Back to 1979: Sending the Educated Youth’s Wife Back to the City

Chapter 85 Returning to Hometown
Nowadays, the luggage on long-distance buses is not placed underneath, but on the roof. You have to climb up the iron gangway welded at the rear of the bus to place it.

It’s the same as the gangway on a telephone pole, and it’s quite a test of your physical strength.

Fortunately, there are not many people like Fang Mingche who carry two large suitcases when returning to the county town from the city.

Otherwise, you have to queue.

He did it in two steps, carrying the box in one hand and holding the ladder with the other hand to climb onto the roof and put his two boxes in place.

When I was about to get off after putting it down for the second time, the driver said from below, "There's no one else here, just tie the rope."

Fang Mingche looked down and found that indeed no one else was carrying the large luggage.

So he nodded, stood on the roof and sorted out all the suitcases. He tied them up one by one with a thick hemp rope, and then tied the other end tightly.

It's a sunny day today, so there's no need for a rain sheet.

There was no protection at all, but that was the situation at the time. Fortunately, he was not afraid of heights.

After tying yourself up, get down, sit in your seat, and the driver will drive.

It takes more than two hours to drive back because the road conditions are not good.

Fang Mingche looked at the person sitting next to him and thought he was dressed like a cadre, so he started chatting with him.

"Comrade, are we still arresting speculators nowadays?"

The official saw that he was also respectable, so he said, "We catch them, but not as severely as before. Where did you come back from?"

"The capital. The capital is no longer under arrest. You can set up stalls in Tiananmen Square. Some time ago, because there were too many stalls, a commercial district was specially planned in the nearby Dazhalan to collect rent. In places with large passenger flow, there are also many car repair stalls and fruit and vegetable stalls. There are also people who specialize in hauling honeycomb coal for others to make a living." Fang Mingche talked about the situation of setting up stalls in the capital.

Everyone around listened in surprise. Is the capital already like this?

The official said, "We should be able to catch up soon. Are you working in the capital?"

Fang Mingche said "hmm" casually.

It seems that it will take a long time for the central government's policies to be extended to fourth- and fifth-tier cities like theirs.

They are still catching speculators!

After asking this question, he lost interest in small talk and dozed off with his arms folded and eyes closed.

The cadre wanted to ask more questions, but when he saw that he had his eyes closed, he remained silent. He couldn't just ask him to open his eyes and continue explaining the situation. But he was still deeply shaken.

The other passengers also started whispering and talking about it.

With such road conditions, there are potholes from time to time. It is impossible to sleep, so I can only rest my mind.

Fang Mingche sat on the hard seat for three days. Although it was not as hard as taking his daughter to Beijing, it was good to rest his mind.

When we got to the county seat, we took a bus again, which cost 30 cents to get to the town.

When they drove to the village's tractor road, Fang Mingche shouted, "Master, please stop the car."

This time he didn't tie the suitcase to his head and carried it to the car.

Chickens and ducks are often brought on these town buses, and the buses are much messier than long-distance buses.

He picked up his two boxes, grabbed a gap between the chickens and ducks that were packed in nylon bags with only their heads exposed and the backpack, and walked to the door with difficulty and got out of the car.

The sound of a car door closing was heard behind him, and Fang Mingche was walking towards home carrying two large boxes.

It wasn't too hot at the moment, and many farmers were working in the fields. They all avoided the hottest time in the afternoon.

"Hey, little second brother, you're back?"

Fang Mingche nodded, "Yes, Uncle Qi. I'm back to take the college entrance examination."

Uncle Seventh put the hoe in front of him and looked up and down at his distant nephew who had been away from home for four months.

"Oh, it's good to take the college entrance examination. If you pass it, you are no longer a farmer. You don't have to work hard in the soil for food, facing the loess and back to the sky." After saying this, he remembered that his nephew had escaped from farming a long time ago.

As a result, he lost his mind, sold his job and went to the capital to find his ex-wife who was an educated youth and whom he had divorced.

But from the looks of it, he seems to be doing well in the capital, and looks more respectable than when he was a teacher.

A man carrying water to irrigate the vegetable fields nearby asked, "Mingche, what are you doing in the capital?"

"Didn't my dad tell me? I set up a tea stall in Tiananmen Square. I took advantage of the large number of people in the square and made small profits but quick turnover."

Mr. Fang certainly didn't tell anyone about it.

According to traditional concepts, setting up a stall is quite shameful. It even brings shame to our ancestors!
Even after it became known that setting up stalls to make money, this view has not changed much. How much more so now?
When someone asked him what his second son was doing in the capital, he told them that he was preparing for the college entrance examination.

The schools in the capital, the teachers and the exam preparation materials are much better than those in small places. That's why I am willing to stay in the capital as a migrant worker.

Someone else asked if he went to live in Lin Yan's house.

Mr. Fang repeatedly stated that he and Yanyan rented a house outside.

"They're already divorced, and there's no letter of introduction for remarriage. Do you think the Lin family will agree?"

His youngest son did not go to the capital to be a son-in-law. This must be made clear!
“Oh, does this make money?”

Fang Mingche walked and said, "It's not bad. Ah Yan and I can earn hundreds of dollars a month."

"That's more than what you earn as teachers."

These people said this, but they were secretly complaining in their hearts.

Being a teacher is so noble, running around serving tea and water to people, and letting people order you around. What are you thinking?

Fortunately, I was not completely confused and knew to come back to take the college entrance examination.

Fang Mingche didn't care what they thought and went straight home. He had been there for four weeks and months, and his hometown hadn't changed at all. It was as if time had stopped.

The first one who heard the news and ran out to greet him was his eldest nephew Fang Jian, "Uncle, you're back?"

Fang Mingche nodded, "Yeah, I'm back."

Fang Kang, who was following behind Fang Jian, looked at his second uncle with a strange expression.

He is half a year younger than Yanyan and no longer remembers Fang Mingche.

This is normal. Yanyan doesn't remember much about her family. She only has a vague impression of her best sister Fang Fang.

Fang Mingche looked at the two brothers playing with other boys in the village, "Where's Fang Fang?"

Fang Jian said naturally, "She went to cut grass for the pigs at home."

The family has a pig and three chickens, which is in compliance with regulations and will not be subject to the capitalist tail.

"Go and help her, and come back soon. I've bought new clothes for you all, and food."

"okay!"

Fang Jian knew that his second uncle always liked Fang Fang, the money-loser.

But when she heard that he brought new clothes and food, she didn't object and quickly went to her own field to call Fang Fang.

I also helped with some work so that Fang Fang could finish the task and go back earlier.

If he didn't do this, his second uncle might get angry and not give him good food.

When Fang Mingche returned home, he went into the house to put down his luggage. He then came out to take a gourd ladle and scooped a ladle of water from the water tank to drink. His parents, brother and sister-in-law came back one after another.

(End of this chapter)