The Red Era: Starting from a Truck Driver

Chapter 8: The Mind Has Degenerated

Jiang Cheng readily agreed to take care of his brother Jiang Quan's children. Because he had space at any time, he would definitely not lack food and drink in the future. Raising a child these days was not like the future. As long as they didn't starve to death, they were considered raised. There was no need to worry about studying, helping the children find wives, houses and cars.

Seeing that her son Jiang Cheng readily agreed to raise the children left by Jiang Quan, Zhao Yuxia asked, "Chengzi, what do you think of Yingying today?"

"Mom, why did you mention her?" Jiang Cheng responded. Although he said so, he seemed to have guessed something.

"She is from a big city, and she was very pretty when she first came here. Mom tells you, if you go to the city to work as a driver and support your brother's three children, it won't be difficult for you to get married in the future, but the wife you marry may not be willing for you to raise three children. Mom thinks Yingying is a good girl, and she won't object to you raising a child for your brother." Zhao Yuxia said with a smile. As long as her son nodded, her worries would be put to rest.

If the child's issue cannot be properly resolved, even if Zhao Yuxia is kind-hearted, she will be cruel enough to let Li Xianglan remain a widow for the rest of her life and raise the child first.

Jiang Cheng was stunned when he heard his mother's last words. What did she mean by she wouldn't object to raising a child for his brother? This meant that Zhou Lingying might have already agreed with his mother to date him.

When did this happen? Jiang Cheng thought that it was only his first day back home. He went out to the river to catch a fish in the afternoon, and when he came back, he would have a partner.

But Jiang Cheng thought about it and realized that Zhou Lingying was actually very beautiful. You have to know that people in this era didn't have cosmetics. At most, they would buy clam oil or snow cream to apply on cold days. Zhou Lingying is pretty now. Although she doesn't make people stunning at first glance, she is the kind that is very attractive.

If Zhou Lingying changed her hairstyle, put on some makeup, and wore fashionable clothes in the future, that would definitely not be something Jiang Cheng, a Didi driver, would dare to dream of.

"Mom, I think it's okay, but I have to report to the city bus station in a few days. You can go find her tomorrow when you are free. I will also go to my brother's grave to pay my respects tomorrow." Jiang Cheng replied. In fact, he didn't think about finding a partner to marry at first. But in this era, whether in the countryside or in the city, there are no entertainment activities at night. If you marry a wife, you will have someone to talk to in the same bed at night, so you won't be bored.

"Mom has already told the team this afternoon that she will not go to work anymore and will stay at home to look after your father and the kids. When I have plenty of time, I will go talk to Zhou Lingying about this tomorrow morning, and then ask your sister-in-law not to go to work tomorrow morning either. Take your sister-in-law and the kids to pay respects at your brother's grave."

When Zhao Yuxia heard that her son Jiang Cheng agreed to date Zhou Lingying, she smiled and said that she would go to see Zhou Lingying tomorrow morning. But when she talked about going to pay tribute to her son Jiang Quan, she thought of her eldest son who died young and had a miserable fate, and her face became sad again.

After the important matters were settled, Zhao Yuxia chatted for a few more minutes in Jiang Cheng's room, then went back to the main room to sleep.

Jiang Cheng lay on the bed, quietly listening to the chirping of insects outside the house. Soon he felt sleepy and fell asleep.

The next morning, Jiang Cheng woke up from his bed and suddenly felt that his mother was right to tell him to find a partner last night. The original owner had a very strong body as a soldier. It must be admitted that Jiang Cheng, who stayed up late every day to drive Didi in 2024, could not compare with the original owner in terms of physical strength.

This era still belongs to the era of marriage first and love later, Jiang Cheng does not mind finding someone who is pleasing to the eye and marrying first and falling in love later. Although many people are introduced to each other and agree to become a couple, they will spend some time together. But compared with the later generations who stay together every day for many years without getting married, the time spent together is at most to understand the surface of the other person, and even the character of the person is learned by asking people near you.

This is also an era of male chauvinism, and women are only in the process of holding up half the sky. So Jiang Cheng thinks that even if marriage comes first and love comes later, women are the ones who suffer in this era.

