Shen Yao actually knew that speculation and profiteering were forbidden, but she had never understood the exact consequences. The image painted by He Shi’s words was far too vivid.
She bit her lip, torn between reason and wishful thinking. One side of her knew he was right. The other clung to hope.
She just wanted a better life…
He Shi hated seeing her bite her lip. Clearing his throat, he said,
“If you make something delicious in the future, ask me first whether I want to buy it. Or if not, I can bring you into the city and help you sell it privately through some friends.”
Shen Yao’s eyes lit up.
“Educated Youth He, you’re such a good person!”
Having just received the “good person” label, He Shi rubbed his nose.
What kind of good person was he?
He wouldn’t bother with just anyone.
Leading the silly girl toward the bus station, he walked for a while before suddenly saying,
“My name is He Shi. I call you Shen Yao, but you keep calling me ‘Educated Youth He.’ Isn’t that a bit too formal? You can just call me He Shi.”
~
In the end, Shen Yao still didn’t make it home before her parents got off work.
The bus returning from the county town broke down halfway. At that time and in that location, there were no other vehicles they could hitch a ride on. Resigned to his fate, He Shi could only lead Shen Yao back on foot.
Privately, Shen Yao felt that she was the one dragging He Shi down.
She couldn’t help it. Her luck today had been unbelievably terrible. Now even the bus had suffered a flat tire.
Afraid He Shi might dislike her because of it, she kept those thoughts to herself and trudged along in silence, gritting her teeth.
By the time they reached Huangxi Township, it was already dark.
Checking the time, He Shi saw it was six-thirty.
The Shen family was probably in complete chaos by now.
This little girl was definitely getting scolded when she got home.
Still, maybe that wasn’t a bad thing. It would teach Captain Shen to keep the official seal locked away next time. When his daughter decided to be clever, she could practically reach the heavens.
He thought about what children of five or six were like.
Usually full of little schemes, fearless, and at the age where they could cause enormous trouble while looking completely innocent.
Applied to Shen Yao, wasn’t that exactly the case?
That was what he thought, but when he saw how difficult it had become for her even to lift her feet, his heart softened.
“Can you still walk?”
“I can.”
Shen Yao nodded through gritted teeth.
Even if she couldn’t, she still had to. What other choice was there?
Looking at her stubborn expression, He Shi glanced toward the township commune not far away.
“Let’s see whether your luck is any good. Wait here for a moment.”
With that, he hurried toward the commune.
Shen Yao had no idea what he meant.
Luck?
She certainly hadn’t had any of that today.
Her legs felt as though they were filled with lead. Exhausted, she found a reasonably clean boulder and sat down to rest.
Not long afterward, a crisp bicycle bell rang out.
Looking up, she saw He Shi riding out of the commune on a bicycle.
He pedaled fast, and within moments he stopped in front of her. One foot rested on a pedal while the other supported him on the ground.
Grinning, he said,
“Looks like your luck isn’t so bad after all. I managed to borrow this. Hop on.”
Shen Yao had never ridden a bicycle before.
In the original owner’s memories, she had only seen one once. The chairman of the Revolutionary Committee had ridden one when he visited Shenjia Village.
She stood and examined the bicycle front and back.
The only place that seemed suitable for a passenger was the narrow seat behind He Shi, barely wider than a palm.
Seeing her inspecting the bicycle, He Shi knew there wasn’t a single one in Shenjia Village.
Chuckling, he patted the rear seat.
“Here. Just sit sideways.”
Carefully, she climbed on.
Grinning broadly, He Shi said,
“The road’s bumpy. If you can’t keep your balance, grab my clothes.”
Shen Yao glanced at him but didn’t reply.
Instead, she gripped the rear seat with both hands.
Feeling rather nervous, she said,
“All right. Just ride slowly. I’ve never done this before.”
Miss Shen’s usual mode of travel had been luxurious horse-drawn carriages that rolled along smoothly and steadily.
