Chapter 195 The Road Ahead is Confused
Secretary Zhou got a good idea from Huo Lanci, so he went down the mountain immediately, left the Five-Star Brigade through a small path, and went to the commune to find the secretary.
After meeting the commune secretary, he told the Five-Star Brigade about its situation, and then acted helplessly: "We really don't have any solution. If we did, we wouldn't hide it. It's a good thing for everyone to reap the harvest together. I can't do anything that would hurt others and benefit myself."
"Secretary, you really need to help me this time. Find an officer to go to the Five-Star Brigade to watch over it. Otherwise, even if the captain and I have a hundred mouths, we won't be able to explain it clearly."
After hearing this, the commune secretary thought for a moment and said, "I'll have the staff from the Agricultural Science Station go to your Five-Star Brigade to take a look. If necessary, we'll let people live in the Five-Star Brigade permanently."
He also knew that the Five-Star Brigade's harvest was 30% higher than before, and this matter had to be clarified. If there was really no way to increase production and it was entirely a geographical and climatic issue, then they could only try to use the grain of the Five-Star Brigade as seeds.
"Tell them about this. If they know that there are comrades from the Agricultural Science Station coming to the Five-Star Brigade, they will definitely not look for you."
Secretary Zhou nodded repeatedly: "Okay, thank you very much."
After Secretary Zhou returned, he had people clean out a storage room where the brigade usually stored things, waiting for the staff from the Agricultural Science Station.
I thought I would have to wait a long time, but I didn't expect the commune secretary to work so quickly. The next morning, staff from the Agricultural Science Station came with their luggage and moved into the house of the brigade headquarters.
This begins a period of observation that could last for several months or even a year.
The secretaries and captains of the nearby brigades no longer came to disturb Secretary Zhou and others, and his ears were finally quiet.
In June, Yu Wanqing received a letter from her fourth brother from the northwest. The letter told him about the interesting things he encountered in his daily life and also told him a more important news.
"Zhou Jianhua is getting married." She looked at Huo Lanci: "I saw Aunt Zhou this morning, but she didn't mention this."
She has now become close friends with Aunt Zhou, with whom she can talk about anything.
If Aunt Zhou already knew about such an important matter, there is no way she wouldn't tell him.
Huo Lanci came over to take a look. The date on the letter was the eighth of next month, which was still twenty days away. "Maybe Zhou Jianhua's letter hasn't arrived yet."
"No, shouldn't he call us to tell us about such an important matter?" Yu Wanqing couldn't understand Zhou Jianhua's thoughts.
The letter said that the girl Zhou Jianhua was going to marry was from Nanshi, Guangdong, but she had moved to the northwest with her father when she was very young.
It is the guardian of the hospital.
"Let's wait and see. If Zhou Jianhua hasn't written back to tell Secretary Zhou and the others in a few days, we'll tell them." Huo Lanci looked at Yu Wanqing: "I also have something very important to tell you."
Yu Wanqing looked at Huo Lanci: "What's the matter?"
Seeing Aci's serious look, Wanqing realized that the matter was serious.
Huo Lanci said: "Uncle Fu and his friends are leaving. Someone will come to pick them up in three days."
Yu Wanqing was a little surprised: "Have you figured things out? Are you sure there won't be any surprises?"
"No, this matter was approved by the second leader himself. After they leave, they will be sent to a secret laboratory and may not be able to contact the outside world for a long time."
Yu Wanqing thought of those researchers who were so absorbed in their research that they cut off contact with their families. She smiled and said, "I believe that they would rather stay in the laboratory for a long time than waste their abilities and farm and raise pigs here."
"Ah Ci, they don't belong here." For them, being able to go back and do the work they want to do is happiness.
This is what they always look forward to.
In the evening, the two went to Beishan.
Huo Lanci told them what happened. Fu Henian and the others were very surprised. Dong Lianyi couldn't help but ask, "Where is Mr. Kang?"
Those who are doing research can leave, but what about Mr. Kang?
They have been together for almost two years, and especially supported each other through the most difficult times, and they have long been like a family.
Therefore, when they learned that they could return to their jobs, Dong Lianyi and others thought of Mr. Kang first.
Hearing this, Elder Kang laughed and said, "Don't worry about me. In our situation, whoever can leave is welcome. What's more, the four of you can leave. For me, this is a good thing."
However, everyone was unwilling to listen to what Mr. Kang said, and all their eyes turned to Huo Lanci.