If they get married after a short time together, and if the man's true nature is exposed and he is not a good person, then the woman can only accept her bad luck. But if the woman is not good after marriage, then it is simple, one word, that is to beat her. If she is not diligent, she will be beaten; if she is not filial, she will be beaten; if she is not a good wife, she will be beaten to death.

When his body was no longer strong, Jiang Cheng got up, dressed, and went out to wash. Everyone else got up, and even breakfast was almost ready. Breakfast was actually the porridge cooked yesterday at noon, but it had not been eaten yet. It could be heated up in the morning. After breakfast, Li Xianglan took the children and Jiang Cheng to Jiang Quan's grave to pay tribute. Zhao Yuxia cleaned up the house and went to find Zhou Lingying. Jiang Cheng would report to the city in a few days, and she wanted her son and Zhou Lingying to settle down their relationship first.

Don't underestimate the relationship of a partner these days, it is not comparable to the relationship between boyfriend and girlfriend or lovers in later generations. Once a partner relationship is established these days, unless there is a very reasonable reason to break up, if one of the two parties is not disciplined and flirts with other members of the opposite sex during the relationship, they can go to the other party's workplace to make trouble, and even beat the other person.

At this time, in the female dormitory of the educated youth center, Zhou Lingying was being "severely tortured" by other female educated youth in the same room.

Yesterday evening, Zhou Lingying brought back a fish weighing several kilograms, and naturally, it was discovered by others. Originally, it was nothing to ask who gave it to her. Aunt Zhao's son, who was a soldier in the army, came back and caught a few big fish, so what was wrong with giving her one?

But because of what Aunt Zhao said yesterday, Zhou Lingying was shy and evasive when Jiang Cheng gave her a fish. She didn't know how to introduce Jiang Cheng to these good sisters, but saying that he was Aunt Zhao's son felt too unfamiliar. But if she wanted to talk about other relationships, she had to wait for Aunt Zhao's reply.

"Team Leader Zhou, who sent you that fish? It couldn't have been Comrade Li Mingjun who gave it to you."

"It must be Li Mingjun. Even if others can get fish, they dare not give it to our team leader Zhou. Everyone knows that Li Mingjun and our team leader Zhou are a perfect match. Isn't he afraid of being beaten?"

"That's right, Team Leader Zhou, please don't deny it."

In the female educated youth dormitory, Zhou Lingying was being tortured, but everyone guessed that it was the male educated youth Li Mingjun. Li Mingjun was also the leader of the educated youth team. What's more, they were from the same city. However, Li Mingjun was arranged to train here two years earlier than Zhou Lingying.

After Zhou Lingying was assigned here, Li Mingjun took good care of her after knowing that she was from the same place as him. Of course, the so-called care mainly meant encouragement in terms of thoughts, and he would also help her with some work at the beginning. As for supplies, not every educated youth who went to the countryside could send things to their families.

Even Zhou Lingying would only receive some gifts from home every few months, and in order to thank Li Mingjun for his care, she would often share some with him.

Li Mingjun had a very good reputation among the educated youth team of Jinhe Commune. He was eager to help others, had positive ideas, and was good-looking. He was the revolutionary partner dreamed of by many female educated youth.

"Don't ask anymore. It's not sent by Comrade Li. If any of you talks any more, you won't be given the fish for lunch today. Hurry up and pack up and gather to work." Zhou Lingying said with some annoyance.

Zhou Lingying admitted that she had a good impression of Li Mingjun, and even felt that if she could not return to the city in the future, it would be nice to become a like-minded partner with him who shared the same ideals and topics.

But last night when Zhou Lingying returned to the dormitory for educated youths and went to sleep, she felt that her mind had degenerated. It should be said that she had degenerated when Aunt Zhao told her that her son was going to the city to be a driver. At that time, she did not immediately refuse just because of this condition.

After meeting Jiang Chengren, Zhou Lingying had already given up on her positive thoughts, including any honorable or dishonorable things. As a woman, she thought it was better for her to get married and raise children.

(End of this chapter)