After returning to the production team, Wang Shouquan arranged work in the fields for these educated youth.
In fact, the summer harvest was about to start in two months, and there were many weeds in the wheat fields. In order to earn more work points, everyone would go to the fields after feeding the chickens.
These educated youth from the city had never done this kind of work before.
The sun was shining brightly overhead, and it seemed as if the weeds in the wheat field could never be completely pulled out.
But they couldn't be lazy, because the work points were calculated based on the amount of work. They pulled for a long time, but they didn't even get one-third of what the others did.
Qian Minghua came over to remind them, "You are not going this fast. Each of you has asked for 10 work points, and you should finish pulling the weeds in one day. But at this speed, how can you finish it today? If you can't finish it, we will have to wait until you finish pulling today's work before we can assign you new tasks tomorrow."
A female educated youth wiped her sweat with her sleeve, as if she was about to cry, and said aggrievedly, "There is too much grass. How can we do this?"
Qian Minghua had no sympathy for women, and said with a dark face, "Is there anyone who is born with the ability to farm? We also started by pulling weeds. If you don't work, you won't get any work points, and if you don't have enough work points, you won't get any food. That's all I have to say. When the summer harvest comes and the food is distributed, don't make a fuss."
Another female educated youth gritted her teeth and said, "Liu Xiuli, stop talking, let's get back to work."
They had no choice but to do it. The people in the Revolutionary Committee did not make decisions for them at all, and told them to listen to the production team.
These are secondary. The most important thing is that they have no food to eat. These days, they have been trying their best to curry favor with other members to buy food.
But no matter how much money they offered to buy the grain, the members refused to sell it.
Later, she used words to inquire and found out that these cadres had secretly given the members a strict order not to sell grain to the educated youth privately.
If at the beginning they could still go to the commune to complain that these members were throwing feces at them.
You can't even sue for buying food, because it's speculation and a mistake, and it's a legitimate reason for others to refuse you.
Liu Xiuli was somewhat unwilling, as she originally thought that she was going to the countryside to support rural construction and that she could accomplish great things there. But now she completely understood that everything was fake.
They were deceived, but they dared not speak out because this was the policy from above.
Liu Xiuli could only find a way to write a letter to her family, asking them to help smooth things over so that she could return to the city.
Soon, a month passed. During this month, the educated youth had changed from being radical at the beginning to accepting their fate.
Although I still didn't work very fast, I still gritted my teeth and persevered in order not to go hungry.
In the first two days, they could only eat the little dry food they brought with them. Then on the third day, the village cadres finally showed mercy.
Food rations are advanced according to their current work points.
Ten work points were required for an advance of one pound of sweet potatoes, so after working hard for two days to save up a dozen work points, in the end they could only advance one pound of sweet potatoes.
This pound of sweet potatoes can only make you half full. In order not to go hungry, everyone can only work hard to earn money for the next day.
No one complained anymore, and everyone went to the fields to earn work points.
It was only at night that everyone gathered together to discuss countermeasures.
These are just teenagers with no social experience. They are full of enthusiasm and can't think of any good ideas.
In the end, they could only pin their hopes on their families. They wrote letters back home, asking them to help with the matter or to send them some food coupons.
Of course, they had to work in the fields to earn work points, so they naturally had no time to go to the post office in town.
Someone asked Wang Shouquan to help deliver the letter, and he agreed immediately, even asking others if they wanted to help send it.
He took the letters handed over by everyone one by one, and saw that they had even put stamps on them and sealed them. He raised the letters and said to everyone with a smile, "Don't worry, I'm happy to help you take the letters back. It's better for you all to go back. You won't have to complain about this and that and mess around in our production team."
The educated youths' faces turned green.
At noon that day, Qian Shulan went to the brigade warehouse to register the accounts, and Wang Shouquan was checking the accounts kept by Deng Xingming.
