Chapter 43: Searching
There was only one main road. Both sides of Youbai Road were mostly lined with old two- or three-story houses. The supply and marketing cooperative, state-run restaurant, post office, grain station, and such were all concentrated near the T-junction.
At the end of the main street, past a stone bridge, was the county’s No. 1 Middle School, while the other end led to the county’s various units.
The road to Hongqi Commune was a yellow mud mountain path about one meter wide and less than two meters.
Without a vehicle, just walking would take others two or three hours, and for her, double that time might still not be enough.
“Girl, where are you going?”
Just as Su Ning was at a loss staring at the mountain road ahead, an ox cart stopped behind her.
“Old man, I’m going to Hongqi Commune Team Two.”
“Hop on. It’s just along the way, I can give you a ride for a stretch.”
“Thank you, old man.”
Old Man Lin had an honest and simple look on his face. He waved his hand with a hearty laugh and explained, “No need to be polite. I’m just picking someone up along the way, so I can take you.”
“How come it’s you?”
“Why can’t it be me?”
Sitting at the back of the ox cart, grinning at her with a silly smile, was none other than Fu Jiaming.
Naturally and smoothly ignoring the person beside him, Su Ning smiled back. “Looks like I’m riding your coattails this time. Thanks.”
“Hey, just a coincidence. If I’d known you were heading this way, I would’ve called you to come along this morning.”
As Fu Jiaming spoke, he quietly sized her up. With them three sitting on one side of the cart, this girl really didn’t have Yan Qi ‘in her sights’ at all.
The smile on his face and in his eyes grew infinitely wider. Fu Jiaming’s good feeling toward her shot up, while he didn’t forget to provocatively nudge his buddy next to him with his elbow.
Yan Bei gave him a warning glare, but the next moment, he unconsciously shifted his gaze to the opposite side.
Amid the crowd, her one glance outshone them all; the colors of the world seemed like dust.
These two lines of poetry suddenly popped into his mind.
A flicker of something unusual quickly passed through his dark brown eyes. Yan Bei naturally withdrew his gaze and looked elsewhere.
His ear, turned to the side, twitched slightly. Whether on purpose or not, he caught every word of their conversation without missing a beat.
“Su Ning, so you’re heading to Team Two to find someone? Does your task need my help?”
“Mm.”
Tucking a stray strand of hair behind her ear with her fingertip, Su Ning refused again. “No need. I’ve already made arrangements. We can set off the day after tomorrow at the latest.”
“That fast? Impressive.”
Truly faster than expected, but the result was as anticipated.
Fu Jiaming gave a thumbs-up in admiration, then slyly scooted over, leaning most of his body toward her.
He whispered, “Hey, Su Ning, since we’re friends now, I’ll be straight with you. Do you have any extra goods on your end?”
“What?”
“Grain! Fine grain, coarse grain, doesn’t matter—as long as it’s grain, I’ll take as much as you have!”
What a big mouth—’as much as you have.’
She had some, but did he dare to take it out?
“I…”
“Rest assured, I’m not sneaking it to the black market to sell. It’s for the northern border…”
“Cough cough~”
After being firmly thumped on the back with a fist, the words on the tip of his tongue were scared back, turning into uncontrollable coughing.
Fu Jiaming clutched his neck with one hand and pointed at him with the other. Redness welled up in his eyes, tears forming—he looked like he wanted to pounce and bite the guy hard right then.
“Grown man, can’t you sit still in a cart? Now that you’re choking, maybe you’ll sit properly?”
Without a trace, Yan Bei pulled him back to his seat. His words were nice, but his hand didn’t hold back at all.
A series of thumps.
He hammered so hard that Su Ning’s eyelashes fluttered involuntarily: Those in the know knew it was to interrupt him; those who didn’t would think they had some deadly grudge.
Automatically skipping what Fu Jiaming had just said, once the coughing stopped, he added, “A few thousand jin can be managed along this route, but too much and I’m powerless.”
“Great!”
Not holding back at all, just as he said—’as much as you have.’
“Uh, that fruit… hahaha, heh, j-just kidding.”
Her cheeks ached uncontrollably. Su Ning pinched her palm and slowly released it, suddenly feeling that the hammering force from that guy earlier had been too light.
Fu Jiaming shifted his position again, but this time, he moved away from the two of them.
Could it be that good-looking people all had a bit of a violent streak deep down?
Don’t think he didn’t notice Su Ning’s clenched little fist just now. Good thing his reaction speed, honed by Yan Qi, wasn’t for show.
