Chapter 43: Experience

 

Luo Haicheng frightened Zhao Jianshe, then bid farewell to Han Qingsong and escorted them away first.

Han Qingsong said to Han Qingyun beside him, "You go with Captain Luo."

Han Qingyun happily agreed. "Saozi, Xiaowang, I'll be leaving first then."

Lin Lan waved at him. "Go quickly."

Xiaowang was still engrossed in playing "Little Chick Pecks Rice," blowing the harmonica with a woo-woo sound.

Han Qingsong didn't take his laopo and child away from the county hospital but took another road. To the north of the road were the cinema and the Worker-Peasant-Soldier Theater.

Lin Lan saw a familiar figure again and couldn't help but let out a sound of surprise.

Han Qingsong immediately braked. "Do you want to watch a movie?"

Lin Lan didn't have much interest in movies from this era. It wasn't that they weren't good, but mainly because she wasn't used to the "lofty, grand, and perfect" character images and the stiff acting style.

She said, "Not watching a movie. Look, isn't that person Xiuyun from our village?"

Han Qingsong: "Who?"

Lin Lan: "... The security director's youngest guinv!"

Han Qingsong gave an "oh." "Probably... mm, there's a situation."

He initially wanted to say she was probably in the county town to play, but then remembered it was the autumn harvest. Unless there was a major issue, no one could ask for leave. The security director had always been responsible and would be even less likely to let his family members take the lead in asking for leave.

Then there must be something going on.

And the security director naturally knew that he and Han Qingyun were coming to the county today. If there was proper business, he would have entrusted them to handle it. Since he didn't, it meant Xiuyun had run over here herself.

Running over here herself meant there was a situation.

And this kind of situation was usually not a good thing.

Lin Lan said, "Wait for me a moment, I'll go say hello."

Lin Lan naturally wasn't that eager to meddle in other people's business, but she had seen Liu Xiuyun looking lost and despondent at the hospital earlier, and now she was at the cinema entrance. It was highly likely something was wrong.

The security director's guinv, Liu Xiuyun, was seen by everyone as a good guinv. She was well-behaved, sensible, quiet, and kind-hearted. Every time she saw her, she was smiling faintly and never got into arguments with anyone.

Even the most picky and difficult people in the village couldn't find fault with her.

Because she was amiable to everyone and would lend a hand to anyone who needed help.

Even Lin Lan had received her help in the past.

It was the year the original owner fought with Liu Chunfang and Xiaowang was born prematurely. Later, the original owner argued with the old lady and the others again, ran out in anger to sulk, and refused to go home even after starving for a day, wanting to throw a tantrum and manipulate her family. As a result, no one cared about her at all. Han-dasao wanted to ask the children to look for her but was scolded by Han-laotaitai.

In the end, the original owner was hungry and cold, almost fainting from starvation.

Coincidentally, Liu Xiuyun passed by. At that time, she was just a twelve or thirteen-year-old girl. She didn't mind that Lin Lan was dressed in rags and dirty, helped her to a sheltered spot, and even gave her own hot sweet potato to the original owner to eat.

This warmth in the cold still felt warm when Lin Lan recalled it, and she was very grateful to Liu Xiuyun.

So, if Liu Xiuyun was in trouble, she naturally had to help.

Han Qingsong stopped the bicycle and let her go.

Lin Lan handed the satchel to Han Qingsong, told him to be careful with the food in the lunchbox, and then ran toward Liu Xiuyun.

"Xiuyun, it really is you!" Lin Lan said with a smile. "I thought I recognized the wrong person."

Seeing Lin Lan, Liu Xiuyun was first startled, then her face changed color, looking somewhat at a loss, like someone caught doing something bad.

"Shen... shenzi, why, why are you here to watch a movie?"

Lin Lan smiled and said, "What movies do farming folks watch? We don't have that spare money. I brought Xiaowang to get his eyes checked. What about you?"

Liu Xiuyun started twisting the corner of her clothes tightly again. "I, I, I had a stomachache today, so I also came to the hospital to get it checked."

She wasn't good at lying and couldn't make anything up on the spot, so she had to say this.

Lin Lan asked with concern, "Does your stomach still hurt? We came by bicycle, do you want us to give you a ride back?"

Liu Xiuyun quickly shook her head. "No, no need."

As they were talking, a young man ran toward them, smiling and showing two large buck teeth, looking somewhat dazzling in the setting sun.

Perhaps seeing Lin Lan talking to Liu Xiuyun, the young man suddenly stopped in his tracks, immediately turned his head, and ran in the other direction.

Lin Lan took a glance. "Who was that young man just now? He looks like he's from our village."

Liu Xiuyun's face turned pale then red. "N-no, shenzi, did you see wrong?"

Lin Lan then invited her to go home together.

