OBS Chapter 1289 New Year’s Eve
Chapter 1289 New Year’s Eve
Chapter 1289 New Year’s Eve
Lei Sibao squatted under the old locust tree at the village entrance, hands tucked into his sleeves, a dry blade of grass dangling from his mouth, his eyes fixed on the old Party Secretary's hunched back. Seeing the old Party Secretary slink out of Qin Hao's house, his old face wrinkled like a dried orange peel, he knew the deal was off again.
"Pah!" Lei Sibao spat out the grass root in his mouth, rubbed his hands which were red from the cold, and chased after him in three steps.
"Uncle, how did it go? Did that kid agree?" Lei Sibao sidled up to the old Party Secretary, his eyes darting around.
The old Party Secretary stopped, his cloudy old eyes sweeping over Lei Sibao's calculating face. He sighed deeply, the sigh almost inaudible in the cold wind: "Sigh... don't mention it. Haozi is proud and still remembers the time you guys stabbed him in the back. Sibao, what happened last time chilled his heart. This matter... can't be rushed."
Lei Sibao immediately became anxious upon hearing this: "Can't we be anxious? Uncle, you've seen it all. Our entire Xiaolei family is tightening our belts and starving, while he's secretly living a life of luxury! Is that fair? If you ask me, we should just report him to the commune!"
"Nonsense!" The old Party Secretary suddenly erupted in fury, his beard trembling with rage. "In this life, what I hate most are those treacherous, backstabbing, and malicious people! I can't bring myself to do such a thing again! This matter ends here! If you dare to even think about these crooked schemes again, I'll break your legs!"
Lei Sibao shrank back after being scolded, but the resentment in his eyes deepened. Once the old Party Secretary was out of sight, he spat fiercely on the ground: "You old coward, a real wimp!"
Shi Hongwei, Lei Shigen, and Lei Zhengming were huddled in Lei Sibao's drafty, dilapidated thatched shed, warming themselves by the fire.
There were only a few thin sticks of firewood in the brazier, which were no match for the bitter cold, and the three of them shivered. The door was kicked open violently, bringing with it a blast of cold air, and Lei Sibao squeezed in like a frozen wild dog.
"Brothers, we can't go on like this!" Lei Sibao slammed his fist on the table, making the kerosene lamp flame flicker. "Haozi is living the high life, while we can't even get enough thin porridge. Are you willing to accept this?"
Shi Hongwei wiped his face, shrank back, and stammered, "Then... what can we do? Haozi is such a fierce guy... we... we can't beat him, and we can't afford to mess with him..."
“Yeah, that beating last time… my chest still hurts when it’s cloudy or rainy…” Lei Shigen clutched his ribs, looking miserable.
"Useless coward!" Lei Sibao jumped up and down in anger, pointing at the three men and cursing, "No matter how good he is at fighting, how many people can he beat? Let's all go all out! Let's go together! Even if we get beaten up, it's worth it! If we take him down, all the flour and rice he's hiding in his house will be ours!"
Shi Hongwei shook his head vigorously, like a rattle-drum: "You go ahead if you want, I wouldn't dare. Last time the inspection team searched my house, they didn't find a single hair. That kid is too wicked! If they catch him and put him in jail for a few days, my mother will definitely hang herself!"
Qin Hao was still haunted by the thought of settling scores with the inspection team after they returned empty-handed last time.
"Cowardly good-for-nothings! A bunch of useless trash!"
Lei Sibao was furious as he looked at his three cowardly accomplices. He couldn't count on them.
"Fine! You guys don't dare, but I do! Fortune favors the bold! I'm going all in! When I take that kid to jail and finally get to eat pork, don't be jealous!"
Early the next morning, Lei Sibao secretly slipped away to the commune. He found the inspection team's office with practiced ease and exaggeratedly reported Qin Hao's "speculation and profiteering."
