Chapter 16

“La la la… I’m the little newsboy!” Qin Jiashu sang cheerfully beside her in his adorable, childlike voice.

Xu Jiaojiao noticed that Qin Jiashu seemed genuinely happy to be out with her. The little boy had an excellent memory and a natural sense of rhythm.

“Little Shu, your singing is so lovely.”

Qin Jiashu, flattered by the compliment, turned to Xu Jiaojiao and sincerely returned the praise: “Auntie’s singing is even better!”

Xu Jiaojiao didn’t know how other adults felt when praised by children, but she certainly enjoyed it.

“Little Shu, you’re just too cute! Auntie loves you so much!” Xu Jiaojiao bent down, cupped his chubby cheeks, and gave them a playful squeeze.

Squeezing a child’s cheeks was truly delightful.

Qin Jiashu blushed crimson with embarrassment but didn’t resist, letting Xu Jiaojiao pinch and rub his cheeks to her heart’s content.

“Oh, right! Little Shu, do you really like Little Lamb?” Xu Jiaojiao asked after she finished teasing him, taking his hand and continuing to walk.

“Yes!” Qin Jiashu nodded without hesitation.

“Then how about Auntie asks for Little Lamb and lets you take care of it?” Xu Jiaojiao had a plan. “You can memorize your poems in the morning and play with Little Lamb in the afternoon.”

Just imagining the scene made Xu Jiaojiao feel like the little boy’s life would be so fulfilling.

Qin Jiashu nodded furiously. “Yes! Little Shu wants to play with Little Lamb!”

Seeing him nod so enthusiastically, Xu Jiaojiao knew her plan was perfect.

Qin Jiu’er’s house was located in the heart of Qinjia Village, about a ten-minute walk from the Zhiqing Compound.

The house was easy to spot. The most ancient-looking earthen dwelling was Qin Jiu’er’s home. From a distance, one could even see a massive dragon coiled atop its roof, its form undulating against the sky.

“What’s that?” Xu Jiaojiao asked Qin Jiashu, bending down.

“A dragon,” Qin Jiashu replied firmly.

“That’s right, it’s a dragon,” Xu Jiaojiao nodded with a smile. “Would you like to hear the story of this house from your aunt?”

“Yes!” Qin Jiashu nodded enthusiastically.

Qinjia Village was an ancient settlement dating back a thousand years. Qin Jiu’er’s house was said to be the village’s cornerstone—the very first dwelling built in Qinjia Village.

Legend had it that the ancestors of Qinjia Village were passing through with their cattle. Amidst a blizzard that blanketed the land, only the plot where this house stood remained lush and green. Two old yellow oxen lay contentedly grazing there, refusing to be driven away. Thus, Qinjia was founded.

Later houses were gradually built outward from this central point, radiating like ripples in a pond.

“Wow! The oxen were amazing!” Qin Jiashu exclaimed, his eyes wide with wonder.

“Indeed!” Xu Jiaojiao chuckled. Having finished the story, she led Qin Jiashu to the Qin family’s home.

Aunt Ju Hua’s family and Qin Zhuzi’s family had arrived earlier. They were already seated in the main hall, sipping tea and chatting idly.

Qin Yutian, the patriarch of Qin Jiu’er’s family, saw Xu Jiaojiao arrive and, confirming that all four households were present, took the lead in speaking.

“As you can see, the two sheep and the lamb are tied up in the courtyard. We need to decide what to do with them quickly.”

“Here’s what I’m thinking,” Qin Yutian said, puffing on his dry tobacco pipe. “Each of our four families could send someone to find a plot of land in the village to build a sheepfold. Then we could take turns feeding the sheep. Once the lamb grows up, we can slaughter it and divide the meat. What do you all think?”

“Sounds good to me,” Qin Datou nodded.

“Agreed. We’ll take turns raising them,” Qin Zhuzi added.

