RBI1960 Chapter 23 V1

Jiang Dahai saw that there were already quite a few figures moving around in the courtyard of the Revolutionary Committee. He wondered if everyone had already arrived and hurried over with his son in his arms.

“Why’d it take you so long? Do you know how long we’ve been waiting for you?” It was the same man from earlier that afternoon, still with that bulging belly and a look of irritation on his face.

Jiang Dahai didn’t argue. He just kept smiling and saying nice things. He set his child down and, without paying much attention to the people in the yard, turned to follow the man into the office. He still needed to collect some documents to take back to the village.

Meanwhile, Jiang Yiliu let his eyes sweep across the courtyard. He didn’t see the person he’d been hoping for and couldn’t help but sigh inwardly. Of course, he thought, he wasn’t that lucky. What were the chances that Ruan Jingguo would be sent to their village? He’d seen his interviews before—never once had he mentioned anything like this.

Still, the disappointment was fleeting. Jiang Yiliu quickly lifted his spirits. Relying on others was never a long-term solution. With all the knowledge he had about future developments, he wasn’t about to believe he couldn’t carve out a bright future for himself.

Jiang Yiliu had excellent emotional resilience. He quickly adjusted his mindset and began observing the three men standing in the courtyard.

There were three people in this batch of re-education through labor.

The first was a frail-looking man wearing glasses. One side of the frame had been taped with white cloth, standing out sharply against the gold rim. His back was slightly hunched, making him appear even smaller. His grayish-white clothes were patched in many places, but they were immaculately clean—no stains at all. He was someone who took pride in cleanliness.

Noticing Jiang Yiliu’s gaze, the man turned and gave him a warm smile.

Jiang Yiliu couldn’t help but admire the man’s openness. They’d probably already endured a lot before being sent here, and to still maintain that kind of attitude in such circumstances, he wasn’t just anyone.

Jiang Yiliu returned a harmless smile.

The man was startled by the expression. It had been a long time since anyone had smiled at him like that. Bai Fangqiu sighed internally. He figured the boy was probably still young and didn’t know any better. Still, it had been so long since he’d seen a genuine smile that he couldn’t help but feel a sense of warmth toward this unfamiliar child.

Standing next to the frail man was a tall, broad-shouldered middle-aged man who looked to be in his forties. His fierce eyes gave off a sharp, intimidating aura, making it clear he wasn’t someone to be taken lightly.

Jiang Yiliu felt a presence he’d once encountered in America—a combat veteran, probably someone who’d fought in wars. The man’s aura suggested he’d killed his fair share of enemies. But despite the intensity in his eyes, there was also righteousness. He was a just man.

Still, he seemed to have let himself go a bit—his belly was enormous.

Jiang Yiliu mentally noted the man’s protruding gut and silently labeled him as someone not to be messed with. Then he turned his attention to the last person.

The last was an older man, probably in his mid-fifties or sixties. Jiang Yiliu instantly had a strong feeling that this must be the “Grandpa Ruan” his grandfather often mentioned.

He looked to be around five feet nine, his back perfectly straight, untouched by hardship. His hair was fully gray, and the wrinkles around his eyes and on his forehead told the story of his struggles. But his eyes held no resentment—only wisdom and openness, just like Grandpa had described.

Jiang Yiliu thought to himself, even if this man wasn’t Ruan Jingguo, he was no ordinary figure. If he could endure the coming years, his temperament and background would surely lead him to vindication and a triumphant return.

After glancing at the three men again, Jiang Yiliu finally let out a small sigh of relief. These people seemed decent—none of them looked like real troublemakers. That meant things might go smoothly in their village. He figured his grandfather had probably pulled quite a few strings to make this happen.

Before long, Jiang Dahai finished collecting the documents and came out. The committee’s petty official pointed disdainfully at the three men in the yard and said, “These people need to submit a repentance letter every month. And remember—they’re here for re-education through labor. Use hard work to make them realize the error of their ways. Don’t go soft on this bunch of stinking old scholars. You need to make sure they understand their crimes, got it?”

He turned to Jiang Dahai while thinking to himself: Qingshan Village was the most remote, broken-down place around. These guys must have seriously pissed someone off to end up in such a godforsaken corner. Who knows how much they’re gonna suffer?

The man felt a bit smug about their misfortune and didn’t feel a shred of sympathy. Stomping his feet against the cold evening air, he didn’t bother speaking to the three men. He turned around and walked straight inside to avoid the chill.

“Come on, get on the cart,” Jiang Dahai urged them. He carefully laid his son down in the corner of the donkey cart, tucked him in with a quilt, and once everyone was seated, hurriedly drove them away.

Once the cart left the county town and reached a quiet stretch of road, Jiang Dahai looked around to make sure no one was nearby. Only then did he smile and greet the three men riding in the cart with him.

“I’m Jiang Dahai, son of Jiang Cheng. May I ask which one of you is Uncle Ruan? My father’s been talking about you nonstop.”

He grinned sheepishly at the three men, unsure who was who.

“You’re Dachen’s son? You do look just like your father, carved out of the same mold. And this must be your son? Doesn’t take after you, though.”

The one who spoke was the same older man Jiang Yiliu had guessed to be Ruan Jingguo.

Jiang Dahai scratched his head and chuckled, “My boy looks like his uncle—handsome as they come. If he looked like me, he’d just be a big lunkhead.”

To Jiang Dahai, this was proof of his son’s cleverness—he even knew how to choose good looks. If he was that sharp, his brains couldn’t be too bad either.

Everyone laughed. The tension that had been hanging in the air for days finally lightened a bit. Looking at Jiang Dahai’s honest face, they began to feel a small flicker of hope for the life ahead.

Before they were sent down, the old commander had already ordered an investigation into Qingshan Village and the Jiang family’s situation.

Ruan Yuanjiang looked closely at the flushed little boy nestled under the quilt.

He and the old commander knew Jiang Cheng well. The man had good character and loyalty, but his obsession with favoring boys over girls was something no amount of persuasion could change. Still, that was the Jiang family’s private matter—no one, not even his comrades-in-arms, could force him to change.

If this had been five years ago, before Jiang Cheng’s eldest son was born, they never would’ve considered sending them to Qingshan Village. Their investigation had shown that Jiang Cheng’s second son and his family weren’t exactly good people. Living under the same roof as them could lead to trouble.

But the eldest branch of the Jiang family was different. Both husband and wife seemed honest and reliable, and the kids were all well-behaved. Most remarkable of all was the five-year-old boy before them—despite being pampered by the whole family, he wasn’t the least bit spoiled. He was even kind and considerate to his older sisters—a truly good child.