Chapter 106

In September 1960, the Central Committee issued a directive on “Eliminating the Four Pests and Promoting Hygiene”, calling on the revolutionary masses to eradicate flies, mosquitoes, rats, and sparrows within ten years or less.

This was the massive campaign to eliminate the four pests, which would be widely discussed in later years.

As soon as the directive was issued, Yunshui County launched a vigorous campaign to eliminate the four pests.

Among the four pests, rats were the most detested by rural residents due to their strong reproductive capabilities. During harvest season, they would sneak in and eat the grain. At a time when people struggled to feed themselves, allowing rats to steal food was intolerable.

Among the Four Pests, rats and sparrows are the easiest to catch. Sparrows, though small, can be roasted and eaten when caught. Rats, on the other hand, are the most troublesome. In the crowded courtyard, there are usually quite a few rats. Fortunately, the Gu family has fewer of them because Lin Yao is terrified of rats. Deputy Director Gu has set up rat traps in places where rats frequently appear, such as the corridor, kitchen corners, and the courtyard.

In the Gu household, rats are universally detested, and with the presence of their Dahei and Xiaohei, the rats have learned to stay away, too scared to poke their heads out.

However, Aunt Dafu next door wasn’t so lucky. The peanuts and sweet potatoes in her small earthen jars, as well as the cured meat hanging from the rafters, all fell victim to the rats’ claws. The peanuts were gnawed down to just their shells scattered on the floor, half the sweet potatoes were eaten, and the meat, saved for the New Year, was bitten in random places. Aunt Dafu was heartbroken.

Uncle Dafu, furious, turned into a roaring man, chasing and cursing the rats with a broom. Neighbors sunbathing at the entrance of the alley thought something serious had happened in their house and rushed over, only to find out the truth. A group of schoolchildren, armed with slingshots and brooms, would line up every day to march into the fields to catch rats and sparrows.

Dongzi, the cheeky boy, pestered Gu Mancang until his father carved a thin bamboo rod with a net attached to catch rats.

The group of little rascals, full of vigor, would dig out rat holes, flood them with water, and poke at the rats hiding in the cracks of the walls with iron sticks. By evening, they would come back with a bag full of rat tails to report to their teacher. It was much more fun than going to school.

Every morning, while Gu Doudou was still sound asleep in the house, his little uncle had already put on a slightly smaller military uniform, donned a little army hat, and stood at the door, waiting for the Children’s Corps.

The young members of the Children’s Corps would salute Gu Shidong clumsily, saying, “Reporting to the captain, the members of the Children’s Corps are present!”

“Very good! Your revolutionary spirit is commendable!” Gu Shidong would return the salute seriously, then blow the whistle hanging around his neck, and give orders to the children.

“At ease, attention! Children’s Corps, move out! Our target is the farmland in the suburbs!”

The little rascals would march off to the outskirts, singing the national anthem.

*

In early September, the weather gradually cooled down. Yesterday, Lin Yao washed the mosquito net and hung it out to dry in the courtyard.

The Public Security Bureau has been quiet recently, and Deputy Director Gu didn’t get up and leave the house until 7:30 in the morning.

The county militia begins training at 8:30 a.m. Gu Shi’an washed his hands, rolled up his sleeves, and went to the kitchen to make breakfast.

In the Gu household, whoever wakes up early makes breakfast. Lin Yao usually loves to sleep in, so most of the time, it’s either Zhang Cuilan or Deputy Director Gu who does the cooking.

Gu Shi’an, being a man, wasn’t particularly skilled at cooking. He wasn’t needed for stir-frying or stewing, but making porridge and steaming corn cakes were tasks he could handle with ease. Last night, they had just wrapped a batch of three-flavor buns, perfect for steaming in the morning.

Every morning, Gu Doudou, without fail, would have a bowl of steamed shrimp egg. The little chubby boy, despite his young age, was very picky about his food. The steamed egg had to be made in his special white porcelain bowl with a ‘Blooming Wealth’ pattern. No salt, no vinegar, only three drops of sesame oil were allowed. Any more or less, and the little chubby boy would notice, he would burst into tears and cry.

Even the mighty Deputy Director Gu would have to face a few whacks from Zhang Cuilan’s rolling pin if something went wrong.

“……..”

Gu Shi’an stuffed some sturdy firewood into the stove, washed his hands, and headed back inside.

Lin Yao was still sound asleep in the room. She was a restless sleeper, with one white leg draped over the quilt. If anyone tried to wake her, she’d snap at them, telling them to go away.

The old clock in the room was almost striking eight. Gu Shi’an had no choice but to pick Lin Yao up, gently coaxing her.

“Yao Yao, if you don’t get up now, you’ll be late.”

“Mmm…”

Lin Yao, with her eyes still closed, wrapped her white arms around Gu Shi’an’s neck, murmuring twice before falling silent again. It was the weekend, after all, a perfect excuse to sleep in.

Deputy Director Gu chuckled, his voice tender. “The house we were allotted by the Public Security Bureau is ready today. Don’t you want to see it?”

Half-asleep, Lin Yao immediately opened her eyes. She jumped out of Gu Shi’an’s arms like a carp flipping out of water, quickly pulling on her sweater while excitedly asking questions.

“Really? It’s ready so soon?”

“What kind of house will we get?”

