Chapter 63 Yu Jiajia went back to sleep...
Yu Jiajia slept soundly after going back to bed, and when she opened her eyes again it was already midday. She had slept so soundly that she didn't know where she was for a moment. She just stared blankly at the top of the mosquito net for a while before she finally woke up completely.
She slowly sat up in bed, pulled the thin blanket over herself, tidied her messy hair and the rolled-up hem of her clothes, then put on her leather shoes, got out of bed, and reached out to pull back the curtains, letting in a burst of sunlight.
She opened the door and stepped out of the room. The glaring sunlight shone on her, making her feel hot. She looked at the boy practicing boxing in the yard.
Yu Songchuan was practicing the same style of boxing that Cheng Xiuying used to do. His punches were fierce and sharp, making a clear sound as they cut through the air, unlike what one would expect from a thirteen-year-old boy. The sun was scorching, but he didn't care, completely absorbed in the action. Beads of sweat rolled down his taut jawline, soaking his clothes.
Seeing Yu Jiajia open the door and come out, he abruptly stopped his stance, his gaze still sharp as when he practiced boxing, like a young tiger lurking in the forest, wild and untamed. But he quickly smiled, returning to his usual sunny and cheerful self. He pulled up the corner of his clothes to wipe his face and rushed to Yu Jiajia in a few steps: "Fourth Sister, are you thirsty? Are you hungry? Shall we have some noodles?"
Yu Jiajia pulled a towel from the rope, wet it, and helped Yu Songchuan wipe away the sweat from his face and head. "It's so hot, aren't you afraid of the heat?"
Yu Songchuan bent over, letting Yu Jiajia wipe his face, grinning from ear to ear, "Thank you, Fourth Sister! I'm not afraid of the heat at all, I can train all day!"
Yu Jiajia wiped his face and then draped a towel around his neck. "Take a shower and change your clothes. You stink. I'll get you a glass of water."
Yu Songchuan chuckled, sniffed, and deliberately moved closer to Yu Jiajia, "Does it smell? No, it doesn't!"
Yu Jiajia covered her nose and said, "Go take a shower." She went back to her room and made two cups of orange juice, one for each of them.
Yu Songchuan finished washing his hair and taking a shower in a few minutes, changed his clothes, and ran back. When he saw Ju Zijing, he was overjoyed. "Fourth Sister, when I become a high-ranking official, I'll give you all the good things in the world." He then added, "Yesterday I found a pair of gold bracelets. They're round and heavy, probably weighing about half a pound. I've hidden them for now! In a while, I'll take you to see the bracelets, and you can hide them somewhere else."
Yu Jiajia was delighted: "Really? You're such a good brother! We can each have one bracelet, so we don't need to change where we hide them. You can hide them safely."
Yu Songchuan was delighted to be trusted like this, and his fourth sister was so kind to leave him one of the bracelets. He said, "I have other bracelets, so I'll give them all to my fourth sister." He then added, "Fourth sister, don't tell Mom everything. Only the two of us know about this bracelet."
Yu Jiajia: "I'll listen to Songchuan and promise not to tell anyone. I also got some good stuff yesterday, but Mom said she'll hide it for me first. When she returns it to me, I'll let you pick one!"
"Thank you, Fourth Sister." Yu Songchuan tilted his head back and finished the orange juice in one gulp. He then ate two pieces of pastry to tide him over before the siblings prepared lunch.
Cheng Xiuying left some noodles and half a pound of ham for us. The vegetables were all in the jar, so we could eat as much as we wanted.
It was only because Yu Jiajia was at home that Cheng Xiuying was willing to keep so many hams!
Yu Jiajia: "Let's have zha jiang mian (noodles with soybean paste). It's hot, and zha jiang mian is refreshing."
Yu Songchuan was very happy to agree. He said, "Fourth Sister, it's hot in the kitchen. You sit outside and I'll chop the vegetables."
Yu Jiajia didn't go out. She used a palm-leaf fan to fan the two of them. Yu Songchuan cut half a pound of ham into strips, blanched bean sprouts and spinach, and shredded cucumber. After the noodles were cooked, they were rinsed with cold water, and the Zhajiangmian (noodles with soybean paste) was ready.
Yu Jiajia first served herself half a bowl of noodles, and then gave the rest to Yu Songchuan. She added a large spoonful of mushroom and meat sauce, and then topped it with shredded ham, bean sprouts, spinach, and cucumber. After mixing it well, she started eating.
