Chapter 76

After dinner, Secretary Li gathered the brigade leader, the deputy brigade leader, and the representatives of the educated youths. The twilight was thick as ink, wrapping the village in the chill of the twelfth lunar month. In the brigade headquarters, the kerosene lamp had been lit early; its dim, yellowish halo cast flickering silhouettes against the window lattice, while the smell of burning kerosene mingled with the charred fragrance of roasted sweet potatoes, permeating the cramped space. Secretary Li tapped the bottom of his enamel mug against the mottled long table. The crisp sound startled the tabby cat curled up in the corner, making it perk up its ears. The twenty-some attendees gradually quieted down. The coals in the brazier crackled, as if they, too, were holding their breath in anticipation.