CHAPTER 46: 045: OPPRESSION

After riding the night train for two consecutive days, Old Mrs. Ye’s body couldn’t take it. Once she returned home, she fell ill immediately, unlike the last time when she fell ill working at the brigade’s field and had Wang Changjiang take her to see a doctor. Now, she could only rely on herself, and Ye Ling thought about how her grandmother passed away early in her previous life, so she decided to take her to the town.

After covering Grandma with a blanket, she went to the brigade. There was an empty house at the east end of the village, which the brigade used as the brigade office. When Ye Ling entered, Wang Changjiang was talking to Si Daochen’s father. He looked up and saw Ye Ling come in without any surprise on his face.

This made Ye Ling realize that Wang Changjiang was aware of her and Grandma’s return.

"Uncle Wang, my grandma is sick. Could you lend us the brigade’s cart to take her to the town for a check-up?" Ye Ling lowered her stance, as she was here to ask for help.

Since the Ye Family received the telegram and left, Wang Changjiang kept guessing what the matter was. Now, seeing the old and the young return, and the old woman still sick, he couldn’t figure out what the issue was but sensed it was a conflict with the city people. Otherwise, why would the old woman return and fall ill?

These guesses flashed through Wang Changjiang’s mind in an instant. He had his calculations but didn’t speak immediately, putting on a difficult expression on his face before sighing, "Lingzi, it’s not that Uncle doesn’t want to lend you the cart. The cart belongs to the brigade; if every household borrows it for their matters, what about the brigade’s tasks? It’s not that Uncle is inconsiderate; there are many eyes in the village watching. If I make an exception this time, what will happen when other families come to borrow the cart? Why don’t we wait for the brigade members to return, and we’ll have a meeting? If it’s approved, I’ll have someone let you know. You should go home and wait first."

Ye Ling was itching to retort and curse back but knew that demanding the cart now would get her nowhere, so she held back her temper, "Uncle Wang, everyone in our village has been here for generations, and if you trace back a few generations, we all came over during the northeastern migration. We’re all connected somehow, and my grandma is old and sick. Even if it were an outsider, you wouldn’t just watch, right? Plus, Uncle Wang, you’re the brigade leader. Your awareness should be higher than us common folk, and serving the people isn’t the same as privately lending the cart, right?"

As she reached the end of her plea, Ye Ling adjusted her words and smiled, "The cart belongs to the brigade, which means it’s the whole village’s. Using it for family elder’s illness is just normal, wouldn’t you say? Even without explaining to the villagers, who could stand up and say anything? After all, it’s a matter of life and death."

Grandma was old, and saying it’s a matter of life and death didn’t seem excessive to Ye Ling.

Wang Changjiang felt embarrassed by Ye Ling’s words. If he disagreed in front of outsiders, wouldn’t he appear heartless and ignorant? He really didn’t know when the Ye Family girl became so sharp-tongued.

But agreeing just like that, Wang Changjiang was also reluctant.

Just as the atmosphere was tense, Si Jun, who was seated, spoke up, "Lingzi, you’re right. Given the situation, let’s follow what your Uncle Wang said. You should go home and wait for the news. We’ll have a meeting and send you the word."

Ye Ling glared at him, her gaze meeting a face with five or six parts resemblance to Si Daochen, her eyes growing cold, "Uncle, illnesses can’t wait. At worst, we can pay to use the brigade’s cart. Surely that’s possible?"

Truth be told, Ye Ling really didn’t like Si Daochen’s father. While Si Daochen looked like a silent person, Si Jun’s appearance was mean, and he was a sycophant. Just like now, if he wasn’t trying to save Wang Changjiang’s face, they would have lent the cart already. But his words dragged the situation back to the starting point.

"This isn’t about money. If you’re saying that as long as you have money everything can be done, then why bother with cloth coupons or grain coupons? Alright, go back. We’ll let you know after our meeting and discussion," Wang Changjiang displayed his usual commanding presence as the brigade leader.

He waved his hand unwilling to say another word to Ye Ling.

Ye Ling gritted her teeth. Even though knowing going back now wouldn’t yield any hope, she held onto a slim chance, swallowing her words. Before leaving, she firmly looked at Wang Changjiang, "Uncle Wang, my grandma and I have always troubled you for care. My dad always said he’d thank you properly when he returned. So please, help us out this time. Let someone send me word after the meeting."

Leaving those words behind, she strode out of the room.

Standing by the window, watching her walk out of the yard, Wang Changjiang helplessly said to Si Jun, "You saw how difficult it is for me as the brigade leader. If I don’t act selfishly, I offend people. But if I do, then everyone will borrow brigade resources. What can I do? Now, even using threats with words. Even if Ye He Ping returns and talks to me, I didn’t do anything wrong."

Despite his confident words, Wang Changjiang felt uncertain inside.

Anyone who handled things in the brigade can’t be naive.

Si Jun saw through Wang Changjiang’s worries and smiled, "You’re thinking for the brigade, who can say you’re wrong? If it were a real serious illness, the child wouldn’t come calmly to borrow the cart. It would have alarmed the whole village already."

Listening to this analysis, Wang Changjiang felt it made sense, his worries subsiding. He sat down and took a large sip from his tea mug, "You’re truly sharp. I almost softened up and agreed with the child."

Turned an embarrassing moment into a case of softness.

Si Jun didn’t expose him, "You’re just too good-tempered. Look at other brigades, none have these issues."

"Don’t they..."

At the brigade, Wang Changjiang and Si Jun chatted happily, while Ye Ling returned home angrily. Seeing her grandma, who was intermittently moaning in her sleep, she sat on the bed angrily, truly believing those sycophants were bullying them seeing they had just come back like this.

Besides her anger, Ye Ling had no other solutions, covering Grandma’s forehead. It felt hot. Rummaging through the medicine cupboard, she only found a few tablets of Tetracycline. In those days, when families became ill, they mostly used Tetracycline or Analgesic. Tetracycline counts as an anti-inflammatory drug.

Ye Ling poured water to wake Grandma, who groggily took the medicine and then fell back asleep. Ye Ling wrung a cloth to place on Grandma’s forehead before sitting down.

With things strained with her parents, even if she entered school, she couldn’t rely on them for tuition, compounded by the oppression in the village. Ye Ling could foresee how hard her future days would be. Was she really going to end up not studying like in her past life?

No, she was determined to study.

Ye Ling took a deep breath, stayed by Grandma for a while, and seeing her fever wasn’t as bad, she got up and left the room. It was the busy spring sowing season, and those with children went to school, so wild vegetables weren’t in high demand. Ye Ling took a basket and a knife and left home. When she had dug a basketful of dandelions, she happened to meet Si Daochen and several others returning from school.

"I was thinking of going to your house tonight." Seeing Si Daochen stop, Ye Ling didn’t need to call him further and directly explained, "My grandma is sick, and I can’t leave her side. Could you pass a message to the teacher for me, that I’ll study at home and will register before the exams?"

Si Daochen originally wanted to speak with her, as it was the critical period before the middle school exam. He hoped to persuade her not to frequently ask for leave. But without waiting for Ye Ling to finish, his brows furrowed at hearing it meant she wouldn’t be attending school.