Zhu Heping was dumbfounded. When had he ever told his sister that Little Red Guards from Hongqi Commune were injured? He didn’t even know they were hurt.
But when Tian Dazhu heard Zhu Xin’s words, his dark face broke into a wide grin. “Comrade Zhu Xin, I remember you. Last year, you often went with our Brother Dapeng to the county and city to make revolution. You even joined him in the exchange of revolutionary experiences, traveling to many big cities and capturing many stinking capitalist revisionist intellectuals. Brother Dapeng has always praised you highly.”
Tian Dazhu’s cousin, Tian Dapeng, was the son of the Hongqi Commune director and the leader of the Little Red Guards in the entire town. His older brother was the director of the county Revolutionary Committee. In all of Qingshi Town, their family held the most sway. This was precisely why Zhu Xin had taken such pains today, bringing two chickens and dragging Zhu Heping along to find Tian Dazhu in town.
Just then, from the house behind Tian Dazhu, four sixteen- or seventeen-year-old youths with bruised faces emerged one after another. They were all Little Red Guards from Hongqi Commune and had interacted with Zhu Xin before. Seeing the Zhu siblings, they greeted them boldly: “Sister Zhu, long time no see. Any instructions?”
Zhu Xin’s beauty was renowned throughout Hongqi Commune. The Tian Dapeng brothers, in their prime, had taken a bit of a fancy to her. However, she had been betrothed at a young age, and she was fiercely outspoken and straightforward. Two years ago, on the recommendation of the commune’s deputy secretary, she attended a Red and Expert school for two years. Her class background was both red and expert, and when it came to making revolution, she was quite formidable.
Tian Dapeng had shown her considerable care, inviting her along for activities like the exchange of revolutionary experiences. As a result, she had gained some renown among the various Little Red Guard teams.
Zhu Xin shoved the chickens in her hands into Tian Dazhu’s grasp and addressed the youths behind him: “Instructions? None. I’m just like you—fighters under the leader’s command, spokespersons for our glorious proletariat. Hearing that you were injured, bullied by those capitalist revisionist elements, pains my heart. That’s why I’ve come to offer my condolences. We’re all Little Red Guards. If I were bullied, you’d help me too.”
The Little Red Guards were deeply moved by her words and stepped forward to shake her hand. “Sister, you truly are a good revolutionary comrade of our Qingshi County. We’ve heard about what happened to you. What that Hu did to you is simply insane, utterly devoid of conscience! How dare he wrong a comrade as good as you? I think his class background and behavior must be problematic!”
“Right! I heard from my dad that that Hu’s old man was just a farmer when he was young, couldn’t even read a single big character. Then suddenly one day he had money and even became a cadre. Where did that money come from? It must be shady. We should go check out the Hu Family and see exactly where that Hu’s family money came from!”
“Yeah, yeah! That Hu Xinkai, putting on airs like some big shot, eating wheat flour all day, wearing fine clothes, going to the county to watch movies and eat at restaurants whenever he pleases. I’ve long had it in for him, wanted to struggle against him! Let’s not just stand here. Let’s go get justice for our Sister Zhu right now!”
…
The Little Red Guards were ready to march off then and there.
Like Zhu Heping, they were young and impulsive, their values and thoughts entirely shaped by the prevailing social climate. Their minds were filled only with struggling against heaven and earth, against anyone and everyone they deemed suspicious.
In their eyes, as long as a person's class background was clean and their words and actions aligned with the current policies they believed in, you were a good comrade in their view.
If a proletariat comrade they recognized was bullied, then the person who bullied them was definitely a bad element, an enemy of the proletariat, and must be struggled against to the death.
Zhu Xin stopped them, speaking earnestly: "Comrades, I know you want to help me vent my anger, but when criticizing and struggling against people, you must also preserve your strength and ensure your own health. Look, it's getting late—almost noon. Why don't I kill the chickens and make chicken soup for you? After eating and replenishing your energy, you can go then?"
After saying this, she glanced around the alley again. "Two chickens, both killed and cooked—I'm afraid we won't be able to finish them all. I wonder if there are any other Little Red Guard comrades who are injured and need nourishment too?"
In these times, everyone struggled with food and clothing, going a whole year without eating meat even once. Everyone was so hungry they could devour an entire cow.
