1978: Female educated youth, don’t want an illiterate husband

On the morning of the seventh day, just as a sliver of light shone through the window paper, Feng Jiayou woke up.

She turned to look at Cheng Xuemin, who was sleeping soundly, with the little squirrel curled up between them, its little mouth slightly open. A surge of warmth suddenly welled up in her heart.

When she was working in the countryside in Chengjiawan, she never imagined that one day she would return with her husband and children in this way.

"Xuemin, wake up. I want to take Mom and Jiamo to the educated youth settlement." Feng Jiayou gently nudged Cheng Xuemin's arm.

Cheng Xuemin rubbed his eyes, sat up, and said, "Sure, I'll go with you. It'll be a good opportunity for Mom and the others to see the place where you once fought!"

"Yes, yes, that's what I think too! When my mom came, she also said she wanted to see the place where I used to work in the countryside!" Feng Jiayou nodded repeatedly, but she didn't use such words with her husband, let alone the place where she had fought.

In fact, Feng Jiayou also knew where this statement came from!
It was in her husband's novel, "My Years in the Production and Construction Corps," that the female protagonist wrote an essay on the topic of this essay when she returned to the city to take the college entrance examination.

He immediately urged the Feng family next door to get up quickly.

After they finished washing up, Cheng's mother was already busy in the kitchen. Seeing that they were about to leave, she quickly packed a bag of boiled eggs: "Take these with you on the way. The educated youth settlement is far from the village, so don't go hungry."

Feng Jiamo skipped over, carrying the new schoolbag Cheng Xuemin had bought for her: "Sister, are there small mud houses at the educated youth settlement? Like in the movies?"

"You'll see when you get there, don't mess around." Feng Jiayou smiled and pinched her cheek.

As soon as they left the village, they ran into Qin Xiaolian, who was carrying a basket filled with snacks for the villagers who looked after the houses for the educated youth: "Auntie, brother, sister-in-law, I'll go with you!"

The educated youth settlement was located on a hillside at the west end of the village. A few mud-brick houses stood forlornly, with most of the plaster on the walls peeling off and the plastic sheeting on the windows torn, rattling loudly in the wind.

Aunt Wang, who was looking after the house, was sitting at the door sewing shoe soles. When she saw them coming, she quickly stood up and said, "Feng Jiayou! I knew you would come back to take a look!"

"Aunt Wang, it's been a long time." Feng Jiayou stepped forward, shook Aunt Wang's hand, and greeted her, "I brought my mother and sister to see the place where I used to live!"

"Hello, hello, comrades from the city!" Aunt Wang was flattered and quickly greeted them.

Mother Feng greeted him repeatedly, her eyes following the young Feng as she scanned the room.

The earthen bed is still there, and next to it is an old wooden box, which was used by Feng Jiayou and the others to store their clothes. The old slogans of "Learn from Dazhai in Agriculture" are still pasted on the wall, but the words have faded.

Now, however, the house is empty and the kang (heated brick bed) is deserted, making it seem extremely desolate!
“I’ve been keeping this room for you, thinking you might come back someday.” Aunt Wang pulled her into the room. “When you lived in this room, it was drafty in winter. You always wrapped yourself tightly in the quilt, and your hair would be covered in frost in the morning.”

Mother Feng followed her in, touched the cold mud wall, looked at the drafty window, and tears welled up in her eyes: "Jiayou, you lived in this house for four years? How did you survive such cold weather?"

“Mom, it’s okay. Everyone was like that back then.” Feng Jiayou quickly wiped away her mother’s tears and said, “Besides, Xuemin always brought me cornbread and helped me fix the window. He was much better than others.”

Feng Jiamo held up an old hoe and gestured in the yard: "Sister, did you use this to farm back then? It looks so heavy!"

"Don't touch that! That's the tool your sister used to work with. You can't break it." Mother Feng quickly stopped her, then sighed and said, "If it weren't for Xuemin's help, your sister would have suffered so much more."

I know my daughter is lucky to have met such a good young man as her son-in-law, Cheng Xuemin.

In particular, knowing that this educated youth settlement originally had five or six educated youth sent to the countryside!

But my daughter's fellow educated youths all had connections in their families. Some returned to the city early, and others took the college entrance examination for the first time and were admitted to university.

In the end, her daughter stayed behind alone at the educated youth settlement.

When Feng's mother received her daughter's letter, she didn't feel much emotion, since she and Feng's father had also been sent down to work in the countryside.

But now!
Looking at the scene of the educated youth settlement in front of me, I thought of my daughter. Because of her parents' class background, she could not take the college entrance examination for the first time and had to stay in this educated youth settlement alone. What a miserable situation that must be.
Thankfully, it's all over now!
Thanks to Cheng Xuemin, her daughter was able to qualify for the college entrance examination and, a few months later, was admitted to Yenching University, allowing her to return to Yenching.

Therefore, at this moment, in this situation!

Thinking of her daughter's miserable situation at the time, she could understand why her daughter had been sent to the countryside, had made a lifelong vow with a peasant early on, and had not only given herself to him but also brought back a pregnant woman.

