Chapter 1
In 1956, the spring breeze after Grain Rain blew into Binjiang City.
The banner at the gate of the compound that read "Ride fast towards socialism" was just taken down, and soon replaced with one with white letters on a red background that read "Warmly celebrate public-private partnership."
Ye Manzhi withdrew his gaze from the window and focused his attention again on the letter of complaint in front of him.
The letter was not long, but its content was enough to cause an uproar in the Ye family.
Greetings to all the leaders of the Subdistrict Office. I am an ordinary, patriotic citizen who firmly supports the great socialist transformation. I would like to report a situation I know to the leadership.
Ye Shouxin, a Guangming Street resident and foreman of the machine repair workshop at Factory 656, has opened a tailor shop!
[The address is West Room, Gate B, Building 8, Military Industry Compound (Sanya's room). The master apprentice is Sanya Ye Manzhi (a student in Class 2A of the 656 Factory Children's School). He's been working there for two months and estimates he can earn 20 to 30 yuan, which is considered a small handicraft.]
【……】
This has a very negative impact on the public. Please ask the leadership to investigate carefully and have his home renovated as soon as possible.
Snap——
Ye Shouxin slapped the letter and said angrily, "Hurry up and let Erya divorce Xu Dajun! I won't marry a villain like this who complains behind my back!"
After the roar, the room was silent, no one agreed or disagreed.
Even Ye Manzhi, who was keen on playing the role of peacemaker, was too lazy to say anything.
She was really fed up with her second brother-in-law Xu Dajun!
At the beginning of the year, newspapers and radio broadcasts suddenly began to encourage lesbians to wear colorful clothes. Pretty girls responded to the call and started wearing colors other than blue, white and gray.
Ye Manzhi has loved beauty and dressing up since she was a child. Even if she was wearing her father's workshop overalls, she would embroider a bunch of small orchids on the big pocket on her chest.
This time she had an excuse to respond to the call, so she asked her mother to get some cloth and made a long-sleeved Verding bra by herself.
The skirt is made according to the model of Shanghai Hongxia brand ready-made clothes, with novel style and bright colors.
She only wore it to school for one day, and then classmates and neighbors came to her house to ask her to help make clothes.
The labor fee for each piece is 70 cents, which is really irresistible for Ye Manzhi, who only has 50 cents of pocket money per month.
But half a month ago, when her tailoring business was booming, the street officials suddenly came to her with a letter of complaint, saying that making clothes for others was a small handicraft and that she had to undergo socialist transformation and be incorporated into the "clothing production cooperative."
At that time, the entire city was carrying out socialist transformation, and even the "Chenji Bathhouse" opposite the compound was transformed into the "Public-Private Jointly-Operated Chenji Public Bathhouse."
If Ye Manzhi wants to continue her tailoring business, she must respond to the call, bring her sewing machine to work at the cooperative, and receive a monthly salary.
However, the Ye family paid for their daughter to go to high school, not for her to become a tailor!
After weighing the pros and cons, the family reluctantly gave up this unexpectedly profitable small business.
…
"Let's return the sewing machine to my second sister."
Ye Manzhi knew clearly in her mind that her second brother-in-law dared to write anonymous letters to the street in that incomplete and crappy handwriting simply because he was afraid that after her business became prosperous, he would withhold the sewing machine and not return it.
That sewing machine was my second sister's dowry, and it has earned a lot of extra money for her in-laws in the past two years.
A while ago, in order to prevent my second sister from having to continue working while pregnant, Lao Ye brought the sewing machine back in the name of borrowing it, intending to return it after my second sister finished her confinement.
"What are you talking about? I won't give it back!" Ye Shouxin slammed the table. "How can you be so spineless? You're really not like my daughter, Ye Shouxin!"
"You're a man of courage. Why don't you help me vent my anger? I've received this letter for a week, and the paper is almost crumpled up, and you haven't come up with any rules. What's the point of just beating Xu Dajun? After his injury heals, he can still use my sister's money to live a luxurious life!"
Divorce is a shameful thing these days. My second sister has a good relationship with Xu Dajun and she is pregnant, so there is no way she would obey and get a divorce.
They were afraid of damaging the jade bottle when killing the mouse. It was a loss. They had to eat it even if they didn’t want to!
Chang Yue'e placed two enamel basins on the dining table and said, "I've been reading that complaint letter for days now. Even if I read it a hundred times, I still can't see anything interesting. Let's eat first!"
