“You—you’re a girl, how can you say such things?” Gu Jingwen scolded Cheng Ning.
In her previous life, at this age, Cheng Ning would never have spoken like that. But after decades in darkness, watching the years change, even watching countless TV dramas with the Han family, she no longer cared.
Besides, wasn’t this exactly the relationship they already had? Did they think she hadn’t noticed their private little gestures?
She rolled her eyes, sat down in Min Ran’s seat, and ignored them.
Min Ran had already sensed Cheng Ning’s impatience with Zhao Zhi and Gu Jingwen. She thanked Cheng Ning, cheerfully sat down, and exaggerated with a laugh: “Ah, this spot is so much warmer! Cheng Ning, thank you—next time I’ll treat you to something!”
Then she deliberately turned to Zhao Zhi and added: “Comrade Zhao, your seat should be warm too. You don’t know how freezing that draft outside is!”
Zhao Zhi: …
She felt utterly humiliated. Now she was both angry at Cheng Ning and Min Ran for teaming up to embarrass her, and resentful of Gu Jingwen for suggesting she change seats. She lowered her head, biting her lip, and said nothing.
After the small storm, everyone on the tractor fell silent—mostly because of the cold.
Three hours later, when the tractor finally stopped, the group was half‑numb, their legs trembling as they jumped down.
The old driver was unfazed, still cheerful. “These are all city darlings,” he thought. “Headaches for the production teams, not for me, haha.” He led them to the commune canteen.
The canteen was small and dim, with thin, dark tables and chairs. But it was warm inside. When bowls of thin porridge were served, no one complained. Heads bent, they drank the watery gruel like soup. With a hot bowl in their stomachs, they felt alive again.
Alive—and hungry. They looked around the canteen, asking if there was anything else to eat.
The driver laughed: “There is—flatbread, corn buns, wheat buns. But those aren’t free. You’ll need money and ration tickets.”
Normally, the commune canteen didn’t prepare so much, but this batch of educated youths was special.
Everyone had brought some tickets and money from home, even if their families were struggling. So, although some muttered that the commune was stingy, not even giving them proper food for their first meal, they still pulled out tickets and cash.
Min Ran’s family wasn’t well‑off, but after rummaging around, she bought two flatbreads. She broke off a piece for Cheng Ning, saying generously:
“I promised to treat you.”
Cheng Ning accepted with a smile, but then pulled two pieces of cured meat from her pack, handing one to Min Ran.
Min Ran’s nose was practically falling off from the delicious smell.
Soon, others joined them, sitting together to eat.
Not far away, Zhao Zhi turned her head and glanced at the cheerful group—Cheng Ning, Min Ran, and the others—her nose stung with sourness.
She didn’t understand why Cheng Ning disliked her. Was it because she was also pretty? So Cheng Ning felt hostile toward her?
After breakfast, the old driver led everyone to the commune hall.
There, Secretary Xu of the commune welcomed them, offered a few words of encouragement, and said: “Comrades, our commune has many opportunities. As long as you work hard, you can be named advanced workers year after year. Then you’ll have chances for factory jobs, military service, even university!”
His words instantly lifted the spirits of the group, who had been worn down by the long journey and bitter cold.
After motivating them, Secretary Xu handed them over to Director Xue from the office.
One by one, brigades nearby came to collect their assigned youths. In the end, only five remained: Cheng Ning, Min Ran, Zhao Zhi, Gu Jingwen, and a young man named Yang Hongbing.
Gu Jingwen stepped forward to ask Director Xue and learned that all five had been assigned to the Shanghan Brigade.
Shanghan Brigade was far away. Their escort didn’t arrive until nearly lunchtime.
It was Brigade Leader Han Youfu himself who came. The moment he saw the five faces assigned to his brigade, his expression darkened.
Gu Jingwen and Yang Hongbing were fine. But three delicate young girls at once—what was he supposed to do with them? They couldn’t do heavy labor and were more likely to cause trouble.
Previously, one female educated youth in his brigade had suffered a mental breakdown and been taken away, and the brigade had been harshly criticized. So the sight of three fragile girls gave him a headache.
And the brigade was already desperately poor. After surviving the winter, they were nearly out of food. Now they were being sent more mouths to feed—how could they manage?
He turned on Director Xue, shouting: “Old Xue, what’s the meaning of this? Bullying us because we came late, leaving us all the leftovers?”
What kind of talk was that?
At once, aside from Cheng Ning, the other four looked uncomfortable. Not all were angry, but being openly rejected was embarrassing.
Director Xue patted Han Youfu’s shoulder, smiling: “Brother Youfu, you know the commune’s assignment process. These placements were decided long ago.”
Then he glanced at Cheng Ning, handed over the paperwork, and whispered a few words to Han Youfu.
The others didn’t catch what was said. But Cheng Ning, after decades of silence in the dark, had trained her ears to be sharp. She heard him say:
“Look, originally there were only four. That girl—see her? She’s the niece of Han Qishan, the factory director. His son has been doing well in your village, selling mountain goods to Beicheng. Since his niece is going down to the countryside, naturally, she should be placed back in her hometown, where his son can look after her. Don’t you think so?”
Han Youfu’s attention was immediately drawn. He looked suspiciously at Cheng Ning, then took the file Director Xue handed him and examined it carefully.
At the top was Cheng Ning’s record. It included family relations. Parents aside, it clearly listed her aunt Cheng Suya, head of the publicity office at Beicheng First Machinery Factory, and her uncle Han Qishan, factory director of Beicheng First Machinery Factory.
Aunt and uncle. Han Youfu understood at once.
