Traveling back to 1977

Chapter 296 Subverting Imagination
After the 10th team left, Chen Fan picked up his wine glass and took a sip.

Ugh, this water tastes awful.

He glanced at the three security guards who were talking, then his small hand trembled slightly, and the wine bottle clattered to the ground. "Oops, the wine is spilled."

Captain Yang immediately went to pick it up, but Chen Fan quickly stopped him, saying, "Forget it, it's all spilled. Let's just switch to Yunhu Daqu."

Upon hearing that they would switch from drinking loose liquor to Yunhu Daqu, Captain Yang stopped picking up the liquor.

Chen Fan turned around and glanced at Jiang Lili, who was tidying up the table. He smiled and squinted his eyes, "Little Jiang, could you please get me a bottle of 'wine'?"

The character “酒” is stressed here.

Jiang Lili smiled, pursing her lips, and said, "Oh."

He then went inside to get the wine.

A short while later, Jiang Lili brought over the wine and poured it for him.

Chen Fan said "thank you" and took a sip of his wine.

This is real wine!
I felt really awful after drinking all night.

Exhaling a breath reeking of alcohol, Chen Fan glanced at the three people beside him and asked softly, "Do you all know about Old Gao's situation?"

When that person mentioned Lao Gao, he noticed that their expressions were off, and when he listened to what they said, he was right.

It turns out he was an orphan of a young man.

In fact, there are quite a few orphans in my country, and the number is in the tens of thousands, especially in Northeast China, where there are many such people. Countless orphans and abandoned children have been adopted by local villagers.

Some returned to China to find their relatives after the opening up, while others stayed permanently.

In addition, remnants can be found in many other places across the country.

The fact that there are two of them is indeed rare, but it's not unbelievable.

Before Anquan and Zhang Wenliang could even speak after hearing Chen Fan's question, Captain Yang said, "Whatever the situation, what that person said is true. You just need to decide whether to go or not."

Chen Fan took a sip of his drink, his brows furrowing slightly. "Judging from your tone, I think I'd better go."

Captain Yang paused for a moment while holding his wine glass, then quickly raised it again, took a sip, exhaled a breath, and chuckled, "If you go, it's just for a meal; if you don't, it's fine too."

The next second, he put down his wine glass, picked up some food, and said softly, "Back then, the Japanese hospital was located right where the village school was. Team 10 was unlucky; based on the principle of assigning people to nearby areas, the main force assigned Lao Gao and his group to Team 10."

He put down his chopsticks and smiled at Chen Fan, "Back then I was still young, not even as tall as Lao Gaoda. I only remember that all the adults in the village disliked them, but also took special care of them, fearing that they might suddenly disappear."

But then again, Lao Gao and the others are also pitiful…

At this point, he shook his head and stopped talking, simply eating his food in silence.

Chen Fan turned to look at Anquan and Zhang Wenliang, both of whom were drinking and not saying a word.

Seeing this, Chen Fan realized what "commander's orders" meant in this day and age.

This means that even if you're not happy about it, you will still carry it out firmly.

At the same time, I understood what Captain Yang meant by what he didn't say later.

Regardless of what happened later, at that time, Lao Gao and his wife were surrounded by hostile people, and they had no choice but to rely on these people to survive. It's no wonder their lives were difficult. As for the people in Team 10, they felt incredibly awkward, having to take care of them even though they hated them to death.

Very helpless.

But that's life. Whether you like it or not, you twist and turn, and eventually you come together.

He hesitated for two seconds, then looked up and suddenly laughed, "Hey, Captain, do you think Lao Gao's wife can make sushi?"

Captain Yang stared at him in astonishment, and after several seconds, shook his head and said, "Then I don't know."

He turned his head, looking completely bewildered, and asked, "What's this 'die' thing? Is there even a dish called that?"

Zhang Wenliang looked equally bewildered, glancing left and right.

The man from the big dock was safer and more knowledgeable. He coughed twice and said with a wry smile, "What nonsense! Sushi, not 'die,' sushi is a kind of Japanese rice ball."

He turned to look at Chen Fan and said, "Then forget about it. This is inland, not by the sea. There's no seaweed or fish here. You're asking for sushi? You'd be better off dead."

