Chapter 128: Liaison Officer

In the year '50 the locust blossoms hadn't fully faded, and Nanluoguxiang put up a sign for the street office. A red‑background, white‑letter wooden sign was nailed to the blue‑brick wall, drawing the neighbors to gather and watch the commotion.

Director Wang is a woman in her early forties, with a neat bun at the back of her head, her blue cloth shirt faded to white. She stands under the old locust tree in the central courtyard of Courtyard No. 95, surrounded by ordinary people.

"Fellow villagers, I am the newly appointed street office Director Wang. From now on the street office will take over grassroots administration." She plants her hands on her hips, her voice loud, "If anyone has difficulties later, feel free to come to me; we serve the people and will not oppress them as before."

The courtyard is packed; Jia Zhangshi cracks sunflower seeds and mutters, "Another one coming in with high‑flown talk."

Director Wang continues: "I used to be a tenant farmer; only after the Communist Party arrived were the fields divided." She wipes her brow, "Now we've turned the tables and become masters, and we must support the new Government!"

Someone in the back claps, mostly young people. Yan Bu Gui pokes Yi Zhonghai: "It sounds like that, actually."

"Now for the main business." Director Wang pulls a notice from her pocket. First item: a new currency will be issued! From now on dollars, silver dollars, francs, gold cannot be used; they must be exchanged at banks within a week, after which they become invalid.

Buzz— the crowd erupted. Jia Zhangshi flails, "Why can't we use actual dollars? The silver dollars I've saved half my life turn into scrap iron?"

Yan Bu Gui adjusts his glasses: "I wouldn't dare if it's that same anti‑people party trick!"

Yi Zhonghai's face remains composed: "We need to ask clearly, so we don't get shortchanged."

Director Wang taps the table: "Quiet! Listen to me, the new currency exchange is fair and reasonable! One dollar for 25,000 new coins, enough to buy rice or flour without shortage!"

She counts on her fingers: "For example, one dollar can buy fifty jin of beef; 25,000 new coins buy the same fifty jin! The Government's unified currency is for everyone's convenience!"

Liu Haizhong leans forward and asks, "Really, no difference at all?"

Director Wang smiles, "If there's even a cent off, come find me! Starting tomorrow, everyone goes to the bank to exchange!"

After hearing Director Wang's explanation, everyone feels a little reassured.

Second item. She raises her voice: the courtyard will select three liaison officers to convey notices for the street office, mediate disputes, and prevent enemy spies.

The words are like water poured into hot oil, instantly sparking with crackling sounds. Yi Zhonghai rubs his hands, thinking, "For future retirement, I must seize this position; from now on all courtyard matters will go through me."

Liu Haizhong straightens his belly: "It's my turn to be the leader."

Yan Bu Gui's eyes glitter: "If I become a liaison, I could reap some benefits…"

He Daqing yawns and steps back, uninterested in the liaison role; he has an appointment with the White Widow to watch a play. Xu Fugui is even more direct: "Tomorrow I still have to go to the countryside to screen a film."

After the meeting, Yi Zhonghai strolls to the back courtyard. Deaf Old Lady sits under the sun with eyes closed, twirling Prayer Beads in her hand.

He hands her a packet of snacks, "Madam, look at this liaison…"

Deaf Old Lady doesn't even lift her eyelids: "If you want it, speak like a human."

Yi Zhonghai lowers his voice: "I'll support your retirement; my wife will bring three meals a day, do the cleaning and laundry. Then I want to take Jia Dongxu as a disciple; Jia Dongxu is honest and filial. What do you think?"

The hand twirling Prayer Beads stopped. Deaf Old Lady recalls her son in Taiwan, recalls the five‑guarantee household benefits obtained by donating a house, realizing her retirement will depend on others. She smooths her lapel, but Jia Dongxu is not suitable; his mother is a Kua Dan, overbearing, unreasonable, and greedy.

"Then what do you think…"

"Sha Zhu is suitable." Deaf Old Lady squints, "Sha Zhu is single‑minded, easy to handle, and also a good cook."

"He Daqing is still here!"

"Let him go." Deaf Old Lady sneers, "Did you forget he once cooked for the Japanese Soldiers?"

Yi Zhonghai feels a chill down his back: "This…"

"Moreover, his family background…" Deaf Old Lady leans close and whispers, "The claim of three generations of poor peasants is false."

The next day, rumors spread through the Alley. He Daqing, while stir‑frying in a restaurant, hears the kitchen assistants mutter, "I heard anyone who cooked for the Japanese Soldiers will be settled with."

He rushes back and bumps into Yi Zhonghai.

"Old He," Yi Zhonghai sighs, "someone reported that your background is fabricated."

He Daqing's leg goes weak: "At that time it was for the child…"

"Now there are two paths." Yi Zhonghai extends a finger, "Either wait for investigation, or leave Four Nine City and never return."

He Daqing squats on the doorstep, dazed. In the kitchen, sixteen‑year‑old Sha Zhu practices cutting carrot strips, the cleaver clanging. Five‑year‑old Yushui kicks a shuttlecock in the courtyard.