……
With Fu Jiaming such an unusually lively guy around, Su Ning overlooked the bumpy discomfort of the mountain path, and time flew by.
“Girl, go down this path. Walk ten or twenty minutes and you’ll be at Team Two!”
“Got it, thank you, old man!”
“Su Ning, really no need for me to go with you?”
Raising her hand and waving without hesitation, Su Ning turned and gave him a fine view of her back, leaving without even turning her head. She even broke into a jog after a few steps.
Fu Jiaming pointed at her in disbelief, then at himself. “What does this girl mean? Thinks I’m too chatty? I’m just being nice!”
“At least you have one good point.”
“Hm?”
“You have self-awareness.”
“Hey, Yan Qi, don’t think I really can’t beat you—I’m just going easy on you, got it…”
“Fine, I take it back. Looks like you don’t even have that.”
“Yan, Bei!”
……
Jogging downhill all the way, Su Ning didn’t stop until she rounded the bend and the yellow mud mountain path behind her was out of sight. Then she patted her chest.
If she’d had to listen to that guy prattle one more sentence, all her years of good self-control would’ve shattered completely!
What a talent—definitely didn’t pick the wrong job!
“Pfft~”
Smiling and shaking her head, she followed the small path dug along the mountain gully straight ahead.
Until a large threshing ground appeared. The view opened up wide, with paddies layered in patches. Commune members were bending over under the blazing sun, busy at work.
“Where’d this girl come from?”
“Never seen her. Looks like a city girl. Whose relative?”
“Heh, just ask and find out!”
The big aunts threshing grain eyed the girl who popped up out of nowhere and gossiped in whispers.
“Girl, whose family in our Team Two are you?”
“Pretty as a flower. Got a partner yet, girl?”
“Big Aunt, I’m looking for someone. Where’s Tan Dafeng’s house?”
Stopping her swinging wooden rake, the big aunt who asked scrutinized her a few times, then turned to those nearby. “The eldest son of Uncle Tan the blind guy’s house—is that the name?”
“The madman? Seems like it?”
“I remember that’s the name!”
“Girl, go this way. To the end of the village, the biggest chinaberry tree. The house next to it is theirs!”
“Thank you, Big Aunt.”
After thanking her, Su Ning quickly headed in the direction she pointed.
Last time at Victory Commune Second Brigade, she’d already seen how formidable the village big aunts were—that eagerness to drag her off for matchmaking, that enthusiasm. Thinking about it now still made her legs go soft.
She really couldn’t handle that kind of enthusiasm, so better to slip away as fast as possible!
At the end of the village, that sturdy chinaberry tree was indeed conspicuous, letting her easily find the household Big Aunt mentioned.
A small courtyard enclosed with bamboo fences and thorns. Tiptoeing let her see the whole yard.
A low wooden house. One side of the yard had rows of green onions and vegetables planted; the other had a chicken coop, with split firewood stacked and half-covered with plastic sheeting.
Smoke was slowly rising from the chimney on the rooftop.
“Anyone home?”
“Who is it?”
Wearing a wax-printed coarse cloth apron, the old woman with all white hair came nimbly to the yard. Seeing the visitor, she asked curiously, “Whose girl are you? What’s up?”
“Granny, good day. Is this Uncle Tan Dafeng’s house?”
“Yes, the madman’s house. That’s my eldest son. Who are you, girl?”
“Granny, I’m here on behalf of Uncle Tan’s ZY to check on things…”
Before she finished, Granny Tan’s wrinkled face broke into a huge smile. She hurriedly opened the courtyard gate, calling her in while standing on the little slope in front and shouting loudly, “Gou Wa, Gou Wa, come home quick!”
That booming voice carried far. Clearly, the old woman was in robust health—very robust. Just exploding right by the ear…
Subtly patting her startled chest, Su Ning smiled and followed her inside.
“Girl, sit first. Granny’ll pour you some brown sugar water!”
“No need, Granny…”
“Of course you do! Must, must. Right away!”
Granny Tan nimbly went to the kitchen, carefully washed the family’s only enamel cup clean, then dug out the sealed sugar jar from the deepest part of the cabinet. She opened it and scooped out a big spoonful without a hint of reluctance.
As long as she thought back to those years when the madman hadn’t come home yet.
Their whole big family, old and young, had survived thanks to the rations squeezed from their own mouths by his ZY folks—not a single one lost. Her heart burned hot, so hot.
‘Without you, the mountains and rivers, sun and stars are all superfluous…’
Thanks, dear readers, for the continued votes~ This lyric speaks for my heart~
