Siheyuan: Yan Jiekuang's carefree life

To be honest, Yan Jiefang really didn't want to go to the countryside. But based on his understanding of Yan Jiekuang, although this younger brother is not very old, what he says is basically accurate. Yan Jiefang hurriedly said: "Dad, don't worry! I will do my best to find a job. In addition, I want to go to my grandma's house. If it doesn't work, Jiekuang and I will go to my grandma's place. It is also a rural area, and it is close to the old city. I can take care of it if there is anything at home."

Yan Jiekuang thought to himself, "Yan Jiefang is still too naive. How can such a good thing happen?! At most one suburban spot. You want two?!"

As time went by, it was December. After the newspaper published an article that said, "It is necessary for educated youth to go to the countryside to receive re-education from poor and lower-middle peasants," the ten-year "Up to the Countryside and Down to the Mountains" movement began.

On the ninth day of the first lunar month in 1969, at six o'clock in the evening, Xie and Song from the subdistrict office came to the courtyard. Xie saw Yan Bugui coming back from a walk and said with a smile, "Comrade Yan Bugui, please gather everyone in our courtyard to the middle courtyard. There is something to announce."

"Hey!" Yan Bugui responded, and immediately asked Yan Jiefang and Yan Jiekuang to notify the people in the hospital to hold a meeting.

Ten minutes later, all the residents of the quadrangle gathered in the middle courtyard. Yan Bugui swept his eyes over the faces of everyone present, and then said to Secretary Xie and Secretary Song: "Everyone is here!"

Secretary Xie nodded, looked at the people present, and said: "I believe everyone has already known the decision from above. The first batch of people who went to the countryside to work left before the New Year. The people in your courtyard belong to the second batch. When Secretary Song calls out your name later, come up and get the notice." After saying that, Secretary Xie looked at Secretary Song next to him.

Secretary Song took out the list and read out: "Liu Guangtian, Liu Guangfu, Song Aizhen, Jia Dang, Kong Xueyi, Kong Xuewu, Zhang Dabao, Li Fushan, Yan Jiefang, Yan Jiekuang!"

When Secretary Song finished reading the list, Jia Zhang jumped out and said, "Secretary Song, our Banggeng has already gone to Xinjiang Province. Why are you letting our Xiaodang go to the countryside?!"

Officer Song sneered and replied, "Your family Banggeng belongs to the five black categories. I am already generous enough not to drive away your family members. What else do you want?!"

In this day and age, if you are labeled as one of the five black categories, your good days are basically over. When Jia Zhang heard what Officer Song said, he immediately shut up and didn't dare to say a word, fearing that the Street Office would cause trouble for him.

Yan Bugui then asked, "Secretary Xie, I have no objection to our two children going to the countryside. But according to our family's situation, one should go to the countryside and the other to the farm. Why are both of our children going to the countryside? Even if they go to the countryside, they should be separated, and go to the farthest place or nearest place? Why are they both sent to the Northeast?!"

Secretary Xie and Secretary Song looked at each other. They didn't expect Yan Bugui to study the regulations so thoroughly. Without waiting for their answers, Yan Bugui continued, "Before the instructions came down, my son Yan Jiefang had already applied to join the production team in his mother's hometown. And it has been approved. The approval slip is still at home! Why are you moving him to another place now?!"

Secretary Xie asked, "Old Yan, where is your wife's hometown?!"

Yan Bugui replied: "Zuojiazhuang."

When Secretary Xie and Secretary Song heard the word "Zuojiazhuang", their faces changed instantly. Others didn't know what was going on, but they knew it very well. Because it was Secretary Song who made the move. They had gone to Zuojiazhuang to work in the countryside before the Chinese New Year. A relative of Secretary Song had a child who was unemployed and also wanted to go to the countryside. So they found Secretary Song and wanted him to help arrange a place closer to Sijiucheng. When Secretary Song was in a dilemma, he happened to see Yan Jiefang's name on the list of people going to Zuojiazhuang. Secretary Song thought for a moment and changed the names of the two people. When people first went to the countryside, the names and corresponding places were not strictly controlled. It was not until 1971 that they were strictly controlled. But if you go back to your hometown to work in the countryside, the situation is different. If you can go back to your hometown to work in the countryside, you have already informed the village in advance. If you don't go, the village will come to inquire. If something really happens, you will be in trouble.

Secretary Xie said, "Old Yan, we will investigate the situation you reported when we get back. We will give you a reply then. The children will leave in a week. You should hurry up and prepare things for the children!" Secretary Xie then looked at everyone present and said, "Okay! Everyone, go away!" He then reminded, "Those who need to go back and prepare things should do so. Don't delay the children's departure. The departure time is on the notice, so don't miss it. If you are deemed unwilling to go to the countryside, you will be punished! In addition, after three days, go to the street office with the notice to collect the subsidy."

After the people from the subdistrict office left, Yan Bugui and his family returned home. Auntie Three said, "Old Yan, how about Jiefang and I go to Zuojiazhuang tomorrow to ask about the situation?!"

Yan Bugui thought for a moment and said, "I'll go with you guys tomorrow morning! I won't give up until we figure this out!"

Yan Jiekuang said, "Dad, bring some cigarettes and wine when you go tomorrow."

Yan Bugui stared at Yan Jiekuang for a few seconds, nodded silently, and said, "Jiekuang, the winter in the Northeast is much colder than here. I'll ask your mother to help you get your cotton-padded clothes and quilts new."

Yan Jiekuang said, "Dad, don't worry about my affairs. I can arrange everything myself. If I need anything in the future, I will write to you. Then you can help me buy it."

"Okay!" Yan Bugui knew that Yan Jiekuang had always been a man of integrity and would never change his mind. Although such a child was worry-free, he was also distressing.

Meanwhile, the second aunt complained to Liu Haizhong at home: "Old Liu, you always wanted to be an official. What happened? You offended everyone and didn't even become an official. Now you've forced our two children to go to the countryside to work in the fields."

"Okay! Stop talking!" Liu Haizhong was annoyed by his wife's words. He could not help but yelled, then picked up the wine glass and drank the wine in the glass in one gulp. He said: "Guangtian and Guangfu are going to Yunnan Province this time. I heard that it is spring all year round there, and thick cotton clothes and quilts are not needed. Let them keep the subsidy issued by the street office. Give them 30 yuan each when they leave."

The second aunt asked with some concern: "Isn't it too much to give thirty to each person?!"

Liu Haizhong glared at his wife and said, "Just do as I say. Don't worry about the rest."

The second aunt compromised and said, "Okay! Then I'll do as you say."

Qin Huairu, who was standing outside the door and eavesdropping, heard the second aunt open the door and immediately ran back to the middle courtyard. Jia Zhang saw Qin Huairu coming in from outside and asked, "Qin Huairu, you came back so late, where have you been?!"

Qin Huairu said, "I went to get information. I wanted to see who in our courtyard was with our Xiaodang so that the two of them could take care of each other. I didn't expect that the ten people in our courtyard who left this time were not going to the same place."

"What should I do?! Xiaodang, a girl, is going to such a far place like Jiangxi Province. How can I feel at ease?" Jia Zhang said this, but she didn't think so in her heart. Jia Zhang felt that she had raised Xiaodang with great difficulty and could soon exchange her for a betrothal gift. Now she was suddenly asked to go to the countryside, and the betrothal gift money would have to say goodbye to her!