"Comrade Bai Jiantao, you’re too kind." She took the sugar water, rembering how Zhou Zhenjiang had decided not to be with her because of her eating habits, so she restrained herself and sipped slowly.
"It’s nothing, eting is fate." Bai Jiantao watched with a smile, making her a little embarrassed.
After finishing the sugar water, Bai Jiantao took the bowl, "Huang Zhiqing, being all alone here, do you miss ho a lot?"
She nodded, "There’s always endless work to do. Although I’ve enough to eat, it’s mostly coarse grains, and it feels like I haven’t eaten at all after a al.
All year round, I barely get to eat any at. I’ve really had enough of life here."
"It’s the sa for everyone, life is indeed too hard." Bai Jiantao said with deep sympathy.
This opened her up, and she poured out her grievances.
Bai Jiantao was a great listener, though he didn’t say much, he always got to the point.
Her affection for him was rapidly increasing.
"I’m already twenty, and there’s no hope of going back. Would they really want to marry into the countryside? I’m not willing to accept that." She spoke of her heartbreak, tears truly falling.
Bai Jiantao handed over a clean handkerchief, "Don’t be sad, Huang Zhiqing. It’s the sa for everyone. You’re only twenty, yet many female comrades are already twenty-four or twenty-five and still end up settling down here.
Huang Zhiqing, you still have ti to find soone you like."
She took the handkerchief, "Comrade Bai Jiantao, can you help ?"
"Oh? How do you want to help you, Huang Zhiqing?"
"I want to leave Jin Family Village, but I don’t know where to go. Can you help ?"
Bai Jiantao shook his head, "I’m not capable of that, I’m also an outsider, without any foundation here."
This made her completely lose hope. She sat there dejectedly.
"But you could find soone with a city job, right? You’re beautiful, it shouldn’t be too difficult."
Upon hearing Bai Jiantao’s words, she imdiately lifted her head and looked at him with surprise, "People living in the city, how could they possibly want an educated youth from the countryside?"
"You won’t know until you try, right? It’s at least a hope."
"Comrade Bai Jiantao, can you help out? I don’t know any city people either."
"I do know a few unmarried male comrades, but I’m not sure either."
"Comrade Bai Jiantao?" She hesitated a mont, "Do you have any feelings for ?" After saying it, she shyly lowered her head.
"? Would you, Huang Zhiqing, even consider ? I have nothing. You’d suffer with . I’ll ask so locals instead." Bai Jiantao’s tone was somber, she heard so regret in it.
"I’m not afraid of hardship. Can it be worse than this?" She said emotionally.
"No, I can’t bring you harm.
Here’s what I’ll do, co back the day after tomorrow, I’ll introduce you to a friend from around here."
"Bai Jiantao, I’m willing to follow you." She declared without hesitation. Although Bai Jiantao wasn’t particularly handso, he appeared stable and gave her a sense of security.
"I really can’t, forget it, I won’t drag you down."
"How could you drag down?"
"All my monthly salary is just enough for food, and the rest is sent back to the village. I was raised by the whole village, they funded my studies, allowed to co out here. I pledged to give them twenty years of my wages. Just supporting myself is a problem, I can’t afford to start a family, maybe eighteen years later I’ll consider it."
In her heart, she dismissed this as foolishness, thinking to herself that he had already left ho, with no family in the village, so why continue sending money?
"So is this how you plan to live now?"
"Yes, without the villagers I wouldn’t be who I am.
Huang Zhiqing, co back the day after tomorrow. It’s not the busy farming season, you should be able to get a leave. I’ll introduce you to my friend, his family has lived here for generations. His parents are both workers, his three sisters are married, leaving only him unmarried, working at the lunchbox factory."
She thought the situation sounded quite good. She absent-mindedly asked, "With such good conditions, why would he have trouble finding soone?"
"I haven’t finished. He’s been married once before; his first wife died in childbirth, and people care about such things now. If this concerns you, there are others, just not with as good conditions."
"No, I’m a modern woman, those things don’t bother ."
"Alright, co et him the day after tomorrow. Many female comrades have asked for introductions, and I think you’re the smartest and prettiest."
She understood Bai Jiantao didn’t want her to spread the word. Did he really think she was naive? How could she reveal such a good opportunity? What if soone envies her and sabotages things, keeping her from getting out?
So she nodded with a smile on her face.
"Huang Zhiqing, I have to go to work, co here at noon the day after tomorrow, I’ll introduce you after I finish my shift."
"Okay, thank you, Comrade Bai Jiantao."
"No need to be polite, I just don’t want to see you struggle in the quagmire."
They left, chatting and laughing. She felt like she was walking on air, finally able to escape her bitter life.
There are kind people in this world; if she could marry in the city, she wouldn’t have to toil in the fields all day.
The more she thought about it, the more wonderful it seed. She wouldn’t have to see those troubleso people anymore. She still had a smile on her face while sitting on the bus.
When she arrived at the commune, she bought so pastries at the supply and marketing cooperative. She decided not to cook for these two days and treat herself a bit, thinking their family of three was all workers and must have a good life.
Walking on the road, although the sun was scorching, it felt particularly lovely. She didn’t feel tired or sunburned. Her steps were light, and her face was full of hopeful smiles.
Returning to the educated youth courtyard, though exhausted, she excitedly fetched water to take a bath. She was so thrilled that she didn’t pay attention and slipped, hitting her head on the doorstep, and fainted.
She didn’t wake up until after work ended.
Wu Hong ca in, saw her lying on the ground, scread in fright, and the male youths ca in and lifted her onto the kang (bed).
Because of all this commotion, she opened her eyes, looking at everyone in the room, then started to sob uncontrollably. She cried out all the grievances in her heart.
Initially, everyone didn’t like her, but seeing her crying so heart-wrenchingly, they were worried sothing serious had happened to her.
Fu Xiaoping said he would go find the village barefoot doctor. Even though she showed no external injuries, since she was crying like this, it was better to have the doctor co take a look.
While she wasn’t popular, there was no deep hatred, and after all, she was soone they lived with, so they couldn’t just ignore her.
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