On New Year's Day, there was light snow and strong wind.

The biting north wind mixed with broken snow cut people's faces like knives, making a "whoosh" sound from time to time.

On this day, most of the villagers in Yangjiazhuang could not leave their homes. Those who did go out were in groups of three or five, and most of them were men wrapped up tightly from head to toe.

They are going to their elders' homes to pay New Year greetings. No matter how strong the wind and snow are, the most basic etiquette cannot be lost. When they arrive at the elders' home, they plop down, kneel on the ground, kowtow a few times, and engage in household chores.

With such bad weather, visiting relatives is troublesome, and it's really not a good sign for the Chinese New Year.

In a red brick house in the east, there was a stove, which was red and steaming. It was cold and freezing outside, but the inside of the house was as warm as spring.

Xiao Zhaoyang stood in front of the stove and placed the peanuts in his hands around the stove one by one. He wanted to roast the peanuts to eat. Bai Ge was afraid that he would accidentally burn his hands, so he helped him turn the peanuts over.

The aroma lingered throughout the room, and Xiao Zhaoyang would place the roasted peanuts in front of his eldest father.

Zhang Guoquan was reading a book. Xiao Zhaoyang put one over and he ate one.

Bai Ge looked funny: "Yangyang didn't eat it himself, so you ate it all."

The north wind is howling outside the window, but the house is warm and cozy.

Xiao Zhaoyang was placing peanuts when he suddenly pricked up his ears and said, "Mom, there's someone outside, knock on the door."

Bai Ge listened for a while, but other than the howling wind, he didn't hear any knocking on the door.

"Yangyang, you heard it wrong. It was the sound of the wind blowing on the door."

Xiao Zhaoyang was very stubborn and tilted his head: "There is someone, Yangyang heard me right."

Bai Ge was helpless, so she had to listen carefully. The wind was shrill and shrill, and there was indeed a faint sound of knocking on the door, but she always felt that it was the sound of the wind blowing other things.

With such a cold weather and the strong wind today, it stands to reason that no one will come to the door, unless it is to pay New Year greetings. I have already told my father that the weather is bad today, so I will not take the children with me, and don't let the tigers come.

Zhang Guoquan had already braved the wind and snow to give Hu Zi the new year's money in the early morning.

"Guoquan, there may be someone knocking on the door. Check to see if they are coming to buy something from the canteen."

If you are not here to pay New Year greetings, then the only possibility is that you are here to buy things.

Zhang Guoquan tightened the cotton-padded jacket he was wearing disapprovingly, and said without leaving his hand: "Who will come to buy things on New Year's Day? Zhaoyang heard wrong."

"I heard it right." Xiao Zhaoyang pouted, insisting that he heard it right.

Bai Ge smiled and said to Zhang Guoquan: "Then you'd better go and have a look, don't worry about Aunt Wang."

Zhang Guoquan reluctantly put down the book and kicked Xiao Zhaoyang when he was about to go out: "It's just you with stupid ears."

As soon as he opened the door of the main room, a strong wind suddenly rushed into the room. He quickly closed the door, hunched his arms and ran to the courtyard door, opened the courtyard door, and looked at the person standing at the door in surprise.

"Sister Ma."

Xiao Zhaoyang heard it right. The child's ears are really sharp. It's not Aunt Wang, but Widow Ma. This is really surprising.

There were no relatives to visit on New Year's Day, and it was a windy weather. Widow Ma came from another village, so she must have something urgent to do.

"Guoquan."

"Sister Ma, come in quickly. Why are you here in such a cold weather?"

Zhang Guoquan let Widow Ma into the courtyard and closed the courtyard door, blocking out the wind and snow.

Widow Ma entered the house first, and the white pigeon's exclamation came from the house, which also surprised her.

In the house, White Pigeon and Horse Widow were having a family time, and Zhang Guoquan and Xiao Zhaoyang were roasting peanuts to eat.

Widow Ma must be in trouble. Zhang Guoquan spotted an opening and interjected: "Sister Ma, you must be in trouble when you come, right?"

Widow Ma suddenly stopped talking to Bai He and became hesitant: "Well, I, I want to borrow some money. Do you think you have any extra money at home? If not, I, I actually just came to see Yangyang."

As she said that, Widow Ma took out a crumpled banknote from her pocket: "Come on, Yangyang, the new year's money my empress gave you is not much, so take it."

Zhang Guoquan saw it, and it was one yuan. Bai Ge refused repeatedly, but couldn't resist Widow Ma, so he forced it to Xiao Zhaoyang.

Xiao Zhaoyang didn't want it. He twisted his body but didn't want to accept it.

