《Transmigration: Flirted with My Childhood Sweetheart》 Chapter 1 - 1 1 She was donated ?1: Chapter 1 She was donated 1: Chapter 1 She was donated ¡°Lan County Station is coming up, comrades getting off please take your luggage...¡± On the train full of educated youth, Lin Nianhe clutched her tiny face and hoisted her backpack, her expression heroically tragic as if heading to a battlefield. A month ago, she was reborn, from a world far away in icy apocalypse back to just before a cataclysm. She had thought, with resources in her left hand and a black card in her right, that she was well-prepared for an apocalypse heroine¡¯s script, only to find herself thrust into the last century. Her RV, refuge pod, and various cutting-edge technological products... It¡¯d be impossible to retrieve them for another two or three decades. Strictly speaking, those thousands of tons of grain couldn¡¯t be brought to the fore either, as the finely processed food from the future starkly contrasted the present¡¯s. She¡¯d blown all her family¡¯s money stockpiling, ending up with a lonely stash. If it were merely time-travel, Lin Nianhe could have still consoled herself. Although resources were scarce in this era, it was a million times better than living in an apocalypse. But she had the misfortune of gaining a no-good adoptive father. To support the construction of the homeland, her adoptive father had ¡°donated¡± her... Upon learning she had to go to the countryside, Lin Nianhe was utterly stunned. The original owner of the body wasn¡¯t like her; she didn¡¯t possess a physique tempered by the apocalypse. The Lin Family had only one son and one daughter, her brother Lin Huai Zhou was in the military, and Lin Nianhe was the cherished jewel of the family, pampered from a young age ¡ª she hadn¡¯t even mixed her own cup of malta. And herself... Before the apocalypse, she was a rich second generation skilled at enjoying life; after the apocalypse, she was an insignificant laborer at a base, farming? Heard of it, never saw it, let alone did it. And now, to the countryside? Lin Nianhe seriously suspected her adoptive father was a villain intent on hindering rural development! Yet, thinking about the private money tickets contributed by Old Lin in her space, Lin Nianhe abandoned the righteous idea of writing a denunciation letter against her own family. The train slowly came to a stop, and Lin Nianhe finally stepped onto the hot soil of Lan County. She had just descended from the sleeping car when she was enveloped by several curious, scrutinizing gazes. In this era, it was very difficult to buy a hard sleeper train ticket, and the Educated Youth Office provided hard seat tickets for the educated youth going to the countryside. Which ordinary family would pass up free tickets just to spend extra money on a sleeping berth? Comrade Old Lin would. Facing pairs of envious eyes, Lin Nianhe had to admit, although Comrade Old Lin had caused trouble for the country, he truly cherished his daughter. Amidst the bustling crowd, Lin Nianhe followed the flow of people out of the station. In front of the train station, lay scattered twenty-odd ox carts, and commune members seeing the educated youth come forth picked up megaphones to shout. ¡°Nine-miles Team, Nine-miles Team!¡± ¡°Birch Team...¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Ten Miles Team, gather here!¡± Lin Nianhe instinctively scanned her surroundings, memorizing the environment, then headed straight towards a balding man in his fifties. Her sharp senses honed by the apocalypse remained keen, allowing her to easily find the person she was looking for in the crowd. The leader of the Ten Miles Team, Li Dahe, looking at the delicate and beautiful little bastard in front of him, felt an ill premonition rising. ¡°Uncle, is this where the Ten Miles Team is gathering?¡± The crisp and clear Beijing accent struck like a bolt from the blue, causing Li Dahe¡¯s already sparse hair to lose another two strands. Li Dahe¡¯s brow twitched, eyeing this girl buried in luggage and holding on to his last shred of hope, he asked, ¡°Young lady, you¡¯re asking about the Ten Miles Team? Who are you looking for?¡± Lin Nianhe¡¯s eyes curved with a smile as she handed over the documents she had been clutching from early on to Li Dahe: ¡°Uncle, my name is Lin Nianhe, I¡¯m an educated youth assigned to the Ten Miles Team, please check, is this correct?¡± The list of educated youth was already distributed to each team, and Li Dahe knew once he heard the name that the thing he feared the most had finally happened. He looked at the little Beanny in front of him and felt so worried that he was grinding his teeth. Look at her, not much bigger than a wolf-dog, what could she possibly do? Lin Nianhe never expected to be disliked as soon as she got off the train. She quietly looked into Li Dahe¡¯s eyes; after a moment, her legs gave out, and she sat straight down on her tightly packed luggage. A picture of frailty, unable to take care of herself. Li Dahe was stunned. Lin Nianhe had no doubt that if he could, this uncle would have gladly carried her back to Beijing overnight for a return. Li Dahe indeed wanted to return her. But there was no way; sending educated youths to the countryside was a national call, and the personnel distribution was also finalized by the Educated Youth Office and the commune. Not only could he not return her, but he also had to make sure she was looked after and not let her die in Ten Miles Team. Li Dahe took two drags of his dry tobacco, pointed at the ox cart behind him, and said in a muffled voice, ¡°Put the luggage on board, we will leave when everyone is here.¡± ¡°Okay, thank you, Uncle.¡± Lin Nianhe smiled with a twinkle in her eyes, kicking her legs trying to stand up, but failing. Li Dahe looked at the little bastard who struggled but couldn¡¯t move an inch, and despite his distaste, he felt a pang of compassion. If it were his daughter being displaced from home... Li Dahe sighed, silently reached out to pick up Lin Nianhe and casually helped her put the luggage on the ox cart. Lin Nianhe crisply thanked him again, behaving extremely well. Li Dahe mumbled a response, turned away, and went to receive other educated youths. The educated youths, shaken nearly apart by the green train, were all drained of spirit, each with a drooping head, which made Li Dahe¡¯s teeth ache. As he verified the credentials of the educated youths, his peripheral vision caught Lin Nianhe again. She stood obediently by the side of the ox cart, curiously looking around, her anticipation for the new life starkly contrasting with the either proud or sorrowful educated youths around her. Li Dahe couldn¡¯t help but straighten his back a bit. See, the children from Beijing are so satisfied with this place; those who despise their remote and impoverished area must have problematic thoughts! Lin Nianhe noticed Li Dahe¡¯s gaze and gave him a radiant smile. She had just heard someone call this uncle ¡°Team Leader,¡± and she would be working under him in the future, so she had better make a good relationship. Her smile hadn¡¯t even lasted three seconds when she heard a female voice unkindly accusing: ¡°Comrade, everyone else is busy working, and you are just standing here not helping; isn¡¯t that lacking the spirit of mutual help and unity?¡± Lin Nianhe wasn¡¯t sure who the voice was addressing, but her experience told her that such provocation must lead to some drama. However, this accusation of ¡°not having a spirit of unity¡± was a heavy label that not everyone could bear. Lin Nianhe looked around, wanting to see which unlucky soul was targeted. However, as she turned her head, she saw a girl in a floral shirt and green army pants, one hand on her hip and the other lifting up, pointing to herself like a teapot. This little pose was extremely mocking. Lin Nianhe squinted. Oh ho, the drama had found its way onto her own head. Chapter 2 - 2 2 A Spark in the Wilds ?2: Chapter 2 A Spark in the Wilds 2: Chapter 2 A Spark in the Wilds The noisy platform quieted down a bit, and the people around looked over, their eyes brighter than before. No matter when and where, being a spectator is human nature. Lin Nianhe¡¯s undercurrent of irritation flashed away, and she looked at the female educated youth in front of her with a smile. ¡°Look at what you¡¯re saying, I was just taking a short break to catch my breath, comrades should understand each other, let¡¯s not be so rigid,¡± Lin Nianhe quickly stepped forward, snatched the net bag from the girl¡¯s hand, and threw it onto the ox cart, ¡°Here, let me help you!¡± There were already quite a few pieces of luggage stacked on the ox cart, and the net bag containing enamel tea cups and lunch boxes was thrown with force, only to unfortunately slip off after half a second and fall to the ground. Lin Nianhe: ¡°Comrade, it seems your net bag has a mind of its own.¡± The female educated youth glared at Lin Nianhe mournfully before hurrying to pick up her belongings. The enamel tea cup lost a patch of paint, causing the girl such distress that she glared at Lin Nianhe again. She wanted to scold Lin Nianhe, but realized those guilty hands were reaching for her other luggage! The educated youth¡¯s pupils trembled dramatically as she screamed at Lin Nianhe, ¡°Stop! Don¡¯t touch my things!¡± Lin Nianhe had just lifted the luggage when she heard this and immediately let go. The bulky luggage fell to the ground, kicking up a cloud of dust. The female educated youth choked on a face full of dust, but had no time to care about anything else; she quickly picked up her possessions and kept them far away from Lin Nianhe. Lin Nianhe eagerly reached out: ¡°Come on, let me help you.¡± ¡°No, no need!¡± The educated youth sidestepped, guarding against Lin Nianhe as if warding off wolves. Lin Nianhe chuckled, following her persistently: ¡°Don¡¯t be shy, comrades should help each other out.¡± ¡°No, no... really, no need.¡± The educated youth quickened her pace, no longer dawdling as before; she neatly and promptly placed the luggage on the ox cart. Lin Nianhe could only turn to the others, full of eagerness: ¡°Do any of you need help?¡± The other three educated youths assigned to Ten Miles Team shook their heads like rattle drums, rushing to lift their luggage onto the ox cart, afraid that if they were a step slower, their belongings would be violated by the devilish claws of Lin Nianhe. Seeing their enthusiasm, Lin Nianhe could only stand back in her original spot with her comradely enthusiasm having nowhere to go, looking up at the sky. Li Dahe had packed a bag of cigarettes and was just about to strike a match when he realized the educated youths assigned there had already loaded their luggage onto the cart. Li Dahe was a bit bewildered. He wiped his face; the ox cart was still there, neatly loaded with luggage, and a circle of educated youths stood beside it. Li Dahe walked around the ox cart and seeing that the luggage was securely placed, he couldn¡¯t help but feel a glimmer of hope¡ª Could it be that this batch of educated youths were really good workers? While Li Dahe was feeling relieved, he caught a glimpse of Lin Nianhe standing on tiptoe beside the ox cart. Hmm... except for her. Li Dahe took a puff of his cigarette and checked the list of educated youths again: ¡°Lin Nianhe.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± ¡°Li Aimin.¡± ¡°Present.¡± ¡°Wen Lan.¡± ¡°...Present.¡± ¡°Wang Shumei.¡± ¡°Present.¡± ¡°Zhang Jianguo.¡± ¡°Present.¡± Li Dahe packed up the list and called out, ¡°Let¡¯s go, back to the team.¡± He strode off with his hands clasped behind his back, casting a glance at the captain of Nine-miles Team, who was still busy with moving luggage nearby, walking with an exceptionally straight back. Originally called Ten Miles Village, Ten Miles Team was one of the top three wealthiest villages in the commune. However, the wealth at that time was limited; at least it wasn¡¯t to the point of starving people. Li Dahe and another commune member had hurried over with two ox carts to pick people up¡ªone for luggage and the other for passengers. It was mid-May, and Hei Province was located in the Northeast, where the weather was cool and quite pleasant. Lin Nianhe squinted her eyes, looking at the vibrant fields, feeling quite good. Wen Lan, sitting beside her, didn¡¯t share the same good mood. She clutched a net bag, rubbing her thumb over a freshly chipped enamel cup, her grievances bubbling up. Wen Lan was annoyed when Wang Shumei suddenly patted her on the shoulder and whispered into her ear, ¡°Comrade Wen Lan, don¡¯t be angry. I saw earlier that Comrade Lin got off from a sleeping carriage. She¡¯s probably been so spoiled at home that she won¡¯t be good at manual labor, so don¡¯t be mad at her.¡± Wen Lan looked at Lin Nianhe in shock and grabbed her to ask, ¡°You came here in a sleeper?¡± Her voice was a bit loud, and the two male Educated youth lying close together on the opposite side, almost asleep, were startled awake. Lin Nianhe replied to Wen Lan with a counter-question, ¡°What about it?¡± Lin Nianhe wasn¡¯t afraid of her provocation at all. Life could be dull, and having something to relieve the boredom was quite nice. Wen Lan looked Lin Nianhe up and down with a pained expression, ¡°Your skinny arms and legs couldn¡¯t even fill up a bunk, what a waste.¡± ¡°...¡± Lin Nianhe was certain that Wen Lan¡¯s look was one of pity, without a trace of jealousy. This girl, quite interesting. The exhaustion in Wen Lan¡¯s eyes swept away in an instant, she grabbed Lin Nianhe¡¯s arm and bombarded her with questions like pouring beans out of a bamboo tube: ¡°What does a sleeper look like? I heard there are fewer people there, is there enough hot water? Where is your home? Your parents must really dote on you, huh? How old are you? You have so much luggage, you must have brought a lot of food rations, right?¡± Faced with this barrage of questions, Lin Nianhe only replied, ¡°I¡¯m seventeen this year, from Beijing.¡± She was now somewhat unclear about what kind of person Wen Lan really was, which made her reluctant to have too much interaction with her. ¡°Wow! Then you¡¯ve seen Tiananmen?¡± Wen Lan¡¯s eyes sparkled. The other three also looked ardently at Lin Nianhe, and even the male Educated youth sitting across, no longer caring about propriety, and Li Dahe at the front steering the cart, all turned their bodies to listen eagerly. Lin Nianhe felt uncomfortable under their gazes and subconsciously hid her hands behind her back, ready to draw the large cleaver from thin air at any moment. She remained guarded in her heart, but her face didn¡¯t show it at all: ¡°I¡¯ve seen it.¡± She was a Beijinger in her past life, and had seen all the things they were curious about. ¡°Then you must have also seen the flag-raising ceremony, right?¡± ¡°Mhm.¡± ¡°And you...¡± Lin Nianhe never expected that just by virtue of having seen Tiananmen and the flag-raising, she would earn the admiration of the other Educated youth. Wen Lan had long forgotten about her scratched enamel cup and, holding onto Lin Nianhe¡¯s arm, pleaded for her to talk more about it. Wang Shumei, who had been slyly causing trouble just moments ago, now pulled out two pieces of rock sugar to give to Lin Nianhe, her cheeks flushed. Pairs of eyes filled with goodwill finally made Lin Nianhe let down her guard, starting to describe the magnificence of Tiananmen. Their weariness and boredom swept away, watching those eyes filled with longing and determination, Lin Nianhe revealed her first sincere smile since her transmigration. The people of this era were innocently charming; they had faith, had aspirations, and were willing to dedicate everything for their country. On the first day of going down to the countryside, Lin Nianhe saw the sparks that could start a prairie fire. Chapter 3 - 3 3 The Advantage of Breaking the Bottles Neck ?3: Chapter 3: The Advantage of Breaking the Bottle¡¯s Neck 3: Chapter 3: The Advantage of Breaking the Bottle¡¯s Neck The Educated Youth Corps of Ten Miles Team was originally a brick house owned by a landlord, seized and given to a poor old man. After the old man died, no one dared to live in it. Until the educated youth were sent down to the countryside, the compound was repurposed for the Educated Youth Corps, saving the trouble of building new housing for them. There were eight older educated youth at the Educated Youth Corps station, three females and five males. Over the years, batches of educated youth were sent to the countryside, but very few got the chance to return to the city; some had even gotten married locally. Otherwise, there would be more people at the Educated Youth Corps. Luckily, the landlord¡¯s house was spacious with many rooms¡ªfour in the front courtyard and a kitchen, an additional well and vegetable plot in the back courtyard, and a tiny room attached to the back wall in the northeast corner, supposedly the wet nurse¡¯s quarters of the landlord¡¯s family. It was a small space, repurposed by the educated youth as a woodshed. The male educated youth being more in number, occupied the larger rooms on the west end, while the female educated youth had... Looking at the small room they were assigned, Lin Nianhe and the other two exchanged glances. Aside from the kang (a traditional heated bed), the room was so cramped that they had to turn sideways even just to stand together. The kang itself wasn¡¯t large either, probably just about 1.2 or 1.3 meters wide. It would be tight even for two people, let alone three. ¡°How are we supposed to sleep here?¡± Wen Lan slapped Wang Shumei¡¯s thigh with a face full of faux wisdom and suggested the most absurd idea, ¡°Hezi, Shumei, do you two know how to stack up like arhats? Looks like we¡¯ll have to stack up to sleep tonight.¡± Having chatted all the way here about Tiananmen, Wen Lan had already made peace with Lin Nianhe, calling her Hezi affectionately, which made Nianhe quite hungry for some chive pockets. Wang Shumei had been continuously patted on the thigh by Wen Lan throughout the journey. Now, on top of previous discomfort, she wanted to dodge but ended up pressed against the wall, covering herself in dust. Wang Shumei grimaced, rubbing her leg, and offered a more reasonable suggestion: ¡°Why don¡¯t we ask the older educated youth if it¡¯s possible for one of us to join their room?¡± Having no other options, the three of them turned to the room of another group of female educated youth. They stood by the window and knew immediately there was no need to ask. This room was a bit larger than theirs, but it was just as impossible to fit another person with three sleeping spaces already tightly packed. Wen Lan finally started to worry and, without warning, slapped Wang Shumei¡¯s leg again, ¡°We¡¯re doomed now!¡± Wang Shumei: ¡°...¡± Lin Nianhe: ¡°Hiss...¡± Wang Shumei covered her leg and turned to look at her, using a glance to ask what she was up to with that noise. Lin Nianhe displayed a ¡°I feel your pain¡± expression and earnestly said, ¡°It hurts for you.¡± Wang Shumei was speechless. Just a while ago on the ox cart, she wasn¡¯t just exchanging words, but peace and happiness. Lin Nianhe comforted her with a pat on the shoulder and steered the conversation back on track: ¡°This won¡¯t work, we need to find another room.¡± ¡°Where can we find another room? Is there any place left?¡± Wen Lan gestured back and forth between the two walls with her hand, ¡°I¡¯m thinking, why not set up a hammock? I slept in one for a few years as a child, it was really stable.¡± ¡°When did you sleep in a hammock, at what age?¡± ¡°About four or five years old!¡± ¡°Why didn¡¯t you continue sleeping in it?¡± ¡°In the middle of the night, a nail came loose, and both I and the hammock fell down, breaking my dad¡¯s leg.¡± ¡°...¡± It was proven that there¡¯s no such thing as ¡°the most absurd,¡± only ¡°more absurd.¡± Unperturbed, Wen Lan patted her chest with confidence, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ve got experience now. We can just add a couple more nails this time, believe me, there¡¯s no problem!¡± Lin Nianhe: ¡°I trust your experience, but I refuse.¡± Wang Shumei: ¡°I trust too, and I also refuse.¡± The hammock was out of the question. Absolutely impossible. Predecessors had already broken their legs; they had to learn from history. Thinking hard, Lin Nianhe suddenly had a flash of inspiration and hit her right fist into her left palm, ¡°I got it.¡± ¡°Uncle Team Leader.¡± Li Dahe was originally talking with the older educated youth Sun Guanghui, but hearing her voice instantly sent a chill down his spine, and he stiffly turned around to ask, ¡°What¡¯s, what¡¯s the matter?¡± Lin Nianhe looked at his tense expression with a bit of pity for the frightened little old man. She offered a naive smile, as harmless as possible, ¡°Uncle Team Leader, our room can¡¯t fit three people, so how about...¡± She quickly suggested before Li Dahe could start worrying: ¡°How about I move into the woodshed in the back courtyard.¡± She had too many secrets; living alone would be convenient for keeping secrets and for sneaking some special privileges. More importantly, she wasn¡¯t afraid. She had plenty of self-defense tools. If some rogue dared to come knocking... she could only ensure to leave his body intact as best as she could. Li Dahe was stunned for a moment, then he went inside to look at the tiny kang, sucking on his teeth and furrowing his eyebrows tightly into a knot. Indeed, the room could not fit three people, but to let this little bastard stay in the woodshed alone... Lin Nianhe touched her nose and said softly, as if in sympathy, ¡°I used to live by myself at home, I¡¯m not afraid. I sleep restlessly and can kick people; when I was three, I once kicked my mother¡¯s arm out of its socket, and she nagged about it for years.¡± Chapter 4 - 4 3 Breaking the Bottles Mouth is Good_2 ?4: Chapter 3 Breaking the Bottle¡¯s Mouth is Good_2 4: Chapter 3 Breaking the Bottle¡¯s Mouth is Good_2 Wen Lan and Wang Shumei exchanged glances upon hearing this, working together to pick up Lin Nianhe¡¯s luggage, just waiting for Li Dahe¡¯s command to help her move. Lin Nianhe smacked her lips. It seemed that everyone was a good comrade willing to learn from historical lessons. Li Dahe smacked his lips around his cigarette and despite losing a couple of hairs, he couldn¡¯t think of a better solution and could only nod in agreement. He stepped out to call for Sun Guanghui: ¡°Educated Youth Sun, take a few male Educated Youths and move the firewood out of the backyard house, tidy it up for Educated Youth Lin to live in.¡± Sun Guanghui was a bit confused, scratching his head and said, ¡°Isn¡¯t it inappropriate for a female comrade to live in the firewood room? I¡¯ll go instead.¡± Li Dahe was annoyed by his thick-headedness and rolled his eyes: ¡°What¡¯s the use of you going? Wouldn¡¯t that room still be too small for three people to sleep in?¡± Only then did Sun Guanghui belatedly realize that the key issue wasn¡¯t who would live in the firewood room, but that there was not enough room in the female Educated Youth¡¯s dormitory. Chuckleheaded, he acknowledged and turned to summon several older Educated Youths to get to work. There wasn¡¯t much firewood, and it was all moved out after three or four trips by five people. The three girls went inside and felt very complicated. This room, including the inside and the outside room, was about fifteen square meters. There was a stove, but no pot; there were windows, but no glass; there was a kang bed, but it was broken... and it was all covered in dust and unidentifiable trash. Wang Shumei frowned and said, ¡°Nianhe, shall we discuss the order in which we stack ourselves on the kang?¡± Wen Lan pouted, ¡°Or shall we figure out where to hang a hammock?¡± Lin Nianhe said, ¡°I don¡¯t want to break my legs or dislocate yours, so let¡¯s just clean it up and that¡¯ll do.¡± Hearing her determined tone, Li Dahe took another drag on his cigarette and said, ¡°I¡¯ll write you a note, and you can go down to the commune this afternoon to get some glass panes. I¡¯ll have someone... forget it, I¡¯ll have my son get some glass panes to replace yours.¡± He was truly afraid the little bastard might get snatched away by a wolf on the way. ¡°Thank you, Uncle Team Leader! You¡¯re the best team leader I¡¯ve ever seen!¡± Lin Nianhe said cheerfully. She was telling the truth, after all, as she had only ever seen Li Dahe as a team leader. Li Dahe gave her a look: ¡°You certainly have a silver tongue.¡± Having said that, the little old man walked out with his hands behind his back, addressing the three Educated Youths who were watching the commotion: ¡°The three of them have just arrived, they¡¯re young, so give them a hand if you can. If you have any problems, come find me at the Ten Miles Team¡¯s office.¡± In front of the team leader, the older Educated Youths, no matter what they were thinking inside, had serious expressions on their faces and agreed quickly and readily. However, after Li Dahe left, only an older Educated Youth named Wang Xue came around, saying she had to cook but would help afterward. The other two, perhaps genuinely busy, did not appear. Regardless of the others, they didn¡¯t wait for help, as self-reliance has always been an unwavering truth. The house was small and with no furniture, so it was quickly cleaned. Wang Shumei was nimble, had sprinkled water around the house, and swiftly cleaned up the trash; Wen Lan was strong and carried the bags full of garbage out with two fingers; Lin Nianhe... Lin Nianhe took out some White Rabbit Creamy Candy, unwrapping and stuffing them into their mouths. She couldn¡¯t keep up with their work, so the best she could do was to provide logistics and not make a mess. ¡°Hey?¡± The two of them stopped working and looked at Lin Nianhe as if she was wasting family resources. Wen Lan snatched a candy wrapper from Lin Nianhe, wrapped the candy back up, and only then, savoring the residual sweetness in her mouth, said, ¡°You silly girl, why don¡¯t you keep the good stuff for yourself?¡± Wang Shumei also added, ¡°Yeah, besides, we should all be doing this work together.¡± Lin Nianhe stretched out her clean hand: ¡°But you never gave me a chance to do the work.¡± Every time she wanted to sweep, Wang Shumei told her to cool off on the side; when she wanted to throw out the trash, Wen Lan told her to stop blocking the way. She felt guilty. ¡°What can you do with those tiny arms and legs?¡± ¡°Since we all came together, what¡¯s the big deal about lending a hand? Is it really worth a thank-you candy?¡± Lin Nianhe looked into their two clear eyes, filled with disdain, and laughed. She said: ¡°Since we all came together, what¡¯s wrong with offering you a piece of candy?¡± Wen Lan and Wang Shumei didn¡¯t yet understand the concept of fighting magic with magic, and both fell silent, unsure how to retort. Looking at Lin Nianhe¡¯s smiling face, Wang Shumei and Wen Lan simultaneously thought: In the future, we must keep an eye on this prodigal girl, she¡¯s the type to count the money for someone after being sold by them. After eating the candy and moving Lin Nianhe¡¯s luggage, her dorm was considered cleaned. Wang Shumei and Wen Lan didn¡¯t linger, going to arrange their own belongings in the front courtyard. Upon closing the door, Lin Nianhe took out a piece of oiled paper, wrapped up half a bag of Da Bai Tu milk candies, wrote down a couple of lines in her notebook, stuffed the candy and paper into a green canvas bag, and went out. The female Educated Youths in the front courtyard were still cooking, and a few male Educated Youths were building a shed for firewood under Sun Guanghui¡¯s direction, intending to use it as a temporary firewood storage. Spotting Lin Nianhe with a bag on her back, Sun Guanghui casually asked: ¡°Comrade Lin, are you going out?¡± ¡°Mhm.¡± Lin Nianhe nodded, ¡°Comrade Sun, could you tell me where Uncle Team Leader¡¯s house is?¡± Pausing, feeling several inquisitive glances from the kitchen, she raised her voice a bit: ¡°Uncle Team Leader mentioned this afternoon his son would go to the commune to fetch glass; I wanted to ask if I could send a telegram home.¡± Sun Guanghui¡¯s slow wits didn¡¯t get tangled in intricacies, and hearing her, he immediately led her out, pointing out the direction to the Team Leader¡¯s house before speaking: ¡°It¡¯s the midday break now; if you can¡¯t find it, just knock on any door and ask.¡± ¡°Thank you, Comrade Sun.¡± Lin Nianhe voiced her gratitude, then asked further, ¡°By the way, I wanted to ask, how do we prepare our food?¡± ¡°Usually, we take turns cooking. Since you¡¯ve just arrived, we¡¯ll take care of today¡¯s meal. Later on, you can borrow some grain from the team and then pay it back.¡± Sun Guanghui continued, ¡°The Team Leader just said that you newcomers can rest this afternoon and start work tomorrow.¡± ¡°I see there¡¯s a small kitchen where I¡¯m staying; can I cook for myself?¡± Lin Nianhe asked what she most wanted to know. Her rice and flour couldn¡¯t be openly displayed, but it shouldn¡¯t be a problem if she ate it herself. Although it would last her eight lifetimes. Sun Guanghui was taken aback for a moment, sounding somewhat uncertain: ¡°You don¡¯t plan to join the communal meals?¡± ¡°Mhm,¡± Lin Nianhe smiled, ¡°I love spicy food and I¡¯m picky.¡± Sun Guanghui asked naively: ¡°If you don¡¯t eat with us, what about vegetables?¡± At that time, every household grew their own vegetables, and the vegetable plot in the backyard of the Educated Youth Corps was tended by the elder Educated Youths, taking turns looking after it. In an era where every mouthful of grain was vital, even in the countryside where vegetables were not scarce, nobody would casually give them away. Lin Nianhe wasn¡¯t short on vegetables, but she still couldn¡¯t reveal that; she could only respond to Sun Guanghui¡¯s concern by saying: ¡°I don¡¯t eat much; just opening a small plot in front of my place would be enough.¡± Sun Guanghui, once again belatedly realizing, acknowledged that Educated Youth Lin had firmly decided to be independent. He nodded: ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll mention it to them later. There isn¡¯t much work these days; if you want to start a plot I can help you.¡± Sun Guanghui, having been in the countryside for three years, knew how to do all kinds of work and was considered a big brother among the Educated Youths. Although simple and honest, he was very discreet about personal matters; the group would work together on the collective tasks, but for private help, he wouldn¡¯t drag others into it. ¡°Thank you, Comrade Sun.¡± Lin Nianhe bid farewell to Sun Guanghui and started down the small path of the Ten Mile Team, swinging her small hand. Sun Guanghui watched her departing figure, smiling wryly with a sense of helplessness. She doesn¡¯t know hardship now, but after working in the fields tomorrow, she¡¯ll probably wilt. He turned back to his work, having just nailed two stakes, when a clear, masculine voice came from the door: ¡°Comrade, may I ask if Lin Nianhe is here?¡± Chapter 5 - 5 4 Your Brother Came to Deliver Something ?5: Chapter 4 Your Brother Came to Deliver Something 5: Chapter 4 Your Brother Came to Deliver Something Li Dahe had been busy all morning, and after getting home, he wolfed down a bowl of rice and fiddled with his thinning hair while drinking some water. The increasingly sparse sensation made him furrow his brows. It¡¯s tough being the brigade leader... ¡°Is Uncle Team Leader at home?¡± This unique address startled Li Dahe so much that he trembled, and unintentionally plucked out another strand of his hair. He was about to tell his wife to hide for a bit when he heard her already answering, ¡°Yes, I¡¯m here! Oh, young comrade, you look unfamiliar; are you one of the new Educated Youth? What a handsome face, come in and talk.¡± Li Dahe: ¡°...¡± That damned wife of mine! His face a grimace, he got off the kang bed with his hands behind his back and walked out, indeed to see that hair-wasting little bastard in his yard. Lin Nianhe was all smiles as she took out a paper-wrapped bundle from her bag and stuffed it into Aunt Li¡¯s hands: ¡°Aunt, this is something my mom asked me to bring for the children at home to enjoy.¡± Aunt Li felt the paper bundle, piece by piece ¨C it must be sugar candy from the city, weighing a good half a jin. She was delighted inside, but put on a stern face and said, ¡°What are you doing, girl? Take it back!¡± She attempted to shove the paper bundle back into Lin Nianhe¡¯s bag. Lin Nianhe dodged, and still with a hearty laugh, said: ¡°Aunt, my mom really did send it especially for you. If you don¡¯t take it, she will definitely punish me. Please have some sympathy for me.¡± ¡°Oh my, no need to be this formal.¡± Aunt Li smiled, no longer resisting. Li Dahe watched this whole drama unfold, his heart pounding, fearing that Lin Nianhe¡¯s next words would be to inform him she was unwell and couldn¡¯t work the fields. If that were the case, he definitely couldn¡¯t accept this gift. He cleared his throat and asked her, ¡°Educated Youth Lin, did you come because you have something you need?¡± ¡°Uncle Team Leader, you just mentioned someone was going to the commune this afternoon. I was wondering if you could send a telegram home for me to let them know I¡¯m safe,¡± Lin Nianhe asked. Li Dahe was taken aback. These city girls really know how to waste money; wouldn¡¯t a letter be enough to report her safety? Why the need for a telegram? But this was trivial; he nodded and agreed: ¡°Sure, what do you want to send?¡± Lin Nianhe immediately took out a piece of paper and a coin from her bag and handed them over: ¡°Thank you, Uncle. I¡¯ve written down the content and address already, this is for the telegram fee. If it¡¯s not enough, please front the money for me and I¡¯ll repay you.¡± ¡°Alright,¡± Li Dahe took it, glanced at the few words on the paper, and told her, ¡°This is too much money.¡± Lin Nianhe was not too familiar with the prices of the time and could only put on an ¡®I don¡¯t understand anything¡¯ expression, looking innocently at Li Dahe. Li Dahe felt somewhat weary; he really wanted to rush to the commune and firmly ask whoever was in charge, who sent this delicate flower over here! Now, not only did he have to worry about the kid¡¯s well-being, but he also had to make sure she didn¡¯t sell him out. Watching Li Dahe¡¯s ever-changing expressions, Lin Nianhe moved closer to Aunt Li and asked in a gentle voice, ¡°Another thing... if it¡¯s convenient, could you help me bring back a pot? A clay pot will do.¡± She had all kinds of pots in her space and didn¡¯t need a big iron pot for cooking alone; pouring a bit of oil wouldn¡¯t even cover the pot. She could run to the Cooperative Society herself to handle this, but by asking the brigade leader, it was as if the leadership had approved her cooking on her own, precluding the front yard folks from making a fuss with her. Aunt Li looked at the sweet-talking, soft Lin Nianhe, then squeezed the sugar in her hand, her brows shot up as she scolded Li Dahe, ¡°Why the long face? Look how you scared the child!¡± Li Dahe: ¡°...¡± Aunt Li gave him a sharp look, then instantly softened when she turned back to Lin Nianhe: ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll have your Brother Xiao Shan bring it back for you on his way, are you planning to cook for yourself?¡± ¡°Mhm, I saw there was a stove in the woodshed,¡± Lin Nianhe smiled again, ¡°I¡¯ll cook myself, to save from overheating the kang.