Reborn in 1966

Chapter Thirty-Seven: Students

Peijun led two people into the house, then went to the outer room to find two bowls. He poured two bowls of water from the kettle on the stove and carried them into the inner room, placing them on the kang table. He said, "Uncle Shengkui, sit down and have some water to warm up. My father will be back in a little while."

Shen Shengkui said, "Peijun, do you still remember me?"

Pei-jun said, "I don't remember, but Grandma Hua often talked about you."

Shen Shengkui said, "When I joined the army, you were still very young. Now you're all grown men. Is this your sister? How old is she?"

Shen Shengkui was referring to Pei Yin, who was already happily playing by herself on the kang (heated brick bed).

Peijun said, "This is my youngest sister, she just turned one year old."

Shen Shengkui said, "Is her name Peiyin? She looks a lot like Teacher Ma."

When Pei Yin heard Shen Shengkui say this, she looked up at the two young men in green military overcoats standing in front of the kang (a heated brick bed).

Shen Shengkui was in his twenties, of medium build, and had a very honest face. The other man, who hadn't spoken a word since entering the courtyard, was about half a head taller than Shen Shengkui and looked to be around twenty-six or twenty-seven. He was much thinner than Shen Shengkui, with a long face, thin lips pressed into a line, and sharp eyes under his sword-like eyebrows. When he saw Pei Yin looking at him, he smiled slightly. Pei Yin thought that his looks were far superior to those of the celebrities in later generations who relied on their appearance.

Not long after, Shen's father hurriedly returned home from school. Upon entering the house, he saw Shen Shengkui standing in front of the kang (a heated brick bed) and said happily, "Shengkui, when did you get back? How many days will you be staying?"

Shen Shengkui said, "Teacher Shen, I arrived home this morning and will be able to stay here for two days."

The soldier who had come with them then stepped forward and said, "Teacher Shen, it's been a long time."

Mr. Shen looked at the young soldier who respectfully addressed him as "Teacher Shen" with some confusion and asked, "You are...?"

The young soldier said excitedly, "Teacher Shen, I am Cheng Siyuan."

Mr. Shen looked shocked and said in disbelief, "You are Cheng Siyuan? Oh my, how did you find this place? I haven't seen you for more than ten years."

Cheng Siyuan said, "It has been ten years since we parted ways in Beijing. I never thought I would see Teacher Shen here."

Shen's father said to Peijun, who was following behind him, "Peijun, go and see your mother and tell her to come back quickly."

Shen Shengkui said, "Teacher Shen, Company Commander Cheng heard that you were here, so he came with me on leave to visit you."

Shen's father said to Cheng Xiangnan, "Siyuan, it's so far and so cold, yet you still made the trouble to come see me. I'm very grateful to you."

Cheng Siyuan said, "Teacher Shen, if it weren't for your encouragement back then, I don't know what I would be like now. If anyone should say thank you, it should be me thanking you."

Mr. Shen said, "Don't say thank you. I was your teacher back then, so I should encourage you. It's what I should do. I feel bad that you keep it in mind."

As they were talking, Shen's mother entered the room and said, "Is the provincial governor back to visit his family? I heard from Aunt Hua the other day that you were coming back to visit your family. How many days will you stay this time?"

Mr. Shen pulled Mrs. Shen aside and pointed at Cheng Xiangnan, saying, "Yueran, look who this is?"

Shen's mother looked at Cheng Xiangnan with some confusion and asked, "Who is this?"

Cheng Xiangnan said, "Teacher Ma, I am Cheng Siyuan. You were the one who told me the story of dying on the battlefield back then."

Mrs. Shen said in surprise, "Oh my, it really is Cheng Siyuan! Please sit down, please sit down. It must have been ten years since I last saw you."

Cheng Siyuan said, "Yes, it's been ten years. Shortly after you and Teacher Shen were escorted back to your hometown, I was sent to the army. I was thinking of asking where you were, but I never had the chance. Later, I saw that the provincial champion's name was similar to Teacher Shen's, so I asked him if he knew you. That's when I found out that you and Teacher Shen were here."

Ms. Shen said happily, "Thank you for still remembering me and your teacher, Ms. Shen. I am very grateful that you came to see us at this time."

Mother Shen was extremely excited. She had been sent to the countryside for ten years and had witnessed the coldness of human relationships during that time. Fortunately, the people in Shenjia Village were all kind and honest, unlike some of her colleagues who were labeled as rightists and sent back to their hometowns where they were criticized and struggled against by the villagers every day. However, none of the students she had taught had come to visit her.

Pei Yin, watching the live broadcast from her kang (heated brick bed), felt a pang of emotion. Her student had been thinking of her for ten years, and after much effort, finally managed to come and visit her. She imagined her parents must be filled with immense satisfaction.

Mr. Shen said happily to Mrs. Shen, "Yueran, cook a few more dishes. I want to have a good drink with my student today."

Mrs. Shen said happily, "Okay, I'll go cook now. You two chat for a while."

Cheng Siyuan mentioned the military green travel bag he had brought with him and said, "Thank you for your help, Teacher Ma. There is some food here for the elderly and children at home. Please don't find it offensive."

