Chapter 2005 - The Selected Objects
Lu Cheng turned her head back and said to Lu Weijia: "Send a messenger to the City Political Security Bureau. Tell them there's a reactionary element conducting instigating propaganda here!"
Mao Xiuyu, being retained personnel, didn't fully understand the weight of this statement. But Lu Weijia and Du Yibin, watching coldly from the side, knew this girl was prepared to lay down a heavy hand.
Lu Weijia had the urge to offer a few words of persuasion. Being sent to the Political Security Bureau wasn't something that could be settled with a meal of rattan stripes. Even if the investigation ultimately found "no evidence," the person would still be flayed alive. But Lu Cheng was the City Women's Federation Director, only "on assignment" to the Jiliang Institute. In administrative rank, she was far above him.
Moreover, he'd experienced Bian Cuibao's spiteful energy himself. He thought: giving this woman a bit of a lesson might actually be good. So he didn't speak.
Mao Xiuyu, being retained personnel tucking his tail between his legs, naturally could only nod and say, "Correct, correct, correct," "Good, good, good." He didn't dare voice any objection.
Two police from the institute came over. Each twisted one of Bian Cuibao's arms back. The pain made her scream. Both police were former members of the Fast Squad—tying people up was ancestral kung fu. In three moves, they had Bian Cuibao trussed like a rice dumpling and dragged her out. The workshop fell instantly silent—not even a cough could be heard.
Du Yibin's brow furrowed. He felt things had gone too far. Bian Cuibao's behavior certainly warranted severe punishment, but pinning an unwarranted "big crime" label on her to rectify her was inappropriate.
He had the impulse to intervene. But upon further thought, he realized that at this moment he had to stand on Lu Cheng's side. He had to awe these female students whose thinking hadn't yet been transformed. If he stopped this now, these former prostitutes would become even more unbridled. Not only would they be unqualified to marry naturalized citizens, but even if they did marry—disabled or not—wouldn't they bully their husbands to death? Then the naturalized citizens would lodge complaints with Senators and the Senate. This was a black pot he absolutely could not carry.
Upon leaving the workshop, Du Yibin said: "You handled that very well. But this matter doesn't need to alarm the Political Security Bureau."
Lu Cheng had originally intended to use this incident to make an example, to beat Bian Cuibao into a "reactionary element" and ruthlessly stamp out the crooked winds and evil airs in the Jiliang Institute. But since the chief said so, she naturally shouldn't refute him. She went with the flow, saying: "I was just scaring them—troubling the security comrades over such a small matter would be unjustified."
"You're right," Du Yibin said. "We should still focus on curing the disease and saving the patient. No matter how shameless she is, she hasn't actually harmed society. Moreover, keeping her around is still useful. You can confine her, but you can't tie her up for ten days. Half a day is about enough—any longer and accidents might happen..."
"We all know that." Lu Cheng found this Senator Du to be quite a nag. "The police in the institute are all old hands at public affairs. Tying her up for a while gives her a taste of bitterness first. This way she won't think our humanitarianism is easy to bully."
Du Yibin felt the atmosphere of this Jiliang Institute was quite poor. He involuntarily hesitated about the next step. But the obvious fact was that the "students" here represented the marriage resource most likely to be utilized currently. If he gave up here, all subsequent matters would have no way forward.
"Do you feel like... Bian Cuibao types in the Jiliang Institute... um..."
"Female bachelors," Mao Xiuyu, seeing him temporarily unable to think of the adjective, hurried to supplement.
"Right. Female bachelors. Are such types of prost—students numerous?"
"Actually not many." Lu Cheng said. "But the influence of these people among the students is very great. We've also established some fast-progressing pacesetters. But their influence is all inferior to people like Bian Cuibao! These female bachelors have prestige in the institute!"
Du Yibin asked again: "Then what's the situation of the ordinary masses?"
"Most students are mainly worried about the future." Lu Cheng said. "Speaking of pitiable, they're truly a group of pitiable people. Almost all were sold here. Their parents and families either died or went whereabouts unknown. Mixed up in brothels for so many years—beaten, humiliated, no savings. So most are worrying: 'What do we do later?' About this matter..." Lu Cheng had always had opinions about the prostitutes' resettlement arrangements. Because until now, Civil Affairs had only very generally told the Jiliang Institute to "transform body and mind, cultivate appropriate labor skills, and prepare for returning to normal society." They hadn't mentioned a word about specific settlement plans.
This made Lu Cheng and the cadres working at the Jiliang Institute quite passive. The prostitute "students" were different from the "chaste women." The "chaste women" had always lived in Chastity Halls, working and supporting themselves. As long as the Chastity Halls didn't close their doors, they'd always have a bowl of rice to eat. They didn't need to consider the "future" problem. But the students, since they were no longer prostitutes and had no families to rely on, would have to feed themselves later. Yet Civil Affairs hadn't mentioned a direction for their future. They couldn't even "paint rosy pictures." This was also a reason why the atmosphere at the Jiliang Institute had consistently been poor.
