Chapter 354: Chapter 353: The Atmosphere of the Educated Youth Corps
Later, when Li Dahe was writing Lin Nianhe’s file evaluation, he resisted hundreds of tis before he controlled his hand not to write “she never succumbed no matter how many beatings she took.”
Later and later on, Li Dahe’s evaluation of Lin Nianhe beca: “I’ve seen a countless number of kids in my life, but her, I misjudged… I initially thought she was a soft persimmon. I was even afraid she’d die in the countryside… For this, my mother-in-law scolded in my dreams eight hundred tis.”
Lin Nianhe’s arrival was like pressing a sudden pause on the tragic atmosphere.
The aunties silently looked at her, their tearful eyes as if to say: You’d better have sothing important.
Lin Nianhe flashed them an ingratiating smile, not stepping inside the room, just poking her head in, hands tightly gripping the door fra as if she was ready to run at any mont.
“Aunties, we have a few words to speak with Yafei. Maybe you can continue crying after we’re done?”
The aunties didn’t feel like crying anymore; they felt like beating soone up.
“Hehe, don’t bother with her,” Lin Nianhe’s head was pulled away, and another head poked in through the crack in the door—Wang Shui smiled warmly and kindly, “We put so things together and thought of bringing them to Yafei.”
As soon as Wang Shui finished speaking, several more heads squeezed through the door crack, sprouting like seedlings.
“That’s right, we’re here to bring so things.”
“Hezi has been a bit nutty these days.”
“It was her own fault.”
“Aunties, if you hit her, you can’t hit us though.”
Aunties: “…”
Back in the day at the Educated Youth Corps, small conflicts would arise from ti to ti, and there had even been trouble between the educated youths and the locals. Li Dahe was very good at handling these things, and once punished, it was all in the past.
But the current situation at the Educated Youth Corps… Well, the small conflicts were gone, but how co these girls have beco so cheeky one after another?
Who knows who led them astray.
Sun Yafei wiped the teardrops from her face and softly said to the aunties, “I’ll go have a look,” then she walked out.
In Wang Hong’s courtyard, all the educated youths were there.
The girls ford a small circle, and the seven brothers of Mu Tou stood on the outside.
As soon as Sun Yafei ca out, she mustered a reluctant smile: “Thank you all for taking care of during this ti…”
“Hey, what’s there to thank,” Wen Lan stuffed a large cloth bag into her hands, “It’s all from everyone, take it and eat.”
Wang Xue said from the side, “We heard that the battalion all eats together, so we didn’t bring you grains, just so little trinkets, keep them to treat yourself.”
“Yeah, just hang in there for these two months until you get paid, then you’ll be the wealthy one, we won’t look after you anymore,” Yu Xiangqin casually added, true to her nature.
Sun Yafei embraced the cloth bag with so difficulty, her tears swirling in her eyes: “You guys, you guys…”
“Stop crying, going to the battalion isn’t so bad,” Wang Shui stepped forward to comfort her, “Once you’re in the battalion, it’ll be honorable for your family when they go out.”
Wen Lan also nodded along, her eyes brimming with small stars: “Exactly, it’s okay if the work is a bit tiring, you can earn a wage. We just happened to et when we went to the provincial city…”
Wang Shui quickly took over the conversation to cut her off: “Yeah, when we went to the provincial city before, we took the train with the battalion educated youth. They said they could get a salary of forty yuan a month, and they also get clothes.”
After speaking, she turned her head and gave Wen Lan a look, discreetly winking at her.
Sister Lan broke into a cold sweat and instinctively covered her mouth.
Phew! That was close! Almost let it slip!
Sun Yafei didn’t overthink it; She didn’t see the silent communication between the two girls through the crowd, and Sie Yufei, still blocking his view, stood there like part of the backdrop.
Sun Yafei’s eyes were red, and she repeated her thanks several tis before saying, “When I can get out, I will definitely co back to see everyone!”
“Okay, we’ll wait for you.”
“Take good care of yourself there, don’t try to be too strong. If you can do the work, do it; if not, speak up.”
“Oh right, there are a few strips of cloth in your bundle, wrap them around the sickle handle, don’t injure your hands again as though they’ve been crushed by cartwheels.”
When it ca to the strips of cloth, Yu Xiangqin couldn’t help but feel distressed—they were torn from her own bedsheets!
As the girls spoke, their eyes started to fill with tears.
Although they hadn’t known Sun Yafei for a long ti, the sentint built from rushing to harvest together was especially deep, and they had faced hardships together.
Especially since Sun Yafei’s departure ant her future was completely uncertain. No one knew if her family background would cause her to be bullied in the battalion, and no one knew when she would be able to return ho—They heard educated youths in the battalion were rotated every five years, but as for exactly how long, no one could say for sure.
Thinking about Sun Yafei’s uncertain return to the city, they began to reflect on their own situation.
Being an educated youth in the battalion wasn’t easy—when would they be able to return ho?
Before long, there was crying outside the courtyard as well.
At the door, Widow Zhao peeked out: “Are you all crying too?”
Everyone: “…”
Suddenly, they understood why the aunties earlier wanted to punch Lin Nianhe!
Seeing everyone’s grieving faces, Widow Zhao laughed out loud, waving her hand, she said: “Stop howling, I’ll stew a chicken for you all to eat, nobody go back tonight, let’s have dinner together.”
Lin Nianhe spoke the first words to Sun Yafei after getting out: “Aunt Zhao, is that old hen of yours still alive?”
That actor sure had a long life!
Widow Zhao gestured dismissively, speaking boldly, “What are you talking about, that old hen was stewed for Cuihua a long ti ago, she’s pregnant now, I had traded for it with soone… with soone previously.”
Now that the village had a way to make money, Widow Zhao had beco more generous and truly stewed a hen that she had gotten in exchange for homade cloth.
After having dinner at Wang Hong’s house, Lin Nianhe gave Wang Shui a aningful glance, pulling Sun Yafei into the house.
“Yafei, I need a favor from you,” said Lin Nianhe.
Without even asking what she needed, Sun Yafei nodded and said, “Sure, tell .”
Lin Nianhe took out a letter from her pocket and handed it to her while whispering, “When you get to the battalion, please find out if there is a comrade nad Guan Manling and deliver this letter to her.”
Sun Yafei repeated Guan Manling’s na a few tis and then nodded, “Okay, I’ll make sure to deliver it as soon as possible.”
“Mhm,” Lin Nianhe nodded with a smile and said softly, “They say the Great Northern Wilderness is very cold, if there’s anything you need, write to . I know a lot of people, maybe I can help you out.”
After a pause, she added, “This afternoon, I asked Brother Yuncheng to call your family about this, they said, due to your special circumstances, the decision for you to go to the battalion can’t be changed. But they guess you might be able to leave the Great Northern Wilderness after a year or two. You’re still young, so read lots of books, who knows, maybe you can go to Peking University after you co back.”
With lips pursed, Sun Yafei listened intently, nodding from ti to ti.
She didn’t hold any hopes for college. She thought the best outco would be either to return ho or to get back to Ten Miles Team.
The future seed too far away, she dared not contemplate it.
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