How could she have ever ridden something like this?
She didn’t even know where to put her legs. She held them slightly raised and had to concentrate on maintaining her balance.
“All right,” He Shi agreed cheerfully.
The moment he pushed down on the pedal, the bicycle shot forward.
The sudden sensation of movement made Shen Yao’s heart seize.
“He Shi, slower! I’m scared!”
Instinctively, her hands reached for the nearest thing that felt safe.
He Shi’s clothes.
Her fingers caught hold of his waist.
His entire body stiffened.
The bicycle’s handlebars immediately swerved.
Shen Yao became even more terrified.
All thoughts of propriety between men and women flew straight out of her head. Wrapping both arms around his waist, she nearly burst into tears, repeatedly calling his name.
“He Shi! He Shi!”
After considerable effort, He Shi finally steadied the bicycle.
Seeing how frightened she was, he didn’t dare continue riding.
Planting one foot on the ground, he stopped the bicycle completely.
Lowering his head, he glanced at the pair of pale hands clinging tightly around his waist, then turned to comfort her.
“Don’t be scared, don’t be scared. What’s there to fear about riding a bicycle? Just relax and get used to it. I’m a very good rider. I won’t let you fall. Don’t be afraid.”
“I think I’d rather walk. My feet don’t hurt that much anymore.”
Shen Yao was terrified.
How could she not be?
She thought longingly of the personal carriage she used at the Marquis Manor.
Without a carriage, even a sedan chair carried by four attendants would do.
Why was this place so poor?
There were only a few bicycles in the entire township, yet this crude thing was considered valuable.
She suddenly missed home.
Turning around, He Shi saw how aggrieved she looked.
He felt both amused and sympathetic.
She really was a delicate little thing.
Patiently coaxing her, he said,
“It’s already past six-thirty. At your current pace, you’ll be lucky to get home before seven-thirty. Your parents will be worried sick. They might already be searching the whole village for you.”
“Don’t be afraid. This time I’ll ride slowly, nice and steady. I promise.”
He cleared his throat, looking slightly uncomfortable.
“If you’re scared… you can keep holding me like that. It’s dark. Nobody will see.”
This time, he definitely wouldn’t nearly crash because of those hands around his waist.
Only then did Shen Yao realize she was clinging tightly to He Shi’s waist.
Her face flushed crimson.
She snatched her hands away as if she had been burned.
Still, riding the bicycle really was frightening.
She genuinely preferred walking.
But when she heard He Shi say it was already past six-thirty, she had no choice but to cooperate obediently.
This time, He Shi was genuinely considerate of her. He started off steadily, and as the bicycle began moving, he felt her grip tighten around his waist. As he pedaled, he reassured her:
“Don’t be afraid. It’s very stable, isn’t it? If you’re scared, don’t look at what’s right in front of you. Look into the distance instead. It’ll feel better.”
Though at this hour, the darkness only allowed the outlines of fields and mountains to be seen.
One minute passed. Then two.
Following He Shi’s advice, Shen Yao focused on the distant scenery. It really did help. Her heart no longer clenched every few moments with fear, though she still refused to let go of his clothes.
He Shi noticed and smiled. Every so often, he chatted with her to distract her attention.
Shen Yao had been fearless all afternoon because she’d calculated that she would definitely be home by five o’clock. How could she have known something would happen at the black market, and then the bus would break down on the way back?
Now there was no way she could hide it from her family.
The closer they got to the village, the more worried she became.
After thinking it over, she said to He Shi,
“About being chased by those Red Armband people today… could you not tell my parents?”
Originally, He Shi had intended to let Shen Guozhong know so he would keep a closer eye on her.
But hearing her soft, pleading voice, his heart immediately softened.
The words that came out became:
“All right.”
He Shi felt that Shen Yao wasn’t foolish at all.
She was clever.
