Chapter 61

On Sunday, the entire Li family dressed neatly and headed out early in the morning. Grandma Li had bound feet, making the journey to the hydrolysis plant too far for her. So, Li Muwu had Mingnan take her to the Meng family’s house on his bicycle first, along with the gifts for them, saving Li Muwu from carrying them.

Mingnan rode off on his bicycle in a flash, disappearing from sight, while Li Muwu and Wang Sufen walked briskly ahead, afraid of arriving late and missing any conversation. Only Zhenzhen strolled leisurely, picking a large handful of fresh flowers along the way. Wang Sufen glanced back at her, but seeing that she was still keeping close despite playing, she didn’t say anything.

Holding the flowers in her left hand, Zhenzhen quickly plucked off the excess leaves with her right. Taking advantage of the fact that the three ahead of her were focused on walking, she subtly adjusted the arrangement of the flowers. By the time they reached Meng Xiaoxi’s house, the flowers in her hands had turned into a beautiful bouquet.

Buildings from the sixties had no soundproofing. As soon as they started climbing the stairs, Aunt Meng heard the noise from inside and hurried to open the door, stepping out with Meng Xiaoxi to greet them. “I was just talking to Auntie about when you’d arrive! Come on in quickly!”

Aunt Meng exchanged greetings with Li Muwu and invited him in before enthusiastically grabbing Wang Sufen’s hand. “That was quite a walk, wasn’t it?” She then noticed Mingbei and smiled warmly. “This must be your youngest? I didn’t see him last time.”

Wang Sufen nodded. “He’s in high school at Hydrolysis Plant No. 1 High. He’ll be graduating next year.”

Aunt Meng immediately looked envious. “Your kids are all so accomplished! I heard from Xiaoxi that Zhenzhen is also a top student, always ranking first.”

“She used to, but now they don’t have exams anymore, so who knows.” Wang Sufen smiled. “But every time her teacher sees me, they always say she studies well.”

Aunt Meng reached out to pat Zhenzhen’s head. “Zhenzhen is a great kid. It’s only been a month, and she looks like she’s grown taller again.”

Wang Sufen looked at Zhenzhen with pride but still spoke modestly. “She’s always running up the mountains or down to the river, constantly playing around. Naturally, she grows faster than the quiet kids.”

“Lively kids are the best! She looks so smart—I just love girls like her. You can tell she’s got a sharp mind.” Aunt Meng had a soft spot for pretty little girls and couldn’t stop praising Zhenzhen.

Zhenzhen stepped forward to greet her properly, then handed the bouquet to Meng Xiaoxi. “I picked these on the way here. They’re for you, Sister Xiaoxi.”

Girls at Meng Xiaoxi’s age all loved flowers and plants, let alone a bouquet like Zhenzhen’s—big, vibrant blooms full of life. In the autumn, when leaves were starting to fall, they were especially uplifting.

Meng Xiaoxi invited Grandma Li and Wang Sufen inside and chatted with them for a while. Seeing that the adults were engaged in conversation, she quietly pulled Zhenzhen into her room. The two found a glass jar, filled it with water, and arranged Zhenzhen’s wildflowers in it.

Zhenzhen looked at the arrangement and shook her head slightly, dissatisfied. “The stems are too long; they look like they’re about to tip over. Sister Xiaoxi, could you get me some scissors? I’ll trim them for you.”

Xiaoxi opened her sewing kit, took out a large pair of scissors, and handed them to Zhenzhen. In a few swift snips, Zhenzhen trimmed half the stems and arranged the flowers neatly. Now, they looked elegant and pleasing to the eye. She admired her work with a bit of pride. “This is my first time arranging flowers, and they turned out so nice! I guess I have some talent.”

“You mean there’s a proper way to put wildflowers in a vase?” Meng Xiaoxi looked at Zhenzhen in surprise. “I always just stuffed them in, and they ended up looking messy. No wonder yours look so good.”

Zhenzhen laughed sheepishly. “It’s not really about technique, just whatever looks good. By the way, Sister Xiaoxi, is it okay to have flowers at home here? No one’s going to accuse us of having capitalist tendencies, right?”

