novelraw Chapter 381 - 1: The Good Life in the 1970s_3
Chapter 381 - 1: The Good Life in the 1970s_3
The scorer, who was also the accountant, was the cultural elite of the village, with a junior high school education. Upon hearing these words, Chu River remembered his previous life’s useless heroic identity and quickly lowered his head to look at the notebook in his hands, then his eyes widened—
"Why am I still at 8 work points?!"
The accountant glanced down: "That’s right, for women the full work points is 8, while for men it’s up to 12."
Chu River’s face fell—
"Aren’t I doing better work than the men? Why do I get 8 when they get 12? Besides, I can do the work of three or four of them, and they all get 10 points each. In terms of labor, I should at least get 40!"
She stared at the accountant: "You wouldn’t be discriminating against women, deliberately giving me fewer points, would you?"
The accountant was also a man.
His expression also soured: "What are you talking about? Do you have any objections to the policy? The commune stipulates that women get a full 8 points. If you don’t want it, you can choose not to work!"
The full work points at the commune was 8?
Chu River raised an eyebrow: "How come I’ve heard that at the neighboring Dahe Commune, their exemplary women receive 7 points for half a day, a full 14 for a whole day?"
The accountant hemmed and hawed—how was he supposed to respond to that? He is the scorer, and by giving fewer points to some under his watch, those with more points at the end of the year would have more grain in proportion, wouldn’t they?
But he considered himself fair; look at this, Chu River worked diligently, earning 8 points a day, which wasn’t too little either.
Who knew he’d work so hard today, making the men next to him look so pale in comparison, and now having the issue brought up by someone, it was unspeakable.
Just then, the brigade leader arrived.
"What’s going on? The farm tools should be returned to the warehouse; why aren’t you moving?"
The accountant grimaced: "Leader, there’s nothing to be done. This girl Chu River insists 8 points aren’t enough."
Just as he was about to say more, Chu River raised her head and pointed: "Leader, I dug these two plots this afternoon, and over there, your two daughters-in-law dug that plot this afternoon. I saw it. They both got 8 points today."
"Do you think my 8 points are the same as their 8 points?"
The brigade leader’s face also fell.
This damn girl, how did her mouth suddenly become so sharp? She used to fake honesty!
He put on a stern face, inflated his chest, and said harshly, "What do you mean by this? Do you think I am unfair? Do you question the scorer’s accuracy? Chu River, you haven’t even gone to school, do you know more than us?"
"This is the commune’s rule; if you have ability just work more, others are also doing their best, you shouldn’t use your advantage to look down on them."
Huh!
This old geezer!
Chu River looked him up and down: "Just looking at your thick eyebrows and big eyes, how come you’re both a hypocrite and morally coercive now?"
She flung the hoe onto the ground: "Fine, then I won’t work."
"Anyway, whether I work or not, I’ll still get rations. I work myself to the bone, and yet each year my family gives me less to eat than the food distributed for not working, so why would I still want to earn work points?"
"Anyway, I am incapable, I worked so much today in one shot, and my body is hurt."
"As for if other brigades ask, if relatives ask, when our brigade fails to be assessed as exemplary... Why is that? Because the whole team publicly discriminates against gender, looking down on the current policy!"
With that said, she left.
She was truly hungry, and in the afternoon she thought about secretly getting something to eat in the mountains. If she didn’t hurry to eat, why would she wait for that black, firm corn cake at home?
People encircling to watch the drama exchanged glances.
The brigade leader’s and accountant’s faces showed shades of green and red.
Just then, the Chu Family hurried over from elsewhere, raising their voices high, and Old Mrs. Chu sat down on the ground with a thud:
"Brigade leader, you must take charge of this girl of ours who eats for nothing! She’s lazy and gluttonous. At noon, she fought with her nieces and nephews over food. When she didn’t get it, she flipped the table at home and caused a commotion..."
Before she could finish, Chu River suddenly returned.
The old lady’s unfinished words stuck in her throat, and the whole family immediately huddled together for some reason.
Chu River raised her eyebrow, scanning each person with her eyes, her words coming out lightly and slowly: "I forgot. There’s still work at home I need to do—do you know what I’m going back to do?"
The head of the family furrowed his brow, just about to explode when the eldest son suddenly held him tight: "Dad, let’s not say anything, okay?"
Looking at the old lady on the ground, the daughters-in-law quickly helped her up, then simultaneously forced a smile towards their sister-in-law Chu River:
"Dear sister, parents are getting along in years...what kind of work could there be at home..."
Chu River laughed: "That won’t do, I said at noon, some things ought not to be spoken carelessly."