¡± Aunt Li had only casually asked because of the sugar and seeing Lin Nianhe¡¯s pleasant smile reminded her of her own daughter. She softened a bit and said, ¡°Alright then, I¡¯ll send Xiao Shan to the Cooperative Society right away to get things sorted quickly, so it doesn¡¯t delay your cooking in the evening.¡± ¡°Thank you, Auntie, you¡¯re so kind.¡± ¡°Oh, sweet girl, you have such a sweet mouth.¡± Lin Nianhe gave Aunt Li some money for the casserole before taking her leave. Aunt Li turned around, opened the wrapped oil paper package, and was immediately greeted by a milky scent. Her eyes lit up, and she couldn¡¯t help but look back in the direction Lin Nianhe had left, praising, ¡°Despite her young age, that girl sure knows how to get things done...¡± On her way back, Lin Nianhe suddenly remembered that she should have bought a water jar. There were countless plastic barrels in her space, but she couldn¡¯t just bring one of those out. She also needed to hire someone to make furniture as her tiny house was empty, devoid of even a table, chairs, or cabinets. However, doing so would draw too much attention her way, and she feared that would lead to a lot of gossip. Lin Nianhe looked towards the distant Qingshan, and after a moment of silence, she smiled. If they want to talk, let them talk. It¡¯s not like I should stop living my life just because others might gossip. After all, the money was brought from home; even if someone were to investigate, the worst that could happen was that Comrade Old Lin might get a beating from Aunt Lin for hiding private savings. Lin Nianhe felt that this was a loss she could bear. With these thoughts, Lin Nianhe felt much lighter and hummed a song all the way back to the Educated Youth Corps. Lin Nianhe had only just set foot in the Educated Youth Corps when she sharply sensed that something was amiss. The male Educated Youths were still working, and the three female Educated Youths were still cooking. It seemed like everyone was busy with their own things, but Lin Nianhe could clearly feel their attention on her. With a slightly dark gaze, Lin Nianhe walked over to Wen Lan, who was bending down packing her bag, patted her on the back and asked, ¡°Sister Lan, what¡¯s going on?¡± Wen Lan was nineteen this year, Wang Shumei eighteen; both were older than Lin Nianhe. Only then did Wen Lan notice that Lin Nianhe had returned. With an excited face, she grabbed Lin Nianhe¡¯s wrist and said, ¡°Hezi, your brother came to bring you things!¡± ¡°Who?¡± Lin Nianhe was baffled. It was true she had a brother, but Lin Huai Zhou was in the Beijing Military District. She hadn¡¯t even been able to see him off at the train station, so how could he have possibly come here to bring her things? Wen Lan, the silly older sister, didn¡¯t notice the astonishment in Lin Nianhe¡¯s eyes and thought Lin Nianhe hadn¡¯t heard her clearly. She dragged out her words, emphasizing, ¡°Your¡ª¡ªbrother¡ª¡ª¡± Lin Nianhe was thoroughly confused. At this moment, Wang Shumei also came out carrying a basin and said to Lin Nianhe with a smile, ¡°Comrade Lin brought a lot of stuff for you. Xiao Lan and I took him to your place, and after he left the stuff, he hurried off, saying he had urgent business and couldn¡¯t delay.¡± Lin Nianhe speculated that maybe one of her brother¡¯s comrades-in-arms was nearby and had brought these things on his behalf? She finally understood the looks she got from the female Educated Youths. Others might at most be able to go home to visit their families during the New Year, yet here she was, not long after arriving, and already her brother was dropping by with things for her. It was impossible for them not to be jealous. With a light smile, Lin Nianhe said, ¡°The one who came couldn¡¯t have been my brother; he¡¯s still in Beijing. It must have been one of his comrades. You guys go on with your work; I¡¯ll go check it out.¡± Lin Nianhe waved to Wen Lan and Wang Shumei and briskly headed to the backyard. As soon as she walked past the east wall, she slowed her pace and, sure enough, heard people in the front yard saying: ¡°Educated Youth Lin¡¯s family sure dotes on her, she¡¯s barely arrived and her things followed right after, afraid she might starve or something.¡± ¡°I think it¡¯s just a front. If they really doted on their daughter, how could they bear to let her go to the countryside?¡± ¡°What exactly does Educated Youth Lin¡¯s family do? I see the team leader favors her quite a bit too.¡± ¡°What¡¯s the use of a good family background? She¡¯ll have to earn her own keep at the end of the day. I don¡¯t believe her family can keep supporting their young lady forever...¡± Lin Nianhe curled her lips, finding their gossip utterly lackluster and uninteresting. She pushed the door and entered her empty little house, and immediately saw the large and small bundles taking up almost half the space in the kitchen. Upon opening one to check, Lin Nianhe was astonished. Chapter 6 - 6 5 Childhood Sweetheart Brother ?6: Chapter 5: Childhood Sweetheart Brother 6: Chapter 5: Childhood Sweetheart Brother Two baskets of coal briquettes, twenty pounds of rice, ten pounds of white flour, two pounds of oil, twenty eggs, a large piece of streaky pork, as well as egg cakes, malted milk powder, White Rabbit milk candies, brown sugar, and rock sugar fruit candies. Lin Nianhe stared at these items, dumbfounded for quite some time, unable to come back to her senses. In this era, any one of these items would be considered a generous gift. She had only given half a pound of sugar to the head of Ten Miles Team to curry favor, but the person who brought these items... Could it be enough for marrying a wife? When she opened the last small package, she found a pair of rubber shoes, two packs of candles, and two pairs of work gloves, and even a stack of recent newspapers. There were also two small packages inside; one was medicine, with various tablets separately packaged and labeled with names and dosages, all common medicines. The other was a half-pound paper package containing a yellowish powder. Lin Nianhe was certain that the yellow powder was realgar powder. Not that she had seen much and knew a lot, but the writing on the paper was pretty clear. ¡®Realgar Powder¡¯ ¡®In the countryside, there are many insects. Sprinkle the powder around the exterior walls and shady areas, but not excessively. Avoid using indoors, and do not consume in large amounts, as it is poisonous. If accidentally scattered indoors, open the doors and windows immediately for ventilation. If not used up, seal and store outside.¡¯ The handwriting on the paper was firm and strong, just like the writing on the medicine packages. They say handwriting reflects the person; Lin Nianhe guessed that the writer must be a tough guy. Lin Nianhe read the precautions several times, admiring the person who wrote the note¡ªtheir care was quite meticulous. She was convinced that the writer was not a doctor from the hospital, but the ¡°big brother¡± who sent the items. Who exactly is this person? Lin Nianhe pondered with curiosity. She picked up a newspaper and an envelope fell to the ground. She raised her eyebrows, took a disinfectant wipe from the space to clean her fingers, discarded the waste into the space, grabbed a piece of egg cake to nibble on, and sat back down on the edge of the kang bed. With one hand, she took out the letter. ¡°Nianhe, Seeing my writing is as good as meeting me. Life in the countryside is not as easy as in the city. Please take good care of yourself and do not struggle too much over work points and food rations. The mountain roads are rough, and gathering firewood is inconvenient. Coal can be used in place of firewood and you should not worry too much. I am busy with work on most days, but I will visit when I have the chance. If there is an emergency, go to the Team¡¯s headquarters and call me on the phone. My unit¡¯s phone number is: ******, please remember it well. Su Yuncheng¡± Lin Nianhe stared at the brief letter for a long moment, finally recalling who this philanthropic rich young man was. The Su family and the Lin Family were old friends, and the two families lived next to each other. Before Lin Nianhe went to the countryside, she had even joined her father Mr. Lin and her mother Aunt Lin for a meal at the Su family¡¯s house. And the only son of the Su family, Su Yuncheng... had been the childhood sweetheart of the original body¡¯s owner. Lin Nianhe read the letter again and understood the message between the lines¡ªdon¡¯t work yourself to death; I¡¯ll support you. Suddenly, she felt these things were too hot to handle! She could respect Mr. Lin and Aunt Lin on behalf of the original owner, but she couldn¡¯t handle her love affairs! Moreover, she liked cunning little bad boys, not rough and tough men. Lin Nianhe looked at the egg cake she had half-eaten, wondering if it would still be okay if she spit it out now. At the same time, in Beijing. Mr. Lin sat absent-mindedly in his office, his mind filled with thoughts¡ª His daughter should have gotten off the train by now, right? She must have reached the Educated Youth Corps. His filial daughter would definitely write to him immediately; he should receive his daughter¡¯s letter in half a month, shouldn¡¯t he? ¡°Old Lin! My boy just called!¡± The office door was kicked open, and a man about the same age as Mr. Lin entered with a cheerful smile on his face. Mr. Lin glanced at his old companion, answering listlessly, ¡°Just a phone call, what¡¯s there to show off?¡± Mr. Lin frowned. He had found out that Ten Miles Team was accessible by telephone, so why hadn¡¯t his daughter given him a call? Right, his daughter was shy and timid; surely she was too embarrassed in an unfamiliar place... Mr. Su eyed him, ¡°Not impressed? Fine, I¡¯ll tell Yuncheng to hang up and get back to what he was busy with. That boy just came back from visiting Miss He; he¡¯s probably quite busy...¡± With a swoosh, Mr. Su saw only a blur before his eyes, and turning around, he saw that Mr. Lin had already vanished. Mr. Lin hurried to Mr. Su¡¯s office, catching his breath before picking up the phone: ¡°Yuncheng? Are you still there?¡± The person on the other end of the phone immediately replied, ¡°Uncle Lin, I¡¯m here.¡± ¡°I heard from your dad that you went to see Hehe? How is she? Has she lost weight? Not sick, right? Can she get enough to eat? Are there many people at the Educated Youth Corps? Can she sleep well there? Is it tiring to work? Is the Team Leader easy to get along with...¡± Su Yuncheng waited for Mr. Lin to finish before briskly answering, ¡°When I arrived, Nianhe had gone to find the Team Leader, so I didn¡¯t see her. I heard from the comrades at the Educated Youth Corps that she went to send you a telegram. There are quite a few people at the corps, but Nianhe lives on her own. Her room is at the back of the Educated Youth Corps¡¯ yard, with a kang and a stove; she can cook for herself.¡± ¡°I still have things to do at the office, so I couldn¡¯t stay long, only to come back first. I¡¯ll visit her again when I have a few days off. The grains and oil you asked me to bring, I¡¯ve delivered to her, don¡¯t worry.¡± Su Yuncheng didn¡¯t tell Mr. Lin that the tiny shabby room was originally a firewood shed, so as not to worry the family. Mr. Lin, eager for every detail, immediately sensed something amiss, ¡°Hehe lives by herself? Was she ostracized by the other comrades?¡± Remembering the words he heard at the Educated Youth Corps, Su Yuncheng¡¯s lips curved slightly upwards, ¡°No, it¡¯s because the female Educated Youth¡¯s dormitory was too crowded, so Nianhe volunteered to live by herself. She said... she said she¡¯s restless in her sleep and when she was three, she once kicked Aunt Lin¡¯s arm out of its socket.¡± Mr. Lin was stunned for a moment, then laughed heartily, ¡°My girl is full of the spirit of self-sacrifice! She must be worried about the other comrades feeling too lonely living by themselves!¡± Su Yuncheng amiably agreed. He always felt that this girl next door had changed, but it was normal; he had been away from Beijing for four years, and it would be strange if she hadn¡¯t changed. Mr. Lin asked a few more detailed questions, thanked Su Yuncheng repeatedly, and then reluctantly hung up the phone. Mr. Su knew his old friend couldn¡¯t stop worrying about his daughter, and patted his shoulder to comfort him, ¡°It¡¯s okay, sending the child out is also to avoid implicating her. With Yuncheng looking after her, Hehe will be fine.¡± Mr. Lin wiped his tearful eyes, complaining, ¡°As soon as Hehe arrived at the corps, she went to send me a telegram, this child... doesn¡¯t she know how to take a rest?¡± Mr. Su: ¡°...¡± Mr. Lin picked up his old friend¡¯s tea mug, took a sip of water, and looking at the chirping birds outside the window, sighed, ¡°My daughter is so filial!¡± Mr. Su rolled his eyes at him but spared the argument out of consideration for Nianhe having just arrived in the countryside. Mr. Lin didn¡¯t have the heart to brag for too long either; after rambling for about ten minutes, he hurried home to tell his wife all about their daughter¡¯s current situation. The filial daughter, Lin Nianhe, massaged her burning ears and took a sip of the corn slurry. This meal made her stomach ache. She knew she stood out, but why were men and women glancing at her from time to time, what was going on? Moving to the backyard to distance herself from them was indeed the right decision. She wanted to go to college, to get rich, and had no time to engage in their petty squabbles. The coarse corn slurry scraped through her throat, stabbing painfully. Lin Nianhe frowned again. She had been wearing her clothes for almost half a month, and she had eaten corn slurry at the Lin family before, but the Lin family¡¯s cornmeal was much finer ground than this¡ªComrade Old Lin had a mill, and the cornmeal bought had to be milled three times before cooking. Clearly, no one here had the spare energy or desire to bother, the cornmeal was very coarse, and the resulting corn slurry naturally didn¡¯t taste good. The cornbread was even harder, almost jaw-breaking. Lin Nianhe nibbled at the cornbread in small bites until her jaws ached. The older Educated Youth finished their meals in a few bites, but no one left, instead sitting together planning to have a meeting. Sun Guanghui, seeing that Lin Nianhe was the only one who hadn¡¯t finished her meal and considering that the topics they planned to discuss were not very related to her, spoke up: ¡°We cook in pairs at our Educated Youth Corps, rotating daily. Comrade Wang Xue and Comrade Fu Aiguo can¡¯t cook; one will be responsible for washing dishes, and the other for carrying water. You two pair up well, and can start the rotation tomorrow.¡± A female Educated Youth named Yu Xiangqin, with a sneer in her eyes, glanced at the three people including Lin Nianhe, her voice sharp, ¡°Sun Guanghui, you¡¯ve miscalculated, haven¡¯t you? They are five people, how can they be split into two groups? Washing dishes is Wang Xue¡¯s job, she does it cleanly, we can¡¯t just switch people around aimlessly.¡± While Yu Xiangqin mentioned the five newcomers, her gaze constantly wandered across Lin Nianhe¡¯s face. In her view, this delicate princess was clearly not one to do the cooking; she must be trying to take Wang Xue¡¯s dishwashing job. Lin Nianhe swallowed the cornbread in her mouth with difficulty and hoarsely said, ¡°I won¡¯t join the cooking group.¡± Once she said this, the faces of several male Educated Youth were instantly shrouded with a deep sense of loss. Lin Nianhe had no patience to mind their feelings, her gaze sweeping over Yu Xiangqin¡¯s face and landing on Sun Guanghui, ¡°Comrade Sun, I don¡¯t have any cornmeal, can I pay for this meal with Food Tickets and money?¡± It was trouble to bring out the finer cornmeal from the space that was more refined than the one ground three times by Comrade Old Lin. Sun Guanghui was about to nod, when Yu Xiangqin snickered, ¡°Wow, Educated Youth Lin isn¡¯t old, but she¡¯s quite scheming. How long has she been here and she¡¯s already hooking up with Sun Guanghui.¡± Even if Sun Guanghui was a man of few words, he could detect the sting in these words, his face turning red with anger as he glared at Yu Xiangqin, ¡°Comrade Yu Xiangqin! Don¡¯t talk nonsense!¡± Yu Xiangqin rolled her eyes and her malicious look could match the most notorious shrew of the village, ¡°What nonsense am I speaking? Do you think everyone here is blind?¡± She pointed a trembling finger at Lin Nianhe as if trying to jab her nose through the air. ¡°Wasn¡¯t it you who helped her move firewood and clear out a room? Wasn¡¯t it you who gave her directions? Ah, look at you two, flirting in broad daylight at the doorstep. If you dare to do it, are you afraid of people talking?¡± Chapter 7 - 7 6 Two Kings with a Two ?7: Chapter 6: Two Kings with a Two 7: Chapter 6: Two Kings with a Two The Educated Youth Corps became eerily quiet after Yu Xiangqin¡¯s few sentences. Sun Guanghui, not eloquent with words, stammered ¡°you¡± for a while without being able to squeeze out a complete sentence. Wen Lan was quick to fire up and was about to flip the table and start a fight when her arms were held down, one on each side, by Lin Nianhe and Wang Shumei. Lin Nianhe pursed her lips and chuckled lightly, looking docile and gentle. ¡°Comrade Yu, don¡¯t you know how to write the words ¡®Disaster comes from the mouth¡¯?¡± Lin Nianhe stared into Yu Xiangqin¡¯s eyes and enunciated every word, ¡°Based on what you¡¯ve said, I could go complain about you for slander. You¡¯ve not only defamed me but also disrupted the internal unity of the Educated Youth Corps.¡± ¡°I...,¡± Yu Xiangqin looked at Lin Nianhe in astonishment, disbelieving her own ears, ¡°You dare to bite back when you¡¯ve spoiled the atmosphere?¡± Lin Nianhe snorted with laughter, ¡°What atmosphere have I spoiled? I¡¯m going to ask the brigade leader to send a telegram for me. You several female comrades have been busy cooking for over an hour. If I disturb you again, won¡¯t lunch not be ready until evening?¡± As she spoke, she glanced at the corn mush and cornbread on the table. Such a tiny amount of food taking so long to make¡ªwho would believe they weren¡¯t just dragging out the work? Yu Xiangqin, seeing Lin Nianhe¡¯s gaze, had an awkward expression but still stiffened her neck, lifted her chin, and put on a defiant look as though she¡¯d rather die than admit any wrongdoing. Lin Nianhe didn¡¯t wait for her to respond and continued, ¡°It was the brigade leader¡¯s orders for the male comrades to clear out the firewood shed, and everyone worked together. How did it become Comrade Sun helping me alone?¡± ¡°Moreover, all I did was ask Comrade Sun where the brigade leader lived and offered to cook for myself. How have these actions become ¡®spoiling the atmosphere¡¯ in your mouth? In your eyes, are male and female comrades not even allowed to speak to each other?¡± ¡°Yu Xiangqin, you have a problem with your thinking!¡± When it came to verbal confrontations, Lin Nianhe had never admitted defeat to anyone. The color drained from Yu Xiangqin¡¯s face, leaving it deathly pale. Of course she knew what it meant to ¡°have a problem with one¡¯s thinking¡± and the possible consequences. For a moment, she felt short of breath and her mind went blank, only managing to stammer out, ¡°I¡¯m not.¡± Lin Nianhe continued to stare at her and went on, ¡°As for the Food Tickets and money that I just mentioned, I don¡¯t know who advanced the food. Comrade Sun was the first to speak at the meeting. Is it wrong for me to ask him a question?¡± Wen Lan, who had been anxious earlier, now straightened her back after listening to Lin Nianhe¡¯s words. Just as she was about to echo ¡°No problem,¡± she felt Wang Shumei tugging at her hand with more force. Before Wen Lan could speak, Wang Shumei pinched her wrist hard and preempted her by saying, ¡°We¡¯re new here and unfamiliar with the rules. We only saw the brigade leader directing Comrade Sun to take the lead in work. No one seemed to be in charge of the female comrades¡¯ side. Not to mention Nianhe, I thought that Comrade Sun was in charge of the Educated Youth Corps¡¯ affairs.¡± Her mouth curved slightly upward as her eyes swept across the faces of the three female Educated Youths, finally resting on Wang Xue: ¡°And we only recognize Comrade Wang Xue as one of the female Educated Youths. Considering she said she needed to cook today, I thought that, given the arrangements for new Educated Youths to enter the countryside were set long ago, if Comrade Wang Xue was responsible for addressing the female Educated Youths¡¯ issues, she wouldn¡¯t have put herself on the cooking roster today, right?¡± ¡°If that were the case, wouldn¡¯t it be like writing ¡®unwelcome¡¯ on her face? We¡¯re all Educated Youths sent to support rural construction. It¡¯s hard to believe we¡¯d have such an unenlightened comrade.¡± Listening to Wang Shumei¡¯s words, Lin Nianhe turned to glance at Wen Lan. Look at her brains compared to yours. We¡¯re all locals born and raised, but why such a big gap? Feeling Lin Nianhe¡¯s bewildering gaze, Wen Lan turned to her with a blank, uncomprehending look. Seeing her simple face prompted Lin Nianhe to sigh. With that kind of brainpower, she was lucky to have lived this long without being sold off. She really had to thank the innocent times. Wang Shumei was correct¡ªthe female Educated Youths had always been few, and with Wang Xue leading in everyday tasks and work, the straightforwardness of Wang Shumei¡¯s words made Wang Xue¡¯s face alternate between pale and flushed as the pace of her breathing quickened. She glanced at the male Educated Youths nearby, her eyes flickering as she spoke, ¡°There are many of us today. I should help Xiangqin and Yulan cook, otherwise, the mealtime will surely be delayed. I¡¯m truly sorry for not being able to help you all.¡± The reason she provided seemed reasonable; it even subtly suggested that the three newcomers were causing trouble. The male Educated Youths watching the women¡¯s war of words were stunned. With so many women, there really is more drama. Is the Educated Youth Corps going to be like this every day? Lin Nianhe smiled with pursed lips and took another bite of the steamed bread, her eyes downcast as she said, ¡°We never intended to ask for help. We do our own work. If someone helps, it¡¯s out of kindness; if they don¡¯t, it¡¯s their right. It¡¯s all voluntary. No one can force anyone; no one needs to feel guilty afterward.¡± After Lin Nianhe spoke, she gave Wang Xue a cool glance. She could live peacefully in the backyard, but Wang Shumei and Wen Lan couldn¡¯t, especially Wen Lan, this naive big sister. She shouldn¡¯t be taken advantage of and end up working for nothing without any gratitude. After all, they were companions who came together. Giving a casual hand shouldn¡¯t be a big problem. It also prevented these people from thinking they could bully her because she looked soft. Wang Xue felt somewhat panicked under Lin Nianhe¡¯s icy gaze. She was in charge of washing the dishes, and in these times, the meals were simple, and the dishes were easy to clean. Eight people eating needed just eight bowls, but now there were five... oh no, four more people eating together, which meant she would have to wash twelve more sets of dishes and chopsticks every day. Actually, she wasn¡¯t always the one washing the dishes before; Yu Xiangqin and Miao Yulan would also help her. She had planned to rope in the newcomers too, but now she just hoped that Yu Xiangqin and Miao Yulan wouldn¡¯t be swayed. Wang Xue twisted the corner of her clothes and remained silent while Yu Xiangqin wanted to speak but dared not, fearing that Lin Nianhe would turn the spearhead towards her again. They unilaterally ceased fire, and Lin Nianhe¡¯s party came out on top. Sun Guanghui looked around and asked, ¡°Are you done arguing? Shall we continue with the meeting?¡± People: ¡°...¡± If they didn¡¯t know he was a simpleton, they might have thought he wanted to join in the fray! The work at the Educated Youth Corps wasn¡¯t much, aside from cooking, it was just cleaning the courtyard and tending the vegetable garden in the backyard. The work was still divided into pairs, but the timings were staggered¡ªtoday cooking, tomorrow sweeping the yard, the day after managing the vegetable patch, which was rather apt. Sun Guanghui suddenly became insightful and didn¡¯t wait for anyone to speak, he arranged the work schedule on his own, and finally said to Lin Nianhe, ¡°If you¡¯re going to start the fire yourself, I¡¯m afraid the firewood and water...¡± Lin Nianhe: ¡°I¡¯ll handle it.¡± Sun Guanghui let out a sigh of relief, clapped his hands, and said, ¡°Alright, if there¡¯s nothing else, take a break. It¡¯s almost time to start work.¡± People dispersed, and Lin Nianhe looked at the half-eaten steamed bread and the small bowl of corn paste in her hands. She closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and downed the corn paste in one gulp, then walked towards the backyard with the piece of steamed bread. ¡°Tsk, she¡¯s acting as if she¡¯s worried others won¡¯t know she¡¯s a young lady from Beijing, swallowing food as if it¡¯s medicine! I think this is just bourgeois lady airs!¡± Yu Xiangqin grumbled discontentedly as she cleaned the dishes. Lin Nianhe peeked her little head out from behind the east wall: ¡°Would you like to talk about ideological issues with me again?¡± Yu Xiangqin: ¡°...¡± Yu Xiangqin was startled by Lin Nianhe¡¯s unexpected return and quickly dashed into her own room. Lin Nianhe clicked her tongue. Too much bravado and not enough fight. She wasn¡¯t as amusing as tidying up the room... The new Educated Youth didn¡¯t need to work today; they were arranging their things inside their rooms. Lin Nianhe was no exception. But now she was in a dilemma. She needed to hang a curtain, but the wall was made of red bricks, and nailing into it was no easy task. She looked at the silent electric drill and the nail gun in the space, pondering which of the two tools would be up for the task. Chapter 8 - 8 7 Apples Are a Good Thing ?8: Chapter 7 Apples Are a Good Thing 8: Chapter 7 Apples Are a Good Thing Lin Nianhe finally took out a rather ordinary-looking hammer. She really couldn¡¯t believe the honesty of merchants from the future. What if the silent electric drill wasn¡¯t silent? How would she explain the noise? Claiming that a tractor drove into her house? She figured others wouldn¡¯t believe it. Ultimately, with her tiger¡¯s mouth going numb from the vibration, she finally nailed two nails on each of the two windows. Her space wasn¡¯t short on building materials, she ground the nails with sand and dirt for a long while, dulling their shine before daring to use them. The process of aging was similarly applied to the wire of the curtain pull, and as for the curtains themselves... She brought out two pieces of dark grey plain-woven vintage thick fabric that looked ordinary, with intentionally created uneven textures that resembled the rural fabric of the present day. However, their light-blocking effect was superb; pulling the curtains tight, the room could be as dark as midnight in the afternoon. Lin Nianhe breathed a sigh of relief and took an apple out of the space, biting into it largely. She used to dislike apples the most, but here, at the Cooperative Society, there was always a long queue whenever apples were available; now she wished she could chew the apple cores. Besides rice and flour, the thing she hoarded most were apples, these were quite a solid currency in the post-apocalyptic world, with some even willing to trade a kilo of rice for an apple. But now, it didn¡¯t seem much... Suddenly, Lin Nianhe froze, her gaze slowly shifting down to the apple in her hand. At that time, to buy more apples to use as ¡°money¡±, beyond the small portion she kept for her own consumption, she had hoarded 20,000 tons of the most common variety of apples, just a bit bigger than those she had eaten at the Lin family¡¯s. Flames slowly ignited in Lin Nianhe¡¯s eyes. She finally saw a way to make money! However, her thoughts flickered to another issue almost immediately¡ªif she only sold apples, it would be too conspicuous and could easily attract unwanted attention. Lin Nianhe munched on the apple while scanning the space¡¯s inventory with her mind, pondering other suitable items for resale. After time-traveling here, her thoughts had been confined; she was only preoccupied with grieving over the grains and oils, overlooking many things. Now with a broader perspective, she realized there were actually quite a few things she could sell! Besides apples, there were also jujubes, pears, pork, chickens, ducks, chicken eggs, duck eggs available for sale in this era; the quality differences of these items were within reasonable ranges, and she had a large stock, making them sellable. She needn¡¯t think about items like fish and shrimp; if she brought out a king crab in this era... haha. She also had plenty of dried goods like kelp, but the quality difference was too wide, making them difficult to sell, so she could only shove them in her own stomach. Lin Nianhe contently withdrew her consciousness from the space and took out a box of leek boxes from before the apocalypse, packed from a restaurant, and happily took a big bite. While eating, she thought that in the future, she needs to ask Wen Lan to change how she addresses her; she couldn¡¯t make leek boxes, and there were only one hundred portions in the space, one less each time she ate one, she wouldn¡¯t have any left if Wen Lan kept nagging her about them. After finishing one portion of the leek box, Lin Nianhe revived. She locked the door, drew the curtains tightly and took out a storage battery. She had a hundred fully charged storage batteries, each could charge up to two hundred degrees, enough for her use for a long time, and they could be recharged using solar panels or diesel generators for recycling. Lin Nianhe took out an ultraviolet sterilizer, connected the power source, turned it on, and started to sterilize the room. The room had been empty for too long, who knows what small animals had taken shelter here; it felt awkward not to thoroughly disinfect. She dared not leave the room, closed the bedroom door, and went into the kitchen to tidy up. The items delivered by Su Yuncheng, she initially did not want to touch, but after careful consideration, she realized she needed to use them. Su Yuncheng and the original host were too familiar; if she didn¡¯t touch anything he sent, it would sure be noticed as something amiss. Lin Nianhe took out a notebook from the space to keep accounts. Hold onto it for now, wait until the time is right to return the favor! She had just finished the accounts when she heard voices outside. ¡°Right, it¡¯s for the firewood shed at the back, but I have to go to work, you...¡± Lin Nianhe quickly put away her notebook, went back inside to put away the sterilizer and battery, then swiftly opened the curtain, pretending she had just finished putting it up. The window here was just for show, but Sun Guanghui still chose to knock politely. ¡°Comrade Lin, Li Xiaoshan has brought the glass back, could you please come out?¡± ¡°Okay!¡± Lin Nianhe crisply replied, and opened the door latch. Standing next to Sun Guanghui was a young man with dark skin and a simple appearance, carrying a few pieces of glass in one hand and holding a casserole in the other. Along with them was Wang Shumei. Lin Nianhe thanked them and took the casserole from Li Xiaoshan¡¯s hands, placing it on the stove. Sun Guanghui said, ¡°Comrade Lin, I need to go to work now. If you need anything, just call me in the fields.¡± ¡°Thank you, Comrade Sun.¡± Lin Nianhe realized that she had said ¡°thank you¡± more today than she had in the past month. Li Xiaoshan worked efficiently, replacing the glass and sealing it with putty firmly. Wang Shumei stayed by her side, worried someone might say something unpleasant. She said, ¡°Xiao Lan was so tired she fell asleep. Her family is from Shaanxi Province, it¡¯s a long car ride.¡± Seeing that she looked spirited, Lin Nianhe casually asked, ¡°Sister Shumei, where is your home?¡± ¡°My home is in Liao Province, relatively nearby.¡± Wang Shumei smiled, glanced through the window at the empty room and asked, ¡°You don¡¯t have much here, how do you live?¡± ¡°Well, I need to get some things,¡± Lin Nianhe said, then asked Li Xiaoshan, who was still working on the glass, ¡°Comrade Li, is there a carpenter in the village?¡± Li Xiaoshan¡¯s cheeks turned red, his eyes fixed on his hands, and he hesitated to reply in a low voice, ¡°Yes, my second uncle is a carpenter, he lives west of my house.¡± Lin Nianhe nodded, went inside to pack up some brown sugar that Su Yuncheng had brought her, and handed it to Li Xiaoshan once he had finished his work. This made Li Xiaoshan blush profoundly. He wanted to refuse, but he couldn¡¯t bear to look at Lin Nianhe and couldn¡¯t even utter a complete sentence. Wang Shumei knew what Lin Nianhe meant and helped by saying, ¡°Comrade Li, just take it. Without your help, Nianhe wouldn¡¯t have been able to install the glass before autumn.¡± ¡°Yeah, you also helped me send a telegram and buy a casserole, tasks I should have done myself. Without your help, I wouldn¡¯t even know where to start.¡± The two of them convinced him, and Li Xiaoshan, utterly puzzled, left with the package of brown sugar. On his way home, Li Xiaoshan couldn¡¯t help but recall the conversation he had overheard from a few educated youth on the road. He thought to himself how easygoing this new educated youth was¡ªgood-looking and polite, not like the others, who were more calculating than Accountant Zhao... Lin Nianhe tested the window a few times, happy to find it sturdy, and smiled contentedly. She asked Wang Shumei, ¡°Sister Shumei, I¡¯m going to find the carpenter. Would you like to join me?¡± Wang Shumei nodded, ¡°I¡¯ll join you. Xiao Lan and I need a wooden tub and also a Kang table for the winter.¡± ¡°Great, wait for me, I¡¯ll lock the door.¡± Lin Nianhe returned to the room to look for her backpack, which was actually her retrieving an era-appropriate padlock from her storage space. As she locked the door, Wang Shumei softly said, ¡°Be careful these days. You have a lot of stuff, and your brother came to bring you so much, just don¡¯t attract unwanted attention.¡± ¡°I know.¡± Lin Nianhe kicked the broken glass on the floor, ¡°I¡¯ll bury these shards in the ground later, let them deter anyone who tries to trespass. Sister Shumei, please warn Sister Lan to be careful when coming here.¡± Wang Shumei clicked her tongue, this girl might look tender, but she¡¯s quite ruthless inside. Chapter 9 - 9 8 The Joy of Being a Sucker ?9: Chapter 8: The Joy of Being a Sucker 9: Chapter 8: The Joy of Being a Sucker In the village, craftsmen such as carpenters and bamboo workers don¡¯t have to do fieldwork. Thus, Lin Nianhe and Wang Shumei easily found Second Uncle Li. When they arrived, Second Uncle Li was fixing a chair with a broken leg. ¡°Second Uncle Li, we are newly-arrived Educated Youths and want to have some furniture made,¡± Lin Nianhe said as she entered, familiar as if visiting a neighbor. ¡°Uh-huh,¡± Second Uncle Li nodded, ¡°What do you need?¡± Lin Nianhe nudged Wang Shumei, signaling her to speak first. Wang Shumei said, ¡°I need two wooden basins, and also a kang table. There¡¯s no hurry for the kang table; as long as it¡¯s done before winter starts.