“It’s fine. They’re just wildflowers. I used to keep flowers at home, too. Come, let me show you mine.” Meng Xiaoxi pulled back the curtain, revealing a pot of clivia on the windowsill. “This was a gift from someone at the water supply station. It bloomed last New Year, but after the summer, it started looking a little weak.”

Zhenzhen took one look and immediately knew the clivia was in trouble. But not wanting to use her abilities in front of others, she simply touched its leaves to check its condition. She quickly realized that the roots were beginning to rot. Under Meng Xiaoxi’s curious gaze, Zhenzhen shook the plant gently. “I don’t grow flowers myself, but I’m always running around the mountains, so I know a bit about them. See how it wobbles when you shake it? I’d guess the roots are rotting.”

“Too much water?” Meng Xiaoxi also gave the clivia a shake and saw that Zhenzhen was right. She sighed regretfully. “I must have watered it twice a day during summer. Such a waste of a good plant. I heard once the roots rot, it’s done for. I should probably throw it out before it starts stinking up the place.”

“No, don’t! It’s a shame to throw away such a good clivia.” Zhenzhen quickly stopped her. “We can wash the roots, cut off the rotten parts, and replace the soil. It might recover.”

Hearing this, Meng Xiaoxi got excited and joined Zhenzhen in carrying the plant to the kitchen to tend to its roots.

The Meng family lived in a small three-bedroom apartment. Meng Xiaoxi had the innermost room, which contained a single bed and a desk. The slightly larger room next door had a big communal bed where her three younger brothers slept. The outermost room, directly facing the entrance, was the kitchen. Originally, there had been a small two-square-meter bathroom inside, but Aunt Meng found it a waste of space and had it removed. After all, there was a public restroom outside—why take up space at home? With the extra room, they could even keep a chicken coop and raise some hens.

Although the Mengs lived in an apartment, they still cooked over a wood-fired stove. At the moment, a large rooster was simmering in a pot. Since stewing chicken took time, Aunt Meng checked the clock, then took the opportunity to join Grandma Li and Wang Sufen in conversation.

Zhenzhen and Meng Xiaoxi were carrying a potted plant toward the kitchen when they saw Ming Nan sitting by the door of the east room. They couldn’t help but call out, “Come and help move the plant.”

“Where are you taking this?” Ming Nan walked over, took the plant from them, and asked in confusion.

“Put it in the kitchen sink. I want to take a look at its roots,” Meng Xiaoxi directed as they headed to the kitchen.

At this time, kitchen sinks in apartment buildings were made of cement, about thirty centimeters high from the ground, with faucets positioned a meter up. If the water flow was too strong, it would splash everywhere.

Aunt Meng craned her neck to watch the three of them fiddle with the plant. Worried that her daughter wasn’t staying to chat, and that the Li family might have opinions about it, she quickly called out, “Xiaoxi, come keep your aunt and grandma company. What are you busy with over there, messing with a plant?”

Feeling a bit embarrassed, Xiaoxi ran over and smiled at Grandma Li. “The clivia in my room has some root rot. Zhenzhen and I are trying to fix it.”

Grandma Li smiled kindly. “It’s fine. You two go ahead. Zhenzhen loves tinkering with plants. At home, she doesn’t even keep them in pots—she plants them along the walls and under the fences. In summer, they bloom in all sorts of colors and look beautiful.”

Aunt Meng saw that Ming Nan and his sister had carried the plant into the kitchen. Worried that Zhenzhen might get her clothes dirty, she quickly urged Xiaoxi, “Go check on your sister Zhenzhen. Don’t let her do the work—hurry and take care of it yourself.”

Meng Xiaoxi quickly got up and greeted Grandma Li and Wang Sufen, “Grandma, Auntie, you sit and enjoy the sunflower seeds. I’ll go help my sister with the plant.”

“Go on.” Wang Sufen chuckled, then turned to Aunt Meng. “This isn’t Xiaoxi’s fault. Our Zhenzhen stops in her tracks whenever she sees a flower.”

In the kitchen, Zhenzhen used her ability to wrap around the clivia’s roots, loosened the soil, and gently lifted it out. She placed the plant in the sink, wiped the sweat off her nose with her arm, and directed Ming Nan, who was standing there looking lost. “Brother, dump the old soil under the tree out back and bring in some fresh soil.”

