Chapter 28 You're already married?
They arrived at the train station quickly. Cheng Cheng didn't get off the train, but took off the straw hats that she and Xiao Xiao were wearing.
She sewed cloth around the bottom of her straw hat to make a simple mask that covered her mouth and nose, so she wouldn't have to inhale black smoke when riding a tractor and it could also block dust. The only downside was that it wasn't breathable.
The tractor stopped, and she took off her hat to get some fresh air.
She took out a military green water bottle from her bag, unscrewed the cap, and fed the little guy water.
Her second brother and Cheng Weihong went with her second uncle to the train station to pick up the educated youth. After a short while, they were seen helping the educated youth carry their luggage, bedding and other items out.
Cheng Ying looked up and, taking advantage of her 5.0 vision, could see very clearly that her cousin was walking next to one of the male educated youths, smiling with a lovesick expression.
Anyway, her face was beaming with that sweet smile, like it was about to burst out laughing! Wow! Something's up!
Cheng Cheng stared wide-eyed at her cousin and the male educated youth beside her. The male educated youth was tall, estimated to be over 1.8 meters.
His features were regular and strong, somewhat like the classic gay male image in old movies. He wasn't particularly handsome, but he was very masculine. Just as she was about to take a closer look, she was caught off guard and met his gaze.
A hint of doubt appeared in Qi Jinyuan's eyes. Apart from his grandfather and the people who handled the matter, no one knew where he had gone after he was sent down to Xiangnan County.
Qi Jinyuan saw the other person's face clearly, a flash of amazement quickly crossed his eyes, then his gaze became sharp and cold, like a venomous snake lurking in the jungle, his eyes devoid of any warmth, only deep vigilance and inquiry.
Wow, who exactly is this male educated youth that her cousin has her eye on? The way he's staring at her is giving her the creeps!
If the other person's gaze could kill, she had no doubt that she would have died a hundred times over, the kind of death where she was slowly and painlessly tortured.
How terrifying!
Cheng Cheng forced herself to remain calm, nodded to the other person, smiled politely, showing no embarrassment at being caught, and then casually looked away.
The other person smiled at him, and Qi Jinyuan was taken aback for a moment. Then he saw the other person look away from him and stare at the other people.
He didn't know whether he felt relieved or disappointed.
Seeing that they were coming closer, Cheng Cheng still didn't get out of the car, but she stood up when she saw them coming.
Looking at this group of young people with distinctly different demeanors—four men and three women—I saw on their faces a sense of confusion and uncertainty about the future, as well as fear and worry about the unknown environment and the weariness of the journey.
This year marks the third year of the "sent-down youth" movement. With the experience of the previous two years, everyone has probably come to their senses and understands what going to the countryside means and what kind of situation they will face.
Although Cheng Cheng felt some sympathy, she didn't show it. Under the sweeping influence of the times, everyone is just a grain of sand in the era, and they have no choice but to go wherever the wind blows, being swept along by the times.
She smiled and walked to the back of the tractor to help them with their luggage.
"Comrade, thank you. Are you also a sent-down youth?"
"Where did they come from? How long did it take them to arrive?"
Hearing this, Cheng Cheng felt a little embarrassed, but mostly delighted. Her eyebrows curved slightly as she looked at the woman with pigtails in front of her and said with a smile, "Comrade, how old do you think I am?"
Bai Sisi stared at her carefully, pondering with her head down. She was the youngest among the educated youth, having just turned eighteen. This woman looked to be about the same age as her, at most a few months older, but she guessed that the other woman was probably younger than her.
She asserted, "I just turned eighteen, you must be younger than me!"
“I’m not the youngest among the educated youth anymore! Comrade, what’s your name? My name is Bai Sisi, and I’m from Jinshi.”
"Pfft—"
Cheng Xiangming almost choked on his own saliva. Was this girl's eyesight good?
At only eighteen, are your eyes already failing?
Cheng Cheng immediately glared at her second brother, but when she caught a glimpse of Cheng Weihong's expression out of the corner of her eye, she was overjoyed!
With a radiant smile, she couldn't help but touch her face. "Comrade, thank you! I feel so happy right now!"
Cheng Weihong rolled her eyes inwardly. Face is a good thing, can't you have any shame?
"But I still have to tell you honestly that I am older than you, and I am not an educated youth. I am from Xintang Brigade and I grew up here."
