Reborn in 1965, I can obtain resources just by sweeping the floor.

“Secretary Geng, it’s freezing cold right now. If you force us to have more people, aren’t we just freeloaders? Besides, our village’s harvest this year has been bad, and every household doesn’t have enough food to eat. How am I supposed to feed these city kids?”

"That's right. If Secretary Geng had started spring plowing, it would have been fine if a few people came. But now, with the New Year just around the corner, no village is having an easy time."

“Have you said enough? If you have, then shut up. Do you think I don’t know what the situation is? I tried to argue when we went to the county meeting, but the county can’t do anything about the decisions made above. We didn’t bring you here to listen to your complaints, but to help you solve the problems.”

"This time, the higher authorities have allocated 120 educated youth to our township, 30 to the forest farm and 30 to the farm, and the remaining 60 to be distributed among your eleven villages."

In a smoke-filled room in Qinghe Township People's Commune, the township secretary, the township head, and more than a dozen village chiefs, the director of the information office, and the heads of farms and forestry farms were all arguing loudly, their faces red and necks bulging, all for the sake of getting fewer information points for themselves.

“Secretary Geng, our forest farm supports your work and will not make things difficult for the township. However, we do not want female workers. It’s not that I look down on women, but the work at our forest farm is too arduous and dangerous, and most women cannot adapt to such hard work.”

"Our farm also..."

Upon seeing the forestry manager make his demands, the farm manager immediately followed suit.

"Twenty men and ten women, that's settled. You village chiefs can decide on the rest."

With a wave of his hand, Secretary Geng made a decision that left no room for argument. The farm and forestry station had absorbed most of the knowledge, so it was reasonable to give them some preferential treatment. He believed that the village chiefs would not dare to object, and anyone who objected could bring back a few more people.

"Yang Dazhuang, what do you mean? Other villages have been divided up into several groups, and you're only getting four people and you're still not satisfied."

“Secretary Geng, it’s not that I’m unwilling, but our village only has a little over seventy households, including several elderly people living alone and bachelors. You’re asking me to take four people back at once, and you know how bad this year’s harvest was…”

Yang Dazhuang, the village head of Kaoshantun, had a bitter face, saying that his village was not capable of receiving information.

Secretary Geng was fairly familiar with the situation in Kaoshantun, knowing that they had suffered a flash flood this year that destroyed most of their farmland. He pondered for a moment.

“Your village is indeed a bit special, with two women and one man. If you still don’t agree, then we’ll do as we just said.”

……

"I'm sorry, I didn't know about your family situation, and I shouldn't have brought up your painful memories."

"I didn't expect your stepmother to be so mean. But don't worry, little brother, when we get to the countryside, your sister will protect you. If you have any difficulties, just ask Sister Lan."

When the two girls heard that Su Chen's parents had died and that his stepmother had secretly signed him up to go to the countryside, their overflowing maternal love was almost bursting out. This was before Su Chen told them anything else; if he had, the two girls probably would have hugged him tightly and warmed his wounded heart with their warm embrace.

"Little brother, don't eat that dry pancake anymore. I have bread and canned luncheon meat."

As noon approached, Su Chen felt a bit hungry. He took out the flatbread that Director Wang had made for him from his bag, but before he could ask Bai Peiyao and Feng Lan if they wanted some, Feng Lan snatched it away and stuffed it back into his bag.

Good heavens, bread and canned luncheon meat—is this something a typical family would bring out? Su Chen was quite surprised by what Feng Lan brought out. Looking at the two of them in their brand-new cotton-padded clothes and their smooth, rosy faces, they were clearly not children from ordinary families. But did people like them really need to go to the countryside?

"Actually, Yao Yao volunteered to go to the countryside. As her good friend, I couldn't abandon her, so I signed up too, to contribute to the construction of our country and to give back to our motherland."

Seeing Su Chen's confusion, Feng Lan put a bread roll with luncheon meat in his hand and then explained with a smile.