Ming Nan agreed but kept giving Meng Xiaoxi significant looks, hoping she’d accompany him. Unfortunately, Meng Xiaoxi was completely focused on watching Zhenzhen clean the roots and trim the rotting parts with scissors. She didn’t spare him a single glance.

Zhenzhen placed the cut roots into the trash can and, upon looking up, saw Ming Nan still standing there making faces. She couldn’t help but ask, “Why are you still here?”

Ming Nan looked at Meng Xiaoxi with a pitiful expression. Meng Xiaoxi pursed her lips and smiled, then helped turn the plant to another angle. Left with no choice, Ming Nan grabbed a shovel and left, turning back three times with every step.

Zhenzhen wasn’t actually experienced in handling root rot. All she could do was trim the decayed parts. When Ming Nan returned with fresh soil and they replanted the clivia, she discreetly used a bit of her special ability to revitalize the plant.

Once the plant was properly replanted, they had Ming Nan carry it back inside. Meng Xiaoxi washed her hands, lifted the lid of the large pot, and poked at the contents with chopsticks. Seeing that the chicken was halfway cooked, she added the cleaned mushrooms, stirred them a few times, threw a handful of firewood into the stove, and then took Ming Nan and Zhenzhen to the east room for a chat.

The Meng family’s house wasn’t big. While the east room was relatively spacious, with so many people crammed in, it suddenly felt packed, leaving no room to move. Taking the opportunity, Ming Bei stood up and said a little awkwardly, “Auntie, I’m going to find my classmates for a bit.”

“Go ahead.” Aunt Meng stood up and stuffed a handful of sunflower seeds into his pocket. “Just remember to be back for lunch.” Then she turned around and shooed her three boys outside. “All of you, go play. Don’t interrupt our conversation.”

The four young men bolted out the door, and the room instantly felt much quieter. Zhenzhen immediately felt the air become fresher and easier to breathe. Grandma Li shifted her position on the bed and brought up the topic of housing. “The land has been approved—it’s a big plot. Besides the house itself, we’ve left plenty of space on both sides of the front yard. We can plant some cabbage and corn there. The foundation was just dug since the weather isn’t too cold yet. While we’re out today, Ming Nan’s third uncle is overseeing the work. If all goes well, the house should be built before the ground freezes.”

Aunt Meng’s face lit up with joy. “Oh, Grandma, your family is so efficient! I thought you wouldn’t be able to start building until next spring at the earliest.”

“The sooner it’s built, the sooner we can warm up the kang in winter.” Grandma Li smiled. “Just don’t mind that it’s a single-story house. In Beicha, apart from the hydrolysis plant, there aren’t any three-story buildings.”

“What’s so great about multi-story buildings?” Aunt Meng shifted her position on the bed. “We had to move several times before we got a place this big. At first, we lived in that one-room unit across the street—it was just a single room and a kitchen. Even now, this house is considered one of the biggest in the apartment complex, but look, as soon as a few people gather, it feels cramped. If you want to keep chickens, they have to go in the kitchen. It’s nothing like your big yard at the foot of the mountain, with trees and a vegetable garden. I envy that.”

“When the kids get married and spring comes, you should come stay for a few days,” Grandma Li said cheerfully. “They’ll have their own house, so there’ll be plenty of space. And we’d love to have someone to chat with.”

“Of course! I’ll definitely visit.” Aunt Meng responded enthusiastically.

Meng Xiaoxi glanced at the clock on the table, estimating that the chicken and mushrooms were almost done. She got up and smiled, “Grandma, Auntie, you two keep chatting. I’ll go finish making lunch.”

Aunt Meng glanced at her daughter proudly and couldn’t help but boast to Grandma Li, “Grandma, I’m not exaggerating, but Xiaoxi is a far better cook than I am. You should try her food later. My daughter is great at keeping house and cooking—she’ll have no trouble running a household.”

Wang Sufen nodded approvingly. “You can tell at a glance that she takes after you. She looks like a capable young woman.”

Zhenzhen, feeling a little bored listening to all the praise, quickly stood up and said, “I’ll go help Sister Xiaoxi with lunch,” before heading toward the kitchen.

