The next morning, the Lu family got up early to dress up.

Those with new clothes wore them, while those without new clothes wore their old clothes from the New Year.

Tiantian and Panpan were dressed in their best, showcasing the Lu family’s wealth and Lin Shu’s sewing skills.

The two children were dressed identically, with white knitted woolen clothes inside, new cotton-padded jackets on the outside, and small military-style jackets made from imitation military fabric on top.

Government regulations prohibited non-active military personnel from wearing real five-pointed red stars, so Lin Shu had sewn red stars onto the children’s hats and collars using red thread.

To prevent the stars from fading during washing, she sewed several red stars and attached them with hidden buttons, so they could be removed when washing the clothes to avoid color fading.

The two children also wore new cotton shoes.

When they stood up, they mimicked their father’s stance, standing tall and saluting with, “Comrade Lin Shu, you’ve worked hard!”

Lin Shu smiled and replied, “Serving the children!”

Fang Dihua wore her New Year’s clothes.

Originally, Lin Shu planned to make new clothes for her and Old Man Lu, as the family had plenty of fabric coupons this year.

In addition to the annual fabric coupon for each person, there were extra two yards of fabric from the reward for the task pig and several yards bought by Fang Dihua from her family’s weaving, and there were also additional fabric coupons given as rewards this past six months.

Lin Shu and Fang Dihua had received commendations from the Public Security Bureau several times, and Lin Shu and Sister Lu Da had been featured in photo reports.

Old Man Lu had also gained fame for his excellent performance as a barefoot doctor, even recognized by the county hospital…

They had plenty of fabric.

However, Fang Dihua didn’t need the new clothes; she was content with what she had as long as they were wearable.

She only requested a new outfit for Old Man Lu so that he would look presentable when going to the county.

She also felt for her third daughter-in-law and didn’t want Lin Shu to be overburdened.

Lin Shu had been busy before she went to the city and even busier after returning.

She had orders for new clothes, including ones for her family members.

She also planned to make new clothes for Lin’s father, Lin’s mother, and Lin Yue.

Even though Lin’s father and mother were reluctant to accept the clothes, Lin Yue, being a young man with a job and many future public appearances, needed to have a decent outfit.

Old Man Lu didn’t go to the commune; he still had to work.

Even if he didn’t have to work today, he didn’t want to disappoint people who had come from far away to see him, especially those with illnesses who might be more distressed if they were let down.

Old Man Lu preferred to stay at the medical office.

Lu Erge also stayed behind to weave mats in the production team’s house.

He was skilled with his hands and could make mats and baskets better than anyone.

Others are better, more durable, and more attractive.

The production team leader said that the mat he wove could be sold for two more yuan than others.

He would get one yuan of the extra two.

Fang Dihua mentioned that for the mats and baskets woven for the team, any extra money earned would be kept by the individual, not given to the collective.

Brother Lu Erge, seeing that his elder brother, elder sister-in-law, and third brother could earn some pocket money for their wives and children, also wanted to.

He didn’t smoke or drink and didn’t have many personal expenses, but he wanted to buy some candy for his daughter and something nice for his wife.

Brother Dage not going was a bit disappointing for Brother Lu Erge, but it wasn’t a big deal.

After all, he was the accountant for the team and was supposed to lead the advanced families of the entire team to the meeting.

Of course, the team secretary, team leader, and others were also going, but they felt that since he had just become the team accountant this year, it was a good opportunity for him to represent the team.

He liked the chance to be in the spotlight!

He seriously put two pens in his left chest pocket and smiled at Tiantian and Panpan, “How do I look?”

The two kids nodded enthusiastically, “Handsome!”

This was learned from Lin Shu, who said that Lu Shaotang was a handsome guy.

Sister-in-law Lu Da also dressed up in new clothes. The clothes she had made last year didn’t need to be redone this year.

She wore the clogs that Lin Shu had made later.

The shoes were well-fitting and good-looking, proving that Lin Shu wasn’t deliberately targeting her and had put effort into making them.

