The journey to the commune was long. Even the Brigade leader's household in the Production Team didn't own a bicycle. Those who needed to go to the commune had to depart in the morning; if they left in the afternoon, they would have to return traveling through the night.
Therefore, team members seldom went to the commune. Even for shopping, they usually asked others for help.
This time, someone from the Educated Youth Spot had asked her to bring back some items from the Supply and Marketing Cooperative.
It was already noon by the time they finally reached the commune. Grandpa Yan, who was driving the ox cart, parked it under a tree. "We return at three o'clock. Don't be late," he said.
Song Xiu Jun wasn't in a hurry to pick up her parcel. Instead, she headed straight to the State-run restaurant, where she ordered ten meat buns and a bowl of shredded pork noodles.
She finished the noodles in one go and ate two of the meat buns. The rest she wrapped in oiled paper and placed into her backpack.
True to its reputation as a State-run restaurant, the flavors were robust, and the meat buns had thin skins and generous fillings.
After eating, she strolled contentedly to the Supply and Marketing Cooperative. There, she bought half a kilogram of Caozi Cake, a can of yellow peaches, and the items she had promised to bring for others, all of which she packed into her backpack.
Seeing that it was still early before three o'clock, she went to the waste recycling station, purchased a stack of old newspapers, and picked out a few comic books to take with her before finally heading to the post office.
The parcel was quite large. When Song Xiu Jun checked the sender's name, she didn't recognize it at all!
After thinking hard for a long time, she finally recalled from the original owner's memories that the name seemed to belong to the original owner's maternal grandmother.
It turned out to be a parcel from the Li family. How unusual.
Still, she wasn't about to complain about something that came for free. She simply hoisted it up and left.
Someone had already returned to the ox cart ahead of her. "Little Song Zhiqing, such a big parcel! Your family must really care for you," they remarked.
Rumors had spread within the team that Little Song Zhiqing's family was wealthy, and this seemed to confirm it. The fact that they had built a tiled-roof house for their daughter in the countryside spoke volumes about their means.
Everyone looked on with envy.
Song Xiu Jun merely smiled without responding. On the way back, she fell asleep leaning against the parcel and was only woken up by Grandpa Yan, the driver, when they reached the entrance of the Educated Youth Spot.
"You girl, how can you sleep so soundly on such a bumpy road? Hurry up and get down," he said, having made a point of dropping her off right at the door, worried she might not be able to carry the parcel.
Wang Damei, hearing the commotion, pushed open the courtyard gate and greeted her with a smile. "Little Song, you're back! Oh, such a big parcel! Let me help you carry it."
Once the ox cart had moved away, she whispered, "I've already prepared the vegetable plot for you. Take a look and see if it's alright. I've also planted the vegetable seeds."
Song Xiu Jun went to the backyard to check. Although she knew little about farming, she could see that the soil had been turned deeply, the clods broken up, and the ground watered. It was clear that Wang Danniang had put effort into it. Without hesitation, Song Xiu Jun handed her one yuan.
Wang Damei's eyes crinkled with delight. "Little Song, you're so straightforward and open. I really enjoy dealing with someone like you. If you need anything in the future, just come to me."
With that, she shouldered her hoe and headed home.
Song Xiu Jun didn't rush to wash up. Instead, she went straight to her room to open the parcel. Inside, she found a thick cotton quilt, a new cotton-padded jacket, a bright red wool sweater, a cotton hat, a bag of White Rabbit Candy, and a jar of Snowflake Cream.
There was also a letter, handwritten by Mother Li. In it, she expressed concern about Song Xiu Jun's life in the countryside, asked if she needed anything, and mentioned that the Li family had been reinstated to their jobs and their house returned. If she lacked anything in the countryside, she could write to the Li family's original address for help.
Mother Li's handwriting was delicate and elegant. From the original owner's memories, Song Xiu Jun recalled that both Father Li and Mother Li had doted on her deeply.
But she wasn't the original owner of this body and held no affection for the Li family, so naturally she wouldn't cling to this familial bond. She also feared that the original owner's relatives might detect she wasn't the real "Song Xiu Jun," so she wouldn't ask the Li family for anything.
Though initially inclined to accept the parcel without qualms, after long deliberation, she decided to return it. She had no plans to go back to the city, so she didn't want to owe anyone anything.
Li Qiu Ying was a muddle-headed person. If things weren't clarified now, it might lead to trouble later.
She locked the items in the kang cabinet and began preparing dinner.
Late at night, Song Xiu Jun opened her eyes, took out an alarm clock from her space to check the time, then got up and dressed.
