Chapter 7: Relying Entirely on One's Own Efforts
After seeing off Zhou Tiehu, Li Aiguo glanced around the room.
Originally a side chamber in a courtyard house, it was divided into three rooms: the central one served as the main hall and kitchen, while the east and west sides each had two kang beds. Mats were laid on top of the kangs, and beneath each was a hollow space known as a kang cavity.
The kang cavity was roughly the length of a brick and about five or six bricks thick in height.
For each kang, ash pits were constructed at the junctions between the kang head, the kang cavity, and the stove, allowing for easy removal of soot and ash when the fire was no longer burning.
Now, at the turn of spring to summer, the kang stoves had long been unused, and the ash pits still contained uncleaned wood ash.
Li Aiguo took out one hundred and fifty yuan, bundled it into a ball, wrapped it in old newspaper, and tucked it into the kang cavity, covering it tightly with wood ash.
He made sure it left no trace from the outside before sealing the cavity, brushing the ash from his hands and exhaling in slight relief.
This money was his future wife’s dowry; naturally, it had to be well hidden.
...
Sunlight filtered through the tattered newspaper on the glass, casting a bright streak onto the soot-blackened wall, forming a luminous spot.
Li Aiguo lay on the bed, hands clasped behind his head, staring at the spot deep in thought.
The top three in the exam would be allowed to drive the train.
The intelligence Zhou Tiehu provided was crucial.
Each year, the Railway Academy graduated two or three hundred students, of which over a hundred would pass the locomotive exam.
In this era, most locomotives in the country were either pre-liberation old engines or steam locomotives donated by the elder brother's aid.
A small number were domestically produced freight steam engines modeled after the Mikado Type 1 by the Sifang Factory.
The railway network spanned only 26,700 kilometers, with fewer than a thousand passenger and freight trains combined.
Most novices who earned their driver’s license had to serve several years as firemen before stepping into the driver’s cab.
Steam locomotives relied entirely on coal.
To convert water into steam for power, the fireman had to continuously shovel coal to keep the train running fast.
The fireman’s job was grueling and exhausting.
One shovel of coal weighed forty to fifty jin; the heavy cotton coat was stained pitch black from soot and coal dust, and grime and coal residue stripped the clothes of their original color.
After a shift, one’s back ached, the body was covered in soot, and only the teeth remained white…
Not only was it exhausting and harsh, but firemen’s wages and treatment were far inferior to those of train drivers.
Earning a driver’s license and actually driving the train was the dream of every graduate from the Railway Technical Academy.
However, with two or three hundred candidates each year, securing a top-three spot was no easy feat.
It seemed everything depended on his own efforts.
Li Aiguo was not one to rely on others; he resolved to achieve ultimate victory through hard study.
He took out his textbook and read for a while, rubbing his brow in thought. After a moment, his gaze settled on the system panel.
Steam Engine Driving: 21.
Culinary Skills: 15.
...
Skill points: 0.
...
Two flowers bloom, each representing its own branch.
After Li Aiguo left, Jia Zhangshi squinted venomously and cursed Qin Huairu.
“If it weren’t for you, how could our family have lost fifty yuan?”
“You caused this trouble, so you have to pay.”
Qin Huairu wiped tears from the corner of her eyes, looking pitiful. “Mother, I’m just a village girl—where else can I earn money?”
“I don’t care. If you don’t bring the money back, I’ll have Dongxu divorce you!”
Jia Zhangshi wore a triumphant expression. “Even if you divorce, our Dongxu can find a wife with a formal job.”
Thinking of this made Jia Zhangshi furious. She turned to glare fiercely at Jia Dongxu. “I told you to listen to your mother back then, but you didn’t. Now look, you married a village girl who can’t even get a ration book. Pretty? Can pretty faces fill the stomach?”
Jia Dongxu dared not argue and secretly gave Qin Huairu a look, changing the subject.
“Mother, today is Banggeng’s ‘Zhua Zhou’ ceremony—all the family’s waiting.”
Qin Huairu wiped her tears and forced a smile. “Yes, Mother, today is your eldest grandson’s big day; we can’t be angry.”
...
Oddly enough, despite the commotion in the room, Banggeng sat on the kang stove quietly, neither crying nor fussing.
Only then did everyone remember Banggeng and turn to look.
What they saw was astonishing.
At some point, Banggeng had gathered all the little trinkets from the kang into his arms and was stuffing them one by one into his shorts.
Seals, red armbands, pens, coins… his shorts were stuffed full.
The account book was too large for him.
He couldn’t grasp it and, frustrated, cried loudly, tearing the book into pieces with his small hands.
No one had seen such a bold child before and stood dumbfounded.
“My eldest grandson is destined for great things!” Jia Zhangshi laughed heartily, scooping up Banggeng and spinning him in the air.
“Exactly! Don’t you see whose bloodline he comes from?” Jia Xudong beamed with excitement, leaning in to praise loudly.
Suddenly, the faucet dripped a stream of pale yellow liquid.
Gulp...
Ugh~
Jia Xudong nearly choked but swallowed hard.
He gave a thumbs-up. “My son is amazing!”
Laughter erupted throughout the room.
...
The ‘Zhua Zhou’ ceremony was supposed to include a banquet.
By noon, with no sign of the Jia family lighting a fire to cook, neighbors found it strange but simply returned to their own homes, hands behind their backs.
