Chapter Ten: Ostentation

On the evening of September 8th, the Wangjiayu Production Team held a general assembly of all members. The team leader, Yang Shaowen, was delivering a motivational speech: “Comrades... Many communes are now ‘launching satellites.’ Our commune refuses to fall behind; we must act swiftly. In response to the higher authorities’ call, the party branch has decided to establish a ‘satellite field’ in your production team—a rice field with a yield exceeding 30,000 jin per mu...”

Upon hearing this, Fa Cai immediately stood up and asked, “Secretary Yang, have you ever seen rice yield over a thousand jin per mu?”

Yang replied, “We are now a People’s Commune. We must break free from old thoughts and conventions, fully harness the advantages of the commune system, and firmly embrace the idea that ‘the bolder the people, the greater the land’s yield.’ Only then can we create miracles. This task is arduous; I will personally take charge. Does everyone have confidence?”

“Yes! We will definitely complete the task!” Wang Hongbing raised his right arm high in determination.

“Excellent! Wang Hongbing shows great ideological awareness.”

Days of work creating the “satellite field” left Caiyun feeling exhausted. After dinner, she collapsed onto her bed and quickly fell asleep.

Awakening from deep sleep, Caiyun heard the steady patter of raindrops and keenly realized it was raining. Sitting up, she saw multiple leaks in the roof and that the quilt was wet in two places.

Seeing her four children sleeping soundly, she woke Fa Cai, intending to move the beds to a dry spot so the children could rest peacefully.

After searching in vain for such a place, they resorted to placing basins and ladles to catch the leaking rainwater.

Bowls and ladles filled with water were scattered throughout the four rooms. One basin under the bed was overturned by the children’s movements, soaking the quilt beneath.

To avoid disturbing the children’s sleep, Caiyun sat on the bed, holding the basin with her hand to catch the dripping water.

Fa Cai felt deeply pained watching this. Having been married to Caiyun for eight years without a single good day, she had never once complained.

He resolved to sell their two pigs after the autumn harvest to rebuild their house, giving the family a dry home.

On the day the “satellite field” was harvested, county and township leaders arrived to oversee the collection and threshing. Journalists, technicians, and agricultural experts came to observe.

Golden rice ears piled densely, layer upon layer, filling the “satellite field.” The harvest began in the morning and did not finish until late at night.

After threshing and weighing on site, the total was 33,159.2 jin. Team captain Wang Hongkui announced the yield as 30,145.1 jin per mu.

Applause erupted immediately. Leaders shook hands with Party Secretary Yang Shaowen and Captain Wang Hongkui, congratulating them and asking for their insights.

Yang Shaowen said, “Without daring to sow the golden seeds, you cannot reap the golden phoenix. Without planting thousands of jin of seed, you cannot harvest tens of thousands of jin of grain. Dense planting is crucial.”

Reporters hurried to interview. Several agricultural experts asked about seeds, deep plowing, dense planting, fertilization, and ventilation. Wang Hongbing answered each question in turn.

Still skeptical, the experts wanted to probe further, when Chen Fa Cai suddenly blurted out, “Don’t listen to his nonsense; it’s all a deceptive trick.”

The journalists, experts, and leaders turned sharply and surrounded Fa Cai, clamoring to interview him.

Party Secretary Yang Shaowen was stunned by this unexpected disruption, momentarily bewildered and at a loss.

Seeing this, Caiyun quickly stepped forward, holding Fa Cai’s arm and saying, “Sorry, he’s my husband. He has some issues,” pointing to her own head.

Everyone understood that he had a mental illness and gradually dispersed.

Lowering his head, Fa Cai followed Caiyun away. He had not expected his offhand remark to attract such attention. Facing the reporters’ pressing questions, he was dumbfounded, cold sweat pouring down his face. Caiyun’s timely intervention saved him.

The next evening, the team organized a movie screening at the west drying yard. Caiyun carried little Dog Egg on her back as the whole family set out to watch.

News of the movie attracted many from surrounding areas, filling the yard with people even sitting on haystacks and rooftops.

Although scheduled to start at 7:30, the film was delayed due to limited copies being circulated among several venues. By nearly 8:00, it still had not arrived.

Secretary Yang approached Caiyun: “Everyone suggests you sing a song for the comrades while we wait. What do you think?”

Caiyun asked, “Sure, what would be appropriate?”

Yang replied, “Just for entertainment, anything is fine.”

