Quick Transmigration: The Extremely Beautiful Cannon Fodder

Chapter 21: The Vicious Cannon Fodder in the 1980s Group Favorite Novel

Jiang Yu spoke softly, his expectant gaze peeking out from beneath his messy hair as he looked up at the old man.

Somehow, the old man, feeling slightly bewildered, simply said, "Well, bring it out, and let me have a look."

For some reason, he just couldn't bring himself to refuse the child. Perhaps it was because this child, dressed in thin, threadbare clothing full of holes in the late autumn, looked incredibly pitiful. Or perhaps it was because he could tell that life at home must be especially hard for him.

Jiang Yu’s eyes instantly lit up, almost as if tiny flowers were blooming in front of him. He nodded heavily. “Okay.”

Jiang Yu took out the honey jar from his basket, opened the lid, and immediately, a sweet, rich fragrance filled the air, refreshing everyone who caught a whiff.

The old clay jar was packed to the brim with honey, and just by looking, one could tell there was at least ten pounds of honey inside.

The old man couldn’t help but swallow; it had indeed been a long time since he had tasted anything sweet. Both he and his wife had been criticized and sent here, and they were lucky to have ended up in Jiang Family Village, where they weren’t mistreated.

His son and grandson, with the help of his wife's brother, hadn’t been sent down to the countryside, but their lives weren’t easy either.

His son and grandson lived in the capital and dared not send him things too openly. Each delivery contained only small amounts of candy, with items like coupons and money sewn into the lining of winter coats and discreetly sent over.

He couldn’t remember the last time he had eaten a big piece of candy. They didn’t dare spend money freely while in the cowshed, wary of attracting the attention of the village thugs and inviting trouble for themselves.

An elderly, but very robust, grandmother came over to take a look too. No, actually, everyone in the cowshed gathered around. They were all from the capital, each with some savings, but they were cautious about spending.

It had been who knows how long since they had tasted anything sweet. All of them were people who had been subjected to criticism and could not afford to live too extravagantly now, lest they attract unnecessary trouble.

They followed the team leader’s orders diligently each day to earn their food, and the team leader, worried they might not be able to endure life in the cowshed, had kindly agreed to help them purchase something special for themselves once a month.

These were shrewd people who had already learned their lesson once. Though the team leader was a good person, they didn’t dare make him buy too much, afraid it might invite gossip.

But this situation was different. Nowadays, honey like this could be considered contraband, and buying it could mean jail time if someone reported them. But even if they bought this jar of honey, this child wasn’t likely to turn them in. Judging by his malnourished and ill-clad appearance, he clearly didn’t have any bad intentions.

For a moment, everyone’s minds spun with countless thoughts, while Jiang Yu continued to look at them with bright, hopeful eyes. "Are you… going to buy it? I’m not asking for much."

The old woman tugged at the old man's sleeve. She could see how pitiful this child looked. She had low blood sugar, and the sweets sent from home were saved by the old man for her to eat. Thinking about it, the old man hadn’t had any sugar for several years—he must really miss it.

"Old Li, let’s just buy it all from the child," she said. This old woman was actually the old man’s wife, and they were both rare intellectuals.

Her name was Wang Hongmei, a remarkable researcher, while her husband, Li Guofu, was an outstanding professor in physics—tragically, he’d been betrayed and sent to the countryside.

Jiang Yu watched them discussing, his gaze steady. He spoke softly, "I don’t really know the price of honey. Just give me whatever you think is fair."

Li Guofu paused, stunned. This kid was so honest. They hadn’t even mentioned how much they would pay, and he was already saying he’d accept whatever they thought was fair.

Looking at Jiang Yu’s thin, worn-out clothes full of holes, Li Guofu and the others couldn’t bring themselves to take advantage of him—it would be disgraceful.

After a brief discussion, they decided to offer a high price of ten yuan per pound. That was indeed a generous price. They weren’t exactly sure of current prices, but just a few years ago, it was about eight yuan per pound, so even with inflation, it likely wouldn’t be much more than that.

This seemed a fair price.

There were just over ten pounds in the jar, and with each of them putting in two large bills, the five of them could buy all of Jiang Yu’s honey. They would sort out the division later, with each getting two pounds and any extra divided accordingly.

Though their faces remained calm, inwardly they were eager.

Li Guofu said, "Young man, wait here in the yard for a bit. We’ll go get the money."

At the mention of money, Jiang Yu's eyes instantly lit up, and he nodded eagerly. He sat obediently on a small stool in the yard, patiently waiting.

Wang Hongmei watched Jiang Yu, finding his adorable mannerisms endearing. Then, seeing his thin, trembling body, she couldn’t help but think of her own grandson. Her grandson was probably about the same age as this boy.

He’d recently sneaked over to deliver a package to them. Unfortunately, they hadn’t even seen his face—he must have feared causing gossip, so he’d scaled the wall, left the letter and package, and left.

Life wasn’t easy for their family in the capital either, with many people eyeing them with hostility. In a short time, her grandson would also be sent to the countryside.

Thinking about this, Wang Hongmei’s eyes reddened. She tugged on Li Guofu’s sleeve, saying, “Old Li, give this child a couple of coarse-grain buns. He doesn’t seem to be living well at home; maybe he hasn’t even eaten yet.”

Li Guofu nodded. “Alright, as you say. This kid does look pitiful. I haven’t heard of anyone particularly poor in this village, though, so why are his clothes so worn that they can barely cover him?”

“There’s a big hole on his knee, and no one’s even tried to patch it. At the very least, they could have found some cloth to mend it.”

As he spoke, Li Guofu shook his head. After all, this was someone else’s family matter, so it wasn’t his place to say much. But seeing how pitiful the child looked—dressed in burlap clothes in late autumn—he wondered how he would get through winter. Giving him a little extra money might at least help him survive the cold months.

Wang Hongmei wrapped the buns in a floral cloth and handed them, along with ten large bills, to Jiang Yu, her face full of kindness. “Here, child, take this to eat.”

She lovingly patted Jiang Yu’s head.

Jiang Yu's ears turned a faint red, and he softly replied, “Thank you.”

“I need to go home now.”

Jiang Yu helped them bring the honey jar into the house, bowed to them, and dashed off without looking back, like a startled rabbit.

The elderly group watched him leave, feeling a mix of satisfaction and heartache. They were all in their seventies, and seeing this child suffering from hunger and cold stirred in them a peculiar sense of anger.

To have a child and not care for him was a disgrace.

Jiang Yu slipped into the woods, tucked the bills into the hidden seams under the insole of his shoes, and only then felt at ease as he made his way home.

This way, Qiao Shuangyu and the others wouldn’t find out. These funds would be his lifeline if he was ever driven out later on.