The Ye family’s dinner today was a bowl of black-faced steamed buns, a pot of cabbage stewed with vermicelli, and half a jar of Subu soup.
The mixed aroma of beef, tomatoes, and cream was mouth-watering. The fourth brother sniffed and said, "Mom, I want to eat Suber soup too!"
"Wait until your sister finishes eating, then I'll let you have some soup. I made a lot of soup today."
Subu soup was a special dish prepared by the factory for Soviet experts. With her daughter's medical examination form, Chang Yue'e could occasionally get a portion from the canteen.
However, ever since her tailoring business was shut down, the amount of food she served was sharply reduced from four spoonfuls to one spoonful, barely enough for Ye Manzhi to eat alone.
Chang Yue'e felt that her daughter had a rosy complexion and black and shiny hair recently, and did not look like she was anemic. She was about to ask her when she could finish the Su Bo soup, but was interrupted by a heavy knock on the door.
"Ye Manzhi! Ye Manzhi! Come out right here!"
Bang bang bang——
The knock on the door disturbed Lihua who was licking her paws happily. The kitten curled up vigilantly, turning into a fluffy dandelion, and meowed twice at the person outside the door.
Lihua's vicious threats were of no avail. The door was not locked and was knocked open in a few seconds.
When Chang Yue'e found out that the person coming was actually Xu Dajun's mother, she was stunned for only a second before reaching out to stop her.
But Aunt Xu waved her away and rushed straight towards the little girl in the light blue cheongsam.
"Ye Manzhi, what do you mean? Who told you to register my house as a tailor shop?"
Ye Manzhi was speechless for a moment, then asked something nonsense: "What do you mean?"
"Stop playing dumb! The comrades at the Industrial and Commercial Bureau said it was Dajun's sister-in-law who helped fill out the registration form! They even told my family to hurry over to the bureau to pay the money and get the business license!" Aunt Xu scowled. "How can you be so vicious at such a young age?"
Upon hearing this news, all the Ye family members looked at their daughter who was secretly doing something naughty in surprise and suspicion.
Chang Yue'e, in particular, was surprised and wanted to laugh. She just felt that her daughter was brave and smart, much better than the cautious old Ye.
The family only took on some private work, and making clothes could be considered a small handicraft at best. But if the Xu family had a business license, it would be a real small handicraft!
Ye Manzhi herself remained relatively calm. She asked with a puzzled look on her face, "Auntie, I helped your family with such a big thing. It's fine if you're not grateful, but why are you blaming me? Honestly, this was inspired by your family's letter of complaint!"
"Look, you have a sewing machine and are quite skilled. Once you get your business license, the street office will definitely require you to undergo restructuring and work at the 'Garment Production Cooperative'! Wouldn't that buy you an extra job?"
Aunt Xu's triangular eyes drooped as she angrily spat, "Bah! Bullshit job!"
There are also certain requirements for recruiting people for the cooperative.
The eldest daughter-in-law is the only one in her family who can make clothes, but her salary at her workplace is higher than that of the tailor at the cooperative. How could she afford to give up the good for the bad?
Originally, her family could earn seven or eight yuan extra every month, but after Ye Manzhi's interference, her family was registered with the Industrial and Commercial Bureau and the Street Office. Even if she didn't get the business license, she couldn't take any private work in the short term!
Seeing her face twisted with anger, Ye Manzhi felt happy but also a little scared.
She moved quietly and hid behind her father little by little. Feeling that her safety was guaranteed, she added fuel to the other person's burning passion.
"Auntie, my sister can't go, but we still have you! The cooperative needs other workers besides tailors. I think you're quite good at recruiting jobs. My sister was pregnant, and you were able to find her more than a dozen manual jobs! Talent like you will definitely be useful in the cooperative!"
Aunt Xu, whose fig leaf was torn off, became immediately angry and embarrassed.
What's wrong with her asking her daughter-in-law to do some work?
A daughter who is married off is like water spilled. If the Ye family hadn't meddled in other people's affairs, how could the current situation have occurred?
Thinking of her own family's losses, Aunt Xu became even more distressed. While shouting for the Ye family to pay compensation, she waved her hand at the little hoof's face.
Ye Shouxin quickly opened his arms to block his daughter, and said with an indifferent attitude: "My daughter is so young, how can she know what business registration is? I helped you get your business license, so thank me if you want to thank someone!"
"Bullying! This is too much bullying. I'm going to fight you!"
…
There was chaos at the Ye family's house, and all the neighbors came to the door to watch the fun.
