Chapter 17: A Letter from the Tang Family

"Tang, the educated youth, you have a letter!"
Hu Chunhua knocked hard on the door of Tang Banxia's house.
"I'm coming."
Tang Banxia opened the door, glanced at the stiff-faced young girl outside, and raised her eyebrow. "Where's the letter?"
It seemed making her authority known had really worked~
"It's at the team leader's place, and there's a package too," Hu Chunhua replied obediently. "My dad asked me to tell you."
All the mail for Guyue Village was sent to the brigade office, and then villagers were called to pick it up.
This was the first time since coming to the countryside that Tang's family had sent her something. She wondered how things were at home.
With that thought, she quickened her pace.
"Little Tang, you got here so quickly?" Accountant Hu teased. "Looks like you just couldn't wait."
Tang Banxia replied, "Uncle Accountant, you make fun of me."
Then she got right to the point. "The letter..."
"Here." Women's Director Huang Xiaocui handed her a thin letter. "There's a package for you too."
Huang Xiaocui was being especially friendly to Tang Banxia this time, completely different from the last time she came.
Though curious, Tang Banxia didn't ask more. "Thank you, Aunt Huang."
She thanked Hu Dashan as well, then carried her package and letter home.
Once inside, she ignored the package on the floor and eagerly tore open the envelope, scanning the letter quickly. Her brows knitted in concern.
She had been prepared for her family to disapprove of her marriage, but she didn't expect that even her own family couldn't find out where her parents had gone.
The letter was written by Grandma Tang, full of reproaches for her reckless marriage to someone of unknown background. There was only a vague mention of her parents' whereabouts, with just a general reference to Jiang City in the Northwest.
Carefully putting the letter away, she frowned in thought. Clearly, things at home were more serious than she had imagined.
The Tang family patriarch had once been the young master of a great family, later abandoning his studies to join the military, surviving countless dangers, and then, when things had settled, shifting to politics. He devoted himself to building a better country—dedicated to the last breath.
But now, even the patriarch couldn't protect her father, nor could he find the whereabouts of her parents. The peril to the Tang family was obvious.
She let out a long sigh and rubbed the itchy back of her head.
This was a time to use her brains.
In her previous life, she had been an ordinary person, untouched by politics and unable to analyze such matters. Now, all she could do was avoid bringing trouble to her family.
Still, as for her parents' whereabouts, maybe she had a way.
"Banxia." Wen Mubai came in from outside. "Huh? Where did this package come from?"
"It's from home."
Tang Banxia was bent over the table, writing quickly. "Open it and sort through it."
"Alright."

Soon, Wen Mubai had the package sorted: five feet of military-green cloth, three military rations cans, two cans of fruit, a red dress, a pair of black leather shoes, and ten kilograms of rice.
Tang Banxia glanced over during a pause in her writing. "Put them away. I'll use the cloth to make you a short-sleeved shirt another day."
"Thank you, sister." Wen Mubai said sweetly and sidled over. "What are you writing, sister?"
It was quite a thick stack.
"A letter."
She didn't try to hide it and opened it up for him to see.
Wen Mubai glanced at it and immediately lost interest. "Sister, what are we having for dinner tonight?"
"Stir-fried green beans, a can of rations, and sweet potato rice."
"I'll cook."
Tang Banxia wrote her letter until afternoon before finally putting down her pen.
She put the letter in her bag, planning to mail it the next day.
"Xiaobai."
"Here." Wen Mubai poked his head in. "What is it?"
Seeing his delicate, pretty face, Tang Banxia's gloomy mood improved. "Tomorrow I'll take you to the county seat."
"Sure!"
Wen Mubai never asked why; he just listened and obeyed, playing his role as the pampered boy with ease.
"Good boy." Tang Banxia smiled in satisfaction.
Wen Mubai's smile was sweet and soft. "Wen Wen called me to go up the mountain. Sister, are you coming?"
"What for?" Tang Banxia asked offhandedly.
"Hunting," Wen Mubai's eyes lit up. "Qixin and Wen Wen persuaded the hunter uncle to take us up the mountain."
"Just the four of you?" Tang Banxia asked.
"Uh-huh." Wen Mubai nodded vigorously, then, afraid she would refuse, quickly explained, "Uncle Hunter said we wouldn't go deep, just walk around the foot of the mountain and set a few traps."
"Alright, you can go. Be careful."
Tang Banxia didn't try to restrain him—he wasn't a child.
With her permission, Wen Mubai went out happily.
The next day.
Wen Mubai put on the new clothes Tang Banxia had made for him, strapped on a basket, and followed her to the village entrance.
By the time they arrived, the donkey cart was already full.
But,
Aunt Hu saw them and waved. "Little Tang, Little Wen, come quick, there's still space here."
She squeezed over, making the woman next to her, Wang Siyun, frown in annoyance, but she still shifted aside.
Thanks to Aunt Hu's determination, she managed to make room for the two of them.