Liu Xiuyun hesitated but shook her head. "Shenzi, you, you go first, I, I'll wait a bit."

"It's getting dark." Lin Lan already felt something was wrong. Liu Xiuyun was someone who couldn't lie, and she was a proper and honest girl. She usually worked every day, so why would she ask for leave to come out during the autumn harvest?

If she was really seeing a doctor, her family should be accompanying her. If they weren't accompanying her, she should go home after seeing the doctor.

She was actually still standing here at the cinema; it would be strange if nothing was wrong.

However, seeing that Liu Xiuyun was about to cry, Lin Lan couldn't bear to press her.

After all, she was grateful for the warmth in the past, but Liu Xiuyun actually didn't have much interaction with her. It was just a passing act of kindness back then. Now, she had no standing to force Liu Xiuyun to go back.

She said, "Then go back early. If you have any problems, tell me."

She bid farewell.

After taking two steps, Liu Xiuyun called out, "Shenzi!"

Lin Lan turned to look at her.

Liu Xiuyun had bitten her lip until it bled without realizing it herself. "Shenzi, you, you don't..."

"I know, I won't tell anyone. Don't worry, but you must take good care of yourself. If you have any problems, absolutely don't keep them bottled up."

Liu Xiuyun's eyes turned red, and she lowered her head.

Lin Lan then went to find Han Qingsong and briefly told him a few words.

Han Qingsong gave an "oh," didn't say anything, and took the two of them home.

On the way, they also met Luo Haicheng, Han Qingyun, and the others. After greeting them, they went home first.

Arriving at the village entrance, Lin Lan said, "Alright, we're already home. Xiaowang and I will go home ourselves, you go busy yourself."

She knew that matter wasn't over yet. Han Qinghua still needed to be arranged. Now that he was caught, Han Qingsong definitely had to go see his younger brother. Whether it was to teach him a lesson or something else, it was unavoidable.

He was considerate of her, so she also had to be an understanding xifu, right?

Han Qingsong didn't insist. He lifted Xiaowang down and placed him on the ground. "Then I'll go to the commune first."

Lin Lan nodded. "No matter how busy work is, you must eat properly."

Han Qingsong turned to look at her and nodded. "Got it."

Lin Lan then reminded Xiaowang, who was blowing "Little Chick Pecks Rice" with a woo-woo sound, to say goodbye to his die.

Xiaowang waved his little hand. "Woo-woo-doo-doo~~ Goodbye!"

At this time, the sun was slanting to the west, hanging half-set in the western sky. The evening breeze was cool, but Han Qingsong felt a warmth in the pit of his heart.

He rode his bicycle to the commune. Sun Zhuowen and Huang Weizhong ran over, attentively serving him and asking about his well-being.

Han Qingsong's expression remained normal. "Han Qinghua has been caught?"

"Caught... found!" Sun Zhuowen smiled and said, "In this day and age, without grain coupons and a letter of introduction, you can't go anywhere."

Huang Weizhong said, "He came to turn himself in. He was starving, and he's currently locked up in our courtyard."

Han Qingsong nodded, his face revealing nothing. He said he would go take a look.

Sun Zhuowen quickly led the way, no longer having the arrogant and probing demeanor from the beginning. Right now, he wished he could serve Han Qingsong hand and foot and carry his sedan chair.

He had originally thought about competing with Han Qingsong, but now he had long abandoned that thought, only hoping for Han Qingsong's promotion, not daring to have any crooked ideas anymore. Look at Zhao Anpin's family, how pitiful. A while ago, he even came to show off to him how capable he was, able to smooth things over even at the Shanshui Farm.

And now? Well, that was that.

Han Qinghua was also different this time compared to the last. Last time, he still put on airs, wanting to show his third brother some attitude and make it impossible for him to explain to their die and niang.

Now, as soon as he saw Han Qingsong, he threw himself forward and cried loudly, "Third brother ah, I beg you ah, let me go home, I truly can't take it anymore."

Han Qingsong stood with his hands behind his back, as upright as the locust tree in the courtyard. "Do you know your mistake?"

"I know, I know my mistake, I was wrong, I was really wrong..." Han Qinghua was just short of kneeling and kowtowing. If kowtowing was useful, he would have kowtowed a thousand times.

From the moment he ran out of the farm, was put in a sack, and opened his eyes to find himself trapped in a small dark room, he knew he was finished. Fortunately, no one beat him, but he just didn't have any food to eat. Later, he finally managed to pry open the wooden door and escape. Not daring to go home and having no other choice, he could only come to the public security bureau to turn himself in.

"Then work hard and strive for a sentence reduction."

"Ah? You, you're not letting me go home?" Han Qinghua looked at his third brother in terror. "I'm your biological younger brother!"

