059 Good news one, two, three
Grandpa Li and Grandma Hua's happy event seemed to set a precedent for their neighbors in Ginkgo Alley, and one happy event after another followed.
There were too many happy events in the other courtyards to mention, but just in courtyards number two and three, there were several.
One of the happy events:
After years of persistent efforts to bring her youngest son to the city, Aunt Xie finally succeeded this year.
Guan Yuehe was cracking sunflower seeds with a clatter, and couldn't stand the old men and women finally getting to the point, only to dodge the conversation back to something else, so she quickly brought the conversation back on track:
"Xie Zhenxing married a city girl. Who is she? Is she also from Ginkgo Alley?"
"You wouldn't know her even if I told you. She's a widowed woman from the tractor factory. She's a bit older than Xie Zhenxing, but she doesn't have any children yet. Xie Zhenxing married her and is able to get government-subsidized grain rations."
Before speaking, Guan Yuehe glanced around at the elderly people under the tree, making sure Aunt Xie wasn't there, before asking, "What's that woman after?"
What's the point?
A group of people can tell several versions of the story.
For a moment, she didn't know whether to sympathize with the woman who had to get married to escape her ex-husband's family, or to be glad that although she had gotten married to escape that family, at least she had a job and some money.
"We don't know if things will get better or worse in the future, but it won't be any worse than before." Aunt Zhao raised her chin toward the No. 3 courtyard and sneered, "Aunt Xie still wants to control people, but who knows who will be controlling whom in the future."
Too.
Aunt Xie is quite shrewd, but when it comes to actually doing something, she's really useless. She's not even in a fight or a quarrel, and if she wants to show off to her eldest daughter-in-law Liu Axiu, she only dares to say a few words in private.
Guan Yuehe was quite curious about how Aunt Xie had managed to save up such a huge sum of two hundred yuan.
But Aunt Xie's house was quiet and peaceful. Liu Axiu didn't cause any trouble, and no matter how curious outsiders were, they couldn't understand it.
And the second happy event:
Zhang Chaonan and Hao Daren finally got their marriage certificate.
They've got their marriage certificate, but there's still no definite answer as to when they'll hold the wedding banquet.
Zhang Chaonan still goes home to sleep every day, and Hao Daren also goes back to his own home.
The fact that they got the marriage certificate made everyone feel a little unreal: were they really a normal couple living their lives?
"Second Aunt, are your Chao Nan and Hao Daren married or not?"
Auntie Er was just smiling and thanking Auntie, but now, upon hearing this, her face immediately fell, and she said angrily, "As long as Hao Daren hasn't moved into our house, they're not considered married!"
That's really stubborn.
Zhang Chaonan and Hao Daren get along quite well, only their parents are being stubborn.
Guan Yuehe was too embarrassed to tell her second aunt that she went back to school last Sunday to visit her teachers and saw Zhang Chaonan and Hao Daren enter a guesthouse.
They were quite clever; they knew they couldn't go to the car factory's guesthouse, nor could they go to any guesthouse near Changhu Street.
"Can we still order coal briquettes from your eldest son-in-law this year?"
After the unpleasant incident involving her family's house, Zhang Caihong didn't set foot in Ginkgo Alley for two whole years. The neighbors in Courtyard No. 2 also stopped being able to "pull strings" to order coal briquettes from the coal yard.
But recently, the relationship seems to have improved, and Zhang Caihong has brought her husband and children back to visit Uncle Zhang and Aunt Zhang.
"We'll see when the time comes," Auntie Er said, not giving a straight answer.
As everyone can see, the relationship has not been completely resolved.
Besides the happy events in the Xie and Erda families, there were also happy events in the Zhao and Guan Yuehe families.
Cao Lili, Lin Yufeng, and Wu Lanxiang, the eldest daughter-in-law of Aunt Bai, are all pregnant again.
Guan Yuehe didn't know if this could be considered a happy event, as she found pregnancy quite tiring.
Moreover, as soon as her sister-in-law spread the news of her pregnancy, people from the Women's Federation of the automobile factory came to her door to do ideological work, advising her brother and sister-in-law that three children were enough, with both sons and daughters, and that it would be best to have a tubal ligation after giving birth to this child.
After visiting the Guan family, the Women's Federation members also went to Courtyard No. 2 to find Cao Lili and Wu Lanxiang and explain to them what the current advocacy of "fewer births and better births" means.