Everyone turned to Xu Jiaojiao, though it was clear they weren’t truly interested in her opinion.

“Uncle Qin,” Xu Jiaojiao said bluntly, “raising sheep is a lot of work. Why don’t we just divide them now?”

“Divide them now? How would that work?” Qin Zhuzi’s wife scoffed, cradling her two-year-old son, who was still nursing. She casually lifted her shirt to feed him in front of everyone, all while sneering at Xu Jiaojiao. “Would you be happy with a newborn lamb?”

Xu Jiaojiao glanced at Qin Zhuzi’s wife and subtly shifted to block Qin Jiashu’s view.

“That works for me,” Xu Jiaojiao agreed cheerfully.

Qin Jiashu, standing beside her, heard this and his eyes lit up with excitement.

“A little lamb? Is it a real lamb? Aunt said I could raise one!” Qin Jiashu exclaimed, his eyes sparkling as he gazed up at Xu Jiaojiao.

Xu Jiaojiao patted Qin Jiashu’s head, her mind made up. Once the lamb was weaned from its mother, she would bring it home to raise. By spring, Qin Jiashu could lead the lamb out to graze.

While she couldn’t manage three sheep, a single lamb was manageable, and its smell wouldn’t be so strong.

“Are you sure you only want the lamb, Zhengye’s wife?” Aunt Ju Hua asked, eyeing Xu Jiaojiao.

Their group had been allocated three sheep: a ram, a ewe, and a newborn lamb. The ram weighed a hefty two to three hundred jin, the ewe around one hundred and fifty jin, while the lamb barely tipped the scales at six or seven jin. Raising the lamb to maturity would take at least half a year.

As Xu Jiaojiao had considered, raising sheep was indeed troublesome. The time spent on sheep would be better spent raising a piglet. Even if they couldn’t get a piglet, dividing the mutton would be more practical—twenty jin of mutton could easily be traded for a lamb.

“If no one objects, I’ll take the lamb. We’ll take it once it’s weaned. The three families can divide the two adult sheep,” Xu Jiaojiao declared firmly.

“Alright, if you want the lamb, it’s yours!” Qin Zhuzi’s wife said cheerfully.

Qin Zhuzi’s wife couldn’t have been happier that Xu Jiaojiao wanted the little lamb. It meant one less household to share the mutton with.

“But are you sure you only want the little lamb?” Qin Zhuzi’s wife asked, staring at Xu Jiaojiao as if she were a fool.

This Xu Jiaojiao really doesn’t know how to manage a household, she thought. Giving up adult mutton for a baby lamb?

But since that’s what she wanted, why hesitate? Give it to her!

Qin Zhuzi chimed in, echoing his wife’s sentiments.

“Zhengye’s family only wants the little lamb,” Qin Yutian said, puffing on his dry tobacco pipe. “In that case, the ewe will stay with us. We’ll care for it until the lamb is weaned, then you can take it. You two families can divide the ram yourselves—half the meat for each.”

“Agreed. We’ll divide the meat ourselves,” Aunt Ju Hua’s family and Qin Zhuzi’s family exchanged glances and nodded without hesitation.

Everyone was satisfied with the sheep division, and it was settled quickly.

“Now, let’s discuss the spring planting after the New Year,” Qin Yutian continued. “Since our families drew fields in the same area, but our labor forces differ, how about we divide the fields too? Each family farms their own land and pays their own grain tax. What do you think?”

The production team was now implementing the household responsibility system, dividing land among individual families, precisely because the previous centralized management had proven so flawed.

Old Man Qin Yutian, a man of foresight, understood the benefits of this new system. Although families were grouped together, he proposed dividing the fields into separate plots. This would eliminate disputes over unequal labor contributions, ensuring fairness for all.

With each family managing their own land, everyone would be satisfied. Success or failure would be their own responsibility, and no one could criticize them for laziness or cunning.

“Alright, let’s divide the fields too,” Old Master Qin declared. His age and seniority lent weight to his words, and the others readily agreed.

