Chapter 701

From afternoon to evening, Li Long delivered watermelons, muskmelons, and peaches to Old Man Liang Donglou's place, his eldest brother's home in the Fourth Team, Uncle Lao Luo's place, and even to his father-in-law Gu Bo Yuan's place, who hadn't come over for dinner that evening.

Aside from what he kept at the compound for his own family, Li Long also planned to bring some to Li Xiangqian tomorrow.

To borrow someone's words, Li Xiangqian had been good to him, so when there were good things, he had to think of him.

The time until Gu Xiaoxia had to return to work could almost be counted down. She was still quite excited, and that evening, while gnawing on a peach and watching TV, she discussed it with Li Long:

"I'm going to work, and you have things to do from time to time. Since Sister Yang is helping us look after the children, we have to pay her a wage, right?"

"Of course." Li Long had already thought about this. "I asked Section Chief Li, and the current wage for a nanny who looks after children is about thirty-five yuan a month—of course, that includes cooking. We have two children at home, so naturally, we should give Sister Yang a bit more. I think we should set it at fifty. We can't treat her unfairly. What do you think?"

"Fine." Gu Xiaoxia nodded in agreement. This wage was higher than her own, but Gu Xiaoxia was willing to pay it.

After all, taking care of two children was still quite troublesome and tiring.

Of course, another important point was that when Sister Yang went out to set up her food stall, she earned at least fifty yuan a month.

Li Long took out a stack of money and handed it to Gu Xiaoxia; it was more appropriate for her to give it to Sister Yang. If he gave it himself, there was a high probability Sister Yang wouldn't accept it.

Gu Xiaoxia felt a bit awkward taking the money, because she felt that if she gave it, Sister Yang wouldn't accept it either.

But this money definitely had to be given. Gu Xiaoxia said with a bitter smile:

"I have to think carefully tonight about how to tell Sister Yang about this."

"I believe you can definitely complete this arduous task," Li Long said, half-joking.

The next day after breakfast, Li Long packed some of the remaining peaches into a yellow satchel, about three or four kilograms, and after putting it on his back, he rode his bicycle to the Supply and Marketing Cooperative.

The Supply and Marketing Cooperative was open for business as usual. When Li Long arrived, he happened to see a truck driving out, loaded with sacks. Li Long guessed it was probably going to deliver supplies to the Prefecture Federation.

Li Xiangqian was right at the entrance. After sending the truck off, he asked Li Long with a smile:

"Yo, have time to come to work?"

Seeing Li Xiangqian was here, Li Long didn't intend to go in. After getting off his bike and propping it up against the wall, he took off the satchel and handed it to him, saying:

"I went to Wucheng yesterday and ran into someone selling peaches there. They looked quite good, so I bought some. Try them, the taste is not bad. Take them back for your wife and children."

"What kind of peaches are worth buying specially from Wucheng?" Li Xiangqian took them and asked while reaching in to dig around. "You went to Wucheng? Did you go to see Director Qian when you passed through Beiting?"

"I did. I sent some of these peaches to Director Qian as well."

"Heh, you're something else. You just sent peaches to see Director Qian?" Li Xiangqian pulled out a peach, somewhat surprised. "These peaches are quite large. How do they taste?"

"Quite sweet, with a strong peach flavor. Want to try one?"

Li Long had been using this phrase since his previous life. In later generations, there were all sorts of peaches, and for a very long time, the peaches one bought had no peach flavor at all.

Li Xiangqian didn't even wash it; he wiped it on his satchel, took a peach, and started gnawing on it.

"Hey, the taste is really not bad," Li Xiangqian said while eating. "Why didn't you buy more?"

"I bought quite a lot, but there are a lot of people to share them with. Just like this, I haven't even given any to Station Master Chen and Manager Zhong yet."

"Alright, alright, I know," Li Xiangqian said with a smile.

Actually, Li Long definitely intended to give some to those two as well; the relationships were all good. His relationship with Li Xiangqian was closer, but as for peaches, there was no need to favor one over the other.

"The work of tying large brooms might come down soon. You should still come to the cooperative every day later on," Li Xiangqian said. "You should be clear about the handle-making business. There probably won't be a shortage of these large brooms, so it's better to plan ahead."

"Alright, I know." Li Long nodded.

In the afternoon, Li Long also sent some peaches to Chen Hongjun and Zhong Guo Qiang, and then drove to the Fourth Team.

