They Say I Can Curse People (12)

Chapter 43

For a hardworking girl like Chang Fang, coming down the mountain was incredibly easy when she wasn’t carrying anything on her back, holding only about two pounds of Golden Cicada Flowers. She practically flew down the path, stopping briefly along the way to pick a few Green-headed mushrooms.

The mushrooms seemed to be appearing much later this year than in previous years; usually, they were gone by this month.

From a distance, she saw her sister waving. It turned out Huanhuan had been waiting for her to come down, and as soon as she spotted her sister, she immediately signaled.

“Sister! Hurry up! Grandma says she’s going to cook us sweet wine eggs!”

In Tonglin Town, fermented glutinous rice was called sweet wine. This year, the old couple’s glutinous rice harvest had been excellent. Over the past few days, the Old Lady had seen Yun Song and the other two going up and down the mountain, tired and hungry with no time to eat.

She had thought of making some sweet wine. Her husband went to town to buy the starter culture¹, and she cooked the glutinous rice at home. After letting it cool, she mixed in the newly bought starter. She put it in a large enamel basin, covered it with gauze, and placed it in the cupboard.

It was just about ready now. Originally, she only intended to give some to Yun Song. Out of everyone in the world, the old couple only found Yun Song agreeable, so naturally, they only wanted to share good things with her.

But listening to the little girl talk today, she had heard a lot about their family situation. It was pitiful, yet the little girl seemed completely unaware of how miserable her and her sister’s lives were, as if everything was perfectly normal.

The Old Lady felt a twinge of pity in her heart.

Thus, when Chang Fang came down, she was greeted with a bowl of sweet wine poached eggs.

Two eggs rested in the center, and the sweet wine was fragrant and delicious.

“Eat up,” the Old Lady said.

“This… how can I accept this?” Chang Fang felt her mouth water, but since she now viewed herself as an adult, she said, “My sister and I are always causing you trouble. We haven’t brought you anything, so how can we let you cook for us?”

The Old Lady turned her head and said with a stern face, “…I hate it most when you people start with these long-winded speeches. It’s so troublesome.”

Chang Fang had noticed the Old Lady’s bad temper during their first meeting. Now that the woman was speaking this way, she didn’t mind. Instead, she gave a sheepish grin and said, “I’ve only just become an adult, and I find it troublesome too, but I see other adults acting this way.”

The Old Lady was somewhat surprised by the young girl’s reaction. To be honest, she didn’t take that so-called fate of the girl’s seriously. How could a birth date determine a whole lifetime? But at this moment, the girl’s reaction made her feel that this child was destined for great things.

Chang Fang had already started eating, thinking about her conversation with the Old Lady as she did.

As soon as she finished, she couldn’t help but ask, “Grandma, I’ve just become an adult. Right now, I’m learning how to act from my aunts, but I feel like what I’ve learned is useful but not enough. Grandma, could you teach me?”

Eh?

The Old Lady turned her head. This girl was genuinely curious and truly wanted to learn how to navigate the world.

Although the Old Lady didn’t like communicating with people, her heart held countless life experiences and reflections on living. As she grew older, these experiences were destined to simply rot in her stomach.

Now, Chang Fang was asking her openly.

She couldn’t hold back the thoughts bottled up inside and began pointing out the behaviors of the people in Tonglin Town that she disliked most. “It’s nothing special, but don’t learn from those petty people who are hesitant and awkward when doing things. You must be bold. If you want something, go get it yourself. Don’t be too embarrassed for this or that. If someone gives you something, take it and say thank you graciously. Don’t keep refusing over and over. For example, just now, you made it seem like I was forcing you to eat, which actually makes people unhappy.”

Chang Fang hadn’t been taught this way before. In the past, she was told that taking things when people offered was impolite. But hearing the Old Lady say this now, she felt it made a lot of sense and nodded seriously.

She felt a very special connection to the old woman. Even though they had started out arguing, this was different. It was different from all her past relationships.

In the past, all her relationships were actually based on her being her parents’ daughter, not on her as an individual.

Eldest Aunt and Second Aunt took her in and were kind to her not because of who she was, but because they wanted to help their sister deal with a burden.

But this Grandma was different. And so were the police officers.

Since Grandma had just said that she should speak up if she wanted something, Chang Fang continued to ask more questions.

They chatted there for over two hours until Yun Song arrived with Tang Chao and Tong Jin. Yun Song didn’t show much worry on her face, but she was actually feeling anxious.

Going up the mountain this time was solely to promote the Hukou registration.

Because they were currently investigating the matter, many people in the village had sent their extra children to relatives’ houses overnight and then flatly denied having any unregistered children.

Actually, this was very easy to check because every child in the village, whether they had a Hukou or not, had to get vaccinations, and there were records of that.

But after discussing it, Yun Song and the other two decided not to use that method.

National policy did not restrict vaccinations based on Hukou because the goal was to benefit every child. If they used those records for their investigation, it would certainly have a negative impact on future children born outside the quota.

Therefore, the three of them had to convince people without using hard evidence.