Wu Lanxiang listened obediently, but didn't say she wouldn't have any more children after this one.
Cao Lili was very obedient to advice, partly because her first child was a son, which she felt was a way of giving the Chang family peace of mind, so she wouldn't feel pressured to have any more children, whether they were boys or girls.
He immediately said that after this child was born, Chang Zhengyi would have his tubal ligation done. With two children, they could take over their jobs when they grew up, and no one would have to worry about going to the countryside.
As for why Chang Zhengyi was chosen to undergo sterilization, Cao Lili had a long-term perspective: "I heard that after sterilization, one cannot have children. Women can control their own desires, but it's hard to say about men. It's safer for him to undergo sterilization."
Guan Yuehe felt that Cao Lili was a rare woman with an exceptionally clear mind in the entire Ginkgo Hutong.
But the women's federation at this car factory is really something. If they're here to do ideological work with the women, why are they making up these random role models?
Now, Xu Xiaomei is an outstanding representative of "late marriage and late childbirth" that the Women's Federation of Wuxing Automobile Factory is focusing on promoting.
It is said that Xu Xiaomei was so angry that she took a stick to the Women's Federation to demand an explanation, asking them if they were implying that she would never be able to get married.
Guan Yuehe guessed that the staff of the Women's Federation didn't think that way, but she could understand why Xu Xiaomei was angry.
"What?" Aunt Zhao said she hadn't thought things through. "Little Xu is very shrewd!"
"How so?"
"Xu Xiaomei made a scene at the Women's Federation all morning. Director Wen asked her what she wanted to do to calm down, and she said she wanted the Women's Federation to introduce her to Comrade Zhao from the Technical Section for a blind date."
Guan Yuehe: "......"
Who said Xu Xiaomei is mentally ill? Isn't she quite smart?
She said that Zhao Youtong's appearance and temperament were exactly the type that Xu Xiaomei liked.
Has the Women's Federation introduced it?
"She introduced herself. Xu Xiaomei dressed up all morning before leaving the house, and even borrowed a new coat from my Xiang Hong." Aunt Bai looked in the direction leading to the main street outside. "I wonder how things are going. Comrade Zhao from the technical department is really quite good, what a pity."
"What's a pity? Do you want him to be seen with your Xiang Hong?"
Aunt Bai spat several times, looking very annoyed, and said, "Our Xiang Hong is only eighteen years old. Only a fool would get married so early!"
Guan Yuehe sat at the entrance of the alley for a whole morning, and learned almost everything that happened in the alley.
Of course, she must have been the subject of much gossip among the older folks behind her back, but today she's sitting confidently in the middle, so who would be foolish enough to speak ill of her to her face?
That evening, Lin Sitian came over to bring her steamed buns. Guan Yuehe took them, looked down and smelled them. "Ugh, they smell sour."
Lin Sitian said she was being mischievous again, "Are you jealous? Then you should go and try dating someone too."
Guan Yuehe ignored her words, took a bite of the bun, her eyes lit up, and said with certainty, "This definitely wasn't bought from that state-run restaurant in Changhu Street."
The original head chef of the state-run restaurant in Changhu Street was actually assigned to clean toilets. After a new head chef was appointed, Guan Yuehe never went to that state-run restaurant to buy food again.
"You're such a picky eater."
Lin Sitian remembered something else, "My brother said he found someone to exchange two military overcoats for one. He'll send them back next month. He'll give one to my mom, and the family can keep track of the other one and give it to relatives or friends. My mom asked me to come and ask you, do you want it?"
"Yes!" Guan Yuehe agreed without hesitation.
Then I felt something was off. "Aunt Fang asked my mom, and my mom didn't want it?"
Given the twenty-year friendship between Aunt Fang and her mother, she would definitely think of her mother first, not her, when good things happen.
Lin Sitian was taken aback by the question, and she wasn't quite sure either. "Never mind, anyway, my mom told me to ask you. If you want it, then you can have it."
"Mmm!" Guan Yuehe was so happy that she couldn't help but fawn over him, "Our brother has so many connections."
Now it was Lin Sitian's turn to groan in disgust.
Lin Sitian got up and glanced outside the door. The Zhao family next door and the Song family across the street were eating inside. She then sat back down and whispered, "My brother wrote that the leaders want to recommend him to study at a military academy for two years. After he finishes his studies, he may be transferred back to the military region in Beijing."
