In a pit dug around a depression, Lin Xuelin curled up in a ball in the corner of the pit, looking up at the tree branches, a layer of wheat straw, and a roof covered with dry soil.
The large bunk bed that could sleep more than forty or fifty people was extremely cold because there was no fire. A strong wind blew over and lifted up a sack that served as a door at the entrance, causing the other women on the kang to curse.
These noises continued year after year, day after day. When she first came in, she would chime in with a few words, but now, she could already sense the deep malice of heaven towards her. Frozen to the point of unconsciousness, she rolled her eyes, and the dead silence returned.
An old woman holding a shepherd's whip opened the sack and lashed it on the pit: "I told you not to quarrel. I told you not to quarrel."
"Captain, I don't dare anymore."
The women, who quickly retreated to the wall, begged for mercy, their eyes drooping, dozens of them gleaming with coldness, wishing to strangle the arrogant shrew to death. But no one dared. If they made a move, countless captains would be waiting outside, with countless methods waiting to punish them.
Why should I fear death? I only fear dragging on half my life, unable to die even if I wanted to.
The whistle for the start of work outside interrupted the show in front of them.
As a production worker behind the old woman holding the shepherd's whip called out their names, the women on the kang hunched their necks and bent their backs to get down to the ground. As each one was called out, she went out and squatted. Soon, the entrances to the dugouts were filled with female prisoners, numbered and dressed in tattered black clothes and black pants.
The prisoners here are numerous and of mixed demographics. They come from all corners of the country, from all over the world, and are of all ages. The only difference between them is that their faces are tanned black by the strong ultraviolet rays of the plateau.
After a while, after counting and registering, everyone was put in shackles, picked up the tools on the ground, and led by the old woman, they were escorted by four soldiers to work outside.
Unlike the outside world, the farm's production is autumn plowing and spring planting, harvesting in autumn and threshing in winter. Ordinary farmers would hibernate during heavy snow, but they did not have this privilege.
What was the slack season? Lin Xuelin had never known. For so long, she had farmed, fed pigs, herded horses, driven carts, made clay pots, fired kilns, and repaired canals—a vast array of tasks.
Unlike the past, today she was once again shackled. She knew she was being sent to a distant place to build a water conservancy project or dig earthworks. Thinking of the higher-ups' concerns about their escape, a hint of irony flashed across her face as she lowered her head.
It wasn't that she hadn't considered escaping. But the surrounding terrain was flat, the view vast, and there was no one around. Only the Tea Road led to the outside world. At that moment, she realized this was a natural prison. As long as this road was guarded, no one could escape this wasteland. Even if they managed to escape surveillance, they would either die of exhaustion or starvation.
So she tried everything, just to find someone who could help her. But those so-called relatives abandoned her for their own glory and wealth. She was unwilling to accept it! Why?
Thinking of this, Lin Xuelin looked up at the road with a gloomy face. As long as she could leave this place one day, she would let everyone who owed her a taste of despair come here. Especially the parents who brought her into this world but abandoned her!
"Dinner is ready."
After a few whistles, several baskets of steamed buns in red willow baskets, several buckets of vegetables and boiled water were delivered to the construction site. The prisoners, who had worked for half a day, used their own small basins or large enamel pots to hold the vegetables, and sat on the ground casually to eat the cold meals in the cold wind.
Lin Xuelin touched her ankle, bleeding from the shackles, and closed her eyes. How much longer could she endure this? She didn't want to die, and how could she willingly fall before she could even pull a few people along?
Another person fainted in the afternoon. He was beaten several times for being dishonest and then tied up to freeze. Seeing the familiar scene again, Lin Xuelin knew she had to leave. She couldn't bear it if she didn't leave.
In the dark and snowy night, a group of people were escorted back to the farm. The same routine repeated itself: one by one, they were called to squat and put down their tools. When Lin Xuelin's number was called, she would have been stunned if someone behind her hadn't pushed her.
"258694, someone is here to visit."
Lin Xuelin, whose head was dizzy, raised her head and looked at the captain in disbelief.
"hurry up!"