Grandma Li was so startled that she quickly stopped her. At home, they wouldn’t even let Zhenzhen boil water for fear she’d get burned. But if she directly forbade her from going to the kitchen, she worried the Meng family might overthink it. In her panic, she spotted Mingnan and had a sudden stroke of inspiration. “Let Mingnan go help instead. It’s a good chance to build some rapport. What’s a young girl like you getting involved for?”

Mingnan was secretly delighted. He had been here for so long, and now he finally had a chance to be alone with Xiaoxi. He immediately trotted off to the kitchen, eager and excited.

Meng Xiaoxi was exceptionally quick with her hands. She served the stewed chicken with mushrooms, and in no time at all, she had stir-fried five dishes. Mingnan, who was washing vegetables on the side, couldn’t even keep up with her pace. Once the meal was ready and set on the table, Master Meng poured out some baijiu and repeatedly toasted Li Muwu. By the time they were on the second round, Grandma Li brought up the matter of finding a matchmaker to formally propose marriage to the Meng family.

Madam Meng was a bit apprehensive about premarital romance, afraid that if things didn’t work out, it would tarnish her daughter’s reputation. Upon hearing this, she nodded hastily. “We’ll follow your arrangements. Our family has no objections.”

—

The house for Mingnan’s marriage was finally completed before the harsh winter set in. Just as Grandma Li was sitting on the kang, planning to send someone to the Meng family for the marriage proposal, the news broadcast on the radio suddenly announced:

“… Issuing an important directive: Educated youth should go to the countryside to receive re-education from the poor and lower-middle peasants. This is highly necessary…”

Zhenzhen was holding a handful of hazelnuts, but upon hearing this, she accidentally spilled them all over the kang. She stared blankly at the radio, momentarily dazed. She didn’t have a deep impression of the Up to the Mountains and Down to the Countryside movement in history and had always thought it would start next year. She hadn’t expected it to begin so soon.

Seeing Zhenzhen in a daze, Grandma Li was startled. She quickly reached out to feel her forehead, afraid something had shocked her. Zhenzhen hurriedly pulled her hand down, almost in tears. “Grandma, listen to the radio! My fourth brother is doomed this time!”

Grandma Li was also alarmed. Just as she was about to ask why, the broadcast continued:

“… All current middle school and high school students must go to the vast countryside…”

“Mingbei is going to be sent to the countryside as an educated youth?” Grandma Li asked in shock.

This wasn’t the first time the term Up to the Mountains and Down to the Countryside had been mentioned. Back in the early 1950s, the concept had already existed, and many educated youths had been sent to Heilongjiang Province to cultivate land, significantly alleviating the region’s food shortages.

Thinking back to those days, many of the young people who had come to reclaim farmland in Heilongjiang were from all over the country. Quite a few city-born youths, fair and delicate, became tanned and emaciated after years of grueling farm work, sometimes not seeing their families for years.

Mingdong had been teaching in Anbei for years, and Mingxi had been away in the army for two years without a single letter. Now, only Mingnan and Mingbei remained by her side. Originally, she had planned to arrange Mingbei’s marriage after Mingnan got married. But now, before the New Year had even arrived, he was being sent away?

Grandma Li couldn’t hold back her tears. Sitting on the kang, she began to weep.

Zhenzhen was at a loss in this situation. This relocation wasn’t just long-term—it also carried many uncertainties about returning to the city later. That night, the entire Li family sat on the kang, discussing what to do. They couldn’t go against national policy, so the only solution seemed to be securing Mingbei a work position as soon as possible, which would exempt him from being sent away.

Mingbei was uncharacteristically silent that evening. He didn’t say a word. The next morning, he left early for school.

The policy was being implemented rapidly across the country. Within just half a month, even though Mingbei was supposed to have six more months before graduation, he was issued his diploma early. The school instructed students to stay home and wait for their assignment, forbidding them from going out unnecessarily.

Wang Sufen thought about her four sons—two were already away, and now another was about to leave. She couldn’t help but sit on the kang and cry. Grandma Li also sighed repeatedly.

Finally, Li Muwu couldn’t take it anymore. He put on his hat and went to the grain depot to see if he could secure a position for his son. Grandma Li and Wang Sufen had no other ideas either, so they could only anxiously wait for news.