"Really?" Guan Yuehe exclaimed in surprise, then said happily, "Our brother really got transferred back! Aunt Fang and Uncle Lin will have less to worry about now. When are you going for further studies?"
"I'm not going until August next year, and I can still go home to visit my family in July." Lin Sitian covered her mouth and chuckled. "My mom was afraid that my brother was just making up an excuse to stop the family from introducing him to potential partners, so she specifically called his military unit to ask before she believed it."
“My mom isn’t in a hurry at all now. She turns down all the people who come to introduce potential partners to her, saying that she doesn’t care if she waits another two years. When my brother comes back, she’ll let him find a partner on his own.”
Guan Yuehe thought of the letters her roommates wrote to her, in which they would ask: "When is our neighbor's brother getting married?"
The next reply came: The neighbor's older brother is not expected to be able to get married within the next two years.
"hey-hey."
Guan Yuehe couldn't help but laugh when she thought about this.
—
"snort!"
The next morning, when Guan Yuehe was yawning as she went out to use the restroom, she was inexplicably glared at by Xu Xiaomei, who also angrily snorted at her twice.
She decided to take back her idea from yesterday; Xu Xiaomei just wasn't thinking straight!
I went to dinner at No. 3 Courtyard that night, and Xu Xiaomei snorted at me again.
Before Guan Yuehe could even ask someone for clarification, Guan Aiguo answered her question: "Her blind date with Technician Zhao didn't work out."
"It's not like this is the first time she's failed at a deal, so why is she grumbling at me?"
Guan Aiguo knew the answer but wisely kept quiet: Of course it's because she doesn't like you.
This situation only lasted for a day. Xu Xiaomei then snorted at Guan Yuehe again, and without saying a word, Guan Yuehe grabbed a stick and chased her all over the alley, making her howl as she ran.
Guan Yuehe deliberately ran fast and slow at different times. Xu Xiaomei ran behind and didn't get hit, but her legs were so weak from running. Xu Xiaomei was both angry and scared, and didn't dare to whimper anymore.
Guan Yuehe displayed her prowess once again in the alley, reminding the neighbors that she was once a fierce woman who dared to fight thugs with her bare hands. They tacitly refrained from speaking ill of her behind her back.
but......
The way adults used to scold children in the alleyways has changed.
It used to be: I'll have Officer Song come and arrest you!
Now it's: I'll have Guan Yuehe deal with you!
Guan Yuehe would occasionally chime in with, "Who needs to clean up?"
Upon hearing this, both adults and children fell silent.
Lin Sitian wrote about this in a letter to Ding Xuewen and Lin Yiku, and she would laugh for a long time every time she wrote it.
Guan Yuehe knew without asking that she would definitely mention this when she was on a date with Zhou Jinghang.
The ginkgo trees have lost all their leaves, and with 1973 drawing to a close, every household is busy stocking up on essential supplies for the winter.
Guan Yuehe brought back a truckload of coal briquettes and went to the black market with the elderly folks, where she stocked up on an extra bag of apples. She displayed them alongside the ones her second brother and sister-in-law had given her, making it seem like she was a wealthy and well-off woman.
This year's New Year's Day performance was temporarily canceled.
Although Guan Yuehe was somewhat relieved that she didn't have to perform, she also felt it was a pity, as she wanted to see programs from other departments.
The performance was inexplicably canceled, but the factory's annual workers' meeting was still held as scheduled.
Guan Yuehe only returned to work in July this year and was not eligible for the award. She could only keep applauding her colleagues on stage.
The Planning Department had an uneventful year and was not recognized as an advanced collective. Workshop One, on the other hand, was recognized as an advanced collective again this year.
Xu Chengcai's production team has the highest production efficiency in the entire factory, far exceeding the second place. He was named an outstanding worker this year.
"Take a look and see what's the difference between the enamel mugs of advanced workers and outstanding workers." Xu Cheng shoved the enamel mug in front of her, baring his teeth, which made Guan Yuehe so angry that she wanted to perform an over-the-shoulder throw for the whole factory.
Even Qin Zilan couldn't help but slap him twice with the reward towel, "Hurry up and make way for the people behind you!"
