Chapter 24: Many Hands Make Light Work

“Uncle, are you home?”

Zhang Xiangnan was at home making fried meat for his wife today, experimenting with his own recipe.

His wife loved the fried meat that Uncle Hua had given them that day so much that she had no appetite for anything else.

His fried meat tasted different.

Logically, freshly fried meat should be tastier than cold meat.

The freshly fried meat was crispy, but it lacked the aroma when chewed.

Ignoring his wife’s objections, he shamelessly went to Hua’s house.

Wow, upon entering, he saw that they were doing something big!

Hua Yuanyuan was supporting a wooden frame, and Hua Youcai was filling it with soil.

“Xiao Zhang is here, come in quickly.”

Hua Youcai greeted his guest, his shovel never stopping.

“Uncle, what are you doing?”

“Building a shed to grow some vegetables.”

…

After understanding what they were doing, Zhang Xiangnan went to call Fang Dayong and the others to help.

Several of their families rented houses in the village, and they had special permission to go home for one night on Saturday and return to their units on Sunday night.

Hua Youcai didn’t refuse; they were kindly offering help, and more hands made the work faster.

His daughter and son helped with the less important tasks, but he still had to make the decisions.

Xiao Zhang and the others could also offer suggestions.

Fang Dayong and the others had nothing to do at home except spend time with their wives and children.

Hearing that they were helping Uncle Hua, they changed into their work clothes and went out.

Wang Fugui walked halfway and remembered something, so he stopped.

“Wait, let’s call Hao Li!”

Without waiting for them to speak, Wang Fugui acted like he was doing something sneaky, only speaking when he saw no one on the road.

“Didn’t Uncle Hua’s daughter get divorced? Hao Li is also single, let’s give him a chance.”

…

Fang Dayong angrily gave him a shove on the shoulder: “You’re just matchmaking blindly, they’re impossible.”

Wang Fugui was clearly not thinking straight, suggesting that the recently divorced wife of Commander Wang be paired with Hao Li. What was he thinking?

Liu Jianye chuckled, “Hao Li is already 33, there’s quite an age gap.”

Zhang Xiangnan seemed to be deep in thought; there was something they didn’t know.

A few days ago, when he went to the political commissar’s house for the New Year, several suitable girls wanted to be introduced to some single officers.

The implication was that the girls were very interested in Commander Wang, but Hao Li was less appealing.

Commander Wang’s divorce report had been approved, and it was an open secret.

He was already less appealing, and after meeting them, he was even less appealing.

Hao Li was giving up on everything…

“Okay, go call him over. But don’t mention this, Uncle Hua hasn’t considered finding a partner for his daughter yet.”

On the second day of the Lunar New Year, during dinner, Uncle Hua had said that his daughter wouldn’t be looking for a partner for the time being.

…

Hao Li was dragged over by Wang Fugui, supposedly to help with the work.

Upon arrival, he saw that it was indeed to help with the work.

Five strong laborers, directed by Hua Youcai, worked at lightning speed.

Hua Fangfang helped her sister inside, and at noon they had a simple stew of cabbage, potatoes, and meat slices.

They didn’t waste any time at lunch, finishing in ten minutes and continuing to work.

At 3:50 pm, they finished everything.

Two neat sheds were in the yard. Someone circled them twice, expressing his satisfaction with two words: “Satisfied.”

They were the simplest, lowest-cost sheds possible.

Hua Yuanyuan was overjoyed; she was very satisfied.

Hua Youcai was even more satisfied than his daughter; they would never have achieved this result on their own.

After lunch, Hua Yuanyuan didn’t idle, starting to prepare dinner.

Lunch was simple, so dinner had to be more substantial.

The limited ingredients at home affected the outcome.

Chicken and potato stew, stir-fried peanuts, cabbage and meat stir-fry, a plate of seaweed salad, a plate of dried shrimp, and the main course was fried oil cakes.

There was no alcohol on the table.

They were all soldiers, unsure of the army’s regulations, and didn’t want anything bad to happen because of drinking at someone else’s kind invitation.

Hua Yuanyuan demonstrated how to eat the oil cakes, rolling them up with scallions and dried shrimp.

…

No wonder they were surprised; it was their first time seeing dried shrimp.

After eating a rolled cake, she left the table and went back to her room; her presence wasn’t needed, her younger brother could handle things.

She went to her space, first lying on the bed to rest. Thankfully, the bamboo strips arrived yesterday, allowing for today’s success.

After resting, she started organizing the seeds.

The varieties grown in the shed had to match those in her space for easier management later.

Then she continued preparing the land and planting wheat.

The previously planted wheat seedlings were lush and green, a joyful sight.

At 4:30, Hao Li and the others finished their meal and left.

He seemingly casually glanced at the only room with curtains, which were tightly drawn.

“Thank you all for your hard work today, come visit anytime.”

“Uncle Hua, you’re welcome, it was the meal that was a treat for us.”

Zhang Xiangnan had a warm oil-paper package in his arms, taking some food and some to go.

“Xiao Zhang, come anytime you need something.”

“Uncle Hua, I won’t be polite.”

After seeing them off, Hua Youcai lingered in the shed for a while.

…

Zhang Xiangnan shamelessly made two oil cakes for his wife; he found them delicious, and his wife would probably love them too.

Wang Fugui and the others didn’t take any; Uncle Hua had invited their wives and children to dinner, so they felt it would be inappropriate.

“Commander Wang’s wife is so pretty! Why is she described as a tigress?”

“You were still looking at her?”

“Who was looking? I just glanced! My wife said she talked to her when she was herding, saying she was very pretty.”

“She’s not Commander Wang’s wife anymore, they’ve divorced. Did Commander Wang not borrow money from you about the incident of her crying at the door?”

“Such a pretty woman got divorced, what was Commander Wang thinking!”

“He wanted to find a better one, he’s become successful and doesn’t like village women anymore.”

“She doesn’t look like someone who would cause trouble.”

“You can’t judge a book by its cover.”

“Hao Li, why aren’t you saying anything?”

Hao Li…, what to say? They’re just talking nonsense.

“The meal was delicious.”

…

Hua Yuanyuan’s divorce spread through the village.

Hua Youcai had been busy with the sheds these days and hadn’t gone to Grandpa Wang’s store, so he didn’t know.

Anyway, it was bound to spread sooner or later; the eligible girls in the village were all eyeing the officers.

What’s wrong with being divorced? Long-distance separation, so they divorced.

The village girls thought that proximity was their advantage.

Compared to farmers, who wouldn’t want to marry an officer?

Gossip spread outside, while the Hua family was busy with the sheds.

Hua Youcai and his son did their part, while Hua Yuanyuan took the opportunity to do hers.

She first sprinkled a layer of disinfectant from the all-purpose machine to sterilize the soil, then a layer of fertilizer.

When sowing, she added some soil from her space to each hole and added a drop of space water when watering.

On the sixteenth day of the first lunar month, the children went back to school, and the Hua family’s sheds were planted.

By the way, the straw mats on top of the sheds were ordered from Zhang Guanghui.

Hua Yuanyuan specially made dumplings to celebrate.

After dinner, Hua Youcai went for a stroll to the store.

People liked to gather at the store, and Grandpa Wang’s son bought a new TV after the New Year, attracting even more people.

A 14-inch black and white TV, costing over 400 yuan.

The children watched TV, and the adults chatted.

Before Hua Youcai even entered, he heard it.