Chapter 8

Yang Qiujin left the cowshed and went to the Xinfeng Brigade before returning home to her parents.

Wu Shulian was feeding chickens in the yard. When she saw Yang Qiujin, her expression was curious. “Qiu Jin, what are you doing back again?”

“What else? The little red soldiers have joined our team…” Yang Qiujin entered the yard and explained, asking Wu Shulian to keep quiet about certain things, not leave items around that shouldn’t be seen, place portraits of great men ^[1]important figures revered during the Cultural Revolution. prominently, and memorize their quotes to avoid trouble.

“What? Has the weather changed again?” Wu Shulian asked, confused.

Yang Qiujin was unsure how to explain, but just then, a woman about 24 or 25 years old came through the gate. She had an oval face, big eyes, and short hair, looking confident and attractive.

Seeing someone who looked 80% like herself, Yang Qiujin was stunned. “Qiuyue, why are you back?”

“I heard the little Red Army soldiers from the county came to our Red Flag Commune ^[2]a local collective farm.. I was worried Mom and Dad didn’t understand the situation, so I hurried back to explain.”

Qiuyue paused, then sat beside Yang Qiujin and spoke to Wu Shulian. “Mom, things in the county are serious. You have to take care of Dad. Don’t let anything go wrong. No one can help you if trouble comes.”

Both daughters explained the situation. Wu Shulian understood its gravity and sighed. “Your father will never listen to me.”

“He has to listen, even if he doesn’t want to,” Yang Qiujin said coldly. “Tell him what I said: the little red soldiers fight anyone, no matter who they are. If he’s not afraid of death, he can keep causing trouble. When they catch him and punish him, I’ll issue a public announcement to sever our father-daughter relationship. At least then, you’ll live a peaceful life.”

Since the movement started last year, people had been denouncing each other. Everyone was shouting slogans like “clear out the four olds” and “oppose the old ways.” People used the movement to settle scores, creating widespread fear.

Their Hongqi Commune had been relatively untouched by the movement last year, but this year, the situation had worsened. The little red soldiers were now arriving, so they had to be cautious.

Yang Chenghua, Yang Qiujin’s father, had many problems. He had a history of stealing, drinking, and fighting, which made him a target for discipline. These weren’t major issues, but Yang Chenghua’s pride and tendency to argue could cause trouble, so Yang Qiujin worried that he might say something to anger the Red Guards.

Yang Chenghua was still working in the fields. Wu Shulian assured her daughters that she would try to control him. Then, she asked, “Qiuyue, you came back alone? Where’s your second husband?”

At this, Yang Qiuyue fell silent.

Influenced by her parents and Yang Qiujin, Yang Qiuyue had always been independent in her thinking. After finishing junior high school, she wanted to continue her studies but couldn’t afford it, so she worked in a printing factory. Over the years, she became more attractive, which led many young men to pursue her. She fell in love with a young man, but when the political movement escalated, his family’s background forced him to marry someone else. Heartbroken, Yang Qiuyue was pressured by her family to marry again and agreed to marry Ke Jian, a worker from a meat processing factory.

There was no love between them, and Ke Jian was not as honest as the matchmaker had claimed. They had been married for over a year, yet Yang Qiuyue was still not pregnant, and the times she returned to her parents’ home could be counted on one hand. Whenever Qiuyue visited, she usually came back alone.

“I’m asking you a question, why aren’t you answering?” Wu Shulian asked, frowning.

“Mom, it’s rare for Qiuyue to come back, so don’t ask too many questions. Prepare lunch and let her eat before she leaves,” Yang Qiujin said.

Noticing something, Yang Qiujin, while her mother cooked and grumbled, pulled Qiuyue into the room where they used to sleep as children. They sat on the clean wooden bed that Wu Shulian often maintained, and Yang Qiujin asked quietly, “What’s going on between you and Ke Jian? Are you two having problems again? Are you still thinking about that Zhou guy?”

“No, that man betrayed me, I can’t think about him anymore.” Yang Qiuyue bit her lip, then seeing her sister’s concerned expression, hesitated before saying, “Sister, I want to divorce Ke Jian.”

“Divorce?” Yang Qiujin was taken aback. “Why?”

“Why else?” Yang Qiuyue said, biting her lip. “Ke Jian seems honest and dull, but he’s actually very calculating. He always thinks I had an affair with Zhou Shihuai. Since our wedding night, he hasn’t touched me. He tortures and humiliates me every day, trying to force me to admit that I slept with Zhou Shihuai.”

“Is that true?!” Yang Qiujin’s eyes widened. “Why didn’t you say something earlier?”

“It wouldn’t have made a difference. This is my fault. I didn’t have my period on our wedding night.” Yang Qiuyue spoke with embarrassment, exhaustion showing on her face. “At first, I thought he didn’t understand such things, so I even tried to take the initiative, but he ended up scolding me for being shameless and kicked me out of the room. Since then, we’ve slept separately—he’s in the bed, and I sleep on the floor.”

