Reborn in 1966

Chapter Sixty-Three: Demanding Grain

The commune stipulated that the group leader of each educated youth group should come to the commune revolutionary committee once every two weeks to report on the situation, study the documents from higher authorities, and then go back to distribute them to each educated youth. Since it was the first meeting, Qi Xiangnan arrived a little early. Before he even arrived at the commune, he saw several people who were similar to him standing at the commune gate waiting. He went up and asked them, and they were indeed educated youth. After exchanging words, he found that everyone's situation was similar to his. So when the meeting time came, everyone went to find the director of the commune revolutionary committee.

After listening to everyone's feedback, the Revolutionary Committee Director said, "Comrades, we in the commune are aware of your situation, but this is our actual reality. Although the harvests last year and this year were quite good, our commune's grain reserves are really low. When you came here, the grain we distributed to you was not only all of our commune's grain reserves for this year, but the commune also borrowed a lot of grain from the grain depot, which we will have to repay after the autumn harvest. Alas, we are also in a difficult situation. I think everyone should go back and brainstorm to find a solution themselves."

After much discussion, the commune gave one answer: We have no grain, and we have borrowed a lot of grain. Even if the autumn harvest is over, we still have to return the remaining grain to the granary. You can figure out how to solve this yourselves. Since you have responded to the great call of the Party Central Committee and Chairman Mao and come here to take root in the countryside and build a great new socialist countryside, then you are now part of the village. Just do what the villagers do.

Several people came out dejectedly. One of the educated youths from a village near Shenjia Village said to Qi Xiangnan, "Brothers, you guys are lucky to be assigned to Shenjia Village. Sigh, Shenjia Village not only has grain, but the people there are also nice. Unlike where we are, even if the village has grain, they won't give it to us. There are more than ten of us, and they only gave us two dilapidated houses. Luckily it hasn't rained these days, otherwise we don't know if those houses would collapse. The villagers look at us like we are their enemies, saying that we came and took up their already meager land. At the end of the year, when it comes to distributing money and grain, we will have to give away a lot more. We are also sad. Who knew it would be like this? Brother, to tell you the truth, I am really bad at those farm chores, but I can't not do them. Doing this every day, I feel like there is no hope for life. Sigh, it's not as good as the propaganda says."

Qi Xiangnan said, "Brother, difficulties are temporary. We must face them head-on. As long as we overcome them, we will definitely win."

The man shook his head, sighed, and bid farewell to Qi Xiangnan before leaving.

As Qi Xiangnan watched the man's retreating figure, many thoughts raced through his mind. The image of Shen's youngest daughter's bright, smiling eyes and curious expression flashed through his mind as she rode her bicycle to the supply and marketing cooperative, bought some fruit candies, and rode back home.

When they arrived at the Shen family's courtyard, it was lunchtime. All the children had returned home. Peihua and Peijun had gone to work in the fields and were washing their hands and faces in the yard. Peiyin was holding a towel and waiting to hand it to her two older brothers when they finished washing.

Pei Hua and Pei Jun were overjoyed to see Qi Xiangnan pushing the cart into the yard. Qi Xiangnan was their idol, and now their idol had come to their home. How could they not be excited?

Shen's father carefully examined this person he had heard of many times. He felt that Qi Xiangnan was a man of great vision and ambition, and that he would surely achieve great things in the future. Looking at his two sons smiling so brightly at Qi Xiangnan, Shen's father thought that if his children could have such a friend, it would be a treasure for a lifetime.

Since it was mealtime, the grandmothers had already set up the dining table in the main room. When they saw Qi Xiangnan coming over, they told him to wash his hands and eat.

Qi Xiangnan felt that food was so scarce, and the Shen family had many children but few able-bodied men, so he refused to eat at their house. Finally, his grandmother took Qi Xiangnan's arm and said, "Xiangnan, if you call me Grandma, then I am your elder. We have enough food, so you can eat here without worry."

Unable to refuse, Qi Xiangnan ate his first meal at the Shen family's house, and of course, there would be many more meals to come.

When educated youth were sent to the countryside, some villages with a large population and the necessary conditions would set up a small kitchen for them to cook their own meals. If there were fewer people and the village didn't have the facilities, the grain would be delivered to the farmers' homes so the educated youth could eat there together. Some educated youth, whose families were well-off, would bring their own pots, pans, and utensils to cook for themselves. Each place made flexible arrangements based on its own conditions. Villages like Shenjia Village, which had relatively good conditions, were not very common.

That evening, Qi Xiangnan led everyone in another meeting, this time to convey the spirit of the commune leaders' meeting.

When it was said that the commune would no longer provide grain, the room erupted in chaos. Several male educated youths said they couldn't do anything because they weren't getting enough to eat, and several female educated youths also felt that the amount of grain they had was far from enough. They estimated that these people would run out of food before the New Year.

