The winter wind blew against their bodies, instantly dissipating the warmth they had accumulated after spending half the day by the fire.
There was no work to be done at the farm during winter. If not for the many supplies Xia Ziyu had sent over these past few months, the rations allocated to the Wang couple would have been even more meager. Wanting to stay warm in winter? They could only stay in their rooms, wrapped in quilts! The farm wouldn’t provide firewood or charcoal, let alone heating. The farm’s treatment varied depending on the person – the capable cadres and their families who could return to the city had gradually left. Those who remained were the ones with no hope of returning, most of them in poor health, too sick to work much, yet the farm still had to spend money supporting them!
Support meant just providing enough food to keep them from starving, with extremely harsh living conditions.
For those whose children were filial and sent supplies to the farm, life was somewhat manageable.
For those without anyone looking after them, each day was merely an endurance test.
In his letters, Wang Jianhua had never hidden Xia Ziyu’s contributions. Previously, he could barely take care of himself, but after getting into university, he could send money and supplies to the farm. The state supported university students, but certainly wouldn’t support their entire families. Without Xia Ziyu’s assistance, Wang Jianhua’s parents’ life at the farm wouldn’t have improved.
Remembering last winter when she and her husband could only stay in their room, wearing all their clothes and still feeling cold even under the quilts, Wang Jianhua’s mother’s gaze toward Xia Ziyu softened with kindness:
“Daughter, you’ve suffered hardships being with our Jianhua. His father is troubled and can’t think right now, always dwelling on our past life. Don’t mind that old fool… Auntie likes you very much and thanks you for taking care of Jianhua. If not for your encouragement, he wouldn’t have taken the university entrance exam and would still be wasting time in the countryside.”
Finally finding someone understanding, the discomfort in Xia Ziyu’s heart diminished somewhat.
Wang Jianhua’s mother had credited Xia Ziyu for encouraging her son to take the university exam, and Xia Ziyu wasn’t foolish enough to explain otherwise.
Accepting Wang Jianhua’s mother’s gratitude gracefully, Xia Ziyu consoled her in return:
“Auntie, I’m not suffering by being with Jianhua. You and Uncle are the ones suffering here! Trust me, things will only get better, and you and Uncle will leave this awful place.”
Wang Jianhua’s mother’s eyes welled up with tears.
“Good child, we’re fortunate you think of me and Jianhua’s father. This winter is much better than last year. Let me take you to the kitchen to get some hot water to wash your face and warm your hands.”
The two women, meeting for the first time, shared these heartfelt words and suddenly grew much closer.
In the kitchen, Xia Ziyu used the steaming hot water. It wasn’t mealtime yet – the farm’s food was extremely poor. They had only seen two pieces of fatty meat in their soup on New Year’s Day, and these former cadres had nearly fought over those extra pieces. Xia Ziyu steamed the meat buns she had brought, and their fragrance filled the room. Several heads peeked through the doorway:
“What’s the occasion today? Meat?”
“You must be smelling things wrong. We just had meat on New Year’s Day, not even half a month ago.”
“It’s the smell of meat.”
The aroma of the meat buns was indeed enticing. Xia Ziyu watched the two people at the door bantering like a comedy duo. Although she had brought plenty of buns, she couldn’t give them to everyone who asked. She glanced at her future mother-in-law, hoping for some hint, but Wang Jianhua’s mother pretended not to hear.
That meant she shouldn’t share.
Xia Ziyu understood.
The two people at the door continued talking for a while with no response, not caring if they were heard. They muttered “stingy” before leaving.
Ran Shuyu secretly sneered – if she were generous, she and her husband would have starved to death long ago! As fellow unfortunates were stuck at the farm with no idea when they could leave, she saw no point in starving herself to please others! Would giving them buns help her and her husband leave this hellish place? They would only be taken advantage of – give them buns today, and tomorrow these people would shamelessly ask to borrow coal or even more precious medicines that were worth more than food and heating combined.
One could endure hunger by skipping meals, but lying in bed fighting illness without medicine was unbearable. Ran Shuyu didn’t want to experience that again.