"Comrade, I saw it with my own eyes! That kid's house was piled high with rice and flour! Our Lei family is so poor, where did he get so much rice and flour? He must be up to some kind of speculation and profiteering!" Lei Sibao said, spitting as he spoke, wishing he could portray Qin Hao as an unpardonable criminal.
The inspection team leader squinted at Lei Sibao: "It's you again? Didn't they fail to find anything after the last report?"
"There's definitely some this time! It's almost Chinese New Year, and this kid's getting more and more arrogant, carrying whole bags of flour home." Lei Sibao patted his chest and guaranteed.
That afternoon, three inspectors wearing red armbands stormed into Xiao Lei's house, looking menacing. The villagers, seeing this, quickly retreated into their homes, peeking through the cracks in their doors.
Qin Hao was chopping firewood in the yard when he saw the inspection team arrive. He didn't even lift his eyelids and continued swinging his axe.
"Lei Hao! Someone has reported you for large-scale buying and selling of tickets and vouchers, engaging in speculation! Behave yourself and cooperate with the inspection!" the lead inspector shouted sternly.
Qin Hao slowly put down his axe, wiped his sweat, and said, "Keep searching, everyone. You've worked hard; it's not easy to make a trip in this cold weather."
The inspectors snorted and, without saying a word, immediately began a more thorough and brutal search.
This time, they were more meticulous and more impatient than before. Every brick of the earthen bed was pried up to check for hidden items, the rice jar was moved to inspect the bottom, the pile of firewood was completely scattered, and even the mouse hole in the corner of the stove was poked.
The kang mat was lifted, the old clothes trunk was opened and emptied, and every inch of the wall corner and every piece of tile was to be broken open and examined.
"Well? Did you find it?" Qin Hao asked sarcastically, seeing that they had searched almost completely.
"You...you better not get cocky!" The lead inspector's face was as black as the bottom of a pot. He glared at Qin Hao fiercely, then turned to his companion and growled, "Withdraw!"
The group of people, looking dejected and filled with anger and embarrassment, left again in a huff.
As soon as the inspection team left, Qin Hao's face instantly darkened.
The news spread like wildfire through Xiao Lei's village: the inspection team came again, and found nothing! Qin Hao is about to explode again!
Panic spread like a plague through Shi Hongwei's home.
Shi Hongwei and the other two were deathly pale. They didn't even bother to warm themselves by the fire. They stared at each other, feeling a chill run through their bodies.
"Oh no! Haozi definitely knows that Sibao betrayed us!"
"But why should we be held responsible for the betrayal?"
"Nonsense! We're in cahoots with him! Does Haozi see any difference?!"
Just as they were in a panic, the tattered curtain of the thatched hut was suddenly lifted, and Qin Hao walked in, enveloped in wind and snow.
A tall figure blocked the doorway, almost completely obscuring the little light that was inside. A chill swept over you.
Shi Hongwei and the other two were like chickens with their necks being choked, instantly falling silent, terrified out of their wits, and trembling like leaves in the wind.
Qin Hao's gaze, like an icicle, slowly swept over the three terrified men, finally settling on Shi Hongwei: "Which of you betrayed me this time?"
The voice wasn't loud, but it carried a chilling, oppressive quality that could freeze you to the bone.
Shi Hongwei's legs went weak, and he almost knelt down on the spot, his lips trembling: "Hao... Haozi... no... it wasn't us... it really wasn't..."
He watched as Qin Hao slowly clenched his fist, and the painful memory of that fist, as big as a casserole dish, instantly resurfaced, and fear completely overwhelmed him.
"It was him! It was Sibao! He went alone! We couldn't stop him! It has nothing to do with us!"
Lei Shigen and Lei Zhengming also realized what was happening and immediately started shouting, "Yes, yes, yes! It's Lei Sibao!"
"We tried desperately to stop him, but he wouldn't listen! He insisted on telling on us!"
The three men's accusations mingled together, filled with a desperate, fearful attempt to distance themselves. They had completely betrayed their "allies."
