In the fiery red era of the heavens, refrigerators are refreshed daily.

After suppressing our emotions for so long, we finally have some great news to celebrate and shake off the bad luck of the past six months.

"Yes! Let's celebrate! We must celebrate!" Yang Yuming was the first to raise his hand in agreement, his mouth practically watering.

Yang Ximing also laughed and said, "It's time to celebrate! Mom, please take the trouble to prepare all this good stuff and make a nice meal! I'm going to buy some liquor! We still have a pound of leftover liquor at home, I'll go to the front street and buy another pound. We're happy today, so let Dad have a couple more drinks!"

Feng Guifang wiped her eyes, and a long-lost, genuine smile finally appeared on her face:

"Okay, okay, I'll go cook right away. Shulan, come here, give me Miaomiao, you can help me out. Heat up the meat and stuff, chop it as needed. As for the rice... we'll cook rice tonight! Save the flour for later."

Cheng Shulan quickly agreed, handed her daughter to her mother-in-law, and rolled up her sleeves to help.

Yang Guangming remembered something more important and said, "Dad, brother, there's something else. Shouldn't we pay back the money we owe the village before it gets completely dark?"
The sooner we pay it back, the sooner we can have peace of mind. It also lets everyone know that our money is back!

These words resonated deeply with the whole family.

Yang Ximing, in particular, immediately said, "That's right! Guangming is right! This money must be returned immediately! We can't wait a moment longer! I'll go get the account book right now!"

The Yang family's total debts amounted to more than two hundred yuan.

My sister-in-law, Cheng Shulan, borrowed thirty yuan from her family. It's a debt of gratitude, so the pressure is relatively small, but she still needs to pay it back as soon as possible.

The eldest sister, Yang Chunhong, borrowed forty yuan from her husband's family. Since her husband married into a neighboring village, the money had to be repaid as soon as possible so that her husband's family wouldn't have a hard time.

The largest remaining sum was thirty yuan borrowed from Yang Siyuan, Yang Guangming's second uncle.

The other hundred-odd yuan, in small amounts, were borrowed from villagers with whom I had good relationships, ranging from three or five yuan to ten or eight yuan.

Yang Xiuyuan, Yang Yangming's father, was a skilled bricklayer who could earn some extra income during the off-season, so his family used to be considered an upper-middle-class family in the village.

However, both he and Feng Guifang were introverted and not good at socializing, so they didn't have many real friends in the village. They were able to borrow so much money this time mostly because of their elder brother Yang Ximing's influence.

Yang Ximing is the opposite of his father in personality; he is a typical "workaholic".

He is generous and righteous, always willing to help others, and has many friends, including several sworn brothers. He is very popular among the younger generation in the village.

When his family needed to borrow money, he swallowed his pride and asked for help. Most of his close friends and sworn brothers helped him out.

But this debt of gratitude is still a debt. Having to pay money made Yang Ximing feel inferior in front of others, and he lacked confidence in his speech. During this period, he became noticeably quieter.

Now that the money has been recovered, plus a few hundred yuan in compensation, this debt must be paid off as soon as possible!

Yang Ximing strode into the house and took out a small notebook made of cigarette box paper, on which he had written down the details of the debts in crooked pencil.

“Dad, Guangming, let’s pay off the village debts first. I’ll personally deliver the thirty yuan to Second Uncle later, and while I’m at it… invite him over for a couple of drinks? Second Uncle has always been quite worried about our family, so we should make him happy too,” Yang Ximing said.

Yang Xiuyuan nodded: "Of course. Your second uncle has helped a lot. Invite him over. There's still a pound of loose liquor at home. Let the third brother go to the front street and get another pound. That should be enough for us."

Yang Guangming added, "Brother, when you return the money, if the villagers ask, just tell them the truth: the police station has investigated and found out that Qin Shengli cheated people out of money, the money was recovered, and his family even had to pay some compensation and items. But..."

He paused, then lowered his voice: "The amount of compensation, let's not say five hundred, let's say two hundred."

I was scammed out of 300 yuan, got it back, and then lost another 200 yuan, making a total of 500 yuan.

If we say it this way, people will accept it and think that our family is lucky and the Qin family is quite authentic.

If we say we lost five hundred, some people will get jealous and might think we're greedy, which would be bad.

