Chapter 10

Fang Hui glanced at Li Mingjie, his meaning clear: As a male comrade, you can’t let the female comrades ride the tractor while you take the jeep. Get out of the jeep now.

Li Mingjie naturally didn’t want to ride the tractor. The flatbed trailer it pulled had no cushions and looked terribly uncomfortable.

Moreover, Liu Quangui had mentioned earlier that he’d be hauling several bags of fertilizer on the way back. Li Mingjie had smelled fertilizer before—the stench could knock a person flat. Riding with that all the way back would be suffocating.

But in front of so many people, he couldn’t make the two women ride the tractor while he took the jeep. What if Liu Quangui was talkative and reported back to the farm leaders? Since he was new to the farm, he might get a reputation for seeking comfort and luxury.

If the leaders formed a negative impression of him, he’d miss out on future opportunities.

After quickly calculating his options, Li Mingjie stepped out of the jeep. “Female comrades aren’t as tough as male comrades,” he said. “Let them ride in the jeep. I’ll take the tractor.”

He felt quite noble and virtuous, expecting Yao Yujuan to praise him and express her gratitude.

To his surprise, Yao Yujuan reacted with displeasure, raising her voice. “Comrade Li, I must criticize you. Your thinking is flawed! What do you mean female comrades are no match for male comrades? Chairman Mao himself said, ‘Women hold up half the sky.’ Whatever male comrades can achieve, we female comrades can achieve as well.

“We came to the countryside to build a new agriculture, not to enjoy comforts. The greater the hardship, the more it demonstrates our determination and perseverance in dedicating ourselves to this cause. I insist you retract your statement. I will not ride in the jeep. I’ll join Comrade Liu Quangui on the tractor to the farm.”

Li Mingjie was stunned. He had offered her a comfortable ride out of kindness, yet she not only rejected it but also criticized him, slapping him with the label of “ideologically flawed.”

This is too much to handle.

Forcing a smile, Li Mingjie gave Yao Yujuan a thumbs-up. “Comrade Yao, your revolutionary consciousness is truly admirable. I’m ashamed of my own shortcomings and will strive to learn from you in the future.”

Liu Quangui, however, shot Yao Yujuan a sidelong glance, thinking, Is this woman crazy?

He had always despised the educated youths sent to their farm. Except for Lian Yanmei, the rest were all talk, spouting lofty ideals but proving useless when it came to actual work. They couldn’t carry a shoulder pole or lift a bucket, falling short even of Aunt Fang, the oldest woman on the farm, who could effortlessly carry a bag of fertilizer without even breaking a sweat.

The educated youths were useless, panting after every little task, like Lin Daiyu.

Not only were they incapable of hard work, but they were also a constant source of trouble, causing more problems than they solved. Yet they had the audacity to claim they were here to build a new agriculture.

Liu Quangui had never wanted to pick up the educated youths in the first place. Now, hearing Yao Yujuan spout her lofty ideals, he snapped, “Then why don’t you walk to the farm? Wouldn’t that better demonstrate your unwavering commitment to building a new agriculture?”

Liu Quangui’s retort was just a casual jab, but Yao Yujuan immediately seized on it. “Comrade Liu Quangui, that’s an excellent suggestion! I won’t ride the tractor after all. I’ll walk to the farm to show our comrades there the indomitable spirit of us women—our fearlessness of hardship and fatigue!”

Noticing Ye Huan craning her neck to listen, Yao Yujuan pointed at her. “You there! Let’s go together! We’ll prove to the men that our blood runs just as hot! We women are no less capable than they are!”

Ye Huan was thoroughly enjoying the spectacle.

Their home was near the neighborhood committee office, where loudspeakers blared these slogans day and night. The speakers sounded like they were on some kind of stimulant, their voices ringing with impassioned fervor.

Yao Yujuan’s fervor even surpassed the loudspeakers’.

While the loudspeaker only broadcast sound, Yao Yujuan’s performance included expressive gestures and dramatic movements, making it quite a spectacle.

Ye Huan, witnessing this for the first time, was thoroughly engrossed until Yao Yujuan suddenly called her out by name.

Though Ye Huan wanted to prove that female comrades were just as capable as their male counterparts, she still preferred riding in the truck. There would be plenty of opportunities to prove herself later; today wasn’t the day.

“I have heavy luggage,” Ye Huan said. “If I can’t carry it halfway, it’ll cause trouble. I won’t walk to the farm with you.”

Afraid Yao Yujuan would persist, she quickly retreated into the truck, rolled up the windows, and huddled in her seat, leaving only her eyes visible as she watched through the glass.

Gu Cheng nearly laughed but managed to suppress it.

Yao Yujuan sighed regretfully. “If you don’t want to, fine. But I think we female comrades shouldn’t be so delicate. We should face challenges head-on, not fear them. If the luggage is too heavy, we can take it slow. I’m strong; I can help carry it if needed…”

Fang Hui was thoroughly exasperated by this girl. He now regretted offering Yao Yujuan a ride.

If you want to walk, go ahead. If you want to be an ‘Iron Girl,’ be one yourself! Why drag Comrade Ye into this?!