On the way, everyone marveled at Banggeng’s miraculous behavior, unanimously agreeing that he was bound to become a remarkable talent.
“Jia Zhangshi is truly blessed!”
As they admired, a wailing howl came from afar—Liu Guangtian’s lament.
No need to ask; everyone knew the Liu family was playing out a melodrama of fatherly love.
This was commonplace, and no one paid it much mind.
...
Xu Damao hummed a tune as he returned home.
Just inside the door, Xu Jixiang pulled him into the inner room.
“Damao, what do you think about today’s matter?”
“What do I think? I saw it with my own eyes!”
“.....”
If the Xu family had more than one son to carry on the line, Xu Jixiang’s temper would have flared long ago.
He took a deep breath and slowly exhaled.
“You should stay out of Li Aiguo’s business. Today I finally saw clearly— that kid never intended to get those people all arrested; he just wanted to extort money. Plus, he might get into the railway one day, so we’ll need to have him on our side.”
Xu Damao was unconvinced; in terms of cunning, he believed himself far sharper than Li Aiguo.
Yet, thinking of how Li Aiguo had beaten Shazhu into complete submission, making him kneel and beg for mercy, he felt a twinge of envy.
That boy must have studied under a master; he planned to learn from him if given the chance.
“There’s one more thing—be more careful lately. Your mother has already spoken to Lou Tanshi.
Although Lou Xiao’e isn’t the legitimate daughter, she’s deeply favored by Lou Zhenhua.
If you can marry her, you’ll definitely advance.”
Xu Jixiang paused, then continued.
“Lou Zhenhua agreed?”
Xu Damao’s eyes lit up.
He had seen Lou Xiao’e; though not as striking as Qin Huairu, she was lively and well-shaped, with perfect figure and bearing.
She carried the refined aura of a wealthy family, far beyond the rustic girls from the countryside.
“Pretty much, yes. Lou Zhenhua likes that our family has three generations of poor but honest folk.”
Xu Jixiang nodded. “Once you have a clear understanding with Lou Xiao’e, I’ll apply for early retirement and let you take over. Meanwhile, you need to master that film projection equipment.”
Xu Damao was currently a film projectionist at the steel mill.
But he was a temp worker, earning only fifteen yuan a month.
Hearing this, he nodded eagerly.
...
At the same time, Yan Bugui returned home.
Third Aunt, holding Yan Jiedi, stood and handed him a jar of cold tea, concern etched on her face.
“Jiecheng’s father, what happened at the Intermediate Court?”
“Yi Zhonghai tried to catch the goose but ended up getting pecked in the eye,” Yan Bugui replied.
He took a few big gulps and let out a satisfied burp, proudly saying:
“It’s simple. Those families saw the Li family was ruined, and Li Aiguo was shy, so they harbored evil intentions, aiming to seize the Li family house.
They used the pretense of standing up for Jia Dongxu to threaten Li Aiguo.
These days, with famine, many refugees pour into the city; every month, the streets carry away a few bodies.
Li Aiguo was alone, with no parents, no relatives, no work unit. Even if he died at home, Yi Zhonghai could cover it up.
Old Yi even came to me for help, wanting our Jiecheng to intervene.
He hoped to share the Li family’s cotton-padded coats, hot water kettles, and other odds and ends with us.
I understood old Yi’s plan—it was just a small bribe to shut my mouth.”
At this, Yan Bugui grew excited.
“Unexpectedly, Li Aiguo turned the tables on everyone.
He feigned severe injury and stayed home for days, contacting people from the railway and arranging for our Jiefang to call Director Wang from the street office.
Then he struck back. You weren’t there, but that little mouth of his was fierce!
He got Yi Zhonghai tongue-tied, earned two hundred yuan, and even sent Shazhu to the police station.
That kid truly has courage and brains.
From now on, no one in this courtyard will dare to provoke Li Aiguo lightly.”
“Luckily, you didn’t agree with Yi Zhonghai then; otherwise, our family would’ve lost fifty yuan too,” Third Aunt said happily, as if she’d found fifty yuan.
The baby in her arms, Yan Jiedi, giggled joyously, reaching chubby little hands to touch Third Aunt’s chin.
Yan Bugui adjusted his glasses, beaming with pride.
“I’m an old teacher, a cultured man; I couldn’t do such heartless things.”
He paused, looking at Third Aunt.
“You still need to take care of Jiedi. Otherwise, I was thinking of having you help Li Aiguo wash his bedding. When you gave birth to Jiecheng during the famine, we were saved by Brother Li’s ten jin of bean dregs.”
“Oh, that’s nothing—just laundry. I’m not tired. Our Jiedi is good; she can play beside me for a while,” Third Aunt agreed readily.
When she gave birth to Jiecheng, the famine was severe. She had to go to the outskirts with Yan Bugui to gather wild vegetables.
Before they could collect a full basket, her belly hurt too much to continue.
Yan Bugui panicked and found an ox cart.
Third Aunt gave birth to Yan Jiecheng on that ox cart.
The scar on the back of Yan Jiecheng’s head was from being struck by the ox’s tail, hidden beneath hair.
Compared to giving birth on an ox cart, this laundry work was nothing.
As they chatted, Yan Jiefang came bounding in.
“Jiefang, where’s the ten cents Li Aiguo gave you today? Hand it over quickly,” Yan Bugui stood and blocked him.
Yan Jiefang was speechless...