Chapter 35 Fu Mingze: I Have a Friend

Chapter 35 Fu Mingze: I Have a Friend

On the weekend when students were on holiday, the gate of the commune elementary school was locked tight. When Shen Moer arrived, there was no one at the entrance. She realized she had arrived early and wasn’t in a rush, so she waited under the shade of a tree not far from the gate.

Before long, the school gate opened, and two people who looked like teachers hurried out, talking as they walked.

The taller one said, "The higher-ups keep dreaming up new schemes. Not to mention our Liuqiao Commune Elementary School, even in the entire county, there aren’t many kids who can paint. Why not just have the kids from Dongfanghong Elementary School participate?"

The slightly shorter one replied, "I heard that a high-ranking official made several important directives during his southern inspection. The province is demanding that all industries carry out vigorous learning and propaganda campaigns. But you know, in recent years, many people in the propaganda sector have been sent down for re-education. That’s why they’re turning to schools now."

"That’s something else," the taller one seemed to want to complain but wisely held back, then said, "Let’s go to the kiln factory first. I heard their propaganda department just got someone who’s really good at painting. We’ll make contact first, and then have the principal communicate with the kiln factory to try and borrow that person to give the kids a crash course."

As he spoke, he sighed, "Last-minute preparation, let’s just hope it doesn’t end in disaster."

The shorter one, who seemed to be in the know, said, "I heard that Yangliu Brigade managed to secure an additional private teacher position this semester, specifically for art classes. Political propaganda and education can’t be relaxed for a moment, but without the right talent, it’s all just empty talk. The commune has finally felt the pinch and approved Yangliu Brigade’s application."

The taller one shook his head, "With the new classes this semester, the kids will only learn the basics. Besides, this competition is only for commune-level schools. Schools from the lower brigades don’t need to join in."

As they talked, they gradually walked away. Shen Moer watched their retreating figures, deep in thought.

"Excuse me, are you Shen Moer?" A man’s uncertain voice rang out.

Shen Moer turned around and, upon seeing the person, couldn’t help but raise her eyebrows slightly. She had spotted this guy not long ago at the sparrow market—he was the son of that unreasonable middle-aged woman. It dawned on her belatedly that her blind date today was supposed to be named Zhang Junliang, and it seemed this "Junliang" was the man before her.

Shen Moer nodded, "I am Shen Moer. Hello, Comrade Zhang Junliang."

Zhang Junliang was also slightly taken aback. He had noticed this girl at the sparrow market earlier. Though her clothes were a bit worn, she was really pretty. However, he never expected that she would be his blind date.

He quickly nodded, "Hello, Comrade Shen Moer."

After a moment of hesitation, Zhang Junliang said, "I’m really sorry about what happened at the sparrow market earlier. My mother is used to being frugal and can be a bit stubborn. Of course, it’s also my fault. She was just trying to save a bit for me."

Shen Moer didn’t hold any bad impressions of Zhang Junliang because of this incident. After all, he wasn’t as unreasonable as his mother and seemed quite polite in his dealings. So she simply said it was nothing.

Zhang Junliang looked around and suggested, "Shall we take a walk nearby?"

Shen Moer glanced at him and nodded.

This guy had a decent look and a gentle demeanor. Based on his own conditions alone, Shen Moer thought he was quite acceptable. However, his mother was a bit difficult and unreasonable, so the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law relationship might not be easy.

Shen Moer got straight to the point, "The matchmaker mentioned you’ve got three brothers, and the first two are already hitched. You’re the youngest, so you’re willing to live with your father-in-law after marriage?"

Xu Weiguo had mentioned that the Zhang family had three sons and their housing was quite tight. Although Zhang Junliang was a formal worker, he was still young and it was uncertain when he would get his own housing. Therefore, he was willing to live with his father-in-law after marriage—not exactly as a live-in son-in-law, but close to it. Moreover, since Shen Moer was an only child, they would naturally take responsibility for her father’s care in his old age, which was almost like being a live-in son-in-law.

Shen Shaoyuan had been persuaded by this reasoning.

