“No. She’s not a bad person. At least she doesn’t have any bad intentions.” Chen Jingbai pushed Sun Jiabao away. “All right, hurry back to work. It won’t be good if the work-point recorder sees you.”
Sun Jiabao scratched his head and felt that Chen Jingbai had a point. Although He He’s mouth spared no one, she really hadn’t done anything bad.
“All right, then. I’ll go back to work.”
He was also afraid of getting caught by the work-point recorder. It wouldn’t be good if his work points were deducted. Work points were already hard enough to earn. Losing half a point at a time practically cost him half his life.
They harvested rice until the sky began to darken. After the work-point recorder inspected everyone’s completed work, he weighed the harvested rice and checked the amounts. Once he confirmed that there were no problems, he recorded everyone’s work points for the day in his notebook, then called them out one by one to make sure there were no mistakes.
Only after everything was confirmed to be correct did the work-point recorder announce that work was over and everyone could leave.
There were no electric lights in the brigade, so all the finishing work had to be completed before it got dark. Otherwise, once they headed back, they would be fumbling around blindly in the darkness.
Today was the first time He He had ever earned seven work points. She linked arms with Zheng Xinxin and said happily, “I didn’t expect earning seven work points to be that easy. I was really amazing today.”
“Yeah, yeah. You really were amazing today. I’ve never seen you earn more than five work points before.”
However, Zheng Xinxin was somewhat doubtful about the first half of He He’s statement. “But are you sure you’re not tired? I’m about to die from exhaustion. My arms and waist are aching like crazy, and you’re actually not tired?”
He He’s arms really weren’t sore. Those light rice stalks were easy for her to carry. If her arms were a little longer, she could even carry more at once. She had been strong since childhood, so carrying that little bit of rice was nothing to her.
However, He He didn’t like telling people that she was strong, lest someone use her strength as an excuse to dump all their work on her.
That was exactly what had happened when she was little.
Back then, He Shuying hadn’t been in their family for long. The two of them had gone shopping with Wang Fangrong. Wang Fangrong bought a large bunch of bananas, but when she wanted to buy something else, her hands were too full to take out her money, so she asked which of the two girls was willing to carry them.
Eight-year-old He He raised her hand and easily lifted the large bunch of bananas.
Then Wang Fangrong praised her while putting everything else she bought into He He’s hands for her to carry.
On the way home, Wang Fangrong and He Shuying walked empty-handed while He He’s hands were completely full. Only when they were almost at the entrance to the compound did Wang Fangrong hypocritically take the things back from He He.
At the time, He He hadn’t thought anything of it. Instead, she’d felt incredibly proud that she could carry so many things.
But she suffered that night.
A child’s hands were delicate. No matter how strong she was, carrying so many heavy things still dug painfully into her hands. That night, her palms hurt so badly that she couldn’t sleep.
Later, she went to the hospital. Her grandmother rushed over in a panic and only then learned that Wang Fangrong had made a young child carry so many heavy things. After scolding Wang Fangrong, her grandmother patiently instructed He He that these weren’t things she needed to do. All she needed to do was study hard.
He He said, “My arms are fine. It’s just a little tiring bending my waist up and down.”
Zheng Xinxin swung their linked hands. “You really underestimated yourself before. If you ask me, earning seven work points a day would be great. Didn’t you say your dad thinks you’re worse than that sister of yours in everything? Tell him you can earn seven work points at Qianjin Brigade. Let’s see if he still thinks all you know how to do is eat without contributing anything.”
He He lowered her eyes.
But a moment later, she raised her head and lifted her chin, her voice somewhat fierce. “I don’t need his approval. He can say whatever he wants. Even if he thinks He Shuying is better than me, that’s because he has terrible judgment.”
“His judgment is absolutely terrible,” He He declared with certainty, viciously kicking a small stone blocking the road ahead.
Seeing that He He didn’t want to talk about her father, Zheng Xinxin didn’t dare make her unhappy by continuing. She immediately changed the subject.
“Our He He was really amazing today. Tomorrow, I’ll treat you to a soda at the little shop.”
The brigade’s little shop had been opened a few years ago under the brigade leader’s organization. It was meant to let brigade members buy non-staple foods without having to travel all the way to the commune. Later, the shop also started stocking snacks children liked, so the more mischievous children in the brigade wouldn’t run all the way to the commune to buy them and risk something happening along the way.