Whenever she wanted something from someone, her voice became especially soft and pleasant. It left him with no principles and no rationality whatsoever.
How could a girl like that be stupid?
Perhaps she had simply matured later than others. If someone took the time to teach her properly, she would learn.
Hadn’t she listened when he told her not to go to the educated youth quarters?
And that forged introduction letter she had made today, the handwriting was surprisingly beautiful.
Just like the clothes she had sewn herself for the first time. Once worn, they were so lovely that people couldn’t look away.
At the very least, she was an exceptionally skillful girl.
When they reached the entrance to Shenjia Village, He Shi had her get off the bicycle.
If anyone discovered that Shen Yao had returned so late with him, who knew what kind of rumors would spread afterward?
It wouldn’t matter much for him, but Shen Yao was a young woman. Her reputation couldn’t afford such gossip.
Still, he hesitated for a moment.
“Do your feet still hurt?”
Shen Yao said she could walk.
What a joke.
If her father was searching everywhere for her right now, and she rode back into the village on He Shi’s bicycle, she wouldn’t be able to explain herself even if she had eight mouths.
He Shi remained where he was, one foot planted on the ground.
“You go ahead. I’ll follow from a distance.”
It was too late, and he still worried about her safety.
Shen Yao nodded.
Walking alone through the night, she found herself not nearly as frightened, perhaps because she knew He Shi was somewhere behind her.
Not long after entering the village, she spotted a dark figure approaching.
The person seemed to see her as well and called out loudly:
“Yaoyao? Is that you?”
Shen Yao immediately recognized the voice.
It was her father, Shen Guozhong.
Delighted, she called back,
“Dad!”
Her pace quickened slightly.
She didn’t dare look behind her. He Shi should be far enough away, right?
Shen Guozhong indeed hadn’t seen He Shi.
After finishing work sometime after six o’clock and returning home, the family had discovered Shen Yao was missing.
First, they searched the entire village.
Eventually, they questioned Fifth Granny Shen and learned that Shen Yao had asked about the route to the city and borrowed one yuan from her.
Combined with Shen Gang’s account that his sister had made chestnut cakes and mysteriously said at noon that she wanted to give their parents a surprise that evening, the pieces began to fit together.
Wang Yunzhi had told Shen Gang to fetch the cakes.
When he checked Shen Yao’s room, several jin were missing.
How could Shen Guozhong and Wang Yunzhi not realize what had happened?
Could it really be such a coincidence?
Shen Guozhong had only returned from the black market a few days earlier, and now Shen Yao was making pastries and asking for directions to the city.
The couple had been beside themselves with worry.
In just half an hour, Wang Yunzhi had already developed several stress blisters in her mouth.
The more Shen Guozhong thought about it, the more frightened he became.
He visited the black market several times a year and knew exactly what kind of place it was.
His mind was filled with thoughts of whether Shen Yao had been caught.
Once that possibility took root, he could no longer sit still.
After reassuring Wang Yunzhi, he prepared to head into the city overnight himself.
Yet before he had even left the village, Shen Yao returned.
No matter how much Shen Guozhong usually doted on her, he was so angry now that his eyes had reddened.
Because they were outside, he restrained himself. He was afraid someone might overhear something they shouldn’t.
Otherwise, he would have scolded her far more harshly.
Truthfully, he had simply been terrified.
Father and daughter returned home together.
Fifth Granny Shen was still waiting there.
She had been genuinely worried and deeply regretted telling Shen Yao how to take the bus and lending her the fare.
Only after seeing Shen Yao return safely did the old woman’s heart finally settle.
Pulling Shen Yao over, she gave her a thorough scolding.
“If you wanted to visit the city, you should have asked your parents to take you! How could you dare sneak off by yourself? If something had happened to you, how could your parents go on living?”
“They’ve treasured you like the apple of their eye for seventeen years. If anything happened to you, who could bear it?”
Shen Yao obediently admitted her mistake.
