Chapter Nine, After the meal, we enjoy a small drink and discuss the future

This topic has taken on a somewhat heavy tone, and for a moment, no one responded. It was not until a while later that someone broke the silence

Xue Xiang had not yet had the chance to respond when several people caught sight of his work and immediately burst into laughter, after all, San Ge had never been so embarrassed before. Lei Xiaotian laughed the hardest, feeling quite pleased with himself, and while laughing, he patted Sun Qianjin's shoulder. In his moment of glee, he lost his grip, and the rooster ran away.

Xue Xiang called out "Start," but no one responded. Ten pairs of chopsticks almost instantly plunged into the pot. Xiao Shi was not to be outdone; he had already set his sights on the largest piece of lean meat. As soon as Xue Xiang's voice fell, the little guy snatched that piece of meat, unable to wait to place it in his small flower bowl to cool down for a moment. He blew on it gently and then brought it to his mouth to tear into it.

Xue Xiang and his group surrounded the small round table tightly, with Xiao Shi squeezed between Xiao Wan and Xue Xiang, holding a small flower bowl in her hands, leaning over the edge of the table, her big eyes fixed intently on the pot

As noon approached, after a flurry of activity by several individuals, the kitchen of Xue Xiang's home finally filled with the enticing aroma of meat. Nine adults and one child sat around a table surrounded by ten chairs. On the round table, there was a net bag filled with vegetables, a large pot of rice, and several bowls and chopsticks. In the center of the table was a round hole, beneath which was a coal stove. On the stove rested a large frying pan, filled to the brim with potatoes and pig's trotters, the broth nearly level with the rim of the pot. The air vent of the coal stove was wide open, the flames were vigorous, and the potatoes and trotters simmered with a bubbling sound. The broth was murky and dark red, clearly infused with a generous amount of chili, simmered to perfection, and rendered with fat. Not far from the stove, the fire had not been extinguished; at this moment, the open flame had burned out, and the residual heat was cooking the chicken in the pot.

After finishing a few small tasks, several people set out the wine glasses and snacks, and only then was it time to drink. The dishes were few: a plate of salted peanuts, a plate of old broad beans, and a plate of fried potato chips, barely filling three small plates. They had always enjoyed drinking frugally. Although they claimed to enjoy it, it was also a necessity forced upon them. In these times, some people had a pound of sesame oil from the previous year, and after consuming it throughout the year, when weighed at the end of the year, it still weighed a pound. You may wonder how this is possible; the truth is that every time they ate, they would dip their chopsticks into the sesame oil and then eat their rice.

Xue Xiang was most afraid of trouble, and did not cook any dishes. He simply stewed two pots of meat with potatoes and radishes, each paired with pork leg and rooster. The washed vegetables were placed beside the pot, to be added directly when it was time to eat, ready to be served after a brief boil.

The little one has a small mouth and short hands, with thin and tender lips. Coupled with the fact that the meat is scalding hot, she is particularly afraid of getting burned. Although she eats in a rather awkward manner, it is indeed not enjoyable. While gnawing on a bone, the little one keeps her eyes fixed on the pot, and if anyone eats too quickly, she shoots them a glance, as if to say, "You are eating too messily, learn from me and eat slowly." However, everyone is engaged in a battle with the bones, and no one pays her any mind. Watching the pieces of meat being rapidly devoured, the little one becomes a bit anxious, drops her chopsticks, and clings to Xue Xiang's leg, indicating that he should manage them, as they are eating so messily. Xue Xiang, seeing the little one's pouty mouth and furrowed brows, understands what she is likely complaining about. He gets up, takes an empty bowl, and serves her several large pieces of meat, filling the bowl halfway, allowing her to eat while it cools down. In an instant, the little one beams with joy, no longer shaking Xue Xiang's leg. She turns around and drags the bowl of meat closer, discarding the small floral bowl and chopsticks, and directly uses her little hands to grab and gnaw at the meat, not caring whether she is eating more messily than others.

Sun Qianjin received the task and called Liu Yuanchao to go together. After arranging their tasks, Xue Xiang rummaged through the pile of miscellaneous goods to find the iron coal stove, assigning Li Hongjun to start the fire. He then dragged out a large pile of vegetables for the two to pick. Lei Xiaotian quickly seized the opportunity, picked up a large rooster, and went to the washing pool, preparing to kill the chicken. Kang Tong and Zhu Shijun immediately wore bitter expressions, and in their hearts, they simultaneously echoed: "The early bird catches the worm, while the latecomer suffers, letting her take the lead."

