Connections

At the foot of the mountain, Shen Jianan yanked up a handful of grass, kneaded it into a pad over his shoulder, then bent down and hoisted the bicycle onto his back, carefully making his way up the rugged mountain path.

Actually, he could have waited until tomorrow to get a letter of introduction and borrow a bicycle, saving himself a great deal of effort. But in the countryside, borrowing things from people early in the morning was not only awkward, it might also give Zhao Qiancheng the chance to make things difficult for him.

The people at the Educated Youth Station were a lesson from the past. Every time they went to Zhao Qiancheng for a letter of introduction, they had to endure a thorough tossing about.

It was not that he refused to write one for them. He simply served dishes according to the guests, deliberately dragging things out. If the gifts they brought were not good enough, he could keep them waiting ten days or half a month.

Yet even if everyone was angry, they did not dare say much. After all, he always used official business as an excuse. Who would be crazy enough to claim their own affairs were more important than official duties?

That was why Shen Jianan had chosen to seek out Zhao Qiancheng at this hour, to avoid being put through the wringer.

After all, it was not harvest season, so there was no work to do at night. Though it was dark, it was still early, and a round trip between the Zhao Household and the brigade would only take a few minutes. Zhao Qiancheng would have no excuse to claim he was busy.

Even if he did make excuses, it did not matter. Shen Jianan had the whole night to wear Zhao Qiancheng down.

Still, he had been lucky enough to run into Zhao Hongjun. With the other man's push from behind, he had smoothly obtained the letter of introduction and borrowed the bicycle, saving himself plenty of trouble.

Shen Jianan was deeply grateful to him and planned to show Zhao Hongjun his appreciation when he had the chance.

"Huff... huff..."

Panting heavily, the youth finally climbed onto the narrow path halfway up the mountain. By the moonlight, he looked up at the courtyard gate close at hand and smiled. He carefully set the bicycle down and pushed it into the bedroom.

After straightening up, he raised a hand to pound his aching shoulder, then went to the table to write a letter to his parents. He intended to ask his family to think of a way to find study materials for Gu Yu and himself.

After all, the original owner's home was in Hai City, and his aunt was a key figure in the education system. Finding such things would be much easier for them than for Shen Jianan in this little county town. After putting the letter away in his satchel, he began writing again.

He had said before that he wanted to do business, but he did not have that much capital. So he planned to earn some startup funds with his pen first. If he succeeded, it could also build his reputation, giving him a helping hand whether he went to university or entered society to work later on.

Even if it did not work out, it was no big deal. He could treat it as practice and think of other ways afterward.

Still, there were many taboos surrounding writing in this era. He had to keep a firm grasp on the boundaries. After some thought, he decided to write an article about educated youths going to the countryside.

Drawing on the period novels he had read in modern times and combining them with the current social climate, he used the developing romance between the male lead Gu Hongxing and female lead Shen Xiufang to thread together passion and struggle, writing a light, amusing, inspirational short story.

He planned to send it first to the Literature Publishing General Office in Hai City. After all, his family was local and knew the place well. The office had been established for more than twenty years, covered a broad range of publishing fields, and offered a rich variety of titles. It was a major publishing house of national standing.

The article he had written leaned toward fiction, so there was no better place to submit it.

After scribbling away for several hours, Shen Jianan finally wrote more than eight thousand words. He stopped the plot at the point where the male lead braved a torrential downpour to save a child who had fallen into the water, only to be swept away by the flood, his life and death unknown.

He then copied it out again, checked it carefully, and after making sure there were no typos or awkward sentences, folded it with care, placed it in an envelope, affixed a stamp, and put it together with the letter home.

Only then did he stretch his aching wrists, head into the courtyard to wash up, and return to the room to put out the light and sleep. He had to rise early tomorrow, so he could not stay up late again.

But not long after falling asleep, he heard movement outside. He immediately opened his eyes and saw a familiar figure gently push the door open and enter.

Shen Jianan hurriedly sat up and called out, "Brother Gu, you're back."

Gu Yu paused, then walked through the darkness to sit by the bed. He reached out and patted Shen Jianan's head. "Sorry, I woke you."

"It's all right. I only fell asleep a little while ago too."

Shen Jianan reached out and tugged at him. "Brother, I'm going into town tomorrow. Is there anything you need? I can buy it for you while I'm there."

"What are you going into town for?"

"To mail a letter and ask my family to find some study materials for us."

Shen Jianan smiled as he explained, "Brother Gu, I think the overall situation is getting better and better. Maybe the College Entrance Examination will be restored in a couple of years. When that happens, we'll take it together and get out of this hellhole for good. Then we'll find a way to get all your family back into the city. How does that sound?"

Gu Yu gradually sank into thought at his words. When Shen Jianan heard no response, he thought the man was letting his thoughts run wild again. He quickly rose to his knees... and met his gaze before speaking solemnly. "Brother Gu, you have to be optimistic. And you have to believe in me and believe in yourself."

