Chapter 84

"Really can't do it anymore, Uncle Guofu, Ming, you'll have to find someone else!"

In the morning, after getting in the tractor, Li Dong only took a break for about an hour when the tractor ran out of fuel. He worked until around ten o'clock at night, which was truly exhausting.

His whole body felt like it was falling apart. If this continued, he would really have to jump into the reservoir, even though there wasn't much water in it now.

"That won't do. In the village, only one person knows how to drive a tractor. Just hold on for half a day more." Han Guofu said this while eating dinner, adding that he had made the right decision to save Li Dong, otherwise who would drive the tractor?

Li Chunhua didn't respond to this, but criticized Li Dong for being lazy. "Forget it, so what if he knows how to drive a tractor? Let Weihan learn; he's a middle school student."

Her second son, Han Weijiang, also wanted to learn. Driving a tractor was prestigious, and the work points were high.

"Drive well, and tomorrow I'll have Uncle Guobing give you eighteen work points."

Twenty points, and I won't do it. My butt is swollen from the constant jolting, and the skin is even broken. Am I supposed to be a donkey for the production team?

"Da Da, soak your feet."

"Good boy, why aren't you asleep yet, Xiaojuan?"

Li Dong returned home, and Xiaojuan was still awake. "Mr. Wang assigned homework." Xiaojuan was doing her homework and waiting for Li Dong to come back.

"Oh, is there a lot of homework? If there is, don't go to work tomorrow."

Li Dong patted his chest and said proudly, "Your father is now earning eighteen work points alone."

"Eighteen work points, really?"

Yes, it's great. Eighteen work points are equivalent to one and a half strong laborers.

"Isn't that right?"

Xiaojuan was happy for Da Da. Eighteen work points, no one in Han Village was higher than Da Da, except for Grandpa Guoqiang, Captain, Accountant, and the Militia Leader, who received some subsidies.

"By the way, are there any questions you can't solve?"

"No."

Xiaojuan giggled, which made Li Feng a bit sad. What's going on? Recently, Xiaojuan doesn't need my help with her homework. I'm a failure as a father. Neither of my daughters needs my help. How can I feel more accomplished?

Sigh, my daughters are too smart. I miss the joy of helping with homework. I really envy fathers who can help their daughters with their homework.

After soaking his feet for a while, Li Dong dried off. Xiaojuan finished her homework and was ready to sleep.

"Once this busy period is over, Dad will buy a desk. The cutting board is too low."

"No, once it's over, we'll build a house. Don't waste money."

"Don't worry, I still have some money. Go to sleep now."

"Da Da, lie down, I'll massage you."

Xiaojuan knew that driving a tractor was tiring, with a lot of jolting. Da Da was walking unsteadily.

Li Dong didn't know when he fell asleep. Xiaojuan's massage was so comfortable. The cotton in the cotton-padded jacket was mostly white, with only a little black cotton.

"Knock, knock, knock."

"What is it?"

It was still dark, but someone was knocking on the door. Opening it, the smell of autumn and the scent of the harvest greeted him.

"Brother Weijun, good morning."

"Good morning? What's good about it?"

Han Weijun pulled Li Dong out. "What's wrong?"

"Everyone is waiting for you."

"Waiting for me?"

Li Dong muttered, "Let me wash my face first." "Brother Weijun, I haven't brushed my teeth or washed my face yet. Wait a moment."

"Everyone is waiting for you to drive the tractor."

"I know, I know."

Really, no rest at all. Li Dong reluctantly washed his face and brushed his teeth. He made a steamed bun with two slices of cooked beef and a bit of spicy sauce to fill his stomach. Looking back, he saw Han Weijun staring at the meat bun and swallowing saliva.

"Brother Weijun, haven't you eaten yet?"

"Can I have one?"

Han Weijun was waiting for Li Dong to ask. "Sure, one, but don't put too much meat."

Li Dong was speechless. You're reminding me not to put too little meat. He cut a few slices and put them in the bun, then handed it to Han Weijun.

"It's a bit cold."

"No problem, no problem."

They walked and ate until they reached the threshing ground. The meat bun was finished, and they patted their hands. There were already quite a few people there.

Li Dong, the tractor driver, once again enjoyed the envious looks of the others. Li Dong thought, eighteen work points. After Han Guobing announced the work points, there was a lot of discussion.

"Uncle Guobing, eighteen work points are too much. How about I do the same as everyone else?"

"Let me know if you want to learn to drive the tractor."

Joking, I don't want to pick beans or sorghum. I'm still driving this old tractor, which has made my butt swollen and the skin broken, like hemorrhoids, bleeding from time to time.

Everyone heard that Li Dong was willing to teach, and they stopped discussing the eighteen work points. Maybe one day they would earn eighteen work points too.