The whole family agreed wholeheartedly.

That's how it is in the countryside: you can live a little better than others, but not by too much. Turning 300 into 500 is luck and skill; turning 300 into 800 might attract jealousy and criticism.

“Guangming is right! Let’s go by what Wu Bai said!” Yang Ximing immediately agreed. “I’m tight-lipped, don’t worry.”

"Yes, I trust you to handle things." Yang Xiuyuan acknowledged his eldest son's ability to deal with interpersonal relationships.

"Alright, I'll go pay back the money right now!" Yang Ximing was in high spirits. He tucked the account book and the money into his pocket and was about to leave.

"Brother, wait a minute." Yang Guangming called out to him, and counted out another forty yuan from the money bag in his mother's hand. "Take this forty yuan tomorrow when you have some free time and go to your eldest sister's house to give it to her. You also need to pay her back as soon as possible, so as not to make things difficult for her."

Yang Ximing took the money and nodded vigorously: "Okay! I'll go first thing tomorrow morning!"

He then looked at Cheng Shulan: "Sister-in-law, those thirty yuan from your family..."

Cheng Shulan quickly replied, "My family isn't in a hurry. I'll go back in a couple of days."

Yang Guangming said, "Sister-in-law, let's pay it back as soon as possible. Our family is better off now, and we don't feel at ease owing money to relatives. Tomorrow, let my brother go to my sister's house and also visit your parents' house to settle all the debts."

Cheng Shulan was moved and looked at her mother-in-law. Feng Guifang nodded: "Guangming is right. It's all been returned, clean and tidy. I feel at ease."

Cheng Shulan then agreed.

Yang Ximing tucked the money away, grabbed the account book, and went out to pay off his debts with a triumphant air. His departing figure was a stark contrast to the somber expression on his face as he rubbed the trowel in the yard earlier.

Yang Xiuyuan watched his eldest son leave and said to Yang Guangming, "Guangming, help your mother and sister-in-law put away the things in the basket. I'm going to check the firewood in the backyard for cooking dinner tonight."

"Hey, Dad, you rest, I'll do it." Yang Guangming said, and together with Yang Yuming, they carried the things from the basket into the main room.

Feng Guifang and Cheng Shulan had already started busying themselves in the kitchen. Looking at all these "important ingredients," the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law were both happy and cautious, figuring out how to prepare them.

Feng Guifang decided to take half of the roast chicken, heat it up, and cut it up for everyone to share that evening.

The braised beef and pork head meat are readily available; just set aside a small portion and slice it onto a plate.

Cut off one-fifth of a fresh piece of pork belly and stew it with the few potatoes we had at home to make a potato stew. Save the rest for later.

I sliced ​​some cured pork and stir-fried some garlic sprouts—these were some garlic sprouts I grew in the corner of my yard, they had just sprouted and were very tender.

I'll fry some eggs too—we only have a few hens at home, and they've never stopped laying eggs even during difficult times. This is one of the most important sources of nutrition for our family, and we usually can't bear to eat them, but I'm making an exception today.

For the main dish, we'll have steamed rice! We'll use Northeast rice; it smells amazing.

With her mother-in-law's approval, Cheng Shulan carefully opened the can of milk powder, scooped out a little with a clean spoon, mixed it with warm water first, then added hot water, tasted the temperature, and then used a small bowl to feed her daughter Miaomiao.

Miao Miao smelled the milky aroma and started smacking her lips.

As the warm milk flowed into her mouth, she immediately began to suckle contentedly, her big eyes narrowing into crescent moons. Looking at her daughter, Cheng Shulan felt an overwhelming sense of sweetness in her heart.

Yang Guangming and Yang Yuming moved all the grain into the grain bin next to the main room.

Looking at the white rice, flour, and various grains, the two brothers felt incredibly at ease. Yang Yuming couldn't resist grabbing a handful of rice, smelling it, and chuckling to himself.

"Second brother, do you think the Qin family is stupid? They lost so much money and still gave away so many good things?" Yang Yuming asked in a low voice.

Yang Guangming smiled and said in a low voice, "They're not stupid. They're afraid. Afraid that Qin Shengli will go to jail, afraid that their family's reputation will be ruined, and afraid that they won't be able to hold their heads up in the factory anymore."