Not a sent-down youth?
Xintang Brigade?
Isn't that where they went to work in the countryside?
Bai Sisi looked puzzled, clearly not believing it. This woman looked like a sent-down youth, and from a big city at that. The white shirt she was wearing was made of Dacron, and the watch on her wrist was a small and exquisite Plum Blossom brand women's watch made in Shanghai, which was hard to find elsewhere.
“I’m really not an educated youth. My name is Cheng Cheng. This is my second brother, my own brother. She is my cousin. The brigade leader is my second uncle. If you don’t believe me, you can ask them.”
As soon as he finished speaking, Cheng Xiangming immediately raised his hand to testify: "That's right! She's my younger sister, my biological sister."
Upon hearing this, not only Bai Sisi, but everyone else also showed surprise and shock.
Seeing the little girl's expression of utter despair, Cheng Cheng suppressed a laugh and reached out her hand: "Give me your hand, I'll pull you up."
Bai Sisi blankly handed her hand to the other person, who then pulled her onto the tractor. Only then did she realize what had happened, and her cheeks immediately turned bright red!
So cute!
Cheng Cheng helped the girl put her luggage away and pulled her to sit in the front.
"Cheng Cheng!"
Cheng Weihong couldn't help but speak up, staring at her with unfriendly eyes. That was her seat, the seat she had reserved for Qi Zhiqing!
"What's wrong?"
Cheng Cheng sat down gracefully, smiling broadly, and raised an eyebrow at her.
Cheng Weihong was so angry she wanted to hit someone; this girl had always liked to go against her since she was little!
She had previously helped her escape her past life's fate out of sisterly affection, but now she's biting the hand that feeds her!
Cheng Weihong quickly climbed onto the tractor and secured a seat first.
"Qi Zhiqing, please sit here!"
Cheng Weihong waved enthusiastically at the other person, her cheekbones naturally lifting, mixed with a hint of girlish shyness.
Cheng Cheng: ...
Witnessing it right under your nose is a completely different experience from seeing it from afar through the air. She only had one question: Doesn't your cheekbone ache or hurt after smiling for a long time?
Qi Jinyuan paused, staring for a moment at the woman who had been very enthusiastic towards him since they met. He seemed to recall hearing her call the brigade leader "Dad".
Qi Jinyuan put down his luggage, walked over, and a perfectly timed smile appeared on his lips. "Thank you, Comrade Cheng."
The other three male educated youths exchanged glances, then turned around and helped the other two female comrades put their luggage upstairs, letting them go up first.
"What? Comrade Cheng, is this your daughter? No, Comrade Cheng, you're already married?!"
Bai Sisi was so surprised that her mouth could have fit a whole duck egg!
"Xiaoxiao, call her Auntie."
This girl used to be so smug about being older than her, hehe, don't blame her for elevating her seniority now!
Hello, Auntie!
Little Lingxiao sat obediently on her mother's lap, giving her a sweet smile, her two dimples naturally rising.
"Hello, little friend."
Bai Sisi was a little slow to react. She mechanically raised her hand and waved, and the shock in her eyes quickly turned into affection.
What a beautiful child! So cute and cuddly, with fair and delicate skin, clean and bright eyes, and long eyelashes. She's the most beautiful child she's ever seen!
Moreover, the clothes they were wearing were very clean. This mother and daughter were nothing like the image of country people she had in mind. Not only in terms of clothing and appearance, but also in terms of temperament.
How strange!
Bai Sisi's voice was loud enough that everyone on the tractor heard what she said, and the educated youth all looked over in surprise.
Little Lingxiao snuggled closer to his mother, clutching her clothes tightly, and whispered, "Mommy~"
Cheng Cheng lowered her head and put a straw hat on the little guy's head. The white floral cotton cloth covered the little guy's face, leaving only a pair of big, black grape-like eyes showing.
Cheng Cheng put a straw hat on the little one, and then put one on herself. The mother and daughter covered their faces, only revealing a pair of similar eyes, which were exceptionally bright and beautiful.
Qi Jinyuan withdrew his gaze, his brows furrowed slightly, his eyelids lowered, seemingly lost in thought.
Cheng Weihong kept her eyes on Qi Zhiqing out of the corner of her eye, taking in the other's expressions and actions. She glared at her cousin, knowing that she was up to these underhanded tricks.