Xu Cheng then grinned foolishly and made way for the people behind him, then followed behind Guan Yuehe and Qin Zilan, saying that he wanted to enshrine this enamel cup on the dresser in the living room.
Guan Yuehe rolled her eyes countless times as he showed off the whole way before finally arriving at the post office.
"You're here to pick up the package sent by Chen Lizhong, right?" The staff member pointed to the corner. "That's it."
Ding Xuewen was clever; he knew to send things to them in Chen Lizhong's name so that Aunt Ding would have no reason to cause trouble.
"Such a big bag! Chen Lizhong's pigs must be so fat this year!" Xu Cheng exclaimed. "He should be awarded an outstanding pig farmer award this year."
Guan Yuehe: "..." Can he just shut up for a bit and stop showing off?
They opened the package at the post office and the first thing they saw inside was a letter.
The letter stated how many students from the brigade's primary school had passed the junior high school entrance exam this year, and also mentioned that a few of them, the educated youth, had run a literacy class in the brigade to help the local villagers learn simple characters...
"Over the past year, Lizhong, several other educated youth comrades and I have all made progress in our work."
At the end of the year, we received enough food to eat and fifty-three yuan according to our work points for the whole year. All twenty pigs raised by Lizhong exceeded the slaughter standard, and he received an extra fifty jin of meat. He and the brigade leader applied to raise thirty pigs next year... Lizhong and several other educated youth comrades are very grateful for the books you sent. Half of the pork sausages they sent are their thank-you gift. They asked me to forward them to you and make sure you accept them.
I hope everything goes well.
After reading the letter, Guan Yuehe folded it up and put it back in the envelope. She had to take it back to show Lin Sitian.
As for the received package, there was no need to open it again. Ding Xuewen had already carefully divided it into three parts.
One portion was given to Xu Chengcai and Qin Zilan, and the rest were taken back by Guan Yuehe.
The three rode to Changhu Street, then split into two groups and went home separately.
"We're leaving now. See you next year, Yuehe."
"See you next year? We have a day off for New Year's Day tomorrow, and we'll see each other at the factory the day after tomorrow."
But Guan Yuehe still waved back, "See you next year!"
This year, the Spring Festival is close to New Year's Day, both in January. The rice, flour, cooking oil, and meat provided by my workplace are enough to make for a prosperous New Year.
On this day, not only did he receive the factory's welfare benefits and meat sent by Ding Xuewen, but he also put on the military overcoat that Lin Yiku had painstakingly sent back from half a country.
Guan Yuehe had Lin Sitian stand in front of her with a mirror, then turned around several times before finally taking off her military overcoat with satisfaction and carefully folding it.
This coat is so warm; she could wear it and then put on a shirt underneath.
"When you reply, please be sure to thank our brother for me."
Guan Yuehe patrolled her home like a patrol officer, feeling a sense of satisfaction from the abundance of her property.
Of course, in order to make ends meet during the winter, Guan Yuehe has spent a lot of her savings and has yet to accumulate a three-figure sum.
Therefore, it is all the more shocking that Aunt Xie offered two hundred yuan as a bride price.
Not long after New Year's Day, I heard that my second sister-in-law was three months pregnant and her pregnancy was finally stable. Guan Yuehe asked someone to send her a bottle of malted milk powder back home.
This is another considerable expense.
No wonder everyone says that you only realize how expensive food and household expenses are when you're in charge of the household, and how social obligations are an unavoidable expense.
Guan Yuehe sighed briefly and then stopped thinking about it. After all, she would be getting paid again at the beginning of next month.
But they had only just arrived in 1974, and there was still more than half a month before their next paycheck. Everyone was more looking forward to what the company would give out for the Spring Festival this year.
Gu Mannian wanted to subtly warn Guan Yuehe so she wouldn't have to guess every day in the office. But Guan Yuehe always covered her ears and ran away as fast as she could.
Knowing in advance meant I wasn't as happy when I received it the day before New Year's Eve!
When long lines formed at the factory to receive New Year's benefits, Guan Yuehe was overjoyed.
He came out of the small auditorium carrying two heavy net bags in each hand, showing the people queuing behind him this year's "bumper harvest".
With no extra hands, she could only turn sideways to show everyone the pocket of her military overcoat, "There are two special holiday tickets left."
Special tickets are only available on special holidays and are subject to time, location, and quantity restrictions.