¡± Their room wasn¡¯t as lacking as Lin Nianhe¡¯s ¨C it wouldn¡¯t matter if the kang table came a bit later. Second Uncle Li, without lifting his head, said, ¡°These are just trinkets; half a day is enough.¡± Lin Nianhe touched her nose: ¡°I need quite a bit more, so I¡¯ll trouble you to measure the dimensions.¡± Second Uncle Li put down his work and looked at her, ¡°What do you want?¡± ¡°I need a writing desk and chairs, a kang cabinet, wardrobe, and kitchen cabinet, and I also need a kang table.¡± Second Uncle Li never imagined that he could land such a big job from the Educated Youth. The things she asked for were so many that even ordinary families don¡¯t get that much when they prepare dowries. He reminded, ¡°Girl, in a few years you¡¯ll be back in the city, and you can¡¯t take all this stuff with you.¡± Lin Nianhe smiled naively, ¡°I know, but how could I live without these things, right?¡± As for whether she could take them with her... that depended on whether she wanted to. If she decided to, she would take even the house in the backyard, including its foundation! Lin Nianhe knew well that if there had been a better option, her parents would not have let her come to the countryside. Therefore, she didn¡¯t harbor any illusions about returning to the city early. Once college entrance exams were reinstated, she planned to naturally leave by getting into university. There were still more than two years left, and she didn¡¯t want to wrong herself. Moreover, the money spent on the furniture didn¡¯t concern her; she was very confident¡ªthanks to Apple! Seeing Lin Nianhe¡¯s casual demeanor, Second Uncle Li thought to himself that city kids just don¡¯t know how to live, but he picked up his measuring tape honestly and followed them at a distance to the Educated Youth Corps. The older Educated Youths had gone to work, leaving only Lin Nianhe and Wang Shumei awake. The Educated Youth Corps was serene and very quiet. Second Uncle Li followed them to the backyard, and the moment he entered the room, he was absolutely astonished. Well, this little bastard sure had a lot of stuff! No wonder she was making such a lavish request. Lin Nianhe and Wang Shumei didn¡¯t enter the room, they communicated with Second Uncle Li through the window. ¡°Yes, put the wardrobe against the wall, and the writing desk under the window,¡± Lin Nianhe said with a naive smile. ¡°The light is good there.¡± Second Uncle Li was dissatisfied with her directions, ¡°Aside from under the window, where else could you put it here?¡± Lin Nianhe: ¡°...¡± His question made it sound like it was her fault for the place being so small! Second Uncle Li quickly noted down the measurements, then stood in the open space, hands behind his back, and extended three fingers to Lin Nianhe, ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about the wood, but I need this amount.¡± Determined to maintain her rich city girl persona, Lin Nianhe didn¡¯t even haggle and nodded, ¡°Okay, please wait, I¡¯ll get the money for you.¡± She didn¡¯t want to be taken advantage of, but if she didn¡¯t establish her rich city girl persona firmly, she wouldn¡¯t be able to spend the money she earned from her ¡°Apple Bank¡± later. Keeping a purse full of money while living a miserly life? That wasn¡¯t her style. Lin Nianhe took out three banknotes and directly handed them to Second Uncle Li, just like the foolish daughter of a landlord¡¯s house. Second Uncle Li¡¯s mouth twitched slightly; he felt that if he had asked for fifty just then, this silly brat would have agreed. Taking one banknote, Second Uncle Li said, ¡°I¡¯ll take these first, and you can give me the rest when it¡¯s done.¡± ¡°Sure,¡± Lin Nianhe replied. ¡°Uncle, please take the trouble. I don¡¯t have anything here, so life is very inconvenient.¡± ¡°Mm, there¡¯s not much work recently. I¡¯ll finish the girl¡¯s basins, then I¡¯ll start on your order,¡± Second Uncle Li pondered, ¡°Let¡¯s make the desks and cabinets first. The wardrobe can wait.¡± ¡°Sure thing, I¡¯ll follow your advice.¡± Second Uncle Li watched Lin Nianhe¡¯s naive smile, hesitated for a moment, but still said, ¡°The scrap wood should be enough to piece together two wooden basins, consider them a bonus from me.¡± He felt like he had deceived a little bastard, sending two basins to make amends. ¡°Hehe, thank you, uncle. You¡¯ve gone through a lot of trouble.¡± Second Uncle Li grunted with an ¡°Mhm¡±: ¡°Once they¡¯re ready, I¡¯ll bring them to you.¡± Second Uncle Li was about to leave when Wang Shumei suddenly remembered she hadn¡¯t paid him yet. She quickly stopped him and went back into the house to get the money. Standing in the front yard, Lin Nianhe casually asked, ¡°Uncle, do you know where I can buy a large water jar?¡± Without asking why, Second Uncle Li thought for a while and then said, ¡°Da He¡¯s family has an unused one, left over from a drought year when they stored water. If you want it, I can stop by on my way back and ask for you.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Lin Nianhe didn¡¯t expect it to be resolved so smoothly, ¡°if Uncle Team Leader has one, please trouble him to bring it to me. I¡¯ll trade something for it.¡± Other than craftsmen, private buying and selling couldn¡¯t be explicitly mentioned. It was said to be trading, but what was being traded for what... did not need to be explicitly stated. Second Uncle Li was more reliable than expected. Lin Nianhe had just spread realgar powder halfway along the base of the wall when Li Xiaoshan arrived with a half-human-high water jar on a handcart, accompanied by Aunt Li. ¡°Oh, you lass, why don¡¯t you take a rest? What are you up to here?¡± Aunt Li, upon seeing Lin Nianhe, would think of milk candies and brown sugar ¨C her eyes gleamed as if she was looking at a jar of sweets, very pleasing to the eye. Lin Nianhe straightened up, and with a cheery smile replied, ¡°It¡¯s the realgar powder my brother brought me, I¡¯m sprinkling it to repel insects and ants.¡± ¡°That¡¯s really good stuff,¡± Aunt Li whispered to Lin Nianhe in a corner, quietly saying, ¡°Girl, I won¡¯t cheat you. This water jar is just sitting unused at home, you can have it for five yuan.¡± Lin Nianhe looked at the solidly made large water jar; even considering its price in her previous life, it wasn¡¯t expensive, so she quickly nodded, ¡°Okay, as you say.¡± Aunt Li¡¯s eyes glittered with even greater joy. Lin Nianhe handed the money to Aunt Li and then whispered, ¡°Auntie, as you¡¯ve also seen, I¡¯m now cooking for myself, and it¡¯s not good to rely on the older educated youths for vegetables. I¡¯m thinking of starting a plot of land right here in front of my door, just enough for my consumption. But I¡¯m not yet skilled with farmwork, could you trouble yourself to find someone to help me out? The pay is negotiable.¡± Having experienced the incident at noon, Lin Nianhe decided not to ask for Sun Guanghui¡¯s help anymore; not only would she owe him a favor, but it could also attract gossip. She believed that any villager would be willing to till the ground for five yuan. If it¡¯s a problem that can be solved with money, there¡¯s no need to owe favors ¨C this truth never changes. After all, money is easier to earn, but favors are harder to repay. Aunt Li laughed upon hearing her: ¡°For such a small piece of land, your brother Xiao Shan can get it done in an afternoon, no need for money. Xiao Shan, go on, bring back the tools from home and help Educated Youth Lin till the land.¡± Li Xiaoshan was the type to bury his head in work; upon hearing Aunt Li¡¯s order, he put down the jar, took the handcart and left. Aunt Li was generous, but Lin Nianhe couldn¡¯t let someone work for free, and after some persuasion, she managed to stuff another five yuan into Aunt Li¡¯s hands, solidly donning the hat of being a big spender. Aunt Li, thrilled, brought over some vegetable seeds from her home and instructed Xiao Shan to plant them for Lin Nianhe, while she herself helped fetch water and scrubbed the water jar till it shone inside and out. For the sake of Lin Nianhe¡¯s reputation, Aunt Li sat at the doorstep supervising the work for the rest of the afternoon. Lin Nianhe brought out a bag of sunflower seeds to share and chat with her casually, and by the end of the afternoon, she managed to learn most of what she wanted about Ten Miles Team, while also conveying her own thoughts. Aunt Li was also very happy to share things Lin Nianhe did not necessarily want to know. For instance, the village¡¯s troublemaker Zhao Zhuangshi had whistled at a young lady again, Liu Erleng¡¯s eldest daughter had her third daughter and was squeezed back to her parents¡¯ home during her confinement, and Zhang Family¡¯s Xiao Tiezhu fell into the river on his way to school... After listening to the gossip, Lin Nianhe recognized almost half of the village¡¯s people. Not long after Aunt Li left, her young daughter, Li Hehua, with a basket in tow, came running to give Lin Nianhe a basketful of vegetables. Li Hehua, just ten years old, was cherished as a late blessing and was raised fair and tender, quite adorable. Li Hehua spoke softly, blushing just like her brother: ¡°Sister Lin, my mom said your vegetables will take a while to grow, so she asked me to bring you some. She said not to be shy; we have plenty of vegetables at home, and you can pick whatever you want.¡± Lin Nianhe gently pinched her cheek and slipped the remaining sunflower seeds from the afternoon into the girl¡¯s pocket: ¡°Thank Aunt Li for me and be careful on your way back.¡± Li Hehua nodded obediently but tried to return the seeds: ¡°Mom said I can¡¯t take anything from Sister Lin...¡± ¡°If you don¡¯t tell your mom, it¡¯ll be fine.¡± Lin Nianhe held her hand, smiling, handing her the now-empty basket, ¡°Hurry back for dinner, don¡¯t make Aunt Li worry.¡± Li Hehua tilted her head, feeling something wasn¡¯t quite right, but unable to pinpoint what it was. After sending Li Hehua out the gate of the Educated Youth Corps, Lin Nianhe turned back to hear Wang Xue, who was sitting at the kitchen door picking vegetables, say: ¡°Educated Youth Lin sure has good relationships, even Team Leader¡¯s young daughter is bringing vegetables for you.¡± Chapter 10 - 10 9 Giving You Five Million ?10: Chapter 9 Giving You Five Million 10: Chapter 9 Giving You Five Million Just got off work, many of the old Educated Youths are resting in the courtyard, and the newly arrived Educated Youths had also woken up. Hearing what Wang Xue said, a group of male Educated Youths simultaneously turned their heads, their gaze shifting between her and Lin Nianhe. Is the second battle of Educated Youth Corps about to commence? Lin Nianhe instinctively looked toward the east room, and through the window, she saw Wang Shumei and Wen Lan together, which made her sigh in relief. Someone can handle big silly Sister, just don¡¯t let them add to the chaos. Lin Nianhe squinted and chuckled lightly, speaking as she walked to the backyard, ¡°Yeah, since I was young, people have liked me, probably because I¡¯m good-looking and sweet-talking. After all, no one likes a sourpuss, right?¡± Wang Xue felt a stabbing pain in her chest, as if pierced by a knife. She wanted to muster tears to counterattack, but when she looked up, Lin Nianhe had already disappeared. The fist that Wang Xue had clenched hard ended up hitting the air. She exerted force on her hand and ended up splitting the potato into two halves with a spoon. Wang Xue¡¯s anger didn¡¯t bother Lin Nianhe. When she returned, she was not in a hurry to cook. Instead, she sprinkled realgar powder along the remaining half of the courtyard wall to ensure no corner was left unchecked. Then, she neatly packed away the remaining little packet, storing it in a space. This small house was in the northeast corner, with a gap between it and the courtyard wall big enough for an adult to sidle through. Looking at the two-meter-tall courtyard wall, Lin Nianhe squeezed into the gap and set a line of mousetraps along the root of the wall. After completing this task, Lin Nianhe finally felt at ease and entered her home. From getting off the train earlier that day until now, she had barely stopped and was sore and weary, unable to muster the energy even to cook for others. But that was a minor issue; with so much food here, she could easily get away with a simple excuse. Lin Nianhe looked at the wooden door, solid and draft-free, yet she still felt insecure since returning from the post-apocalypse world. Thinking it over, she took two animal traps from her space and placed them on the ground by the door, and also grabbed a handful of thumbtacks, setting them spike-up in two rows on each windowsill. Finally, she placed an electric baton on the kang (traditional Chinese bed-stove). Her heart finally settled down. She closed the window, drew the curtains tightly, and took out a bathtub with warm water from her space, adding a few drops of essential oil, comfortably settling into the warm bath. Her space was static; everything kept inside remained in its original state. The warm water was prepared for extreme cold, and for extreme heat, she had also prepared numerous ice blocks. The day¡¯s fatigue slowly dissipated in the warm water. Lin Nianhe lightly closed her eyes, reviewing the day¡¯s events and people in her mind, feeling reassured of no negligence. After cleaning herself, Lin Nianhe didn¡¯t dare use a hairdryer, instead, she wrapped her long hair with a dry towel, and returned the water and tub back into her space. To adapt to the times, she had specially made a sizable garbage storage area in her space, luckily the space did not mix scents, otherwise, she would have been wary of using anything. Having no furniture was also fine; Lin Nianhe straightaway brought out a massage chair and a small table, placing them on an open space, and took out some crayfish and iced Coke. Listening briefly to the sounds from the front yard, she took out a tablet computer, wearing headphones on one ear, selecting a historical drama to educate herself. When she ate her first piece of crayfish meat, Lin Nianhe burst out laughing. She hadn¡¯t expected that she could watch dramas and eat crayfish in this era. This was much more difficult to do in the post-apocalypse, and her sense of happiness was much higher. Lin Nianhe didn¡¯t indulge for too long; she had to work tomorrow. After filling her stomach, she packed up, made the kang, and crawled into a new quilt that Aunt Lin had made for her. She slept soundly and dreamed of a fuzzy-faced rich young man persistently stuffing her with stacks of big banknotes, which she countered by tossing a stack of 100 banknotes back at him. She haughtily threw at him: ¡°You¡¯re not my type. Take this five million and stop bothering me.¡± Lin Nianhe woke up laughing. She thought it might be interesting to reject a tough childhood friend this way. She woke up just at 5:00, pushed open the window, and it was dawn, with the sound of dishes clashing already coming from the front yard. Lin Nianhe felt somewhat helpless; having good hearing can sometimes be troublesome. She picked up the animal trap by the door and pushed the door open. The fresh air invigorated her spirit and she instantly became alert. Before washing up, she pretended to start a fire with coal balls and boiled water in a pot. However, she ultimately used the boiled water stored in her space to make malted milk because she was too lazy to clean the pot last night. She was having breakfast, holding a tea cup in one hand and a piece of egg cake in the other, when Wen Lan arrived. She didn¡¯t enter but teased Lin Nianhe through the window, who looked disheveled: ¡°You just got up, huh? Meizi said we should call you, but I guess there was no need.¡± Lin Nianhe grunted and greeted: ¡°Have you eaten?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve finished eating.¡± Wen Lan replied, ¡°You better hurry, Sun Guanghui said work starts at 5:30.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Lin Nianhe glanced at her watch, still fifteen minutes left. She¡¯d have to set an alarm tomorrow. After quickly finishing breakfast, Lin Nianhe braided her hair and applied sunscreen to every inch of exposed skin. She filled her water bottle with herbal tea, and also put a bunch of candies and two pieces of egg cake in her shoulder bag, then she finally grabbed her straw hat and work gloves to lock the house door. Before closing the door, she placed the animal trap inside. Ten Miles Team mainly grows spring corn, and the corn seedlings in the field are already lush, about twenty centimeters tall, and growing well, much smarter than Li Dahe¡¯s hair. On the way to work, Wen Lan chatted with Lin Nianhe: ¡°I heard from Meizi you went to make furniture? What all did you make? So much? Are you preparing your dowry? Oh my, Hezi, how much money did you bring exactly? You need to budget well, spending so liberally could leave you hungry.¡± Lin Nianhe pursed her lips and smiled lightly, she figured out that Wen Lan was straightforward, asking whatever came to her mind without getting upset if unanswered. But seeing those three ahead with their ears perked up, Lin Nianhe answered: ¡°My dad gave me all of his savings from over twenty years, and my mom and brother also gave me some, it¡¯s enough.¡± Talking about this, she felt a bit sorry for Comrade Old Lin. Comrade Old Lin had only saved 423 yuan after more than twenty years, which was still less than what Lin Huai Zhou had saved in four years. Just as she thought about how skilled Aunt Lin was at managing her husband, she saw the three ahead stumble uniformly, their synchronized action showing more coordination than the comradeship at her side. Wang Shumei didn¡¯t notice this scene, and exclaimed ¡°little ancestor¡± and covered Lin Nianhe¡¯s mouth. She glared at Lin Nianhe, frowning: ¡°You silly girl, don¡¯t you know not to show off wealth? Don¡¯t let someone break into your door in the middle of the night!¡± Lin Nianhe, unconcerned, chinned up: ¡°Let them come, I¡¯m not without support, if anyone dares steal my things, I¡¯ll send them to jail.¡± Her money was all in her space; if a thief could find even a penny in her house, she¡¯d concede defeat. Wang Shumei¡¯s eyes twinkled, and she chuckled: ¡°That¡¯s right, your brother has comrades here; they would definitely protect you.¡± Wen Lan didn¡¯t understand the warning implied in those words, and she calculated thoughtfully: ¡°Hezi is looked after, Meizi¡¯s house is nearby... What if I start taking ten points a day from now until the end of the year, how much grain could I get? Could I also get money? My ticket home is expensive, I¡¯m worried I won¡¯t have enough.¡± Lin Nianhe: ¡°...¡± Wang Shumei: ¡°...¡± After a long silence, Lin Nianhe turned to Wang Shumei and said: ¡°Sister Shumei, you¡¯ll have your work cut out for you.¡± Wang Shumei sighed deeply, feeling the weight of responsibility. Wen Lan puzzled: ¡°Why would Meizi suffer hardships?¡± Lin Nianhe, feeling sympathetic, tugged at Wen Lan¡¯s braid: ¡°It¡¯s nothing, I was saying if you come up short for your ticket, I could lend it to you.¡± What a big heart the poor girl has! And ten points... The strongest laborers in the village only get ten points a day, what kind of dream is she having! Lin Nianhe and Wang Shumei didn¡¯t expect that they would be the ones ending up embarrassed this time. Chapter 11 - 11 10 Aunt Li is Easy to Get Along With ?11: Chapter 10 Aunt Li is Easy to Get Along With 11: Chapter 10 Aunt Li is Easy to Get Along With On the way to work, many villagers cast curious glances at the new Educated Youth. Among them, Lin Nianhe was the most eye-catching. She was beautiful, with bright eyes and white teeth, soft and tender, and her skin was as white as snow. Facing numerous gazes, she didn¡¯t act coyly but greeted the aunts generously. The aunts had seen many Educated Youths; most either behaved arrogantly or complained tearfully about their fates. Who else would actively greet these peasant women? Thus, the first impression the new Educated Youth Lin left on the aunts was extremely positive. Of course, Aunt Li¡¯s contributions were indispensable; she was the wife of the team leader, holding the top position among the aunts of the Ten Miles Team. She propagated as she walked: ¡°Educated Youth Lin¡¯s parents are both officials in Beijing, and her brother is in the army! The Lin Family really has high consciousness, they could have let Educated Youth Lin enjoy a comfortable life at home, but they still supported her going to the countryside, far more conscientious than those who are unwilling!¡± ¡°Just yesterday, my old man said that the Educated Youth Corps couldn¡¯t accommodate so many female Educated Youths, it was Educated Youth Lin who proactively moved out to live in the firewood room! This girl has a kind heart!¡± ¡°Her brother protects the homeland, and she supports rural development, the Lin Family¡¯s little bastards are fully devoted to national construction!¡± ¡°If you ask me, we can¡¯t be rude, if it were our own daughters going out...¡± Aunt Li was loud and clear, and it would be a pity if she weren¡¯t a publicist. Lin Nianhe touched her nose. Aunt Li was easy to get along with, she truly spread the word. Wang Shumei was astounded, turning her head to glance at Lin Nianhe. Lin Nianhe blinked innocently, her cheeks reddening, ¡°Aunt Li and I were just chatting yesterday afternoon...¡± Wang Shumei pursed her lips. She was not Wen Lan, and didn¡¯t believe her tall tales. Walking ahead, Wang Xue and two others were astonished! They had been in the countryside for three or four years and had dealt with these rural women many times. When had these people become so easy to talk to? Yu Xiangqin felt annoyed, murmuring softly, ¡°Humph, she must have given gifts to the team leader! With that opportunistic attitude of the team leader¡¯s wife, why else would she speak for her?¡± Wang Xue¡¯s face turned from pale to green. She knew Lin Nianhe came from a good background, but didn¡¯t expect it to be this good. Feeling bitter, Wang Xue steadied herself and then tugged at Yu Xiangqin, ¡°Xiangqin, don¡¯t talk like that, others might overhear and start gossiping.¡± Yu Xiangqin was immediately moved, her eyes reddening, ¡°I think they are blind, that girl only knows how to scheme, yet Snow, you are truly the kindest!¡± Wang Xue smiled and said nothing. Yu Xiangqin observed her amiable demeanor, with mixed feelings. She dared not let Lin Nianhe dominate the village; what if one day that girl remembered yesterday¡¯s incident and reported her, wouldn¡¯t she be dragged out for public humiliation? Yu Xiangqin shivered, feeling like a knife was hanging above her head. The Ten Miles Team was divided into five smaller squads, with the first four squads being members and the fifth squad comprising half Educated Youths and half members. Undoubtedly, the fifth squad always earned the least points, even the members who worked with them alternated, as no one wanted to consistently be dragged down. Li Dahe was somewhat irritated¡ªnew Educated Youths had arrived, and today he had to pick a few experienced ones to lead them in the fifth squad. Each time this happened, the members avoided it at all costs. A strong laborer could earn ten points a day by themselves; with Educated Youths... earning eight points would be good. No matter who he arranged, it would upset people, yet he had to make the arrangements. Being the team leader was tough... Just as Li Dahe was going bald from stress, he saw his own wife step forward. Aunt Li, lifting her chin, declared, ¡°I¡¯ll go to the fifth squad!¡± Li Dahe was stunned, then deeply moved. His wife really understood him! He completely forgot that in the past when Educated Youths came to the countryside, his considerate wife would rather haul manure than work the fields, afraid of being burdened by these little bastards. Li Dahe was just about to motivate with a few words when the other aunts also stepped forward, all clamoring to go to the fifth squad. Li Dahe: ¡°...?¡± Did he miss something? Before he could nod, Aunt Li and a group of aunts bustled over to the side of the Educated Youth, with too many people coming; even if one brought one more, there was still a crowd of over ten. Just as Li Dahe was about to choose people, Aunt Li and the others took it upon themselves to pick through once: ¡°Aunt Zhang, you should go back, your grandson is waiting for you to earn his keep!¡± ¡°Old Zhao Family, don¡¯t come join the crowd! It¡¯s hard enough for you to work on your own, you¡¯re just causing more trouble!¡± ¡°Big girl, you go back to your own team, there are men here, what¡¯s a young woman like you doing here?¡± In less than five minutes, the aunts from the fifth team organized themselves on their own. Li Dahe wiped his face, glancing suspiciously towards the east. No mistake, the sun does rise from the east. What¡¯s gotten into these old women? Why did their ideological awareness suddenly rise? Just as Li Dahe felt he might have finally influenced them, he heard his own wife affectionately telling some little bastard: ¡°Educated Youth Lin, don¡¯t be scared, the work in the field isn¡¯t hard. The aunts will teach you, you¡¯re smart, you¡¯ll definitely learn it quickly!¡± And Second Aunt Li also chimed in: ¡°That¡¯s right, you¡¯re still growing, can¡¯t overwork yourself to sickness. If you can¡¯t finish it, just tell the aunties, my family has a lot of naughty boys, let them help you.¡± In the morning light, Lin Nianhe smiled naively, taking in all the kindness from the aunts and then stated proudly, ¡°Thanks Aunties for caring for us, indeed we haven¡¯t done farm work before and might not be skilled or fast, but we can¡¯t be lazy, we¡¯ve come to the countryside to help build, not to be parasites.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry Aunties, we will definitely learn well, trying our best to adapt quickly to the environment and contribute to the construction of the country!¡± The crisp and decisive voice was so touching that it moved all the aunties to tears with renewed energy. Li Dahe looked at the little bastard, his teeth aching. Not tall, but certainly not lacking spirit. But seeing the enthusiasm of the villagers, Li Dahe sensibly decided not to reveal the little bastard¡¯s incompetence. Seeing such motivation, he decided not to dampen spirits. Li Dahe cleared his throat and started assigning tasks. Spring plowing was already over, today¡¯s main task was weeding, with others carrying on usual size tasks, while the new Educated Youths were given slightly smaller plots after the aunts taught them how to distinguish seedlings from weeds. Apart from ¡°teaching¡±, the aunties also imparted many farming tips, like how to properly pull weeds to minimize effort, and so on. Wang Xue, standing on the side, doubted if she was hallucinating. No one told her these things when she first came to the countryside; she had figured out these tricks over many years. Not just her, the other old Educated Youth thought the same. It seemed as if all the aunties in the team had gotten a new chip overnight. Lin Nianhe was too busy to notice their thoughts; wearing labor gloves, squatting in the field, she struggled to pull out the weeds while comforting herself. Working, consider it like exercising. In the past, paid for exercise, now earning while exercising... she really is a constantly improving good young person. She should treat herself to a good meal at noon. She moved slowly forward, and inadvertently, her cheek was grazed by a corn leaf, spreading a stinging pain. Lin Nianhe: ¡°...!¡± She didn¡¯t dare to touch the sore spot but quickly huddled between the corn leaves and took out a small mirror from her space. There was a scratch on her left cheek, about three centimeters long, quite shallow, the kind that would heal quickly with a bit of medical attention. After DQ ruling out the risk of disfiguring, Lin Nianhe immediately put away the mirror. Such minor pain was nothing to her; she had endured injuries a hundred times worse in the apocalypse. Still, she took off her gloves and pulled a lollipop from her space to pop into her mouth. Life is tough; she couldn¡¯t miss any legitimate chance to comfort herself. Just as Lin Nianhe was about to put her gloves back on and continue weeding, the voice of the team leader, an old man, called out: ¡°Little Educated Youth Lin! Your brother¡¯s here!¡± Chapter 12 - 12 11 What Happened to the Tough Guy ?12: Chapter 11: What Happened to the Tough Guy? 12: Chapter 11: What Happened to the Tough Guy? Under the morning sun, a slender figure stood quietly next to a bicycle, with a large bundle tied to the rear seat, which required support to stay upright. He was dressed in black trousers and a white shirt, with a tall and somewhat thin build. His peach blossom eyes and thin lips did not fit the aesthetic standards of the era, the kind of look that the village aunties disliked the most. Because of a word from Li Dahe, a bunch of heads suddenly popped up in the cornfield. Earning points through work was important, but so was watching the excitement. ¡°Wow, is this Educated Youth Lin¡¯s brother? He looks... not much like her.¡± ¡°Look at that big package, he must be bringing something for his sister, right?¡± ¡°Wasn¡¯t Educated Youth Lin¡¯s brother supposed to be a soldier? This young man looks too frail, doesn¡¯t quite fit the bill.¡± Amidst the whisperings of the onlookers, Lin Nianhe stepped off the field ridge and walked towards the two figures. Her heart was filled with curiosity, her childhood friend had just visited yesterday, who could be visiting today? How come she didn¡¯t know that she had so many brothers? As she got closer, Lin Nianhe clearly saw Su Yuncheng¡¯s face, and her steps noticeably faltered. His features were cold, and he wore a clean, neatly pressed white shirt, totally looking like a gloomy young wolfhound. Lin Nianhe had seen her fair share of handsome men in her past life, touching on both domestic and foreign, mature and young ones. But this man who seemed imprinted directly onto her heart... This was indeed her first encounter with him. But the problem was, she didn¡¯t recognize this face from her memories, she couldn¡¯t tell who this ¡°brother¡± was. When she approached, Lin Nianhe without changing her expression, called out ¡°Brother,¡± and then greeted Li Dahe: ¡°Uncle Team Leader, thank you for your trouble.¡± Li Dahe waved his hand: ¡°Your brother came to deliver something to you, you take him to the Educated Youth Corps first, drop off the stuff and come back to work, or your points will be deducted for incomplete tasks.¡± ¡°Alright,¡± Lin Nianhe agreed cheerfully, ¡°I¡¯ll make sure the task is completed!¡± Although she was also unsure, she had to maintain the right attitude. Li Dahe hummed in agreement and walked away, hands behind his back. Lin Nianhe looked at the man again, her tone softened significantly due to her nervousness: ¡°So, Brother, shall we head to the Educated Youth Corps first?¡± Since he claimed to be her brother, she naturally had to call him that. ¡°What¡¯s with your face?¡± Su Yuncheng¡¯s eyes narrowed slightly as he looked at the bloodstain on her tender cheek. The bloodstain on her cheek was like a crack on a piece of white jade, making his heart tremble. Listening to that voice, both tender and enticing, a dormant deer in Lin Nianhe¡¯s heart suddenly woke up, practically giving herself a severe concussion from its vigorous leaps. She coughed softly, trying her best to remain composed: ¡°It¡¯s nothing, I just accidentally got scratched by a corn leaf, let¡¯s head back to the Educated Youth Corps first.¡± After she finished speaking, she briskly walked in the direction of the Educated Youth Corps, with a hint of fleeing in her steps. Su Yuncheng paused slightly, eyeing her suspiciously as he pushed the bicycle and followed. The spoiled young lady got her face scratched and didn¡¯t cry? Following behind Lin Nianhe, he reflected thoughtfully as he gazed at her back. Four years had not been seen; the young girl had grown up, her features becoming more attractive, he almost didn¡¯t dare to recognize her if not for the team leader calling earlier. With Lin Nianhe leading the way, her little face frowning deeply. She could feel the excessively intense gaze from behind, was this young wolfhound constantly staring at her, perhaps seeing through something? But she really could not remember who he was, the original owner¡¯s memory did not have this face... Lin Nianhe¡¯s eyes wandered, asking, ¡°By the way, how come you¡¯re here?¡± Su Yuncheng came to his senses and realized that he had been staring at her all along. That was quite rude. He turned his gaze away, replying, ¡°I saw that there was nothing in the small house you were staying in yesterday, so I brought you some daily necessities. I wanted to bring a table too, but I couldn¡¯t carry it on the bicycle. I¡¯ll borrow a bullock cart and bring it over tomorrow.¡± He said something else afterwards, but Lin Nianhe couldn¡¯t hear it anymore. All she knew was¡ªyesterday he had been there. The only Su Yuncheng had visited her place yesterday! But... what happened to the promise of a man matching his words? What happened to the tough guy? Lin Nianhe was just grateful that she was walking ahead of Su Yuncheng; otherwise, her expression would surely betray the fact that she had forgotten him. Before she could relax, she heard the man behind her say melancholically, ¡°You didn¡¯t recognize me.¡± Lin Nianhe: ¡°...!¡± She immediately stopped in her tracks and turned around to look at him seriously, ¡°How could that be? I can forget my own brother, but how could I forget you?¡± Su Yuncheng¡¯s eyes twinkled with amusement: ¡°It¡¯s been four years since we last met; do you still recognize me?¡± He saw right through the slight changes in her expressions which others might miss. When she was walking towards him earlier, he had caught the fleeting strangeness and doubt in her eyes. Lin Nianhe glared, her spirit bolstered by her shaky rationale: ¡°I have a good memory.¡± Su Yuncheng took her embarrassment in stride, chuckling lightly in response: ¡°Okay, you have a good memory. Let¡¯s go, we need to take care of the injury on your face as soon as possible.¡± Unbeknownst to him, his tone carried a hint of indulgence. ¡°Oh, okay!¡± Lin Nianhe didn¡¯t notice anything amiss, just relieved that he didn¡¯t probe further, and turned around to lead the way with a heavy head. Upon arriving at the Educated Youth Corps backyard again, Su Yuncheng was slightly surprised. Yesterday, this place was empty and devoid of life, but today there was a large water jar placed next to the door and a small vegetable patch had been cultivated in front of it. The windows were new, very bright, but... were those dark curtains? Lin Nianhe, without looking, guessed Su Yuncheng¡¯s surprise, and while opening the door she said, ¡°The land was cultivated by the son of the Team Leader Uncle. I paid him five yuan for it, and I also bought the water jar from their family.¡± As she spoke, she opened the door and bent down to pick up the animal traps: ¡°Brother Yuncheng, come in please.¡± Su Yuncheng stared at the two animal traps in her hands, his pupils trembling. ¡°Where did you get these from?