"Alright, hurry up. It's the last bit. Let's finish it in the morning, dry it for two days, and send it to the grain station. The commune is in a hurry."

"Okay."

After about two hours, the threshing was done. Li Dong took a leave because his butt was swollen and the skin was broken, which was very uncomfortable. His whole body was sore, and he went home to sleep.

"I only brought Yunnan Baiyao, not red flower oil."

He used alcohol to clean the area and applied the medicine. Surprisingly, he felt much better the next day. He thought he could rest for a few days, but Han Guofu found him again to send the public grain.

"Drive the tractor?"

"Uncle Guofu, didn't you say the tractor consumes too much fuel and you won't drive it anymore?"

Li Dong was speechless. Yesterday, you complained about the tractor consuming too much fuel and said you wouldn't drive it anymore. It's only been one day.

"This time, we're carrying a lot. It's been a long time since everyone went to the commune. We'll take a half-day off and go to the commune supply store."

Alright, since you put it that way. The tractor pulled a large cart, and there were also mule carts and ox carts. This time, they didn't pull a flatbed cart. The tractor could carry more grain, mostly on the large cart.

Usually, three animals might not be able to pull it, but the tractor could. It made a lot of noise, but the villagers still crowded onto the cart. Many had never ridden a tractor before.

"This thing is good, powerful."

Sixth Grandpa patted the tractor's hood. "Sit steady, don't fall off. The road is bumpy, and the tractor's shock absorption is terrible. I'm almost dizzy from the jolting." Finally, they reached the grain station.

There was a long queue at the grain station. Many people were delivering public grain, all on mule carts, horse carts, ox carts, and even hand carts and wheelbarrows.

"Old Bi, what are you hiding for?"

When Han Guofu saw Bi Qingzhu from Bi Village trying to hide and run into the crowd, he ran up to greet him.

"You came early. How did you come? On a mule cart?"

Li Dong understood why Uncle Guofu wanted him to drive the tractor. He was showing off. What a grown man, not at all steady. It's just an old tractor, what's there to show off?

Bi Qingzhu pursed his lips. "So what? What's the use of such a big tractor?"

Han Guofu started boasting about how fast the tractor could thresh, how quickly the rice was done, and how soft the straw was, making it easier to burn.

After a while, Bi Qingzhu wished he could disappear. He was really unlucky to meet this big talker again.

"Old Bi, see how good it is to have a tractor."

Han Guofu actually felt he had been tricked. The tractor consumed so much fuel that it almost broke his heart. He wished he could return it. If he could exchange it for a set of irrigation equipment from Bi Village, that would be even better.

"What's the rush? The queue is long. Let's chat a bit more."

Bi Qingzhu couldn't take it anymore. This guy was always boasting in front of him. Last time it was a bicycle, this time a tractor. Bi Qingzhu was a bit envious and felt uncomfortable.

"What's the rush? The queue is long. Let's chat a bit more."

Bi Qingzhu thought, "Chat your leg off." He ran away, and Han Guofu looked smug. Li Dong and Han Weijun, hiding behind, laughed. "Look how smug Uncle Guofu is."

"He'll be worrying about the fuel cost again."

The old tractor, which had been repaired many times, was bound to consume a lot of fuel.

"It's our turn."

Delivering public grain was a big event of the year, in summer and autumn. The public grain was a contribution to the country, and no money was given. In the past, people were quite enthusiastic, but this year, the yield was too low.

In the past, with a yield of three to four hundred pounds per mu, giving two-tenths of the harvest wasn't much. Now, it's different. In Bi Village, almost half the harvest was given, and in Han Village, about one-third.

"One jute bag deducts one pound of grain?"

"That's good. At least they didn't deduct for moisture."

The public grain was delivered, and the state purchase grain was paid for, though the price was low. The over-purchase grain was thirty percent more, and the negotiated price was even higher. However, the farmers didn't have grain tickets for the grain they grew.

People felt it was better to keep the grain at home. Over a thousand yuan, and tens of thousands of pounds of grain, after working for a week, no, for several months, just for watering alone, it was quite tiring.

What can you do with this money? Each person gets a few yuan. Li Dong muttered, "The Han Village production team, this year, worked for nothing."

After a quick tour, only a few people bought a few items like thimbles and thread. No one bought even a bottle of liquor. This year, the harvest was poor, and the grain wasn't enough for food. Who could afford to buy liquor or meat?

"Alright, let's go home and distribute the grain."

Han Guofu was afraid of delays and quickly distributed the grain. If anything happened, the grain would be lost.

"Distribute the grain?"

Li Dong muttered, "We probably won't get much. I didn't even go, my butt is still sore from the jolting."

"Xiaojuan, why so much grain?"

To his surprise, Xiaojuan came back with half a bag of grain, which must be twenty to thirty pounds. How did this girl manage to carry it? She must be exhausted.

"That's all the grain we have, Da