As soon as they heard that wages were going to be paid, the villagers spontaneously gathered at Lu Changgen's house. Looking at the half-bag of copper coins on the table and the two large carts full of mooncakes on the mule cart in the yard, everyone's faces were filled with smiles.
The price of dried peaches is very high this year. Knowing that every household is having a hard time, Lu Zheng'an also raised everyone's wages. According to the number of days everyone worked in Lu Changgen's notebook, Lu Zheng'an counted the coins that each party deserved, and distributed the wages to everyone one by one according to the list. In addition, each family also received an additional two coins. Jin of mooncakes.
"Zheng'an, why are you still paying for this? Are you giving out so many mooncakes? The salary seems to be more than last year?"
After listening to Liu Changshan's words, everyone also counted the wages they received, and found that it was indeed nearly twenty more than last year. After receiving a lot of money, they couldn't help but wonder if Lu Zhengan had miscalculated the wages.
The audience members suspected that they had calculated their wages wrongly, and Lu Zhengan couldn't help but laugh. "The orchard has such a good harvest this year. You guys have helped me a lot. You all deserve the wages. As for the two kilograms of mooncakes, why don't you celebrate this? You guys have helped me this year. There are so many, and I have nothing to give as gifts. Two kilograms of mooncakes for each family is my best wish."
After hearing Lu Zheng'an's words, everyone had mixed feelings in their hearts.
Although Lu Zheng'an kept saying that everyone helped him, if Lu Zheng'an hadn't advocated digging wells to fight the drought, life for everyone in Lujia Village would have been much more difficult. Especially when he himself was in debt, he was able to pay them so much extra wages, and everyone was even more grateful.
Watching everyone disperse, Lu Zhengan yoked the mule cart and started walking home. When we reached the foot of the mountain, we saw two elders of the Song family driving their car slowly towards this side. After seeing Lu Zhengan, Song Xiren hurriedly raised the whip in his hand.
"Father, mother, why are you free? Are you here?"
The holiday is coming soon, and the shop is busy. Lu Zheng'an wanted to pay everyone's wages, so he went over to take a look in the past two days. Unexpectedly, the two elders came over first.
"Everyone is on a tight budget this year, and we will save whatever we can during the holidays. We are not as busy as before. Is this old lady still in your family? She is also our elder, so she naturally wants to come and have a look. ."
Hearing this, Lu Zhengan nodded. Looking at the things in nearly half of the car, he couldn't help but said: "Father, mother is really polite, but even if you come to take a look, you can't do that? There are so many things."
"I just bought something suitable when I saw it. It looked like a lot, but in fact there were not many." Song Xiren said with a smile. Seeing Lu Zhengan driving a mule cart, he knew that he must be paying wages to the people of Lujia Village. I went there and asked, "Have you paid off all your wages?"
"It's all settled. If Boss Ma's business is good, the money I owe my father and mother can be paid off this year."
The two elders of the Song family were very pleased to hear that Lu Zhengan had been thinking about this problem. "We're not in a hurry. We pay the same amount at any time. Besides, haven't you always wanted to cash in on a shop? You should focus on business first."
"Well, I plan to take Huai Shu, Xing Yi and the others to Linzhou to have a look in two days. Let them go out and relax, and they can also look around to see if there are any suitable shops."
Upon hearing that Lu Zhengan had already made a plan, Song Xiren immediately nodded in agreement. "Sure, Xingyi has grown up, and you have only been to Jiang'an Town. We just want to take this opportunity to take her out and see what it's like outside."
While the three of them were talking, they arrived at the entrance of the Lu family's small courtyard. When the two elders of the Song family looked at the trembling Lu Xingyi walking in the courtyard, they said in surprise: "Xingyi can walk? I let her walk a few days ago. She still clings to the stool and refuses to let go, how come she suddenly learned it?"
When his mother-in-law asked Lu Xingyi how he learned to walk, Lu Zhengan laughed and replied, "I'm so greedy for snacks."
Lu Zheng'an tied the mule to a nearby tree and turned around to help the two elders of the Song family unload the things from the car. While telling them how Lu Xingyi learned to walk, he looked at their faces. With such a smile on his face, Lu Zhengan, a father, couldn't help but feel hot in his face.
"This greedy little girl." Song Lan couldn't help but laugh and cursed.