Zhang Junliang looked at Shen Moer and nodded, "Our housing is tight. Even if I wanted to live at home after marriage, there probably wouldn’t be enough space."

Originally, his family had planned to rent another room when he got married. Some families with young children were willing to squeeze out a room or half a room in exchange for some money.

But a few days ago, his aunt came by and mentioned this girl. She was an only child, living with her father, and the key point was that her father worked in the propaganda department of the kiln factory and was currently a temporary worker. The department head had hinted that he would likely become a formal employee after a year.

The girl herself worked as a private teacher at the brigade elementary school, earning twelve yuan a month.

Although their house was in the countryside, Yangliu Brigade was close to the commune, and commuting by bicycle was quite convenient.

Moreover, if her father could become a formal employee, he would have a cadre status. The kiln factory had put up a lot of housing, so they might snag a place soon.

Calculating it this way, he wouldn’t have to live in the countryside for too long.

Even if they couldn’t get a house, once they had children, the kids would need to attend the commune’s elementary school. By then, whether renting or otherwise, his father-in-law would have money and wouldn’t ignore the young couple.

His aunt and mom whispered back and forth for a while, finally agreeing that this match was a good one. As long as the woman didn’t insist on him marrying into her family, he wouldn’t have to bear the stigma of being a man marrying into his wife’s family, yet could still enjoy the benefits from his father-in-law, which was actually better than marrying a girl from an ordinary family in the commune.

Zhang Junliang had some lingering doubts in his mind, but after meeting her, those doubts vanished.

The two wandered around the commune streets. Zhang Junliang had planned to take Shen Moer to the state-run restaurant for lunch, but upon learning that she would soon return with the brigade’s donkey cart, he decided to buy two buns from the state-run restaurant for her to take back.

The buns at the state-run restaurant required grain coupons but were cheaper than the ones sold by Sister Qiao. Zhang Junliang bought six, but Shen Moer only took three.

Zhang Junliang provided the grain coupons, but Shen Moer insisted on paying the cash herself, not wanting to owe him anything.

As they left the state-run restaurant, they bumped into Zheng Jiamin, loaded down with packages.

Zheng Jiamin happily waved a small package in his hand: "Comrade Shen Moer!"

"Zheng Zhiqing," Shen Moer paused, eyeing his packages. "You’ve got quite a haul there."

Zheng Jiamin chuckled: "Oh, these aren’t bought, they’re sent from home. It’s almost Mid-Autumn Festival (a major Chinese holiday), so of course, the family would send some food over."

Shen Moer knew Zheng Jiamin’s family was well-off, so it wasn’t surprising they’d send things. But she couldn’t help thinking of Fu Mingze, who never seemed to receive anything from his family.

Zheng Jiamin gave Zhang Junliang a curious look. Never one to hold back, he asked directly, "Comrade Shen Moer, who’s this?"

Shen Moer introduced them: "This is Zheng Jiamin, an educated youth in our brigade. And this is Zhang Junliang from the textile factory."

Zheng Jiamin sized up Zhang Junliang and greeted him casually, "Hello, Comrade Zhang."

Zhang Junliang gave a reserved nod and said, "Hello."

Seeing Zheng Jiamin overloaded, Shen Moer said goodbye to Zhang Junliang and offered to help carry the packages. Zheng Jiamin didn’t hesitate and handed her the smallest one.

Zhang Junliang frowned slightly, caught up to her, and asked, "Shen Moer, if you’re free next Sunday, how about going to the county to see a movie?"

Shen Moer was quite interested in movies. Her memories included two experiences of watching open-air screenings by the film team. Zhang Junliang’s invitation likely meant going to the county cinema.

Currently, Shen Moer had a decent impression of Zhang Junliang. His difficult mother wouldn’t be a problem if they didn’t live together, so she was open to seeing him again.

However, recalling the conversation she overheard at the commune school’s gate, Shen Moer thought for a moment and said, "It’s hard to say about next Sunday. I’ll have my father pass a message to Section Chief Xu (her father’s contact) in advance, is that okay?"

