RIRW – Chapter 17

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“Comrades, the autumn harvest is almost coming to an end, and the commune is urging us to hand over the grain. Other communes have already started delivering their grain, and we can’t let ours fall behind. As for those who are lazy and not working, after the autumn harvest, they will all be sent to the farm to work and make up their labor points!”

At noon, the brigade leader, Zuo Shuisheng, gave another speech.

The villagers were already used to such speeches. Even if Zuo Shuisheng didn’t say anything, they would still work quickly. The food at home wasn’t enough, and they were all waiting for the autumn grain. Everyone hoped to finish the work as soon as possible so they could get their share of the grain and meat, and enjoy a full meal.

After work started, everyone began to work with great enthusiasm.

On the threshing ground, Zuo Dan was also working efficiently.

Zuo Dan noticed that Su Xue was moving slowly and smiled as she reminded her, “Comrade Su Xue, you’re not really waiting for your relatives to do your work for you, are you? Or do you want to be sent to the farm to work?”

Su Xue knew that when she mentioned the farm, she wasn’t referring to the labor points Zuo Shuisheng had spoken of, but to actually being sent there for re-education.

She gritted her teeth, endured the pain from a cut on her hand, and began to work harder. In her mind, she cursed Zuo Dan’s ancestors for many generations. What’s there to be proud of? If my Li family hadn’t fallen on hard times, I’d still be the daughter of a university professor in the provincial capital, while you’re just a country girl. What’s so impressive about that? Thinking of this, her eyes reddened in grievance. She hated how unfair life had been to her. If she ever did well in the future, she’d make sure Zuo Dan’s family had a hard time.

Though she was full of resentment, she didn’t dare to slack off anymore, and she certainly didn’t expect anyone to help her with her work.

Zuo Dan didn’t care about what Su Xue was thinking. As long as Su Xue worked diligently, that was enough.

Other educated youth noticed how quickly Su Xue was working and were suspicious. Especially Li Hongbing, who squinted at her for a long time, still mumbling to himself.

Zuo Dan noticed that people had great potential. Su Xue worked so seriously that by the end of the afternoon, she had completed the tasks from both the morning and the afternoon.

Zuo Shuisheng came to the threshing ground to inspect and, seeing that the educated youth were working efficiently, he was pleased. He thought that his earlier warning had been effective, and now the young ones didn’t dare slack off.

When the work ended in the afternoon, Zuo Dan washed her hands in a pond by the road and ran into Zuo Dacheng and his wife, who were on their way home. They had just been to the threshing ground and saw that Su Xue was missing, but the threshing ground was neatly cleaned up.

Li Hui quietly asked Zuo Dan, “Dandan, did you finish all the work?”

“Finished. The brigade leader even praised us for working efficiently,” Zuo Dan nodded. Then she looked tired and added, “Don’t worry, mom. I helped out.”

“Did you help finish it?” Li Hui was surprised. She knew that Su Xue always left a lot of work undone. It took her and Zuo Dacheng over an hour to finish together.

Zuo Dan said, “You asked me to lend a hand. I saw she was working slowly, so I just did a bit more. Sigh, it wasn’t too tiring. I didn’t even have time to drink water. I’m thirsty now.”

Hearing that Zuo Dan had been working so hard without even drinking water, Li Hui immediately felt sorry for her. “I told you not to do it. Your dad and I could’ve managed on our own.”

“How could that be? You both come home so late every day. I feel bad,” Zuo Dan said.

Li Hui looked at her daughter, feeling even more guilty. Meanwhile, she thought about how much worse her niece was at working compared to her own daughter. This girl was already so old and still needed to learn how to work properly.

“Alright, I’ll find a chance to talk to Su Xue. Dandan, you don’t need to help her with her work anymore. Just teach her.”

Zuo Dan obediently nodded. “Okay, I’ll teach her well. Don’t worry, mom. She’s family. I’ll take care of her.”

“Look at how good our girl is,” Zuo Dacheng said happily as he rubbed his daughter’s head. He was already thinking that once the autumn harvest was over, he would get her a nice set of clothes.

The next day, Zuo Dan went to deliver a message to Su Xue, saying that Li Hui wanted to talk to her.

Su Xue was now thoroughly annoyed with Zuo Dan. After hearing this, she was plotting to complain to Li Hui.

Zuo Dan didn’t even need to look to know what Su Xue was thinking. She kept working on her own, quietly warning, “You know what to say and what not to say. If my mom finds out anything, you know what will happen. Once you’re sent to the farm, no matter how long it takes, my mom will still be my mom. You won’t be an educated youth anymore.”

Su Xue paused, gritted her teeth, and said, “I understand.”

Zuo Dan smirked. Seeing Li Hongbing staring over, she smiled and said, “Comrade Li Hongbing, I heard from the brigade leader that you’re an active member here and planning to report to the commune. But now Comrade Su Xue is about to surpass you. You’d better pay attention, or she might catch up.”