He had been in a rush yesterday and hadn't stayed long at his eldest brother's place. His father, Li Qing Xia, had asked him to find time to come back today; there was an important matter to attend to.

Li Long actually vaguely knew what it was. His father intended to return to his hometown after Mingming and Haohao were born, because the hometown was going to revise the family genealogy.

Regarding the genealogy, to be honest, Li Long didn't care much. To use a phrase from later generations, there was no throne to inherit, and anyway, the brothers were all living in Northern Tianshan now, so the connections with the hometown were gradually decreasing.

With the genealogy passed down to this point, he didn't know when the next revision would be.

But this matter was a big deal to the old man. Carrying on the family line—the older generation valued this very much, which was understandable.

After all, this allowed people to know where their ancestors came from—China valued recording history, and only then could one know the major events of the past five thousand years. Wasn't a family genealogy an abbreviation of history?

Returning to the Li family, Li Qing Xia, Du Chunfang, Li Jianguo, and Liang Yumei were all in the courtyard. The children hadn't finished school yet, and the four of them were chatting there.

When Li Long arrived, Li Qing Xia began the formal topic.

"I plan to go back in two days. This trip back is to properly implement the genealogy matter." Li Qing Xia finally had the temperament of a family head at this moment:

"Our family is all in Northern Tianshan now, and I don't think it's likely you'll go back in the future. But no matter where our family members are, at least for this revision of the genealogy, everyone must be included."

Everyone certainly had no objections to this point.

"Anguo can't come, and Xiaoxia doesn't manage things, so since you two brothers are here, and Qiangqiang's mother is here too, we can discuss this together.

My meaning is that now we should list all the people and things for this genealogy revision, so that when I go back, I can talk to the people in the clan."

Hearing his father's words, Li Long remembered that in short videos from his previous life, people often talked about who could be listed on a separate page in the genealogy and enjoy the first incense stick, and he smiled.

"What are you laughing at? I'm telling the truth, don't take it lightly!" Seeing Li Long smile, Li Qing Xia thought he didn't care and was a bit angry.

"I'm laughing because I'm thinking, can I be included in the genealogy's major events record?" Li Long hurriedly shook his head and said, "Father, you said I received an advanced individual award for ethnic unity from the autonomous region last year. That's a provincial-level award, can it be recorded in the genealogy's major events record?"

"Of course, of course it can be recorded. Jianguo, write this down." Li Qing Xia said immediately, "That's right, this attitude is much better.

Our branch might live in Northern Tianshan in the future, branching out and spreading leaves, and our connections with the main family in the hometown are few, but when people there see our family's genealogy, at least they'll know our branch isn't just doing nothing."

Only then did Li Long notice that his eldest brother, sitting on a small stool by the wall, had a notebook at hand, looking like a used exercise book of Li Juan or Li Qiang.

Listening to Li Qing Xia speak, Li Jianguo picked up the notebook and started writing.

Although eldest brother Li Jianguo had only attended junior high school and hadn't graduated, he wrote a good hand, which Li Long admired very much.

"You listen to me, and after I finish, you see if there are any omissions. If there are, speak up. I have to get this done beautifully when I go back this time.

This genealogy is only revised once every few decades, we can't leave any regrets."

Li Long knew the old man was right. In his previous life, this didn't happen; at that time, his father was still in the hometown, and he and his eldest brother didn't know anything about the genealogy revision. By the time they knew, it had already been printed, and the news they heard was all told by his father.

For example, two old men almost fought over who was the direct descendant; for example, a certain Li-surnamed branch in the south heard that this side was going to revise the genealogy and specially had their clan leader bring materials to run back, wanting to acknowledge their ancestors and return to the clan.

As a result, they weren't able to be acknowledged in the end, mainly because the name of the source ancestor of that branch was different from the name recorded in the genealogy here.

As a result, that clan leader went back crying.

People forty years later couldn't imagine why this matter was viewed so heavily, but for those who had always received traditional education, the inheritance of ancestors was truly very important.

Sometimes it was even more important than their own lives.

"We won't talk about the ancestors of this branch. Starting from me, there are you three sons, plus this daughter Xiaoxia. I was still young when the genealogy was last revised, and at that time there was only one son, Jianguo, so only he was recorded in the genealogy."

Li Qing Xia first stated the original situation, and then began to talk about the current one:

"Now, the eldest has Juan and Qiangqiang. According to the rules of genealogy revision, sons are recorded by name, and daughters are recorded by person."

