Chapter 2
Chen Lanjun is confident that this is not just empty talk.
With so many years of experience, increased skills, and foresight, it would be a joke if I couldn't even earn enough for tuition and living expenses.
She calmly explained her initial plan to her parents: "Although we have reformed and opened up, the policies are still volatile. The smaller the place, the more troublesome it is. If you want to make money, it's best to go to a big city. I plan to go to Suicheng, to Aunt Dan's place, to see if there are any opportunities..."
After the description, she was responded by a big lock on the door of the room, which was found by Ms. Zheng Mei and was used to lock the pigsty of the commune.
"Mom, I'm serious. I can tell you my plan clearly!"
No matter how loudly Chen Lanjun shouted, Zheng Mei didn't even raise her eyebrows.
The door lock clicked, and Zheng Mei handed the key to her younger sister Zhu Jun, and warned her: "You must take good care of your sister and don't let her out."
Chen Lanjun was speechless.
Seeing her parents’ firm attitude, she simply stopped shouting, turned around and collapsed on the bed, staring at the mosquito net and thinking.
At night, when we were having dinner, my younger sister unlocked the door, came in and brought us the food.
There was no electricity in the countryside at that time, and ordinary families could not afford bright white candles, so most people used kerosene lamps.
The younger sister came into the room, locked the door carefully, put down the food, and lit the kerosene lamp with a match.
Originally she was worried that her sister would go on a hunger strike in protest, but when the light came on and she smelled the aroma of food, Chen Lanjun got up quickly without her having to call out, sat under the light very consciously, picked up the bowl and ate happily.
"Sister, I was worried that you wouldn't eat." She sat down next to Chen Lanjun and smiled.
Lan Jun swallowed the food in his mouth and said, "Man is made of iron and food is made of steel. Why should I torture myself?"
Besides, she had just eaten some porridge in the morning and was immediately locked up by Zheng Mei. She hadn't even had lunch and was already hungry.
The younger sister breathed a sigh of relief. She was a peace-loving person by nature and was most afraid of conflicts, so when she saw her sister arguing with her parents, she was extremely panicked.
She tried to think of words to reconcile: "Mom is a little anxious, but...but there is a reason. After all--"
The younger sister hesitated for a moment, sighed, and said:
"After all, my elder sister also said she wanted to go out for a walk, but she ended up disappearing."
Chen Lanjun suddenly stopped eating.
This is the topic that this family is most reluctant to talk about.
The eldest daughter of the Chen family left home seven years ago and never returned. It is said that she drowned.
Seeing that Chen Lanjun suddenly stopped eating, the younger sister panicked and said quickly, "I'm sorry, sister. I talked nonsense again. Don't be upset."
Chen Lanjun put down her chopsticks and suddenly reached out to ruffle her hair: "I'm not unhappy, I'm just a little surprised. Do you still remember my elder sister?"
The little sister nodded obediently: "I remember a little, but only a little."
She asked in a daze, "Is it nice outside? Why do you all want to go outside?"
Chen Lanjun rolled her eyes and had an idea. She deliberately asked, "Have you read How the Steel Was Tempered? There is a line in it that talks about how one should spend one's life."
Most of the children of this generation who go to school have read this book to some extent, and my younger sister is no exception.
She responded reflexively with the famous quote: "A person's life should be spent in this way: when he looks back on the past, he will not regret wasting his years, nor will he be ashamed of having done nothing."①
"Yes!" Chen Lanjun persuaded, "Think about it, if you spend your whole life in this small village, would you be willing?"
The little sister frowned, thought for a while, and shook her head hesitantly.
"Ah, that's right." Chen Lanjun hugged her younger sister and said earnestly, "The daughters of our new China should have lofty ambitions, go out and build a great career! Then when she looks back on the past, she won't regret wasting her youth, nor will she be ashamed of being mediocre!"
Chen Lanjun came up with many big ideas and elevated the purpose of leaving home to being for her family, her country, and even the whole world.
