Chapter 8: The Deceived Girl in the 1970s: Fake vs. Real Daughter Story (8)

The entire autumn harvest lasted for more than half a month. By the time all the grain was collected, Xiaoxiao felt like she’d slimmed down noticeably and gotten a few shades darker, too.

She swore to herself she would never again complain about needing to lose weight.

What do you mean no pork? No fatty meat? No frozen meat?

She could eat a whole pig now, as long as it was meat.

The cured meat she brought was all specially made by her mom—the lean kind.

Sigh. She regretted not having more fat in it. It would’ve been better.

She missed her mom again. She wondered how her parents were doing.

Although the team leader eventually let her switch to a post watching the sun-drying yard, that wasn’t an easy job either.

She had to guard against people stealing. And birds, too.

In summer, there were frequent thunderstorms, and she had to scramble to collect the grains quickly.

Even during off-hours, she wasn’t idle—she had to shell corn kernels.

Luckily, she now had liberation-style canvas shoes—perfect for rolling over corn cobs.

Thanks to that trick, Xiaoxiao successfully integrated into the circle of aunties who worked at the drying yard.

“Educated Youth Yeah, you’re so clever. This method is much easier than using our hands.”

“Yeah, and it’s much faster too. I can earn at least two more work points a day now.”

Xiaoxiao laughed, “Auntie Tan, Auntie Wang—stop praising me! If you keep it up, I’m going to get cocky!”

She felt like, after spending enough time with these aunties, she might actually become socially confident one day.

Then Auntie Tan suddenly asked, “Xiaoxiao, do you have any meat ration coupons? I’d like to trade for some.”

“What? Xiaoxiao has meat coupons? Let me trade for a few too!”

Xiaoxiao: …….

“Aunties, who told you that? I don’t have any meat coupons. I didn’t bring many ration tickets when I came.”

Auntie Tan didn’t believe her. “Xiaoxiao, now you’re being dishonest. I treat you like one of my own.”

Xiaoxiao said, “Auntie, I really don’t have any. If you tell me who said I did, I’ll confront them right now.”

Auntie Tan looked slightly unhappy. “If you don’t have any, then where do you get the meat you eat every day?”

Ah, now Xiaoxiao understood.

She had to explain, “Auntie, you probably noticed the smell—it’s cured meat. I brought a bit when I came to the countryside. Since I’m eating alone, I just cut a small slice each time to render the fat before cooking. That way I can satisfy my cravings. If you don’t believe me, I can take you to my house. There’s only about two finger widths left—probably around 100 grams.”

That finally convinced Auntie Tan.

As the team leader’s wife, she was not someone Xiaoxiao wanted to offend unless absolutely necessary. After all, she still had to live here for a long time.

Besides, they normally got along well. And although Xiaoxiao didn’t actually use only a tiny slice each time, her explanation was still plausible.

In fact, sometimes she really did just use it to render oil and then used the oil for stir-frying with one or two pieces added in.

Auntie Wang chimed in, “Well, I have to admit, Xiaoxiao’s trick is smart. Just smelling the meat is enough to stop the cravings. Too bad my family’s big—this wouldn’t work for us.”

In this era, even cooking oil was so scarce you just wiped it across the bottom of the pan—Xiaoxiao couldn’t let people know she used more.

She usually cooked when others were also cooking, and the moment she rendered oil, she’d scoop it up and stash it in her train car space. That way, others would only see her tossing a small piece of meat into her dish.

Even if they were jealous, they couldn’t say much.

Still, for safety, she decided to look for a coal stove at the next village market. If she could buy one and keep it in the train space, she could cook meat in there without anyone knowing.

Thinking of this, she decided to ask the aunties.

“Aunties, do you know where I can buy a coal stove? I want to get one.”

Auntie Tan asked, “What do you want that for?” It eats up coal, cooks slowly, and hauling coal briquettes isn’t easy either.”

Xiaoxiao: That’s true… And I don’t even know if coal requires ration tickets.

Still, she gave her prepared excuse.