Gu Yu silently felt the warmth and softness against his face, his expression gradually softening. "Mm! All right."

"That's more like it!"

The youth smiled and swayed... Gu Yu... unconsciously rubbed his fingers together.

Shen Jianan had yet to notice his... and continued speaking. "Brother Gu, once my aunt helps me find the study materials, we'll study hard together.

If there's something we don't understand, we can even go to the Cattle Shed and ask for advice. After all, the grandpas are all professor-level people... Once we get into university, we'll go to the capital to study together..."

The youth chattered on without pause, but Gu Yu listened with delight, because Shen Jianan's plans for the future all included him.

Thinking of that...

At this moment, Gu Yu had yet to realize that his thoughts had gradually veered away from their original track...

Before dawn had fully broken, Shen Jianan rode straight toward town amid Gu Yu's repeated instructions.

Watching that slender figure pedal the bicycle wheels furiously, Gu Yu felt both heartsore and amused.

But at the same time, he was infected by Shen Jianan's spirit, his whole body brimming with drive. He unconsciously spread his arms and felt the breeze brush against his face, silently encouraging himself. "Gu Yu! You can do it."

Shen Jianan hurried to town without stopping, arriving after eight in the morning. He first went to the Post Office, mailed the two letters separately, bought some envelopes, writing paper, and stamps, and put them into his satchel before heading to the Supply and Marketing Cooperative.

Though he had inherited the original owner's memories and become thoroughly familiar with this era, he still had to see and hear things for himself before he could truly understand everything.

Otherwise, once he had money, he might charge in headfirst full of hot blood. It would be fine if things worked out, but if he lost money, he would have to start all over again. What a waste that would be!

With that in mind, he quickened his pace once more and followed the main road to the Supply and Marketing Cooperative. The moment he arrived, Shen Jianan saw its imposing storefront, which stood out sharply against the surrounding buildings.

The moment he entered, he saw a long row of waist-high glass counters filled with expensive goods, such as Shanghai Watches, radios, cassette players, and the like.

Bright red washbasins, enamelware, thermoses, lunch boxes, and other items sat atop the counters. The shelves behind them were likewise packed with all kinds of goods, including fabric and clothing.

Every product's style and packaging displayed the unique characteristics of this era. Like the XX quotations pasted on the walls, they carried a strong flavor of the times.

After serving the customer in front of her with a blank expression, the salesclerk Gao Xiaofen looked up and saw Shen Jianan standing alone in a corner, looking around.

Seeing that he was dressed rather neatly, she barely managed to pull up the corners of her mouth and ask, "Young man, what would you like to buy?"

Hearing that, Shen Jianan hurried over, naturally resting both hands on the counter as he called out with smiling eyes, "Please, big sister, weigh me half a jin of milk candies."

The moment Gao Xiaofen heard him call her big sister, her eyes lit up and she beamed. In this era, most people addressed one another as comrades, or else called each other by their position or seniority.

It was not like Shen Jianan's era, where calling people handsome guy or beautiful lady was everywhere and everyone had gone numb from hearing it. How could she not be happy?

For a moment, Gao Xiaofen's impression of Shen Jianan improved enormously. Looking more closely, she discovered that this child was fair and handsome, with eyes like dots of black lacquer, beautiful enough to enter a painting. She liked him even more and answered gently.

"All right, all right!... I'll weigh them for you. Give me your coupon and money first. Milk candies are two yuan fifty a jin, so half a jin is one yuan twenty-five fen."

The salesclerks beside her could not help rolling their eyes. They silently cursed her for being shameless. She could... be somebody's mother already, and she still had the nerve to call herself...

Shen Jianan lowered his eyes with a faint curl to his lips, ignoring the silent battle of looks around him. He simply took out the coupon and money from his pocket and handed them over. While Gao Xiaofen weighed the candy, he carefully examined the "high-priced goods" in the store again.

The instant he had entered and seen these somewhat old-fashioned goods with their limited styles, another idea had sprung up in his mind. But everything would have to wait until he had capital and had explored the road ahead.

So he spoke again. "Sister, please get me a packet of needles and thread, ten pairs of wire hairpins, twenty elastic bands, one pair of scissors, one measuring tape, and a few pieces of tailor's chalk too."

Hearing that he wanted more, Gao Xiaofen promptly replied with a smile, "All right, all right. Please wait a moment."

Very quickly, she found everything for him. She even thoughtfully wrapped it in kraft paper and placed it in front of him with the candy.

Grateful, Shen Jianan hurriedly smiled and thanked her. "Thank you, Sister."

"You're welcome!"

Gao Xiaofen smiled at him again... Then she happily bent closer and whispered, "My surname is Gao, and my name is Gao Xiaofen. If you want to buy anything in the future, just come find me!"