For them, the most cost-effective solution is to use money and goods.

We got what we wanted, vented our anger, and weathered our family's storm, so we're satisfied. Everyone got what they needed.

Yang Yuming nodded as if he understood, but not quite. He felt that his second brother was speaking in a completely different way now than before, as if he knew everything and could see through everything.

As dusk fell, the dim yellow light of kerosene lamps illuminated every household in the village.

Yang Ximing returned after paying off his debts. He had a cheerful smile on his face and walked with light steps.

"It's all paid off!"

As soon as he entered the courtyard, he loudly announced, "We delivered it to each household, and everyone was very happy and said a lot of nice things. They all said that our family, Guangming, is capable because we actually got the money back, and that the Qin family is reasonable because they were willing to pay compensation."

He gulped down a mouthful of cold water and then said, "I've also returned the thirty yuan to Second Uncle."

When Uncle Er heard that the money had been returned and that they had even received two hundred yuan in compensation, he was so happy that he slapped his thigh and said that our family had turned misfortune into blessing.

I invited him over for drinks, just as my father had suggested, and he readily agreed, saying he'd be there in a bit.

Just then, footsteps came from the courtyard gate.

A thin man, about fifty years old and wearing an old felt hat, walked in. He was Yang Siyuan, the village accountant and Yang Guangming's second uncle.

With a smile on his face, Yang Siyuan entered the room and exclaimed loudly, "Xiuyuan, congratulations! I heard from Ximing that Guangming has succeeded in getting the money back and even received compensation. This is fantastic news! We must celebrate!"

Yang Xiuyuan and Feng Guifang hurriedly came out to greet them.

Yang Xiuyuan was a man of few words, he simply nodded and said, "Second brother is here, please come inside."

Feng Guifang greeted him warmly, "Second Uncle, come in quickly, we've been waiting for you! We must have a good drink today!"

Yang Guangming and Yang Yuming also came out to greet them.

Yang Siyuan looked at Yang Guangming, sized him up, his eyes gleaming, and smiled:
"Guangming, you've really made our Yang family proud this time! I was worried you'd get stuck on things, but you quietly did something so brilliant!"

Reporting the case to the police station is a good idea! When we farmers encounter problems, we must trust the government and rely on the organization!

Yang Guangming smiled modestly: "Uncle, you flatter me. I was forced into this situation and had no other choice but to give it a try. I am very grateful to the officers at the police station for handling the matter impartially."

“Yes, yes, the government is reasonable after all.” Yang Siyuan nodded repeatedly and followed them into the main room. Just then, a clear voice came from outside the courtyard gate: “Dad, Mom! I’m back!”

It was Yang Qiuhong, Yangming's younger sister, who had come home from school.

She is sixteen years old and in her third year of junior high school in the commune. Her studies are quite demanding, so she comes home a little late.

Yang Qiuhong, with two braids, wearing a patched but clean blue cloth dress and carrying an old schoolbag, rushed into the courtyard.

As soon as she entered the courtyard, she smelled an unusual aroma—a mixture of meat and rice, incredibly tempting.

She was stunned for a moment, and when she saw the lights on in the main room, shadowy figures moving around, and her second uncle's voice, she felt even more confused.

My family always looks worried and gloomy, what's wrong with them today?
She strode into the main room and immediately saw several plates already laid out on the table: thinly sliced ​​braised beef, glistening pork head meat, and a plate of freshly fried, oily eggs! From the kitchen next door, an even richer aroma of stewed meat and rice wafted out.

"This..." Yang Qiuhong stared wide-eyed at her parents, brother and sister-in-law, and second uncle, completely dumbfounded.

"Qiuhong's back! Come on, wash your hands, dinner's ready!" Feng Guifang's face lit up with a smile when she saw her youngest daughter. "We have good news for our family today! Your second brother got his money back after being swindled out of him! He even got compensation!"

Yang Qiuhong was even more confused and looked at Yang Guangming: "Second Brother? Really?"

Yang Guangming smiled and nodded, then briefly recounted the story again.

Upon hearing this, Yang Qiuhong was initially incredulous, then jumped up, grabbed Yang Guangming's arm, and shook it excitedly.

"Second brother! You're amazing! I knew you weren't really stupid! Let's see what those gossipy people have to say now!"

