Chapter 11: Goal
The next morning, after getting up, brushing his teeth, and washing his face, Deng Shirong greeted his eldest daughter, who was cooking, and walked toward the brigade to buy some pork to fry for his children.
The Help and Correct Brigade was located in Thatchfield Village, only a hundred meters away from Deng Shirong's home, so within two minutes, he arrived at the pork stall next to the brigade's supply and marketing department.
The man selling pork at the stall was a middle-aged man about the same age as Deng Shirong, named Deng Changwu. He was from Yang's Hillside Village, which was connected to Thatchfield Village, and was also a well-known butcher in the area.
"Uncle Jiu, you're here so early!" Seeing Deng Shirong approaching, Deng Changwu hurriedly greeted him.
Deng Shirong nodded and asked, "How much does pork cost per catty now?"
Deng Changwu replied, "Nine mao and eighty-one fen per catty."
Deng Shirong nodded. In his memory, the price of pork at that time was indeed less than one yuan per catty. It wouldn't rise to one yuan and one fen per catty until the end of the following year, and that price would remain unchanged for several years.
Of course, the price of pork generally referred to the market price. As for state-priced pork, it was only sold at 6.7 mao per catty in supply and marketing cooperatives. However, that could only be bought with meat coupons, which were supplied to people with jobs. Ordinary rural folks didn't have the means to eat state-priced pork.
"Cut two catties for me."
"Sure."
Deng Changwu responded, and based on his experience, he cut a piece of half-fat, half-lean pork, weighed it, and said, "Uncle Jiu, two catties and a bit more, just two yuan."
Deng Shirong nodded again, then took out two yuan and handed it over.
Deng Changwu collected the money, took out a bamboo stick from the side, twisted it in the middle, passed the sharpened end through the pork, twisted both ends of the bamboo stick, and then crossed them together to form a triangle.
Then he handed the pork to Deng Shirong and asked with a smile, "Uncle Jiu, I heard that you and Uncle Yungui have partnered up to contract the kiln in the team?"
Deng Shirong took the pork and nodded, saying, "Yes, the contract has been signed. Once the production team finishes harvesting the rice, we'll start production."
Deng Changwu said enviously, "With your skills in making large vats, Uncle Jiu, your business will surely prosper."
Deng Shirong waved his hand and said, "I'm old and can't match the physical strength of young people. I don't plan to continue making big vats. I'll let my son Yuntai and my apprentice handle it. Whether we make money or not depends on fate!"
Deng Changwu was surprised and said, "Uncle Jiu, you've always been in good health, and your skills in making large jars are second to none in the entire brigade. Now that you've contracted the jar kiln, it's time for you to show your talents. Why are you stopping now?"
Deng Shirong half-jokingly said, "I've worked hard for half my life. Now that my eldest son and apprentice have finished their training, let them do the work. I'm going to change careers and do something easier to enjoy my old age!"
Deng Changwu couldn't help but laugh when he heard this. He naturally didn't believe what Uncle Jiu said. In this day and age, who would prepare to retire in their forties? People worked until the day they could no longer work.
Next, the two chatted casually for a while, and when they saw someone coming to buy pork, Deng Shirong carried his two catties of pork home.
When Deng Shirong returned home, the three brothers Yunsong, Yunhua, and Yunheng had just finished washing up. When they saw the piece of pork in their father's hand, their eyes lit up, and they couldn't help but drool.
Deng Shirong laughed and scolded, "Look at how useless you are. Hurry up and wipe your saliva and go to school. You'll have food when you come back after school."
The three brothers chuckled, wiped their saliva with their sleeves, and went to school excitedly.
In today's Double Prosperity area, rural children didn't eat breakfast when they went to school in the morning. They had two classes at school and only came back at nine in the morning to have breakfast.
This period lasted more than an hour. They went back to school at around ten in the morning to continue their classes, and then had two more classes until noon when they finished school and came back for lunch.
"Dad, what are you going to do with this pork?" After her younger brothers went to school, Deng Yunzhen took the pork handed to her by her father and asked.
Deng Shirong said, "Fry it until golden brown. It'll be more fragrant."
The so-called "yellow stir-fry" is a local term. It means washing the pork, boiling the whole piece in a pot, and after it's cooked through, slicing it and stir-frying it with water to make a dish.
Deng Yunzhen nodded and said, "Okay, I understand!"
The eldest daughter handled the preliminary preparations, so Deng Shirong, who had nothing to do, picked up his hookah, walked to the longan tree at the door of the house, sat on a small stool, and began to smoke.
While smoking, he looked around his house.
His house, like all the others in the village, was made of mud bricks.
Mud brick houses are a unique type of architecture found in Guangdong and Guangxi. They originated in the Tang Dynasty, allowing the Baiyue people of that time to bid farewell to their stilt dwellings. They now have a history of over a thousand years.
Although it was already the 1980s, 99 percent of households in rural Guangdong and Guangxi still lived in this kind of mud brick house.
The architectural layout of Deng Shirong's house was as follows: when you entered from the front door, there was a transparent living room with a wing room on each side.
Going further from the living room was the patio, which was the most common feature in mud brick houses.
On both sides of the patio were two rooms that were much smaller than the wing rooms. They were currently used for living. If the sons got married and separated, these two small rooms could be converted into two kitchens at any time.
Beyond the patio was the main room of the mud brick house, which was also where Deng Shirong lived.
The main house had a large door, and inside the door was a hall, which was usually used to store rice, grains, and various sundries. On the left was Deng Shirong's room, and on the right was the kitchen that the family was currently using.
Of course, although the kitchen was connected to the main house, they weren't interconnected. The kitchen had a separate door.
Such a building was considered good compared to other families in the village, but Deng Shirong, who had lived in beautiful houses like those in later generations, looked down upon such a simple mud brick house.
So, the house had to be built, and it had to be completed as soon as possible.
On the one hand, Deng Shirong didn't want to endure the torture of going to the toilet anymore, and on the other hand, his eldest son was turning 20 this year, so he had to build a new house as soon as possible and find a virtuous daughter-in-law for his eldest son.
Thinking of this, Deng Shirong silently set a short-term goal for himself. Even though his total property now was only a little over 64 yuan, he still planned to build a new house this year.
As for whether he could do it, Deng Shirong wasn't entirely sure for the time being, but in order to achieve this "great" goal, he would definitely do his best.
If Deng Shirong really succeeded, then to borrow a fashionable phrase from his eldest grandson in his previous life: he would become the most handsome guy in the village.
(End of Chapter)