"Why didn’t you say so sooner?"
Gao Cuiyun mumbled, "I told He Ze. He said it was normal."
Mrs. He scolded angrily, "What does a man like He Ze know? You’ve had three children already, don’t you know by now? Bleeding continuously can kill you! Hurry up and get ready, we’re going to the hospital. This is just awful. People will think the He Family mistreats its daughters-in-law."
Gao Cuiyun hesitated. "Mother, we probably don’t need to go to the hospital, right? We can just get so dicine to stop the bleeding. Going to the hospital will cost a lot, and He Ze just bought that bicycle. The family has no money left."
Mrs. He’s face was ashen with anger. "I don’t even know what to say to you two. You spent all the family’s money on a bicycle and didn’t even leave a single cent for ergencies. How are you going to manage in the future?"
Gao Cuiyun lowered her head, saying nothing.
Seeing her like this, Mrs. He felt even more helpless. She slamd the door and left.
That evening, when He Ze got back, Mrs. He imdiately called him over.
The mont He Ze walked in, Mrs. He let him have it. "Your wife is as pale as a ghost, are you blind? She’s been bleeding for two months straight! A little longer and she’ll be dead. Marrying you was the worst luck she’s ever had."
He Ze was stunned. "Mother, what are you talking about? Isn’t it normal to bleed after giving birth?"
"Bullshit! You call bleeding for two months straight normal? Why don’t you try bleeding for two months and see how you feel! Do you want your wife to die? I’d like to see how you manage with three children all by yourself."
He Ze frowned. ’She’s exaggerating.’
"So, what should we do?"
Mrs. He glared at him. "What do you think? Go to the hospital and get the bleeding stopped! But your wife said you spent all the family’s money on that bicycle."
He Ze scratched the back of his head, asking sheepishly, "Do we have to go to the hospital?"
Mrs. He gave him a cold stare. He Ze had no choice but to swallow his pride and say, "Mother, please, be a dear and lend a few yuan. I’ll pay you back as soon as I get paid next month."
Mrs. He stared at He Ze for a mont. Then, she climbed onto the kang, opened a cabinet, and pulled out ten yuan. She climbed back down and handed the money to He Ze.
"Bring the baby here tomorrow, and you take your wife to get a check-up. Listen, son, you can’t just think about yourself all the ti. You have to take care of your wife and child."
He Ze nodded. "I know, Mother. I’ll head back now."
After He Ze left, Mrs. He sighed. "Children are a debt you can never repay. Not a single one of them lets you rest easy."
Early the next morning, He Ze brought the baby to Mrs. He and then took Gao Cuiyun to the hospital.
Guo Jinfeng was up early making breakfast when she saw He Ze’s bicycle parked in the courtyard. She stared at it for a long while before turning and spitting in its direction. "PAH!"
After she finished cooking and went back inside, she said to He Nan, "Second Brother bought a bicycle yesterday. Out of the three of you brothers, you’re the one with the worst lot in life now."
He Nan looked at Guo Jinfeng, his expression unreadable. "What? Are you jealous? We had the money to buy one, too."
At his words, Guo Jinfeng’s jealousy vanished instantly. She left the room again, looking uncomfortable.
The grain had just been distributed for the year. The eldest brother’s family got the largest share, but He Nan and Guo Jinfeng were both skilled farmhands. He Nan earned nearly full work points, and Guo Jinfeng managed eight or nine a day. Besides their grain rations, they had earned about thirty yuan. However, He Nan kept that money himself. It was ant for the family’s daily expenses and He Ziqing’s school fees.
As for the grain in the cellar, He Nan always fetched a few days’ supply himself, only going back down for more when it ran out. He was wary of Guo Jinfeng. After all these years with her, he knew her—and he knew the Guo Family. Given the slightest opportunity, they would strip his ho bare.
Before the families split their households, it was his mother who managed everything.
’So people only behave themselves when soone else is in charge. The mont they get a little power or control over their own affairs, they spin out of control.’
’Guo Jinfeng was a perfect example; so of her ways of thinking were just too ingrained.’
’Ever since that incident, the two of them had barely spoken. It felt like they could never go back to the way they were.’
’But He Nan was more concerned about how their child felt.’
He Ze and Gao Cuiyun weren’t gone for long. They returned saying the hospital had prescribed so dicine to stop the bleeding, which they needed to brew at ho.
Hearing this, Mrs. He didn’t press for details and felt much more at ease.
The good thing about He Ze’s new bicycle was that he could now co ho every day instead of staying in the factory dormitory.
One day, as He Ze was arriving at the entrance to the village, he ran into Gu Yuwei. She was alone.
He Ze stopped. "Educated Youth Gu, are you heading to town?"
Gu Yuwei looked at He Ze, her eyes falling on the bicycle he was riding. "Yes, I need to go to the post office."
He Ze noticed her eyes were red and swollen, as if she had been crying.
"I can give you a ride. Hop on."
Gu Yuwei was indeed in a hurry, so she didn’t hesitate. "Thank you, Second Brother He."
She sat on the back rack of the bicycle, reaching out to pinch the hem of his shirt for balance.
A sweet fragrance filled the air, and He Ze’s grip on the handlebars tightened.
Once they reached town, He Ze dropped Gu Yuwei off at the post office and then left.
Gu Yuwei had received a letter from ho the day before. It said there had been trouble, and they had sent her five hundred yuan. The letter also said they probably wouldn’t be able to send her anything more in the future, and that she should take care of herself.
Gu Yuwei had been crying ever since she got the letter, frightening all the other educated youths at their station.
But when they asked what was wrong, she wouldn’t say.
That’s why she had to get to the post office first thing in the morning, to send letters to her family and her older brother, who was in the army.
What she didn’t know was that her letters were destined never to arrive. Her parents had already been sent to a labor farm, and her older brother had been transferred to the borderlands.
Since Gu Yuwei never received a reply, she started going to town every day, and every day she would hitch a ride with He Ze. Over ti, the two of them beca quite familiar with each other. But that is a story for another ti.
After being away for over a week, He Lang finally returned.
He wasn’t alone, though; Li Dawei had brought him back.
It wasn’t because his injury was particularly severe. Rather, he had distinguished himself on the job. Captain Zhang had not only made his position permanent ahead of schedule but had also given him a week off to rest his injured arm.
Since Xue Xingzhou was using his bicycle, Li Dawei insisted on giving him a ride ho.
It was a kind offer, and He Lang certainly wasn’t going to refuse.
As they left the transportation depot, Li Dawei said to He Lang, "Hang on, I need to stop by the supply and marketing co-op to buy sothing. It’s my first ti visiting your ho. I can’t show up empty-handed. What would your wife think of ?"
He Lang chuckled. "Go ahead. Buy a little extra. We were in such a rush on this trip that I didn’t get a chance to buy anything for my wife either."
And Li Dawei, honest as ever, went and did just that.
When the two of them reached Da Liushu Village, He Lang pointed out where his house was.
Li Dawei remarked, "This house is nicely built. It looks a bit like the siheyuan courtyards in Beijing City."
He Lang said, "Just one thing—don’t tell my wife I was injured."
Xue Yue was just getting ready to make dinner. The villagers found it inconvenient to cook after dark, so nearly every family started their evening al at dusk. As soon as night fell, they’d get onto their kangs to sleep.
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