Chapter 26 He Doesn't Take Advantage of Small Things
Wen Wan responded, "Are you going up the mountain? Will it be very far? If it is very far, then I won't go. I'll just pick up some firewood nearby." Lu Dongping said yesterday that he would take her up the mountain today. She agreed, so he couldn't go back on his word.
Liu Changqing and the others did not force her. It made no sense that three grown men would not be able to chop enough firewood for next year, yet they had to bring a female comrade along.
After they left, Wen Wan locked her door, then wandered around the door awkwardly for a long time but didn't see Lu Dongping.
You said you would take me up the mountain today, are you trying to entertain me?
Before she had gone far, she heard someone calling her, "Wen Wan!"
She glanced back and saw Lu Dongping rushing towards her. He said, "Why are you out so early? Why don't you get some sleep instead of going to work?"
"I want to sleep. Liu Changqing and the others get up early and cook as soon as they get up. I have to get up and eat. You're so late today. I thought you were just joking yesterday!"
Lu Dongping chuckled, "When did I ever tell you I was just joking? You're always serious, okay?" He then reached out and took the backpack from her back, "Don't be awkward, I'll hold it for you. You're already so annoyed carrying it empty, how are you going to carry it when you fill it up later?"
Wen Wan kicked the small stone on the road far away and said, "I don't know either. Just carry less! You can't not do it just because it's difficult!"
Lu Dongping took her around the private plot behind the educated youth site and onto the path leading to his home. He pointed to the water oak forest behind his house and said, "Although it's all collectively owned, we basically chop whichever plot is closest to home. Here, it's just my family, my uncle's family, and my brother Lu Changfa. We usually chop wood in the acorn forest behind."
Wen Wan glanced at the winding, undulating mountains and lush forests behind her and began to doubt the truth of his words: "If we cut down trees every year, won't the trees be bald?"
"How could it be bald?" Lu Dongping looked at her like she was stupid. "The water oaks and acorn trees were cut down this year and grew back in the spring. But the pine trees are different. If you cut down the roots, they will die. The team won't allow you to cut them down casually. At most, you can pick off some of the lower branches."
As they were talking, the two of them came to Lu Dongping's house. It was still early, Gao Xiulan and Zhang Hongying were still at home, and Lu Mingjiang was digging the ground in the private plot next to the house with a hoe.
Wen Wanren greeted her before she even got close to her: "Aunt!"
Gao Xiulan brought a sieve and smiled when she saw her: "Wen Wan, have you eaten?"
"I've eaten, now I have to go up the mountain to collect firewood."
Gao Xiulan smiled and glanced at Lu Dongping: "Well, go ahead, but go slowly. Come back home to play later."
"Okay, I'll definitely come!"
Wen Wan followed Lu Dongping past Lu Minghai's house and arrived at her own door. Zhang Hongying had just fed the pigs and was carrying a bucket and preparing to go into the house.
Wen Wan called out again: "Aunt, have you eaten yet?" This is what she just learned from Gao Xiulan, and she put it into practice.
Zhang Hongying was stunned for a moment, looking down at the pig grass stuck to the back of her hand, rubbing it uncomfortably and nodding: "Eat it. Are we going up the mountain?" As she spoke, her eyes fell on the backpack draped over Lu Dongping's shoulders. The backpack looked about the same size as the one Lu Donglin was carrying, yet Lu Dongping was carrying it. Zhang Hongying felt particularly uncomfortable watching it.
Wen Wan nodded: "Yes, let's go up the mountain to collect firewood. Aunt, you can do your work first, let's go!" As she said that, she walked around the small road next to her house. When she got around, she saw Lu Mingjiang digging in the ground.
Another round of greetings, and then walked up along the winding mountain road
Lu Dongping pointed out to her as they walked: "Down here, next to our roots, is our family's private plot. A little above is my uncle's. It's not much, just a few acres. We reclaimed it a few years ago. It's full of stone chips. We've been cultivating it for many years. Plus, this piece of land faces the sun, so it grows quite well."
Wen Wan glanced at the lush green vegetables growing on the edge of the field and felt incredibly at home. "It's always good to have a piece of land like this, so it's good to plant some crops. It's unlike the educated youth camp. I've been here for so long and haven't seen any vegetables at all. The only two times I've seen them were when I picked wild vegetables from the edge of the field. Don't you think it would be great if the educated youth could also have their own private plots?"
"It's not that we can't open a vegetable garden, but we can't open it where you live. There are warehouses and a dam for drying grain next to it, and there are collective fields in front and behind." When the educated youth went to the countryside, the food supply came with them, and that family also settled here. It is definitely possible to open a vegetable garden, but the key is to have the conditions.
The back mountain is not high, and for Lu Dongping, it feels like he hasn't walked at all. But for Wen Wan, it is still high. She was out of breath as soon as she reached the back of Lu Dongping's house.
Lu Dongping laughed. He was still picking up firewood. He didn't know if he would be able to walk steadily when carrying something on his back.
He stood behind her and poked her coat with his hand: "Should I push you?"
