Under the dim oil lamp, an old lady with wrinkles on her face sat on the edge of the kang, holding an eight-year-old boy in her arms. She took a key from her neck, opened the cabinet, and took out an ancient wooden box.
When he opened the box, there were piles of banknotes inside. Seeing so much money, the little boy's big round eyes opened wider.
The old lady was amused by the naive look of her eldest grandson.
She stroked the money with her hands as thin as dry tree bark, and smiled at the little boy, "Zhengkang, this money is all left by grandma for you and your two brothers. You can't spend all this money in your lifetime, are you happy?"
Zhengkang looked at so much money and swallowed. He really couldn't spend it all, so he nodded blankly.
The next year, which was the second year of the nationwide land reform, many landlords were killed. Zhengkang was held in his father's arms and watched the heads fall to the ground. He was scared to death. Their family also had a lot of money. Would they also be killed
He was very anxious and secretly asked his father if his family would be killed. His father said that his family was poor and would not be killed. He did not believe it. How could they be poor with so much money? His father was lying to him!
Later, he thought again, with so much money, if he spent it all, would his family no longer be landlords
So, when the teacher advocated doing good deeds, he found a way to spend money. He donated the pocket money his grandmother gave him, and won praise from the teacher and classmates. He was more satisfied than ever before.
At first, he didn't want to lie. He took the little red flower he got for doing good deeds home, and his grandmother praised him.
However, when she heard that he actually donated five dollars to others, her grandmother looked very unhappy.
At that time, he understood that his grandmother did not like him donating money. Her ideological awareness was too low and she had a tendency to be close to the landlord class. She was his grandmother, and he could not report her, so he could only help her.
But I still feel a little resentful in my heart. His family obviously has a lot of money, why don't they share it with those in need? Why are his relatives so low in ideology! Their class teacher said that now it is a social common ownership system, and the property belongs to everyone. We should not engage in individualism, which is narrow-minded and the most unacceptable.
Zhengkang felt very distressed.
When he saw his grandmother giving him extra meals at night and making new clothes for him every year, and that his family still had so much money, he kept complaining in his heart that his family was too selfish. Why didn't they think about the poor people who had nothing to eat or drink
Later, he learned to lie and asked his grandmother for money to help others. He thought that if he helped his family do more good deeds, maybe one day, his family would be found to be landlords hidden among the people, and those who had been helped by them would speak well of them. In the past, many landlords had not been shot because they had helped the poor people, so he could do the same.
Whenever others looked at him with grateful eyes, Zhengkang felt that he had made a contribution to his family.
Later, because he did so many good things, he was selected into the vanguard team and became a member of the vanguard team. The moment he put on the red scarf, Zhengkang felt that his efforts had finally paid off. The country saw that he was dedicated to the public and helped his family to turn over a new leaf.
Later, he met Liu Fangming. She didn't have enough food to eat every day and had to do a lot of work, but she was still beaten by her father. Seeing her pitiful appearance, Zhengkang helped her. But she said that when she grew up, she must marry him. Zhengkang didn't agree at first. He was the son of a landlord class and a member of the "five black categories". How could he marry such a good girl? Wouldn't that harm her
However, Liu Fangming insisted on marrying him, which moved Zhengkang so much that he gave all his pocket money to Liu Fangming, but because he often helped others, he didn't have much money.
Later, when the family distributed steamed buns and eggs, he saved them and gave them to Liu Fangming. She didn't even mind that he was the son of a landlord, and he had to be nice to her.
For three years, Zhengkang kept finding various reasons to cheat his family out of money, while supporting his future daughter-in-law and doing good deeds to help others.
Suddenly, one day, Liu Fangming disappeared. Zhengkang thought that she must have found out that he was the son of a landlord, so she ran away! He wanted to look for her at first, but later he thought it through and decided not to look for her. He couldn't let her get involved.
When his grandmother found out that Xiaofang had cheated him out of money, she stopped giving him money.
He has to work in the fields to earn money...
"One cent, two cents, three cents..." A voice came, waking up Zhengkang who was still sleeping. He wiped his tears, opened his eyes, listened carefully, and found that it was Zhengguo who was counting money over there.
"Fifteen dollars, fifteen dollars and ten cents... a total of nineteen dollars and eighty cents. Wow, I'm going to be rich, what should I do? What should I do? So much money! How can I spend it all? Tomorrow, I have to ask grandma, how much does it cost to build a house? Is this enough?"
Zhengkang got up from the bed and said to him, "Your idea is wrong. There are so many people out there who don't have a house to live in. You still want to live in a room by yourself. You are a corrupt element hiding among the people."
Hearing his voice, Zhengguo was shocked and picked up the money box. "Don't tell me these big truths. I don't understand them. I don't want to do anything. I just don't want to sleep in the same room with you. Who knows if it will be contagious!"
