Chapter 41: Going to the Countryside as Educated Youth in the 1970s
[This is a parallel fictional world. Please do not take any similarities between place names and people as they appear.]
I had never heated a kang before, and it took me a lot of effort to get it lit.
Being lazy, Xiao Ai was asked to calculate the time it took for the firewood to burn, and when there was no firewood left, she would remind her.
I ate two meat buns in the evening and went to bed, sleeping until dawn.
After measuring the size of the furniture, I went out
According to Ping'an's introduction, each house has a house number. When they arrived at the He family, they had ready-made jars, bowls, plates and dishes. Zhang Xiaojia chose three large jars, two sets of large, medium and small pickle jars, and one set of bowls, plates and dishes. She exchanged them for 8 yuan, and they also gave her five cabbages.
Zhang Xiaojia went to He Ba's house again and ordered a kang table, cabinets, dining table, chairs, cupboards, desks, and Chinese medicine cabinets... The price of such a set was astonishing. It cost her 160 yuan. It would take five days to make it for her and then be delivered and installed.
When she got home, she saw that the He family had already put the things she bought at the door, and Zhang Xiaojia washed them and put them in.
For lunch, I had pork elbow and rice that I bought on the train.
In the afternoon, Zhang Xiaojia came to the He family's office and found out that the He family was engaged in winemaking. Now the county's winery is jointly opened by the He family and the government. Many people from the He family work in the winery, and the He family has shares. That's why the polarization in the Ninth Village is so serious.
It was her father who arranged for the He family to sell her the house and protect her.
Zhang Xiaojia shouted in his heart, "Dad is so awesome."
The old patriarch told her that it didn't matter whether she worked or not, but she should not go out for a stroll while others were working, as it would have a bad influence.
Every Friday morning, the He family would drive a tractor to the county winery and return in the afternoon.
If she wants to go, she can wait in this building.
The next day, at 4:50 in the morning, Zhang Xiaojia came here with a cart and waited, only to find out that the tractor only carried women and boys under 8 years old.
When we arrived at the market, it was surrounded by oilcloth and had only one door. We saw people from the Gwei Bureau guarding it. People had to stamp their passports when entering and when leaving.
Zhang Xiaojia went in and bought 200 kilograms of radishes, 200 kilograms of cabbage, 500 kilograms of sweet potatoes, 200 kilograms of potatoes, 200 kilograms of pumpkins, 50 kilograms of soybeans, 50 kilograms of garlic, 50 kilograms of onions, 10 kilograms of peppers, 30 kilograms of ginger, and eggs. He bought a few from this stall and a few from that stall as soon as he saw them. He even saw someone buying an old hen, so he bought it without saying a word. He also bought many kilograms of dried mushrooms and dried shiitake mushrooms.
There were oranges, grapefruits and pears for sale here. Zhang Xiaojia and the group of aunts from the He family were fighting for them. She only grabbed two grapefruits, and the rest were all taken away by them.
Forget it, at worst I can just secretly eat up the space.
Seeing that the cart was full, Zhang Xiaojia stopped buying anything. He saw wild astragalus, which cost 1.5 yuan per catty. Zhang Xiaojia picked it up, took a look at it, smelled it, and bought it.
When I came out, the people from the Gwei Bureau asked, "Why did you buy so much?"
Zhang Xiaojia: "I'm an educated youth, new here. This is food for the winter. Winter here lasts five months, and I have a big appetite. This isn't enough."
The man's mouth twitched, and he just looked at her deeply and stamped the document.
When she arrived at the tractor, she had to line up. After it was her turn to load everything, she returned to the village.
After returning home, Zhang Xiaojia looked at the bags of food and felt very satisfied.
There was a knock on the door. Zhang Xiaojia opened it and saw He Miaomiao and Wang Qiqi, who were classmates with him. Zhang Xiaojia asked directly, "What's going on?"
Wang Qiqi looked into the room expectantly, then said to Zhang Xiaojia with a hint of dissatisfaction, "Zhang Xiaojia, why don't you invite us in to sit down!"
Her eyes full of resentment made Zhang Xiaojia want to slam the door.
Zhang Xiaojia didn't like these two people and said bluntly, "My house is too messy. I'm really embarrassed to invite you in. What do you want to talk to me about?"
After hearing this, Wang Qiqi was stunned and an embarrassed look appeared on her face.
He Miaomiao, who was standing nearby, spoke softly, "Xiao Jia, I heard we're going to the county town tomorrow, and I heard the He family has a tractor. I wonder if we can ride with you? That way, we can all look after each other on the way."
However, Zhang Xiaojia remained indifferent and said directly, "The tractor isn't mine. I'm just following someone else's car. I don't have the face to bring two more people with me. You should figure out a solution on your own, or go directly to the He family to ask about the situation."
After saying that, she turned and walked into the house.
Zhang Xiaojia returned to the yard. She liked to eat Sichuan-style pickles, but she saw that the house was empty and there was not even a winnowing basket.
Zhang Xiaojia went to the back mountain and met the He family. She asked and found out that her neighbor's mother-in-law was the one who made winnowing baskets. Zhang Xiaojia immediately went to the next door.