When Wang Shouquan heard her talking about the educated youth, he couldn't help but repeat it again, "Aunt San, are you saying that we should select two educated youth with good performance to go to the chicken farm to sweep up the chicken manure?"
Qian Shulan nodded and said, "Let's announce it after they receive the letter from home."
Wang Shouquan was a little surprised, "Why?"
He had always thought that Third Aunt had no good feelings towards these educated youth, so she let them work in the fields. But who would have thought that Third Aunt would actually let them work in the chicken farm.
Qian Shulan had no choice. How could the city dwellers who had always lived a life of luxury and comfort honestly farm? The current situation was just because they were forced to do so. She sighed, "It's impossible for the higher-ups to let them go back. These people can hold on for a short period of time, but over time, they won't have the willpower anymore. I guess some of them will start to take crooked paths."
Qian Minghua walked in from outside and heard her last words. He wondered, "What crooked ways could they have used?"
Qian Shulan had only heard about it from her grandmother. When the educated youth were sent to work in the countryside, many of them got married in the countryside and never heard from them again after returning to the city.
Some female educated youth married countrymen and had children, but after returning to the city they didn't even want the children anymore.
According to her grandmother, very few people stayed. Most of them never came back.
When Qian Shulan told them what happened next, Qian Minghua and Wang Shouquan stared at each other and their faces changed.
Wang Shouquan was a little bit incredulous, "Are these people not going back?"
Wang Shouquan had always thought that they would stay in the team for one or two years and then go back. But according to Third Aunt, they were staying there for a long time.
Qian Shulan thought for a moment and said, "I don't think I can go back in a short time. Maybe I'll have a chance after seven or eight years."
Wang Shouquan and Qian Minghua looked at each other and their hearts began to beat.
The oldest of these educated youth from the city was 20, and the youngest was 15. They were in their prime, and the right age for marriage. They were fair-skinned and pretty, much prettier than these country boys and girls.
Besides, the country folks have never seen the world, so if these educated youths use sweet words to hook them, they will surely succeed.
In order to avoid working, these educated youth married country people. When they returned to the city, they would kick these country people out, thinking that country people were ugly and embarrassing for them.
Wang Shouquan thought about it and understood what Qian Shulan meant. "Aunt, you want them to suffer a lot first, so that they won't find life too hard when they do the sweeping work."
Qian Shulan nodded, "That's what I mean."
Sweeping the floor is just a little dirty, and you don't need to bend down too much. It's much easier than weeding.
Anyone who is not too lazy can do it. If you can hold on for seven or eight years, you will have the opportunity to take the college entrance examination.
Qian Minghua also thought this was a good idea. It gave these people some hope and saved them from having any bad ideas. "I think it would be better to announce this decision after the summer harvest."
Wang Shouquan also nodded in agreement. It is estimated that after the summer harvest, these people should receive letters from home and know that they can't go back.
Give them a little hope when they are most sad, so that they won’t make a fuss.
After Qian Shulan finished registering the accounts at the warehouse, she went straight back to the chicken farm.
Sun Daqin was keeping accounts under the awning. When she saw her coming, she immediately stood up from the stool and said anxiously, "Mom, please help me persuade Lizhen."
Qian Shulan patted the back of her hand and asked, "What's the matter?"
Sun Daqin said with a bitter face, "Mom, Lizhen is moving to the provincial capital."
Qian Shulan said "Oh" and said casually, "That's good. The young couple can't be separated forever."
This should be Zhengguo's decision. This young couple is very interesting. Although Xu Lizhen is three years older than Zhengguo, Xu Lizhen listens to Zhengguo on all matters big and small at home.
During the Chinese New Year, Zhengguo told her that the provincial capital was extremely chaotic, much more chaotic than the county town.
If you think about it, you will realize that her talisman paper is not particularly effective.
The people of Liuguan County believed it because there had been a prophecy before, and it had come true.
But it was the first time in other places, so everyone was only half-believing and half-doubting.