Huo Lanci said: "The higher-ups are still discussing Mr. Kang's whereabouts."
With just one sentence, the small house in Beishan instantly became quiet.
Fu Henian patted his wife's shoulder and said, "Mr. Kang is right. As long as we can leave, it's up to us. Since the higher-ups are still discussing Mr. Kang's whereabouts, it proves that sooner or later, Mr. Kang will go back."
Lu Jingan hid his depressed mood and said with a smile: "Yes, yes, since we have discussed it, there must be a good arrangement."
Otherwise, their names would never appear on the leadership discussion table.
Yu Wanqing thought of the information they had left with her, and quietly moved to Dong Lianyi's side, and whispered, "I want to discuss something with you."
Dong Lianyi understood what she meant and pulled her outside.
"Kid, we understand what you want to say. Our current situation is unclear, and all those things remain in your hands." They had already discussed that if one day they could really go back to do research, they would not easily take away the things stored in Wan Qing's hands.
They will not take the things back to continue their research until it is truly daybreak and they are safe enough.
Otherwise, they were worried that the so-called safety today was just used to confuse them. Even Mr. Huo was confused. The purpose was to obtain data.
Yu Wanqing nodded: "Okay, don't worry, there won't be any problems here with me."
Dong Lianyi smiled and nodded: "Of course, we all believe you."
As they were about to separate, Yu Wanqing would go to Beishan every night to talk to them.
Three days passed in the blink of an eye, and two jeeps appeared on the other side of the Five-Star Brigade Bridge.
This matter attracted the attention of many members, and some even secretly ran to the brigade headquarters to tell Secretary Zhou about it.
Secretary Zhou went out to take a look and met four soldiers coming towards him.
They greeted each other and got to know each other, and then the leading soldier explained his purpose.
Secretary Zhou looked at the document in his hand, and his ears were still ringing with what the military comrades said about taking away the four people in the thatched cottage on Beishan Mountain.
He quickly looked at the document and the secretary was a little surprised. Does this mean the oldest one should be kept?
Secretary Zhou took several military comrades to Beishan to look for Fu Henian and others.
Along the way, he was still thinking: Fortunately, during the two years since they came to Beishan, they did not deliberately make things difficult for anyone. Later, even the criticism meetings were just for show.
When Secretary Zhou and his companions arrived at Beishan, Fu Henian and his wife were feeding pigs in the pigsty, while Cen Xuning and Lu Jing'an were feeding cows.
Mr. Kang was sorting grass for the cows on the side.
Several soldiers knew the identities of the five people, so when they saw this scene, they felt very uncomfortable.
Who were they before that they have to raise pigs and cows now?
They all felt uncomfortable and quickly stepped forward to explain their purpose. Although Fu Henian and the others had already known that they could leave the Five-Star Brigade, they still couldn't help but tear up when this day came.
Although they have lived a peaceful life in the Five-Star Brigade in the past two years, they cannot forget what happened when they were arrested.
Rotten eggs, stones, and rotten vegetable leaves were thrown at me.
All kinds of insulting words linger in my mind.
When he woke up in the middle of the night, Fu Henian could still hear the crying of the person beside him.
The soldiers explained their purpose and showed the documents issued by their superiors to several people. The soldier in charge said: "We will wait for you here for an hour, and then we will leave."
Fu Henian nodded: "Thank you for your help."
"Don't worry, these are what we should do."
Fu Henian and Dong Lianyi went back to their room to pack their things. Dong Lianyi asked quietly, "Are we going to say goodbye to Xiaowu and the others?"
"It's better not to go." Fu Henian looked at his wife: "I know you can't bear to leave Xiaowu and Aci, and I am the same, but our situations are different. I don't know how many eyes are watching us behind our backs."
"We can't openly have anything to do with A-Ci and Xiao-Wu. Otherwise, even if we leave, it might cause trouble for both of them."
Dong Lianyi was silent for a moment, knowing that what her husband said made sense: "I understand."
She sighed, her voice filled with helplessness and reluctance: "Go and tell them about this first. We will pack up and tell Elder Kang and Xue Kun, and then leave."
After she finished speaking, she looked at the dilapidated room in front of her. It was precisely this place that protected them from the wind and rain and gave them the only peace in the storm.
Of course, this peace is protected by someone behind the scenes.
Fu Henian nodded and hugged his wife gently: "The two children will understand what we do."