Perhaps it was the voices of several people at the door, and Lu Xingyi walked toward the door with his little arms. Seeing her father and grandparents outside the door, the little girl suddenly became excited.
However, just a few days after learning to walk, the center of gravity under his feet was still unstable. Lu Xingyi stumbled and fell to the ground. Because he fell so fast, his whole little foot was tilted up.
Seeing Lu Xingyi fall, my grandma and grandpa felt very distressed. He threw the things in his hands to the ground and ran towards Lu Xingyi.
Lu Xingyi clapped his hands on the ground, feeling a little numb from the shock. In addition, he had not seen his grandma and grandpa for a few days, so he couldn't help but feel a little aggrieved. He curled his lips and began to shed tears.
Seeing this, the two elders of the Song family felt even more distressed. They held Lu Xingyi in their arms and screamed "heart and soul", feeling very distressed.
Lu Zheng'an and Song Huaishu were no longer surprised to treat the two elders like this. With a calm expression, he picked up the things the two of them had dropped and carried them into the house.
Hearing that Song Huaishu's parents were coming, Mrs. Ji also walked out of the house on crutches. Looking at the pouty Lu Xingyi, Mrs. Ji smiled and said, "This little girl is really a clever girl."
"Where is it? The little lady fell down just now. Why don't you just complain to your in-laws?"
When Mrs. Ji heard what Nanny Zhang said, she was worried that Lu Xingyi would be injured. However, seeing that the little girl still knew how to raise her hands to 'complain' to her grandparents, it was never a big deal, so she felt relieved.
"My wife is here. Come sit down in the room."
When Song Lan heard Mrs. Ji's voice, she turned around and saw Mrs. Ji standing under the eaves with a cane. She walked up and gave her a junior salute. "Old lady."
Mrs. Ji had a very good impression of Song Xiren and his wife. When she saw Song Lan's thorough etiquette, the smile on her face became even deeper. "I heard from Huai Shu, aren't you still running a shop? The family is so busy, why are you running over here? If you have anything to do, just let me know."
"There's nothing going on in the shop. I haven't seen Xingyi for a few days, so I'm really thinking about it. Besides, the festival is coming soon, so I just happened to come over and say hello to the old lady."
Hearing what Song Lan said, Mrs. Ji smiled and waved her hands. "They are all members of our own family, so there are so many false gifts."
While they were talking, Lu Zhengan and Song Huaishu had already packed everything in the car. Seeing that the two elders had brought two knives of pork belly and several kilograms of mutton, Lu Zheng'an said: "The mutton my mother bought today is quite good. Let's eat the mutton-boiled meat for lunch, and make braised pork in braised pork. If it lasts longer, Xingyi can eat a little."
"Okay, you just have to look at the arrangements for lunch. We don't care what you do, just wait and eat."
After Mrs. Ji finished speaking, she started laughing.
Hearing this, Lu Zheng'an also smiled and said, "Okay, then you and your mother will talk first, and Huai Shu and I will go cook."
Seeing Lu Zheng'an's leaving figure, Song Lan smiled and praised, "Zheng An, this kid, has an incredible temperament and temperament."
"Huai Shu, this kid isn't bad either. Two kids can discuss things in the same place. It's really a perfect match. And I've lived here for so many days, and I've never seen them blush. It makes people happy just to see them." I like it in my heart. Madam, I really should thank you very much. With Huai Shu by Zheng An's side, I can feel at ease even if I close my eyes in the future."
Seeing Mrs. Ji say this, Song Lan immediately stood up from her chair. "Old lady, I am a generation older, just call me Menghua." After saying that, Old Madam Song Lan glanced at Old Madam Ji's expression, and advised in a low voice, "Menghua boldly advises Old Madam, you are so frustrated." Don't say it again. Although the two children, Zheng'an and Huaishu, never want to say it, they think very highly of you in their hearts. If the words you just said were heard by these two children, how much would they feel in their hearts? It's so uncomfortable. You have a long and prosperous life, but great blessings are yet to come."
After hearing this, Mrs. Ji couldn't help but have mixed feelings in her heart. He raised his eyes and looked at Song Lan who was standing in front of him, nodded and said, "Menghua said, Xingyi is still young, so I have to see her get married no matter what."
