Chapter 15: What a Good Child!

After he left, the group began to inspect the rooms. These were not the proper houses of a wealthy landlord, but rather dwellings built for the mountain watchmen, sturdy in their construction.

Zhang Xiaojun, ever sociable, looked over the rooms and noticed that one had bedding on the kang, immediately recognizing it as the madman’s room. He and Liu Daye hoped to claim another room for themselves, not wishing to share with the madman. However, as they had just arrived and there were female comrades present, it wasn’t appropriate to make such a request.

So he said, “Comrade Ming and Comrade Liu, you two take this room. We’ll stay in the men’s room.” Ming Dai nodded, hoisted her bundle, and went straight into the empty room. Liu Yan, full of gratitude, said, “Comrade Zhang, Comrade Liu, thanks to you, otherwise Ming and I wouldn’t have known how to sleep tonight.” She glanced meaningfully at the room where Ming Dai was.

“Comrade Ming is still young, don’t mind her,” she said. Ming Dai rolled her eyes inside the room; she really knew how to stir things up. Liu Daye and Zhang Xiaojun were a bit disgruntled, feeling as though Ming Dai had gotten the better of them. Soon, Ming Dai came out and offered each of them a White Rabbit candy, and their opinion of her shifted—this comrade was quite alright.

Liu Yan, who had not received a candy after being snubbed, angrily threw her things into the room. Seeing Ming Dai’s belongings placed neatly at the head of the kang, she felt a surge of spite and wanted to toss them to the floor. Before she could reach out, she felt a chill behind her and turned to find Ming Dai standing there, expressionless. Even though Ming Dai wasn’t taller or heavier than herself, she instilled fear. In the end, Liu Yan withdrew her hand and obediently placed her luggage in the center of the kang.

Ming Dai surmised the three would be up to trouble that night. To avoid getting caught in their drama, she didn’t unpack but went out to the brigade headquarters to collect her rations.

On the way, she met Cai Mingcheng and Qin Fangfang, who had just picked up their own rations. Cai Mingcheng, carrying his food, said nothing and returned to the educated youth spot. Qin Fangfang seemed to have something to say, opened her mouth but fell silent. Ming Dai nodded to them and continued on her way.

Upon reaching the brigade headquarters, she gently knocked on the door.

“Come in,” a voice rasped.

Ming Dai pushed open the door and was greeted by warm humidity and the pungent smell of smoke, causing her to sneeze. Three men sat inside: the brigade leader Liu Dazhu puffed on a pipe, the secretary Liu Qingmin held a large mug of tea, and the younger accountant Liu Guoqiang sat nearby. The reason Liu Jiawan was so united was that its leadership was composed of the prominent Liu family.

“You’re here.” Seeing Ming Dai sneeze, Liu Dazhu stubbed out his pipe. Ming Dai stepped forward. “Hello, brigade leader. I’m Ming Dai, here to collect my rations.”

Secretary Liu Qingmin grinned, “Such a young girl coming down to the countryside, are you fifteen yet?”

Ming Dai smiled shyly, “I’m fourteen, fifteen by traditional age.”

“So young, how could your family bear to let you go?”

The girl bit her lip and lowered her head, “My father passed away this year. I became an orphan. I was supposed to take over his post at the hospital, but my uncle insisted I go to the countryside in place of my cousin, so he could have the family house for his marriage. I had no choice.”

Her voice quivered softly, as if she were about to cry. The secretary, who had a daughter himself, felt a pang of sympathy—this girl had it hard.

Ming Dai had a reason for showing vulnerability. Liu Jiawan’s resistance to educated youth was partly due to previous troublemakers, and partly because these youths never intended to stay, always scheming to return to the city, with their families trying to help them do so. Their hearts weren’t in the village, so their presence was of no use. Ming Dai’s situation, however, made her more acceptable to the locals: orphaned and persecuted by her uncle’s family, she was a solitary figure likely to take root and stay. Moreover, she mentioned working at a hospital—whatever the job, it was a technical skill, and if she ever became a doctor, she had already paved the way.

Secretary Liu Qingmin was fond of his daughter; even the brigade’s scorekeeper position was reserved for his only girl, with no consideration for sons or daughters-in-law.

Sure enough, after Ming Dai finished, Liu Dazhu’s attitude softened greatly.