"What is 'sons recorded by name, daughters recorded by person'?" Liang Yumei, who was chopping pig feed, asked suspiciously.

"Let me give you an example. Recording me, continuing down from my father, it would write Li Qing Xia, wife Du, three sons and one daughter, eldest son Li Jianguo, second son Li Anguo, third son Li Long, one daughter. It just writes that there is a daughter, but doesn't write the name."

"This is favoring men over women." Liang Yumei was somewhat dissatisfied with this rule.

"Yes, that's how genealogy recording was at that time." Li Qing Xia had been in Northern Tianshan for two years and knew that the idea of favoring men over women was very faint here, and in some people's places it was almost non-existent, so he also agreed that this rule wasn't right. But that was the rule of the clan, and he had no way to change it.

"Father, look, can we do it this way?" Li Jianguo said, "We write down the names of both sons and daughters here, take them back and strive for it. It would be best if they could all be written down.

After all, the country is now promoting gender equality and family planning, and some families only have one child, so they certainly want to have their daughter's name recorded."

Li Qing Xia nodded.

Li Long also continued:

"Exactly, let's record them first. If the rules for genealogy revision are changed, that's best. If they aren't changed, Father, don't make a scene, don't be the one to stick your neck out. You can't take the lead in this matter..."

"If I don't take the lead, who will? I'm still the clan leader..." Li Qing Xia thought Li Long misunderstood that he was afraid of trouble, and his voice suddenly got louder.

"Father, listen to me," Li Long signaled for his father not to be excited with a smile. "Let me tell you, don't put on the airs of a clan leader when you go back this time. Our branch has all settled in Northern Tianshan, do you think those old stubborn people in the team can listen to you?"

This was indeed the truth. Where was there a clan leader who had been away from home for a long time without returning?

Li Qing Xia also blushed a bit, but he also knew his youngest son's ability, and asked:

"Then you say, what should we do?"

(No Chinese characters)

"I'll give you a sum of money," Li Long said. "When the time comes, you find the person who drafts the genealogy, stuff some money into his hand, and add the names of the eldest sister-in-law and the others, as well as Juan, Hongqin, Xueping, Li Xue Qin, and the others.

Anyway, those who review the genealogy are all about the same age as you, and these people care most about whether their own branch is written correctly. After it's written and printed, even if they know it's written wrong, they can't say anything. Anyway, it's impossible to reprint it."

Li Long remembered this point very clearly. In his previous life, his father and mother always lived in the hometown, and when Li Long went back, he had seen the genealogy and didn't care about it after finding his own name. It was his eldest brother who brought a set back from the hometown and looked at it from time to time.

After all, this genealogy not only had the pedigree, but also major events, and the inheritance of each branch and lineage.

Revised in 1984, completed in 1985, stone-engraved printing, and then until Li Long died and was reborn into this life in his previous life, the genealogy had never been revised again.

So, being able to record the names of the girls in the family was just this one opportunity.

Although Li Juan and the others might not care when they grew up, for Li Qing Xia, Li Jianguo, and Liang Yumei, they still valued it very much.

Li Long didn't care either, but if he could do something, that was also a good thing.

Why not do it?

"Also... fine." Li Qing Xia thought about it, this method seemed feasible.

"Father, do you know who the person who drafts and engraves the plates is?"

"I know all that. The one who drafts it is definitely Anmin. He is the principal of the brigade middle school and has a high level of education, it can only be him."

Li Anmin was older than Li Jianguo and was the son of Li Qing Xia's eldest brother, counting as Li Long's cousin.

Li Qing Xia had three brothers, he was the third, and had the same ranking as Li Long. Of course, if he went back to his hometown, Li Long would be ranked eighth, because above him, besides Li Jianguo and Li Anguo, there were five other cousins.

However, Li Long's two uncles had already passed away, so Li Qing Xia was considered the longest in seniority.

"Then does Cousin Anmin listen to you?"

"Why wouldn't he listen?" Li Qing Xia said proudly. "Those ten years, if it weren't for me giving him a bite to eat, he and his mother would have starved to death."

During those ten years, Li Jianguo was in Northern Tianshan, and Li Long also came over during that middle period. Although Li Qing Xia told Liang Yumei at the time that as long as the two of them took good care of Li Long, they didn't need to worry about the two old people.

