Jiang Hongmei was courting disaster, and Shen Jianan was more than happy to let her. He leaned against the doorway, a smirk playing on his lips as he watched her continue her self-destructive path.
Down at the foot of the hill, the neighborhood gossips were already trembling with rage. They stood with hands on their hips, pointing fingers at her and raining down insults.
"What nonsense are you spewing, you little hussy? Who’s slandering anyone!?"
"Exactly! Every single day, instead of doing your chores, you just flutter those fox eyes of yours to hook men. Now you have the nerve to bite back and accuse us of framing you? Do you have no shame?"
"Isn't that just a load of crap?"
Niu Chunhua rolled her eyes at her close friends Zhao Hongying and Li Zhaodi before turning her biting sarcasm toward Jiang Hongmei, who was standing halfway up the hill. "If she had any shame, she wouldn't be screeching 'Jianguo~~' and 'Gu Yu~~' all day long!"
As she spoke, she mimicked the girl, grabbing the two short, thick braids hanging over her shoulders and acting coy. "Jianguo~~ you’re so annoying!~~ Gu Yu~~ I’m only doing this for your own good~~"
"Hahahaha!"
The other two women were doubled over in laughter at her grotesque, funny performance. "Chunhua, stop it! That woman’s voice sounds like it’s hooked on a hairpin, trying to charm people to death. You look like a cow in heat; it’s terrifying!"
Zhao Hongying shot a look of disdain at Jiang Hongmei on the hillside. "You know, you’ll never learn how to be a seductive vixen in your entire life!"
"Hahahaha..."
Li Zhaodi and Niu Chunhua burst into fresh peals of laughter, swaying back and forth, losing all trace of decorum.
"You—you are vulgar, wretched, and low-class!"
Seeing the three women insulting her so flagrantly, Jiang Hongmei’s eyes burned with fury. "Jianguo and I are clearly just close friends! And Gu Yu is my fiancé—"
"Hongmei! Stop talking!"
Zhao Jianguo, seeing her continue to tangle with those three gossiping magpies, hurried over to the side of a secluded courtyard wall. He gestured for her to be quiet and whispered, "Don’t you know what kind of people those sisters-in-law are? If you offend the three of them too deeply, you’re the one who’s going to suffer, don't you get it?"
"Zhao Jianguo, what kind of nonsense are you spouting!?"
Jiang Hongmei was incensed, never expecting him to say such a thing. "They’re clearly in the wrong here; why should we just let it go!?"
Ignoring his darkened expression, she turned and shouted down the hill again.
"Niu Chunhua, Zhao Hongying, Li Zhaodi, let me tell you, this isn't over!"
She stood tall, bracing herself to bark at them from the hill. "I’m going to the commune to see the Secretary shortly and demand a fair hearing! I’ll ask him what should be done when people falsely accuse me of having an affair with him and his son behind my fiancé Gu Yu’s back!"
The three women were stunned for a moment, then burst into gales of laughter. "Hahahaha! Go, by all means, go! We’ll be watching closely!"
Hearing Jiang Hongmei say such a thing, they laughed so hard they sat down on the ground, wondering if she had lost her mind. Anyone in the Hongqi Commune with functioning eyes could see that Zhao Jianguo was infatuated with her.
As for Zhao Qiancheng himself, though he didn't care for her, he tolerated his eldest son’s association with her and often looked after her simply because she was a high school graduate from a big city.
Everyone saw this, but though they were dissatisfied, Zhao Qiancheng was the brigade secretary, and since he held everyone’s livelihood in his hands, they dared not speak and chose to play dumb.
Now, she had been living off the fat of the land, and yet she was flipping the table and demanding a showdown. Given Zhao Qiancheng’s temperament, it was unlikely he would forgive her.
"You, you all..."
Seeing them growing more emboldened by their laughter, Jiang Hongmei trembled with rage. She searched her mind for a retort but found none, so she turned to her friend, looking for support.
"Jianguo, they’ve gone too far! They’re slandering not just you and me, but also my relationship with Gu Yu. Their attitude is so atrocious—such people cannot be allowed to stay in the brigade. We must report this and have them dealt with properly."
Zhao Jianguo nearly went mad with frustration. He used to think Jiang Hongmei was pure and naive, but hearing her words now, he felt she must have been kicked in the head by a donkey.