Sister-in-law Lu Da was still very satisfied.

Recently, she had worn them back to her natal home, and her sisters-in-law were envious.

Because they were so beautiful, her younger brother’s wife wanted a pair.

Her mother even helped persuade the younger brother’s wife to be less stingy.

In the end, she didn’t want to give them away and said she would send some fabric tickets to her younger brother’s wife later.

The younger brother’s wife asked for fabric tickets to get a good cloth and have Lin Shu make a new pair of shoes for her.

Previously, when there were no bonuses or fabric tickets from the team, she could use excuses to avoid giving anything.

Now that the team had issued fabric tickets, her mother-in-law…

Fang Dihua had already taken out money to distribute bonuses to each household. “After a year of hard work, the team has also issued bonuses. I’ll give each household a few yuan to buy some cloth or something they like. As long as the men and children agree, I don’t mind even if you use it to honor your natal family.”

In previous years, there was no extra money, and the family only had the bonus and the money sent by Lu Shaotang.

The money from Lu Shaotang couldn’t be used casually, and the bonus was barely enough.

The family had to repair the house, pay for children’s tuition, medical expenses, and buy daily necessities like soap, kerosene, salt, and cloth.

Everything required money.

The maximum bonus each household could get was about five or eight yuan.

This year was much better.

Old Man Lu had medical expenses and bonuses, and both Sister-in-law Lu Da and Brother Lu Dage had wage subsidy.

Fang Dihua suggested that half of the subsidies be given to the family, while they keep the other half.

After all, they had to contribute their full work points to the family.

This year, each household received twenty yuan.

Although twenty yuan might seem little to Lin Shu, it was quite a sum for others, enough for a small family to buy fabric, snowflake cream, and even share a few yuan with their own family.

For other families, giving three to five yuan to their daughter-in-law during the New Year was considered generous.

Sister Lu Er was initially pleased when she received the money, but she felt uncomfortable when she realized that Fang Dihua probably gave Lin Shu more.

Lu Da, as a tractor driver, received a monthly subsidy and kept half for herself.

It was quite a substantial amount. She calculated everything and realized that only she didn’t have any extra money in her account.

With money and fabric now available, she thought she could bring some fabric back today.

This would give her a valid excuse not to ask Lin Shu for more, like making another pair of shoes for her sister-in-law.

Lin Shu was busy and barely had time for herself.

Meals were mostly prepared by Fang Dihua, so it seemed unlikely she could make shoes for her at no charge.

Furthermore, she was a bit reluctant.

She had been holding back from going to her own family, but she would have to visit around the New Year and during the first month.

If not for fearing bad luck, she would have feigned illness to avoid the trip.

Lin Shu noticed Sister Lu Er’s envious glances and knew she had ulterior motives but chose to ignore them.

After the scolding from her mother-in-law, Lu Er had calmed down considerably.

At least she no longer acted out against Lin Shu, though she had become more sullen and moody, showing signs of brewing anger that was as severe as or worse than the previous main character’s.

Internal strife and repressed emotions were detrimental to health!

But Lin Shu didn’t concern herself with Lu Er.

For some people, she had let go of her tendency to help everyone and focused only on those who cared for her.

Lu Ping, Lu An, and Lu Cuicui were all dressed in new clothes as they were also going to the commendation meeting.

It was an event even more grand than celebrating the New Year with stilt walking; missing it would be a significant loss.

Lu An said, “Big brother, hurry up, stop weaving.”

Lu Ping had learned to knit sweaters from Lin Shu.

With Lin Shu busy making clothes, she didn’t have time to knit clothes for the children, so Lu Ping helped with most of it.

He helped Lin Shu knit sweaters right after school, and now his speed was impressive; he didn’t even need to look at what he was doing.

Old Jiang had previously helped Lin Shu buy some defective gloves, which left her with some leftover cotton yarn.

Lu Ping wanted to knit a vest for his younger brother using the remaining cotton yarn.

The cotton yarn was limited, so… He could weave vests that were very warm even when worn inside a cotton-padded coat.

