"Husband, you said she doesn't know how to do anything. How will she manage her food rations?" Zhang Jing looked at Zhao Yi with concern.
Zhao Yi glanced at his naive wife, wondering why she would worry about a stranger for no reason.
"Don't worry. Someone who wears leather shoes and Dacron fabric while coming to the countryside doesn't need us to worry about their affairs." Zhao Yi gently patted Zhang Jing's head and chuckled.
The situation wasn't as simple as it appeared on the surface. Nobody could be that clumsy – even someone who had never done farm work would adapt within a month at most. Zhao Yi recalled something: this girl kept going to the cowshed for no reason and had been warned several times by Li Dequan, though to no effect. Since no trouble had occurred at the cowshed, they stopped bothering about it.
The reason was her occasional care packages from home always contained liquor, which she would occasionally give to Li Dequan. Regarding these matters, Li Dequan simply turned a blind eye.
Zhao Yi believed she must have come here voluntarily, likely to take care of someone she knew or was related to in the cowshed. However, these matters had nothing to do with Zhao Yi.
Morning.
As everyone headed toward the Team Headquarters, some continued discussing yesterday's topic.
"That Educated Youth Su is really clumsy. She's not even as capable as my Goudan. My Goudan is only seven this year, but he wouldn't get lost while herding cattle."
"Exactly. They said they'd take special care of her, but this might backfire. If she gets lost in the mountains while herding, how would we explain it to the comrades at the Educated Youth Office?"
Li Dequan's wife chimed in.
Their family paid particular attention to Su Hong because the girl was thoughtful – she had given them two jin of pastries and several feet of fabric upon arrival.
Originally, work assignments for educated youth weren't arranged by the brigade but by the educated youth captain. However, since this girl couldn't handle farm work, the Educated Youth Compound had to ask the brigade for help. They thought herding cattle would be an easy job, but unexpectedly, the girl couldn't even handle that properly.
Now it seemed the only solution was to forcibly create a position for her at the brigade's pig farm.
Noon.
While everyone sought shade in the fields during lunch break, Zhao Yi saw Li Dequan approaching with a worried expression.
"What's wrong, husband?" Li Dequan's wife asked with concern.
"Su Hong fell into the manure pit while shoveling waste. I've thought of every easy job in our Wangou Village, but there's truly nothing suitable for her." Li Dequan spoke with complete helplessness.
After pulling her out and waiting for Su Hong to clean up, she gave Li Dequan many items – malt extract, biscuits, and candies. One doesn't hit a smiling face, so Li Dequan was now troubled about how to arrange work for Su Hong.
"Then let her work with me," Li Dequan's wife quickly suggested.
As the Brigade Women's Federation Director, Li Dequan's wife usually worked in the brigade, spending most of her time attending meetings and promoting policies. Having an assistant was optional.
"I doubt that will work. The Commune requires each brigade to run literacy classes – teaching people to read and write, two hours every evening. I think this job would suit her perfectly. Although the work points are few, at least she'd earn some. If they're insufficient for grain distribution, she can make up the difference with money."
After much consideration, Li Dequan found this to be the only solution. Normally, they wouldn't bother about what the girl did, as long as she didn't get lost.
"That works too," Li Dequan's wife nodded in agreement.
Zhao Yi's work group burst into laughter, their food nearly spraying out—only one person could possibly shovel manure right into the manure pit.
"Everyone, quiet down."
Li Dequan soon arrived at the second group's assigned area and addressed the crowd.
The chatter died down as everyone turned to him curiously.
"The brigade is starting a literacy class to teach everyone how to read. It'll be two hours after work each day. Participation is voluntary, with no work points subsidy."
Without waiting for reactions, Li Dequan hurried off to other villages. Besides Wangou Village, he had to notify other teams under the brigade's jurisdiction.
"What's the use of literacy? We manage just fine without it—we work and support our families either way. Knowing characters won't change that," several women shook their heads dismissively.
Hearing this, Zhao Yi shook his head inwardly. While the practical difference between literacy and illiteracy might be negligible, the gap between having credentials and having none was vast.
By evening, people trickled homeward. After dinner, they gathered at the team headquarters.
Su Hong had somehow procured several planks assembled into a makeshift blackboard. Standing beside it, she surveyed the crowd carrying small stools for the lesson, clutching a borrowed first-grade textbook as she prepared to start from scratch.
Zhao Yi didn't attend, having sent Zhang Jing to learn instead. Having completed fifth grade at Wangou Primary School, he was educated enough—though his strained relationship with Li Dequan had cost him even a record-keeper position. Few in rural areas finished fifth grade then.
Meanwhile, Zhao Yi roamed the mountains, tracking animal trails.
Securing decent work required more than skill—it demanded social savvy. And social savvy meant gifts, empty words alone wouldn't suffice.
He hunted until twilight deepened before returning to the village, just as the literacy class dismissed.
Without electricity and with candles being luxuries, no one extended classes after dark.
When Zhang Jing returned home, Zhao Yi had already prepared dinner.
"Husband, maybe we should borrow a wok from my mother's place," Zhang Jing suggested again.
Though she knew her man was capable, a wok wasn't cheap. Borrowing from her family allowed gradual repayment, unlike the Commune Supply and Marketing Cooperative which didn't extend credit to villages without side occupations.
"Fine. Tomorrow, take a fish over and give Mom the remaining two yuan. We'll settle the rest after I return from the city," Zhao Yi relented, seeing her earnest desire for their own wok.
At dawn, Zhao Yi returned to the mountains. With one fish reserved for Zhang Jing's family, he could only sell the other. Yesterday's scouting showed frequent animal activity—promising better harvests.
At the village entrance, Li Daju spotted Zhang Jing leaving with a fish, her face twisting in fury.
"That wasteful woman must've put our eldest up to this! He'd never do this otherwise—he's always been so filial," she muttered, glaring at Zhang Jing's retreating figure.
"Exactly, we've watched Xiao Yi grow up since he was little – such a well-behaved and honest boy. It must be that girl who's been teaching him bad habits. Look at that huge fish, she didn't even think to cut it in half and give you one portion while taking the other back to her parents' home."
"You should really have a talk with Xiao Yi about this. Zhao Yi is such a hardworking and honest young man – if he leaves this kind of woman, finding another one would be easy enough," one woman immediately chimed in.
"Yes, yes," the other women agreed, watching the drama unfold without concern for the consequences, treating it as mere entertainment for their leisure time. They'd be quite pleased if it actually came to blows.