“You… you… boo-hoo…” After being cursed out by Auntie Niu, Zheng Shuang jumped off the oxcart and ran back to the educated-youth compound. She had never been scolded like that in her entire life. Rural people really had no manners!
Seeing Zheng Shuang run off, Wang Yuanyuan hurriedly climbed down from the oxcart as well and chased after her. She was out of money and hoped to trick some out of Zheng Shuang, who had a little cash on hand. If Zheng Shuang did not go into the city, what would she go there for?
Auntie Niu glanced in the direction Zheng Shuang had run. Just then, she spotted Xiao Mandong in the distance and immediately put on a different expression, waving to her.
“Educated Youth Xiao, come over! Everyone’s waiting for you. We know you went to save someone, so nobody’s going to hold it against you. Anyone who does can just get lost!”
She even spat in the direction Zheng Shuang had gone.
After thanking Auntie Niu and greeting everyone, Xiao Mandong helped Bowen onto the oxcart. Uncle Niu flicked the whip, and the cart began to trundle forward. After more than an hour of jolting along the road, they finally reached the city.
Xiaoli had not finished work yet. To avoid giving people anything to gossip about, Xiao Mandong had no choice but to take Bowen to the hospital.
She pushed open the back door of the cafeteria, and a wave of heat billowed out. After looking around, she found Xiaoli sitting on a small stool, sorting vegetables.
“Sis…” Bowen saw Xiaoli and wanted to rush over, but Xiao Mandong quickly caught hold of him. The large pot inside was steaming fiercely, and she was afraid he might get scalded.
“Brother…” Hearing Bowen’s voice, Xiaoli’s face immediately lit up with a smile. She dropped the vegetables in her hands and ran to him. As she carefully examined her brother, the rims of her eyes instantly turned red. It was the first time the siblings had been apart for so long, and she had been so worried these past few days that she could hardly sleep.
“You’re too busy at noon, so I brought Bowen out for a walk. Once you’re finished, we’ll go home together.” After saying this, Xiao Mandong looked back at Bowen, who nodded at her.
Seeing her brother’s expression and movements, Xiaoli could no longer hold back her tears. They streamed down her face, and her lips trembled faintly. She grabbed her brother’s hand, so excited that she could not say a word.
Back home, aside from Xiaoli and their grandmother, her brother had never communicated with anyone. Now, she could clearly feel how much he had changed.
Xiao Mandong took Bowen out of the cafeteria. After checking her watch and seeing that it was still early, she led him out of the hospital and straight toward the area near the black market. There were not many residents there, and she wanted to find an empty house.
They searched for a long time. Either the alleyways were too narrow for a cart to pass through, or there were too many people living nearby, making her worry that they would be seen. Besides, many people were unwilling to rent out their houses.
Just as she was about to give up and leave, she spotted an old residence with a seal pasted across its door. Suddenly, an idea came to her, and her eyes lit up.
She took Bowen to the post office and called the Red Flag Brigade.
The phone rang several times before someone finally answered.
“Hello, Uncle Captain? It’s me, Xiao Mandong.”
The brigade captain’s voice immediately softened. “Educated Youth Xiao? What is it?”
“Uncle, I’ve found a house I like. It was sealed by the Revolutionary Committee, so it should have been left behind by a family that was sent down. I’d like to rent it in the name of the brigade, as a grain warehouse.” After thinking for a moment, Xiao Mandong continued, “Don’t worry. I just want to move into a private house with its own courtyard. The neighbors upstairs are constantly quarreling, and it’s really annoying.”
The brigade captain agreed without hesitation.
“All right. I’ll write you an introduction letter saying that the Red Flag Brigade wants to rent a grain warehouse. I’ll bring it to you tomorrow morning.”
“Thank you, Uncle. Bring someone with you tomorrow, and I’ll give you the money for the grain directly. That way, I won’t have to make another trip.”
Xiao Mandong truly could not be bothered to go back. Every time she did, there were always so many things to deal with.
After thanking the brigade captain, she hung up and took Bowen to the bank. In those days, savings books did not require passwords. As long as one had the passbook, one could withdraw money at the counter.
Xiao Mandong took out the passbook she had found beneath the floorboards at Director Peng’s house—the two passbooks together held seven thousand yuan. She withdrew all of it. Using the bamboo basket to shield the money from view, she put it into her personal space. Tomorrow, she could take out two thousand yuan to give the brigade captain.
After withdrawing the money, she took Bowen to a state-run restaurant. They found a corner and sat down, then ordered a serving of braised pork and a serving of pork ribs with heaps of snowy-white rice. Bowen ate until his mouth was shining with grease.
As she lowered her head to eat, she heard the voice of a middle-aged woman behind her.
“Yingzi, this is your Uncle Ji’s son, Ji Lei. You can just call him Brother Lei. Little Lei is a few years older than you and has always wanted a younger sister. From now on, you two siblings must look after each other. When you get married someday, Little Lei will still be your family—he’ll be your support.”
Cong Yingzi gave a quiet “Mm” and said nothing more. Her mother patted her.
“You child, don’t you know how to greet people?”
Cong Yingzi sighed. “Brother Lei.”
The man burst out laughing.
“Little sister, come and eat.” As he spoke, he placed a piece of meat in Cong Yingzi’s bowl. “Don’t worry. With your brother here, no one will be able to bully you.”
Throughout the meal, Cong Yingzi’s mother kept praising Ji Lei, saying how sensible and capable he was.
When Ji Lei went to the restroom, Cong Yingzi lowered her voice and said, “Mom, how could you agree to let him stay at home? I’m still living there, and having an unrelated man in the house is so inconvenient.”
Her mother glared at her.
“You’re so fussy. You lived in Xia Mingyuan’s house for so many years as an unmarried man and woman, and I never saw you complain that it was inconvenient. Little Lei and your two younger brothers are biological brothers. Even if you don’t share blood, you’re still family. How can you call him an outsider? Besides, he’ll only be staying for a few days. He’ll leave soon. If I drive him away now, how do you expect the brothers to get along in the future?”
“But…” Cong Yingzi wanted to argue, but before she could finish, Ji Lei returned, and she swallowed the rest of her words.
Bowen finished eating quickly. Xiao Mandong did not continue listening and took him back to the hospital. They arrived just as Xiaoli was getting off work.
Xiaoli’s face was glowing with a smile—the kind Xiao Mandong had never seen on her before.
She trotted over to Xiao Mandong.
“Sister Mandong, come and see my brother and my new home. This is the first time I’ve ever felt like I have a home. When Grandpa was alive, he wasn’t good to my brother or me. He cursed every day, saying that Dad was a bastard. After Grandpa died, the Shi family said Dad wasn’t one of them and tried to drive us out… Ah, forget it! Anyway, my grandmother has had a very hard life.”
Chatting as they walked, the three of them soon arrived at Xiaoli’s new home. There was not much furniture, but the place was clean and tidy, making it very comfortable to look at.
As soon as they sat down, Xiaoli took six hundred yuan from the room and tried to stuff it into Xiao Mandong’s hands.
“This is the money I owe you, Sister Mandong. I know it isn’t much, but please don’t think it’s too little.”
Xiao Mandong stared at the thick stack of bills in her hand, startled.
“Why are you giving me so much money?”
Just as she finished speaking, someone knocked on the door.
Xiaoli went to open it.
Standing outside was none other than Cui Lijuan…