He wanted nothing more than to kick her down the hill and be done with it. It was clearly a minor issue; if he just had a quiet word with the husbands of those three gossiping women, they would surely be beaten by their men and never dare to wag their tongues again.
Everyone knew the score. In this day and age, especially in the countryside, people avoided making a scene over gender-related matters unless absolutely necessary. It wouldn't just ruin the brigade's reputation or affect collective interests; it would also ruin the marriage prospects of the young people involved. Even the rowdiest villagers knew when to draw the line.
But she? She was practically begging to be insulted and make enemies. By blowing this up, wasn't she handing them the knife to cut her down with?
Furthermore, he began to doubt if Jiang Hongmei was truly foolish or simply heartless. He spent every day trying to pamper her, yet she had just declared herself Gu Yu’s fiancée, calling him a "close friend."
To hell with "close friend"! Was this idiot woman treating him as a backup plan? If so, why was he still breaking his back for her?
The more he thought about it, the angrier Zhao Jianguo became. He secretly decided to distance himself from her and stop being a patsy.
Jiang Hongmei, waiting for him to defend her, grew impatient when he remained silent. She couldn't help but shout, her tone sharp and devoid of its usual gentleness.
"Zhao Jianguo, why are you just standing there?"
She pointed at the people down the hill and railed against them. "Those shrews have been spewing nonsense down there for ages, slandering the two of us. Why haven't you explained things? Are you even a man?"
As she rambled on, Zhao Jianguo’s repressed fury finally boiled over. He roared at her, "Shut your mouth! You brainless pig, you’re a brainless pig!!"
Before the words had even faded, his intense love for her surged back up, momentarily drowning out his regret and resentment. His hateful expression turned into one of obsession, though a sliver of rationality left in his brain made him beat his own head in frustration.
He felt as if he were being torn in two; he didn't know how to face the woman he loved.
Jiang Hongmei, however, looked at him with utter disbelief, as if the sky had collapsed. Tears welled in her almond-shaped eyes. "J-Jianguo! You—you’re yelling at me!?"
She clutched her chest, staggering back. "Jianguo, how can you be so fickle? Didn't you say before that you hated those gossips in the commune?"
"Can you just stop talking?"
"Why? I—"
Zhao Jianguo felt his head buzzing from her chatter. His headache worsened, and he felt an overwhelming urge to escape. He acted on it; he stood up abruptly, and while Jiang Hongmei was still nagging, he pushed past her and stormed down the hillside, leaving the gravel pile without a backward glance.
This sequence of events left Niu Chunhua’s group and Jiang Hongmei on the hillside completely bewildered. They stood there, not knowing how to react.
Shen Jianan, who had been watching the spectacle from the sidelines, saw their clumsy confusion and couldn't help but twitch his mouth. "Um... Jiang Hongmei, your Zhao Jianguo has left."
He straightened up, stepped forward, and pointed down the hill, "kindly" reminding her, "Aren't you going to chase him? He left you behind all by yourself."
Hearing this, Jiang Hongmei’s heated brain cooled down instantly. She realized what she had just done and found it hard to accept, feeling a sense of deep grievance. She shouldn't have said that to Zhao Jianguo, but he had gone too far as well!
Weren't close friends supposed to support each other? She had lashed out only because those gossips were concocting stories about the three of them. If Zhao Jianguo had stood by her side earlier, she wouldn't have said those hurtful things.
Besides, he was clearly more in the wrong! As a friend and a man, he hadn't stood up for her when she was being bullied; he’d hidden in the shadows and then called her a "brainless pig"...
*Wuwu!* This was too much! Jiang Hongmei crouched on the ground and burst into tears. She suddenly missed Gu Yu so much it hurt.
Down the hill, Niu Chunhua and the others were speechless at her wailing. "Is she sick? Why does she cry at the drop of a hat?"
"Don't you know she’s made of water?"
"Bullshit! She was roaring like a mother pig breathing fire when she was yelling at that Zhao boy just now. How is she made of water?"
Li Zhaodi and Zhao Hongying laughed. "Hahahaha, a mother pig breathing fire? Chunhua, you’re hilarious!"
Jiang Hongmei, hearing their insults, stood up, glared at them through her tears, and shrieked, "You’ve all gone too far!"