Although Tian Dazhu and the others were Little Red Guards and had been making revolution for several months, enjoying many good things, in this era of ration coupons and restrictions, eating meat was still extremely difficult.
The moment they saw Zhu Xin and her brother carrying the chickens, they were already drooling. Each of them could finish those two scrawny chickens alone—why would they share with anyone else?
Tian Dazhu made a decisive move, picked up a kitchen knife, and slit the neck of the hen in his hand. "Comrade Zhu, there are only a few of us injured Little Red Guards here—no one else needs nourishment. You don't need to trouble yourself with cooking. We're all skilled at it. You and Heping stay and eat with us. After we finish, I'll gather a few more people and go with you to the Hu Family to properly struggle against that Hu Xinkai!"
Zhu Xin had been waiting for these very words. Without hesitation, she watched as Tian Dazhu and the others killed the chickens, plucked the feathers, boiled water, and stewed the meat.
The group crowded into the small room, feasting and drinking to their hearts' content. Afterward, Tian Dazhu wiped his mouth, went outside, and called over the Little Red Guards from the Red Flag Commune. By rough estimate, there were no fewer than thirty people. They marched in a grand procession, following Zhu Xin and her brother toward the Hu Family in Xiashui Village.
Such a large crowd and such a spectacle stunned passersby and villagers alike, who panicked and scattered, closing their doors in fear.
Due to the times, the Little Red Guards were seen by ordinary people as akin to locusts. They acted without rules, doing whatever came to mind, struggling against whomever they pleased. Countless people had been torn from their families, injured, or killed by their actions. Usually, people avoided them, steering clear whenever possible, afraid that a single accidental glance might bring disaster upon themselves.
Normally, seeing just three or five Little Red Guards was enough to make most people flee. But today, dozens of them—wearing red armbands and imitation military green uniforms—were marching collectively toward Xiashui Village.
Clever onlookers, spotting Zhu Xin at the front, guessed what this group of Little Red Guards was up to.
Some brave souls, eager to watch the drama, secretly trailed behind the procession.
Others, who had good relations with the Hu Family, took shortcuts to rush ahead and deliver the news.
Hu Xinkai was at home, fast asleep. He had climbed the social ladder and was originally supposed to go to the capital with that Young Miss from Beijing. Who would have thought that news of Zhu Xin jumping into the river three days ago would reach that Young Miss's ears?
That young miss discovered he had deceived her and was so furious she gave him the silent treatment, telling him to clean up the mess at home before coming to her to atone for his sins.
Hu Xinkai was a typical scumbag who kept one eye on the bowl while coveting the pot. He deceived the young miss by claiming he was single and unattached, yet couldn't bear to let go of his beautiful childhood sweetheart and fiancée, trying to keep both women in the dark and play them against each other.
Thus, after Zhu Xin learned he had climbed the social ladder, she came to confront him repeatedly. Each time, he avoided the topic, resorting to sweet talk and evasion, hoping to drag things out until she cooled down, then coax her into giving herself to him.
Who could have guessed Zhu Xin had such a fiery temper? In her rage, she threw herself into the river.
When Li Furong rushed home in a panic, telling him to hide because Zhu Xin had brought dozens of Little Red Guards to cause trouble, he refused to believe it. "Mom, Zhu Xin gave me her heart and soul, she's crazy about me. How could she bring Little Red Guards to mess with me?"
"They're already at our doorstep, and you're still defending that little hussy!" Li Furong angrily slapped him. "Get up and run! If you don't go now, it'll be too late!"
The Little Red Guards were young and impulsive. With just a few words of encouragement from someone, they could pick fights, challenge heaven and earth, and even defy military police and public security. If they stormed into the Hu Family to arrest Hu Xinkai, he'd be lucky to escape with his life intact.
Seeing the genuine anxiety on his mother's face, Hu Xinkai quickly scrambled out of bed.
But before he could flee, the courtyard gate of the Hu Family was smashed open by the group of Little Red Guards.
Amid Hu Lili's screams, Tian Dazhu led a group of Little Red Guards straight to Hu Xinkai's room to arrest him, while the rest ransacked the Hu Family's blue brick tile house.
"What are you doing? What's going on here?" Hu Xinkai's father, Old Mr. Hu, having caught wind of the situation, hurried back from the brigade headquarters to confront the swarm of Little Red Guards.
