Liu Weimin was also heartbroken. A third of it? This was going to kill him!
The village chiefs, looking dejected, were given a few more educated youths to take with them just before they left. They were afraid the youths would throw a tantrum, so they were told to leave right before they were about to leave. They were forced to accept the youths' gifts, whether they wanted to or not.
As a result, a few people sat down and cried on the spot.
"Secretary, are you trying to drive people to their deaths? This year, we've worked ourselves to the bone watering the crops, and the harvest is less than a quarter of what it used to be. We still have to pay so much in grain tax, and then we give it to these several freeloaders..."
"Secretary, how are we supposed to live?"
Once the first person started, others couldn't hold back any longer. It's only been a few years since the rural resettlement program began, and not many problems have arisen yet, but it's true that they don't know how to do farm work and that they are responsible for the food rations.
“Secretary, you know the situation in each of our villages.”
The crops were drought-stricken from the moment they were planted. Everyone had to carry water from the river, one load at a time, to irrigate them. The crops withered all summer long due to the drought, and nothing grew. In the fall, the corn cobs were all empty.
You're saying a third isn't a small amount? How are we going to pay that?
How are ordinary people supposed to survive?
"That summer, ten catties of grain were enough to feed ten or so people for more than a month. The mountain was completely stripped bare."
"No one in our village starved to death directly, but a young man was forced into the mountains and never came out..."
The commune secretary was a man in his forties, with a dark complexion and prominent cheekbones. He was a retired soldier, limping on his left leg, and his brow was always furrowed.
“I know, I know. I know everyone’s difficulties. It’s not just our Xiangyang Commune, but the whole Anji County and the whole Linbei Province. It’s the same situation. When I go to meetings, I hear the same news.”
Comrades, the country is currently facing difficulties. We are guarding our land and forests, which are natural treasures. We should have a greater chance of success than our fellow workers.
Comrades, I hope that everyone can overcome the spirit of not being afraid of hardship or fatigue, and make use of the existing conditions to rely on our own efforts.
We are aware of everyone's hard work and are currently trying to find solutions. Please hang in there; these difficulties are temporary. The nation's development needs everyone's contributions.
Seeing that the words were absolute and left no room for doubt, the group realized there was no other way. Their steps became heavier as they left, and their gazes toward the educated youth were less than friendly.
The educated youths were still reeling from what they had just witnessed and could only follow their respective village chiefs in a daze.
Liu Weimin had always thought his village was the poorest, but upon hearing that people in other villages had starved to death, he instantly elevated his status by two meters.
I'm so glad I believed Jian Dan's words, otherwise, he would be the one famous for this today.
Thinking about it this way, my mood actually improved a bit, and I didn't even think about the worry of having to pay grain taxes anymore.
No matter what, the villagers' lives were saved.
Because of its simplicity, the three educated youths seemed much more pleasing to the eye.
"You young educated youth, is there anything you need to buy? The village's oxcart is here too, it can wait for you for a while,"
The three educated youths, one man and two women, saw that the village chief, who had just been arguing and seemed ready to fight, was now smiling at them. They all felt that he had a bad temper and didn't dare to say anything more, only telling him to go to the post office to pick up the package.
The three people and the three packages quickly boarded the oxcart.
"Xiao Jian hasn't come back yet?"
After feeding the cow, Uncle Liu raised his chin.
"So, you're not coming back?"
Liu Weimin looked up and saw Jian Dan carrying a small basket on his back, running over with a bouncy gait.
The fifteen-year-old girl was still a child, with a hint of childishness that was not very obvious.
I glanced at the three strangers in the car and the pile of luggage, and that gave me a general idea.
Raise a smile,
"Uncle Village Chief, Third Master, phew... I'm not too late, am I?"
Old Master Liu's face was all wrinkled from smiling.
"No, no, they just arrived. Are you done? Come on up, let's go back."
"Okay!"
He simply took the basket off his back and put it on, then sat down next to Uncle Liu. The old ox dutifully walked back.
Simple is the kind of person who makes conversation even when there's nothing to say.
"Uncle, are we going to work tomorrow?"
Liu Weimin didn't think much of it.
"Rest for three days, let all the corn stalks dry, and then tie them all up in a few days. Are you getting restless again? Want to run up the mountain again?"
Simplicity is not denied.
"I wasn't thinking that since I was just sitting here anyway, I might as well go and gather more firewood before it snows. Aren't we supposed to get really cold in winter here?"
"Yes, it's so cold. Once you finish the work in the fields and your private plots, you can basically hibernate. You really need to gather more."
"Third Uncle, shouldn't we go up the mountain?"
"That's right! Xiao Jian, don't worry, wait a few days, the whole village will go up the mountain together."
"Are we going deep into the mountains?"
Liu Weimin's hands were itching to play.
"Of course not. It's not easy to get into the deep mountains. You should avoid going in there too. There are all sorts of things there."
If it snows, the hungry wild animals in the mountains will come out to hunt for food, so we can't be careless.
She could tell whether it was well-intentioned or not, and readily agreed.
"Hey, Uncle, with such a drought this year, what could possibly grow on the mountain?"
"Why not? The mountain is different from the foot of the mountain. The mountain can store water on its own, and with all those trees, it's amazing."
When I was a child, I think back to that time. From spring to autumn, not a single drop of rain fell. The crops could only be watched helplessly as they lay barren. The land was so dry that it couldn't be planted, the wells were all muddy, and everyone could drown in the river.
There's no other way. People have to live. There are no wild vegetables at all; it's completely barren.
Later, the villagers went up the mountain. Staying behind meant certain death, while going up the mountain offered a glimmer of hope.
Do you know what the first edible thing we saw was?
It's a rat!
They also prey on snakes, spiders, insects, and anything else that comes into view. They pounce on it without hesitation, and some even stuff it directly into their mouths.
I'm so hungry, my stomach and belly are aching terribly.
We've entered the deep mountains, and there are indeed many things inside, including quite a few mature fruits and mountain products, but there are hardly any people left.
Some were killed by tigers, some by poisonous snakes, some by eating poisonous mushrooms, some by falling down mountains, and one person, finding a water source, excitedly drowned himself.
The group listened silently, and finally Liu Weimin let out a deep sigh.
"What were the names of those young educated youth again?"
The educated youth immediately recalled the scene of their raging arrogance in the commune, and their original plans became more cautious.
The girl with short hair spoke first; she sounded quite cheerful.
"Village chief, my name is Li Yan, we're both from Nanshi,"
Then there was the quiet-looking girl, who was also dressed the most simply, with patches on the cuffs of her clothes.
"Village chief, my name is Lin Zhaodi."
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