"Third brother, you really enjoy causing trouble. If you need a table, just come to me. My second uncle is the manager of the Hualian Wood Factory. Just give me a shout, and I can bring them directly to you. They have so many of these tables and chairs in their factory that they can't sell, and they are everywhere being thrown away." Sun Qianjin replied

Finally, there was the issue of queue-jumping. The majority of the youth responded to the leader's call and went to the countryside to receive re-education from the poor and lower-middle peasants. Unless unforeseen circumstances arose, going to the countryside for queue-jumping was the destination for this group of people led by Xue.

A meal was consumed with great enthusiasm, and two large pots of delicious meat soup were devoured as they soaked their rice in it. Everyone was truly ravenous, seizing the opportunity to the extent that they wished they could eat the pots as well. Xiao Yi ate so much that he started to shed his clothes, and his originally two rows of ribs were stretched into a small belly. The battle was fierce, and the results were unprecedented, achieving a complete consumption of dishes, rice, and soup, leaving the two pots as clean as if they had just been washed, entirely replicating a certain "famous" policy formulated by General Okamura Ningji of the Japanese North China Expeditionary Army during the War of Resistance against Japan. The battle was fierce, and the results were unprecedented, achieving a complete consumption of dishes, rice, and soup, leaving the two pots as clean as if they had just been washed, entirely replicating a certain "famous" policy formulated by General Okamura Ningji of the Japanese North China Expeditionary Army during the War of Resistance against Japan.

After the meal, Xiao Wan and Xiao Yi returned to their room for a nap, preparing to tackle the afternoon's homework. Xiao Shi, reluctant to leave, clung to Xue Xiang's thigh, drumming on his little belly with his hands. Before long, he also grew sleepy and was held in Xue Xiang's arms as he fell asleep. Everyone looked at Xue Xiang holding Xiao Shi, momentarily unable to comprehend the scene. Xue Xiang was not close to his younger siblings, and they all knew this, often harboring complaints in their hearts: Third Brother is great in every way, but he is too distant from his younger siblings, not behaving like an older brother should. However, this was a matter of Xue Xiang's family, and they felt it inappropriate to inquire further. In daily life, they were more like older brothers to Xiao Wan and the others than Xue Xiang, the actual eldest brother. At this moment, seeing the siblings being affectionate, they felt happy for Xue Xiang.

In addition to serving in the military, working in a factory is also a profession that young people admire, as workers at this time are bestowed with honorable titles such as the leading class and the masters of the country. Once one enters a factory, they are guaranteed a stable job, ensuring a secure livelihood for life. However, the number of worker positions is also quite limited; the replacement of workers, aside from the skilled workers assigned by the organization, often follows an alternative hereditary system, where if a son wishes to take a job, his father must resign.

"Supporting North Korea, your work is not bad. To speak frankly, how long have you been deceiving the organization? Brothers, what do you think should be done with someone who conceals information from the organization and plays petty tricks, showing an unstable revolutionary stance?" Lei Xiaotian took a sip of his drink and joked.

"Third Brother, why have you started making a table by yourself?" Kang Tong asked, being the most taciturn and reserved among the group.

As several people entered, they began to chat. Li Hongjun was holding a large red box, which was presumably the Chen Mao mentioned in the morning. Lei Xiaotian was holding a large red rooster, with a bright red comb and a hefty body, weighing about four to five jin. The rooster was being held by the throat, unable to make a sound. The other six were not empty-handed either; some were carrying wine, while others brought peanuts and other snacks to accompany the drinks, which were just the supplies for the upcoming banquet

"Third Brother, I heard that this morning, Kang Xiaoba and his group had a 'confrontation' with you. That guy is lucky; I, Ma Leizi, am going home early today. Otherwise, I would have definitely broken his bones." Lei Xiaotian interjected, and as he spoke, the muscles around his mouth moved, revealing a few pockmarks on his face, giving him a fierce appearance.

