AWB Chapter 6: Though bitter, it was full of human warmth.
Chapter 6: Though bitter, it was full of human warmth.
Shen Huai was well-liked by the villagers because he was reliable and had a sweet tongue.
The village head put it on an oxcart along with the grain and took it along to play.
The winter sun is dry, but it doesn't feel warm on your skin.
In the unpolluted blue sky, a few exceptionally clean white clouds drift by.
Everyone was in high spirits and followed each other to Duoshui Town.
After the villagers arrived at the town market, people from each village conducted business as a village unit.
This way, they can look out for each other, and one or two people can spare the time to buy the more sought-after New Year's goods in advance.
The adults told the children not to go far away and play around.
The children scattered in a flash.
They don't gather together to play based on village groups, regardless of whether they know each other or not.
Throwing beanbags, spinning tops, hopscotch, etc.
A wide variety of options, isn't that great fun!
Shen Huai observed carefully and noticed that the people from the villages coming from the south were generally dressed better. He thought to himself:
If we want the villagers to be able to grow crops twice a year, we need a bit of good fortune!
There need to be precedents that convince them, so that they will be motivated.
If we can't go to town, we can try to benefit from the prosperity of these villages.
Never mind, I'm just too poor to take it anymore!
We have to try whatever method we can!
So, when no one was paying attention, Wuya sat down and played next to the village to the south.
Since it was the last market of the year, everyone came with their families. Most of them brought their own food, except for a few families who were better off and had mutton soup.
Shen Huai sat in Fugui Village for a while, listening to most of the gossip about the village, before moving on to another spot.
Shen Huai was listening intently to some gossip from some village.
"Wu Ya! Liang Wu Ya!" The village head of the herding village called out a few times from afar.
Several shouts brought Shen Huai back to his senses.
Looking up at the sound, the village chief was already walking over with the village chief of Fugui Village, all smiles.
"Here you go~ this little doll is for you to use for a while, go do what you need to do!"
Don't worry!
This little kid, if I make a mistake in the accounts for you today, you'll come looking for me!
The baby is quite young, so we've only taught him a few simple words.
You need to tell the child what kind of food or other items they need, but don't worry about anything else, hehe~
The village chief walked up to Wuya, picked her up, gave her instructions, and then handed her over to the village chief of Fugui Village.
"What a little baby! My friend!"
This child looks to be only two years old, right?
You dare to guarantee that to me?
The village chief of Fugui Village was both surprised and puzzled, but still took Wuya from his hands.
Don't worry, bro!
Wuya, call him Grandpa~
Wait a minute, then go with this grandpa and help them calculate the money. Once you've done that, grandpa will give you some candy!
"Good girl!" The village chief patted Wu Ya's head and laughed.
"Hello, Grandpa!" Shen Huai then turned to the village head:
"Understood, Grandpa Village Chief."
Don't forget to have Daddy pick up Wuya!
"Don't worry, sweetie!"
I can't forget it, go! Go!
The village chief smiled and patted the village chief of Fugui Village on the shoulder.
"Okay! Thanks, bro!"
The village elder, carrying Wuya, headed towards the village's collective.
It turns out that the village head's second daughter married someone in town, had a daughter a few years ago, became pregnant again at the beginning of this year, and just gave birth to a son today.
Knowing that the village head of Fugui Village must be at the market today, I quickly sent someone to invite him over to see his daughter and eldest grandson.
And so, nobody in Fugui Village is keeping score anymore~
I often run into the village head of the pastoral village at the market, and we get along quite well, so I wanted to ask him for help.
This year's harvest has been generally good, and the village head of Wuya Village couldn't leave, so he immediately thought of Wuya.
After taking Wuya over, the village chief of Fugui Village watched as Wuya did four or five calculations, finding not a single mistake or omission. Finally, he felt relieved and went to see his daughter.
The villagers of Fugui Village were curious again, but they couldn't get any answers from Wuya.
Wu Ya is good at keeping accounts, but she's not good at expressing herself.
Everyone found it amazing that the doll, whose conversation was incomplete, could do calculations.
When business was slow, he would take out all the delicious food he had brought to amuse Wuya, and eventually Wuya's pockets were filled with all kinds of food.
As the sun began to set, everyone happily completed their transactions.
The village chief, along with Wuya's entire family, came to take Wuya back home.
The villagers of Fugui Village did a lot of business and made a good profit. Each household contributed two coins as payment, which together amounted to nearly ninety coins.
Shen Huai took out a dozen or so coins and returned them to the elderly people.
"Grandpa and Grandma, it's been approved!"
He patted his pocket as he spoke.
Shen Huai: Wouldn't a child who is filial to the elderly have an extremely high level of goodwill in everyone's hearts?
The village chief was overjoyed by Wu Ya's actions, and the villagers of Fugui Village were deeply moved.
"Uncle, next time you go to the market, you must bring this doll with you."
To be honest, our village chief is usually too busy and is struggling to find a successor.