“Alright.”

Villagers nearby knew Caiyun had a beautiful voice and enjoyed her singing; they always hoped to hear her at events.

“Attention, everyone! The film is on its way and will arrive shortly. Meanwhile, please welcome Zhang Caiyun to sing a song!” Secretary Yang announced through a tin megaphone, standing atop a low haystack.

Caiyun stepped up and said, “I’ll sing an interlude from ‘Angel of the Road,’ the ‘Song of the Four Seasons.’ I hope you like it.”

Spring arrives, green fills the window,
A young maiden embroidering mandarin ducks below the glass.
Suddenly, a cruel strike,
The mandarin ducks are torn apart…

Her voice won thunderous applause; many cheered and whistled, “So good!”

“This voice is as lovely and captivating as she is!”

“Caiyun, I love you!”

“Encore!”

Seeing this, Secretary Yang quickly called out, “Thanks to Caiyun for her moving song. We hope to hear her again. Now the film has arrived; let’s begin the movie.”

After the movie ended, Fa Cai asked, “I heard someone shouting ‘Caiyun, I love you.’ Who was that?”

“I don’t know. People just shouted for fun. Don’t take it seriously.”

“You always seek attention. I think you’re deliberately flirting with men.”

“There you go again. The secretary asked me to sing. Could I embarrass him in front of so many people?”

“You always have an excuse.”

With the new rice harvested, Caiyun began making rice porridge for Dog Egg. She soaked the rice in water, then pounded it in the mortar in the corner of the house until it was powdery. After drying, it became rice flour.

To serve, she boiled water, poured in the rice flour while stirring continuously until it thickened into porridge. Dog Egg loved it.

By October, communal dining halls were being set up everywhere. Wangjiayu was no exception; two rooms near the drying yard, previously used for storage, were converted into a communal kitchen.

All the pots, pans, dishes, vegetables, grains, and oils needed were collected from households. All livestock was taken under communal ownership.

Early each morning, the captain led young men with carts going door to door to gather supplies.

At every house, the captain explained that from now on, meals would be free, and everyone could eat their fill.

Fa Cai and Yulan stood guard at the pigpen gate, refusing to let the pigs be driven away. Eventually, the captain signaled to withdraw for the time being.

The kitchen employed four cooks. Everyone knew Zhang Caiyun cooked delicious meals, so she was appointed as one of the cooks.

At noon, the communal kitchen officially opened. Over a hundred members lined up to eat.

A pig had been slaughtered, and the lunch was rich with both meat and vegetables. Everyone ate heartily and happily.

The rule was free eating but no taking food away, except for those unable to move easily.

The next day, Yulan discovered the two pigs she had fed for over a year were gone. Assuming the commune had taken them, she ran home, crying to her father and pulling his hand, wanting the pigs back.

Fa Cai took their daughter to see Captain Wang Hongkui, who led them to the newly built communal pigpen.

“Look,” the captain said, “all the family pigs are here, including yours and mine—thirty-two in total, without exception. Now that we are a People’s Commune, everything belongs to everyone. No more individual expenses. Births, deaths, weddings, funerals, clothing, food, housing, travel, eating, drinking, excretion, sleep, schooling, and old age care—all are covered by the commune. Just go home and be happy.”

Fa Cai listened half in doubt and half in belief, then returned home with Yulan.

Carrying a basket of pig feed, Yulan went to the pigpen and immediately spotted her two pigs.

She called softly outside the pen, “Lulu lulu,” and the pigs recognized her, rushing forward eagerly.

She threw the feed to them, watching them eat the food she had prepared herself, smiling warmly.

Captain Wang Hongkui returned from a commune meeting and convened the team committee overnight to plan the important task of a mass steel production campaign.

Caiyun prepared a sumptuous late-night meal; they drank and discussed work.

Wang Hongbing, on duty at the drying yard, came over to join the drinking. A heavy drinker, he kept drinking until nearly eleven o’clock, when the team cadres went home. Wang Hongbing remained on duty.

Nearly drunk yet exhilarated, he lay on the thick straw as if on a spring bed, gazing at the night sky.

A bright moon hung in the deep blue sky, twinkling stars winked at him, and the moon goddess Chang’e smiled and waved.

Suddenly, he felt Chang’e, draped in sheer silk, slowly step down from the moon and float toward him. Excited, he reached out to embrace her.

This hallucination was his yearning for a life he lacked.