Chapter 91: Playing the Right Role

Before Li Sheng’s time, by a chance encounter, he once saved an old man who had just been sent to the countryside. He even saved part of his own rations to help that old man, and all his skills were taught to him by the old man.

Later, more and more people like that were sent away. Although Li Sheng was not like Tang Xin, who came from a later age and knew the worth of those people, his nature made him feel that people with learning should not be treated that way.

So Li Sheng quietly discussed it with the brigade leader, asking that when they accepted those sent down for reeducation, they should be shown a little more kindness. The brigade leader was a man with a broad view of the larger picture, and since it was only a small matter of extending a helping hand, he agreed without much hesitation.

In truth, it was precisely that small measure of goodwill that gave many people immense help. That was how people often were: unrequited kindness might seem worthless in the moment, yet in time it would always find its return.

Just as Li Sheng learned a full set of abilities from them, these people later made immense contributions to the development of the Harvest Brigade.

Of course, those were matters for later. For now, even Li Sheng and Tang Xin did not know so much.

Tang Xin loved good food, and she had a mother-in-law who was skilled in the kitchen, while she herself could provide an endless supply of excellent ingredients. It was truly like a fish in water. She took what was already splendid and made it shine even brighter through her own touch; the delicacies her mother-in-law prepared were all put to splendid use by Tang Xin.

There were several elders in the brigade who lived in cattle sheds, though because the brigade leader had specially taken them under his wing, those so-called cattle sheds had in fact been rebuilt.

At the very least, one could live in them and be sheltered from wind and rain, unlike some educated people who had been sent down and were truly tormented to death.

The elders did not do any heavy labor. They only herded cattle or handled other light work.

After learning of Li Sheng’s experiences, Tang Xin and her husband went to visit those elders.

Tang Xin knew that they still had six or seven or eight years to spend here. If they did not receive special care, the days ahead might not be bearable.

Sure enough, after seeing them with her own eyes, she found that their spirits were not very good.

Among them was one who, it was said, had once made tremendous contributions to the nation’s liberation. Yet because someone in his family had ties abroad, he was branded as a traitor and a collaborator with the enemy.

Only with the mediation of an old comrade-in-arms was he spared and sent here; otherwise, his fate might have been even worse.

Even so, the old general had cut off all contact with his family and could be said to have grown utterly disheartened.

It was only after meeting this old general that Tang Xin learned that all of Li Sheng’s skills had been taught by him.

Tang Xin took several ingredients out of the storage of her spatial farm, then asked her mother-in-law to show her skill and brought over several dishes.

Their taste was naturally excellent, and the fragrance spread everywhere the moment they were brought out.

It was Li Sheng who had told her that they would not be able to come here during the New Year, and that the elders would not be specially favored so as to enjoy a good holiday with ease.

That was why Tang Xin did this. White rice cooked from fine grain, sliced pork in boiling chili oil, braised fish, mapo tofu, crucian carp and tofu soup...

Everything looked wonderful. Tang Xin said, “Grandfathers, I’m sorry. I didn’t know you were living here before. Brother Li Sheng said we couldn’t come for the New Year, so we’ll eat a little better today and wish you a Happy New Year in advance.”

Although the elders lived here and were not allowed contact with the outside world, they had lived here for years, and would occasionally chat with some of the brigade members, especially the honest old folks.

Thus they knew that the young man they relied on had not only successfully married, but had also married a female educated youth.

Today they saw her too. This female educated youth was not only beautiful, but also a very good person. All of them were happy for Li Sheng.

Yet when they saw Li Sheng’s wife bringing so many fine things for them to eat, each of them put on a look of anger.

They all knew that Little Li’s family circumstances were poor. If his wife said she was treating them to an early New Year feast, then these things must probably have been bought with the young wife’s own private savings.

They were all great men who had weathered the storms of life, and their judgment of people was very accurate. Especially since Tang Xin was smiling at them so sincerely, her eyes clear and unflinching.

At once, she won the elders’ affection.

Especially the old general surnamed Song. As he looked at her, he began to smile, yet tears rolled down his cheeks.

What a wonderful girl. His disciple was truly fortunate to marry such a fine wife.

“You foolish girl, there was no need to go to such lengths. All these meats and fish must have cost quite a bit, didn’t they?”

They wanted to repay the favor somehow, to make things easier for her, but when they had been sent here, it had all happened in such haste that many of the good things in their homes had not been brought out in time.

And after living here for so many years, even when they had anything of value, they could not keep it. In the end, it was another old professor from the university who took from his room several reference books on dictionaries, along with some books that were now restricted, though in earlier days they had all been rare editions.

Holding them in his hands, he wore a bitter smile. “These things are of little use to us now. I wonder if you would want them?”

He asked that because he knew this girl was an educated youth; in earlier times, she had been someone who loved books and learning.

They had never taken them out for Li Sheng before, mainly because the Li family had no scholars, and books were useless to them.

Tang Xin widened her eyes, hardly daring to believe what she was seeing.

In Chinese class, the teacher had once said that these rare editions were mostly destroyed during that special period, never to be found again, and thus became extinct.

And now they had actually appeared before her just like that?

At the time, her language teacher had spoken with such anguish, mainly because in those days the people who carried out the confiscations were themselves uneducated and ignorant, and they liked to solve everything with brute force.

And in the end, how many priceless cultural relics and historic sites had been destroyed?

To have such things appear before her now, Tang Xin was deeply stirred.

But she knew she could not accept them.

“What are you doing? In truth, this didn’t cost much. It’s almost New Year’s, and we were going to make more food and stock up on ingredients anyway, so we could have a more plentiful celebration. Besides, these are all dishes my mother made, just ordinary home cooking. If you do this, I’ll be too ashamed to accept it.”

The old professor smiled in satisfaction. He had caught the flash of astonishment in the young woman’s eyes.

So he knew this girl was no ordinary person; she understood the value of these books.

Books should be given to the people who need them, so that they may serve their proper purpose.

He had originally felt somewhat reluctant, but now he was instead relieved, sincerely wanting to give them to Li Sheng’s wife.

“These things won’t be safe left here. Who knows? One day they might be destroyed. Take them.”