Can we discuss having this little kid help us with the accounts from now on?
"The work isn't as plentiful as it is during the New Year. During the New Year, we give each household two coins, but on ordinary days we give each household one coin. Is that alright?"
For Wuya's family, who struggled to even afford food, such an income was a huge sum of money.
"Of course!"
People from our village came to the market, so they brought their children along.
I'm not afraid you'll laugh at me, but the Liang family is large, and it's hard for them to even get enough to eat.
In this way, his family has multiple sources of chewing materials!
Why would I refuse something that's good for everyone?
"Then it's settled!" the village chief said cheerfully.
Wu Ya's parents took the child and the money, and were so excited that they didn't know what to say.
Wu Ya's parents: This means that as long as the whole family works hard, we won't go hungry!
This year, we can have a good Chinese New Year!
These days are so hopeful!
After agreeing on the terms, everyone returned to their respective villages, as they still had a long way to go.
That night, after arriving at the village, everyone dispersed.
Shen Huai stopped Wu Ya's father and took ten coins from the money bag given to him by Fugui Village. Wu Ya's parents were confused and were taken to the village head's house by Shen Huai.
"Huh! What's going on tonight?"
Is there anything else?
"Grandpa, fare!"
Shen Huai put the ten coins into the hand of the village head's wife.
"What?! Why are you giving me this money?"
"All the village's grain is loaded onto trucks and hauled over every year. What are you having the children do?"
As the village chief spoke, he took ten coins from his grandmother's hand and stuffed them into Wu Ya's father's hand.
"Grandpa! This is my fare."
Ten coins for the year's salary.
Normally, it costs five coins.
"I'll give it to you from now on!"
Shen Huai held onto Wu Ya's father's hand, preventing the village chief from turning the money back.
"This baby! It's incredible! It's incredible!"
Wow, that's incredible!
The village chief realized that this was the child's idea. He turned and looked at the village chief's grandmother, his eyes filled with surprise and joy.
After several refusals, the village chief finally accepted the money.
Shen Huai was thinking:
Wuya's family is now dirt poor, and Wuya's parents are kind and honest. As the village head, it is kind of him to help them make a living!
However, I will find ways to make life better in the future.
Shen Huai's family background and years of experience as a rural impoverished household taught him:
When a family that needed pity from others gradually improves their situation, everyone is initially very pleased.
But things gradually got better and better, even becoming better than the lives of his neighbors who had previously pitied him.
If such a role reversal doesn't involve shared interests, most people will feel uncomfortable.
As a crucial link in the first step of Wuya's family's poverty alleviation, the village chief must cultivate a good relationship with them!
Besides being good at talking, you need to offer real benefits in order to make it last.
Wu Ya's family finally celebrated the New Year amidst laughter and joy, and even made new cotton-padded clothes for everyone.
Although they were coarse cloth clothes, everyone except Shen Huai was overjoyed to wear them for the New Year!
Shen Huai:
I'm really not happy at all~
Still no toilet paper!
My lovely, simple-hearted "family," wait for me to lead you to a better life!
The following year, Wu Ya's mother felt nauseous while eating glutinous rice balls on the fifteenth day of the first lunar month.
After consulting with Dr. Gao and taking her pulse, she was found to be pregnant again!
Although Wu Ya's parents valued her highly and thought she was extraordinary, they still prayed to gods and Buddhas every day for a child.
Shen Huai:
Alas! What a tragedy of our times!
After the end of the first lunar month, Wuya will be two years old.
Every month, he would ride an oxcart to work along with the grain.
Once, the first special item appeared at the market—a little girl of eight or nine years old with a blade of grass stuck in her hair.
Only after asking did I find out that a family in a neighboring village was selling their daughter!
Shen Huai:
What? Selling your daughter?
I've read about it in books, but seeing it with my own eyes is still hard to accept!
Someone nearby sighed and said:
"This is already the third daughter. If no wealthy family buys her, we'll have to wait for a servant boy to take her in!"
As for the price, it depends on the girl's appearance and age!
They are young and not fully grown, so they can't do any work, and the price is usually less than ten taels of silver.
Depending on their quality when they grow up, the price can range from ten to thirty taels.
Shen Huai subconsciously touched his pockets, but there wasn't a single penny!
The people around seemed quite used to it!
The uncle next to her saw that Wuya was stunned, and offered her some heartwarming comfort:
"Baby~ You're so capable, you definitely won't get sold, don't worry!"
Don't you have four women in your family?
They came first~
You're such a clever child, I wouldn't sell you unless there was a real famine and absolutely no other way.
Shen Huai: I wasn't comforted at all!
My heart... feels so cold!
On second thought: ever since I arrived, my kind-hearted 'family' has been very good to me.
I've made contributions to this family, so I guess I was just being paranoid.
However, this incident served as a reminder to Shen Huai that he needed to think more about his own future.
From then on, Shen Huai would always leave two coins, and sometimes three or five coins.