Wang Zhengguo squatted outside, waiting while Li Dazhu went looking for Wang Zhengjun.
Whenever he encountered someone, he would ask where Wang Zhengjun was. People are naturally curious, so when they asked him why he was looking for Wang Zhengjun, he replied cheerfully, "Wang Zhengjun has a good brother indeed. When Wang Zhengjun went home to borrow grain reserves, he was busy and didn’t immediately agree. But once free, he quickly collected his family’s food and brought it here by mule cart. He didn’t know where Wang Zhengjun’s house was, so he came here."
When anyone would ask the same question, he gave the same answer.
Hence, the entire mining bureau, except for the head cook in the canteen who was still cooking, and the office leaders, nearly everyone else knew Wang Zhengjun’s elder brother from the countryside had brought him food, which originated from Wang Zhengjun’s request to borrow grain reserves.
After Old Li left, those who got the answer immediately began to gossip.
"Life in the countryside is certainly more difficult than ours, why did he go home for food?"
"Exactly, the majority of the food is supplied to the city, how much can the countryside have? More than 10,000 people in Wang Zhengjun’s home county have starved to death, mostly the farmers; one can only imagine how tragic the situation is."
"In my hometown, there were originally over 30,000 people, now there are only over 10,000 left."
"Ah, nearly everyone from the production brigade in my mother-in-law’s hometown has starved to death."
"Is it this tragic? Is that the case back in your hometown? I’ve always lived in the city and am not too familiar with the situation there."
"We have commercial grain; our chances of survival are far greater than the farmers who have little food after delivering their public grain. We are grateful to the state, to the leaders, immensely grateful. Even though we can’t have our fill, at least we won’t starve."
"I remember in ’61, my production brigade in my hometown only divided five pounds of wheat for the whole year, how could he lower his pride to ask his brother?"
"What’s so surprising? Doesn’t his wife ask her family for food every year? Don’t you remember a while ago when she held her newborn niece and asked for food? It could be a tradition in their home to ask for food."
"He’s from Wanglou Brigade, a famous one, where no one has starved to death."
"That’s what they say, but I’m pretty sure everyone in Wanglou Brigade has been tightening their belts, and food is rationed out. If someone gives their food to others, they’ll go hungry."
"Just look at him, pretending to have a heart, did you listen to what Old Li said, his brother doesn’t even know where he is living."
"I haven’t heard him mention his relatives in his hometown either."
Amidst the buzzing discussion, Wang Zhengjun, with a stony-faced expression, walked out. Seeing his face, everyone pretended like they hadn’t just been talking, and each went back to their own jobs. But their gazes lingered on Wang Zhengjun’s retreating back. Once he reached the door and saw Wang Zhengguo, he lowered his voice and growled, "What are you doing here? Do you understand the impact this could have on me?"
Wang Zhengguo touched the patch on his cap, feigning an oblivious expression. He didn’t seem to notice Wang Zhengjun’s suppressed anger and said with a smile, "Youngest, I brought you some food, didn’t you say your niece is pregnant and there isn’t enough food at home? Your big sister-in-law and I are old now, we’re not as good at working as in our younger years. The food we get must still be shared with your nephews and nieces and your great-nephews. It was not easy to squeeze out this much; don’t think it’s too little. If you think it’s too little, I..."
"Don’t you understand what I’m saying? Why did you have to come to my workplace?"
He didn’t refuse the food Wang Zhengguo brought, but was merely offended that Wang Zhengguo came to his workplace at an inappropriate time.