Chapter 13: Volunteering for Rural Service
After seeing Lin Xialan off at the supply and marketing cooperative, Xu Qinghuan needed to buy some items herself, so she decided to purchase a few things there first: an aluminum lunchbox, a thermos, two boxes of Snowflake Cream, two boxes of clam oil, and three pairs of socks each for winter and for the transitional seasons.
She also wanted to buy some bedding, including quilts and cotton-padded clothes. Lin Xialan stopped her, gently squeezing her hand and whispering, “There are some flawed fabrics in the warehouse at the back. I can offer them to you at a discounted price, no receipts needed.”
Xu Qinghuan brightened. “I need cotton, too.”
“There’s cotton as well, though the quality isn’t great, but it works fine,” Lin Xialan said, then called to a colleague, “Sister Yuan, please keep an eye on things. My sister and I need to step out for a bit.”
Everyone knew what this meant—taking relatives or friends to the warehouse to buy flawed goods was common practice, a way they looked out for each other.
“Go ahead, go ahead!” Sister Yuan said, having heard that this young lady was going to the countryside. She looked like a fairy, but the countryside was no easy place. If she could help, she would.
At the warehouse, there was quite a bit of stock, but Xu Qinghuan knew these so-called flawed goods were usually allocated among supply cooperative staff, so she didn’t want to take too much.
“It’s okay, I’ll talk with Sister Yuan and the others. Let me take some this month, and next month I’ll return the favor.”
Lin Xialan packed ten yards of plain cotton fabric, ten yards of twill, and one yard of plain cotton. Normally, a yard of plain cotton cost twenty-eight cents with a ticket, but Xu Qinghuan got it for twenty-five. Twill was forty-two cents per yard with a ticket, but she paid forty.
A yard of khaki cost forty-nine cents. This fabric was sturdy and durable, easy to clean but not breathable—it was the most luxurious material available at the time.
Xu Qinghuan paid forty-seven cents per yard and bought four yards, enough to make a pair of trousers.
Twenty yards of fabric would be sufficient to make a set of sheets and a duvet cover, but Xu Qinghuan also wanted to make two winter coats. She was about to discuss the fabric with a colleague when Xu Qinghuan stopped her.
“I’ll bring what I have at home. Don’t worry about it. If I feel cold, I’ll figure something out when I get to the Northeast.”
She couldn’t keep taking advantage of Lanlan. There was no end to it, and fabric was scarce in these times. Xu Qinghuan knew Lanlan probably wouldn’t get any flawed goods for the next two months.
“Then buy something else!” Lin Xialan picked up a slightly dented aluminum lunchbox, a enamel mug, and a nearly half-person-high handbag for her.
She had originally wanted to bring some cotton, as the Northeast was cold for half the year, but the supply cooperative had no cotton—it was a highly sought-after item.
Lin Xialan organized everything into the handbag, saying, “There’s still a lot you need, especially cotton. I’ll keep an eye out for you these days, and I’ll have my mother think of a way, too. Qinghuan, when you go to the Northeast, you must write to me. If you need anything, just say so—I’ll definitely find a way to help!”
Xu Qinghuan’s nose tingled, her eyes already misty.
Lin Xialan waited for a long time without a response before standing up and noticing Xu Qinghuan’s red nose and eyes. Tears suddenly poured down as she embraced her tightly, patting her back. “Why are you like this? You know how much this hurts me! You naughty girl!”
“Promise me one thing!” Xu Qinghuan wiped away tears, forcing herself to speak.
“Okay, tell me!” Lin Xialan blew her nose, feeling a little embarrassed, and loosened her hold.
“If you ever have a boyfriend, before you get married, you have to get my permission. I won’t allow you to marry without my approval!” Xu Qinghuan said, mock stern, raising a small fist. “Don’t forget, you belong to me!”
Lin Xialan giggled but felt even more like crying. She buried her head in Xu Qinghuan’s shoulder. “Same here. You’re not allowed to marry without my permission.”
“Deal. We’ll keep our word!”
