Chapter 47: There Are Actually Seats?

When they said they weren’t going up the mountain, Tong Lingxian truly didn’t let Fang Mingxi go.

She stayed inside all afternoon, never stepping out. She obediently took out every piece of clothing she owned, mending what could be fixed and tearing apart what couldn’t to make patches. Nothing could be wasted.

Last night, they had received not just a box of needles and thread, but also a huge bundle of imperfect yarn. With that much thread, they would have enough to last until next year.

Beside her sat Wu Meixia, helping however she could.

Tong Lingxian didn’t explain much about the sewing supplies. She simply said she had found a needle and several bundles of thread pinned inside a pair of socks, probably mixed in before they left.

Wu Meixia didn’t ask further. Although the two had become like sisters over the past few months, she understood that some matters were personal.

Everyone in the cattle shed was the same. Though they helped each other daily, aside from sharing meals and working in the fields, no one pried into things like how much money or how many ration tickets someone had.

If you had the ability to spend money and ask the Brigade Leader to buy something, that was your own skill. It had nothing to do with anyone else, unless it was food found collectively.

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Fs pkdnl Msdt Nkdtmkyd oyp okzzkdt vs xlde nzsvblp okvbswv bszekdt cynj, Ew Ylkmky oyp yzalyeu xsal tayvlqwz vbyd nwakswp.

Mydt Zys’p vsad nsvvsd fynjlv oyp alrykale kd ds vkxl. Ew Ylkmky zssjle sd kd csvb pwarakpl yde yexkayvksd.

“Nkdtmkyd, uswa bydep yal yxygkdt. Ohld obld R oyp pvkzz y zkvvzl tkaz, R nswzed’v plo y vbkdt. Yu uswdtla pkpvla xsnjle xl qsa kv lhlau pkdtzl eyu.”

“Lso R’x sze ldswtb vs cl y taydexsvbla yde pvkzz nyd’v plo. Rq dsv qsa usw, Zysuys oswze byhl vs olya vsad nzsvblp yzz vbl vkxl.”

“Rv’p dsvbkdt. Rd vbl qwvwal, obldlhla uswa nzsvblp akr, fwpv cakdt vblx vs xl.” Msdt Nkdtmkyd ckv sqq vbl vbalye, pbssj swv vbl fynjlv, yde bydele kv shla. “Tsdlpvzu, xu pjkzzp yal yhlaytl. Dkmk’p taydexsvbla kp vbl vawzu pjkzzle sdl.”

“Dkmk’p taydexsvbla?” Ew Ylkmky bwttle vbl fynjlv, nwakswp. “R’hl yzoyup oydvle vs ypj, clqsal usw nyxl blal, obu eked’v usw zlyhl Dkmk okvb bla taydexsvbla?”

Jynj vbld, Dkmk oyp sdzu lktbv xsdvbp sze. Nlyhkdt bla okvb bla taydexsvbla pbswze byhl clld clvvla vbyd cakdtkdt y cycu blal.

Msdt Nkdtmkyd zlv swv y ckvvla pxkzl. “Zsw vbkdj R eked’v oydv vs? Fsxlvbkdt byrrldle yv bsxl ps pweeldzu, ol nswzed’v lhld byde Dkmk shla clqsal ol olal qsanle vs zlyhl.”

“And her grandparents studied abroad when they were young. Before the country was founded, they were from a proper, prestigious family. Since we had trouble, I imagine they probably…”

She didn’t finish, but Wu Meixia understood the rest.

Before liberation, wealthy young ladies lived enviable lives, but in a time like this, the more privileged you once were, the harsher your fate now. They might have fallen into the same misfortune.

“So that’s how it was. Then maybe it really was best for Xixi to come with you. I heard people with foreign-study backgrounds suffer even worse than we do,” Wu Meixia sighed.

Her former neighbor had such a background, not self-funded, but sent abroad by the country.

Before being sent down, she had heard from the neighbor’s family that he was assigned to a reformation farm in the far northwest.

Even a grown man could barely endure that hardship. If an eight-month-old baby had been sent there, survival itself would be uncertain.