Wen Wan shook her head and pointed to the pine forest above: "I'm going to take a break up there. Give me the backpack and go do your work. I can't delay you."
"Don't delay. It's close to home, so chopping wood will be quick." Lu Dongping threw the rope and hatchet into her backpack, patted her with his free hand, and then carried her up the mountain. With the strength in his hand, walking up the mountain road was indeed much easier, and they reached the pine forest above in one breath.
Lu Dongping put down the backpack and told her, "Be careful not to prick your hands. The dry firewood and pine cones on the ground are very easy to burn. Pick them up. Once you feel you can carry it, that's enough. I'll go get busy."
"Yeah, go ahead!"
Lu Dongping took a sickle and went into the woods nearby.
Wen Wan didn't dare to go into the woods, so she could only stay in the pine forest near the roadside, picking up pine cones on the ground very seriously. Occasionally, she would be very happy when she saw a piece of dry firewood as thick as one or two fingers. She would pick it up and pile it together. When she felt that the pile was too big, she would sit on the pine needles and fold it into pieces neatly.
She tried to lift the half-filled backpack, swaying twice to steady herself. It didn't feel heavy at all, and she felt she could still add a little more. Carrying the backpack, she cautiously walked along the relatively flat path in the forest, following the sound a little further in before stopping again.
Even though she could clearly hear the sound of chopping wood and knew that Lu Dongping was not far away, she still did not dare to enter the woods.
The treetops blocked the sun, and it looked dark and eerie from a distance, which was a bit scary.
Lu Dongping had been accustomed to chopping wood since he was a child, and he didn't think it was a big deal. The knife was sharpened in advance, and it was very sharp. Bang bang bang, it didn't take long for him to chop down a large piece of wood. When he thought it was almost done, he stopped to catch his breath, and raised his voice slightly to call out, "Wen Wan!"
Wen Wan heard his voice and quickly responded, "Hey! I'm here! Are you okay?"
Alright? It's still early!
Lu Dongping went a little further inside and found some sweet olive vines to tie up the firewood.
The scattered branches, neatly arranged, made two large bundles. Even that wasn't enough; he couldn't stay home all day, so he worked as much as he could. He'd been used to running around since he was a kid, and after two years of training in the militia, he had an inexhaustible supply of energy, perfect for this kind of physically demanding work.
Wen Wan threw the backpack aside and bravely moved closer to him. She watched him chopping firewood with a knife as if it were a game, and exclaimed, "You've chopped so much!"
"Is that a lot? We need to save enough for the whole of next year in just 10 to 20 days of the twelfth lunar month. It's a huge task! We need to cook for breakfast and dinner, boil water, and even bath water. We need firewood to keep warm in winter and to cook pig food. We all need firewood."
Wen Wan muttered, "Then I only collect a small amount of firewood every day. It's not even enough to cook a meal that day. How can I survive for a year?"
Lu Dongping laughed as he worked: "What are you worried about? This is originally a man's job. There are three men in the educated youth camp, and they are waiting for you, a female comrade, to chop firewood for them?"
"Isn't it about gender equality? I can't do anything, and it feels like there's no point in going to the countryside."
"Equality bullshit!" Lu Dongping cursed, turned his head and glanced at Wen Wan secretly, then quickly said, "How can it be equal? How many women are stronger than men? If there are, they are a minority. Women will always be a disadvantaged group. In the team, no matter how strong a woman is, even if she does the same work as a man, her work points will not be as high as men. Equality is bullshit."
Wen Wan didn't say anything, but crouched down not far from him and continued to pick up pine cones and firewood.
Lu Dongping tied up the two bundles of firewood, sat on them, and took a breath. "Seriously, just picking up firewood is fine, there's no need to take it so seriously. I went back and discussed it with my family yesterday, and if it doesn't work out, you can come and share our house. You can bring your rations, or just give us money or food coupons, and you can eat two meals a day with us. Although our family isn't rich, it's better than the educated youth camp. You won't have to eat grits porridge every day, and you won't have to go without a single vegetable."
Wen Wan's eyes lit up, she stopped and turned to look at him: "Can we live together?" How come she had never heard of it?
"Yes! It has always been possible. When Liu Changqing and his friends first arrived, they had no place to stay, so they were assigned to live with the members' homes. They paid for the tickets and ate at the members' homes. There were more in other teams, and there are still some now. But there are problems. Many educated youth don't look down on us mountain people and are not very happy to eat from the same pot with us. Also, some members are very narrow-minded and like to take advantage. Seeing that the educated youth are from outsiders, have money and tickets, they secretly have evil intentions and want to take advantage of them, and then conflicts arise. Then the various teams start to think of ways to set up educated youth sites." After speaking, he glanced at Wen Wan and said, "Of course, this is my opinion. It's up to you to decide whether to come or not. If you are worried that our family will take advantage of you, just pretend I didn't say anything."
What's the point of taking advantage of small things? He is the one who wants to take advantage of big things. He is going after the young educated youth as a whole.
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