"Thank you, Captain, thank you, Captain." Lin Xuelin looked at her raised shepherd's whip and left with her back lowered. Was it that this time, after receiving the letter, her good father, who had given birth to her but not raised her, finally dared not see her?
After a long day of travel, Jiang Jiangyu breathed out and rubbed her hands to keep warm, her eyes no longer daring to look around. If she didn't need the eldest brother's family in the future, she really wanted to turn around and leave.
What the hell was this place? Standing at the gate just now had nearly frightened her to death. The dry-rammed earth walls, six or seven meters high and seven or eight meters thick, were manned by four or five sentry posts. Especially at the gate, there wasn't just one sentry post above, there were also sentries below.
What kind of serious criminals are being held here?
Jiang Jiangyu was so nervous that she secretly cursed the boss's family for their bad intentions, and at the same time she was eager to see the person as soon as possible and leave. After a long time, when she thought she would not see anyone and was about to leave, she finally heard some movement.
Turning her head, she saw a woman coming in. She frowned, wondering if anyone else had the same bad luck as her and was visiting today. Sitting on the rows of stools, she turned her head away nonchalantly.
"Woo woo woo, auntie."
Hearing the familiar voice, Jiang Jiangyu slowly turned his head and looked suspiciously at the woman who came to his table, his eyes wide in disbelief: "Xiao, Xiao, Xiaolin? Are you Xiaolin?"
How could this old woman, who was as black as charcoal and only had a bag of bones left, be her fair-skinned niece who loved beauty and always looked at people with her eyes squinted?
"Wuwuwu, Auntie, I'm Xiaolin. Please take me away. I'm dying. Please talk to my dad. I won't dare to do it again. I'll be obedient. I won't dare to do it again."
Lin Xuelin thought she had already cried all her tears, but at this moment she realized that she still longed for someone to care for her and love her. "Aunt, I miss you, my mom, and everyone in my family. Where's my mom? Why doesn't she come to see me?"
"Wow, wow, please beg for mercy on me and let me go. I will repay you for your kindness in my whole life. Aunt, I can't stand it anymore. Please have pity on me."
Jiang Jiangyu felt distressed listening to her pleading. Then, remembering the children at home who had been implicated, she looked away. After a long pause, she said, "You know we can't save you. You've made your own path to ruin. Reform yourself."
Lin Xuelin, who was crying, didn't wait for her to finish her words, "Where's my dad, where's my mom?"
"Xiaolin, it's useless!"
"Where's Xiaohui? He doesn't even recognize me as his only biological sister? Can you ask him to beg my parents and my grandfather, okay? Auntie, look at me, look at me again, please have pity on me and beg them for me..."
Jiang Jiangyu was worried that she would say something outrageous, so she interrupted her quickly: "That's enough! Xiaolin, the Lin family has raised you up long enough! Because of you, our lives aren't much better than yours. Please forgive us."
Hearing this, Lin Xuelin immediately wiped away the tears on her face. She looked at the cold-faced woman in a thick military coat in front of her, her eyes blazing with anger. "Stop talking nonsense! Just let me out, and you can set any conditions."
Seeing Lin Xuelin's expression change immediately, her eyes filled with hatred, Jiang Jiangyu was unable to react for a moment. He stared at her in amazement, shaking his head repeatedly, "You've really changed. Don't hate me, you know very well whether I have this ability or not."
"Even your mother is more capable than me, not to mention Xiaohui now. If you want to blame someone, blame yourself, and if you want to hate someone, blame them. Because of you, we can't stay here any longer. After seeing you this time, we have to leave too."
"Xiaolin, face the reality." After saying that, Jiang Jiangyu stood up.
Lin Xuelin, who was sitting at the next table, saw her leaving and her expression suddenly changed. "Make sure you explain clearly before you leave."
Jiang Jiangyu took two steps and turned to look at her with pity. "You actually understand it in your heart, don't you?"
"Bitch, you are all bitches, you will not die well..."
Watching the soldier behind him suppress his niece's angry and cursing voice, Jiang Jiangyu sighed and quickened his pace to leave. Everyone has their own fate, and I really can't blame myself. The other person's parents are so cruel, what can I do?
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