Chapter 22

He He didn't want to speak, so she leaned against Zheng Xinxin and closed her eyes.

Liu Sansao was originally looking at He He, thinking that she was cute and would be easy to talk to and gentle, but who knew that this little girl would just close her eyes.

Liu Sansao was unwilling to give up, so she shifted her gaze to Zheng Xinxin and said, "Comrades, do you look down on us rural women? Why don't you respond when I try to chat with you?"

Zheng Xinxin swallowed her embarrassment and said, "No, it's nothing. We just came to the county town to buy some things after the harvest season ended yesterday."

She couldn't figure out what Liu Sansao was up to, given her unsolicited kindness.

Liu Sansao's eyes darted around, and she quickly reached out to lift the cloth covering Zheng Xinxin's basket. Before Zheng Xinxin could react, a corner of it was actually lifted by her.

Zheng Xinxin: "Sister-in-law, what are you doing? Why didn't you say anything before you started taking over our things?"

Looking at the meat in the basket, Liu Sansao swallowed hard. Goodness, this educated youth is really rich! He's already bought pork, and such a big piece at that. It must weigh at least a pound.

They could only eat pork once a year, while the educated youth had a good life.

The brigade leader also said that we should take good care of these educated youths, but looking at it this way, it's not necessary at all, since the educated youths are much richer than the rest of the brigade.

It's truly pitiful that they gave up the brigade's food rations to feed these educated youth who had no worries about food and drink, causing each family to receive a significant amount less grain during the harvest season.

Liu Sansao was indignant, but she still pretended to be friendly, "Oh my, you bought such a big piece of pork! Life is really getting better. This pork looks delicious."

As soon as Liu Sansao finished speaking, several aunties around her turned their eyes to the basket in Zheng Xinxin's hand.

Zheng Xinxin quickly covered the basket, "There are many of us educated youth, one bite per person and it's gone. It's not as exaggerated as Auntie said, just a few ounces of pork."

Liu Sansao glanced sideways, then winked at the aunt next to her, gesturing with her hand, "It's a big piece now, I'm not mistaken."

Hearing Liu Sansao's malicious words, He He was wide awake and stared at Liu Sansao. "If I didn't see wrong, I didn't see wrong. We did buy some meat. Why are you exaggerating like this, sister-in-law? It's like you've never eaten meat before."

Liu Sansao choked for a moment, then immediately retorted, "Who hasn't eaten meat?"

He He: "Sister-in-law, you're making such a fuss. I really thought you'd never eaten meat before."

"Who cares about your little bit of meat?" Liu Sansao didn't expect He He to be so difficult to talk to, her words were so sarcastic and pointed, making it seem like she had offended them.

“Sister-in-law’s family must eat meat often, so they definitely wouldn’t care about our little bit of meat.” He He wanted to roll her eyes. If Sister-in-law Liu really didn’t care about their meat, why was she staring at it so intently?

The women around her laughed at He He's words, wondering if the young woman was doing it on purpose.

Everyone in the brigade knew that Liu Sansao's family was poor and couldn't afford meat all year round. Even the pork distributed by the brigade during the Spring Festival had to be exchanged for rice. Only Liu Sansao was still trying to save face.

Liu Sansao was also a pitiful person. She didn't understand the situation of the Liu family and married into such a lazy family. The Liu family was crooked from top to bottom. The old man was not upright. He was lazy and didn't work when he was young, leaving all the work to Liu Pozi.

The two sons below were both lazy, and the youngest son was even worse. He went to gamble in the neighboring brigade and got beaten up when he came back. He still has injuries on his body.

The Liu family's two married daughters are doing better, but they still occasionally suffer from the burdens of their maternal families.

Liu Sansao was such a hardworking and capable woman, but she was driven to such a state that when she saw others having delicious food, she couldn't wait to rush over and lick it.

Even Uncle Liu, who was sitting in front tending the ox, didn't want to talk to this family. Uncle Liu was a cousin of the Liu family. If even a cousin didn't want to talk to them, you can imagine how disliked the Liu family was.

Liu Sansao was so full of anger that she didn't want to talk anymore. Wang, who was next to her, changed the subject and asked her, "Cuifen, how is your husband doing? A while ago, he and those two from the Zhou family were still arguing in the brigade about going to the next brigade to take revenge. How did it go? I haven't heard anyone say anything about it."

Liu Sansao gets annoyed whenever others mention her younger brother-in-law, who is always causing trouble for the family.

Fortunately, the gambling den in the neighboring brigade was shut down by the police, and the ringleader of the gambling operation has disappeared. My brother-in-law and his cronies couldn't find him and couldn't get revenge, which saved them a lot of trouble.

If they really find someone to teach us a lesson, it will be even harder to handle. What kind of good people can run a casino? We don't want to create a whole bunch of trouble before we even resolve this.

His parents don't care, and as his sister-in-law, she can't control him either. Liu Sansao said irritably, "Who knows him? He's a good-for-nothing all day long."

