Just as she reached her doorstep, Song Xiu Jun happened to meet Zhang Ruolan and Song Yun coming out together. Seeing the basins in their hands, she knew they were also going to do laundry.
"Hey, don't go to the riverbank just yet."
Zhang Ruolan approached curiously, "What's wrong with the riverbank?"
"Educated Youth Zhao is reciting poetry there!" Song Xiu Jun covered her mouth, unable to suppress her laughter.
Song Yun exclaimed in surprise, "Why does he go to the riverbank to recite poetry every day?"
Zhang Ruolan curled her lip, "Showing off his education, I suppose. Doesn't he care what people…"
Before she could finish, Song Yun covered her mouth, "Xiao Lan, watch your words."
Zhang Ruolan scratched her head, "Should we still do our laundry then?"
Song Yun glanced at the sky, "He should return to the Educated Youth Spot soon. It's getting dark—he'll have to walk some girl home."
Song Xiu Jun burst out laughing again, "What? Is he trying to avoid the trouble of walking girls home?"
"Shh," Song Yun, the big sister of the Educated Youth Spot, was always more observant than the others.
Song Xiu Jun invited them into her courtyard to chat. She brought out three stools and handed them a handful of sunflower seeds.
"Yun-jie, I heard someone proposed a match for Wang Guifang the other day?"
As soon as Zhang Ruolan sat down, she eagerly sought gossip.
Song Xiu Jun pricked up her ears.
"Yes, Guifang is hardworking and earns plenty of work points every day. Someone in our team wanted to match her with their young man."
"How did Wang Guifang react?"
"She refused on the spot," Song Yun said. "Guifang still wants to return to the city and isn't planning to marry in the countryside."
Zhang Ruolan sighed dejectedly, "Will we ever get back to the city?" Her family circumstances were average, with no connections to help her find a new job. Still, her parents cared for her, sending her to the countryside with some supplies and periodically mailing money and goods so she wouldn't suffer too much.
Song Xiu Jun, who knew how the future would unfold, said meaningfully, "I believe we will. Times are always changing."
Footsteps sounded outside the courtyard. Song Yun brushed sunflower seed shells from her hands, "Comrade Zhao is back. Let's hurry and do our laundry while there's still some light left."
The three of them carried their basins to the riverbank, quickly scrubbed their clothes, and hurried back.
Before they even reached the Educated Youth Spot, they saw a crowd gathered at the entrance from afar.
"What's going on?" Song Yun quickened her pace.
"Make way, everyone," Song Xiu Jun and the others followed Song Yun as they squeezed into the courtyard.
They saw a woman around forty years old hitting someone—the very girl named Yan Pandi whom she had seen earlier at the riverbank.
"You ungrateful wretch! How dare you steal food from home to give to outsiders? I'll beat you to death, you useless thing! Our own family doesn't have enough to eat, and you're giving food to strangers!"
"Shameless! Looking for a man, are you? Tomorrow I'll find a matchmaker to arrange a marriage for you. The sooner you're married off, the sooner we save food at home, so you won't steal it for outsiders!"
"Your own brother doesn't have enough to eat, and you're helping outsiders instead!"
Yan Pandi dodged skillfully.
Zhao Shuwen's face turned dark with anger, "Old woman, please stop hitting people at the Educated Youth Spot. Comrade Yan is a person—show her some respect. If you continue like this, I'll report you to the commune for child abuse."
"Bah! I'll report you to the commune for seducing my daughter!"
"You're slandering Comrade Yan and me. Defamation is also against the law."
"You can't intimidate me. I may be illiterate, but I know my limits. What decent person would eat someone else's food without paying?"
"I didn't eat Comrade Yan's food without payment. I said before that I would pay her, but I only had large bills at the time," Zhao Shuwen said seriously. Then he walked over to the other male educated youths and took out one yuan. "Does anyone have change to exchange with me?"
Several male educated youths pooled their change to break the bill. Zhao Shuwen pressed five fen into Yan Pandi's mother's hand.
