Chapter 8

“Yes, if you want to sever family ties, then you need to hand over money and food coupons.”

Li Chunhua stood with her hands on her hips, her greed unmasked. “Just treat it as your money for our retirement.”

“Retirement? Hahaha…”

Leng Xue laughed as if she had heard the biggest joke in the world. “Before Leng Tianbao was even born, weren’t you the one constantly saying that without a son, no one would care for you in old age? So what now? Suddenly you want your daughter to support you?”

It was the 1970s, before the one-child policy, and families typically kept having children until they had a son.

“Li Chunhua, don’t push Zhaodi too far. Not just in the Ankang Brigade, even in the whole Moonlight Commune, I’ve never heard of daughters supporting their parents in old age.”

“That’s right. Only Old Man Li in the neighboring brigade had five daughters and no sons. That’s the only reason the two old folks had their five daughters take turns supporting them.”

The commune members scoffed at Li Chunhua’s words.

Leng Xue continued, “You raise me when I’m little, and I support you when you’re old — whether it’s a son or daughter, they should care for their aging parents. But what about you two? Other than giving birth to me, did you ever raise me a single day?”

According to the records from the Light Ball, Leng Zhaodi surviving was nothing short of a miracle.

Right after she was born, Leng Daguai almost drowned her. Although Li Chunhua stopped him, since she was a girl, Li Chunhua didn’t even feed her milk.

It was her eldest sister, Leng Laidi, who begged some rice water from a better-off household to feed her. That’s how she barely clung to life.

“I-I gave you…” Li Chunhua stammered, unable to refute it.

If you must put it that way, Leng Zhaodi was raised by Leng Laidi until the age of three. After that, she survived by working for work points and eating wild fruits.

As for clothes, she had never worn a single new item. Everything was patched up from old rags of Li Chunhua or Leng Daguai.

“Alright then. Since Comrade Xiao Leng has made up her mind, we’ll officially sever family ties.”

Tan Sanyong, who had barely spoken until now, made the final decision. As a man, he was more open-minded. He figured even if she didn’t marry, she could stand on her own — better than continuing to suffer in the Leng family.

“As for housing, Comrade Xiao Leng, you can temporarily stay in the same room with the educated youth in the brigade.”

By 1979, most of the educated youth were returning to the cities — either through college admissions or family connections. Only two female educated youth had only finished junior high and couldn’t go the university route.

With many brothers in their families and overcrowding at home, their parents felt it was better to leave them in the countryside and no longer cared about them.

“Thank you, Brigade Leader,” Leng Zhaodi expressed her gratitude.

“Brigade Leader, this isn’t right…” Leng Daguai of course objected. Now that Leng Zhaodi was potentially worth money, they couldn’t sever ties at such a critical moment.

But before he could finish, Leng Zhaodi picked up a hoe from the ground and threatened coldly, “If you don’t agree, then today I’ll die with you all.”

She pointed directly at Leng Tianbao like a demon from hell. “He’ll be the first one I kill.”

At the same time, Leng Xue secretly used a small bit of her ice ability, forming a tiny shard of ice that hit Leng Tianbao in the stomach.

As a double-S class ability user, Leng Xue had mastered her power. She could control ice so precisely that the shard turned to gas upon impact, leaving no trace behind.

“Waaaaah…”

The sharp pain from the ice made Leng Tianbao cry loudly, clutching Li Chunhua.

“It hurts, it hurts so bad…”

No one saw what Leng Xue did. They just assumed he had been frightened.

Leng Daguai said, “Tianbao, you’re already in your teens. Why are you crying again? Stop it.”

But Leng Tianbao was in real pain and sobbed uncontrollably in Li Chunhua’s arms.

Li Chunhua was heartbroken and feared that if Zhaodi stayed, her precious youngest son would live in fear. She reluctantly agreed, “Fine, we’ll sever ties today. Right now. Just pretend I never gave birth to a white-eyed wolf like you.”