Feng's mother also regretted it. When she learned the truth, she was furious and even wanted to force her daughter to have an abortion and cut off all contact with her son-in-law.

I really regret it!

If it weren't for her good son-in-law helping her daughter through those most difficult months, Feng's mother really couldn't imagine whether her daughter could have survived.
Thinking of all this, Feng's mother, overwhelmed with grief, kept wiping away tears!
After leaving the educated youth settlement, Feng Jiayou said he wanted to go see a jujube tree.

The group followed her up the hillside and saw an old jujube tree in the distance. The trunk was so thick that it took two people to hug it, and some withered jujube leaves were still hanging on the branches.

“It’s this tree.” Feng Jiayou walked to the tree, touched the trunk, and said with his eyes full of memories, “Back then, Xuemin was under this tree when he told me that he would help me get the qualification for the college entrance examination and help me get into university and go back to Yanjing.”

Cheng Xuemin walked over and jokingly said, "Back then you said I was bragging, that I was just a peasant illiterate who couldn't read a single word, yet I helped you get into university and go back to Yanjing?"
She even said that if I really did that, she would marry me and take me to Yanjing.

"Who knew you actually did it!" Feng Jiayou laughed and playfully punched him, her eyes filled with happiness.

"Ah?! Really? So, brother-in-law, this is the place where you two pledged your love under the tree? It's so effective!" Feng Jiamo was overjoyed and surprised upon hearing this!

Following Feng Jiamo to the tree, he secretly made a wish with his hands clasped together. When Feng's mother saw this, she laughed and scolded, "You're always causing trouble!"

"Hehe!" Feng Jiamo grinned, showing his little tiger teeth, clearly overjoyed.

When asked what she wished for, she refused to say no matter what, and Qin Xiaolian chased after her, laughing and scolding her.

Time flies, and it's already been three days since I returned to Chengjiawan!
Today is the eighth day of the Lunar New Year, the day that Father Cheng and the clan elders had agreed upon to add his eldest grandson, Little Squirrel, to the family genealogy.

The night before, Cheng's mother cleaned the house spotlessly, and Cheng's father even went to the commune's supply and marketing cooperative to buy fish, meat, melon shells, peanuts, red paper, and firecrackers.

The villagers also came early to help; some put up couplets, some set up tables, and the courtyard was crowded with people.

I had just finished breakfast when I heard the sound of a car horn coming from the village entrance. It turned out that the county leaders had arrived.

County Party Secretary Cao shook Cheng Xuemin's hand, smiling warmly:

"Comrade Xuemin, you are the pride of our county! You earned 20 million US dollars in foreign exchange and even attended a tea party that everyone envies. Today, I've come especially to share in the joy and see our Cheng family's little darling."

Mr. Cheng quickly went up to greet him and offered Secretary Cao a cigarette: "Secretary Cao, please come inside and sit down. It's windy outside."

"No, no, let's look at the baby first." Secretary Cao walked to the high chair, looked at the little squirrel, and asked, "This baby is so lively, what's his name?"

“His name is Cheng Qingsong, from the ‘Qing’ generation,” Cheng Xuemin said, holding the little squirrel. “Today is the perfect day to register the family tree, so let him recognize his ancestors.”

Secretary Cao repeatedly praised the name, and then, as arranged by Cheng Xuemin, he chatted with Mr. Feng. Knowing that Mr. Feng was actually the father-in-law of Cheng Xuemin, the pioneer of reform and opening up foreign exchange, Secretary Cao offered a truly warm welcome.

"Secretary Cao probably doesn't know yet! My father-in-law is a very high-ranking official!"

This really surprised Secretary Cao.

Mr. Feng humbly replied that he was not a high-ranking leader and had only been transferred this year.

They also learned from the side that Feng's father was in charge of the Reform and Opening-up Office, and was even the director of the Reform and Opening-up Office.

Holy crap!

This is a true god, a real big boss!
After all, the current trend is comprehensive reform and opening up, while their local area is still feeling its way and has no clue what to do!

Little did they know that a director in charge of reform and opening up had come to Chengjiawan in their county. They had no choice but to learn from this Director Feng and ask him for advice on where to start with the reform and opening up in their county!

Although Mr. Feng had only been transferred for half a year, he had been in contact with high-level officials. Even a casual suggestion to a small county town could help Secretary Cao and his team achieve some results in reform and opening up.

So after this long chat, Secretary Cao immediately felt that the trip was worthwhile and had yielded a huge unexpected gain!

Meanwhile, on Cheng Xuemin's father's side, the ceremony for adding the family genealogy was held in the ancestral hall. The eldest member of the clan, Ninth Grandfather, held a brush, and the genealogy book was spread out on the Eight Immortals table, densely covered with the names of dozens of generations of the Cheng family.

Grandpa Ninth cleared his throat and loudly proclaimed, "The 27th generation descendant of the Cheng family, of the Qing generation, Cheng Qingsong, father Cheng Xuemin, mother Feng Jiayou, born in Yanjing, April 1979..."

After Ninth Grandfather finished reading, he dipped his brush in ink and carefully wrote the little squirrel's name on the family tree, adding a small red circle next to it.