Then, amidst their jeers, she turned and fled down the hillside toward the Educated Youth Point. Seeing her run off, Niu Chunhua and the others exchanged relieved glances, knowing she wouldn't be reporting them to Zhao Qiancheng anytime soon. They glared at Shen Jianan on the hillside before hurried away.
The boy curled his lip in silence. Just as he was about to head into the courtyard, he saw Gu Yu walking slowly from a distance, holding a bunch of wild scallions. His eyes brightened, and he waved enthusiastically. "Brother Gu! Brother Gu!"
Gu Yu looked up and saw Shen Jianan on the path. His cold, stern expression softened. "Don't stand on the edge, go inside and wait for me."
Shen Jianan shook his head. "I’ll stay here."
He spoke to him across the hillside. "Brother Gu, it’s a pity you came late, otherwise you could have watched a great show."
"What show?"
Gu Yu climbed the hill and looked toward him. Shen Jianan chuckled. "Jiang Hongmei and Zhao Jianguo came to find you to fix the roof again... They were so nasty that I splashed them with water. Zhao Jianguo wanted to hit me, but I talked back to him. Just then, Niu and her group passed by..."
"Huh!"
Gu Yu climbed to the hillside, curious. "Who is Niu?"
"Niu Chunhua!"
The boy replied, his eyes dark and bright, full of mischief and excitement. "I was afraid Zhao Jianguo would drag your name into the mud again, so I deliberately said some ambiguous things. Niu heard me and misunderstood, thinking they had gone up the hill to get intimate, and then... um!"
He paused, scratching his head awkwardly, and looked at Gu Yu cautiously. "Brother Gu, I treated Jiang Hongmei that way... you aren't angry, are you?"
"Not at all. Courtesy demands reciprocity; I’ve tolerated her and Zhao Jianguo long enough."
Gu Yu stepped forward and gestured for the boy to go inside. Seeing Gu Yu’s calm expression, Shen Jianan finally felt relieved and nodded happily, continuing to recount the story as he walked into the house.
"Well done."
Gu Yu hooked the corner of his mouth in a smile of approval. He walked to the spring, squatted down to wash the vegetables, and said, "Bring me a basin."
"Oh!"
The boy nodded, then added, "But Brother Gu, I’ve already cooked the meal."
He still obediently ran to the kitchen, brought out a basin, and crouched down to help. Gu Yu pushed his hand away. "I’ve got it. Don't you love these wild scallions? I’ll wash them for you to mix into a side dish."
Hearing they were for him, Shen Jianan felt very happy. "Thanks, Brother Gu, but I want to save them for the next meal to stretch my rations."
"Don't worry, there’s plenty."
Gu Yu glanced at him as he cleaned. "I found a patch near the cattle shed; enough to last you eight or ten meals."
"Oh, really? Then I won't save them."
The boy stopped worrying. Seeing Gu Yu finish washing the last of the scallions, he picked up the basin and stood up. "You rest, I’ll mix the salad."
He ran into the kitchen. Gu Yu smiled, shook the water from his hands, and followed. Seeing the boy mixing the onions in a bowl, he stepped forward, lifted the food cover on the table, served two bowls of porridge, and placed chopsticks down. He sat at the table and watched the boy at the stove, his eyes filled with a hint of tenderness.
"Brother Gu, wait a moment, it’ll be ready soon."
Shen Jianan chopped the scallions into the bowl, tossed two dried chilies into the stove to roast them over the remaining embers, and when the skins were charred, pulled them out with a stick. After cleaning off the ash, he crushed them between his palms into fine flakes, poured them into the scallions, added salt, mixed it all thoroughly, and served it.
"Brother Gu, you start eating, I’m going to wash my hands."
"There’s no hurry for that—"
Before Gu Yu could finish, the boy had already bolted. Moments later, he came running back and sat down.
Watching him hop in and out like a rabbit, Gu Yu found it amusing. He pushed one of the bowls of porridge toward the boy. "Eat up, you’ve been hungry all day."
"Mhm! You eat too."
Shen Jianan smiled, picked up his chopsticks, and proactively placed a large portion of shredded potatoes into Gu Yu’s bowl. "Brother Gu, try it and see how it tastes."
Gu Yu nodded. "Everything you make is delicious."
He had never denied this. Although Shen Jianan was from Haishi and his parents were cadres, he had been taught basic life skills—except, of course, for farming or transplanting crops. After all, his father was a production director at a tractor factory and his mother was a nursing director; their child didn't need to do such manual labor.