The moment He He heard there was soda to drink, she immediately said, “There’s no time like the present. Why don’t you treat me to soda right now?”
Zheng Xinxin felt around in her pocket. Fortunately, she’d brought some money with her today. Otherwise, she wouldn’t have been able to treat He He to soda today.
“Let’s go, let’s go. Did you calculate beforehand that I’d brought money with me?”
He He giggled, and the two half-ran toward the little shop.
Walking behind them, Sun Jiabao asked, “Where are those two going now? It’ll be dark soon. They left without saying a word. Aren’t they afraid it’ll get dark and they won’t be able to find their way back to the educated youth station?”
In the countryside, right after night completely fell but before the moon came out, it truly became so dark that you couldn’t see your hand in front of your face. Anyone unfamiliar with the roads could stumble blindly straight into a pond.
Zhao Dechuan, who was walking at the very back, heard Sun Jiabao and frowned. “Which two left first? Why didn’t they say anything? What if they run into danger?”
Zhao Dechuan actually already had two people in mind. Most likely, it was He He and Zheng Xinxin. Those two loved wandering away from the main group while everyone was walking.
Zhao Dechuan was the educated youth who had been at Qianjin Brigade the longest, having stayed for eight years. That was why he had always served as the leader of the educated youth team. He handled both major and minor matters well and was very warmhearted, so the other educated youths were satisfied with him as their team leader.
Sun Jiabao said, “He He and Zheng Xinxin. No idea where they went.”
Zhao Dechuan knew it would be those two. He sighed. “I’ll go take a look. One of you male comrades stay at the back of the group.”
Sun Jiabao guessed that He He and Zheng Xinxin had gone to the brigade’s little shop. The educated youths weren’t particularly familiar with the locals, and he had never seen He He or Zheng Xinxin being especially close with any family in the brigade. Other than the little shop, where else could they have gone?
“Jingbai and I will go take a look. Team Leader, you just keep an eye on everyone.”
Sun Jiabao happened to want to go to the little shop and buy some snacks anyway. Now that He He and Zheng Xinxin had been the first to leave the group, he didn’t have to worry about the team leader scolding him.
Zhao Dechuan said, “That works too. You two go, then. Bring them back early. It’d be best if you get back to the educated youth station before dark. Be careful.”
Sun Jiabao grabbed Chen Jingbai and started pulling him away while obsequiously saying, “Got it, got it.”
Chen Jingbai hadn’t even agreed to go before Sun Jiabao dragged him away. After they had walked some distance, Chen Jingbai finally managed to pull his arm free.
“I think you’re the one who wants to go to the little shop. It’s one thing if you want to go, but why drag me along?”
All that talk about finding He He and Zheng Xinxin was nonsense. If Sun Jiabao hadn’t wanted to go to the little shop himself, even if someone tried dragging him there, he could have planted himself firmly on the spot.
Sun Jiabao chuckled. “It’s enough that you and I know. Don’t say it out loud. Hurry, hurry. We can’t even see He He and Zheng Xinxin anymore. Don’t let them get too far ahead.”
“We won’t lose them. They’re going to the little shop.” Chen Jingbai paused, then added, “Still, let’s hurry. It’ll be dark soon.”
It was easy to guess that He He and Zheng Xinxin were going to the little shop.
The two men were tall and strong. With just a few long strides, they easily outpaced He He and Zheng Xinxin’s little running steps. Before long, they caught up with the two women ahead.
Sun Jiabao called out to He He and Zheng Xinxin, “Finally caught up with you two! You walked so fast. The team leader sent us to find you.”
He He and Zheng Xinxin turned around at the same time. In the dim light, they saw Chen Jingbai standing beside Sun Jiabao.
Zheng Xinxin was quick to speak. “Chen Jingbai came too.” Then she turned to Sun Jiabao. “You make it sound so righteous. Obviously, you’re the one who wanted to go to the little shop.”
Sun Jiabao retorted, “The team leader really did entrust me with protecting you two. It’s dangerous at night.”
Was he really that easy to read? How did everyone know?!
Zheng Xinxin chuckled, giving him a look that clearly said, Do you think I believe you?
Without showing anything on her face, He He pulled Zheng Xinxin by the hand and moved to stand beside Chen Jingbai.
Once she was next to him, she secretly tugged on the hem of Chen Jingbai’s shirt.
Chen Jingbai felt a light yet hurried force tugging his clothes downward. He turned his head and lowered it slightly, glancing at He He.
