Chapter 6: Arrival

After four days of exhausting travel, I finally arrived in Har-City. Upon disembarking, there were receptionists from various counties waiting to collect us.

Su Yao looked around. Spotting a sign for the Xiangyang Commune, she gathered her luggage and walked over. "Hello, Comrade. I am an educated youth assigned to the Xiangyang Commune."

Jia Guoming looked at the young girl in front of him. She appeared to be sixteen or seventeen, her frame thin and frail. She carried a large bundle, and while her clothes lacked patches, they were clearly ill-fitting, likely hand-me-downs from an older sister. Her small, sallow face suggested malnutrition, yet her eyes were large, round, and bright, fluttering in a way that made one’s heart soften.

"My name is Jia Guoming, from the Hejia County Educated Youth Office. Go rest over there for a moment; we will depart once everyone has arrived." Jia gestured toward a few trucks nearby.

Su Yao nodded and walked over. Soon, more people arrived. Before long, Jia Guoming returned with his roster, checked the names, and once everyone was present, signaled for them to board. Su Yao placed her luggage on the truck and nimbly climbed up. She found a spot near the cab and used her bundle as a cushion to sit on.

The roads were still riddled with potholes. Sitting in the middle or at the back would be enough to rattle one’s bile out by the end of the journey. Su Yao’s agile movements drew the attention of several people on the truck, particularly a short-haired girl sitting beside her.

"Hello, I’m Ye Simin, an educated youth headed to the Changshan Production Brigade of the Xiangyang Commune," she said, extending a hand.

Su Yao shook it. "Hello, I’m Su Yao, also headed to the Changshan Brigade."

"I could tell by your movements that you’ve had some training. We should spar sometime," Ye Simin said, refusing to let go of her hand until Su Yao agreed.

*Heh,* she thought, *you really can’t judge a book by its cover. This short-haired little girl is actually a fighter.* "Sure, we can practice sometime."

By the time they reached the Xiangyang Commune and Jia Guoming finished the handover, it was already noon. The group waited in the commune courtyard for their respective brigades to collect them. Joining her for the Changshan Brigade were Yu Lu, Zeng Yue, Tian Zhixue, Ye Simin, and two other men she didn't know.

After several other brigades had been picked up, the representative from the Changshan Brigade finally arrived. "Sorry for the delay on the road. Those heading to the Changshan Brigade, follow me."

Seeing the ox flicking its tail, Su Yao stepped forward to place her luggage on the cart. As for whether she could ride, she waited for the man to speak.

Yu Lu went to sit on the ox cart after stowing her luggage, but was blocked by Wu Hongtao. "This is the only precious ox in our village. Put your luggage on it, and you walk behind."

"What? You want us to walk? How far is it? Isn't this ox meant for pulling a cart? How precious can it be? Is it really more valuable than us people?" Yu Lu complained.

Wu Hongtao, who had previously looked as jolly as a Buddha, instantly pulled a long face. "Our ox is indeed more valuable than you. If you’re willing, follow along; if not, go find the commune yourself."

Terrified at the thought of being sent back, Yu Lu looked to the others. "Why aren't you saying anything?"

She wanted to turn this into everyone’s problem. Su Yao looked at the sky, Ye Simin looked at the ground, Zeng Yue and Tian Zhixue exchanged glances, and the two men whispered to each other. No one paid Yu Lu any mind. Seeing this, Yu Lu stomped her feet and fell silent.

"If there’s nothing else, let’s go." Wu Hongtao cracked his whip, and the cart began to move.

Remembering he hadn't introduced himself, Wu cleared his throat. "I’m Wu Hongtao, the captain of the Changshan Brigade. The person in charge of your youth dormitory is Yang Guohua. If you have any issues, look for him."

"Understood, thank you, Captain," everyone replied.

However, there is always someone foolish enough to make a spectacle. "Captain, is the food at the youth dormitory good? What are the accommodations like? Is there meat to eat?"

Wu Hongtao looked at Yu Lu as if she were an idiot. "Whether you eat well depends on yourself. If you have money, you can eat meat every day; if you don't, you'll be drinking thin porridge. That has nothing to do with the brigade. As for housing, if you want to stay for free, stay in the dormitory. If you want a private room, pay for it yourself."

Hearing that she could live alone, Su Yao and Ye Simin’s eyes lit up. They moved to either side of Wu Hongtao. Su Yao spoke first: "Captain, could you explain the private housing in more detail?"

Ye Simin nodded eagerly.

Wu Hongtao, finding the two girls agreeable—and knowing that private housing meant extra income for the village—explained, "Some educated youths found the dormitory too noisy and crowded and proposed moving out. They offered to pay for the construction of their own rooms. The brigade decided to build two extra rooms at our own expense, which could then be rented out."

"What is the rent?" Ye Simin asked.

"Twenty yuan a year."

Su Yao took out twenty yuan and pressed it into Wu Hongtao’s hand. "Captain, I’ll rent one of those houses."

Ye Simin also pulled twenty yuan from her pocket. "Captain, count me in too."

Wu Hongtao looked at the forty yuan in his hand, his mouth curling into a smile. The village had another source of income; his decision had been the right one.

"Good, we’ll sign the agreement once we reach the brigade." Wu folded the money and tucked it into his pocket, tapping it three times to ensure it wouldn't fall out.

Zeng Yue had wanted to live alone too, but she was worried about leaving Tian Zhixue in the communal dormitory. What if some vixen hooked him? Besides, forty yuan for two rooms was pricey; her family had only given her one hundred. Renting would mean losing half of it. Thinking it wasn't worth it, she kept quiet.

Tian Zhixue had been observing Zeng Yue. Seeing her interest, he hoped she would speak up—if she rented a room, he would surely get a spot. He didn't want to sleep on a crowded kang; having his own room would be much more comfortable. But when she stayed silent, he grew annoyed. He quickened his pace to walk beside Yu Lu, offering her a smile.

When Yu Lu saw Tian walking next to her and smiling, she was overjoyed. She cast shy glances his way, her heart blooming with joy. Tian Zhixue looked at her with disdain. Her family was poor, she lacked common sense, and she was vulgar—the fact that she harbored fantasies about him was utterly foolish.

After two hours on the road, they finally reached the Changshan Brigade. It shouldn't have taken so long, but Yu Lu and Zeng Yue complained of fatigue every few steps, refusing to walk if they couldn't ride the cart. There was no choice but to let them take turns on the cart, forcing them to stop frequently to wait for one another.

Wu Hongtao had lost all patience with Yu Lu and Zeng Yue. He only hoped they wouldn't drag everyone else down when it came time to work.