But fate was unkind. His grandparents had been biased toward his uncle's family. It was supposed to be his cousin who went to the countryside, but his grandfather and uncle, Shen Zongwen, had swapped the names behind his parents' backs.
By the time they notified the family, it was only days before departure. His parents were furious and tried to get it reversed, but the two elders threw a tantrum at their doorstep, wailing and making a public spectacle.
In those days, filial piety was paramount, and Shen’s father was at a critical point in his career. He couldn't afford to be dragged down. Shen Jianan, being a sensible child, chose to go in his cousin’s place.
His father couldn't bear the thought of his son suffering, but Shen Jianan had knelt and begged him, saying he didn't want his parents' careers ruined. His father finally agreed, but he took the opportunity to demand that the grandparents and his uncle’s family move out.
The vampires refused, and his father, a man of resolve, threatened to drag everyone down with him if they didn't comply. Terrified, the uncle immediately agreed to move. His father then asked his parents, "Do you want a lump sum for retirement, or monthly payments? If you take the money, we are done as a family. Don't ever come looking for us again."
Shen Zongwen and his parents were shocked, but the father held his ground. He calculated the retirement standard for the city, gave them a lump sum of 2,900 yuan, and forced them to sign a legal agreement before witnesses.
Now, Shen Jianan had been in the countryside for a year and a half. His parents sent money and supplies often, but they never mentioned bringing him home. The boy stayed cheerful on the surface, but he had cried in private more than once.
Gu Yu had noticed that the boy, who used to be a picky eater, had started saving money and learning to eat food he previously couldn't stomach. It wasn't a huge change, but it was an effort. This sunny, positive attitude had deeply touched Gu Yu, giving him a glimmer of hope for his own desperate future.
He pulled himself from his thoughts and praised him again. The boy puffed out his chest and said, "I think so too."
Without a hint of modesty. Gu Yu couldn't help but laugh out loud. He placed some potatoes and scallions into his bowl. "Eat, get some rest after you’re full."
"Mhm, okay!"
Shen Jianan nodded happily and finished every drop of his yam and corn porridge.
Gu Yu was surprised. "You didn't have enough to eat at the commune today?"
"Yep!" Shen Jianan answered calmly as he served himself another half-bowl of porridge. "I’ve thought it through. I can't keep living like I used to. If I wreck my health, let alone returning to the city, I might not even survive."
He said this because he knew the original owner had been a picky eater. He needed a plausible excuse for his newfound appetite.
As expected, a look of relief appeared in Gu Yu’s eyes. "It’s good that you understand."
He added, "Don't worry. I won't let you go hungry or be bullied again."
He buried his head in his bowl and ate ravenously. Shen Jianan felt his words were a bit strange, but he was soon distracted by the shredded potatoes in his bowl.
"Thank you, Brother Gu!"
The boy ate with gusto, and Gu Yu watched him with a deep, fond smile.
After the meal, the sky grew dim. Gu Yu lit a sunflower stalk for light and told Shen Jianan to lock the door and rest while he went to check on the elders at the cattle shed.
The boy knew he was visiting the elderly, so he didn't say much. He just asked him to wait, ran into the room to grab his aluminum lunch box, went back to the kitchen to scoop the remaining yam and corn porridge into it, and handed it to him.
"There is only half a box left, but it’s enough to give them a sweet treat. Be careful when you deliver it; have them eat it right away and bring the lunchbox back."
Hearing this, Gu Yu felt his fingers, which were gripping the lunchbox, tighten involuntarily. His fingertips gradually paled, the friction creating a faint, muffled sound. "Alright."
The young man’s eyes curved into a gentle arc. "Go on, then!"
"Mm!"
Gu Yu responded and stepped out of the courtyard gate. Shen Jianan followed closely behind, and both walked out of the yard. Only after watching the other safely reach the foot of the hill did Shen turn back and close the gate.
He then entered the house, gathered the clothes both of them had changed out of that day, brought them to the spring to scrub clean, and hung them on the bamboo pole at the corner of the wall to dry. Only then did he relax, stretching his chest as he walked back inside, deep in thought about his upcoming plans.
Since he had transmigrated into such a frustrating, brain-dead novel, he couldn't just sit around and wait for disaster. Shen Jianan had never intended to harm anyone, but he wasn’t about to let his fate be dictated by a lousy book and two lunatics.