If the Liao family’s pressure cooker case had given her a taste of the Tonglin people’s “art of conversation,” then this time, Yun Song truly experienced how heart-stoppingly sarcastic and passive-aggressive the people of Tonglin Town could be.

Regarding children born outside the quota, they were being asked to register them for Hukou, but registration required paying a fine. Almost everyone brought up this issue.

“Where would we get that much money? Aren’t you just cutting off our way to survive?”

So, the police began explaining the importance of Hukou for children. With a Hukou, a child could access educational resources. There were rumors that Nine-Year Compulsory Education² might not be far off, meaning junior high school could be attended without tuition fees.

“The children in this house don’t have that kind of luck.”

That wasn’t the most infuriating part. The most infuriating part was that with a little investigation, Yun Song and the others discovered that no matter which child in the family was a son, as long as it was a son, there was money to pay the fine. If it was a daughter, there was no money.

Yun Song did not let it show on her face, silently chanting ten thousand times to herself that she was a police officer and should not let personal emotions interfere. Yet, witnessing such things, she truly felt a heavy weight in her heart.

Issues with personal emotions were not unique to the police; the villagers had them too.

“I knew it. A few police officers coming to our little corner of nowhere was never going to be a good thing. After all that talk, it turns out they’re just here to ask for money.” It was not a tone of accusation, but rather the tone of someone who had just uncovered a massive secret.

Yun Song replied, “…We are here to fulfill our duties as police officers. There is no need for you to speak that way.”

“You’re being so proactive, you must be getting a cut of the money, right?” someone added slyly.

Ah! The darkest moment of one’s life. All three of them felt a sudden pang of frustration in their chests.

Fortunately, the other party was only venting their emotions and did not push further.

When they returned to Maotou Mountain, they saw Huanhuan. For a child like her, fate was almost entirely decided by adults. As police officers, how could they stand by and do nothing?

Whatever grievances Yun Song felt in her heart vanished. Their momentary frustration could buy a bit of a new future for these older children.

It was a bargain.

But their power was indeed too small. Yun Song brought up the plan they had discussed earlier regarding the Mobile Court.

Tong Jin agreed immediately, saying, “It’s time to let the comrades from the court come and experience this for themselves.”

Tang Chao also nodded. “We’ll write the report as soon as we get back.”

The police, the procuratorate, and the court – if there was hardship, everyone should share it.

The matter finally had a direction, and the goal was to secure their Hukou.

However, as the three of them watched Chang Fang running swiftly ahead, they could not help but feel a twinge of sadness.

The younger sister, Huanhuan, was still alright. For her, life was just beginning. As long as Yun Song and the others found a way, she could eventually have a childhood similar to other children.

But what about Chang Fang?

She was seventeen years old, had not finished primary school, and had no Hukou. Even if she obtained her Hukou now, returning to primary school would be incredibly difficult for her.

Chang Fang herself did not seem to think that much about it.

She returned to the town cheerfully. Once they arrived, she entrusted Huanhuan to Yun Song.

“Officer, I’m going to the pharmacy. Please watch my sister for a moment, I’ll be right back.”

Yun Song said, “I’ll go to the pharmacy with you.” Yun Song considered that the town pharmacy might not necessarily accept a specialized Chinese medicinal herb like Golden Cicada Flower, and she also worried the pharmacy might take advantage of Chang Fang because of her young age.

Chang Fang waved her hand and said, “I know where the pharmacy is.”

She clearly drew a line and ran off quickly.

The pharmacy was on the old street, named Xinglin Pavilion³. Inside was an old doctor of traditional Chinese medicine and a middle-aged woman who was currently dispensing herbs.

“Comrade, do you take these?” Chang Fang walked in and set down her bag of medicinal herbs.

The woman was first struck by the address “comrade,” and then she saw the contents. Cicada Slough?

It did not look like it.

“These are Golden Cicada Flowers. Do you buy Golden Cicada Flowers?”

The old doctor, who had been dozing nearby, heard this and walked over. He smiled and said, “You even know about Golden Cicada Flowers?”

“Well, do you want them? If you don’t, I’ll have the police officers take them to the city to sell.”

“Now, child, don’t be in such a hurry. Let me check the quality first.”

“Go ahead and look.”

While the old doctor examined her Golden Cicada Flowers, Chang Fang’s eyes did not stay still. She was looking at the various herbs on their shelves.

Eh?

She recognized many of them.

“How much is a jin of that mugwort?”

“This girl, she hasn’t even settled the Golden Cicada Flowers and she’s already asking about mugwort. Mugwort is cheap, only a few cents a jin,” the middle-aged woman laughed.

Chang Fang gave a soft “oh.” Back in her hometown, no one bothered with such things. They called it neglecting one’s proper work. Only work in the fields and on the land was considered proper business.

A vague idea began to form in Chang Fang’s mind, so she asked again, “Do you usually accept whatever people bring in?”

“Do you have a lot more?”

“I’m just asking.”

“Our pharmacy can’t take that much. Generally, we only buy some when we’re running low.”