When she got back, she sewed a straw hat with a cloth lining!
Cheng Cheng glared back defiantly. What was she glaring at? Who was she afraid of? Her eyes were even bigger than Cheng Cheng's!
"Everyone, get ready, let's go!"
Cheng Xiangming's voice rang out, followed by a series of "putt-putt-putt" sounds as thick smoke billowed from the exhaust port at the back of the tractor.
Soon, the educated youths learned why the mother and daughter were wearing straw hats that provided cover, and they all covered their mouths and noses as well.
The educated youth sitting in the back had a worse time. They inhaled a few puffs of thick black smoke. Even if they covered their mouths and noses, they still had to breathe, and they ended up covered in soot!
Before even reaching their destination, the thick black smoke and the bumpy road conditions left them pale and increasingly desperate about their future.
After a bumpy ride of more than an hour, feeling as if my internal organs were about to shift, we were finally almost there.
The tractor drove directly to the educated youth settlement, where Cheng Cheng and Xiao Xiao got off.
The person in charge of the educated youth settlement was Gong Gaoyi, a first-time educated youth. He was an older man, not very tall, and wore glasses.
Upon hearing the sound of the tractor, they quickly emerged from inside.
"Captain."
Cheng Aimin nodded at him, his brows still deeply furrowed, and asked, "Comrade Gong, has the bed been prepared yet?"
Gong Gaoyi was truly troubled upon hearing this. The educated youth settlement was not large to begin with, and it already housed eleven educated youths. They were already living in cramped conditions, barely managing to squeeze in enough people.
There really wasn't any extra space available for the newly arrived educated youth to live in. Cheng Aimin was well aware of this, so he was worried as soon as he received the task from his superiors to pick up the educated youth!
Undeterred, he asked, "Is it really too crowded? Can't we squeeze in a bit more? Let's make do for a while, and I'll have someone come and expand the house tomorrow."
Gong Gaoyi shook his head, and the old educated youth inside also came out one after another, complaining to the brigade leader.
The current living conditions at their educated youth settlement are already extremely crowded, and daily life is inconvenient in many ways, so there's really no way to move them around.
Even if the older educated youth were willing to let the new educated youth move in, there wasn't enough space for them to live in!
It's true that even a skilled cook can't cook without rice.
This situation left the newly arrived educated youth completely bewildered. No, they were already suffering enough when they were sent to the countryside, and now they didn't even have a place to live.
They sensed the rejection and lack of acceptance from the older educated youth, and things reached a stalemate. The new educated youth all turned their attention to the brigade leader.
Cheng Aimin was deeply troubled!
At this moment, Cheng Weihong spoke up: "Dad, since the educated youth settlement is not enough to accommodate everyone, why don't we let the newly arrived educated youth stay in the homes of the villagers for the time being? If any family has an extra room, they can vacate one for the new educated youth to stay in."
That's not entirely unreasonable. The only problem is, which household has an extra room to spare?
The harvests in recent years have been decent, unlike the famine years before. It's common for every family to have new additions to the household.
However, there were no other good options at the moment. Cheng Aimin nodded, and the first place that came to mind was his elder brother's house. His nephew Xiangyang had gone to join the army, and his house should be available.
Thinking it over carefully, I wondered which family in the village could take in these educated youth. As I pondered this, several names immediately came to mind.
Cheng Aimin looked at the newly arrived educated youth and said, "In a little while, I will call the loudspeaker to gather everyone in the village committee square and ask which family is willing to vacate their house to accommodate you. Your grain rations have not yet been transferred to our village. I will discuss with the Youth League Secretary later and give you an advance on some grain."
"However, since you are staying in a villager's home, a portion of this grain will be deducted and given to the villager's family where you are staying. Do you agree to this?"
Cheng Aimin had racked his brains to think of the best for these educated youth; otherwise, why would anyone let them live in their home if there were no benefits to it?
The seven newly arrived educated youths had no objections. They looked at each other, and most of them had trepidation and confusion written on their faces. Their hearts felt like they had a bottomless stone hanging in their chests, not knowing where to settle down next.
Qi Jinyuan glanced at the other educated youths and said, "Captain, we have no objections and will follow your arrangements."
"Okay, it's decided then."