Han Qingsong: "Even if I break the law, I will be convicted all the same. Can a younger brother be exempt?"

Sun Zhuowen secretly thought: Ruthless enough.

Han Qinghua started wailing loudly, rivaling Zhao Jianshe.

"No one will bully you anymore. Work hard, just like at home." Han Qingsong said, "Die and niang can also go visit you, and you can come home to visit relatives every three to six months."

As long as one wasn't a key serious offender, even if sentenced to ten or eight years, as long as they could work together with everyone else, it was actually pretty much the same. After all, that place was mainly prepared for political prisoners who had been struggled against, mostly people with bad class backgrounds, not truly guilty criminals.

In addition, those guilty of theft, hooliganism, etc., would also be sentenced and sent in for labor after being struggled against. There were also those who weren't sentenced, only struggled against, and then continued to work and receive education in their original units. For some people, the mental criticism and shackles were heavier than physical confinement.

Han Qinghua, however, didn't understand this. He only wanted to go home, protected by his die and niang, with his die and niang cooking for him, and his older brothers working to earn work points, while he didn't have to do anything.

He didn't want to go to laogai ah!!!

Han Qingsong said to Sun Zhuowen, "When Captain Luo returns, take him over together."

Sun Zhuowen repeatedly agreed.

When Luo Haicheng sent them all to the laogai farm, handed them over, signed, and pressed fingerprints, he also had someone change Han Qinghua's group, letting him work under a relatively amiable platoon leader, far away from those people.

Zhang Heilv and Zhao Jianshe were put together.

He didn't care. He was originally from a peasant background, had great strength, and was a good hand at working.

Zhao Jianshe couldn't handle it. He was even more pampered than Han Qinghua. Asking him to climb trees and jump over roofs was fine, and he wasn't afraid of taking liberties with unmarried girls and young xifu, just don't ask him to do manual labor.

Especially rushing to harvest grain in the wind and rain, getting blood blisters on both hands and feet, and having no food to eat if he was slow. To others, this was normal labor.

To him, it was hellish torment.

Sometimes, physical labor was the best punishment for certain people.

This matter came to an end. Zhao Anpin got what he deserved, Zhao Jianshe's crime was aggravated, Zhang Heilv was foolishly implicated, and Han Qinghua lost all his backing and had to accept his fate of suffering on the farm.

Although he couldn't adapt at first, without backing and hope, he no longer dared to run away, no longer dared to slack off, and slowly began to work.

Labor could be adapted to. When one's hands and feet developed calluses and no longer felt pain, they would slowly get used to it.

In the evening, when Han Qingsong returned home, Lin Lan had already cooked dinner. While waiting for Han Qingsong, Maisui excitedly put on her scarf and chiffon scarf.

Having such good things for the first time, she didn't know how to wear them properly. In the past, she could only watch her xiaogu dress up, but now she could also be beautiful, and she was incredibly happy.

Erwang looked envious, Dawang looked indifferent, Sanwang looked curious, and Xiaowang just focused on playing "Little Chick Pecks Rice."

Maisui draped the chiffon scarf over the scarf, then directly wrapped it around her head. "Look, does it look good?"

Lin Lan: "..." It was a bit hard on the eyes, like the square scarves women wore in the 80s, folded into a triangle, draped over the head, and tied under the chin. Coupled with her two cheeks flushed red from the cold, it was incredibly comical.

Sanwang clapped his hands. "It looks good, just like the mother hen in the drawing."

When Teacher Huo taught them to draw, he basically started with things around them, drawing chickens, ducks, geese, cows, horses, and sheep. A mother hen leading a group of chicks, wearing a scarf when it got cold—it was incredibly vivid.

Maisui remembered it and also felt it was hard on the eyes. "Bad Sanwang, I'm ignoring you!"

Sanwang scratched the crescent moon scar on his forehead. "I said you look good, why are you ignoring me?"

Erwang: "It's like saying you're like a loach in summer."

Sanwang: "Wow, erge, you're making fun of me being dark, I'm not dark anymore. Loaches are great at swimming, this is praising me, I'm happy."

As they were talking, Xiaowang suddenly blew a very beautiful sound. Everyone was stunned for a moment and turned to look at him. Sanwang said, "My mother ah, Xiaowang, are you going to become a music teacher?"

Only Teacher Huo could be this amazing.

Xiaowang's eyes were bright. Encouraged, he buried his head and started blowing again.

Everyone could already treat the sounds he blew as background music and didn't find it noisy.

At this time, Han Qingsong returned from outside.

Sanwang shouted, "Die is back, we can start eating."

Lin Lan scooped hot water from the earthen jar and called Han Qingsong to wash his hands.

Han Qingsong said, "Cold water is fine."

"It's getting cold." Lin Lan disagreed. "You must use warm water, if you get frostbite, it'll be uncomfortable when you're old."

