After the others had left, Zhao Datian said to Sun Xiuhe, “Alright, let’s go check the grain!”

Seeing this, Sun Xiuhe reluctantly led the others into the inner room.

In the corner of the room, several bags of grain were stacked.

All of it was corn kernels.

Zhao Datian took a scale and asked Wang Qingsong to lend a hand, weighing the grain.

The total came to 164 and a half catties.

It sounded like a lot, but this amount of grain had to last until the summer harvest in May or June, which was still over four months away.

For four people, that meant about ten catties per month.

Calculated further, that was about three taels per day, roughly the size of a fist—this was the daily ration.

As for Wang Qingsong, since he had a ration at school, the production team naturally didn’t count him in.

After finishing, Zhao Datian said to Sun Xiuhe, “A total of 164 and a half catties. Divided among the four of you, that’s 41 catties each. Right?”

Sun Xiuhe reluctantly nodded.

Seeing her nod, Zhao Datian found a sack and began portioning out 41 catties of grain.

It didn’t take long to finish.

“Alright, Qingsong, this is your grain. Take it yourself. I’ll wait here for you to get the rest of your things.”

“Ah, got it. Thank you, Third Grandpa.”

After hearing this, Wang Qingsong happily shouldered the grain and left.

He carried the grain to Widow Feng’s house.

She was surprised: “Qingsong, it’s already been divided so quickly?”

Wang Qingsong smiled and nodded, “Yes, it’s done. I’ll go get the rest of my things and leave them here for now.”

Widow Feng nodded, “Alright, go ahead. Your things won’t get lost here.”

“Ah, okay, I’ll head over now!”

After saying this, he bid farewell and left.

When he returned, he made a trip to transport the quilts and clothes.

Finally, he packed some miscellaneous items into a wooden crate and carried the large crate back to Widow Feng’s house.

By now, he was exhausted, mainly because he was a bit hungry and feeling uneasy.

However, he still left again, heading back to Sun Xiuhe’s house to retrieve the thermos he had forgotten.

Seeing that everything had been taken, he left the house without looking back.

After coming out, Wang Qingsong waited outside.

Soon, Zhao Datian caught up, carrying a lantern.

Zhao Datian approached and signaled for him to walk, then asked while smoking his pipe, “Have you figured out where you’re sleeping tonight?”

“Yes, I’ve arranged to sleep at Widow Feng’s place.”

Wang Qingsong responded, then hesitated before asking, “Third Grandpa, can I ask you something? What did the other families who went to Old Wang Xi’s house encounter?”

Although the village had been gossiping about it for over a decade, it was all hearsay.

Everyone had their own vivid stories.

He wanted to ask about the experiences of others.

Hearing his question, Zhao Datian thought he was scared and laughed, “What’s the matter? Are you afraid? If you ask me, you shouldn’t stay in that house.”

“Oh, so there really are ghosts in there? Are the villagers’ stories true?”

Wang Qingsong asked nervously, staring at him.

Zhao Datian thought for a moment and shook his head, “How should I put it? Actually, there’s nothing there. The families who moved in all heard noises in the house and got too scared to stay. But if you ask if anyone actually saw anything, no one could say for sure.”

“Was it at night or during the day?”

“Some at night, some during the day, some in the middle of the night—there’s no clear pattern.”

After hearing this, Wang Qingsong nodded slightly and continued, “Wasn’t that place used as a warehouse before? What did the militiamen who guarded it say?”

“Them? They said the same thing! They heard noises too, but after searching, they found nothing. Some were brave, some were scared, and eventually, the house was abandoned.”

Zhao Datian said this while holding the lantern.

Hearing this, Wang Qingsong felt uneasy.

Had no one else had the same experience as him?
Or were there people who encountered something but didn’t want to talk about it?

This made him feel strange.

Another question lingered in his mind: he had spent a long time there, so why had so little time passed here after he returned?
Although he didn’t know the exact time, he figured it couldn’t have been long.