A hint of relief appeared on Cheng Aimin's face. He then looked at his niece, who was about to leave, and called her back.
“Xiao Cheng, you just heard it too. The educated youth have nowhere to stay and need to stay with the villagers. Go back and talk to your mother about this and let her know.”
"ah?"
Cheng Cheng turned to her second uncle and gave him a standard, polite smile. "Second Uncle, you should talk to my mother about this yourself."
Cheng Aimin choked for a moment, then tried his best to show a kind and gentle smile. "Xiao Cheng, your mother has always doted on you. If you talk to her, she will definitely listen. Just consider it helping your second uncle out."
Cheng Cheng smiled bitterly to herself. Who was spreading rumors?
She had experienced her mother's ruthless iron palm strike several times, and her family didn't have any spare rooms for the educated youth to live in.
The only three rooms available are her room, but she usually stays there when she comes back on weekends, her older sister's room, which is usually occupied by her niece Jia Hui.
There is also a room for the younger brother. Although the younger brother is not at home, his room is not empty. The three brothers, Dawei, Dayong and Dapeng, live in the younger brother's room.
In short, not a single room is superfluous.
"Comrade Cheng..."
Bai Sisi called out, gazing at her expectantly.
She understood what the brigade leader meant: it seemed that Comrade Cheng's family had a spare room available. Compared to the unfamiliar homes of other villagers, she would definitely prefer to stay at Comrade Cheng's house.
Cheng Cheng was immediately at her wit's end. "Okay, okay, I'll try my best."
"That's great, thank you, Comrade Cheng!"
Bai Sisi almost burst into tears of joy. She immediately picked up her luggage and walked to Comrade Cheng's side, afraid that if she was even a second late, someone else would beat her to it.
The others seemed to be deep in thought. This Comrade Cheng clearly came from a very well-off family, and the other two female educated youths also looked at Comrade Cheng.
Cheng Cheng quickly took Xiao Xiao and left. One child was fine; the family's burden wasn't heavy, and they even received a food subsidy. But if two more came, there would be three more mouths to feed, and things would get complicated.
Although she sympathized with them, she was not able to bear the expectations of others, and most importantly, this was not just about her alone. In the end, her parents, older brother, and sister-in-law would be living with the educated youth for a long time before the educated youth settlement was expanded.
It's not as simple as just having one more person to feed. Having another person in the family will inevitably squeeze the living space of others, which is ultimately inconvenient.
Even Bai Sisi didn't dare to take her home without saying hello and let her go with the captain and the others first.
At that moment, she felt a little envious of her second brother. He dropped off the educated youth and drove off in his tractor.
At this moment, smoke was rising from every household, including the Cheng family. Her second brother had already arrived home with her package and was telling his family about the new educated youth he had met that day.
"Mom! Dad!"
As soon as Cheng Cheng started singing, she immediately drew the attention of the others, who stared at her with alarm.
Xu Fengying frowned. Her daughter sticking her butt out meant something bad was definitely going to happen!
Meeting her mother's sharp gaze, Cheng Cheng immediately wilted and honestly recounted what had just happened. The key point was that she had betrayed her second uncle. Pshaw, what do you mean by betraying? She was simply telling the truth.
"That's how it is. My second uncle asked me to come back and tell him that he's going to the village committee to make an announcement over the loudspeaker."
As soon as Cheng Cheng finished speaking, Cheng Aimin's voice came over the loudspeaker.
"Broadcast! Urgent notice! Each household must send a representative to the threshing ground immediately to discuss the resettlement of the newly educated youth! Attention! Attention, everyone in the village! Each household must send a representative now..."
Xu Fengying slammed her hand on the table and said angrily, "After the second son became the brigade leader, he never thinks of us when there are good things, and he never shares anything with our family. But when there's trouble, he thinks of our family."
Chen Meiling, as her mother-in-law's loyal henchman, immediately chimed in: "That's right! Second Uncle is going too far! He always tells us to give us an easy job, saying that we should treat everyone equally, that he's the brigade leader and can't be biased, that he's the most fair one!"
Although angry, Xu Fengying got up and left with a sullen face.
Chen Meiling immediately followed her mother-in-law, saying to her sister-in-law as they walked, "Sister-in-law, Mom and I will go check the situation first. Our family shouldn't suffer any losses."