Shen Jianan was delighted. Great! He had developed his first connection. Smiling, he nodded. "All right, Sister Gao. My name is Shen Jianan. I'm an educated youth from Red Flag Commune. You can just call me Jianan."

Then he lowered his voice and asked, "Sister, do you know where I can buy fabric scraps? I want to buy some different kinds, but there aren't any here."

As he spoke, taking advantage of everyone's inattention, he added another yuan to the money and coupons for his purchases, swiftly slipping it into her hand right in front of her.

Gao Xiaofen's eyelids twitched. She quickly clenched her hand tight, nervously glanced around, and only when she saw that nobody was looking their way did she pull out the extra yuan, knead it into a ball in her palm, and rapidly tuck it into her sleeve.

Shen Jianan raised his brows slightly, picked up his things, and left the Supply and Marketing Cooperative amid her send-off. He waited patiently beneath an old locust tree at the street corner.

About half an hour later, he saw her jogging over in a rush. Getting straight to the point, she told him to go to the Garment Factory and find an accountant named Bai Yun.

"She's my cousin. If you want to buy fabric, you can go to her. It'll even be cheaper than at the Supply and Marketing Cooperative."

Gao Xiaofen paused, looking somewhat uncomfortable. "But those fabrics are all waste material from the Garment Factory. You have to buy them by the pile, and some may have flaws."

Hearing that, Shen Jianan saw her awkwardly pressing a hand over her purse and found it somewhat amusing inside, though his face did not show it. "It's fine. As long as the price is cheap and there's a wide variety, everything else is no problem."

When Gao Xiaofen heard him say that, she let out a huge breath of relief. "All right, then hurry and go! If you catch the right time, you might even get to choose some pretty fabric."

"All right, thank you, Sister Gao."

Shen Jianan nodded in thanks, then rode away. Watching him leave, Gao Xiaofen happily took out that one yuan and touched it before carefully folding it in half and tucking it into her pocket. Then she returned to the Supply and Marketing Cooperative with delight.

It was no wonder she had been so nervous. The burden on her family was simply too heavy. Though she and her husband Tian Jun each earned several dozen yuan a month, they had three children in school, their youngest son was in poor health and often had to go to the hospital, and they also had two elderly parents to support. To be honest, the couple was struggling.

That one yuan could not solve their family's urgent difficulties, but it could buy several jin of rice. When the time came, she could have her mother-in-law mix in more coarse grains, potatoes, sweet potatoes, and the like, and it could last them a long while.

That was why she had been so afraid Shen Jianan would ask for the money back. What she did not know was that the moment he entered the Supply and Marketing Cooperative, he had already set his sights on her.

The reason was simple. Salesclerk was an extremely sought-after position, and the pay was not low, yet all the signs Gao Xiaofen displayed showed that her family circumstances were not good.

First, her hands were far too rough. It was not because she was old, but because they were clearly the hands of someone who labored for a long time and could not bear to use hand cream.

Yet she was dressed more brightly than the other salesclerks, and her clothes were distinctly different in style, looking much more fashionable. But they did not fit her very well.

It was obvious that she had not bought them herself. They had been given to her by some wealthy relative, and they were close.

That was why Shen Jianan had deliberately tried to get close to her and show off his money. Otherwise, why would he be crazy enough to spend so much on candy? It was not as if there was none at home.

But now that he calculated it, the money had been well spent. At the very least, he had gained another connection for free and found a place to buy fabric.

When Shen Jianan arrived at the Garment Factory, it happened to be quitting time. Workers were coming out through the main gate in groups, either on foot or by bicycle.

He pressed his lips together, pushed his bicycle over to a fashionably dressed woman, and spoke first when she looked at him in confusion.

"Hello, may I ask which one is Accountant Bai Yun? Her cousin Gao Xiaofen introduced me."

"Bai Yun is me."

The woman covered her mouth and laughed. "You really know how to ask. You asked the right person straight away."

"I knew it!"

Shen Jianan's eyes widened excitedly, his gaze filled with admiration. "Someone with such a beautiful name must be beautiful too. See? Didn't I find the right person!?"

Bai Yun smiled even more happily at his words. If someone else had said that, she would definitely have rolled her eyes and cursed them as a lecher. But the youth before her was different.

Not only was he good-looking and more than ten years younger than her, those eyes of his seemed to hold the stars and the sea. They were bright and watery, filled with innocence. How could she think he was frivolous?

Still, she had some sense of shame and was too embarrassed to agree with Shen Jianan's words, so she asked, "Then did you come to me because you need help with something?"

"Yes!"

Shen Jianan secretly praised her straightforwardness. He looked around and, seeing that nearly everyone had left, lowered his voice and said, "I want to buy some waste fabric to take home and make clothes."

"Is that so?"

Bai Yun narrowed her eyes slightly. The smile on her face instantly faded considerably, and her voice was no longer as gentle as before, carrying a trace of chill.