Chapter 73: Completely Giving Up
Mu Honghong’s figure and appearance bore a 60% resemblance to Sun Yuhe. She wore an indigo dress and had two braids hanging in front of her chest. When she smiled sweetly, it warmed people’s hearts.
“Dad, you and Mom have worked so hard to raise us. Ten yuan is already quite a lot. I’ll use it sparingly.”
Mu Xiuxiu bit her lip and poked at the coarse cornbread in her bowl.
In terms of facial features, she was more striking than Mu Honghong. She had the face of a first love, but because she didn’t eat well and wore shabby clothes—a patched floral shirt and black pants—she looked like an inconspicuous ugly duckling beside the radiant Mu Honghong.
“Aijun, I won’t allow you to speak of yourself that way. In my heart, you’re a man who stands tall, the pillar of our whole family!” Sun Yuhe gazed at Mu Aijun admiringly, as if looking at a great hero.
Mu Aijun pretended to scold her, “What are you saying in front of the kids?”
He handed the money and coupons to Mu Honghong and Mu Xiuxiu. Both accepted them.
Mu Lantu hesitated for a moment but took his share as well.
Mu Aijun looked at him with a half-smile. Weren’t you tough last night?
After the meal, those who needed to go to work went to work, and those who had school went to school.
Mu Hongbing wore a brand-new white shirt, gray work pants, and black leather shoes, carrying an army green satchel. His back was full of pride and ambition.
Today, Mu Aijun was taking him to the glass factory to complete his onboarding procedures.
Mu Honghong lifted her chin, glanced at Mu Lantu and Mu Xiuxiu, and left the house humming a tune.
“Brother! What should we do? Dad is too much—he only gave us that little bit of money! Sun Yuhe must’ve talked him into it! Look at how smug Mu Honghong looked. Sun Yuhe is probably giving her extra money in private!”
Mu Xiuxiu looked miserable and moved closer to Mu Lantu, trying to grab his arm.
Mu Lantu stepped away from her. “Shouldn’t you return the ten yuan you secretly took from me?”
Mu Xiuxiu dropped her hands and looked evasive. “I—you’re falsely accusing me! When did I ever take your money?”
“If you don’t return it, I won’t consider you my sister anymore. Don’t blame me for not warning you.”
Mu Lantu laid it out clearly.
Mu Xiuxiu met his gaze. “Brother, I really didn’t take it! It must’ve been Mu Hongbing! Or Mu Honghong!”
Mu Lantu left the house.
Mu Xiuxiu wanted to follow him but was afraid he’d shout in front of others. Pouting, she went back to her room. Before going in, she stared long and hard at the tightly shut door of Mu Aijun and Sun Yuhe’s room.
Dad only gave her ten yuan. Including the ten yuan she’d taken from Mu Lantu and the 0.8 yuan she had scraped together, she only had twenty yuan and eighty cents—not nearly enough!
Mu Lantu knocked on the neighbor’s door.
Next door lived another steel factory worker, Li Tiezhu. The one who opened the door was his elderly mother.
Granny Li was sixty this year. She had suffered much when she was young. Though her back was hunched, she still had energy in her.
“It’s Lantu, come in, child.”
Mu Lantu, holding his money coupons nervously, bowed over ninety degrees. “Granny Li, sorry to bother you. I wouldn’t come unless it was important—I need a small favor from you.”
The old lady helped him up. “Child, don’t be like that. Just say what you need. If I can help, I will!”
“Thank you, Granny Li!” Mu Lantu stood up. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw several people come out of their homes to watch the commotion. “Granny Li, you know… my mom passed away, my grandparents are too old, and my uncle has his own family. I have no choice but to turn to you…”
From afar, people pricked up their ears, thinking: Isn’t his dad still around?
“I’m about to be sent to the countryside in Heiliao Province. Once I’m there, it’s like setting up a whole new home—I’ll be lacking everything. Winters are especially cold in Heiliao, so the cotton clothes and blankets need to be extra thick.
But my dad only gave me ten yuan and three coupons—a three-liang sugar coupon, one industrial coupon, and a local five-liang grain coupon. So, I wanted to ask if you could lend me a little money? Just two yuan. I can write you an IOU. As soon as I have money, I’ll pay you back right away!”
“What?” a middle-aged woman poked her head out from the third floor. “You’re being sent to Heiliao and your dad only gave you ten yuan and three coupons? Are you sure? You mean your stepmother only gave you ten yuan, right?”
Mu Lantu gave a bitter smile. “It was my dad.”
A chorus of exclamations followed, “Heavens! Only ten yuan?!”
“What can ten yuan even buy?” Granny Li stomped her feet. “How could Director Mu… how could he… sigh! Don’t worry, child, I’ll get you the money.”
Mu Lantu was deeply moved. He had only intended to publicize the matter, not truly borrow money. Though two yuan didn’t sound like much, in this era it had strong purchasing power. In his memory, rice cost one mao per jin. Without considering ration coupons, two yuan could buy twenty jin of rice.
He hadn’t expected the old lady to actually lend him the money.
