Chapter Thirteen: Pulling the Telephone Wire

“Are you alright, Niuzi?” Lin Yun hurriedly reached out to help Lin Xiang up from the ground.

But Lin Xiang shook off his hand angrily. “If you don’t want to go, fine! Why push me? Don’t take me for a fool—I’m not talking to you anymore!”

With her head down, Lin Xiang stormed ahead, silently cursing Lin Yun in her heart.

When she arrived at the Lihua Brigade, she didn’t rush home but instead went straight to the brigade leader’s house.

The brigade leader’s wife was outside, washing clothes in the dim light, grumbling nonstop. “I don’t know what sins I committed in my past life to have such a daughter-in-law!”

“Auntie, you’re busy,” Lin Xiang greeted from behind the fence. “Is my uncle at home? I have something important to discuss with him.”

Seeing it was Lin Xiang, notorious in the village, the brigade leader’s wife snapped, “He’s not here! If you want to see him, go to the brigade office!”

“All right, thanks, Auntie!”

After Lin Xiang left, the brigade leader’s wife muttered, “Has Niuzi changed her ways today? She even spoke politely.”

At the brigade office, the leader was discussing with several officials about this year’s advanced collective evaluation.

“The neighboring Hongqi Brigade opened a tofu workshop mid-year, creating several jobs and bringing in steady income for the brigade. And the Lijiaba Brigade sold over a thousand kilograms of watermelon in summer, earning the commune great prestige! With these two brigades leading the way, there’s no chance for us to be recognized as advanced!”

“But if we don’t get recognized, we won’t qualify to have telephone lines installed! Out of the nine brigades in the commune, only three lack telephones. Every time I attend a commune meeting, I’m so embarrassed!”

But what could be done about the embarrassment?

Lihua Brigade had no tofu workshop, no watermelons to sell, and many still suffered from famine each year. Forget about being honored as advanced; the brigade leader would be grateful just to avoid last place!

Standing outside the office, Lin Xiang overheard the leader mention the telephone issue and quickly knocked on the door.

The brigade leader glanced outside, frowned at Lin Xiang, and said, “What do you want?”

“Uncle Brigade Leader, I’ve come to share good news! Tomorrow, officials from the commune will come to install telephone lines for our Lihua Brigade.”

Rubbing his temple where a dull ache lingered, the brigade leader’s tone was impatient. “Niuzi, if you have nothing important, go home and sleep. Is this something to joke about?”

“I’m not joking. It’s an order personally issued by the town officials. The secretary’s assistant, Secretary Wang, even made a call to the commune leaders.”

“If it’s true, why didn’t we know first? Why did you find out before us?” the women’s director snapped at Lin Xiang.

Unfazed, Lin Xiang explained, “Uncle Brigade Leader, to be honest, I got an opportunity to serve as a translator for the town officials. Since our Lihua Brigade doesn’t have a telephone, the secretary was worried I couldn’t be reached promptly in an emergency, so they specially gave me this position.”

Whether true or not, the arrival of commune and electric bureau personnel tomorrow would prove it.

Lin Xiang had no notion of silently doing good deeds; since she had made the connection, she intended to earn a good reputation for herself. After all, the original Lin Xiang had a poor reputation in the village, which affected her prospects of returning, even temporarily.

Moreover, Lin Xiang had another purpose for coming today.

As expected, the women’s director sneered, “You? A translator? Lin Xiang, listen to yourself—who would believe that?”

Lin Xiang responded by speaking fluent foreign language.

Though the brigade leaders didn’t understand a word, it didn’t stop them from believing her.

“Niuzi, when did you learn a foreign language?”

Lin Xiang answered simply, “The cattle shed.”

“Oh, right—the cattle shed once housed an elderly gentleman, a professor from Huaqing University who was rehabilitated and sent home a couple of years ago. Niuzi, where did you get the courage to hang around the cattle shed?”

The original Lin Xiang certainly didn’t dare, but Lin Xiang had no qualms about using it as an excuse.

No one was there to challenge her, so whatever she said went.

“Uncle Brigade Leader, today I also told the leaders honestly how I learned the foreign language. They said the state has already rehabilitated those people, so it’s all in the past and won’t cause any trouble.”

The brigade leader wasn’t worried about that. The secretary hadn’t arrested Lin Xiang, which meant she hadn’t done anything wrong.

His only concern was about the telephone lines.

“Niuzi, is what you said true? Will someone really come to install telephone lines in our Lihua Brigade tomorrow?”

“It’s true! I guarantee it.”

“Good, good! If this is true, Niuzi, you’ll be a great hero for our Lihua Brigade!”

Though they hadn’t been recognized as an advanced collective, bypassing that step to install telephone lines was already a blessing.

Not to mention, Lin Xiang was now a favorite among the leadership.

The town government couldn’t find a translator and instead chose Lin Xiang, a farmer’s daughter, to fill the role. This honor was unique and unparalleled.

“Uncle Brigade Leader, I’ll head home now. I’ve been out all day, and my mother is waiting for me.”

“All right, go ahead.”

After Lin Xiang left, the brigade leader immediately instructed the accountant, “Old Xu, go over our accounts and set aside all the available funds. We must be ready so that when the electric bureau and commune officials arrive tomorrow, we have money to pay for the telephone installation. It would be shameful if we couldn’t.”

“Brigade Leader, do you really believe Lin Xiang’s words?”

“We’ll know tomorrow whether she’s joking. Preparing in advance won’t hurt. And you, Old Zhao, I need to remind you: just because your daughter and Niuzi both fancy Wen Zhiqing, you shouldn’t keep targeting Niuzi.”

The women’s director sneered, “Who’s targeting her? I think she’s just lying!”

Meanwhile, Lin Xiang had already returned home.

In the bedroom, her mother was snoring loudly.

Lin Xiang knocked softly, waking her. “Mom, don’t sleep anymore. I brought you some food.”

“Is it the big meat bun?” Her mother rolled out of bed, eyes fixed on the lunchbox in Lin Xiang’s hands.

Lin Xiang shook her head. “I was busy today, and the big meat buns sold out. I brought some meat and vegetables, plus steamed rice. It’s just as good as the big meat bun.”

Her mother followed Lin Xiang to the kitchen and saw three bowls. She frowned, “You already fed Lin Yun lunch today. You’re not giving him dinner?”

“Mom!” Lin Xiang turned to look at her. “I’ve told you many times—my brother just got sick and hasn’t fully recovered. He needs to build up his strength now. If he doesn’t get better, how can he work in the fields to earn credits? He’s the main laborer in our family!”

“Still, he doesn’t need to eat so much meat,” her mother murmured. “Pick out a few pieces for your bowl. You walked such a long way today—you need to eat more to recover.”