Chapter 6: "Are you trying to chase after Brother Shen?"

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Originally, he wasn’t supposed to be sent to the countryside a year ago. He came from a family of seven children, so it was clear that their conditions were quite difficult. He was also the least favored among them. If it weren’t for his three older sisters getting married, how could it have been his turn to go to the countryside? He often went hungry at home, and with no job prospects, going to the countryside was his only option.

Having never done farm work since childhood, he couldn’t possibly endure the hardships of rural life. His family wouldn’t send him money either, so he had to figure out how to fill his stomach in the village. Fortunately, he was fairly good-looking and had a smooth tongue, so the women there often gave him food, which kept him from starving.

Su Wanwan was the easiest woman among his lovers to fool; not only did she give him food, but also money and ration tickets. Now, at least she could help him. Otherwise, he wouldn’t want any secondhand goods. If he wanted to return to the city sooner, he had to rely on her.

Seeing that the quota for returning to the city this year was about to be announced, he had to seize this opportunity and try to get back before the intense harvest period. The double harvest was definitely not a task for him—he would surely be worn out halfway.

Yesterday’s plans had been completely disrupted, so he had to think of another way.

Meanwhile, Su Heng, who was busy picking corn, had long noticed the way Ma Zhiming looked today. From time to time, Ma’s gaze would flicker toward where his father and mother were working. Several times their eyes met, and Su Heng pretended not to notice, quickly looking away.

His father had warned him not to cause trouble openly, but in the dark of night, he had to make Ma pay.

At noon, Su’s mother returned home to cook. To avoid revealing her injuries, Su Wanwan had her meals brought to her room by Su’s mother.

In the evening, after work, Su’s father would wait at the work points registration, observing everyone’s work performance. He would also assign each person’s tasks for the next day.

While Accountant Zuo recorded the work points, Su’s father would announce the next day’s assignments. This was to save time in the morning and prepare for the double harvest.

When Ma Zhiming arrived at the registration spot, his eyes stayed fixed on the team leader, who didn’t even glance at him but simply looked down at his notebook.

It seemed Ma had overthought it. If Su Wanwan had told him, the team leader wouldn’t be so calm now.

He figured that even if the timid Su Wanwan had experienced something, she certainly wouldn’t speak of it, which put his mind at ease somewhat.

Ma Zhiming stopped at the table and said to Accountant Zuo, “Ma Zhiming, four work points.”

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Accountant Zuo recorded it in his notebook and said, “Su Zhiqing, you’re only earning four work points a day. When the grain is distributed, you won’t have enough to eat.”

Su’s father, maintaining a calm demeanor, said, “Tomorrow, Ma Zhiqing won’t pick corn anymore; he will go to the east to reclaim wasteland.”

Ma Zhiming had been here for a year. Though he had never reclaimed wasteland before, he’d heard it was tough work—nowhere near as easy as picking corn.

He smiled and said, “I think picking corn is fine. I don’t want to go reclaim wasteland; I’ll stick to picking corn.”

Su’s father looked up at him and raised his voice, “Or what? Should I, as team leader, pick for you? Now you’re starting to be picky?”

He pretended to scrutinize the record book again. “This shows you’re resisting reeducation by the poor and lower-middle peasants, your thinking is backward, you lack revolutionary zeal, you’re afraid of hardship and fatigue, and you have serious bourgeois tendencies.”

“I see that a grown man like you earns fewer work points than the village children. Doing only four points a day, you’re bound to starve. This is passive sabotage!”

Villagers chimed in, “Exactly. He’s slacking, afraid of hardship. I saw him resting hidden in the cornfield. This is sabotage of the revolution.”

One village aunt added, “Yes, my nine-year-old second child does six work points every day.”

Ma Zhiming hurried to explain, “I’m not slacking. I’ve been a scholar since childhood and never did physical labor, so I just work less.”

Village loafer Wang Biao said, “That’s bourgeois fragility that needs to be thoroughly reformed.”

Ma Zhiming’s face flushed red with frustration. “Fine, I’ll go reclaim wasteland tomorrow.”

Su’s father said, “Look at Xie Zhiqing and Lin Zhiqing behind you. As far as I know, they are also city scholars who have been reclaiming wasteland for over a month without complaint, earning full work points every day.”

“Everyone is equal; work is no different. If you city lads don’t endure hardship, how can you be reformed? If you slack off again, I’ll punish you with a month of carrying manure.”

Then he looked at Wang Biao. “Biaozi, your work has improved greatly recently. Tomorrow you’ll pick corn in the east field. If you catch anyone slacking, tell me, and I’ll make them carry manure.”

The east cornfield was right in front of the wasteland, providing a clear view of the reclamation site.

Wang Biao grinned and puffed out his chest, “Alright, I’ll work hard. I’m diligent now and will keep an eye on them.”

Ma Zhiming glanced at Wang Biao before turning around, just as his gaze met Xie Beishen’s.

He saw that Xie Zhiqing was strong and sturdy—no comparison to his own slight frame.

He still couldn’t tell if the team leader knew what had happened with his daughter. After all, those two had reclaimed wasteland for a month, and he, having been here over a year, hadn’t gone even once.

Going now made sense.

Su’s father glanced at the notebook again and said, “Xie Zhiqing and Lin Zhiqing, you two will pick corn in the west tomorrow.”

Since people had gone to the wasteland, someone had obviously been assigned there—and these two had been working it for a month.

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Xie Beishen: “Okay.”

Lin Yu: “Okay. Accountant Zuo, please record that Xie Beishen and I earned 10 work points today as well.”

Accountant Zuo nodded slightly. “Alright, recorded.”

On the way back, Lin Yu smiled and said, “Tomorrow will finally be a bit easier. Tell me what you want to eat today; I’ll cook it.”

Xie Beishen glanced at Lin Yu. “Can you actually cook something fancy? I said, and you can make it?”

Lin Yu chuckled, “Well, I’m better than Zhiqing at cooking big communal meals, right? How about I make egg noodles tonight and crack four eggs into your bowl?”

Xie Beishen said, “You’re just craving eggs yourself.”

Lin Yu grinned. Luckily, he hung out with Beishen; otherwise, he wouldn’t get any eggs to eat.

The two returned to their room. Lin Yu started a fire on the stove he had built outside to cook.

At that moment, Liu Caixia walked over and immediately saw Lin Yu cracking egg after egg into the pot—ten in all. She swallowed hard.

She always knew these two ate well and came from good families. When they arrived in the village, they asked the team leader for a separate plot of land and built two houses with courtyards, eating meals separately.

She hadn’t eaten eggs in a long time and felt pity for Lin Yu, who clearly didn’t know how to budget and was wasting eggs.

If it were her, she could eat eggs for at least half a month, not needing to eat them every single day.

Lin Yu finished cracking the eggs and noticed someone behind him. This person always startled him and walked silently.

“Anything you need?” he asked.

Liu Caixia pulled her gaze from the pot and smiled, “I came to look for Xie Zhiqing. Is he here?” She had been watching from a distance; Xie Beishen was definitely in the room.

Lin Yu said, “He’s in the room. You better not disturb him; he’s busy right now.”

The last time she came it was the same—Beishen ignored her and told Lin Yu to refuse any visits from female educated youths next time.

Hearing this, Liu Caixia smiled and said, “I bought some pastries in the county town today and brought some for you.”

Lin Yu glanced at the pastries in her hand and bluntly said, “Are you trying to woo Beishen?”