Her attitude was exceptionally good.
Hidden outside the Shen family courtyard, He Shi heard her soft voice apologizing.
“I know I was wrong.”
“It won’t happen again.”
She made one promise after another.
He couldn’t help laughing.
Sure enough, before long, both Fifth Granny Shen and Wang Yunzhi had completely switched sides.
After being coaxed by Shen Yao, they began persuading Shen Guozhong not to stay angry.
“Yaoyao knows she was wrong.”
Only after hearing that did He Shi finally pedal his bicycle away and head back to his own residence by a different route around the Shen household.
The yuan Shen Yao had borrowed from Fifth Granny Shen was repaid by Wang Yunzhi.
After the old woman left, the family shut the door.
Only then did Wang Yunzhi pull Shen Yao into her room.
Shen Guozhong and Shen Gang followed.
Shen Guozhong glanced at Shen Gang.
He had no intention of hiding the matter from his son.
His daughter had become smarter, but her courage had grown as well.
If Shen Gang remained completely ignorant, she would easily fool him again.
What if she ran off to the black market another time?
Although he hadn’t asked yet, Shen Guozhong had already concluded that Shen Yao had gone to the black market.
According to Shen Gang, two or three jin of chestnut cakes were missing.
And now she had returned empty-handed.
Seeing the atmosphere of what looked like a formal family interrogation, Shen Yao quickly volunteered her confession.
She took out her little cloth purse and dumped the money and ration coupons onto the table.
Then she flashed Shen Guozhong a flattering smile.
“Dad, nothing happened to me, did it? Look, twelve yuan.”
Seeing her still trying to act cute and curry favor, Shen Guozhong’s face darkened.
“Be serious.”
“What, do you expect your mother and me to praise you?”
“How could you be so bold? You’ve never even been to the county town before, yet you dared make your way all the way to the city by yourself, and to a place like that.”
His voice was kept very low, but it was obvious he was genuinely angry.
Shen Guozhong was the sort of man who didn’t mind taking risks himself.
But when it came to his wife and children, he was fiercely protective.
Speculation and profiteering could result in public denunciation and humiliation if one was caught.
The mere thought of Shen Yao suffering something like that was unbearable to him.
Among everyone in the room, only Shen Gang remained somewhat confused.
What kind of place had his sister gone to?
But he wasn’t stupid.
A moment later, realization struck.
The boy stared at Shen Yao in utter shock.
Good heavens.
Her courage was enormous.
And now his sister could lie to his face and fool even him without changing her expression at all!
While Shen Guozhong was lecturing her, Shen Yao kept her head lowered and obediently listened.
Only after most of his anger had burned itself out did she look up and say,
“I know Dad was worried about me. I just saw that Gangzi is already thirteen, but he’s still shorter than the brigade leader’s eleven-year-old son. I wanted our family to have enough money to eat better. And… it wasn’t entirely for Gangzi. I wanted to eat better too.”
There was a trace of grievance in her voice, and she looked pitiful beyond words.
The anger that had already been mostly spent in Shen Guozhong’s chest was extinguished with a hiss, leaving only a few dying sparks.
Her skin wasn’t quite thick enough yet. Even when playing the sympathy card, she couldn’t use Shen Gang alone as her shield and had to include herself as well.
Shen Gang: My sister really loves me. Wait, no, something doesn’t seem right here…
He was touched at first, but then his brain caught up with him. His eyes widened.
“How am I short? I just developed later than everyone else! And Sanmao from the brigade leader’s family is really only eleven? He was born on the first day of the New Year, while I was born in December, okay?”
Sis, are you really my sister?
You can’t put me down like that!
Wang Yunzhi pulled at her son’s arm.
“What are you shouting about? Your sister cares about you, you should be happy.”
Their daughter was in the middle of a sympathy offensive, and this silly boy had barged right in. The emotional atmosphere had been completely ruined by him.