Back to the 60s: The Struggle Career of a Charmed Wife

Father Lu and the Guan Yu couple had already eaten and were watching them eat with a smile.

Upon hearing Cheng Baoguo’s words, Father Lu grinned and said, "Life naturally gets better; isn’t that to be expected? Of course, not every family can eat fine grains at every meal. Since you’re here, I specifically asked Zhou Zhou to make these white flour noodles for you. In a couple of days, the brigade will slaughter a pig, and we’ll spend some money to buy pork to make white flour dumplings for you."

Zhou Zhou interjected, "Pure meat filling, seasoned only with scallions and ginger, guaranteed to make everyone want a second serving."

Wang Cuilan was stunned, "More than ten years ago, the whole brigade would slaughter one or two pigs to make a communal pot of meat. Is it allowed for individuals to buy meat now?"

Cheng Baoguo paused his chopsticks, looking puzzled at his sworn brother. He knew clearly how tough rural life used to be; some production teams worked all year and couldn’t even get a taste of meat soup.

Father Lu proudly said, "Times are different now. Our brigade built a pig farm, which is collective property and not against the regulations. The pig farm raises over thirty pigs; half are handed over to the state, and the remaining dozen are kept for ourselves. During busy farming times, we slaughter two, and the rest are slaughtered at the end of the year. The supply and marketing cooperative tried several times to take them without success. After distributing the meat per person, households can buy their own with money."

Cheng Baoguo nodded and said, "Good, good, this shows life is becoming more prosperous."

"Our brigade fenced a piece of land at the mountain foot to build a chicken farm, raising over a thousand chickens. When they lay eggs, there are six or seven hundred a day. The reservoir at the western end is now our brigade’s fish pond, yielding a significant catch each year, with over a thousand ducks and more than two hundred geese adding to the brigade’s income annually. Households wanting to eat eggs can buy them with money or deduct from work points. Though there are restrictions, it’s several times better than previous years. Aside from our family and the educated youth, ordinary folks seldom buy."