A Diary from the Seventies

Blurb: In June 1969, Jiang Baiyu and her husband were both tied up with urgent projects and could never find time to look after their child. They finally accepted the kind offer from Jiang Bailin, her younger brother, and his wife to help care for him. Their four-year-old son, Lin Yuan'an, traveled south from the Northwest with his uncle and went to stay at his home. Because his father's ancestors included someone of mixed heritage, Lin Yuan'an was born with a head of little curls. He was pretty, fair-skinned, shy, and well-behaved. New to the neighborhood, he spent a happy childhood among the children in the Agricultural Machinery Institute compound, alongside his older cousin Jiang Jingtao and the older boys next door. They played statues and bride-carrying games, threw mud, caught fish and shrimp, picked wild fruit, shot birds with slingshots, and ran joyfully through the fields... Then they went to school together and grew up side by side, looking forward to a meal with meat every three or five days and sometimes counting the days as they grew... In this era of modest means, everyone forged ahead full of energy. The parents and aunts and uncles worked hard, devotedly raising the older boys and girls and him, while the children worked hard at their studies and at growing up. Frogs croak and cicadas buzz through summer days, while the trees stay green even in winter. We're all doing just fine! P.S. This story is mainly about the children's childhood and the medals their parents earn through hard work in this era. It focuses on family, friendship, and growing up. If you're interested, come take a look and leave a trace in the collection list. Thanks for your support! Theme: Finding human warmth in ordinary days.