Qin Hao's footsteps were light on the snow, yet they felt like heavy hammer blows to one's heart. Feeling guilty, Lei Sibao didn't dare go home and was trembling as he tried to hide in the woods.
"Lei Sibao!" A call, though not loud, carried an overwhelming chill, like the Grim Reaper calling out a name.
Lei Sibao trembled violently, stiffly turning his head to look at Qin Hao approaching like a demon god, his soul nearly leaving his body! He let out a strange cry and took off running! How could he possibly outrun Qin Hao?
In the snow, Qin Hao moved with ghostly speed, catching up in a few steps, grabbing Lei Sibao by the back of the neck, and dragging him out of the snowdrift like a dead dog.
"Ah—help! Murder!" Lei Sibao screamed like a pig being slaughtered, fear completely overwhelming his reason.
Without saying a word, Qin Hao picked up a carrying pole and gave Lei Sibao a severe beating, making him cry for his parents. Finally, Qin Hao found a hemp rope, tied the bruised and swollen Lei Sibao up tightly, and hung him directly from the old locust tree at the entrance of the team headquarters.
"He really likes to snitch!" His voice carried clearly through the wind and snow, not only to Lei Sibao, but also to all the villagers watching.
"I'll let you sue me all you want! I'll hang this up here so the whole village can see what happens to a treacherous person who betrays their own people and stabs them in the back!"
"I'll leave you hanging for two hours to teach you a lesson. If you do it again next time, it won't be as simple as it was today!"
The villagers gathered in twos and threes, pointing and whispering about Lei Sibao hanging from the tree, but not a single one stepped forward to rescue him. In those days, informers were unwelcome everywhere.
Lei Sibao was hung there for over two hours, his head was throbbing with blood. Finally, the old Party Secretary returned from a meeting at the commune and ordered him to be taken down.
From that day on, Lei Sibao would avoid Qin Hao whenever he saw him, and he didn't even dare to meet his eyes.
……
Before they knew it, it was New Year's Eve of 1978. While other villages were filled with the sounds of cooking smoke and laughter, Xiao Lei Village was shrouded in gloom. The stoves in every household were cold and empty, and the children were crying from hunger.
The old Party Secretary stood in his own courtyard, listening to the cries coming from all around, tears streaming down his face.
He gritted his teeth and went to Qin Hao's house again.
Qin Hao was making dumplings; the red and white meat filling on the cutting board smelled enticing. He paused when he saw the old Party Secretary enter.
"Haozi," the old Party Secretary's voice choked with emotion, "It's the New Year, and I'm truly ashamed to beg you. But look at those children in the village, crying from hunger."
Qin Hao remained silent for a moment, then turned and went into the kitchen. When he came out, he was carrying a piece of pork belly that weighed at least three pounds.
"Uncle, I really can't agree to that. Take this meat back with you, stew it with some potatoes, at least so the villagers can have some meat for the New Year."
The old Party Secretary took the pork with trembling hands, tears streaming down his face. "Haozi," he said, "I know you're not heartless, but why can't you lead everyone to prosperity?"
Qin Hao pointed outside the door: "Uncle, I'm not saying anything bad about the Lei family, but don't you know what kind of people are in our village? Back when you were beaten down by that old monkey, did anyone say a word for you?"
The old Party Secretary shuddered, recalling those dark days. He opened his mouth, but couldn't say anything. In the end, he could only hug the piece of pork, his back hunched, and disappear into the wind and snow.
Before long, a long queue formed in front of the old Party Secretary's house. The villagers held their bowls, their eyes fixed on the bubbling pork stew with potatoes in the pot.
"Give me more meat! I have a lot of kids!"
"Bullshit! I saw it myself, your bowl had more meat than mine!"
"Don't push! The soup will spill!"
The villagers nearly came to blows over a bigger piece of meat. The old Party Secretary stood by, watching the chaotic scene, and remembering Qin Hao's words, felt his heart grow colder than the wind and snow outside.
