Finally, the day of separation arrived. Li's mother couldn't stop crying: "Son, when will you come back after you leave?"
Li Bing smiled bitterly. He had to save up vacation time for several years before he could come back once. When he came back again, it would be several years later.
"Mom, I feel relieved that my brother and sister-in-law are at home. My sister-in-law is already a glorious people's teacher. When school starts, you and Li Le can go live in the county together."
Mother Li was hesitant. Li Le was going to school, so he would definitely go to the county with Cheng Qiao. Not to mention Li Huan. Wherever Cheng Qiao was, he would be there too. But if she followed her too, who would look after the house and who would farm the land
"Mom, we don't need work points. We can buy work points when food is distributed at the end of the year."
Cheng Qiao also said it with a smile, but Li's mother still shook her head and refused. The house had just been built, and she would be worried if no one was looking after it.
Li Le was reluctant to leave Li's mother, saying that she could go home every day because she had collective labor in the morning and classes in the afternoon, so she had plenty of time.
Besides, Wang Xianghua from Aunt Wang's family also wants to go to school with her, so it's not possible for her to let him live in her home in the county town.
Cheng Qiao did not insist. Everyone has their own ideas and there is no need for her to force others. As for her, if Li Huan is willing to pick her up every day, she can also go home.
Li Huan went to Uncle Niu's house to borrow an ox cart and put all the luggage on the cart. Li Bing saw that when he came, he only had two large luggage bags, but when he went back, he had three more.
"Mom, brother, sister-in-law, there are too many. Please keep some for yourselves."
"No, there's food at home. Oh, brother, I forgot to give you this. Take it."
Li Huan went back into the room, took out the cigarettes and alcohol that Cheng Qiao had given him, put them in a net bag, and stuffed them into Li Bing's arms. When Li Bing saw that they were cigarettes and alcohol, his eyes lit up.
His leader liked this kind of cigarettes and alcohol, but in Gansu, supplies were in short supply. As soon as these cigarettes and alcohol were put on the counter of the supply and marketing cooperative, they would be sold out within a minute.
"Thank you, brother, thank you, sister-in-law, this is really good stuff."
Li Huan glanced at Cheng Qiao and they smiled at each other. Li Bing suddenly thought of something and said a few words in Li Huan's ear. Li Huan nodded continuously.
It turned out that Li Bing wanted to find out where Cheng Qiao's father had been taken to. If it was within his ability, he would make sure that person lived a comfortable life.
Of course Cheng Qiao also heard what Li Bing said, and her heart was also excited. If her elder brother could take care of her father, she would definitely not be stingy with the supplies.
The ox cart slowly moved towards the village entrance. Li's mother held Li Bing's left hand, and Li Le held Li Bing's right hand. None of the three spoke. They always felt that they had thousands of words in their hearts but didn't know how to start.
"Li Bing, are you leaving today?"
At the entrance of the village, Aunt Daya was standing there waiting for them, holding a cloth bag wrapped in flowered cloth. Li Bing sighed, jumped off the ox cart, and motioned Li Huan to continue driving the cart, as he would soon catch up.
Aunt Daya stuffed the package into Li Bing's arms with red eyes, and said with a sob: "This is a scarf I knitted for her, you treat her well."
Li Bing took the scarf silently. If it weren't for Aunt Daya, he would have forgotten about Miao Qing. It seemed that he still needed to talk to Miao Qing again.
The ox cart arrived at the door of the state-owned restaurant. Cheng Qiao took Li's mother and Li Le in to order food. Li Huan sat on the ox cart to watch the luggage, while Li Bing went to the guesthouse to pick up Miao Qing.
When Miao Qing appeared, she had lost a lot of weight. Li Bing had just told her clearly that if she insisted on following him, she would have to accept the test of the organization, a test that basically no woman could pass.
As for what the test is, Li Bing also told Miao Qing that they would go to plant trees in the windbreak forest in Gansu. There would be wind and sand everywhere, and it would be a very hard job that even men could not bear.
Miao Qing was determined to go, though. Compared to the hard work, she knew she would eventually succeed. But if she went back and was sold to an old bachelor by her parents, she would definitely be doomed.
Since they were leaving, Li Bing didn't treat Miao Qing harshly. They all sat down together and had a meal. Miao Qing saw Cheng Qiao's rosy face and slightly bulging belly, and sighed that Chen Chunhua was not blessed.
"Cheng Qiao, did you know that Chen Chunhua was sentenced to death?"
Cheng Qiao was stunned for a moment. She really didn't know that in the remote village of Xiangyang Village, as long as she stayed indoors, no news would reach her ears.
Cheng Qiao glanced at Li Huan on the ox cart. This guy must have known it, but in order not to worry himself, he kept it secret.
"When will it be executed?"
"Just in the past two days, they said she was a bad apple in the ranks of the revolutionary class, spoiling the whole pot of porridge. They also said she was a spy, who in order to lure revolutionary comrades, actually drugged them and then brutally killed them."
Cheng Qiao stared at Miao Qing in amazement. How could he be convicted in this way? This...
"What about Chunhua's in-laws?"
Li's mother was also horrified when she heard this. No wonder Chunhua wanted to harm her daughter-in-law. It turned out that she was a spy. If Chunhua was a spy, then what about Chen Weimin? And the village chief was also her uncle.
When Miao Qing heard Li's mother asking her, her eyes curved with joy. Her mother-in-law finally spoke to her. She quickly replied, "Wang the butcher stole state property and engaged in speculation and profiteering. He is also going to be shot. As for Wang the butcher's mother, it seems she can't be found."
Can't find it, what does this mean? Li Bing glanced at Li's mother, silently put down the bowl, and then took out a handkerchief to wipe his mouth:
"Mom, sister-in-law, I'm done eating. It's Li Huan's turn to eat."
Miao Qing quickly ate a few mouthfuls of rice and picked up a few pieces of braised pork to eat. She had been starving during this period. Fortunately, she had the money she had stolen from home in her pocket, otherwise she didn't know whether she could still be alive today.
"Brother Li Bing, what is this?"
Miao Qing asked curiously when she saw Li Bing handing her a package.
"Your mother gave it to you."
Hearing that it was given to him by his mother, Miao Qing sneered, opened the package and saw that it was a bright red scarf. He liked it very much and put it around his neck quickly. He seemed to feel a lot warmer.
"My mother still cares about me."
Li Bing didn't say anything. He had a very bad impression of Fenqiu and Daya, especially when he heard that Fenqiu pushed his mother down. If his brother hadn't taken action, he would have taken action as well.
"I'll ask you one last time, do you regret it?"
"No regrets, Brother Li Bing. Even if I die there, I would not want to stay."
Cheng Qiao put the leftovers in a lunch box to take back, and then took out the lunch box and asked for two servings of dumplings. Her brother had been on the train for several days and needed something to eat and drink.
The ox cart slowly moved towards the station. Li Huan and Li Bing got on the cart carrying large and small bags. Miao Qing also hurriedly followed, found a seat by the window, and waved goodbye to Li's mother.