Chapter 5: Returning to the Brigade

This group of kidnappers had a wide network, with many higher-ups and accomplices. Their commune had only caught four of them, and the rest had to be handed over to the city’s public security bureau for further investigation.

Because of this, Liu Tao and the officers were extremely busy and left immediately after questioning Mu Mian.

By now, it was getting late. Xu Lele and the other young boy finally woke up one after the other—only to be greeted with a shot in the butt.

The two children cried so loudly that even Mu Mian felt an ache in her own butt just from watching them.

Since the spring plowing wasn’t over yet, the brigade leader, Xu Yongshou, also had a lot of work to do. He had already spent a full day dealing with this, and he couldn’t afford to delay any longer. Seeing that it was late, he decided to return to the brigade.

Liu Guizhi stayed behind to look after Xu Lele since the child needed to be observed for another night.

As for Mu Mian’s side, Liu Shuangcui insisted that Old Lady Zhao and the others go back as well.

The old lady was reluctant to leave, but after staying up all night yesterday and running around all day today—on top of helping deliver her youngest daughter-in-law’s baby the day before—she was utterly exhausted. Compared to her son and daughter-in-law, she really wasn’t needed here.

Mu Fugui, however, didn’t go back. Since the slaughterhouse was in the commune, he figured he might as well spend the night at the hospital. That way, he could head straight to work in the morning without making an extra trip.

Over on the boy’s side, his grandmother and older brother stayed behind. The two siblings huddled together, looking close.

Once everyone else left, the hospital room became much quieter.

The hospital had a cafeteria, so when dinner time came, Liu Shuangcui and Liu Guizhi went to fetch food.

Mu Fugui had originally planned to buy some meat buns from the state-run restaurant, but considering that his daughter hadn’t fully recovered yet, he decided it was better to keep her diet light for now. He had no choice but to give up on the idea.

After dinner, night fell quickly.

At this time, the brigade still didn’t have electricity. The hospital did, but the light bulbs were dim, and they would be switched off soon after dark.

Mu Fugui arranged a few rickety stools together and lay down beside Mu Mian’s bed.

Meanwhile, Mu Mian and her mother squeezed onto the small hospital bed. Though it wasn’t big, it was just enough for the two of them if they huddled close.

However, Mu Mian had slept a lot during the day, so now she found it difficult to fall asleep. The other two children were the same.

In the darkness, the three families chatted in hushed voices.

Xu Lele’s fever had completely subsided, and she was much more energetic now.

Perhaps because her mother was beside her, she seemed braver than before. She started chattering about how Mu Mian had fought off the kidnappers.

Children’s thoughts were scattered; one moment, she talked about this, and the next, she talked about that. She actually didn’t know much about what had happened, but that didn’t stop her from rambling on and on.

Mu Mian listened with amusement.

In her memory, since her family lived close to the brigade leader’s house—and Xu Lele was the only girl in her family—she often came over to play.

Whenever they were together, it was always Xu Lele doing most of the talking.

Mu Mian originally just listened quietly, but when Xu Lele paused for breath, she suddenly felt a light touch on her head.

Then, her mother’s soft voice sounded above her, “How did you come up with the idea to trick the kidnappers into giving you fever medicine?”

Mu Mian froze.

Xu Lele hadn’t even mentioned that part just now.

That little girl had been unconscious at the time, so clearly, her mother had wanted to ask this question for a while.

Mu Mian lifted her head slightly and looked toward Liu Shuangcui in the darkness. “I was burning up and feeling awful. I needed medicine.”

It was a vague answer—one that didn’t really explain anything.

Mu Mian blinked.

In her memories, she had always been perceived as dull and slow. But she knew she couldn’t pretend to be quiet and obedient all the time—it simply wasn’t in her nature. That’s why she never planned to keep up the act.

Lying on the stools, Mu Fugui couldn’t turn over due to the limited space. Instead, he turned his head to look at his wife and daughter, laughing heartily. “My daughter is so smart!!”

Then he added in a hushed voice to Liu Shuangcui, “If you’re still worried, we can ask the doctor to check on her again tomorrow.”

Come to think of it, they had taken her to a doctor before—back when they noticed that she spoke late.

And what did the doctor say back then?

Oh right, he said it was normal, that some children just developed later.

But his wife hadn’t felt reassured, so she and his mother went to see a monk instead.

They had heard that the monk was very spiritual.

Mu Fugui had no idea whether it was true or not, but he remembered that the monk had rambled on about a bunch of things he didn’t understand. The only part that stuck with him was the last sentence—something about destiny and future blessings.

Looking at things now, that monk really did seem to have some foresight.

His daughter had suffered a hardship and come out of it sharper than before.

Wasn’t that exactly what they called a blessing after surviving a disaster?

Oh right! What was that saying again?

Oh yes! Great misfortunes lead to great blessings!

Liu Shuangcui glanced at the simple-minded, muscle-brained man lying on the bench and said nothing.

