CHAPTER 33: CHAPTER 33: NEARLY SENT BACK

Xu Qinghuan waited for a while, but hadn’t been called yet, so she looked around. Unsurprisingly, this would be the place where she’d live for the next three to four years.

In memory, the college entrance examination resumed in ’77.

In the corner of her eye, she saw her savior. The young man was leaning against a ramshackle tractor, holding a cigarette between his fingers. The smoke curled around his well-defined knuckles, his long legs crossed as he lowered his gaze, seemingly lost in thought.

Perhaps sensing Xu Qinghuan’s gaze, he looked over, his eyes somewhat fierce, glancing at her with a hint of warning, then quickly looked away elsewhere.

What a fierce guy, she hadn’t even thanked him yet.

"Come over here, I’ll call names, and you all follow the respective production teams!" Officer Xu clapped his hands, calling everyone to gather around, and started calling names.

As expected, Xu Qinghuan, Yu Xiaomin, Kong Lijuan, Lu Nianying, Chen Dewen, Zheng Siqi, and Dai Yifeng—seven in total, three men and four women—were assigned to the Shangjiang team.

The brigade leader was stunned and argued with Officer Xu, "Officer Xu, this isn’t right. Our team got so many educated youths this year, and there are more women than men. Isn’t this too much, going too far?"

The food was limited, and the more people who couldn’t work, the heavier the burden.

Officer Xu pointed at another group of educated youths, "Look, if you like anyone else, take them!"

The brigade leader scanned them, but he wasn’t impressed. The educated youths from the city weren’t much stronger than the women. "But you can’t give us this many!"

"Your team only got two educated youths this year. Do you not remember how many the other teams took last batch?" Officer Xu sighed, "We helped you last time; this time we can’t do the same!"

The neighboring Liaozhong team’s leader shouted, "Old Jiang, stop dawdling, time to head back to work."

The brigade leader reluctantly waved, "Go, go, let’s go!"

Xu Qinghuan was pulled by Qiao Xinyu in front of the brigade leader, "Brigade leader, I want to go back with my friend, let her come along, please?"

The brigade leader glanced at Xu Qinghuan, taken aback by her beauty, her skin like snow and jade, exquisite as a painting. Surely, she couldn’t be a spirit from the mountains, so beautiful. How did she end up in their team?

Could he still refuse now?

"You... you’re assigned to our team as an educated youth?" Jiang Baohua regretted it deeply, such beauty was bound to cause trouble.

The single men in the production team would go crazy, surely.

Xu Qinghuan didn’t know she was resented, nearly being rejected. "Brigade leader, if it’s inconvenient, I’ll just go with the main group."

Qiao Xinyu quietly whispered in her ear, "Come with me, you can ride the tractor."

Xu Qinghuan gasped, implying the main group had to walk. She whispered, "Can I bring someone along? I just made a friend."

"Sure, call her over." Qiao Xinyu bounced in front of the brigade leader, "Brigade leader, please give us a break!"

"Give you a break? What did you do wrong, asking for a break? Watch your words!" Jiang Baohua glared at her but didn’t refuse.

Xu Qinghuan called Yu Xiaomin to come along. Upon seeing it was the girl who had testified for Xu Qinghuan earlier, Qiao Xinyu was pleased and warmly extended her hand, "I’m Qiao Xinyu, Huanhuan’s good friend."

"I’m Yu Xiaomin, and Huanhuan is..."

Not knowing how to continue, Xu Qinghuan laughed, "Xiaomin has really taken care of me all the way."

"If you take care of my friend, you’re my friend too. The three of us will be good friends from now on." Qiao Xinyu was quite the straightforward girl.

At that moment, the anxiety and trepidation Yu Xiaomin had accumulated in coming to a strange place melted away completely in the laughter and gentle words of the two girls.

Yu Xiaomin didn’t have much luggage. Xu Qinghuan had a bundle and two handbags. Qiao Xinyu helped her carry one while she held the other.

"Qiao Educated Youth, why did you bring the educated youths here? Aren’t they supposed to follow the ox cart?" On the vehicle, Qiu Linghua grumbled, spreading her legs and occupying two seats.

Clearly resistant to Xu Qinghuan’s group sitting.

Xu Qinghuan squinted, holding her luggage without moving.

She didn’t necessarily have to sit on this tractor, but being bullied the moment she arrived certainly displeased her, considering she would be living in the team for three to four years.

"If you don’t want to sit, get off!" Jiang Xingye somehow came to the back of the vehicle and yelled at Qiu Linghua.

Qiu Linghua’s face grew ugly, "Oh, I see, Xingye was waiting to drive because he was waiting for Qiao Educated Youth. You two..."

Before Qiu Linghua could finish, Jiang Xingye grabbed her, mimicking Xu Qinghuan’s earlier action, and tossed her to the ground. But he didn’t use too much force, fearing she’d blame him if she got hurt.

Then, he sat down in the driver’s seat himself.

Xu Qinghuan and Qiao Xinyu exchanged glances; the latter shrugged, indicating she had nothing to do with this village bully.

Xu Qinghuan, upon hearing "Xingye" being called by an old lady, was shocked too. Could he really be Jiang Xingye?

Did a big shot save her life the moment she arrived?

Even though falling from the cart likely wouldn’t kill her, the favor had to be exaggerated.

"Come on up, this tractor can fit folks. So why don’t you delicate educated youths just stay in the city? Why’d you run to this remote corner?" A woman on the vehicle extended her hand to Xu Qinghuan’s group.

Qiao Xinyu passed her luggage over, "Thank you Auntie Guiying! These are my good friends Xu Qinghuan and Yu Xiaomin. It’s not like we wanted to come, we were sent here. There are too many people in the city and too few jobs; not enough food, either. We had no choice but to come and farm with you all."

"Here, what we lack in many things, we make up for in land. As long as you’re not lazy, you won’t starve."

"Auntie Guiying is right!" Qiao Xinyu, sweet-talking, had mingled with several village women since arriving at the Shangjiang team.

On the vehicle, there were about ten people, all aunts and sisters-in-law. Xu Qinghuan sweetly smiled, greeting them with her eyes. Her beauty, indeed, brought extra tolerance and appreciation, though inevitably some stared with less goodwill.

After being thrown off by Jiang Xingye, Qiu Linghua shamelessly climbed back on but had to sit at the back this time, clinging tightly to the edge, fearing she would be flung off.

The tractor sputtered away. Xu Qinghuan sat atop a fertilizer bag. Wind tossed her disheveled hair, and the midday sun warmed her, dispelling the chill inside her.

Meanwhile, the rest of the educated youths walked with the brigade leader, setting off first. There was only one ox cart for luggage; the people naturally followed on foot.

The road from the commune to the team was dirt, covered with a layer of stones. Walking not far left feet aching.

"Brigade leader, are we really going to walk all the way to the team?" Chen Dewen felt quite miserable too. The new group of educated youths likely had decent conditions, as several wore leather shoes.

Walking this rocky road felt like torture.