Chapter 25
Chen Jingbai remembered that He He had once said that she really liked fried glutinous rice balls.
Every year during the Spring Festival, what she looks forward to most is the fried glutinous rice balls that her grandmother makes. She hasn't been back for two years, and she misses the fried glutinous rice balls that her grandmother makes.
He knew that the ones bought outside didn't taste like the ones made by Grandma Hehe, but he could try them to satisfy his cravings and not miss them all the time.
He He took the fried dough from Chen Jingbai and peeked into the oil paper bag. This was the first time she had ever seen fried dough after being in the countryside for so long.
She wanted to buy it too, but every time she went, she couldn't find it for sale. "I haven't had it in a long time. Where did you buy it? I want to buy it next time."
Chen Jingbai had no room for hiding anything from her and said bluntly, "If you like the black market, I'll bring you some more next time I see it. The woman selling fried dough is an old lady, I don't see her often, but I go there a lot, so the chances of running into her are pretty high."
"Okay, okay!" He He was so excited. After saying that, she jumped in front of Chen Jingbai, stood on tiptoe, tilted her head back, and kissed Chen Jingbai's cheek.
"This is a reward."
He He's sudden action left Chen Jingbai frozen in place. The touch on his cheek left him unsure how to react, and the air seemed to freeze for a few seconds.
His smooth lips involuntarily curled upwards. "I really like this reward."
He He didn't care if her hands were dirty or not. She picked up a fried dumpling from the bag and put it in her mouth. It tasted great. It was crispy and sweet fried food. No one could resist it.
Her mouth was stuffed full on both sides. She bit into a fried dough ball, then pinched another one, raised her arm, and stuffed it into Chen Jingbai's mouth.
With her mouth stuffed full of fried dough balls, she could only babble and gesture for Chen Jingbai to eat quickly.
Chen Jingbai bit the fried dough ball she offered, pinching it with his hand to free He He's hand so she could hold the fried dough ball in her mouth and talk to him.
He He stared at Chen Jingbai with bright eyes, "Isn't it delicious? It's really delicious, but it's still a little different from what my grandma makes. I'll let you try my grandma's next time, and I guarantee you'll drool just from the smell."
Chen Jingbai smiled and replied, "Okay, I'll wait to try Grandma's fried dumplings."
He didn't know if he could return to the city, or if he would ever have that day, but he wanted to give himself that hope.
He He counted on her fingers in her mind. It was August 1976. The book said that the college entrance examination would be reinstated in October 1977. There were still one year and two months left, and she would be able to go home soon.
However, she became conflicted again. She had no foundation. Could she really wait until the day the college entrance examination was reinstated and then rely on a month of intensive study to pass the exam and get into university smoothly?
He He thought of Cheng Surin again. No, if Cheng Surin could do it, she definitely could too.
He He cheered up again. Chen Jingbai kept watching her, observing the changing expressions on her face, wondering what she was thinking.
Chen Jingbai asked curiously, "What are you thinking about?"
He He shook her head, not wanting to talk about it. If she said that the college entrance examination would be reinstated next year, who knew if Chen Jingbai would see her as a freak?
She didn't want to talk about it, and Chen Jingbai didn't force her. Everyone has their own little secrets. She hadn't completely trusted him enough to tell him everything, and he understood.
But he still felt uneasy. He hadn't managed to gain He He's complete trust, and it felt like a hole had been torn open in his heart, letting in a lot of wind.
The buzzing of mosquitoes drew near, irritating him. "Let's go back, there are mosquitoes."
There were indeed mosquitoes; she could hear them buzzing. She hated mosquitoes the most; they were so itchy after being bitten. He He didn't like them.
"Okay." After saying that, He He quickly lifted her leg and wanted to leave. She and mosquitoes were mortal enemies.
Chen Jingbai, who had been passed by her, lowered his head and followed her.
The next morning, Cheng Surin went to the commune's meat processing plant to buy meat, and when he returned, he casually asked Zheng Xinxin to help him cook it.
He was very generous, and everyone got a piece of the pie. He was so generous that He He felt inferior.
After the meal, Cheng Surin pulled her outside and took out two ten-yuan bills from his pocket, totaling twenty yuan.
He He took the money without hesitation, "You've struck it rich?"
Cheng Surin: "Take it if I give it to you. Eat well and don't mistreat yourself. Look how thin you are. You eat so much by yourself but you haven't gained any weight. I'm afraid my great-grandfather and grandfather will scold me for not taking good care of you."
Last night, Chen Jingyi returned the money to him. As soon as she got it, she gave it to He He. He saw how much he cared for her, but He He treated him like an enemy and was always wary of him.
He He was happy to receive the money. She patted Cheng Surin on the shoulder, just like the elders in her family, and said, "That's good, that's good. I'll say a lot of nice things about you when we get back."
Cheng Surin nodded in satisfaction.
In the afternoon, Chen Jingyi and Chen Jingbai suddenly said that they didn't need to cook dinner for them that night, because they were going to the brigade leader's house, and the brigade leader was calling them over for dinner.
Everyone knows that the reason why the educated youth settlement received special care from the brigade leader is because Chen Jingbai and Chen Jingyi had some connection with him. Although no one knew what that connection was, they were still very happy to have this connection.
With the help of the brigade leader, the educated youth could also benefit and would not be bullied by some of the more unruly brigade members.