Zhengkang was so angry that he jumped up and down. He didn't care to say that he had a low level of ideological awareness. He scolded him dissatisfiedly, "You are disrespectful. I am not sick. What can I infect you with?"
Jungkook rolled his eyes, “Isn’t stupidity a disease?”
"Who is stupid?!" Zhengkang wanted to beat someone up.
Zhengguo glanced at him and said directly, "I'm talking about you! You're not stupid, why do you give the money to others! We work like dead dogs every day to earn that little money. And you still use it to do good deeds. If you are not stupid, are there any fools in this world?"
Zhengkang was so angry that he glared at me, "It's obviously you who are selfish and low-minded. And you still call me stupid!"
Zhengguo didn't bother to pay attention to him and fell asleep holding the money box.
Zhengkang was so angry at such blatant neglect.
He had been at odds with his younger brother since they were young. Zhengguo was naughty and mischievous, only knew how to play and didn't care about the family at all. He tried to reason with Zhengguo, but he would get annoyed after just a few words. It was always like this, and he didn't respect his older brother at all.
Zhengkang squatted down and covered his face with his hands and cried. Zhengguo, who wanted to sleep, was annoyed by the noise. He turned over impatiently and said, "That's enough. You don't sleep at night. What do you want?"
"You have so much money, but I only have three dollars. Give it to me!" Zhengguo wiped his tears and spoke directly.
Zhengguo was amused by his shamelessness. He pinched his waist, stood up from the kang, and looked down at him, "Wang Zhengkang, is your brain rusty or broken? Why should I share my money with you?" He bit the word "I" heavily.
Zhengkang also had something to say to him, "Our teacher said that everything is public and belongs to everyone, and your money is no exception."
Zheng Guo was most impatient to hear this. He didn't understand what public and private ownership meant. He only knew that the money he earned belonged to him and no one could take it away. He glanced at Zheng Kang and said to him, "Chairman M also said that if you work hard, you will have enough food and clothing. If you don't have much money, you should go and earn it. Do you have any shame to ask others for money? You are not a beggar."
Zhengkang was stunned by his words. He frowned and thought for a while, and was about to speak up to object to Zhengguo's words.
Then Zhengguo continued, "Then let's talk about it! Since you said that everything is publicly owned. Then your future child will also be able to call me daddy?"
"What nonsense you are talking about! How can my son call you dad!" Zhengkang was so angry at his words that he immediately retorted.
Zhengguo spread his hands and asked him back, "Didn't you say that everything is public and belongs to everyone. Can your baby still be private? Ah! Are you willing to give it up? Idiot!"
Zhengkang was stumped by his question! He thought about it for a long time, but couldn't find a suitable reason to refute it.
Qian Shulan, who had just heard two people yelling in her room and was afraid that they would fight, ran over, listened outside for a while, sighed in her heart, and started knocking on the door.
Jungkook glanced at the indifferent Jungkang and ran to open the door.
Zhengkang felt a little reserved when he saw Qian Shulan coming in. He didn't like the way his grandmother always looked at him like a fool, which made him feel very frustrated.
What touched and surprised Zhengguo was that this time his grandmother did not scold him for the first time.
Qian Shulan had heard before that teachers of this era generally have low qualifications, and many of them became teachers right after graduating from elementary school.
These days, even primary school students have to take political classes, but no one explains the political ideas, and they simply cannot understand their meanings. These teachers pretend to know and start talking nonsense, which ends up making the students stupid.
After hearing Zhengkang's words outside, Qian Shulan realized that Zhengkang was not stupid, but had been brainwashed. He actually believed those extremely hypocritical words.
She took Zhengkang's hand and sat down on the kang. "Child, your teacher probably only taught you half of it. Our country is now a public-private partnership. Not all of it is collective as you said. For example, many restaurants in the county are public-private partnerships. And our production brigade is also owned by farmers, and dividends are distributed at the end of the year. And the money we get belongs to whoever it is distributed to, not to the collective. This is legal."
Zheng Kang listened thoughtfully, "So, there is also an individual in the collective?"
Qian Shulan nodded, "A group is also made up of individuals. How can there be a group without people? Everyone in this world is selfish. Take me, your grandmother, for example. I treat you and Zhaodi differently. Why? Because I am selfish. You are my grandson, and Zhaodi is just a distant relative of mine. The relationship is a little distant. This is closeness and distance. This is the human heart. No matter how society changes in the future, there is no way to change the human heart."
Zhengkang nodded thoughtfully. It seemed to make sense. He liked his father but not his mother. They were all family members, but he favored one over the other. This must be selfishness.
"You said to let everyone take out their money and share it. That's stupid. No one can be generous enough to share their money with others. Because everyone has selfish motives." Qian Shulan continued to educate.
Zhengkang pursed his lips and said nothing.
