Chapter 24: Arrangements (1)

Time passed slowly as the donkey cart swayed along the road. Inside the flatbed, thick bedding was laid out, and the few people whose minds had been restless these past days all fell into a deep sleep. By the time Grandpa Jiang woke them, they were still in a daze, not knowing where they were.

Huo Wu was the first to regain his senses. He silently scolded himself for letting his vigilance slip, then turned his attention to Ruan Ruan beside him.

The four-year-old girl was sound asleep. Even Grandpa Jiang’s voice just now hadn’t roused her. Her little head rested on the shoulder of the small boy next to her. Her cheek was squashed flat, her small mouth hung slightly open, and a suspiciously shiny line of drool clung to the corner of her lips.

This would have been almost impossible in the past. Having lost her parents very young, Ruan Ruan had always been a lonely, sensitive child. Back then, he and Grandpa Ruan were often busy with affairs outside and didn’t know how to care for a little girl, so they entrusted her to the wives of Ruan Lao’er and Ruan Lao San, and even hired a nanny to help look after her.

At the time, the entire Ruan family lived together in the old house in Haicheng. All the children played together. Among them, Ruan Ruan always had the best food, clothes, and toys. They never suspected a thing, only hated later how well those people had hidden the truth. For so many years, he and Grandpa Ruan had no idea what kind of life Ruan Ruan was actually living.

Unfortunately, by the time they discovered it, it was already too late. Huo Wu closed his eyes, unwilling to think about the murderous rage he’d felt when he first saw that scene.

Nowadays, Ruan Ruan had become even more timid. Every night she slept fitfully, waking at the slightest sound. They’d tried countless remedies and consulted many doctors, but nothing worked. In the end, it was clear that only time and safety could heal a heart’s wound. After that incident, he and Grandpa Ruan could no longer trust anyone else to care for her, so they simply kept the child by their side.

Once she was far from those people, Ruan Ruan’s nightmares eased somewhat. But perhaps because of those years of hardship, she’d become exceptionally well-behaved. She never made a fuss, always afraid of displeasing them. He and Grandpa Ruan saw this and felt both sorrow and heartache.

Huo Wu clenched his fists. He still remembered the promise he’d made to Ruan Ruan’s father before he died that in this life, he would protect her well and never let anyone bully her again. The mistakes of the past couldn’t be undone, but from today on, he would watch over Ruan Ruan himself. Perhaps being sent down here wasn’t such a bad thing after all.

Looking at the sleeping child, Huo Wu felt a deep tenderness. These days, he and Grandpa Ruan had been exhausted from dealing with external pressures and family issues, busy arranging everyone’s future. In all that time, they had neglected Ruan Ruan. She must have been living in constant fear.

“Be gentle. It gets cold at night wrap her in a blanket so she doesn’t catch cold.” Jiang Yiliu calmly instructed from the side. No one knew where he’d produced a thick blanket, which he handed over for Huo Wu to wrap around Ruan Ruan.

Swaddled in the warm quilt, the little girl finally relaxed. She shifted in Huo Wu’s arms until she found the most comfortable position, then drifted back into a sweet sleep.

Huo Wu glanced at the small boy beside him, whose head barely reached his thigh but who was more attentive and considerate than he was himself. He fell silent. For a moment, he felt as if he’d seen the shadow of an old housekeeper in this five-year-old child. That had to be his imagination.

“Dahai, your son is truly something.”

Ruan Yuanjiang stretched out his stiff legs and shoulders and said with a laugh.

Jiang Dahai rubbed his head, unable to hide his pride. Of course his son was the best. Still, he spoke with modesty: “This child has always been sensible. He’s the one who looks after our fourth daughter at home. Children in farming families are all like this.”

Ruan Yuanjiang paused mid-shoulder rub, and the smile on his face stiffened slightly. If he remembered correctly, Jiang Dahai’s fourth daughter was actually older than Yiliu. Had Dahai gotten it backward?

Bai Fangqiu only smiled, appreciating how thoughtful Jiang Yiliu had been when he offered the blanket. Such a young child with such care very rare indeed.

Later, when they spent more time together, he would see firsthand how this little brother, Jiang Yiliu, took care of his sisters like an old nanny, protecting them as if they were children themselves. Only then would Bai Fangqiu realize just how shallow his first impression had been.

The livestock shed was quite close to the brigade headquarters.

At this hour, it was completely still. The old man who used to watch over the animals, Old Mo, had passed away last year. Since then, there was no fixed caretaker. Each household took turns patrolling. The shed itself was so dilapidated that a hole gaped in the roof, letting in the wind. In this bitter cold, sleeping there could freeze someone to death. Few villagers were willing to spend the night inside. When it was their turn to watch, they simply checked more frequently.

When Jiang Dahai brought the group over, the place was silent except for the soft snuffling of livestock.

As soon as they approached, the pungent smell of manure hit them in the face. In the village, though, manure was valuable it was compost for the fields. Every few days, people came to clear it out of the shed.

Back when Old Mo was alive, he’d been diligent, cleaning every day and piling the manure neatly so the smell was manageable. Clearly, no one had come to clear it today. The stench was enough to make a few former city dwellers gag.