"I'm used to it."

Lin Lan glared at him playfully. "No one took care of you before, but now that you're home, you have to listen to me."

Han Qingsong looked at her deeply. "Alright."

Lin Lan immediately turned to look at Dawang and said proudly, "You all saw that, your die also has to listen to me, so you must listen even more. If anyone doesn't listen..."

Xiaowang immediately said, "I listen to niang."

Sanwang giggled. "Listening to niang means not getting beaten."

Dawang's mouth twitched, and he turned to look at the courtyard.

After eating, the children went to the production team to husk corn first. These few days, they had to husk it, thresh it, dry it, hand in the public grain, and distribute the grain, so adults and children were all very busy, and the school didn't assign homework.

Dawang and Sanwang were afraid their niang would ask about school, and even more afraid she would make them do some work since they had no homework. Taking advantage of Lin Lan and Han Qingsong finishing their meal, they quickly said they were going to husk corn and ran out as fast as their legs could carry them.

Erwang wasn't in a hurry and even took the initiative to help Lin Lan wash the pot.

Now he had been brainwashed by Lin Lan into thinking that washing pots and bowls should be a man's job. Girls' hands were delicate and shouldn't do this kind of greasy work.

Especially since Han Qingsong also helped Lin Lan wash bowls, he firmly believed it.

Maisui was more inclined to listen to her niang, study hard, and help the family with chores within her ability.

Maisui: "Xiaowang, let's go, sister will take you to find Teacher Huo."

Teacher Huo and their children did light work together, which was a special treatment for teachers.

Xiaowang looked at Lin Lan.

Lin Lan smiled: "Go."

After Maisui led Xiaowang away, Lin Lan suddenly regretted it.

Sure enough, Han Qingsong, who was still eating earlier, suddenly finished, put down his bowl and chopsticks, and gave Lin Lan a thoughtful look.

Lin Lan: "..." What is it?

He helped clear the bowls and chopsticks, washed them, and glanced around the room. On the wall of the west room hung her and his satchels, and in the east room hung another military schoolbag as an incentive.

Lin Lan helped him pour water. Han Qingsong washed the bowls and asked, "Nothing happened at the hospital today."

Lin Lan: "Nothing, just got Xiaowang's eyes checked first. Old Doctor Liu said he can have surgery in a couple of years."

"Nothing else?"

"Else? No..." Lin Lan hesitated for a moment. "Oh, and Yang Panpan from Linjiatun. Thanks to him last time we went to the hospital. I even said I would bring something to thank him, but I forgot. Haha."

"It's fine, I'll bring it next time." Han Qingsong dried the washed bowls and stacked them neatly on the table. "Nothing else?"

Lin Lan: "No."

Han Qingsong gave an "oh." "Then what was that?"

"What?"

"The thing that dropped on the ground today."

Lin Lan immediately said, "Medicine ah, Xiaowang's medicine."

Feeling guilty, she ran to take it out to show him, only to find that the prescriptions this time were all ointments, so there were no small paper bags like that.

She immediately started tidying up things in the west room, folding clothes, checking if any needed mending, directly tossing the previous matter aside and pretending to forget.

Watching Lin Lan bustling about there, Han Qingsong: "..."

"Let's go, let's go husk corn." Han Qingsong called her.

Lin Lan, however, was still thinking about how to talk to Han Qingsong about this contraception issue. She somewhat regretted not taking him to see Doctor Zhuang; it would have been much easier if the doctor explained it to him.

He took her hand and went out, closing the door and walking toward the threshing floor.

The bright moon rose from the east, clear and bright, with colorful clouds following beside it, making the autumn night seem even more tranquil and cool.

Holding hands, he involuntarily slowed his pace to match hers, keeping in step.

Lin Lan remembered the night he had just transferred to civilian work. He was walking briskly ahead, and she couldn't even keep up at a jog. Now he was actually wronging his long legs to walk with her, which made her feel a bit amused.

"What are you laughing at." He was a bit curious.

Lin Lan smiled and said, "Nothing, just feel quite happy being with you." She tilted her head and leaned on his arm.

Han Qingsong was startled. He felt there was something a bit off about these words, but couldn't pinpoint what it was, so he didn't think much of it. He simply reached out his arm and pulled her into his embrace.

Lin Lan thought his embrace was truly warm, even more constant in temperature than a heat pack. This way, she wouldn't be afraid of the cold in winter.

For a moment, the two were immersed in the beautiful feeling and didn't speak, just walking quietly.

They lived in the south of the village, toward the west. Because the nearby houses belonged to the brigade and production team, it was slightly remote and had no streetlights, so people rarely walked this way normally.

Suddenly, low sobbing sounds came from the dark bushes nearby.

"You, what do you say we do."