If he didn't prepare early, once Zhao Jianguo and Jiang Hongmei made up, he and Gu Yu would be the ones to suffer. That was a matter of life and death, not something to be taken lightly.
***
Gu Yu left the rock pile and turned left, heading toward the end of the village. The brigade’s cowshed was located on an open lot across from the Reed Marsh at the village’s edge, bordering the mountains. It was built there because there were no easy paths leading away from it.
If someone tried to steal the livestock, unless they climbed over the steep, sprawling mountains or took a boat across the river to the other side, they would have to pass through the village and take the main road. But doing so would make the thief incredibly easy to spot—it would be practically a death sentence.
There was another reason, too: the Hongqi Commune had, over the years, received many "special personnel" who had been denounced and sent down for labor. People like that were a headache no matter where they were placed.
The commune officials were afraid they would refuse to comply or try to escape, and they were also worried about them spreading problematic ideas that might influence the villagers' thoughts.
After much consideration, they built the cowshed here and assigned those people to work, keeping an eye on the livestock as they did so—killing two birds with one stone.
Actually, when Gu Yu first arrived, he had been kept here as well. But later, his aunt pleaded with her husband to find a way. No one knew how he managed it, but in less than half a year, Zhao Qiancheng had kicked him out to live in the Half-Mountain Courtyard.
However, Zhao Qiancheng wasn’t being kind. That plot of land had previously been a storage area for a landlord’s family. Later, when that family was subjected to brutal public criticism, they couldn’t take it and had all twisted grass ropes and hanged themselves from the trees.
The villagers didn’t know at first; it wasn't until the next day when they didn't see anyone at work that they went looking and found the five corpses hanging like sausages from the trees. Because of the heat, clouds of flies were already circling them.
The villagers were terrified. They immediately gathered a group of young, hot-blooded men to cut the bodies down, chop down the trees, and drag them to the rock pile at the foot of the mountain to burn them to ashes.
The sight of that family’s death had been etched into the villagers' minds ever since. Even after all these years, although people weren't quite as scared, they still found the place unsettling. That was why, when someone finally pulled some strings for Gu Yu, Zhao Qiancheng had tossed him there.
But it had given him a breath of air—a chance to recuperate. Back at the cowshed, he had often been beaten by thugs in his sleep, his head covered by a burlap sack for no reason.
Once, when he resisted too hard, someone had used a manure rake to gouge several thumb-sized bloody holes in his back and left shoulder. If the elderly people next door hadn't heard the commotion and crawled over, shouting and helping, he likely wouldn't have survived.
However, because of the severity of the wounds and the fact that the rake was covered in feces—and it being hot weather—the wounds had become inflamed and festered. Fortunately, there was a brilliant doctor in the cowshed who told him the names and appearances of several medicinal herbs. He had secretly gathered them from the mountain to treat his wounds, and Gu Yu slowly recovered.
Ever since then, he had formed a bond with those elderly people. Because their situation was even more complicated than Gu Yu’s, let alone a hot meal, even getting a drink of water was extremely difficult.
To repay them for saving his life twice, Gu Yu would often save his own rations for them. Sometimes, he would gather wild fruits and vegetables or hide in the mountains to roast a few small birds to bring back for them to eat. He hadn't stopped doing this, even after moving to the Half-Mountain Courtyard.
Looking at the cowshed before him, Gu Yu pulled himself out of his thoughts, put on a smile, and walked quickly inside. Seeing the elders each holding a broken bowl of wild vegetable porridge—which was really just porridge in name, as there wasn't a single grain of rice in it, only weeds and chaff—his heart ached until his eyes welled up with tears. He choked out, "Grandpas, didn't I give you cornmeal? Why are you eating this again?"
Hearing the movement, the group hurriedly put down their bowls and waved at him, smiling. "Little Gu is here. Come, sit down."
Gu Yu nodded, wiped away his tears, and walked over. He opened the lunchbox hidden in his jacket and scooped a bit into each of their five bowls.
Li Mingda, the youngest among them, smiled and took the lunchbox. He scooped a small spoonful of water from the pot, swirled it around to get the residue, and downed it before handing the lunchbox back to Gu Yu with satisfaction. "Young Gu, excuse the mess."
"Don’t say that, Grandpa Li. It’s my fault for not being capable enough to take better care of you."
"What kind of foolish talk is that?"
