Gu Wan deliberately used makeup to make her complexion look like Li Mingyue’s—dark with patches of paleness, and pale with hints of darkness. She also styled her hair like Li Mingyue’s, sweeping it to one side and braiding it into a long plait.
Li Mingyue had inherited Li Fu-gui’s face shape, making her look somewhat similar to Gu Wan. Although their eyes and brows were different, having the same hairstyle and roughly the same complexion would create a stronger visual association, while people were less likely to remember their individual facial features clearly.
Imitating Li Mingyue’s mannerisms, Gu Wan walked into the educated-youth office.
“Comrade, I’d like to volunteer to go to the countryside. What procedures do I need to complete?”
The staff member responsible for reception was already frantic because the quota hadn’t been filled. They had held one mobilization meeting after another, yet hardly anyone was volunteering. This couldn’t go on.
Then he suddenly heard someone volunteering to go to the countryside.
What an enlightened young comrade! What a wonderful young person!
The staff member immediately greeted her enthusiastically. Looking up, he saw a thin, dark-complexioned, delicate-looking young woman.
“Did you bring your household registration booklet? What’s your name?”
Gu Wan immediately took out the household registration booklet Liu Jihong had given her, pointed to Li Mingyue’s name, and then handed over the application Li Mingyue had written.
Li Mingyue had spent the entire previous night writing only a few words stating that she volunteered. She hadn’t even clearly written what she was applying for, though she had remembered to sign her name.
Now it was perfectly sufficient as proof that she had voluntarily applied to go to the countryside.
The staff member glanced at the application. The handwriting was full of missing strokes and poorly formed characters. He then looked at the thin young woman standing before him and sighed inwardly.
The girl isn’t bad-looking, but that handwriting… Sigh.
He found Li Mingyue’s name on the list and immediately checked it off, then collected Li Mingyue’s application.
Her handwriting isn’t very good, but she’s quite thorough. She brought everything she needed in advance, saving them the trouble of having her fill everything out on the spot.
Since they followed the principle of voluntary participation, and she had come forward on her own, they might as well let her choose her destination.
“Where are you planning to go? Have you decided?”
“I heard that the subsidies are different depending on the destination. Which place offers the highest subsidy?”
The staff member frowned slightly when he heard this.
“You need to know your own limits. Usually, the places with the highest subsidies are also the most difficult.”
Gu Wan nodded.
“I know. But I want to leave more money for my parents and younger brother so they can have a better life.”
The staff member looked at Gu Wan sympathetically.
Another foolish girl poisoned by the idea of favoring sons over daughters.
“You’re already going to have a hard time in the countryside yourself. And you still want to leave your money for your family?”
“They’re my family. I can’t bear the thought of them suffering after I leave, so I want to leave as much money for them as possible.”
The staff member looked at Gu Wan with an expression of frustration, as though she simply couldn’t be taught. But there was nothing he could do. It was her own decision, after all.
He flipped through the subsidy list.
“The highest subsidy is for the Northwest Ranch. It’s extremely remote. Even the nearest settlement is dozens of kilometers away. In winter, temperatures often drop to minus forty or fifty degrees Celsius. The conditions are extremely harsh. Do you still want to go?”
“Good. If that’s where the subsidy is highest, then that’s where I’ll go.”
Of course she was going there!
The more remote and difficult the place, the better!
Li Mingyue, you’d better enjoy this grand gift I’ve prepared for you!
The staff member looked helplessly at the delicate young woman before him.
Poor girl. She really doesn’t seem to have much sense, always thinking about others.
Forget it. It was her own decision.
He immediately registered Li Mingyue as an educated youth going to the far northwest to work at a ranch, where she would herd sheep and horses.
“Here’s your relocation subsidy. It’s a total of 298.5 yuan, along with thirty pounds of national grain coupons, twenty pounds of local grain coupons, and ten pounds of meat coupons. Keep them safe. And don’t give everything to your family. You should keep some for yourself. Otherwise, once you get there without money or coupons, what will you eat?”
The staff member patiently advised her.
Gu Wan obediently nodded and casually stored the money and coupons in her space.
“Oh, one more thing. Since you volunteered, you can choose which group you’ll leave with.”
“When is the soonest group leaving?”
“The day after tomorrow!”
“Then I’ll leave the day after tomorrow. I’m a little impatient to see the vast Northwest ranches. I’m looking forward to experiencing the feeling of galloping freely across the grasslands.”
The staff member slowly shook his head as he looked at Gu Wan.
Everyone has to take responsibility for their own choices. I’ve already warned her. Reality will have to wake this dreamer up.
“I’ve put you on the list for departure the day after tomorrow. We’ll deliver your departure notice tomorrow. You must arrive at the designated location ahead of time. If you’re late or fail to show up, we’ll send people to enforce the order. Don’t make trouble for yourself!”
Gu Wan hurriedly made a request.
“Could you deliver it before dinner tomorrow? I need to say goodbye to my girlfriends during the day, and I won’t be home until before dinner. I don’t want to miss the great moment when I receive my assignment notice! I want to see my family’s proud expressions as soon as possible!”
The staff member was somewhat moved.
What a devoted family!
“Sure, no problem. We’ll send someone to deliver the notice at that time.”
Gu Wan secretly laughed to herself.
She couldn’t wait to see their expressions.
Li Mingyue, enjoy the feeling of being forcibly sent away!
After leaving the educated-youth office, Gu Wan immediately headed to the agricultural supply store.
The poultry and livestock were running wild inside her space and had nearly turned the place upside down. She absolutely had to confine them to designated areas.
Besides all kinds of farm tools—shovels, hoes, picks, and so on—the agricultural supply store also sold things like watering cans, buckets, and water ladles.
Since they were all useful for farming, Gu Wan bought them all.
Gu Wan asked the sales clerk whether they sold small chicken pens, something that could be used to keep chickens, ducks, and geese enclosed.
The clerk shook his head.
Unwilling to give up, Gu Wan continued asking.
“Do you sell cattle sheds, sheep sheds, or pigpens?”
The clerk shook his head again.
Gu Wan was puzzled.
Were all the livestock and poultry in this era raised free-range?
The clerk explained,
“Cattle and sheep are usually taken out to graze during the day and brought back into sheds at night. You can just buy some lumber and build a shed yourself.”
“As for pigpens, they’re usually cement enclosures. As long as they’re high enough that the pigs can’t jump out, that’s fine. Chickens, ducks, and geese are usually kept inside a simple fence. You just need to keep them from wandering around. We don’t sell prefabricated ones.”
Seeing the disappointment on Gu Wan’s face, the clerk couldn’t help feeling a little sympathetic and offered some advice.
“Keep walking east and you’ll find a lumber mill. You can go there and buy some lumber to make them yourself. It’s convenient and not difficult.”
Gu Wan immediately brightened when she heard there was a solution.
She thanked the clerk and went to the lumber mill.
However, the lumber sold by the mill required a letter of introduction before it could be purchased. They didn’t serve private customers like Gu Wan.
Gu Wan felt a little dejected.
Without realizing it, she reached down and gently stroked her belly.