"Stop crying!" A man's impatient voice. "What else can we do, abort it!"

"But, but the doctor said my, my body can't handle an abortion, it's dangerous."

"Where are there so many dangers, they're just scaring people. If you don't believe it, I'll abort it for you, I've already gone and asked people for advice."

Lin Lan: "..." Damn, what kind of scumbag raised on golden fertilizer is this, actually fooling a girl like this.

Moreover, why did that voice sound so much like Liu Xiuyun?

Lin Lan was a bit uncertain. After all, she hadn't had much interaction with Liu Xiuyun in the past two years.

However, connecting it to what she encountered in the county today, she was highly suspicious.

In her anger, her footsteps became a bit heavier. The people in the bushes heard it and immediately panicked.

The man whispered, "Someone's coming, I'm leaving first." Then came the sound of hurried footsteps fading away, and the rustling sound of the woman leaving.

Lin Lan: Damn, truly an invincible pay-to-win scumbag. Based on his appearance, he was definitely a man from the same village. She thought about the young men the same age as Liu Xiuyun, but the original owner wasn't very familiar with the villagers, and she didn't do heavy manual labor with the men, so she truly couldn't think of many.

"Tell me, why are men so bad?" Lin Lan said indignantly.

Han Qingsong: "... He only represents himself."

"If Xiuyun was deceived, how unlucky would that be, such a good girl. Who exactly is this scumbag?"

Han Qingsong: "Scumbag?"

Lin Lan immediately became alert: I was a bit too angry, and at the same time, because I'm close to Han Qingsong, I relaxed my vigilance, occasionally saying modern vocabulary that arouses his suspicion.

"That thing just now, a man like that, what's the difference between him and tofu dregs, scum? He's just the scum among men, a scumbag!" She silently praised her own quick wit.

Han Qingsong nodded: "Vivid."

...

When husking corn, usually men and women were in separate piles, and children in another pile. Everyone liked to find peers to chat about interesting common topics.

Even if some men wanted to flirt, or some women wanted to look at men, they couldn't be blatant about it. They could only use the excuse of walking around to carry grass or pick up corn to get close, and they were easily laughed at by others.

But Han Qingsong didn't consider this at all. After arriving, he followed Lin Lan, and Lin Lan found Maisui and the others.

Their students all followed the teachers.

Han Qingping and Huo Yuan greeted them when they saw them coming.

Some women heard this and immediately started muttering, "My, this fuqi is clingier than newlywed young fuqi, they even have to come over together."

"You guys didn't see, they even came holding hands."

"Oh my niang ah, if they went out and people didn't know they were fuqi, wouldn't they be arrested as hooligans and punished for hooliganism."

"Fuqi shouldn't act like this even more, how indiscreet, bad influence."

"Isn't that so, not paying attention to their impact at all."

Dong Huaihua heard this and said loudly, "It's almost midnight, it's not like you don't have men, why are you being so sour. They didn't hold another man's hand, what are you unhappy about. Go hold your own men's hands, stop being sour here."

Hearing the women's director speak, everyone laughed. "We're just making a joke, haha, don't take it seriously."

Dong Huaihua saw Liu Xiuyun sitting diagonally opposite, silent the whole time, head lowered, holding a piece of corn, motionless, about to turn into a stone statue.

"Xiuyun, if you're not feeling well, go back and rest, missing one night won't matter."

She knew Liu Xiuyun had asked for leave during the day. She thought it was probably menstrual cramps or something else.

Liu Xiuyun quickly said she was fine. Suddenly, her stomach churned, and a wave of nausea surged up. She quickly stood up and ran away, trying to run as far as possible to throw up.

She only focused on staying away from the adults, but accidentally got close to the children's side.

Children have sharp ears, and someone started imitating, "Blergh~~ Blergh~~"

Lin Lan: "..." Why are you guys so dramatic.

She said to Sanwang, "Don't eat random things in the future. If you get an upset stomach, you'll be vomiting and having diarrhea."

Sanwang: "Did Sister Xiuyun get an upset stomach?"

Lin Lan whispered: "How do you know it's Sister Xiuyun?"

Sanwang looked at the teachers, then leaned close to Lin Lan's ear and said, "She often goes to find that zhiqing to secretly eat good food, she probably got an upset stomach."

Lin Lan: "!!!" Many people think they do things without anyone knowing, but little do they know they can't hide it from these little brats in the village. They are simply excellent eyes and ears.

Whoever dares to ignore children will have their secrets exposed.

She felt this deeply.

She turned her head and whispered in Han Qingsong's ear, "Do you want to secretly give the security director a heads-up?"

The security director was quite upright. Although he was a village cadre, he was fair. As the party secretary's deputy, he was responsible for handling many conflicts in the village, and everyone said he was impartial.