Qi Xiangnan didn't stop everyone, letting them say whatever they wanted and vent their feelings. When he saw that they had said enough, he said, "Alright, I think everyone has said enough. I'll say a few more words."

The group members knew that their words were just empty talk and had no real effect, so they all fell silent and listened quietly to their team leader.

Qi Xiangnan said, "I'm just as anxious as everyone else. Without food, we won't have anything to eat. But comrades, we came here to find a way out for ourselves. Now that things have come to this point, we can only find a solution ourselves."

Zheng Tonghui said, "What can we do? Our household registrations came with us, and there's no food left for us in the city. Our families' circumstances are what they are; it's impossible for our families to give us food. They don't even have enough to eat themselves."

Several people echoed Zheng Tonghui's words. Qi Xiangnan said, "This morning I went to see Secretary Tian of the village. He said that after the autumn harvest, they will organize laborers to go out to work, usually to repair water conservancy facilities. There are also such laborers this year. I think we can apply to the village to have meals provided at the construction site. That way, we can save some food."

Zhou Manni said, "I've heard the older women in the village talk about this, but it's very tiring to be a husband. Who can do such heavy work without a strong body? I heard that a cartload of stones weighs several hundred kilograms."

Qi Xiangnan said, "These are not problems. So many people from the village go to marry men every year, why can't we go?"

Zheng Tonghui thought for a moment and said, "This is a solution. Xiang Nan, I'll listen to you. Once we have the first supporter, the rest won't be a problem."

Qi Xiangnan said, "I think all six of us men should go. As for the women, I'll go and ask if there are any jobs suitable for women. If there are, we can all go together. We can save the food we need for spring by the end of the winter."

Zhou Qian looked at her small frame and asked with teary eyes, "Do I have to go too?"

Everyone looked at Zhou Qian, their hearts heavy. Zhou Qian was only fourteen years old, short and very thin.

Qi Xiangnan felt very uncomfortable and said, "I'll go see Secretary Tian again and see if there's any other work suitable for you to do."

They also talked about some things that people should pay attention to in daily life, and then everyone went back to their residences to rest.

The brigade headquarters was very close to the school. As they walked, Li Lei called out to Qi Xiangnan. The two stood at the entrance of the brigade headquarters, and Li Lei took out a cigarette case from his pocket and said, "Want one?"

Qi Xiangnan waved his hand, and Li Lei lit a cigarette, took a deep drag, and said, "Xiangnan, we need to think this over carefully. No matter what, we're not going to stay here for just a day or two. We don't even know if we'll ever be able to go back. If we run out of food this time, and everyone goes hungry, sooner or later something will happen. Besides, we have four girls here. Even if they can go with us to repair the water conservancy, I doubt they can handle those tasks. The others are fine, but Zhou Qian is only fourteen years old and looks weak. If she goes with us, something really could happen."

Li Lei was the oldest of the ten. He was a man of few words but a hard worker. He discussed with Qi Xiangnan whether they could go to Secretary Tian again to see if there was anything else they could do to earn money, even if it was just to earn some money during the off-season and buy some state-subsidized grain like the other villagers.

Seeing that it wasn't too late, the two of them went to Secretary Tian's house together.

The Tian family's child will be going to the army in the winter. After the Shen Shengqin incident, he stayed at his uncle's house for a while before returning, which was a good way to experience the atmosphere of the military camp in advance. When Qi Xiangnan and Li Lei arrived, Tian Aiguo was helping to wash the dishes by the well in the yard.

The Tian family's courtyard was very large. Upon entering, there was a screen wall. A pomegranate tree grew in the courtyard, and a stiff wire stretched out under the tree for drying clothes and quilts. On the other side of the courtyard, there was a large vegetable garden. Next to the vegetable garden was a well platform with a water pulley. Almost every household in the village had such a well platform and a water pulley. The Shen family's well platform was in the backyard. Qi Xiangnan had seen it when he went to the backyard to use the toilet during the day. There was also such a water pulley next to the large vegetable garden in the backyard.

When Tian Aiguo saw the two people enter the courtyard, he hurriedly greeted them, saying that his father was at his third grandfather's house. He wiped his hands and then led the two people to his third grandfather's house.

My third grandfather's house had a lampshade lamp, a rare item in the countryside. It had a thick glass base filled with kerosene, and after the wick was lit, it was covered with a thin glass lampshade, making the room very bright.

When Secretary Tian saw the two people arrive, he invited them to sit down on the edge of the kang (a heated brick bed), saying, "It's just in time that you've come. I was thinking of waiting until tomorrow to come and see you."

Tian Aiguo helped pour water for the group and then sat down to listen.

Party Secretary Tian said, "Considering your actual situation, the people in the brigade headquarters have discussed finding you some jobs that can earn you some money."

Upon hearing this, Qi Xiangnan and Li Lei both looked at each other with surprise and delight, then turned their heads to look at Secretary Tian expectantly.