Money was a minor issue. Since she worked at the factory, she could save carefully and still manage to produce more than ten yuan a month. The main issue was the milk powder coupons!
Except for babies who had not yet reached one month old, mothers without breast milk could use a note issued by the hospital to buy a bag of milk powder to supplement their nutrition. For the rest, most went to the milk station for fresh milk or ate milk substitute powder,
which was made by mixing soybean powder, rice flour, millet powder, a small amount of white sugar, and milk powder.
Even that was supplied in limited quantities.
Four bags of milk powder a month…
The onlookers clicked their tongues in astonishment.
Shu Yao did not indulge Zhu Hong at all and directly slapped her,
“You certainly know a lot about how we feed our child!”
“Four bags of milk powder a month? You really dare to imagine that!”
She had never treated the child that harshly. Four five-hundred-gram bags of milk powder would not even be enough for Shen Huaiyu to drink for half a month.
When Shen Huaiyu had just been born, “Shu Yao” did not feed him, so his Grandfather, father, and Eldest uncle each exchanged for quite a few milk powder coupons through their respective military units, bought milk powder, and mailed it back. The child had never gone without enough to eat,
and after he came into her care, with the Storage Space as her backing, he had suffered even less.
Damn it, and yet she was barely scraping by here!
Shu Yao was practically furious to death.
After hearing this, the others could not help nodding,
That was right. What family could possibly use up four bags of milk powder in a month? It was enough to scare someone to death.
“You!”
Caught off guard, Zhu Hong’s head was knocked to one side. She dropped the bag and rushed forward to grab Shu Yao’s hair.
Shu Yao stuffed Shen Huaiyu into Huang Ting’s arms as well. Relying on her height advantage, she grabbed Zhu Hong’s hair first, then viciously pinched her waist, stomach, and upper thighs several times,
while Zhu Hong struck fiercely at Shu Yao’s face. Apart from taking two hits at the beginning because she was not yet accustomed to fighting, Shu Yao soon dragged her far away. Zhu Hong was short, with neither long arms nor long legs; in Shu Yao’s hands, she flailed like a silly dog paddling with all four limbs.
“What are you doing? What are you doing? Stop fighting!”
Someone had already realized that the situation was not right and gone to get the security section.
“What exactly happened?”
“She stole my things!”
Shu Yao flung the woman aside and lodged the complaint first.
“Who stole your things?”
Zhu Hong felt guilty, and her eyes darted toward the cloth bag thrown on the ground.
Shu Yao did not need to look to know there was something fishy inside. A bag of milk powder had just been delivered last night, and most of it was gone today. If Zhu Hong had not stolen it, where else could it have gone?!
The people from the security section also noticed Zhu Hong’s gaze,
“All right, everyone, hurry and get to work. You two comrades, come with us.”
Shu Yao took the half bag of milk powder from the cabinet. This was evidence.
“Comrades, please carry this bag for us. It contains proof that Zhu Hong committed the theft.”
“No, Comrade Shu, this is such a minor matter. Is there really any need to go to the security section?”
“There’s no need to trouble the comrades from the security section. We can settle it ourselves, settle it ourselves, all right?”
Zhu Hong was genuinely frightened now. The claim that the brat ate four bags of milk powder a month had been something she made up, but she really had stolen something!
She did not want to be subjected to a struggle session or forced relocation.
“That won’t do. Comrade Zhu kept saying that my son was a capitalist’s Little Brat and tried to put a capitalist hat on me. This is not a minor matter.”
Shu Yao snorted and took Shen Huaiyu back from Huang Ting.
When the comrade leading the security section heard Shu Yao say this, his attitude immediately became firm,
“Please come with us, both of you.”
Putting a capitalist hat on someone was no minor matter. The factory’s main leaders had all come over.
“Tell us what happened.”
Guo Fumin spoke with a solemn expression.
“This Kid is a capitalist’s Little Brat to begin with. As a member of the great worker-peasant class, is there anything wrong with my educating him?”
“Whose child drinks milk powder at every meal? Other people can eat rice gruel and drink milk substitute powder, so why should he be different?”
“She is an ordinary female worker. Where did she get so many milk powder coupons?”
Zhu Hong had grown smarter this time and spoke before Shu Yao could.
After hearing what she said, several leaders looked at Shu Yao differently,
Perhaps the impression previously left by Wu Xiuling had been too strong. This time, instead of first displaying disgust and displeasure, she spoke before Guo Fumin:
“Comrade Shu Yao, what do you have to say?”
Unlike Zhu Hong’s heart-rending, tattletale-like tone, Shu Yao stood there openly and spoke in a clear, orderly manner,
“Leaders, let me clarify one thing first. My son does not drink milk powder at every meal.”
“Everyone knows my situation. I am raising the child alone now and still have to make a living. How could I have such conditions?”
“I bring the milk powder to the nursery because I do not want to trouble the nursery attendants. One rinse and one mix, and it can be fed straight to the child. At home, I always give him rice gruel.”
“That makes sense.”
“She’s right.”
The leaders looked at one another and nodded one after another.
“Comrade Shu Yao, I have a question.”
The Women’s director spoke,
“Since your circumstances are so difficult, why not buy milk substitute powder?”
“The state provides families with children a certain amount of milk substitute powder coupons every month, but obtaining milk powder coupons is entirely a matter of luck.”
“The leader once said that children must be well cared for, for children are the hope of the motherland.”
“I simply thought that even if the adults had to suffer a little, the children could not be made to suffer.”
“My Grandfather is in the Military Unit, where milk powder coupons are distributed. He saved those coupons and gave them to me,”
“If I had no milk powder coupons, I naturally would have bought milk substitute powder.”
In this era, soldiers were still highly respected. Moreover, the leaders examined Shu Yao,
At Comrade Shu Yao’s age, her Grandfather must not be young anymore. If he could still remain in the Military Unit, his position must certainly be quite high. Exchanging for a few milk powder coupons should still be possible.
When Zhu Hong saw the leaders’ attitude, she immediately panicked,
“This brat has the blood of capitalists flowing through his veins. He…”
“Enough!”
Before Shu Yao could fire back, Wu Xiuling slammed the table first,
“Comrade Shu Yao has consciousness. Didn’t you see the wall newspaper made by the propaganda section before?”
“Comrade Shu Yao placed the child in the factory precisely so that he could grow up surrounded by the working class and be influenced by the working class.”
“When it comes to capitalists, capitalist roaders, and the Stinking Ninth Category, don’t we focus on education and reform?”
“Even if you wanted to educate this little baby, you should wait until he grows up and can understand speech. What are you doing now?”
“In my view, the person whose thinking is problematic now is you!”
After Wu Xiuling finished speaking, she angrily slammed the table again.
Zhu Hong shrank back in fright.
“I think Comrade Shu Yao has been completely framed in this matter. Certain comrades are recklessly putting labels on other people!”
After Wu Xiuling finished speaking, Guo Fumin also spoke,
“Is giving a child milk powder capitalism? The leader said that without investigation, there is no right to speak. Section Chief Wu is absolutely right. Comrade Zhu Hong’s study of the Red Book is not thorough enough!”
Drinking milk powder was capitalism? The factory’s leaders firmly refused to acknowledge that. Whose child had never drunk milk powder?
The Food Factory was a large factory with excellent welfare benefits. Among the ration coupons distributed by the leaders were milk powder coupons. In addition, their Salaries were high, so preparing a bowl of milk powder for their children every day was no problem at all.
“Factory director Guo is right.”
“I agree with the factory director.”
The leaders voiced their agreement one after another.