink flowers, and the two rows of potato seedlings in the cornfield, which is almost one person tall, have withered and turned yellow.

Liu Zhitai drove an ox and pulled the plow into the cornfield, wading all the way.Only the rattling of corn leaves was heard, and the people and cattle were no longer in the depths of the cornfield.

On the fresh soil turned by the plowshare, there are rows of pale yellow potatoes, large and small.Pick up potatoes along the furrows, put them in bags, and carry them out of the corn field when they are full.

The weather was hot, and Liu Xiaonan walked out of the corn field with a bag of potatoes weighing [-] to [-] jins, sweating profusely and panting.

The fourth elder Jia, leading a mule and a horse, passed by. Seeing Liu Xiaonan's powerless look, he gave him the reins in his hand, asked him to let the horse graze for him on the field, and got into the cornfield by himself.After a while, he got out, with a bag of potatoes under each arm, and another bag on his shoulder. His efficiency was three times that of Liu Xiaonan.

Then Liu Zhixin walked out of the cornfield, also holding a bag of potatoes under his arms.He put down the potatoes, wiped off his sweat and said to Liu Xiaonan, "Look at your fourth brother, and then at you, you can't just study, you can't lack exercise."

Liu Xiaonan wanted to return the reins to the fourth brother, but the fourth brother waved his hands and said, "I was born with great strength, and Xiaonan was born to study, there is no comparison. Don't listen to your father, my strength is useless .”

Father and fourth brother got into the cornfield together, and Liu Xiaonan was happy to relax.In fact, he also envied the strength of the fourth brother's arm.

The fourth brother is in his 30s, single, stocky, strong and strong. He is best at wrestling, and his trick is the rabbit kicking the eagle.The fourth brother moves clumsily and his legs and feet are not flexible, but no one can get close to him. Once caught by him, he will be thrown sideways.

When encountering a strong opponent, the fourth brother will grab the opponent, fall down, put his legs on the opponent's stomach, throw his arms back, and throw the opponent several meters away from the top of his head with all his strength. He can't get up for a long time .

The fourth brother sometimes withers badly.One year, the fourth brother asked the old melon watcher from another production team to eat melons, but the old man did not give them anything. The fourth brother thought of a way to deal with people that no one else could think of.

He shaved Mao Lazi's poisonous hairs on several newspapers and stuffed them into the gaps in the wall of the simple hut surrounded by straw by the melon garden.The old man watching the melon squatted in the latrine, and tore off the few newspapers to wipe his buttocks, but his buttocks were stung and swollen by Mao Lazi's poisonous hairs.

The old man Wanggua couldn't wear pants, he was naked and wrapped in a torn blanket, and walked with his legs spread apart, like a wobbly gray goose.

The fourth brother had had enough of laughing all the way away, pretended not to know, went to ask, and then ran errands to buy disinfectant for the old man who watched melon.

The fourth brother only met once, and the woman was a dead man, a young widow with two young children.

In the little widow's eyes, the fourth brother has no heart, honest and simple, he is the head of the family, the man is strong and able to work, and his life will be good; What are you looking for?
The fourth brother's rough heart like a pool of stagnant water was boiled, and he felt that his strength was finally available.

His parents thought it was okay to let it go, but his brothers and sisters disagreed fiercely, thinking it was too embarrassing, and ended up messing up the happy event.

Liu Xiaonan feels very sorry for the fourth brother, is the happiness of the fourth brother more important or your face?The fourth brother had saved him, and he always remembered the fourth brother, but he had neither the right nor the ability to change the fate of the fourth brother.

Seeing the figure of the fourth brother coming in and out busy helping, Liu Xiaonan felt that fate was very unfair.Why can't fourth brother, such a sincere and capable person, get the attention of women?Is it because he is too simple and honest, too honest and inflexible, or is it just because he is poor?
All the potatoes were carried out from the cornfield. Liu Zhixin roughly estimated that it was considered a bumper harvest, and he just wanted to see if he could sell it for a good price.

The corn next to the potato ridge grows well due to the ventilation and light, and is tall and strong. It should be said that the experiment was more than half successful.

In the next few days, Liu Zhitai drove the ox cart with potatoes, and took Liu Xiaonan into the city to sell them.Since there are no new potatoes on the market yet, the price is good and the sales are fast, so there is no need to worry about selling one car a day.

The villagers have also seen the economic benefits generated, but they will have another account.Even if the potatoes are sold for a few cash, the corresponding grain cannot be harvested after autumn, and it will not be as heavy to carry on the back, but the film and labor will be spent in vain.

The last cart of potatoes was almost sold out, so Liu Xiaonan asked her uncle for 20 yuan.Uncle asked him what it was for, and he said: "Xiaoyun made me a new set of clothes, I can't wear them as if nothing happened, I want to buy her something, and reciprocate."

