After picking up the bowls and chopsticks, the girls from the second room washed dishes in the kitchen while the adults in the room discussed this year’s harvest in the fields.
Jiang Changhai, "Dad, how was the harvest in the fields this year? Is it more than last year?"
"With ample rain today, each rice ear in the fields was heavy, and the grains were full. It looks to be better than last year’s harvest. If nothing unexpected happens, we should have a bumper year." Mentioning the crops, Jiang Dashan rarely showed a smile.
"Yeah, after a whole day of bustling around yesterday, we only managed to bring all the sun-dried grains into the storeroom. Today we finally get to rest. These days have really worn everyone out," Jiang Changtao said with a weary face.
"As long as it’s a bumper year, it’s worth the tiredness. This means we can divide up more food at the end of the year." Jiang Changhai was happy, feeling that life at home was genuinely getting better by the day.
Just as the family was chatting and laughing, other villagers who had finished their meals also came over to listen to the radio.
Ever since Yu Cheng had given Jiang Dashan a radio, almost every day after lunch, it had become routine for the villagers to come to the Jiang family’s home to listen.
Over the past month, coming to the Jiang family’s home to listen to the radio had almost become a habit for the villagers of Stone Bridge Village.
"Hey, Changhai, Mianmian is here too. When did Mianmian come back from Capital City?" The speaker was Second Brother Jiang from Uncle Jiang Changhai’s house.
"Second Uncle, I came back a few days ago," Jiang Mianmian dutifully replied to her elder.
Second Brother Jiang pinched Jiang Mianmian’s chubby cheeks and asked curiously, "Tsk, tsk, our Little Genius is really something now. Such a little person, and you’ve even been to Capital City! I heard from your dad that you came back on a helicopter this time? Come on, tell Second Uncle, what’s a helicopter like? Were you scared when it was flying? Did you cry at all?"
"Yeah, Mianmian, how many people can fit in a helicopter? Is it as big as our house?" the villagers also asked curiously.
"Second Uncle, I wasn’t scared at all when I was on the plane. The helicopter is about the same size as our house. It has two propellers, and when they start, they keep spinning, just keep spinning, and then it takes off. It’s actually not dangerous at all, very safe, although it is a bit loud," Jiang Mianmian explained earnestly.
"What’s a propeller?" The villagers, not understanding such technical terms, asked with puzzled faces.
"Well, it’s like two big leaves," Jiang Mianmian described by analogy.
Villagers, "Just two leaves can make it fly? Our country is getting more and more incredible."
Meanwhile, a young man looked at Jiang Changhai, who was dressed in a white shirt, work pants, and slicked-back hair, and said snidely, "Changhai, you’re a real city guy now, riding a bicycle back and forth. You’re not like us anymore."
So, everyone’s gaze followed and turned to Jiang Changhai, dressed like a city person.
"Not at all, that bicycle isn’t mine. To buy my own bicycle, I’d have to save at least half a year’s wages." Jiang Changhai sat with his legs crossed, with the same carefree expression as before.
Although he liked to show off, he wouldn’t talk about the money he made from arbitrage; he didn’t want to invite trouble by causing envy in someone who might report him.
But to the villagers, this was already very impressive, "Wow, you’re really something now, saving up half a year to buy a bicycle!"