"Would people call me a troublemaker if we split from the family just because you had a few arguments with your mother?" Zhang Jing looked at Zhao Yi with concern.
Having only been married for three days, if she urged her husband to separate from his family, she would surely become the subject of gossip among the village women.
"Let them talk. What matters most is that we live well," Zhao Yi replied.
In his previous life, Zhao Yi had been a man of few words, always doing whatever the family told him. In the latter half of the year, the city was planning to build a Steel Plant. Since there was a Coal Mine near the Commune, the plant intended to mine locally to supply the city's steel production.
This required many miners, with a monthly wage of 26 yuan, and nearby Commune Members were recruited to work. Zhao's Mother signed Zhao Yi up to work at the Coal Mine near the Commune. Even though she knew the mine posed certain dangers, she never worried about Zhao Yi having an accident. Every penny he earned was spent on his younger siblings, without a single cent going to Zhang Jing or their own children.
Once, when the mine suddenly collapsed, Zhao Yi was trapped underground for several days. Upon receiving the news, Zhao's Mother's first question to the mine director wasn't about how soon they could rescue him—whether dead or alive—but about how much compensation the family would receive.
When Zhang Jing wanted to go to the mine with her, Zhao's Mother refused, using the excuse that there was no one to tend to the farm work at home. She was afraid Zhang Jing would find out about the compensation and cause trouble for the family.
Considering all these events, Zhao Yi felt that providing them with five jin of grain each month was already generous, given the years of upbringing he had received. He didn't want to cut ties abruptly.
But beyond the monthly grain share, he would never let them take advantage of him again, especially those ungrateful siblings.
Hearing Zhao Yi's words, Zhang Jing stopped dwelling on the issue. After all, her life now revolved entirely around this man.
Soon, the two arrived at the Team Headquarters to collect their farming tools for the day.
Zhang Jing took a sickle, wrapped a scarf around her head, and followed Zhao Yi to the fields. Zhao Yi and the other strong laborers were responsible for transporting the grain back to the Grain Drying Field at the Team Headquarters.
Before long, it was lunchtime.
Everyone gathered in a shaded spot to eat before continuing with the urgent harvest.
Zhao's Mother handed the couple their meals with a sullen expression, not saying a word. She glanced at Zhao Yi and his wife, her thoughts unreadable.
The urgent harvest continued until dark, with everyone working by torchlight when it became too dark to see.
They were afraid that the fully ripe grain would be ruined if a heavy rain caused it to mold. While moldy grain might still be consumed within the brigade, the Grain Bureau would not accept it for submission.
In the Zhao family courtyard, Brigade Leader Li Dequan watched Zhao Yi with deep confusion. Zhao Yi had always been honest and obedient since childhood, but today he seemed different. Li Dequan also knew Zhang Jing—a hardworking and sincere young woman. Why were they so insistent on separating?
However, since a Commune Member had raised the issue, as the leader, he could only try to mediate. If mediation failed, he would have to ask the Commune leaders to step in.
"Newlyweds often have their ups and downs. There's no need to live separately. When you have children, the elders can help take care of them, right?" Brigade Leader Li Dequan said to Zhao Yi with a cheerful smile.
"Brigade Leader, we haven't had any major conflicts. We just want to live separately, as staying together always brings some inconveniences."
Zhao Yi shook his head as he spoke.
"Every family has its own difficulties. Since you insist on dividing the household, what's your opinion, Zhao Dahai?"
Li Dequan looked toward Zhao Yi's father, Zhao Dahai, as he was ultimately the head of the household.
"Branches divide when trees grow tall; sons establish their own homes when they come of age."
Zhao Dahai took a drag from his hand-rolled cigarette before speaking.
He couldn't understand what had gotten into his eldest son today. The family had always lived in harmony, and even though they'd exchanged a few cross words, his son was being overly protective of his wife. Still, dividing the household might be for the best—it would prevent constant bickering.
Although Zhang Jing seemed gentle and well-behaved, who knew what she might really be like over time? Zhao Dahai was certain the idea to separate had come from her—he knew his son well enough to be sure of that.
"Shouldn't we give the young couple some pots and pans? Otherwise, cooking will be troublesome for them."
Li Dequan knew Zhao Yi planned to move into the old Zhao family house. Though called the "old house," it was really just two adobe rooms. The roof had been leaking for two or three years since anyone lived there, and Zhao Yi would have to repair it himself.
Not to mention the lack of basic kitchenware.
"No need. I'll just take our quilts with us. From now on, I'll only be responsible for providing my parents with five jin of grain each month for their support."
Zhao Yi waved his hand dismissively.
Li Dequan immediately understood what Zhao Yi meant. Zhao Yi still had two younger brothers and a sister, all attending the brigade's primary school and soon to enter middle school.
Middle school tuition wasn't cheap, and Wangou Village had no side businesses to speak of. The family's main income came from their hens' eggs or occasional side work in the mountains—like those with skills who collected lacquer in their spare time for extra money, or craftsmen who made furniture for additional income.
Alternatively, after the harvest, people could sign up to do odd jobs at the forest farm, earning twenty or thirty cents a day. Every year in the second half, many from Wangou Village registered to dig up tree stumps at the forest farm.
Zhao Yi and Zhang Jing were both strong laborers, entitled to seventy or eighty jin of grain rations per month. Although Zhao Dahai and Li Daju were also considered strong laborers with similar rations, they had several growing children at home who couldn't contribute much work but ate nearly as much as adult laborers.
Zhao Yi was afraid of being taken advantage of, Li Dequan thought to himself.
"Grown children follow their own path. Let him do as he wishes—I can't control him anymore anyway."
Li Daju glanced at Zhao Yi, feeling utterly helpless. Her once obedient son seemed like a completely different person now. Before, whenever she made a fuss, Zhao Yi would kneel before her and promise to support her properly and work hard to earn more work points to ease the family's burden.
But today, Zhao Yi acted as if he didn't see her, simply taking Zhang Jing out to work. Then late at night, right after finishing work, he dragged the brigade leader over to discuss dividing the household. Li Daju even wondered if her son had been possessed.
Given Zhao Yi's current attitude, refusing to divide the household would likely lead to even more conflict.
Li Daju could only blame all these strange developments on Zhang Jing. It was only the third day after the wedding, and already her honest, compliant son who never talked back had disappeared—it must be this daughter-in-law's doing, stirring up trouble.
Although Li Daju was utterly unwilling in her heart, this family separation had to happen. Whether she agreed or not made no difference—if she disagreed, Zhao Yi could still forcibly report to the Commune and sever ties.
Weren’t those people in the Cowshed examples of being forced to cut off relations with their families? A few of the village’s progressive elements had done the same.
Li Daju knew that Zhao Yi was determined to break away and live independently.