Lu Cheng told her thoughts to Du Yibin one by one, then said again: "...Now we only tell them we want them to labor, yet we don't allow them free activity. It's just about the same as being prisoners. Those students are homeless and don't know what we want to do. Every one of them is very hesitant. Rumors fly all over. Some say we want to sell them to foreigners for money. Others say we want to send them to overseas desert islands to open wasteland and farm... Actually, even saying that later we'll send them to Lingao to be allocated to workers and soldiers as wives would be good! At least it would give them a hope..."
"Wait. You're saying they'd be willing to be wives for soldiers?" Du Yibin suddenly perked up and asked.
"Yes." Lu Cheng was somewhat puzzled. "Actually not only soldiers—also police and our cadre staff... They all feel they're quite good. They wear decently, are clean and neat, and can earn money. They all say being able to marry such a man would be good."
"That's right." Mao Xiuyu chimed in. "Just talking about our Senate people—every one both imposing and able to earn money to support a family. Not to mention the pros—students—even the 'chaste women' have been moved!"
Du Yibin had originally heard that the prostitute students "loved leisure and hated labor" and had been somewhat distracted, thinking these people had very high standards and would be unwilling to marry naturalized citizens. Unexpectedly, their requirements were actually quite modest. He recalled Wang Jun's words about "Marrying a man means food and clothes" and couldn't help feeling dumbfounded. He'd substituted twenty-first-century standards once again.
"Actually, coming today, I'm also here to solve this problem." Du Yibin's mood improved considerably. "Come. Let's go to the office to talk."
In the office, Du Yibin roughly explained the "Solving Naturalized Citizen Marriage Plan." Only then did the three people understand why Chief Du, upon arriving at the shelter, hadn't looked at anything else and had only stared at the women. So there had been such a scheme all along!
Lu Cheng and the others were naturally happy to discuss this separately. Mao Xiuyu's heart warmed: The Australians are truly kindhearted people! Even widowers, widows, and the disabled need to be catered to! He busily said: "Chief, this is a heavenly great deed. Not to mention these students—even the single women would be endlessly grateful..."
"I've already told everyone about the matter. But there are still some issues here." Du Yibin said. "Because the purpose of this plan is mainly to solve the marriage problem of disabled naturalized citizen soldiers and staff, the candidates must be carefully selected. These are all people who sacrificed for the Senate. Their bodies are already inconvenienced. The Senate cannot wrong them. So we must find some women with kind hearts who are capable. Only such people are qualified to marry naturalized citizens."
"Yes. We'll definitely select carefully." Lu Cheng immediately promised.
"You select a batch from the former students and widows first. Make me a list. I'll give you three days. Specific conditions: under forty, healthy body, hardworking and capable. Only such people are qualified to marry naturalized citizens." Du Yibin said. "As for people like Bian Cuibao, let her transform for a few more years. As for some other wavering elements, you can hold a meeting to decide for yourselves—whether to add them or not, you decide. In any case, they must pass politically."
"We understand. We'll definitely complete the mission!"
After Du Yibin finished issuing instructions and left, Lu Cheng's group picked up this burden, each one somewhat worried. Selecting wives for naturalized citizens was naturally extremely good. But if they selected the wrong people and troubles arose after marriage, they—the ones responsible for drafting the list—would be blamed.
The three pulled out all the lists, along with the reward and punishment archives and work logs of relevant personnel. Between students and single women, there were a full eight hundred people. No one had such a good memory as to remember every person's specific situation.
"I think selecting wives for disabled naturalized citizens shouldn't select from the students... they should all be selected from the widows." Mao Xiuyu, reversing his past habit of not asking and not speaking during discussions, actively proposed a suggestion.
"Why?"
"Didn't the chief just say? Disabled naturalized citizens all suffered for the Senate. The Senate cannot wrong them. This statement carries weight. We can't make even the slightest mistake in selecting people." Mao Xiuyu spoke unhurriedly. "The students all have lower-class brothel prostitute backgrounds. You two probably don't realize—to be able to survive in such a place, they're not ordinary people..."
Lu Cheng and Lu Weijia both felt the same.
"...Although these past months you two directors have wasted your hearts and efforts leading everyone and educating them to 'stand on their own feet and start being human again,' they've mixed in those places for so many years. How easy is it to change bad habits? If it's an ordinary man, maybe he can control them. But a disabled person—won't he just be manipulated by them? Moreover, who'd be willing to marry a disabled person? When the time comes they'll regret it in their hearts, act out terribly—maybe even cause deaths!"
"You're right." Lu Weijia had a soldier background. He knew that among the injured and retired soldiers, quite a few had incomplete limbs and could barely care for themselves. "We can't want such women!"
"Furthermore, disabled naturalized citizens all established merit for the chief. Even though their bodies are disabled, they can't get wives from prostitute backgrounds. Even if such wives are virtuous, it doesn't sound good when spoken of. It would also make outsiders gossip, hurting the good reputation of the Senate."
(End of Chapter)