"Dad, dinner's ready." Sha Zhu brings out stir‑fried cabbage.

He Daqing looks at his son's rough palm and suddenly says, "I have to take a long trip."

"Where to?"

"Baoding." He Daqing picks at the rice grains, "Your Aunt Bai over there…"

Sha Zhu slams his chopsticks down: "Going to look for that widow again?"

"This time… I might not come back." He Daqing's voice is hoarse, Yushui is still young…

Sha Zhu is stunned, Yushui bursts into tears.

He Daqing finds Yi Zhonghai: "From now on I'm leaving; you must take good care of Sha Zhu and the others. If I learn they are not doing well, I'll come back to settle accounts with you! From now on I'll send money each month for Sha Zhu; you can pass it on to him."

Yi Zhonghai: "Old He, rest assured, everyone in the courtyard will look after them."

He Daqing also knows that Yi Zhonghai and Deaf Old Lady want Sha Zhu to support their retirement, and he himself also wants to go find the White Widow.

That night He Daqing packs his belongings, stuffs the saved silver dollars under Sha Zhu's pillow. Moonlight illuminates Yushui's sleeping face; he grits his teeth and slips out the back door.

Then the rumor spreads that He Daqing abandoned his children and fled for the White Widow.

The next day, during the election, Yi Zhonghai, Liu Haizhong, and Yan Bu Gui are elected liaison officers. The three stand under the locust tree speaking, looking rather official.

Director Wang even specifically asks about He Daqing.

Yi Zhonghai: "It seems He Daqing gave up Sha Zhu and Yushui for the White Widow; I'm not entirely sure, but Director Wang, rest assured, we will take good care of Sha Zhu and the others."

Director Wang finally feels at ease and leaves.

Jia Zhangshi spreads in the courtyard the story of He Daqing abandoning his children for a widow, with clear details. Everyone says He Daqing is inhuman, and how can little Yushui survive.

Meanwhile, Sha Zhu practices flipping a ladle in the kitchen, the iron pot clanging. Yushui clutches a cloth doll on the doorstep, his little face dirty.

Yan Bu Gui leans toward Yi Zhonghai: "Old Yi, you'll have to look after us more from now on."

"Sure enough." Yi Zhonghai glances at Deaf Old Lady waving from the window and hurries over.

The old lady hands over a plate of sunflower seeds: "Sha Zhu, work at the restaurant first; we'll talk later."

Yi Zhonghai understands: "We'll figure something out after a while."

In the evening, a light rain falls. Sha Zhu practices swordwork in the courtyard, while Yushui, imitating his brother, wipes the stove.

Brother, has Father given up on us? Everyone outside says Father has abandoned us. Is it because I'm a loss?

The kitchen knife chops on the cutting board with a thump‑thump. Sha Zhu looks up at the sky: "Brother is here, don't be afraid; from now on I'll take care of you! Don't listen to the idle talk outside."

When the evening cooking smoke rose, Yi Zhonghai brought a bowl of dumpling soup. Sha Zhu took the bowl and suddenly said, "Uncle Yi, thank you."

"Of course." Yi Zhonghai held an umbrella standing in the rain, adding that any future difficulties can be brought to me.

Early the next morning, the neighbors hurried to the bank to exchange new currency. Jia Zhangshi, carrying a Cloth Bag, took a step, then looked back three times.

Yan Bu Gui, at the bank entrance, calculated: need to keep a few silver dollars as a reserve…

After exchanging the money, Yi Zhonghai went straight to the street office to report his work.

Director Wang was filling out a form: "Old Yi, has the courtyard finished exchanging everything?"

Almost done. Yi Zhonghai bowed, while the Jia family old lady lingered a bit.

"Let her go." Director Wang didn't even lift his head, naturally getting anxious if the grain couldn't be bought.

At this moment Jia Zhangshi was fretting over a half‑filled jar of silver dollars. Under the kerosene lamp, the silver glimmered, yet it could not illuminate the days ahead.

Yan Bu Gui dreamed that the new currency grew wings and flew away; startled awake, he hurriedly felt the chest. The silver dollars were still hard inside, and he let out a long sigh.

When dawn was just breaking, Sha Zhu got up to practice kneading dough. The dough rolled in his hands, gradually becoming smooth.

Yushui rubbed his eyes and came out: "Brother, I dreamed of Father."

Sha Zhu added a fire to the stove: "After steaming the buns, brother I'll take you to buy a red‑head rope."

When the buns came out of the pot, they were white and plump, steaming. The first basket was given to the Deaf Old Lady, the second basket to Yi's family…

Brother, Yushui tiptoed to look at the basket: it's enough for us to eat for a long time.

Sha Zhu wiped his sweat with a towel: "From now on, brother will support you."

When the sun rose, the scent of locust‑flower mingled with the bun aroma, filling the courtyard. Three liaison officers stood at the doorway speaking, their chests puffed up high.

Jia Zhangshi peeked and asked: "Liaison officer, is there still a meeting today?"

"Yes!" Yi Zhonghai cleared his throat, "After dinner, everyone gather at Central Courtyard!"

Their shadows were stretched long by the rising sun, gradually covering the entire courtyard.