Early the next morning, Qin Ziqi’s alarm went off promptly at six-thirty, waking her up. Still groggy, she got up from the kang and took a moment to come to her senses. She changed her clothes, brushed her teeth, washed her face, applied a layer of Snow Flower Cream, and headed out.
She arrived at the ox cart right at seven.
Although it wasn’t the busy farming season yet, there were still people working in the fields. The work points they earned belonged to them, so the villagers generally couldn’t bear to give up any opportunity to work.
As a result, there weren’t many people on the ox cart. Besides the five new educated youths, Zheng Hongjun hadn’t come. There were only two or three middle-aged women sitting on the cart, probably because their families were short on something and they had no choice but to leave the village and go to town.
Zhou Xue was wearing a blue plaid dress and little leather shoes. The middle-aged women couldn’t stop scrutinizing her.
Lu Chengxiu, on the other hand, had become much more low-key. She was no longer wearing a dress, but instead had put on an ordinary short-sleeved shirt, black straight-leg trousers, and cloth shoes.
Most of the clothes in Qin Ziqi’s luggage were also dresses. Since she was going to the supply and marketing cooperative today, she planned to buy two outfits suitable for farm work.
Today, she was wearing a pure white puff-sleeved short-sleeved blouse, a long black A-line skirt, and white canvas shoes.
She wanted to keep a low profile too, but unfortunately, all the dresses in her luggage were this eye-catching. Since the villagers had already seen her yesterday when she entered the village, she decided to give up worrying about it.
Still, she had to buy work clothes. She couldn’t possibly do farm work in a dress.
The women’s attention immediately shifted from Zhou Xue to Qin Ziqi.
Compared with Qin Ziqi, Zhou Xue had the delicate, sweet looks of a sheltered young lady. Qin Ziqi’s beauty, however, was almost unfair. She was the kind of striking beauty that was impossible to ignore, with an almost intimidating allure.
“You’re all the new educated youths, aren’t you?”
The speaker was Feng Dazui, a widow from the village.
It was said that when she was born, her mouth was larger than that of other babies. And since she was a girl, her family hadn’t bothered to put much thought into naming her. They simply called her Dazui, meaning “Big Mouth.”
Feng Dazui certainly lived up to her name. She was famous throughout the village for her gossiping.
After marrying into Harvest Brigade, she gave birth to two sons. Her husband had died of illness more than ten years ago.
Her eldest son had finally managed to join the army, only to die in service less than two years later.
Fortunately, there was a pension, as well as monthly subsidies for his wife and child, so their lives were still fairly comfortable.
Feng Dazui protected the younger son who remained at home as if he were her precious eyeball. Apart from a three-year-old grandson, he was the only male in the family.
Unfortunately, she had spoiled him into a good-for-nothing. The villagers all called Feng Dazui’s younger son Zhao Erlai.
When Feng Dazui spoke, none of the three girls responded. Only Shen Changzheng answered.
“Yes, Auntie. We’re the educated youths who just arrived in the countryside.”
Qin Ziqi happened to be sitting beside Feng Dazui, with about half a person’s distance between them.
Feng Dazui nudged Qin Ziqi with her elbow.
“Girl, where are you from?”
Qin Ziqi turned her head and glanced at Feng Dazui. Her eyes were practically sparkling with gossip and curiosity.
“Shanghai.”
“Oh my, that’s a big city!”
Zhao Daidi, who was sitting next to Feng Dazui, couldn’t help exclaiming.
“No wonder you’re dressed so nicely.”
Zhao Daidi, Feng Dazui beside her, and Wang Juxiang sitting opposite exchanged glances.
The three women were the village’s infamous gossip trio.
So that’s why.
She looks so flashy, and she’s dressed so well. Turns out she’s a young lady from Shanghai.
I heard she even rented a private room in the educated youth compound for three yuan a month. She must be loaded.
Qin Ziqi closed her eyes, not wanting to engage in idle chatter with them, and pretended to be sleepy.
Feng Dazui curled her lips.
What’s she so proud of? No matter how impressive she is, she’s still come to our village to farm.
The three women then turned their attention back to Zhou Xue, whom they had been interested in from the beginning.
“Girl, where are you from?”
“Beijing.”
