Every year, each production team would be evaluated for excellence. Teams that earned the “excellent” rating would receive slightly more grain than others.
The Shengli Brigade didn’t claim to be excellent every year, but every year or two they would achieve the rating, and this year momentum was on their side, it wasn’t impossible they could be recognized again.
However, if the public security bureau were really called in, it would become a major incident. During the year-end evaluations, other production teams would definitely use this as a black mark against Shengli Brigade, affecting their chances of being rated excellent.
For the past half-year, the brigade leader had been personally instructing them, emphasizing that nothing should jeopardize the evaluation. Li Baoguo, as a team leader a mid-level official—naturally had been reminded as well.
If the matter really escalated to the point of reporting the educated youth to the authorities, and the brigade leader found out, he would be furious beyond measure.
Moreover, he was about to marry Accountant Wang’s daughter. If the marriage were jeopardized by this incident, he would absolutely not agree to it.
Li Baoguo thought of this and glared viciously at Li Yingying, Wang Mingzhu, and Zhang Bao’er.
“You might not understand the brigade leader’s temperament. If the public security bureau is called because of you, and the brigade loses the excellent rating, he will stop at nothing to send you all away. Once the educated youth get into trouble and are sent back, they will never be assigned to a place like this again—they’ll end up in some remote, impoverished villages. There, even if you work full-time, you won’t have enough to eat. I advise you to apologize quickly and compensate, or else if this escalates, you won’t end up well.”
Li Yingying didn’t know these things, but Wang Mingzhu and Zhang Bao’er had been at the educated youth site for two years. When they first arrived, they had seen other educated youth get into trouble and be sent back.
They heard that later, when those who were sent away went to other villages, conditions were harsh, and they often went hungry.
Staying in Shengli Brigade, although laborious, meant a female worker could sustain herself with seven or eight work points, at least ensuring she wouldn’t starve.
But in other places, even if you earned more work points, if the yearly grain yield was insufficient, you would still go hungry.
Wang Mingzhu and Zhang Bao’er realized the danger, wishing they could slap themselves for speaking out before, and blamed Li Yingying for opening her mouth first.
“I know I was wrong and am willing to compensate, but I really have no money. Can I pay with work points? At the end of the year, I’ll give you fifty work points,” Wang Mingzhu spoke first.
Zhang Bao’er, though reluctant to give up her fifty work points, had no choice but to agree.
Li Yingying, however, didn’t speak, only crying. But by now, everyone knew she loved to cry over everything, so no one paid her much attention.
Li Baoguo impatiently said, “Cry, cry, cry—just crying! Don’t you know it’s unlucky? How are you going to compensate? Money or work points? Tomorrow we all have to work, no time to waste here.”
Seeing no one speaking up for her, Li Yingying reluctantly agreed to pay with work points, then went back to her room to cry on the kang bed.
Wang Mingzhu and Zhang Bao’er returned to cooking. Deng Minghao put the marriage certificate away, then left with a dark face, returning only at mealtime.
Li Ruolan asked where he had been.
“I went to see the brigade leader, explained today’s situation, and asked him to speed up the construction of our house. He said the bricks were already purchased and construction would start tomorrow. We need to contact Carpenter Zhao to order the beams, doors, and windows. I’ll go tomorrow at noon after work. I really don’t want to stay here any longer.”
At this time, many educated youth were around, and Deng Minghao didn’t lower his voice, so several people heard him.
Xu Tao also walked over. “Then let’s all go tomorrow. Our beams, doors, and windows need to be made too.”
Deng Minghao nodded. “Okay, let’s go together. Qianjin Village educated youth, don’t forget.”
Li Baoguo noticed the group gathering and his eyes flickered. He hadn’t realized the three foundations just laid next to the educated youth site were for their houses.
During the meal, some of the older educated youth quietly asked about the houses. Deng Minghao and the others shared what needed to be said.
“My wife and I are already married, so naturally, we can’t stay with you. The night we arrived, we asked the brigade leader to build us a house. It’s one room with a small yard. The brigade leader said it would cost forty or fifty yuan. If you want to live separately, you can also build your own.”
Xu Tao gave a similar reason. He and Guo Xiaoya were going to register their marriage as well.
Finally, everyone’s eyes turned to Qin Wan. She said, “I just dislike a certain person and don’t want to live with her, so I want to move out and live on my own.”
Many glanced at Li Yingying, then thoughtfully continued eating. A few male educated youth looked at Qin Wan with a meaningful expression.
Qin Wan noticed, but didn’t care. She had spent the whole day on the mountain, and her abilities would likely reach the next stage soon.
By then, she would have the ability to protect herself. Even if someone dared to target her, Qin Wan could ensure they wouldn’t come back.
The incident at the educated youth site was successfully contained; the villagers remained unaware. However, the educated youth began to isolate Li Yingying.
Li Yingying went to work every day with red-rimmed eyes, hoping someone would come to protect her.
Unfortunately, the field work was light, and many of the brigade’s able-bodied men had been reassigned by the brigade leader to build houses for Li Ruolan and others.
Li Yingying’s pitiful act was wasted on people who didn’t appreciate it—no one paid attention.
Qin Wan would finish her seven work points early each day, then go up the mountain to pick mushrooms or collect firewood.
This was all to speed up the advancement of her abilities. Li Ruolan knew this and therefore didn’t spend all her time with her, giving her space.
What Li Ruolan didn’t know was that whenever Qin Wan went up the mountain, she often encountered Lu Yunxiao. Sometimes he would prepare a small meal for her, and the two got along well.
Li Ruolan and Deng Minghao also went up the mountain early to dig for wild herbs, with Deng Minghao showing remarkable accuracy and always making good finds.
Sometimes they would find deadwood and store it in their space to use as firewood once the house was built.
By late September, Li Ruolan and the others’ house was finally completed. It couldn’t be inhabited yet; the kang bed needed a few days of heating to dry the entire house.
Building the house cost forty-eight yuan. Adding the beams, doors, windows, and two large four-door cabinets and various tables, chairs, benches, and chests Li Ruolan ordered, the total came to nearly thirty yuan.