He He raised her head and gave Chen Jingbai a faint smile, her tea-brown eyes shimmering.
Chen Jingbai simply looked at He He.
Before he could look away, He He quickly turned her head and stopped looking at him instead.
Chen Jingbai felt as though something had tugged at his heart.
What exactly did she mean by this?
The little shop wasn’t far away, and the four of them soon arrived. Although it wasn’t dark yet, an oil lamp had already been lit inside.
The four politely greeted, “Hello, Uncle Li.”
The shop wasn’t large. Once all four of them entered, the cramped space immediately became crowded.
The man watching the shop was a retired veteran, seventy-five years old this year. He had traveled all over the country with the troops during the War of Resistance and the War of Liberation. After the founding of New China, he had also participated in several battles. Once he grew old, he retired from the army and returned to his hometown to spend the rest of his life there.
The old man was very easygoing. Seeing people come in, he glanced at them without even putting down the newspaper he was reading and said energetically, “Finished work? Take a look around and buy whatever you want.”
Unless they urgently needed something, people who came to the little shop usually took ages to choose. Li Shancai wasn’t in any hurry and simply let them browse. Seeing that they were young people, he was even less impatient.
Most young people came here to buy snacks. They loved choosing as though they were hunting for treasure, carefully picking out the snack they wanted most.
Zheng Xinxin said straightforwardly, “Give me two bottles of soda. Do you have strawberry flavor?”
Li Shancai hadn’t expected the young woman to choose so quickly. He took two bottles of soda from the cabinet behind him.
“Here, the strawberry flavor you wanted. Twenty-six cents altogether. Want me to open them for you?”
Soda was expensive, so it didn’t require coupons. A single bottle cost as much as one jin of rice. Ordinary families were reluctant to buy it, so the little shop didn’t keep much in stock either—only ten bottles a month.
Even that was because Li Shancai himself liked drinking soda and used his connections to get some transferred over from the commune’s supply and marketing cooperative.
Zheng Xinxin said, “Open them!”
After Zheng Xinxin paid, the old man opened the bottles. Zheng Xinxin picked one up and handed it to He He.
Li Shancai said, “Bring the bottles back, and I’ll refund three cents to each of you. But whether you keep them or return them is up to you.”
Zheng Xinxin said, “We’ll bring them back when we have time.”
“No rush. The person who collects the bottles doesn’t come until the end of the month.” Li Shancai then looked at Chen Jingbai and Sun Jiabao. “What about you two boys? Need anything?”
Chen Jingbai shook his head, indicating that he didn’t need anything.
Sun Jiabao said, “Give me a packet of roasted sunflower seeds.”
The sunflower seeds came in small packets, each about the size of a palm. Li Shancai had wrapped them in old newspaper. They cost one cent per packet and didn’t require coupons.
After Sun Jiabao paid, he held the sunflower seeds in his hand. The four said goodbye to Li Shancai and left the little shop.
Sun Jiabao opened the old newspaper and gave each of the other three a small handful.
He He and Zheng Xinxin weren’t embarrassed in the slightest. The moment Sun Jiabao told them to hold out their hands, they eagerly turned their palms upward and waited for him to pour sunflower seeds into them.
Chen Jingbai originally didn’t want any, but Sun Jiabao insisted. Refusing again would seem overly polite, so he accepted them.
Sun Jiabao cracked open a sunflower seed. “These sunflower seeds are really fragrant.”
Chen Jingbai held the sunflower seeds in his hand. The hard shells pressed against his palm, making their presence impossible to ignore.
Sun Jiabao and Zheng Xinxin chatted happily.
He He tugged hard on Chen Jingbai’s sleeve, forcing him to slow down.
Chen Jingbai glanced at He He in confusion and saw her mysteriously mouthing something. It was dark, so Chen Jingbai couldn’t see her lips clearly. Only with great difficulty did he make out that He He was telling him to walk more slowly.
He didn’t know what He He wanted to do, but he still slowed his steps.
Once the two of them had fallen slightly behind Zheng Xinxin and Sun Jiabao, He He laboriously rose onto her tiptoes and leaned close to Chen Jingbai’s ear.
“Chen Jingbai, come behind the house after we get back.”
The dirt roads in the countryside were covered with loose stones. He He was walking on tiptoe, and just as she finished speaking and was about to lower her heels, she accidentally stepped on a large stone.
Her body swayed.
Her lips brushed against Chen Jingbai’s earlobe.