At that time, the pathways for high school graduates were quite limited, with university admissions primarily reserved for the children of workers, farmers, and soldiers, and reliant on organizational recommendations. Additionally, many higher education institutions were suspended due to a shortage of teaching staff (the reason for the shortage is left to your imagination), making those who could attend university exceptionally rare. Apart from this, joining the military, working as laborers, or going to the countryside for rural work were the mainstream options for recent graduates.

The rooster, having escaped from the clutches of its captors, was now running for its life, its once bulky body now surprisingly light. It transformed into a bird, spreading its wings and flapping vigorously, soaring up to the rooftop. Seeing that the rooster had the audacity not to bow its head in surrender and dared to escape, the group was not pleased. They scrambled to catch the rooster, which was to be the main dish for lunch. The rooster had indeed run into bad luck by encountering this group of desperate individuals. A few of them set up a ladder to the roof, climbing and leaping across the eaves, casting nets from all directions, laying ambushes from every angle, and ultimately managed to capture it again. Once more falling into the clutches of its captors, the rooster seemed to resign itself to its fate, drooping its head and waiting for death.

"Come on, those people wouldn't dare to provoke San Ge. They must have some guts to do that. It must be that San Ge is just feeling bored and looking for some fun with them." The speaker is Sun Qianjin

A few people were drinking and chatting when Xue was the first to ask: "We have all graduated for over half a year, and we can't just keep wandering around every day. Let's discuss what plans everyone has."

First, let us speak of military service. At this time, soldiers are indeed, as Wei Wei praised, the most lovable individuals. Clad in military uniforms, wielding steel rifles, and guarding the borders, this was almost the simplest and most beautiful aspiration of all young boys during that era. Furthermore, there is an unspoken reason: the path to an official career was very narrow at that time, and nearly all party, government, and military officials came from a military background. Holding an official position, regardless of the era or dynasty, has always been the most important means of bringing honor to one's family and ancestors, as well as the highest aspiration in the hearts of ordinary people. Therefore, military service was the most promising and ideal path at that time.

I was preparing to join the army with Hongjun. Originally, I had no chance; although my father was released, the issue was still unresolved, and the political review would not pass at all. By chance, the person in charge of the conscription office was an old comrade of my father from the Fourth Field Army. After having a drink with my father, he took me in. San Ge, I have never dared to tell you all this... Liu Yuanchao's voice grew lower and gradually fell silent, feeling somewhat guilty towards everyone. Liu Yuanchao's father was the chief of staff of the C Army's B Division, who had just been released after being isolated for investigation but had not yet resumed his duties and was idling at home. Everyone already knew that Li Hongjun was going to join the army, as his father was still in office, making his enlistment almost a foregone conclusion. Originally, Liu Yuanchao, like everyone else, had no clear direction, but now suddenly saying he was going to join the army made him feel somewhat guilty towards Xue and the others, as he felt he had lost his sense of loyalty. Everyone already knew that Li Hongjun was going to join the army, as his father was still in office, making his enlistment almost a foregone conclusion. Originally, Liu Yuanchao, like everyone else, had no clear direction, but now suddenly saying he was going to join the army made him feel somewhat guilty towards Xue and the others, as he felt he had lost his sense of loyalty.

"Cheng, you rascal, go get me a table right now, no, get me two tables, one square table and one hollow hot pot table. We will have hot pot for lunch," Xue Xiang instructed.

"It's nothing, you can find a good way out. The brothers are just happy, how could they blame you? You, my friend, have been discreet and quietly accomplished the task. Well done." Xue Xiang smiled as he patted Liu Yuanchao on the shoulder, comforting him.

The little ones are like this, and the big ones are even less courteous. Everyone's hands move at an extremely fast pace, shoving food into their mouths with one chopstick after another, with no time for the bowl in between. It is a scene of everyone vying to be first, each person fearing to fall behind. For a moment, the dining table resembles a battlefield, with war clouds rolling in and "gunpowder smoke" filling the air

"Third brother, what are you busy with? I could hear the clanging from far away, and I thought you were at home building an atomic bomb!" Li Hongjun shouted from a distance.

"The house lacks a dining table, and since I have nothing to do, I decided to make one myself. Who would have thought that such a small table would be so difficult to make? I ended up sweating profusely and produced this shoddy product," Xue Xiang said with a smile.