“I was thinking that if I had a coal stove, I could keep food warm on it all day—that way I’d have hot food whenever I wanted.”

Auntie Tan replied, “These days it’s all porridge, mixed-grain buns, and flatbreads. With this weather, it doesn’t matter if it’s hot or not.”

Actually, porridge tastes better once it cools.

Xiaoxiao: …

She really just wanted to eat meat.

“When’s the next market day, Auntie?”

“Soon—just a few more days.”

“Is it open every day now? I thought it was once a week.”

“That’s just during normal times. During harvest, no one has time to go. Once harvest ends, everyone rushes to trade for supplies.”

…

When market day came, everyone either rode in ox carts or walked if they missed a seat.

Some even walked on purpose to save money. It was five cents for a round trip.

Xiaoxiao once again saw the other educated youths from the post.

Honestly, she didn’t interact with them much these days. Ever since she moved out and the unpleasantness that caused, they barely had any contact.

Now, even the villagers mostly called her “Xiaoxiao” instead of “Educated Youth Ye.”

Sometimes she even felt like she was just another villager and not a relocated urban youth.

Seeing the others today reminded her, “Oh right, I’m actually a ‘relocated youth,’ huh?”

Naturally, the others didn’t feel great seeing her either.

Although Xiaoxiao felt like she’d gotten thinner and tanner, compared to the rest, her skin was still noticeably lighter.

“Well, well—if it isn’t our pampered princess who can’t even do farm work? If you’re going to make excuses, at least come up with a better one. Since when can your body ‘choose’ which jobs it’ll do?”

That sarcastic tone was clearly of Wang Meiling.

Xiaoxiao wasn’t the type to back down. She replied with equal sarcasm, “Oh my, who is this young mistress, out inspecting the countryside? Sigh, I also want to work hard—but sadly, my frail body won’t let me. Could you please spare me the attitude?”

Wang Meiling glared. “You… who are you calling ‘young mistress’?”

Xiaoxiao replied back, “Whoever it applies to, of course. Us working-class types, children of three generations of poor farmers, we could never compare.”

Wang Meiling: “I was talking about you! You’re just avoiding labor!”

Xiaoxiao: “Oh no, Miss Wang—you wrong me. I didn’t choose this. I come from a poor family, didn’t get the nutrition I needed growing up, and ended up with health problems. If you don’t believe me, maybe you can show some compassion and take me to the hospital? Better yet, donate a little and help me get stronger. Once I’m healthy, I’ll be able to contribute more to rural labor!”

She stared at Wang Meiling with a hopeful look.

Wang Meiling was about to respond when Zhou Weiguo stepped in.

“Comrade Ye Xiaoxiao, Comrade Wang Meiling meant no harm. There’s no need to be so aggressive. She just believes we all came down here to help with rural construction—no one should avoid labor.”

Xiaoxiao was furious.

“Comrade Zhou, what exactly is your relationship with Comrade Wang? Do you know what she’s actually trying to say? Are you blind and deaf, or just pretending not to notice she’s picking a fight? Even if you can’t see it, can’t you hear it? And about rural construction—haven’t I been working? I earn eight work points a day. How much does Comrade Wang earn? How exactly am I avoiding labor?”

“That’s impossible! How could you earn eight work points? “I don’t believe it,” Wang Meiling shouted.

“Tsk, just because you can’t doesn’t mean no one else can.”

“Isn’t watching the drying yard only worth four points? If it’s really that many, why aren’t others doing it? It’s not fair.”

Xiaoxiao rolled her eyes. “Who said watching the yard means you don’t do anything else? Do those corn cobs de-kernel by themselves? No one has to strip them?”

“But still, it can’t be worth that much. That job’s way too easy.”

“Oh? Do you even know how many cobs we have to shell to earn one work point? You’re talking nonsense without knowing anything—makes you look real competent. With your ignorance, pettiness, and jealousy—I don’t even understand how you became a team leader. Was it just because you’re older?”

She really couldn’t hold it in anymore—and went in for another jab.