Chapter 24: I Can

The sharp clack of the wooden clapper rang out, her envy plain on her face: “Third auntie took you to the movies and bought you ice pops—you two boys had a fine day today.”

Laimei’s attention was fixed on the phone; she grabbed Dacai’s hand and asked excitedly, “Dacai, Ercai, did you touch the phone? What does a phone look like?”

Ercai, eager to speak, said: “There was so much pork noodle soup at the state-run restaurant—we split one bowl between me, my mom, and my brother, and we were all stuffed! We could only bring back the other two dishes.”

“It’s long, with a little ear on each end,” he struggled to describe it.

Tiechui asked timidly, “Ercai, what movie did you watch?”

“Tunnel Warfare—it was amazing! Mom said she’ll take us often from now on,” Ercai said proudly.

Tiechui was dying of curiosity and asked again, “Ercai, can you tell us about it?”

“Sure,” Ercai began.

The Gu children listened intently.

Dacai didn’t stay long; he told Gu Mu goodbye and headed home—he still had chores to help his mother with.

Gu Mu overheard everything, returned to the main house, sat on the kang, and sighed with distress: “Third daughter-in-law spent a lot on this trip.”

Gu Fu glanced at her. “They’ve split.”

“Going to the state restaurant, watching movies, eating ice pops—that’s at least five yuan! Young people just don’t know how to manage money; earning it isn’t easy,” Gu Mu lamented.

Gu Fu repeated: “They’ve split.”

Gu Mu glared. “I know they’ve split! Do you have to keep reminding me?”

“...” Gu Fu fell silent.

The next morning, Lin Zhao went to the brigade office to get an introduction letter.

The brigade chief wasn’t surprised; seeing her, he knew what she wanted. “An introduction letter?”

“Mm.”

After Lin Zhao explained what kind of letter she needed, the brigade chief’s pen clattered onto the desk.

He snapped back to himself, frantically picked it up, checked it over with concern, and only relaxed when he saw it wasn’t damaged.

Wait—what had he just heard?

The Gu family’s third daughter-in-law was transferring her grain and oil rationing status to become a city resident?!

“The Supply and Marketing Cooperative?” the brigade chief asked.

Lin Zhao smiled. “Yes.”

“A salesclerk?”

“Yes,” Lin Zhao nodded firmly.

The brigade chief’s expression changed; he looked at her eagerly. “Is the county’s Supply and Marketing Cooperative hiring?”

“I haven’t heard that.”

The brigade chief grew frantic. “Then how did you get this job?”

Lin Zhao’s smile deepened, her tone rising. “I’m a high school graduate—what’s hard about finding a job?”

She wouldn’t give her husband’s family any trouble.

Besides, if she weren’t a high school graduate, she’d never have gotten such a good job.

Of course, most importantly, she needed connections and luck.

The brigade chief was speechless.

“Brigade chief, can you hurry? I’m in a rush,” Lin Zhao urged.

She wouldn’t feel at ease until her grain rationing status was transferred.

She remembered: before she married, her uncle had lined up a job for her—but half an hour too late, and it was gone.

The brigade chief dared not delay; he sat down and wrote the letter.

In a few swift strokes, he finished and handed it to Lin Zhao.

“You’re now our brigade’s only worker—next time you hear of any hiring, don’t forget to let us know. We won’t let you do it for free.”

Lin Zhao took the letter, glanced at it, confirmed it was correct, folded it away, and smiled: “Of course—I’m from this brigade. Good things always come back to us.”

The brigade chief wanted to say more, but loud noise erupted outside the courtyard.

“I’m leaving,” Lin Zhao said, and left the brigade office.

Outside, she saw unfamiliar faces.

These were sent-down youth.

In the original novel, sent-down youth meant trouble; Lin Zhao gave them a brief glance and walked faster.

“Who’s that?” a new female sent-down youth asked. “One of us?”

Her clothes, appearance, and skin tone didn’t look rural at all—she looked more like a city girl than any city girl.

“Lin Zhao. Gu family’s daughter-in-law—the one who gave birth to twins and a boy-girl pair,” someone who knew her explained. “She’s a family member, proud and difficult—stay away from her.”

The new female sent-down youth doubted it—she didn’t look like that.

The brigade chief stepped out, saw the sent-down youth gathered to see him, and frowned deeply.

“What do you want now?”

The sent-down youth squad leader remembered their purpose and hurried to say: “Brigade chief, more sent-down youth have arrived, but the sent-down youth compound is too small—so many crammed in one room, they can’t even turn over at night. We came to ask if the brigade can help build a few more rooms.”

The brigade chief had already planned this. “We can expand—but not now.”

“Why?” a new male sent-down youth, unused to hardship from city life and unaware of the double harvest, resented the delay.

