Chapter 51: Going to the Countryside as Educated Youth in the 1970s 14
[This is a parallel fictional world. Please do not take any similarities between place names and people as they appear.]
The old patriarch took a sip of the medicinal wine. This was a treasure. If the He family also knew the recipe, the He family’s business would be able to reach a higher level.
The old patriarch said, "Xiao Jia, tell me! What's the matter?"
Zhang Xiaojia said straight to the point, "Old Patriarch, there's a boy named Wang Xiaoyi among the educated youth. He's my cousin. Can you transfer him to work in my clinic?"
The old patriarch told Zhang Xiaojia directly, "The He family protects you in exchange for your father's protection. Your father protects the He family members who are away from home, so we have negotiated with the village. If you come to work for the He family, we will give the village 1,000 kilograms of sweet potatoes every year."
Zhang Xiaojia smiled and nodded, saying, "So, I didn't ask you for help in vain. This is the recipe for this medicinal wine. It's also an equal exchange. I'll use this recipe to get my cousin back from the brigade." As she spoke, she handed a paper bag to the old patriarch.
The old patriarch took the paper package, opened it and saw that it was covered with densely written words. He looked at it carefully for a while, his eyes widened, and an expression of surprise and joy appeared on his face.
Zhang Xiaojia saw the old patriarch's expression, and the corners of her mouth curled up slightly, and she knew it was safe. She knew that the formula in her hand was worth a lot of money, but she didn't want to use it to exchange for more benefits, she just hoped to exchange it for her cousin.
The old patriarch was calculating in his mind: 150 yuan for 1,000 kilograms of sweet potatoes, and the profit from medicinal wine was far more than 150 yuan. Thinking of this, he looked up at Zhang Xiaojia with a gleam in his eyes.
The old patriarch picked up the recipe and said firmly, "Okay! It's settled. I won't take advantage of you any more. At this stage of the medicinal wine, I can only give you 15% of the dividends. Go home and wait. Your cousin will be here soon. After He Wu comes back, the contract will be signed."
Zhang Xiaojia smiled and nodded, saying, "Chief, forget about the written contract for dividends. It's not appropriate now." Then he turned and left the room.
After returning home, Zhang Xiaojia cleaned the guest room in the east wing and waited for her brother to come.
Wang Xiaoyi was called to the brigade, and the brigade leader asked him to report to the He family. From today on, he was under the management of the He family, so he was asked to leave with He Jiayi.
He Jiayi said enthusiastically, "Wang Zhiqing, let's go back to the Zhiqingyuan and pack our luggage."
Wang Xiaoyi returned to the Youth League Home and quickly packed his luggage. All his luggage consisted of a suitcase, a package, and a 200-pound bag of sweet potatoes.
Zhao Bin quickly asked, "Xiao Yi, what happened?"
"Brother Zhao, I was transferred to work for the He family." Wang Xiaoyi replied.
Suddenly, Wang Xiaoyi was surrounded by envious and jealous eyes.
The educated youth looked at Wang Xiaoyi and then at He Jiayi, but He Jiayi just smiled and ignored them.
They all surrounded Wang Xiaoyi and asked, "Xiaoyi, what are you doing at the He family?"
"Will I still need to go to the fields in the future?"
Su Yao was very upset. She had thought Wang Xiaoyi was a good person at first, but after a few contacts, he ignored her.
After living there for half a year, everyone received letters and packages, but he didn't have a single letter. He had the worst food and didn't even have a quilt in the winter. If Zhao Bin hadn't lent it to him, he would have frozen to death. No one would have approached him. Who would have known that he would have such good fortune?
After Wang Xiaoyi followed He Jiayi to the clinic, he heard He Jiayi shout, "Sister Xiaojia, I brought your cousin to you."
Zhang Xiaojia came out quickly, "Jiayi, thank you."
"Sister Xiaojia, thank you for nothing. I'm leaving now."
Zhang Xiaojia wanted to help him with the luggage, but Wang Xiaoyi dodged him and suddenly stuffed a package into his arms, "This is for you from my dad."
"Where were my uncle and aunt sent down?"
Wang Xiaoyi asked in surprise, "How did you know my parents were sent down to the countryside?"
Zhang Xiaojia rolled her eyes and said, "You and I are both only children. Your uncle and aunt are professors at Shanghai University. If you want to go to the countryside, it means your uncle and aunt have been sent down there. Why don't you come to me?"
Wang Xiaoyi lowered his head and said, "My mother said that if you don't recognize me, it means you don't want to care about me. You are afraid that I will get you into trouble. There is no need to bother yourself. She told me not to bother you."
After experiencing what happened to my parents, I know the warmth and coldness of life. Anyone who doesn't kick someone when they are down is a good person, and anyone who is willing to help someone in need is a kind person.
Zhang Xiaojia looked at him, a boy of only 14 years old, tall and thin, like a bamboo pole.
Zhang Xiaojia opened the package and saw that there was a photo of her mother, some cloth, and a jewelry box. When she opened it, she found two fine jade pendants and two sets of ruby jade ornaments.
My uncle said in the letter that he would give her jewelry when she got married.
Open the bottom layer and there are 10 small yellow croakers.
Wang Xiaoyi's eyes widened. Didn't his father say that the family had no money? He just gave him 42.84 yuan, and that was it. What were these?
Zhang Xiaojia put it away and said, "Everyone will have a set of the things in this box later. I'll keep it for now."
Wang Xiaoyi shook his head and said, "No, these are yours. They originally belonged to my aunt."
"Sisters and brothers don't need to be so calculating. Where are your uncle and aunt? Do you know the address?"
"Know."
"Tomorrow you will go with me to the mountains to collect herbs. After you learn how to do it, you will go up the mountain alone to collect herbs. Do you understand?"
