It took nearly two hours for the truck to arrive. If they had used any other means of transportation, it was hard to imagine how long the journey would have taken.
The village was larger than expected, with a mix of adobe houses and brick-tiled buildings. Along the dirt roads were piles of firewood and livestock manure.
Hearing the sound of the truck, many villagers gathered around—men and women, young and old, all dressed in patched clothing. Their gazes held curiosity, scrutiny, and indifference.
“We’re here, everyone off the truck.”
Wang Dashan jumped down from the truck, clapped his hands, and called out.
After they had all disembarked with their belongings, Wang Dashan began introducing himself.
“First, welcome to the Hongqi Production Brigade. I’m Wang Dashan, the brigade leader. If you have any problems in the future, you can come to me. From now on, this will be the place where you receive re-education from the poor and lower-middle peasants.”
The educated youths, standing in a row, looked at the stern brigade leader and the silent villagers watching them, feeling somewhat awkward and uneasy.
Wang Dashan began by giving them a speech, talking about “taking root in the countryside,” “learning with an open mind,” and “working hard.”
Then his tone turned stern: “The Hongqi Production Brigade doesn’t support idlers. Whether you’re a mule or a horse, you’ll have to prove your worth. Work points won’t be handed out carelessly—you’ll earn what you eat! If anyone tries to slack off, I, Wang Dashan, won’t go easy on them!”
His words were blunt, even somewhat crude, and they poured like a bucket of cold water over the educated youths who were still immersed in romantic fantasies of “building the countryside.”
Next came the assignment of temporary accommodations. The educated youth dormitory was a converted old warehouse with a large communal sleeping area, simply partitioned with wooden boards to separate the men’s and women’s quarters.
The conditions were even more rudimentary than they had imagined.
“The conditions are tough, but everyone must endure them!” Wang Dashan pointed at the building and said, “Get settled first. Starting tomorrow, you’ll follow the commune members to work and familiarize yourselves with farm labor.”
Looking at the dark, damp communal sleeping area filled with the smell of mold and dust, many of the female educated youths turned pale.
Jiang Muxue’s eyes flickered, and she was the first to step forward, wearing a determined smile on her face.
“Don’t worry, Brigade Leader. We came here to endure hardships and train ourselves! These difficulties are nothing!”
“Comrades, let’s clean up together. From now on, this will be our new home.”
With that, she rolled up her sleeves, walked to a corner, picked up a broom, and began cleaning with swift efficiency.
Her actions immediately earned an approving look from Wang Dashan and nods from some of the villagers.
Shen Qingyu was in no hurry to make a show of herself. Instead, she surveyed the surroundings and glanced at the other educated youths from relatively well-off families who looked troubled (including Mu Yue, Lu Ye, and others), already forming a plan in her mind.
After Jiang Muxue had motivated a few others to start cleaning and Wang Dashan was about to leave, Shen Qingyu stepped forward, her voice clear and tone calm.
“Brigade Leader, there’s something I’d like to discuss with you.”
Wang Dashan stopped and looked at this female educated youth who had spoken little along the way but seemed steady and reliable.
“Go ahead.”
“Brigade Leader, I’ve been frail since childhood and need to take medicine regularly for my health.”
As she spoke, Shen Qingyu allowed a hint of shame and helplessness to show on her face.
“I have trouble sleeping at night and wake easily at the slightest noise. I’m afraid if I stay in the communal dormitory and don’t rest well, it will affect my work during the day. That would delay the team’s production and also disturb other comrades’ rest.”
Her tone was sincere, her reasons well-founded, and she considered the collective at every turn.
Jiang Muxue slowed her movements as she wiped the table, her ears perking up.
Wang Dashan frowned and looked at her. “Then what do you want to do? The team only has these conditions.”
“Team Leader, I noticed there are some vacant old houses in the village.”
Shen Qingyu spoke unhurriedly.
“I want to use my own money to rent or buy one of the houses, fix it up a bit, and live there myself.”
“I’ll pay the land and material fees to the team according to the rules, absolutely not taking advantage of the collective.”
“This way, I won’t burden the collective, and I can have a quiet environment to recover my health and better devote myself to labor.”
Build her own house and live separately?
Not only was Wang Dashan stunned by these words, but all the educated youths and villagers were also stunned.
In this era that emphasized collectivism and opposed special treatment, this idea was simply too bold.
Jiang Muxue was the first to react, feeling a secret delight in her heart. Shen Qingyu was indeed as brainless as in her previous life.
However, on the surface, she looked disapprovingly at Shen Qingyu, put down her broom, and walked over. “Comrade Shen, this… this isn’t very appropriate, is it? We educated youths are a collective and should share both hardships and comforts. If you live separately, wouldn’t that be creating special treatment? How bad would the impact be?”
Standing on the moral high ground, she pretended to be deeply concerned, immediately drawing agreement from several other educated youths.
“Yes, Comrade Shen, we should overcome difficult conditions together.”
“If you live separately, how will others view us educated youths?”
Shen Qingyu had long anticipated opposition, especially from Jiang Muxue, who wouldn’t miss such an opportunity.
She looked at Team Leader Wang Dashan, her gaze clear and frank. “Team Leader, I absolutely don’t want to create special treatment. It’s precisely because I’m considering the collective that I proposed this idea.”
“If I become a burden to the collective due to my health, that would truly be holding everyone back. I’ll solve my housing problem myself, at my own expense. I’ll even increase the team’s income. That shouldn’t count as taking advantage of the collective, right? As for the impact…”
She paused, her gaze sweeping over Jiang Muxue and the others. “I believe comrades with progressive thinking can understand that this is to solve practical difficulties and work better. If someone doesn’t understand, perhaps their ideological awareness isn’t high enough and needs further study.”
Wang Dashan frowned, his expression softening slightly, but his tone remained somewhat harsh. “Then what do you suggest? The team only has these conditions.”
Shen Qingyu didn’t mind, her tone as clear and calm as ever.
“The Team Leader just said there are vacant old houses in the team.”
This cleverly turned the label of “creating special treatment” into “solving practical difficulties, benefiting production.”
It also elevated “not understanding” to a matter of “ideological awareness.”
Wang Dashan stroked his chin and pondered. The team did indeed have several dilapidated, unused houses that had been vacant for many years. Repairing them would cost money.
If this female educated youth was willing to spend her own money to buy the land and materials for repairs, it would save the team a lot of trouble.
Moreover, it would also bring in some income. As for “seeking special treatment?”—she made a valid point. If someone with poor health forces themselves to push through and something really happens, that would only cause trouble for them and even delay matters.
Besides, she had a good attitude and was willing to pay according to the rules. No matter how you look at it, this only brings benefits.
“Are you really willing to cover all the expenses yourself? Without causing any trouble for the team?”