Zhang Junliang was surprised she didn’t agree right away, feeling a little uneasy, but he nodded and said, "Alright, I’ll wait to hear from you."

Once Zhang Junliang was gone, Zheng Jiamin asked curiously, "Shen Moer, are you and Zhang Junliang dating?"

Shen Moer didn’t hold back, explaining it was set up by her dad’s factory boss and today was their first meeting.

Zheng Jiamin nodded, then shook his head, feeling somewhat uneasy: "Logically, Zhang Junliang’s qualifications are good, but I feel he’s not quite right for you, Shen Moer."

Zheng Jiamin knew his thoughts were somewhat odd.

Back then, the urban-rural divide was huge, and city folks with grain rations rarely married rural people. Zhang Junliang was a skilled worker at the textile factory. Zheng Jiamin’s family had many workers, so he knew skilled workers earned much more than ordinary workers. Moreover, Zhang Junliang was quite handsome and seemed to have a good personality... Logically, Shen Moer should be the one marrying up.

But Zheng Jiamin had known Shen Moer long enough to feel she was special. No matter how good Zhang Junliang seemed, he just didn’t measure up to her.

However, though he was naturally sociable, he wasn’t the type to speak out of turn. He only slightly hinted at his thoughts and didn’t say much more.

Shen Moer wasn't particularly concerned. She had a generally favorable impression of Zhang Junliang, but it wasn't to the extent of considering marriage with him, so the question of compatibility didn't concern her.

When they returned to the donkey cart with their packages, everyone else was already there. After organizing their belongings and boarding the cart, Uncle Liu drove the donkey cart away.

*

At high noon, when the sun was blazing, Zheng Jiamin returned to the educated youth group's quarters with his large and small packages.

Fu Mingze was engrossed in a book under the eaves. Noticing Zheng Jiamin stepping into the yard, he set aside his book and rose to assist. Zheng Jiamin peeked inside and whispered, "Is everyone inside?"

Fu Mingze nodded, and Zheng Jiamin said, "Let's head to the kitchen."

Everyone else had already had lunch, so the kitchen was deserted. As Zheng Jiamin opened the packages with a kitchen knife, Fu Mingze retrieved a bowl of vegetable porridge that had been warming in the pot. This was the meal left for Zheng Jiamin. The vegetables had turned a bit yellow and didn't look particularly appealing.

Zheng Jiamin had already opened the packages. In addition to mooncakes, malted milk, candies, and biscuits, there was also a very thick sweater and a pair of cotton shoes.

Zheng Jiamin was already hungry. He tore open a bag of mooncakes, keeping one for himself and handing another to Fu Mingze. Then he stood there, slurping down the porridge.

After eating enough to take the edge off his hunger, Zheng Jiamin finally had the chance to speak: "These mooncakes are from Yue Lai Fang, a renowned old shop in Shanghai. Their mooncakes are absolutely delicious."

Fu Mingze nodded, not stinting on praise: "They are indeed good."

Zheng Jiamin: "..."

It was the first time he had seen someone enjoy Yue Lai Fang's mooncakes with such composure. Honestly, Zheng Jiamin sometimes wondered if Fu Mingze was some sort of fallen aristocrat, who had once been wealthy and lived a life of luxury, so he always had this demeanor no matter what he saw or ate.

"Ah, I should have set aside a couple of mooncakes for Comrade Shen Moer to taste," Zheng Jiamin suddenly remembered.

During the house construction, he had enjoyed several meals with the Shen family. Though he had contributed labor, Zheng Jiamin was acutely aware that his efforts didn't merit the generous hospitality he enjoyed. He had been reaping the benefits of others' hard work.

Fu Mingze looked up: "Did Comrade Shen also go to the commune?"

Zheng Jiamin nodded: "Yes, we took the brigade's donkey cart together."

Speaking of this, he suddenly looked around and lowered his voice conspiratorially: "Don't tell anyone, but I ran into Comrade Shen Moer at the commune. She was on a blind date with a technician from the textile factory. He looked decent, but I think he's a bit unworthy of Comrade Shen Moer. She's so beautiful and spirited, while that Comrade Zhang, though decent, is just ordinary..."

