Chapter 57: Opportunities coming like raindrops

As soon as Zhao Xinshan returned to the village, the first thing he wanted was to notify Zhao Ke. However, Zhao Ke had taken people into the mountains to set traps and gather mushrooms and had yet to return.  

So, he called Zhao Jianguo and Yu Xiulan to the brigade office for a talk.  

“Really?!” Upon hearing that Zhao Ke had been given a Worker-Peasant-Soldier University spot, Yu Xiulan was overjoyed. “This is truly wonderful!”  

Zhao Jianguo was also pleased. “Da Ge, when does school start?”  

Zhao Xinshan replied, “September 13th. The notice should have come earlier, but the heavy rain caused delays.”  

In truth, he had mixed feelings upon receiving the news.  

Given Zhao Ke’s performance before and after the storm, it was no surprise that the commune commended her. Naturally, she had also earned the recognition of Zhao Xinshan and the entire Zhao Village brigade.  

He had originally planned to delegate some authority to Zhao Ke for the good of the brigade, allowing her to take on more responsibilities in the future.  

But then, suddenly, came this university opportunity…  

Judging by Zhao Jianguo and Yu Xiulan’s reactions, they were clearly in favor of Zhao Ke going.  

Even Zhao Xinshan himself felt this was an incredible opportunity!  

Putting himself in their shoes—if his own child had received such a spot, he would definitely have them set aside village duties and go to university.  

Unfortunately, neither his son nor daughter had made a deep enough impression on the commune leaders.  

Still, thinking about it, having a niece with such a promising future was something to be proud of.  

Zhao Xinshan smiled, the wrinkles at the corners of his eyes deepening. “Go home and let Zhao Ke know the good news as soon as possible.”  

After saying their goodbyes, Zhao Jianguo and Yu Xiulan hurried outside.  

Since Zhao Feng had gone out with Zhao Ke, no one was home, so Yu Xiulan went to her third brother’s house and called Yu Ling to fetch Zhao Ke.  

In the neighboring courtyard, Gao Yulan was drying grain. She asked, “Elder Sister, why are you in such a rush to find Zhao Ke?”  

Yu Xiulan, beaming with joy, replied, “Our Zhao Ke is going to Worker-Peasant-Soldier University!”  

“Huh?!” Gao Yulan was startled. She quickly stepped through the small gate between their courtyards and pressed for details.  

Yu Xiulan announced loudly, “Secretary Duan and Director Wu from the commune personally awarded the spot to Zhao Ke as a commendation!”  

“Oh my! Zhao Ke is amazing!” Gao Yulan urged Yu Ling to hurry and find her. “This is such great news—she should hear about it as soon as possible so she can celebrate!”  

Yu Sanjiu and Fang Hong were also all smiles, while Yu Ling dashed out of the village at full speed to search for Zhao Ke.  

Meanwhile, across the way, Second Aunt Zhao and her daughter-in-law overheard the commotion. Curiosity piqued, they rushed over to ask about it, exclaiming, “This is incredible! Doesn’t this mean our Zhao family will have a university student?!”  

Knowing the news, they figured Zhao Lao Ba’s^[1]Lao Ba – Old Eight. The eighth child family next door should hear about it too. Before long, every member of the Zhao clan knew about it.  

And then, even before Zhao Ke herself was aware, the entire village already knew.  

However, unlike Yu Xiulan and her close family, who were all smiles, many in the village felt somewhat uneasy.  

Aunt Dong, known for her quick tongue, ran to her eldest daughter-in-law Zhao Huahua’s family home to speak with Zhao Si Ye. “Fourth Uncle, everyone in the village is talking—if Zhao Ke goes off to university, doesn’t that mean she’ll just abandon all the brigade work?”  

Zhao Si Ye took a drag from his pipe, exhaled a puff of smoke, and said calmly, “What’s there to fuss about? She’s only been the women’s director for how long? You think the Zhao Village brigade won’t function without her?”

“The cooperative’s affairs don’t count as important? And besides, just a couple of days ago, she told everyone the brigade would make arrangements, but now all she’s talking about is turning that moldy grain into fertilizer—nothing else has been mentioned.”  

“What’s there to say?” Zhao Si Ye tapped his pipe against the table. “She’s leaving, so of course the brigade will make arrangements. What are you all so anxious about?”  