Hearing what Mrs. Ji said, Lan Menghua immediately smiled and nodded and said, "It's only right for the old lady to think so. The future husband of our girl Xingyi will need your help."
...
Seeing that the festival was getting closer and closer, Mrs. Ji looked at the corn harvest in the fields down the mountain. After all the corn was harvested in the fields down the mountain, the carriages from the Ji family that came to pick up Mrs. Ji back home also lined up to go up to Hualong Mountain.
The two Ji family brothers looked at their energetic mother and felt relieved.
"Thank you for your hard work, old lady, during these days in your home."
Ji Yunlei looked at Lu Zhengan and felt uncomfortable thinking about his little sister who died young. Liu Manzhi on the side saw that her husband had a different expression, and hurriedly reached out and poked his arm, reminding him not to lose his composure in front of the old lady.
Ji Yunchong, on the other hand, walked up to Lu Zheng'an with a smile and wanted to pat Lu Zheng'an on the shoulder, but found that he was still a little taller than Lu Zheng'an, and he couldn't help feeling a little embarrassed. "Looking at the old lady's complexion, she looks a lot better than before she came here. It seems that she will have to let the old lady stay here a few times every year."
Ji Yueqiao felt embarrassed when he heard his father say this. "We are all at home, how can we let grandma come to live with cousin Zheng'an all the time?" After saying that, Ji Yueqiao approached his father, tugged on his sleeve and whispered: "You better? Don't speak. Otherwise, wait? Grandma is going to hit you with her cane again."
When Ji Yunchong saw what Ji Yueqiao said, he subconsciously looked up at his old mother sitting on top. Seeing him staring at him with a displeased look on his face, Ji Yunchong couldn't help but shudder. He looked at Mrs. Ji and sneered twice and immediately shut her mouth.
With so many people coming to the Ji family, cooking is not a small problem. Although there are servants who can help, the space in Lu Zheng'an's kitchen is limited and there is really no room for it. In addition, Mrs. Ji didn't want Lu Zheng'an and Song Huaishu to be too tired. She was thinking of going back to Jiang'an Town in the afternoon, so she ordered Ji Yueqiao to book a few private rooms in a restaurant in the town. After everyone chatted for a while at Lu Zheng'an's house, everyone got on the carriage and drove to the town.
When Mrs. Ji's carriage arrived at the mountain pass, Mrs. Ge saw Lu Zheng'an sitting on the shaft of the carriage and hurriedly reached out to stop him.
"Boy Lu, your relatives are here? What are you doing?"
Mrs. Ge had delivered peanuts and soybeans to Lu Zheng'an's house several times before. Madam Ji was still somewhat familiar with her voice.
She stretched out her hand to lift the car curtain and saw Mrs. Ge standing outside. Mrs. Ji smiled and said, "I haven't lived here in Zheng'an for a while. The festival is coming soon, so it's time to go home." Is the old sister-in-law going up the mountain again?"
"You're going back now? Then, when will you come back?" After Mrs. Ge asked, she felt that her question was really unnecessary. He sneered once or twice, then seemed to remember something, and hurriedly raised his head and said to Mrs. Ji and Lu Zheng'an: "Don't leave first. I'll go back to get something. You guys wait here for me."
With that said, Granny Ge ran quickly towards the village.
Everyone in the Ji family looked at Mrs. Ge who seemed to be crazy. They were a little confused. However, Lu Zhengan knew what Mrs. Ge was going back to do. He turned to look at Mrs. Ji and Aunt Zhang in the carriage and said, "We don't need to worry about her. Let's go first." Bar."
"She..." Nanny Zhang looked at the direction in which Mrs. Ge was leaving from the car window and hesitated.
Hearing this, Lu Zheng'an explained: "She knew that the old lady was leaving, and she went back to get something to see you off. This old lady used to be a bit generous, but her heart was not bad." Thinking of Mrs. Ge's previous years. His behavior made me feel funny? "Her husband and son are gone, and she has to live with her little grandson at an old age. Life is really not easy."
Hearing what Lu Zhengan said, Mrs. Ji and Nanny Zhang were quite touched. He sighed silently, put down the car curtain and ordered the handlebar to set off.
Because the road was bumpy, the carriage was not moving very fast. Just after the carriage had gone no more than two miles away, he heard a shout from behind. When Lu Zhengan turned around, he saw several people from Lujia Village carrying baskets and chasing after them in a hurry.