I saw Pangpang breaking bamboo for his grandmother. Pangpang’s grandmother was blind. When Pangpang heard footsteps, he looked up and said happily, “Grandma, it’s the sister next door.”
Zhang Xiaojia came to them and carefully observed her grandmother's eyes, cataracts, a small problem.
"Comrade Zhiqing, what can I do for you?"
"Just call me Xiao Jia, I'm here to exchange for some dustpans" Hey!! Obviously, I paid for it, but in this era, you can exchange it for something.
"Just call me Blind Woman." The blind woman immediately took out a large dustpan and handed it to Zhang Xiaojia, saying, "Here, I'm giving this to you. What do you want to exchange it for?"
Zhang Xiaojia took the dustpan and said, "Blind woman, I'll take this one and won't exchange it, but I want all eight of them and want to exchange them."
The blind woman was startled. "Xiao Jia, there's no need to come and take care of me. We are part of the He family. Xiao Pang gets a share of the profits, and the He family also takes care of him. The conditions are not bad."
Looking at the chubby girl, you can tell that the He family is taking care of her. Otherwise, in this era, the grandparents and grandchildren would have no one to take care of them, and at the very least they would be skin and bones.
"Blind woman, I really need it. I want to make kimchi and sweet potato noodles. I need these."
The blind woman smiled and said, "All eight of them are 20 cents each, so just give me 1.6 yuan."
Zhang Xiaojia knew that it was the blind woman who took care of her, so she paid 1.6 yuan. Zhang Xiaojia thanked her and went home. She immediately steamed 6 big meat buns, put them on a plate, and took them to the next room.
"Chubby, come and help me quickly, it's so hot." Zhang Xiaojia shouted exaggeratedly.
Fatty immediately rushed over to help Zhang Xiaojia carry the plate, and asked in confusion, "Sister, isn't the plate hot?"
Zhang Xiaojia picked up a bun and stuffed it into Pangpang's mouth.
Zhang Xiaojia said with a smile, "The blind woman gave me a dustpan today, so I'll give you some buns. It's a gift in return. Fatty, put the buns in and give me the plate."
Fatty didn't move, but called out, "Grandma, my sister brought six big meat buns, can I have some?"
The blind woman hastily refused, "No."
Zhang Xiaojia then said, "Blind woman, there are too many buns. If I don't eat them now, they will go bad. Please help me eat some."
Zhang Xiaojia just ran away.
Wash the radish, cabbage, garlic and ginger, and put them in a winnowing basket to dry. They will probably be dry tomorrow. The jars have been washed and dried. There is no white wine, as the He family makes wine.
I went to see the old patriarch, but I didn't get what I wanted. Instead, I watched a good show.
A 12 or 13-year-old girl was beating He Miaomiao. The educated youth wanted to go up to her, but were stopped by He's family.
The middle-aged man cursed angrily, "Xiao Cao, how can a girl fight in public?"
He Miaomiao looked at the middle-aged man gratefully, but soon she heard him continue, "How could you let her do this? Are all the men in the He family dead? You have to let a girl do it!"
He Miaomiao looked at him in astonishment, unable to believe what she had just heard. These words were like a knife piercing her heart deeply. She couldn't understand why this middle-aged man would say such words so ruthlessly.
The girl named Xiaocao pointed at He Miaomiao and shouted, "Uncle He Wu, this bitch is the one who came to our house yesterday and said something to grandma. She was so angry that she fainted. She finally recovered and she went there again today."
"Girls are not allowed to curse at home." He Wu heard this and turned to look at He Miaomiao. He frowned and asked, "Captain, this girl's surname is He. Is she from Zhongcheng Pingzhiyuan?"
The captain nodded and said sarcastically, "Yes, Nakajo Hirahara, the granddaughter of He Laosan."
After hearing this, He Wu smiled contemptuously and said disdainfully, "Does He Lao San's granddaughter intend to kowtow and serve tea to my Third Aunt on behalf of her grandmother? Sorry, this is a new society and we can't perform the ritual of taking a concubine. Our He clan's ancestral precept is to marry only one wife in a lifetime. If the wife dies and there are children, the husband must wait until the children are sixteen years old before remarrying. Any He family man who violates this will be expelled from the family. I understand, He Miaomiao, the educated youth. Your surname is He, not the He of our He clan. Leave the He clan territory immediately, otherwise you will be dealt with according to the He clan rules. Get out~"
He Miaomiao burst into tears and accused them, "This is an arranged marriage, a feudal custom. My grandfather has already published a divorce in the newspaper. I'm going to sue you. I'm just coming back to get my grandfather's things."
Zhang Xiaojia snorted disdainfully, but the surroundings were unusually quiet and she was the only one who made a sound.
He Miaomiao glared at her angrily, her eyes flashing with anger, and she gritted her teeth and said, "Zhang Xiaojia, why are you so arrogant? If you offend me, you will definitely suffer the consequences."
He Miaomiao secretly swore in her heart that she must let Zhang Xiaojia know that she is not someone to be trifled with.