Mr. Shen said, “Siyuan, I’m very happy that you came to visit me and your teacher Ma, but I’m not so happy that you brought these things.”

Cheng Siyuan said, "Teacher, please don't be upset. I know that conditions in rural areas are not good now. There are many younger brothers and sisters in my family who are all growing up. My family's conditions are what they are. Please don't look down on what I brought. It's just a token of my appreciation."

As he spoke, Cheng Siyuan took out several cans from his bag. These were rare items. Putting aside everything else, the cans themselves were a rarity in the countryside. It was a matter of pride for any family to have a can to store something.

Shen Shengkui said, "Teacher Shen, please don't refuse. Let's have a good meal tonight. Company Commander Cheng and I came from Qingshan. On the way here, we caught two rabbits. My mother said she would skin and clean the rabbits and bring them over to add to our meal."

Mr. Shen said, "Alright, let's make braised rabbit tonight. The teacher will have a good drink with you all, and we'll have a good chat."

For dinner, Shen's mother braised a wild rabbit. After serving it to the elderly and children in the family, Shen's mother and father accompanied Shen Shengkui, Cheng Siyuan, to drink and talk at the kang table.

After being fed a few bites of food by her mother, Pei Yin was laid down on the kang (a heated brick bed) to play by herself.

Cheng Siyuan was a student of Shen's parents when they taught at a school in Beijing. That was ten years ago. Cheng Siyuan had just entered university. Because he was young and his parents were working in other places, and because his uncle was a comrade-in-arms of Shen's aunt, he received care from Shen's parents at school. Later, Cheng Siyuan's father, who was working in the local area, was labeled a rightist, and Cheng Siyuan's life at school became very difficult. Shen's parents privately provided Cheng Siyuan with a lot of help. Later, someone in Cheng's family sent Cheng Siyuan to the army. In the end, Shen Shengsi was labeled a rightist and sent back to his hometown. While in the army, Cheng Siyuan lost contact with Shen's parents. Ten years passed in the blink of an eye.

Cheng Siyuan toasted the Shen couple with a cup of wine and said, "I was young then and I was very scared when I encountered such a thing. I don't know what I would have done if it weren't for the help of Teacher Shen and his wife. Later, after I joined the army, I gradually calmed down and stopped being scared."

Mr. Shen said, “Not long after you left, your teacher’s wife and I brought the children back to our hometown. Sometimes I would tell your teacher’s wife that I didn’t know how you were doing. You were so young and thin. Look at you now, you’ve grown a lot taller and are much stronger. Well, let’s not talk about the past. Let’s talk about you now.”

Cheng Siyuan said, "Once you join the army, it's all about training. Later, my father was exonerated. He was a bit frightened by what he had gone through, so he didn't continue and went back to his hometown. Our unit is stationed in the provincial capital, but it's only a day's journey from the mountains over Qinghe. I'll come back to visit you and your wife more often when I have time." Without saying much else, Pei Yin thought that Cheng Siyuan must come from a good family.

Mr. Shen said, "Your teacher's wife, your children, and I are doing well here. You don't need to worry about us all the time. By the way, you're twenty-seven now. Are you married yet?"

Cheng Siyuan said, "I got married the year before last. My wife is a doctor at a military hospital. We don't have children yet. I'll bring her to visit you when I have the chance."

Mr. Shen said, "It's good to get married. Once you're married, you can live a good life together."

At the dinner table, people sometimes reminisced about the past and sometimes talked about their current situations. Pei Yin, who was eavesdropping, didn't know when she fell asleep. When she opened her eyes the next day, she saw that the paper pasted on the windows was bright white, so she guessed that it had snowed again last night.

Now many people in the village know that a military officer has come with Shen Shengkui to visit his former teacher. People in the village who were living comfortably with the Shen family having been labeled as rightists now have some reservations. Soldiers are the most lovable people, especially officers. They think it's best to avoid talking about the Shen family in the future. Besides, the Shen family has always been strict and gets along well with everyone. It's better to avoid doing things that might offend people.

These past few days, the village has been talking about going out to work again, this time to dig a riverbed in a very far place.

Going to a distant place to marry is a very hard job, and it's usually people from families with bad class backgrounds who go there. I guess Shen's father will be one of them this time too.

That evening, after dinner, Fourth Grandfather entered the Shen family's courtyard.

Fourth Grandfather came to discuss the matter of getting rid of his husband. Shen's father was a rightist sent back to his hometown for labor reform, and such tasks were always indispensable.

After Fourth Grandfather passed away, Grandma sat on the edge of the kang (a heated brick bed) wiping away tears, saying, "Peihua's father's back has always been bad. The weather is cold and the work is tiring. How can he take it?"

Grandpa sighed and said, "Don't cry. Let's make another pair of thicker cotton trousers for Peihua's dad. Make the waistband higher so it can keep out the cold."

Father Shen said, "Mother, don't worry. There are several from our village this time. We'll help each other out, so what are you worried about?"

Peihua then entered his grandmother's room and said, "Father, I want to marry in your place."