Reborn in 1966

Chapter 85 Divorce

As the weather grew colder, the village finally received notice to send off the husbands.

Shen Peihua was relieved to hear the notification, as were the male educated youth in the educated youth group.

Qi Xiangnan had already made several trips to the commune just to ask for a little more grain. The commune secretary, worn down by his persistent pleading, finally took some spicy pickled vegetables from the commune canteen. Qi Xiangnan didn't mind and carefully took them back with him. After that, no matter how much he pleaded and begged, the commune secretary didn't give him any more grain.

Seeing this, the educated youth knew that even if there was no food, they would have to find a way to get it themselves. Qi Xiangnan and Li Lei went to the brigade headquarters whenever they had free time to inquire about any news about the husbands being released from their wives' marriages. Finally, they received a specific notification about the husbands being released from their wives' marriages.

The location is a reservoir about 100 miles from Shenjia Village. This trip is to widen and deepen the reservoir, and to take advantage of the dry season to clean up the bottom of the reservoir so that more water can be stored for irrigation next year.

All the landlords, rich peasants, counter-revolutionaries, bad elements, and rightists in the village had to go. This was the directive from above. Peihua still told his family that he would go to the construction site to marry in place of his father. Although the work was tiring, the food on the construction site was plentiful. He was at the age where he could eat a lot, so he might as well go and eat his fill to save some food for his family.

Of the six male educated youths in the village, four were confirmed to go this time; Wang Si and Zheng Tonghui were not going.

The educated youth have been in the countryside for several months now. After these months of adjustment, in many places, the educated youth no longer eat together in the communal pot. They cook for themselves after separating. Since they have decided to settle down in the countryside, they should settle down completely, live their own lives, and have peace and quiet.

Zheng Tonghui and Wang Si came from the same place. Zheng Tonghui's family had some influence and would occasionally send him food and drinks. Because of this, Zheng Tonghui and Wang Si had already parted ways with the rest of the group a few days ago. Qi Xiangnan, as the leader of the educated youth group, had no objections, but for the sake of the four girls in the group, he insisted that everyone cook and eat together. Even if they wanted to part ways, they would have to wait until next year when there was a surplus of food and everyone could eat their fill. Otherwise, these four girls, especially Zhou Qian, who was so young, would probably go hungry if they didn't eat with them.

These four male educated youths have been inquiring in the village these past few days about what they should bring when going to marry and what precautions they should take. Because he is close to Shen Peihua, Qi Xiangnan has been visiting Shen's house more often these past few days.

Grandma and Shen's mother had mixed feelings. When a husband is sent to a brothel, one of their own family members has to go, no matter who it is. Shen Shengsi's health has always been weak. When he was labeled a rightist, he was imprisoned for a period of time, and his health suffered a lot during that time. The intensity of labor required for a husband to go to a brothel would definitely not be able to withstand his body.

Peihua was only eighteen years old, and his body hadn't fully developed yet. If he were to get sick, he would have decades to live. Shen's mother was extremely worried every day. In the end, when she had no other choice, she secretly tore off one of her own cotton-padded jackets and used it to make a thick cotton quilt for Peihua.

Some able-bodied men in the village felt that since they had nothing to do in the winter, they also signed up to work as laborers. Each village had a quota, and each village would send a team leader. When the time came, they would bring their tools to the commune to gather, and then head to the construction site as a commune unit.

This time, Aunt Qiong's eldest son, Zhang Taiping, also went along. He was going on behalf of his father. When the second grandmother heard about it, she hurriedly made a cotton quilt for Zhang Taiping. The quilt was made by taking two thin cotton quilts from the bottom of the trunk and stuffing them together. When the grandmother saw it, she said to Shen's mother, "Your second aunt has taken out all the things she had hidden at the bottom of the trunk. This quilt cover is still her dowry from back then."

After the village sent away these men who had been married off, it also took away the hearts of many mothers and grandmothers. Pei Yin was also very worried about her eldest brother.

Perhaps it was her own identity, or perhaps it was the hardships of life, but her older brother was not as lively as his peers, and he didn't talk much. He was always polite to everyone, but Pei Yin could sense the distance between Pei Hua and his peers.

The leaves on the tree turned yellow and yellow and slowly fell to the ground. After staying at her parents' house for a while, my second aunt moved back with her children.

That's how life is for farmers. Winter is coming, and they have to start preparing firewood for the winter.

There were still many places to collect firewood around Shenjia Village. Peiyin was a person who liked to be prepared for the worst. She always felt that winter was so cold, and if there wasn't enough firewood, they would freeze. So every day she would follow her older brother and sister to collect firewood around the village.

Those trees are a given. Because the villagers live at the foot of the ridge, they cherish the trees on the ridge very much and never cut them down indiscriminately. When the village organizes people to cut down trees, they do so carefully, and after cutting them down, they replant them in the original places. Over the years, the village has made many contributions to environmental protection.

The older children in the village would take rakes and baskets to the woods to collect leaves, while the younger ones would carry baskets to the bushes on the ridge to pick up dried twigs. Pei Yin would go with Pei Tian and Pei Zhi to the ridge to pick up twigs.

