Chapter 67: Opening the Door to a New World

"I see that you can knit sweaters. Make a set for me, and I'll pay you," she had noticed Xia Nan knitting one a few days ago.

"Sure, don't mention payment and all that, it's no trouble at all," Xia Nan agreed cheerfully.

"That won't do," Lin Jingyue insisted, handing Xia Nan the yarn. "If there's any left over, make yourself a hat or gloves. And I'll give you a wild pheasant as well."

In fact, she could have simply paid two or three yuan; after all, it takes at least half a month to finish a set of sweater and trousers. But Xia Nan had no meat coupons—what she really lacked was oil and meat.

Xia Nan's eyes shone with delight. "Jingyue, you're truly a wonderful person!"

Lin Jingyue smiled faintly—she knew she was far from a saint. "By the way, can you make clothes?"

She had two pieces of cloth she wanted turned into an overcoat.

"That, I can't do," Xia Nan shook her head.

"Alright, then just help me with the sweater for now." As for the coat, she would find a tailor in the county another day.

Xia Nan walked away happily, hugging the yarn. She planned to make a pair of gloves for Lin Jingyue with the leftovers.

Lin Jingyue closed the door with a smile, wrote her article for half an hour, and then climbed onto the heated brick bed for a midday rest.

Of the three articles she’d sent out, she had heard back about two. The third vanished into oblivion, but she wasn’t discouraged.

The results were already very good.

The next day, Lin Jingyue didn’t go out to cut pigweed. After informing the scorekeeper, she headed to the neighboring brigade.

She needed to check on Xu Qingqing.

"It's good to be Comrade Lin from the city—no need to work in the fields, and now she doesn't even gather pigweed," the women in the fields murmured enviously as she passed the brigade, watching her retreating back.

"Well, she’s capable. If I could write and earn money, I wouldn’t work in the fields either."

"Exactly, she's just clever."

But despite their words, bitterness lingered in their hearts.

Why couldn't someone in their own family make money like that?

Leaving the brigade and walking to the fork in the road leading to the commune, Lin Jingyue turned off onto the path to Kaoshan Brigade.

After about twenty minutes, she saw the neatly scattered houses of Kaoshan Brigade.

Like Qingshan Brigade, most were mud-brick houses.

"Hey, you're not from our brigade, are you? Whose relative are you?" At the village entrance, an old woman saw Lin Jingyue and her eyes lit up.

She had never seen such a pretty girl before.

"Hello, Auntie," Lin Jingyue greeted her warmly, slipping three fruit candies into her hand. "I'm here to see Xie Yunzheng, the educated youth. I'm his cousin. Do you know where the youth hostel is?"

She didn't mention Xu Qingqing.

Who knew if this woman was related to the brigade accountant's family?

"Xie Yunzheng's cousin?!" The old woman was surprised, but then it all made sense.

The new Xie Yunzheng—none of the young women in the brigade could take their eyes off him, and he was from the capital, no less.

She pocketed the candy. "Just follow this road, dear, the youth hostel is at the very end of this row."

"Thank you, Auntie," Lin Jingyue thanked her and walked on.

The old woman pursed her lips as she watched her go. "Coming from the city and only handing out three fruit candies—so stingy."

…

At the Kaoshan Brigade youth hostel, the mud-brick house was much smaller than the one at Qingshan Brigade.

Lin Jingyue stood outside the courtyard, about to call out, when she heard Xie Yunzheng’s voice.

"Comrade Lin, what brings you here?"

She turned to see Xie Yunzheng and another male youth, both sweating profusely and looking disheveled, Xie Yunzheng's shirt spattered with mud—not the elegant figure she’d met in the county.

"I have something for you," Lin Jingyue smiled, handing him half a chicken she had discreetly taken from her space when no one was looking. "This is for you."

Xie Yunzheng's face lit up with a broad smile.

He chose to ignore the faint pang of envy in his heart; Lin Jingyue was kind to him for the sake of his brother.

"Why didn't my brother come with you?" He asked, so that the others at the hostel wouldn’t get the wrong idea about their relationship.

"He's working. I just needed to talk to you," Lin Jingyue replied, amused by his perceptiveness.

The male youth beside him scratched his head. "I’ll head inside then."

After he left, Xie Yunzheng looked at Lin Jingyue, curious. "What’s going on?"

"Is there a girl named Xu among the educated youth here?"

"There is—Xu Qingqing. You know her?" Xie Yunzheng was surprised; seeing Lin Jingyue nod, his expression turned complicated.

"Birds of a feather, I suppose."

"What are you saying?" Lin Jingyue glared at him.

Xie Yunzheng laughed awkwardly and recounted what had happened the day before.

After Xu Qingqing left Qingshan Brigade, she went straight to the county seat to report to the Public Security Bureau. That afternoon, she returned with two officers, causing an uproar in Kaoshan Brigade.

Arranged marriage, forcing women, spreading slander…

Most importantly, she accused the accountant’s family of practicing feudalism. With that, the matter became serious.

Once the facts were confirmed, the accountant's son and daughter-in-law were promptly detained and taken away, and those who had spread rumors were given on-the-spot education. The scene was unforgettable.

The brigade fell utterly silent—no one dared make a peep.

Even more astonishing, it was discovered the accountant’s son had been involved in several previous crimes.

After that, no one dared utter a word.

The brigade leader and Party secretary were so furious their faces turned black as ink. The accountant’s family was in utter despair, not daring to try to save their own, for fear of dragging others down with them.

Xu Qingqing, single-handedly, had toppled the accountant’s household. By this morning, the accountant had lost his job as well.

Everyone’s feelings were extremely complicated.

Especially the female educated youth at the hostel—they had endured a great deal of harassment over the years, but no one had dared speak. They had swallowed their grievances in silence.

Xu Qingqing’s bold action opened a new world for them.

From that moment on, the educated youth in the area began to stand up for themselves, no longer afraid of the brigade.

If one was willing to risk everything, no one could oppress them.

The brigade leaders were in utter misery.

"The brigade leader gave her a few days off to rest. She should be here—I'll go get her," Xie Yunzheng offered.

Xu Qingqing was considered the most spirited of the female educated youth at the hostel.

The others had almost been assimilated. On his first day here, Xie Yunzheng had been shocked by the situation.

The male youths’ clothes had to be washed by the female youths—he couldn’t accept it.

"Alright."

Xie Yunzheng led Lin Jingyue into the courtyard, but before he could knock, Xu Qingqing opened the door and stepped out. Seeing Lin Jingyue, her face lit up with surprise.

"Jingyue, it really is you! I thought I misheard."

She had vaguely heard Jingyue’s voice just now.

"No, I came to check on you. Are you alright?" Lin Jingyue asked.

She seemed fine, though her complexion was poor, her eyes were bright.

"I’m good. I was just about to visit you in a few days," Xu Qingqing said, taking her hand.

Her eyes brimmed with gratitude, though she said nothing.

The idea to report to the Public Security Bureau was Lin Jingyue’s suggestion—a secret known only to the two of them.

If word got out, it might cause trouble for Jingyue.

"As long as you’re alright. I just came to see you, so I’ll be going," Lin Jingyue said, noticing the other youths returning to the hostel, their curious eyes fixed on her. She said her goodbyes to Xu Qingqing.