Reborn in 1966

Chapter Fifty-Two: Inquiry

When Shen Shengsi heard the news about her eldest sister from her father, it was as if a bucket of ice water had been poured over her head. She trembled and asked her father, "Dad, is this true?"

Grandpa nodded and said, "Your fourth uncle came yesterday afternoon. His family heard about this at work. He said that a group of people were escorted to Qinghe at the end of the year, but he didn't know the exact location. It's said to be classified."

Thinking of those who were criticized and denounced, and those who were sent to labor camps, so many of whom are now gone forever, tears streamed down Shen Shengsi's face.

Grandpa scolded in a low voice, "Don't do that. We can't tell your mother and the others. Just the two of us know. I was thinking of going to Qinghe to inquire after the New Year."

Shen Shengsi wiped away the tears from the corners of her eyes and said softly, "Father, let me go. Qinghe is dozens of miles away from here."

Grandpa said in a low voice, "What are you going to do? Have you forgotten who you are now? I'm thinking of going to Shengjue's house with your second uncle in a couple of days to try and find out something."

At this moment, Grandma came into the house and said, "What are you two doing? His second and third aunts and I are talking about making pancakes with those little salted fish tonight. What do you think?"

Grandpa forced a smile and said, "Okay, make more cornmeal cakes, those salted fish are the best."

Seeing Grandma come out of the house, Grandpa said, "Alright, don't look so down. Maybe your older sister and the others are alright."

Mr. Shen didn't say anything more. Seeing his little daughter sitting on the kang (a heated brick bed), he beckoned, and Pei Yin crawled over and into her father's arms.

Mr. Shen stroked Pei Yin's hair, sighed, and said, "People are as worthless as grass. Nowadays, people are even worse than grass."

These past two days, relatives have been visiting, and Pei-Yin feels very sad seeing her grandfather and father forcing smiles.

Early on the fifth day of the Lunar New Year, Grandpa and Second Grandpa each carried a satchel on their shoulder and left home, saying they were going to Qinghe to see their daughter.

Because her child was young, Aunt Jue only sent the child's father to deliver two pheasants and two rabbits before the New Year, saying that she wouldn't come again after the New Year because it would still be cold. It was precisely because of this that Grandpa and Second Grandpa went to Qinghe to visit their daughter's family.

Mr. Shen waited absentmindedly all day, and as it was getting dark, he went to wait at the village entrance.

Seeing his grandfather and second grandfather walking slowly into the village with their heads down in the distance, Shen's father felt his heart leap into his throat. When he saw his grandfather's face, he hesitated and called out, "Dad?"

Grandpa said softly, "Let's talk about it when we get home."

Mr. Shen felt as if he were in icy water, trembling all over, and went home with his grandfather and second grandfather.

When they got home, the children had already eaten. Seeing their expressions, Grandma told Peihua to take the children to the east wing of Shen's parents' house. Peiyin quickly covered herself with Grandma's small blanket, and Grandma didn't pay much attention to it.

Grandpa took off his cotton shoes and carried them by the stove. Grandma set up the kang table, prepared food for Grandpa and Second Grandpa, and took two wine cups. She poured a cup of wine for each of them and sat down in front of the kang table.

Grandpa and Grandma said, "You don't need to stay here serving us. Go and rest in his second aunt's room. I'll have a drink with my second brother to warm up."

Grandma hesitated for a moment, then looked at Grandpa and then at Shen's father, and said, "Alright, I'll come over after you've finished drinking."

After Grandma left, Grandpa whispered to Shen's father, "Jue'er's father-in-law said that some time ago, the army built a training ground on the other side of the mountain in their village. The area within a radius of more than ten miles is under martial law. I don't know if anyone was moved here before the New Year."

After thinking for a moment, Mr. Shen said, "If that's the case, then my eldest sister and brother-in-law might be a little safer. Many places are under military control, and at least their safety is guaranteed under military control."

Grandpa said, "I discussed it with your second uncle on the way. We'll keep asking around. Your sister Jue lives nearby, so we don't know when we'll get any news."

After Grandpa finished speaking, he took a sip of wine from his cup. Second Grandpa said, "Shengsi, don't be too anxious. Your eldest sister is a shrewd person. She was able to survive such difficult circumstances before liberation. Now that we are under the Communist Party, what can we do?"

Pei Yin felt that her second grandfather was thinking too simply. Although he had a cheerful personality, he had a grandfather in front of him and a younger brother who was said to be exceptionally talented. The average second grandfather lived a carefree life, doing whatever he wanted. Because of this, there were some things that he couldn't consider. Grandma often said that her second grandfather was just too carefree. Otherwise, he and her second wife wouldn't have only two daughters. When Aunt Qiong went to school, some people in Xiping City laughed at her second grandfather for raising his daughters as sons because he didn't have any sons. Her second grandfather said, "How you live your life is what you get. So what if you don't have a son? There are plenty of people who don't have sons. Do you think I can stop living my own life just because I don't have a son?"