The two, as close as sisters, slapped hands. Their tear-filled eyes met, and though they hadn’t parted yet, their hearts were already heavy with sorrow.
Among all the things purchased, the Snowflake Cream was the most expensive. A 110-gram jar cost 6.95 yuan; two boxes nearly equaled half a month’s wage for an ordinary worker.
Xu Qinghuan spent a total of 42.58 yuan. She had originally saved 100.27 yuan and now had 95.69 yuan left.
Once alone in a deserted alley, Xu Qinghuan placed the handbag into her spatial pocket, clapped her hands, and noticed a state-run restaurant nearby. It was nearly mealtime, and the aroma of food drifted on the breeze.
Her stomach growled embarrassingly. She washed the two lunch boxes and hurried toward the scent.
Now that she had money and ration tickets, she was determined to try the era’s specialty dishes.
The menu on the blackboard at the door listed the day’s offerings and prices: braised pork, one yuan per portion with a ticket; braised pork ribs, thirty cents; bean curd and vermicelli soup, twenty cents; braised bream, fifty cents; meat buns, one and a half yuan per half kilogram with a ticket; rice, two taels for five cents with a grain ticket.
Xu Qinghuan ordered two pounds of meat buns, two servings of braised pork, one serving of braised pork ribs, one braised bream, and four taels of rice.
She ate one serving of braised pork with two taels of rice, packing the rest into aluminum lunch boxes.
The buns were wrapped in greaseproof paper.
She had to admit, pork that hadn’t been fed with commercial feed tasted truly delicious—fat but not greasy, melting in the mouth, leaving a lingering flavor.
Carrying the lunch boxes, she rubbed her round belly, feeling satisfied.
After reaching an empty street, she stored the lunch boxes into her spatial pocket again and headed straight to the youth placement office.
Lin Xialan’s mother worked there, and Xu Qinghuan often visited the Lin family. Lin’s mother always took great care of her. Lin Xialan had already spoken to her mother in advance and arranged for Xu Qinghuan to be assigned to the same countryside as Qiao Xinyu.
“Hello, are you here to register?” a staff member at the youth placement office greeted Xu Qinghuan warmly.
Few youths wanted to go to the countryside nowadays, so the office’s work was difficult.
“I’m looking for Comrade Yuan!”
Seeing Xu Qinghuan wasn’t there to register, the staff member looked a bit disappointed but called out, “Sister Yuan, someone’s here to see you.”
Out came Lin’s mother. Xu Qinghuan smiled sweetly, “Aunt Yuan, it’s me!”
Yuan Huilan quickly pulled Xu Qinghuan aside and whispered, “Are you really going to the countryside? This isn’t a joke. Once you sign up, there’s no turning back!”
But knowing Xu Qinghuan had already sold her job, she didn’t know how else to advise her.
“Yes, I’ve decided!” Xu Qinghuan said firmly.
Seeing she couldn’t dissuade her, Yuan Huilan patted her head affectionately. “I’ve reserved a spot in Xinyu’s brigade. If you’re sure, I’ll arrange it for you.”
“Thank you, Aunt Yuan!” Xu Qinghuan felt fortunate to have Lin Xialan and followed Yuan Huilan. “Aunt Yuan, I heard the Northeast has excellent nuts and dried goods. Once I’m there, I’ll send you some delicious treats.”
Yuan Huilan felt a pang in her heart. “If you have any difficulties, you must tell us!”
She told a colleague, “This comrade is a martyr’s child and was classmates with Qiao Xinyu, who is already at the Hongqi Commune’s Shangjiang Brigade in Anguang County. I want to assign her there so they’ll have a companion.”
The staff member admired Xu Qinghuan. “Sister Yuan, what a coincidence! We have a spot available. Comrade, what’s your name? Do you have your household registration book?”
“I brought it. My name is Xu Qinghuan. I volunteer to go to the countryside to help develop rural areas and accept re-education from the poor and lower-middle peasants!” Xu Qinghuan handed over her household registration book.