"Then the commune isn't dissatisfied?" Shen Xingshen wondered. The meaning of the people of the commune was clear: they wanted a piece of the pie.
"Disastisfied. Of course, they are," Shen Miaomiao sneered.
"But can they force us? Fishing is risky." Shen Miaomiao pointed out, giving Shen Xingshen a quick, meaningful wink to show she was being serious. "The rivers here change all the time. The currents can be rough, and if you don't know the area, it's easy to slip up. One moment you're wading in the shallows, and then, just one step! bam! You're swallowed by the river. Actually, what you thought was solid ground is just a big rock."
Shen Miaomiao gestured with her chin, her hands already deftly working over the slippery fish.
"Look, see all those stones? One wrong step and your head will crack like a ripe watermelon. Ever hear of drowning in a puddle? Yeah, that's how it goes out here."
Shen Xingshen, "...Then you are even more amazing."
He was a city dweller, and none of this should be his concern. As long as he has the money and tickets, he has the means to buy meat and fish. Yet, imagining himself in their shoes, he felt the weight of their daily struggles just to stay fed, and a creeping sense of unease settled in his chest.
He knew, clearer than anyone, he would never last here on his own.
"Locals have been depending on the mountain and the rivers, and we have developed our means of survival," Shen Miaomiao said, waving it off. "We owe nothing to the people of the commune, so if they demand from us, we dare to send our sick and injured to their doorsteps and cry. If they make our lives harder, we will make it difficult for them too."
They did attempt to lower the price at the purchasing station to control the villagers, but the villagers stopped fishing altogether. At least on the surface, no one in the Marching Brigade was fishing except sometimes to feed themselves.
As for having a few relatives they can exchange with? That's not something outsiders can control.
"Actually, things are a bit better now that there are policies in place. There's a pond in the area, and back then, villages fought over it. It's very chaotic, and some accidents tend to happen, like someone being beaten to death." After saying this, Shen Miaomiao paused to kill the struggling fish in her hands.
"Life used to be hard for everyone, but now that everything outside is publicly owned, some villages are actually doing better. The mountain dwellers, for example, live far from the commune. The roads are difficult to walk, and they have many mountain products to fill their stomach. Who knows how many poultry they are raising? Unlike the members of the commune, they are only allowed to raise a fixed number of poultry, and there are even more restrictions on their purchases. Sometimes, the mountain dwellers have it even better than we do; it's just that our Brigade is too close to the commune and the city, so those people always want to extend their hands here."
City dwellers looked down at the countryside, but that never stopped those with interests from coveting their resources. A scrap of mosquito meat was still meat after all.
It's not just the children of cadres that need gilding. Anyone hoping to rise higher needed grassroots experience, and prosperous brigades like theirs made the perfect stepping stone.
These people said to come with good intentions, but the villagers are xenophobic, ignorant and stubborn, hindering their work and are too lazy for progress, which really frustrated them.
Shen Miaomiao suddenly paused. "Oh, I'm talking about food. In terms of necessities in life, of course, the countryside is lacking in everything, and life can be very dangerous." She then turned her head and smiled jokingly. "Why am I even telling you all this?"
"No. I understand. You don't have plenty of fish." Shen Xingshen said in a serious tone, his thoughts running fast, struggling with wordings, "Life isn't easy. It's very dangerous, risky, and hard work. And the village isn't well off."
Compared to the city, Shen Xingshen would not think much of the Marching Brigade. The prosperity of the city was too far for a village at the foot of the mountain. He doesn't fully understand why the villagers are so aggressive and protective, which makes them infamous. But he knew he'd have to adjust and, if possible, learn their attitude. Even if he can't do what they do, he should still be on the same side.
Shen Miaomiao, amused, patted his head. "Right. You're smart. Good boy."
At least this person knows what can be seen and heard, and what should be ignored.
When the three diligent little dumplings came back with the dry twigs they had collected, Shen Miaomiao had already cleaned and skewered three plump fish.
The two built the bonfire while Shen An grabbed the kindling to quickly start a fire.
Shen Miaomiao was adept at grilling fish over a fire. She turned the fish with delicate care, ensuring that each side was cooked evenly. After the first one turned crispy, with golden brown skin, char marks, and a smoky aroma, Shen Miaomiao picked it up, blew on it, and then gave it to Shen Xingshen.
The mouthwatering aroma made Shen Xingshen's stomach rumble. He hadn't had a real meal since arriving in the countryside.
During the harvest season, the educated youth ate from a communal pot. Everyone worked together, dividing tasks between the male and female educated youth.
The boys were responsible for chopping wood and carrying water, while the girls cooked and washed the dishes, and after meals, they heated water to fill everyone's thermoses.
Two pairs are assigned each day, rotating with others on a daily basis, so that everyone can have a break.
Not counting their first dinner, on the first meal of the first day, only two dishes were served: cabbage and shredded potatoes.
No oil or grease, just like boiled water.
The rice wasn't pure white rice, but rather mixed with some potato chunks and a lot of water, resulting in a sweet potato porridge.
After everyone got a bowl, it was almost empty.
It was clear how tough life in the countryside was.
This was considered good food, but the new educated youth couldn't handle it.
Dissatisfaction was a common experience for the newly arrived educated youth. They complained about everything, from the unfamiliar place to the bland, unpalatable food.
Gu Shengnan said they will get used to it after a while. And after the autumn harvest, they can either eat on their own or pair up with each other.
It doesn't matter what they cook for themselves; they don't have to share, and it will all depend on their own ability.
Shen Xingshen and some others were fine; they have decent backgrounds, and their families will send them money and coupons.
After finishing the communal meal, they would eat some snacks they bought to fill their stomachs. Once the autumn harvest ends, they can go to the commune and enhance their meals.
But Shen Xingshen can't live off his savings, especially with two grown men depending on it.