Chapter 21

Chapter 21

Zhai Hongyi had only been here for a little over half a month, yet he was already very familiar with Wang Heizi.

Now that Wang Heizi was going to engage in buying and selling, Zhai Hongyi was also involved. This piqued Tang Qingqing's curiosity.

"Hehe, without Brother Yi, I wouldn't dare go to the commune alone."

The distance between Rongshan Brigade and the commune wasn't short. If they walked through the mountains taking shortcuts, it would take more than ten hours. If they went to town to catch a ride, it would take about four or five hours.

Wang Heizi was still young; if he were to walk through the mountains alone to the commune while carrying goods, it would be both tiring and dangerous, and his family wouldn't agree.

"How did you become so close? You've only known each other for a few days."

At other times, it might be fine, but for this kind of activity, one must trust the person completely. Otherwise, if anyone betrays, everything falls apart.

Wang Heizi looked around furtively and whispered:

"Didn't I tell you before that we hunted rabbits together on the mountain and formed a deep revolutionary friendship?"

Things on the mountain were communal property, not something one could hunt freely.

"You guys are really something."

"Why do I call him Brother Yi? Even though he's from the city, he's better at finding and hunting rabbits than I am. I admire him, so I call him Brother. We've already dried a whole batch of rabbits and are waiting to sell them in the city for money."

Although Wang Heizi craved meat, he wanted to make money even more.

"In that case, there's no need for you to ask me for a wicker basket; it takes up too much space."

"Besides rabbit meat, we're planning to sell eggs too."

"Sell eggs?"

Wang Heizi looked excited: "Yes, we collect eggs from the brigade and then sell them in the commune. We need a wicker basket to carry all the goods, and we can sell the basket along with the eggs."

"You guys have too many ideas. Zhai, the new arrival, has only been here for a few days, and he's already restless. Besides, he doesn't seem to be short of money."

He gives out White Rabbit candies like they're free and shares expensive cookies without hesitation.

"Who would ever think they have too much money?"

"Isn't he afraid of getting caught and punished? If he gets punished, he won't get a spot to return to the city."

A voice came from behind: "I don't care. I don't plan to go back to the city anyway."

They turned around and saw Zhai Hongyi.

Sure enough, one shouldn't talk about someone behind their back; as soon as they do, the person appears.

"Brother Yi!" Wang Heizi jumped up from the ground, grinning and ran to his side.

Tang Qingqing was even more surprised: "You don't want to go back to the city?"

Over the years, more than twenty educated youths had come to the brigade. Regardless of how they performed later, initially, they all struggled and cried to go back to the city.

Even those who adapted well and had ideals to change the countryside still wanted to return to the city.

After all, life in the countryside is tough, and there's nothing much available. Everywhere is mountains and farmland, unlike the city where everything is available. Moreover, this isn't their home.

Many educated youths came from far away and couldn't go back once they arrived in the countryside. During holidays, they would gather and cry, missing their families and friends.

Zhai Hongyi not wanting to return to the city was indeed unusual.

Tang Qingqing sized him up, finding it hard to believe he had such lofty ambitions to change the countryside. She heard he was lazy when working.

He finished his tasks, regardless of the time, and wouldn't do any more work, even if offered extra points.

Zhai Hongyi: "Is it strange?"

Tang Qingqing and Wang Heizi nodded vigorously, like chickens pecking at rice.

"I think it's pretty good here."

"What's good about it?"

Tang Qingqing and Wang Heizi echoed in unison.

Since the educated youths arrived, even village bumpkins like Tang Qingqing learned about the outside world.

The educated youths said that life in big cities was great, with electric lights that turn on with a switch, cars that run on gasoline, and wide straight roads.

In big cities, anything is available as long as one has money and coupons.

Unlike the countryside, where one has to grow and raise everything, working tirelessly all year to earn little money.

In the city, one can work in factories and earn in a month what villagers save in a year.

"Everything is good."

Tang Qingqing and Wang Heizi exchanged glances, thinking Zhai Hongyi must be out of his mind.

Zhai Hongyi flicked their foreheads with his fingers, one after the other.

Caught off guard, Tang Qingqing and Wang Heizi covered their foreheads, gasping. They wanted to retaliate, but Zhai Hongyi was much taller.

Just as they were about to team up, Zhai Hongyi spoke:

"Don't think I don't know you're saying bad things about me in your hearts."

Wang Heizi felt guilty: "How could it be? I just didn't expect you to like our brigade so much. When you first came over, you started fighting, and everyone thought you had some issues with our brigade."

"That guy asked for it."

The individual who engaged in a scuffle with Zhai Hongyi was another newly arrived educated youth, unfamiliar to Tang Qingqing, yet known to Wang Heizi.

"That person is indeed annoying and looks down on people." Wang Heizi snorted coldly.

Although he did not show it directly, after all, if he did, it would be a conduct issue and he would be criticized.

That person always smiled as if he were easy to get along with, but the moment he turned around, he rolled his eyes at others.

Wang Heizi was very perceptive. When he interacted with the educated youths, he could discern who truly cared for him and who found him bothersome.

Tang Qingqing, aside from Zhai Hongyi, had little interaction with the other educated youths, hence she did not comprehend them well.

She was only aware that they were desperate to return to the city. Whenever there were openings at the Workers, Peasants, and Soldiers University or opportunities for urban reintegration, the educated youths would compete fiercely for these spots.