Dong Lianyi nodded and patted her husband on the back: "Go, let them both prepare in advance."
Sometimes, even an eye contact is not allowed.
Because, one careless move could cause great trouble to the two children.
Dong Lian thought of the gold, silver and jewelry she had hidden, and also wondered if she was really safe after leaving this time, or if the so-called safety was just on the surface and was actually full of dangers.
She thought about it, packed up all her things, wrote a letter and gave it to Mr. Kang, asking him to pass it to Xiaowu.
The letter contained two addresses, both of which were where she hid her jewelry.
If she and her husband really had no news from then on, those dowries would be considered as her makeup for Xiaowu.
Moreover, if they really couldn't make it out alive, at least there would be an heir to her things.
So as not to be buried.
The four of them packed up their things and walked out of the thatched hut. Fu Henian and a few others walked towards Secretary Zhou and thanked him again and again for his private care over the past two years.
During this dark time in their lives, not adding insult to injury and treating them fairly is the greatest respect we can show them.
Yu Wanqing and Huo Lanci had known for a long time that someone was coming to pick up Fu Henian and the others, but they did not join in the fun. Instead, they stood where the few people passed by and watched them leave with many onlookers.
Dong Lianyi walked a long way, but she did not forget to look back at the small village where she had lived for two years. Her eyes passed over Yu Wanqing and Huo Lanci, with deep reluctance in her eyes. She said, "Two years have passed in the blink of an eye. Now I have to leave, but I am a little reluctant."
Lu Jing'an looked at the road ahead: "Two years ago, when I was sent here, I thought I would die."
This is his blessed land.
"I'll come back and have a look if I have the chance in the future." Cen Xuning didn't look back. People are always so strange. In the past, he always hoped to leave here and go back to continue his research. Now that he can finally leave, he feels reluctant to leave.
I can’t bear to leave the people here, and I can’t bear to leave the peaceful life of the past two years.
Aunt Zhou asked Yu Wanqing in a low voice: "Yu Zhiqing, do you think they will return to their own homes or continue to work somewhere else after they leave?"
Yu Wanqing shook her head: "I don't know either."
Aunt Zhou sighed: "I hope they can go back and reunite with their families."
The first five people who came from Beishan were all quite old, some of them were even grandfathers, but in the end they were sent to a poor mountain village like theirs, where they couldn’t even contact their families and might even die while working.
"Some time ago, an old man in Qianshan Commune hanged himself." Aunt Zhou San talked about this incident with a bit of shock in her eyes: "He hanged himself on the wooden beam of the pig pen with his own belt."
"Some people said that he wanted to hang himself in the thatched hut, but he was worried that the wooden beams would not be able to bear the weight and the hut would collapse, dragging down the other laborers who were sent there."
"What a sin." Someone in the crowd heard this and whispered.
But no one dared to discuss such things loudly.
When the crowd dispersed, Aunt Zhou smiled and said to Yu Wanqing: "Jianhua called yesterday and said he was getting married, but he didn't have time to bring his daughter-in-law back to show us. He hoped we could attend their wedding."
"He said that maybe he would have to wait until next year to bring his new daughter-in-law back."
Yu Wanqing quickly congratulated him upon hearing this: "When will you and the secretary go to the northwest to attend Jianhua's wedding?"
"We plan to leave in a few days, and we'll come back after the wedding is over." Aunt Zhou muttered, "We'll be in Shuangqiang soon. Even if we go to the northwest, we won't be able to stay there for long."
"I was a little nervous before I even set off." She was very happy when she thought about her son getting married, but she was nervous and scared when she thought about going to such a far place because she had never left Nanfu County.
Yu Wanqing understands the psychological pressure that a person who has never traveled far away will feel when he is about to go to a place where he is unfamiliar with the environment.
"Don't be afraid, the secretary is here."
Aunt Zhou laughed and said, "The farthest place he has ever been is Guangdong."
"You have to trust the secretary." Yu Wanqing thought that going to the Northwest Army camp would require several transfers, which was indeed a bit troublesome: "I will write down clearly on a piece of paper when I go back, where to transfer, and write down the contact number. When you and the secretary set out, take this piece of paper with you."
There is a bus route map, so they will not take the wrong bus.
"Really? That's great." For some reason, Aunt Zhou felt more relieved: "You young people are really brave. You left your parents and came to such a faraway place to work in the countryside."