Li Hongbing glared at her and spat, “Her? Pah!”

She then quickly went back to working.

Li Suli and Liu Lili exchanged glances after looking at Li Hongbing and Su Xue, then glanced at Zuo Dan, before lowering their heads to get back to work.

Good, they were all working hard. This was the image of educated youth.

At noon, Zuo Dan and Su Xue deliberately stayed behind a little longer. Li Hui came over, and Zuo Dacheng, not wanting to disturb their conversation, went home first.

Li Hui saw that the work was done and, assuming Zuo Dan had helped, felt more comfortable speaking. “Xiaoxue, how have you been adjusting these past few days?”

Su Xue nodded but said nothing, looking at Zuo Dan who was silently working beside her.

Li Hui hesitated for a moment and spoke softly, “Xiaoxue, you young people are going to be here for a long time, and who knows when you’ll be able to return to the city. You might even have to settle down and start a family here.”

“I’m not settling down here,” Su Xue instinctively retorted. She was going back to the city, so why would she stay in this countryside place?

Li Hui felt awkward. “Even if you don’t settle here, you still have to stay for now. You’re old enough, and you need to learn some skills. In the countryside, you have to know how to farm, and you should start learning now. Look at Dandan; she’s about your age and can do everything.”

Can she compare with me? Su Xue almost blurted out. But she didn’t want to anger Zuo Dan or upset Li Hui, so she held her tongue. However, she could tell that her aunt wasn’t here out of concern for her but to scold her into working properly.

Realizing this, Su Xue’s anger flared up. It was just helping for a couple of days, did she really need to be lectured?

What a so-called “meek and easy to control” aunt. Her mother must have been blind to let her get away with this.

With anger in her heart, Su Xue no longer had the patience to listen to Li Hui’s scolding. She stiffly said, “Is that all? If that’s all, I’ll leave now. Don’t worry, I’ll do my work from now on. You don’t need to concern yourselves.”

After saying this, she stormed off angrily.

“How could this child be like this?” Li Hui frowned. She truly cared for her only niece. She still remembered how cute this niece had been when she was little. After so many years without seeing her, she didn’t expect this child’s temperament to change so much.

Zuo Dan sighed. “Mom, she’s mad that we didn’t help her work. Let’s go home for lunch. I’ll keep an eye on her from now on.”

Li Hui shook her head, thinking that she’d have to find another opportunity to talk to her. They couldn’t just keep letting Dandan do all the work. After the autumn harvest, she wouldn’t be able to keep doing everything. The brigade leader would be watching their performance, and if they didn’t do well, labor points would be deducted.

Zuo Dan, watching her mother shake her head and sigh, couldn’t help but smile to herself. No matter how close someone is, they can’t just spoil you unconditionally.

Zuo Dan didn’t believe in that. When she was young, she was mischievous, and even her grandmother, who loved her the most, had scolded her fiercely. That had been a real beating. She still remembered it clearly. So, she never let anyone catch her doing bad things.

Whether Su Xue liked it or not, the work still had to be done every day. Li Hui’s talk with her had only made her feel wronged and made her realize that she couldn’t rely on Li Hui—she’d have to do things herself.

With Su Xue’s ‘encouragement’, Li Hongbing worked even harder, almost catching up to Zuo Dan in speed.

The old brigade leader was very pleased with this, thinking that these city kids had adapted so quickly to rural life and were working so efficiently. Zuo Dan had taught them well, and he felt that assigning this task to her had been a wise decision.

“Dandan, well done. After the autumn harvest, I’ll write you a recommendation letter and let your dad take you to the city for a visit,” Zuo Shuisheng still remembered this favor for Zuo Dan.

Zuo Dan nodded. “Okay, thank you, Uncle.”

As the autumn harvest gradually came to an end, the grain was gathered from the fields, moved to the threshing ground, and then stored in the team’s warehouse. Each household began preparing to store the new grain.

Grandmother Zou instructed her two daughters-in-law to patch up the old burlap sacks. She also made sure the jar used for storing grain was cleaned. In fact, it didn’t really need cleaning—it was already spotless, not a grain of rice could be found inside. But Grandmother Zou took it very seriously, believing it was an important task.

“Clear the warehouse, clear the warehouse. Next year, we’ll have plenty of grain,” she muttered, as she lovingly wiped the big jar.

Even after the “Destroy the Four Olds” campaign, the old lady’s desire for food hadn’t changed. The superstitions from her past were deeply engraved in her mind, and at this time, she naturally repeated them.

Xu Fengxia, holding a large burlap sack to sew, looked at the big jar, her thoughts heavy.

This autumn harvest, all four members of their family had gone to work, but only three people from the other family had gone. When it came to dividing the grain, they’d still have to combine it, meaning they were at a disadvantage.