The Red Era: Starting from a Truck Driver

Chapter 39: Borrowing Food Stamps Again

The commune's granary had some reserve grain, but in a commune in the lower reaches of the Qing River nearby, the water level did not rise, but directly flooded. In some low-lying villages, the water level reached the waist of adults, so other communes had to provide grain to rescue those affected.

The educated youth team wanted to borrow grain from the commune team but was unable to do so. Fortunately, the rain had stopped and the Jinhe Commune production team was able to organize everyone to start harvesting rice in the next few days.

However, those who didn't store their food properly had to figure out how to survive these days. The food was soaked in water, so some of it was edible, but some of it was moldy and inedible.

Now those unfortunate educated youth would have to see how they got along with everyone and see if those educated youth whose food was not soaked by water could lend a helping hand.

It rained heavily these days, so the educated youths and production team members did not go to work. Zhou Lingying lived in Jiang Cheng's house and did not come to the educated youths' site. Today, the weather was fine, so she came to the educated youths' site early in the morning.

Actually, I might not be able to go to work today. The rain had just stopped, and the fields outside were full of mud. I walked around and my feet were covered in mud. But after all, the rain had stopped, and Zhou Lingying had to come to the educated youth camp to take a look, just in case the educated youth team leader had any tasks to arrange.

When Zhou Lingying arrived, she was troubled when she learned that the water had risen into the female educated youth dormitory and some people's food had been soaked, because someone had already asked her to borrow food.

Zhou Lingying was able to become a member of the educated youth organization within a year. Her positive attitude was one reason, but mainly because she was kind-hearted and willing to help others. She was willing to share some of the things her family sent her. So when the group leader was elected, it was not because of her ability, but because she was easy to get along with that many people chose her.

Asking Zhou Lingying to borrow grain was a bit difficult for her. It wasn't that she was stingy, nor that she didn't have any. Her family would send her things at least three times a year, because they knew the time when the commune would distribute grain, and they were afraid that she wouldn't have a good life here. They would send her things once in May, then again around September and October, and finally during the Chinese New Year.

But the things that were sent in May, Zhou Lingying had helped Jiang Cheng's family before he returned from the army. The food and money she was hiding now were all given to her privately by Jiang Cheng.

Jiang Cheng gave her food coupons and money to let her look after the family, fearing that if he went to work in the city, his family would be reluctant to eat. Of course, he also said that if she was greedy, she could go to the county town to secretly have a good meal.

Zhou Lingying still remembers that when Jiang Cheng gave her money and tickets, he kissed her on the mouth. It made her feel as if she was marrying Jiang Cheng just for his money and tickets, which made her so shy.

Every time Zhou Lingying touched the money and tickets, she would think of the day when Jiang Cheng forced a kiss on her. She felt very distressed when Li Mingjun took away five kilograms of food coupons and one dollar last time.

But now those who asked Zhou Lingying to borrow grain were her supporters when she was the team leader, and they didn't borrow much. One pound of national grain coupons could be exchanged for at least five pounds of coarse grain coupons in the county. The minimum here was because Zhou Lingying's national grain coupons were not ordinary fine grain coupons, but oil-containing coupons.

Last time, Zhou Lingying gave Li Mingjun five kilograms of national food coupons. If they were exchanged for coarse grains, it would be enough for a person to survive for a month.

"Lingying, please lend me some. I will definitely pay you back after the grain is harvested and distributed."

"Yes, Lingying, you must have it, right? We will definitely pay you back."

"Well, they are right. I will pay it back."

There were three people who asked Zhou Lingying to borrow food. She was soft-hearted, but she had no other choice. In front of several people, she reached into her pants. She put important things in the inner pockets of her pants, which were specially sewn. Then in front of everyone, Zhou Lingying took out a stack of food coupons from her inner pocket. It was indeed a stack, because the food coupons were of small denominations, just for convenience when going out. She gave three kilograms of food coupons to each of the three female educated youth who asked her for help.

It is very easy to exchange three kilograms of national food coupons for coarse grain coupons at the county level. It is not difficult to buy coarse grains and eat them when the grain is distributed.

This helped people, so naturally everyone praised Zhou Lingying again. In addition to praising her for being a kind person, they also praised her for finding a good partner.

Praising Zhou Lingying for finding a good partner really touched her heart. This woman is just like a man. Once she is interested in her partner, she will be happier when others say good things about the other person than when they say good things about themselves.

The next day after Jiang Cheng came back, Zhou Lingying went to the educated youth team leader to talk about getting married. She also took the initiative to explain that she was in a hurry to get married because her boyfriend had a house in the city. Zhou Lingying's boyfriend was a car driver, and it was understandable that she wanted to get married earlier without the house, not to mention the house.

On the same day, a letter of introduction was written to Zhou Lingying, asking her to go to the county youth league to get a certificate so that she could marry Jiang Cheng. Moreover, after marriage, her household registration might only be in Jiang Cheng's hometown, but she could live in the city as a couple.

In this era, for people like Jiang Cheng, only his direct relatives can live with him. For example, his parents, wife, and children. Sisters-in-law, nephews, nieces, and even his own sister. To live with him, they need a visit certificate from the commune, and there is a limit on the number of days a certificate can be issued.

This meant that Jiang Cheng's nephews and nieces would always live in the countryside, even with his help. Unless they were adopted by him, he could not only bring them to the city, but also give them a city hukou.

However, adoption is usually only done when a relative is well-off and has no children. Otherwise, few people are willing to have stepchildren, even if they are their brothers' children.

This is not just a question of raising children, but if you have stepchildren, or someone else's biological son or daughter, it is inevitable that you will treat them differently. Once this happens, it is obviously a normal thing, but people will gossip about it.

After lending out the food coupons, Zhou Lingying chatted with people in the female educated youth dormitory. Soon, the educated youth team leader came over and asked all the educated youth to gather. They would not go to the fields to work today, but they had to organize everyone to clean up the area around the dormitory.

There was no work point earned from cleaning, but everyone had to obey the arrangement. However, not long after, when everyone was cleaning, Li Mingjun got the news that Zhou Lingying had lent food coupons to others, and brought a few male educated youth to find Zhou Lingying.

"Zhou Lingying, can you do us another favor? Their food has been soaked in water. Can you lend us some food coupons to buy food? I will definitely return you after the food is distributed." Li Mingjun said to Zhou Lingying.

"Yes, Zhou Lingying, please help us. We will definitely pay you back after we distribute the food."

The people around Li Mingjun said sincerely, and the others who came with him looked at Zhou Lingying with some embarrassment. After all, it was somewhat awkward for a grown man to ask a woman to borrow food.

This time, Zhou Lingying was really a little disgusted with Li Mingjun. If Li Mingjun wanted to help others, he could talk to her privately, so that she could at least discuss it.

(End of this chapter)