Don't say you don't want the horse widow. You don't even want what the eldest sister gave you. If you are anxious, I can just throw it on the ground for you.

"Sister Ma, don't give it to him. What do children know? There is a canteen at home and there is no money to spend." Bai Ge declined.

"How about that? It's a little thoughtful. Take it quickly. I didn't buy anything for you."

"Sister Ma, here it is." Zhang Guoquan had already taken out the money and handed it to Widow Ma: "One hundred yuan, I don't know if it is enough."

"Enough, enough." Widow Ma took it tremblingly: "I will pay you back this money as soon as possible."

"Sister Ma, don't worry, what happened at home?" Bai Ge asked with concern.

"Hey, it's not like my family. When I was working in a small coal mine, my leg was accidentally hit." Widow Ma sighed.

"Small coal mine?" Zhang Guoquan asked in surprise: "Qingshan went to work in the small coal mine? Did he follow Zhao Chunniu?"

Widow Ma nodded: "I can't help it, we always have to eat at home."

"Sister Ma, you won't blame me, will you?"

Widow Ma's husband was not allowed to work in the Yangjiazhuang coal mine, but unexpectedly, he went to work in a small coal mine instead.

"No, no." Widow Ma waved her hands repeatedly: "How can I blame you? You lent me money and it's too late to thank you. He deserves it. Who can look down on a person like him?"

"Did something happen to the small coal mine? How could you be injured?"

"I didn't pay attention, and a piece of coal fell down and hit my leg. He didn't want to look at it. I'm afraid of getting infected, so it's better to look at it."

Zhang Guoquan knew that it was very dangerous to encounter rolling coal. If he hit his legs, Widow Ma might become a widow again.

"When did it happen?"

"Just yesterday."

"Yesterday? New Year's Eve? Zhao Chunniu is so capable that he still worked on New Year's Eve." Zhang Guoquan shook his head helplessly.

Only Zhao Chunniu and his gang can earn this kind of money.

"Guoquan, Bai Ge, I can't talk to you anymore. I have to go back. Qingshan is still waiting."

"Okay, Sister Ma, look at what I said before, do you want to come to the mine canteen to do some work?"

Widow Ma agreed simply this time: "Okay, I thought I'd talk to you about this after fifteen."

"Okay, Sister Ma, just come directly when the time comes. I'll tell Manager Sun in advance."

"Hey, Yangyang, the empress has left. I'll see you again in a few days."

"Goodbye, empress."

"I'll give it to you, Sister Ma."

After leaving the courtyard gate, Widow Ma stopped: "Go back, it's very cold outside."

"Sister Ma, please slow down on the road."

"Eh..."

Sister Ma turned around and walked into the wind and snow.

Zhang Guoquan looked at her back. Widow Ma seemed to be old. Her tall figure was like the sorghum planted in the field. The ears of sorghum were so ripe that they bent down.

Zhang Guoquan hugged his arms and closed the courtyard door. Instead of returning to the house, he turned around and went to the river ditch.

When passing the school, you can see the bright red flag, which has lost its former color under the erosion of rain and snow. It rustles in the strong wind, as if it has a strong willpower.

When he reached the ditch, there was no room for anyone to stand, so he braced himself and squinted his eyes to look upstream at the village.

Fifteen days later, Zhao Chunniu's first load of coal was finally shipped out. The quality of the coal was a bit poor, but fortunately the price was cheap, so he didn't have to worry about selling it.

Everyone in the village said that Zhao Chunniu was going to get rich.

But it has nothing to do with Zhang Guoquan. The mine is a mine and the small coal kiln is a small coal kiln. They all do their own things and there is no overlap at all.

Only Widow Ma had some connection with the small coal mine. Her husband worked in the small coal mine, while she stayed in the mine canteen.

After fifteen years, the mine was officially put into production. Zhang Guoquan was very motivated and said that the Yangjiazhuang Coal Mining Area would definitely get better this year.

In order to carry out this year's work in an orderly manner, Su Jincheng specially took time to visit the mine.

Zhang Guoquan took him to visit the mine. When he came up from the mine, he started wandering around the mine. During this process, Zhou Sheng followed behind him, adding a few words from time to time.

Su Jincheng seemed to agree with Zhou Sheng's various suggestions.

"What is this?" Su Jincheng asked.

Before Zhang Guoquan could answer, Zhou Sheng took the lead and spoke: "Director Su, my name is Zhou Sheng, and I am Xiaohe's fiancé. I heard from Xiaohe that our mine is in its infancy and facing many difficulties. I am also from Pingshan County.

I wanted to make a contribution to our Pingshan County, so I came directly to the mine without your permission."
Chapter completed!