Chapter 140: “reporting To The Youth Office”
Lin Zhao packed away three medical books, with another five picture books on the surface, and a stack of newspapers.
She strolled leisurely out of the book pile, looked at Song Yunjin, eyes full of smiles.
“Yun Jin, ready?”
“Almost done.” Song Yunjin looked up from the book pile, saw his sister smiling, guessed she had a full harvest.
What a coincidence.
He was too!
The youth quickly sorted the books, grabbed the selected ones, and ran to his sister.
His handsome face was full of smiles.
“Sis, look at what I found, so many.” He dusted off his arm holding a stack of books, Yun Jin’s tone light and cheerful, “I flipped through them all, some are storybooks, some are magazines, you can read the magazines to pass the time.”
Lin Zhao smiled, “Good harvest today.”
“Yes, good luck.”
The siblings moved the books to the door, the recycling station staff weighed them, quoted a price, Lin Zhao paid, and together with Yun Jin they carried the books to the ox cart.
It was five minutes to four.
Perfect timing.
“Not late, just right.” Lin Zhao smiled, very satisfied.
She was someone with a strong sense of time, better early than late.
Yun Jin knew his sister’s habit, influenced by her, he also cared about this, nodded heavily.
When they arrived, several people were already on the ox cart.
No men, all women.
Very normal, big difference in stamina, men earned more work points than women, they had to stay to earn full work points, women always handled buying daily necessities.
“Grandpa, we didn’t come late, right?” Yun Jin greeted enthusiastically, his smile very infectious.
The old grandpa smiled, “No, get on first.”
Seeing the smile on his face, the women on the cart had ghostly expressions.
Ha?
Lao Zhuangtou could smile?!!!
This guy always had a stern face, could scare a village’s kids to tears.
Rare!
Lin Zhao jumped on the ox cart, sat on the small stool at the very front.
“Yun Jin, you go back.”
Song Yunjin was worried, instructed the driving old man, “Grandpa, please go slow on the road, my sister rarely rides ox carts, I’m afraid she’s not used to it.”
Hands clasped together, “Please please, if my sister falls, my dad will break my legs.”
“…”
Lin Zhao was amused.
Yun Jin like this, plus the tone of instructing kindergarten class teachers, really like uncle.
Before she could speak, the old grandpa smiled again, “Put your heart back in your belly, I’ve driven this ox cart for over ten years, could get there with eyes closed.”
Taking the people’s candy shortens their mouth, seeing that popsicle’s sake, he couldn’t glare at the boy in front of him.
He had a good impression of this youth.
A polite one!
Unlike some, relying on city household registration, looking down noses, not even knowing names.
Yun Jin’s smile deepened, “Thank you Grandpa, I saw you and felt you were super reliable!”
No one dislikes good words, the old grandpa was coaxed into grinning, “Of course. Don’t worry, guarantee to deliver your sister safe and sound to the village entrance.”
“Alright.” Yun Jin said.
He wedged the found books at the edge of the ox cart, said to Lin Zhao: “Sis, I’ll head back first, see you tomorrow.”
Lin Zhao waved her hand.
Noticing several women on the cart sizing her up, she smiled politely, not embarrassed at all.
No way around it, uncle used to send her to school, also like this ‘all eyes on her’—
“What did our Zhao Bao learn today?”
“Did anyone bully Zhao Bao?”
“Uncle’s here to pick you up, happy?”
“Want to ride big horse?”
“Uncle brought meat from the factory, let’s go home and eat meat!”
Spoke with a lisp, every sentence a killer.
Not a bit of the restraint this era should have.
Honestly, Lin Zhao grew up under classmates’ ‘strange’ gazes, especially calm about others’ looks.
On the cart, an aunt smiled and asked: “Girl, which brigade?”
“Fengshou Brigade.” Lin Zhao’s lips curved in a smile.
Her skin tone white and delicate, clothes clean and refreshing, wearing a pretty hat country people hadn’t seen, posture casual and relaxed, but not crude, with a scholar’s elegance and grace.
Even better than the educated youth from their village city.
Looked fragrant and soft.
Another aunt asked: “Girl, do you work at the supply and marketing cooperative?”
Lin Zhao nodded.
The speaking aunt slightly raised her arm, bumped the woman next to her, “See, I said this girl is a salesperson. I’m old yes, but my eyes are sharp, can see clearly from far, she’s right at the counter next to where we buy things.”
