Chapter 36 - 035: Companion
The days back in the village passed quickly. Just after the second of February, school started. Since the only middle school was in the town, Ye Ling had to wake up early every morning and walk an hour and a half to get there. Classes started at seven, so Ye Ling had to leave for town by five. In winter, it was still dark at five, but luckily, a few kids from the village walked together, so the adults didn’t have to accompany them.
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Lunch was eaten at school. Families with poor conditions didn’t eat lunch at all. Some families still couldn’t afford enough food. The Ye Family was relatively better off; at least they could fill their stomachs, but bringing good food was out of the question. Ye Ling got up early with her grandmother to cook – potatoes stewed with beet leaves. The beet leaves were distributed by the brigade in the autumn, divided according to the number of people in each household. Every family dried them and stored them for winter to be cooked with hot water.
Since the portions were limited, they had to look for flavor in the salt. Just a small bowl was made, but like a pickle dish. Ye Ling packed half a box of corn meal, added some vegetables on top, and after covering the lunch box, put it in her backpack. Only then did she sit down to take a quick bite. Hearing someone calling from outside the courtyard, she told her grandmother she was going to school and left with her backpack.
In the pitch-black night, who had flashlights at that time? Everyone groped their way in the dark. By the time Ye Ling reached the village road, the group of kids had already arrived. Two girls and one boy, making it three girls and one boy including Ye Ling.
The boy felt awkward being with the girls and walked ahead at a distance, but he didn’t leave the three girls too far behind. When they seemed to catch up, he’d quicken his pace, and when they lagged behind, he’d slow down to wait for a while.
The three girls were long used to this behavior. Besides, in those days, if you talked or walked closely with boys, you’d be laughed at and gossiped about.
Wang Shumei, the team leader’s daughter, had always been superior in the village. She was vibrant, resembling her mother in looks—thin lips on a dusty face—giving her a somewhat spiteful appearance. Coupled with her flamboyant nature, she always clashed with Ye Ling in the village. Ye Ling, being vain, was always showing off clothes sent from the city, and with Wang Shumei’s bitter-looking nature, her words were naturally harsh, leaving no room for half a sentence with Ye Ling.
"Ye Ling, you went to the city this time and brought back a lot of your sister’s old clothes, didn’t you? How come I haven’t seen you wear them?" The words came before they even left the village.
Ye Ling wasn’t as naive as before and wasn’t provoked by Wang Shumei’s words. "Who wears old clothes if there are new ones?"
Wang Haishu sneered, "Oh, your mom is willing to buy you new clothes? Hasn’t she always let you pick up your sister’s hand-me-downs?"