The Stunningly Beautiful and Delicate Darling in the 1980s Military Compound - Chapter 61

In a fit of anger, Zhao Xing had resigned from the art troupe, and her paperwork was currently being processed.

She certainly didn’t dare tell her parents; her father and mother had always been proud of her for getting into the art troupe, bragging about it to everyone they met. Fearing their disappointment, Zhao Xing headed out on her bicycle early in the morning as usual, though she had no idea where to go. That was when she ran into Song Mingyue and the others.

Zhang Jingjing was anxious upon hearing the news: “Xingxing, you’re so bold! You quit such a good job? That’s a ‘iron rice bowl’ (guaranteed lifetime employment). While the paperwork hasn’t gone through yet, hurry and plead with the leadership.”

If she went back now, admitted her mistake, and wrote a letter of apology and a guarantee of future conduct, there might still be a chance to save her position.

Zhao Xing had thought about it all night, but she couldn’t convince herself. Usually bright and proud, she now covered her face and choked out, “I don’t want to go back. I really don’t want to stay there. I can’t take it anymore.”

Others only saw a respectable job, but only she understood the reality behind it.

Zhang Jingjing didn’t know what to do. Her instinct was to want Zhao Xing to go back, but seeing her friend’s state, she didn’t dare push. She turned to Song Mingyue: “Mingyue, say something. What do you think?”

Zhao Xing also looked over. she felt that Song Mingyue understood her, so she wanted to hear her perspective.

This was a major decision, and Song Mingyue didn’t dare make it for her lightly. Based on her own personality, if she disliked something, she would absolutely stay far away from it and wouldn’t let herself be mistreated. However, Zhang Jingjing had a point—this job was hard to come by and offered lifelong security. One shouldn’t make a decision they might regret out of a moment’s impulse.

Song Mingyue didn’t give her a definitive answer, only a suggestion.

“You can ask your own heart: Is this just an impulse? If you can’t find another good job later, will you regret this decision? If you can bear the consequences, then leave.”

Zhao Xing answered firmly: “I don’t know if I’ll regret it later, but if I stay any longer now, I’m afraid I won’t even have the chance to regret it.”

Ever since Wang Mo left, Zhao Xing had listened to the constant gossip and had become completely disillusioned with the art troupe. It was just a pit of mud hidden under a glamorous exterior.

However, Zhao Xing had her own worries: “I’m just afraid of my parents. If they find out, they’ll probably want to kill me. So, you have to help me keep it a secret for now.”

Zhang Jingjing replied, “Walls have ears; your parents will find out sooner or later.”

“We’ll deal with that when the time comes. Let’s just take it day by day,” Zhao Xing said, pulling herself together. She then asked what they were looking for her for.

Song Mingyue, however, didn’t recommend deceiving her parents. Doing so would only make their anger explode later. She had met Zhao Xing’s parents a few times; though the mother was a bit worldly and a gossip, it was clear she truly loved Zhao Xing. Like Wang Yufen, her eyes were always full of doting admiration for her daughter.

Thinking of Wang Yufen brought a pang of sadness to Song Mingyue. She wrote to her brother, Song Mingnian, regularly, and in every letter, he said their mother missed her deeply. Song Mingyue planned to stop by home on her way back from Shanghai if she had time.

Returning to Zhao Xing’s dilemma, Song Mingyue suggested she have an honest talk with her parents. She could even exaggerate the situation, emphasizing that she “didn’t want to live anymore” if she stayed at the troupe—a tactic commonly known as “Madhouse Literature” (acting out to get one’s way).

Zhao Xing asked worriedly: “Will that work?”

“Whether it works or not, if you truly want to leave the art troupe, you won’t be able to hide it from them forever.”

The Search for Watermelons

As the sun grew hotter, Zhang Jingjing suggested they talk while walking so they could finish their errands for the day. Hearing that someone wanted to buy their watermelons regularly, Zhao Xing cheered up: “Then let’s go quickly! I have plenty of energy now.”

Pei Xiaoyu usually went to school one class period later than the others. Her family raised pigs, so if she was home, she would wake up early to cut pig grass and feed them. By the time she finished, she could make it to school just in time for the second period. Fortunately, the first period was Chinese, which she could study on her own from the textbook at night.

Today, she was just about to head to school when she saw Song Mingyue and the others approaching.

Pei Xiaoyu was delighted. Despite a busy morning that left her face covered in sweat, her eyes brightened instantly. “Sister Mingyue, Sister Jingjing, Sister Xingxing! Why are you here so early?”

“Xiaoyu, are you going to school? We came to ask which households still have watermelons. Since you’re going to school, we’ll go collect them ourselves.”

Pei Xiaoyu couldn’t contain her joy: “Does someone want to buy our watermelons again?”

“Yes, we’ll be supplying the steel plant regularly from now on.”

“That’s wonderful!” Pei Xiaoyu couldn’t help but spin around. Her thatched house leaked every time it rained, soaking her bedding. She desperately wanted to earn money to repair the roof, and this dream could only be realized through Song Mingyue and the others.

Zhang Jingjing wanted Pei Xiaoyu to go to school, as skipping classes frequently wasn’t good. If she just gave them the general locations, they could find the houses themselves.

