Chapter 6 : Inventory of the Original Owner’s Property

Lu Changzheng sent Su Mo back to the educated youth settlement in high spirits.

“Wife, you should rest well first. I’ll head back to make preparations and have my mother come over to propose marriage in two days,” Lu Changzheng said cheerfully.

Su Mo: …

This man was truly opportunistic. Just a moment ago, they were on a date, and now she was suddenly his “wife.” When she was in the hospital, didn’t he appear so distant? Now, he seemed more like a rascal…

“Wife, there’s no turning back now. Everyone in the village knows about this. If we don’t act quickly, the gossiping aunties’ words alone will drown you.”

“Go inside, rest for a couple more days, and don’t rush back to work. The autumn harvest will be over soon.”

Anyone familiar with farm work knew how exhausting it could be. For someone like him, who disliked farming since childhood, he certainly wouldn’t let his wife endure it after marriage. His military allowance would more than suffice to support her.

“Come on, go inside,” he urged her. “Don’t worry, I’ll handle everything.”

Having finally met someone he liked, he wasn’t going to let her down. She deserved everything others had and more.

As he walked away, Lu Changzheng was already planning the wedding. The house was nearly ready, complete with Kang beds in the east and west rooms. The carpenter had crafted furniture like a Kang table, stools, and a large wooden cabinet. However, he still needed a dressing table an essential for his playful and fashionable wife. He’d arrange for the village carpenter to finish it quickly.

The “three essentials and one luxury” (a standard for dowry items of the era) were also on his list. His family had secured the necessary purchase coupons, and they could buy everything in the county town.

He also needed to arrange the marriage certificate. Sending a telegram to his unit might take time, it would be quicker to make a phone call.

Not just wedding photos, he wanted a few solo pictures of his wife, too. That way, he could take them back to his unit and admire them whenever he missed her.

Though still a deputy battalion officer, he planned to work hard for a promotion so she could join him at the army base sooner.

Feeling energized, Lu Changzheng left briskly after urging Su Mo to rest.

Su Mo watched him leave in a hurry, speechless. Was this a characteristic of people from this era, always rushing? She sighed and let it go. She was adaptable by nature. If this era’s culture meant marrying someone you liked without overcomplication, she could accept it. Having a handsome military officer as a husband wasn’t a bad deal.

After marriage, she wouldn’t have to live with in-laws or deal with family conflicts. They’d have their own house, and life seemed quite convenient.

Su Mo turned back toward the educated youth settlement, a row of five adobe houses with a central kitchen and dining area. The two rooms on the left housed male educated youths, while the right two were for females. A large vegetable patch grew outside, with a simple straw-thatched toilet in one corner.

The area was surrounded by a bamboo fence, with a single large gate for entry and exit.

Relying on her memory, Su Mo found the room assigned to her.

Doors weren’t typically locked in rural areas during this time, they were just bolted. At the educated youth settlement, it was no different. She unbolted the door and entered.

The room was spacious, with a long Kang bed that could accommodate five or six people. Currently, it housed three educated youths, making it comfortable.

They hadn’t had time to furnish it properly, so there were no cabinets. Using borrowed stools and wooden planks, they had made a simple table for their luggage, while personal items were placed on the Kang.

Finding the bedding belonging to the original Su Mo, she noticed freshly laundered clothes folded neatly on top, likely the handiwork of her considerate roommates.

The bedding was basic: a straw mat with a thin quilt, barely suitable for the cool weather. It amazed her how the original, pampered Su Mo had endured it.

She opened her two suitcases using keys she found in a secret pocket. Among the belongings were two passbooks, the most intriguing items. The original Su Mo had never had a chance to see the amounts in them, as her father handed them to her in haste before she left for the countryside.

With bated breath, Su Mo retrieved the passbooks. One was an older, worn passbook made of kraft paper. The words “Current Savings Passbook” were embossed on the cover, though the fine print was slightly faded.

Finally, the moment to uncover the mystery of the passbooks had arrived.

One passbook was relatively new, with an orange cover, featuring a quote from a great leader and the words “Current Savings Passbook” printed in bold red. Below that, in black font, was “People’s Bank of China Haishi Branch.” The back cover had a summary of the ‘Communiqué of the 11th Plenary Session of the 8th Central Committee’, giving it a distinctly period-appropriate feel.

Su Mo first opened the new passbook. The account was under the name Mo Yurong, the original owner’s mother, and bore the bank’s stamp. On the right-hand side were handwritten records of transactions, consisting of just three deposits, each stamped by both the bookkeeper and the reviewer.

The records showed: January 1970: 2,000 yuan, October 1970: 500 yuan, June 1971: 500 yuan. This brought the total to 3,000 yuan. For an era where 100 yuan was considered a significant sum, this was an astonishing amount likely the original owner’s parents’ savings over many years.

Next, Su Mo opened the older passbook. The account belonged to Su Zhongli, the original owner’s grandfather. The records spanned several pages, showing both deposits and expenditures. The first entry dated back to 1957, corresponding to dividends paid to capitalists after company mergers. That first deposit alone exceeded 20,000 yuan.

Subsequent records indicated regular deposits until 1967, interspersed with large withdrawals during 1960–1962. These withdrawals coincided with the three years of natural disasters, during which Su Zhongli used his connections to purchase and donate significant quantities of food for the local poor. This act of generosity reportedly took a toll on his health, leading to his death in 1963. His funeral was attended by many prominent figures from Hai City.

By 1967, the remaining balance from these dividends amounted to nearly 80,000 yuan.

In the context of that era, 80,000 yuan was equivalent to wealth beyond imagination, perhaps comparable to 80 million in modern times. With such a fortune as a starting point, even a mediocre effort could lead to remarkable success.

Su Mo clenched her fists as she thought of Yang Suyun, the heroine of this story. Her impression of Yang had soured completely. When Yang acquired the passbook, the original owner’s uncle was still in good standing. Instead of returning this enormous sum to the family, Yang kept it for herself. Even if she didn’t have direct contact with the uncle, her father certainly did.

This family was nothing short of shameless opportunists.

“Well, then, let’s see how things turn out,” Su Mo thought grimly. “From now on, it’s a darker road ahead.”

After examining the passbooks, Su Mo proceeded to take stock of the original owner’s cash. She gathered the money from the two suitcases and counted a total of 1,035.40 yuan. Initially, there had been 1,045.40 yuan, but 10 yuan had been spent on medical expenses. Additionally, she still owed 5 yuan to Lu Changzheng, leaving her with 1,030.40 yuan. By the standards of the time, this made her quite wealthy.

As for ration tickets, there were a variety of them: Overseas remittance tickets, Industrial tickets, Grain tickets, Meat tickets, Oil tickets, Vegetable tickets, Sugar tickets, Cloth tickets, Shoe tickets, Cotton tickets.  

There were even tickets for milk powder and bicycles. Most of these tickets were only valid in Hai City, with only a small number being nationally accepted.

In this era, tickets were just as essential as money without them, even the wealthiest couldn’t make purchases.