Chang Yue'e whispered to her daughter, "Did you really register her house as a tailor shop? Where did you get the letter of introduction? How did the colleagues from the Industrial and Commercial Bureau trust you?"
"I said my brother-in-law can't read, and I'm acting on his behalf." Ye Manzhi, having avenged his great hatred, was refreshed. "The specific details are confidential, so don't ask for them!"
"..." Chang Yue'e said worriedly, "Second girl, I'm afraid she'll have to suffer a bit."
"If we don't act tough, they'll bully my second sister even more! Don't worry, if Aunt Xu really takes her out on me, I'll have my third, fourth, and fifth brothers beat up Xu Dajun!"
“…”
Chang Yue'e was worried that her daughter's reputation would spread, so she had to give her an empty bottle first.
"There's nothing for you to do here. Go get me a bottle of soy sauce from the supply and marketing cooperative..."
Ye Manzhi agreed with a smile, said hello to the neighbors who were watching, and went downstairs carrying the bottle of soy sauce.
*
The residential buildings for the staff of Factory 656 were built last year. They are all Khrushchev buildings with red bricks and gray tiles arranged vertically, connecting the two major areas of production and living.
By evening, the bugle call for shift change had already been blown twice, and the "Katyusha" from the loudspeaker was filled with spring breeze.
When Ye Manzhi walked to the gate of the compound while humming a song, she found that the bulletin board was surrounded by people.
"Aunt Li, what are you doing over there?"
"The list of young workers going to the Stalin Automobile Factory for internship has been posted! Your Ye Mantang's name is on it! Hurry home and tell your parents the good news!"
Ye Manzhi asked in surprise, "Did my third brother really get chosen?"
"How could that be false?"
Joy surged up like a tide, and Ye Manzhi cheered with joy.
Yu Guangli spotted her third brother and his wife who had just returned from outside, and she hurried over to tell them the good news.
However, before she could offer her congratulations, she heard her third sister-in-law Huang Li coldly ask, "Ye Mantang, what did you promise me? Why is your name on the list of those being sent to study in the Soviet Union?"
The third brother smiled apologetically and said, "The factory has the final say on who to choose and who not to choose. I have no right to say anything!"
"If the cow doesn't want to drink water, can the factory leaders force it to do so?"
The third brother explained with a smug look on his face, "The key is that I don't have any reasonable reason to refuse to study! What will the leaders think of me then?"
Ye Mantang winked at his younger sister for help, but Ye Manyi just gave him a helpless look.
Sometimes she really couldn't understand her third sister-in-law's thoughts.
I don't understand why she gave up her respectable job as a middle school teacher and chose to be a deliveryman working in the wind and rain.
I don’t understand why she opposed her husband going to study in the Soviet Union.
It is such an honor for an ordinary working-class family like theirs to raise an engineer who studies in the Soviet Union and contributes to the motherland!
In the entire military industrial complex, I'm afraid only my third sister-in-law would object...
Huang Li certainly knew that in that era, being sent to study in the Soviet Union was a matter of honor for the family.
However, according to the development in the book, after Ye Mantang returned to China after completing his studies, he only enjoyed a few years of glory before going to the farm, wasting more than ten years.
In the best years of his life, he was not able to build cars as he wished, but instead used all his time to repair the earth!
Huang Li didn't want to spend that kind of time with him.
Ever since she became the heroine of "Rebirth of the Great Writer" and because of the noise of the sewing machine, she couldn't write anything decent for two whole months, she set two goals.
First, prevent Ye Mantang from staying in Suzhou.
Second, move out of the old Ye family, stay away from troublemakers, and live your own life behind closed doors.
However, the list of government-sponsored students studying in the Soviet Union has been announced. Ye Mantang is either dead or injured, or has major political or conduct issues, otherwise he will definitely go on this trip to the Soviet Union!
Huang Li was so angry at this conclusion that he felt dizzy.
Just by looking at the brief eye contact between the brother and sister, she could conclude that Ye Mantang's stay in Suzhou was most likely related to this trouble-making sister-in-law.
The crisis-ridden road ahead and the chaotic life made Huang Li feel unprecedentedly angry and exhausted. She couldn't help but think anxiously -
[When will this troublemaker marry into Director Zhou's family? I'm ready to fight!]
Ye Manyi, who was standing opposite, stared at the line of words that suddenly appeared on his third sister-in-law's forehead with a dull look, and rubbed his eyes in disbelief.
"Um???"
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