Chapter 34 Confessing the Reasons for An'an's Sending Her to the Countryside
Seeing this, Xu Zhili became very anxious and quickly added, "Captain, I won't let the villagers help for nothing. As long as someone is willing to help me, I can pay them."
Think about it, more and more people will definitely come to the educated youth compound in the future, and it will be a problem if there aren't enough houses to accommodate them.
Moreover, my younger brother has a special situation, and I have to take care of him at all times. But if there are too many people and too many things to do, I definitely won't be able to take care of him.
My father despises my younger brother, considering him a burden. You know what kind of person he is; he won't care whether my brother and I live or die. We probably won't even have a home to return to.
In fact, Xu Zhili thought that if she could live in the countryside, live a good life, raise Xu Zhian safely, and then find an opportunity to take care of her maternal grandfather's family, such a life would not be bad.
"Alright! Leave this to me. Tomorrow I'll have my youngest son handle it perfectly for you," the captain said, patting his chest.
"Thank you so much, Captain!" Xu Zhili's eyes were full of gratitude.
"Alright, it's getting late, I have to go back now. You should go back too, have some dinner and get some rest. Go back now."
After saying that, the captain put his hands behind his back and his figure gradually disappeared into the vast night.
A dim kerosene lamp flickered in the center of the main room, its light and shadow dancing on the mottled earthen walls.
A dozen or so educated youth sat around a few old square tables pushed together.
The dust from the long journey still clung to many people's shoulders, and the air was filled with the smells of sweat, earth, and the aroma of food wafting from the kitchen.
The new and old educated youth sat clearly separated, their curious, scrutinizing, and weary gazes intertwined as they surveyed everything inside the educated youth compound.
Everyone says they're not disappointed? Impossible. We went to the countryside to support rural development, but the environment here is terrible.
As the person in charge of the educated youth, Shen Qingyang glanced at the expressions of the new educated youth and understood everything. They must be disgusted by the environment.
He stood up, his thin figure casting a huge shadow on the wall, and clapped his hands forcefully: "Quiet down, comrades! Everyone, quiet down!"
The noise from the educated youth gradually subsided, and their gazes focused on Shen Qingyang.
"Today, our educated youth settlement has gained new strength! Let's give a warm round of applause to our new comrades! Clap!"
He led the applause, which was initially sparse but quickly became enthusiastic, echoing in the small space.
The new educated youth stood up somewhat awkwardly, their faces showing the fatigue of the long journey and the nervousness of being new to the place. They bowed or nodded in greeting.
Shen Qingyang smiled broadly and gestured for everyone to be quiet.
"Alright! Let's get to know each other and introduce ourselves! I'll start, Shen Qingyang, from Sichuan Province, 26 years old (by Chinese reckoning), and I'm in charge of the educated youth institute. If you have any difficulties or ideas in the future, don't hesitate to come to me!"
Bai Shuyu, a girl with two black braids, jumped up lively, her voice like a silver bell.
"My name is Bai Shuyu, I'm from Guangxi Province, and I'm nineteen! Please take care of me from now on!"
The former educated youth introduced him in turn: "Wang Qiang, from Sichuan Province."
"Niu Aiguo is from Shanghai."
"Liu Pandi, from Guilin City."
When it was Xu Zhili's turn, she took a deep breath and pulled a thin boy next to her to stand up.
The boy, Xu Zhian, clung tightly to his sister's clothes like a frightened fawn, his big eyes timidly scanning the unfamiliar adults around him.
“My name is Xu Zhili, I’m from Hunan Province, I’m sixteen years old, and this is my younger brother, Xu Zhian, who is six years old.”
Suddenly, a brief silence fell.
The wick of the kerosene lamp crackled and popped, the sound unusually clear.
Niu Aiguo, a burly old educated youth, crossed his arms, his brows furrowed, and his voice rough.
"What? Taking a little kid to the countryside?"
He looked Xu Zhian up and down, his eyes full of suspicion.
"Xu Zhiqing, you're still a young girl! What... what's going on here?"
The crowd began to stir and whisper among themselves.
The questioning gazes were like needles pricking the siblings.
Yao Xueru, a female educated youth who was dressed relatively neatly and whose braids were combed meticulously, disgustedly flicked off non-existent dust with her fingertips.
Yao Xueru's voice was shrill, carrying an undisguised sense of rejection: "Exactly! How old is he? Does he need someone to take care of him when he poops and pees? Are you suggesting... that he should live in our girls' dormitory?"
She looked around at the female educated youth, seeking their support.
"Absolutely not! Men and women are different, what kind of talk is this? I'm the first to disagree!"
Xu Zhili felt her younger brother's hands trembling violently.
She looked down and saw An'an biting her lower lip tightly, her face pale, and her knuckles white from the force.
A sharp pain pierced her heart.
She suddenly shielded her younger brother behind her, her thin back straightening like a sapling facing the wind.
Xu Zhili's voice was not loud, but it was exceptionally clear and firm, drowning out the murmurs.
"My brother is six years old, he's not a burden!"
Her gaze swept over the disapproving faces with a calmness beyond her years.
“Nobody in my family wants him. Leaving him here is just letting him die, I can’t do that!” She paused, her gaze falling on the deep night outside the window and the outline of the dilapidated mud-brick house.
“Shen, fellow comrades, I have applied to the brigade leader to build a small house. Before the house is built, my brother and I will squeeze in. We will not cause any trouble for the collective. Please bear with us for a few more days.”
Xu Zhian peeked out from behind her sister, her voice trembling with tears, but she tried her best to speak loudly: "Sister... I... I can... help you! I... cut grass! Gather firewood!"
He stretched out his thin arm and gestured, his eyes showing fear, but also a stubborn attempt to please.
Xu Zhili's heart was instantly shattered.
She squatted down, completely ignoring the stares of others, and gently wiped away the tears that were about to fall from her brother's eyes with her fingertips, then rubbed his dry, yellow hair.
Xu Zhili's voice was as gentle as a spring breeze, yet it carried a promise as firm as a rock.
"I know An'an is the most capable. Don't worry, I'm here for you. I have hands and feet, I won't let you go hungry or cold. Let's live well together!"
Just then, a figure stood up – it was Lu Yanchen.
He had been observing silently, his brows slightly furrowed.
He was tall and straight, with a handsome face and clear, sharp eyes.
His voice was steady and powerful, clearly reaching everyone's ears: "Comrades! Please be quiet and listen to me!" The murmurs among the crowd subsided once again.
"Why did we respond to the call, leave the city, and come to the countryside? It was for construction! It was to hone ourselves in the vast world! Isn't our spirit of unity, mutual assistance, and overcoming difficulties together the spirit that we educated youth should have?" His gaze swept over Niu Aiguo, Yao Xueru, and others, carrying an invisible pressure.
"Comrade Xu Zhili could have left her younger brother at home, as some people have suggested, but she didn't! She preferred to bear the burden herself to keep her brother by her side and give him a way to survive! Doesn't this sense of responsibility, commitment, and familial love deserve the respect and emulation of every one of us?"
His words resonated deeply, causing some who had initially been dismissive to lower their heads in disbelief.
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