Bai Fumei in the 70’s

Teacher Gu and He Songbai sat on the cold concrete floor, smoked and chatted until the east gradually became white.

Teacher Gu said with emotion, "If there is an opportunity, I will definitely accept you as an apprentice. Although you, young man, is a little stupid, but you can endure hardships. You will definitely have a good job in learning civil engineering with me."2

He shook his head with a wry smile, "Forget it, it is not good to be known as my apprentice. I will not accept another disciple in this life."

In fact, what kind of relationship is reliable these years...

He Songbai put the last sip of cigarette in his nose, he sniffed and sneered, "You should take care of yourself."

"You are so miserable, and still thinking about taking an apprentice?"

On the first day of Teacher Gu's arrival in Hezi village, he wore a dark black tunic and was very meticulous. A delicate fountain pen was attached to the pocket on his chest, revealing the dignity of a senior intellectual from head to toe. He commanded the workers of the engineering team, and he was also quite instructive and enthusiasm.

For He Songbai, the lowest person who is expecting to earn work points, a worker is already a supremely glorious profession, and Teacher Gu is the leader of the worker, which is even more remarkable. In the eyes of the peasants who planed food in this group of fields, Teacher Gu is glowing all over, which was admirable and frightening.

And the result......

Within a few days of the autumn harvest, Teacher Gu, a senior intellectual who was "high and mighty," was punished to reform with labor. The light from the whole body suddenly fell, the speed of falling was jaw-dropping, which was a fresh experience for everyone.6

He Songbai can only express sympathy for his experience. What he can do is to make a little help when he is free, and that is it.

Even he himself is a poor boy who has a hard time and could not help himself. Where can he manage so much?

But Grangma warned He Songbai from an early age that he must respect intellectuals. No matter in what era, intellectuals are the pillars of building the motherland. The country's prosperity is inseparable from their contributions. Therefore, after sending his dear friend back to bed, He Songbai was afraid that Teacher Gu, who had fallen into the quagmire, would not be able to cope.

After He Songbai finished speaking, Teacher Gu was silent.

He said in a state of embarrassment, "Maybe it is the thought that people will not be able to pass on the mantle in their old age, and they are a little unwilling."

He Songbai didn't care, he blew his nose and said in a hoarse voice, "You intellectuals have a higher heart and thinner than paper. You still have time to be restless now that you are like this."

"My grandma had stayed abroad before, and all she can do now is eat and sleep every day." He Songbai said lightly.

"There is no hurdle that can't be overcome, life is the most important thing."

When Teacher Gu heard it, the complicated emotions on his face suddenly became more bitter, it is wrinkled into a ball of bitterness, as if he could squeeze out tears at any time.

He Songbai lifted his hoe and rushed into the field without a word.

...

Zhao Lanxiang got up early to make breakfast. She steamed some snow-white steamed buns. She kneaded the dough over and over again, making it sweet and soft when it is hot. When it is cold, it became more delicious as it was chewed. After breakfast, she secretly glanced at the man's room and found that there was no one there.

Even the bedding on the bed are neat and tidy, the clean clothes are still folded on the head of the bed without being moved, it looked like he didn't come back to sleep all night.

She immediately reminisced about the "Teacher Gu" she met in the drying valley last night. He Songbai's expression was a little weird last night. How dare he not return?

Zhao Lanxiang's eyes sank.

At breakfast, Sister He ate two steamed buns with hot water and took two more into a cloth bag for lunch at noon.

Although Grandma told her that she had "paid" educated youth Zhao's meals, Sister He is still a little uneasy. She has planned to take all of Zhao Lanxiang's work herself, but Zhao Lanxiang's was assigned to do vigil , in regards to this, elder sister He was unable to take care of it.

She is also responsible for carrying her grandmother up at night, waiting for her to drink water and go to the latrine. The old woman often has a headache and brain fever that need her to watch.

Sister He finished the breakfast with gratitude and thanked Zhao Lanxiang.

He Sanya took out all the wild fruits picked in the mountains in the evening and gave them to sister Zhao for eating. Her grapes-like-eyes showed a sweet and lovely look.

Zhao Lanxiang rubbed He Sanya's yellow hair and said, "I'll go with you to cut pigweed later."

Sister He have to harvest food and take care of the cattle and pigs in the brigade. So these heavy tasks were put on Sanya's weak shoulders. In fact, Zhao Lanxiang has to guard the valley at night, but she also wanted to help Sanya. Seeing her carrying a bamboo basket taller than herself and going around the mountain, Zhao Lanxiang is worried that she would not be able to do much.

After breakfast, Zhao Lanxiang carried a bamboo basket and went up the mountain with Sanya to gather pigweed. The so-called hogweed is alfalfa, also called golden cauliflower.

Sanya follows her elder sister to gather grass together every day, she knows where the grass grows plump and flourish.

Before the little girl picked pigweed, she took Zhao Lanxiang to pick the wild fruit. A cluster of blood-red berries grew beside the grass. You can pick it if you lowered your head down.

Sanya's little fingers quickly picked a few and threw it into her mouth.

This berry is called wild strawberry, the size of the little finger. Unlike strawberry which is thick and juicy, this fruit is sour and sweet, but it tastes unique. Zhao Lanxiang followed to taste the freshness, and wild strawberry around there was soon finished by the two.

Sanya jumped up and down again to take Zhao Lanxiang to pick mountain's Nianzi, and sang the mountain song happily all the way. The purple fruits are hidden among the green leaves. The little girl jumped and hooked the branch. His eyes quickly picked up a bunch and let go of the branch which bounced back with a "swish" sound.

She is covered with messy leaves and thorns like needles and grains. She smiled and shyly grabbed some fruits and handed them to Zhao Lanxiang.

Zhao Lanxiang and her sat on the mountain stone and finished half of the mountain Nianzi. Sanya said, "It's a pleasure to come to the mountain with Sister Zhao."

Zhao Lanxiang touched her head.

Two people, one big and one small, went to the mountain to gather two baskets of pigweed. It was almost lunch time. Zhao Lanxiang carefully went down the mountain with Sanya along the mountain road. On the road, several young people led a small group of workers up the mountain.