Wealthy Beauty in the 60s
Chapter 57 - 56 Hometown Educated Youth (Requesting Initial Subscription)

Chapter 57: Chapter 56 Hometown Educated Youth (Requesting Initial Subscription)

Xia Xiao thought about the wild rabbits and pheasants in her space; raising them wasn’t a problem—female pheasants could lay eggs for her to eat, but wild rabbits reproduced and had little bunnies.

Xia Xiao didn’t know how to eat rabbits, and when it came to killing them, she couldn’t bring herself to do it, which was unlike killing chickens. In her previous life at home, she had been the cook, so killing chickens and fish was routine for her, but rabbits were a different story—Xia Xiao had never killed one and didn’t dare to.

Thus, she didn’t want to raise rabbits, but only wanted to sell them for money. Xia Xiao thought of Gao Jiaxing, but she still had to explain where the rabbits came from.

And at her own level, she couldn’t make anyone believe her.

So every day, Xia Xiao told Zheng Xianghong she was going into the mountains to set traps, yet the mountains were dangerous because many people set traps there. If Shitou hadn’t reminded her, she might have even stepped into one herself.

Every day, Zheng Xianghong saw Xia Xiao claiming to set traps and returning empty-handed, offering a few words of comfort.

Xia Xiao didn’t mind; she indeed did set traps, but she didn’t actually hope to catch anything.

In the production team, besides working in the fields every day, there was also mountain clearing. During the farming season, Xia Xiao was exhausted like a dog. But there were days, or half-days, of rest within a month when everyone was still diligent in their work, and few were lazy.

After all, without work, there would be no harvest, and without work, there was the possibility of not having food, so everyone was very hardworking.

Whenever there was work, as long as Gao Jiaxing wasn’t in school, Xia Xiao could always see him, but once there was free time, or after the work was done, the Gao brothers disappeared.

Xia Xiao also knew of the recent activities of the Gao brothers—besides hunting in Nanhua Mountain, there wasn’t much else. However, she didn’t expect that one day, the Gao brothers returned, bringing back sea fish.

Xia Xiao happened to be at the Gao’s house, learning how to weave straw mats with Zheng Xianghong, when she saw the Gao brothers bringing back fish. Zheng Xianghong asked, "Where have you been?"

"We went to my elder sister’s place."

"My elder sister got you fish? How could you take your elder sister’s things? Her family has so many mouths to feed, and times aren’t easy for them," Zheng Xianghong said immediately.

"No, we went fishing with my brother-in-law," Gao Jiaxing said.

"Then leave it for your elder sister’s family to eat. Our production team is doing relatively well, and we have food to eat. Without fishing, they’d be going hungry."

Zheng Xianghong’s second son-in-law was from a fishing village, close to the sea, and went out to fish every day, which was very dangerous.

Since her rebirth, Xia Xiao hadn’t been to the seaside. The Guangming Production Team and the Red Star Production Team were close to the mountains, but not near the sea—walking to the seaside took at least two hours, far longer than going to the county town.

What Gao Jiaxing hadn’t mentioned was that they had sold a part at the black market, and only brought back a few fish.

"The rest is left at my elder sister’s house; these are the ones we cooked. We’re taking a few back for mom and dad to taste," Gao Jiazhi said.

Zheng Xianghong’s face lit up with a smile, and she quickly called to Xia Xiao, "Come, Xia Xiao, try some. Ah, I don’t remember when was the last time we had fish."

"I’ll pass, Auntie. I’ll head back first," said Xia Xiao as she hurried to say goodbye, feeling it wasn’t right to eat from someone else’s table at such a moment.

She hadn’t shared the things in her space with others, except when Gao Jiaxing was injured, she used to put a drop or two of spring water in his cup at the Gao’s house every day—and then she stopped.

"You’re just too polite with Auntie," Zheng Xianghong said, holding Xia Xiao back.

Gao Jiazhi said, "Educated Youth Xia, there’s plenty here."