¡± These traps could easily catch a bear. ¡°I met two people on the train when I was coming here, and I bought these from them. I was afraid the village might not be peaceful, now they can be used to guard against thieves,¡± Lin Nianhe batted her big eyes while stating the excuse she had prepared earlier. In those days without surveillance, her story was untraceable. After a moment of shock, Su Yuncheng regained his composure and whispered, ¡°If anyone else asks, just say you exchanged them for grain, don¡¯t mention money.¡± ¡°Uh huh, I know,¡± Lin Nianhe cheerfully agreed, ¡°You asked, so of course, I had to tell the truth.¡± She would have preferred to say she exchanged grain for them, but when she arrived, she only brought five kilograms of rice from home. Even considering how precious fine grain was, no one would be fooled enough to exchange two large animal traps for such a small amount of rice! Everything she brought from home was accounted for, and he was a neighbor of the Lin Family. What if one day she slipped up? How would she explain then? Even if she liked his face, she couldn¡¯t trust someone who was almost a stranger. Safety first! Little did Su Yuncheng know the complexities in the young girl¡¯s mind. Her ¡°honesty¡± pleased him greatly, and all he could think was¡ª The young girl actually trusts me so much. Of course, she has just arrived and can only rely on me. Chapter 13 - 13 12 Losing Ones Mind ?13: Chapter 12: Losing One¡¯s Mind 13: Chapter 12: Losing One¡¯s Mind Su Yuncheng¡¯s thoughts were unknown to Lin Nianhe. She felt embarrassed seeing him transport items back and forth, and even though she wanted to be self-sufficient, he stopped her and wouldn¡¯t let her lift a finger. This made Lin Nianhe feel quite awkward. She was running a fever when she arrived and wasn¡¯t sure if the original owner of the body hadn¡¯t made it, or what exactly had happened, but in any case, she was now occupying someone else¡¯s body. She not only enjoyed the love of Mr. Lin and Aunt Lin but was also stuffed with a large sum of money, and now a childhood friend came to bring warmth. She truly felt guilty. Su Yuncheng had just placed the last small iron pot on the stove when he turned around and saw Lin Nianhe standing by the door, her face showing shame. He was startled for a moment and even blinked hard when he saw her still with that expression, his puzzlement grew deeper. He knew a bit about how silly Lin Nianhe could be. At ten years old, she dared to swing a plank and crack someone¡¯s head open ¡ª the Jingshan¡¯s little tyrant was not a name taken lightly. Yet, she looked clever and cute, and could pretend to be innocent; even if the elders in the compound saw her beat someone up, they would only say, ¡°Even a rabbit will bite when cornered.¡± Seeing her being so obedient and well-behaved without any elders around, like today, was a first for Su Yuncheng. So... Had she caught a cold before going to the countryside and her persistent high fever damaged her brain? As Lin Nianhe was pondering how to repay her debts of gratitude, she suddenly felt an inquisitive gaze on her. She immediately came back to her senses, turning around to meet those deep black eyes. She blinked and smiled, ¡°Brother Yuncheng, thank you for your trouble.¡± Su Yuncheng¡¯s expression remained neutral, but his tone was much gentler, ¡°Why be so formal with me? You¡¯re lacking many things here. If you need any furniture, I can bring it to you by ox cart after work.¡± What he spoke of was furniture, but what he thought was that he should bring her more medicine. The young girl was not of age, it wouldn¡¯t do to leave her untreated. Lin Nianhe quickly said, ¡°No need for that, I¡¯ve already asked the village carpenter uncle to make me some furniture yesterday, it should be ready in a few days.¡± After a pause, she added, ¡°The brigade leader is very nice, and the aunties in the village are simple and easy to get along with. You¡¯re busy with work, so you don¡¯t need to be distracted by me.¡± The time he came indicated he had made a special trip before going to work. Coming from the town by bike also took about forty minutes; when she woke up, he must have already left. Monetary debts are easy to repay, but how can you compensate for a debt of favors? So... Better not to bother with her, let her be free on her own. Hearing such sensible words from her, Su Yuncheng¡¯s worry deepened. She seemed sicker than he had imagined. It looked like he had to find out where there was a famous doctor when he got back. As he was pondering this, a bright red tomato appeared before his eyes. Lin Nianhe held up the tomato, her smile beaming, ¡°Sorry, Brother Yuncheng, I didn¡¯t boil any water this morning. Have a tomato to quench your thirst.¡± The girl¡¯s pale, soft palm was contrasted by the bright red tomato, the tips of her fingers stained with a hint of red. Su Yuncheng¡¯s heart skipped a beat for no apparent reason. He quickly took the tomato from her hand, advising her, ¡°Be careful when you work, don¡¯t compete with others. You have a weak constitution; it¡¯s most important to take care of your health. It¡¯s chilly here in the mornings and evenings; you¡¯re not wearing much. Also, I work at the police station in town; if you need anything, come to me.¡± His visit yesterday was at the request of Mr. Lin, but the words he said today had a few more ounces of genuine concern. Lin Nianhe obediently agreed and even went directly to her bedroom to fetch a coat and put it on in front of him. Her docile behavior left Su Yuncheng bewildered, and as he left, the frequency of his pedaling on the bicycle was somewhat strange. I need to rush back and get a doctor. Although the sick little girl is well-behaved and soft, her life is even more important! Of course Su Yuncheng had no idea that the well-behaved and soft little girl had taken off her coat as soon as she returned to the cornfield and had cast him aside from her thoughts. As handsome as the young man might be, he couldn¡¯t keep her from thinking about what to have for lunch ¨C that was the real deal! Back in the cornfield, Lin Nianhe was inevitably asked a few idle questions by the aunties, and she cheerfully picked out what she wanted to say, satisfying their curiosity. All morning, Lin Nianhe¡¯s back ached, her legs were weak, and her hands hurt from weeding. When the gong sounded for the end of work, she slumped onto the ground, her legs shaking too much to stand. After taking off her gloves, she saw that her palms were mottled with red streaks and a little swollen. She finally had a clear understanding of what ¡°every grain is the fruit of hard work¡± meant. Luckily, she had completed two-thirds of her task for the day, so with an extra push in the afternoon, she was sure to finish it. When tasks were assigned in the morning, the team leader said that since it was their first day on the job, their plots were smaller, but the corresponding points were fewer; completing her plot would earn her five points. Lin Nianhe looked up at the remaining field and felt that five points a day was her limit. Those who could earn ten points must be immortals... ¡°Team leader, I¡¯ve finished my task. What should I do this afternoon?¡± The voice of Wen Lan reached Lin Nianhe¡¯s ears. ¡°Finished already? Wait, let me take a look... Wow! You¡¯ve weeded it so cleanly! Good, good! Unexpectedly, Educated Youth Wen is quite the worker, not even worse than the men!¡± Lin Nianhe instantly widened her eyes, disbelievingly looking in the direction of Wen Lan. Seeing her stride behind the team leader onto the ridge with plenty of energy to spare made Lin Nianhe shiver. Wang Shumei¡¯s plot was right next to Lin Nianhe¡¯s, and now she was in the same state as Lin Nianhe, sitting on the ground, not wanting to move, both in silent shock. Wang Shumei stiffly turned her head and silently looked at Lin Nianhe. They both saw the bitterness of being shown up in each other¡¯s eyes. Lin Nianhe chuckled and got up from the ground, supporting her weak legs and trembling as she moved towards the edge of the field: ¡°The wise may also have their moments of oversight ha ha ha...¡± Wang Shumei nodded in agreement and helped Lin Nianhe, both trying to walk more steadily. ¡°Hey, why are you two so useless?¡± Wen Lan stood at the edge of the ridge, effortlessly pulling Lin Nianhe and Wang Shumei out of the field with one hand each. Lin Nianhe: ¡°...¡± Wang Shumei: ¡°...¡± Wen Lan didn¡¯t notice their complex expressions, smiling like a sunflower, while slapping the dust off her work gloves she said: ¡°The team leader said he¡¯ll assign me another plot this afternoon. If I earn another five points, I¡¯ll have completed my task for today! Farm work isn¡¯t that hard. I heard before that some Educated Youth cried every day after coming to the countryside, don¡¯t you think that¡¯s sick?¡± Lin Nianhe: ¡°Ah, right, right, right.¡± After all, she has countless grains and oils, so there¡¯s no way she could starve. Wang Shumei: ¡°You¡¯re awesome, you have the final say.¡± After all, she wasn¡¯t relying on points for food, and had no desire to compete with this silly girl. Wen Lan looked at the two staggering figures and complained: ¡°How did I end up with two silly girls like you!¡± With that, she supported one on each side and pulled them both back. When the three, Lin Nianhe, returned to the Educated Youth Corps, they happened to bump into the postman riding his bicycle. ¡°Comrade Miao Yulan! Comrade Lin Nianhe!¡± The postman stopped in front of the gate of the Educated Youth Corps and shouted into the courtyard. Chapter 14 - 14 13 The Neighbor Cried ?14: Chapter 13 The Neighbor Cried 14: Chapter 13 The Neighbor Cried Watching the mailman¡¯s bag filled with letters, Lin Nianhe approached him: ¡°Comrade, hello, I am Lin Nianhe. Is there a letter for me?¡± The mailman named Zhou Xu, was a young man in his twenties, with thick brows and big eyes, a square face, looking quite upright. Hearing Lin Nianhe¡¯s words, his gaze involuntarily scanned her face. She looked like a celestial beauty; no wonder Brother Cheng cared so much about her. He didn¡¯t dare to look any more, he took out a tightly wrapped parcel and handed it to Lin Nianhe: ¡°It¡¯s not a letter. It¡¯s something Brother Cheng asked me to bring to you.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Lin Nianhe skeptically took it, the parcel was soft and didn¡¯t feel like food. Brother Cheng? Su Yuncheng? But hadn¡¯t she told Su Yuncheng this morning to stop worrying about her constantly? Why did he send her something again? Could this be... a belated rebellious phase? She clicked her tongue and shook her head helplessly. How could she reciprocate such favors? While she was pondering, Miao Yulan hurried out of the courtyard with a letter and then hastily returned. She kept her head down all the while, like a person nursing grievances. Only then did Lin Nianhe remember. From yesterday to today, she hadn¡¯t heard Miao Yulan speak a word. This person was like the transparent one at the Educated Youth Corps, always immersed in her work. Even during yesterday¡¯s tense arguments, she had had no opinion to offer. Lin Nianhe couldn¡¯t help but take a few more glances at her. She got lost in thought when suddenly Wen Lan slapped her on the back. ¡°What are you thinking about? Aren¡¯t you going to go and make food? Aren¡¯t you hungry?¡± Lin Nianhe was caught off guard and staggered from the slap. She couldn¡¯t help but roll her eyes. She really needed to exercise more thoroughly; otherwise, she¡¯d sooner or later be ¡°slapped to death¡± by Wen Lan. In the front yard today, Sun Guanghui and another older educated youth named Wang Dong were cooking. After Wang Shumei and Wen Lan were done, they triumphantly returned to their rooms for a rest, ignoring their gleeful demeanors. Lin Nianhe snorted disdainfully and headed back to her own small courtyard with chin high. Su Yuncheng had sent plenty of items today, all essential household items like pots, pans, and dishes, significantly alleviating Lin Nianhe¡¯s overt lack of supplies. Before cooking, Lin Nianhe opened the paper parcel. It was a red scarf, very red. Lin Nianhe was almost brought to tears by its garishness. This... Probably Su Yuncheng saw the scratch on her face and wanted her to cover her face with the scarf while working? It¡¯s also her lack of experience; the girls in the brigade usually cover their faces when working in the fields. She had previously thought it was for sun protection, assuming sunblock was enough, never considering they were defending against physical assaults. Once again, Lin Nianhe was impressed by Su Yuncheng¡¯s thoughtfulness and scribbled half a page in her notebook before taking an eggplant Aunt Li had brought yesterday, cleaning it, and putting it on the stove to steam, along with a bowl of rice. After it was cooked, she mixed it with beef chili sauce from her inventory, envying even the neighbor¡¯s kids to tears. The neighbors... actually cried. While Lin Nianhe was washing dishes, she could hear the mournful wailing coming from the front yard. She quickly washed the dishes, grabbed a handful of sunflower seeds, and headed straight to the scene of the ¡®drama¡¯. Lin Nianhe originally thought it was Wang Xue and her group picking a quarrel, either getting berated by Wang Shumei into tears or hit by Wen Lan till she cried. But the truth was far more fascinating than she imagined. The courtyard was quite awkward at this moment, a group of male Educated Youths was playing the ¡°wooden man¡± game in the yard, and unexpectedly, all the female Educated Youths were in Wang Xue¡¯s room. Lin Nianhe suppressed the delight of a spectator and asked seriously, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Sun Guanghui scratched his head and replied, ¡°It seems like a letter came for Miao Yulan from her family.¡± Having come this far, Lin Nianhe wouldn¡¯t be able to nap well without finishing the gossip. With a concern for her comrades, she also entered Wang Xue¡¯s room. Wang Shumei stood by the door and whispered to Lin Nianhe when she saw her arriving: ¡°Miao Yulan¡¯s family sent a letter saying her brother is getting married. The bride¡¯s family wants a three-round-one-sound ritual plus eighty-eight yuan in a bridal dowry. I don¡¯t know what her parents are thinking, asking her for money.¡± Lin Nianhe¡¯s eyes widened in astonishment. Parents who eat state-provided grain in the city asking for money from their daughter who forages in the fields, and it¡¯s for their son¡¯s bridal dowry. Lin Nianhe couldn¡¯t understand this move. Miao Yulan was sobbing incessantly, clutching Wang Xue¡¯s hand and muttering, ¡°What should I do... what can I do... The grain I have left is just enough to last until the autumn harvest... What can I use to exchange for money for my brother¡¯s marriage...¡± Her sporadic sentences didn¡¯t contain complaints about her biased parents, yet from her trembling tones, one could discern a hint of panic. Lin Nianhe held her breath; this melon was tainted, she didn¡¯t want it anymore. Before she could turn around, she heard Wang Xue say, ¡°Yulan, stop crying. Calm down, and let¡¯s think about this carefully. There are always more solutions than difficulties.¡± Miao Yulan seemed to be reminded by this and wiped her tear-streaked face as she scanned the room, her gaze stopping on Lin Nianhe. Lin Nianhe had a bad feeling. Sure enough, in the next second, Miao Yulan struggled to jump down from the bed, rushed to Lin Nianhe, grabbed her hand with hopeful eyes, and said, ¡°Educated Youth Lin, can, can you lend me some money?¡± This sudden twist left Wang Shumei and Wen Lan dumbfounded; even Yu Xiangqin looked at Miao Yulan with disbelief. Lin Nianhe felt her wrist pain from the callouses on Miao Yulan¡¯s palm, she frowned, broke free from Miao Yulan¡¯s grip and said, ¡°We¡¯ve only known each other for a day, is it appropriate for you to ask me for money? Besides, how much are you planning to borrow? Do you have the ability to repay?¡± Miao Yulan, still agitated, completely didn¡¯t hear the implicit refusal in Lin Nianhe¡¯s words and blurted out, ¡°Can you lend me two hundred yuan? I¡¯ll write an IOU, I promise I¡¯ll pay you back!¡± Wen Lan screamed out loud, ¡°Two hundred? What are you thinking!¡± Lin Nianhe laughed in exasperation, ¡°I don¡¯t have it, I can¡¯t lend it.¡± Miao Yulan was like struck by lightning, trembling as she stumbled back two steps, leaning against the door. Yu Xiangqin quietly advised from the side, ¡°Yulan, don¡¯t be absurd, where will you get so much money to repay?¡± Miao Yulan¡¯s tears that had just stopped started flowing again profusely: ¡°Then what should I do if my brother can¡¯t get married...¡± Lin Nianhe thought to herself, if he can¡¯t get married, then so be it; being single isn¡¯t illegal. However, this kind of singles-oriented ideology clearly wasn¡¯t suitable for that era, she said nothing, uninterested in playing mental therapist to Miao Yulan. Wang Xue stood up and looked at Lin Nianhe, ¡°Educated Youth Lin, since we all came from different places to be here, we should help each other. Two hundred yuan is indeed a lot, but it can save the happiness of a family! You have the money to eat meat and furnish your home, can¡¯t you lend a hand to Yulan? Isn¡¯t the happiness of everyone more beautiful than the happiness of one person?¡± Lin Nianhe squinted at Wang Xue, ¡°What are you trying to say?¡± Wang Xue cleared her throat, and spoke like a broadcaster, ¡°We¡¯re all comrades. By turning a blind eye, aren¡¯t you being too indifferent to comrade sentiments? We should be helping each other!¡± Wen Lan shivered as she heard this. Suddenly, she remembered her enamel tea mug. Chapter 15 - 15 14 The Small Matter of Borrowing Money ?15: Chapter 14 The Small Matter of Borrowing Money 15: Chapter 14 The Small Matter of Borrowing Money Wen Lan once again saw Lin Nianhe¡¯s smile. That familiar, unsettling, superficial smile. ¡°You really make sense with what you¡¯re saying, it¡¯s enlightening indeed.¡± Lin Nianhe smiled at Wang Xue, ¡°Since you¡¯ve said so, I believe you would also definitely selflessly contribute for ¡®everyone¡¯. Well then, although I have no acquaintance with Comrade Miao Yulan, and we haven¡¯t spoken before she asked to borrow money, I still have to promote this spirit¡ª¡± She glanced at Miao Yulan, her voice not loud but each word ringing clear, ¡°I¡¯m laying it out here; however much Wang Xue lends you, I¡¯ll lend you the same amount.¡± Wang Xue was instantly uncomfortable. She knew all too well about Miao Yulan¡¯s family situation. The Miao Family favored sons over daughters, having four daughters before finally having a son. In the eyes of Miao Yulan¡¯s parents, daughters were like weeds; her three older sisters were married off for high dowries, almost like selling them, just to gather dowry money for their younger brother. Miao Yulan was sent to the countryside in place of her brother, and thankfully so, otherwise her parents would have married her off for money long ago. In fact, Miao Yulan¡¯s days in the countryside were not easy either; like most female comrades in the brigade, she barely managed to earn six points a day, enough food for just herself. Yet even so, Miao Yulan would send half of her grain home every year after the autumn harvest. As for herself... picking wild vegetables, collecting mountain goods, drinking cold water, as long as she didn¡¯t starve, it was fine. She grew up in such a family, taught from a young age to dedicate her life to her younger brother, never feeling anything wrong with it, even feeling sweet satisfaction in her hunger. Wang Xue knew Miao Yulan¡¯s situation all too well; she also knew that the borrowed money could never be returned. Of course, she couldn¡¯t lend money to Miao Yulan not just for this reason, but more importantly... She didn¡¯t have it either. Apart from being able to eat slightly better than Miao Yulan, their pockets were equally empty. Seeing Wang Xue¡¯s expression change unpredictably, Lin Nianhe smiled slightly, ¡°Comrade Wang Xue, how much do you plan to support Comrade Miao? It¡¯s urgent for her family to get a bride, let¡¯s put our money together and send it to Uncle Team Leader, I believe he would be willing to help with the remittance.¡± Lin Nianhe acted caring, yet thought to herself¡ª Don¡¯t expect to play the landlord¡¯s game of returning money in full, and splitting the common people¡¯s money seventy-thirty! Wang Xue also seemed to realize this point, and found herself unable to say anything. Miao Yulan let out a cry like a young bird that couldn¡¯t find its nest, rushing into Wang Xue¡¯s arms, pleading fervently, ¡°Wang Xue, Wang Xue! Please help me, I beg you! Otherwise, I really can¡¯t survive...¡± Wang Xue, in a fluster, comforted her and no longer had the energy to sustain her earlier pretensions. Wang Shumei pushed Lin Nianhe towards the door, and dragged Wen Lan along, calmly saying, ¡°It seems Comrade Wang Xue still needs some time to think it over. Let¡¯s go back and rest for now, as missing work in the afternoon would embarrass the whole Educated Youth Corps.¡± Lin Nianhe, with a smile lingering, left behind a comment before departing, ¡°Let me know once you¡¯ve agreed on the amount, and we¡¯ll go to the brigade leader.¡± Lin Nianhe was somewhat puzzled; she was sensitive to people¡¯s emotions and was certain she saw stark fear in Miao Yulan¡¯s eyes. What was she afraid of? Lin Nianhe couldn¡¯t figure it out and didn¡¯t bother to think deeply. Once Lin Nianhe stepped outside, she saw that most of the male Educated Youth who had gathered in the yard had returned to their rooms, only Sun Guanghui, the simpleton, still stood by the door with a look of concern. He asked, ¡°How is Comrade Miao Yulan? Is there a way to solve it?¡± Lin Nianhe looked at him with complex eyes, hesitating for a moment before saying, ¡°She asked me for two hundred yuan, which I don¡¯t have. Comrade Wang Xue persuaded us to promote the spirit of mutual aid.¡± Sun Guanghui nodded repeatedly, ¡°It should be!¡± After saying that, he returned to his room and soon came out clutching a bundle of neatly folded money of various denominations. ¡°This is all I have, thirty-two yuan and eight cents, please take it to Comrade Miao Yulan for me!¡± Sun Guanghui¡¯s face was earnest, and if it weren¡¯t for the norms of male-female interaction, he probably would have directly stuffed the money into Lin Nianhe¡¯s hands. Lin Nianhe was completely speechless. She wanted to write a letter to the National Academy of Sciences, suggesting they take back endangered simpletons like Sun Guanghui for a thorough study. His existence is a miracle of life! Lin Nianhe was utterly drained and waved her hand in exhaustion: ¡°I¡¯m very tired, I¡¯m going back first.¡± Sun Guanghui couldn¡¯t understand why Lin Nianhe wouldn¡¯t take the money, so he turned to Wang Shumei and extended his hand with the money further. Wang Shumei rolled her eyes in utmost impatience and scolded in a low voice, ¡°Are you stupid? Can this matter be solved with ten or eight yuan? Moreover, since when does a sister accrue external debt for her brother¡¯s marriage? Lending money now does not help her, it only harms her!¡± Sun Guanghui was confused, ¡°Why? How is helping her harmful?¡± Wen Lan, standing by, also felt a surge of intellectual superiority and disdained Sun Guanghui: ¡°Tsk, tsk... what a silly melon.¡± After that, she rolled her eyes and also went back into the house. Sun Guanghui was dumbfounded, innocent, and really wanted to understand what was happening. Seeing his clueless demeanor, Wang Shumei sighed out of extreme helplessness, pulled him aside, and whispered, ¡°Which family¡¯s son getting married would ask their daughter who went to the countryside for betrothal money? His family won¡¯t cover Comrade Miao¡¯s debts. The more she borrows, the heavier the debt becomes. How can a girl bear that? How will she get married in the future?¡± Sun Guanghui pondered for a while then finally caught on, frowning, he said, ¡°Then she should be told!¡± Wang Shumei gave him a look, ¡°You go tell her, we¡¯re not close with her, it¡¯s not something we can say.¡± Sun Guanghui wanted to ask how it should be said but saw Wang Shumei had also left. He scratched his head, feeling it wasn¡¯t his place as a man to say these things, and after thinking for a while without finding the right words, also went back inside. After Lin Nianhe returned to her room, she bolted the door, tightly pulled the curtains, washed herself and climbed onto the bed, grabbing a fascia gun to massage her aching muscles. Before going to sleep, she applied a thick layer of menthol ointment onto her palms, easing the aching, and comfortably closed her eyes. Lin Nianhe didn¡¯t want to meddle in the affairs in the front yard anymore, and even when Miao Yulan suddenly asked her for money, she just considered it as a family legacy of the Miao Family. She didn¡¯t plan on making a fuss, but that didn¡¯t stop others from refusing to let her be. ¡°Hey, look at Educated Youth Miao¡¯s swollen eyes, did something happen at home?¡± Just on her way to work in the afternoon, an auntie noticed Miao Yulan¡¯s swollen eyes. Miao Yulan was a capable woman, no matter how hard things were on her heart, she never let it interfere with her meals or work, clearly worried about not earning today¡¯s points. She was there, but her heart wasn¡¯t in the work. When an auntie asked, her tears fell like broken pearls onto the fertile black soil. ¡°Hey, hey, why are you crying, girl? Just speak up.¡± Miao Yulan didn¡¯t need to say it herself, as Wang Xue kindly spoke up for her, telling everything that should and shouldn¡¯t be said: ¡°Yulan¡¯s brother is getting married, but they are still a bit short on the dowry. Their uncles and aunts really can¡¯t manage, so they wrote to ask if Yulan could help a little bit... Aunties all know Yulan, she¡¯s always been the most filial, sparing each grain of rice as if splitting it into eight parts, where can she spare anything extra?¡± ¡°But this is Yulan¡¯s only real brother, how can she just ignore it?¡± ¡°It¡¯s also my fault, I have no ability to help Yulan, forcing her to ask Educated Youth Lin...¡± As the aunties listened, they actually didn¡¯t see anything wrong. Although ¡°gender equality¡± and ¡°women can hold up half the sky¡± had been promoted for a long time, the deeply ingrained idea of passing down the family line made it hard to change their thinking. Especially since in the village the bride price was mostly twenty to thirty yuan, and a few years back, twenty kilograms of cornmeal could even bring home a pure maiden. Thus, the aunties neither thought the Miao Family¡¯s parents were to blame nor believed that Miao Yulan could fail to repay the borrowed money. Twenty or thirty yuan, a few months¡¯ salary for city folks, one could save up quickly enough to repay it. After a while, the aunties kindly comforted her, ¡°Educated Youth Miao, don¡¯t cry, wasn¡¯t the matter resolved? Get back to work, don¡¯t think about these things, you can slowly repay it later.¡± Miao Yulan cried even louder with a ¡°waah¡±. Wang Xue glanced in Lin Nianhe¡¯s direction: ¡°What resolution? She refused to lend!¡± The aunties looked at each other bewildered and then turned to look towards Lin Nianhe. In the corn field, that little figure was slowly moving forward. Beneath the green corn leaves, a dash of red adorned the scene. Chapter 16 - 16 15 A Dark and Windy Night, Climbing Over the Wall ?16: Chapter 15 A Dark and Windy Night, Climbing Over the Wall 16: Chapter 15 A Dark and Windy Night, Climbing Over the Wall The noise over there was almost loud enough for the entire cornfield to hear, and Lin Nianhe naturally heard everything clearly, but she didn¡¯t answer, nor did she show any excess reaction, just quickened her pace of eating, hastily swallowing the strawberries she had just stuffed into her mouth. Until Aunt Li couldn¡¯t help herself, coming up to Lin Nianhe and asking, ¡°Educated Youth Lin, what exactly is going on? How much money did Educated Youth Miao ask to borrow from you?¡± Aunt Li thought to herself, considering Lin Nianhe¡¯s wealth, surely it wouldn¡¯t be over just ten or twenty yuan that would make a fellow Educated Youth cry like this. Hearing this, Lin Nianhe laughed. It had to be Aunt Li hitting the nail on the head. She took the opportunity to stand up, stretched her sore ankles, pulled down her scarf, and said to Aunt Li: ¡°Educated Youth Miao¡¯s family needs to prepare three loud fireworks and eighty-eight yuan for the bridal money, and they asked me for two hundred yuan.¡± The attention of the people in the cornfield was already on this side, and Lin Nianhe¡¯s voice grew louder, so that all the aunties nearby could hear. Lin Nianhe heard a succession of gasps. Aunt Li staggered a bit, staring at Miao Yulan whose eyes widened like brass bells. I had not noticed before, but this Educated Youth Miao sure has a big face! Lin Nianhe looked at Aunt Li and said softly, ¡°Besides, I didn¡¯t say I wouldn¡¯t lend the money. Although I¡¯ve known Educated Youth Miao for only a day, I should still help, right?¡± ¡°It¡¯s just that I don¡¯t have that much money, so I was thinking of how much Educated Youth Wang would lend her, and I would ask my family to chip in the same amount. It wouldn¡¯t be right to let someone¡¯s brother be unable to get married, Aunt Li, don¡¯t you think?¡± Aunt Li rolled her eyes and poked Lin Nianhe¡¯s forehead: ¡°No, you silly girl! The wedding doesn¡¯t hinge on not having three loud fireworks. Besides, that¡¯s someone else¡¯s brother, not yours; why are you jumping into the scene?¡± Aunt Li¡¯s shout snapped the other aunties out of their shock. Two hundred yuan! It would take them, farmers, three to five years to save up this much! ¡°Educated Youth Miao, no offense, but don¡¯t wear trousers bigger than your buttocks. If you¡¯re not that fortunate, don¡¯t reach for a city bride.¡± ¡°Moreover, who asks to borrow so much money after just one day of acquaintance? You¡¯re usually so honest; how did you suddenly grow such a nerve!¡± ¡°Miao Family girl, don¡¯t be foolish; what will you repay that money with? What if you can¡¯t repay? Are you going to marry Lin Educated Youth¡¯s brother?¡± Lin Nianhe waved her hands continuously: ¡°Aunties, don¡¯t talk nonsense. I dare not meddle in my brother¡¯s romantic affairs; if my mother finds out, she would whip me.¡± Goodness, not only she was asked to put down two hundred yuan, but they also wanted to rope in her brother? Miao Yulan, who initially looked weak, now just seemed absurd and clueless. Sitting in the field, listening to these harsh words, she dumbly turned her head to look at Wang Xue. This... wasn¡¯t it supposed to be possible to rely on the public¡¯s comment to get Lin Nianhe¡¯s help? How come it¡¯s not going as planned? Wang Xue did not expect the situation to change so rapidly, she looked blankly at Miao Yulan, unsure of what to do next. Just then, Li Dahe came over with his hands behind his back. Seeing a crowd chattering and not working, the old man furrowed his brow: ¡°What are you all doing? Have all the tasks been completed?¡± This was Lin Nianhe¡¯s cue: ¡°We were thinking of ways under the mobilization of Educated Youth Wang to gather the bridal money for Educated Youth Miao¡¯s brother!¡± Li Dahe¡¯s forehead trembled, his eyes fierce as he shouted: ¡°Day by day, not focused on work, always ready to slack off! Everyone here will be docked a point!¡± ¡°Ah?¡± ¡°Team Leader! How is this our fault?¡± ¡°That Educated Youth Miao has been wailing since the start of work, I thought her father had died! Is it wrong to ask?¡± ¡°Educated Youth Miao, speak up. Everyone was kindly helping you find a solution, it¡¯s unfair to get our points docked for this!¡± Surrounded by a group of aunties, Miao Yulan was so frightened she dared not shed another tear. Li Dahe knew that if he really docked points from everyone today, Miao Yulan would be skinned alive, so he roared again: ¡°Enough! Linger more, and today¡¯s tasks won¡¯t be completed; all will be docked points!¡± The aunties scattered like birds, no one daring to waste more time. Lin Nianhe quickly wrapped her scarf back up and hid beneath the corn leaves. Li Dahe was too lazy to care what the exact deal with the dowry was, rolling his eyes as he walked away. He walked lightly, leaving behind a field full of resentment. These days, points are grain, and grain is life! Almost having their points docked, the aunties could hardly give Miao Yulan a good face. Listening to the sarcastic jeers, Miao Yulan wanted to run. But she hadn¡¯t finished her work yet, so she couldn¡¯t leave. Miao Yulan bent down to work, her sweat and tears nourishing the earth, yet she had no mood to despise this sorrowful life, only racking her brains thinking where to get the money for her brother¡¯s dowry. Wang Xue was also engrossed in her hard work, feeling very puzzled¡ª Before, when she was at home, she just had to act pitiful outside, and her stepmother, even if she hated her to death, had to satisfy her demands. Why isn¡¯t that infallible trick working today? Lin Nianhe could feel the resentment from Miao Yulan and Wang Xue, for they seized every opportunity to glare at her, making it hard for her to ignore. But she didn¡¯t feel any psychological burden; it wasn¡¯t her who insisted on starting trouble during work time, she couldn¡¯t just offload the blame on her because she wasn¡¯t miserable. If she had any faults, it was that she shouldn¡¯t have gone to eat melons at noon. Lin Nianhe learned her lesson, heading straight to her own hut at the Educated Youth Corps, bolting the door, and turning a deaf ear to the world outside. To celebrate surviving her first day of farming work, Lin Nianhe used the pork belly Su Yuncheng brought to make a red-braised pork in the evening, and she also cooked some greens, balancing meat and vegetables for a nutritious meal. Her cooking skills were specially learned from a chef after her rebirth. She was more than capable of making home-cooked dishes. This meal of red-braised pork left Lin Nianhe particularly satisfied; it must be said, the pork in this era was genuinely delicious, rich in aroma. She intentionally made extra, leaving half to save herself the effort of cooking the next noon. After eating and drinking her fill and pulling the curtains shut, Lin Nianhe took a bath and meticulously applied several layers of whitening skincare products, using a bit too much, making her face two shades whiter. She originally planned to read a bit before sleeping, but no sooner did her head touch the pillow than she fell into a deep sleep. In the middle of the night. Lin Nianhe was sleeping soundly when a piercing scream tore her from her dreams. She sat up abruptly on the bed, listening intently, and heard one painful cry after another from beyond the east wall interspersed with the sound of twisting metal, chilling to the bone. Lin Nianhe raised an eyebrow, already understanding what was happening outside. She silently got out of bed, secured everything in the room that shouldn¡¯t be there, then donned her coat and moved the trap away from the door. Outside, things were already bustling. The Educated Youth from the front yard arrived first, Sun Guanghui holding a flashlight, serious yet bewildered. Following closely were the villagers; the shouts disturbed countless people¡¯s beautiful dreams, all rushing over¡ªpartly out of concern for real trouble, partly for fear of missing firsthand news. Lin Nianhe waited until there were more people outside before she opened the door and poked her head out. Li Dahe parted the crowd and came in, ¡°Educated Youth Lin, what happened here?¡± Lin Nianhe pointed to the gap between the courtyard wall and the house, ¡°The sound from there, it seems like someone was climbing over the wall.