B5SB -Chapter 9 Distributing Grain

With summer vacation over, school had started again, and Gu Yihan had entered third grade. Over the past few months, the drought had been growing worse.

Every day after school, Gu Yihan would go up the mountain to pick wild vegetables and secretly feed herself before going home for dinner.

By the end of the year, the production team began distributing grain. Although the harvest was poor this year, every household still had some reserves. Having suffered from hunger in the past, people were afraid of starving again. Even when grain was distributed for personal use, no one dared to eat freely. No one in the village sold grain either.

The team leader, Gu Baoqing, was already forty-five years old. Each family sent a few representatives to attend the meeting at the team office.

Raising his voice, the team leader shouted, “Everyone has seen it this year—there’s been little rain and poor harvests. After we hand in the required grain and set aside seeds, the rest will be distributed to the members.”

The village secretary, Gu Guodong, was even older, fifty-five, and would be retiring in a few years.

He said helplessly, “When you go back, don’t eat too freely. Save as much as you can. You all know about the natural disasters in previous years. Not to mention 1943 and 1934—those who are older lived through them. So many people starved to death back then.”

Taking a puff from his pipe, he continued, “No one knows if the drought will continue. You all need to plan your food carefully.”

As soon as he finished speaking, the crowd erupted. The secretary was well-respected—he was older, more experienced, and the most educated person in the village—so people took his words seriously.

The team leader knocked on the table. “Quiet. Go to the accountant and collect your grain.”

Everyone lined up at the desk of the team accountant, Gu Xingwang, to receive their household’s share.

As soon as one auntie got her grain, she started making a scene. “This is going to starve our whole family! How can this little bit last until the next distribution?”

After saying that, she threw herself onto the ground, rolling and wailing, insisting on getting more grain.

The team leader’s face darkened as he walked over. “Jiakang’s wife, stop making trouble. Don’t you know why your family got less grain? You’ve been slacking off at work. If you delay everyone any longer, I’ll have the militia throw you out.”

The woman, known as Jiakang’s wife, lay stiffly on the ground, refusing to move, shamelessly playing dead.

The team leader directly ordered someone to carry her out. Then he looked around at everyone present.

Listening to their murmurs in the crowd, Gu Yihan understood: “They’re all thinking that if Jiakang’s wife gets extra grain, they can benefit too. If she doesn’t, they lose nothing.”

Gu Yihan felt speechless. After her family collected their grain, they went home together.

When Grandma Gu saw the grain, she immediately told the eldest grandson to carry it into the cellar. The entrance was in her and Grandpa’s room. It was the first time Gu Yihan had known where the cellar was. A solid wooden old-fashioned dowry chest was placed over the entrance.

Grandma Gu looked at her two daughters-in-law and said firmly, “No matter who from your natal families comes to borrow grain, we won’t lend any. Not to anyone.”

“If you’re still thinking of helping your natal families borrow food, then go back to them. Our Gu family doesn’t want daughters-in-law who betray us from the inside.”

She glared at them. “Did you hear me?”

The eldest and second sisters-in-law exchanged a glance. “Yes, Mom. We understand.”

Zhang Cuihua, who hadn’t gotten pregnant even once in recent years, no longer had much confidence in the family.

That night, as Zhang Cuihua and Gu Aidang lay in bed, she placed her hand on his chest and said softly, “How long has it been since we were together?”

Gu Aidang brushed her hand aside. “I’ve been busy all day. Aren’t you tired? I’m exhausted. All you think about is this nonsense. If that plot of yours could grow crops, fine—but you keep sowing seeds without any sprouts. Isn’t that just wasting seeds?”

Zhang Cuihua burst into tears, anger and resentment filling her heart—especially toward Gu Yihan.

Gu Yihan had no idea that her “cheap mother” had grown to hate her even more.