Courtyard House: Railway Police at the Start

Chapter 7: Going to the Countryside

Tang Zhenghong bought some daily necessities at a state-run store, and then, halfway there, he found a quiet place to bring home a piece of pork belly weighing about one pound and some pickled vegetables.

The vegetables outside aren't in season yet.

The Tang family consists of four siblings. The eldest brother, Tang Aiguo, got married last autumn after the harvest. He also has a younger brother, Tang Weijun, and a younger sister, Tang Hongxin.

The youngest sister, Hongxin, is only six years old now, which is quite an achievement for an older woman.

If my sister-in-law has a baby in a couple of years, she can play in the mud with her aunt.

Except for the winter season when it snows heavily, farmers rarely have time to relax. After planting crops, they have to build reservoirs, clear land, plant trees, and so on. There's a lot to do.

After lunch, the adults rested at home for a while before going to the fields in the afternoon. Only the children were full of energy, playing hide-and-seek in the wheat field of the village.

Tang Hongxin sat on the stone mill, biting her finger and watching the fun. She had come out with her third brother to play hide-and-seek, but her third brother and others disliked her because she was a girl and wouldn't let her play.

However, she was very involved, frequently "reporting" to others, which earned her a chorus of complaints from the gossipy girl.

"Heart?"

Tang Hongxin turned around when she heard the sound and saw that her second brother had returned. Her eyes lit up immediately. Her second brother had come back once before and brought her a lot of delicious food. She still misses him and looks at the village entrance every day hoping that her second brother in the city will suddenly appear.

Moreover, unlike his third brother, his second brother didn't look down on him because he was a girl and wouldn't include him in his games.

"Second Brother."

The little girl jumped off the stone mill and charged towards Tang Zhenghong with a howl. She tripped and fell flat on her face halfway but didn't seem to feel any pain. She quickly got up, half of her face covered in dust, and grinned, looking every bit the country bumpkin.

"Slow down!"

"Second brother, I miss you so much. Third brother won't play hide-and-seek with me anymore."

Tang Zhenghong parked his bicycle, brushed the dirt off the little girl's clothes, wiped her face with a handkerchief, picked her up and put her on the front beam: "Then let's not play with him. Come on, let's go home. He won't get any of the goodies that Second Brother brought."

"Hehe, my second brother is back! Time to ride my bicycle!"

The little girl sat on the bicycle, dancing with joy, and even showing off to the group of people playing hide-and-seek. She looked particularly proud, her big eyes seeming to say, "This is my second brother. Your second brother doesn't have a bicycle for you to ride."

Tang Weijun, who had gone to great lengths to crawl into the corn stalks, was hiding himself very well, thinking to himself that he was sure to win now and that no one would be able to find him.

But then she heard her younger sister say that her second brother was back, and they couldn't play hide-and-seek that day. It was more important that her second brother was back, so that the little girl wouldn't get all the good food.

It took me a while to crawl out, and I saw my second brother riding away on his bicycle without even waiting for me.

"Brother Weijun, your second brother is back."

"Brother Weijun, can I ride on your second brother's bicycle? We're good friends."

Tang Weijun puffed out his chest: "From now on, if any of you listen to me, I'll have my second brother give you a ride on his bicycle. Who knows, I might even be able to borrow his bike so we can ride it ourselves. My second brother loves me the most."

One friend brought up the old wound: "Weijun, you're lying. When you took Hongxin to play by the river when you were little, didn't your second brother beat your bottom until it was swollen? If you can push your bicycle out to play, then I'll consider you amazing."

Tang Weijun grunted twice, unable to speak, and glared at the one who disagreed.

The phrase "You're really something" would normally be very hurtful, but he was just bragging, and the bicycle wasn't even his second brother's own, so he couldn't guarantee it. He could only stubbornly say, "Fine, if you don't believe me, that's fine. I'm going back now. I'll come find you guys to play again this afternoon."

In front of Tang Zhenghong's house stands a soapberry tree that is as old as his grandfather's. At this moment, his mother, Xu Guijuan, is twisting hemp thread with a spinning wheel, while his sister-in-law is sewing shoe soles. Several other women from nearby households are also sitting around.

The little girl saw the house from afar and waved excitedly, calling out, "Mom, my second brother is back! I'm riding his bicycle!"

No wonder the people in the village all speak so loudly. Although this little girl's voice is clear and melodious, it already sounds like she has the talent to roar like a shrew.

"You can't keep a secret. There were so many people at the door just now, but you insisted on letting everyone know that your second brother brought something back. This piece of meat is really fatty, almost a pound. Marinate it and eat it when we harvest wheat."

Tang Hongxin pouted, feeling extremely wronged as her mother pointed at her forehead and criticized her.

I just want everyone to know that my second brother is the best, so they won't stay away from home.

There are many gossipy women in the village. I don't know which family's elders were talking about Tang Zhenghong being adopted by someone in the city. Their children overheard it and then told Tang Hongxin that she no longer had a second brother and that he would never come back.

She clung pitifully to her second brother's neck, her voice trembling with tears, and asked, "Second brother, they all say that Dad sent you to the city, and you're not coming back; you're going to live in the city."

Xu Guijuan was furious: "I don't know which short-lived gossip was spreading rumors behind my back. It's all your fault for insisting on sending Zheng Hong to the city. Now look what's happened, he's all alone in the city, my poor son..."