The bumped woman had poor eyesight, plus supply and marketing cooperative too crowded when buying, she focused on squeezing forward, no time to look around.
“I was busy then, didn’t look around.”
Her companion laughed, “To grab that pillowcase, you used all your nose strength, I saw someone clutching chest after your elbow.”
“Not grabbing, how to buy, only a few.” The teased one justified, “My nephew’s getting married, once in a lifetime, I’m the close aunt, definitely prepare something presentable as gift.”
“True.”
“Speaking of marriage, don’t know if you heard, Erhua and Gouzi’s marriage is off?!!” A long-faced, quite serious-looking woman suddenly spoke.
This said.
All topics paused.
Everyone on the ox cart had eyes full of curiosity.
“!!”
What situation?
Even Lin Zhao who knew nothing was hooked by this aunt’s tone.
What what, why is Erhua and Gouzi’s marriage off?
Can’t listen to stories without sunflower seeds, Lin Zhao reached into her bag, actually from the storage ring, took out a pack of sunflower seeds, cracked them loudly.
“What?”
“What situation?!!”
“Erhua and Ergou’s marriage off? If I remember right, it was set for next month!”
“I remember next month too, whole village spread it, how suddenly off!?”
…
After a burst.
People on the cart guessed there must be a secret behind, eyes shining, ears perked, afraid to miss any highlight.
Atmosphere quiet.
‘Crack crack crack’ sounds especially clear.
Everyone tacitly looked toward the sound.
Saw the pretty girl more city-like than educated youth, eating one sunflower seed after another, face full of enjoying the drama.
Lin Zhao stared at by several pairs of eyes, not uncomfortable, but itching inside to know the follow-up.
She furrowed her delicate brows, puzzled how to continue the topic.
Moments later.
Grabbed a handful of sunflower seeds, arm forward, stuffed some to the driving grandpa.
“Grandpa, sunflower seeds.”
After giving grandpa, distributed to others on the cart.
“Come come, one handful each. Boring on the road, crack sunflower seeds to pass time.”
Country women on the cart thought Lin Zhao would be proud, she looked worlds apart, except at start, didn’t dare talk to her.
Didn’t expect this girl to share sunflower seeds with them.
Several women flattered, took the sunflower seeds, happy wrinkles at eye corners.
“Thank you girl.”
“These sunflower seeds? Salty and fragrant, delicious.” The woman next to Lin Zhao tasted one, didn’t spit the shell, swallowed shell and all, reluctant to eat the rest, wanted to save for child.
“Smells fragrant.” Another said, reluctant even to taste, wrapped in handkerchief, packed away, smiled at Lin Zhao embarrassedly: “This good stuff, take back for my kid.”
This was most people’s way.
Only the woman with fewest patches ate two before putting away.
Lin Zhao waved indifferently, “No problem, I gave it to you, it’s yours, handle as you like.”
People on the cart felt, this girl really knows how to talk.
If educated youth learned a bit, wouldn’t be so disliked.
No wonder she could be salesperson.
Good-looking, speaks nicely.
Lin Zhao looked at the aunt who started the big gossip.
The long-faced, serious-faced woman puzzled, “…what?”
Subconsciously checked clothes, not inside out.
Lin Zhao smiled shyly on surface, “Why is Erhua and Gouzi’s marriage off?”
Don’t say half way, so anxious!
Hearing this.
Air silent.
The driving old grandpa: “…”
He disliked hearing gossip, especially on his ox cart.
Heard them earlier, almost spoke to stop.
Saw topic derailed by ‘sunflower seeds’, sighed in relief, thought no need to remind.
But didn’t expect…
Topic pulled back by the little girl!
Looked down at sunflower seeds in hand, old grandpa’s eyes flashed complex.
Stop, or not?
This was a problem.
Lin Zhao noticed old grandpa’s gaze, curved eyes at him smiling, as polite as can be.
Old grandpa’s brows furrowed tight.
Maybe let it go, anyway, anyway Erhua and Gouzi thing not baseless.
Fine.
Today he pretended, heard nothing.
No one cared about Lao Zhuangtou’s thoughts.
A string of laughter rang on the ox cart, carried far.
The woman next to Lin Zhao almost laughed herself breathless, said: “Pangpang’s mom, continue quick, the salesperson comrade is hooked by you!”