Zhang Xiaojia disagreed, instead she looked at He Miaomiao provocatively. Her father asked her to take out the photos to bully others, and now was a good time.
Zhang Xiaojia asked, "Uncle He Wu, what is her grandfather's position?"
Uncle He Wu replied, "I think he's the district chief of one of the districts in Zhongcheng Pingzhiyuan!"
After hearing this, Zhang Xiaojia's mouth curled up slightly. Ever since her father gave her those photos, she felt that she had nothing to fear when it came to background. No one had a stronger background than her.
Zhang Xiaojia sneered with disdain, "Haha~ My father is now the deputy commander and deputy political commissar of the Fifth Army in the South City Sea Region!"
Everyone was shocked, staring at her with wide eyes. She proudly pulled out a few photos from her bag. In the photos, the Lord of Central City was holding a baby and smiling from ear to ear.
Zhang Xiaojia shouted arrogantly, "Open your eyes wide and take a good look! This is a photo of me when I was little! The child in the photo is me! And take a closer look at my silver lock! It's engraved with the Central City Lord's blessing for me, wishing me a safe and healthy life!"
Upon hearing this, the old clan leader and the team leader rushed forward and snatched the photos. They examined them carefully, and when they saw the words on the back of the photos, they couldn't help but burst into tears of excitement.
The old patriarch asked in a trembling voice, "How is the Lord of Central City?"
Zhang Xiaojia nodded proudly: "Of course! My father said that the Lord of Central City is very strong and powerful, and his beatings are really painful!"
Because of his daughter's outspokenness, Zhang Guocheng was punished by the Lord of Central City to undergo additional training with the new recruits. He was in great pain and was about to die.
He Ba walked up to her and said, "Xiao Jia, give me a photo and I will make the furniture for you for free."
When Zhang Xiaojia heard this, she immediately snatched the photo back from the old patriarch and the team leader and put it carefully into her bag. What a joke! This is a life-saving thing. As long as she doesn't do anything naughty, she can live comfortably until death.
He Miaomiao's face turned pale and she turned and ran away.
Zhang Xiaojia was surrounded by a group of people. She forgot the importance of being the Lord of Central City. What on earth was she doing here?
Zhang Xiaojia returned home in a daze, feeling his ears buzzing. He ate two buns and went to bed.
There was a buzzing sound in her dream all night. It was Xiao Ai calling her desperately. She woke up, brushed her teeth and washed her face quickly, then ran out of the assembly point. She saw that it was full, but the tractor had not arrived. A group of people were chattering about this.
After waiting for half an hour, the tractor finally arrived. An old lady was lying on the tractor, and the girl from yesterday was crying loudly.
"Xiaocao, what's wrong with Third Sister?"
Xiaocao choked up and replied, "Grandma, the doctor said you won't wake up again, so let me go home and prepare for your funeral. Woo woo woo..." Then she burst into tears again.
Zhang Xiaojia frowned, walked to the side of the truck, reached out to feel Grandma Xiaocao's pulse, then quickly took out a silver needle from his bag and began to give Grandma Xiaocao acupuncture on her head.
The onlookers were stunned and whispered to each other: "How dare she give someone an acupuncture injection!"
Without even looking up, Zhang Xiaojia said to the people around him, "Shut up, everyone. Keep quiet. If anyone else, quickly find a sturdy wooden board nearby, move the patient onto it, and slowly carry him to my house. Be gentle, and don't make the patient uncomfortable."
Zhang Xiaojia hurried back, opened the courtyard door, and quickly lit the kang.
He Wu and a group of men carried the little grandmother into the west wing, and Zhang Xiaojia carried the patient to the bed.
She took out a notebook, wrote down the herbs she wanted, handed it to He Wu and said, "Prepare these herbs for me immediately."
The man was driven out, and Zhang Xiaojia opened the patient's clothes. Basically, his entire head and chest were full of needles.
Finally, the herbal medicine arrived at the last minute. Zhang Xiaojia immediately extracted the essence and then decocted the medicine. After the medicine was ready, Zhang Xiaojia held the patient and pressed the acupoints, letting Xiaocao pour the medicine into his mouth.
This body is not in good condition. After the herbal essence was extracted, Zhang Xiaojia felt weak and secretly drank a bottle of nutrient solution, which made him feel a little better.
After waiting for three hours, the patient woke up. Zhang Xiaojia breathed a sigh of relief and said, "Let the patient stay here until tomorrow and then move. He needs to take this medicine for three days and come to me for acupuncture every day for a month, and he will be fine."
Zhang Xiaojia's stomach was rumbling. He hadn't had breakfast. He was exhausted after a morning of work and was hungry.
When Xiaocao saw her grandmother wake up, she immediately knelt down and kowtowed to Zhang Xiaojia. Zhang Xiaojia immediately said, "If you kneel down, I won't treat you. Go and cook something for me. I'm starving."
Xiao Cao quickly said, "Okay, I'll go back and get it to cook the chicken."
"No, I have a chicken in my yard, go kill it."
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