Grandpa sighed and said nothing more. Shen's father picked up the white porcelain wine pot that was warm in the large teacup on the table, poured wine for his father and second uncle, and said, "Then that's all we can do. Dad, I still want to go."

Grandpa said, "Shengsi, given your status here, you can't just go out whenever you want."

Shensi said, "If I go to visit my sister Jue's family, I'll go in a few days. Dad, I'll feel really bad if I don't go."

Grandpa lowered his head, thought for a long time, picked up his wine cup and drank it all in one gulp, saying, "If you're willing to go, then go for a visit."

The atmosphere was heavy for a moment. Grandpa and Second Grandpa drank and ate with their heads down, while Father Shen stared blankly at a certain point, lost in thought.

For several days in a row, Shen's father did not look well. Pei Yin saw this and was anxious, but because she was young, she could not help much and could only worry helplessly.

On the tenth day of the first lunar month, Shen's father discussed with his grandmother that since Aunt Jue had been married for so long, he hadn't visited her many times, so he took some things and went to Qinghe.

Qinghe is about 30 li away, otherwise, my grandfather and second grandfather, who are both quite old, wouldn't be able to leave in the morning and come back at night.

Shen's mother, along with Pei Yin, saw Shen's father off at the gate, saying, "Go early and come back early. Qinghe is close to the mountains, and if you leave too late, there might be wild animals coming down from the mountains, which is not safe."

Mr. Shen said, "I was thinking of staying at Jue's house for one night, taking advantage of the fact that it's just after the New Year and I don't have much to do, so I can visit my sisters more often."

Shen's mother said, "Alright, then you can stay one night and come back early."

Shen's mother and Pei Yin stood at the door until they could no longer see Shen's father's back before going home.

The family had no objections to Shen's father visiting relatives, but a few people who knew the inside story were very anxious. They were worried about those who didn't know anything and those who went to ask around for information, but they couldn't let anyone see it. The next day, after lunch, Grandpa squatted at the door smoking, puffing away one cigarette after another.

Grandma went to the door and said to Grandpa, "Honey, what's wrong with you these past few days? Is something wrong at home?"

Grandpa knocked on his pipe and said, "It's nothing, what could possibly happen to our family?"

Grandma said, "No, Peihua's father must have something to do at this time. Tell me, what happened?"

Grandpa said, "I told you nothing's wrong, why are you overthinking things? Okay, let's go home, why are we talking about this at the gate?"

Upon entering the house, Grandma looked at her husband, who sat silently on the kang (a heated brick bed) with a somber expression. She hesitated, then left the house without saying a word.

Grandma knew her husband, who had been with her for decades, very well. They had been through so much together. When the family was at its peak, everyone envied them. When the Japanese invaders came, the house was ravaged. After the Japanese left, she looked at the mess in the yard and wept uncontrollably. Her usually quiet husband patted her on the shoulder and said, "As long as you're alive, that's all that matters. Don't cry. Clean up the mess and it'll still be our home."

Later, when the local militia extorted money from the family, my wife sold the house and some land without saying a word. The whole family moved from the county town to this house in our hometown. Although the place is small, we feel at ease living in this old house. My wife still says the same thing: money is an external thing, people are the most important.

Later, the eldest daughter sent a letter from the capital, asking that all the land in the family be divided up. The old man thought about it for a long time and said to himself, "It's a new society now. We can't see things clearly, but our daughter can. If she wants the land divided up, then let's do it. There's no need to drag things out." The old man was just that kind of quiet person, but efficient in his work.

Thinking about these past few days, for this usually efficient person to be so restless, something serious must have happened. But my wife won't tell me, and I can't force her to. I want to ask someone, but I don't know who to ask. My eldest son even went to my niece's house...

Thinking of her eldest son, Grandma realized that he must have known what had happened, otherwise he wouldn't have gone to his niece's house alone and stayed overnight.

Thinking about all this, Grandma couldn't sit still. She kept looking towards the door, hoping that as long as her eldest son came back, she would know what had happened.

Pei Yin was also very anxious. Her father had gone out alone to such a far place, and she had heard that there were wolves in the mountains of Qinghe. What if something happened to her father?

Pei Yin kept running towards the front gate. When Shen's mother saw her mother-in-law looking anxious and her daughter running towards the gate, she picked her up and said to her mother-in-law, "Mom, don't worry. Sheng Si said he would definitely be back this afternoon."

Grandma said, "Look how late it is, why hasn't Peihua's father come back yet? Peihua's mother, why don't we go to the village entrance and wait for him?"

Mother Shen said, "Mother, I'll take Peiyin with me. It's so cold, you should stay home and wait."

Grandma said, "I'm not cold. Let's go take a look together. Oh dear, the sun is about to set. I heard there are wild animals in the mountains over Qinghe. I'm really worried about them."

The three of them walked towards the village entrance while talking, until they reached the big locust tree at the village entrance.

It was very quiet under the big locust tree. It was cold, and everyone stayed at home. Three generations of the family stood under the big locust tree, silently looking at the other end of the road leading into the village.