Aunt Dong curled her lips. “We all know what the brigade has been like these past years.”  

“What are you saying? What are you saying?” Zhao Si Ye’s tone turned unpleasant. “Has the brigade ever wronged you? It’s only because Xinshan has been managing things these past years that you’ve had a bit of spare money in your hands and that the brigade has been so stable!”  

“I’m not saying the brigade leader isn’t good.”  

Aunt Dong anxiously slapped her thigh and explained, “It’s not just me saying this—everyone’s talking about it. The cooperative, the collective pig farming, the drainage channels… Among all the brigade’s cadres, the one who puts in the most effort is Zhao Ke. She’s educated, and she’s one of our own—of course, she looks out for us.  

“If she quits, never mind everything else, just the cooperative alone—if someone else takes over, people won’t feel at ease.”  

Zhao Si Ye smoked in silence.  

Zhao Huahua’s father, Zhao Xinwei, chuckled. “Funny how none of you trusted her this much before.”  

Aunt Dong put on a flattering smile. “In-law, what kind of thing is that to say? Who doesn’t trust her? I’ve always supported the brigade’s work.”  

Zhao Xinwei shook his head. Did she even believe what she was saying?  

Thick-skinned as ever, Aunt Dong continued, “It’s just that we all can’t bear to see Zhao Ke leave for university.”  

“Heh.” Zhao Si Ye scoffed. “It’s not that you can’t bear to see her leave—it’s that you’re afraid something will go wrong with the cooperative and you’ll miss out on your dividends.”  

Aunt Dong felt a little cornered. “I’m just repeating what everyone’s been saying.”  

“Let them say whatever they want.” Zhao Si Ye knocked his pipe against the table again. “Right now, university entrance exams aren’t an option, and there are so many people desperate for a way out. A Worker-Peasant-Soldier University graduate gets assigned a job and stays in the city with a stable government salary. Isn’t that a better future than being a women’s director in the village?”  

Zhao Xinwei also spoke with pride. “For Zhao Ke to get recognized by the commune leadership, that’s a real accomplishment! She’s the first university student from our village—such a bright future. Her name will even go into the family records.”  

“When has the Zhao family ever put a girl’s name in the genealogy?” someone questioned.  

Zhao Xinwei replied, “She’s the Zhao family’s first university student! Even if she’s a girl, she’ll be in it! If it were your family, wouldn’t you write her name down?”  

Zhao Si Ye said nothing, silently agreeing.  

This was a complete shift from his usual stance—always saying that girls should know how to do housework, be diligent, and take care of the family. But that was only because, back then, the girls hadn’t been outstanding enough.  

A university student in the old days would’ve been like a successful imperial scholar.  

If someone was accomplished enough, even if they weren’t added to the genealogy, at family gatherings during holidays, they wouldn’t have to go into the kitchen. They could sit at the main table and drink with the elders.  

Although Zhao Ke could already sit at the main table now, it was a different matter altogether.  

Meanwhile, Aunt Dong muttered, “Well, I don’t have a daughter anyway.”  

Still, in the eyes of these old farmers, a spot at a Worker-Peasant-Soldier University was an incredible opportunity.  

If it were them receiving such news, they wouldn’t even be able to contain their joy.  

The villagers were just talking—no one actually believed Zhao Ke would give up this chance.  

—  

In the forest a dozen miles outside the village, a group of young men and women were scattered about, keeping a reasonable distance from one another.  

Zhao Feng was intentionally staying close to Zhuang Lan, taking every opportunity to chat with her.  

Zhuang Lan, afraid of being seen, blushed every time he got near, glaring at him before quickly stepping away.  

Zhao Feng stayed where he was, grinning foolishly.  

“Smack!”  

Zhao Feng clutched the back of his head. Without even turning around, he whined, “Jie~ why’d you hit me again?”  

Zhao Ke held a firewood stick in her hand—useful both as a walking stick and for brushing aside grass. She prodded Zhao Feng’s lower back with the tip. “Stop pestering Zhuang Zhiqing.”  

“Who’s pestering—”  

He got another poke and immediately changed his tune. “Fine, fine, I won’t go near her anymore.”  

Satisfied, Zhao Ke let him off.  