Qian Shulan sighed and said, "It's a good thing that you have a kind heart. However, things are unpredictable. There are many unexpected events in this world that can destroy a family. Take Zhuzi's family for example. His family became poor because his grandfather got sick. In order to earn money to support the family, his father went hunting in the mountains and was killed by wild beasts." Qian Shulan spread her hands and said, "Look, how serious the consequences of having no money are."
It was the first time that Zhengkang heard about Zhuzi's family. It turned out to be so tragic. He was stunned. He automatically put himself in the role of the person. If one day, he also got sick and needed a lot of money, if he didn't have money, he would just have to wait to die.
Money seems to be important.
Qian Shulan dropped another bombshell, "Let's say Xiaotao went to Beijing for medical treatment this time. It cost the family a lot of money. Alas, our family is poor too."
Zhengkang was stunned for a moment, "No money? Where's my money?"
Qian Shulan was absolutely stunned, "What do you mean your money?"
Zhengkang got anxious, stood up from the kang, stamped his feet and reminded her, "It's the money you showed me before, so much money."
Qian Shulan thought about it carefully in her mind and finally remembered that it was the first year of the land reform. Their family was allocated more than ten acres of land and earned several hundred dollars. The original person held her eldest grandson and said something to him.
Qian Shulan sighed, "What can you do with that little money? In the future, it won't even be enough for you to get married." Okay, she lied, it was enough, but there was nothing she could do, who let this kid pick a fight with her? !
Zhengkang gestured for a long time, "No, that's a lot of money, I can't spend it all in my lifetime."
Qian Shulan sneered, "Forget it! That little money is more than you can spend in a lifetime. Grandma was just teasing you, but you took it seriously. Our family lives an average life in the village. Compared with those city people, our family is extremely poor. Look at my family, can rich people not afford a decent piece of clothing? Can they not eat meat once a year? But those city people can afford it and can eat meat once a month. Do you still think our family is rich?"
Zhengkang seemed to have suffered a great blow and sat back on the kang. It turned out that his family was either a landlord class or a poor peasant as his father said. Then all the money he had cheated from his family before was wasted. He hit his head in frustration.
Zhengguo was dozing off with his chin in his hand. He didn't hear clearly what they were talking about. He muttered, "That money was earned by grandma, our father and a few uncles. When have you ever earned a penny for the family? You are so shameless. You have the nerve to say that it is your money. I am embarrassed to listen. Tsk tsk tsk tsk..."
Qian Shulan echoed, "Yes, that money belongs to me, your father and several uncles. It has nothing to do with you young people. It is our retirement money. If you want to use the money, you have to earn it yourself!"
Zhengkang raised his head sharply and repeated, "It's not my money?"
Before Qian Shulan could say anything, Zhengguo yawned, "Of course it's not yours!"
Zhengkang got so angry that he stood up from the kang and yelled at Qian Shulan, "It's not my money, why did you tell me that it will all be mine in the future? You are a liar! Liar! Liar!" If it wasn't his money, he wouldn't have to worry about being beheaded one day. Her grandmother is a liar! A big liar! A super big liar!
After saying that, he was so angry that he ran to his kang and fell asleep with his back to Qian Shulan.
Qian Shulan was speechless. Could she say that this matter had nothing to do with her
She glanced at Zhengguo and saw that he was squinting his eyes and looking drowsy. He looked very funny and she covered her mouth with her hands and laughed. She tapped Zhengguo's forehead and he fell directly onto the kang and fell asleep.
Qian Shulan covered him with a quilt, and in the moonlight she saw an iron box. Qian Shulan wanted to reach out and take it down, but found that he was holding it very tightly.
After trying several times and failing to pull it out, Qian Shulan gave up.
The next day, Zhengguo found Qian Shulan and asked how much it would cost to build a house. Qian Shulan then asked him how big the area was, what type of house to build, and where to build it.
After Zhengguo answered one by one, Qian Shulan smiled and said, "According to your request, it will cost at least one hundred yuan."
When he heard that it would cost 100, Zhengguo felt a little depressed. He hung his head and went back to his room.
Qian Shulan didn't care. When she was little, she also liked to ask questions. She especially liked to ask different people the same question, and she could hear many different answers, which was very interesting.
The author has something to say: The reason why Zhengkang was set up this way was because he was inspired by the Little Red Soldiers and the Red Guards. However, that was only during the Cultural Revolution.
In 1958, it was popular to do good deeds, especially for children.
Zhengkang is a child who has been brainwashed by politics and his thoughts have become deviant.
His indifference towards his family and excessive sympathy towards others are all the consequences of his bad education.
Children are like blank sheets of paper when they are born. They will grow crooked if you don't pay enough attention, but there will always be traces left.
He just thought his family was very rich. However, it seems that he was right, his family is really rich now╮(╯▽╰)╭