Regeneration Plan

Reading note:

Someone pointed out that there were too many characters surnamed Bai in the novel, and also that Shao Lingyun shared a name with characters from other novels. So the author changed Old Bai to Old Kang, and Shao Lingyun to Zheng Lingyun.

Main text:

After leaving the Salvage Station, Gu Yu went to Old Kang's home. As expected, Zheng Lingyun had sent a telegram. It was brief and to the point.

He had only recently gone to Hai City, but he had already notified the people there to begin investigating Shen Congwen. Once he arrived, he would personally handle the matter Gu Yu had entrusted to him.

After reading the telegram, Gu Yu left the Kang Household and returned to Chaoyang Production Brigade. Meanwhile, Shen Jianan had successfully delivered the goods and was now driving his donkey cart to find Bai Yun.

Ever since he and Gu Yu had gone to Chaoyang Production Brigade to deliver something last time, Shen Jianan had not seen her again. Autumn and winter clothes were about to be made, so he had to at least let her know and ask whether she could get hold of any fabric.

After all, autumn and winter clothing was unlike summer clothing. It was inconvenient to keep using patchwork fabric. Looking up at the Garment Factory gates not far away, Shen Jianan pursed his lips, then cracked his whip and drove the donkey cart beneath the tree before the factory gates. He tied the reins to the trunk.

This spot was directly opposite the guardroom window. The guard would see it as soon as he looked up, so Shen Jianan did not need to worry about someone stealing the donkey cart.

After tidying everything up, he patted away the nearly nonexistent dust on himself, put on a smile, and walked over. The guard had noticed Shen Jianan long ago. Seeing him approach, he immediately stood up at the window and asked whether he was looking for Wang Hong.

Shen Jianan had come to buy fabric several times before, and every time he had looked for Wang Hong. The guard already recognized him.

"No, I'm here to see Accountant Bai."

The young man answered with curved brows, "I haven't seen her in a long time, so I came to visit her."

"Accountant Bai?"

The guard froze for a moment, then frowned. "She's taken leave recently. It seems... she hasn't come to work for four or five days."

"Really?"

Disappointment showed on Shen Jianan's face. "Then do you know what she took leave for?"

"I don't."

The guard shook his head, irritation seeming to creep into his expression. "I'm just a gatekeeper. How would I have the nerve to ask why she took leave?"

Shen Jianan smiled, pretending not to notice the man's displeasure. "Thank you. Then please help me call Brother Wang. I need to see him about something."

As he spoke, he took two milk candies from his pocket and handed them over. The guard immediately smiled. "Wait here."

He promptly contacted Wang Hong. Shen Jianan then drove the donkey cart to the back gate to wait. Before long, the other man came out.

Shen Jianan immediately handed him five ten-yuan notes and made it clear that he only wanted fabric for autumn and winter clothing. Wang Hong did not say much. He merely told him to wait, then turned and went back into the workshop. Not long afterward, he emerged with a coworker, each carrying two bags of fabric scraps.

"Autumn and winter fabric is thicker and more expensive, so each bag costs two yuan fifty more."

As he spoke, he opened one of the bags for Shen Jianan to inspect. "See? I wouldn't cheat you."

Shen Jianan lowered his eyes to the neatly folded piece of corduroy on top and smiled as he nodded. "I've always trusted Brother Wang."

At that, Wang Hong immediately tied up the bag. He and his colleague helped load the sacks onto the donkey cart and were about to return to the workshop when Shen Jianan hurriedly stopped him. "Brother Wang, do you know about Sister Bai Yun taking leave?"

"I do."

Wang Hong nodded, worry gradually appearing on his face. "Accountant Bai's mother-in-law fell ill the day before yesterday. At first, everyone thought it was nothing serious, so she was treated at the town hospital. But the more she was treated, the worse it got, and they sent her to the city. She's already taken leave several times during this period."

"I see!"