“You poor girl, how could you handle all this alone?” Yang Qiujin, seeing the dark circles under her eyes, pulled her into an embrace, gently patting her back. “Ke Jian is a piece of garbage! How dare he treat you like that? He’s an educated worker in the city, doesn’t he know that many women don’t bleed the first time? What does this have to do with Zhou Shihuai? How has he tortured you? I’ll go to the Ke family with you and demand justice! After that, we’ll get you a divorce.”

Feeling the warmth of her sister’s embrace, like when they were little and their father had beaten them, Yang Qiuyue blushed and began to cry softly. “Sister, don’t try to get justice. You know me—I won’t let myself be wronged. I just want a divorce, but he won’t agree. He believes I cheated on him, wants to get back the betrothal gifts he gave us, and demands compensation for mental distress. I won’t agree, so I’ve been dragging things out.”

The Ke family gave Qiuyue a betrothal gift of 68 yuan and 16 legs of something as a gift. Qiuyue brought all these gifts to her in-laws’ house, and Wu Shulian kept the money. But Qiuyue suspected her father must have persuaded her mother to give him the money, spending it all until nothing remained.

Yang Qiuyue had earned 28 yuan a month before. Logically, she should have lived comfortably. However, when the Great Movement ^[3]refers to a political campaign causing national turmoil. began last year, the city went into chaos, and many factories shut down, including the printing factory where she worked.

The factory’s situation was poor, and only senior employees remained. The semi-new employees, like Qiuyue, stayed home, waiting for the movement to end and for things to return to normal.

Yang Qiuyue had not worked for over a year. Most of her earnings were given to Wu Shulian to pay off family debts. Now, she only had ten yuan left.

Yang Qiuyue wiped her tears and said, “It’s fine, I have some money. If you really want me to leave him, I’ll give you as much money as you need. I won’t let you suffer in that family anymore.”

“Sister.” Having endured a year of injustice in the Ke family and never telling her family, Yang Qiuyue finally broke down in tears, sobbing in Yang Qiujin’s arms. “You’re the only one who truly cares for me, the only one who understands me. But sister, if mom and dad knew I wanted a divorce, they wouldn’t approve. Dad cares too much about face; he’d be ashamed if I divorced and might even beat me. Mom’s soft-hearted and would cry every day, begging me not to divorce…”

This is where Yang Qiuyue and Yang Qiujin differ. Yang Qiujin understands her parents well. No matter how they try to manipulate or guilt-trip her, she won’t compromise.

Yang Qiuyue, however, isn’t as tough. Though she won’t let her parents affect her, she can’t ignore them, especially her mother, who gave birth to her and raised her through hardship.

When she went to work, Wu Shulian asked Qiuyue to use her salary to pay off her father’s debts. Qiuyue refused, but her mother’s tears convinced her, and she paid.

There’s a second time after the first. Now, when Qiuyue is facing problems and has no money, she understands her sister’s point about “mud cannot be helped against the wall” ^[4]is a saying meaning “there’s no point in trying to change something hopeless”..

“You want a divorce, that’s your business. Don’t tell your parents.” Yang Qiujin said calmly. “The eldest sister is like a mother. Just give me a time, and I’ll go with you to the Ke family to get the divorce. Don’t tell mom and dad. It’s useless for them to cry or argue afterward. You need to remember: your life is yours. If you want to live it, don’t worry about anyone else!”

Yang Qiuyue stopped crying and stared at her sister in silence.

The cloudy sky cleared, and a beam of sunlight entered through the window, shining on Yang Qiujin’s face. Her honey-colored skin was calm and serene under the light, like a clear lake—so beautiful, it drew people in and made them feel at ease.

“Sister, you’re so beautiful.” Yang Qiuyue suddenly sighed.

Yang Qiujin smiled. “Of course, I’m beautiful. You don’t need to tell me that. Actually, you’re prettier than me. Your skin is whiter than mine. With your looks, you’ll find it easy to remarry after the divorce. Don’t overthink it.”

Yang Qiuyue smiled through her tears. Would she get married again after the divorce? Probably not. After being betrayed and despised by two men, she had lost all hope in men.

While the two sisters were talking in the room, Wu Shulian rushed in, panicked. “Qiu’er, hurry, go back to your in-laws’ house. Your husband is back! Your eldest son-in-law has returned! Your mother-in-law sent someone to fetch you!”

It felt like something had struck her heart. Yang Qiujin stared blankly at Wu Shulian, her lips repeating in disbelief, “My man is back, my man is back?”

“Yes!” Wu Shulian exclaimed joyfully. “I heard he came back in a big military jeep. It was so impressive! Everyone in the production team went to your house to see him! Oh, Qiu’er, you’ve finally made it. You’ll be the officer’s wife and live a life of endless blessings. Mom is so happy for you!”

“Sister, don’t just stand there, let’s go home quickly.” Yang Qiuyue was ecstatic for her sister. Seeing her still in a daze, she hurriedly pushed Yang Qiujin out of the yard.