Old Man Tang Shun glared at his wife: "What are you wailing about? This is his fate. We're not ungrateful. What I set out before I passed away must be kept. Second son, you too, you'll be getting married and living your own life someday. We won't starve, so stop bringing so much stuff home."

His sister-in-law came to his rescue, saying, "Zhenghong, have some water. You haven't eaten yet, have you? I'll go and make you some food."

"Sister-in-law, don't bother. I've already eaten and am back. Please empty the bag. I brought back some of everything except the vinegar. The bottle was borrowed; I need to return it to the owner."

There are people in the village who make vinegar, so we can exchange it for other things, and Tang Zhenghong won't need to bring it back.

Tang Zhenghong's sister-in-law, Meng Laidi, was a big, strong woman who looked like a skilled farmer. Her mother said that she was better at earning work points in the village than most young people.

Xu Guijuan was just improvising and howling a couple of times. She was a little embarrassed to be scolded in front of her son and daughter-in-law. She muttered as she went to the kitchen to heat up some food for her son. Her son had come all this way, and even if he had eaten something on the way back, his stomach would have already digested by now.

"Zhenghong, Father is right. You're not young anymore. You should save up some time to find a partner. Father, you two chat. I'll go help out in the kitchen."

After her sister-in-law left, the little girl couldn't stay still in her arms. Her eyes shone as she looked at the things on the cabinet. Tang Weijun, who was rubbing his fingers by the door, was also looking at his second brother expectantly, just waiting for him to speak.

"Wei Jun, there's candy in your bag, help yourself."

Tang Weijun ran into the house excitedly, then stared at his father for a moment, waiting for him to speak. This was the authority of the head of the family. He didn't want to get a beating after his second brother left.

"Go get them, two pieces each is fine, save the rest for Chinese New Year. Second brother, don't bring him candy next time, it's a waste of money and doesn't satisfy his hunger. How's work going?"

"It's going well. Tomorrow I'll be going with my master on the journey, and I reckon it'll be at least a week before I'm back, so I'm going home to check on things. Where's my older brother?"

He didn't tell his family about his salary. Even though his sister-in-law is now filial and virtuous, and the family is harmonious, if she knew that Tang Zhenghong could earn so much money, she would inevitably have some thoughts and wonder what kind of trouble the family would cause.

"He's gone to participate in militia training. Now that your job is stable and you've returned to the city, you need to hurry up with finding a partner. If all else fails, I'll have your sister-in-law keep an eye out for you."

There is no quota for marrying someone with a rural household registration. The wife will still have to earn work points in the countryside. People like Jia Zhangshi and Qin Huairu are considered to be relying on others. Pregnant women and those with infants to raise are exceptions.

According to the policies of the following years, it was not allowed to stay in the city for a long time to avoid labor, but there was also an advantage: the children would not have to go to the countryside in the future.

If you're going to marry someone from the city, it's best if the child is born after 1960, just when the educated youth have returned to the city and are of age.

"No rush, I haven't met the right person yet."

Tang Shun took a puff of his pipe, smacked his lips, hesitated for a moment, and then said resolutely, "Ahem... Let me make this clear from the start: although Grandpa Tang has passed away, if you have any children in the future, they will still be considered his lineage. Don't blame your father; we have to have a conscience."

"Yes, I understand."

In other words, even if he dies, he will be buried next to the old man; there's no place for him in the village.

"You must be resenting me for being heartless as your father. If you want to blame someone, blame them. I've never given you a single thing in all these years. Now that you're all alone in the city, be careful in everything you do. Getting along with people is an art. Don't offend any petty people, and stay on the right path. This money is what your mother and I have saved for you over the years. Five yuan of it was borrowed from Grandpa Tang when your older brother got married. We're returning it to you."

The old man gave him only small bills, which smelled strongly of sweat. When Tang Zhenghong received them, his heart felt like it had been weighed down by a stone; he felt both heartbroken and sad.

"Dad, I'm earning a salary now, so I don't have to worry about that. Grandpa also left me enough to get married. You can keep the money yourself; consider it my filial piety towards you and Mom."

After a moment of silence, the cheapskate father didn't press the matter and put the money away.

After the little girl got her candy, she stopped clinging to Tang Zhenghong and ran to the kitchen to show off to her mother.

After dinner, Dad, Mom, and Sister-in-law were all going to the fields, leaving their younger brother at home to look after his sister. Tang Zhenghong was also preparing to return to the city.

"Mom, let's cook the meat later and eat it. Don't let it spoil. I'll bring it back for you after the summer harvest. Look how thin and dark the red heart is."

The old woman nodded in agreement, then muttered about why they were eating meat during the New Year or holidays, but now that her second son was successful and had a stable job in the city, she listened to what he said.

"Second Brother, when are you coming back?"

"Be a good boy and listen to me, your second brother will be back in a while."

The little girl declared earnestly, as if making an oath: "I promise I'll be obedient, Second Brother, you have to keep your word."

"Weijun, take good care of Hongxin. Let her play at the door and not run too far. Sister-in-law, please take good care of things at home."

As for the third brother, he was still admiringly touching the bicycle, seemingly oblivious to whether he had even listened to what she had said.

"Zhenghong, ride slowly on the road. Your brother and I are here at home, don't worry."