Captain Yang looked at him, speechless. "You still said you were going to die."

Chen Fan laughed heartily, picked up his wine glass and said with a smile, "Alright, then I'll go to his house and see if he's ready to die."

To be honest, he doesn't really like eating at other people's homes, let alone at a small place.

But there's no way around it. People these days take orders from military leaders very seriously. Even if so many years have passed, and the leader himself might have forgotten, even if everyone hates Xiao Rizi to death, they will still follow orders to raise Xiao Rizi's orphans and treat them "equally".

That's not treating everyone equally; it's clearly "treating them differently."

Moreover, Chinese people are kind-hearted, and most of them have a sense of compassion.

Otherwise, wouldn't it be normal for one or two people to die during a famine? But these destitute people survived unscathed and are doing quite well. Who would believe it without the help of their fellow villagers?!

Chen Fan himself didn't know how to evaluate it. Anyway, it was just a meal. He should just treat it as an ordinary villager's treat and not think too much about it.

……

The moon was high in the sky, and only the four of them were still drinking in the courtyard. Chen Fan, having the advantage of starting later, successfully got the three of them completely drunk, and then had Yang Ju and the other two help the older women take them away.

In the courtyard, Jiang Lili came over to clean up the mess. Seeing Chen Fan drinking alone, she couldn't help but ask in a low voice, "Don't you want to go?"

Chen Fan looked up at her and smiled, "It's not a matter of willingness or unwillingness. The people in Team 10 have been with them for over 30 years. I'm just having a meal. What's the big deal?"

He paused for a moment, then added, "Besides, you saw how nice everyone was to their family that night. They probably gradually accepted them over time."

That's just how people are; they put themselves in others' shoes, and after spending a lot of time together, some feelings will inevitably develop.

He noticed that Jiang Lili's eyes seemed a little dim, and his mind immediately raced, vaguely guessing what she was thinking.

She was thinking that while Lao Gao and the others had integrated into the village, she herself was still being ostracized and lamenting her past.

He said softly, “You are different from them. Their conflict is an external one, a blood feud. Not to mention this generation, even the next generation and the generation after that, once it's written into history books, they won't forget it for thousands of years. Right now, it's just because of the leader's order that a few individuals are being accepted. The situation cannot be generalized.”

Your problem is just a small misunderstanding within our organization, not even a conflict. Once the misunderstanding is cleared up, everything will be fine.

He then looked at her with a big smile and said, "Don't worry, that day shouldn't be far off."

In fact, this is often the case: first there are voices of demand from below, and then there are actions taken from above.

Chen Fan had also learned indirectly that Jiang Lili's father's problems weren't that serious; it was more a case of competitors taking advantage of his misfortune. Even so, they hadn't been able to get rid of him from the company. So, given the right opportunity, it would be easy for him to turn things around.

Jiang Lili pursed her lips, her eyes brightened again, and she smiled and nodded gently, "Mm."

The warm orange light shone on her, making her smile appear exceptionally warm and innocent, causing Chen Fan to momentarily lose his composure.

He quickly came to his senses and smiled nonchalantly, "It's late, go wash up and get some rest."

Jiang Lili pursed her lips, smiled and nodded, "I'll pour you some water first, and then I'll go rest after I'm done cleaning up."

Chen Fan watched her retreating figure, then turned around, raised his glass, and drank it all in one gulp.

Haha, so spicy!

I'd better hurry up and brew some yellow wine myself.

...The next afternoon, Chen Fan rode his horse to Team 10 as invited.

First, we found Su Yujun and sat with him for a while. Then, accompanied by him, we went to Lao Gao's house.

That's right, Su Yujun is the host that Lao Gao invited today.

Old Gao's house is on the edge of the village, with no fences around the front and back yards, seemingly indicating an attitude of "no cover".

Chen Fan glanced at them briefly and began to doubt the stereotype that "they are very hygienic in their daily lives".

There wasn't much trash in the yard, but two half-grown pigs were just roaming around freely, making the yard almost completely empty. Plus, a pungent, sour smell wafted out, catching everyone off guard.