¡± Li Dahe pointed the flashlight forward and saw a dark figure squirming on the ground; if it weren¡¯t for the faint human noises it made, Li Dahe would have mistaken him for a black python. ¡°Go, pull him out!¡± Li Dahe furrowed his brows, turning to signal his wife to comfort Lin Nianhe. Before Aunt Li could move, Wang Shumei and Wen Lan had already run to Lin Nianhe¡¯s side. Wen Lan assumed a protective stance in front of Lin Nianhe, while Wang Shumei held her shoulders, patting them reassuringly. Seeing Sun Guanghui taking the lead and squeezing toward the gap in the wall, Lin Nianhe quickly reminded, ¡°Watch your step.¡± Sun Guanghui then noticed the rat traps all over the ground. He clicked his tongue, carefully leaning in to grab the man by the hair and forcibly dragged him out. As soon as this person appeared, everyone on the scene fell silent. They had seen rat traps before, but the rat traps on this person¡¯s body were almost enough for the whole Ten Miles Team... Chapter 17 - 17 16 The Posture of Complaining ?17: Chapter 16: The Posture of Complaining 17: Chapter 16: The Posture of Complaining The moonlight was cold, the night breeze slightly cool, and the air eerily still. Lin Nianhe, like one who had survived a disaster, patted her chest, ¡°It¡¯s a good thing I set a mousetrap, otherwise I would have really been at a loss!¡± She peeked out from behind Wen Lan, looking at the thuggish figure and sneered coldly, ¡°You were just lucky, my nail board wasn¡¯t ready yet, otherwise... haha!¡± The onlookers watched Lin Nianhe with complicated expressions, unconsciously wrapping their arms around themselves, grateful that they had only thought, not acted. This Educated Youth Lin looked tender and easy to bully, but unexpectedly she was not so easy to mess with! Li Dahe¡¯s brows were knitted tightly, wanting to kick the climbing educated youth on the wall, but since there was no place to do so, he could only say, ¡°First, get the mousetraps off him!¡± Any more torment, and he might not make it. Several sturdy young men stepped forward to remove the mousetraps, perhaps out of disdain for the thug, or maybe to show they had no ill will; their movements were not gentle, which only added to his injuries, making him howl even more miserably than before. After a full five or six minutes of struggle, the mousetraps were finally all removed. Li Dahe shone a flashlight on his face, and everyone finally saw the true face of the thug. ¡°Zhao Zhuangshi?¡± When Li Dahe called out the thug¡¯s name, Lin Nianhe¡¯s eyebrows immediately furrowed. She had heard of this person¡¯s name before, and Aunt Li had emphasized it when gossiping with her yesterday. Zhao Zhuangshi was famously troublesome in the village, idling around all day, either stealing chickens or teasing young women. His father had died early, leaving only a fierce and overprotective mother; with his tall and strong build, he bullied everyone in the village and no one dared to challenge him. Usually, only the brigade leader could rebuke him somewhat, and even then, Li Dahe had to be careful not to overdo it, lest Widow Zhao caused a scene at his house. Seeing it was Zhao Zhuangshi gave Li Dahe a headache, feeling as if he was losing a few more hairs. ¡°My son!¡± The shrill scream echoed again over the skies of the Educated Youth Corps, Widow Zhao wearing a black cloth shirt patched over patched, threw herself next to Zhao Zhuangshi, seeing that her son was just crying out in pain, she rolled up her sleeves and pounced towards Lin Nianhe: ¡°You heartless wretch! How dare you hurt my son with a mousetrap! You fatherless, mother-born brat, I¡¯ll teach you a good lesson myself!¡± Lin Nianhe¡¯s eyes darkened slightly, she pushed away Wen Lan who was about to join the fight, broke free from Wang Shumei¡¯s hold, and faced Widow Zhao. She had to fight this one herself! Lin Nianhe¡¯s physical condition couldn¡¯t compare to her past life, but the fighting experience etched in her mind was rich, and the skills were still very useful. She grabbed Widow Zhao¡¯s wrist reaching towards her with her right hand, and with a ¡°small capture¡± maneuver, skillfully subdued Widow Zhao. Wen Lan, who had just thought to help, was shocked by Lin Nianhe¡¯s move; her eyes widened in astonishment, full of eagerness as she watched Lin Nianhe. The other villagers also gasped in surprise, watching Lin Nianhe in disbelief. Lin Nianhe ignored their looks and kicked Widow Zhao on the butt, sending her sprawling onto Zhao Zhuangshi, who was still lying on the ground groaning. ¡°Ow¡ª¡± Zhao Zhuangshi, already in pain from the mousetrap, curled up like a shrimp when his own mother crashed down on him. Widow Zhao also fell in a tangle and struggled to get up. After checking on her eldest son, her eyes darted around, and she sat on the ground, slapping her thigh and howling, ¡°God! I can¡¯t live like this! The Educated Youth hit someone!¡± Widow Zhao slapped her thigh so hard it kept making popping sounds, making Wang Shumei instinctively want to rub her own legs. The villagers looked at the shameless Widow Zhao, with the corners of their mouths twitching. They sympathized with Lin Nianhe, but really dared not stick their necks out. Being targeted by those hooligan mother and son, how could they have peaceful days? They had elders and children to take care of, so they had to take care of their own little families. Li Dahe smoothed back his hair and gritted his teeth as he stepped forward. Other people could act like quails, but he couldn¡¯t just ignore it! Being the team leader was tough... Lin Nianhe caught sight of Li Dahe¡¯s conflicted expression and immediately understood what he was considering. She stepped forward and spoke before Li Dahe could say anything, ¡°My mousetrap was set up in my own yard. Your son ran onto my mousetrap and hurt his leg. I haven¡¯t even asked him to compensate for my loss, and here you are playing the victim first.¡± Widow Zhao choked on her cries, staring daggers straight at Lin Nianhe like a vengeful ghost, ¡°What are you saying? You still want me to pay you? Have you no shame!¡± Lin Nianhe blew the dust off her hands and said calmly, ¡°Don¡¯t want to compensate? Fine, then let¡¯s call the Public Security. I¡¯ll pay for your son¡¯s medical expenses, and you pay for my mousetrap. Oh, and I also need to ask the Public Security comrades what the punishment should be for a hooligan scaling the wall of a female Educated Youth in the middle of the night.¡± Widow Zhao choked on a ¡°gah¡±, forcibly swallowing all her bluster. She scrambled up from the ground and also pulled Zhao Zhuangshi up, shaking her head repeatedly, ¡°No need to report to Public Security, no need! My son just took a wrong turn because he drank too much. I accept my bad luck; how about I don¡¯t ask for your compensation? Isn¡¯t that enough?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t accept my bad luck,¡± Lin Nianhe raised her chin, a sly glint in her eyes, ¡°I was sleeping soundly when suddenly I was startled awake...¡± While talking, she suddenly clutched her chest, sluggishly collapsing toward Wang Shumei¡¯s direction, ¡°Ouch, my chest hurts... I need to go to the hospital...¡± Wang Shumei reacted quickly, stepping forward to catch Lin Nianhe. The moment Lin Nianhe leaned into Wang Shumei¡¯s arms, she staggered a few steps, and the two nearly fell into a heap, looking pitiful. A cold breeze blew, causing Lin Nianhe to sneeze loudly. This well-timed sneeze startled Widow Zhao, who looked at Lin Nianhe¡¯s frail frame and saw visions of little money flashing through her mind. There was no way she would pay money, absolutely not! Widow Zhao immediately jumped about, creating a scene, ¡°You just hit me too! I hurt! I need to go to the hospital too!¡± ¡°Cut it out!¡± Yu Xiangqin stepped forward, hands on hips, rolling her eyes at Widow Zhao, ¡°You¡¯re jumping three feet high, do you look like someone who¡¯s hurt?¡± Only then did Widow Zhao realize her posture for complaining was all wrong, and she tugged at Zhao Zhuangshi, ¡°But my son¡¯s injury can¡¯t be faked, right?¡± ¡°He brought it on himself!¡± Li Dahe shouted angrily, glaring fiercely at her, warning, ¡°Old Zhao Family, if you keep making baseless allegations, I¡¯ll really call the Public Security!¡± Widow Zhao sheepishly shut her mouth, whispering quietly, ¡°Anyway, I don¡¯t have money to compensate her...¡± Li Dahe gave her a sidelong glance and said to Zhao Zhuangshi, who had been hiding behind Widow Zhao all along: ¡°From tomorrow, you¡¯ll be cleaning the cowshed. If you try any tricks, we¡¯ll call Public Security!¡± Zhao Zhuangshi instinctively wanted to refuse, but before he could speak up, he heard Lin Nianhe muttering on the other side. ¡°Sister Shumei, I¡¯m not going to die, am I... Help me back to my room to write a will quickly, I want to tell my parents that I died of fright, a life for a life...¡± Chapter 18 - 18 17 She Really Doesnt Want to Rest ?18: Chapter 17 She Really Doesn¡¯t Want to Rest 18: Chapter 17 She Really Doesn¡¯t Want to Rest Zhao Zhuangshi¡¯s imminent refusal turned into: ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll go.¡± Li Dahe¡¯s white eyes were about to roll up to the moon. He stepped forward and said to Lin Nianhe: ¡°Educated Youth Lin, indeed the Zhao Family doesn¡¯t have much money to compensate you. So, Zhao Zhuangshi gets eight points for cleaning the cattle pen for a day. I¡¯ll decide for you; rest for a few days to recover. During these days, the points earned by Zhao Zhuangshi will be compensated to you. What do you think?¡± Widow Zhao: ¡°But there¡¯s hardly any money...¡± ¡°Whether you like it or not! If not, we¡¯re going to report to the Public Security!¡± Yu Xiangqin pointed at her nose and scolded, ¡°If you want your son to be punished by the law, continue crying out. We¡¯re ready to forego our leadership and cannot let the village suffer from such a menace!¡± Wang Xue covered her chest in fright, her eyes seemingly brimming with tears: ¡°Xiangqin is right, who doesn¡¯t have daughters or sisters? If we don¡¯t handle him now, we won¡¯t be able to sleep peacefully later!¡± Miao Yulan stood by their side, the most inarticulate, just nodding along. Their coordinated stance left Lin Nianhe somewhat bewildered. Was this setting aside internal conflicts and uniting for now? Or was it a desperate situation where they had to interfere? However, the other villagers didn¡¯t think so much. Hearing their words, they too felt leadership wasn¡¯t as significant anymore. If we don¡¯t manage this scoundrel properly, whose daughter might be spoiled next? That would ruin her whole life! Thinking this, their gaze towards Zhao Zhuangshi changed, wishing they could send him to the police station right now. Seeing the crowd furious like wolves, Widow Zhao quickly changed her tone: ¡°Compensate, compensate, compensate! I didn¡¯t say I wouldn¡¯t compensate! My son really took the wrong path, punishment is deserved!¡± Her face showed pain as she softened her tone towards Lin Nianhe: ¡°Well, Educated Youth Lin, how many days do you need to recover?¡± Lin Nianhe patted his heart: ¡°Who can be sure about sickness? I¡¯m easily frightened, and what if I get scared again...¡± Widow Zhao was truly about to cry this time! The leader didn¡¯t specify a timeframe, and this missy wasn¡¯t saying either, what if she keeps hiding her illness, wouldn¡¯t her son keep working for free for her? But she was helpless now, the villagers avoiding her like the plague, refusing even to make eye contact. Widow Zhao wanted to say more, but Li Dahe made a final decision: ¡°That settles it, Educated Youth Lin, if he harasses you again, we¡¯ll all settle the score together!¡± Lin Nianhe replied: ¡°Alright... Thank you all for deciding for me.¡± ¡°Alright, alright, there¡¯s no need to be so polite. Here, you few girls also lend a hand, help Educated Youth Lin back to the house.¡± Aunt Li stepped forward and called several female educated youths to help Lin Nianhe back to the house. As the outside crowd gradually dispersed, Lin Nianhe took Aunt Li¡¯s hand and spoke softly: ¡°Aunt Li, actually, I¡¯m not seriously injured. It won¡¯t affect work tomorrow.¡± She didn¡¯t feel that a little candy and ten yuan would make the leader¡¯s family truly treat her as one of their own. That¡¯s why she avoided putting Li Dahe in a difficult position by stepping forward herself, and why she needed to clarify her condition with Aunt Li in advance, to avoid future reproaches. Aunt Li tucked her in, speaking tenderly: ¡°Don¡¯t overexert yourself, look how pale your little face is, youngsters nowadays don¡¯t care much, but it all comes back when you¡¯re older... Just listen to your uncle, rest well at home for a few days, also teach that Zhao brat a lesson!¡± Lin Nianhe subconsciously touched her face. Her fingertips picked up a faint scent. Was it... the skincare she applied before bed? It indeed was quite pale! She blinked, hiding her face in the blanket, and said in a mushy voice, ¡°Thank you, Aunt Li.¡± Aunt Li, reminded of her own daughter Xiao Hehua by her demeanor, softened her voice even more: ¡°Just rest well, I¡¯m heading back too, call me if you need anything.¡± ¡°Take care, Aunt Li.¡± Lin Nianhe glanced at Wang Shumei. Wang Shumei immediately offered her arm to Aunt Li: ¡°Aunt Li, let me escort you.¡± ¡°Stop going with me, you all rest well...¡± Outside, the villagers walked in groups of three or five, all ears listening to Widow Zhao¡¯s nagging: ¡°Team leader, when is that girl going to recover? Give me an exact date! If she¡¯s bedridden for life, does my son have to work for her for nothing forever?¡± Li Dahe¡¯s hair fluttered in the wind, his steps quickened unconsciously, eager to leave this frustrating place. ¡°It was just a scare, right? She had plenty of strength when she kicked me! I think it won¡¯t even delay her from working tomorrow...¡± It was too dark, Widow Zhao couldn¡¯t see the expression on Li Dahe¡¯s face, still babbling on. Li Dahe stopped, unable to bear it any longer, and said to Widow Zhao, ¡°Don¡¯t you know you¡¯ve taken advantage already?¡± Widow Zhao¡¯s eyes bulged like a cow¡¯s eyes: ¡°Me, taken advantage? What advantage have I taken?¡± Li Dahe glared at her resentfully, gritting his teeth and said: ¡°The young man who came to deliver things to Educated Youth Lin in the morning saw everything, didn¡¯t he? That young man is from the town¡¯s Public Security station, if Educated Youth Lin really wants to hold you accountable, Zhao Zhuangshi will be directly sentenced heavily, and you¡¯ll just wait to send him meals in prison!¡± Widow Zhao stood frozen in place, her head buzzing. What? Educated Youth Lin knows someone from the Public Security? She stood still for a long time, until Zhao Zhuangshi truly could not bear the pain anymore, and said mournfully: ¡°Mom, let¡¯s go home, my whole body hurts.¡± ¡°Hurt! You deserve to suffer!¡± Widow Zhao leaped up and started slapping Zhao Zhuangshi across the face, scolding, ¡°You good-for-nothing always causing trouble! Why did you even climb that damned girl¡¯s wall...¡± ¡°Ouch! Mom! I know my mistake, stop hitting...¡± Tonight, Ten Miles Team was unusually lively. The people from the Educated Youth Corps didn¡¯t stay long at Lin Nianhe¡¯s place, they all left one after another without saying any unnecessary words after Aunt Li left. Lin Nianhe waited until the lights in the front yard were off before she re-secured the door latch. Then she looked in the mirror again, indeed, her face wrapped up in the whitening essence looked paler than usual. It wasn¡¯t that she was deliberately being lazy, it was really just a coincidence. The timing was perfect, she couldn¡¯t rest even if she wanted to! Lin Nianhe pondered, resting for three days, making the Zhao Family pay 24 points would certainly hurt them enough. Excess is as bad as deficiency; going too far would be no good for her either. Making up her mind, Lin Nianhe was still too agitated to sleep. She simply started flipping through books in the space. The college entrance exams were going to be reinstated in two years, she needed to study hard. She had bought a lot of books when she was stocking up, initially thinking of contributing to the continuation of civilization as much as she could, but she ended up being the first beneficiary. Lin Nianhe had contacted the publishers directly when buying books, almost purchasing every available book on the market. To ensure that the nation¡¯s children could have a happy learning experience, she not only bought various versions of textbooks, but also many, many, many exercise books. To prevent students from lacking good teachers, she also downloaded 10Tb of online course videos, covering various subjects from primary school to university, everything available online she had. Looking at the ¡°Five-Year College Entrance Exam, Three-Year Simulation¡± on her pillow, Lin Nianhe¡¯s expression was complicated. She didn¡¯t know how the nation¡¯s children¡¯s learning life was, but she knew¡ª Her preparation for exams, was complete. Chapter 19 - 19 18 Whatever You Think, Comes ?19: Chapter 18 Whatever You Think, Comes 19: Chapter 18 Whatever You Think, Comes The next day, the sun rose as usual, oblivious to the commotion of the night before, carefreely shining upon the earth. Before heading to work, Wen Lan and Wang Shumei came to visit Lin Nianhe, and seeing her small face still ¡°pale,¡± they didn¡¯t say much. They made her a cup of malted milk and left some egg cake on the edge of the kang bed before leaving. After they left, Lin Nianhe couldn¡¯t sleep either. She simply got out of bed and planned to tidy up the room within her capabilities. Her place was in such disorder, it was hard to look at it, everything was almost scattered on the ground, with nowhere to put anything. It¡¯s hard for a clever wife to cook without rice, and she didn¡¯t even have a cabinet or chest, so it was hard to keep things in order. While Lin Nianhe was fretting, Aunt Li¡¯s voice came from outside: ¡°Educated Youth Lin, are you home?¡± Lin Nianhe quickly responded, opened the door, and walked out to greet her. The sunshine fell on her face, making her squint. She had just washed up, her long hair neatly swept to one side and braided into a plait, making her small face seem no bigger than a palm. Her thick eyelashes were black and long, like butterfly wings. Aunt Li was astonished, she had never seen such a beautiful child, like a fairy. Immediately, she felt a pang of sympathy ¨C looking at Educated Youth Lin¡¯s pale face, it was clear that she was unwell! Aunt Li wasn¡¯t aware of the miraculous effects of top-tier whitening serums, and felt that Lin Nianhe was paler than the day before, surely still shaken by the distress caused by that mother and daughter duo. She instinctively reached out to support Lin Nianhe, her voice much softer: ¡°Educated Youth Lin, have you eaten? If not, let Auntie cook something for you?¡± ¡°Aunt, I¡¯ve already eaten,¡± Lin Nianhe said with an obedient smile, ¡°I¡¯m feeling much better.¡± ¡°You just say that to be stubborn!¡± Aunt Li glared at her lightly, then moved on to the matter at hand: ¡°Your Second Uncle Li mentioned that you ordered furniture from him, it was like this ¨C he made some furniture for the eldest of the He family from the Nine-miles Team, originally for their wedding, and all materials used were top-notch.¡± ¡°The eldest of the He family is a soldier, who was supposed to come back last month to get married, but his leave got denied at the last minute due to a mission, and probably won¡¯t be able to return until the end of the year. Old He from their family broke his leg a few days ago, and all the cash they had was spent on dowries for their two sons...¡± ¡°Your Second Uncle Li thought since the furniture was brand new and unused, still stored in their backyard, and you were in need of everything, if you wanted it, he would arrange to transfer the money to Old He, to let him treat his leg injury first.¡± Lin Nianhe¡¯s eyes brightened as she listened. When you need a pillow, someone brings it to you! She nodded eagerly: ¡°That sounds good, but wouldn¡¯t furniture meant for a marriage be more expensive?¡± Aunt Li waved her hand with a smile: ¡°Same price for all, the He family is only in trouble for these two months, once the eldest son¡¯s allowance is sent back, they can buy new furniture.¡± There is not much fuss over making furniture in the countryside, and it¡¯s not fashionable to have intricately carved designs nowadays, so there wasn¡¯t much difference in terms of pricing. Second Uncle Li was also kind-hearted, after all, once the money is returned to the He family, there¡¯s still the chance they may not order new furniture. Lin Nianhe inquired: ¡°Aunt Li, what kind of furniture did the He family order? My room is small, I might not have space for it.¡± ¡°They added a kang cabinet, and a large wardrobe with double doors. The eldest son¡¯s bride of the He family is a primary school teacher from the town, and Old He family specially made her a desk,¡± Aunt Li explained, ¡°Your Second Uncle Li said, the size should be fine for you, just that the desk might be a bit big, it¡¯ll be a tight squeeze in your small room.¡± Lin Nianhe nodded like a pecking chicken: ¡°I¡¯ll take it! I don¡¯t mind squeezing in, and don¡¯t laugh at me, but my belongings are still all scattered on the floor, it even worries me to look at it.¡± Aunt Li laughed heartily and told her: ¡°Then just wait at home, I¡¯ll go back and let them know, and have the furniture sent over to you straightaway.¡± ¡°Alright, thank you so much, Aunt Li.¡± ¡°Hey, it¡¯s the least I can do. The He family isn¡¯t having an easy time either, we should help out when we can.¡± Aunt Li spoke and walked away. Lin Nianhe hurried back to the room to fold up the bedding and made space for the kang cabinet. Soon after, Second Uncle Li and Second Aunt Li came with a handcart, and Aunt Li followed them, bringing along their daughter, Xiao Hehua. ¡°Educated Youth Lin, go to the yard, no need for you to lend a hand here,¡± Second Aunt Li said heartily, waving her hand as she and Second Uncle Li moved the furniture. This kind of solid wood furniture was quite heavy, but neither of them appeared to struggle; they were clearly used to this kind of work and were very strong. Lin Nianhe, thinking of her own convalescence, simply took Li Hehua to squat in a small unobtrusive corner and even washed an apple for the little girl. ¡°Hehua, have you started school?¡± Lin Nianhe asked casually, trying to make conversation. Li Hehua took small bites of the apple, replying softly, ¡°I¡¯m in third grade... but Mom hasn¡¯t let me go to school these past few days.¡± Lin Nianhe immediately thought of the gossip Aunt Li had mentioned and asked, ¡°Is it because of the little boy from the Zhang Family who fell into the river?¡± Li Hehua nodded: ¡°I used to go to Birch Team¡¯s school with Brother Tiezhu, but since Brother Tiezhu got sick, Mom won¡¯t let me go by myself.¡± ¡°How far is Birch Team from here?¡± ¡°Eight miles... Actually, I can walk there by myself, I¡¯m not a little kid anymore.¡± Lin Nianhe was stunned. Eight miles, with such little legs, how could it not take three or four hours to walk? Lin Nianhe thought back to her own school days. Ever since kindergarten, she had been taken to and from school by car, even when the school was only a few hundred meters from her home, she had never measured that distance with her own legs. She had also heard about the difficulty children in impoverished areas faced in getting to school, but because she hadn¡¯t seen it firsthand, she never took it seriously, thinking that her donations of stationery had squared away everything. Now, seeing the longing for school shining in Li Hehua¡¯s eyes, a pang of sorrow hit her heart. She softly asked, ¡°Why doesn¡¯t our team have an elementary school?¡± Li Hehua clearly didn¡¯t know the answer to this question, cradling the apple, she shook her head in confusion, looking innocently at Lin Nianhe. Lin Nianhe stroked her head, pushing the apple closer to her mouth, ¡°Eat up.¡± Li Hehua¡¯s face turned red as she took another tiny bite and asked, ¡°Sister Lin, can I share this with my parents?¡± ¡°You may.¡± Xiao Hehua was so considerate it was heart-wrenching, and Lin Nianhe¡¯s tone became even softer, ¡°I¡¯ve given it to you, so you can give it to whoever you want.¡± Li Hehua beamed brightly, holding the large apple as she went to find Aunt Li, insisting on sharing the apple that she had barely bitten into with her. How could Aunt Li bear to eat it? Only after much persuasion did she nibble a tiny bit, then she sent Li Hehua off to play and took out 20 cents, intending to give it to Lin Nianhe. Lin Nianhe quickly dodged and declined with a stream of words, eventually making Aunt Li helpless between laughter and tears, and she put the money away again. ¡°Aunt Li, doesn¡¯t our team have an elementary school?¡± Aunt Li grimaced: ¡°No, a couple of years ago the commune mentioned building a new school, but that never happened... We¡¯re struggling to have enough to eat, where¡¯s the money to build so many schools!¡± ¡°My old man said the commune mentioned that more educated youth will be sent to the countryside in a few months, but we have no idea where to place them yet. Besides borrowing grain, the village will probably have to provide funds to build houses.¡± Lin Nianhe did not respond to this; she silently watched Li Hehua writing characters in the dirt with a stick, her brow slightly furrowed. Chapter 20 - 20 19 Malice in the Belly ?20: Chapter 19 Malice in the Belly 20: Chapter 19 Malice in the Belly The cabin had a clear view, and the furniture was neatly arranged. After a while, Second Uncle Li came out with his hands clapping off the dust and said to Lin Nianhe, ¡°Educated Youth Lin, the furniture you ordered is only missing a cupboard. It¡¯ll be ready in five or six days, and I¡¯ll deliver it then.¡± His hands were dark and rough, covered in calluses¡ªmedals of honor for half a lifetime of hard work for his home. Lin Nianhe snapped out of her reverie, cheerfully replied, ¡°Okay, thank you, Second Uncle Li. You¡¯ve put in a lot of effort.¡± With a wave of his hand, Second Uncle Li quietly left, pushing his handcart. The two aunts originally wanted to help Lin Nianhe tidy up, but she refused, not letting them do any work no matter what. Aunt Li figured it out¡ªLin Nianhe might look obedient, but she was actually pretty stubborn. After seeing off Aunt Li and the others, Lin Nianhe happily went back to organizing her things. There was now a place to put clothes, and snacks could be temporarily kept on the kang cabinet. Her favorite was the desk¡ªSecond Uncle Li¡¯s craftsmanship was truly excellent, making the desk very sturdy. The tabletop was smooth, the edges were rounded. Under the tabletop, on the left were three drawers, each with a lock, and on the right was a small cabinet. Speaking of this cabinet, Lin Nianhe really wanted to give Second Uncle Li tens of thousands of thumbs up. Its size was perfect for placing a storage battery. Humming a tune, Lin Nianhe drilled a small hole the size of a lychee behind the cabinet and attached a power strip under the desk. She found a pink and white checkered cloth from her space and laid it out as a tablecloth, perfectly hiding the power strip. With this, she finally didn¡¯t need to move the storage battery back and forth daily, nor did she have to squat beside the stove to eat. If she didn¡¯t feel it was inappropriate, she would¡¯ve even liked to present Uncle He with a banner of honor. Lin Nianhe placed a pink and white checkered cushion that matched the tablecloth on the chair, then sat on it, looking out of the window with a contented wiggle of her feet. At last, her new home was beginning to take shape. But the desk seemed a bit empty. She couldn¡¯t place her books out in the open. The textbooks and exercise books she found last night were placed on a specially cleared shelf in her space, ready to be used at any time and much safer than being out in the open. After pondering for a while, she decided to place the stack of newspapers that Su Yuncheng had brought for her on the desk. On the rural lane, Wen Lan¡¯s day was much lighter because there was one less person she needed to drag along. Wang Shumei felt embarrassed being dragged along yesterday, but today she had completely adapted to it. She leaned on Wen Lan¡¯s shoulder, asking curiously, ¡°Xiao Lan, where did you get such strength from? And I notice you¡¯re quite proficient in farm work.¡± Wen Lan did farm work without needing the aunts to bother teaching her, simply joining in with the tasks, and no one knew where she had learned it from. Logically, educated youth from the city aren¡¯t supposed to know how to do farm work. Wen Lan¡¯s eyes flickered slightly. She rarely played it cautious and didn¡¯t directly answer Wang Shumei¡¯s question, ¡°I just have a lot of strength, and besides, that bit of work isn¡¯t difficult at all.¡± Wang Shumei raised an eyebrow. Her words, probably none of the neighbors would believe. But Wang Shumei didn¡¯t ask further. Everyone had their little secrets, and so did she. Wang Shumei was pondering when to make a trip to town, when Widow Zhao suddenly appeared from nowhere and swooped in front of her, demanding with her droopy eyes, ¡°Educated Youth Wang, is Educated Youth Lin better now?¡± Wang Shumei was genuinely startled this time; her already weak legs buckled, nearly collapsing into Wen Lan¡¯s arms. Annoyed, Wang Shumei responded, ¡°I don¡¯t know if Nianhe is better, but now I¡¯m truly scared by you. Xiao Lan, help me over to the Ten Miles Team leader¡¯s house to ask for leave!¡± Widow Zhao let out a wail and bolted, legs sprawling in all directions. While running, she muttered to herself, ¡°My life is at stake, these educated youth nowadays are all full of ill intentions, all led astray by that little demon...¡± It was just the time when the work shift ended, so there were quite a few villagers on the road, who all widened their eyes upon seeing this scene, their expressions as if they had seen a ghost. My goodness, Widow Zhao had been married to the Ten Miles Team for over twenty years, yet this was the first... the second time they had seen her suffer a defeat. Their gazes towards Wang Shumei and Wen Lan became complex. One, a little tiger girl who worked the fields even better than the men, another, a sharp-tongued little chili pepper who never let anyone off the hook, and one more, a little demon who might come from a family making mouse traps... These three new female educated youth were terrifying! Widow Zhao came to ¡°care¡± for Lin Nianhe¡¯s health, and Wang Shumei immediately turned around to tell the person involved. At that time, Lin Nianhe was writing a letter home at the new table. Upon hearing the news, she pursed her lips and chuckled, speaking to Wang Shumei through the window, ¡°She¡¯s just afraid that I¡¯ll use my illness as an excuse to shirk work. But after your scare, I guess she won¡¯t dare to approach you anymore.¡± Wang Shumei looked at Lin Nianhe, her mind suddenly wandering, thinking to herself how beautiful she looked. It was just that her face was too pale, she looked like a sick beauty. Lin Nianhe capped her fountain pen and asked, ¡°Did those people in the front yard not say anything else?¡± She couldn¡¯t help but remember that they had also spoken up for her last night. Wang Shumei also thought of this, and after a moment of silence, she said to Lin Nianhe, ¡°Last night, not long after Miao Yulan returned, she started running a fever. This morning, she was so dizzy that she staggered as she walked, but she still insisted on going to work.¡± ¡°The team leader was afraid something would happen to her and wanted her to go with the kids to cut pigweed, but she refused and stubbornly worked in the fields all morning.¡± Lin Nianhe was shocked and stared wide-eyed, ¡°She¡¯s that determined?¡± Wang Shumei sighed, ¡°Every family has their own difficult scriptures to chant, when it all comes down to it... it¡¯s all because we¡¯re poor.¡± Lin Nianhe thought for a moment with downcast eyes, then stood up from her bed and took out a recently stored bag of medicines. She found some antipyretics and handed two pills to Wang Shumei, ¡°Give these to her to reduce the fever.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Wang Shumei didn¡¯t refuse, ¡°I¡¯ll take them to her.¡± Wang Shumei didn¡¯t stay long and went to the front courtyard to look. Miao Yulan was lying on the bed in a daze, her face ashen and her forehead burning hot. She quickly woke her up, ¡°Educated Youth Miao, wake up and take this fever-reducing medicine.¡± Miao Yulan, in a daze, opened her eyes and saw the pale pills, instinctively shaking her head, ¡°No need, I¡¯m fine, I don¡¯t want to waste the money.¡± Wang Shumei almost laughed out of exasperation and shoved the medicine into Miao Yulan¡¯s mouth with a firm tone, ¡°It doesn¡¯t cost you anything, Nianhe gave it to you.¡± She had never seen anyone who took so little care of themselves! Miao Yulan was taken aback, but before she could spit it out, Wang Shumei had already poured water down her throat and the medicine was swallowed. She felt her tongue go numb with bitterness, and before she could frown, a piece of rock sugar was stuffed into her mouth. Watching her pale appearance, Wang Shumei eventually softened her tone, ¡°You rest for a bit and don¡¯t go to work this afternoon.¡± After saying this, she left the remaining four pieces of rock sugar by her pillow. ¡°No, no, I can do it...¡± ¡°What ¡®can you do¡¯? You can only earn work points if you¡¯re alive.¡± Yu Xiangqin rolled her eyes as she came inside, carrying a bowl of thick millet porridge with a few bird eggs in it. ¡°Here, the porridge is cooked by me, the millet is from Wang Xue, and the bird eggs were found by some male comrades after work in the mountains.¡± Yu Xiangqin swallowed her saliva, sat down on the edge of the kang bed holding the bowl, and spooned up porridge to Miao Yulan¡¯s lips, teasingly warning, ¡°Eat up quickly, or else I might just have it myself.¡± Outside the window, Wen Lan passed by and called out to her, ¡°Don¡¯t go to work this afternoon; I¡¯ll do your share of the work for you, and you won¡¯t lose a single point.¡± Miao Yulan looked at them dumbfounded, tears falling down, dropping into the bowl. The sugar was really sweet, the porridge was really fragrant. Chapter 21 - 21 20 Miao Laidi ?21: Chapter 20 Miao Laidi 21: Chapter 20 Miao Laidi After the work gong sounded in the afternoon, the Educated Youth Corps quickly fell silent again. Lin Nianhe sat by the window, holding a set of high school exam questions and fell into deep thought. The difficulty of the high school exam questions was just right for high school students, but obviously too challenging for university students. Lin Nianhe couldn¡¯t help but feel a strong sense of pride. She once could solve such difficult problems! She was so amazing... After generously praising herself, Lin Nianhe took out a junior high math textbook. Don¡¯t ask, the answer is the law of conservation of energy, she returned all her knowledge to her teachers as she stepped out of the high school gate to nurture the next generation. Fortunately, even though the knowledge was gone, her brain was still there. In two hours, she had reawakened her mathematical memory and was about to practice with a middle school math exam paper when she vaguely heard the sound of footsteps approaching from afar. With a sweep of her hand, the textbook on the table was tucked into her space, and she casually picked up a newspaper, pretending to read it while shaking her leg. The footsteps grew nearer, sounding somewhat dragging, very weak. ¡°Um... Educated Youth Lin...