She has a fiery temper and a sharp tongue. In the past six months, she has often argued and gotten angry with people because of her second brother. Now, she is triumphant and her face is flushed with excitement.

"Alright, alright, stop shaking around. Quickly wash your hands and help serve the dishes. Dinner is ready!" Feng Guifang said with a smile, playfully scolding him.

Yang Qiuhong then let go of her hand and happily went to wash her hands to help.

Soon, the food was served.

In the center is a steaming pot of braised pork with potatoes, glistening with oil and emitting a wonderful aroma.

Next to it was a large plate of shredded roast chicken, crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. Six other meat dishes, one hot and one cold, were arranged in a circle: braised beef, pork head meat, scrambled eggs, and stir-fried cured pork with garlic sprouts.

Today's main dish, besides wild vegetable dumplings, also includes a small bowl of freshly cooked Northeastern rice, each grain glistening and emitting an enticing aroma!

Such a meal would be considered a great feast in normal times, let alone in these particularly difficult times.

For the Yang family, this was like a dream come true.

There was also a pot of loose wine and several wine cups on the table.

Miao Miao was held in Cheng Shulan's arms, and she was drinking the prepared milk powder in a small bowl.

Everyone sat around the old eight-immortal table, looking at the dishes on the table, smelling the delicious aroma, and their faces were filled with long-lost smiles from the bottom of their hearts.

"Come on, everyone, sit down and eat!" Yang Xiuyuan, as the head of the family, spoke up, a rare smile on his face.

Yang Yuming picked up the wine pot and poured wine for everyone.

"Today is a joyous day for our family!" Yang Xiuyuan raised his wine cup, his voice not loud but clear, "Guangming got things done, the money was returned, the debt was paid off, and our family has finally overcome this hurdle! This first cup is to the government and the comrades at the police station for upholding justice for us!"

The whole family nodded solemnly. The men at the table each raised their glasses.

"The second cup."

Yang Xiuyuan looked at Yang Guangming, his eyes filled with complex emotions—gratification,感慨, and a hint of barely perceptible guilt—for perhaps having previously complained in his heart about his son's lack of ambition. "Guangming, this child has grown up, has his own ideas, and handled things beautifully! He has made a great contribution to our family!"

"Respect, Second Brother!" Yang Yuming immediately called out.

"Well done, Guangming!" Yang Ximing also raised his glass.

Yang Guangming felt a warmth in his heart and raised his glass: "Dad, Mom, Second Uncle, Eldest Brother and Sister-in-law, Yuming, Qiuhong, I'm sorry to have worried you and caused you so much trouble these past six months. From now on, our family's life will definitely get better and better."

"Well said! Things will definitely get better and better!" Yang Siyuan raised his glass in agreement. "Guangming has really saved face for our Yang family this time. I think he's finally seen the light after this incident, and he'll definitely amount to something in the future! Cheers!"

"cheers!"

The men drank, and the atmosphere became lively.

"Start eating! Everyone eat! Don't just look!" Feng Guifang called out, then urged the children, "Ximing, Guangming, Yuming, Qiuhong, eat quickly! Shulan, you eat too, don't just look after Miaomiao."

Even without her saying so, everyone's stomachs were already rumbling at the sight of this table full of glistening, delicious dishes. Yang Yuming and Yang Qiuhong, in particular, were practically staring at the meat.

The chopsticks fell to the ground one after another.

Yang Yuming couldn't wait to pick up a large piece of roasted pork, stuffing it into his mouth, fat and lean meat alike. The rich meat juices and oils exploded in his mouth, and the long-lost, ultimate meaty aroma and satisfaction made him squint his eyes in bliss, muttering indistinctly, "Delicious! So delicious!"

Yang Qiuhong picked up a roasted chicken leg first, took a bite, and found the skin slightly crispy and the chicken meat tender and juicy. She sighed with satisfaction.

Yang Ximing was more composed, but he was still quite fast with his chopsticks.

The braised beef is savory and chewy, the pig's head meat is fatty but not greasy, the scrambled eggs are tender and delicious, and the garlic sprouts stir-fried with cured meat are savory and perfect with rice... Every dish is so delicious that you'll want to swallow your tongue.