Brother Lu Dage leading the team was truly impressive.

He wore the indigo blue accountant’s uniform with four pockets made by Lin Shu, a forward hat on his head, cloth shoes on his feet, and an old-fashioned cloth file bag tucked under his arm.

His outfit was that of a middle-aged man, but due to his tall and slender build, handsome looks, and clear eyes, he didn’t seem vulgar or greasy.

He attracted the attention of many middle-aged and older women.

Lu Hehuan and Xu Xiaoyou also came.

With such a big event at the commune, all the schools were on vacation because the principals and teachers were attending as well.

Initially, Xu’s mother didn’t want Xu Xiaoyou to go, but Fang Dihua personally came to fetch her, so refusing was not an option.

She and Xu Shihua were now being tightly controlled by Fang Dihua and Lin Shu… and were grumbling daily.

Of course, Lu Xiuxiu had to join her family.

When the team members heard that the commune was holding a commendation meeting, they all rushed to see it.

At the last public trial, a batch of bad elements had been judged.

Most were for stealing grain during the autumn harvest, some for inappropriate sexual conduct, and some for hooligan behavior.

Some were sentenced to ten or eight years in labor reform farms, some to three to five years of self-reform in the team, and some were even sentenced to death by firing squad, and afterwards taken to the river and shot.

People are drawn to excitement, and frightening events are no exception.

The commendation meeting was even more of a spectacle.

Old Man Chang, Widow Sun, and Old Lady Liu were no exception.

These were the people who had been scolded by Fang Dihua in the past.

They were all secretly hoping for the Lu family’s misfortune, yet they saw the Lu family thriving more and more, which made them feel as if the heavens were blind.

They invited Lu Shaocai to go to the commune, but he refused.

He was at home, pretending to be mad with alcohol, banging pots and crying.

Originally, the commune’s end-of-year commendation meeting should have been led by Lu Shaocai, but this year it was Brother Lu Dage.

After his election failure, Lu Shaocai had become dispirited.

In contrast, Brother Lu Dage was full of energy, passionately organizing accountant training for the production team every day.

He even planned to clear up the accounts of the past few years for the team!

Brother Lu Dage led the Lu family’s team to the commune, and upon arrival, they received praise from Director Qin and other officials.

“Accountant Lu’s work is very good!”

“Lu’s village’s accounts are very neat this year!”

“Accountant Lu, keep up the good work!”

“I heard the accounts for this year have been settled? That will make things easier next year.”

Lu Dage’s pride was palpable, yet he forced himself to appear very modest.

He repeatedly said, “Thank you, thank you. It’s all we should do. It’s the help from the fellow members.”

Seeing him so modest, Fang Dihua was astonished.

He was the same person who boasted endlessly after a few drinks at home, wasn’t he?

However, Fang Dihua, despite scolding her son at home, still felt a sense of pride when outside and naturally wanted to maintain appearances.

After all, he was an adult with a job.

Director Qin and the other leaders from the commune warmly shook hands and conversed with the advanced members of the commune.

They expressed some regret that Old Man Lu didn’t come.

They focused on speaking with Lin Shu and Lu Da, praising them as the key figures in this recognition ceremony.

Lu Dajie’s family also attended.

Although her father-in-law, Ding Jiachang, was the deputy head of the grain station and not a member of the commune leadership, he was from an important unit and thus participated in the recognition ceremony.

Ding Jiachang’s unit also had advanced workers.

Lu Dajie happily told her father-in-law and husband, “Look at my elder brother, he’s getting more and more spirited. And over there, the most elegant one is my third sister-in-law. She’s exceptionally beautiful, even more so than the stars in the illustrated magazines. She and my third brother are a perfect match.”

Ding Jiachang praised, “Truly impressive, really good.”

Having his in-laws recognized brought honor to Ding Jiachang’s family as well.

He proactively told the grain station head, “These people are my daughter-in-law’s family. Our in-laws are the county’s best barefoot doctors.”

The station head nodded repeatedly, “Congratulations.”

Ding Jiachang felt very pleased.