Chapter 28

"Leader Zhou. I'm Chen Yougong." He went up and introduced himself. If you want something from a man you show him the proper manner.

Zhou Jiefang was much the same age as him, a big offhand sort of man.

"I know who you are. The county's praised you several times lately, I've heard all about it. Well done." Zhou Jiefang really did know of him, and thought well of him too.

The two of them put out their hands and shook.

"Leader Zhou, let's eat together at midday." They could eat in the county canteen that day, and Chen Yougong invited him quickly. Eat together and get acquainted. He had to see what sort of temper and character the man had before he could judge whether to ask him for anything.

Zhou Jiefang was brigade leader of Zhoujia Village and knew exactly how things stood there. Seeing Chen Yougong this warm, he had a fair idea. It didn't trouble him. A quiet hand with that sort of thing was easy enough to give.

"Come on. I hear if you get to the canteen early there's a bit of meat in it." Zhou Jiefang went along without ceremony.

One meal and the two of them were on easy terms.

Only then did Chen Yougong work his way round to it. "It's that I want my wife to see her parents. She hasn't seen them in over a year."

Zhou Jiefang had expected something awkward and this was nothing. He could judge a man. People with family sent down to the farms were allowed visits. These were in his own village. Where was the difficulty?

"Right. Come over near dark and I'll take you in. It's nothing." It changed Zhou Jiefang's opinion of him, in fact. Most people in that position wanted to keep well clear, and this one had gone looking for a way and asked for help. Decent character.

Chen Yougong hadn't expected it to go so smoothly and thanked him a great many times.

"Let me get home and settle a time with my wife, then I'll come and find you."

Something occurred to Zhou Jiefang and he put in a word. "If you bring things, don't bring anything that stands out. Bring the plain sort, or there'll be trouble when the inspections come round."

Chen Yougong knew that. "I'll remember. Thank you, leader Zhou. Come and eat at our house when you've time."

In those days, unless it was a relative at New Year, a meal in your house meant something. Grain was dear. To offer it was to hold a man in high regard.

Zhou Jiefang knew Chen Yougong wasn't a man for empty words. "Right. I'll come."

Zhou Jiefang finished his business that afternoon and went back.

Chen Yougong went back to work.

By the time that batch of work was done, a week had gone.

He had meant to go home and settle a day with Yao Shangqing, and then he was told that, following on from the last trip, he was to go to the other province again.

He got home that evening.

Old Mrs. Chen looked at the state of her son.

"So you're off again. You be careful, do you hear. Can you be back before the double rush?" Hearing it in the main room was enough to start her worrying. One upset had been enough to frighten her for good.

Chen Yougong counted up the travelling. A month, he thought. Back for the double rush should be manageable. It was only that what he had promised his wife would have to wait again.

Yao Shangqing was cooking. Tonight it was wild greens fried with cracklings, a dish of tomato and egg, the cornmeal vegetable buns warmed through, and gruel.

Li Yue'e was below, feeding the fire. She was entirely satisfied with life now. They ate well, her husband's brother could earn, and when he was away on business she did more of the housework so her sister-in-law had it easier. You couldn't have one person giving all of it.

Chen Yuanyuan was in the yard playing with her brothers and sisters.

Chen Yougong finished explaining in the main room and went to help in the kitchen, and seeing his daughter he swept her up. He would have liked to stay at home, and he had to go out and earn. Everything a family needed cost money.

Chen Yuanyuan, swung suddenly up high, wasn't frightened at all. She held on round his neck and chuckled.

"Dad's going away tomorrow. Will you miss him?" He couldn't bear to leave his daughter, and asked it half in earnest.

Chen Yuanyuan nodded with great seriousness. "Miss. Dad. Come, come back."

He looked into those two bright eyes and went soft all through. He had three sons already, so why had it never felt like this? He couldn't say.

Supper that evening went down very well.

Yao Shangqing and Li Yue'e cleared up, and old Mrs. Chen went along to the kitchen to see what she would send with her son tomorrow.

Chen Yougong and Chen Yougang stood talking in the yard.