Shen Jianan pondered for a moment, then asked, "Do you know what illness the old lady has?"

"Ah! It was all caused by that era."

Wang Hong let out a heavy sigh, his words filled with respect. "The old lady used to be a revolutionary woman warrior."

Shen Jianan understood at once. After some thought, he asked what Bai Yun's mother-in-law was called. Once he learned her name, he drove the donkey cart away from the Garment Factory and returned to Chaoyang Production Brigade.

By the time he got home, it was already afternoon. However, the village was quiet. Presumably, everyone had gone to the fields. After the hailstorm, the replanted corn, wheat, and other crops all needed tending.

Zhao Gang had issued a death order to the brigade. The main laborer in every household had to report for work, and those making hair accessories and backpacks also had to set aside two hours every day for farm work.

After driving the donkey cart to the pile of gravel, Shen Jianan carried the bags of fabric scraps up to Half-Mountain Courtyard one by one and put them inside. Seeing that it was still early, he took out the cut denim and began sewing.

Ever since he had started his custom clothing business, he had said he would make denim jackets and backpacks for Gu Yu and himself. But one thing after another had delayed him, and even now, he had not finished them.

Although Gu Yu had never asked, Shen Jianan felt inexplicably guilty. That was why he had been working overtime lately. The backpacks had been finished a few days ago, but he had quietly hidden them away instead of giving them to Gu Yu.

He planned to give them to Gu Yu together once the denim jackets were done. The young man imagined himself and Gu Yu wearing denim jackets as they went out together, and the corners of his lips rose unconsciously. They would not come down for a long while.

The fabric had been cut beforehand, so the sewing went quickly. By the time the two jackets were finished, Gu Yu and the others still had not come home from work. Shen Jianan slowed down and began working on the details.

For the two loose denim jackets, Shen Jianan used a small blade and sandpaper to scrape irregular, fine tears into the pockets, cuffs, collars, and shoulders, giving them a grayish, worn, yet fashionable look.

Afterward, he carefully snipped off the loose threads with small scissors. He put on the slightly smaller jacket and held up his palm-sized mirror to look at himself for a long time. Only after he was satisfied did he take it off, put it together with Gu Yu's jacket, and store them in the box.

He then left the bedroom and went to the kitchen to cook. Before long, Gu Yu and Chen Ming's laughing curses came from outside, along with Zhang Qiao and Qu Feng's boisterous voices. Shen Jianan smiled as he set the dishes on the table and called out, "Hurry up and wash your hands. Time to eat."

"Coming! Thanks, Jianan/Shen."

Less than a moment after the voices fell, Gu Yu and the other three entered the kitchen and sat around the table. Seeing a plate of hot-and-sour shredded potatoes, a bowl of plain cabbage with dipping sauce, and a large bowl of glistening stir-fried rabbit meat, the four of them nearly drooled.

Shen Jianan smiled and handed them chopsticks. "Eat up! This is the last half rabbit. You've already finished everything you caught before."

The meat in the courtyard had originally all been rabbits, pheasants, and the like that Gu Yu had secretly hunted in the mountains. Back then, there had only been the two of them, so it had been enough. Later, when Chen Ming moved in, he went into the mountains with Gu Yu twice, and the three of them could still eat their fill.

But after Zhang Qiao and Qu Feng arrived, the two young masters complained every day that their meals were thin soup and scant water, and that after working for a while, they were so hungry they could barely walk.

Gu Yu told them that if they wanted meat, they could go to the mountains and catch it themselves. The two young masters had never suffered hardship before. Now that they worked every day, their backs ached and their bodies hurt from exhaustion. Where would they find the energy to go into the mountains and catch rabbits and pheasants?

They asked whether they could pay Shen Jianan to buy meat in town. Before he could say anything, Gu Yu agreed. He even demanded thirty yuan from each of them, then turned around and handed the money to Shen Jianan right in front of them.