Lin Lan also had a good impression of him.

If this matter spread, she was afraid the Liu family wouldn't be able to hold their heads up.

Moreover, with the commune members pointing fingers and gossiping, given Liu Xiuyun's personality, if the man didn't marry her, she was afraid an accident might really happen.

Telling the security director in advance, letting him communicate with the man's side, and getting engaged and married now would suppress this matter.

It's just... hearing the words just now, she felt that man was scummy enough.

If it were her, she absolutely wouldn't marry him, she would rather abort the child... If her body really couldn't handle it, then she would give birth and raise it herself.

Even if it was shameful, she wouldn't marry a scumbag.

After all, she wasn't afraid of losing face, nor was she afraid of people pointing fingers and gossiping. Anyway, she had the consciousness of a shrew.

But Liu Xiuyun was different. The Liu family also had quite a reputation in the village and cared a lot about face.

Their values were different from hers, and their way of handling problems would definitely be different. For Liu Xiuyun, the best solution was to marry that man first.

As for him being a scumbag, there was no need to fear. In Shanzucun, with the Liu family watching and so many people keeping an eye on him, he wouldn't be able to act scummy.

And even if he was scummy, they could divorce later. Being pregnant out of wedlock and being called a broken shoe by some gossipy women would be more damaging to a face-saving family like Liu Xiuyun's than divorce.

After all, it was still 1970. There was still the crime of hooliganism, and even the messed-up crime of being a broken shoe. Once the commune members used this as a pretext to make a fuss, she was afraid a struggle session would be unavoidable.

She whispered in Han Qingsong's ear like this, her voice low, her breath like orchids. Han Qingsong didn't dare to move, his ears catching fire. But when she blew air, it was cool, an indescribably comfortable, tingling sensation, making him really want to carry her home right now...

After speaking, Lin Lan patted Han Qingsong's arm. "Third brother... go quickly."

Third brother~~

An originally extremely proper address, but coming from her mouth, Han Qingsong suddenly felt it was very charming and soft, as if it wasn't the same person others called, not the same address, not the same meaning.

She called him third brother, with a soft, coquettish trailing note, as if she were acting spoiled, seducing him.

He squeezed her hand. "Alright." When he stood up, he adjusted his clothes, covering that certain place that wouldn't be seen by anyone.

After a while, Han Qingsong returned to Lin Lan's side.

Lin Lan thought he would take the initiative to tell her, but he sat as still as a bell, saying nothing and just husking corn.

She had no choice but to lean close again. "Did you tell him?"

Han Qingsong: "Call me that again."

"Call what?"

Han Qingsong: "What you called me before."

Lin Lan snickered. Little rascal, keeping 'third brother' in mind. She tugged his sleeve to make him lean close, brought her lips to his ear, and whispered, "Darling."

Before she finished speaking, she felt his ear become as hot as if it were going to catch fire.

Sanwang: "Niang, what fun things are you saying to die! I want to hear too!"

Lin Lan: ... This unlucky child.

Han Qingping and Huo Yuan also looked at them and smiled.

Lin Lan said seriously, "I was discussing with your die that you haven't been well-behaved recently, and we're going to give you a beating when we get back."

Sanwang sprang up. "I'm much more well-behaved than dage, I'm going over there." Saying that, he darted away, running faster than a rabbit.

Han Qingsong turned his head and whispered to Lin Lan, "Chen Haoran."

Chen Haoran? He went and found out who the scumbag was? In this short time? That was too fast.

Lin Lan searched her memory. "Aiya, isn't that the one living at third daye's house?"

Chen Haoran was a zhiqing who came down from X Island. He wasn't tall and had ordinary looks, but he had a sweet mouth, was eloquent, and was especially good at coaxing people. It was said he used to be sent to the countryside in a neighboring county, and for some unknown reason, he transferred to their village. He caused trouble as soon as he arrived. Although he didn't admit it, many people firmly believed he did it.

When he transferred here at the end of last year, he was once responsible for leading the livestock. As a result, a donkey suddenly got spooked and started running.

He chased after it, and who knows how he chased it, but he chased the donkey down a high slope, and the donkey fell to its death.

Although donkeys didn't do much heavy work, couldn't pull large carts or plow fields, they were best at pulling millstones and were also indispensable livestock for the production team.

When a piece of livestock died, Han Yongfang and the others were incredibly sad.

That Chen Haoran, however, wasn't sad at all. Instead, he was cheerful and secretly said to other zhiqing, "It's good that it died, could we eat meat if it didn't die?"

Later, there were rumors that when he was sent to the countryside in other places, he had harmed livestock like this. Some commune members were even fooled by him into doing it together, killing the livestock so they could eat meat.

Some commune members were fooled into listening to him and even covered for him. Later, there was no evidence and he wasn't sentenced, but to save face, he was transferred here through coordination.

