Jiang Tiecheng couldn't sleep in because many people in the village were going to the county town to buy things on his day off.
This day was also the liveliest day in the village.
The village would organize tractors and oxcarts, but if you missed the deadline, you would have to walk dozens of miles to the county.
This place is quite far from the county seat.
You have to walk on your own two legs, and it might take a whole day to get there.
To allow everyone more time, the villagers set off at 4 a.m.
Not only can they not sleep in, they also have to get up earlier than usual.
Many of the educated youth were preparing to buy things for themselves, and it was a veritable outpouring of activity.
Watching the departing figures of those educated youth.
The remaining educated youth, somewhat distressed, retreated back to their dugouts.
These people were naturally He Junsheng and his group, who organized a team from the beginning to file a complaint with the county.
First they went to the educated youth office, but there was only one old man there, and he only said one sentence when he saw their complaint.
Their educated youth office isn't responsible for this.
They went to the county government to report the matter, but the official in charge of receiving them was severely reprimanded.
Only then did they realize that all the counties and cities had been affected by the disaster, and that people had not been able to get enough to eat for the past two years.
Even the farmers who cultivate the land can't feed themselves, so how can they provide them with food?
Constantly bringing up one's status as a sent-down youth is bound to make one unpopular.
The county's disaster relief grain was not enough to distribute to each village and household, so there was no grain to give to the educated youth.
Let them solve it themselves; they're already lucky to earn their own food through their own labor.
If you're unlucky, some villages may not have any irrigation canals or other infrastructure projects nearby.
They basically don't even have the opportunity to earn a living.
People were trying to save themselves, using their own money and food coupons to buy food on the black market or having their families send them food.
They come here and try to get grain from the county government as soon as they open their mouths; no wonder they get scolded.
County leaders even personally warned them that this was a critical time, and everyone was having a hard time, so they should get through this together.
They didn't want to cause trouble for the county or the production brigade, and the production team leader's actions were completely correct.
Tell them to go back and work diligently, and to follow orders and assignments.
If you continue to report the situation to higher levels without proper authorization, don't blame them for being ruthless.
After a week of fussing, the final result was that they were sent back to the village.
When Captain Huang saw them, he not only spoke sarcastically, but also acted in a completely different and unpleasant manner.
These people were covered in dust and dirt, not only did they not receive any food, but they also didn't even have the chance to repair the irrigation canal.
Many people couldn't wait any longer, so they pooled their money and food coupons together and tried to find a way to buy food.
But these days everyone is short of food, and you can't find much food on the black market.
Occasionally, you can see some whole grains, but it's just a drop in the bucket; some people manage to buy them, while others don't.
However, those who originally wanted to make a name for themselves alongside He Junsheng are now all complaining about him.
After all, everyone has lost their chance because of He Junsheng.
Haven't you seen them all going to the production team leader these past few days, begging and pleading, trying to get a spot to work on the construction site?
Originally, this spot was a sure thing; all they had to do was go.
But now Captain Huang is extremely wary of them; who knows what trouble these little rascals might cause at the construction site?
To avoid cutting off this road for the village in the future.
A group of people are now living a miserable life.
They can't even get enough to eat at one meal a day, and they can only fill their stomachs by drinking water on weekdays.
Looking at these educated youths who went to work on the construction site, although they were all tanned and thin, they were full of energy.
Moreover, they would occasionally bring back steamed buns and cornbread made from a mixture of two types of flour.
Look at how others live, and then look at these people who, despite their hard work, are able to eat their fill and receive a share of food.
Everyone is now filled with resentment towards He Junsheng.
He Junsheng sat alone in his dugout, feeling sullen. He didn't even dare to leave the dugout now; everyone who saw him would speak to him with sarcasm and throw out all sorts of strange remarks.
He had originally planned it all out perfectly. He used this opportunity to help everyone get food and establish his prestige in the educated youth settlement. From then on, everyone in the educated youth settlement had to listen to him.
It sounded wonderful, but the final result was so tragic.
He had no food on hand, so he went to the black market to buy some, but everyone deliberately ostracized him and didn't even look for him.
When he wanted to go again, no one would tell him.
If it weren't for the help he received from those few educated youths he was on good terms with these past few days, he would have starved to death by now.
What's even more infuriating is that Jiang Tiecheng is doing better and better now. Many of the educated youth in the settlement are now frequently hanging around Jiang Tiecheng and Chen Ruixue.
They just hoped Jiang Tiecheng could put in a good word for them.
He put on a servile, lackey-like act.
He Junsheng is someone who does great things; he would never do something that would humiliate him or damage his dignity.
But this winter is still very long, and it's uncertain whether we can even make it through the New Year at this rate. Judging from Captain Huang's demeanor, he's serious.
He Junsheng thought it over and over but it wouldn't work. He knew he couldn't keep going like this, so he had to find a way out for himself.
But how can we find a way out?
Just then, he heard a knock on the door next door.
"Ruixue, Ruixue, are you there?"
He Junsheng hurriedly straightened his collar, buttoned up the top button, and then calmly walked out.
He could tell, of course, that this was Chen Ruixue's older brother.
The older brother who is an official in the county.
"Comrade, are you looking for Xiao Chen? Xiao Chen went to the county to buy things, he shouldn't be back until very late."
"Huh? Why are you going to the county today?"
Chen Ruijun was a little disappointed. If he had known that his sister was off today, he would have waited for her in the county.
He even prepared so many things especially for his younger sister.
"Comrade, why don't you sit here for a while? They might be back this afternoon."
Chen Ruijun had a good impression of the young man in front of him; he was polite, articulate, and looked like a refined gentleman.
He glanced at the large lock on his sister's dugout, picked up the package, and followed He Junsheng into his dugout.
"Comrade, I'm sorry, my dugout is a mess, please don't mind, I'll go get you some hot water."
He Junsheng's hands trembled with excitement, if only he could get in touch with Chen Ruixue's brother.
I'm not sure if I can find a way to gain a foothold in the county.
Who would want to live in this remote and impoverished place?
Try your best to remain calm and maintain a composed demeanor.
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