Lin Yanqing, sitting in the corner, put down his bowl and chopsticks and shot him a look. "In this day and age, just taking care of yourself is enough. Helping others?
"I’ve never approved of you bringing things over. You know that back when we lived together, it was easier to cover for you.
"But now that you’ve moved up the mountain, it’s too conspicuous to keep bringing food and supplies. What if that child you’re living with finds out and reports it?"
"That’s right, child. Don’t bring anything anymore. The few pounds of cornmeal you gave us is enough to last until the New Year," added Lu Jianfeng from the side with a smile. "When the rations are distributed, even if Zhao Qiancheng skims more off the top, we’ll have enough to chew on. If worst comes to worst, there are plenty of wild vegetables on the roadside, and we can find duck eggs or catch fish and shrimp in the Reed Marsh across the way. We’ll just be careful."
The elderly Liu Zhengjun and Xie Huai’an, who had poor legs, also chimed in, "Yes, yes! Don't bring any more; what if you accidentally get implicated?"
As the elders spoke, they began to tear up again. Seeing this, Gu Yu felt a heavy tightness in his chest. He quickly forced a smile and said, "Everyone, don't worry. Jianan is different from the others; he won't say anything. Today’s porridge was actually something he suggested I scoop up and bring to you."
"W-what!?"
The group froze in shock, then asked, "We always hear the workers here talking, saying that child is selfish, lazy, and refuses to let anyone have the last word. How could he..."
"Grandpa!"
Gu Yu interrupted them and asked with a bitter smile, "And what do you think others say about us?"
He sighed and continued, "Those people say that about Shen Jianan because he’s physically weak and isn’t good at farm work, but he has never once thought about being lazy and has been making progress.
"It’s just that many people keep using that as an excuse to claim he’s faking it, trying to blackmail him into giving them favors. He has a cheerful personality and is clear about his grievances; he never covets others' things, but he won’t let anyone take advantage of him, either.
"Those who can’t get what they want from him just help themselves, taking his food and daily supplies, then preach a bunch of nonsense about how educated youth should be united and help one another.
"There are even those who see that he’s young and thin and try to bully him, constantly setting traps for him. But Shen Jianan has always managed to dodge them and finds ways to pay them back. When those people can't get the better of him, they go around ruining his reputation and complaining to Zhao Qiancheng, which is how he ended up being moved in with me."
He felt a sour, astringent sensation in his heart, yet his tone carried a note of gratitude. "Although I am a few years older than Jianan, I have been taken care of by him quite a bit. It’s just that before—I don't know if I was bewitched or what—I kept losing my temper with him for no reason.
"But that silly kid, even when he was wronged, didn’t get angry. Every time, he would just say, with red eyes, that he knew I was under immense pressure because of the massive changes in my family and couldn't control my emotions. He said he didn't blame me, as long as I didn't hit him. Pfft..."
Gu Yu chuckled, though his eyes were clouded by a rising mist. Watching him, the others were overcome with emotion.
They had been in the cowshed for so long that their judgment had become clouded. How could they try to understand a person based on such gossip?
Lin Yanqing sighed. "Since that’s the case, you two should live well together from now on!"
"Mm! I will!"
Gu Yu stood up with a smile. "You guys eat. I’m going to fetch water and gather firewood for you."
He stepped forward, picked up the broken bucket and rope in the corner, and walked out without looking back. The others opened their mouths to speak, but in the end, they couldn't bring themselves to stop him.
The reality was right in front of them: Li Mingda, the youngest, was already sixty. As for the rest, Lin Yanqing was the oldest at seventy-five, Lu Jianfeng was seventy-two, Liu Zhengjun was seventy, and Xie Huai’s was sixty-nine. While they didn't sound old enough to be incapable of work, their bodies had suffered greatly during the "movements" of the previous years. If not for an unyielding spirit, they likely would have died long ago.
Now, working every day was exhausting enough. If they—people with one foot in the grave—were asked to chop wood and carry water, honestly, it was asking too much.
So, when the boy offered to help, even though they felt bad, they had no choice but to let him. After all, false modesty was useless when their strength didn't permit it.
About an hour later, Gu Yu stumbled back through the darkness, carrying a bundle of firewood and a bucket full of water.
"Grandpas, I’m heading back. Use this without worry. I’ll bring you more in a couple of days."