"Second brother. I'm leaving the house to you." Chen Yougong patted his shoulder as he said it. He knew what went on in his brother's head, and trading wasn't possible now. It was wrong, and you didn't touch it, not even slightly.

Chen Yougang made an awkward noise. "Mind yourself. Come back as soon as you can."

In the kitchen old Mrs. Chen got out ten eggs and the buns she had made. There were plenty left from last time, so no griddle cakes tomorrow. Warming the buns would do.

Everything packed, they all went off to their own rooms to sleep.

In her room Li Yue'e went through the chest for clothes Chen Juanjuan had worn as a little girl. Yuanyuan was growing, and country people weren't town people with cloth coupons. What could be saved had to be saved.

"What are you after?" Chen Yougang came in with a basin of water for his feet, and found the bed covered in everything.

Li Yue'e didn't look up. "Finding clothes for Yuanyuan, to see what could be altered to fit." Her hands never stopped.

Chen Yougang felt the water. "Come and wash your feet first, or it'll go cold."

Li Yue'e took advice well. She came over, sat on the edge of the bed, got her shoes off and started washing, and picked up a piece of cloth to measure by eye against Yuanyuan's size.

Looking at her, Chen Yougang felt guilty. "It's my fault. I'm no use, and you've no life to speak of."

The suddenness of it startled her. She put the cloth down and looked up at him.

"What's this? What are you saying that for?" Then she looked down and went on washing.

He sighed. "I haven't got the third brother's trade. I'd have given you a good life if I had."

She looked at the state of him and turned her head away. "The life I've got is a good one. The eldest's lot are out. My mother-in-law isn't a wicked one. I've a son and a daughter, and a steady husband. Don't talk nonsense. There's one man like the third brother in the whole of Baijia Village. We live our life well and that's enough. Besides, measured against this village, I do well enough as it is."

That made him laugh.

She finished washing and took the cloth to dry her feet.

"Go on, empty it."

He said yes and got up and carried the water out.

She watched him go and laughed to herself, then went back to the old clothes.

In the north room, Yao Shangqing was packing for Chen Yougong. It would be hotter and hotter while he was away, so no heavy clothes, except one, since mornings and evenings could still be cool.

Chen Yougong was going over Chen Shaoyuan's schoolwork. Come September, Chen Shao'er would be starting school too.

"Have you finished this?" Chen Yougong picked up the exercise book. He could read well enough.

Chen Shaoyuan was subdued and nodded without any life in it.

"What's the matter?" He turned the pages and asked.

Chen Shao'er rolled over on the bed. "Big brother doesn't want you to go."

Chen Shaoyuan was embarrassed at having it said out loud and glared at Chen Shao'er, pretending to be fierce. "You keep quiet."

Chen Shao'er wasn't frightened in the least. He snorted and turned away to play with Chen Yuanyuan.

Chen Yougong laughed and rubbed his head. "It isn't as though I'm not coming back. You're my eldest son. While I'm away you look after your mum and your brothers and your sister. You're the man."

Chen Shaoyuan knew it couldn't be changed, so he nodded.

"Right, the work's done, so get your clothes off and into bed. You're up early for school." Yao Shangqing had the packing finished. She lifted the curtain and came through to see to the children.

Chen Shaoyuan put his books away and started undressing.

Chen Shao'er was on the bed doing somersaults for Chen Yuanyuan.

"Chen Shao'er, what are you at? Get into that quilt." Yao Shangqing said it to him once.

Chen Shaozhi was very sleepy, nearly gone, lying furthest in against the wall.

Chen Shao'er said oh, disappointed, and did as he was told.

Yao Shangqing came and picked Chen Yuanyuan up.

"We're going to sleep too. You can play with your brothers tomorrow."

Chen Yuanyuan held tight round her neck. She wanted to play on, and she agreed anyway.

"All right."

Chen Yougong covered them all up, blew out the kerosene lamp in the inner room and came back.

"When I go this time, it'll be the double rush before I can take you to see your mum and dad." There was an apology in the way he said it.

Yao Shangqing got Chen Yuanyuan undressed, put her under the quilt and patted her slowly.

"It's all right. They're well enough just now, aren't they? Not ill."