Liu Sansao was unwilling to speak, and Wang Saozi remained silent.

Another aunt on the oxcart spoke up mysteriously: "The gambling den in the next brigade was raided by the police again. It was a huge group of people. I heard that when the city leaders came down to inspect, these people got into a gunfight."

"The people who led the organization will be taken to the shooting range, and those who are caught will be sent to the quarry for labor reform. They probably won't come back. Even the brigade leader and secretary of the next brigade won't escape. If the supervision is not strict, they will be dismissed. The commune leaders will all suffer."

After saying that, the aunt became serious again, "You must not tell anyone about this, the verdict hasn't been announced yet."

My aunt's son returned from military service and worked for the county government. No one doubted what she said.

Everyone was taken aback.

"Is it that serious?"

"They've really messed up this time."

"Serves them right. Who told them to undermine socialism? It's a miracle they weren't all shot."

Liu Sansao lowered her head and didn't speak. So it was that serious. That's good. Her brother-in-law can't cause any more trouble. She thought to herself, her brother-in-law is really lucky. How come he wasn't arrested too? He escaped again.

He He and Zheng Xinxin looked at each other, both seeing disbelief in each other's eyes.

The Forward Brigade is located in Guangming County, which is surrounded by mountains and is remote and isolated. The only good thing is that the mountains and water are good, the soil is fertile, and as long as there are no major disasters or droughts, we can have enough to eat.

But precisely because of its isolation, it was difficult for the authorities to control the area. As a result, He He had witnessed many illegal and disorderly acts since she went to the countryside.

However, the higher-ups also conduct inspections frequently, coming once every six months. Sometimes, it's even provincial leaders who come. The timing of their visits is basically fixed, but this year they probably caught us off guard, which is why those people from the neighboring brigade were caught.

He He felt a sense of great satisfaction; these lawbreakers should all be taken to the shooting range.

The oxcart swayed and rattled back to the forward brigade.

He He and Zheng Xinxin returned to the educated youth settlement with large and small bags on their backs. There was no one there; everyone must have gone out during their holiday.

He He put the pastries away and went to the woodshed to lend a hand.

He He walked into the woodshed. "I'm here, I'm here! Is there anything I can help you with?"

"I can handle this all by myself. Just wait and see how delicious my stuffed green peppers are! I'm going to show off my skills tonight." Zheng Xinxin rinsed the pork and placed it on the cutting board.

He He peeked out: "Are you sure you don't need to?"

Zheng Xinxin affirmed, "Really, you don't need to! Go back and lie down! Your legs must be tired after walking for so long."

He He wasn't a persistent person. Zheng Xinxin told her she didn't need her, and she immediately went back to her room and closed the door, leaving her alone in the room.

She paced back and forth, unsure of what to do. This was typical of her when she suddenly had some free time. She looked around, glancing left and right, even taking a look at the rooftop for a while.

Suddenly remembering something, He He looked out the window. No one was there. She squatted down, pulled out her suitcase, and rustled as she lifted the layers of clothing on top, taking out the bottom short jacket. She then lifted the folded jacket to reveal a lake-blue shirt underneath, and unfolded it to reveal a small, thick book.

She quickly stuffed the book under the cotton pad, repacked her luggage, rolled up the cotton pad, picked up the book, and ran to the bed in a flash.

She found this book at a black market bookstall; it was a handwritten copy of *Jin Ping Mei*. She bought it for one yuan. The stall owner boldly displayed it and told her that the book was very good and that she had never read it before. Persuaded by the stall owner, she boldly bought it.

When she got it back, she realized it was a book she had never seen before. Her face flushed as she read it. Now that no one was around, she wanted to read it again.

She was completely absorbed in the book, when Li Baiyun's hearty laughter jolted her awake. She immediately jumped out of bed, pulled out her suitcase, and tried to hide it.

When Li Baiyun and Chen Jingyi came in, He He hadn't covered herself with her clothes yet, so she pretended to rummage through things.

Li Baiyun looked at He He, who was squatting on the ground, and asked her, "Hey He, what are you doing squatting on the ground? Where is Zheng Xinxin?"

He He turned around and looked up: "Oh, she's cooking in the woodshed. I'm looking for something."

She pulled her suitcase to the back, stood up, walked to the table, took out the peach shortbread she had bought that day, and shared it with Li Baiyun and Chen Jingyi.

Chen Jingyi and Li Baiyun tried to refuse, but He He shoved the food into their hands, saying, "Just eat it, it's delicious."

Since He He had already said that, they couldn't be coy anymore and accepted the peach shortbread.

Li Baiyun took a bite, and the crispy, fragrant aroma filled the air. "It's delicious! Thank you, Xiao He."

"Don't be so polite." He He looked at Chen Jingyi again, her eyes practically brimming with anticipation: "Jingyi, what do you think?"