“I heard that cadres can get a unit in a tube-shaped building. How about we refuse the tube-shaped one and ask for a small courtyard house instead? Two rooms in a tube-shaped building? How would we live in that? A courtyard would be much more convenient. It doesn’t have to be big, just enough for the family, with our own kitchen and bathroom.”

Lin Yao had been living in a crowded courtyard for a few years, and every night when she needed to use the bathroom, she dreaded it. The latrines of this era were dark, low, and smelly, even though the street cleaners did their best to keep them clean. Over time, the smell was inevitable.

Lin Yao was afraid of the dark and never dared to go to the bathroom alone at night, especially when Gu Shi’an wasn’t home. She’d go in with a flashlight, holding her breath and steeling herself.

Living in a crowded courtyard meant that the neighbors would know exactly what each household was eating just by the smell. Cooking a little extra on the side was always done with great caution.

The front courtyard, where Zheng Dacheng and his wife lived, was always noisy with their frequent arguments. They would have a small quarrel every two days and a big one every five days, giving everyone a headache.

Speaking of which, when the county Public Security Bureau was established, they had already allocated housing once. The Xu family’s house was given to them at that time. They built two new rooms in front, planted bougainvillea in the courtyard, set up a grape trellis, and grew vegetables along the courtyard walls. They even hung clothes on bamboo racks in front of the house. The house was spacious and comfortable, and they lived very contentedly.

Now Lin Yao truly understood the saying that circulated around the county, “Don’t ask for electric lights or telephones upstairs, just give me a courtyard house.”

If they could really get a detached courtyard with a yard, even if it was just ten square meters, with a private kitchen and bathroom, it would be wonderful.

Gu Shi’an knew exactly what Lin Yao was thinking. He brought over a plate of steaming three-flavor buns, a dish of cucumber salad with sesame oil, and two bowls of porridge. The couple sat down to eat and chat.

“Where are Mom and Dad? I haven’t seen them.”

Lin Yao took a bite of a three-flavored bun.

“They went to Guihua Alley to see Chunmei.”

Gu Shi’an passed her a piece of cucumber salad. Lin Yao crunched it with one bite and sighed softly. Gu Chunmei was pregnant with her second child again. This pregnancy was less than three months along and seemed unstable. It was unclear whether she hadn’t fully recovered physically or if something else was wrong, but she experienced bleeding while working at the supply and marketing cooperative. She was sent to the county hospital, where the doctor said it was due to overwork and recommended bed rest at home.

The leader of the supply and marketing cooperative told her to take a break, and there was no need for her to worry about the women’s militia either. Her parents, concerned about their daughter, went to check on her.

Lin Yao swallowed the last bite of her three-flavored bun and said, “After we check out the house today, let’s also go see Sister Chunmei.”

Gu Shi’an naturally nodded. After the couple finished tidying up the dishes, they carried the newly awakened Gu Doudou, fed the little one some egg custard, and the family of three headed out with their bicycle.

The house assigned by the Public Security Bureau was in the old city, near Yunshui County’s city gate. At this time, the old city was full of antique-style shops along the streets, all built with high-quality bricks. The red walls and black tiles added to the charm. As soon as Gu Doudou entered the streets of the old city, his big eyes were wide with curiosity, and he exclaimed, “Mommy, there are little birds on the eaves!”

Lin Yao smiled and explained to the chubby little boy, “Those aren’t little birds. The eaves that curve up are called ‘wing corners.’ Our ancestors named them because they resemble a bird’s wings in flight.”

Gu Doudou nodded earnestly like a chick pecking at rice.

The family of three passed by the county cinema, where the loudspeakers at the entrance were playing the promotional song for Tunnel Warfare. The stirring melody filled the air, and a group of boys on the street clenched their fists and sang along, though their off-key voices made the song quite hard to listen to.

Gu Doudou also began to sing loudly, and Lin Yao, unable to bear it, quickly handed the chubby boy over to Gu Shi’an.

After passing the cinema, they arrived at the main street where the state-run restaurant and the supply and marketing cooperative were located. A large sign in front of the restaurant listed the dishes available that day. An old lady who had just finished her meal was muttering to herself, “White flour buns are two cents each, sesame cakes are five cents each, and they even require a grain coupon! So expensive, truly expensive! And look at this, a bowl of vegetable noodle soup costs twenty cents, and there isn’t even any meat in it. I spent all my pocket money just to have a meal in the city!”

Lin Yao couldn’t help but sigh inwardly. No matter the era, the economy always dictates the standard of living. In old-fashioned terms, everything needs money!

Yunshui County has many alleys. The family of three walked along the county’s main road for more than a mile before turning into a quiet alley behind the county supply and marketing cooperative.

At the entrance of the alley stood a massive phoenix tree, its fallen leaves adding an autumnal touch to the already serene alley.

“Mommy, a big tree!”

“Yes, a big tree.”

“The big tree is taller than Daddy!”

Gu Doudou chattered away, while Lin Yao paid attention to the buildings in and around the alley. At the end of the alley was a bustling marketplace, but once inside, the alley became a tranquil retreat. The alley was lined with standalone courtyard homes, indicating that the families living here were well-off, each with their own private courtyard, eliminating the need for petty disputes over trivial matters.

It was mid-morning, and most of the residents in the alley were at home resting.

The alley was quiet as the family of three stopped in front of a slightly worn small courtyard. The paint on the courtyard gate was peeling, and there was a lock on it, covered in dust, indicating that it had been unoccupied for some time.