Liu Zhitai counted out 30 yuan and handed it to Liu Xiaonan, encouraging him: "If you want to buy it, buy a decent one, don't pick and choose."

"Uncle, don't tell my parents, I don't want them to know."

"Okay, this money is from uncle to you."

Liu Xiaonan wandered around the only shopping mall in the ancient city. She was a layman in terms of clothing styles and colors, and she didn't know what Guan Xiaoyun liked, so she couldn't make up her mind.

After turning around a few times, I stopped in front of the book counter, where there was a set of four paperback "Dream of Red Mansions" priced at five yuan and fifty cents.

He paid for it without hesitation, and watched excitedly as the salesperson stamped the diamond-shaped red stamps on the back of the book one by one with "commemorative book purchase in a certain store".

It was the first set of books he owned, all his own.

Joyfully took the book and walked a few steps, taking advantage of the heat, turned around and bought another literary monthly magazine "Haiyan" published by Bincheng Federation of Literary and Art Circles

Satisfied, Liu Xiaonan looked down at the book in her hand and went out, when someone slammed her forehead: "Walk without looking at the road, just keep your head down and wait for the money."

Liu Xiaonan looked up and saw that it was Guan Xiaoyun, immediately cheered up: "I want to buy something for you, but I don't know what to buy, did you come here with a premonition?"

Guan Xiaoyun's eyes widened: "I came to the city to see if there are any new floral cloths on the market. I never expected you to buy me anything, is it true?"

"Why can't I buy you something? It's true."

"Then how much money do you have?"

"Uncle gave me 30 yuan, and I have 23 yuan and [-] cents left to buy books."

"Do you feel bad after spending all of it?"

"Don't feel bad."

"The sun is coming out of the west."

Guan Xiaoyun took Liu Xiaonan to the clothing counter, and took a fancy to a pair of blue jeans, priced at 30 yuan.He measured it on his body and found that it fit him well, so he stretched out a hand towards Liu Xiaonan.

Liu Xiaonan took out all the money in her pocket and handed it to her, thinking that it was not enough.

"I don't want the change." Guan Xiaoyun returned the three yuan and fifty cents change to Liu Xiaonan, and said earnestly and amusingly: "Do you think this is good? You bought these pants for me, and those books are for me." You bought it."

Liu Xiaonan smiled: "Will you settle accounts? Don't you lose what I earn?"

"I'm happy to accompany me, that's it."

Guan Xiaoyun paid the money, put the jeans and Liu Xiaonan's books into his floral cloth bag, hung them on the handlebar of the bicycle, and the two happily went to find Liu Zhitai together.

Liu Zhitai had already sold out the potatoes, and the ox cart was moving slowly, so he asked them to go back first.Guan Xiaoyun got on the bicycle, and Liu Xiaonan jumped onto the back seat of the bicycle.

Guan Xiaoyun seemed very excited, while pedaling his bicycle hard, he turned his head and asked Liu Xiaonan, "How did you do in the exam this year?"

Liu Xiaonan replied honestly, "I'm not sure."

"What are your plans if you can't take the exam this year?"

"I want to be in the army."

"Get out of the car. You are a big man and let me carry it. Sorry for you."

Liu Xiaonan and Guan Xiaoyun switched positions, while pedaling their bicycles, they pondered Guan Xiaoyun's angry expression.Why is it windy and rainy, like the weather in July is changing rapidly?You are good to me, and I am also good to you. You don't need to embarrass me every now and then, and I don't owe you anything.

In the hot summer season, there was not much farm work. Liu Xiaonan first read the short stories in the monthly literary magazine, thinking that it was quite simple, and he could write such articles with a little practice.

After he finished reading that set of "Dream of Red Mansions", the college entrance examination report card came out, and he was only three points away from failing again, still because of physical chemistry.

The dream was shattered, and Liu Xiaonan spent the days in a daze like years, lying on the kang all day without moving.There was an unknown fire, and the voice was hoarse and unable to speak.

Jiang Changling dragged her son to the village health center, where she was given injections and medicine, but she still didn't feel better.

When Liu Zhixin returned home from the mine, seeing his son depressed, he discussed, "Why don't you take the exam for another year?"

Liu Xiaonan said in a hoarse voice, "I don't take the exam anymore, I want to be a soldier."

After resuming classes for a year, the results of physical chemistry have not improved much, and I am afraid that there is not much hope for another year of exams, so it is better to find another way.

Jiang Changling persuaded her son: "We will not be soldiers, we will wait to take over from your father."

Liu Xiaonan said: "I have two classmates who were admitted to the military academy this year. I also want to go this way."

If you want strength but not strength, if you want intelligence but not intelligence, why is it not like me at all?Could it be the sequelae left by drowning in childhood?Liu Zhixin hated iron for being weak, and said helplessly, "That's fine, go to the army and train hard."

(End of this chapter)