Now all the Red Guards who were causing trouble have been brought down to the lower levels, and the provincial capital should be restored to its original state.
It is understandable that Zhengguo wants to take Lizhen over.
But Sun Daqin couldn't stand it. Zhengguo was her favorite son, and he worked in the provincial capital, so there was nothing she could do.
So she transferred all her enthusiasm to the twins, a boy and a girl. She took Fengchan to see the babies every day, often bought food for the children, made clothes for them, and so on.
Now she suddenly heard that the other party was going to the provincial capital, how could she bear it.
Her eyes were red, and she kept crying, "Mom, I can't bear to leave my two children. Wuuwuwu..."
Qian Shulan patted her shoulder and said, "You have to consider Zhengguo too. Since the child was born, the child is already ten months old, and he has only seen her three times."
Once during the Chinese New Year, and during that time I took leave to come back twice.
Qian Shulan sighed, "If the child stays in the countryside for a long time, the child will not recognize his father."
Sun Daqin paused while wiping her eyes, and was persuaded by Qian Shulan. But she was still sad.
Qian Shulan had no choice but to take her back to the village.
Xu Lizhen was packing her luggage at home. When she saw the two people come in, she quickly stood up and greeted them.
The two children were sleeping. After Qian Shulan and Sun Daqin looked after the children, Xu Lizhen asked them to sit outside.
Qian Shulan smiled and asked, "Do you have a place to live when you get to the provincial capital?"
Xu Lizhen smiled and nodded, "Zhengguo has already bought a house in the provincial capital."
Sun Daqin immediately became anxious, "Why didn't this kid even tell me about buying a house? Does he have enough money? If not, I have some."
Xu Lizhen waved her hands quickly, "That's enough. We have saved a lot of money over the years. Mom, don't worry."
Sun Daqin looked downcast as she looked at the rattan basket that Xu Lizhen had placed on the table. It was full of clothes for the two children, some of which she had bought. Her eyes became red again.
Xu Lizhen is still very grateful to her mother-in-law. When she was in the hospital and during the confinement period, it was her mother-in-law who took care of her. When the child urinated and cried at night, it was her mother-in-law who took care of him.
Xu Lizhen put her arm around her shoulders and soothed her, "Mom, when you are not busy, come visit us. We are in the provincial capital, not far away."
Sun Daqin's eyes lit up, but then she lowered her head again, "I still have to lead Fengchan, how can I have the time to go."
Qian Shulan raised her eyebrows, "If the second half of the year is good, she will be four years old. At this age, she can be sent to the red-raising class."
Although there is no red-raising class in the countryside, there are some in the county town. When Xiaodie first came here, she was in the red-raising class.
Sun Daqin slapped her thigh and said in surprise, "Why didn't I think of that? I'll tell Zhengkang when he gets home. It's a thankless job to take care of their children. If I hadn't felt sorry for Fengchan, I would have given up on taking care of them a long time ago."
Qian Shulan sighed. Although Sun Daqin also loved Fengchan, she still loved Zhengguo's child the most. She even thought that Zhengguo's daughter was more precious than Fengchan.
Two days later, Qian Shulan asked Zhengjun to drive a horse-drawn carriage to take Xu Lizhen, her brother and the twins to the provincial capital.
The author has something to say: Let me explain here that the educated youth are divided into three stages:
The first stage was (before 1969): people voluntarily went to the countryside. Some of these people became model workers, some could not bear the hardship and went back through their family connections, and those who had no connections stayed.
The second stage (1969): people went to the countryside with utopian ideals. These people are the first group to go to the countryside on a large scale. Because of the model set up in the first stage, they thought they could do it. But after going to the countryside, they found that they were deceived and made the production team a mess, criticizing and fighting all day long. But the leaders above no longer supported these people's riots, so the strong dragon could not suppress the local snake, and these people gradually became honest.
The third stage (after 1969): They knew it was hard to go to the countryside, but they had to go there. So they were honest after going there.