Fang Hui interrupted Yao Yujuan before she could finish speaking. “Comrade Yao Yujuan, our Commander just returned, and the troops have a mountain of tasks awaiting him. We can’t afford to delay. If you’re not riding with us, we’ll be leaving now.”

Without waiting for her reply, Fang Hui leaped into the jeep in three quick strides.

Li Mingjie, afraid of being left behind, scrambled after him.

Once inside, Fang Hui urged Gu Cheng repeatedly, “Commander, Commander, hurry up and drive! Hurry up and drive!”

He was desperate to leave before Yao Yujuan changed her mind and insisted on riding with them.

Gu Cheng started the engine, slammed his foot on the accelerator, and the jeep executed a perfect drift as it sped away, vanishing in the blink of an eye.

Yao Yujuan, standing nearby, was enveloped in a cloud of dust kicked up by the departing vehicle.

……

Unfazed, she wiped her face, retrieved her luggage from the room—a single large duffel bag—slung it over her shoulder, and turned to Director Wan. “Director Wan, I’m leaving too. Comrade Liu Quangui, I’ll see you at the farm.”

Ever optimistic, she added to Liu Quangui, “I might even get there before you!”

Liu Quangui, witnessing such a person for the first time, was stunned into speechlessness. He stammered, “Y-you’re really planning to walk to the farm? And you think you’ll get there before me?!”

The farm was about five kilometers from town, and she was still carrying her luggage. By the time she got back, it would be dark.

His main task for coming to town today was to pick up the educated youth. He couldn’t possibly let Yao Yujuan walk all the way to the farm; the farm director would scold him if he found out.

Though he was thoroughly annoyed by Yao Yujuan, he patiently called out to her, “Comrade Yao, are you sure about this? The farm isn’t close—it’s about five kilometers away.”

Yao Yujuan retorted, “Who do you think you’re talking to? Ten kilometers is nothing! I could endure a two-hundred-kilometer test!”

Liu Quangui paused, then replied, “…Fine, then endure your test!”

Exasperated, Liu Quangui stuffed the rag in his pocket, nodded to Director Wan, and hopped onto the tractor, which sputtered to life and chugged away.

He had done his duty. If Yao Yujuan refused to ride, he couldn’t force her onto the tractor. Let her do as she pleased; he still needed to fetch fertilizer from the agricultural supply station.

Director Wan, unable to dissuade Yao Yujuan, also gave up and let her go.

After all, it was only five kilometers. She’d reach the farm before dark if she walked. If she wanted to walk, let her walk.

……

The farm was about ten li away, a journey that would take over an hour on foot but less than half an hour by car.

The farm was indeed close to Gu Cheng’s military unit, situated right next to the base.

Gu Cheng drove Ye Huan and Li Mingjie all the way to the farm’s administrative office, a row of buildings with blue brick walls and gray tiled roofs.

A man emerged from one of the buildings. He was of medium height, with dark skin, wearing a faded Zhongshan suit, and a hand-rolled cigarette tucked behind his ear.

Fang Hui unloaded Ye Huan’s luggage from the car and cheerfully greeted the man, “Director Xu, these two are the new educated youths. They didn’t ride with Liu Quangui, so we gave them a ride.”

Xu Guochao glanced at Ye Huan and Li Mingjie, immediately scratching his head in frustration. These two looked so delicate and pampered—neither seemed like they could handle hard labor.

He couldn’t voice his doubts, so he simply said to Fang Hui, “Bringing them here will make Liu Quangui happy. He was grumbling the whole way, saying he’d have no room for fertilizer after picking them up.”

Then, remembering something, he asked Fang Hui, “The notice I received mentioned three educated youths. Where’s the third one?”

Unsure whether Yao Yujuan had ultimately taken the tractor, Fang Hui vaguely replied, “There wasn’t enough room on the car, so Comrade Yao didn’t come with us.”

Xu Guochao figured that since the other person hadn’t come with Fang Hui and Gu Cheng, they must have arrived on Liu Quangui’s tractor. Without giving it much thought, he invited Gu Cheng and Fang Hui inside for a drink and a rest.

Gu Cheng waved his hand, explaining to Xu Guochao that he had just returned from visiting family and still had duties at the camp. He then returned to the vehicle.

Fang Hui, however, didn’t follow Gu Cheng back to the car. Instead, he stood before Ye Huan, beaming warmly. “Comrade Ye, I know this area like the back of my hand. If you ever need help with anything, just come find me. I’m Fang Hui from the Third Battalion—everyone knows me here.”

Before he could ramble further, Gu Cheng leaned out the window and called, “Let’s go.”

Fang Hui glanced back and replied, then waved at Ye Huan. “Comrade Ye, I’ll head back to the camp now.”

He darted to the car, pulled open the passenger door, and was about to climb in when he realized Gu Cheng had already taken the seat.

“Commander, you’re not driving?” Fang Hui asked.

“No,” Gu Cheng replied.

Without dwelling on it, Fang Hui circled around to the driver’s side, waved again at Ye Huan, and drove off cheerfully.