"You keep the money. I'll get the meat from the mountains."

The two of them were so angry they wanted to punch him. How could he fleece his brothers like that? Yet Chen Ming chimed in from the side, "What, rabbits and pheasants aren't meat? Eat it if you want. If you don't, then forget it!"

"Eat! We'll eat! Why wouldn't we!?"

Zhang Qiao and Qu Feng bared their teeth and nodded. Who told them they did not have the backbone to refuse?

"Fine. I'll make you meat every other day."

Gu Yu made the final decision. "Rest up for a few days, then come with me and learn to hunt. Chen Ming and I don't have the patience to keep finding meat for you forever."

"Right."

Chen Ming nodded in agreement, looking disdainfully at the two men whose skin was fairer than a girl's. "I still need to work for Shen and earn money."

Zhang Qiao glared at him. "Money-grubber!"

Then he and Qu Feng laughed, clearly not taking the two men's words to heart. After that, in order to accommodate the two young masters, Gu Yu and the others changed from eating meat once every few days to having it every other day.

As a result, the game they had saved up was quickly consumed over the past few days. On top of that, Gu Yu and Chen Ming had both been busy lately and had no chance to go up the mountain to hunt, which was why Shen Jianan reminded them. After all, he had taken their money. He could not let them go hungry.

"I'll go into the mountains later."

Gu Yu placed a piece of rabbit meat into Shen Jianan's bowl. "Zhang Qiao and Qu Feng will come too. You've been here for a week already. You should be used to it by now."

"Okay."

The two agreed readily. After thinking it over, Chen Ming said he wanted to go too. Gu Yu nodded. "Then let's go together!"

As soon as Shen Jianan heard that, anticipation appeared in his eyes. "I..."

"You stay home."

The three of them looked at him and spoke in unison, "There are too many valuables at home. Someone has to watch the place."

Shen Jianan suffered another defeat. "All right!"

It seemed he truly had no chance to go up the mountain with everyone.

Seeing that he was unhappy, Gu Yu quickly gave him another piece of meat. "Aren't we going to pick hawthorn berries and make hawthorn cakes in a few days? We'll take you then."

Shen Jianan wanted to say that it was not the same. He had never hunted in all his life. Still, going up the mountain was better than being cooped up at home, so he nodded and agreed.

"Good boy!"

Gu Yu reached out and pinched his cheek. The young man froze instantly, then lowered his head with a red face and ate. Zhang Qiao, Qu Feng, and Chen Ming were even more stunned on the spot. Gu Yu, however, acted as though nothing had happened. He glanced at them. "What are you doing? Full already? Then all this meat goes to our Jianan."

As he spoke, he was about to pour that half bowl of meat into Shen Jianan's bowl. The three snapped awake at once and hurriedly cried out to stop him, "Hey, hey! Leave some for us."

Gu Yu curled his lips, picked several pieces of meat into Shen Jianan's bowl, then set the bowl down. "Eat quickly. Once you're done, hurry and set off."

"Got it, got it."

Zhang Qiao smiled as he shot Gu Yu a glare, then hurriedly lowered his head and shoveled food into his mouth. Gu Yu watched the redness on the young man's ears deepen, and a trace of darkness flashed through his eyes.

After the meal, while the sky was still bright, Gu Yu took his tools and went up the mountain from behind the courtyard. Shen Jianan took out paper and pen and began writing his novel.

The short period story he had previously sent to Hai City had been completed. The two parts had earned him forty yuan in manuscript fees altogether. As for the wuxia novel, Sword Across the Horizon, the first three chapters he had sent in had also successfully appeared in Hai City Literary Society's magazine. However, the response so far had been mediocre, and he had only received fifteen yuan in manuscript fees.

The editor wrote to tell him not to rush. The story had only just begun. Besides, people in this era mostly liked red literature, poetry, prose, and other such literary works, so they had not noticed this novel yet. If it ran for several more issues, it might attract more readers' attention.