The two pigs should be in the pigpen next to the house. The gate of the pigpen was open, and right next to it was the kitchen, which was filled with white mist. I don't know what they were cooking inside.

A few clothes were hanging on a bamboo clothes rack by the kitchen door, but their colors made people wonder whether they had been washed or not.

To be honest, the sanitary conditions were quite unexpected for Chen Fan, and could even be described as subverting his expectations.

Just as Chen Fan couldn't help but frown, someone rushed out of the house—it was Lao Gao.

Old Gao was overjoyed to see Chen Fan and Su Yujun arrive and immediately ran over.

Chen Fan was about to wave hello when he saw Lao Gao suddenly kneel down on the ground, which startled him.

Old Gao was not good with words. He simply kowtowed once, and before Su Yujun could help him up, he quickly got up, bowed, greeted them, and led the two of them into his home.

It seems that kowtowing is his way of expressing gratitude?

Chen Fan and Su Yujun exchanged a glance, smiled awkwardly, and then followed Lao Gao into the house.

The house was reasonably clean, and it was clear that it had been tidied up quickly, but there were some old stains that were really difficult to remove.

A little boy of about 7 or 8 years old was in the main room. He saw Chen Fan and Su Yujun and looked at them with curiosity, but he didn't say anything.

Old Gao pulled the child up and threw him to the ground, saying, "Kowtowing to Teacher Chen."

The child was bewildered but obedient, and kowtowed without saying a word.

He wanted to kowtow again, but Lao Gao pulled him up, saying, "One is enough."

He then grinned at Chen Fan, revealing his yellow teeth, a smile that made Chen Fan's scalp tingle.

Two seconds later, Lao Gao seemed to realize something and quickly darted into the room next door.

Only then did Chen Fan have time to look around the room.

It's a very simple two-bay mud-brick house. The walls and floor are completely unfinished. The yellow mud walls are peeling, and the floor is just dirt. There isn't even the most basic mortar and lime slurry laid on it.

As for the layout, there is a main hall when you enter, and a small door on the west side leads to a room, and that's it!

The furnishings in the main room were also very simple. Two portraits hung side by side on the wall, one of Mr. Li and the other of Mr. Hua.

Below the portrait is an eight-immortal table with a large teapot on it, a stack of bowls next to it, and a few benches and chairs against the wall. That's all.

The child sat timidly in the chair, holding a bamboo toy in his hand, the object of which was unclear.

Chen Fan smiled at him and was about to speak when Lao Gao crawled out of the room again, holding a pack of Peony cigarettes. He clumsily tore a large hole in the cigarette box and presented it to Chen Fan and Su Yujun with both hands, saying with a simple smile, "Teacher Chen, Captain, please have a smoke."

Since he was already there, Chen Fan pretended not to see the dirt under his fingernails, pulled out two sticks, and handed one to Su Yujun.

Su Yujun took it and suddenly burst into laughter without warning.

Old Gao was a little confused by his laughter and couldn't help but turn to look at Chen Fan.

Chen Fan knew what Su Yujun was laughing at. He was laughing at Chen Fan for pretending to be nonchalant when he was clearly not used to it.

Thinking about myself, although I also lived in a mud-walled house in the educated youth settlement and wore the same clothes as everyone else, the topic of my room being clean and tidy and my clothes being changed every day was no longer news in Lujiawan.

Even if we don't call them obsessive-compulsive, they are at least hygienic, which has become a topic of conversation in rural areas.

But looking at Lao Gao's place, anyone who cares about hygiene probably wouldn't be able to sit there.

Yet he could still sit with his eyes closed and accept cigarettes with his eyes closed, just like nothing had happened. For Su Yujun, wasn't that something to be amused about?

Old Gao didn't know what they were laughing about, but seeing that they were both laughing, he just laughed along.

Perhaps hearing the laughter, Lao Gao's wife, who was busy in the kitchen, ran out and greeted them warmly, "Hello, Teacher Chen, Hello, Captain Su."

Then she busied herself pouring tea for them.

Old Gao slapped his forehead, his face full of regret and apology. How could he have forgotten the custom of serving tea to guests upon their arrival?!
Old Gao's wife spent almost a whole day preparing for this meal, and soon the dishes were served.