Her eyes sparkled. Being looked at like that, Chen Jingyi paused for a moment, then said gently, "It tastes very good. I haven't eaten anything so delicious in a long time."

He He's lips parted slightly in surprise, but then she remembered that Chen Jingyi's family was not well-off, and she immediately understood. So she patted her chest and said generously, "It's nothing. I'll treat you to meals often in the future. Don't be shy. We're good friends."

Not only was Chen Jingyi surprised, but Li Baiyun was also quite taken aback. When had He He ever spoken like this before? It was quite unusual for them.

He He thought of Li Baiyun beside her, and looked at her again, saying, "Of course, I won't forget your Sister Baiyun either."

Li Baiyun nearly choked and coughed lightly.

He He said doubtfully, "You're such a grown-up, how come you eat like a child? You're so careless! Be careful, I won't be responsible if you choke on my food."

Hearing the last sentence, Li Baiyun finally got used to it and said to He He, "It was so delicious that I couldn't resist taking a big bite."

At dinner time, the aroma of meat filled the entire dining hall.

Cheng Sulin's mouth was practically watering as she stared longingly at He He. "Auntie, let me have some too. It smells so good! I want to try some too."

Since everyone knew that He He was his aunt, he no longer hid it and openly called He He his aunt in front of everyone.

He He ignored him; she only had two pieces in her bowl, how could she possibly share them with Cheng Sulin?

Cheng Surin persisted, "Auntie~ I want to eat meat too."

He He looked up and stared at him coldly: "No, I won't give it to you. I only have two yuan."

Cheng Surin: "I see there are still four or five pieces left in the woodshed. Could you give me one of those?"

The woodshed contained food that she and Xin Xin were going to eat for lunch tomorrow. How could she possibly give a piece to Cheng Sulin? He He insisted, "No, if you want to eat, make it yourself."

Cheng Surin looked pitiful and pointed at the braised pork in He He's bowl: "How could you do this to me? I just shared some braised pork with you."

He He picked up the braised pork from the bowl and was about to return it to Cheng Surin, saying, "Then take it back, I don't want it."

At noon, she and Xin Xin also ordered braised pork at the state-run restaurant. It was a whole plateful, but she was already tired of it and really didn't like the pork that Cheng Surin brought back from the state-run restaurant.

When Cheng Surin saw that He He was really going to take the food back, he quickly said, "Never mind, I won't eat it, okay? Just eat the braised pork I gave you, don't keep taking it from me."

He has already divided the spoils among everyone. If He He really takes them back, who knows how He He will belittle him in the future.

The other educated youths found it somewhat amusing to watch Cheng Surin and He He bickering; they had never noticed Cheng Surin's childish side before.

Cheng Surin looked at Zheng Xinxin.

Zheng Xinxin felt uncomfortable under his gaze, thinking he wanted the stuffed green peppers in her bowl. Just as she was thinking about how to refuse, she heard Cheng Sulin say, "Zheng Xinxin, I'm going to buy meat tomorrow too. Can you help me make it when I get back? I'll give you 50 cents for labor."

Zheng Xinxin raised an eyebrow, somewhat surprised, but quickly agreed: "Sure."

Fifty cents is a lot of money. She wouldn't refuse to make money, especially since it's just cooking, such a simple thing. She can make a lot of money with just five cents.

Chen Jingbai returned, looking travel-worn, halfway through the meal.

He He, with her sharp eyes, noticed the red powder on his body.

Chen Jingbai must have gone to the black market again.

Cheng Surin: "Jing Bai is back! Go eat! Your sister has put the food in the pot to heat up. There's some braised pork I brought back in it. It smells so good. Eat it while it's hot."

Cheng Surin is very affectionate towards his younger brother Chen Jingbai; Chen Jingyi's younger brother is his younger brother too.

Chen Jingbai nodded and said sincerely, "Thank you."

He passed the dining table, went into the woodshed, and brought out the still-warm food, on which were two pieces of braised pork with a good balance of fat and lean meat, which looked delicious.

The braised pork belly has a lot of broth, which soaks into the rice, giving it its color. Mixing the rice with the broth makes even bland rice taste delicious.

The last time I ate braised pork was in April, and it was also brought back by Cheng Surin.

He was very grateful to Cheng Surin for giving him and his sister a lot of warmth.

Many times, when his father was hospitalized with a back injury and his mother was sick, and he and his sister couldn't raise the money, Cheng Surin was always willing to lend them money.

So, before he knew that Cheng Surin and He He were related, he thought that if He He truly liked Cheng Surin, he would bless them.

But now they are family, sharing the same blood. Knowing that He He and Cheng Surin are related, he breathed a sigh of relief and no longer needed to worry about He He's insincerity.

He He is sincere, and he can reciprocate with sincerity.

Now all he needs to do is wait for He He's answer. It doesn't matter if she backs down; he can wait, as long as she is sincere.

But now, he seems a little impatient; he wants to ask her if she has made up her mind.