“It’s fine, girl. Life here is good too. It’s cold, but if you’re willing to work, you’ll never lack for food or drink.”

Ming Dai looked up and smiled, “Yes, my father always said that city life isn’t necessarily better than the countryside—people go hungry in cities, but not always in rural areas.”

Liu Dazhu had never heard anyone say the city was worse than the countryside, so he was intrigued. “Really? The city can be worse?”

Ming Dai explained how everything in the city required tickets and how housing was tight. The three men listened, sighing.

“See, the countryside is still best. We can build our houses as big as we want.”

“Exactly, at least we never go hungry. Who’d have thought that even with money, you can’t buy food in the city?”

After the conversation, the three men warmed to Ming Dai even more.

“Girl, you educated youth can claim twenty pounds of refined grain or sixty pounds of coarse grain for the winter. Which would you like?”

Ming Dai thought for a moment. “Brigade leader, I’ll take refined grain. Before coming, I sold everything at home and bought some food to bring with me. It should last for a while.”

“Alright, Guoqiang, make a note—twenty pounds of refined grain. Also, give them some potatoes and cabbage. Pick out the ones without sprouts, and take the big cabbages.”

See? The benefits of friendliness were immediate.

Ming Dai’s eyes reddened with gratitude. Sniffling, she rummaged in her satchel.

“Brigade leader, I never expected that, after my father’s passing, I’d hear words of guidance from elders here in Liu Jiawan. Here feels even more like home than the city! Rest assured, I’ll work hard and put down roots—I won’t cause trouble!”

Liu Dazhu was taken aback, then his heart softened. “Good child, you’re sensible.”

Ming Dai, embarrassed, placed something on the table, surreptitiously watching Liu Dazhu. Seeing no reaction, she quickly took out two more items.

Liu Dazhu tapped his pipe, smiling at her without speaking.

Ming Dai’s face was earnest. “Brigade leader, my father passed away suddenly and didn’t teach me much about social customs. I just follow my heart. If I’m wrong, please guide me. This is monk fruit—good for tea and soothing the throat. You smoke, and I heard you coughing, so it’s suitable for you. Secretary, this butterfly hairpin is one of a pair I brought; I don’t know why, but you remind me of my father. If you have a daughter and don’t mind that I’ve used it, please accept it. I have another one—if I ever meet a sister or friend, I’ll treasure it. Accountant, here’s a fountain pen—also used, but the nib is still new. I noticed you cherish your pen, so you must like writing. If you don’t mind, please take it. I’m not sure if this is correct—the monk fruit is homemade, the hairpin and pen are prizes for coming first in school exams, so I spent no money, just heartfelt gifts. It shouldn’t break any rules, right?”

The little girl’s innocent, nervous ramble as she twisted her sleeve left the three men silent.

After a pause, Liu Dazhu sighed, “Good girl, you heard me cough and thought of all this. I’ll accept it. You’ve done well; it’s not against the rules. You’re a pitiable child, and coming to Liu Jiawan is coming home. Come to my house sometime—your aunt will make you pancakes.”

Secretary Liu Qingmin added affectionately, “Your gift is just right. My daughter Miao is turning eighteen soon and wants a hairpin. Come visit us; my wife makes delicious dumplings.”

The accountant said nothing, just nodded with a smile, thinking he’d be sure to consider Ming Dai when calculating work points—such an honest girl invoked sympathy.

Ming Dai breathed a sigh of relief, blushing as she smiled and followed the accountant to pick potatoes and cabbage.

When she left, the three worried she couldn’t carry so much and offered to help her deliver it, but Ming Dai firmly refused.

“Uncle, I can’t trouble you for my own sake. I’ll carry it myself—if I’m going to put down roots here, I’ll start by adapting to rationing!”

Her earnest declaration made the three men feel all the more comfortable.

Waving, Ming Dai slung the burlap sack over her shoulder and staggered off, slow but steady with each step.

Liu Dazhu watched her thin, slight figure with a sigh, “Now that’s a good child—a real educated youth! Hmph, those other two, what a joke!”

Secretary Liu Qingmin closed the door and chuckled, “Those who share our heart, we’ll take care of them. The others, let them work hard.”

The accountant nodded in agreement, smiling.