So-called candy shortens mouth, such good sunflower seeds, little girl so curious, of course satisfy her!
Others urged too.
Suddenly, atmosphere on cart good to extremes.
Old Zhuangtou found it unbelievable.
Before always cursing, arguing till his head hurt, ears buzzing.
Today sun rose from west?
Still no one saw his disdain from his hunched back.
Pangpang’s mom laughed too, didn’t deliberately hold back, started telling.
Talking gossip, her rarely smiling face glowed.
Opened mouth with a big bomb.
“Someone saw, Erhua and male educated youth went into the small woods!”
This out, like something ignited.
“What?” Someone’s voice suddenly rose.
“…” Old Zhuangtou rubbed ears.
Good, didn’t spare his ears either.
“Erhua crazy? Doesn’t want reputation?!” Woman next to Pangpang’s mom full shock, “How dare she! This steps on Gouzi’s face to ground, that family not easy, how let her off!”
Another said: “Erhua has two younger sisters, her reputation ruined, those two sisters hard to marry too.”
“Erhua such honest girl, how dare she?”
Several women one sentence each, afraid Lin Zhao not understand, detailed told story protagonists’ families.
Erhua family how many, Gouzi family how many, all temperaments revealed clearly.
Lin Zhao: Quite participatory too.
Pangpang’s mom expression complex, “Honest? Honest on surface only.”
She and Erhua family neighboring brigade, knew more.
“Erhua this girl scheming, ambitious too, didn’t fancy Gouzi at all, set on marrying city person.”
Everyone: “…?”
Most impatient one’s speech fast, “She a country girl, dark and skinny, didn’t finish primary school, family poor as clanging, what to marry city person with?”
Another: “Didn’t fancy Gouzi, why set marriage with him?”
Pangpang’s mom shook head, “No chance contact city people before, educated youth down countryside, gave her hope, now even less fancies Gouzi, making trouble to break engagement, Erhua parents care face, beat her, make her drop idea, little girl got idea how easily give up, surface agreed, secretly hooked up with a male educated youth at educated youth point.”
Hearing this, Lin Zhao thought of Gu Xing’er.
This Erhua same type as her.
But.
Fengshou Brigade’s male educated youth, smarter than neighboring brigade’s male educated youth.
Song Qian very sly, whatever does calls other male educated youth, no chance for Gu Xing’er to climb, her clumsy tricks useless.
Woman next to Lin Zhao said: “This matter will have more drama later!”
“Yes drama, but not Erhua making drama, that male educated youth making it.” Pangpang’s mom said.
Lin Zhao looked up.
Oh ho.
Twist.
“What situation?” she asked.
Not like her imagined script.
Thought again, educated youth just down countryside, taste field work bitterness, every moment want back to city, now not yet ground down to despair by endless hopelessness, of course no ties with country girls.
By this logic.
That male educated youth calculated by the girl called Erhua.
Pangpang’s mom’s next words confirmed.
“Male educated youth said he was calculated, reported to educated youth office this morning! I guess this time, Erhua might lose both.”
Educated youth reported to educated youth office?
Lin Zhao felt this plot familiar.
Right right!
Original book had such plot.
Difference was.
Person reported to educated youth point, was Fengshou Brigade’s Song Qian.
This matter related to Gu Xing’er.
But, clearly two years later thing!!
In book like this:
Gu Xing’er found chance to tear her collar, framed Song Qian for hooliganism, demanded he marry her.
Then Song Qian just got back-to-city transfer order, happily, suddenly hit by this, disgusted like swallowed live fly, no nonsense reported to educated youth office, demanded clear his name.
Educated youth point’s educated youth all backed him.
Gu Xing’er one cry two fuss three hang, wanted use public opinion force Song Qian. Song Qian hid in guesthouse not come out, she in rage smashed injuring guesthouse staff, nearly caused dutiful female comrade to perish.
Matter blew up, even on newspaper.
Newspaper office reporter keen, found educated youth situation worth digging, went places undercover, found quite a few male female educated youth calculated into marriage.
Penned vivid article.
All levels educated youth offices paid attention, cracked down hard on this bad trend.
After this, crooked minds pulled gaze from educated youth.
Lin Zhao had premonition, neighboring brigade matter would blow up, as big as original book.
This good thing.
Some calculated educated youth just sixteen seventeen, still children, all knowledge youth, forced stay countryside lifetime how wrongful!