Zhao Feng remained in place for a moment before suddenly asking, “Jie, did you hear that? It sounded like someone calling out…”  

Zhao Ke tilted her head and listened carefully.  

“Zhao Ke—Jie—are you there—”  

Zhao Feng’s ears perked up. “Jie, someone’s really calling you!”  

Zhao Ke nodded. “I’ll go check it out.”  

Zhao Feng’s eyes darted around, and he suddenly became very eager. “You’d better go quickly—what if it’s something urgent?”  

He even shouted out loud, “My Jie’s here! She’s coming out now!”

After a while, Zhao Ke walked out of the woods.  

As soon as Yu Ling saw her, he frantically waved his hand. “Jie!”  

“Why are you so happy?”  

Yu Ling said excitedly, “Jie, you’re going to college! The Worker-Peasant-Soldier University! The commune gave you a spot!”  

Zhao Ke was surprised, but not as overjoyed as he was. She asked a few questions, then said, “Let’s go back to the village.”  

Yu Ling was puzzled. “Jie, aren’t you happy?”  

“I’m happy.”  

Who wouldn’t be happy to be recognized?  

But this Worker-Peasant-Soldier University… Zhao Ke didn’t want to go.  

An hour later, the two returned to the village.  

From the village entrance to the brigade office, every commune member they encountered congratulated Zhao Ke.  

Zhao Ke smiled humbly and moved on without saying much.  

Brigade Office—  

As soon as Zhao Ke stepped inside, she immediately noticed the new award certificates on the wall and the neatly arranged pairs of enamel cups, enamel basins, and thermos flasks on the table.  

“You’re here?” Accountant Niu said with a cheerful smile. “You’ve heard, haven’t you? The commune has given you a spot at the Worker-Peasant-Soldier University. Our Zhao Village is finally going to have a college student.”  

Zhao Xinshan asked, “Did you go home first?”  

Zhao Ke shook her head. “I came straight here. Uncle, what did the commune say?”  

Zhao Xinshan said, “Secretary Duan and Director Wu praised you for being capable, educated, and passionate. They said this spot belongs to you, without a doubt.”  

“Uncle, I was asking about the disaster relief—how much relief grain and funds did the commune allocate to us?”  

The three of them were taken aback, not expecting her to still be concerned about this at a time like this.  

Deputy Team Leader Xu was full of admiration: she’s really steady.  

Zhao Xinshan collected his thoughts and said, “The entire Shuangshan Commune was affected by the disaster. Compared to the other brigades, we handled things well, and our losses were among the smallest. The commune unanimously praised us. A directive was issued from above, exempting Shuangshan Commune from this year’s grain tax. Secretary Duan and Director Wu said that disaster relief resources should be prioritized for the worst-hit brigades. They encouraged us to find our own solutions and gave us these rewards to distribute to the commune members who performed exceptionally well during the storm.”  

Zhao Ke: “……”  

So, in other words, the Zhao Village brigade received no relief grain or funds. The commune just gave them some small rewards, showered them with verbal praise and encouragement, and left them to fend for themselves?  

And those “rewards” were just things the commune office had on hand that didn’t cost them anything.  

So stingy!  

Unbelievably stingy!  

Zhao Xinshan sighed. “Secretary Duan and Director Wu asked us to understand their difficulties. There wasn’t much I could say, and besides, they gave you a university spot. In past years, our brigade never even had a chance at one.”  

What use was that? It didn’t help in any practical way.  

But since everyone else thought this spot was a great thing, Zhao Ke couldn’t show any dissatisfaction.  

“Oh, right, I asked about the commune food station…”  

All three of them immediately fixed their eyes on him. “What did they say?”  

Zhao Xinshan shook his head. “The food station isn’t accepting radishes or cabbages.”  

Accountant Niu sighed. “Then those radishes and cabbages are useless…”  

Deputy Team Leader Xu had a look of “I knew it” on his face. “If they were buying, other brigades would have planted them already. Looks like those fields will have to stay empty…”  

Zhao Ke refused to give up. “What about the county? And if not the county, what about the city?”  

“Even if they’d buy them, it’s so far away. The transportation costs would be too high—it wouldn’t be profitable at all.”  

Zhao Ke said, “It doesn’t have to be profitable. As long as we can exchange them for more food rations, that’s good enough.”  

