RIRW – Chapter 43

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The power of the tractor Shen Yiming brought back was akin to having a Rolls-Royce in the countryside. When the tractor arrived at the small square outside the warehouse, Zuo Shuisheng energetically beat drums and gongs, gathering everyone to witness the village’s first walking tractor, marking this historic moment.

“This is our village’s first tractor, and it was Shen Yiming who worked hard to bring it back for us. Although Yiming isn’t officially from Zuo Family Village, he’s done as much for us as anyone else. Let’s thank Comrade Yiming.”

The crowd clapped enthusiastically, their applause ringing loudly. How could they not? This was a tractor! From now on, transporting grain would no longer require pushing carts, and there would be no need to worry about overworking the old horse. This iron machine wouldn’t wear out easily. Plus, there would be no need to thresh wheat or rice manually; just drive the tractor around a few times, and the job would be done with minimal effort. It even offered a chance for a breezy ride.

This was truly a great thing! The excitement was palpable, and everyone’s faces were glowing with joy.

Zuo Shuisheng seemed to have regained his youth by a decade.

Zuo Dan kept staring at the tractor, then at Shen Yiming, unable to fathom how he had managed to bring back the vehicle. In an era where even buying a bicycle required pulling strings and seeking favors, Shen Yiming had silently acquired a walking tractor.

Up front, Zuo Shuisheng continued beating the gongs. “Yiming said someone needs to learn to drive the tractor. This time, he specifically invited Comrade Xu Dapeng from the commune’s coal yard to teach our production team. Those interested in learning, please sign up. We’ll select a few suitable people to learn, and once trained, they’ll be responsible for driving the tractor.”

Hearing this, many were intrigued but hesitant. Driving a tractor was daunting, especially when they hadn’t even mastered riding bicycles. What if they damaged it?

Some hesitated.

Zuo Dacheng looked on eagerly. He had seen people driving cars in the city before and envied them. However, he had trained as a carpenter, not a driver.

“Dad, you should learn,” Zuo Dan tugged at Zuo Dacheng’s sleeve. “I heard it’s quite simple. You should give it a try.” She hoped her family could acquire more skills, believing technical work was better than manual labor.

Zuo Dacheng hesitated, “At my age, can I manage?”

“Age? You’re just in your prime, the perfect time to strive. Imagine driving the tractor with Mom sitting beside you…”

Zuo Dacheng’s face flushed slightly, and he cleared his throat. “Should I give it a try?”

“Absolutely,” Zuo Dan encouraged him.

After work, Zuo Dacheng went to find Zuo Shuisheng to sign up for tractor driving lessons.

Zuo Shuisheng was somewhat disappointed that the younger villagers were too timid to learn, worried it would be too difficult. When he saw Zuo Dacheng, he was a bit concerned, “At Dacheng’s age…”

“I think Uncle Dacheng is suitable,” Shen Yiming said. “In the city, the experienced drivers are often older. Such drivers are more stable. We only have one vehicle in our village, so it’s more reassuring to entrust it to someone steady. Once Uncle Dacheng learns, he can take on two apprentices in the village.”

Zuo Shuisheng thought about it and agreed, realizing that city drivers were indeed older.

Zuo Dan secretly laughed on the side. The old captain was being led around by Shen Yiming again. The city’s old drivers had simply aged over many years of driving, hadn’t they?

Shen Yiming continued, “Moreover, only experienced masters are willing to take on apprentices. Younger drivers often lack the patience.”

Zuo Shuisheng found Shen Yiming’s words very reasonable. If a young person learned to drive, they might be unwilling to teach others, fearing job competition. But Dacheng was different —honest and straightforward, and treated people well. At his age, teaching apprentices wouldn’t pose a threat; after all, he was an elder in the village.

He immediately decided, “Alright, Dacheng, you won’t need to go to work for the next few days. Just follow Comrade Xu Dapeng and learn to drive the tractor. It’s a service to the team and will count as work points.”

Hearing this, Zuo Dacheng was thrilled yet a bit bewildered, feeling as though his life was starting to change again.

With arrangements made for Zuo Dacheng to learn to drive with Xu Dapeng, Zuo Dan and Shen Yiming headed off to work.

On the way, Zuo Dan couldn’t help but ask Shen Yiming, “Where did you get this tractor?” She gave him a thumbs-up, “Impressive!”

Shen Yiming smiled faintly, “Want to know?”

Zuo Dan nodded eagerly. Of course, she wanted to know. Learning a few tricks from the crafty fox could be useful.

Shen Yiming hesitated, “This is my secret technique, not to be shared with outsiders.”

“…,” Zuo Dan thought, then why ask if I wanted to know? Just teasing me?

She grinned, “It’s fine if you don’t tell me. I’ll ask Xu Dapeng where the tractor came from and figure it out myself. I don’t believe I can’t uncover it.” She had read Sherlock Holmes numerous times and was confident she could find clues.

Shen Yiming laughed, “If you can figure it out, you’ll be one of us. I’ll tell you anything you want to know.”

“Deal,” Zuo Dan said. “Just wait and see.”

When they arrived at the field to work, everyone greeted Shen Yiming warmly.

“Comrade Yiming, let’s work together.”

“Yiming, you’re amazing.”

“Yiming, we should take a ride on the tractor later.”

Li Chenliang, chewing on a piece of dry grass and wielding a hoe, muttered indifferently, “What’s the big deal? It’s just a tractor. I could get a truck if I wanted.”

Gao Wei dampened his enthusiasm, “But you’d have to ask your dad, and you might get a beating.”