Still, they were all seasoned people. They knew this smell might be part of their daily life from now on. Though their faces twitched slightly, none showed overt disgust.

Jiang Yiliu had been watching their expressions since they entered. Seeing none of them reveal contempt or disdain, he felt a measure of satisfaction.

He’d been worried these people wouldn’t be able to bear such conditions. Now it seemed they were all mentally strong.

Jiang Dahai separated the donkey from the cart, drove it into its pen, and locked the door to prevent escape. Jiang Yiliu helped add some feed to the trough. Only after everything was done did they lead the group toward the brigade office, which was not far away.

By the time they arrived, the building was brightly lit. Besides the production team leader, Mo Dashuan, and Elder Jiang, three other people stood inside accountant Cheng Ming, women’s director Yang Xiu, and retired veteran Sun Rong. Like Elder Jiang, Sun Rong had fought on the battlefield against the Japanese. In Qingshan Village, the two of them commanded great respect.

As soon as Grandpa Jiang saw his old comrade, he was filled with emotion. But the telegram from their superior had been clear: their connection must remain discreet to avoid implicating anyone. No matter how moved he felt, he didn’t dare greet him openly.

Ruan Yuanjiang and Jiang Dahai had clearly been informed of this, too. From the moment they stepped into the hall, they acted like strangers, a far cry from their earlier camaraderie.

Jiang Yiliu rested in Jiang Dahai’s arms, watching thoughtfully.

Mo Dashuan and the others were sitting around the big Eight Immortals table in the center of the hall. A brazier glowed with warm coals, making the room cozy, a stark contrast to the cold wind outside.

As soon as he stepped inside, Jiang Yiliu let out a small sigh of relief. Seeing Ruan Ruan’s flushed cheeks in Huo Wu’s arms, he felt reassured.

“These are the people sent down?” Mo Dashuan stepped forward, took the official document from Jiang Dahai, and looked over the three men. One was a frail old man, another scholarly, and only the youngest looked remotely dangerous. But honestly, none of them looked like bad people.

“Brother Mo, these are the three assigned to our village for re-education through labor,” Jiang Dahai said, pointing at them. “This is Bai Fangqiu, former director of the Capital People’s Hospital. This is Ruan Yuanjiang, a professor from Huaqing University decadent bourgeois elements. And this is Huo Wu, from the military. He violated regulations and is to be reformed through labor.”

The villagers exchanged surprised murmurs. What kind of backgrounds were these? In the old days, these men would be like imperial physicians and top scholars. A glance at Bai Fangqiu and Ruan Yuanjiang made them feel they were indeed distinguished somehow taller and grander than ordinary folk. They couldn’t help but feel a bit ashamed. Was their little farming village really going to have these important people doing menial labor?

The official letter was clear: they were to be housed in the worst quarters and assigned the hardest tasks. But looking at them now, it seemed only Huo Wu was even capable of manual work.

“Captain, what do you think we should have them do?” Yang Xiu tugged at Mo Dashuan’s sleeve. She then pointed to the little girl in Huo Wu’s arms. “And why did they bring a child? What are we supposed to do about her?”

From Grandpa Jiang’s gaze, Ruan Yuanjiang identified the true authority in the village. He faced Mo Dashuan with a bitter look. “This is my granddaughter. Her parents both died in the Vietnam War. I’m her only relative. I really had no choice but to bring her along. Don’t worry, she’ll stay with me. I’ll just take a little of my own rations for her.”

Those sent for re-education could still earn work points, but they had to do much more to get fewer points. With Ruan Yuanjiang’s health, he might not even earn enough to feed himself.

Still, the Ruan family had once been enormously wealthy. Though he had publicly donated most of his assets, he’d quietly kept some valuable things. Even a single item could be exchanged for enough food to feed them both for life.

Thinking of the ration coupons sewn into his coat lining, Ruan Yuanjiang felt a little more at ease.

A martyr’s child? No one asked why the father of a martyr was being sent down they all knew the unspoken reasons. But hearing that, they couldn’t help but feel some respect for the little girl. People in those days were still very sincere, and they always looked kindly upon the children of those who had died for the country.

Sun Rong was the most outspoken. So many of his comrades had died in artillery fire, leaving behind widows and orphans. He’d always shared what he could spare with those families. In his eyes, Ruan Ruan was no different from those children.

His temper flared. He blurted out, “It’s just a little girl. You think Qingshan Village can’t feed one child? From now on, she’ll stay here. As long as I have food, she’ll never go hungry.”

Mo Dashuan knew Uncle Sun’s temperament and didn’t argue. He turned to Elder Jiang. “Uncle Jiang, what do you think?”

Elder Jiang didn’t know why his old friend had brought his granddaughter, but he didn’t dwell on it. He agreed with Sun Rong. “The child is the daughter of a martyr. She doesn’t eat much. If the village won’t cover it, I will. My monthly stipend is more than enough to feed her.”

Naturally, no one else objected. And so, Ruan Ruan was allowed to stay.

Next, they began discussing the food, lodging, and work arrangements for the three men.

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Chapter 24: Arrangements (1)