Seeing this, Lu Zhengan could only let the handlebar stop the car. "Zheng'an, didn't Mrs. Ge tell you to wait? Why did you just leave?"
After Lu Tiezhu finished speaking, he saw Mrs. Ji sitting in the car and hurriedly smiled at her old man.
"The Mid-Autumn Festival is coming soon, and the old lady is going back home. Everyone has gathered some things for the old lady to take with her. Although they are not worth much, they are still some of everyone's thoughts."
Lu Zheng'an lowered his head and glanced at the chicken and duck eggs, peanuts and jujubes carried in Lu Tiezhu's basket. He turned to look at Mrs. Ji, only to find that she had already come out of the carriage and walked to the shaft.
Lu Zhengan hurriedly supported the old lady's arm and carefully helped her out of the car.
Mrs. Ji looked at the people from Lujia Village who were arriving one after another, and she couldn't help but smile knowingly when she saw that most of them were familiar faces who had come to Lu Zheng'an's house to help.
"Right now? Everyone is busy at home, so how can we work so hard for everyone?"
"The old lady is leaving, and everyone should come and see her off." Liu Changshan followed him panting.
He bowed to the old lady and put the big red rooster in his hand on the shaft of the car.
Seeing everyone like this, Mrs. Ji was moved in her heart. "How can I let everyone be like this?"
Hearing this, Liu Changshan turned his head and looked at Lu Zhengan, his eyes slightly red. "Zheng'an and his wife are kind and take good care of us. Since you are a relative of Zheng'an, we should naturally treat you with courtesy. These things are not worth much, but they are all raised by us, so they are considered valuable." Eat something fresh. I know you don't lack these things at home, but since everyone has worked so hard to chase them so far, the old lady should take them with her."
Everyone in the Ji family had also gotten off the carriage at this time. Looking at the simple people in Lujia Village and the various local products they held in their hands, they felt mixed emotions for a while.
Mrs. Ji knew that these were definitely the best things in the villagers' homes, and she didn't want to accept them, but she looked at everyone's kind faces, smiled and nodded. "Okay, I'll take it, I'll take it all."
After hearing Mrs. Ji's words, everyone put everything in their hands on the shaft of the car. By the time everything is stuffed into the carriages, each carriage is basically empty.
After saying goodbye to everyone in Lujiacun, Ji Yueqiao took everyone to Goldman Sachs Restaurant. After settling everyone, he asked the people to rent two large cars on the street and come over.
While watching his servants loading the car, Ji Yueqiao looked at Lu Zhengan on the side, slowly moved to his side, and grinned at him sheepishly. "Brother Zheng'an."
Seeing Lu Zheng'an looking at him with raised eyebrows, Ji Yueqiao was even more embarrassed, but remembering the scene just now, he still said: "Although I understood the old lady's intention when she sent me to your house, she didn't really mean it after all. I understood. But just now I saw the people in Lujia Village desperately chasing the car to see off my grandmother. Listening to the old man's words, I seemed to really understand. Family background and wealth are not that important. , the important thing is to look at this person."
smell
After saying that, Lu Zhengan reached out and patted his shoulder and smiled. "That's not entirely true. The old lady sent you here just to control your temper. Also, family background and wealth are very important at any time. It depends on how you use them. You are still young and can know the way astray. Come on, it's a good thing to know that progress is a good thing. With you and your second brother in the Ji family, the old lady can gradually feel relieved. "
"Have everything been put away? Everyone is waiting for you to start the party."
When Song Huaishu saw that Lu Zhengan and Ji Yueqiao had not returned for a long time, he asked Lu Xingyi to be taken by Nanny Zhang temporarily, and he followed the waiter's guidance to find them. Seeing that the two of them were still standing at the door talking, he hurriedly called out.
Lu Zheng'an turned around when he heard the sound. When he saw that the person coming was Song Huaishu, he replied: "I'm going back now. Where is my daughter?"
"Mother Zhang is holding her." Song Huaishu lowered his head and looked up at the hand held by Lu Zhengan, and looked up at Ji Yueqiao opposite, feeling a little embarrassed.