Li Chenliang felt a chill. He knew his family’s situation. He could fool around, but meddling with government property would result in a severe punishment. Now that he was hiding in the countryside, his father ignored him even more.

Gao Wei sighed, “People can be infuriating. Look at him—good looks and brains. It seems Zuo Dan is getting close to Shen Yiming too. It’s no surprise, though. Back in school, most of the girls liked him.”

Hearing this, Li Chenliang’s eyes widened as he looked at Zuo Dan working with Shen Yiming. He felt a pang of jealousy, as if a childhood friend had suddenly started playing with a rival.

“Shen Yiming, I need to talk to you!”

Zuo Dan was pondering how Shen Yiming got the tractor when she heard Li Hongbing speaking seriously to Shen Yiming.

She looked up to see Li Hongbing with a stern expression, looking like an old cadre.

Shen Yiming smiled, “Comrade Li Hongbing, what’s the matter?”

Li Hongbing blushed slightly and said seriously, “Comrade Shen Yiming, how did you secure this tractor for the production team? Last time we went to the countryside, many teams didn’t have tractors, some were still using ox carts. Our team already has two old horse-drawn carts, which is quite good. This tractor wouldn’t normally be allocated to us through standard procedures. You shouldn’t have used improper methods to get it.”

Zuo Dan: “…” Didn’t you see that the villagers around were practically ready to eat you alive?

Li Hongbing continued on her own, “As progressive youth responding to the nation’s call to work in rural areas, we should bring a spirit of proactive effort to the countryside, not indulge selfish and self-serving thoughts.”

Villagers of Zuojia Tun: How do we stop ourselves from cursing?

Shen Yiming’s lips curved slightly, “The Zuojia Tun production team actively responded to the commune’s grain exchange initiative and organized young intellectuals to help mine coal. Moreover, Comrade Xu Dapeng, originally from Zuojia Tun, has exceptional skills and significantly aided the coal yard. To reward the production team, the commune allocated a tractor to Zuojia Tun to motivate other teams. Isn’t it normal for the organization to reward outstanding comrades?”

Zuo Dan eagerly proposed, “Comrade Li Hongbing, your concerns are valid. Since other production teams are struggling, I suggest that Comrade Li Hongbing help solve the tractor issues for those teams without troubling the commune, which is also facing difficulties.”

If you’re capable, solve the tractor problem for other teams yourself; otherwise, stop the empty talk.

Li Hongbing was flustered and about to speak when Shen Yiming smiled and said, “Comrade Li Hongbing’s thoughts are indeed correct and worthy of support. Comrade Hongbing has always been a moral benchmark in our team of young intellectuals, and we should learn from her. Feel free to voice any concerns in the future.”

Being praised by Shen Yiming, Li Hongbing couldn’t stay angry and even felt a bit pleased. Seeing Shen Yiming smiling at her, she felt a bit embarrassed, turned around, and returned to her work, thinking that her words had likely made a lasting impression on Shen Yiming, showing him that they shared similar values.

Zuo Dan watched Li Hongbing’s hurried, mysterious behavior and then glanced at Shen Yiming’s amused expression. She whispered, “Shen Yiming, what’s with her? Did she come just to say those things to you?”

Shen Yiming pointed to his head.

Zuo Dan suddenly understood.

At noon, when the work was done, Zuo Shuisheng gathered everyone to announce that Zuo Dacheng would be learning to drive the tractor. He also mentioned that once Zuo Dacheng had learned, the village’s young people who wanted to learn could approach him, aiming to cultivate more technically skilled people in the village.

Hearing that Zuo Dacheng had signed up, the hesitant young men regretted their indecision. If Uncle Dacheng could learn despite his age, why couldn’t they, as young men?

Luckily, once Zuo Dacheng learned, he could teach them. Learning to drive from someone like Zuo Dacheng would be much more comfortable than learning from an outsider.

Some were already planning to visit Zuo Dacheng’s home in a few days to ask him to teach their sons first.

With Zuo Dacheng learning to drive the tractor and Zuo Chengcai going to the city to learn driving, the Zuo family suddenly stood out from the rest of the village.

The three brothers, who had been farmers, were now poised to become master drivers, no longer needing to toil in the fields every day.

In such a short time, the Zuo family had transformed significantly. To be precise, the second and third brothers had changed, while the eldest brother’s family remained the same.

“What’s the big deal about learning to drive? We don’t care to go,” Xu Fengxia grumbled at home, feeling frustrated. Why could Zuo Dacheng learn, but not her husband?

“Hongjun, how about we learn too? Why should the second brother get to learn? If anyone should learn, it’s you.”

Zuo Hongjun, holding a cigarette rod, muttered, “I’m not going. I won’t ask Zuo Shuisheng for this.” Unless Zuo Shuisheng invited him, he wouldn’t go begging. He wouldn’t do anything that made him lose face.

Since Zuo Hongjun was unwilling, Xu Fengxia couldn’t force him and lamented her inability to bear a son. If Zuo Qing or Zuo Huan were sons, maybe they could have gone to learn. She gritted her teeth, “It’s no big deal. As long as my daughters marry well in the future.”

Thinking it over, she decided to visit her aunt in town to start arranging a match for Zuo Huan.

She didn’t want the villagers to laugh at her and wasn’t about to let Li Hui, the capitalist troublemaker, overshadow her.

At the Dahe Commune farm.

Li Hui, carrying a small bag of grain, waited at the farm gate. The young soldier guarding the gate was familiar with her and didn’t trouble her much. Seeing her arrival, he went inside to inform the farm director.

The people working here were those with problematic backgrounds or who had committed crimes, so not just anyone could meet them.