Perhaps it was too obvious that Li Muwu was trying to get his son a job at this critical moment because the grain depot didn’t give him an answer right away. He went back several times with cigarettes as gifts, but in the end, they gave him a definitive reply: “No way.”

The work transfer route was blocked. It was clear now—Mingbei had no choice but to go to the countryside.

The whole family was heartbroken. They began treating Mingbei with extra care and affection. Grandma Li once again asked Li Muwu to slaughter the New Year’s pig early, cooking meat for Mingbei twice a day, trying to fatten him up in advance. Who knew when he’d next get to eat meat once he was sent away?

Zhenzhen remembered how Mingbei had repeatedly talked about how delicious roasted venison was. She used her powers to summon the stag from the mountains, letting it run straight to the Li family’s doorstep. It nearly knocked Li Muwu over just as he was about to head out.

Only Grandma Li knew that Zhenzhen could control animals. She patted Zhenzhen’s head, feeling both happy and sad. “Isn’t pork enough for him? You’re spoiling him too much.”

“Just let him eat,” Zhenzhen sighed. “He’s about to be sent away. Let him eat whatever he wants now—who knows how hungry he’ll get once he has to cook for himself.”

That was it. The moment she said that, Wang Sufen burst into tears again.

The brazier was lit once more, and the iron tray was set on top. The same method, the same roasted venison, but the people who had once eaten it together were now fewer.

Mingbei stared intently at the roasting venison. When the first batch was ready, he served it to Grandma Li and the others first, then eagerly placed another round of meat on the grill for himself.

Grandma Li picked up a piece of venison but found herself unable to eat it. She looked up and called Mingbei over. “You eat it instead. I have no appetite.”

Mingbei sat on the kang and used his chopsticks to wrap a piece of venison with cabbage, handing it to her. “Grandma, it’s really not a big deal. I think it’s actually pretty good. When I get sent to the countryside, I might end up in the same place as Yu Wanqiu. Maybe after spending two years together, she’ll agree to marry me.”

Grandma Li almost choked on her meat. Her sadness immediately dissipated. She looked at Mingbei in astonishment. “Who’s Yu Wanqiu?”

“She’s the girl I like. She’s in my class.” Mingbei looked a little embarrassed. “I met her years ago when I took Zhenzhen to the hydrolysis plant to watch a movie. She’s really pretty.”

Grandma Li put down the venison in her hands, put her hands on her waist, and glared at Ming Bei. “So you went through all that effort to get into the Hydrolysis Plant High School just to be in the same class as her?”

“Exactly.” Ming Bei nodded vigorously. “And to be her front-and-back desk mate, I even swapped my fountain pen with my classmate.”

Grandma Li was so angry that she reached for her tobacco pipe. But just as she raised it high, she remembered that her grandson was about to leave for a faraway place. She couldn’t bear to hit him, so she could only lower the pipe with resentment. “The fountain pen your brother bought for you was so nice. How could you just give it away like that, you little spendthrift? Tell me, what are you using now after giving your pen away?”

“He gave me one in return. It looks a bit old, but it writes pretty smoothly.” Ming Bei chuckled sheepishly. “Well, school is for finding a good wife and a good job, right? I’m just trying to get married sooner. It makes sense.”

Grandma Li was so choked up with anger that she couldn’t speak. She didn’t even want to look at Ming Bei and turned instead to call Zhen Zhen over. “What’s the deal with this Yu Wanqiu? What kind of person is she?”

Zhen Zhen sat next to Grandma Li and explained, “She’s the child of a Hydrolysis Plant worker. I think she’s a nice person and good-looking too. Otherwise, my fourth brother wouldn’t have taken a liking to her at first sight.”

Noticing Grandma Li’s sour mood, Zhen Zhen deliberately tried to cheer her up. “Grandma, your three granddaughters-in-law are getting prettier each time. What kind of luck is that?”

Grandma Li snorted. “The first two are fine, but as for Yu Wanqiu, who knows if she’ll become my granddaughter-in-law? Can’t you see she doesn’t even bother with this fool?”

“It’s not that she rejected me.” Ming Bei scratched his face, looking troubled. “She just didn’t say anything. I think she needs time to consider.”

Grandma Li sighed. “Are you sure you’ll be assigned to the same place? Do you know where you’ll be sent for re-education?”