Ever since the donkey died, Han Yongfang was very mindful of this matter. He told people not to assign important work to the zhiqing, just let them work together with everyone else, and important or special tasks couldn't be assigned to them.

With precautions in place, Chen Haoran hadn't made any major mistakes. Slacking off, being gluttonous, and stealing food weren't considered major mistakes. After all, zhiqing were pampered, loved leisure and hated labor, and were gluttonous and lazy; basically, they all had a bit of that.

Now he had actually done that to the security director's guinv... Lin Lan felt that if he didn't marry her, his leg should be broken!

The third one!

"Did you tell the security director?"

Han Qingsong: "He's not home, he took people to the north to check the sweet potatoes."

Lin Lan: "Then I'll talk to the women's director and have her talk to Xiuyun's niang."

This kind of thing shouldn't be known by too many people, but Dong Huaihua had a sense of propriety. Moreover, as the women's director, if they needed to mediate with Chen Haoran later, she would inevitably have to step forward.

Lin Lan pulled Dong Huaihua aside and tactfully started the topic, only saying she saw Liu Xiuyun at the county hospital, without going into detail yet.

Dong Huaihua slapped her thigh: "Oh no, I know. I was wondering why she's been acting strange recently, so it's... like that."

Lin Lan looked at her.

Dong Huaihua whispered: "Lin Lan, don't tell anyone else."

Lin Lan nodded: "I haven't told anyone, that's why I'm telling you."

Dong Huaihua: "Aiya, you really hit the nail on the head. We need to carry out that popularization and propaganda, otherwise accidents will happen. These zhiqing are truly bad news, each one gluttonous and lazy, and restless all day, hooking up with this one and thinking about that one."

She quickly went to find Liu Xiuyun's niang and Liu Xiuyun.

Lin Lan went back to continue husking corn.

When the time was about right, she told the children to hurry home and sleep. Children were growing, and she didn't want to cut back on their sleep.

It was dark at night, and she was afraid Xiaowang would fall, so she wanted to pick him up.

Han Qingsong had already lifted him up with one hand and sat him in the crook of his arm. Sanwang saw this over there and jumped up excitedly, "Die, me, me too!"

Han Qingsong: "Walk yourself."

Sanwang aggrievedly touched the scar on his forehead.

Lin Lan quickly said, "He's never been carried since he was little, let him be carried once."

Hearing Lin Lan say this, Han Qingsong reached out his large hand, grabbed Sanwang's shoulder like an eagle catching a chick, and lifted him up.

"Awoo awoo awoo~~ This is so fun!" Sanwang kicked his legs, showing off to his classmates and playmates.

The other children immediately wanted their die to carry them and play too, but without exception, they all earned a slap.

When their family had all left, someone couldn't stand it. "What time is it? Is it even eight o'clock?"

"It's almost eight-thirty, going on nine."

"Only their family sleeps so early, whose family doesn't sleep until ten?"

These few days of autumn harvest, working overtime at night earned work points. Generally, commune members' families would stay up late and do more work to earn more work points.

However, to prevent everyone from staying up late, Han Yongfang contracted the work out by piles. Based on everyone's speed, adding twenty percent to the quantity, he set a certain number of work points and let people contract it. Once they finished husking, they got the points.

This way, everyone could work nimbly and wouldn't dawdle like before when work points were based on time.

Hearing someone making sour remarks, Dong Huaihua said, "They arrive late and leave early, but the work they do is more than you who arrive early and leave late. You don't even examine yourselves!"

The others were too embarrassed to say anything.

Some unruly ones said, what are those two going back so early for? Definitely something going on. A few people gathered together and snickered, understanding each other's meaning. Someone even suggested going to eavesdrop.

In the end, no one dared to go. If they were caught as thieves and had their arms dislocated or something, the loss would outweigh the gain.

It would be better to go eavesdrop on those zhiqing. Those city folks knew how to play and could say mushy things.

For example, they had learned a couplet: "Up matches down, soft matches hard, one pillar supports the sky, two snow peaks, midnight whimpering, spring tide, boat across." Although they didn't understand it at first, after going home and pondering it on their own poniang, they could actually match it one by one, instantly feeling like they were also half-educated people.

Returning home, Lin Lan told the children to wash their feet. They didn't need to bathe every day, but feet had to be washed.

Erwang was unhurried, Dawang was crisp and neat, and Sanwang splashed around like he was fighting a war, making Maisui constantly yell at him.

Once they got on the kang, they lay down and started snoring soundly. Lin Lan then tidied herself up.

Han Qingsong had already settled Xiaowang and was leaning against the kang cabinet looking at something.

Lin Lan, wearing a padded jacket and shuffling in rush socks, ran over. "What are you looking at in the dark, be careful of your eyes."