Deputy Team Leader Xu said, “If it’s not profitable, we can’t afford to lose money either.”  

“So there’s no other way?”  

Accountant Niu said, “It’s too late now. If it were two months earlier, we could’ve planted potatoes or something.”  

If it had been two months earlier, they could’ve planted backup crops. But now, the problem was that it was too late. Once the frost set in and temperatures dropped below freezing, no crops could survive.  

Zhao Ke was still unwilling to give up. “I want to go to the commune again. If possible, I’ll go to the county, too.”  

“The roads are still muddy, and the bus probably isn’t running.”  

When Zhao Xinshan had gone to the commune, even traveling by ox cart had been difficult. But he didn’t stop Zhao Ke from going. “Since you’re going, you might as well take care of the paperwork for the Worker-Peasant-Soldier University while you’re there.”

Zhao Ke merely smiled and didn’t make any promises.  

·  

Yu Xiulan beamed with joy. Upon hearing that Zhao Ke was going to the commune, she immediately stuffed ten yuan into her hands. “Go, you have to go. If you can’t ride a bike, let Uncle Ban’er take you.”  

Zhao Ke had her own plans and still needed to make a stop at the commune courtyard before deciding anything, so she chose not to dampen Comrade Yu Xiulan’s good mood for now.  

Early the next morning, she sat in Uncle Ban’er’s ox cart. The journey took more than two extra hours than usual before she finally arrived at the commune, covered in mud.  

Uncle Ban’er dropped her off at the bearing factory, unloaded her bicycle, and then turned the ox cart around to head back.  

Zhao Ke leaned her bicycle against the reception room at the factory entrance and asked the gatekeeper, “Meng Ge, can I make a phone call?”  

“You can. Come in and use it.”  

Zhao Ke smiled and said, “I’d like to ask Liu Ge for a favor.”  

“I’ll dial for you.”  

The gatekeeper made the call and waited a while before it connected. He passed along the message to security captain Liu Zhigang and then hung up.  

About ten minutes later, the phone rang. The gatekeeper answered, exchanged a few words, then handed the receiver to Zhao Ke.  

“Zhao Meiza, what’s up?”  

Zhao Ke said, “Liu Ge, I’d like to ask if you could help me check with the county food station to see if they’re buying radishes and cabbage.”  

Liu Zhigang readily agreed. “Sure, I’ll go ask tomorrow.”  

“If they accept pickled vegetables or fermented ones, that works too. Even if they don’t pay cash but trade for grain, that’s fine,” Zhao Ke said, twisting the phone cord with her fingers, her voice full of anticipation. “If the county station doesn’t take them, could you ask for the city food station’s phone number?”  

“No problem.”  

“Thanks, Liu Ge.”  

After hanging up, Zhao Ke also thanked the gatekeeper.  

The gatekeeper took her payment and asked, “Is this for your brigade?”  

Zhao Ke nodded. “After this disaster, life is going to be tough for the members next year. We have to find a way.”  

The gatekeeper looked at her and smiled. “You seem different from the last time I saw you.”  

Do I?  

He wasn’t the only one who had said that.  

Later, Zhao Ke waited for her sister, Zhao Mian, to get off work and walked back to the dormitory with her.  

On the way, Zhao Mian said, “Two weeks ago, when the rain suddenly started, the postman couldn’t deliver mail to the countryside, so he left Grandma’s(Maternal Grandmother) letter with me.”  

“What did Grandma say?”  

Zhao Mian glanced at her. “Grandma said she wants to introduce you to someone in the army. His conditions are quite good.”  

Zhao Ke: “……”  

She didn’t know how to respond.  

Since Zhao Ke was already at the commune, she had to pay a visit to Master Yu.  

As soon as Master Yu saw her, she said, “Good timing. A few days ago, an old friend of mine told me that the city printing factory is recruiting workers. I signed you up. I was worried the rain might have delayed things, but I checked two days ago, and their recruitment was postponed because of the rain too.”  

Zhao Ke: “……”  

For the first time, she truly understood what it meant to have “opportunities coming down like raindrops.”  

To be honest, this printing factory job was far more tempting to her than the Worker-Peasant-Soldier University.  

Was this what they called a sweet burden?