Wu Yufang also wanted to go see what was going on, but there was still food cooking in the pot, and the house couldn't be left unattended, so she could only say, "Okay, remember to let me know when you get back!"
As soon as the broadcast started, Jia Hui grabbed Xiao Xiao and ran outside. The other children had already run out to see what was going on, and now they were nowhere to be seen.
"Sister-in-law, there are two pounds of pork leg meat in that small bag. Remember to take it out."
After Cheng Cheng finished speaking, she followed him away.
Bai Sisi and the other educated youth waited anxiously at the threshing ground. After hearing the broadcast, villagers gradually arrived, and a group of children ran over.
She saw Comrade Cheng's daughter inside, and her face lit up with joy. She immediately waved to the little girl.
"Xiaoxiao!"
Little Lingxiao ran to the threshing ground with her older brothers and sisters, her little face flushed. These days she has also become familiar with the other children in the village and can now naturally blend in with them.
Suddenly, she heard someone call her name. Xiao Lingxiao turned her head and looked over. She remembered her; it was her educated youth aunt.
"Sister Jiahui, I'm coming over for a bit."
Xiao Lingxiao pointed in a direction, and Cheng Jiahui looked in the direction her sister pointed.
"I'll go with you!"
A group of children came running over, looking at them with curious eyes and whispering among themselves:
"They are newly arrived educated youth!"
"Definitely! I've never seen them before, they must be newcomers!"
Little Lingxiao walked up to Bai Sisi, raised his little face, looked at her with a puzzled expression, and asked in a childish voice, "Auntie, what do you want to talk to me about?"
Bai Sisi squatted down, forcing a smile on her anxious face, "Xiaoxiao, where's your mother?"
Little Lingxiao tilted her head and thought for a moment. She had run out with her older brothers and sisters first, and her mother hadn't come out yet, but she figured her mother would come soon. So she replied, "My mom's behind me~"
Hearing this, Bai Sisi felt a little relieved, but her heart was still pounding.
Only when I saw Comrade Cheng appear at the threshing ground did my heart finally settle down.
Although Bai Sisi is young, she is quite smart. She treats Cheng Cheng like her own sister!
His attitude was fiery and enthusiastic, "Comrade Cheng!"
"Are you Auntie? Hello Auntie, my name is Bai Sisi, and I'm a new educated youth."
Xu Fengying turned to look at the girl. She was fair-skinned, with big eyes and a small upturned nose. She was a pretty girl, and her smile was like a flower.
Xu Fengying's previously composed face broke into a smile. "Miss, where are you from? Your journey must have been arduous."
"I'm from Jinshi."
"Wow, that's so far!" Xu Fengying frowned, looking at the girl. "Your family must be reluctant to let you come all this way here."
Hearing this, Bai Sisi almost burst into tears, hugging Xu Fengying. In fact, she was close. With teary eyes, she looked at Xu Fengying and choked up, saying, "Auntie, no wonder I felt like I was seeing a family member when I saw you. You're just like my own auntie, sob sob..."
Cheng Cheng, standing nearby, was dumbfounded!
Chen Meiling: ...
What's going on? Why did she suddenly feel a sense of crisis? Why is this girl hugging her mother-in-law?
That's her mother-in-law!
"Don't cry, girl. Just think of me as your aunt. If you need anything, just let me know."
Xu Fengying patted her shoulder, a hint of heartache in her eyes. Oh dear, when she asked the girl's age, she found out she was a few years younger than her own daughter!
She's only eighteen years old, and she's left her hometown, traveling all the way from the north to their mountain village in the south. How pitiful!
Xu Fengying didn't understand what was going on outside, but she knew that if she were this girl's mother, she would definitely not be willing to let her daughter go so far away, and would only feel at ease if she kept her under her own nose.
Seeing this, Cheng Cheng breathed a sigh of relief. It seemed that her mother had softened her heart. She didn't need to get involved; her mother would definitely agree to this matter!
Sure enough, after her second uncle finished talking about the resettlement of educated youth, her mother said, "Your aunt has a house, would you like to come to your aunt's house?"
Bai Sisi nodded hurriedly, "Yes, yes!"
Chen Meiling was dumbfounded. Her mother-in-law was angry when she arrived, how could she change her attitude so quickly?
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Author's note: See you tomorrow!
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