The brigade chief had seen it all—he saw right through him. “Let the veteran sent-down youth explain why.”

He dropped the words and ignored these big problems, heading off to manage the double harvest.

As the brigade chief walked toward the fields, he met Gu Fu.

“Old Gu, didn’t expect your family to produce another iron-rice-bowl worker. My father said you’ve got great fortune—no mistake at all.”

Gu Fu froze. “Are you talking to me?”

“Who else?” The brigade chief, seeing his confusion, asked in surprise: “You didn’t know?”

“What should I know?”

The brigade chief said: “Chenghuai’s wife is becoming a salesclerk at the Supply and Marketing Cooperative—haven’t you heard?!”

Gu Fu’s mind felt struck—he was stunned. He opened his mouth to speak, but Gu Mu cut him off: “Brigade chief, what? Dacai’s mother is becoming a Supply and Marketing Cooperative salesclerk?”

“She came to me for the introduction letter—she’s already gone to the county,” the brigade chief said.

“Oh my goodness!” Gu Mu slapped her thigh in excitement. “She didn’t even hint at it!”

This was huge news. Gu Mu rushed off to find Dacai and Ercai.

Gu Fu was curious too—it was a job, after all. He told the brigade chief and hurried after his wife.

The brigade chief understood; for rural folk, chances to change their fate were rare.

This kind of good fortune was truly worth celebrating!

Zhao Liuniang’s heart burned with emotion; she turned to Huang Xiulan. “Big sister, is this real—or not?”

“It’s probably real,” Huang Xiulan said.

Third daughter-in-law cared too much for face—she wouldn’t make a fuss over something uncertain. Getting the introduction letter means she’s certain.

“So our family’s getting a worker! A Supply and Marketing Cooperative salesclerk! How proud we are!!” Zhao Liuniang exclaimed.

Huang Xiulan clenched her hands, her heart full of mixed feelings.

Third daughter-in-law has such luck!

“Too bad they split.”

They won’t get a single benefit—none at all.

Zhao Liuniang’s joy dimmed slightly, then brightened again: “Even if they split, they’re still family. With third daughter-in-law working at the Supply and Marketing Cooperative, we’ll have it easier buying things.”

I heard they have defective goods without coupons—maybe third sister-in-law can help us get some nice things for the family.”

Like a thermos, for example.

Huang Xiulan adjusted her mood and smiled: “That’s true. Third family’s good fortune is theirs—we don’t envy them.”

Zhao Liuniang said: “I envy it—of course I do! Who wouldn’t? But I’m not bitter. My husband and I have arms and legs, we’re hardworking—our life will only get better.”

Huang Xiulan nodded. “That’s true.”

Gu Mu ran to the children’s usual play spot and shouted loudly: “Dacai! Ercai!”

The two boys looked up at their grandmother’s voice; their pale, half-clean faces were streaked with dirt.

Seeing their grandparents, they wiped their faces with their sleeves and ran over.

“Grandpa, Grandma, what do you want me and my brother for?” Ercai grinned, looking sweet and innocent, afraid she’d scold them.

“Your mother’s becoming a Supply and Marketing Cooperative salesclerk, right?” Gu Mu asked urgently.

Ercai blinked his big eyes. “How do you know?”

“How else? Your mother went to get the introduction letter—the brigade chief told me and your grandpa.” Gu Mu explained quickly, then pressed: “Is your mother really becoming a salesclerk? Did you two get it done yesterday in the county? Tell me what happened—I’m dying of worry!”

Dacai, calm and articulate, replied logically: “The job was arranged by my father, but only because my mother is a high school graduate. She took the exam this morning and didn’t tell you because she was afraid she’d fail.”

He even defended his mother.

Gu Mu tensed. “There’s an exam?”

Dacai nodded. “Yes. She must pass the exam to become a salesclerk.”

Gu Mu clasped her hands together, murmuring silently.

Jade Emperor, Queen Mother of the West—please bless third daughter-in-law and let her pass!

She didn’t speak aloud, but Gu Fu knew exactly what she was praying. He glanced around—no one was watching—so he didn’t spoil it.

When she finished murmuring, Gu Fu reminded her: “Time to go to work.”

Gu Mu came to her senses, rubbed her face, and fully woke up. “Yes, yes, it’s time to go to work.”

At the fields, she worked absentmindedly.

Huang Xiulan and Zhao Yuan dared not ask her a single question.

On the other side, Gu Xing’er went to gather firewood early in the morning. She returned to the village with a bundle on her back, only to hear someone say Lin Zhao was about to become a supply and marketing cooperative salesclerk. The firewood dropped from her hands. She stormed up to the speaker, eyes blazing.

“What did you say?”

