Zhang Qinghua knew what the aunt wanted to say the moment she opened her mouth, and listened attentively as she finished speaking.
After that, she asked slowly, "Auntie, you mean your son? I think I'm right. He didn't work in the fields, so of course he didn't get any work points."
“How can that be the same? My son was a Red Guard.” The woman proudly puffed out her chest and looked down at everyone.
Zhang Qinghua gave a sarcastic smile, his smile becoming even more gentle. "Who said Red Guards have to keep work points? I only know that you get work points for working in the fields. He didn't work in the fields, so he didn't get any work points."
Zhang Qinghua spoke slowly, even slowly, but he still managed to make that middle-aged woman feel oppressed.
In addition, she was rather tongue-tied, and after a few words from Zhang Qinghua, she didn't know how to refute him, so she just anxiously watched over the family.
The boy named Junzi, seeing how weak his mother's fighting ability was, couldn't help but curse in disdain.
Then, he stood up and argued with Zhang Qinghua, "We are all serving the people, so why can't we get work points?"
“We are making revolution to better build socialism, and we are working hard for the great cause of everyone. You should give us appropriate compensation,” the boy said calmly.
Moreover, the words he spoke were very familiar, indicating that he had seen this situation many times before.
Zhang Qinghua listened without interrupting, and waited until the boy finished speaking before receiving a lot of praise, such as, "Yes, what we're doing is a big deal."
“Yes, we should receive the compensation we deserve, and we should have work points.” After this response, Zhang Qinghua looked sharply at the boy.
“I know you are making a revolution, and I also know that the great leader supports you in making a revolution. I have not denied these facts.”
Seeing the happy expressions on those people's faces, Zhang Qinghua then gave a wicked smirk.
When everyone's joy had reached its peak, he finally spoke up quietly, "But how dare you even mention the compensation? This is the behavior of capitalist roaders!"
Zhang Qinghua spoke with a serious expression, but his words felt like a heavy hammer hitting one's heart, making one's heart race with panic.
"Capitalist roader" is a sensitive term; one wrong move and it could be a matter of life and death.
Many people were so frightened by Zhang Qinghua's words that they dared not breathe, deliberately trying to calm their breathing, for fear that something unbearable might suddenly happen again.
Zhang Qinghua, however, seemed oblivious to the sudden change in the expressions of those people, standing casually and naturally in the middle of the stage.
"You're Red Guards, how can you have so little awareness? Do you need to be paid for serving the people? Don't you know that the working people are like bricks, moved wherever they're needed?"
With his final words, Zhang Qinghua, using an extra-large wire harness, slammed down on the audience below.
Many people shrank back in fright, unsure whether they were frightened by Zhang Qinghua or by his words.
They all had their heads down, looking indifferent and apathetic.
Zhang Qinghua glanced mockingly at the terrified villagers once more, then fixed his gaze on Junzi.
"Do you... know what happens to capitalist roaders?" Zhang Qinghua asked quietly.
He didn't mean to cause trouble for this soldier, but the nail that sticks out gets hammered down. Who told him to be the first to jump out? Shouldn't he be punished?
This is also a case of making an example of someone to scare others; it's a very good example.
Junzi, terrified by Zhang Qinghua, stared at him in fear, his first reaction naturally being to refute him.
"Nonsense. You're talking nonsense. I'm not a capitalist roader, you're talking nonsense."
These days, anyone associated with capitalist roaders will be dragged out for criticism and struggle sessions, and none of them will have a good ending.
The Red Guards knew best what those people were about to face, so how could they not be afraid?
There is a significant difference between criticizing others and being criticized by others.
Therefore, the others could no longer remain calm and began to question Zhang Qinghua all at once, "How could you say such a thing?"
"Yes, we responded to the leader's call to carry out the revolution back then, we were not capitalist roaders, don't talk nonsense."
“We are Red Guards who serve the people, not what you describe.”
Zhang Qinghua ignored what those people were saying and just stood there, listening.
After the voices of rebuttal grew quieter and eventually fell silent, he coldly asked, "Isn't demanding compensation something that capitalism would do?"
"Hmph, I think you're just henchmen of the capitalist roaders, trying to undermine socialism." Zhang Qinghua thought to himself, waving his little hands.
Come on, let's hurt each other and see who gives up first.
Zhang Qinghua remained calm and composed, but everyone else panicked, especially the parents and relatives of the Red Guards.
Everyone couldn't hold back any longer and shouted, "Accountant Zhang, don't talk nonsense! You can't just say things like that!"
“Exactly, how can you call them capitalist roaders? We are genuine farmers, and our families have been farmers for generations.”
"Yes...we are all poor and lower-middle peasants."
Some people were more cowardly. They shouted in fear, "Accountant Zhang, we don't want the work points anymore!"
"Yes, we don't want it anymore, and you don't need to say anything more."
"Yes, yes, yes..."
The various sounds were mixed together, making it difficult for Zhang Qinghua to hear clearly, but he had a general idea of what was going on.
Seeing that the time was right, he coughed and said, "Uncles and aunts, the leaders said that you only get work points by working in the fields."
“We’ve always done it this way. Besides, I haven’t heard anyone in town say that Red Guards can earn work points.”
"I'm just doing what the leader said. You're putting me in a very difficult position." He said, rubbing his forehead. He seemed genuinely in a difficult position.
Song Lili chuckled. "Big bad wolf, he's got the benefits and still acts innocent. He's quite adept at giving a beating and then a sweet treat."
However, she likes it.
After being thoroughly beaten and humiliated by Zhang Qinghua, many people lost their initial enthusiasm for making a fuss and dared not speak.
The worst-case scenario is that Zhang Qinghua also admits to being a capitalist roader, because they wouldn't be able to bear that responsibility.
Therefore, some people who were originally eager to make a move gave up their ideas and stood obediently, leaving only the Red Guards who were still unwilling to give up.
Zhang Qinghua stopped paying attention to it. Several other elders were handling the matter, so it wasn't his business.
"I'll ask you one last time, is there any problem with your work points? If there is no problem, then the grain will be distributed according to this."
"As for other matters, I am powerless to help. I hope you will not make things difficult for me. I am just following the rules." Zhang Qinghua even added this last sentence.
After receiving a no-questions-asked answer, he turned around and stood comfortably beside Li Weiguo and the others, waiting for what to do next.
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