Chapter 2006 - The List
Mao Xiuyu's speech could be said to have entered both feeling and reason. Lu Cheng and Lu Weijia both nodded continuously.
Usually they looked down on Mao Xiuyu quite a bit, feeling that if not for him being "familiar with the local situation" and thus somewhat useful, he'd be merely a decoration.
They hadn't expected him to consider matters so thoroughly. Though he usually kept silent at meetings, just making up the numbers, at critical moments he spoke with clear logic. The two looked at him with newfound respect.
Mao Xiuyu wanted exactly this effect. He thought secretly: I've mixed in this world for over twenty years. Without some ability, how could I have lasted so long?
After such a discussion, the thoughts of all three cleared. Disabled naturalized citizens would be matched from the single women. Students would be allocated to ordinary naturalized citizens with healthy bodies who urgently needed to marry.
With consensus reached, the three immediately checked everyone's materials with their subordinates. Single women in one group, students in another. Then they screened out unsuitable people from within.
All personnel in the shelter had population cards made. Though mechanical computers hadn't yet been assigned for their use, the card index system had been introduced. Lu Cheng had received training in this area. Using the exclusion method first, she filtered out "attitude problems," "stained history," "disease"... such unsuitable people. Then they conducted manual screening on the remainder.
Picking and choosing, scribbling and crossing out for half a day, they prepared two lists.
At this point, they discovered another problem: some widows were carrying children. They both hoped to marry and hoped their new husbands would accept their children. But with such a "burden in tow," whether the naturalized citizens would be willing to accept them was another question entirely... As a matter concerning marital and family harmony, they hesitated again.
"I think there may be even more problems inside. If marrying a disabled naturalized citizen, their concerns will definitely be greater. Because besides the child, they'll also have a man to care for. The family burden will be heavier. Whether the male side will have opinions because the family added another mouth to feed is also a worry..."
"We still need to follow the voluntary principle. I think we should talk with these single women first, see what they're worried about, what their concerns are. What we can solve, we'll try to solve. What exceeds our authority, we'll pass to the chief." Lu Cheng said at the impromptu meeting. According to her experience working with chiefs for many years, the discovery of one problem meant at least two or three potential problems hadn't been found yet. The other two expressed no objection.
The three took their subordinates to do the single women's work first. Then they concentrated on talking with th
ose "students" who'd been behaving well, asking their thoughts.
That same afternoon, all conforming single women were gathered together. They weren't stupid. Since that chief's inspection and departure, the staff here had been busy. It definitely related to them. What the future held, they didn't know.
Seeing everyone assembled, Lu Weijia roughly explained the reason for convening them, including the blind date for disabled naturalized citizens.
"...This is the basic situation. Of course, we still uphold the voluntary principle. If you're willing to marry and start a new life, the Senate will do its best to help arrange your life and work well. If you're willing to marry disabled naturalized citizen staff, the Senate will also issue appropriate subsidies. If you don't want to marry, you can also stay here and wait for the Senate to arrange work for you later."
After hearing this, they felt both joy and worry. The joy was that the chief had indeed considered their future. Their future lives, if not worry-free, would at least be much better than now. The worry was that their future husbands would be disabled personnel. If they were unable to move freely, caring for themselves wouldn't be a problem, but if their health was poor, they definitely couldn't earn much money. Would family expenses be enough? Those with children worried how their children would fare—would the new husband be willing to be a stepfather? Those without children worried that if they later worked while pregnant, how would they care for the family? Some were afraid that if their disabled husband "couldn't perform the marital way," then what? No heir—what would happen when they were old?
Seeing the expressions of the group below, Lu Weijia knew he'd guessed their thoughts correctly. Everyone indeed had many concerns. Comparing heart to heart, if he were one of the widows below, he'd inevitably think the same! How many years of bitter water had washed over them? Not easy having some hope—they couldn't jump into another sea of suffering.
"Whatever concerns everyone has, speak openly. We know the policies. We'll try to give clear answers. What we're not clear on, after summarizing, we'll ask the chief for instructions. In any case, we'll give everyone clear explanations."
With this assurance, the atmosphere below instantly heated up. Lu Cheng and concerned staff divided them into small groups—each person in a small group—recording their various problems and concerns one by one. Lu Cheng herself participated in one small group.
Speaking in small meetings was much more open than in large meetings. The single women's problems were many: from housing and work to monthly income, also in-law problems. Because of their widow background, would they be looked down upon by the other side? Was the man's temper good or bad? "I heard people with disabilities have especially bad tempers. Will they often beat us?" Those with children inquired how the children would fare—would the husband's family be willing to raise them...?