So you're two girls who haven't experienced the harsh realities of society. I really hope you'll still have this enthusiasm when you get to the countryside.

The train traveled on and off, enduring a long journey of a day and a night, and finally arrived at Songshan County at around 11 a.m. the next day, which was also the destination for this group of informed individuals.

After resting for a while in the station square, Su Chen and his group boarded four large trucks.

"Why aren't we there yet? Is this even a road? Driver, could you please slow down? You're shaking us to pieces!"

Driving on the rough and uneven road, it wasn't long before someone couldn't take it anymore and started yelling at the driver in front.

"Just hang in there a little longer, we'll be there soon. If we're delayed on the way, you won't make it tonight, and it's very dangerous to be out in the freezing cold in the wilderness..."

The people responsible for escorting them could only loudly comfort everyone, and amidst everyone's complaints, they finally arrived at Qinghe Township.

"Is this place even fit for human habitation? How can it be so dilapidated?"

"I'd heard that the countryside was poor, but I never imagined it was this poor, with such a dilapidated road."

"Exactly, I felt like my butt was shaken in two the whole way. I'd rather die than ride in a beat-up truck again."

Looking at the low, dilapidated houses around them, many people regretted their decision before even getting off the bus, complaining and wailing incessantly.

The complaints and grumbling from the crowd made the village chiefs who came to greet them frown. It was yet another group of young masters from the city. The previous group had just adapted to rural life, and now another group had arrived.

"Students, do any of you know each other well enough to form a team? We'll consider grouping you together. If you don't know anyone, that's okay too. Just follow our instructions."

After everyone got out of the car, the staff from the information office waved their hands, signaling everyone not to speak.

Soon, the group gathered in small groups, some from the same school or alley, others from conversations on the train. Of course, there were also some loners who stood quietly, as if it had nothing to do with them, thinking, "You can divide us up however you want, it's all the same anyway."

“Little brother, you stay with me and Sister Yaoyao. We will take care of you.”

Feng Lan put Su Chen's package together with her own, then looked around curiously.

"Director Hu, there are only three of them left. Please register them."

Yang Dazhuang got off the oxcart, walked to Director Hu of the Information Office, and casually pointed to Su Chen and the other two standing to the side.

"Village Chief Yang didn't wait any longer and made a decision so quickly."

"What's the point of waiting? They're all the same. Look at them, they all act like someone owes them something. Hurry up and register, or we'll have to travel through the night."

Knowing that Yang Dazhuang and the others were unhappy, Director Hu had no choice but to shake his head helplessly. He had someone register the information of Su Chen and the other two, and then signaled the three of them to follow Yang Dazhuang.

Two people came from Kaoshantun: the village chief Yang Dazhuang and a kind-hearted man in his twenties. When they saw Su Chen and his companion carrying packages, the man hurried over and helped them put the packages on the oxcart.

“Our village is quite a distance from here. You can sit in the car. Before we came, the village chief specifically told me to put the car in…”

"Erlinzi, just drive your cart properly. Why are you talking so much nonsense? Our countryside is not like the city. There is only one oxcart in the whole village. Otherwise, we have to walk."

Before Yang Erlin could finish speaking, Yang Dazhuang said coldly, then sat down on the other side of the carriage shaft, took out a pipe from his small pocket, and started puffing on it.

“Uncle, we also come from poor backgrounds. So what if we’re from the city? Go back three generations and who wasn’t a country person? Sister Yao Yao and Sister Xiao Lan, you go up first. I’ll sit in the back.”

Su Chen had already figured out that this village chief Yang was a cold-faced but warm-hearted person. He had just looked around and noticed that only this oxcart had a thick layer of dry grass on it, while the other carts had nothing prepared on them.

Yang Dazhuang didn't say anything, but just raised his eyelids to glance at Su Chen, and then lowered his head to continue smoking his pipe.