He was a distant cousin of Han Qishan, and his wife came from the same village as Han Dongyuan’s mother. He knew quite a bit about their family.
Fine. Since she was Han Qishan’s niece, he would take her back. After all, what else could he do? He couldn’t refuse.
Han Youfu said no more, his face still sour, and led them out.
They boarded an ox cart.
Gu Jingwen offered Han Youfu a cigarette and asked: “Captain, it’s already lunchtime. Shouldn’t we eat before heading out?”
Han Youfu didn’t take the cigarette. His face remained cold as he replied: “Eat what? Look at the time. We have to hurry, or we won’t reach the brigade before dark. Who knows what dangers the road might hold? With this wind, it might snow tonight. If you’re hungry, eat something on the cart.”
Everyone: …
They hadn’t even arrived yet, and already they felt the harshness of reality.
No matter how much the educated youths longed for a hot meal, no matter how unwilling they were to climb back onto the roofless ox cart and face the biting wind, did they have a choice?
The journey took another four to five hours. They pushed hard and finally reached Shanghan Brigade just as dusk fell.
The scenery along the way was breathtaking. But aside from Cheng Ning, everyone else only felt the wind slicing their faces like knives—cold, exhausted, with no mood to admire the view.
Han Youfu knew Cheng Ning had been arranged by Han Qishan, but he was a fair man. On the road, he treated her no differently from the others, never making small talk, simply regarding her as another educated youth.
As they neared the brigade, snowflakes began to fall.
Han Youfu cracked his whip over the ox and called out: “You really are lucky.”
Back at the brigade, Han Youfu handed the five of them over to Li Yuanqiang, the brigade’s accountant, who also managed various chores.
The team had already prepared for their arrival, leading them to the small brigade canteen for a meal of watery corn porridge and coarse black bread. When one of the young men ate two extra buns, Accountant Li’s eyes—round as copper bells—stared so hard it made him eat with guilt.
Accountant Li tapped the table with his dry tobacco pipe and said: “Today’s meal goes on the brigade’s public account. From now on, you’ll need to earn work points to exchange for grain and cook for yourselves. Once you finish eating, I’ll take you to your lodgings.”
Everyone knew countryside life would be hard. But knowing and experiencing were two different things.
After two days and nights of travel, drinking thin corn porridge and chewing black bread, the girls nearly wept into their bowls. Only Cheng Ning chewed her bread while thinking of other things. She thought: *When has Han Dongyuan ever eaten black bread?* So this was the life he had lived in the countryside. Her heart felt bitter.
The male and female educated youths lived in the same courtyard—a typical earthen farmhouse compound built years earlier when the first batch of youths arrived. There were five rooms: two on the left for the girls, two on the right for the boys, with a central hall. Beside the men’s quarters was a small kitchen, and at the back of the yard a latrine.
Accountant Li led them in, pointed out the rooms, and introduced them to the youth team leader who had come over.
The leader was Xu Jianguo, one of the earliest batch of educated youths.
Including the newcomers, Shanghan Brigade now had fifteen educated youths: six women and nine men. The women were housed three to a room; the men, four in one room and five in another.
Xu Jianguo placed Gu Jingwen and Yang Hongbing into the men’s dorms. Cheng Ning and Min Ran were assigned together, while Zhao Zhi went to another room.
That evening, after dinner, several of the older educated youths came by. Xu Jianguo introduced them all. But Cheng Ning did not see Han Dongyuan or Liao Sheng.
Shanghan Brigade was remote; even a letter took many days to arrive. Likely, Han Dongyuan didn’t yet know she had come.
Standing in the corridor after the brief introductions, Xu Jianguo told them: “Go back to your dorms, tidy up, and rest for the night. Whatever needs doing, we’ll talk tomorrow.”
“Right, tomorrow you don’t need to head out to work with everyone at dawn. Rest in the morning, get familiar with things, and after lunch, I’ll take you to start.”
“I live in the back row, left‑hand room. If you need anything, come find me.” He pointed it out, then let everyone return to their dorms to settle in.
Yang Hongbing was assigned to the back row, right‑hand room. He agreed, dragged his belongings, and left.
After the long journey, everyone was exhausted—tired, frozen, worn down to the bone.
Gu Jingwen asked Zhao Zhi: “Zhizhi, I’ll help you tidy up first.”
Noticing Xu Jianguo’s glance, Zhao Zhi shook her head: “No need, I can do it myself.”
After Cheng Ning’s earlier remark, Zhao Zhi felt a strange resistance inside her. She didn’t want to confirm her relationship with Gu Jingwen so openly.
Gu Jingwen frowned, but she smiled at him and said: “Brother Gu, you’re tired too. Rest early tonight.”
She nodded to Xu Jianguo and Min Ran, then dragged her luggage toward her dorm.
“Cheng Ning, come on, let’s go to our room and settle in,” Min Ran called.
Cheng Ning was still observing her surroundings. Hearing Min Ran, she turned back, murmured “Mm,” and bent down to pick up her luggage.
Suddenly, from the doorway came a voice like thunder, as if someone had been stepped on: “Cheng… Cheng Ning?”
She turned and saw Liao Sheng standing at the door, holding a lunch box, staring at her in disbelief.
Cheng Ning smiled at him. After decades apart, seeing a familiar face was always a joy.
“Brother Liao Sheng,” she greeted warmly, then glanced behind him.
But Han Dongyuan wasn’t there.
She felt a pang of disappointment. She still longed to see him—young, defiant, alive and well.
“You… how are you here?” Liao Sheng looked as if he had seen a ghost.