Lu Cheng listened, her face showing difficulty. Because these problems they truly couldn't answer one by one. Chief Du hadn't spoken so finely. Besides, many problems inside varied from person to person. No one could give blanket guarantees.
The three rejoiced that they'd asked first. Otherwise, when the time came, if the atmosphere turned cold because of too many concerns and annoyed the chief, they'd be scolded—not to mention losing face.
"Being looked down on or beaten—you needn't fear. The Senate protects women's basic rights. Don't we still have the Women's Federation making decisions for everyone! Besides, this marriage is arranged by the Senate. Everyone is a Senate person. No matter how bad his temper, he'll still have to be courteous!" Lu Cheng thought for a moment, then decided to say some comforting words that were one hundred percent safe. "As for work, there'll naturally be arrangements. Definitely better than now. Legitimate naturalized staff—if you marry, your children will also enjoy staff children treatment. They can enter school with reduced fees. For the remaining problems, we'll ask the chief for instructions and give you a reply."
To enhance her persuasive power and add some pressure to them, Lu Cheng added: "Everyone's concerns—we'll definitely try to give clear explanations. For some practical difficulties, we'll also ask the chief to help solve them. But everyone also needs to cherish this opportunity. Some sisters are not young anymore. Pass this village, and there won't be this shop in the future. Currently the Senate rules a small population. But once the Two Guangs are recovered, the Senate will rule several million people. I'm afraid there won't be such good conditions then."
The next day, they specially gathered suitable candidates among the students again and announced the matter.
Among the students, actually most were still willing to marry and return to normal life. But their health was far inferior to the "single women." Single women mostly had nutritional problems. After several months of care, most had recovered fairly well. The students' side was much worse.
Looking solely at nutrition status, prostitutes' daily diets were much better than chaste women's. But middle and lower-class prostitutes had suffered long-term destruction. Not only did many have venereal diseases, but they universally suffered gynecological diseases.
Serious gynecological diseases—forget about whether they could conceive and give birth—even normal marital life would be difficult. So this portion could only be eliminated first. What made the management group struggle was another portion. Their health problems were acceptable, but because of long-term use of contraceptive "cooling medicine" or multiple abortions, they'd actually already lost fertility.
If they excluded students who'd lost fertility, it would obviously be unfair to them. But if they included them, how would the male naturalized citizens consider it? When they discovered infertility, what problems would arise...?
Finally, Lu Cheng set the tone: as long as conditions were suitable, they'd still be put into the candidate list. But it needed to be clearly marked. This counted as both sides being voluntary. Neither could rely on the other.
Doing so, actually fewer than one hundred students were listed. Unlike the widows' half-joy, half-worry, the students' reactions were much more enthusiastic. They were more anxious about future survival problems and had no burden of children. If they married naturalized citizens, they'd finally not have to eat bitterness and suffer exhaustion here—everyone knew what being a naturalized citizen meant.
"The chief said only you who've behaved well and studied actively have the qualification to become naturalized citizens' wives. After marriage, work will be arranged for you. You'll leave here and live better days." Lu Cheng said. "These past months, the Senate has been watching your behavior. You were bullied in the old society and suffered bitterness. But you also picked up quite a few bad habits from the past—some people haven't completely changed." Her gaze swept across the crowd. "So you must remember: you must transform your thinking as soon as possible. Whether in thought or action, you must align yourself with being a qualified naturalized citizen! Wait for notification on specific situations."
Less than half an hour after dismissal, this news spread among the students. Those not listed on the candidate list looked at them with envy, jealousy, and hatred. The sharp-tongued inevitably spoke some "climbing the high branch" sarcastic remarks. Still others, angry in their hearts, said that those selected were all going to "be official prostitutes, camp prostitutes, sent to various Australian yamen and camps to receive guests." Naturally, those rumor-mongers that night enjoyed blooming buttocks plus solitary confinement treatment.
But to most people, being selected was naturally a huge benefit. When they'd initially become prostitutes, most had wanted nothing more than for some patron to be willing to pay money to redeem them out to "follow the good path" and live cleanly. Now this opportunity was right before their eyes—if they'd missed it themselves, many felt quite regretful. If I'd been more active initially, I could have been an activist too. Couldn't I have left here and become a dignified naturalized citizen like this?
Still others, holding to their experience of being cheated throughout their lives, maintained a cold attitude toward this matter: "Follow the good path? We'll wait until we've actually followed it before saying anything."
(End of Chapter)