She wasn’t worried.

No matter what, her daughter would always be her daughter.

—

The hospital at night was far from quiet. In the middle of the night, a woman experiencing a difficult labor was rushed in, causing quite a commotion. She had been struggling to give birth at home for half a day before being sent to the hospital in an emergency.

After being woken up once, Mu Mian didn’t sleep well for the rest of the night. She drifted in and out of dreams, sometimes reliving her past life, sometimes her current one, tangled together in a way that was impossible to sort out.

When she woke up in the morning, she was momentarily disoriented, unsure of what day it was.

Mu Fugui had been about to leave for the slaughterhouse, but when he saw the expression on his daughter’s face, he immediately grew nervous. He walked over, placed his large hand on her forehead, and asked anxiously, “Are you running a fever again?”

Mu Mian snapped out of her daze and looked at her father. She shook her head and said, “No fever.”

She even gave him a big smile.

If the past was too tangled to make sense of, then so be it. There was no need to dwell on it. No matter what, this was her home now, wasn’t it?

—

After another meal at the hospital cafeteria, Liu Shuangcui and Liu Guizhi prepared to take their children home.

Mu Mian and Xu Lele, one eight years old and the other seven, were at an age where, as people here would say, children had “found their footing.” They were like sturdy little calves, full of energy and quick to recover.

By contrast, the little boy in the other hospital bed was not as strong. He had developed another fever that morning, likely because he had been drugged more heavily by the traffickers. He needed to stay in the hospital for another day.

He was a small, pitiful-looking child, looking listless and frail. Even though he didn’t remember being carried away by Mu Mian when she escaped the traffickers’ den, he had taken a strong liking to this pretty older sister.

When he saw that Mu Mian was leaving, he clung to her, unwilling to let her go.

As an adult trapped in the body of an eight-year-old, Mu Mian couldn’t help but soften at the thought of what could have happened to him. If he had really been taken away and sold off to some remote place, his life would have been filled with suffering. With that in mind, she comforted and played with him for a while.

A few minutes later, just as they were about to leave, they ran into the little boy’s mother. She was carrying several large bags.

Mu Mian had only learned last night that the boy’s mother’s surname was Wang. She wasn’t just an ordinary textile factory worker—she was an accountant, someone who managed money.

Accountant Wang repeatedly expressed her gratitude, saying how lucky they were to have caught up in time. As she spoke, she handed over the bags to Liu Shuangcui, thanking Mu Mian profusely.

It wasn’t just about the fact that Mu Mian had fought off the traffickers. She had also taken her son with her when she ran. That alone was enough for them to be deeply grateful.

Yesterday, all her focus had been on her child, so she hadn’t mentioned anything. But once she got home, she immediately prepared gifts to show her appreciation.

At first, Liu Shuangcui naturally refused to accept them.

Mu Mian then got to watch a lively back-and-forth as the two adults argued over it. It was quite the spectacle.

But when she heard the boy’s grandmother suggest that he kneel and kowtow to her as thanks, Mu Mian was the one waving her hands frantically in refusal. Her little hands nearly left afterimages in the air.

They were respectable people—there was no need for that.

In the end, the matter was settled with Liu Shuangcui accepting the gifts.

—

After leaving the hospital, the four of them didn’t linger in town. It was the busy farming season, and planting was the top priority.

With the children in good health, the two adults were eager to return home.

Mu Mian followed closely behind her mother, taking in her surroundings as they walked. She carefully observed the old-fashioned streets and buildings, soaking in the atmosphere of this era.

To the people in their brigade, those living in the commune were already considered “city folks.”

But in reality, the commune wasn’t much different. Everything was still covered in a layer of dull gray.

Their Qingfeng Brigade belonged to Hongxing Commune, the largest one in the county, and was relatively well-developed. Occasionally, they even saw people riding bicycles.

Mu Mian’s family didn’t own a bicycle, nor did they have an ox cart.

Although the brigade had oxen, they were all being used for work in the fields at this time of year. No one could spare them for transportation.

In this era, oxen were one of the brigade’s most valuable assets. They were incredibly precious—overworking them was simply not an option.

Qingfeng Brigade was about an hour’s walk from Hongxing Commune. By the time they reached the brigade entrance, it was nearly noon.

From a distance, Mu Mian spotted her home. Smoke was rising from the chimney—it was clear that her grandmother was cooking.

Her house was located about fifty meters away from the brigade leader’s home. Since most people were still out working in the fields, they didn’t encounter many people along the way. They only saw a few children here and there.

When they reached the fork in the road where they would part ways, Xu Lele turned to Mu Mian and said, “Sister Mianmian, after lunch, I’ll come find you. Let’s go pick mushrooms!”

Before Mu Mian could respond, Liu Guizhi’s face darkened. “Pick what? You stay at home! No running off to the mountains again!”

The news that traffickers had come through the mountains had given the people in the brigade a huge scare. Just thinking about it still made Liu Guizhi anxious.

