Chapter 22: Arrival at Fangzheng Township
Everyone disembarked at Harbin Railway Station. The remaining journey to Fangzheng Township, which has no train access, would be by large truck.
As soon as they got off the train, they saw a Jiefang truck parked outside, along with a small car.
"Xiao Lei, what nonsense are you up to? Come back to the capital with me," a middle-aged man in a military uniform, standing ramrod straight by the car, said to Zuo Lei in the crowd.
"Uncle Ma, I'm not going back. I've already told my family I'll stay in the countryside for a few years before returning. Please don't try to persuade me. Even my dad couldn't, so you definitely can't," Zuo Lei told Ma Weiguo.
"Xiao Lei, your trip to the countryside this time is different from the previous batch. They went to a farm, many people together, and there were supplies. You're going to a production team this time; there are no supplies, and life will be very hard. You've never endured hardship since you were little, so why don't you come back with Uncle Ma?" Ma Weiguo still tried to persuade her.
"No, I won't go back. You leave. I'm going to the countryside with these Comrades." With that, she walked towards the truck.
"Oh, wait, Xiao Lei, ride in Uncle's car. Uncle will take you."
"No need, I'll just go with everyone else. No special treatment." As she spoke, she tried to put her luggage onto the truck, but due to her small strength and short stature, she couldn't lift it up no matter how hard she tried.
"Xiao Lei, let me help you." Ma Weiguo stepped forward to help when he saw Zuo Lei struggling so much.
"No, you go back. I can do it myself. Brother Hao, can you help me out?" With that, she looked at Ye Hao piteously, wanting him to help. Ye Hao casually put Zuo Lei's luggage onto the truck.
Seeing this, Ma Weiguo thanked Ye Hao.
Everyone got into the truck, and the truck started, heading towards Fangzheng Township.
As the truck disappeared from Ma Weiguo's sight, Ma Weiguo turned to a young man beside him and said, "Let me see the information on these ten people."
The young man handed over a file.
Ma Weiguo flipped to Ye Hao's page, which contained Ye Hao's resume. He frowned when he saw that Ye Hao was an orphan, but then saw that he was with Sun Chaoshu and had temporarily stayed at the Sun family's home before coming, which meant he had Sun Youde's approval. His furrowed brow immediately relaxed. He knew Sun Youde very well. If Sun Youde hadn't retired and transferred from the military back then, his position would likely be much higher than Ma Weiguo's now.
Ma Weiguo handed the file to the young man and said, "Get in the car, let's catch up."
The two got into the car, and the young man drove after the truck. They caught up to the truck shortly after. Zuo Lei, sharp-eyed on the truck, immediately saw Ma Weiguo in the car. She instantly became a little unhappy.
However, Ma Weiguo's car didn't follow the truck. With a press of the accelerator, it overtook the truck and sped towards Fangzheng Township.
Standing in the truck bed, feeling the cool breeze, everyone's faces showed expressions of longing.
Half a day passed, and they finally arrived at Fangzheng Township. Ye Hao and the others jumped off the truck and saw Ma Weiguo waiting nearby.
"Uncle Ma, I'm not going back, so don't waste your efforts. Go back and tell my dad that I'm contributing to China's construction, and he shouldn't worry," Zuo Lei said, a little annoyed, seeing Ma Weiguo still waiting outside.
"Xiao Lei, I'm not here to persuade you. I have something to discuss with Comrade Ye Hao. Comrade Ye Hao, would it be convenient to speak privately for a moment?" Ma Weiguo asked Ye Hao.
Ye Hao was a bit puzzled. This was his first time meeting Ma Weiguo, so why would he have something to discuss? However, he agreed and walked aside with Ma Weiguo.
"Comrade Ye Hao must be very curious why I'm looking for you," Ma Weiguo began.
"Yes, I believe this is our first meeting."
"Allow me to introduce myself. I am a Comrade-in-arms of Zuo Lei's father. My name is Ma Weiguo. I've watched Zuo Lei grow up since she was little. She's been pampered by her whole family since childhood, which has made her a bit willful. This trip to the countryside is a result of her willfulness, and as you can see, she's determined to stay here, and there's nothing I can do."