Of course, the other two families’ eagerness stemmed largely from fear of being taken advantage of.

Qin Zhengye was serving in the army, leaving behind a frail wife and orphaned child. Without separate plots, his family would be forced to work like draft animals for others.

Dividing the fields would eliminate such concerns.

The four families gathered to draw lots for the land, and the results pleased everyone.

Aunt Ju Hua’s family and Qin Zhuzi’s couple cheerfully prepared to leave the Qin Family compound.

“Uncle Qin, could your family help cultivate the three mu of paddy fields allocated to us? Zhengye is away in the army, and I don’t know how to farm. If I take these fields, they’ll likely end up neglected.”

Click!

Old Master Qin, puffing on his dry tobacco pipe, turned to Xu Jiaojiao.

“Uncle Qin, how about this? I’ll entrust all three mu to your family. You keep all the grain you harvest, and you’re responsible for the public grain quota. Just give us a hundred catties of grain per mu each year. What do you think?”

Xu Jiaojiao didn’t know how to farm, but she didn’t want to take advantage of others.

Although rice yields weren’t high at the time, there was still a surplus after the public grain quota was met. Even in poor years, a mu of land could easily produce several hundred catties of rice.

Xu Jiaojiao’s request for only a hundred catties per mu wasn’t unreasonable.

The Qin family had many hands, making an extra three mu of land easy to manage. They were good at calculations and knew how much rice a mu of paddy field could yield. A quick mental calculation made them all interested.

“Can you, a young wife, make such a decision? Shouldn’t you go home and discuss it with your father-in-law?” Old Master Qin countered.

“No need. We’ve already divided the family, and I have full authority over these three mu of paddy fields.”

Xu Jiaojiao was in a hurry to lease out the fields, primarily to prevent Father Qin from interfering. Why would she consult him?

“Do you know how much rice one mu of paddy field yields? Are you sure you want to stick to your terms? You really don’t want to cultivate them yourselves?” Qin Yutian asked, worried that the young woman might not understand the implications and cause trouble later.

His family was large, and they could easily manage three more mu of paddy fields. These were fertile fields, with proper cultivation, they could yield over 1,000 catties of grain beyond the public quota and the 300 catties Xu Jiaojiao required.

In the countryside, an extra 1,000 catties of grain a year was no small sum.

“I’m certain I don’t want to cultivate them. Uncle Qin, if you’re agreeable, let’s draw up a written agreement and have it stamped by the Production Brigade later,” Xu Jiaojiao said, eager to finalize the arrangement.

Delay could lead to complications. Who knew if Father Qin and that shameless Zhao Guixiang might try to seize the fields?

“Alright, let’s draw up the agreement then,” Old Master Qin agreed.

With such a good opportunity presented to him, Old Master Qin had no reason to refuse.

Xu Jiaojiao immediately drew up a written agreement with Old Master Qin. Three copies were made, each bearing their thumbprints. They each kept one copy, while the third was delivered to Qin Zhiwen, the Production Brigade leader, for safekeeping.

Xu Jiaojiao completed the agreement and signed it in the presence of Aunt Ju Hua and the Qin Zhuzi family as witnesses.

“The little lamb can’t leave its mother yet,” Qin Yutian’s eldest daughter-in-law said cheerfully. “We’ll take good care of it for you. You’re welcome to bring the child over anytime to see the lamb.”

This aunt was a practical woman. While the four households were discussing the land allocation lottery in the main room, she had casually led her sisters-in-law and children to build a small sheep pen in the courtyard, its roof thatched with rice straw.

Xu Jiaojiao and Qin Jiashu now stood outside the pen, watching the bleating little lamb. It was an incredibly tiny lamb, utterly adorable.

“Auntie, lamb! Xiao Shu’s lamb?” Qin Jiashu pointed at the lamb, then at himself, his eyes shining with delight.