With that, he relit the sunflower stalk stuck in the corner and disappeared into the night.
***
In the countryside, once it was dark, you couldn’t see your own hand in front of your face. With no entertainment, the villagers simply huddled in their rooms to sleep. But tonight, the home of Branch Secretary Zhao Qiancheng was unusually lively.
Because Zhao Jianguo had been slighted by Jiang Hongmei, he had come home and asked his father to find him a pretty, capable wife. As soon as Zhao Qiancheng heard this, he perked up.
He had never liked that superficial Jiang Hongmei, but because she had a high level of education and came from Beijing, and based on her tone, he thought she might have connections, he’d felt she was a decent match for his eldest son. Plus, the boy was genuinely fond of her, so he hadn't interfered much and had often favored her because of it.
But now, since his son had come to his senses and wanted to dump her in favor of a better match, how could he not be pleased? He agreed immediately.
"Mm!"
Zhao Jianguo nodded. He looked calm on the surface, but inside, he was as turbulent as a storm; he felt that losing Jiang Hongmei might be something he’d regret.
But to continue seeing her? He wasn't willing to do that at all. He wasn’t missing an arm or a leg; he had a decent class background—was he really afraid of not finding a good woman?
Thinking of this, Zhao Jianguo suppressed his reluctance and told his father his requirements. "I don’t have many demands. As long as she’s better-looking than Jiang Hongmei, has at least the same level of education, a better family background, and parents who are both government employees. Otherwise, I won't get married."
Zhao Qiancheng’s mouth twitched upon hearing this. If it weren't for the fact that the person in front of him was his own flesh and blood, he would have smacked him across the face twice.
This wasn’t "finding a wife"—this was a classic case of unrequited love trying to find a substitute to spite someone else! While the Zhao family had a decent background, it was limited to the countryside. His son’s demands were so high that even city cadres might not be able to land such a match. Wasn't he making things difficult for him?
However, if he really could find his son such a good match, the Zhao family might be able to rise to the top and become people of status, and his own position might even be promoted.
He was thinking quite grandly, but his wife, Qin Fengying, was unwilling. Why? The most successful thing she’d ever done in her life was marry Zhao Qiancheng because she was the distant niece of the family’s grandmother, which landed her the position of Women's Director.
She dreamed that her husband could keep getting promoted, preferably all the way to Beijing, so she could be the wife of a Beijing official.
However, Qin Fengying also understood that daydreams were best kept to oneself; saying them out loud could bring disaster.
But ever since Jiang Hongmei had come to the Hongqi Commune and started seeing her son, her daydreams had only grown longer.
Qin Fengying had been thinking that once the two young people got married and Jiang Hongmei returned to the city, she would take her, her husband, and their other children along to Beijing, and have her in-laws arrange suitable jobs for her and Zhao Qiancheng. Then she wouldn’t just be a Beijing wife—she’d be a "modern woman of the city"—how wonderful!
But now, her son Zhao Jianguo was actually saying he didn't want to be with Jiang Hongmei anymore. Wouldn't that mean her wish couldn't be fulfilled? She hurriedly steadied herself and began to persuade him.
"Jianguo! The conditions you just told your father—aren't you just describing Hongmei?"
She covered her mouth with a smile, patted her son’s shoulder, and said earnestly, "That girl is a bit proud, but who can blame her? She’s pretty and her family background is good.
"As a man, why don't you just indulge her? Why are you talking about switching people at the slightest disagreement? Isn't that just being a rascal?"
"Bah! Shut your mouth, woman! What nonsense are you blathering about?"
Zhao Qiancheng glared at his wife and cut her off. He didn’t know what kind of character she had? She just thought that because someone was from Beijing, they were automatically superior.
Did she even have a brain? If that Jiang Hongmei were truly that good, would Gu Yu, as destitute as he was, not be clinging to her for dear life?
Others might not see it, thinking that boy and Jiang Hongmei were close, but he saw it clearly: Gu Yu and her weren't even as close as she was with that Shen fellow.
Besides, they say a man should marry a virtuous wife. This Jiang Hongmei looked kind and sensible, but in reality, she was a troublemaker with the brain of a pig.
Look at the Educated Youth Point—out of ten arguments, nine were caused by her mischief and loose tongue; the other one happened when she wasn't even there.
How could someone like that be worthy of his eldest son? His wife was just incredibly short-sighted.