Fu Mingze slightly furrowed his brow and interrupted him: "Didn't you say Uncle Shen wanted to find her a live-in son-in-law? Would a technician from the textile factory be willing to do that?"

Zheng Jiamin scratched his head: "I don't know. I couldn't really ask."

Fu Mingze chuckled: "There's something you're too shy to ask?"

Although he was smiling, Zheng Jiamin inexplicably felt that Fu Mingze seemed a bit unhappy. But before Zheng Jiamin could say anything more, Fu Mingze tossed out a "clean up yourself" and walked out of the kitchen.

Zheng Jiamin muttered, "Weird," finished the remaining porridge in a few gulps, washed the bowl and chopsticks, packed up the opened items in cloth bags and kraft paper, and then carried them into the house.

Fu Mingze left the kitchen and sat back under the eaves to continue reading. But after a long time, he hadn't finished a single line. After some thought, he simply got up and walked out.

At noon, the village road was quiet. Occasionally, he would meet a woman carrying a basket back from her private plot or a child running home, and they would stop to greet him.

Since when had the villagers started greeting him on their own? It seemed to have started after he helped the Shen family build their house.

Fu Mingze couldn't help but recall when he first came to the countryside. His family elders had repeatedly warned him to suppress his temper, keep a low profile, and never be ostentatious. After arriving at Yangliu Brigade, he had always followed this advice, hardly interacting with the commune members and keeping his distance from the other educated youths.

Who would have thought that just helping to build a house would completely change the situation?

As Fu Mingze walked and thought, he unconsciously arrived at the village entrance. Facing the Shen family's new gate, he hesitated for a moment, then gently knocked twice.

Soon, Shen Moer's clear voice came from inside: "Who is it?"

Fu Mingze replied, "It's me."

His voice came out low and hoarse. Worried the person inside might not hear him, he quickly cleared his throat and responded again in a louder voice.

The courtyard door opened, and Shen Moer, seeing Fu Zhiqing, smiled: "Oh, it's you, Fu Zhiqing. Come on in."

Fu Zhiqing walked into the yard, and Shen Moer opened the door to its fullest, kicked a nearby stone to prop it open, preventing the wind from blowing it shut again.

She left the door open on purpose to avoid gossip in case someone saw them.

Though it was the most normal action, and it had always been like this, today Fu Zhiqing felt inexplicably uneasy.

"Have you eaten yet, Fu Zhiqing?"

Shen Moer casually asked as she went into the kitchen to fetch a bowl, pouring in some mung bean soup. She’d simmered the soup on low heat that morning before leaving. When she got back, she didn’t cook anything else but just reheated a few buns bought from the state-run restaurant and had them with the mung bean soup, and called it a meal.

The autumn heat was worse than the peak of summer. The kitchen was too hot for Shen Moer, so she moved the small table to the corridor outside, where the breeze made it much cooler than the kitchen.

Fu Zhiqing: "I've already eaten."

Shen Moer placed a small stool in front of him: "Have some mung bean soup then. It’s light."

Fu Zhiqing sat down. He’d just eaten a mooncake and walked from the village, so he was thirsty and didn’t refuse. He picked up the bowl and slowly drank.

Shen Moer was only halfway through her bun, so she picked it up and continued eating.

Fu Zhiqing glanced at the bun in her hand and couldn't help but ask: "This bun—isn’t it from Sister Qiao’s?"

Though they’re all buns, everyone makes them differently, and the size of the buns also varies.

Shen Moer nodded: "I got it from the state-run restaurant in the commune. It's a bit cheaper than Sister Qiao’s, but you need grain coupons for it."

Fu Zhiqing knew that the little grain coupons her family had were all used up during the house construction. It wasn't payday yet, and considering what Zheng Jiamin had said, it was clear who had provided the grain coupons.

The mung bean soup suddenly didn’t taste as sweet.

Shen Moer quickly finished eating. Before she could get up, Fu Zhiqing reached for the bowl and chopsticks: "I'll wash them."

Shen Moer glanced at his hand, and Fu Zhiqing, following her gaze, couldn't help but smile: "It’s fine now."