¡± Miao Yulan¡¯s weak voice arose by the window. Lin Nianhe looked up as though she had just noticed her, putting down the newspaper: ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± Miao Yulan had just woken up, her fever had subsided and although she was still pale, there was a hint of vitality on her face now. She licked her chapped lips and said softly, ¡°I¡¯m sorry about yesterday.¡± Lin Nianhe tugged at the corner of her mouth: ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡± ¡°And the medicine... Thank you,¡± Miao Yulan said uneasily as she looked at Lin Nianhe. Perhaps the high fever had evaporated some of the water in her brain; Miao Yulan seemed much more normal at this moment. Lin Nianhe shook her head lightly: ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡± She didn¡¯t want to meddle, she just wanted to focus on practicing problems. But Miao Yulan didn¡¯t seem to have the intention to leave, standing outside the window, she fiddled with her fingers and asked, ¡°Can you talk with me for a bit?¡± Seeing her miserable state, Lin Nianhe couldn¡¯t help but suppress her desire to practice and nodded: ¡°Okay, let¡¯s go to your place.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Miao Yulan nodded, leading Lin Nianhe toward the front courtyard, staggering with every third step. Miao Yulan sat on the kang somewhat awkwardly and after a long silence, just as Lin Nianhe was nearly dozing off, she finally spoke, ¡°Educated Youth Lin, do you look down on me?¡± Lin Nianhe yawned and replied: ¡°No.¡± Her response seemed to perplex Miao Yulan, who stared at her, eyes starting to redden again. ¡°I haven¡¯t really paid attention to you, so it¡¯s not a matter of looking down on you.¡± Miao Yulan: ¡°...¡± The sentiment she had been brewing suddenly dissipated. Lin Nianhe, sitting in the wobbly chair with her legs up, continued, ¡°I don¡¯t like to get involved in other people¡¯s business, nor do I like to gossip, but if you want to talk, I can listen.¡± Miao Yulan opened her mouth, still unable to suppress the bitterness in her heart, and began to tell her story in a low voice. She was originally named Miao Laidi. After her brother was born, the elders secretly told Mrs. Miao that her brother lacked the ¡®wood¡¯ element, fearing that her son¡¯s life would face obstacles. Therefore, the names of several sisters were changed to include flowers and plants. Just like all girls with the character ¡®Di¡¯ in their names, Miao Yulan and her sisters were taught from a young age to dedicate everything to their brother. The best food was his, as were the cotton materials made into clothes for him; education was the same... If it weren¡¯t for the neighborhood office¡¯s insistence, Miao Yulan would never have gotten the chance to go to school. ¡°Educated Youth Lin, I¡¯m different from you. I wouldn¡¯t have been born if my mom hadn¡¯t wanted a son,¡± Miao Yulan said, her eyes swollen and red, her gaze at Lin Nianhe especially hollow. ¡°My mom said that my life was granted to me by my brother.¡± Lin Nianhe saw the lives of many girls reflected in her. Countless ¡°Miao Laidis¡± had their lives ruined by ignorant parents. They would take this mindset into marriage and childbirth, continuing the tragedy, raising more ¡°Miao Laidis¡±... Lin Nianhe watched as a layer of wariness added to Miao Yulan¡¯s eyes: ¡°You¡¯re not still thinking about borrowing money for your brother¡¯s dowry, are you?¡± Miao Yulan hurriedly shook her head and said, ¡°I won¡¯t borrow it, I can¡¯t pay it back... Did you know? Before today, I¡¯ve never tasted millet porridge.¡± ¡°When I went down to the countryside, my mom gave me five yuan.¡± ¡°Five yuan... That¡¯s the most money I¡¯ve ever had in my life.¡± ¡°Educated Youth Lin, why is there such a huge gap between children of the same family? Just because I am a girl and can¡¯t carry on the family line? But I can still send them food and care for them in their old age.¡± Lin Nianhe smoothed her neck. She felt a little suffocated. Miao Yulan slowly leaned her head against the wall, her eyes drooping as she looked at her own hands. ¡°When my brother was a child, he wouldn¡¯t breastfeed, so the four of us sisters drank rice soup to save food and switch it for wheat-based milk powder for him. After my eldest sister got married, she stole food to take home and was beaten by her mother-in-law, breaking one leg, and because she couldn¡¯t steal anymore... my mom also broke her other leg.¡± ¡°Actually, I don¡¯t want to be this hungry either, but if I don¡¯t give it, my mom will beat me to death...¡± Lin Nianhe finally understood the fear she had once felt from Miao Yulan. It was an instinctive reaction forged from being beaten by her own mother since she was little. She was about to speak when she heard a roar like firecrackers behind her: ¡°I¡¯d like to see who dares to hit you! They¡¯ve turned the world upside down!¡± Lin Nianhe shuddered with fright and turned around to see a thin aunt briskly striding over, with a formidable presence. This aunt had thick eyebrows, big eyes, well-defined jawlines, a high nose bridge, and neatly short hair; at first glance, she was clearly someone not to be trifled with. Lin Nianhe licked her lips. From what she just heard, the aunt shouldn¡¯t be here to cause trouble. The aunt strode in, made her way tempestuously to Miao Yulan, stood with hands on hips and poked Miao Yulan right in the forehead. ¡°Such a useless character, you won¡¯t accomplish anything; you deserve to be bullied to death by your mom! Other than leaking like a sieve, what else can you do?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve told you ten thousand times, if you¡¯re in trouble, seek help from the organization! Is that mouth of yours just for show, unable to speak up?¡± ¡°All day it¡¯s ¡®your mom this, your mom that¡¯; if your mom is so amazing, why doesn¡¯t she come to Ten Miles Team? I¡¯d flatten her skull!¡± With each reprimand, the aunt poked Miao Yulan¡¯s forehead with her finger. That exasperation spoken with a mix of frustration and care, it was just like an elder watching over their own. While Lin Nianhe was wondering who this remarkable aunt could be, the aunt suddenly turned around, and their gazes unexpectedly met. Lin Nianhe felt a tingling on her scalp and involuntarily took a step back. The aunt looked at her and demanded, ¡°Was it your wall that Zhao Zhuangshi climbed over last night?¡± Lin Nianhe: ¡°It was... I guess?¡± ¡°Either it was or it wasn¡¯t, what¡¯s with the hesitation?¡± the aunt rolled her eyes and tilted her chin at Lin Nianhe, ¡°I¡¯ll tell you, take a break for at least three days, let that little bastard learn his lesson!¡± Lin Nianhe: ¡°Okay.¡± Having said this, the aunt didn¡¯t plan to let Lin Nianhe off the hook and asked, ¡°Was what I just said correct?¡± Lin Nianhe decisively clapped: ¡°Auntie, you¡¯re absolutely right, you scolded well, your consciousness is really high!¡± Miao Yulan: ¡°...¡± Actually, she had always thought Educated Youth Lin was quite arrogant. Chapter 22 - 22 21 The Simple Desire for Unity ?22: Chapter 21 The Simple Desire for Unity 22: Chapter 21 The Simple Desire for Unity The Educated Youth Lin, who was rather proud, had no intention of paying any attention to Miao Yulan; she was quietly moving backward, to avoid getting her head poked in the next second. She held her position well, and Aunt Wang nodded in satisfaction, her tone softened a bit: ¡°I am Aunt Wang Hong, the Women¡¯s Director of Ten Miles Team. If that punk from the Zhao Family dares to show off in front of you again, you go to the Team¡¯s office to find me.¡± Lin Nianhe nodded her head wisely: ¡°Alright, Aunt Wang!¡± Perhaps having heard about Lin Nianhe¡¯s brave act, Wang Hong was quite reassured by her. After catching her breath, she turned to Miao Yulan: ¡°Look at her, she is three to four years younger than you, how come she is more capable than you?¡± Miao Yulan pressed her lips tightly, and with Wang Hong staring at her, she didn¡¯t even dare to shed a tear. Wang Hong got angry when she saw her acting like a bullied little wife, her eyes bulging even more. ¡°You...¡± Just as she was about to scold her again, her arm was embraced by Lin Nianhe. Wang Hong was startled, turned her head, and met Lin Nianhe¡¯s sweet smile. ¡°Aunt Wang, Educated Youth Miao was so angry about family matters that she got a fever; her head is probably all cloudy now. If you scold her, you¡¯re just tiring yourself out,¡± Lin Nianhe said with a laugh. ¡°Look, she¡¯s also afraid that her family will come to our Ten Miles Team and cause trouble, right? What if it disturbs the peace for all the folks?¡± ¡°She wouldn¡¯t dare!¡± Wang Hong¡¯s eyes widened, and she slapped the edge of the kang bed, saying to Miao Yulan: ¡°Miss Miao, Auntie is telling you, as long as I am the Women¡¯s Director for a day, no one dares to advocate gender discrimination in our Ten Miles Team!¡± ¡°If she bullies me at home, I can¡¯t do anything to her. If she dares to spread those old and outdated ideas here, I won¡¯t be named after her if I don¡¯t send her to reeducation through labor!¡± Miao Yulan stared blankly at Wang Hong, with a glimmer of light finally appearing in her dim eyes. Seeing her like this, Lin Nianhe gently shook Wang Hong¡¯s arm: ¡°Don¡¯t be angry, Aunt Wang. Educated Youth Miao is also scared by her mother.¡± ¡°Hmph,¡± Wang Hong rolled her eyes, ¡°I don¡¯t care what she does at home, but if she dares to hit someone here, does she think the women of Ten Miles Team are all vegetarians? We could scratch her into shredded potatoes, each of us!¡± Lin Nianhe ¡°hmm¡±ed, and then nodded: ¡°Yes, Educated Youth Miao is also a member of the Educated Youth Corps. We will not ignore her.¡± Miao Yulan looked at them, and tears welled up again. It was as if years of grievances were finally being vented, or as if she had finally found a haven to take refuge. These years, she lived very tiredly. Actually, she didn¡¯t ask for much, just a quiet, calm little corner. Wang Hong¡¯s heart softened a bit by Miao Yulan¡¯s crying. She sighed deeply, then sat on the edge of the kang bed, pulling Miao Yulan into her arms. Wang Hong stopped talking, just absentmindedly patting Miao Yulan¡¯s back. Miao Yulan¡¯s cries gradually grew louder, from initial sobbing to later loud wailing. After a long time, she cried herself out and was coaxed to sleep by Wang Hong. Wang Hong tucked in the corner of the quilt for Miao Yulan, sighing helplessly: ¡°What a waste! Such a good girl, how did she end up with such a mother.¡± She shook her head as she walked out, and as soon as she left the door, she saw Lin Nianhe sitting by the door, her face stern, gazing into the distance. Wang Hong smacked her lips: ¡°What are you pondering?¡± Lin Nianhe held her cheeks in her hands and replied: ¡°What to eat tonight.¡± Wang Hong: ¡°...¡± ¡°How did such a neat girl end up with just a mind for food!¡± Wang Hong rolled her eyes at her and, grabbing the back of her collar, pulled her up. Lin Nianhe, having her fate¡¯s little collar tugged, was just thankful that there was no one else in the Educated Youth Corps station right now, otherwise the authority she¡¯d just established last night would have crumbled. Wang Hong dragged her behind the east wall, then said: ¡°Tell me the truth, was the Old Zhao Family up to thieving last night, or were they up to no good?¡± Wang Hong had been away at a meeting in the county a few days ago and had just come back today; she heard about two incidents at the Educated Youth Corps station. She got a general idea from others, but it was still rather unclear. Lin Nianhe shrugged helplessly: ¡°Don¡¯t know, he just entered the courtyard and got covered in rat traps, and immediately everyone came. Even if he really wanted to be a hooligan, he wouldn¡¯t admit it, right?¡± Wang Hong sighed and looked at Lin Nianhe¡¯s delicate features, worried. Such a pretty young girl, in the city, she¡¯d easily attract trouble, let alone in the countryside. Wang Hong pondered for a while but could only say: ¡°I¡¯ll go warn Widow Zhao again tonight, but you also be careful, typically engage less with the young lads in the team, a girl must protect herself when outside.¡± ¡°Okay, I know,¡± Lin Nianhe smiled with her eyes curving, ¡°Thank you, Aunt Wang.¡± Wang Hong nodded toward the main house: ¡°Keep an eye on Miao Yulan¡¯s matter, don¡¯t let her foolishly get herself into trouble, if anything happens you can come find me anytime, Wang Xue and the others all know where my house is.¡± ¡°Got it.¡± After addressing the main issue, Wang Hong didn¡¯t seem to want to leave; she wandered in place, then still addressed her: ¡°I¡¯ve watched these three girls for several years now, they have no ill intentions, you all live in the same courtyard, you should strive for unity...¡± Lin Nianhe felt she could just listen to this. If they could live peacefully, that would be ideal, but if not, keeping to their own waters wouldn¡¯t be too bad. However, Wang Hong seemed to have seen through her mind and suddenly her tone turned chilling: ¡°If you can¡¯t get along well with your comrades, I¡¯ll thrash each and every one of you until you become obedient! If that still doesn¡¯t work, I¡¯ll send you all to the Great Northern Wilderness to break new ground!¡± Lin Nianhe: ¡°...¡± Looking at Wang Hong¡¯s slightly tense arm, Lin Nianhe even thought about going in and giving Miao Yulan a hug right then. Of course, she wasn¡¯t afraid of being sent to till the land in the Great Northern Wilderness or daunted by Aunt Wang¡¯s show of force; she simply... Genuinely wanted to unite with her comrades. After Lin Nianhe earnestly pledged for ten minutes, Wang Hong finally left the Educated Youth Corps, feeling at ease. Wang Hong didn¡¯t go home, instead she went to the cowshed. ¡°Damn it, will you stop your nagging, old man? It¡¯s so annoying!¡± ¡°If you don¡¯t clean up this place today, it¡¯s not okay. Today¡¯s work needs to be finished today, if you don¡¯t...¡± ¡°Hey, hey, hey! I heard you! I heard you! Just stop nagging!¡± ¡°Cleaning the cowshed may seem trivial, but it¡¯s actually related to the growth of the cows, which is linked to the workforce of Ten Miles Team, to the food supplies of each household, to whether our nation can achieve the Four Modernizations ahead of time...¡± Zhao Zhuangshi didn¡¯t understand how cleaning a cowshed could be linked to the Four Modernizations. Impatiently, he wielded his shovel to keep scooping manure, instinctively retorting: ¡°Damn it, am I not working on it? I don¡¯t have three heads and six arms, do you still expect me to clean it with just a breath?¡± ¡°The northeast corner is still dirty...¡± ¡°I got it!¡± Zhao Zhuangshi, despite his grumbling, didn¡¯t dare to delay any work. He was extremely afraid of the old man, not only because he was good at lecturing but also because he was a retired veteran, quicker with his fists than his mouth. Wang Hong, standing outside the cowshed, listened for a bit, then turned and left satisfied. With Uncle Guan keeping watch, she doubted this little brat could make any waves. Wang Hong didn¡¯t feel the slightest urge to rescue Zhao Zhuangshi. She was the Women¡¯s Director; this young man Zhao Zhuangshi wasn¡¯t under her jurisdiction. Moreover, if Zhao Zhuangshi could be reformed by Uncle Guan¡¯s teachings, that would truly be a blessing for the women comrades of Ten Miles Team! Humming a tune, Wang Hong headed home, but just as she pushed open her door, she saw a stout man sitting in her house¡¯s main room with a cigarette in one hand and clenching a steamed bun in the other. Her two toddle-sized daughters were crouching in a corner, their faces a mess of colors, not daring to cry out loud. Wang Hong¡¯s face immediately darkened. The man caught sight of her entering, a flicker of guilt crossing his face. He coughed twice, stood up, stuffed the half-eaten bun into his mouth in one gulp, and mumbled: ¡°Sister-in-law, my mom asked me to tell you, she¡¯s found a match for Dani, and Dani¡¯s really happy about it, she has already married over...¡± ¡°Zhang Sancai! I¡¯ll kill you!¡± Chapter 23 - 23 22 Its You ?23: Chapter 22 It¡¯s You 23: Chapter 22 It¡¯s You The sunset dyed half of the sky red. Lin Nianhe timed it perfectly as she dished out a big bowl of braised pork with green beans from the pot and picked up twelve steaming white buns, carrying them to the front courtyard. ¡°Wow, the meat smells great!¡± ¡°This smells really good... Comrade Lin made this, right?¡± Outside the Educated Youth Corps, the returning people unconsciously quickened their steps, sniffing hard as they walked, as if a few more whiffs would fill their stomachs. There was no meat in the front courtyard; Lin Nianhe was the only one who could prepare this meal. Everyone licked their lips as they walked in, almost unable to swallow their saliva. When did they last eat braised pork? Was it during the New Year? The team had slaughtered a pig and distributed the meat, and together they made dumplings and braised pork, even stewing the leftover broth with pickled vegetables twice. That flavor, even now, is still delicious in their memory. They were all eager to cook and eat, hoping that with the aroma of the braised pork, their meal would taste better. But as soon as they entered, they saw Lin Nianhe coming out of their kitchen. Everyone looked at her, puzzled. Lin Nianhe stood by the door, smiling slightly: ¡°Thank you all for last night. If you hadn¡¯t arrived in time, I would have surely been at a disadvantage. I made a dish to thank everyone, please try it.¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing, Comrade Lin,¡± Sun Guanghui looked around, and seeing that no one else was speaking, he stepped forward and said, ¡°Even though you live in the woodshed, you¡¯re still a part of our Educated Youth Corps. We couldn¡¯t just ignore your trouble.¡± ¡°Right, right, it¡¯s what we should do. You¡¯re being too polite.¡± ¡°It¡¯s just a matter of speaking; no need to thank us with meat... cough, just a piece will do.¡± Lin Nianhe watched as they struggled between refusing and their desire to accept, and she couldn¡¯t help but smile. She was starting to like this era a bit. People here might also have their little schemes, but mostly they are kind and simple. Not like the apocalypse, where people were no longer humane. She chuckled and shook her head: ¡°I¡¯ve already made it, at worst if someone climbs the wall again, you can come help me sort it out.¡± Everyone felt a bit embarrassed. They weren¡¯t just being polite; they knew their limitations. Compared to mouse traps, they were indeed not that useful. Just then, a commotion suddenly erupted outside the courtyard. ¡°You son of a bitch, stop right there! If I don¡¯t tear down your Old Zhang Family¡¯s roof beams today, I¡¯ll take your surname!¡± Lin Nianhe was startled. That voice, that manner of speaking, sounded so familiar! She instinctively said to the person beside the door: ¡°Help block the person!¡± Wen Lan¡¯s hands were quicker than her mind. She reached back and grabbed a burly man by the collar. Zhang Sancai was running cheerfully when suddenly his collar tightened from behind, and with his body¡¯s inertia moving forward, ¡°sssslah,¡± his shirt ripped open from the back. Wen Lan¡¯s face turned crimson red, and she gasped, immediately turning around and letting go of her hold. Just as Zhang Sancai was about to yell out, he felt the force restraining him loosen, and he staggered a couple of steps before stabilizing himself and trying to continue running forward, but several figures blocked his way. He took a closer look and saw it was those useless educated youths who can neither shoulder burdens nor carry weights. Zhang Sancai disdainfully spat on the ground: ¡°Good dogs don¡¯t block the road! Get out of my way!¡± Wang Shumei had pushed Sun Guanghui forward to block the path, and without thinking too much, the other male educated youths followed Sun Guanghui to help. Sun Guanghui didn¡¯t understand why he should stop this man, and looked puzzledly at Wang Shumei. Wang Shumei tightly held onto Wen Lan, her eyes flickering briefly before she said to Sun Guanghui, ¡°What are you looking at? You let go halfway through grabbing someone, quickly block him, who knows if he¡¯s here to steal something?¡± Sun Guanghui instinctively defended himself: ¡°It wasn¡¯t me just now...¡± Wang Shumei: ¡°It was you!¡± ¡°Really, it wasn¡¯t...¡± Wang Xue hurriedly joined in, ¡°That¡¯s right, it was you!¡± ¡°I...¡± The other male educated youth spoke in unison, ¡°Really, it was you!¡± Sun Guanghui: ¡°...?¡± Why did everyone say it was him who dragged? It was clearly Wen Lan... Sun Guanghui scratched his scalp, always feeling that he and the others were not from the same world. At this moment, Lin Nianhe also jogged over, poked his head to look, and sure enough, the person chasing with a shovel while cursing was Wang Hong. Watching Wang Hong¡¯s fierce look, Lin Nianhe felt... that he cooked the meal just in time. Wang Hong, like a whirlwind, chased all the way with a crowd following her. ¡°Hey, Hongzi, what are you doing? That¡¯s still your uncle, you can¡¯t beat him to death like that!¡± ¡°Quick, go call the village chief! Someone might get killed!¡± ¡°Hongzi, listen to Auntie, put down the shovel handle...¡± Amidst the mixed persuasions of the crowd, Wang Hong¡¯s pacing was delayed again and again. But she was indeed fierce, shaking off several people who came up to pull her and with red eyes, charged forward. Zhang Sancai, who also didn¡¯t dare to act tough at this moment, crouched down, hoping to slip away through the crowd. But after moving just two steps, he suddenly felt a terrible ache behind his knees, not knowing what he was hit by, and his legs softened, he fell flat on the ground. At that moment, Wang Hong arrived. Zhang Sancai lay sprawled on the ground, watching the shiny shovel descending toward his head, he was so stunned that he forgot to dodge. ¡°Aunt Wang!¡± Wang Hong¡¯s raised shovel stagnated mid-air, unable to come down. She turned her head and faced Lin Nianhe¡¯s distinct black and white eyes. Lin Nianhe was almost hanging on Wang Hong¡¯s arm, finally stopping her action. She stared into Wang Hong¡¯s eyes, talking rapidly, ¡°Aunt Wang, if you kill him, only you will have to pay with your life, think about yourself, think about the children... you just said this afternoon, if there¡¯s trouble, seek the organization, no matter the issue, we should discuss it openly, surely he can¡¯t get away with it, right?¡± Wang Hong¡¯s eyes were bloodshot, she panted heavily, her eyes exuding a strong intent to kill that Lin Nianhe was extremely familiar with. Lin Nianhe had no doubt, at this moment, Wang Hong really wanted to slaughter him. She frowned, pulling Wang Hong even tighter. Wang Hong looked into her clear eyes, her hand softened, and the shovel dropped. Wang Dong, quick on his feet, caught it, saving Zhang Sancai¡¯s life. The villagers gathered around again, grabbing and pulling Wang Hong from all sides. Second Aunt Li, relying on her strength, firmly hugged Wang Hong¡¯s arm, ¡°Hongzi, don¡¯t be impulsive, what exactly happened?¡± Wang Hong stared fiercely at Zhang Sancai on the ground, the veins on her temple bulging with rage. ¡°That old hag from the Zhang Family sold off my Dani!¡± ¡°Sold?¡± ¡°My goodness!¡± Lin Nianhe, terrified as if startled, covered her mouth and staggered backward, accidentally stepping on Zhang Sancai¡¯s hand. ¡°Ow¡ª¡± Zhang Sancai was really unlucky, with a sharp stone under his hand, and as Lin Nianhe stepped on it, his palm was immediately pierced by the stone. The flesh was mangled, and Zhang Sancai howled, sounding barely human. ¡°Aiyayaya,¡± Lin Nianhe scampered to Wang Shumei¡¯s side, ¡°I was scared to death.¡± Wang Shumei: ¡°...¡± Had she not seen Lin Nianhe toss the stone hitting Zhang Sancai¡¯s knee just moments ago, perhaps she might have convinced herself to believe this nonsense. Chapter 24 - 24 23 Here Be Melons ?24: Chapter 23 Here Be Melons 24: Chapter 23 Here Be Melons Facing Wang Shumei¡¯s penetrating gaze, Lin Nianhe calmly continued to feign timidity. Although she hadn¡¯t known Wang Shumei for long, she understood very well that she was the same kind of person as herself. Exactly the same type of black sesame-filled dumplings. Sure enough, not only did Wang Shumei not expose her, but she also soothingly patted Lin Nianhe¡¯s back a couple of times before pushing her into Wen Lan¡¯s embrace. When Lin Nianhe was forced to lean against Wen Lan¡¯s shoulder, she put herself in Wang Shumei¡¯s shoes for a moment and thought that if she were Wang Shumei, she would also dispose of two troubles in one go. Truly a meeting of minds. Wen Lan was originally embarrassed about tearing a man¡¯s clothes, but upon hearing that this man¡¯s family did not behave in a proper manner, she immediately rolled up her sleeves, ready to fight. However, she had barely taken a step forward when Lin Nianhe gave her a full embrace. ¡°Sister Lan, I¡¯m scared, please stay with me for a while.¡± Wen Lan was very frustrated and cast a disdainful glance at Lin Nianhe: ¡°You silly girl, what¡¯s there to be afraid of?¡± Lin Nianhe couldn¡¯t help but roll her eyes. Hmph, ungrateful. Despite the disapproval in her heart, Lin Nianhe held onto Wen Lan¡¯s arm tightly, preventing her from joining the fray. With so many people here, a kick from each would be enough to break that fellow¡¯s bones; there really was no need for Wen Lan to show off her skills. Besides, Lin Nianhe always felt that Wen Lan was a bit too fierce; she was genuinely capable of accidentally beating someone to death. Outside the courtyard, Li Dahe hurried over with his three sons. Lin Nianhe glanced over and felt that Uncle Team Leader¡¯s hair had thinned even more. Li Dahe caught a glimpse of Zhang Sancai¡¯s misdeeds and immediately told his sons without further ado: ¡°You three tie up this son of a bitch first; I need to go ask Old Man Zhang what the heck is going on with Nine-miles Team causing trouble at my doorstep!¡± He first protected his own people before he looked at Wang Hong with a questioning gaze. Wang Hong found her reason returning a bit after being stopped by Lin Nianhe, and with a trembling voice, she pointed at the wailing Zhang Sancai on the ground: ¡°Team Leader, Old Zhang Family arranged a marriage for Daxi behind our backs, and while I was away at the county, they abducted Daxi to their home. What do you think should be done about this?¡± ¡°What?¡± Before Li Dahe could speak, the typically reticent Li Xiaoshan suddenly jumped up. He glared at Zhang Sancai with eyes even redder than Wang Hong¡¯s. ¡°You took Daxi... where did you take Comrade Wang Xixi? Speak! Or I¡¯ll strangle you!¡± Li Xiaoshan instinctively used the hemp rope to strangle Zhang Sancai¡¯s neck, his crazed appearance... Lin Nianhe: ¡°There are melons to be had here.¡± Wang Shumei: ¡°These two have an affair.¡± Wen Lan, like a chayote that couldn¡¯t find the melon field: ¡°What melon? What affair? What? What are you guys talking about?¡± Lin Nianhe and Wang Shumei ignored her; they exchanged glances and saw kindred spirits in each other¡¯s eyes. To find melons to munch on in such a chaotic scene, one must either be extremely detail-oriented or be someone who thrives on the spirit of a gossiper. Either way, finding a kindred spirit was something to be happy about for a moment. Li Xiaoshan¡¯s sudden outburst took everyone by surprise, but no one thought of it in that light; they were more concerned about where Wang Xixi had been taken by the Zhang family. Zhang Sancai was a coward, having just been chased around by Wang Hong with a shovel, then having his palm crushed under Lin Nianhe¡¯s foot, and now being strangled by Li Xiaoshan, his slim courage had completely dissipated. While he was still able to breathe, he yelled with a voice straining: ¡°At home, in my home! Dani is at the Zhang Family!¡± ¡°Enough!¡± Li Dahe kicked his younger son on the butt and dragged him away, ¡°Don¡¯t beat someone to death!¡± He furrowed his brows in thought for a moment, then turned around, arm aloft, and shouted, ¡°Hongzi is our hero daughter from Ten Miles Team, and Daxi is also a child our fellow villagers watched grow up. Since Hongzi and the eldest son of Zhang Family are divorced, Old Zhang Family can¡¯t have a say in Daxi¡¯s marriage!¡± ¡°Those of you who can fight, come with me; we¡¯re going to Nine-miles Team to bring the child back home!¡± Li Dahe, under the twilight glows, shimmered with a golden luster at this moment. ¡°Let¡¯s go! We can¡¯t let that family of vermin harm our girl!¡± ¡°Kill these damned bastards; they even dare to sneak into our place and kidnap, they¡¯re asking for it!¡± The crowd was frenzied; the young and strong, wielding shovels, hoes, and sickles, followed him towards Nine-miles Team. The older ones immediately started shouting the news, and more young people ran out to join the massive group. They cursed as they walked, and when they were extremely angered, they gave Zhang Sancai a few kicks to vent their frustration. Zhang Sancai hadn¡¯t left the village yet and was already covered with footprints of all sizes. Before Li Dahe left, he said to Sun Guanghui, ¡°You lead the Educated Youths back; you can¡¯t get involved in this.¡± Sun Guanghui frowned, ¡°No way! Director Wang takes good care of us usually; we can¡¯t ignore it when her family is in trouble!¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, Uncle Team Leader, they¡¯re committing a crime!¡± ¡°The more of us there are, the stronger we¡¯ll be; we should...¡± ¡°Shut up!¡± Li Dahe had no mood for their clamor and said gruffly, ¡°Educated youths fighting¡ªdo you think your records are looking too clean?¡± Wang Hong turned back and said, ¡°Listen up, Educated Youths, none of you are allowed to go; otherwise, you¡¯ll all be writing self-criticism reports!¡± The group of Educated Youths looked at each other, wanting to follow but unable to find a solid reason to argue back. In the end, it was Wang Xue who whispered, ¡°We¡¯d better listen to Uncle Team Leader and Director Wang; after all, this is entirely the fault of Nine-miles Team; the situation may not escalate to a fight. Besides... if Nine-miles Team holds a grudge and complains to the commune, it¡¯ll be harder for us to return to the city.¡± Sun Guanghui was left staring in frustration, his limited vocabulary insufficient to articulate a rebuttal. Dinner tonight was bound to be tasteless; neither the braised pork nor the plain steamed buns could lift everyone¡¯s gloomy spirits. Lin Nianhe had no appetite either and excused herself, saying she had already eaten, then went back to her room. Drawing the curtains, she took out a desk lamp from her space and started to do practice problems while keeping an ear out for any noise outside. The rustling sound of her pen mingled with the swishing of the leaves outside the window, forming a symphony, unintentionally stretching the time. After Lin Nianhe finished two sets of math practice papers for the middle school examination and corrected them against the answers, she was about to start reviewing her weak points when she heard some faint noise from outside. Her eyes lit up as she quickly packed away the desk lamp and practice papers, and once again called upon the old actor, the newspaper. Lin Nianhe put on her coat and waited until the noise got a bit louder before she took her flashlight and stepped out. Everyone in the front yard heard the commotion and came out to see; even Miao Yulan came out leaning on Wang Xue¡¯s arm. Perhaps to wait for the people who had gone out, the door of the Educated Youth Corps wasn¡¯t closed tonight. They hadn¡¯t walked out yet when Li Xiaoshan, pale-faced, stumbled in. Sun Guanghui¡¯s gaze sharpened as he quickly went up to support him, ¡°Li Xiaoshan, what happened? Was there an accident?¡± Li Xiaoshan shook his head, pushing away his arm, and scanned the faces around, only to relax a bit when he saw Lin Nianhe. He quickly approached Lin Nianhe and asked her, ¡°Lin, Educated Youth Lin, my mom asked me to ask if you have... do you have any medicine?¡± There was no clinic in Ten Miles Team, and in those days, it was rare for people to have common medication at home. Mostly, if they had a headache or fever, they¡¯d just endure it until it passed, and if it got serious, they¡¯d be taken to the health clinic in town. The ones who might have medicine were the newly arrived Educated Youths. Seeing his state, Lin Nianhe immediately nodded, ¡°I have some, what kind of medicine do you need?¡± Li Xiaoshan¡¯s lips trembled, and he shook his head in panic, as if he had lost his soul, ¡°I¡ªI don¡¯t know... Daxi, she¡¯s bleeding a lot...¡± Chapter 25 - 25 24 Like mother, like daughter ?25: Chapter 24: Like mother, like daughter 25: Chapter 24: Like mother, like daughter Upon hearing this, Lin Nianhe dared not delay any longer. She quickly said ¡°Wait here,¡± and hurried back to her own cottage. Su Yuncheng had gathered various pills for her¡ªanti-inflammatory pills, cold medicine, anti-diarrheal pills... She didn¡¯t look closely, just stuffed them hurriedly into her bag, then took out two bottles of saline, a bottle of iodine, a pack of cotton swabs, and gauze from her storage, peeling off the labels before taking them along. Right before leaving, she paused, grabbed a bottle of painkiller, poured out about ten pills, wrapped them in paper, and placed them in her bag before hurrying out the door. Li Xiaoshan was initially just asking for some medicine, but Lin Nianhe directly said to him, ¡°Lead the way, I¡¯ll come with you.¡± Li Xiaoshan¡¯s blank eyes brightened slightly, ¡°Educated Youth Lin, do you know medicine?¡± ¡°I know a bit, enough to check on them,¡± Lin Nianhe answered with a stern face. She thought that since Wang Xixi was abducted by the Zhang Family, at most she would have been beaten, the likelihood of other illnesses was slim. She had survived through the apocalypse for many years, handling external injuries was something she was quite skilled at. Li Xiaoshan, as if grasping at a lifeline, turned around to lead Lin Nianhe on. Wang Shumei came over and said to Lin Nianhe, ¡°I¡¯ll come with you.¡± Sun Guanghui also followed, ¡°I¡¯ll go take a look too.¡± Once they spoke up, others began tagging along one after another. Knowing their good intentions, Lin Nianhe didn¡¯t have the position to stop them, she merely nodded indifferently and quickly followed Li Xiaoshan¡¯s pace. Wang Xixi was carried back on a door. That door was from the Old Zhang Family, directed by Wang Hong and dismantled by Li Xiaoshan. Having guarded the shabby yard its whole life, it also met a fitting end. When Lin Nianhe arrived, Wang Hong¡¯s house was still bustling, some aunts were helping look after the two little girls, others brought food. Li Xiaoshan, without even entering, shouted at the top of his lungs: ¡°Mom, Aunt Wang, Educated Youth Lin is here, she can treat illnesses!¡± The mannerism was as if a well-known doctor had been brought in. Wang Hong was tending to Wang Xixi when they were greeted by Aunt Li. Her eyes were red, but upon seeing the educated youths following, she forced a smile: ¡°It¡¯s all right, don¡¯t worry, it¡¯s all over.