Back to the 60s: The Struggle Career of a Charmed Wife
Chapter 396 - 0396 Solution 4_1

Chapter 396: Chapter 0396 Solution 4_1

Fenghua was not a native member of the Wanglou Brigade; she was a Zhou by birth. She and her parents had fled to the Wanglou Brigade during a time of war. Not long after, both her parents died of illness. At that time, Fenghua was just ten years old. The Lu Family took her in as a young maid. She was clever and had been taught to read and write by her parents, so she quickly rose up the ranks and worked in the old lady’s room. She went from being a small-sized maid to the chief maid, changed her name to Fenghua, and the old lady gave her a dowry when she got married.

Wang Zhenguo had been serving the Lu Family since he was young and thus was familiar with Fenghua. Fenghua and her younger sister, Fengmei, lived together, and whenever he prepared something for Fengmei, he would also prepare something for Fenghua. He treated her like his own sister.

However, Fengmei didn’t share Fenghua’s noble disposition.

After her wedding, Fenghua would visit the old lady annually, while Fengmei never once showed up. Later, unknown to everyone, the old lady and the father of the Lu Family spoke to Fenghua about something, after which Fenghua never showed up again.

Not long after, the vigorous campaign of distributing land to the landless farmers began.

Several years later, neither Li Dazhu recognized Wang Zhenguo, nor did Wang Zhenguo recognize Li Dazhu. He knew that Li Dazhu and Zhou Fenghua were both working in the city, but he had no idea they had once worked in a coal mine.

Li Dazhu, upon hearing Wang Zhenguo call him by his name joyously responded, "Yes, yes, I am Li Dazhu! You threatened me back in the days, stating that if Fenghua wasn’t doing well, you would come to have a word with me. Over the years, Fenghua and I have bickered over small trivial matters, I waited and waited for you, but you never appeared. I thought you had forgotten about it."

"Time makes one grow old!" Wang Zhenguo sighed, "I didn’t expect to run into you here. Higher class people like yourselves often have forgetful memories. I had no idea where to find you, could you not return to the Wanglou Brigade?"

He said this intentionally, for he knew Fenghua was not an ingrate.

Li Dazhu glanced around before whispering, "How dare would we return? We are afraid of causing trouble! However, we’re still keeping an eye on the circumstances of the Lu Family. For now, it’s better to keep our distance, preventing others from knowing about our relationship. If something happens in the future, we can secretly lend a hand without anyone suspecting our connection. My daughter works at the county committee and my son at the city committee. Although they are both minor officials, they’re quite useful! Now, I know you brother, but you brother doesn’t know me! Oh, my wife has long since changed her name, she now goes by Zhou Xianghong."

Wang Zhenguo suddenly said, "That year we were provided with a quota for workers from Wanglou Brigade..."

Li Dazhu smirked a little, neither confirming nor denying.

"I knew it, how could the recruiting quota fall into our brigade." Upon meeting Li Dazhu, Wang Zhenguo finally had an answer for the doubts in his heart. The quota for city employment, especially for miners, was extremely coveted. Everyone was trying their best to get into it, and a lot of times, the first requirement for recruitment was a city hukou (residence permit) and an education. Rarely did rural citizens ever come into consideration.

Li Dazhu waved his hand, not willing to take credit, "Elder brother, I’ll leave you an address later. If you encounter any difficulties, just send someone to deliver a message. If we can help, we won’t refrain. However, I feel like there’s nothing that we could do that you’d need help with, elder brother, you are a well-respected, known figure, ordinary people wouldn’t dare to mess with you."

No one starved to death in the Wanglou Brigade as Wang Zhenguo had made great contributions. As long as he agreed, promotion was almost a certainty. But rumor had it that he was unwilling to leave his fellow villagers behind, and only wanted to remain in the Wanglou Brigade to help the common people with his utmost.

Wang Zhenguo said, "Don’t make fun of me, just call me brother."

Li Dazhu took a look at the stuff in the mule cart and gave Wang Zhenguo a thumbs-up, "Elder brother, many years without contact, yet you remain good as ever. If your youngest could learn just a bit from you, he wouldn’t just be a minor official now."