Lu Shaocai hurriedly headed towards the brigade.

Old Chang, meanwhile, was humming a tune with his hands behind his back, feeling quite pleased as he went to work in the fields.

Hmph, I was so kind-hearted and sympathetic towards you, but you didn’t appreciate it and even harmed me.

Now, I won’t feel sorry for you anymore.

Without me, you’ll realize this is your greatest loss!

He encountered his nephew behind the village, the youngest son of his elder sister, who was a barefoot doctor in the brigade.

It was thanks to him and his elder sister providing many good things to the brigade secretary and brigade leader that they secured a position for the barefoot doctor, allowing his nephew to train at the county hospital for three months and return as a barefoot doctor.

This barefoot doctor nephew really brought pride to the Old Chang family; whenever villagers had minor ailments, they would come to him for medicine.

The only drawback was that his medical skills weren’t very impressive since he had only trained for three months.

However, being able to provide medicine was already quite good.

He planned to send his nephew for another three months of training this winter; the results would surely be different.

As the nephew went off to treat the villagers, Old Chang happily headed to the fields, still humming his tune.

Lu Shaocai arrived in a hurry at the brigade’s accounting office, where he found Old Master Lu already diligently working with the abacus and jotting figures in the ledger.

Old Master Lu was calculating the labor points for the current quarter.

Seeing Lu Shaocai approach, Old Master Lu immediately said, “Nephew, you’re back? I’m going to work now.”

Lu Shaocai intended to take advantage of his uncle and get him to help with the accounts.

The Brigade Leader said, “Oh, Accountant, why do you look so pale? Did you get choked by the burning paper yesterday?”

Lu Shaocai laughed awkwardly, “Maybe, I cried a lot yesterday—crying for my third brother, my mother, and my grandparents.”

Old Master Lu saw that Lu Shaocai was about to leave, but the Brigade Leader asked him to rest and return later, allowing Old Master Lu to continue.

Lu Shaocai was happy to shirk his duties, even bringing out additional accounts for Old Master Lu to handle, then genuinely went back home.

He thought Old Master Lu would still be like before, helping him without question and causing a day’s work to be delayed.

He felt a sense of revengeful pleasure, thinking, “See, Uncle can’t give up on me; he’s bound to care for me.”

Hmph, what a shameless person!

The Brigade Leader, however, watched Lu Shaocai’s retreating figure with a thoughtful expression.

The accounting job was too desirable, and having Lu Shaocai, a mediocre talent, occupying it was a waste.

Perhaps it was time to bring Old Master Lu back for a few years?

He was getting old and would retire in a couple of years, by which time his youngest son would be ready to take over, though the Brigade Secretary’s family would likely be eyeing it too.

The Brigade Secretary was getting on in years, and when he retired…

He definitely wouldn’t have the qualifications to make the secretary’s son, but the accountant position was another matter.

The brigade leader, while thinking about this, began smoking again.

Looking at the accounts on the table, he said to Old Man Lu, “Second Brother, today’s work is busy, so I’ll give you an extra two jin of soybeans for the day. I don’t want you to work for nothing.”

Old Man Lu didn’t refuse, “Thank you very much.”

…

After everyone who was going to work or school left, Lin Shu spread a large mat at the entrance of the main room and let Tiantian and Panpan sit there to read picture books, play with toy guns, and make clay tigers.

It was hard for her to confine the children at home, but since their biological father had “passed away,” it was necessary to show their grief, at least to let others know they were very sad.

Hadn’t she cried several times already?

Before long, Huahua, Honghong, and others came outside calling for Panpan.

Lin Shu looked at the two children, “If you want to play, you can go. You don’t have to stay at home.”

Tiantian shook her head, “I want to stay at home with Mother.”

Panpan stood up and ran out.

Seeing him come out, Huahua, Juanjuan, and Honghong each handed him a boiled egg, “Panpan, do you want to play with us today?”

Panpan shook his head, “Not playing these days. You all go ahead, but don’t go to the river or the woods.”

Yuanyuan said, “Panpan, don’t be sad. I’ll give you some candy.” She handed him a piece of fruit candy that was partially melted.

Panpan didn’t want it, “Thank you, I’ve already had some.”

The little girls, without waiting for his refusal, began stuffing his pockets—both his jacket and trousers—and his hands, until they were full.

Then they ran off before he could refuse them.

Panpan watched them run away and looked at his stuffed pockets, sighing, “Ah, girls are really stubborn!”

He turned and ran back home, handing the eggs and candy to Lin Shu, “These are consolation gifts from others.”