¡± Then she pulled Lin Nianhe over, ¡°Educated Youth Lin, can you treat illnesses? Daxi is seriously hurt, but I¡¯m afraid to send him to town now as it¡¯s getting dark and he might get bumped again...¡± ¡°I can only dress external wounds,¡± Lin Nianhe said, ¡°If the injuries are too severe, he still needs to be sent to a clinic.¡± ¡°Alright, alright, just give it a look first.¡± Aunt Li pulled Lin Nianhe into the house. They lit a kerosene lamp inside the house; the dim light hardly revealed anything. Lin Nianhe told Aunt Li, ¡°Aunt Li, could you please borrow a few flashlights, or if not available, candles would also work, it¡¯s too dark in here.¡± You couldn¡¯t rely on the dim light from the kerosene lamp. ¡°Okay!¡± Aunt Li immediately agreed, not going out herself, but yelled for Li Xiaoshan to handle it. There weren¡¯t many flashlights in the village, candles were also rarely used, Li Xiaoshan resourcefully wrapped up a torch and handed it inside. Feeling the heat wave from the large candle, Lin Nianhe quickly went to check the injuries on Wang Xixi. Wang Hong had already removed Wang Xixi¡¯s clothes, the seventeen-year-old girl¡¯s body was covered with bruises, almost no spot was spared, some marks clearly from the lash of a hemp rope, swollen about an inch high. The most severe injury was on her forehead, a contusion with blurred flesh and blood, already covered with herbal ash to stop the bleeding. Wang Xixi was half awake, Lin Nianhe talked to her for a bit, asking her to lift her arms and legs a bit, seeing that she could still move, she also sighed in relief. If the bones were fine then good, otherwise it would have been troublesome. Wang Hong sat on the side, clenching her teeth, her hands trembling with anger. Lin Nianhe softly said, ¡°Aunt Li, please fetch a basin, I¡¯ll clean Daxi¡¯s wounds.¡± ¡°Okay, sure.¡± Wang Hong held Wang Xixi¡¯s hand, her eyes filled with anticipation as she looked at Lin Nianhe, ¡°Miss Lin, Daxi is alright, isn¡¯t she?¡± Lin Nianhe reassured Wang Hong, ¡°I think they are just superficial wounds, don¡¯t worry.¡± Aunt Li brought in a wooden basin. Lin Nianhe asked Wang Hong to hold Wang Xixi¡¯s head and began by cleansing her face of blood and plant ash with saline solution. Wang Xixi, eyes closed, murmured softly, ¡°It¡¯s so cool.¡± As Lin Nianhe cleaned the wounds with a cotton swab, she cautioned, ¡°Don¡¯t move around, you wouldn¡¯t want to poke your wound or eye. It would be really painful.¡± Wang Xixi softly hummed in agreement, even her breathing softened. Lin Nianhe continued to converse with her, asking about any pain in her stomach and how she had been beaten. Wang Xixi answered in a low voice, and with each reply, Wang Hong clenched her teeth a bit tighter. Seeing Wang Hong seemed ready to grab a shovel again, Lin Nianhe quickly said, ¡°Aunt Wang, these are just external injuries, please don¡¯t do anything rash.¡± Wang Hong sniffled and spoke softly, ¡°Why are you so reckless, charging into walls? What would your mother do if you died...¡± ¡°Mom, if they force me into that wolf¡¯s den, I wouldn¡¯t survive anyway. Better to die clean than live like that...¡± Lin Nianhe was startled, finally understanding how Wang Xixi got her head injury. Truly Aunt Wang¡¯s daughter, with a fierce spirit. She steadied herself and told her, ¡°Alright, no more tears. It¡¯s just a little suffering, it won¡¯t scar.¡± Wang Xixi suddenly opened her eyes, looking at Lin Nianhe as though she was looking at her own mother. Fortunately, Lin Nianhe was prepared and had already pulled back the cotton swab, avoiding second injuries. Wang Xixi¡¯s eyes full of hope, she asked, ¡°Really? It won¡¯t scar?¡± Which girl doesn¡¯t care about her face? After her impulsive attempts to end her life, of course, Wang Xixi worried the wounds on her head might scar. Lin Nianhe hummed affirmatively and replied, ¡°The wound is not deep. Take good care of it, avoid water, and prevent infection. If there is any mark, I have a scar removal ointment that you can apply regularly for three to five months, and it will be fine.¡± Wang Hong was also extremely relieved and her tears welled up. ¡°Miss Lin, Auntie thanks you. In the future, whatever you need, just tell me, and I¡¯ll go through fire and water for you!¡± ¡°Aunt Wang, there¡¯s really no need.¡± Lin Nianhe couldn¡¯t help but smile as she spoke, lightening the tense atmosphere, all the while diligently continuing her work. After flushing the wound with two bottles of saline solution, she patted dry the moisture on Wang Xixi¡¯s face with gauze and had Aunt Wang move her head back onto the pillow. ¡°It¡¯s time for disinfection; it will hurt a bit, just endure it.¡± Lin Nianhe said and disinfected Wang Xixi¡¯s wound with iodine. This real pain made Wang Xixi fiercely bite her teeth, her body shuddering from it. One of Wang Hong¡¯s hands pressed down on her, the other holding her hand, she told her, ¡°Daxi, pinch mom if it hurts.¡± Wang Xixi drew a sharp breath but managed to give her mom a reassuring smile, ¡°It¡¯s okay, Mom, it doesn¡¯t hurt.¡± ¡°Silly girl...¡± Wang Hong said while gently blowing on Wang Xixi¡¯s painful spot. Lin Nianhe worked quickly, minimizing Wang Xixi¡¯s pain as much as possible. ¡°Hold on, I¡¯m getting medicine.¡± Lin Nianhe turned her back, using the excuse of searching in her bag to take out a tube of regeneration ointment from her storage space. She had intended to bring this ointment all along, but as all the information about the ointment was printed on the tube and couldn¡¯t be erased, she worried about making a mistake during the journey and decided it was safer to take it out on the spot. As expected, both Wang Hong and Aunt Li¡¯s attention were fixed on Wang Xixi, and no one noticed what medicine she had taken out. The gel-like ointment spread over the wound, its cool sensation spreading and quickly easing the pain. Wang Xixi squinted her eyes slightly, let out a sigh of relief, and her tense nerves finally relaxed. Chapter 26 - 26 25 The Number One Person in Ten Miles and Eight Villages ?26: Chapter 25: The Number One Person in Ten Miles and Eight Villages 26: Chapter 25: The Number One Person in Ten Miles and Eight Villages Lin Nianhe¡¯s bandaging was skillful and professional, and she even mischievously tied a bow-knot right in the middle of Wang Xixi¡¯s forehead. Claiming, ¡°If it¡¯s tied on the side, it¡¯ll press against the head and disturb sleep.¡± Seeing this hairstyle, Wang Hong couldn¡¯t help but burst out laughing, no longer consumed by worry. Wang Xixi, looking at her mother, sniffed, unsure of what to say. The oppressive atmosphere in the Wang Family home eased up with one bow-knot, and seeing that her eldest daughter was all right, Wang Hong wiped away her tears and said, ¡°I¡¯ll go get you something to eat.¡± Aunt Li also got up, ¡°I¡¯ll go talk to the folks outside so they won¡¯t fret.¡± Lin Nianhe stayed behind, continuing to apply ointment to the bruises on Wang Xixi¡¯s body. With some energy back, Wang Xixi said to Lin Nianhe, ¡°Thank you, Educated Youth Lin.¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing,¡± Lin Nianhe replied, ¡°Just bear with it a bit these coming days. You absolutely can¡¯t get the wound on your head wet. I¡¯ll come change the dressing tomorrow. Later, I¡¯ll leave some painkillers for you. If the pain gets too much, take one, but take no more than two a day. Taking too many isn¡¯t good for your health.¡± Wang Xixi¡¯s eyes twinkled slightly, guiltily clutching her fingers as she whispered softly, ¡°No need, I, I can hold on.¡± All that medicine, how much must it cost. Wang Xixi began to regret this accident. Both painful and costly. Lin Nianhe knew what she was thinking and said softly, ¡°The medicine is from my own home, it¡¯s free. You need to rest up well for your injury. Not sleeping well due to pain isn¡¯t good for your recovery, and Aunt Wang would be worried, too.¡± Wang Xixi licked her lips, wanting to decline, but then she thought of her mother¡¯s reddened eyes and ultimately held her tongue. She said, ¡°Educated Youth Lin, I will repay you.¡± ¡°Sure thing.¡± Lin Nianhe responded casually, ¡°You might have a concussion, so feeling dizzy, nauseous, and wanting to throw up are normal. Don¡¯t be scared, just lie down properly and heal, and try not to shake your head too much.¡± ¡°Okay, I understand. I¡¯m not scared.¡± Wang Xixi looked down and forced a bitter smile. She wasn¡¯t even afraid of death, why would she fear a little dizziness? Aunt Wang hurried back soon after, holding two bowls of brown sugar and egg, giving one to Lin Nianhe gratefully, ¡°Miss Lin, you eat something first to fill your stomach. I¡¯ll talk to you after Daxi falls asleep.¡± ¡°Thank you, Aunt Wang.¡± Lin Nianhe didn¡¯t refuse, took the bowl, and made some room, saying, ¡°You chat with your daughter. I¡¯ll be waiting for you outside.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Lin Nianhe tactfully left, and upon closing the door, she found that all the clamorous people in the courtyard had been sent away by Aunt Li, leaving only Wang Shumei and Wen Lan waiting for her. ¡°Hezi, how¡¯s Daxi doing?¡± Wen Lan approached as soon as she saw her come out. ¡°She¡¯s alright, the wound is superficial, just have to prevent infection.¡± Lin Nianhe hooked a small stool with the tip of her foot and sat down by the door, holding the bowl in one hand, and beckoned to the two timid little girls on the other side, ¡°Come here.¡± The two little girls had been scared silly today, it seemed they still hadn¡¯t gotten over the shock. Wang Hong was so concerned about Wang Xixi she had overlooked the girls¡¯ feelings. When there are many children, it¡¯s hard to constantly pay attention to each one after the energy gets dispersed. Knowing that Lin Nianhe was the one who treated their big sister¡¯s wounds, the elder held the younger¡¯s hand, obediently approaching Lin Nianhe, softly calling out, ¡°Sister Lin.¡± ¡°So good,¡± Lin Nianhe patted her head, handing her the bowl, ¡°I¡¯ve already had dinner, so you take this and share with your sister.¡± Wang Huanhuan waved her hands repeatedly, her face still marked by a handprint, looking pitiable. Wang Lele beside her also gazed with round, soft eyes, saying cutely, ¡°Sister Lin, you eat.¡± ¡°Sister is too full, I can¡¯t eat anymore.¡± Lin Nianhe stuffed the bowl into Wang Huanhuan¡¯s hands without debate, ¡°You help sister finish it, otherwise your mother will scold me for not eating properly.¡± The two little girls probably both remembered the scenes of their mother scolding others, and they shrank their necks in unison, hurrying to relieve Lin Nianhe of the ¡°burden¡± in her bowl. Lin Nianhe watched the two of them, her lips involuntarily curling into a smile. Aunt Li had finished her work and came back, noticing the two little girls eating, a touch of tenderness naturally appeared in her eyes. She also dragged a small stool over and sighed deeply as she gazed into the night sky. Lin Nianhe rested her chin in one hand and softly asked her, ¡°Aunt Li, what exactly happened today?¡± When she brought it up, both Wang Shumei and Wen Lan turned their attention to Aunt Li in unison. Aunt Li glanced at Wang Xixi¡¯s room and sighed deeply. Wang Hong was the first woman in the surrounding eight villages to get divorced, for a simple reason¡ªhaving given birth to three daughters, the Old Zhang Family did not regard her as a human being. If it was just the friction against her, Wang Hong would probably have endured. Until Old Madam Zhang lost her senses and wanted to trade the swaddled Wang Lele with a village family with a surplus of boys for a grandson. They called it a trade, but in reality, it meant adopting the family¡¯s youngest son into the Zhang Family, as for Wang Lele... they wanted her as a child bride. Wang Hong was furious, and the consequences were severe. Not caring that she was still in her postpartum period, she smashed up the Zhang Family¡¯s home, causing chaos for half a month. Eventually, under the mediation of the team leaders of both teams, she successfully divorced and returned to Ten Miles Team with her three daughters. Speaking of the past, Aunt Li was filled with emotion. ¡°Alas... Hongzi has a hard fate, both her parents were martyrs; she was only about ten when they passed away. At such a young age, she fended for herself, having experienced all the hardships of the world.¡± ¡°Your Uncle Team Leader was worried that she, a woman both raising children and working, would not be able to cope, so he recommended her to the commune to become the director of women¡¯s affairs. The Wang Family is an honored household, and Hongzi can read and write. The commune intended to look after her, which allowed her to live a few years of ease.¡± ¡°The bachelor butcher from Nine-miles Team who was desperate for a wife offered a dowry of one hundred yuan. Now, those with filthy intentions have set their sights on Daxi...¡± Aunt Li said and wiped the moisture from the corner of her eyes. Wang Shumei frowned and asked, ¡°Aunt Li, what did they say over in Nine-miles Team?¡± ¡°What else could they say? They tried to smooth things over!¡± Aunt Li sighed, ¡°They fought and smashed up the Old Zhang Family, but in the end, Daxi never married there. And that bastard... after all, is still Daxi¡¯s biological father, looking for a husband for his daughter isn¡¯t a crime, what else can be done?¡± On the side, Wang Huanhuan was intently feeding her sister the egg, only taking a small sip of the brown sugar water in her bowl herself. Lin Nianhe looked at them and suddenly asked, ¡°How old is Aunt Wang¡¯s second daughter this year?¡± ¡°Huanhuan is thirteen this year...¡± Aunt Li responded to the question, and then suddenly furrowed her brows, ¡°Why are you asking this?¡± Lin Nianhe¡¯s gaze turned slightly chill, without replying. She tilted her head back, looking at the ink-black night, as if a layer of frost had enveloped her. Aunt Li looked at her and felt a chill down her spine. The girls in the village began to consider marriage at sixteen or seventeen, and it wasn¡¯t unheard of for slightly younger ones, many places would get married first and only register when they reached the legal age, some never even register. Now Wang Xixi had avoided one disaster, but what about Wang Huanhuan? What about Wang Lele? What if next time the Old Zhang Family directly sent someone to the marital bed? The more Aunt Li thought, the colder her heart felt. Lin Nianhe slowly withdrew her gaze and said eerily, ¡°Actually, this matter doesn¡¯t have to be just a private issue of forcing girls into marriage.¡± At this moment, Wang Hong came out the door, her eyes red and swollen, and asked Lin Nianhe, ¡°Miss Lin, what do you mean by that?¡± Lin Nianhe turned to look at her, her eyes deep and profound, ¡°Aunt Wang, what I mean is not important, what matters is how you want to deal with it.¡± Chapter 27 - 27 26 The Game of Two Eights Big Stick ?27: Chapter 26: The Game of Two Eights Big Stick 27: Chapter 26: The Game of Two Eights Big Stick The night was cold and bleak. The moon hid behind the dark clouds, unwilling to witness the hellish Earth. Wang Hong clenched her fists so tightly that her hands began to tremble lightly. These hands had fed herself, raised three daughters, and held up umbrellas for the girls of Ten Miles Team. ¡°I want to slaughter him.¡± Every time Wang Hong thought of the miserable state of Wang Xixi, she wished she could bury that entire family of beasts alive. Lin Nianhe stood up, brushed the dust off her body, and smiled at Wang Hong. ¡°Aunt Wang, if you say so, this isn¡¯t just a domestic issue; it¡¯s a serious crime of human trafficking.¡± Her voice was gentle, but her words sent shivers down the spine. ¡°Since you¡¯ve already divorced him, and all three daughters bear your surname and are raised by you, their taking Daxi away directly is a crime.¡± ¡°Such a big issue couldn¡¯t be managed by a single person. At the very least, the people who took Daxi weren¡¯t acting alone, right? The Old Zhang Family, they are all accomplices.¡± Wang Hong¡¯s pupils constricted, looking tense yet somewhat excited. Lin Nianhe suggested something Wang Hong had never considered; could things really be handled this way? Wen Lan shivered, tugging at Wang Shumei¡¯s sleeve and whispered, ¡°Does that mean they¡¯ll be imprisoned indefinitely?¡± A scornful smile played on Wang Shumei¡¯s lips as she said indifferently, ¡°There are only thieves who get caught after a thousand days; you can¡¯t guard against thieves for a thousand days.¡± Wang Hong licked her lips, her voice slightly shaky, ¡°But will the Public Security care about this?¡± Wang Shumei echoed her fear; as her three daughters were growing up, it wasn¡¯t impossible for the Zhang Family to attempt such a thing again. Even one successful attempt could ruin her daughter¡¯s life. But she had never dealt with the Public Security and felt unsure. Lin Nianhe pondered for a moment, then looked up and said, ¡°If you want, I¡¯ll handle it.¡± ¡°You?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Wang Hong furrowed her brows, indecisive. It wasn¡¯t that she was soft-hearted; she just feared that the Public Security might ignore this, resulting in a lot of noise but little action, which might lead the Zhang Family to desperate measures. Lin Nianhe continued, ¡°My neighbor¡¯s brother works at the town¡¯s police station, let¡¯s not report this yet. I¡¯ll ask him tomorrow. If a case can be filed, that¡¯s best. If not, we¡¯ll think of other ways.¡± Lin Nianhe also realized that the legal system of this era differed from what she was familiar with; there were no lawyers, she could only ask Su Yuncheng for advice. Wang Hong¡¯s eyes brightened suddenly, her eyes teary as she looked at Lin Nianhe. ¡°Miss Lin, this, this...¡± Wang Hong fumbled around her body, trying to find something to thank Lin Nianhe, but only found a few coins. She knew this wasn¡¯t much and her face flushed with embarrassment, she stammered, ¡°Well, I wasn¡¯t prepared, I...¡± ¡°Aunt Wang.¡± Lin Nianhe clasped her hand, ¡°Your grandparents are heroes, they might even have been old acquaintances of my family. On a larger scale, we can¡¯t let heroes¡¯ children go unsupported. On a smaller scale, I might still need your care. Just asking around is no big deal, don¡¯t worry about it.¡± Wang Hong¡¯s eyes moistened and she pulled Lin Nianhe into a hug. Lin Nianhe felt the warmth of Wang Hong¡¯s tears as she raised her hand and gently patted her back. ¡°Alright, I won¡¯t stand on ceremony with you,¡± said Wang Hong, quickly composing herself and wiping away the tears, reverting to her efficient and straightforward manner. ¡°Tomorrow I¡¯ll wait for your news. Let me know if you need me to do anything.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Lin Nianhe agreed instantly, ¡°Don¡¯t worry.¡± Aunt Li also came over, patted Wang Hong on the shoulder and said, ¡°Okay, Huanhuan and Lele were both scared today. You and your girls should wash up and go to sleep. Tomorrow, let Educated Youth Lin ride my family¡¯s bike to the town. You wait at home for news and calm down; you¡¯ve scared the kids.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, sister-in-law. I appreciate your concern,¡± Wang Hong sniffled, ¡°Please thank your big brother for me.¡± ¡°Why talk about this.¡± Aunt Li waved her hand indifferently, ¡°It¡¯s all necessary.¡± Lin Nianhe took out anti-inflammatory and fever-reducing medications for Wang Hong, dodged her hand trying to offer money, and ran off in a flash with Wang Shumei and Wen Lan, disappearing from sight. Watching the flashlight lights jumping in the distance, Wang Hong hugged her two little girls tightly, tears brimming in her eyes. The next day, the sky was clear blue, cloudless. Lin Nianhe got up early, planning to wait at the police station before Su Yuncheng started work, so as not to delay his job. ¡°Educated Youth Lin,¡± Li Dahe stood in his own yard, looking at Lin Nianhe with a serious face, ¡°How confident are you in handling this?¡± Lin Nianhe chuckled playfully, ¡°What confidence can I have? I¡¯m just going to feel out the situation.¡± Li Dahe was stunned. This wasn¡¯t quite what his wife had said. His wife had implied last night that Educated Youth Lin was fully confident in sending everyone from the Old Zhang Family to jail. Lin Nianhe blinked her eyes and extended her hand toward him, ¡°Uncle Team Leader, could I borrow your bicycle? Aunt Wang is still waiting for a letter.¡± Li Dahe didn¡¯t move, frowning at her, ¡°Are you really just going to ask?¡± ¡°Look at what you¡¯re saying. I¡¯m just a little educated youth, how could I understand how the Public Security officers handle cases?¡± In the morning light, Lin Nianhe wore simple black pants and a white shirt, her eyes exceptionally bright. Li Dahe sized her up, still trusting his wife¡¯s judgment more. This little bastard was not one to make idle talk. Reluctant to give a definite answer now, she might be keeping something sneaky up her sleeve. Li Dahe decided not to inquire further, pushed out the bicycle for her, and advised, ¡°If anyone asks, just make up an excuse, don¡¯t let it slip.¡± ¡°I understand.¡± Lin Nianhe nodded, looking at the big, sturdy bicycle, her face scrunched up. Goodness, the seat is nearly as high as her waist. How on earth was she going to ride this? Well, she could still ride it. If her legs weren¡¯t long enough, she¡¯d just tiptoe a little. The real challenge Lin Nianhe faced was the bike¡¯s heaviness. She originally never knew how to ride a bicycle; there was no need before the apocalypse, and no opportunity after it. She learned to ride only after being reborn, to facilitate getting around in the post-apocalyptic world. She learned on a lightweight road racing bike, which was very easy to control. This big, sturdy bike weighed as much as two racing bikes... Li Dahe stood in the doorway, watching Lin Nianhe struggle within his view for five minutes, falling into deep thought. He wondered if his bicycle could make it back in one piece. It was said that it took forty minutes to cycle from Ten Miles Team to the town. Lin Nianhe¡¯s effort physically proved this was a myth. It took her a full hour. By the time she got to town, she was so exhausted that her brain even blanked for a moment¡ªshe nearly forgot what she came for. Walking and asking along the way, Lin Nianhe arrived at the police station by eight o¡¯clock. The idea of not disturbing Su Yuncheng¡¯s work could only stay at the stage of being a mere thought. She didn¡¯t know if there was such a concept as a morning meeting. Parking the bike and stepping into the police station, she cheerfully asked the gatekeeper, ¡°Hello sir, does Su Yuncheng work here?¡± Chapter 28 - 28 27 Awkward Chat ?28: Chapter 27 Awkward Chat 28: Chapter 27 Awkward Chat Su Yuncheng hurried to the gate just in time to see Lin Nianhe chatting with the usually grim Uncle Liu, the gatekeeper. ¡°Uncle, are you serious? Don¡¯t trick me, I¡¯m young and impressionable.¡± ¡°Heh, why don¡¯t you believe me, young lady! Here, let me tell you in detail... Just the other day, there was a fight in the alley behind the health clinic, two groups clashing, and when brought in for questioning, turns out, it was two factions from the black market scrapping...¡± Su Yuncheng: ¡°...¡± He had arrived immediately after receiving the message, it took him no more than five minutes. How did she get so chatty with Uncle Liu in such a short time? Catching Su Yuncheng with the corner of her eye, Lin Nianhe took advantage of Uncle Liu taking a drink of water and cut in with a smile: ¡°Uncle, my brother is here, let me talk to him first.¡± ¡°Ah, sure, you talk about what matters,¡± Uncle Liu waved his hand and glanced at Su Yuncheng, uncharacteristically not keeping a stern face to cause trouble. Su Yuncheng nodded at Uncle Liu and then turned to Lin Nianhe asking, ¡°Coming over so early, is there an emergency?¡± ¡°There is something,¡± Lin Nianhe said. ¡°Can we talk here?¡± Su Yuncheng nodded: ¡°Go ahead.¡± Lin Nianhe succinctly recounted yesterday¡¯s events, then looked at Su Yuncheng with hopeful eyes and asked: ¡°Brother Yuncheng, this counts as trafficking women, right?¡± Su Yuncheng frowned slightly, pondering for a moment before replying: ¡°Kidnapping, assault, forcibly arranging marriage without the woman¡¯s consent, those are grounds for opening an investigation.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a relief,¡± Lin Nianhe breathed out and smiled. Sunlight sprinkled on her face, her pretty little face so white it seemed to glow. Perhaps feeling a bit hot from rushing over, there was a pink tinge on her cheeks. Su Yuncheng looked at her and was momentarily dazed. Perceiving his gaze, Lin Nianhe¡¯s relaxed mood tensed up again. Tsk, she was so focused on helping Aunt Wang, she had forgotten about her childhood friend¡¯s enduring affection! She cleared her throat and looking down said softly: ¡°Then Brother Yuncheng, I¡¯ll go back first to tell Aunt Wang the news; for the reporting, she can come by herself, right?¡± Su Yuncheng snapped out of it, a flicker in his eyes: ¡°Is her daughter seriously injured?¡± ¡°Yes, it¡¯s quite bad. She hit her head and her body is covered in bruises, probably won¡¯t be able to get out of bed for three or four days.¡± ¡°In that case, wait for me a moment. I¡¯ll go back with you. If she wants to report it, I can take a statement directly. It¡¯ll also save her the trouble of leaving her child behind to come to town.¡± Su Yuncheng¡¯s reasoning was impeccable, leaving Lin Nianhe with no excuse to refuse. While Su Yuncheng went to get his bicycle, Lin Nianhe chatted with Uncle Liu for a bit, learning a bit more about the town. Seeing this, Su Yuncheng thought ¡ª So the little missy likes to chat that much. Su Yuncheng felt, with a long road ahead, he shouldn¡¯t let her stew in silence; he should also chat with her. After pondering for quite a while, he finally found a topic: ¡°Nianhe, does your injury still hurt?¡± Lin Nianhe: ¡°What? What injury?¡± It took her a moment to realize Su Yuncheng was referring to her face. Tugging at the corners of her mouth, Lin Nianhe answered: ¡°Half an hour after getting hurt, I unfortunately recovered.¡± Su Yuncheng: ¡°Hmm... impressive.¡± Lin Nianhe: ¡°...¡± ¡°Do you find it comfortable living in the village?¡± ¡°It¡¯s all pretty good.¡± ¡°How¡¯s your health?¡± ¡°Good.¡± ¡°Do you have enough money?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Did you have breakfast?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°What did you eat?¡± ¡°... Congee.¡± For the first time, Su Yuncheng realized how difficult making conversation could be. Really didn¡¯t know what to talk about with girls. Lin Nianhe for the first time realized that even a conversation with a handsome guy could be annoying. She really wanted him to shut up and stop asking questions. Before Su Yuncheng could speak again, Lin Nianhe quickly made up an excuse in an attempt to end the awkward conversation: ¡°Brother Yuncheng, I ride slowly, why don¡¯t you go ahead?¡± ¡°Slow?¡± Su Yuncheng, who had always maintained his manners and looked straight ahead, finally had a reason to turn his head and glance at her. Watching her struggle to pedal the bicycle on tiptoe, the corners of his mouth lifted unconsciously. He turned the handlebars slightly towards her side and reached out to take hold of her bike¡¯s handlebars, instructing her: ¡°Lift your feet, don¡¯t grip the handles too tightly, just sit steady.¡± Lin Nianhe was taken aback, but obediently raised her feet and loosely held onto the handlebars. The stubborn old bicycle that wouldn¡¯t behave in her hands instantly became docile and cute under his control, following him faithfully. Lin Nianhe found that ever since she arrived in this world, she often found herself being led around. Looking at her own slender arms, Lin Nianhe decided that she would start strength training that evening. She was determined to tame the temperamental bike. It was a matter of dignity; she couldn¡¯t be sloppy! As she mulled over her training regimen in her mind, her big eyes wandering, she didn¡¯t notice Su Yuncheng casting glances her way from time to time. She looked even paler than two days before, frail as if a gust of wind could blow her over. After some consideration, Su Yuncheng asked her: ¡°Do you know how to feed pigs?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± This question was difficult to answer, so Lin Nianhe directly responded with a question, ¡°Do you think I should know how?¡± Su Yuncheng frowned. Originally, when choosing a place for Lin Nianhe to be sent to the countryside, he had toured all the teams under Lan County in secret as Mr. Lin had asked, and selected Ten Miles Team as the most down-to-earth and simple team. Ten Miles Team was good in all respects, with high grain yield so no one would starve, and the team leader was a sincere person with few chaotic issues in the village. The only drawback was that Ten Miles Team had no school. Otherwise, it would have been easy to pull some strings and have her work as a teacher, which would have been much less strenuous. Feeding pigs wasn¡¯t exactly difficult, but to say it was simple... Su Yuncheng glanced at Lin Nianhe¡¯s clean white shirt and abandoned the thought. Her response seemed to indicate a strong distaste for the pigpen environment. Unaware of Su Yuncheng¡¯s rapid thoughts in that instant, Lin Nianhe thought for a while and then said with a smile, ¡°Brother Yuncheng, you don¡¯t need to worry about me. I¡¯ll do as much farm work as I can handle without exhausting myself.¡± Her words made it clear, but Su Yuncheng hadn¡¯t completely dismissed the idea of finding her different work. He simply said, ¡°When there¡¯s a suitable opportunity, I¡¯ll figure something out for you.¡± Lin Nianhe flashed a brilliant smile, but sighed to herself. It was all about owing favors. Fortunately, Su Yuncheng had finally stopped making awkward conversation. He seemed preoccupied, his brooding brows never completely relaxing. It wasn¡¯t until they reached the entrance of the village that Su Yuncheng called out to her, ¡°Nianhe, you can ride on your own now.¡± ¡°Ah? Oh.¡± Having rested for a while, Lin Nianhe immediately grasped the handlebars and tiptoed to pedal once more. A faint smile crossed Su Yuncheng¡¯s eyes. Once she was riding steadily, he let go and moved aside, creating some distance between them. He slowed down and followed Lin Nianhe straight to Li Dahe¡¯s house. Ever since Lin Nianhe left, Li Dahe had been as anxious as if ants were crawling in his heart, stepping outside every few minutes, nervous enough to lose a couple of strands of hair. That little bastard hadn¡¯t wrecked his bike, had he... After circling the area dozens of times, he had just poured a glass of water when he heard the sound of a bicycle bell outside. Accompanying the sound was a crisp call, ¡°Uncle Team Leader.¡± Li Dahe hastily slipped on his shoes and ran outside in a fluster. He stared intently at his beloved bicycle, mentally checking each and every screw before finally breathing a sigh of relief. Thank goodness, it wasn¡¯t just the bike bell that remained of his bicycle. Lin Nianhe saw his relief-as-after-surviving-a-calamity expression and understood very clearly¡ª He wasn¡¯t worried about her at all. Chapter 29 - 29 28 Sieve Street Alley of Wit ?29: Chapter 28 Sieve Street Alley of Wit 29: Chapter 28 Sieve Street Alley of Wit Li Dahe examined the bicycle over and over again until he finally felt the awkwardness of the atmosphere. He cleared his throat and said to Lin Nianhe, ¡°Educated Youth Lin, you¡¯ve worked hard. Why don¡¯t you go back and rest first?¡± Lin Nianhe had her hands in her pockets. ¡°Uncle Team Leader, are you throwing me away after using me?¡± Li Dahe ran his fingers through his hair, seriously saying, ¡°Of course not, what I mean is...¡± trying to send away the source of the embarrassment. But the truth wasn¡¯t welcome. Li Dahe changed his tune, ¡°I¡¯m just worried about your health. Alright, you should go back. I will talk to Comrade Su about the rest.¡± ¡°If you insist, then I¡¯ll just obediently listen,¡± Lin Nianhe shrugged indifferently, glanced at her watch, and said to Su Yuncheng, ¡°Brother Yuncheng, come to my place for lunch after you¡¯re done.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Su Yuncheng nodded. ¡°You go rest, I¡¯ll cook.¡± Lin Nianhe neither agreed nor disagreed, and with a smile, she waved her hand and left. Watching her leave, Su Yuncheng turned back to Li Dahe, ¡°Squad Leader, may I ask if Nianhe is sick?¡± It was time for work, and logically, Lin Nianhe should be going to work after coming back. But Li Dahe had asked her to rest instead, and Lin Nianhe didn¡¯t seem to refuse, as if she was supposed to rest anyway. The awkwardness that had just left Li Dahe had returned. He tugged at the corner of his mouth, unsure whether Lin Nianhe had told Su Yuncheng about Zhao Zhuangshi¡¯s wall-climbing incident. Li Dahe, the straightforward farmer, couldn¡¯t conceal his worries. Su Yuncheng squinted his eyes slightly, a guess forming in his mind. Such a striking young lady, could it be... After a moment of struggle, Li Dahe sighed and decided to tell the truth. The little bastard didn¡¯t suffer a loss, and Zhao Zhuangshi received his punishment; Li Dahe felt that the matter had been dealt with properly. Putting aside his personal feelings, at least the result seemed very just. Upon hearing the story, a chill settled at the bottom of Su Yuncheng¡¯s eyes. After a moment of thought, he nodded slightly and said, ¡°Okay, I understand. Let¡¯s go take care of Comrade Wang Hong¡¯s matters.¡± Li Dahe had braced himself for a barrage of questions, but the young man had changed the subject and dropped it. This made Li Dahe feel very uncomfortable. He felt unsettled with a heart hanging in suspense. Walking on the rural mud road, Li Dahe occasionally glanced at Su Yuncheng. Originally, he had always thought that Educated Youth Lin was a naive girl, unacquainted with worldly affairs, until last night when Aunt Li came home and relayed Lin Nianhe¡¯s words, making him realize that this little bastard was actually full of cunning. Looking at her neighbor today... heh, these two must be from Clever Alley, located on Sieve Street. Li Dahe walked ahead with his hands behind his back, mentally sighing without end. It¡¯s tough being a squad leader... Li Dahe was busy feeling sorry for himself, and when villagers greeted him on the road, he paid no mind, responding absently and pushing the matter to the back of his mind. He did not take note of it, but the villagers who saw Su Yuncheng remembered it very well. Their initial thought of slacking off instantly disappeared; rushing back to the fields, they quickly passed on this ¡°good news¡± about Educated Youth Lin¡¯s brother returning, to Widow Zhao. ¡°Old Zhao Family, isn¡¯t this coincidence interesting? Her brother¡¯s come again... oh, and there¡¯s something strange, Educated Youth Lin¡¯s brother is here, but she¡¯s not accompanying him. Instead, it¡¯s the squad leader following him. What do you think they are up to?¡± Widow Zhao¡¯s hands trembled, nearly pulling up the corn seedling. She didn¡¯t want to guess, not at all. ¡°Auntie, don¡¯t scare Zhuangshi¡¯s mother; her conscience is troubled enough, she can¡¯t handle wild guesses.¡± ¡°Ha ha ha... well, I say people shouldn¡¯t do things that weigh on their conscience, now it¡¯s too late to be afraid!