Tang Qingqing ultimately consented to allow them to transport the wicker baskets to the commune for sale, dispensing with the necessity of an upfront payment.

However, if they couldn't sell them, they needed to help her sell them to the supply and marketing cooperative, without any markup.

Wang Heizi agreed repeatedly, and Tang Qingqing thought for a moment before saying:

"If you go to the black market and see milk essence, buy me a bottle."

Wang Heizi stared wide-eyed: "Wow, did you strike it rich? You're buying milk essence? That stuff is expensive even with coupons."

Tang Qingqing remained silent; she was actually quite heartbroken too.

But hearing that milk essence was good for health and often given as gifts when visiting the sick, she wanted to buy a bottle to share with her master.

Her master was getting older and his health was declining.

Yesterday, she sliced the meat so thinly not only to make it look more abundant but also to make it easier for her master to eat.

Money was indeed important, and no one knew what the future held, but if one's health was poor now, no amount of money later could fix it.

Zhai Hongyi: "No need to buy it. I have two bottles. I'll give them to you later."

"Aren't you going to drink it?"

"I don't care for it."

"Then I'll give you money. How much does it cost at the black market?"

"No need to pay. I don't like it anyway." Zhai Hongyi shrugged, looking indifferent.

Tang Qingqing refused to take advantage: "No, that won't do. If you don't want money, I'd rather buy it from the black market."

Zhai Hongyi didn't argue further: "I'll sell you a can for three yuan, and two cans for five yuan."

Tang Qingqing knew milk essence was expensive, but hearing this price still made her gasp. She could save only about ten yuan a year.

But thinking of her master, she gritted her teeth and said: "I'll give you 5.8 yuan for two cans."

Wang Heizi burst out laughing: "Tang Qingqing, are you crazy? How come the more you bargain, the higher the price gets!"

Both Zhai Hongyi and Tang Qingqing looked at him speechlessly, while Wang Heizi still seemed confused.

"I'm not wrong. 5.8 yuan is more than five yuan."

Zhai Hongyi ruffled his hair, still not arguing with Tang Qingqing and agreeing to her offer.

He returned to the educated youth settlement and fetched the milk concentrate. "This can is half used. Would you like it? If so, it will cost you 3.5 yuan."

Tang Qingqing glanced at the half-empty can. "There's still a lot left. I'll give you 4.5 yuan."

Zhai Hongyi looked at the yellow-haired girl in front of him, unable to stop the twitch at the corner of his mouth.

"Do you have to be so precise every time?"

Tang Qingqing replied seriously: "In business, clarity prevents hurt feelings."

Zhai Hongyi didn't say anything else and handed her the milk essence.

"I don't have the money with me now. If you're in a hurry, come with me to my master's house to get it."

"No need. You can give it to me later."

Wang Heizi exclaimed: "Brother Yi, how can you eat so much?! This can't be the one you put in your bag earlier, right? It's only been a few days, and you've eaten it all?"

Milk essence was expensive and usually reserved for gifts. Even when consumed at home, it was taken in small amounts.

Wang Heizi was pampered at home, but if there was milk essence, he dared to take more than a little, he would be beaten so badly he couldn't walk.

"It wasn't me who ate it."

"Huh? If not you, then who?"

Zhai Hongyi looked disgusted: "Rats."

Wang Heizi: "Brother Yi, don't lie to me because I'm uneducated. How could rats chew through this tin can? Did you forget to close it after eating?"

Tang Qingqing saw the displeasure on Zhai Hongyi's handsome face and cautiously asked: "Did someone bully you?"

"What nonsense are you talking about? My Brother Yi can beat several people alone. Who could bully him? Right, Brother Yi?"

Zhai Hongyi ignored him and found a spot with plenty of grass, lying down directly.

Wang Heizi looked at him, blinked, and wore an expression of disbelief:

"Brother Yi, you can't be serious? You were really bullied? Tell me who it was—I'll teach them a lesson! No matter how they act outside, once they come to our brigade, they have to listen to me."

Zhai Hongyi gave him a withering look. "Can you kick them out of Rongshan Brigade?"

"Uh... I can't do that." Wang Heizi still felt disgruntled. "But we can't let them get away with it either."

Zhai Hongyi pulled up a wild grass beside him and put the root in his mouth.

"Who said I let them get away with it?"

"No? That's good. You scared me there for a moment. I mean, how could you be bullied by someone?"

Zhai Hongyi snorted. "I just find it distasteful and not worth the effort. For such trivial things, they expose their foolish greed. They suffer losses but don't learn, and they even brag about it. It's so stupid I don't want to look at them."

Wang Heizi's eyes darted around. "Brother Yi, why don't you stay at my place?"

Tang Qingqing couldn't help but chime in: "Forget it, your house is always chaotic."

Wang Heizi's family hadn't divided yet, and there were many people living together, leading to constant conflicts.

Wang Heizi couldn't argue. "Yeah, it's all because we're poor."

If his family had money, they could separate from his uncles and build their own houses, avoiding arguments.

So he had to work hard to earn money. When he grew up and got married, he would never live with a big family, preferring to live halfway up a mountain rather than be together.

Tang Qingqing had originally envied Zhai Hongyi and Wang Heizi for being able to go to the commune. She had never been to the city, and all her information came from others or books, which wasn't as profound as experiencing it firsthand.

Moreover, she really wanted to watch a movie but never had the chance.

Unexpectedly, on the night before they were set to leave for the commune, she received an invitation from the commune's Public Security Bureau.