Chapter Thirteen: Confidentiality

One evening, Caiyun brought cooked corn and sweet potatoes to the comrades on night duty at the great steel-making furnace as their supper.

When she learned that the furnace was clogged again and preparations were underway to send people in to break the iron blocks causing the blockage, she approached the team leader, insisting on joining the effort to break the iron pieces.

The team leader refused, saying this was men's work; even the women participating in the steel-making project were not assigned this task.

Fafang also warned her, saying the work was very dangerous and urged her to go back quickly.

But Caiyun was unwilling to leave and insisted on taking part.

Later, Captain Wang discussed with Caiyun, “Caiyun, everyone has been extremely tired these past few days. Could you sing a song to boost everyone's spirits? What do you think?”

“Sure! I’d be glad to sing for everyone.”

“Attention, everyone! Now, please welcome Caiyun to sing a song for us!” Captain Wang announced.

“I will sing a new song I just learned called ‘Chairman Mao Comes to Our Farmstead’—”

“The wheat shoots are green and the rapeseed blooms yellow,
Chairman Mao has come to our farmstead…”

After just two lines, a burst of enthusiastic applause erupted.

“Thanks to Chairman Mao for caring about us farmers, and thanks to Caiyun for this beautiful song. Let’s all work harder!”

Caiyun then asked again, “Captain, can I go break the iron blocks now?”

“No, your task is to sing to everyone each night when you deliver the meals and encourage the men.” The captain still refused.

Though small in stature, Caiyun never backed down and was determined to do what she set her mind to.

She carefully observed how the men broke the iron blocks and thought it was nothing extraordinary; she was determined to try it herself.

So, when no one was looking, she ran over and struck a few times, successfully breaking off a small piece, which made her very happy.

Someone noticed and immediately stopped her.

At the time, she felt nothing, but when she got home and lay in bed, she felt a burning sensation on her face. She asked Fafang to apply a wet towel, which eased the discomfort.

“You didn’t receive any training or take precautions, yet you went straight into the work. How dangerous! What if something happened?” Fafang scolded her for being reckless.

“There were so many people around; what could happen?”

“This work has nothing to do with you. Why take such a risk?”

“I just want the children to know that their mother isn’t a coward, but a strong, upright woman!”

“That’s men’s business. You women should leave it be.”

“What’s wrong with women? Women are people too, no less than men!”

The next noon, after school, Yuqiang ran straight to the dining hall and saw his mother cooking. Grabbing her hand, he asked in surprise, “Mom, I heard you crawled into the furnace to break the iron blocks?”

“How did you know?” Caiyun smiled and asked.

“Our teacher Yang said so in class. She said you fell inside the furnace but came out as if nothing happened, not afraid at all. Mom, you’re amazing!” Yuqiang said proudly.

“What else did Teacher Yang say?”

“Teacher Yang said Chinese farmers are the greatest. Once the government gives the order, they dare to climb mountains of knives and brave seas of fire! She also said none of the things we eat, wear, or use can do without farmers. She wants us to learn from you!”

“Your teacher sure knows how to talk. I never thought that deeply.”

The great steel-making campaign was in full swing, with people enthusiastic and eager to produce qualified steel to bring good news to the commune.

Wang Hongbing, who had been staying home quietly, suddenly realized after some time that his condition had healed, and his anxious heart finally settled.

Hearing that everyone was crawling into the furnace with wet cotton quilts to break the iron blocks, he immediately got up to investigate and studied improvement methods with several shift leaders.

After repeated experiments, they finally found a solution to the clogging problem. Secretary Yang was delighted, patted him on the shoulder, and called him a talent.

Wang Hongbing went to the county town to buy materials and transformed all the “earth furnaces,” completely solving the clogging issue.

Just as he was about to report to Secretary Yang, he saw Yulan feeding pigs near the production team’s pigpen. Remembering the candies he had saved for her in his pocket, he walked over.

Yulan had been feeding two pigs for over a year, which the production team had recently taken away. She couldn’t forget them and often brought pig food to feed them. Each time they heard her voice, the pigs would rush forward eagerly.

“Lanlan, feeding the pigs again, huh?” Wang Hongbing said, lifting Yulan up—everyone in the village affectionately called her Lanlan.

“Little cousin, what are you doing here?” Yulan asked warmly as she fed the pigs.

“I happened to pass by. These pigs now belong to the production team; you don’t need to feed them anymore.”

“But I miss them so much. If I don’t come, it feels bad.”

“Good child, little cousin knows your kind heart. If you want to feed them, go ahead.”

Wang Hongbing took out some candies from his pocket, handed them to Yulan, and kissed her on the cheek.

“Thank you, little cousin!” Yulan happily accepted them.

“Is little cousin nice?” Wang Hongbing asked.

“Yes!”

“Do you like little cousin?”

“Yes!”

“Then give little cousin another kiss.” Yulan happily gave him another peck.

“Now tell me, do you remember the last time little cousin was stung by a hornet?”

“I remember. My mom and brother said you were stung to death by hornets. How did you survive?”

“Do you know where all those hornets came from?”

“From the hornet’s nest at your house.”

“Why did they come out of the nest?”

“Because… my mom told me not to say.” Yulan hesitated.

Wang Hongbing peeled a candy and put it in her mouth. “Is it good?”

“Yes!”

“If you tell me, I’ll buy you more next time.”

“I’ll tell you, but you have to keep it a secret. Don’t tell anyone, not even my mom, okay?”

“Okay, pinky promise.”

After linking pinkies, Yulan whispered in her little cousin’s ear, “It was my brother who shot them with a slingshot.”

“Why did he shoot them?”

“He said you stole his sparrow and cow dung, so he wanted to teach you a lesson.”

Wang Hongbing kissed Yulan’s cheek again.

Not quite satisfied, Yulan said, “Little cousin, I’m only telling you. You have to keep it a secret.”

“We already promised. It’s a secret.”

Wang Hongbing thought to himself, persistence pays off. The mystery he struggled to solve was finally revealed by a child, unexpectedly easy.

Seeing his elder brother and Fafang leading a soldier walking toward the dining hall, he put Yulan down and left.

“Caiyun, Dazhi is back!” Fafang suddenly called out to Caiyun, who was cooking in the dining hall.

Caiyun didn’t quite catch what Fafang said but saw him, Team Leader Wang Hongkui, and a man in military uniform approaching.

When they drew near, the team leader shouted to Caiyun, “Caiyun, your first love has returned.”

“Captain, you’re joking, right?” Caiyun said.

“No joke. Look who this is!” The captain smiled, pointing at the man in uniform.

Caiyun seemed to have seen this soldier before but couldn’t recall immediately.

“Caiyun, don’t you recognize me? I’m Li Dazhi!” Dazhi took off his military hat, came forward, and extended his hand.

“Dazhi, you’re not dead?” Caiyun finally recognized Li Dazhi. Their hands grasped tightly.

“I told you I’d come back to marry you, so I can’t die.”

“Everyone said you died in the Huaihai Campaign.”

“Our unit suffered heavy casualties in the Huaihai Campaign. I was lucky to survive.”

“Caiyun, I’ll give you half a day off to spend time with Dazhi,” the captain said.

“Thank you, captain.” Caiyun happily replied.

“Fafang, let’s go back.” The captain and Fafang left.