Leng Daguai, afraid that Zhaodi really might kill someone, also nodded. “Fine, we’ll sever ties. But that large-denomination note of hers stays, and this year’s work points count under our family.”

“And the grain rations distributed at the end of the year must be counted under our household too,” Li Chunhua added while comforting Tianbao.

“Li Chunhua, you two are truly wicked,” Zhang Aizhen couldn’t hold back and cursed loudly.

“If you take both the food and the work points, what will Zhaodi eat? Starve to death? Absolutely not! Last year’s rations — the share that belonged to Zhaodi — must also be returned!”

Leng Xue looked at the righteous Zhang Aizhen. After seeing so much cruelty in the post-apocalyptic world, this simple kindness warmed her heart a little.

So there was still human decency in this world.

It was currently July in the solar calendar. From now until December was over five months. The Ankang Brigade had a good harvest. An adult man could get 360 jin of grain per year, a woman 300 jin.

“Leng Daguai, go get 140 jin of grain for Comrade Xiao Leng,” Tan Sanyong ordered directly. It was hot, and he didn’t have the energy to argue.

Leng Daguai was clearly reluctant, but Tan Sanyong said coldly, “If you won’t do it, I’ll get the militia to help move it.”

Ankang Brigade had many people, and being decisive was necessary to maintain order.

Hearing this, Leng Daguai didn’t dare resist. He obediently fetched two sacks of rice, totaling 140 jin, and dumped them at Leng Xue’s feet.

“Zhaodi, go pack up your clothes, bedding, and sheets. I’ll borrow a handcart to take you to the educated youth compound,” Zhang Aizhen took charge.

Leng Xue nodded. According to the Light Ball, Leng Daguai and Li Chunhua doted on Leng Tianbao and spent every cent on him. The family had no savings.

Being able to get back grain today, with the help of the brigade leader and women’s director, was already fortunate.

So Leng Xue decisively went to pack up — one set of clothes, an old quilt, and a tattered sheet.

That was the best she could find in the Leng household, as nearly everything had gone to pampering Tianbao.

When she finished and stepped outside, Zhang Aizhen had already arrived with the borrowed handcart.

Now that things had reached this point, Leng Daguai didn’t dare say anything more. He obediently wrote three copies of the severance letter — one for him, one for Leng Xue, and one kept by the brigade leader as a witness.

From then on, Leng Xue had nothing more to do with that family.

Tan Sanyong kept the document, then issued an introduction letter for Leng Xue so she could register a new household tomorrow at the commune.

“Brigade Leader, I want to change my name. Can you write it on the certificate?”

The name “Zhaodi” was indeed unpleasant. Tan Sanyong nodded. “What do you want to change it to?”

“Leng Xue. The ‘Xue’ as in snow.”

Leng Zhaodi was born in the twelfth lunar month. Tan Sanyong assumed it had snowed that day, so he didn’t question it and simply wrote the new name “Leng Xue” on the letter.

After finishing the paperwork, Tan Sanyong planned to accompany her to the educated youth point and explain the situation to the two girls, so he helped pull the handcart.

“Old Tan, head home first. I’ll grab some rice and pick a few vegetables for Leng Xue,” Zhang Aizhen offered.

Grain was distributed as unhulled rice for easier storage. When the members needed to eat it, they would use the brigade’s rice-milling machine.

It was already around 3 or 4 in the afternoon, too late to mill the rice, so Zhang Aizhen kindly went to fetch some cooked rice.

“Thank you, Director Zhang. I’ll return it tomorrow after I’ve milled some,” Leng Xue said sweetly.

“You’re such a sensible child,” Zhang Aizhen replied with a smile.

Soon they arrived at the Tan household. Zhang Aizhen quickly packed some rice, picked vegetables from the garden, and even added two loofahs, filling the basket completely.

The three of them set off again. Just as they were approaching the educated youth compound, a sharp whistle sounded behind them.

They turned to see a clean-cut young man sticking his head out of a truck cab. He politely asked, “Comrades, could you tell me if Uncle Yuanbao’s home is up ahead?”