Soon after, Xia Ziyu finished steaming the buns and spent some money to get two water bottles from the kitchen to take back.
Seeing Xia Ziyu only paying for two bottles of water, Ran Shuyu was puzzled, but Xia Ziyu explained without any concern about the money:
“Let Jianhua warm his feet and hands too.”
Ran Shuyu was delighted – a woman should revolve around her man. She was very satisfied with Xia Ziyu’s thoughtfulness. The Wang family’s situation was different; Ran Shuyu felt that while Wang Jianhua had found someone from a good family background, whether they could help was uncertain. What was certain was that Wang Jianhua couldn’t be too assertive. Never mind getting hot water to wash Wang Jianhua’s feet – other women might even expect Wang Jianhua to serve them!
Ran Shuyu approved of her son’s choice and became very warm toward Xia Ziyu.
The two returned to the room laughing and chatting, but the atmosphere inside wasn’t good. The conversation between father and son had ended unpleasantly, but Xia Ziyu pretended not to notice and attended to Wang Jianhua’s foot bath.
Ran Shuyu found a wooden basin, and Wang Jianhua placed his frozen feet in it, wanting to sigh with comfort.
Winter days were short, dawning late and darkening early. By the time the four finished eating the buns, it was dark outside. Electricity was supplied on a limited schedule here. Ran Shuyu, knowing Wang Jianhua and Xia Ziyu were coming, had borrowed an empty room – there were many vacant rooms at the farm. She had managed to cobble together some bedding and now led Xia Ziyu to another room to rest.
Of course, they wouldn’t sleep in the same room as Wang Jianhua – they weren’t married yet, and people would gossip.
At night, Wang Jianhua and his father would sleep in one room, while Ran Shuyu would share with Xia Ziyu.
“Uncle, Jianhua, get some rest early.”
After Xia Ziyu said goodbye and followed Ran Shuyu out, Wang Jianhua followed them, “Come on, let’s ask the farm staff for two more quilts. The temperature drops even lower at night – what if you and mom get too cold?”
The farm staff were difficult to deal with, but money made things different.
As long as you could pay, forget just two quilts – the farm could even provide hot water bottles. Two hot water bottles in the bed could keep you warm for most of the night, and they were safer than burning charcoal, which risked carbon monoxide poisoning. Of course, the few reformed cadres who couldn’t return to the city couldn’t enjoy such treatment. The wood for winter heating was what they had collected themselves before winter came.
Storing too much wasn’t allowed – the farm staff would confiscate it unless you regularly gave them gifts, in which case they might turn a blind eye to your fire-burning for warmth.
Bribing required money and goods, and those like them who hadn’t returned to the city were not only forgotten by the organization but also largely unable to receive help from their families. The Wang couple had originally been abandoned too, but half a year ago, Wang Jianhua had done well by getting into university and began sending things to the farm. The farm staff weren’t sure about the Wang family’s situation and had loosened their supervision.
Ran Shuyu watched as Xia Ziyu paid without hesitation.
Though it wasn’t much money, it at least showed that Xia Ziyu had plenty in her pocket to be so confident. She didn’t interfere as the young couple made the beds, and went back to her room to get pillows. Seeing her husband still in a bad mood, she couldn’t help voicing her questions:
“I see that although Ziyu is from a rural household, her family seems well-off?”
Over the months, the money and goods sent to the farm added up to several hundred yuan and this time they had brought many packages. In the past, Ran Shuyu wouldn’t have cared about this amount of money and goods – even if others were starving, she wouldn’t have gone hungry. But now it was different; after experiencing hardship, she knew that without money and supplies, life was truly torture!
Wang Guangping didn’t care much, “Jianhua said her parents are private entrepreneurs. They’re talking about reform and opening up outside, right? Maybe private entrepreneurs can make some money.”
Wang Guangping was dismissive, understanding too little about the outside situation. He had no idea about social changes, and his understanding of private entrepreneurs was limited to those who secretly sold agricultural products in the black market.