She thought Han Qingsong was reading a book.

Han Qingsong flipped his large hand, revealing the object he was studying in his palm. It was clearly the condom Lin Lan had hidden in the kang cabinet.

Mommy! No wonder they say women can hide and men can find; nothing could be hidden from him.

Lin Lan felt she was calm and composed, very unhurried. Little did she know her cheeks and neck had already turned red. Under the lamplight, falling into Han Qingsong's eyes, she was as alluring as a blooming flower.

She feigned calmness, got on the kang, and slipped under the covers. "What are you studying?"

Han Qingsong: "Isn't it yours?" He read it again very seriously: "Condom."

Lin Lan: "... I don't know, where did it come from? It's not mine."

Han Qingsong pulled her into his embrace and then read the instructions on it in a low voice. His voice was already slightly deep, rich, and full of magnetism. Lowering his voice like this, the chest resonance sounded even more like surround stereo sound.

Lin Lan's ears turned completely red.

Han Qingsong pinched the thing and asked doubtfully, "This... can be used?"

Lin Lan buried her face in his chest and muttered, "That's what the doctor said."

"Doctor? Which one?"

"Doctor Zhuang from the county hospital, the director of the obstetrics and gynecology department, the most authoritative."

Han Qingsong's large hand lifted her cheek. "Are you sure this thing... is big enough?"

Lin Lan looked at the condom close at hand, the tip of her nose starting to sweat. Why do you have so many questions, just use it.

"Um, the doctor said... if you don't want children, you have to use contraception. You can't take medicine randomly, so... so using this is the safest." Her voice grew smaller and smaller.

It's so expensive!

Han Qingsong looked at her doubtfully. "Are you sure? Is there no other way?"

Lin Lan: "... Women can, get an IUD, but... it's easy to get sick. That iron ring placed in the belly... after a long time, it will rust and cause illness."

Han Qingsong gave an "oh." "Then we can't put that in. No other way?"

Lin Lan: "... No."

She couldn't tell him about a vasectomy, just pretend she didn't know.

Han Qingsong's thick eyebrows furrowed slightly. He studied it against the light again and stuffed it into Lin Lan's hand. "You put it on."

Lin Lan: "!!!"

"How am I supposed to put it on, this is a thing for men to use. Look at this shape, this..."

"You help me put it on, I don't know how." Han Qingsong spoke righteously, but his voice grew increasingly hoarse, and the grip of his hand on her shoulder involuntarily tightened.

Lin Lan was almost turning into a fully cooked shrimp all over. I haven't put one on either...

Han Qingsong, however, put on a look of "if you want to wear it, you're responsible for putting it on," otherwise he wouldn't wear it. Lin Lan watched him seriously acting shamelessly, while her face was burning hot. Her brain had crashed, and she didn't have the energy to think about anything, just wanting to quickly help him put it on.

She didn't know if the size didn't match, anyway...

In the end, the two of them tossed and turned together. Lin Lan felt that if they kept tossing like this, he would probably lose interest.

Who knew he tossed with great relish and feeling, showing no signs of going soft due to frustration.

Finally put it on.

Lin Lan breathed a sigh of relief.

Han Qingsong: "... Uncomfortable." Too tight, wrong size.

Lin Lan: "Just bear with it, this way I won't get pregnant. We already have five..."

"I can afford to raise ten." Han Qingsong's voice was muffled, as if strangled by something.

"But I... I feel having children is so tiring. Look, if I get pregnant, you can't touch me. Ten months of pregnancy, can you endure it?" She wished she could directly say he couldn't touch her for three years, see if he was afraid!

Han Qingsong thought about it and felt he would go crazy, he couldn't endure it.

"So, either bear with it, or don't touch me for a year and rely on your hand to solve it. You choose one, hmm?" Lin Lan's slender fingers gently scratched his chest.

He caught her fire-starting hand, kissed it, moved a bit, and stopped again. "Too tight, strangling me so I can't breathe."

"You'll get used to it." Lin Lan comforted him, secretly delighted. Will this daily exercise change to weekly now?

Too smart!

After a while, "It's like wearing a raincoat, very far from you." His voice was even more muffled, and he hugged her tighter.

Lin Lan: You hit the nail on the head, this is its little raincoat. However, this thing was indeed a bit too thick, comparable to latex surgical gloves.

After another while... Lin Lan could no longer speak, only able to adjust herself to follow the rhythm.

After another while... changed a position... Lin Lan: "... Why?" So long...

After a long time... changed several positions... there still seemed to be no intention of stopping.

Lin Lan felt she was going crazy, why wasn't it ending yet?

"Um... you..." She couldn't bring herself to ask.

He: "... With this thing, it won't be done even when it's dawn."

Lin Lan: ..................... What are you trying to do!