“The school said we’ll be notified the day after tomorrow.” Ming Bei responded quickly. “I’ll try my best to get assigned with her. Maybe when we return to the city, I’ll be holding my wife’s hand with a kid in my other arm.”

For a moment, both Grandma Li and Wang Sufen didn’t know whether to laugh or cry.

With the Chairman’s directive issued, the entire country responded swiftly. Ming Bei went to school as scheduled, and by noon, he returned home grinning from ear to ear. “Grandma, I’ve chosen the place. I’m going to the same educated youth settlement as Yu Wanqiu.”

Grandma Li immediately asked, “Which province? Is it far from home? It’s not the Great Northwest, is it?”

“It’s in that general direction.” Ming Bei nodded. Grandma Li’s legs went weak, and she nearly collapsed. She was about to wail when Ming Bei quickly added, “I’m going to the Twelfth Educated Youth Settlement with Yu Wanqiu.”

Zhen Zhen hurriedly supported Grandma Li while anxiously asking Ming Bei, “Don’t leave us hanging. Where exactly is the Twelfth Educated Youth Settlement?”

“It’s northwest of Beicha.” Ming Bei explained seriously. “It’s a full twelve kilometers away, which is why it’s called the Twelfth Educated Youth Settlement. The Hydrolysis Plant is building a dedicated small railway line for it, but it won’t be ready anytime soon. For now, we’ll have to take large trucks and such. Grandma, Mom, once I’m there, I won’t be able to come home every day. The factory says I can only return once every half month, so don’t miss me too much.”

Upon hearing this, Grandma Li immediately stood up straight. She grabbed the tobacco pipe from the kang bed and started hitting Ming Bei over the head, even cursing as she did. “I’ll give you the Great Northwest! Do you even know what the Great Northwest is, you dimwit? You traded a perfectly good fountain pen for a broken one—are you missing a few screws? Miss you? I’d rather die than miss you…”

Ming Bei ran for his life, covering his head. “Grandma! I’m about to be sent down for re-education, and you’re still hitting me? Don’t you feel bad for me?”

“Feel bad for you, my ass!” Grandma Li thought about the half-slaughtered fat pig in the yard and felt a real heartache. “Your brother and sister-in-law haven’t even come home yet, and we killed the pig for you first, all for nothing! You’re only twenty kilometers away, and I wasted several tears on you!”

Wang Sufen stood by, laughing and crying at the same time, egging Grandma Li on. “Mom, hit him harder! This brat nearly scared me to death.”

“I didn’t know it’d be this close to home!” Ming Bei squatted down, hugging his head, looking utterly wronged. “Should I ask the school to change my location? There’s also the Forty-Second Educated Youth Settlement.”

“Oh, shut up.” Grandma Li panted from the exertion and glared at Ming Bei. Then, as if dealing a final blow, she jabbed a finger at his chest and said, “Don’t bother coming home every half month. That’s too much trouble just to cook for you. Once every month or two is enough.”

Ming Bei: …

Wang Sufen nodded in agreement. “Mom’s right. Oh, Mom, I’ll freeze the pork and venison, okay? It’s still two months till New Year. We can’t afford to waste it now.”

“Wait a minute.” Ming Bei looked at his mother in disbelief. “Weren’t we supposed to have red-braised pork for lunch?”

Grandma Li sneered at him. “Red-braised pork? You’ll be lucky to get cabbage stew. Wang Sufen, don’t cook any meat for a week. Once Ming Bei leaves, we can start adding a few slices of pork to the vegetables. Look at how stuffed his belly is right now.”

Ming Bei pinched his smooth belly, feeling like crying. My dear grandma!

Grandma Li sat on the kang bed, panting with anger. “Wasted my emotions for nothing!”

——————

—The Down to the Countryside Movement was a policy in China from the late 1960s to the 1970s, during the Cultural Revolution. Led by Mao Zedong, it required millions of urban youth, especially students, to move to rural areas to live and work with peasants. The goal was to have them learn from the rural poor, be “re-educated,” and avoid developing “bourgeois” habits. In reality, many young people faced hard labor, poor living conditions, and limited future opportunities. The movement ended in the late 1970s, leaving deep social and psychological impacts.