Rebirth of Everyday Life In the 1970s - Chapter 57

On September 16th, two things happened.

The first thing is that Lu Meishi of the educated youth department received a letter from Hushen, telling her that the college entrance examination was about to resume, and the letter was sent with a set of “Self-study Books on Mathematics, Physics, and Chemistry”.

In the second case, Lu Meishi died, three hours after receiving the letter. She just lay on the bed crookedly, covered with a torn quilt, the boss with open eyes, her pupils shrunk into a straight line, and her face was lingering excitement.

When the female educated youth who lived with her discovered these conditions, her body was completely cold.

Then Dr. Wang from the health room rushed over and diagnosed that Lu Meishi died suddenly of hypertension caused by excessive excitement.

“This Educated Youth Lu is really pitiful.” The Chen family boss wiped the sweat from his forehead while sharing the news he had just received with Song Fengchen.

After Lu Meishi’s death, Captain Hu of the production brigade made a special trip to the county post office, called her family, and told them of Lu Meishi’s death.

“As a result, guess what, third uncle? Before Lao Hu’s comforting words were spoken, he said directly on the other end of the phone: People die, and the corpse is free. From the household to you, only the round-trip ticket money is needed. It’s fifty or sixty dollars. Our family doesn’t have this spare money, so you can figure it out!” The Chen family boss sneered, “Hang up the phone after speaking.”

“Are you sure you didn’t call the wrong number?” Song Fengchen frowned slightly.

Is there such a parent?

“I know a little bit about her family’s situation.” The Chen family boss took the cold white boil that Song Fengchen handed him, drank it, wiped the corners of his mouth, and continued: “Speaking of the Lu Zhiqing, I was from the county in the past. She was brought back. She was just how old at that time, she was sixteen or seventeen years old, she was thin and small, and dressed poorly. Compared with the educated youth in the same industry, she was not a star or a bit worse, but she did not look like she came out of the city. I still remember the way she cried while eating dry food at the time.”

“Later I learned that this baby girl is a poor person. There are five children in her family. The first three are all girls. It will be seven or eight years after giving birth to her third sister before her mother was pregnant again. Twins, that is, she and his brother.”

“When she grew up with her brother, her first three sisters were already married, and all the housework at home fell on her. She graduated from elementary school and stopped studying. I heard that she didn’t come to our Yuexi Village. Before I came, I had already made an appointment, and even accepted the lottery. The man is the child of her neighbor…”

“…It’s the one who sent her review materials for the college entrance examination. After so many years, the two of them have never broken contact. I heard that the man has been waiting for her.” The Chen family boss couldn’t help but sigh with emotion.

After he recovered, he continued: “That’s when her brother graduated from high school and was encouraged to sign up for going to the mountains and the countryside. When her parents knew about it, they locked her brother up, just because they didn’t want the lone seedlings at home to arrive. Suffer in the countryside.”

“It just turned in the registration form. It is definitely not enough to repent. That is the crime of the counter-revolution. Her parents were so anxious that they hit her with the idea for some reason, and then asked her grandpa to tell her grandma’s trustee for help. On the registration form, her brother’s name was replaced with her name…”

“This educated youth probably couldn’t swallow this breath. When she first arrived in our village, according to the national policy, there was a subsidy of 150 yuan, right? Her family came five or six letters urging her. Sending the subsidy back, all kinds of good things were said, but Lu Zhiqing didn’t give a penny. In this way, her parents got stuck and broke off the relationship with her.”

“Do you even know these?” Song Fengchen handed him the camera.

“Xu Zhiqing, who lives with her, has a big mouth. This matter has spread to most of the production team, that is, Sanshu, you don’t like to deal with people in the village, so you don’t know this.” Chen family elder Dalian hurriedly turned the camera. After taking it over, I was so excited that I almost forgot to come over to find Song Fengchen’s purpose.

“What does the village plan to do with Lu Meishi now?” Song Fengchen didn’t mind asking more after hearing the Chen family boss talk so much.

“The funeral must be done. The educated youth spot collected more than 20 yuan from Lu Meishi’s closet. It is her inheritance.” The Chen family boss put the camera in the basket: “This is the production team. I’m planning to get together some more people, ask a mourning band to play, and then play a lively movie in the evening, and I will be buried at 10 o’clock tomorrow morning.”

Song Fengchen nodded.

“That’s OK, Sanshu, I’ll go back first, and the camera will be sent back to you tomorrow.” One leg crossed the threshold, as if thinking of something, the Chen family boss turned his head: “Almost forgot, the movie is at He Lao San’s house. I don’t know exactly what to put on the open space in front of the door. If you are interested, Sanshu, you can go and see it, but you have to go there early, or you won’t get a good position.”

“Okay.” Song Fengchen promised, and his mind became alive.

Sending away the Chen family boss, he took two cans of Chinese cigarettes and a few packs of swimming cigarettes to the cowshed.

When he got to the place, he put the cigarette on the table and slipped into the kitchen with Xu Junmin’s white eyes.

“Watching a movie?” Xu Shujian smoothly stuffed Song Fengchen with the remaining small half of the cucumber he had shot in his hand.