"it is good!"

The villagers applauded, and Cheng's mother quickly served red dates, peanuts, melon seeds, candy, and cigarettes to everyone.

follow closely!

Six large firecrackers with a capacity of 100,000 were lit simultaneously in front of the ancestral hall. Instantly, the firecrackers crackled and popped, and the rising smoke resembled a mushroom cloud—it was quite a spectacular sight!

After witnessing the addition of the little squirrel to the family genealogy, Secretary Cao chatted with his father-in-law, Mr. Feng, and then pulled Cheng Xuemin aside to say:
"Comrade Xuemin, please come back to the county more often in the future. If there's anything you can help with, just let me know. Our county is also thinking of launching some foreign exchange earning projects, and we'll need to consult you."

"Secretary Cao, you're too kind. I'll definitely help if I need anything." Cheng Xuemin nodded with a smile. His roots are in Chengjiawan, and he'll definitely come back to visit often in the future!

At noon, the Cheng family set up a banquet with more than twenty tables. The villagers all came to eat and drink. After all, Cheng Xuemin had tons of national grain coupons and meat coupons!

Back in Yanjing, it wasn't appropriate to dress up so openly and boldly as a special agent.

But when we returned to our hometown of Chengjiawan, it was still as lively and bustling as ever.
If it weren't for the tight schedule and his wife Feng Jiayou's reluctance to go through the trouble, Cheng Xuemin would have liked to hold a grand wedding for his wife in Chengjiawan.

We should just bring out the old-fashioned eight-bearer sedan chair and ten-mile-long red bridal procession for my wife.

Secretary Cao stayed for a few drinks and chatted until the afternoon before leaving.

The yard was lively until dark. The little squirrel was carried around and its face was covered in wine stains, which made everyone laugh.

The joyful days of returning home have always been fleeting, both in ancient and modern times!
This time, Cheng Xuemin brought his wife, son, and in-laws back mainly so that they could familiarize themselves with the area and find out exactly where in northern Shaanxi their beloved daughter had married.

More importantly, we need to put the squirrels in a family tree.

This is what Mr. and Mrs. Cheng have been longing for ever since the baby squirrel was born last year!

So I took advantage of the time I was back from the Lunar New Year holiday to get it done.

On the morning of the ninth day, Cheng Xuemin's family began packing their luggage, preparing to return to the city.

Cheng's mother packed several large bags full of local specialties such as millet, red dates, and potatoes, and even sewed a new cloth bag containing a squirrel's clothes.

"It's cold on the road, make sure the children are dressed warmly. When you get to Yanjing, remember to call your uncle at the commune."

"Mom, don't worry, we'll come back often." Feng Jiayou hugged Cheng's mother tightly, reluctant to let go.

Just then, the old Party Secretary of the brigade came in carrying a basket containing eggs and brown sugar, looking a little embarrassed.
"Xuemin, I am young, and I have something I would like to trouble my father-in-law, Comrade Feng, with."

When Mr. Feng heard that he was being sought out, he was genuinely surprised and asked in confusion, "Uncle Cheng, what's the matter?"

"Last night, my great-great-grandson was born, a boy." The old Party Secretary grinned broadly, his face beaming with joy. "Well, since you're a great intellectual from Beijing, I was thinking of asking you, my dear in-law, to help me name the child, so he'll have the same 'Qing' character as Qingsong!"

Mr. Feng was taken aback for a moment, then smiled and said, "This is a joyous occasion! Congratulations to Uncle Cheng on the addition of another son to the family! This is a very happy occasion!"

He then asked about his great-grandson's birth date and time, pondered for a while, and said, "This child's birth date and time lack water. The character 'Qing' already contains water. Let's find a gentler character that fits the meaning in the Book of Songs and has a good connotation."

He thought for a moment and said, “There is a line in the ‘Book of Songs’, ‘Da Ya Zheng Min’: ‘Ji Fu composed the poem, as gentle as a breeze.’ Since the character ‘Qing’ is in the generation name, how about ‘Cheng Qing Mu’?”
The character '穆' signifies dignity and gentleness, complementing the five elements and conveying a refined air; the child will surely grow into a composed and steady person.

"Cheng Qingmu..." Old Master Cheng repeated it twice, slapping his thigh in approval. Although he didn't know which "Mu" Qingmu referred to, he still applauded and said:

"What a wonderful name! It shows good taste! Father-in-law, thank you so much! This name is much better than the one chosen by the teachers in the commune!"

He quickly handed over the basket, saying, "This is a small token of my appreciation; please eat it on your journey."

"Uncle Cheng, you're too kind. We're all from the same village." Mr. Feng couldn't refuse, so he had to accept the gift.

After packing his luggage, the car arranged by Secretary Cao of the county arrived at Cheng Xuemin's doorstep.

Yesterday, Secretary Cao learned a lot from Mr. Feng, and it was truly enlightening.

So before leaving, they insisted on sending a car to pick up Mr. Feng and his family and take them to the county bus station, and also to stop by their county for a visit.

So this morning, we sent down a car to pick up Cheng Xuemin and the others and take them to the county town!

……

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