On such a hot day, eating a bowl of refreshing noodles with minced meat sauce is true happiness.
Yu Songchuan: "Fourth sister, let me add some more for you, so you don't go hungry."
"That's enough!" Yu Jiajia had been sleeping all morning and hadn't used any energy, so she wasn't hungry. Half a bowl of noodles was enough, and there were still so many vegetables left.
Yu Songchuan didn't stand on ceremony and started slurping down the noodles. The noodles were coated with meat sauce, shredded ham, and various vegetables. Such a big bite was so satisfying. One bowl of noodles wasn't enough for him, so he poured the rest of Yu Jiajia's noodles into his own bowl and ate two steamed buns before stopping.
He slumped in his chair, clutching his stomach and grinning foolishly, oh, this wonderful and fulfilling life!
Yu Jiajia: "Go wash the dishes, I'll treat you to a popsicle!"
Yu Songchuan cleaned up the dishes, and the siblings went to the supply and marketing cooperative to buy popsicles. Of course, before that, Yu Jiajia had to go to the toilet. Yu Songchuan stood guard outside, not too far away, so that he could hear anything happening in the toilet.
Zhu Jinsong and his group have all been arrested, but that's only the surface; who knows what else might be happening in the shadows?
From the cave to Zhu Jingsong's downfall, Yu Jiajia was a key figure. If enemy agents found out, they would probably want to kill Yu Jiajia first.
Of course, these are all worst-case scenarios; Yu Songchuan hopes that all enemy agents in Qingshan County have been eliminated.
When the siblings arrived at the supply and marketing cooperative, each of them got a cream popsicle and a bottle of chilled soda.
Since they needed to return the soda bottles, the siblings didn't go too far. They drank the soda under the shade of a nearby tree before returning the bottles.
Yu Jiajia: "Let's go take a look at the county committee."
She was worried about Xia's mother's situation and didn't know what would happen next.
Outside the county committee compound, the place was still bustling with people, and the queue stretched out from the entrance of the compound, forming a long line that seemed to have no end.
Those who were anxious, indignant, or clinging to the last glimmer of hope were all crammed into these four ever-growing queues.
Now, not only people from Qingshan County, but also people from other counties, are trekking through mountains and rivers, walking dozens of miles to report the inhumane behavior of the Revolutionary Committee cadres. They used to have grievances they dared not speak out about and nowhere to seek redress, but now they finally have a place to appeal.
The porridge and steamed buns made from two kinds of flour are still available in the big pot at the entrance of the compound, with a limit of one serving per person.
Yu Jiajia didn't dare to listen to their grievances; there were too many tragedies in this era.
Yu Jiajia and Yu Songchuan went straight into the compound to find an acquaintance.
Yu Songchuan ran up to a soldier: "Brother Xu Li, where's Brother Yuanzheng?"
Xu Li said, "We're having a meeting in the conference room. Please wait a bit."
Yu Jiajia and Yu Songchuan wandered around the yard for about half an hour. He Yuanzheng came over with a serious expression, but smiled when he saw Yu Jiajia and her brother.
Yu Songchuan: "Brother Yuanzheng, are you guys managing? Do you need my help?"
He Yuanzheng patted Yu Songchuan's head: "Just focus on your studies."
Yu Songchuan secretly regretted that he was too young. If he were ten years older, He Yuanzheng would be out of the picture, and he would be the leader of the Military Control Commission.
He Yuanzheng said, "We already have a lead on that fake beggar. We should be able to find him by tomorrow at the latest. We'll definitely be able to find Xiao Lü."
"Thank you!" Yu Jiajia asked, "Brother Yuanzheng, have Uncle Xia and Wantang's bodies been found?"
He Yuanzheng was taken aback by Yu Jiajia's question. He paused for a moment, then said gravely, "The body is still being searched for."
The approximate location of Xia Mowen's body has been determined, and a search is underway. Xia Wantang's body, however, is much harder to find. Hu Jinshui, who was responsible for disposing of the body, is dead, and the others do not know the exact location of Xia Wantang's remains.
Now all we can do is search the mountains and fields for the Revolutionary Committee's dumping sites.
Xia's mother also joined the search.
He Yuanzheng didn't know if this was a good thing or not. Now, this was the only thing keeping Xia's mother hanging on. After Xia Mowen and Xia Wantang's bodies were found, Xia's mother probably wouldn't want to live anymore. She just wanted the three of them to be buried together.