Ji Yueqiao looked at the appearance of the two of them and asked with a smile: "Brother Zheng'an, will the relationship be better after having a child? My second brother used to be indifferent to his sister-in-law. Some time ago, my second brother was always indifferent to his sister-in-law. After my sister-in-law became pregnant, my second brother seemed to be a completely different person, and he wanted to praise his second sister-in-law to the sky."
Ji Yuexian didn't expect Ji Yueqiao to sell him out completely. It was very interesting to think that Ji Yuexian had avoided his wife like a snake and a scorpion, but now he wanted to touch her every day.
"The one you are talking about is your second brother. Huaishu and I have always had a good relationship." After saying that, Lu Zhengan turned his head and looked at Song Huaishu and smiled at him. "Okay, we can't explain this topic to you clearly. We will understand it when you get married in the future. The old lady and the others are waiting, so let's go back quickly."
...
Because Ji's family was large, the shopkeeper of the restaurant placed another table in the private room.
By the time Lu Zheng'an and the other three returned to the room, the food was basically ready. Lu Xingyi had never sat at a table, and his mouth watered when he looked at the food on the table. But seeing that the adults around him didn't move, the little man was sitting on the stool holding a small wooden bowl, waiting for someone to pick up food for him.
Seeing his two fathers coming back, Lu Xingyi's eyes suddenly lit up and he kept shouting 'ta da, da da'.
This generation of the Ji family is also full of girls and young children. Seeing the polished Lu Xingyi, compared with the several annoying brats in the family, I felt even more fond of him. "Zheng'an, didn't mother say that you and Huai Shu are going to Linzhou? It's very inconvenient for you to travel and travel with a child. If that doesn't work, why don't you let your girl live in my house for a few days until you come back?" Will you pick me up when you come?"
As soon as Ji Yunchong said these words, Mrs. Ji was a little moved when she held Lu Xingyi's chubby hand. "The second brother is right. When you go out, you are traveling in a carriage and an inn. Not only is it bumpy, but the environment is not very good. Girl Xingyi has never been out? What a faraway place, don't be unable to adapt to it when the time comes. And Xingyi and us also We are all familiar with each other, so it shouldn't be a problem to stay at my place for a while."
Hearing this, Lu Zhengan couldn't help but feel a little funny. "It's okay, Xingyi is so old, it's okay to take her out. Linzhou is prosperous, so let her go out and see the world. When we come back, we can go and pay our respects to the old lady."
Seeing what Lu Zhengan said, Mrs. Ji couldn't bear to separate the family of three, so she could only respond helplessly. When Ji Yunchong's plan failed, he stopped talking when he saw his old mother. He smashed it? He didn't say anything more.
After Lu Zheng'an and others sat down, Madam Ji twisted her chopsticks, added a piece of taro cake, and put it into Lu Xingyi's small wooden bowl. After successfully gaining a sweet smile from Lu Xingyi, she allowed everyone to use their chopsticks to eat. .
After spending so long with Lu Xingyi, the old lady and Nanny Zhang were still extremely reluctant to part ways. After finishing the meal and waiting until the end of the day, when Lu Xingyi fell asleep, Mrs. Ji reluctantly got into the carriage.
"If anything happens at home, just send me a message. Don't ask for someone to carry it without saying a word." After Mrs. Ji finished her instructions, she looked at Lu Xingyi's peaceful sleeping face, "You and Huai Shu will take Xingyi from the forest." After I return from Zhouzhou, I will definitely go to Jiang'an Town for a trip."
Listening to Mrs. Ji's chatter, Lu Zheng'an and Song Huaishu responded tirelessly. "Don't worry, madam, we will definitely go. Please take care of your health. I will pick you up and stay here for a while."
Ji Yunlei on the side heard what Lu Zhengan said and said: "It will get cold soon. The old lady is old, so it is better to live at home. When the weather gets warm next spring and the old lady wants to come, we will send her to her home." come over."
Lu Zheng'an still respected this honest, honest and filial uncle. After hearing what he said, he nodded in agreement.
After the old lady was settled, Lu Zhengan held the sleeping Lu Xingyi and Song Huaishu in his arms and watched the carriage drive away, then turned and walked home.
"Zheng'an, it's only four days until the holiday. When will we leave for Linzhou?"
"How about tomorrow? Let Uncle Changgen help look after the door then. Let's take our daughter? We can also go out for a walk and relax."