What was going on?

The unknown is always frightening.

This made him think of an article from his textbook, “The Peach Blossom Spring.”

Could it be that he had also stumbled upon such a place?
With these doubts, the two of them arrived home.

“Brother!”

As soon as they returned, Xiao Mai rushed into his arms.

Only Li Guizhi was left in the main room; the others had already gone to sleep.

Li Guizhi looked at him and smiled, “Xiao Mai is so attached to you. I told her to sleep with Hua Hua, but she refused, insisting on waiting for you to come back.”

Then she turned to her husband, “How did it go? Is everything settled?”

Zhao Datian took off his dog-fur hat and nodded, “Yes, it’s done. From now on, Qingsong will be on his own. Oh, wait a moment, I’ll write you a certificate so you can go to the commune to buy a wok.”

After saying this, he went into the room.

He returned shortly after.

Sitting in the main room under the dim light of a kerosene lamp, he began writing.

Li Guizhi looked at the two of them and sighed, “You don’t have any money, and a wok costs money too. A large iron wok costs one yuan and eighty cents!”

Wang Qingsong smiled, “Third Grandma, it’s fine. My second brother gave me some money.”

His second brother had a very wealthy father-in-law in the city, something the whole village knew about.

At the time, many people had scorned him.

How could he marry the daughter of a capitalist?

As for why a wealthy person would choose his second brother, Wang Qinghe, he had heard his brother proudly explain it.

Because he was “red” through and through!

They wanted to use his “redness” to bring good fortune!
It seemed many capitalists in the city did the same thing.

Hearing this, Li Guizhi nodded and didn’t say anything more.

Wang Qingsong remembered that he needed a certificate to go to the city for medical treatment the next day, so he explained the situation to Zhao Datian.

Zhao Datian sighed but didn’t say anything.

After finishing the document, he stamped it with the official seal and handed it to him.

“Alright, take this and don’t lose it. If you’re not staying here tonight, I won’t keep you. If you have nowhere else to go, you can come back.”

Wang Qingsong took the document and nodded.

“Thank you, Third Grandpa. We’ll head out now.”

At this hour, they would usually already be asleep.

After bidding farewell, the two left Zhao Datian’s courtyard and headed toward Widow Feng’s place.

“Brother, where are we going?”

“To Widow Feng’s house. I’ve arranged for you to stay with her for a while. Once we get Old Wang Xi’s house ready, we’ll move there.”

Xiao Mai was a bit scared when she heard this.

“Ah, to Xiao Zao’s house? She’s so fierce. I’m afraid she’ll hit me.”

Then she thought about Old Wang Xi’s house and asked timidly, “Brother, are we really going to live in a haunted house? I’m scared!”

Wang Qingsong was also feeling a headache.

It’s not just you who’s scared—I’m scared too!

After thinking for a moment, he said, “How about this: you stay at Widow Feng’s place for now, and I’ll figure something out, okay? When you’re there, be obedient. No matter what they eat, don’t ask for any. Just eat the grain I’ve prepared for you, understand?”

“Okay!”

Xiao Mai nodded obediently.

“Brother, let me carry some of that for you.”

Xiao Mai looked at the things in his hands and offered.

Wang Qingsong rubbed her head and smiled, “It’s fine. This stuff isn’t heavy. Can you walk?”

Xiao Mai blinked her eyes and said obediently, “Yes, I just ate some cornbread. I can walk.”

Seeing this, Wang Qingsong chuckled and took her little hand, leading her toward Widow Feng’s house.

---

Being “red” means Wang Qinghe was considered politically trustworthy, coming from a “good” class background (such as a peasant or worker family) and actively supporting the Communist ideology. Marrying someone with strong “red” credentials was a way for wealthier families (often labeled as “capitalists” or “class enemies”) to improve their social and political standing. By aligning with someone “red,” they could reduce political persecution and gain some level of protection.

This was a common strategy during the Cultural Revolution when “class struggle” dictated social status and opportunities.