When the commune provided condolence money, there were also consolation gifts.

He had learned this.

Lin Shu said, “Your little friends are really generous and kind. Remember their kindness and return it in the future.”

It was definitely the children’s parents who gave these gifts, but at this time, when kids are so tempted, managing to give some to Panpan shows their true affection.

Panpan immediately said to Tiantian, “Tiantian, can you help me remember this?”

Tiantian could read and write, unlike him.

Tiantian replied, “Then you need to give me your New Year’s money this year.”

Panpan said, “I’ll give you the money from Grandma. Can I keep the rest for myself?”

Grandma was stingy and gave less, but Grandpa gave more.

Tian Tian nodded, “Okay.”

The two little ones began to look for a notebook to keep the accounts.

They used Fang Dihua’s bookkeeping book and wrote in the pages below.

Since they were careful and didn’t scribble or tear anything, Lin Shu didn’t interfere.

The old couple was proud that their grandchildren could write and keep accounts.

After finishing the accounts, Lin Shu led the two children to the vegetable garden.

She worked on weeding, while Pan Pan caught insects and Tian Tian picked weeds.

Pan Pan, being playful, soon started stepping in muddy puddles, playing with insects and earthworms.

The boy was quite daring and wasn’t afraid at all.

Tian Tian busily educated her younger brother, “Pan Pan, hurry up and stop being lazy. Don’t you know what they say? You can see the future from when you’re three!”

Pan Pan asked, “Are you saying that Uncle was this lazy when he was three?”

Tian Tian replied, “I wasn’t talking about Uncle. I was talking about you.”

Pan Pan retorted, “Aren’t you saying that if I’m lazy now, I’ll be lazy when I grow up? Isn’t that the same as Uncle?”

Tian Tian pinched his bottom, “I didn’t say you’re lazy. I said you’re too playful and not focused!”

Pan Pan countered, “So you’re saying that Er Ge and Cui Cui are the same?”

Lu An and Cui Cui were also like that, not paying attention to their studies.

Lin Shu: “…”

This child is truly gifted, always deflecting from himself by pointing out others.

Lin Shu took note.

Zhao Meifeng came in from outside, with a long face and a very unhappy mood.

Of course, she was unhappy because her family lost over a hundred dollars.

How many letters did she have to write, and how many times did she have to argue with the old man to get it back?

She thought about it and decided to recover some of the loss from Lin Shu.

She was so eager to marry off Lin Shu and get some benefit from it.

Standing outside the vegetable bed, from this angle, Lin Shu’s perfect profile, her straight nose, and her plump rosy lips looked incredibly beautiful.

Such beauty should not be wasted on the countryside; it would be a shame not to find her a good match among the city’s widowed senior officials!

“I’m telling you, Third Family, why haven’t you started on the new clothes yet? I’ll take you to the city in the next few days to find a suitable husband for you.”

In her urgency, she didn’t hide her intentions at all.

Lin Shu, not engaging with her matchmaking schemes, gently guided the conversation, “Oh, Sister-in-law, making clothes isn’t that simple. If only we had a sewing machine, it would save a lot of time, and clothes made with a sewing machine are both beautiful and durable.”

Zhao Meifeng replied, “We don’t have a sewing machine either… Oh, didn’t your mother-in-law give you a sewing machine as part of your dowry?”

“Just ask your sister-in-law to return it.”

Originally, Fang Dihua had prepared a sewing machine as a dowry for the third son’s wife.

However, Lin Shu’s mother didn’t bring the sewing machine when she married off her daughter, saying it was temporarily borrowed for the younger son’s wedding.

Little did she know that the sewing machine became the sister-in-law’s possession and was never returned.

The original owner was too shy to ask her parents for it again.

Her mother said she had asked the sister-in-law, but the sister-in-law refused to return it.

Out of frustration, she wanted to return to her parental home, and her mother had no solution.

She told Lin Shu not to argue with the sister-in-law, since the sewing machine was still at the Lin family’s place, wasn’t it?

The original owner was embarrassed to ask again.

She wanted Fang Dihua to request it, but Fang Dihua was angry that she lacked determination.

If Fang Dihua asked for it, there would be a conflict with Lin’s mother, and the daughter-in-law would blame the mother-in-law.

Anyway, the sewing machine was meant for the third son’s wife.

She could just sew by hand if necessary.

Lin Shu sighed, “I… I’m afraid. Big Sister, you’re from the capital and have experience, and you’re a female cadre. Could you help me get it back? That way, I can help you make shoe insoles every day.”

Shoe insoles were important these days to extend the life of shoes.