Tian Dazhu glanced at him. "We've received reports from the masses that your Hu Family's class background is unclear, your wealth is of dubious origin, and you've hidden counter-revolutionary books and items in your home. Your son has also harassed female comrades and committed shameful acts. We are now taking Hu Xinkai away to face criticism from the masses and us, the Little Red Guard fighters!"
Old Mr. Hu understood immediately what was happening. He glared viciously at Zhu Xin, who was watching the spectacle in the courtyard, and retorted, "Comrade Little General, you've misunderstood. For three generations, our Hu Family has been of pure poor peasant background. We have always followed the instructions of our leader and would never hide counter-revolutionary books or items. Our class background is beyond reproach. As for the accusation of dubious wealth, that's pure slander! It's this woman, Zhu Xin, who can't accept our family breaking off the engagement and is now fabricating lies to smear us!"
Li Furong also stomped her feet at the doorway. "Zhu, have you no conscience?! All these years, how well has our family treated you and your parents? How many good things have we given your family? Instead of being grateful, just because your relationship with my Xinkai fell apart and the engagement was called off, you're twisting right and wrong to slander us like this?"
Zhu Xin smoothed her wind-tousled hair, a cold sneer in her heart while wearing a tearful expression as she said to Tian Dazhu, "Comrade Tian, perhaps this is all just a misunderstanding. Hu Xinkai used to treat me very well—he always saved the best food and drinks for me. I ate plenty of cream cakes and canned meat, and he often took me to the Western restaurant in the county town, saying the steak there was even more tender than the ones at Shanghai City’s Red House… Aunt Li was also very kind to me, often giving me her daughter’s old clothes that she no longer wore. Many of the coat fabrics were things I’d never even seen before. Uncle Hu would frequently use meat ration tickets to help my parents out…"
All of this was true. The Hu Family had indeed given the original host and her parents many things, but it was all superficial. In reality, what they gave the original host were just unwanted, shabby goods.
The original host had given plenty in return.
Whenever her parents had anything good, they would think of the Hu Family, sending the original host over with gifts to curry favor with her future in-laws.
The original host knew her future parents-in-law didn’t particularly like her. To win their affection, she willingly took on all the household and fieldwork for the Hu Family—washing clothes, cooking, farming, planting, and harvesting crops. She did it all.
From the age of thirteen, she would often run over to the Hu Family in the neighboring village to work as their maid. Li Furong and her daughter took it for granted, ordering her around as they pleased.
While she toiled under the sun in the fields, her face flushed red, the mother and daughter would sit inside cracking melon seeds, bossing her around as if they were privileged landlord wives and a Young Miss from the old society.
Back then, many people mocked the original host, saying she was desperate to marry Hu Xinkai, acting like a child bride at such a young age without considering whether his family even wanted her.
She paid no mind, completely taken in by Hu Xinkai’s sweet words, her heart set on him. She willingly shouldered his household chores, enduring this for a full five years until the Hu Family finally agreed to discuss their marriage. She thought her hardships were finally over, only to be met with Hu Xinkai’s heartless betrayal.
"Well, Party Secretary Hu, you’re just a village secretary with a monthly salary of barely over ten yuan. Where did you get the money to build these four large Blue Brick Tile Houses? In our Red Flag Commune’s villages, everyone lives in adobe houses, thatch huts, or even bamboo-weave homes. Even the cadres live in adobe houses! But you—after just ten years as village party secretary, you’ve built such a large Blue Brick Tile House, a scale only landlords in the past could afford!
Your wife and daughter dress in bright colors, and your son even has spare money to constantly take women to Western restaurants in the county town and go sightseeing in Shanghai City. Where do you get so much money to support your family’s lavish lifestyle? I say you’re clearly a corrupt, embezzling official, and you still dare to cry injustice!"
Tian Dazhu felt indignant on Zhu Xin’s behalf, believing that a good, red-and-expert comrade like her was being bullied to death by the Hu Family, who clearly had no respect for them, the Little Red Guards.
Having eaten the chicken Zhu Xin brought and listened to her flattering words, he now regarded her as one of their own.
Bullying Zhu Xin meant bullying the Little Red Guards. Without even listening to Old Mr. Hu’s explanations, he rolled up his sleeves fiercely and called upon several Little Red Guards to seize Old Mr. Hu.