Bin City was blanketed in snow that had fallen all night long.
The next day, the entire city was covered in a pristine white coat, appearing exceptionally enchanting under the silver adornment.
Children were overjoyed, rushing into the snow to play and frolic.
Adults had much more to worry about—sorting through cabbages, tidying up stoves, and shoveling snow to clear the paths.
In this era, people had high awareness; not only did they sweep the snow in front of their own doors, but most also voluntarily joined street-clearing teams. Of course, this was also a requirement from various work units.
The troops stationed in Bin City and the cadets from the military academy were the main force in clearing the major streets. Singing military songs, they worked with fervor and excitement, drawing many excited children to watch and imitate them, filled with pride.
Among the team, one person worked with particular vigor—Zhai Qingping. He was eager to finish the snow-clearing task quickly so he could request leave from his superiors and find the Feng family’s address before nightfall.
At the hospital, Zhou Jinshan was secretly undergoing rehabilitation. As for Lu Xiangqian, he had been goaded into street sweeping early in the morning and naturally had no time to report to the political commissar.
Feng Mingshu was also clearing snow. After breakfast, she left her twin younger siblings to play in the yard while she and her mother joined the neighborhood committee’s street-clearing team.
During the labor, Feng Mingshu took the initiative to approach Director Zhu Cuifen of the neighborhood committee to inquire about going to the countryside.
Director Zhu was in her fifties. Though her sons had already given her grandchildren, she remained full of drive, striving for progress and hoping for a promotion before retirement.
What was the most progressive endeavor at this time?
Naturally, it was mobilizing educated youth from the neighborhood to join volunteer reclamation teams in the countryside. This not only alleviated urban employment pressure but also increased grain production—a win-win situation. The neighborhood with more young volunteers would gain prestige, and its leaders might even be promoted.
In the past, when Director Zhu tried to mobilize the neighbors, everyone avoided her like the plague.
Now, with the Feng family’s eldest daughter actively inquiring about going to the countryside, Director Zhu, who had been sweeping snow all morning, suddenly felt no more aches in her back or legs. She tossed her broom aside, pulled Feng Mingshu to a cleared patch of ground, and prepared to launch into a detailed explanation.
This scene caught the attention of others, and one envious onlooker called out sarcastically, “Director Zhu, we won’t say anything if you want to rest after working all morning, but don’t drag Feng’s girl into slacking off with you. Isn’t this blatant favoritism?”
People have always been less concerned with scarcity than with inequality. These words struck a chord with many neighbors, and their enthusiasm for snow clearing waned.
Hearing this, Director Zhu looked over and saw that the instigator was the neighborhood’s notoriously sharp-tongued Old Lady Li. She snorted dismissively and said, “Feng’s girl came to ask me about going to the countryside. If your grandchildren are willing to listen to me talk about it, they can rest now too. Even you, Old Lady Li, can take advantage and rest over there.”
At these words, Old Lady Li’s grandchildren shot their grandmother dissatisfied looks, then grabbed their brooms and scurried far away, working diligently and sending snow flying in all directions.
After all, going to the countryside was out of the question—even hearing one more word about it made their hearts race.
Most of the other young people in the neighborhood felt the same way. Wasn’t it better to stay in the city and enjoy rationed grain than to toil under the sun and face the dirt in the countryside?
As the young people scattered, those who remained also kept their distance from Old Lady Li.Old Lady Li had been publicly shamed, but she still stubbornly muttered to save face: “Who knows if the Feng family is genuinely inquiring or just pretending? Maybe they’re using it as an excuse to slack off. Capitalists are experts at laziness and exploiting the people.”
After the Feng family established themselves, they had always been amiable with their neighbors. In the past, when the Feng family’s businesses were still operating, many neighbors relied on them for livelihood—some worked in their factories, while others served as domestic helpers in the Feng household.
Later, during the public-private partnership period, the Feng family withdrew from business management. As the lady of the house, Yu Jingqiu dismissed most of the help, keeping only Wang Ma. However, every neighbor who had worked for the Feng family received an extra month’s wages as severance.
Thus, few neighbors spoke ill of the Feng family, except for Old Lady Li and her household.
It was said that in the past, Old Lady Li had wanted to become the wet nurse for the Feng family’s young master (Feng Mingshu’s biological father) but was rejected due to her poor milk supply.
Old Lady Li had held a grudge ever since, inciting her children and grandchildren to oppose the Feng family. Although they never gained any advantage from it, she continued to take pleasure in doing so.
Feng Mingshu knew that gossip could be fearsome, especially in this particular era when words could even kill. She naturally couldn’t allow Old Lady Li to tarnish her family’s reputation and retorted: “When it comes to origins, whose ancestors haven’t been prosperous? Otherwise, their bloodlines wouldn’t have continued to this day.”
This was undeniably true, and the neighbors nodded in agreement. Discussing their ancestors’ glory was a topic that could last for three days and nights.
Having laid the groundwork, Feng Mingshu continued: “My family’s prosperity was just more recent. Moreover, the great leader has said that capitalists are members of the masses who can be reformed. Old Lady Li, by saying what you just did, are you opposing the great leader?”
In this era, who would dare oppose the great leader?
Old Lady Li was so frightened her face turned pale: “Who’s opposing the great leader? I’m not! You sharp-tongued little brat, all you know how to do is label people! You’re no good!”
Feng Mingshu: “Whether I’m good or not isn’t for you to judge. Our neighbors have sharp eyes and can naturally distinguish who is good and who is bad.”
The neighbors loved hearing this and chimed in agreement: “That’s right, the Feng family’s eldest daughter is good—sensible, kind-hearted, and excellent in her studies. She’s tutored many of our grandchildren with their homework. Not only does she not charge money, but she even gives them candy. Their studies have improved significantly, and their final exam results have jumped by a large margin.”
“My boy is the same—usually quite mischievous, but he loves reading and drawing with the Feng family’s eldest daughter.”
…
Amid all this praise, Feng Mingshu felt somewhat embarrassed. The children were willing to follow her because she was generous, often handing out candy to coax them into playing and studying with her younger siblings. She didn’t want her own lonely childhood to be repeated for her brother and sister.
Of course, she never gave candy to the Li family children. She wasn’t a saint and wouldn’t return good for evil.
This infuriated Old Lady Li: “You shallow people, letting a few pieces of candy buy you off!”
“Hey, if your family isn’t shallow, then who’s the thief stealing the persimmons from my doorstep every autumn?” a neighbor mocked and questioned.
Old Lady Li’s eyes flickered with guilt, but she stubbornly insisted: “Who knows who stole them? Certainly not my family!”
“I know you won’t admit it. Next time I catch the persimmon thief, I’ll break their legs with a stick!” the neighbor threatened fiercely, then addressed the crowd: “Since everyone’s here today, please bear witness for me. When I break that thief’s legs next year, don’t say I didn’t warn them in advance.”Everyone loved a lively scene and agreed in unison, their booming voices startling Old Lady Li into hopping with frustration. Unable to argue against so many chattering mouths, she eventually picked up her broom and slunk away.
This was a rare defeat for the troublemaking Old Lady Li, and Director Zhu could naturally tell that such an outcome had been deliberately steered by the Feng family’s eldest daughter.
She was a clever girl.
Appreciatively, Director Zhu took Feng Mingshu’s hand: “Mingshu, with your skills, you’ll go far in the reclamation team. Come, let Auntie have a detailed chat with you.”