Chapter 26: Presenting the Commemorative Banner

As the song ended, thunderous applause erupted from the audience. Everyone was cheering for Cui Cui, prompting the young girl to wave her handkerchief and beam, revealing a mouthful of white teeth as she shouted, "Thank you, everyone!"

Only her mother, who stood in the crowd, gave her a disgruntled glare, seemingly muttering about how no one would choose a folk duet for a radio announcer audition. Her younger brother, meanwhile, was hopping around their parents like a mischievous monkey, yelling at the top of his lungs that his sister was the best.

Xie Cui Cui paid no mind to her parents’ attitude. After all, they weren't so hopelessly biased toward their son that they ignored her hard work. Moreover, she actually enjoyed farm work; whether it was feeding the chickens, ducks, and pigs, husking corn, digging potatoes, or doing chores, she did it all with ease. She loved the grounded, fulfilling life she led, and she was unwilling to change herself just for the sake of marriage—a term she found somewhat off-putting. She was only sixteen; she wanted to be the free-spirited Xie Cui Cui for a few more years, not someone’s daughter-in-law or a man’s wife.

Cui Cui walked off the stage with calm composure. Her father took a puff of his old pipe and smiled without saying a word, and her mother simply patted her troublesome daughter’s arm before letting her be. After all, both the daughter and son were still young; they didn't need to rush to find a good match for Cui Cui or save money for the boy’s future marriage.

...

After Cui Cui left the stage, it was the turn of the final contestant, Yun Shu.

Taking a deep breath and clutching her harmonica, Yun Shu clenched her small fists and stepped onto the stage. Thanks to the Brigade Leader’s broadcast promotion the previous day and the enthusiastic cheering from Chen Ming and his friends in the audience, Yun Shu, the newcomer, had managed to build up quite a bit of popularity. Plus, her fair, smooth skin and delicate, pleasant features—the kind that naturally earned people's trust at first glance—made the members of the Fengsheng Brigade feel a spontaneous fondness for her.

The brigade members watched with great interest as she began her self-introduction. Once on stage, Yun Shu found herself surprisingly calm. She bowed gracefully, her face lit with a smile, her bright, dark, round eyes curving into crescent moons.

"Hello, fellow villagers and comrades. I am Xie Yun Shu, an educated youth from Beijing."

"I am standing here today to campaign for the position of radio announcer for the Fengsheng Brigade. I know that as a new arrival, you may not know me well yet. But I believe that as like-minded people with great shared goals and a common cause, our hearts are one!"

"Of course, I also hope that through my performance today, you will get to know me better and choose to support me!"

Holding the microphone, Yun Shu grew increasingly relaxed and composed. Lin Jingshu and the others in the audience, along with the brigade members, applauded. Behind her, Brigade Leader Xie and two police officers—who had arrived at some point carrying silk banners—along with several commune leaders, did not interrupt.

After a simple opening, Yun Shu brought the harmonica to her lips. A melodic and resonant tune flowed through the microphone, lingering in everyone's ears. *My Motherland* was a widely known song; those who knew it soon couldn't help but hum along to the live accompaniment. Slowly, this evolved into a unified, booming chorus. With the amplification of the microphone, the sound of Yun Shu’s harmonica was not drowned out, but rather complemented the voices perfectly.

Yun Shu had successfully mobilized everyone to join her in the performance, lifting the atmosphere of the entire venue. Perhaps infected by the high spirits of the day, or perhaps simply moved by the moment, Yun Shu did not end her performance with the poetry reading she and her friends had planned. Instead, she cleared her throat and began to sing a song she had loved in her previous life: *Singing a Mountain Song for the Party*.

"Singing a mountain song, for the Party to hear... I compare the Party to a mother..."

"...The Party's radiance shines upon my heart..."

Holding the microphone with both hands, Yun Shu sang with profound sincerity. She lacked the vocal techniques of the original singer, but her voice was clear and moving. She sang with the vitality of a young person and the deeply ingrained patriotism of someone from a later era. Whenever she saw patriotic videos in her past life, she would always be moved to tears, often whispering to herself that she had no regrets being born in China and would choose to be a "flower-planter" again in her next life.

Now, truly living a new life in this vibrant and passionate era, these feelings of steadfastness and belonging only grew stronger. Her eyes welled up with emotion, and her heart cried out, *Thank you, Motherland, for saving me again; for not letting me be reborn in a place where I'd lose my kidneys!*

As she finished the final note, the audience members who had joined in the chorus gave her a burst of thunderous applause. The clapping lasted for a long time, and many people couldn't help but stand up. Among them, the most excited were not just Lin Jingshu and her friends, but the other educated youths from their settlement. It was understandable, as they were the ones who could best relate to such sentiments.

...

The applause lasted for a full minute until Brigade Leader Xie stepped forward to quell the excitement. He first praised and affirmed the performances of the young women, then brought Yun Shu’s greatest contribution to the forefront without holding back.

"Before we proceed to the vote, I have a happy piece of news to share! Our five educated youths from the Fengsheng Brigade encountered robbers on the road in the county seat. Instead of being afraid, they fought bravely, successfully helping the police capture the gang and recovering the losses of the people who had been victimized!"

"That is why the county police station and our commune leaders are here today to present us with these banners! And our brigade has been named an 'Advanced Brigade' this year!"

"Including young Xie, young Lin, young Jiang, young Chen, and young Pei—they have not only won honor for themselves but for our entire Fengsheng Brigade. Tell me, everyone, is that right?"

"YES!"

The excited brigade members cheered passionately. In these times, the benefits of being an "Advanced Brigade" were tangible and significant. The distribution of production materials was a minor matter, but this was their fifth consecutive year winning the title. It meant the young men and women of their brigade were much more sought after for marriage than those from other brigades!

Whether it was applying for another tractor or getting more film screenings—those were secondary. The fact that their children could secure better marriages was what truly touched the hearts of the members.