Just then, a slender figure appeared at the entrance of Xiao Lei's village. Song Yunhui braved the wind and snow, trudging towards Qin Hao's house.
"Hao-ge! What are you doing here all alone during the New Year? Come home with me for New Year's Eve dinner!" Song Yunhui grabbed Qin Hao's arm as soon as he entered the door: "My dad said we won't have dinner if you don't come!"
Qin Hao was forcibly dragged out of the door by Song Yunhui. The two walked through the snow, their steps uneven, until they arrived at Song's house. Song Yunping had been waiting at the door for a long time, her two black braids covered with snowflakes, and the tip of her nose was red from the cold.
"You still have to send someone to invite them? Next time, will you have to send a sedan chair to carry them?" Song Yunping teased, pouting, but her eyes were full of joy.
Qin Hao looked her up and down, then nodded: "Not bad, you've even learned to joke around. Looks like these past six months of university haven't been a waste."
The three of them exchanged a smile, and the chill seemed to dissipate considerably.
In the main room of the Song family, a square table was laden with dishes: braised fish and stewed chicken. Although not particularly lavish, it was considered a luxury in those days.
Mr. Song picked up his wine glass, his eyes slightly red: "Haozi, if it weren't for you teaching Xiaohui how to repair appliances these past six months, we don't know how much harder our lives would have been."
Qin Hao quickly interrupted, "Uncle Song, when Xiao Hui pulled me here earlier, he said you all treated me like family. Why are you being so formal now?"
Upon hearing this, Mr. Song slapped his forehead: "Look what I said wrong again! I'll punish myself with three cups!"
Song Yunping said with a worried expression, "Dad, please drink less. Your health isn't good to begin with."
Mr. Song waved his hand: "It's rare for us to be so happy today, so I'll have a few drinks with Haozi. It's alright, I can hold my liquor."
Song Yunhui also raised his glass, his face solemn: "Brother Hao, this is a toast to you. I won't say anything more; I will never forget your kindness to our family."
Qin Hao laughed and scolded, "I just finished talking about Uncle Song and you're here again? Have you been wanting to drink for a while now?"
A chuckle rippled through the crowd.
Song Yunhui poured himself three glasses of wine, drank them all in one gulp, and then passed out on the table, completely drunk. In the end, Qin Hao had to carry him back to bed.
After the New Year's Eve dinner, Mr. Song drank a bit too much and went straight to his room to rest. Mrs. Song went to the kitchen to clean up the mess, leaving only Qin Hao and Song Yunping in the main room.
Outside, the wind and snow howled, while inside, the fire crackled in the stove.
Song Yunping lowered her head, her fingers twisting the hem of her clothes incessantly, as if she had mustered all her courage before speaking: "Why didn't you reply to my letter?"
Qin Hao blinked, looking completely innocent: "A reply? You'd have to reply first, wouldn't you? You've written me a letter?"
Song Yunping was speechless for a moment, her face turning bright red: "But I often mention you in my letters home."
Qin Hao shrugged: "Didn't Xiao Hui tell you about my situation?"
Song Yunping tightened her grip on her clothes, her voice almost inaudible: "Don't you have anything you want to say to me alone?"
Qin Hao thought for a moment: "That's true, a little."
Song Yunping suddenly looked up, her eyes sparkling: "What kinds are there?"
"Isn't university life more colorful than ours?" Qin Hao asked seriously.
Song Yunping waited for ages, but Qin Hao didn't say anything more. Frustrated, she stamped her feet, "That's it?"
Qin Hao replied with a matter-of-fact expression, "Oh, what else?"
Song Yunping was so angry that she stood up abruptly, tossing her braid around: "I'm going to help my mom clear the dishes!"
After saying that, he rushed into the kitchen and slammed the door shut with a loud bang.
Qin Hao watched her huffing and puffing back and shook his head. This girl's temper has gotten even worse since she went to university.
The snow outside was falling heavier and heavier, the New Year's bells were about to ring, and 1979 had quietly arrived.