These firewood pieces can't be collected in large quantities every day. The village doesn't allow you to damage bushes that aren't dry; you can only pick up the ones that have fallen to the ground. The village children are all very obedient, and Pei Yin hasn't seen anyone secretly damaging bushes or trees.

In this place with four distinct seasons, the temperature in late autumn is only a few degrees Celsius. School is not in session on Sundays. After breakfast, Peitian would take Peizhi and Peiyin, each carrying a small basket, to the ridge to collect firewood.

The weeds had turned greenish-yellow. Because the Shen family lived relatively close to the ridge, they ate breakfast early and went up the ridge with baskets, but they didn't see any other children from the village.

Pei-zhi said, "Oh dear, Third Brother, let's hurry up and pick them up, no one else has come yet."

Peitian turned to look at the village. Most of the houses still had smoke coming out of their chimneys. He smiled and said to his two younger sisters, "Then let's work hard and collect more firewood. When our baskets are full, we'll go home and put them down."

The three children didn't even have time to say anything; they were carrying baskets and picking up firewood from the ground with their heads down.

Some bushes were low, and some were high. Taking advantage of her small size, Pei Yin crawled into the low bushes, picked up a few branches that had fallen from the bushes, broke them off with her hands, and put them in her small basket. The crisp "crack" sound made Pei Yin very happy. Don't underestimate her because she is small. She is very agile. Only her small body can squeeze into such a low place.

The bushes on Nanling are mostly low-lying plants, and I don't recognize many of them, but I do recognize the thorny branches. The small basket I'm carrying is woven from these thorny branches. The thorny branches are very tough. Many things used in homes here are woven from these branches: baskets of all sizes, flower baskets for gathering firewood, and the manure basket that my grandfather carries to collect manure. Every household has these things.

Pei Yin's face was flushed with smiles from the busy work. By the time Pei Tian called her to go home and put away the firewood, the small basket was already full. The three siblings, excited from their labor, happily walked home.

As they walked along the road, they encountered village children who had come to the ridge to collect firewood. Peitian looked at them with some pride and heard them say, "Wow, the children from Shen Peitian's family are really capable. They're bringing firewood home so early."

Pei-Tian said, "Pei-Zhi, our class doesn't start until eight o'clock. Tomorrow I'll get up early, go collect some firewood, and go home before going to school."

Pei-zhi said, "Oh dear, Third Brother, won't you get very tired doing this?"

Peitian said, “Our family doesn’t have as many able-bodied men as other families. Look at our family, our grandparents are all old, our father is in poor health, our eldest brother is married off, our second brother works with the team every day, and I am also a man in the family, so I have to do more.”

Peizhi said, "Then I'll prepare your meal at home. You can eat when you get home, and then we'll go to school together. But Third Brother, we don't know what time it will be. What if we're a little late?"

Peitian said, "I've already thought it through. The village starts work at 7:30 now. As soon as I hear the bell under the big locust tree ring, I'll hurry home, eat as soon as I get home, and then go to school. I don't think I'll be late."

Pei Yin carried her small basket the whole time, listening to her older siblings talk, and carefully watching her feet. The path on the ridge was not easy to walk on, and with her short legs and feet, she could easily fall and tumble down if she didn't watch her step carefully.

When we got home, Grandma was boiling water on the big stove in the main room. My second aunt's little sister still needs to use diapers. At this time of year, you need to use some hot water to wash the diapers, otherwise they won't get clean.

Seeing the three children carrying baskets into the yard, Grandma quickly got up and said, "You three are really capable. Put these down and rest for a bit before you go."

Peitian said, "Grandma, a lot of people are going there now. If we don't hurry, we won't be able to find any."

Grandma said, "Don't worry, this is such a big ridge, we can't do without firewood."

Peitian said, "That won't do, Grandma. We need to pick some good ones that burn longer, otherwise it will be too cold in winter."

Grandma smiled as she helped the three children put away the firewood, watching them run outside like rabbits.

As soon as he reached the foot of the ridge, he saw a village child running down the ridge in a panic. Upon seeing Peitian, the child shouted from afar, "Shen Peitian, someone is cutting down trees on the ridge! Go to the village and call for help!"

Pei-Tian asked, "Who is it?"

The child said, "It was those two educated youths. I came with Tian Xiaomin and his sister. We told them not to cut them, but they wouldn't listen. Tian Xiaomin told me to go to the village and call for help."

Upon hearing this, Peitian said, "Then you should hurry to the village and call for help. I'll go help Tian Xiaomin. The trees on that ridge can't be cut down indiscriminately."

The child thought for a moment and said, "Then you go quickly, I'll go to the village to call for help."

Peitian said, "Peizhi, take Peiyin and walk slowly. I'll go check first." After saying that, he handed the basket in his hand to Peizhi, tightened his belt, and quickened his pace to run up the ridge.

Peizhi took the baskets from Peitian, carrying one in each hand, and said to Peiyin, "Peiyin, let's walk slowly. I'm carrying two baskets, so if you fall, I can't help you up. Walk slowly and carefully." Peiyin agreed and followed her sister slowly up the ridge.