By then, the old doctor had finished his inspection. Chang Fang asked, “Well? Are you buying? If not, I’m taking them to the city.”

She thought she was being very clever, making the other party feel that she did not necessarily have to sell to them so she wouldn’t be cheated.

“These aren’t from this year, are they?”

Chang Fang: “…” Lying was still a bit difficult.

“You don’t want them?”

“It’s not that we don’t want them, it’s just that if they were from this year, the price would be higher.”

“Then for these, how much can you give me per jin? If it’s too little, I’ll go to the city. At worst, I’ll just have to pay for the bus fare.”

“That wouldn’t be worth it. A round trip will cost you quite a bit in fare. I see you’re a smart kid, so I’ll be honest with you. If they were from this year, I could give you 30 yuan a jin. But these are from two years ago, if I’m not mistaken. I can only give you 20 yuan a jin.”

When Chang Fang heard this, she realized it was true. The police officer had said these could sell for about forty yuan a jin in the city. If she really went to the city, the round-trip bus fare would indeed be a significant amount.

She stopped haggling and said, “Fine then. Weigh them, and I’ll sell them to you.”

As the old doctor went to weigh the herbs, Chang Fang continued to look at the other medicinal materials. She said, “You buy all of these herbs, right? I’ll take note of the prices for the ones you accept.”

The woman pulled a board from the back which listed the prices for various Chinese medicinal herbs.

The cheapest was Bitter Wormwood, which was thirty cents a jin after being dried. Houttuynia⁴ was eighty cents a jin. The more expensive one was Cicada Slough at 15 yuan a jin…

Golden Cicada Flower was not on the purchase list.

Although Cicada Slough was said to be expensive, in reality, a single slough was as light as a feather and did not weigh much at all.

Chang Fang noted everything down, something churning in her heart.

The old doctor handed over 48 yuan: four ten-yuan bills, one five-yuan bill, and three one-yuan bills.

Chang Fang accepted it earnestly. This was money she had earned herself.

In the past, no matter how much work she did, there was never any money. That was because she was living under someone else’s roof, and she had to do that work just to survive.

Chang Fang collected the money and ran back through the evening breeze and the setting sun, feeling a profound sense of satisfaction.

She had money now.

Chang Fang did not return to Tonglin Junior High. Instead, she asked around for the location of the kindergarten.

The kindergarten had already let out for the day, and the grounds were empty.

Chang Fang didn’t see anyone at first.

“What are you doing?” a voice called out from inside.

Chang Fang replied, “I want to enroll my younger sister.”

A person poked their head out and looked at Chang Fang. “How old are you?”

“That’s not important. I’m enrolling my sister. She’s six years old.”

Fearing they would keep questioning her, she quickly threw out a question the other person could answer: “How much do you charge here?”

“Eighty yuan a semester. That includes lunch.”

Chang Fang nodded and said, “If I enroll her now, it should be cheaper, right? It’s already November.”

That was a fair point. The person replied, “If you start now, fifty yuan will do.”

“My sister has a small appetite, she doesn’t eat much. Plus, she’s exceptionally well-behaved and never gets into trouble. Can you make it a bit cheaper?”

Chang Fang continued, “Besides, one more child won’t be much trouble for you.”

The person said, “You’re quite the talker. Fine, forty yuan is acceptable.” In reality, forty yuan had been their bottom line all along.

“Do you need a Hukou?”

“We don’t need one for the kindergarten. Just bring the child over.”

“Should I pay now? Or should I pay when I bring my sister tomorrow?”

“Pay now to settle it.” The person was actually worried that because Chang Fang was so young, she might just be talking nonsense.

Chang Fang was also worried about being cheated, so she said, “My sister’s name is Zhang Changhuan. We are currently staying in the junior high dorms with the police officers. I’ll bring my sister over tomorrow.”

Chang Fang hadn’t mentioned the police at the start because she didn’t want to seem like she was using their status to get her way. Now was different; she was worried the other person might take advantage of her youth, so she used it as a deterrent.

The person took the money and said, “I’ll write you a receipt. Just bring your sister here at eight tomorrow morning. You have to pick her up at five in the afternoon, understood?”

“I’ve got it.” Chang Fang looked at the enrollment slip for her sister and felt that she was truly a capable adult!

When she returned, Yun Song and the other two were holding a meeting regarding the issue of people without Hukou.

As a veteran without a Hukou herself, Chang Fang listened from the side. She desperately wanted to help, but she had no solutions. Some parents simply refused to register their daughters. It was a lost cause.

Early the next morning, Huanhuan was sent to the kindergarten. She didn’t cry at all; instead, she found it fun. It was much more interesting than being in the village.

Without Huanhuan to worry about, Chang Fang followed Yun Song to the countryside without any psychological burden.

Yun Song and the other two first went to find the village officials to do some ideological work⁵, hoping the officials could take the lead.

While they were working on changing minds, Chang Fang didn’t stay idle. She quickly sought out the older children in the village.

“Do you guys want to earn some money?”

Translator’s Notes