He had asked Zhou Jiefang about the old couple particularly. They were well, and worked willingly, and kept to themselves.

Chen Yougong was up at first light the next day and started washing.

While he washed, Yao Shangqing got up to warm the buns and boil the eggs.

By the time he was ready she had it all done.

Old Mrs. Chen heard the yard and got up too. She needn't have, but with a long journey ahead she wanted to see him off, and the night before she had got the picture of her god out again and made her offering for his safety.

"Ma, what are you doing up? It's early." Chen Yougong had everything packed in the kitchen.

Old Mrs. Chen was old and didn't sleep much. "You be careful, mind."

Looking at how little she could let it go, he promised over and over.

Old Mrs. Chen waited at home, and Yao Shangqing walked him to the end of the village.

When she wasn't looking he kissed her cheek, then picked up his bundle and went.

She came to herself and looked quickly round for anyone. Luckily it was early and there was nobody, so she turned and went home.

Old Mrs. Chen waited for Yao Shangqing to get back and then went for another sleep.

Yao Shangqing couldn't sleep. She got out the sewing basket and started making shoes for the children.

After breakfast Li Yue'e gave her the old clothes she had found the night before.

"These are from when Juanjuan was little. Some of the cloth I brought from my mother's. It's been a long while, so see what's any use, and anything that isn't will do for shoes." She put them all on the table.

Yao Shangqing thanked her properly. The two of them got on well now, and Zhao Qinhua next door had been forgotten entirely.

The wheat in the fields was nearly ripe and things were getting busy. Another month and it could be cut.

Old Mrs. Chen went out to work as well.

Chen Shao'er was at home minding his brother and sister, and Chen Juanjuan.

Zhao Qinhua didn't go out that day. She put her head over and saw there were only the small children next door, out under the big tree by the gate watching ants, with the gate standing open. She caught the hen in her own pen and slipped quietly in. She was going to swap. Her hen laid far too seldom. She picked out one that looked much the same and carried it quietly away.

Yuanyuan had been watching the ants closely, and thought she heard a hen, and looked up towards the house. One look, and the ants had her again.

Zhao Qinhua looked at the hen in her pen and dusted her hands. We'll see whether this one lays.

Old Mrs. Chen came home at midday. She hadn't found an egg when she went for them that morning. This time she didn't look at the birds at all, only at the nest, and what she saw stopped her. Five or six of them, with three hens in the house. How were they laying like that? The shock lasted a moment and then her face was ordinary again. She had gathered a lot before now. What was this?

The hen that had been brought back: I was fit to burst. At last I can lay properly.

Old Mrs. Chen was so pleased that she steamed the children a big bowl of egg at midday, with sesame oil on it, and it smelled wonderful.

Zhao Qinhua waited at home for that hen to lay. She waited and waited, and by evening there wasn't a sign of anything. The chicks she had got were coming on well enough, but the hen would not lay.

A week went by in a blink, and word came to Yue Chuan from the commune that Chen Yougong had reached the other province safely and was waiting to choose timber and learn.

Yue Chuan made a point of going round to the Chens.

"Don't worry, auntie. Yougong's safe this time."

That took the weight off old Mrs. Chen. Good news indeed.

Yao Shangqing too. She hadn't slept properly for days with the worry.

By the sixth month Baijia Village was getting ready for the double rush. Yue Chuan had all the village tools brought out for everyone to sharpen, the sickles especially. The wheat had come on beautifully this year, with full ears.

Chen Yougong came home the day before the cutting started, and didn't rest. He was out working the next morning.

The school broke up for the wheat holiday.

Chen Shaoyuan took the Chen children to the fields to pick up fallen ears.

The cut wheat went to the threshing ground, where the big stone roller went over it to thresh it, and then it dried and went into the store, and the state quota was handed over.

It was hot in those days and the sun was merciless.

The Chen children gathered no small amount of wheat, into baskets and weighed in with the accountant for work points. A point, or two points, depending on the weight.

Zhoujia Village next door had started as well.

By the time Baijia Village finished, Zhou Jiefang had sent Chen Yougong word.

The work had been too hard. On the last day, Yao Shangqing's mother collapsed in the field.