Lao Gao treated us to dinner today, and he spent quite a bit of money.

A braised rooster, a pot of hen soup, and two chickens were slaughtered. There was also a fish, a plate of meat, and several side dishes to go with the drinks.

Originally, Lao Gao wanted his wife and children to eat in the kitchen, but Chen Fan insisted on calling them back, and they also sat down at the table.

Chen Fan no longer wanted to think about how he finished the meal.

Whether the food tastes good or not is not a problem at all.

Because he didn't eat much vegetables.

When eating, they basically only eat broad beans and soybeans; any other dishes they pick up are given to the children across from them.

The main problem was that the bamboo chopsticks had turned almost completely black, and Chen Fan didn't even dare to touch them, let alone eat any food!
(This is a true story, and it was really horrific. In reality, they couldn't be saved, and the whole family perished.)
Old Gao thought that Teacher Chen was intentionally taking care of the children, and he was so moved that his eyes welled up with tears.

Although I didn't eat much food, I did drink two glasses of wine, so this "thank you banquet" can be considered a successful conclusion.

After leaving Lao Gao's house, Su Yujun led Chen Fan towards his own home. He turned to look at Chen Fan, and before he could say anything, he burst into laughter again.

Chen Fan, slightly drunk, wiped his sweat, paused for two seconds, and smiled at him, "Old Gao's child isn't in school yet?"

With his hands behind his back, Su Yujun walked slowly forward and said, "I stopped studying after the second grade. If I were to continue studying, I would have to go to Nanhu Primary School in the commune. It's too far from here, and Lao Gao is worried about it."

Chen Fan nodded slowly. After walking for a while, he stopped at Su Yujun's door and said to Su Yujun, "Captain, I'm not talking about Lao Gao's kids, but I just think it's better for children to get more education. If there aren't the resources, we should find a way. In the end, each generation should be better than the last, right?"

Su Yujun's smile faded, and he sighed softly, "We've thought about this problem, but we can't come up with a good solution. Teacher Xiao is already overwhelmed teaching two grades at the primary school; adding more would be too much for him. Besides, we don't have suitable candidates for adding more teachers..."

Before he could finish speaking, Chen Fan interrupted, "Didn't Su Guanglin finish elementary school? When he was in the veterinary class, I even taught them a small part of junior high school material, and he still can't do it?"

Hearing this, Su Yujun was stunned for a moment, his brows furrowing tightly. "It wasn't possible before. He only graduated from primary school. As for the knowledge of higher primary school, he bought two old textbooks from the recycling station and studied them at home for several years before he reached that level."

As for now, he's also working as a veterinarian. This year, almost every household in our team has expanded their livestock farming as a sideline, and he's been busy checking on everyone's chickens, ducks, and geese and administering preventative medication. I'm afraid he doesn't have time for that.

Chen Fan smiled and said, "I didn't mean to add new grades..."

He paused here, thought for a moment, and continued, "How about this: first, find out the situation and see if there are any who still want to continue learning, not necessarily to attend classes, but just to learn more. If there are a few, you can find someone to teach those children one lesson a day. This way, they can learn without interfering with their work. As for the teacher's fee, just have the children's parents give a few pounds of grain as a token."

After he finished speaking, he turned to look at Su Yujun and said softly, "Of course, this is just my own idea. I don't know if it will work, if anyone is willing to be the teacher, or even if any children are willing to continue learning. If it works, I'll consider it as paving the way for the next generation so that they can seize the opportunity when it comes. If no one is interested, then just pretend I didn't say anything."

Su Yujun nodded slowly, then looked at Chen Fan with a complicated expression, "I used to call you Teacher Chen just because everyone else did, but today I realize that you are a real teacher!"

Chen Fan smiled and waved his hand, "Don't say anything too flattering. No matter how much you say, there's nothing else I can do but offer some encouragement."

Upon hearing this, Su Yujun couldn't help but laugh out loud, "It takes skill to chime in on things."

They then dropped the subject, helped Chen Fan retrieve his horse, and saw him off.

(End of this chapter)