Granny Li came back quickly with the money. “Don’t worry about paying me back, I’m not in urgent need.”
“Thank you, Granny Li!”
Mu Lantu insisted on writing a neatly written IOU for her.
She tried to refuse it, but he stuffed it into her hands and ran off to the next home.
This apartment building was mostly filled with neighbors who had lived here for ten or twenty years. He knew which families had people home at this hour and which didn’t.
The second household he visited said they didn’t have money to spare.
Mu Lantu didn’t mind—it was even better not to owe a favor.
The third family also refused; the fourth lent him some money…
Not lending didn’t necessarily mean someone was stingy. Some families also had children being sent to the countryside and needed the money too.
Mu Lantu ended up visiting eight households and borrowed a total of nine yuan.
One old man from the area—Mr. Jiang—was a notorious gossip but a kind person. He lent Mu Lantu five yuan.
Feeling he had enough, Mu Lantu set out again.
In late 1970s Jiang City, most buildings were low, single-story homes. The tallest buildings were only five or six floors, and the overall tone of the city was gray and dull.
The streets were full of people, creating a lively scene, but most of them looked gloomy. Only a few had rosy cheeks.
Occasionally, someone would ride by on a bicycle, the crisp bell drawing envious stares.
Cars were rare, and whenever one appeared, children would run after it, giggling.
Mu Lantu strolled down the street, glancing at the faces of passersby, his gaze shifting from hopeful to disappointed, then returning to calm.
At the Supply Station (a.k.a China 1970’s supermarket), he didn’t buy anything right away. He first observed the clerks and other customers to understand the current market prices and availability of goods. He did the same at the department store.
After leaving the store, he spent three cents to take a bus from the northern to the southern part of the city.
That’s where the food, sugar, oil, and meat factories were located.
It was unlikely he’d run into anyone he knew here.
Mu Lantu found a secluded corner, changed his clothes until even his own parents wouldn’t recognize him, pulled out a bamboo basket from his system space, and filled it with items before heading to a family compound.
Ever since he knew he’d be traveling with 005 through different worlds, he had stocked all kinds of supplies in the system space. This bamboo basket came from the world where he was a doctor—and now it finally came in handy.
Mu Lantu first sold some scarce goods from the space—rice, flour, noodles, white sugar, brown sugar, fabric—in exchange for money and coupons. Then he used those to purchase items typical of this era: thermoses, enamel basins, enamel mugs, quilt covers, burlap sacks, malted milk, White Rabbit candies…
With 005, finding the black market was easy.
By around 4 p.m., Mu Lantu started heading back, empty-handed.
The supplies he needed for the countryside and the remaining 300+ yuan and coupons were all hidden in the space.
When Mu Aijun and Sun Yuhe came home from work, they sensed that the neighbors were giving them strange looks, sending a chill down their spines.
What now?
Mu Lantu lay on his bed pretending to nap. Mu Aijun and Sun Yuhe burst in together.
“Lantu, you’ve gone too far this time! How could you ruin your father’s reputation like this?” Sun Yuhe scolded harshly.
Mu Aijun was furious, eyes blazing. “Get down here!”
Mu Lantu propped up his head. “Dad, didn’t I warn you? If you treat me unfairly, it’ll damage your reputation.”
Mu Aijun realized now that his son meant what he said—but it was too late. He rushed to the bunk bed.
Mu Lantu caught his flying fist mid-air.
Mu Aijun tried to yank it back, but couldn’t move it.
“Think about what I said last night.” Mu Lantu released his grip.
Mu Aijun, deflated, lowered his fist.
Sun Yuhe felt a growing sense of unease. What had they talked about last night?
“The urgent matter now,” Mu Lantu said kindly, “is to pay back the money I borrowed.”
Mu Aijun left the room, and Sun Yuhe followed him closely.
Inside their bedroom, Mu Aijun said, “Give me the passbook. I’ll withdraw some money tomorrow.”
Sun Yuhe hesitated, hiding her reluctance. “Aijun, I’m not unwilling to give the child money, but didn’t we agree that we should save that money for our retirement?”
Mu Aijun snapped impatiently, “Just give it to me! What, I can’t tell you what to do?”
Seeing he was angry, Sun Yuhe dared not argue and handed him the passbook.
Mu Lantu asked 005 to eavesdrop. He had thought Mu Aijun wanted to give him more money—but surprisingly, until the day he left for the countryside, Mu Aijun said nothing more about it.
Mu Lantu was puzzled. What did he want the passbook for then? To give money to Mu Honghong or Mu Xiuxiu? Seemed unlikely.
He didn’t even repay the neighbors who lent money.
He was determined to play the part of a penniless man to the end.
Mu Lantu gave up completely.
Mu Aijun—beyond saving.
At six in the morning, Mu Lantu got up.
His train was the earliest one.
Mu Aijun and Sun Yuhe also got up, trying to act the part of loving parents.
The courtyard was ablaze with light and filled with chatter. Other families sending children to the countryside were also up early, preparing.
Mu Lantu packed everything belonging to the original host into two burlap sacks—worn-out cotton bedding, straw mats, tattered clothes, shoes, books…