The younger sister was in junior high school and was so inspired by her elder sister that she changed sides and became a "little traitor".
She even turned out her pillowcase and took out some money, all in small denominations of one cent and one dime. It was obvious that the money was saved up slowly.
"Eighty cents, eighty-five cents, eighty-six cents...exactly one dollar!"
The younger sister stuffed a messy wad of money into Chen Lanjun's hand: "This is the pocket money I saved. Take it, sister. If you encounter a river on the way, remember to buy a boat ticket and don't swim!"
Chen Lanjun was stunned for a moment when she heard the words "Don't swim". She carefully put the money away and said, "Don't worry, I know how to count. This money is your shareholding. When I make money, I will return it to you in proportion."
The younger sister smiled and said, "Okay."
"Oh, by the way, sister..."
She looked around and saw that there was a room between the sisters' room and their parents', so that was it, so the younger sister lowered her voice: "How are you going to get there?"
"By train."
"Then you need to buy a ticket and a letter of introduction."
Hearing this, Chen Lanjun nodded: "I have a good high school classmate. She... seems to have taken over the job last year and is working on the railway. When the time comes, I will ask her for help and borrow some money to buy a ticket."
"As for the letter of introduction, I'll get one myself and leave the brigade's phone number when the time comes."
Zheng Mei is the women's director of the brigade. If someone really calls, she won't expose the truth immediately because of the relationship.
The troublesome thing is the official seal.
Chen Lanjun told her younger sister, "I remember there are two radishes at home, right? Go to the kitchen later and steal one. Then bring dad's carving knife over so I can try carving it."
Besides doing farm work, my father Chen Zhisheng also did some carpentry work. This was my grandmother's foresight. As the youngest son of a former landlord, Chen Zhisheng's farm work skills were limited. My grandmother was afraid that he would starve to death, so she forced him to be an apprentice to a carpenter for a year. So their family had some carpentry tools.
It was a dark and windy night. Following Chen Lanjun's instructions, the younger sister carefully went to the kitchen to get something.
"Sister, here you go."
Covering the windows tightly with sheets and clothes, the two sisters relit the kerosene lamp.
Chen Lanjun used to go to the brigade to play and roughly remembered what the seal looked like. Under the admiring gaze of her younger sister, she began to carve the radish seal.
The posture is elegant.
The technique is artistic.
Chapter...can't be carved.
The two sisters fell silent as they looked at the table full of radish remains.
Chen Lanjun said calmly: "This kerosene lamp needs to be refilled."
The younger sister murmured, "Is there a possibility that it's not the kerosene lamp that's causing the problem?"
"That's the problem with the carrot." Chen Lanjun's tone was very certain.
Before the younger sister could come to her senses, Chen Lanjun immediately pulled her up: "Good sister, good Zhujun, please help me get the other radish."
The night in the countryside is as black as if it were painted.
Fortunately, there was still some moonlight. The little sister hid under the eaves and quietly moved towards the kitchen. When she passed her parents' room, she didn't dare to breathe and slowly slipped past.
When she arrived at the kitchen, the little sister went straight to the target and took the radish in her arms.
When I turned around, I saw a figure standing at the kitchen door!
She almost screamed out loud—
Chen Zhisheng covered her mouth with his hand and said in a very thin voice, "Don't bother your mother."
Seeing that her father had no intention of catching the thief and taking the stolen goods, the younger sister breathed a sigh of relief, but her heart was still pounding in her chest.
"Dad, I just came out to relieve myself..."
She tried to defend herself according to her sister's instructions, but it was no use.
Chen Zhisheng frowned and reached out to his younger sister.
After a while of confrontation, the younger sister lowered her head and slowly handed the radish over.
Without saying a word, Chen Zhisheng took out a carving knife from his pocket and quickly carved a radish seal.
My little sister was confused.
Chen Zhisheng handed her the radish stamp with one hand, then took out an envelope and gave them to the younger sister.
"Tell her to be safe and not to play in the water."
After saying this, Chen Zhisheng left in silence.
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