Farmers have no rest day all year round. Even on rainy days, the living animals raised at home, such as cows, horses, and mules, have to eat grass.
So herding cattle and horses is also an essential job.
In order to cultivate the land and transport things, Lin Xiao's family not only raised cattle, but also a mule.
As a result, the daily tasks of mowing grass and herding cattle fell on my sister Lin Qian.
Even though Liu Xiong and his family had just come to the house to cause trouble, as soon as the incident stopped, Lin Qian drove the cattle out to graze, and at the same time she had to cut the grass for the family's mules.
Hearing that his parents had also gone to bed, Lin Xiao, who was staying in the west room, couldn't sit still.
He had to find some work so that he could feel better.
After looking at the water tank, there was not a lot of water in it, so Lin Xiao picked up the bucket and prepared to fill the water tank at home.
There are more than 200 households in Banpo Village, which is considered a large village, but the water conditions in the village are extremely poor.
There are several wells, but because there are too many people using them, there is usually no water after morning.
So if you want to get water when you get up late, you can only go to the spring outside the village to get it.
Let’s not talk about whether we can do it cleanly or not. Anyway, after so many years, people in the village have lived like this.
But the key problem is that it is a long way to fetch water from the spring, and people without physical strength cannot fetch it back at all.
Although Lin Xiao's back was in burning pain from being beaten by his mother, he still had plenty of physical strength.
He took a steamed bun in one hand and ate it while carrying a bucket and walking toward the spring outside the village.
The road of carrying water is very familiar to Lin Xiao. He has been carrying water for his family since he was in fourth grade, so even if he closes his eyes, he can still find the spring.
Thinking about the city people having clean and convenient tap water, Lin Xiao felt really uncomfortable.
Suddenly, a woman walked towards me. She walked very slowly, as if there was something wrong with her waist.
She was carrying a water jug, which could hold up to ten kilograms of water.
It's not worth carrying this little water on such a long journey. Lin Xiao thought about this in his mind, so he walked over quickly.
As he got closer, he realized that the woman was none other than his good brother's mother, Zhao Yulian.
"Auntie! What are you..."
Lin Xiao couldn't help but asked.
When Zhao Yulian saw that it was Lin Xiao, she stopped in a hurry, her eyes turned red and she said, "My waist is not strong yet, so I can't carry water. I can only use a jar to carry a little."
When Lin Xiao heard this, he hurriedly said: "Okay, Auntie, you go back and clean up the water tank, and I will pick up two loads for you. You can eat for several days."
"Don't worry about me. I owe you too much."
Zhao Yulian burst into tears as she spoke.
Lin Xiao let out a sigh of relief and said, "Auntie! Zhao Qiang and I are good brothers, so don't be polite and go back and clean up the water tank!"
After Lin Xiao finished speaking, he let go and walked away.
Lin Xiao didn't stop until Zhao Yulian's water tank was full.
"You don't need much water for one person, and it's not good if you leave it out for too long. I'll pick it up for you after you finish eating."
As Lin Xiao said, he suddenly thought of Li Xiaomei.
"Auntie! Didn't Li Xiaomei say anything when she left?"
Lin Xiao looked at the somewhat dilapidated courtyard of Zhao Yulian's house, and he felt extremely uncomfortable.
Zhao Yulian took a long breath and said, "She said she might not come back to her parents' home again.
It doesn’t matter if I leave, I’m a human being and I have to save my face! Her reputation in Banpo Village was so bad that I even had no face to see anyone. "
Lin Xiao nodded silently, found a sickle, and began to clean up the weeds in the yard.
Zhao Yulian was injured and couldn't move. Li Xiaomei stayed at home every day, not even bothering to clean up the grass growing in the yard.
Having such a woman in the family is actually not much different from not having one at all.
After a while, the weeds in the yard were cleared, which made people feel a lot more comfortable.
Just when Lin Xiao was working hard, Chen Erniu and Xia Huzi suddenly arrived.
The three of them cleaned the toilet for Zhao Yulian. As a living person, these are inevitable things.
Fortunately, we didn't raise any living animals at home, otherwise with Zhao Yulian's body, this life would have been even more difficult.
Before leaving, Lin Xiao took out another ten yuan and gave it to Zhao Yulian, which moved Zhao Yulian to tears.
In the end, Lin Xiao only picked up a load of water for his family and it was noon.
As soon as his mother came back, she went into the kitchen, and Lin Xiao, Xia Huzi, and Chen Erniu went to the west house where he lived.
"How's it going? Have you asked me clearly?"
Lin Xiao asked softly.
Xia Huzi nodded and said, "Xu Dahai said that Liu Futang contracted him for eight hundred yuan per year, but he has made losses every year since he took over the contract, so he didn't pay a penny of the contract fee."
"Okay! I have thought about this. I will contract the brick and tile factory in the name of Chen Erniu. Of course I will pay for it, but no one else can know about this except the three of us."
Lin Xiao made a decision on the spot. As he spoke, he found paper and pen. He had to write a letter to his comrades immediately.
Xia Huzi thought for a moment and said, "Why did Chen Erniu come to take over the contract?"
"You forgot, Liu Xiong's grandma Chen Erniu is called aunt. The two families are related."
Lin Xiao said with a smile.
When Chen Erniu heard this, he quickly shook his head and said, "Don't ever mention this. Our family is too poor, and my father is upright. He and Liu Futang can't even pee in the same pot. They haven't moved around for many years. If it weren't for you, When I mentioned it today, I had forgotten about it.”
"Hey! It's better to be related than not to be related. Then let's listen to Lin Xiao on this matter. Let's take action immediately."
Xia Huzi said a little excitedly.
Lin Xiao thought for a while and said: "Remember a few key points. You need to sign a contract. It should be written in black and white so that you can testify if there are any problems in the future.
The second is to sign for ten years, and pay three years of contract fees first, but they cannot exceed 800 yuan per year.
Also, we need to reshuffle the existing personnel in the brick and tile factory. "
When Lin Xiao said this, Xia Huzi nodded quickly and said, "You are right to the point. There are many related households in the brick and tile factory who do not work at all every day."
Lin Xiao glanced at Chen Erniu and said, "Chen Erniu will be the factory director, responsible for production, and Huzi will be the deputy factory director, responsible for sales.
Of course, you both follow my lead. Whoever can't do it well will get out. Even if we are good brothers, there can be no ambiguity on this matter. "
Chen Erniu chuckled and said, "Okay! There's nothing wrong with that."
Xia Huzi bit his lip and said, "It's not easy to sell this. If we mess up..."
"It can't be smashed. As long as the bricks and tiles we bake are of high quality, people will beg you to buy them without you having to go out."
In addition, you don’t need to take care of the sales in the city. You can only be responsible for the sales in the countryside. "
When Xia Huzi heard this, he smiled happily and said, "Okay! I will be the deputy director."
At this moment, a man's voice suddenly came from outside the courtyard gate.
"Brother Xiao is at home?"