But Li Jianguo still sent some money and things home every year—the money was little, and sometimes they were in the red, and Li Jianguo would also sell fish and some other things, all secretly.

There would be more things, mainly corn flour and the like.

So Li Qing Xia actually lived even better than others in his hometown at that time.

With his temperament, he would still help his close relatives.

"Then that's it. Although Cousin Anmin is a principal, he isn't rich now, right? Go back and talk about it properly, and this matter can be done."

Li Long believed his father could still handle this little matter—mainly because this Li Anmin really listened to his father. The second uncle left early, and although Li Anmin went to school a lot, he was still overthrown during those few years, and his temperament was slightly like Tao Daqiang's.

"Then what about the stonemason?"

Although there was mimeographing in the eighties, mimeographed things were very unfriendly to paper, and the back would show through. This thing was okay for making test papers or documents with few words, but printing books was definitely not okay.

Printing factories didn't accept jobs with small quantities either. The printing of the genealogy definitely couldn't be in large batches, one set for each branch, at most a few hundred sets, so other methods were needed.

The Li family's lineage used the relatively ancient stone-engraved woodblock printing.

As for how to engrave, Li Long hadn't seen it. In his previous life, he heard Li Qing Xia say it was stone-engraved woodblock printing. At that time, he didn't care either, and was quite interested right now, but business was important.

"There are stonemasons in the commune who do this, I'm not very clear."

"Then you have to pull some strings when you go back this time." Li Long believed his father had a way. Having sold fish for two years, he could be considered to have seen the world, and there should be no problem in this regard. "At worst, give more money."

"That's right." Li Long had stated all the methods, and Li Qing Xia was a bit apprehensive at first, but after confirming, he had no more worries. "When I go back, I'll find Anmin first, and after fixing this matter, I'll go find the stonemason."

"Then let's sort out the names and things first," Li Long said. "I'll give you a thousand yuan in a while..."

"Take a fart, I have money, you don't need to pay." Li Qing Xia hurriedly waved his hand. "I, as a grandfather, haven't taken much care of the grandchildren's generation. After this big event is done, I'll be at ease. You don't need to worry about this money..."

The money Li Qing Xia had saved over the past two years was not little. Every year, Li Long would give him some, and also give Du Chunfang some. Du Chunfang finally gave it all to him—the old lady had no place to spend money at all, except for giving the children red envelopes.

Three sons and one daughter were all filial, and there was no place to spend money. Li Qing Xia saved more and more, and in his heart, he wasn't at ease but had a bit of an urge to spend money.

Now Li Long gave him a reason to spend money, so how could he not spend it?

"Let your father spend it, he has money," Du Chunfang also chimed in from the side. "What is that money saved for? Isn't it for spending? You keep the money to buy things for Mingming and Haohao, and you have to buy a house for them later."

Alright, since the old mother said so, Li Long and Li Jianguo, who originally also wanted to pay, didn't say anything.

Actually, Li Long paying was not as famous as Li Jianguo paying. Li Jianguo had a daughter, so it was right for him to pay. Li Long had two sons, so even if he didn't pay, the names would still be written in the genealogy.

Next was recording the people.

Besides the girls of the grandchildren's generation, after everyone's discussion, it was best to add the names of the old mother, the eldest sister-in-law, the second sister-in-law, Li Xia, and Gu Xiaoxia.

If it were the Li Qing Xia of his previous life, he would definitely not do it if he were asked to handle this matter.

But having been in Northern Tianshan for two years, Li Qing Xia's thinking had become active instead. He hadn't done any big things in his life, and his own family was now booming in Northern Tianshan, and the children's lives were all good, so if he wanted to do something, he would do a big thing.

He had even thought about it, if this matter was discovered by other branches later, they would definitely scold him. Not to mention him, Li Anmin would also be scolded.

But so what if he bore the scolding? Doing things for his own family, and it was in line with national policy, so let them scold if they wanted to.

It was just a matter of how to comfort Anmin when the time came—if it really didn't work, just give him more money.

Li Qing Xia knew this matter definitely had some difficulty, but he wasn't in a hurry, he could think about it slowly.

The urgent thing was to sort out these things that needed to be recorded in the genealogy before leaving, so that when he went back, he only needed to do things.

So after Li Jianguo wrote down the things, Li Qing Xia also asked him to read it once, so that everyone could listen to see if there were any omissions.

The old man valued this very much, and Li Long and the others naturally cooperated very well.

Good things, after all. (End of chapter)