But he didn't know whether living was good or bad. Perhaps it was good, because that's where the hope lay.
Yu Jiajia was very disappointed, and her shoulders slumped: "They're still looking? Was Uncle Xia wronged? Are all the comrades marked with a red line in the notebook gone?"
Lu Chenzhou walked over and overheard this. He was silent for a moment before answering in an extremely heavy tone: "Most of them are gone. Some comrades have been sent down to remote farms, and soldiers have been arranged to pick them up."
Yu Jiajia sighed, "Chen Siwei deserves to die, Zhu Jingsong deserves to die."
Lu Chenzhou changed the subject: "Didn't you go to work today?"
Yu Jiajia said listlessly, "The factory manager gave us a day off."
Lu Chenzhou: "Since there's nothing else, let's go to the Great Hall of the People together."
Several armed soldiers stood guard outside the Great Hall of the People. On the rostrum, portraits and badges of the Chairman and a sculpture of the Premier were neatly arranged.
They were all moved from the Zhu family.
Lu Chenzhou picked up the portrait scroll, carefully opened it, and examined it closely. "Shen Siwei is an enemy agent. His parents are Japanese. After Japan surrendered, his father left with the army, but his mother couldn't keep up and was left behind in China, raising Shen Siwei alone. A few years ago, the mother and son made contact with other enemy agents. Shen Siwei joined the Revolutionary Committee, turned Zhu Jingsong against the revolution, and began killing senior intellectuals in Qingshan County. But Zhu Jingsong denies it. He admits to being greedy and lustful, but refuses to admit he's an enemy agent. The Zhu family is too clean; they have nothing, and the Revolutionary Committee has nothing."
Yu Jiajia listened attentively and said, "Zhu Jingsong hid all the gold in the toilet. When the Xu family found the gold, they were criticized and denounced. Others probably found it too. At that time, several toilets were collapsed by people climbing on them."
Yu Songchuan: "Grandma Xu dropped gold into the toilet twice while looking for it. Everyone suspected there was gold in the toilet. Who would have thought that Zhu Jingsong could actually hide gold in the toilet! I didn't believe it at first."
Lu Chenzhou: "...The quantity is not enough. Zhu Jingsong confiscated the wealth of landlords in Qingshan County and almost all the gold and silver in Qingshan County were in his hands." He stared intently at the portrait. The afternoon sun slanted in and fell on the painting. In an instant, the whole painting seemed to be injected with life. He exclaimed, "This portrait is mixed with gold powder."
Yu Jiajia curiously leaned closer. She had never seen a painting painted with gold powder before. The painting shimmered in the sunlight, sparkling with an almost sacred radiance. She carefully touched it: "Could there be a treasure map on this?"
Everyone: ...
The air suddenly became quiet.
The three of them turned their heads in unison, their gazes all landing on Yu Jiajia's face.
Yu Songchuan: "Fourth sister, you really dare to think big."
Lu Chenzhou: "Where do you think the treasure map is?"
Yu Jiajia: "...I'm just making a bold guess."
Lu Chenzhou: "Then guess again."
Yu Jiajia thought for a moment and said, "If you heat it with fire, the secret writing will become scorched and visible. If you apply a chemical solution, the writing will change color. Or you can soak it in water? Could the sunlight here be some kind of code? Aren't the buttons on the Chairman's clothes quite unique?"
Of course, the methods I just mentioned—fire roasting, chemical treatment, and water soaking—are all for inanimate objects like paper and ink, and should never be used on such sacred portraits.”
Everyone thought in unison that a true Chinese person would never show the slightest disrespect for this portrait.
What about enemy agents?
Lu Chenzhou's eyes darkened: "You're right."
Everyone looked at it carefully for a while, but couldn't see anything wrong with it. Burning, applying medicine, or soaking it in water were absolutely out of the question. Just thinking about these ideas was terrifying.
Anyone who dares to do this will ruin their future and will face severe criticism and struggle sessions.
Unless it was done personally by the Chairman, or with the Chairman's permission.
Everyone then carefully examined the other badges and the Premier's sculpture. Six of the badges contained gold, weighing a total of three or four kilograms. As for the Premier's sculpture, it was weighed and tested with a metal detector, and everything appeared normal.
Everyone treated these things with utmost care, their movements filled with reverence, determined not to cause the slightest damage.
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