Shen Jianan accepted this calmly. Whether it became popular or not, he would finish the story. If this one did not work, he would write the next.

After all, he did not rely on manuscript fees to eat. He simply wanted to publish more articles, build up some popularity, and make things easier for his future development.

Thus, after sending another three chapters to the literary society half a month ago, he began diligently stockpiling manuscripts. Not only for Sword Across the Horizon, but also for a newly conceived medium-length novel about the development history of Chaoyang Production Brigade.

Shen Jianan had only begun writing this work after considering it again and again. Previously, because so many incidents had occurred in Chaoyang Production Brigade, its reputation had been damaged. By the time they delivered goods to the Supply and Marketing Cooperative for the third time, Director Zhang's attitude had grown much colder.

Even the women comrades from those courtyards had become somewhat rejecting toward him. Though they said they should judge each matter on its own merits, Shen Jianan could still see a hint of scrutiny in their eyes.

He found it rather speechless. After all, he was not the one who had committed the crimes. But on second thought, he could understand. Everyone said they should judge people with their hearts, but how many could truly do it? Even he himself was the same.

So, he planned to help Zhao Gang and the others do something, polish up the process, and write it into a story. Taking advantage of the attention surrounding the Zhao brothers' case, he would restore the brigade's ruined reputation.

If it succeeded, not only would the brigade stage a comeback against the wind, but his own reputation would rise another floor. Even if it did not achieve the desired effect, it did not matter. He could treat it as contributing manuscripts to the literary society's reserves. Five or ten yuan was still money, after all.

Amid his thoughts, he had already finished the first two chapters. He put away the paper and pen, stood up to stretch his limbs, and began sorting the fabric. He was only halfway through when Gu Yu and the others returned.

After everyone put down their things, they immediately helped him work. With the four of them assisting, the fabric was sorted in no time.

Zhang Qiao glanced at his watch. Seeing that it was already past ten, he called everyone to wash up in the courtyard. Afterward, the four returned to their rooms and climbed onto the kang to rest.

The next day, Shen Jianan went to work with the four of them. However, instead of going to the fields, he first went to find Wang Hongbo, Feng Yi, and the others at the Educated Youth Station and told them about his plan.

After all, he could not accomplish this alone and needed help. After hearing him out, the people at the Educated Youth Station agreed without even thinking about it.

They were all educated people. They had answered the call to go to the countryside, make use of what they had learned, transform rural areas, and narrow the distance between classes.

Yet after arriving, apart from working all day, everything they had learned was useless. Each of them had been deeply frustrated.

But now, Shen Jianan had proposed a plan that would let them put their strengths to use. Their passion was instantly rekindled. How could they possibly refuse?

"All right, then. Think over the next couple of days what you want to teach everyone later."

Shen Jianan smiled as he reminded them, "But don't make it too profound at the start. Teach things that are simple and easy to understand, and add some interesting anecdotes. Otherwise, the villagers will start nodding off, and in two days, they won't come anymore."

"Don't worry! We know what to do."

Lu Xiaoyue thanked him gratefully. "Shen, thank you for thinking of us. If you hadn't proposed these plans, we would have nearly forgotten what we came to the countryside for in the first place."

As she spoke, she looked toward the others. Everyone nodded in agreement. "Yes, yes!"

Shen Jianan nodded with a light smile, then clenched his fist and waved it. "Then from here on out, let's work hard together, bring our remaining warmth into play for Chaoyang Production Brigade, and contribute our strength!"

"Okay!"

Everyone raised their arms in response. Satisfied, the young man nodded, bid them farewell, then went to find Zhao Gang and several other cadres. He proposed inviting Zhang Dayong over to teach the law.

Moreover, he wanted to go into town to buy some materials and set aside two places in the brigade to make blackboards—one for teaching everyone to read, and the other for the Blackboard Newspaper.