It's impolite to visit someone empty-handed, so Chen Jingbai brought some pastries he bought at the county supply and marketing cooperative the day before, and went with Chen Jingyi to the brigade leader's house.
The brigade leader's house was quite far from the educated youth settlement. There were many local team members there, who had lived together since before the founding of the People's Republic of China, occupying the flattest and best spot in the Qianjin Brigade.
After walking for a while, we approached the center of the brigade. The houses here were built densely, forming narrow alleys.
Along the way, the two encountered many local team members. Chen Jingyi was good at communicating and would greet the team members kindly, and would also greet those who were not good at being cold with a smile.
With Chen Jingyi leading the way, Chen Jingbai followed behind.
When Chen Jingyi greeted him, he smiled back, but the smile was superficial and no one else could see it. Only he knew how perfunctory it was.
When they arrived at the brigade leader's house, the door was wide open, perhaps knowing they were coming. Chen Jingyi called out, "Auntie, Xiao Bai and I are here. Are you home?"
The brigade leader's wife, surnamed Wang, was in her fifties but looked young, with only a few gray hairs. Everyone in the brigade liked to call her Doctor Wang, simply because she was also the doctor at the brigade's clinic.
Wang Shufeng came out of the woodshed with a smile and greeted the two of them, "You're here? Come in and sit down. Shanhua went on patrol and won't be back until mealtime."
Chen Jingbai handed the tightly wrapped pastries to Wang Shufeng, "Auntie, these are some pastries for Lele and Yaya."
The brigade leader's family has three children. The eldest brother is in his thirties, has been married for seven or eight years, and has two children, Lele and Yaya, who are seven and three years old respectively.
The second in line was a girl. In their first year in the brigade, they encountered the brigade leader's second daughter getting married.
At the time, they didn't know that the brigade leader had some connection with his grandparents. The brigade leader was also worried that the two of them had a bad class background and that there were people watching them from above, so he didn't dare to approach them openly.
The following year, the brigade leader noticed that things weren't so tense anymore. He secretly approached them and said that the grandparents had been kind to him, and he couldn't bear to see their children suffer in their brigade without offering any help.
So, over time, the brigade leader became close to them and would invite them to his home for meals during busy farming seasons or holidays.
Chen Jingbai and Chen Jingyi both knew about this relationship, and that it would make things much better in the Forward Brigade. They were happy to cultivate a good relationship with the brigade leader.
The brigade leader's youngest son was about the same age as them. He was young and spoiled by his family, so he was a bit unreliable.
"You've come all this way, why bring anything? No need to be so polite," Wang Fengshu said, but she still happily accepted the pastries.
She then called her eldest daughter-in-law, who was sewing clothes inside, to come out and greet the guests.
It was close to lunchtime when Captain Liu Shanhua returned.
Liu Shanhua is robust, with skin tanned reddish-black from years of war, and his arms still bear scars. Despite his age, he is full of energy as he steps across the threshold with his hands behind his back.
Liu Shanhua smiled at Chen Jingbai and Chen Jingyi, his tone warm, "How have you been lately?"
Chen Jingbai and Chen Jingyi both stood up. Chen Jingyi smiled and said, "We've been doing quite well lately, thanks to Uncle Shanhua's usual care. The team members are also very easy to get along with."
"That's good. If you feel unwell, come find me anytime." Liu Shanhua was very caring towards the younger generation, after all, his life had been saved by Chen Jingyi and her grandparents.
At that time, the harvest was bad and there was famine. There was also war everywhere. Although he was only a teenager, he looked as thin as a seven or eight-year-old child, and his clothes were all tattered.
He went up the mountain to collect firewood, and somehow found his way to the railway that was still under construction. He walked and then fainted from hunger.
It was the Chen couple, who were building the railway, who took him back to their camp and gave him food and water.
They were only in their thirties at the time. They thought he had no family and felt sorry for him, so they asked him if he would like to come with them.
He said that after he had a family, the Chen couple gave him a lot of food and some travel money, saying that meeting them was fate and that he should take it back to improve his family's life.
He was very grateful to his family for surviving because of the food and money they received.
The main force building the railway wouldn't leave so quickly, so he would come here from time to time to help the Chen couple with some household chores.
Six months passed like this. The main force building the railway left with the ever-lengthening railway, and the Chen couple also left, but he would always remember the warmth they had given him.
They were great railway designers. During the six months they spent together, he changed a lot. They never looked down on him and taught him to read and learn principles.
He went from being completely illiterate to being the most educated person in the brigade besides the landlord, and was later able to enlist in the army, all thanks to the words and principles taught to him by the Chen couple.
During those days and nights of marching with the troops, he felt very fortunate to have met the Chen couple.
He never saw them again, nor did he hear from them again.
The next news about them came from the files of the younger generation of the Chen family, namely Chen Jingbai and Chen Jingyi.
They were labeled as bad elements during that movement, and their younger family members were also implicated.
The Chen couple had given him so much, completely changing his destiny. So when he learned that their descendants had come to the Forward Brigade, he wanted to use his meager abilities to help them.
Liu Shanhua choked up as he recalled the past.
Chen Jingyi: "Uncle Shanhua, you have already helped us a lot. If it weren't for you, Xiaobai and I don't know what would have become of us."
Liu Shanhua waved his hand: "Let's not talk about these things. We're family, so let's not be formal. If it weren't for your grandparents back then, I wouldn't have survived. They are also my godparents. We're family, so let's not be formal."
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