But Pei Xiaoyu had no heart for school now: “Don’t worry about school. Half my class skips, and the teacher is used to it; they won’t blame us. I’ll study at home tonight after you leave.”

Zhang Jingjing added, “If there’s anything you don’t understand in your studies, you can ask Sister Zhao Xing. She’s a college graduate!”

Zhang Jingjing had stopped after junior high and only knew that Zhao Xing was a rare college graduate. She didn’t know Song Mingyue’s educational background. Seeing that Mingyue knew everything and spoke so articulately, she assumed her education must also be high. “Mingyue, did you also graduate from college?”

“No, I only have a junior high education.”

This was true; the original owner of the body hadn’t even finished junior high before insisting on going to work at a factory.

“I have a junior high education too!” Zhang Jingjing was surprised but also a bit depressed. They both had the same schooling, so why was Song Mingyue so much smarter?

The Greed of Wang Jianguo

As they chatted along the way, Pei Xiaoyu led them to a house on the west side of the commune. “Grandma Wang, is Uncle Wang home?”

Grandma Wang looked at least seventy or eighty years old. She was sunning herself at the door with a cane, wearing an old-fashioned blue jacket, her hair in a bun, and she still had “lily feet” (bound feet). She couldn’t hear well and kept pulling at Pei Xiaoyu’s hand, asking “Ah? Ah?”

“He’s probably in the field. Let’s go find him. His field to the west is planted with watermelons.”

Since they had already done a large-scale collection once before, they now had to find watermelons bit by bit from individual households.

Uncle Wang was indeed in the field. He knew about their previous collection, but he wasn’t about to sell his watermelons for 7 cents a catty. That was too cheap! The market price sometimes reached 12 or 13 cents; selling for 7 would mean letting these girls make a profit of 5 or 6 cents for nothing.

Uncle Wang ignored the costs of labor and time. When he heard they wanted to buy his melons, his attitude was hostile: “Do some people think I’m a fool? I, Wang Jianguo, am no sucker. I’ll sell for 10 cents, but trying to buy my melons for 7 cents? Absolutely impossible!”

Pei Xiaoyu tried to reason with him: “Uncle Wang, if you pick the melons yourself and go to sell them, you’ll waste a whole day traveling. You know the market is tough—watermelons aren’t selling well.”

“Then why are you collecting them? Aren’t you just selling them too? Don’t try to brainwash me. Go, go! Don’t interfere with my work.”

10 cents was out of the question. The previous price was 7 cents, and they had to stick to that.

The surrounding neighbors had also been influenced by Wang Jianguo. Hearing the 7-cent price, they firmly refused to sell and even chased the group away. After a whole circuit, they hadn’t collected a single watermelon.

Everyone was anxious. Song Mingyue had promised Zhou Chun she would try to deliver a batch today, but now it seemed unlikely.

The sun was scorching. Zhao Xing was flushed and sweating profusely, uselessly fanning herself with a piece of paper. “How about 10 cents then? We can still make 2 cents. Many small amounts add up to a lot of money.”

“No,” Song Mingyue said decisively.

Having done business before, she knew the importance of keeping one’s word; otherwise, she would easily find herself in a passive position. If the price was 7 cents one day and 10 cents the next, the people’s greed would only grow larger next time.

“The price is 7 cents. We keep it uniform. Summer is almost over, so prices won’t hold up. If the people here won’t sell, we’ll go elsewhere.”

To the Red Flag Commune

Hearing Song Mingyue mention “elsewhere,” Pei Xiaoyu immediately had a suggestion: “We can go to the Red Flag Commune. It’s right next door. It’s not as wealthy as the Red River Commune, and they grow plenty of watermelons!”

“Wow! That’s great, Xiaoyu! You really are our lucky star.”

Zhang Jingjing finally understood why Song Mingyue insisted on bringing Pei Xiaoyu along. In their team, besides Song Mingyue, Pei Xiaoyu was the smartest. She was young but full of ideas.

The Red Flag Commune was said to be “right next door,” but it was a journey of over ten miles. By the time they arrived, the girls were drenched in sweat, and their steps were unsteady.

Zhao Xing, who had never suffered such hardship, walked at the very back. She couldn’t take it anymore and asked hoarsely, “Xiaoyu, how much further?” There wasn’t even a place to get a drink of water.

Pei Xiaoyu was used to running around, so this distance was nothing to her. “It’s just up ahead. See that chimney? It’s over there.”

Zhang Jingjing was also exhausted and asked curiously, “This isn’t exactly close, Xiaoyu. How did you know they grew watermelons here?”

Pei Xiaoyu still wore a smile. “Because I grew up here when I was little. I only moved to the Red River Commune with my mother later.”

“Ah? Xiaoyu, isn’t this where your ‘trash father’s’ family is located?”

Pei Xiaoyu remained silent, which was an admission. She hadn’t been back for several years. If she hadn’t been desperate today, she wouldn’t have suggested it.

“We are here to buy watermelons. It has nothing to do with anyone else.”

Zhao Xing went over to hug her. “It’s okay. Just pretend he doesn’t exist. Not everyone has a father; consider yours dead long ago.”

Pei Xiaoyu smiled and said, “Sisters, don’t think of me as so fragile. I accepted this fact long ago; it won’t affect me anymore.”

Song Mingyue gave her a vigorous thumbs-up. She truly was someone destined for great things.