Yang Guangming ate slowly. Although the food in the space was good, sitting around with family, sharing long-lost joy, and eating home-cooked meals full of warmth and comfort, this feeling could not be replaced by any delicacy.

Yang Xiuyuan and Yang Siyuan drank and ate, and their conversation naturally revolved around the events of the day.

Yang Siyuan took a sip of wine, smacked his lips, and said, "Xiuyuan, the Guangming method seems simple, but it actually requires courage and brains."

When ordinary people are scammed, they either confront the scammers directly or swallow their anger and remain silent.

To think of going to the police station and explain the situation clearly enough to get the police to take it seriously—that takes skill. I think Guangming High School was worthwhile.”

Yang Xiuyuan nodded, and unusually said a few more words: "This child used to be a bit... arrogant. After suffering a loss this time, he's become much more steady."

“You learn from your mistakes. People grow up through experience,” Yang Siyuan said with a smile, then looked at Yang Guangming, “Guangming, you’ve brought the money back, paid off the debts, and are financially better off now. What are your plans for the future? Still thinking about going to the city to work as a laborer?”

That question hit the nail on the head. The whole family stopped eating and looked at Yang Guangming.

Yang Guangming swallowed the rice in his mouth, put down his chopsticks, and said seriously, "Second Uncle, Dad, and Mom still want to go to the city to work, but they won't just blindly stumble around like before."

This experience taught me that you have to be methodical and wait for the right opportunity.

I plan to stay home and work on the farm for a while to earn enough work points. At the same time, I'll keep an eye on news from the city.

If there's an opportunity, we'll seize it; if not, we won't force it. In short, we can't let our family worry anymore.

These words were spoken calmly and steadily, with clear goals but without being overly impatient. Yang Xiuyuan and Feng Guifang nodded repeatedly, and their last bit of worry was put to rest.

My son has really grown up.

Yang Siyuan also praised, "That's the right way to think! Be down-to-earth and keep your eyes open. You have a high school education, that's an asset."

Policies change every day these days, so an opportunity might come any day now. Don't just sit idle in the village; your dad has a skill, and your older brother is well-liked. Learn from them; it won't hurt.

"Thank you for your guidance, Uncle. I've taken it to heart." Yang Guangming humbly accepted the instruction.

Yang Ximing recalled the process of repaying the money and said, "When I was repaying the money, several families asked me how Guangming got the money back, and why the Qin family was so willing to give me money and things."

I followed Guangming's advice and truthfully recounted the process of reporting the case. I said that the Qin family was in the wrong and were afraid that their son would go to jail. In addition to returning the money, they also offered to compensate me with 200 yuan and some rare items from the city as an apology.

Everyone was amazed when they heard this, saying that Guangming was incredibly bold to dare to enter the county's public security bureau.

He paused, then chuckled, "I deliberately lingered in crowded places for a while longer. I reckon it won't be long before the whole village knows about our family! Tomorrow, I'm sure a lot of people will come to ask about us!"

Feng Guifang was a little worried: "Wouldn't this... be too conspicuous?"

Yang Guangming comforted her, "Mom, it's okay. We can't hide this, and there's no need to. If we're open and honest, it will make our family seem more upright."

Once the villagers found out, all the gossip naturally stopped. From now on, we can hold our heads high in the village.”

“Guangming is right,” Yang Siyuan agreed. “Everyone should know. Xiuyuan, you guys won’t have to feel inferior anymore. Guangming handled this well; it’s a great honor for you!”

Hearing this, Yang Xiuyuan and Feng Guifang's last bit of frustration completely dissipated, and their smiles grew even brighter.

The meal lasted a long time, filled with laughter and chatter until late into the night.

Slightly tipsy, Yang Siyuan bid farewell and went home, completely satisfied.

After seeing off Uncle Er, the family cleaned up the dishes. Although tired, everyone's face showed relief and joy.

Feng Guifang carefully put away the remaining money and then properly stored the grains and meats, categorizing them accordingly.

Touching the white rice and flour, and looking at the cured meat and ham hanging from the beam, she felt a sense of peace and contentment she had never experienced before.

As night deepened, all was quiet. Only the occasional bark of a dog in the distance broke the silence of this rural night in the early spring of the 1960s.

Sunlight streamed onto the hard bed as he drifted off to sleep. It was a particularly sweet and restful sleep. (End of Chapter)