Every now and then, Gao Shujing would send the people in the cowshed various kinds of prepared meat dishes, or meat sauce and dried meat, which could be preserved for a long time.
The Xia family has a constant supply of meat every day, with more than a dozen kinds of meat on rotation. Even city dwellers rarely live as well as they do.
Therefore, Xia Jingxing not only didn't have any dark side, but also had a lot of chuunibyou (adolescent delusions of grandeur) ideas.
Normally, the Xia family kept him under tight control, preventing him from doing anything. Suddenly, Wei Hanjie appeared. After confirming that Wei Hanjie had no intention of harming his family, Xia Jingxing decided to keep Wei Hanjie's contact with him a secret.
So that the other members of the Xia family would not allow him to associate with Wei Han.
Little did he know that a meal would expose his whereabouts.
After learning about Xia Jingxing's relationship with Wei Hanjie, Han Meifeng caught him and gave him a severe beating, with none of the Xia family members trying to stop her.
The news eventually reached Yu Rujia.
Yu Rujia: "I didn't expect that Wei Zhiqing was so good at hiding things. He knew our identities all along, but he kept it to himself. If it weren't for Fifth Brother saving him, he might have kept it to himself."
Gao Shujing: "When he first arrived, he didn't mention these things to us, probably because he didn't want us to suspect anything. Now that he's been here for a year or two, we've come to understand his character better, so he's not so cautious anymore."
Yu Rujia: "Find an opportunity to probe him. There are some things we shouldn't ask about. If he's really interested, we can use him."
Although the Xia family lived a good life, they were ultimately controlled and had no freedom; they had to sneak around to eat something nice.
Moreover, life is inconvenient. The family of eight is crammed into a house of just over 30 square meters. Although they have managed to make it into a three-bedroom, one-living room, one-kitchen, and one-bathroom space, it is still incredibly cramped.
If it weren't for Yu Rujia and others supporting them here, their pent-up frustration would have nowhere to dissipate. Even if they were lucky enough to survive, they would be nothing more than walking corpses.
The situation is better now, but I still feel a bit depressed.
Yu Rujia knew what would happen in the future, but without any evidence, she couldn't just make wild guesses.
Wei Hanjie has no relation to the Xia family. He was born into a respectable family and his background is impeccable. It won't arouse suspicion if he is the one to investigate the movements of those above.
It's already 1974, and the higher-ups should have loosened their grip a bit by now. If they could learn this information, it would be a great encouragement to the Xia family.
Gao Shujing understood what Yu Rujia meant with just one sentence: "I will find an opportunity to talk to him."
Wei Hanjie was able to keep Yu Rujia's relationship with the Xia family a secret, and now he's getting along with Xia Jingxing, which proves that he has the intention to help the Xia family.
He has a powerful family background and knows more about the higher-ups; they could easily ask him for information.
May is the peak season for the Yu family's fruit harvest. After eight years of cultivation, they have planted more than a dozen kinds of fruit in their backyard.
There weren't many of each kind, but because of the spirit-gathering array, both fruits and vegetables grew exceptionally well.
Fruits ripening in May, such as lychees, bayberries, and cherries, are so abundant that they almost bend the branches.
Yu Rujia took a basket and walked around the backyard. When she came back, the basket was full of fruit. After putting it in the ice bucket for half an hour, the fruit's characteristics were more pronounced and it was also refreshing.
When Duofu and his friends returned home from school with a bunch of kids, Yu Rujia had already placed the chilled fruit on the table.
After washing their hands, the group of kids returned to the restaurant and casually picked up some fruit to eat.
Yu Rujia: "After we finish eating, Duolu will take his younger brothers to the backyard to pick the ripe bayberries, lychees and cherries."
Fruit will fall to the ground when it's ripe; you can't leave it unpicked.
After school, Duofu will go to Gao Shujing's place to work for at least an hour before coming back. When he is not on shift, he will be busy for even longer.
Dorje and his younger brothers didn't participate in this program. After school, they would either practice martial arts or run out to play.
Duolu had a happy worry on his face: "Auntie, fruit doesn't keep for more than a few days after it's picked. Should we order two more big ice buckets?"
Yu Rujia: "We'll only keep some of the fruit we picked today for ourselves. You can keep as much as you can fit in the container. I'll make the rest into wine, which can be stored for a long time."
Dorothy's eyes lit up: "Can I try a little bit of the wine? Just a tiny bit."
Yu Rujia tapped his forehead: "Kids shouldn't drink alcohol. Wait until you're twenty."
Duolu pouted. "Children have so many restrictions. Today is another day I want to grow up."
After finishing the fruit, Yu Rujia went to the infirmary again. A voice rang out from outside the courtyard gate: "Shujing, Shujing, are you home?"
Gao Shujing, who was inside the bicycle shed, replied, "Yes, I'm here. Wait a moment, I'll be right out."
Yu Rujia went outside and saw the newly appointed President Fang: "President Fang, please come in. Go to the bicycle shed this way."
The gate to Gao Shujing's courtyard is usually closed. It would take at least a few minutes for him to open the gate after he washed his hands and let President Fang in. It would be faster to go in from her side.
The town and Dongyuan Commune have been developing rapidly in recent years, and the output of various units and the quality of life of residents have been greatly improved.
There were major changes in the leadership of the town and the commune. The original town mayor and secretary were transferred to the city, and the original secretary and commune leader of Dongyuan Commune took over their positions.
The secretary of Dongyuan Commune was replaced by another commune leader from the same town. The new commune leader was Captain Fang of Tongfeng Brigade.
Captain Fang has connections; the matter of electrification alone is enough to make eight brigades grateful to him. He also has strength; the fact that the members of the Tongfeng Brigade, who were originally bandits, are completely subservient to him is the best proof of that.
Everyone knew he wouldn't stay in the Tongfeng Brigade forever, but no one expected him to take over as the head of the Dongyuan Commune.
Whether it was the newly appointed town mayor Liu or the newly appointed community leader Fang, they both valued Gao Shujing highly, and the change in leadership did not affect the Yu family's life.
President Fang stepped into the courtyard: "I'm sorry to have troubled you, educated youth Yu."
Yu Rujia: "President Fang, if you need anything, just give a call and Shujing will come over. Why did you come all the way here in person?"
President Fang: "Actually, it's nothing. I've just become the president, and I was thinking of doing something for each brigade. Shujing knows a lot, so I came over to ask him."
As the two entered the courtyard, President Fang immediately spotted several children climbing up and down the bayberry tree in the backyard.
President Fang's eyes lingered on it for a moment, and he said, "That's a bayberry, right?"
Yu Rujia: "President Fang has a good eye. He went over to try it. My family's bayberries are especially sweet, with lots of flesh and juice, and they are very popular."
President Fang: "I can see the bright red bayberries even from here. They must be delicious. It's better to be lucky than early. Let's go and have a taste."
Upon entering the backyard, President Fang saw the fruit trees filling the yard. He stopped and scanned each tree with his eyes: "These are grapes, oranges, hey, and lychees, these are cherries, plums, peaches..."
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