Dividing farmland—this wasn’t like the early days after the founding of the country, when landlords were overthrown and land was redistributed.
What Aunt Liu said was very vague. Lin Su guessed it was probably the household responsibility system. Earlier, when she heard about earning work points, she had already been puzzled—how was Yujiacun still using the collective “big pot” system in 1980?
Now it finally made sense.
Aunt Liu simply didn’t understand the policy and thought it was just “dividing land.”
Lin Su jumped off the bicycle and handed all the things she bought to Qin Zhoucheng before following Aunt Liu to the brigade office.
“You take the things home first. I’ll go listen.”
“Alright. Wait for me at the brigade office. I’ll come pick you up.” He reached out and ruffled Lin Su’s hair again.
Aunt Liu squeezed in and bumped Lin Su’s shoulder. “Your Xiao Qin is really good to you. He’s not even at ease letting you go to a meeting—he has to come pick you up? Did you two get your marriage registered today?”
Lin Su’s face turned red instantly. In her two lifetimes combined, this was her first marriage. Saying she wasn’t excited would be a lie, but Qin Zhoucheng had been very calm—whether it was taking wedding photos or registering.
That suddenly sobered her up.
This was just a practical arrangement, not a marriage based on love. He was only helping her because he was troubled by Old Madam Sun’s harassment and felt pity for her.
Lin Su felt a bit uncomfortable, but quickly comforted herself. They had agreed it was just living together as partners—she couldn’t be greedy or break her word.
“We registered,” Lin Su said softly, almost like a mosquito’s hum.
Aunt Liu laughed mischievously. “You’re lucky. Xiao Qin is really handsome—like a man out of a movie. Tall and spirited like that, he must be very… capable. Next year you’ll be holding a big chubby baby!”
Lin Su’s face turned even redder, but she couldn’t refute it, and she couldn’t say it was a fake marriage either.
“You don’t even know—your Xiao Qin showed up today, those long legs, that presence, all the young girls and married women were stunned. We’ve never had a man like that in Yujiacun.”
“He’s outstanding, of course people like him,” Lin Su replied.
“But I’m telling you, a man that attractive will attract attention. You’ve got to watch out—better to guard against thieves than to be robbed.”
Lin Su gave a dry laugh. Even if people were interested in him, what could she do? If Qin Zhoucheng ever liked someone else, she would just step aside.
Soon they arrived at the brigade office. Old Madam Sun saw her and snorted, immediately taking the best seat. Yu Xiuli was also there, staring at her with venom in her eyes.
“What is she looking at you like that for?”
“She’s jealous,” Lin Su said casually. “We went to the county today, and Zhoucheng bought me Yashuang. Her brother wouldn’t buy it for her, so she threw a tantrum and got scolded.”
Aunt Liu’s daughter-in-law, Xu Ermei, had already saved them seats and came over. “Really? Xiao Qin bought you Yashuang? That costs five yuan a box!”
Lin Su looked shy. “It’s our new marriage. Zhoucheng said, if other women have it, I should have it too. I couldn’t stop him—he insisted on buying it.”
“Oh my god, Comrade Qin is too good to you! In our village, no man would ever buy Yashuang for his wife. That’s something only city girls can afford,” Xu Ermei said enviously.
“Come to my place tomorrow. I’ll share some with you to try.”
“Really? Xiao Lin, you’re so generous.”
They whispered among themselves, attracting many ears around them. Yu Xiuli was furious, grinding her teeth.
Lin Su was doing it on purpose—she was deliberately provoking Yu Xiuli. This arrogant little sister-in-law had bullied the original owner for years; if she didn’t strike back a little, she wouldn’t be Lin Su.
“Such a young girl already acting indecent—shameless!” Old Madam Sun spat.
Lin Su didn’t get angry. “Oh, I’m just an uneducated housewife. I don’t understand what ‘indecent behavior’ is. Maybe Comrade Yu, the university student, can explain how city women behave indecently?”
Old Madam Sun’s face turned the color of pig liver.
“Quiet down! The village secretary is here!” someone called.
The old secretary walked in smoking a cigarette, and the room instantly fell silent.
“Today we’re discussing the household responsibility system. This is a national policy. Our Yujiacun can’t fall behind—we must actively respond. If we do well, we might even become an advanced village.”
“What exactly is this responsibility system? Does that mean the production team is gone? No more communal kitchens?”
“Don’t talk nonsense. The communal kitchens were gone years ago. Earlier we farmed together and earned work points. Now land is contracted to households—you farm it yourself and take responsibility for profits and losses. Those who do well can even become ‘ten-thousand-yuan households.’”
“Don’t exaggerate, Secretary. Farming can really make someone a ten-thousand-yuan household?”
“Why not? If you can’t farm your land, you can lease it out. Rent alone can earn money. I even heard of someone in Fuxian County who raised pigs and became a ten-thousand-yuan household.”
“If our village could become like Xiaoshiling, a wealthy village, we’d have nothing to worry about.”
“That’s for the future. For now, land will be allocated—based on population. Agricultural households get about two to three mu per person.”
“Secretary, I have a question. Isn’t Yu Minghai studying in the city? Shouldn’t his household registration have moved to the city? Can he still get land?”
Old Madam Sun jumped up immediately. “Our Da Hai has every right to get land! His registration hasn’t been transferred yet!”
“Isn’t he in a collective urban household?”
“Enough arguing,” the secretary said. “Da Hai is the first university student from our village. He brought honor to us. Their family is a widow and child situation—we should take care of them.”
The secretary pulled out a list and began reading out land allocations. Old Madam Sun received ten mu and immediately sat up straighter, full of pride.
After a long list of names, when Lin Su’s name was expected, Xu Ermei raised her hand. “Secretary! Xiao Lin’s family wasn’t allocated any land!”
The secretary glanced at Lin Su. “Comrade Lin’s original household registration was not in Yujiacun but in Linjia Village. She only transferred here two years ago and hasn’t been here for ten years, so she does not qualify for the household responsibility system. Also, Comrade Qin’s household registration is not in Yujiacun either. For fairness, neither of you will be allocated land.”
As soon as he finished speaking, Old Madam Sun burst into laughter.
Xu Ermei immediately frowned. “Secretary, Xiao Lin has lived here for almost ten years and has been an advanced model worker in the production team. How can she not qualify?”
The original owner had come to Yujiacun at the age of twelve as a child bride. Her registration had indeed never been transferred properly; it was only moved when she married Yu Minghai last year.
“This is the rule. I have to follow the regulations,” the secretary said.
Nonsense rules—he was clearly making things difficult for her. Lin Su didn’t care much; even if she got land, she wouldn’t farm it, and renting it out wouldn’t earn much anyway. But it was obvious he was deliberately trying to embarrass her.
“Secretary, don’t rush the land distribution yet. There’s a new directive from the city—our Yujiacun is going to become a ‘land acquisition village’!” the village director rushed in, out of breath.