As the sky darkened, Wu Meixia thanked her again and returned to her room with the clothes.

Once she left, Tong Lingxian, still mending a pair of pants, remained unsettled. She turned toward the darkening sky outside, ripples forming in her heart.

She wondered how her in-laws were doing in Beijing. Hopefully those people wouldn’t target them. Xixi’s grandmother wasn’t in good health; she couldn’t endure intense physical labor.

---

After the New Year, Zhou Yulan and Ou Wenrui were taken onto a train.

No one knew whether someone had suddenly grown a conscience, or whether the people who had raided so many homes were simply in a good mood, but when the group boarded, they were stunned, everyone had seats.

The surprise came without warning.

Given their current status, hated by everyone, no one expected seats at all.

Even though the journey would take two days and two nights, it was still far better than standing for dozens of hours.

Carrying several bags, Ou Wenrui squeezed into the carriage. After finding their seats, he wiped them down and gently guided the frail Zhou Yulan into place.

“Yulan, sit by the window. If you feel unwell, you can open it for fresh air.”

Zhou Yulan sat down and watched him fuss. She quickly tugged him over. “Alright, enough. Everyone else is being quiet; we shouldn’t draw attention.”

People were already looking impatient. Acting so conspicuously at a time like this, it was just asking for trouble.

Ou Wenrui paused and glanced at the guards watching over them. Then he put away his cloth, pulled out a military-green water flask, and a small packet of broken pastries.

“Comrades, may I step out to get some hot water? My wife isn’t well. I want her to drink something warm.” He offered the pastries carefully.

Once their relocation site had been confirmed, Ou Wenrui had secretly prepared everything. Money and ration tickets had already been sent ahead; once they arrived, he could collect them.

They carried only clothes and daily necessities. Their dry rations were small crumbs of food, nothing eye-catching.

These people needed to be delivered alive for reformation. No matter how unreasonable those above were, they wouldn’t let them starve.

Sending out a few bags of crumbs was harmless enough.

“This…”

None of the guards dared take the food. Although they were in charge, they couldn’t move without their leader’s instruction.

Seeing no reaction, Ou Wenrui understood. He turned to the man on their left, the one with the buzz cut who had been resting with his eyes closed.

“Leader, may I go get some hot water?”

Mao Zhishang opened his eyes. Seeing Ou Wenrui’s earnest expression, he picked up the pastries and jerked his head toward the door. “Be quick.”

“Yes, yes! I’ll be right back!”

Ou Wenrui rushed out of the carriage and found a train attendant for help. As he moved, he deliberately kept half his body visible so Mao Zhishang and the others could still see him.

Mao Zhishang snorted coldly but didn’t bother paying attention. He tossed the pastries to his subordinates and closed his eyes again.

As long as these people didn’t cause trouble, he wouldn’t waste time on them. His only responsibility was to deliver them safely.

That damned man with the buck teeth, he raided the homes himself but didn’t escort the prisoners, and dumped all the hard work onto him instead.

Thirty-something hours; he’d die of exhaustion.

---

“Achoo!”

Luo Xi had barely stepped out of the restroom when he sneezed. A man with a red armband hurried over.

“Chief Luo, are you alright? Did you catch a cold? Do you need to go to the hospital?”

Luo Xi rubbed his nose and waved him off impatiently. “Go, go! Don’t talk nonsense. Who are you cursing to go to the hospital?”

The man’s expression stiffened. He slapped his own mouth in regret. “My fault. I spoke poorly. Chief Luo, please be forgiving.”

“Scram. Don’t block my way.” Luo Xi shoved him aside and walked to his office. He opened the door, then slammed it shut behind him.

Bang!

The man flinched at the gust that hit the back of his head. Feeling everyone’s eyes on him, he flushed and hurried away.

Inside, Luo Xi removed his coat. His body did feel warm. Was he actually getting sick?

After hanging up his coat, he stepped into the inner office. The moment he pushed open the door, he froze at the sight of the person sitting inside.

“What are you doing here?”