Shen Moer then didn’t stand on ceremony and said: "Thanks, Fu Zhiqing."

When Fu Zhiqing came out of the kitchen after washing the dishes, he saw Shen Moer bringing out a wicker box from the house: "I found this at the market today. It's quite sturdy, and the key point is that this box can be locked. Since you've lost things before, Fu Zhiqing, I thought this kind of lockable box would be quite suitable."

Shen Moer smiled: "You’ve done so much to help with our house, especially with the bathroom, which is very convenient to use. I've been wanting to prepare a gift for you but never found the right one. Today, I happened to see this and bought it as a thank-you gift."

Fu Zhiqing didn't expect her to prepare a thank-you gift for him, especially since this gift was exactly what he needed at the moment.

When he first came to the countryside, to fit the image of a poor man, his family didn't let him bring any suitcases or travel bags but instead gave him a cloth bag made from old clothes.

The educated youth group's room housed more than ten people, and keeping things in a cloth bag was almost the same as leaving them outside. He had gone through a lot of trouble to hide money and coupons.

Buying a box here was even more impossible, not only because things were hard to come by but also because it didn't fit his image.

But if it was a gift from someone else, using it would be perfectly reasonable.

At another time, Fu Zhiqing would have been happy to receive this thank-you gift from Shen Moer, but today...

Looking into her clear and bright eyes, Fu Zhiqing felt happy but also somewhat annoyed, unconsciously frowning slightly, and said: "I haven't really helped much. There's no need for you to go through so much trouble to prepare a thank-you gift for me."

After a moment of hesitation, he couldn't help but say, "Shen Moer, if you feel it might be awkward for us to keep in touch, you can just say it directly."

There's no need to go out of your way with a thank-you gift to draw a line between us.

Shen Moer was a bit surprised: "Why would Fu Mingze think that way?"

Fu Mingze looked directly at her with clear eyes and said, "I heard that Shen Moer is seeing someone, and I guessed that you might feel the need to keep some distance from other people. Regarding helping with the house, I actually didn't do much, and your family has been feeding me for a while, so Shen Moer doesn't need to worry about it."

Shen Moer opened her mouth but finally only said, "I really didn't mean that."

Fu Mingze looked down and after a moment said, "Then perhaps I got it wrong."

After a few seconds of silence, he added, "I came today to confirm with you, are we starting the high school courses tomorrow?"

Shen Moer nodded, and then Fu Mingze said, "Alright, I'll come again tomorrow." After saying that, he turned and walked away quickly.

After leaving the Shen family, Fu Mingze returned to the educated youth group. In the dormitory, Zheng Jiamin had already packed his things, stuffing all the food and stuff into the suitcase he brought from home. When Fu Mingze entered, Zheng was crouching, pushing the suitcase under the bed.

Fu Mingze gave a quick glance and walked straight to his own bed, lying down without bothering to take off his shoes.

Zheng Jiamin looked at him strangely. Fu Mingze was always very clean, and today he actually went to bed without taking off his shoes. Although his feet were hanging outside and wouldn't dirty the bedding, it was indeed not like Fu Mingze's usual behavior.

Zheng Jiamin leaned in and asked quietly, "What's wrong?"

Fu Mingze looked at him. Although he thought Zheng Jiamin's brain wasn't capable of offering any good advice, he was indeed feeling a bit mixed up and wanted to talk to someone. So he got up from the bed and said, "Let's talk outside."

A few minutes later, the two stood in the vegetable garden behind the educated youth group. Fu Mingze thought for a second and said, "I have a friend whose family is pretty well-off, but their family background isn't great. He recently met a girl from a poor peasant family, but he's worried that his family's issues might affect her, so he's a bit hesitant."

After a pause, he added, "That girl has recently found a good match."

Zheng Jiamin felt something was off about this story but couldn't quite put his finger on it. So he scratched his head and said, "Since that's the case, and the girl has a good match, just let your friend give up."

Fu Mingze's face immediately darkened: "..."

Indeed, with Zheng Jiamin's brain, he could only give bad advice.