“You’re saying Lin Zhao’s going to be a supply and marketing cooperative salesclerk?”

The passerby, startled by her blunt use of her sister-in-law’s name, shook his head inwardly. It was none of his business—he chose to pretend he hadn’t heard.

“It’s all over the brigade. Dacai’s mother got an introduction letter and went to the county. They say there’ll be an exam—after passing, she’ll be a proper salesclerk.”

As for Lin Zhao failing the exam? No one in Fengshou Brigade even considered it. After all, she was a high school graduate—the most educated person for miles around.

If she couldn’t pass, no one could.

Gu Xing’er clenched her fists, her face twisted with envy. She abandoned the firewood and ran home, ransacking her father and mother’s room until she found the slip of paper with the military district’s phone number. She grabbed a yuan and headed straight for the county.

Drenched in sweat, she arrived at the post office. With the clerk’s help, she dialed the military district’s number.

Gu Chenghuai heard it was a family call and assumed it was his wife. His expression softened—even without a smile, his good mood shone through.

He jogged over to answer the phone.

“Third brother.”

At the sound, his brow tightened slightly.

“Hmm.” Gu Chenghuai replied coolly, no small talk. “What do you want?”

“Third brother, you got Lin Zhao a job at the supply and marketing cooperative, didn’t you?” Gu Xing’er’s tone was sharp, almost accusatory.

Gu Chenghuai’s gaze grew distant. He ignored her question. His voice turned icy.

“I’m not home, and this is how you treat my wife? You call her by name, shove her head until she’s bruised… Gu Xing’er, you’re truly my good little sister.”

His disappointment, clear through the phone line, reached Gu Xing’er’s ears. “I paid your tuition, your living expenses—I never shortchanged you since you were a child. Yet you can’t even tolerate my wife and her child…”

Gu Xing’er instantly lost her nerve. Her face turned pale. “Third brother, I didn’t—I don’t hate them!”

“You know best,” Gu Chenghuai cut in coldly. “The third branch has already split off. As a son, I have the duty to support my parents—but no obligation to lift up my sister. From now on, your life is your parents’ concern. I won’t interfere again. It’s better you learn to be content.”

Gu Xing’er’s face changed. “Third brother, I’m your own sister! You can’t treat me like this!”

“I can,” Gu Chenghuai said coldly.

With that, he hung up.

Gu Xing’er had been raised since childhood by Gu Laoyezi. Gu Chenghuai left home in his teens—their bond was always thin. He helped her only because he earned well and wanted to ease the family’s burden. Since she couldn’t understand her place, he had taken back his support.

When he married, he promised Lin Zhao: he would protect her as fiercely as he defended his country.

Being a military wife was hard enough. For Gu Xing’er to bully her? Did she think he had no temper?

Gu Chenghuai walked back to his dormitory, imagining his wife hiding in her room, crying from being bullied. His insides churned. His resentment toward his sister deepened.

Lin Zhao: “...Cry? I’ll make others cry!”

Gu Chenghuai returned to his dorm. Sun Yeli was there.

“Was that your wife on the phone?” he asked, curious.

“No. My sister.”

After three years in the army, even a sow could seem like a beauty—let alone Sun Yeli, who’d been in far longer.

His eyes lit up. “How old is your sister?”

Gu Chenghuai looked at him, puzzled.

“Ahem…” Sun Yeli cleared his throat, smoothed his shirt, and smiled with eager, fawning charm. “What do you think of me? Could I be good enough to be your brother-in-law?”

Gu Chenghuai’s face remained blank with disdain. “You’ve had too many good days.”

Sun Yeli wasn’t stupid. He caught the implication. Calmly, he lay down and closed his eyes.

Why is finding a wife so hard?

Gu Chenghuai kicked his foot. “Can you get a bicycle ticket?”

“You want one?” Sun Yeli asked.

“Obviously.”

Sun Yeli: “...” He couldn’t even ask?

“A mouth is for talking and eating.”

“I’ll ask around. I can probably get one.” Sun Yeli knew plenty of people—ask him for any ticket, and you’d get it.

Seeing his confidence, Gu Chenghuai paused, then added: “And a watch ticket.”

Sun Yeli gritted his teeth. “...Fine.”

Post office.

Gu Xing’er heard the dial tone buzzing on the other end. Panic seized her. She screamed, voice cracking: “Third brother!!”

Seeing her distress, the clerk feared she’d smash the phone. He took it from her and said gently: “They hung up.”

Then he hung up the receiver.

Gu Xing’er paid, then wandered numbly to the supply and marketing cooperative’s entrance.

Thinking of Lin Zhao becoming a respectable salesclerk, her eyes burned with hatred. Rage flooded her heart.

Her third brother’s connections should’ve gone to her!