Xu Lele pouted unhappily.

Mu Mian smiled and said, “We can play at home instead.”

Her own mother hadn’t said anything, but Mu Mian could see the same warning in her eyes that Liu Guizhi had just given.

She actually wasn’t planning on going into the mountains either. What she wanted most was to take a proper look at the house where she would be spending the next several years. Seeing it with her own eyes was different from relying on memories.

As the mother and daughter arrived at their doorstep, they saw the elderly woman tending to the family’s small private plot of land.

Hearing their approach, Zhao Meihua turned and looked at her granddaughter first.

Mu Mian immediately patted her chest and said, “I’m all better now, Grandma!”

Liu Shuangcui chuckled and reassured her mother-in-law, “She’s just about fully recovered. She walked the whole way back on her own. Meanwhile, Lele had to be carried part of the way by Guizhi—poor Guizhi was exhausted.”

A seven-year-old girl was still quite heavy.

Zhao Meihua finally relaxed and echoed Liu Guizhi’s sentiment. “You still needs to take it easy. No running around for the next couple of days.”

Only then did she notice the bags in Liu Shuangcui’s hands. “Why are you carrying so much back?”

Liu Shuangcui carried the bags inside as she replied, “The little boy’s family gave them to us. I couldn’t refuse. I haven’t even looked inside yet—I don’t know what they gave us.”

Mu Mian naturally slipped into her room while her mother and grandmother were talking.

In the countryside during these times, children were numerous, and most families had to squeeze together in limited living space. Many would only get a room of their own after getting married.

Some poorer families might not even have a separate room by then. They would simply divide an existing space and make do.

The Mu family, however, did not face such difficulties. They did not have many children, and their financial situation was relatively stable.

Their house had been renovated just last year when conditions improved. In the previous years, everyone had been more focused on filling their stomachs. When food was scarce, housing naturally became a lower priority.

Before the renovation, Mu Mian used to sleep with her grandmother. Last year, when the house was remodeled, a separate room was specially built for her.

Her room was right next to her older brother Mu Zhuo’s room. It was not big but neatly arranged. At the head of her bed was a wooden chest that her father had made for her. Inside, she kept a few small trinkets and… ten cents.

And not even a full ten-cent coin—just ten individual one-cent coins.

They were all from the lucky money she had received during the New Year and other holidays. Some close relatives gave more, but anything significant had been taken by Comrade Liu Shuangcui. Only these one-cent coins were left for her to keep.

Looking at her entire fortune, Mu Mian: “………………”

She was so poor!

It felt like she had gone back to square one overnight!

Just then, Liu Shuangcui came in to call her for lunch. Seeing her staring into the wooden chest, she asked curiously, “What are you doing? Thinking about buying some candy?”

Mu Mian shook her head. “No, I was just checking if it was still there.”

Liu Shuangcui laughed. “Who else would come in and take from your chest? Hurry up and put it away, come eat!”

Mu Mian jumped off the bed. “Coming, coming!”

Lunch consisted of coarse cornbread, sweet potatoes, and wild vegetables. Rice and flour-based foods were considered luxuries that could only be enjoyed occasionally. Even so, their meals were already better than many others.

After all, the family had Mu Fugui, who worked at a slaughterhouse. Occasionally, he could bring home some scraps or bones.

Some families were so poor that they only had meat during the New Year or after an exhausting autumn harvest.

Because Mu Mian had suffered a hardship, Zhao Meihua steamed an extra egg just for her.

The old lady was a skilled cook, and the egg custard came out perfectly tender—not too firm, not too watery.

But Mu Mian could not bring herself to eat it alone. She shared it, spoonful by spoonful, with her mother and grandmother before finally taking her own portion.

After the meal, there was still some time before everyone had to head to work. Mu Mian wanted to help wash the dishes, but her grandmother shooed her away to watch her mother organize some things instead.

The thank-you gifts from the little boy’s family were packed into three cloth bags.

One bag contained a can of malted milk powder and some red sugar biscuits.

The other two were filled with fabric—two large pieces, each about five or six feet long.

The last bag held canned fruit and a new pair of children’s shoes, exactly in Mu Mian’s size.

Liu Shuangcui clicked her tongue in amazement. “This must have cost quite a bit!”

Just the can of malted milk powder alone was expensive and often unavailable at the supply and marketing cooperative.

Zhao Meihua remained calm. “It was given to Mian girl. Just accept it properly.”

Mu Mian did not have a childhood nickname, but the elders in the family liked calling her “Mian Ya.” In the countryside, girls were often addressed this way. Some did not even have formal names and were simply called by their birth order—First Girl, Second Girl, and so on. Sometimes, several girls would respond to the same name.

Liu Shuangcui held up the blue fabric against Mu Mian. “It looks nice. Should be enough for two outfits.”

Mu Mian stood happily, letting her mother compare and measure the fabric against her.

This was great!

She might only have ten cents to her name, but had she not just earned some new things through her own ability?!