Chapter Eight: Preparations (Part Two)

Han’s mother had always been strong-willed, the sort of person who appeared stern but was soft-hearted within. She didn’t want her son to see her in such a fragile state. Taking the towel to wipe her face, she shot Han Li a sour look and said, “It’s easy for you to say—what if the policy changes and you can’t come back? And you’ve never been apart from me since you were little. How will you manage laundry and cooking once you’re sent to the countryside?”

Han Li… Well, you have a point, but I can’t really say much about the reality. Still, laundry and cooking after I’m sent down is indeed a major issue. For now, it’s better to change the subject.

“Mom, where exactly will I be sent?”

“Up in the northern province,” she replied, “in the Red Flag Commune’s Shanghe Village Production Brigade, AA County, XX District. Remember your Aunt Liu from the block office—Liu Cuihua? Her husband was demobilized and she moved back home. I went out of my way to find her—she’s now the director of the local educated youth office. She recommended Shanghe Brigade for you, and she’ll keep an eye on you when you’re there. But the weather is terribly cold—the coldest nights can reach over forty degrees below zero. I need to hurry and see if I can trade for more cotton tickets, and if I can get my hands on some felt, even better. We can’t let you freeze over there.”

After chattering for a bit, she hurried off to check on the things she was preparing for her son. At that time, adding an extra quilt was a major affair; it took a year’s worth of fabric coupons from two people just to barely make a single quilt. Cotton was even more precious—many families’ quilts were so stiff they could practically stand upright, yet they couldn’t bear to make a new one. Well-off families only bought new bedding for weddings, while poorer ones didn’t even consider it. Felt was even more valuable—it was made by rolling and pressing wool into a blanket, excellent for protection against the wind and cold, though not soft or comfortable.

As Han’s father, eldest sister, and second sister came home from work, everyone learned the date of Han Li’s departure. The atmosphere in the house grew heavy, and everyone tried to busy themselves, hoping to keep their minds from wandering. Only after dinner, when the women began clearing the table and Han’s father put down his cigarette, did he speak up.

“Tomorrow afternoon, come with me to Master Li’s house to say farewell. Who knows how many years it’ll be before you return. I’ll deliver your gifts for the three major holidays, but you definitely won’t be able to attend the double birthdays.”

“All these things need to be explained to Master Li. We can’t let others find fault with our family.”

The next day, Han Li went with his father to Master Li’s house and explained his upcoming move to the countryside.

Master Li nodded approvingly, saying, “A real man must shoulder responsibility and step up to protect his family in critical moments. Your family has three daughters and one son. You might be able to endure hardship, but you’ve also been pampered. It’s good that you’re showing the mettle a man should have. The countryside really isn’t a suitable place for girls. Once you’re there, try not to neglect your training—those skills will last you a lifetime. Life out there is different from home; when trouble comes, you’ll have to handle it yourself, so don’t act rashly.”

Master Li went on for quite a while, then imparted some techniques for exerting force, and finally took out a yellowed book from a trunk and handed it to Han Li with great care.

“Medicine and martial arts have always gone hand in hand. This book contains remedies for conditioning the body and treating the hidden injuries that come from martial training. Once you’re sent down, you might not return even once in a year, so I won’t be able to help you adjust your health. Keep this book safe—it’s comprehensive and you can use it to tend to yourself as needed. My own master used to say, ‘Tomorrow and misfortune—you never know which will come first.’ So I’m passing all this on to you. But never let outsiders see it. This book must be kept secret, or you might invite trouble.”

Given the circumstances, Han Li was Master Li’s only student. Without refusing, Han Li took the book and knelt to his master, bowing deeply several times.

“Master, take care of your health. When I return to the city, I’ll come and honor you.”

After returning from Master Li’s house, it felt as if someone had pressed the fast-forward button in Han Li’s family. He met with his friends one last time, asking those who didn’t have to go to the countryside to keep an eye on his family. Most of them didn’t quite understand Han Li’s decision—they knew his family well. He was the only son; how could it be his turn to leave? Han Li only said he didn’t want his sisters to suffer in the countryside, and didn’t bother giving further explanations.

His mother, along with his eldest and second sisters and his youngest sister, busied themselves every day preparing for his departure—purchasing or making things, always muttering about one thing or another.

Whenever Han Li went out, he would hear countless reminders—what to do if something happened, whom to look for, especially Aunt Liu. His mother must have repeated herself at least a hundred times. Having lived two lifetimes, Han Li had the patience to listen with a smile every time. Any other young person would have found it unbearable—her nagging was more relentless than the chanting of the Tang Monk.

His eldest and second sisters secretly slipped him money they had painstakingly saved each month. Refusing would only upset them, so Han Li accepted it all, intending to make it up to them someday. In addition to their financial support, his eldest sister hurried to knit him a sweater and wool trousers, while his second sister prepared a bag of fruit candies and a few White Rabbit milk toffees.

“The milk candies are for you to eat—they’re nutritious. The hard candies you can use to maintain relationships,” she said.

Although his youngest sister had never been on a train, she had already gathered plenty of information about what train rides were like. She sewed two small sachets for Han Li, one filled with flower petals and the other with dried orange peel.

“If the smell on the train makes you feel sick, just hold this under your nose.”

What Han Li hadn’t expected was that even his father had a stash of secret money.

Han Li’s train was at two in the afternoon, and the whole family took leave from work to see him off. His sisters checked his luggage again and again, worried something might be forgotten. Trains in that era were steam-powered and very slow, needing to stop at designated stations to load coal and water. The journey from the capital to the northern province would take at least two to three days.

His mother prepared plenty of food that would keep for several days: sesame seed cakes bought from outside, wrapped tightly in oiled paper to last half a month; homemade steamed buns split open, spread with a layer of lard and a sprinkle of fine salt—a delicacy in its own right.

Note: At that time, “municipalities” were still called districts; only later did districts become cities.