Chapter Sixteen: Waste

The next day, Fa Cai took the ten yuan given by Da Zhi to buy some timber. Fa Fu crafted a new front door and a table. The new wooden door was also intricately carved with a horse, so lifelike and vivid that once installed, the house finally felt like a home.

Cai Yun looked at the newly installed door and the freshly made table with joy, especially admiring the delicately carved horse on the door. Da Zhi's ten yuan was truly a timely help that solved a big problem.

However, Cai Yun's greatest concern now was that there wasn’t a single grain of food left at home. If the communal kitchen ran into trouble, they would have no way to eat.

All the grain harvested early on had been handed over as public grain. Some unharvested crops were already rotting in the fields, and nobody could say how they would manage food supplies in the future.

One night, as Cai Yun was going to the latrine, she suddenly heard whispered voices nearby.

“You flip it over first, I’ll hand it to you.”

“Mm.”

“Here, catch it, put it down slowly.”

“Good, you can let go now.”

Cai Yun thought the voices sounded like Wang Hongbing and his mother. She quietly stood up and, by the moonlight, saw them moving things near the north wall of the backyard.

Then Wang Hongbing carried two large baskets on a pole and headed inside.

Cai Yun bent down and followed along the wall, watching as Wang Hongbing and his mother entered the house through the back door.

She crept to the window and overheard Wang Hongbing’s mother saying, “The rice is all wet. Where can we dry it?”

“Clean up the east wing room and put it there to air-dry naturally. And remember, lock the door tight. No one must get in,” Wang Hongbing replied.

“Isn’t everyone eating at the communal kitchen now? Why bother keeping so much grain?”

“There will definitely be a food shortage next year. It’s uncertain if the kitchen can keep running. While there’s still grain in the fields, we better gather as much as we can and store it. It’s better to be prepared.”

Cai Yun finally understood what they were doing.

When she got home, she immediately woke her husband.

“Fa Cai, Fa Cai, wake up!”

“What’s the matter? It’s the middle of the night.”

“Wang Hongbing’s family is stealing grain.”

“How do you know?”

“I saw it with my own eyes.”

“Are you sure?”

“I’m very sure. If you don’t believe me, go see for yourself.”

“Then let’s find some people to catch them.”

“That would offend a lot of people.”

“Are others stealing grain too?”

“I heard a couple of days ago that rice, corn, and soybeans were being stolen from the fields. I didn’t pay attention then, but this time I saw it myself. It seems stealing grain isn’t just an isolated case.”

“So, what do we do?”

“Let’s get some rice now, and some corn tomorrow night.”

“I’m on duty for the great steel-making campaign tomorrow night.”

“Then I’ll tell Fa Fu. He and his wife can go with me.”

“No need to involve them. I can switch shifts with someone else.”

The two of them took sickles, a carrying pole, and baskets, sneaking out the back door, climbing over the wall, and heading toward the northern rice fields that were still unharvested.

Upon arrival, Cai Yun noticed several figures moving ahead in the rice field. She tugged on Fa Cai’s arm and they avoided that area, heading in another direction — knowing exactly what those others were up to.

They chose a field where the rice was thriving, cutting the rice ears with sickles and placing them in baskets. This method avoided having to deal with rice straw afterward or hide the theft, making it both safe and convenient.

Before long, Fa Cai lifted two baskets full of rice ears and triumphantly headed home.

Back at home, they manually threshed the rice and, following Wang Hongbing’s method, placed the grain in the east wing room to dry naturally.

With everything arranged, the dawn had broken. Although tired from the long night, Cai Yun still went to the communal kitchen on time to prepare breakfast.

“Cai Yun, wait a moment,” called Captain Wang Hongkui from behind.

“Yes, Captain? What’s the matter?” Hearing the captain call her, Cai Yun’s heart skipped a beat. Could he know about the grain theft?

“I’m going to hold a short meeting at the kitchen.”

“A meeting so early? Is it something urgent?” Hearing this, Cai Yun breathed a sigh of relief and felt more at ease.

At the kitchen, the captain and several cooks inspected the garbage bin where leftover food was dumped. It was piled high with rice, steamed buns, pork, and more.

“Look at all these good foods — who threw them away? Such waste!” the captain said, pointing at the bin.

“Because the dishes are served without limits, people take as much as they want. It’s all collective property, so no one cares. If they can’t finish it, they just dump it in the garbage bin,” Cai Yun explained honestly.

“That won’t do. Starting tomorrow, those on the great steel-making campaign will continue to eat without limits as Secretary Yang required. Others will have rationed meals, all served by you,” the captain ordered.

“When the kitchen was set up, we promised everyone could eat as much as they wanted. If we ration now, won’t people complain?” some cooks worried.

The captain said, “After the steel-making campaign ends, everyone will be on rationed meals.”

That evening, after returning from the kitchen, Cai Yun first turned over the rice in the east wing room before preparing for the next step.

She felt it was only right to inform Fa Fu, so she told Fa Cai, “I think we should tell Fa Fu about tonight’s plan and see if they want to join. What do you think?”

“I told you, no need. More people means a bigger risk. If they want to go, they can go on their own.”

Knowing Fa Cai’s meaning, Cai Yun reluctantly confided quietly in Fa Fu, urging them to act quickly.

Years ago, Fa Fu had been furious when his brother Fa Cai took the woman he loved. The brothers had fallen out and never fully reconciled. Although much time had passed, their relationship remained strained.

Cai Yun felt guilty toward Fa Fu because she knew he cared for her more, respected her more, and was more deferential.

Since her foster parents decided to marry Cai Yun to Fa Fu, Fa Fu had repeatedly received orders from his mother to take decisive action and end any hopes between Cai Yun and Da Zhi. But Fa Fu thought doing so would hurt Cai Yun, so he delayed.

Seeing that most girls her age were already married with children, Cai Yun still refused to marry Fa Fu. Moreover, Old Hong kept harassing them every few days, so Fa Fu’s mother decided to intervene personally to help her son.

On a midsummer night, Fa Fu’s mother made thorough preparations and, when everything was ready, locked Fa Fu in Cai Yun’s room.

Fa Fu’s actions woke Cai Yun from sleep. She struggled to push him off and shouted, “Second brother, what are you doing?”

In a frenzy, Fa Fu lunged again, pinning Cai Yun down and kissing her desperately. The frail Cai Yun struggled in vain.

Just as Fa Fu’s mother thought the plan had succeeded and prepared to leave, a dramatic scene unfolded.

Facing Fa Fu’s wild assault, powerless Cai Yun begged over and over, “Second brother, please stop! Please let me go!” She cried out loud.

Fa Fu, seeing Cai Yun’s tear-streaked face, suddenly froze, at a loss.

He quickly snapped out of his devilish impulse. His returning reason cooled his fevered mind.

He wiped Cai Yun’s tears with his hand and repeatedly apologized, “I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m not a good person. Please forgive me. I won’t do it again. I’m really sorry!” As he spoke, he kept slapping himself.

Cai Yun reached out and held his hand, saying, “Give me a little more time, okay?”

Fa Fu nodded in agreement.