Zhou Xue sounded somewhat impatient.
The ox cart was moving too slowly, and there was a strong smell everywhere. The middle-aged woman sitting beside her also smelled strongly of sweat.
Wang Juxiang was the woman sitting next to Zhou Xue.
Upon hearing her answer, she shifted closer.
“That’s our capital! Girl, your family must eat fine grain every day, right? Is the city really lively?”
Zhou Xue felt the smell rush straight into her head.
Unable to bear it, she pulled out a handkerchief and covered her nose.
“Auntie, could you please not sit so close to me? You smell terrible.”
Wang Juxiang’s face immediately reddened.
Then her expression darkened.
“What’s wrong with you, girl? We country people don’t have the conditions you city folks have. We can’t waste water bathing every day. If you look down on us so much, then why did you come here?”
“You!”
Zhou Xue glared at her with wide almond-shaped eyes.
“You don’t keep yourself clean, and you won’t even let people say anything about it?”
“Hey! You little brat, are you really going to push me?”
Wang Juxiang rolled up her sleeves and looked ready to hit Zhou Xue.
Terrified, Zhou Xue covered her head with both hands and scooted inward.
“You—you dare hit me, I’ll report you to the commune! I’ll report you to the police and have you sent to a labor camp!”
Wang Juxiang’s raised hand froze.
She was just about to start cursing when Zhao Hu, who was driving the ox cart, shouted sternly,
“Enough, Wang Juxiang. Mind your own business and shut your mouth. If you keep making a fuss, get off.”
Uncle Zhao Hu, who drove the ox cart, was a retired serviceman. His right leg had been injured, and he had neither a wife nor children.
The villagers had a natural respect for military personnel, so driving the ox cart was also the brigade’s way of taking care of him.
The ox cart finally fell silent.
When they reached town, the ox cart stopped beneath a large tree beside the supply and marketing cooperative.
“Two o’clock this afternoon. Get on here again. If you’re late, figure out your own way home.”
After giving them his instructions, Zhao Hu drove the ox cart back to the village.
He couldn’t possibly sit around waiting there for half a day, and the ox wouldn’t be able to stand the sun either.
Hongxing Commune was relatively well-off compared with the surrounding communes, so the supply and marketing cooperative was fairly large, and there were quite a few people on the streets.
But it was still just a small rural town. Apart from the supply and marketing cooperative, the clinic, and government offices, the rest were private residences. There wasn’t much else to see.
Qin Ziqi entered the supply and marketing cooperative and counted her ration coupons.
“I’d like two jin of White Rabbit candies, two jin of fruit candies, two jin of egg cakes, and two jin of brown sugar. And I’d also like one of those bamboo baskets over there.”
The sales clerk glanced at Qin Ziqi.
After seeing her clothes, she seemed to think the purchase made sense.
But when she saw Qin Ziqi’s face, a trace of disdain flashed across her expression.
With a face as seductive as hers, who knows where she got her money from. Buying so many snacks at once—she must be dying for sweets.
“Eight yuan, one jin of grain coupons, and six jin of candy coupons. The basket doesn’t require a coupon.”
Qin Ziqi counted out eight yuan and the corresponding coupons, took her purchases, and went to the counter next door, where fabric and ready-made clothing were sold.
Qin Ziqi wasn’t going to buy fabric. Even if she bought it, she wouldn’t know how to make clothes.
The ready-made clothing section was simple as well. There were work-cloth shirts, black straight-leg trousers, white shirts, and other similarly dull, patternless options.
“I’d like one work-cloth shirt, one white shirt, two pairs of black straight-leg trousers, and two pairs of work gloves.”
No matter how much she didn’t want to work, during the busy farming season everyone had to work in the fields. She couldn’t possibly do farm work with bare hands.
“Twenty-seven yuan in total, plus thirty chi of cloth coupons.”
The sales clerk at this counter was a somewhat older middle-aged woman.
“Girl, ready-made clothes are expensive. Why don’t you buy fabric and make them yourself?”
“Big Sister, I don’t know how to make clothes. Besides, we’ll start work the day after tomorrow, so there isn’t enough time. I can’t exactly delay going to work just to make clothes, right?”
Since the woman had offered a well-meaning suggestion, Qin Ziqi naturally responded politely.