These two vouchers issued by the factory are valid from New Year's Eve to the second day of the Lunar New Year, and can be used to buy two bottles of beer and two kilograms of rice cakes at the department store in the city.
"Beer? My family doesn't like that stuff. Anyone want to trade with me?" The older woman in the line hadn't even received her ticket yet, but she had already decided to trade it.
"Comrade Xiao Guan, do you want some?"
Comrade Xiao Guan shook his head violently.
She had already exchanged tickets with a senior colleague in the planning department; four tickets were enough.
On the morning of New Year's Eve, Guan Yuehe made a special trip to the city's department store and bought four bottles of beer and four kilograms of pastries.
The beer was produced by a brewery in Northeast China, famous throughout the country, and tasted much better than the beer produced by the Five Star Automobile Factory's own brewery. Since things keep longer in winter, she wasn't worried about not finishing the pastries.
I squeezed onto the bus back to Ginkgo Hutong and found that the atmosphere was a bit off.
Before leaving the house, the courtyards in the alley were filled with laughter and chatter. Even when scolding or beating children, the scolding was followed by a coaxing, and the voices were not as loud as usual.
But now, the oppressive atmosphere made her heart skip a beat, and as she hurried home, she wondered what was going on.
Upon entering the courtyard, I found that all the doors were closed, but the aroma of meat wafted out in waves.
I took half a beer and some pastries to the neighboring No. 3 courtyard, and the situation was the same there.
It's strange. At this time of year, even if it's snowing, everyone would be busy preparing chicken, duck, fish, and meat by the ditch in their front yard, as if afraid others wouldn't know how sumptuous their New Year's Eve dinner was.
As soon as she stepped into the house, Guan Aiguo immediately said, "Second Sister, Matchmaker Liu has been arrested!"
"Arrested?! What bad thing did she do?"
Since being criticized and educated by the factory's Women's Federation, Matchmaker Liu has become much more restrained. Although she still wants to be a matchmaker, she doesn't have a good reputation in Ginkgo Alley, and normal people wouldn't think of asking her to introduce them, so she has had to stay idle.
Do people tend to get into trouble when they're idle?
To her surprise, Liu the matchmaker didn't do anything wrong.
"She was arrested just because she secretly burned paper money on the street?" Guan Yuehe was shocked. "Who would be so bored as to report her?"
As long as such things aren't done openly, no one will specifically report them, so who would bother to arrest people?
Besides, it's the Lunar New Year now, and even the black market is open, so people are just turning a blind eye.
"No one reported it. Several people were burning things; she was just unlucky and got caught because she was too slow to run."
Guan Yuehe had nothing to say.
Matchmaker Liu was indeed unlucky.
The "Criticize Lin Biao and Confucius" movement began to emerge this month and then intensified. However, people only listened to it casually and never thought that it would affect the people around them.
These people who keep criticizing and approving, who knows what they're actually criticizing?
Liu the matchmaker was really unlucky; she bumped into people on their way to "criticize Lin Biao and Confucius" and couldn't escape.
No wonder everyone is so quiet.
"Several old men in charge of the alley and Director Ma from the street office went to plead for him, but we still don't know what's going on. Dad went out to find the factory leaders."
Guan Aiguo whispered, "Adults don't allow children to play with firecrackers anymore."
Soon, Guan Yuehe had no time to care about things outside, as she also had to help prepare the New Year's Eve dinner.
It wasn't until after 3 p.m. that Guan Canghai and Grandpa Lin returned together.
As soon as she entered the house, before she could even have a sip of hot water to ward off the cold, the neighbors from the courtyard quietly squeezed into Grandpa Lin's house and her house.
"Old Guan, how's the situation? Has Matchmaker Liu been released?"
People weren't just worried about their neighbor, Matchmaker Liu; they were worried about themselves too. Who knew they might accidentally do something that would get them arrested? It was quite unsettling.
"It's alright, it's alright. The factory leaders pleaded for leniency and said I just need to write a self-criticism and submit it."
Seeing that everyone breathed a sigh of relief, Guan Canghai still gave them a reminder: "Be careful what you say and do outside, and if there's anything inappropriate at home, deal with it as soon as possible."
Upon hearing this, several people became nervous and rushed home to check if there was anything wrong with the books in their homes.
Guan Yuehe was also wondering if she should hide all her English notes and books.
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