"Eat when you’re told to eat, what’s with all the fuss?" Gao Jiaxing joined in.

Xia Xiao was nibbling on the grilled fish that Zheng Xianghong had passed to him. Taking advantage of the moment when Zheng Xianghong and Gao Jiazhi stepped inside the room, he quietly asked Gao Jiaxing, "Brother Gao, do you know about the black market?"

Gao Jiaxing suddenly tensed up, his gaze sharply fixed on Xia Xiao, who nearly lost his words under such a stare.

"What for?" Gao Jiaxing asked.

"Nothing much, just curious about the black market. I’ve been setting traps in the mountains these past few days, and if I catch anything, I was thinking of selling it in the black market. So, I wanted to know more about it. Do you have any idea, Brother Gao?"

"I don’t know," Gao Jiaxing replied.

Xia Xiao grimaced, having not expected Gao Jiaxing to be so vigilant and tight-lipped. Seeing his attitude, Xia Xiao realized he wouldn’t get anything more out of Brother Gao and dropped the idea.

Nevertheless, Xia Xiao continued to set traps in the mountain every day, except when it rained, persisting with the routine. Many from the production team knew about Xia Xiao’s activities.

Gao Guoqiang soon returned. Gao Jiaxing called out, "Dad, you’re back."

Xia Xiao also greeted the captain but noticed that there were not only Gao Guoqiang coming back but also several young people. They clearly looked like they were from the city, and Xia Xiao knew that they must be new educated youth assigned to the production team. The Production Team members, being weathered by wind, sun, and rain through their labor, were rarely as fair and clean, except for those unable to tan and special cases like Xia Xiao.

"Xia Xiao, you’re here too. Great, these are the new educated youth just assigned to our Production Team. Gu Weiguo, Yao Wangchun, and Xu Mei all come from the same city as you, they’re all high school graduates from this year’s class."

"This is Xia Xiao, an educated youth who arrived last year. Xia Xiao, please lead them to the Youth Point to get settled. Report to the team early tomorrow morning," Gao Guoqiang instructed the newcomers.

Xia Xiao hesitated and said, "Captain, what if there are no spare beds at the Youth Point?"

The Youth Point wasn’t large, and as far as Xia Xiao could remember, it seemed full. Xia Xiao’s dorm was the last one; where would the newly arrived Xu Mei squeeze in?

Gao Guoqiang appeared to understand Xia Xiao’s concerns and said, "No worries, just let Educated Youth Xu take Yang Hua’s bed."

"Where will Yang Hua go?" asked Xia Xiao, adding a question since Yang Hua was not someone to be trifled with. Moreover, Yang Hua didn’t stay at the Youth Point but in a partition at the women’s office, where she also served as Li Shengmei’s assistant.

"She’s now living with my nephew and will get married in a few days."

Upon hearing this, Xia Xiao was taken aback. Yang Hua was getting married, and to Lin Xuebi’s son, no less.

That was incredibly quick. Was Yang Hua, only twenty-one, in such a rush to get married?

"Captain, wouldn’t it be inappropriate for me to take Xu Mei there? Director Li might not agree," Xia Xiao expressed concern, feeling that Li Shengmei and Yang Hua, who controlled that area, definitely wouldn’t approve of Xia Xiao’s involvement.

"It’s all right, Secretary He has already given the approval. Jiazhi and Jiaxing will also help out and set up beds for Educated Youth Gu and Educated Youth Yao at the Youth Point." Gao Guoqiang turned to his sons and said, "Jiazhi, Jiaxing, you two go help as well."

Xia Xiao belatedly realized the reference to Secretary He; it was He Hongjun. Originally the higher-ups had planned for He Hongjun to be the secretary of the Production Team, but he had declined. No one had been appointed since then, so everything was managed solely by Gao Guoqiang.

At this point, Xia Xiao could only give a friendly smile to the new educated youth and said, "All right then, follow me; it’s just a few steps from here."