"Old woman, I told you I wouldn't take things for free. Your earlier words were insulting me. I, Zhao Shuwen, am not someone who takes advantage of others. Please apologize to me – you've damaged my dignity. If you don't apologize, I won't let this matter rest easily."
The brigade leader squeezed through the crowd: "Zhou Erhua, what trouble are you causing at the Educated Youth Spot!"
"Hurry up and apologize to Educated Youth Zhao!"
Zhou Erhua looked at the money in her hand and reluctantly said: "I'm sorry."
"Please apologize to your daughter too. She's not your property – you can't just hit and scold her as you please. Domestic violence is also illegal. If you continue like this, I'll definitely report you to the commune. One should be reasonable!" Zhao Shuwen continued.
Zhou Erhua couldn't believe it: "This is my family matter! You're overstepping!"
"Since you're hitting your child at our Educated Youth Spot, we can't just stand by and watch."
Yan Pandi was moved to tears.
"Want me to apologize to her? She can be my mother in the next life before that happens!" Zhou Erhua said stubbornly. She glared fiercely at Yan Pandi and walked toward the courtyard gate. "Let's go home!"
Zhao Shuwen still wanted to continue arguing with her.
Yan Pandi quickly stopped him, too ashamed to look at his face: "Brother Zhao… Educated Youth Zhao, I've caused you trouble today. I'm sorry for embarrassing you."
Zhao Shuwen shook his head: "Comrade Yan, this isn't your fault. I know there are no wrong parents in this world, and it's right to be filial to parents, but we shouldn't practice blind filial piety. If parents do something wrong, we should bravely point it out."
Yan Pandi shook her head: "Educated Youth Zhao, thank you, thank you." She was in agony, ashamed to have such a mother. Educated Youth Zhao's parents must be very reasonable people, and the Zhao family atmosphere must be very loving.
She couldn't help but feel envious.
If only she could marry Educated Youth Zhao – having a husband who stood up for her like that would surely bring great happiness.
And having reasonable parents-in-law…
She must return those five fen to Brother Zhao. Yan Pandi clenched her fists, took a deep look at Zhao Shuwen, and secretly made up her mind.
Song Xiu Jun stood in the corner with a wooden basin at her feet, watching with great interest while cracking melon seeds. She thought to herself that this Zhao Shuwen was quite a character – to remain so calm when someone caused trouble at his doorstep.
Only after Yan Pandi left did she clap her hands, pick up the basin, and leave.
Wang Damei, who had been watching the excitement from the crowd, followed her into the courtyard: "Little Song, I'll come help you with cooking tomorrow, and the day after to help you with the vegetable plot."
As she spoke, she casually helped Song Xiu Jun hang the laundry.
Song Xiu Jun handed her a handful of melon seeds: "Thank you, old woman."
"Don't be so polite," Wang Damei said with a smile, smelling the melon seeds in her hand and praising, "Your melon seeds are very fragrant. I haven't seen this kind at the commune."
Song Xiu Jun evaded: "Yes, I love eating melon seeds. I brought these from Shanghai."
"No wonder it's a big city—even the sunflower seeds are more fragrant than in our small town."
After chatting for a while, Wang Damei pocketed the sunflower seeds and headed home. The next day, she left work two hours early and hurried to Song Xiu Jun's courtyard.
Zhang Ruolan had also requested two hours off to come and help.
The three of them worked together to set up the borrowed tables, chairs, bowls, and chopsticks. By noon, the Production Team cadres and Educated Youth had gathered for the housewarming feast.
The Educated Youth each gave a red envelope, while the Production Team cadres, in addition to red envelopes, brought some local specialties from home—dried mushrooms, homemade Suancai, and the like.
Song Xiu Jun brewed a pot of sweetened water but did not prepare any alcohol.
The dishes were plentiful: braised pork, stewed chicken, and Tofu bought from the village.
"Thank you all for your recent help. I'll use water in place of wine," Song Xiu Jun expressed her gratitude.
The Brigade leader and others were very courteous. After the lively housewarming feast, the Educated Youth helped tidy up before everyone dispersed.
The next day, Song Xiu Jun took a day off and rode the Production Team's ox cart to the commune.
She still had a package to collect from the post office.