"Okay, I'll try my best to learn how to collect herbs."
When Ping'an Pangpang came back, he saw Wang Xiaoyi.
Ping An asked, "Sister, this educated youth is your cousin."
Zhang Xiaojia nodded and said, "Well, I never went to the Youth Home. I didn't expect that he also went to the countryside."
Ping An saw that Wang Xiaoyi only had a suitcase and asked, "Brother Xiaoyi, you are just a suitcase, where is your winter quilt?"
Wang Xiaoyi lowered his head and said nothing. Zhang Xiaojia interrupted and said, "Ping'an, go help me change some clothes that he can wear, and ask your mother to make a few pairs of shoes for my brother."
"Okay, sister, do you want a quilt?" Ping An continued to ask
"No, I have it here."
Fatty: "Sister, will Xiaoyi live with us in the future?"
"Yes, Xiaoyi will live with us from now on."
Zhang Xiaojia said bluntly, "Open the suitcase."
Wang Xiaoyi resisted, but gave in under the gaze of his cousin and had to open the box.
Zhang Xiaojia sighed. The young master who had never had to worry about food and clothing since childhood was now in poverty and had only a cotton coat, a pair of cotton trousers, a sweater, two shirts, two pairs of trousers, 10 Hero brand pens, and a watch. These were all his belongings.
Seeing so many pens, Zhang Xiaojia asked, "How did you spend the winter? Why didn't you trade your pens and watches for your quilts?"
Wang Xiaoyi said stubbornly, "Brother Zhao lent me the quilt. I also made an agreement with someone that I would get the quilt this summer. The watch is a gift from my mother, and the pen is a gift from my father every year since I was four years old. I can't sell it."
Zhang Xiaojia agreed and said, "As long as you think it's acceptable, it's fine."
Ping An came back with a bag of clothes, handed them to Wang Xiaoyi and said, "Brother Xiaoyi, these are my eldest brother's old summer clothes. You can wear them for now. I'll bring you clothes for spring, autumn and winter in a couple of days. My mother washed these clothes. As for your shoes, my mother said it's not good to give old shoes away. Everyone walks differently, and they will be uncomfortable to wear. My mother has some soles, so I'll quickly make two pairs for you today and send them to you tomorrow."
Wang Xiaoyi expressed his gratitude.
Zhang Xiaojia cooked noodles and seafood noodles at noon.
The four of them ate up a whole pot of noodles without leaving a single drop.
After Xiaoyi knew that sweet potatoes could be dried and ground into powder to become sweet potato flour, he immediately washed the sweet potatoes, cut them into thin slices, and put them on a winnowing basket to dry in the sun.
In the evening, Zhang Xiaojia took Xiaoyi to pack a package for his uncle and aunt. Xiaoyi looked at Zhang Xiaojia with tears in his eyes, trying hard to hold back his tears.
A pound of black fungus, a pound of dried bean curd sheets, a pound of salted bean curd skin, 30 pounds of sweet potato noodles, a pound of dried shrimps, a pound of dried bamboo shoots, 2 packs of cigarettes and 2 bottles of health pills.
Xiaoyi quickly said, "Sister, my dad doesn't smoke, so you don't need to send me cigarettes."
Zhang Xiaojia patiently explained the ways of the world to Xiaoyi: "The packages of the relocated personnel must be inspected. These cigarettes are actually for the inspectors. Xiaoyi, meat can only be sent during Mid-Autumn Festival, National Day, and Chinese New Year. At other times, meat cannot be sent at all. Do you understand? The most important thing now is to stay alive. Just eat until you are 70% to 80% full. Don't live according to the conditions you had before."
Xiao Yi: "I know. I sent 30 kilograms of sweet potatoes last time."
"Let's go up the mountain tomorrow. I'll teach you how to pick wild vegetables and dig bamboo shoots. You can dry them all and send them to your uncle and aunt."
Zhang Xiaojia took Xiaoyi and the package to the old patriarch's house next door.
"Uncle He Qi, could you please mail this package for me tomorrow?"
"Okay, Xiaojia, this is your cousin?"
"Well, Xiaoyi is Uncle He Qi."
Xiao Yi obediently called out, "Uncle He Qi, thank you for your help."
He Qi laughed and said, "What's the trouble? My daughter is your sister's apprentice. We are family and we should keep our distance."
Breakfast is rice and sweet potato porridge, an egg and a serving of kimchi.
After eating, Pangpang went to school, and Zhang Xiaojia took Xiaoyi to the mountains to collect herbs.
As they walked along, Zhang Xiaojia said, "Don't compete with the villagers for wild vegetables, and don't come early in the morning to dig bamboo shoots. Wait until they've finished digging, and then come back in the afternoon. We're outsiders, and it's not right for us to steal their resources. Do you understand?"
Xiao Yi nodded and said, "I know. I'll come here to dig herbs in the morning, and spend half of the afternoon digging herbs and the other half digging wild vegetables. Is that okay?"
"Well, don't wear a white shirt. Didn't Ping An give you clothes yesterday?"
"Sister, the dress is so nice, I wonder if it's too inappropriate for me to wear it. My dad told me to be low-key and not show my head."
"Now that you've come to the He family, you're no longer low-key. Don't interact too much with the educated youth."
"Don't worry, sister. Among the educated youth, only Brother Zhao Bin and Sister Qiao Xinyi care about me. The others don't talk to me much when they see that I don't have a quilt in winter. I eat with Brother Zhao and Sister Qiao."
Zhang Xiaojia was surprised and asked, "Don't you educated youth eat together?"
"No, we each eat our own food. They are well-off and don't eat with us."
"Well, next month on Labor Day, invite them both to come over for dinner. Thank you."
"Sister, is it okay?"
"Um."
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