“Well,” Song Fengchen took a bite, chew it, and threw the cucumber head into the fire stove, serious: “Anyway, there is nothing to do at night, so let’s go and join in the fun.”

How could Xu Shujian not understand what Song Fengchen’s idea was, but when he met this man’s eager expression, he nodded, “It’s okay.”

But I thought that Song Fengchen would be disappointed this time.

But inexplicably, what should he do when he knows the truth?

The corner of Xu Shujian’s lips curled, and he said, “You can eat here at noon. I made a chicken.”

“Okay.” Song Fengchen responded happily.

In the afternoon, the front foot sent away the mourning band, and the back foot film team came.

The full name of the film team is the film projection team. In the 1960s and 17th, basically every commune had a film team. The task of the film team was to take turns to the production brigade of the commune to show movies to the villagers.

This is this era, and watching movies is the only food for the peasants who can be regarded as elegant spiritual food.

Generally speaking, a commune has at least two dozen production brigades. If this is done, a production brigade can basically only have the opportunity to watch a movie once in a quarter. Of course, this is free. If you want to invite the film team to show the movie outside of the scheduled time, you will have to charge money. The price is not cheap. It costs fifteen yuan per game, and you have to serve the staff with delicious food.

When Song Fengchen arrived with a bag of fried peanuts and dragged the bench, there were already many people on the ground.

The staff is adjusting the projector.

Song Fengchen decisively picked a place with a broad view to occupy a good position, and while waiting for Xu Shujian’s arrival, he listened to the whispers of several aunts next to him.

“Really or not, I think she is usually serious…”

“I can still lie to you. When Aunt Zhang’s body wiped her, it was the hot water I gave. I can see clearly that she is all traces of what happened, both new and old… “

“What can I say about this?”

“What can I say, there is an adulterer, and he must be in our village.”

“Speaking of which, who is she usually close to?”

“He’s second child? It doesn’t look like it, he is too honest to do this.”

“Honest Liu? It’s unlikely. He is so poor. What do you think she wants?”

“Fourth Zhou family?”

“You’re talking nonsense, how old is Zhou’s fourth child this year, and there is a hairy boy, what can you know?”

…

Song Fengchen was absent-minded, listening to each other.

Ten minutes later, Xu Shujian was late.

Song Fengchen stood up immediately and saw one, two, three, four, five light bulbs behind Xu Shujian.

So, what about a good sweet date?

How did it become a family party.

Song Fengchen couldn’t get over it for a long time.

Xu Junmin gave him a sideways look, lifted the stool and placed it next to his bench, his intention couldn’t be more obvious.

Song Fengchen’s chaotic state lasted until the movie opened.

He turned his head to look at Xu Shujian, with accusations on his face.

Xu Shujian looked at Song Fengchen who looked like a slapped eggplant, and her heart trembled.

He sighed helplessly, but his eyes were filled with undisguised smiles.

When Song Fengchen came to look for him, they had already discussed going to watch the movie together tonight.

But the sweetness can still be given a little bit. Thinking about this, Xu Shujian straightened his posture, staring at the four characters on the screen, and quietly touched Song Fengchen’s left hand with his right hand.

Following the big palm below, he flipped over and took his hand.

Xu Shujian pursed her lips.

Song Fengchen grinned.

Xu Junmin blew his beard and stared.

It never occurred to him that his grandson would send him to the door to take advantage of that bastard.

So why is he sitting here?

Regardless of the excitement outside, it can’t hide the desertedness of the mourning hall.

The coffin, the photo of the dead, and two white candles can no longer be simply arranged.

Until the sound of messy footsteps broke the dead silence.

In the flickering candlelight, a figure appeared outside the door.

The man walked to the coffin, put down the back basket in his hand, and took out the copper basin and paper money that were in it.

He knelt on the meadow and said while burning paper money: “May, I’m here to see you.”

“In the morning, Doctor Wang told me that you were eating ephedrine to death…”

His gaze was staggered from the photo, “Don’t blame me, I just gave you such an idea, how can I think of something like this.”

At this moment, there was a sudden cool breeze in the house.

He shrank his neck subconsciously, rubbing the goose bumps on his arm, and carefully looking around. The mourning hall was still as deserted as before, and the cheers from not far away could be heard vaguely.

He felt relieved, and then continued: “You also said, one day husband and wife hundred days of grace, although you are dead like this, but you can rest assured, I will remember you for the rest of your life, and I will give it to you every new year and holidays. Burn some paper money, it will never shorten your food and clothing below…”

Staring at the pulsating fire in the copper basin, for a long time, he finally said: “I can’t help you.”

Speaking of this, all he was left with was melancholy, and he sighed and said, “You can go with peace of mind!”

With that, he threw the last few paper money into the brazier.

“But what if I can’t feel relieved?”

At this moment, a faint voice suddenly came from the air.

“Who?”

His heartbeat stagnated, and his body straightened instantly.

“So, can you help me?” The voice got closer and closer.

His eyes were dizzy and he turned his head tremblingly, facing a pair of feet hanging in the air.

The author has something to say:

Song Fengchen: So disgusting﹌○﹋

Xu Junmin: So disgusting ━┳━━┳━