She tucked a firewood knife into the back of her waist—the same one she had used to kill the wild boar, now sharpened to a finer edge. She quietly locked her door but, worried someone might notice it was locked from the outside if they got up to use the outhouse, chose to climb over the wall instead.
The Educated Youth Spot was relatively remote, with few households nearby. However, two families had courtyard walls so low that one could see everything inside without even standing on tiptoe.
Song Xiu Jun felt both nervous and faintly excited. Her previous midnight trip to the mountains had been so thrilling that just recalling it made her adrenaline surge.
She moved cautiously along the wall.
"Creak—"
A door opening cut sharply through the silent night. It seemed she wasn't the only one active at this hour.
Was nightlife in Xianghong Brigade this lively?
She froze, not daring to move another inch, and hid in the shadows. Dressed in black, she was nearly invisible unless someone looked closely.
"Brother Zhao."
Song Xiu Jun turned her head toward the sound, straining her ears. It was Zhao Shuwen again, and this time he hadn't changed his female companion. Curious, she shifted her position, trying to hear more clearly.
"Pandi, what brings you to me so late?"
After a few careful moves, Song Xiu Jun found an ideal spot for eavesdropping.
"Brother Zhao, this is to repay the money you lent. Last time, my mother took five fen from you."
"Pandi, that money was for buying steamed buns. I can't take it back."
Yan Pandi's voice grew agitated: "Brother Zhao, do you dislike me now? Is that why you want to settle accounts so clearly?"
"Aren't we… friends?"
Good grief, with voices that loud, were they trying to wake up all the other Educated Youth? Song Xiu Jun broke into a sweat on their behalf.
"No, we are friends. I'm just worried your mother might beat you again. Losing five fen doesn't matter to me—what matters is your safety. Where did you get this money?"
Yan Pandi's voice trembled with tears: "I stole it from my mother's room. It was never rightfully hers to begin with. I'm not afraid of her beating me; I've grown used to it since childhood. But I'm terrified of losing you as a friend, Brother Zhao. You're the first person who's ever cared about me like this. I can't just stand by and watch you suffer a loss."
"Besides, you have it hard too. Your family didn't support you when you came to the countryside—they even wrote asking you to send them grain. They're so unfair, not considering your difficulties at all."
"So please take back these five fen. I can't accept them. Those steamed buns were tuition for you teaching me to read, remember? You said knowledge is priceless. If I took the money, what would that make me?"
Zhao Shuwen let out a long sigh: "Alright… If you ever need anything, you can come to the Educated Youth Spot to find me for help. I won't refuse anything I can assist with. I'm accepting the money only so you won't feel uncomfortable."
"Brother Zhao…" Yan Pandi began weeping softly.
"Pandi, you should head back quickly. If your mother happens to wake up and finds you not in the room, she'll give you trouble. Should I walk you home?"
"No need, Brother Zhao. I grew up in Xianghong Brigade since childhood—I know these paths well. You should go inside now. Sorry for disturbing your sleep."
"Alright then, but it's no disturbance. We're friends, after all."
They waved goodbye. Only after Song Xiujun heard the sound of the door being bolted did she emerge from the shadows, catching a glimpse of Yan Pandi's figure jogging into the distance.
She turned and hurried swiftly in the opposite direction.
Foot of the mountain.
"She's here, she's here, Anzi Ge!"
As Song Xiujun approached, she heard movement. Yan Xiang'an rose from the ground, accompanied by another comrade.
"This is Yan Xiaomi, and this is Educated Youth Song Xiujun," he briefly introduced them before leading the way up the mountain.
The people of Xianghong Brigade knew these mountain paths intimately. As long as they didn't venture deep into the wilderness, there was no fear of getting lost.
Song Xiujun pulled a flashlight from her backpack and tossed it to Yan Xiang'an.
"Not bad, Xiujun Meizi! You even have such a rare item," he exclaimed, examining it with fascination. "Don't worry, I won't lead us into any ditches."
"Anzi Ge, this flashlight is so bright! Much brighter than an oil lamp. I heard city folks all use electric lights now," Yan Xiaomi marveled, reaching out to touch it twice.
"Why are you late?"
The three chatted casually while ascending the mountain.
Song Xiujun briefly recounted what had happened: "I just ran into Yan Pandi and Educated Youth Zhao again. They went through quite the push-and-pull, and those five cents ended up back with Educated Youth Zhao."
"See? What did I tell you? That Educated Youth Zhao never intended to keep the money," Yan Xiang'an declared with a triumphant grin, flashing his teeth at Yan Xiaomi.
"Anzi Ge is so clever!" Yan Xiaomi praised admiringly.