To Live Page #3

and after that...

they captured two mountains a day.

I see your point.

All I've seen at the worksites

are student marching bands.

We'll spur them on with puppet shows.

You can leave those.

We won't tough them.

We're off to the next house.

We are not going to liberate Taiwan?

Sure we are. We'll definitely liberate Taiwan.

Take that!

- Enough?

- No!

Enough?

Still not enough? Okay, I'll fill it right up.

Big ambition for a little kid.

It's more than enough.

So gobble away. Help yourself to sauces.

Youqing, I'll help you stir that up.

What a big appetite!

And so much chili sauce!

That's a big bowl, Youqing.

Give it to us if you can't finish.

What the hell are you doing?

How could you?

Can't you control this child?

What did you think you were doing?

What is this?

Look at all the chili sauce.

Let me see your eyes.

This is too much.

- Trying to kill him, or what?

- They're just kids.

Kids? Where did he learn that from?

This hasn't anything to do with us adults.

We don't know what's going on.

Do you expect me to believe that?

It's sabotage.

Sabotage to the communal kitchen.

And sabotage of the Great Leap Forward!

That kid could not dream that up.

Youqing! Look what you've done!

Apologize. Say you were wrong.

Now!

I'm talking to you.

- Are you going?

- No.

- Are you going or not?

- No!

- I'm telling you to go!

- No!

You won't go?

Don't hit him!

Leave him alone! I'll kill him!

Enough!

How could you?

Said he was a saboteur. I had to.

That guy's word is law? The govenrment?

I tried to stop you.

Why wouldn't he just apologize?

I hit him for not obeying.

That's no execuse.

You spoil him.

How so?

Can't you see I'm doing this for our family?

Don't you understand?

If you indulge him, we'll all go to ruin.

I'll hit him again if I have to.

Sit then. Right in front of me!

Isn't he your own flesh and blood?

You, looking after us! After all these years.

What do you know?

Kids had been bullying Fengxia.

He was defending her.

Do you think I'd let this family go to ruin?

I've stuck with you through good and bad.

Have I ever complained?

Poor Fengxia.

Can't even talk back to bullies.

Youqing adores her. And you'd hit him.

Daddy will make it better.

Youqing, after dinner...

come see the show.

Youqing's not going to any stupid show.

He uses the secret mirror

and blinds all who look within

I yell there's no time to waste

Far away, we flee with haste

Jiazhen, where's Youqing?

He couldn't come.

Ask him again.

Say I want him to.

Youqing, daddy wants you to see the show.

Well?

I'm not going!

Do you like hearing daddy sing?

Mommy doesn't either. He's so smug.

Let's play a practical joke on him.

Take him tea full of vinegar.

That will teach him.

Enough?

Okay, we'll really get him.

Should we add chili?

Good, it'll be hot and sour soup.

Your boy's on his way with a bowl of tea.

Youqing, is that tea for me?

Good boy, bring it over here.

Daddy.

How do you like my singing?

You little bastard! I'll break your legs!

He's put in chili!

We've smelted our steel...

and reached our production target.

We're off to report the good news.

Everyone's earned merit.

Fugui, Jiazhen,

you've made a real contribution.

There'll be dumplings

at the canteen tonight...

with a whole pig stuffed in each one!

Eat your fill, and then we'll continue.

Fifteen years, we'll surpass America.

We've made enough steel

for three cannon balls.

They'll all go to Taiwan!

One to land on Chiang Kai-shek's bed...

another on his dinner table...

and the last in the toilet!

He won't be able to sleep or eat

or ever take a dump...

and we'll liberate Taiwan!

Xia, Youqing, have some dumplings.

Let them sleep. They'll eat later.

Xu Youqing!

What's up?

The teacher wants us at school

smelting steel.

The District Head's making an inspection.

All right. You go on ahead.

Pack a lunchbox. I'll wake him.

He's not going anywhere.

He hasn't slept in days.

Leave him alone.

- The District Chief is coming.

- So?

A kid still has to sleep.

Smelting steel is a duty.

We can't be politically backward.

Mr. Niu praised us in front of everyone.

Youqing has to go.

Wake up.

You have to go smelt steel.

Come on, get up.

Your classmates are already on their way.

Must not be politically backward.

You can sleep later.

Are 15 dumplings enough?

Have 20. You should eat more.

Youqing, wake up. We're nearly there.

When you get there...

put your dumplings in hot water.

Make sure you make them hot enough.

Cold dumplings are bad for the tummy.

- Do you like dumplings?

- Yes.

- Do you like meat?

- Yes.

That's good.

If Youqing does as daddy says...

our lives will get better and better.

Our family...

is like a little chicken.

When it grows up, it becomes a goose.

And that'll turn into a sheep.

The sheep will turn into an ox.

And after the ox?

After the ox is Communism.

And there'll be dumplings and meat

every day.

It's Fugui's son?

District Chief arrived after dark.

He backed up,

and his jeep knocked the wall down.

Youqing was sleeping on the other side.

When the wall collapsed...

he didn't have a chance.

The District Chief was hurt, too.

He hadn't slept for three days.

Fugui, listen to me.

We have to try and bear it,

even in the worst of times.

What's happened?

Answer me!

Daddy's here! Say something!

Take the body away!

We mustn't let his mother see.

Mommy's here! Youqing!

Youqing! What's going on?

Let me see him!

You never had the chance to eat

the dumplings I packed for you.

Mommy's made you more...

twenty this time.

That should be enough.

Once you've eaten...

you can sleep...

a nice, deep sleep.

In life, you never had a good night's sleep.

So sleep well now.

Mommy will come see you every day.

Youqing, can you ever forgive me?

I shouldn't have let you go to school.

I should've kept your dad...

from making you go.

It's all my fault.

If only I'd stopped him.

I shouldn't have let you go, Youqing!

Oh, my poor darling.

The District Chief has come.

The one who ran over my son?

What's he doing here?

Tell him to leave. He killed my son.

- He's already here.

- Tell him to go.

It's me, Chunsheng.

I meant to call...

after I setted in.

Fugui...

how could it be your son?

You're the District Chief?

It was you who killed my son?

I had only one son, Chunsheng!

I had only one son!

And you killed him!

You, behind the goddamn wheel!

Don't be like that.

The District Chief is upset, too.

How can I ever make it up?

Take this for now.

It's money.

Tell me what else I can do.

No one wants your money.

I want my son. Give me back my son.

You killed him! Give him back to me!

Go away!

Remember, you owe us a life.

You killed him. Remember that.

You killed him.

Go away! Now!

District Chief, let's go.

I think you should go, Chief.

Go away!

All right.

I'm going.

I owe you a life.

I will remember.

What are you doing, you little wretch?

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