"I've seen your file. You've been an orphan since childhood. Recently, you've been temporarily staying at Sun Youde's home. Speaking of which, Sun Youde and I are old acquaintances. He used to be my company commander, and then I was transferred, and we lost touch. When I heard about him again, he had already transferred out of the military. I trust Sun Youde very much. Since you are his godson, it proves he has acknowledged you."
"I came to find you today for no other reason than to ask you to help me look after Zuo Lei in the coming days. She hasn't experienced these things, and she's even a bit naive. You grew up in the city, and I trust your way of handling things. Just don't let her get bullied…"
After listening to him, Ye Hao thought, "Why is there another person asking me to look after someone? I'm becoming a full-time nanny!" First, Auntie Wang asked me to look after Sun Chaoshu, then Li Wan'er asked me to look after Tang Zilan, and now Zuo Lei.
However, Ye Hao did not refuse. Not to mention that Zuo Lei's father was a soldier, and soldiers are the most respectable group of people in China, even for Zuo Lei, this simple girl, Ye Hao would take care of her to some extent.
"Alright, then I'll leave it to you. You all go back first. You might have to stay here for a night today. The place you're going is in the mountains, quite far away, and cars can't get through. People from the production team will come to pick you up tomorrow morning."
The two returned to the group, and Zuo Lei asked curiously, "Uncle Ma, why did you look for Brother Hao?"
"Nothing, just casually asked. Alright, Xiao Lei, I'm heading back now. You stay here and be careful." Ma Weiguo gave a perfunctory reply and had the driver drive back.
"Attention, young Comrades, I have a few words to say." The driver who brought them spoke.
"Your destination isn't here; it's in the mountains. However, my vehicle can't enter the mountains, so you'll have to walk in yourselves. But it's already getting dark, so you'll stay here for the night, and tomorrow morning, villagers from the production team will take you there. Alright, everyone grab your luggage and follow me." The driver explained to everyone and then led them into the guesthouse.
"We still have to go into the mountains? It's already so desolate here, and we have to go to an even more desolate place," Niu Jianwen complained, hearing they still had to go into the mountains.
Upon arriving at the guesthouse, the attendant handed them two keys. "Turn left inside, one room for boys, one for girls."
As the door opened, a mix of moldy and stinky foot odor wafted out, making Niu Jianwen, who had opened the door, recoil several steps.
Seeing this, Ye Hao put his luggage aside, held his breath, walked in to open the windows, and then walked back out. "Let's air it out first. We'll rest outside for a while."
Everyone agreed, though Zhao Yuanhang and Niu Jianwen could be heard complaining, but Ye Hao didn't bother to pay attention.
"Brother Hao, are you hungry? Let's go eat first. This guesthouse should have a restaurant. I have national grain coupons and meat coupons," Sun Chaoshu suggested.
"Okay, let's eat first. Is anyone coming with us?" he asked everyone.
Zhao Yuanhang made a disgusted face and said he wasn't going.
Niu Jianwu looked at his brother, and his expression showed he really wanted to go.
Niu Jianwen saw his younger brother's expectant expression and swallowed the words "not going." He then said to Sun Chaoshu, "Brother, do you have any extra national grain coupons? We don't have any. I can buy them with money."
"It's fine, what's money? I'll treat you," Sun Chaoshu said magnanimously.
Wang Rong timidly said he would go.
As for Lu Bingsheng, he didn't speak, but Ye Hao, wanting to build a good relationship with him, said, "Bingsheng, let's go, come with us." Lu Bingsheng also had a good impression of Ye Hao, so he agreed.
"I'll go call the girls," Sun Chaoshu volunteered.
Ye Hao watched Sun Chaoshu walk towards the girls' room and smiled without speaking. Ye Hao could tell that Sun Chaoshu was interested in Tang Zilan.
Soon, four people walked out of the room. Huang Su Su said to Zhao Yuanhang, "Yuan Hang, let's go eat together."
"I'm not going. You go if you want," Zhao Yuanhang replied as coldly as ever.
"Yuan Hang, I'll go buy you food. You wait here," Huang Su Su proactively offered to buy food for Zhao Yuanhang.