Tang Banxia immediately pulled Wen Mubai to sit down. "Thank you, Aunt Hu. Have some candy."
She gave a piece to Hu Chunhua as well.
Hu Chunhua awkwardly accepted it.
"Aunt Hu, are you going to the procurement station?"
"That's right, I saved up fifty eggs to sell there, so I can get some money to buy Chunhua new clothes."
Named, Hu Chunhua pouted in annoyance. "Mama~"
"Don't mama me!" Aunt Hu's face darkened instantly. "I'm telling you, if you act up, I'll give you a beating."
Hu Chunhua pursed her lips and dared not speak further.
"Little Tang, if only my daughter could be as capable as you, I wouldn't have to worry so much." Aunt Hu grasped Tang Banxia's hand, sighing with feeling.
"Auntie, don't say that. Chunhua isn't lacking at all," Tang Banxia replied, not one to say anything foolish.
"Not lacking? Hmph! She's far from it." Aunt Hu didn't hold back her complaints. "Look at her—at her age, she can't cook and can't use scissors. How will she manage after she gets married? It worries me to death."
Aunt Hu couldn't help but worry. Chunhua was her youngest child and had always been fair-skinned and doted on by both parents.
But they'd spoiled her into a pampered young lady.
In the countryside, a girl's looks were the least of anyone's concerns when it came to marriage.
Chunhua's only real assets were her appearance and having gone to elementary school for a few years, so she knew some characters.
But what use was literacy in the countryside? Better to swing a hoe and earn more food.
"Auntie, Chunhua's still young. Marriage is a long way off," Tang Banxia comforted her.
"Young? When I was her age, I'd already given birth to my eldest. She hasn't even got a fiancé yet." The more Aunt Hu spoke, the angrier she got, even giving her daughter a couple of smacks.
"Mama, why are you hitting me!" Hu Chunhua had been holding in her own anger.
Her mother was forever criticizing her in public, especially when there were more people around. Now, talking about these things in front of Wen the educated youth, she was mortified, her cheeks flushing red. "I've told you so many times, stop talking about me in public!"
"So what if I do?" Aunt Hu retorted. "I'm your mother. Even if I hit you, you have to take it."
"You—" Hu Chunhua turned away. "I'm not talking to you anymore."
Aunt Hu, still not satisfied, gave her another couple of smacks before turning to Tang Banxia. "You see, Tang, what a stubborn temper she has."
"Auntie, Chunhua is growing up. She cares about her reputation. Just talk to her nicely."
Wang Siyun, sitting nearby, had been listening to Tang Banxia chat casually with the villagers and old ladies, and found it quite surprising.
She still remembered when Tang Banxia had first arrived—wearing a military-green dress, pristine white socks, stylish block-heeled shoes, and two glossy braids tied with ribbons. She seemed to glow and didn't fit in with the countryside at all.
But now, Tang Banxia wore black pants, cloth shoes, a blue short-sleeved blouse with floral patterns, her hair styled like the village women, twisted into a bun at the back, and carried a basket. If not for her fair, glowing skin and the innate bearing cultivated since childhood, she would seem just another country housewife.
Wang, the educated youth, was stunned. How could someone change so much in such a short time?
While she was still marveling, they arrived at the commune.
Tang Banxia said her goodbyes to Aunt Hu, and she and Wen Mubai boarded the bus to the county seat.