¡± Widow Zhao glared mercilessly at the person who¡¯d insulted her, and with a stiff neck, pretended everything was fine: ¡°What am I afraid of? What do I have to be afraid of? My son didn¡¯t do anything to her, what am I afraid of!¡± She felt guilty, instinctively raising her voice a bit, as if by doing so she could appear to be truly unafraid. ¡°Pfft, if you¡¯re not afraid, then why the fuss...¡± The eyes of the crowd are sharp, especially since Widow Zhao¡¯s face had turned pale, anyone with decent eyesight could see her guilt. According to Widow Zhao¡¯s usual character, she would definitely have snapped back at someone squeezing her like this. But at this moment, she really wasn¡¯t in the mood, her mind filled with the bleak image of her eldest son reaching out to her through prison bars. Widow Zhao gritted her teeth against her anxiety and pulled out a couple more weeds, then hunched over, clutching her stomach as she ran towards the grove, muttering, ¡°Oh, why is my stomach acting up...¡± This clumsy attempt at cover-up provoked laughter from the others, who mocked her without any restraint. Widow Zhao didn¡¯t feel like dealing with them. After ducking into the grove, she scurried towards the Educated Youth Corps in a stooped posture. After returning home, Lin Nianhe took out a slab of streaky pork from her space, which was nearly identical to what Su Yuncheng had brought over before. Streaky pork is best for making braised pork, but she had eaten it for two meals in a row and was indeed tired of it; she didn¡¯t want to eat any more. After pondering for a moment, she picked out a small piece of leaner hind leg meat and chopped it together with the streaky pork to make dumpling filling. She didn¡¯t believe that Su Yuncheng could distinguish whether she used streaky pork or hind leg meat in the dumpling filling. In fact, Lin Nianhe¡¯s space contained a lot of dumplings she had previously made. After making them, she stored them in her space in nearly the same condition as when they were just made. However, she chose to keep up appearances fully¡ªfor safety first! Lin Nianhe worked efficiently, and in no time, she had wrapped half a basket of dumplings. It was also at this time that she heard footsteps. The nervous and rapid footsteps were not like those of her neighbors. Lin Nianhe slightly furrowed her brow and casually picked up the large kitchen knife nearby. Widow Zhao had no habit of knocking; she pushed open the door and found herself facing the knife blade smeared with minced meat. A drop of cold sweat slid down her temple. Widow Zhao swallowed hard, her voice starting to tremble: ¡°Li-Lin, Educated Youth Lin, what are you doing...¡± ¡°Oh, making dumplings.¡± Lin Nianhe, seeing it was Widow Zhao, put the kitchen knife on the stove and asked her with a meaningful smile, ¡°Aunt Zhao, are you here for something?¡± Widow Zhao wiped off her cold sweat, her gaze evasively refusing to meet Lin Nianhe¡¯s: ¡°Well, I, I don¡¯t really have anything, just came to see if your health has improved.¡± Lin Nianhe saw her guilty demeanor and understood instantly¡ª It must be that Su Yuncheng had been seen, and Widow Zhao was afraid she would tattle. Lin Nianhe¡¯s lips curled slightly, silently observing her: ¡°It¡¯s better, I think I¡¯ll be able to go to work the day after tomorrow.¡± As she expected, Widow Zhao wasn¡¯t even listening to her answer; as soon as Lin Nianhe finished speaking, she said: ¡°Educated Youth Lin, don¡¯t feel pressured, it¡¯s fine to rest for a few more days. Also, I have an old hen at home, why not take it to nourish yourself?¡± The usually domineering village aunt was probably lowering her head to someone for the first time, her face beet red with embarrassment, nervously fidgeting with the corner of her clothes. Her reaction was the best answer. Lin Nianhe¡¯s eyes flickered with slyness, and she responded with a muted laugh: ¡°Aunt Zhao, don¡¯t overthink it. My brother was just making a routine visit for the police station, it wasn¡¯t specifically for my matter.¡± Aunt Zhao¡¯s heart, which had been hanging in her chest, because of Lin Nianhe¡¯s words, leaped to her throat. She¡¯d lived for forty years; how could she not know that the police station had this visiting task? Also, ¡®not specifically¡¯¡ªdoes that mean... by the way? Widow Zhao could already see her son rotting away in prison. Chapter 30 - 30 29 Educated Youth Lin is Truly a Good Child ?30: Chapter 29 Educated Youth Lin is Truly a Good Child 30: Chapter 29 Educated Youth Lin is Truly a Good Child Widow Zhao¡¯s face turned from red to pale, and she reached out to grab Lin Nianhe¡¯s sleeve, her eyes full of panic and pleading. ¡°Educated Youth Lin, my boy truly knows he was wrong; please let him off. It¡¯s not easy for a widow and orphan like us. If he ends up behind bars, I might as well be dead...¡± Widow Zhao was genuinely scared, and her tears were sincerely falling. Lin Nianhe was not one to easily soften her heart, and seeing this, she didn¡¯t try to comfort Widow Zhao but simply said, ¡°Aunt Zhao, I like peace and quiet, and I hate trouble. If this happens every few days... how am I supposed to live?¡± As a seasoned verbal performer who constantly quarreled with the villagers, Widow Zhao instantly understood the subtext of Lin Nianhe¡¯s words. Her eyes lit up, and she promised, ¡°Educated Youth Lin, rest assured, I will definitely teach that boy a lesson, and he absolutely won¡¯t loiter around you again¡ªif there¡¯s a problem, just call me, and I¡¯ll tie him up and give him a beating!¡± Lin Nianhe did not doubt Widow Zhao¡¯s determination. At this moment, even if she demanded an entire month¡¯s worth of points from the Zhao Family, Widow Zhao would probably give them without hesitation. Lin Nianhe gently nodded with an appearance easy to deceive and took Widow Zhao¡¯s hand, her words earnest and expression spot on, ¡°Aunt Zhao, I knew it, you¡¯re the most reasonable woman in the Ten Miles Team. I¡¯m truly scared...¡± ¡°You see, I¡¯m all alone out here, who else do I have besides a brother? Thank goodness for Uncle Team Leader and the aunties who look after me, otherwise, I¡¯d struggle to get by.¡± ¡°With all your care, how could I be thoughtless? I truly didn¡¯t tell my brother about what happened that day. Otherwise, that would¡¯ve put Uncle Team Leader in a tough spot, wouldn¡¯t it?¡± Widow Zhao was just about to say that her brother was scary enough, but she stopped herself when she realized something was off. It made sense for Lin Nianhe not to rat anyone out since she still had to live in the Ten Miles Team; after all, alienating the villagers would do her no good. But if Li Dahe, with his blockhead, caused trouble, or if the village gossips, fearing Zhao Zhuangshi¡¯s mischief towards the girls, went to inform... Lin Nianhe saw Widow Zhao¡¯s eyes darting around and felt at ease. She had said everything she needed to; Widow Zhao seemed to fully understand, so there was nothing more for her to do. Sure enough, Widow Zhao didn¡¯t hesitate long and held Lin Nianhe¡¯s hand earnestly, ¡°Educated Youth Lin, you are truly a good kid, thank you, auntie!¡± Then she excused herself, saying she had to go to work, and hurried away. Lin Nianhe stood by the door, holding back a laugh and waved her hand, ¡°You¡¯re welcome, Aunt Zhao.¡± As soon as Widow Zhao turned the corner of the east wall, Lin Nianhe couldn¡¯t help it and burst into laughter. She had barely laughed for a few seconds when vague voices drifted from the front yard. Lin Nianhe immediately stopped laughing and listened carefully. ¡°You... you must be Educated Youth Lin¡¯s brother, hey, young man, you sure look spirited, it¡¯s hard work being in the Public Security, auntie will stew an old hen for you to nourish yourself!¡± ¡°No need, we have discipline and can¡¯t take anything from the masses.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t want it? This... young man, you really are conscious, haha... okay, you talk to Educated Youth Lin, auntie will take her leave...¡± Lin Nianhe bent over laughing. Probably Widow Zhao had never wanted anyone to take her old hen so much as now, truly a tough break for her. When Su Yuncheng came to the backyard, he saw Lin Nianhe standing by the door, laughing non-stop with her hands on her knees. He walked over and looked down at her, ¡°The one just now, was she Zhao Zhuangshi¡¯s mother?¡± ¡°Ah?¡± Lin Nianhe straightened up and nodded with a smile, ¡°Yes, you already knew?¡± ¡°Uh-huh.¡± Su Yuncheng¡¯s expression was tense as he looked down at her as if he wanted to examine every single strand of her hair. Lin Nianhe gave a light smile, ¡°Brother Yuncheng, I didn¡¯t lose out in that situation. Uncle Team Leader has already penalized the Zhao family. He tried to jump the back wall and got caught in a rat trap; even if we reported it, he wouldn¡¯t be heavily sentenced. Rather than that, it¡¯s better to let him off and keep his mother on a tight leash, so he doesn¡¯t dare mess with me again.¡± Su Yuncheng was silent for a long while. He looked at Lin Nianhe and after a lengthy silence he said, ¡°Nianhe, you¡¯ve grown up.¡± Being able to rationally analyze the pros and cons, she was no longer the impulsive and hot-tempered young girl who would only resort to throwing punches. Su Yuncheng saw the flour smudged on her cheeks and reached out intending to wipe it off for her. He withdrew his hand quickly, realizing the intrusion, and averted his gaze, saying, ¡°You¡¯ve got flour on your face.¡± Lin Nianhe thought of raising her hand to wipe it but then remembered she had just grasped Widow Zhao¡¯s muddy hands, and so she said to him, ¡°Please help me scoop some water to wash my hands.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Su Yuncheng fetched some water from the water jar with a gourd ladle, and the cool well water poured over Lin Nianhe¡¯s soft, tender hands. Her hands were so fair and so delicate that he even hesitated to pour too much water on them, wary of causing her harm. Lin Nianhe carefully washed her hands and took the chance to clean her face too. After wiping off the water droplets, she then asked, ¡°How are things over at Aunt Wang¡¯s place? Is Daxi alright?¡± ¡°According to her and her two daughters, the Zhang Family took Wang Xixi away while they were working in Ten Miles Team, avoiding the crowd. Fearing that Wang Hong¡¯s young daughters would call for help, they left Zhang Sancai to guard them.¡± ¡°The clues are quite clear, and I¡¯ve also found signs of their scuffle. This afternoon, I¡¯ll request a female comrade to examine Wang Xixi¡¯s injuries, and then we should be able to make an arrest.¡± Su Yuncheng replied in detail, and finally asked, ¡°Are you hungry? What shall we make for lunch? I¡¯ll do it.¡± ¡°No need,¡± Lin Nianhe answered, ¡°I¡¯ve made dumplings, they¡¯ll be ready in no time. You should rest for a while.¡± Su Yuncheng washed his hands anyway, then followed Lin Nianhe inside. The room was so small; though he tried hard to control his gaze, he still noticed the new furniture in the inner room. ¡°Did the furniture get made so quickly?¡± he asked, somewhat surprised. While wrapping dumplings, Lin Nianhe recounted the source of the furniture to him, and then said with a light laugh, ¡°I¡¯m really lucky, otherwise today you¡¯d have to squat to eat.¡± Su Yuncheng: ¡°Actually, I could sit on the edge of the kang to eat.¡± Lin Nianhe glanced at Su Yuncheng¡¯s mouth. A mouth that looked quite handsome, yet why do the words coming out of it always leave one speechless? Taking over the rolling pin to roll out dough for dumplings, Su Yuncheng glanced at the neatly shaped dumplings on the cloth cover and then at the bowl of filling, asking, ¡°Did you use up all the meat?¡± ¡°We had some yesterday as well,¡± Lin Nianhe answered, looking down. Su Yuncheng stared at the bowl of filling, where green onion was barely visible, contemplating getting her more meat in the afternoon. He said casually, ¡°I have to come back this afternoon anyway. Is there anything you need? I¡¯ll bring it along the way.¡± Lin Nianhe¡¯s hands paused slightly. She pondered for a moment and said to him, ¡°If you can find any high school textbooks, could you buy a set for me?¡± Reviewing for the college entrance exams, she still needed to consult the existing textbooks, especially the language textbook ¨C that was very important. Su Yuncheng nodded: ¡°I have some at home. Can I bring those for you to use first?¡± ¡°That¡¯s fine, I¡¯ll just have a look,¡± Lin Nianhe nodded in gratitude, ¡°I¡¯ll return them to you soon.¡± ¡°No rush, I¡¯m not using them,¡± Su Yuncheng replied, ¡°Take your time.¡± Su Yuncheng did not ask Lin Nianhe why she wanted the high school textbooks; he assumed she was just bored here and wanted to read some books. The misunderstanding led to a slight discrepancy in what he would bring her. Chapter 31 - 31 30 Extraordinary Talent ?31: Chapter 30 Extraordinary Talent 31: Chapter 30 Extraordinary Talent The work of two people is much faster than one, especially since Lin Nianhe found that Su Yuncheng was even more dexterous than she was. He not only took on the task of rolling out the dumpling wrappers, but also wrapped more than half of the dumplings left. Lin Nianhe didn¡¯t know if men who can cook are charming, she only knew¡ªwaiting with her mouth open to be fed was truly blissful. However, she invited Su Yuncheng over for a meal as a gesture of thanks, and since she couldn¡¯t beat him at wrapping dumplings, she took on the task of cooking them. While boiling the water, she also managed to whip up a cucumber salad. This time, Su Yuncheng didn¡¯t compete with her to do the tasks, and obediently left the room. When Lin Nianhe came out with the dumplings, through the window she saw Su Yuncheng fetching water for her. Lin Nianhe was at a complete loss for words. After pouring the water into the tank, Su Yuncheng asked her, ¡°Are they cooked?¡± ¡°Yeah, they¡¯re ready.¡± Lin Nianhe felt a bit uneasy, ¡°Actually, you don¡¯t need to do these things, the well isn¡¯t far, I can...¡± ¡°Nianhe.¡± Su Yuncheng cut off her refusal. Due to the physical work, he had rolled up his sleeves, revealing sturdy wheat-colored forearms, long clean fingers, and exceptionally good bone structure. ¡°Having accepted the title ¡®Brother¡¯ from you, it¡¯s only natural that I take good care of you. Moreover, the Lin and Su families have been friends for generations, and I¡¯ve watched you grow up, almost like my own sister. There¡¯s no need for you to be so formal with me.¡± His gaze slightly lowered, landing on Lin Nianhe¡¯s face, his deep black eyes filled with sincerity. Lin Nianhe licked her lips, and could only say¡ª ¡°Let¡¯s eat, then.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Su Yuncheng put the bucket back in its place, pondered for a moment, and then reached out his hand through the window: ¡°I¡¯ll eat outside.¡± Lin Nianhe saw his hand reaching towards her, seemingly wanting to rest it on the windowsill. Her eyes tightened, and she cried out: ¡°Don¡¯t move!¡± Su Yuncheng was startled by her scream and looked down to see two rows of nails glinting with painful sharpness. His arm was suspended just five centimeters above the nail tips, and after a moment of shock, Su Yuncheng retracted his hand: ¡°That¡¯s okay.¡± He had never thought about the nails on the windowsill. Seeing that he wasn¡¯t hurt, Lin Nianhe let out a sigh of relief. She explained: ¡°This has to be taken down and put back quite frequently, so...¡± Su Yuncheng chuckled softly and nodded: ¡°Later, I¡¯ll make you a nail board, to prevent you from hurting yourself.¡± ¡°Uh, I can do it myself.¡± Lin Nianhe casually responded, then told him, ¡°Come in to eat, it¡¯s windy outside.¡± Of course Su Yuncheng knew it was windy outside, but with a man and a woman together in one room, didn¡¯t she care about her reputation? Lin Nianhe didn¡¯t even consider that aspect. Her round, apricot eyes were looking at him, seemingly urging him on. Looking into her clear eyes, Su Yuncheng weighed his options for a moment before stepping through the doorway. It was eleven o¡¯clock by then, and the people who had gone to work hadn¡¯t yet returned, so if he ate quickly, he probably wouldn¡¯t be seen by others. The small room felt somewhat crowded with two people inside. Lin Nianhe tried to give the only chair to him but found her shoulder pressed down by his hand, forcing her to sit. He said: ¡°You sit, I can eat whatever way.¡± Lin Nianhe felt a bit embarrassed, but meeting his insistent gaze, the refusal that reached her lips was swallowed back. To insist back and forth would just cool the dumplings. The dumplings had thin wrappers and a generous filling, the recipe Lin Nianhe had once purchased from her favorite dumpling house. Biting into one, the rich juice filled her mouth, deliciously fragrant. After eating one, Su Yuncheng couldn¡¯t help but look towards Lin Nianhe. He asked: ¡°When did you learn to cook?¡± Lin Nianhe bluntly lied: ¡°I¡¯ve learned by watching my mom cook at home.¡± Learned just by watching? Su Yuncheng didn¡¯t believe it. Lin Nianhe: ¡°Maybe when it comes to cooking, I have an extraordinary talent.¡± He didn¡¯t know about her cooking talent, but just now, when she was making dumplings, her movements did not seem like those of a novice. He was familiar with the Lin Family; Lin Nianhe had been pampered since childhood, and the Lin Family always refrained from letting her cook. He couldn¡¯t help his suspicions; it¡¯s just that Lin Nianhe¡¯s current behavior was completely different from before, as if she¡¯d become a different person. Feeling the probing gaze, Lin Nianhe suddenly smiled: ¡°I was kidding, actually, my mom taught me before I went to the countryside, fearing that I¡¯d starve because I didn¡¯t know how to cook.¡± Hearing this, Su Yuncheng nodded in understanding, realizing that he had overthought things. He was also obsessed with investigating cases, and Lin Nianhe wasn¡¯t suddenly sent to the countryside; naturally, she would have prepared, and cooking is an essential life skill. It made sense for her to learn. Su Yuncheng apologized for his suspicions and then stopped talking, burying his head to eat. Living by himself, he would either hastily cook something or go to the State-Owned Restaurant. He didn¡¯t know if it was the taste of home cooking or something else, but he found that Lin Nianhe¡¯s dumplings were several times tastier than those of the State-Owned Restaurant. The dumplings smelled delicious, and the cucumber salad was refreshing. Su Yuncheng ate more than usual. Lin Nianhe ate slowly, taking small bites in a leisurely manner. When she put down her chopsticks, Su Yuncheng naturally began to clean up. ¡°I¡¯ll do it.¡± Lin Nianhe reached out to stop him, and inadvertently, her soft fingertips brushed against the back of his hand. Su Yuncheng felt as if a gentle feather had tickled his heart. He immediately withdrew his hand, looked down to avoid her gaze, and said quietly, ¡°Let me wash them, you rest.¡± After saying that, he did not give Lin Nianhe a chance to refuse and carried a stack of dishes out. Lin Nianhe: ¡°...?¡± Why did she see a hint of fleeing in his back? Immersing his hands in the slightly cool well water, Su Yuncheng finally suppressed the restlessness in his heart. He somewhat despised himself. To have started harboring different feelings for the neighboring girl he had watched grow up... he really was... ¡°Brother Yuncheng, just leave them there, I can wash them. Don¡¯t you have work to do?¡± Hearing her soft, mushy voice, Su Yuncheng¡¯s heart became even more restless. He couldn¡¯t help asking: ¡°Nianhe, how old are you this year?¡± This question made Lin Nianhe¡¯s eyes light up. How could true love forget the age? So it was she who had overthought before! She crisply replied: ¡°Seventeen.¡± She had an emotional cleanliness obsession; she really couldn¡¯t bring herself to date him on behalf of the original host, as that would make her feel like he did not truly like her. Even if he had taken root in her heart, it wouldn¡¯t work. It was a matter of principle. She had been prepared to owe him a debt of gratitude, but now things had taken a pleasant turn for the better. This unexpected joy let Lin Nianhe suddenly release the heavy burden from her heart, feeling completely relaxed. Su Yuncheng didn¡¯t know her little thoughts, sighed in his heart after hearing the answer. Just seventeen. Five years younger than him. She probably would find him too old. He lowered his eyes and swiftly washed and put away the dishes. Suppressing the affection that had just arisen, he spoke to her as indifferently as possible: ¡°I¡¯m heading back to town now, rest a bit and take a nap. I¡¯ll bring you some books in the afternoon.¡± ¡°Okay, thank you, Brother Yuncheng.¡± Lin Nianhe smiled with curved eyes, ¡°Be careful on the road.¡± Chapter 32 - 32 31 Returning the Favor ?32: Chapter 31: Returning the Favor 32: Chapter 31: Returning the Favor Human joys and sorrows do not truly intersect. Su Yuncheng walked back to the town with a furrowed brow, recalling the little girl¡¯s every frown and smile from the past few days. And the person he was thinking about had already shut her windows, drawn her curtains, and slipped into her soft silk pajamas, blissfully off to meet Duke Zhou in her dreams. Wang Shumei wanted to ask Lin Nianhe how things were going after getting off work, but as soon as she reached the backyard, she saw the tightly shut doors and windows and the black curtains that kept people at a thousand miles distance. She could only suppress her curiosity and go back to cooking. Lin Nianhe¡¯s nap was anything but peaceful. First, the clattering of pots and pans from the front yard woke her; then, the gong signaling the start of work startled her. Just as she finally managed to wait for the world to quiet down, it wasn¡¯t long before she heard the sound of a bicycle. Desperate, she sat up from the kang bed, hating her excellent senses for the first time. Good hearing made it difficult to get a peaceful sleep. Climbing off the kang, she changed out of her pajamas and stuffed herself back into cotton clothes. As soon as she opened the door, she met Su Yuncheng¡¯s gaze. ¡°Did I wake you up?¡± Su Yuncheng, holding some items, looked into Lin Nianhe¡¯s eyes with a hint of apology. Lin Nianhe shook her head: ¡°No, I¡¯ve been awake for a while, just got out of bed.¡± She hadn¡¯t slept well, and her eyes were sore, causing her to involuntarily lift her hand to rub them. Su Yuncheng¡¯s mouth curled up slightly, ¡°The books are a bit heavy, let me put them inside for you.¡± ¡°Oh, okay.¡± Lin Nianhe stepped aside from the door. The curtains in the inner room were still closed, shrouded in darkness. With the light pouring in from the open door of the outer room, one could vaguely see that the quilt on the kang hadn¡¯t been folded. Su Yuncheng put down the books and came out, conveniently placing two lunch boxes on the stove and telling her, ¡°The State-Owned Restaurant has braised fish today; I got you a portion, save it for dinner.¡± ¡°Ah?¡± Lin Nianhe reached into her pocket reflexively, ¡°How much?¡± Su Yuncheng frowned: ¡°Nianhe.¡± Lin Nianhe, under the pretense of searching her pockets, took out some change and Food Tickets from her space. She handed them to him, her gaze particularly serious: ¡°If you don¡¯t take this, I really won¡¯t dare to accept your things in the future.¡± Su Yuncheng felt somewhat helpless, thought for a moment, and took one yuan from her hand: ¡°That¡¯s enough.¡± Lin Nianhe had gained some understanding of this era and asked, ¡°What about the Food Tickets?¡± ¡°No need, I have plenty of tickets, can¡¯t use them all,¡± Su Yuncheng answered. Lin Nianhe insisted: ¡°I also have a lot.¡± ¡°Then wait until I run out to ask you for some,¡± Su Yuncheng said, walking towards the door. ¡°Hey...¡± ¡°Listen to me.¡± Su Yuncheng paused in his step, frowning slightly as he looked at her. Lin Nianhe swallowed her words of refusal and instead said, ¡°Then come get the lunch boxes after you¡¯re done with your work.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Su Yuncheng¡¯s lips unconsciously curved up again, adding, ¡°There¡¯s a piece of unused checkered fabric at home, I brought it along for you, use it to make curtains.¡± The pitch-black curtains didn¡¯t suit her at all; Su Yuncheng felt they wronged her just by looking at them. After saying this, he didn¡¯t wait for Lin Nianhe to reply, waved at her, and left straight away. Lin Nianhe looked at his retreating back, then at the pitch-dark room. She thought her curtains were quite fine. Look, how good they were at blocking light. The checkered fabric Su Yuncheng brought closely resembled Lin Nianhe¡¯s tablecloth; no matter how one looked at it, it seemed like it was bought specially. Lin Nianhe didn¡¯t dwell too long on the piece of fabric, as her attention was quickly drawn to the stack of books about a foot thick. Su Yuncheng had brought quite a few books. In addition to textbooks, there were ¡°Red Rock,¡± ¡°Red Sun,¡± ¡°Youth Song¡±... these red literature novels. The books were all very new, without a single crease or curled edge. It was evident that he cherished them greatly. Since Su Yuncheng was so generous as to give them to her, it naturally meant that they were for reading. After pondering for a moment, Lin Nianhe used these books to fill her empty desk. Her desk was by the window, overlooking the fields outside. To prevent dust from settling on the book pages, Lin Nianhe covered them with the checkered cloth he had brought. She couldn¡¯t treat things that others had carefully preserved as disposable trash. Lin Nianhe leaned back in her chair and took a cup of milk tea from her space, taking a big gulp. The fatigue from a lack of sleep was driven away by the sweet sugar, and as Lin Nianhe sipped her milk tea, thinking of the braised fish and lunch box still outside, she decided to procrastinate a bit. Procrastination was kicking in, even if the sky fell, she would put off running for a while. She procrastinated for a while, and then another while... finally, seconds before Su Yuncheng entered the Educated Youth Corps, she cleaned and refilled those two lunch boxes. ¡°Brother Cheng, are we going straight to Nine-miles Team to catch people?¡± Besides the female doctor from the health clinic, Zhou Fenyang, who came with Su Yuncheng, there was also a chubby guy from the team named Feng Wei. In this era, it was rare to see a fat person, and Feng Wei wasn¡¯t from a wealthy family either; he was the kind who would gain weight even from just drinking water. Feng Wei, pushing his bicycle, panted heavily: ¡°Brother Cheng, just the two of us, aren¡¯t we short on manpower?¡± Su Yuncheng stopped in front of the Educated Youth Corps, saying, ¡°Before coming, I communicated with Team Two, and they will be making the arrests.¡± ¡°Oh, that¡¯s good then.¡± Feng Wei sighed in relief, took a few steps, then suddenly remembered to ask, ¡°Brother Cheng, where¡¯s your bike?¡± Su Yuncheng turned and walked towards the Educated Youth Corps, saying as he went: ¡°You guys go ahead, I¡¯ll catch up in a bit.¡± Feng Wei scratched his head: ¡°Brother Cheng, what are you off to do?¡± The one who answered him, however, was Zhou Fenyang: ¡°I heard from my brother before that Yuncheng has a sister who went to the countryside.¡± ¡°Ah?¡± Feng Wei¡¯s eyes widened for a moment, then he smacked his forehead, ¡°That¡¯s why my brother suddenly started asking about the team¡¯s affairs two months ago, it was to choose a place for his sister to go to the countryside.¡± Zhou Fenyang¡¯s eyes flickered as she asked him, ¡°Haven¡¯t you heard Yuncheng mention it?¡± ¡°Nope,¡± Feng Wei replied innocently. Zhou Fenyang quietly let out a sigh of relief. Backyard. Lin Nianhe gave the two full lunch boxes back to Su Yuncheng and handed him a cup of iced tea: ¡°Have some water before you leave.¡± Su Yuncheng took the teacup and only after taking a sip did he ask, ¡°What¡¯s in the lunch box?¡± Lin Nianhe¡¯s voice lowered mysteriously: ¡°I bought some meat jerky from a classmate before I came, have it as a snack.¡± There would be no problem befriending him this way; privately reselling things was something she could never admit, and even if he wanted to investigate, there was no way he could. Su Yuncheng declined: ¡°I don¡¯t like these things, you keep them for yourself.¡± ¡°No need, I have more,¡± Lin Nianhe shook her head, ¡°I¡¯ve made arrangements with her, her mom will send me some every month, I have plenty to worry about getting tired of eating it.¡± Indeed, she had a lot, enough for two people to last a lifetime. Su Yuncheng wanted to refuse again, but Lin Nianhe¡¯s face became stern: ¡°You always tell me not to be polite with you, so why are you doing the same?¡± Su Yuncheng was left without a response. After finishing his iced tea, he said in a low voice, ¡°My colleagues have gone to Nine-miles Team to make the arrests, I will tell you once there is a verdict.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Lin Nianhe said gratefully, ¡°Thank you for your hard work, otherwise this wouldn¡¯t have gone so smoothly.¡± ¡°No...¡± ¡°Comrade Lin, can I ask your brother for a favor?¡± A gentle and sweet voice came through, interrupting their conversation. Chapter 33 - 33 32 One Should Not Be Too Kind ?33: Chapter 32: One Should Not Be Too Kind 33: Chapter 32: One Should Not Be Too Kind Once human survival is assured, there is an instinctive pursuit for spiritual fulfillment, which often leads to an increasing sense of emptiness. Lin Nianhe described it as overfed boredom. Otherwise, she really couldn¡¯t explain how Wang Xue could come back from work looking so clean and refreshed, the only sign of her labor in the fields being a faint blush on her cheeks. Lin Nianhe didn¡¯t know what Wang Xue needed Su Yuncheng¡¯s help with, nor could she make decisions on his behalf. She silently stepped back, not wanting to get involved in Su Yuncheng¡¯s love interest. Seeing Lin Nianhe not refusing, Wang Xue immediately approached, holding a letter to Su Yuncheng, she said, ¡°Comrade, you¡¯re heading back to town, right? Could you trouble you to post a letter home for me?¡± She looked at Su Yuncheng intently, her enthusiasm bordering on boldness. But she was in for a disappointment. Su Yuncheng simply turned his head politely, his gaze lowered, hiding all emotions. ¡°Sorry, I have official duties today and won¡¯t be going back to town. If it¡¯s not urgent, you can wait for the postman to come and give it to him.¡± ¡°I do have some...¡± Before she could finish the word ¡°urgent,¡± Su Yuncheng had already interrupted her, continuing, ¡°If you¡¯re in a hurry, you can ask the team leader to do it for you; I heard he¡¯s going to the commune later.¡± Wang Xue unconsciously bit her lower lip. She had anticipated his refusal, but never imagined it would come so directly and thoroughly, blocking off all her arguments in two sentences. She had come here using all her courage. Now her mind was spinning, completely unsure of what to say next to leave with dignity. As Wang Xue was still pondering her next move, Su Yuncheng had already turned his head back. His gaze no longer evasive, he looked at Lin Nianhe¡¯s lovely face with a smile. It¡¯s unclear where she got a piece of jerky from, chewing it carelessly, her cheeks puffed out like a squirrel. She appeared completely detached from the situation, as if watching an entertaining drama. Su Yuncheng pretended she was oblivious, his lips curved into a helpless chuckle. He said, ¡°I¡¯m going now, have a good meal, and come find me if you have any troubles.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Lin Nianhe nodded, her voice a bit muffled, ¡°Then take care on your way.¡± ¡°Mhm.¡± Su Yuncheng wanted to ruffle her fluffy little head but resisted the impulse, finally controlling his hand. Wang Xue was still standing where she was, and Su Yuncheng deliberately avoided her, not even giving her a chance to brush past, and quickly left with his bicycle. As he left, he happened to overhear a discussion about ¡°his sister.¡± Su Yuncheng hung the bag with the lunchbox on the handlebars, and Feng Wei immediately spotted the subtlety: ¡°Brother Cheng, what¡¯s in the lunchbox? Did your sister make you something special?¡± The three of them were chatting while biking away, and only after getting some distance from the Educated Youth Corps did Su Yuncheng say, ¡°The kid is just fussing, worried I wouldn¡¯t eat well.¡± They had an understanding to not stand on ceremony with each other, so her giving him food was naturally not because he had given her too much; it must be just because she wanted to share something delicious with him. Feng Wei stared at Su Yuncheng¡¯s lunchbox, swallowing hard: ¡°Wha-what did you take?¡± Su Yuncheng: ¡°What concern is it of yours?¡± ¡°...¡± Feng Wei¡¯s hands on the handlebars shook, nearly tumbling into the ditch. Brother Cheng has changed! He used to share anything good with them before! Zhou Fenyang was trailing a bit, pedaling with some difficulty. Initially, she was determined to push herself, but now, irritated by Su Yuncheng¡¯s show-off tone, she felt a sudden urge to act rashly. ¡°Yuncheng, I can¡¯t pedal anymore, could you slow down a bit?¡± Su Yuncheng didn¡¯t even turn his head: ¡°Then you pedal slowly, we¡¯ll go ahead first.¡± ¡°Su Yuncheng!¡± Zhou Fenyang¡¯s voice raised by eight octaves, ¡°You want to leave me here all alone?¡± Su Yuncheng glanced at the bright sky, then shifted his gaze to Feng Wei. The chubby kid immediately understood the meaning in that look, and begrudgingly slowed down, saying to Zhou Fenyang with a pout: ¡°Sister Yang, I¡¯ll stay with you, let¡¯s pedal slowly together.¡± He wished to get back to the corps earlier as well. But not listening to Brother Cheng meant no meat to eat, after all. Zhou Fenyang: ¡°...¡± Who needs his company! Lin Nianhe was unaware that her return gift had been misinterpreted by Su Yuncheng. She swallowed the jerky in her mouth and said to the dispirited Wang Xue: ¡°If you don¡¯t get back to work soon, you might lose points.¡± Wang Xue snapped back to reality, her gaze instinctively turning towards Lin Nianhe as her brows furrowed. Her eyes were a light color, and although she hadn¡¯t mentioned any of those unwarranted concerns, it made Wang Xue feel as though all of her worries were seen through. Wang Xue felt a dryness in her throat and, in an attempt to conceal her guilt, hastily claimed, ¡°I, I¡¯m going to the team leader to send a letter.¡± Lin Nianhe chuckled lightly, going with the flow she nodded: ¡°Alright, then you better hurry on with that.¡± Her nonchalant reaction sent Wang Xue fleeing as if staying any longer in the backyard would suffocate her. What she didn¡¯t know was that Lin Nianhe truly hadn¡¯t thought much about it. She had actual business to take care of¡ª She had to change the dressing on Wang Xixi¡¯s wounds. No sooner had Lin Nianhe entered the Wang Family¡¯s gate than she met Wang Hong¡¯s slightly swollen eyes. ¡°Miss Lin, you¡¯re here.¡± It seemed Wang Hong had already thrown yesterday¡¯s hardships to the back of her mind and was back to her brisk, straightforward self, ¡°Perfect timing, I stewed a chicken for Daxi. I was planning to have Huanhuan bring you a bowl, but since you¡¯re here, you can take it back with you.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t bother,¡± Lin Nianhe waved her hand immediately, ¡°My brother brought me braised fish, and we won¡¯t be able to finish it tonight before it spoils.¡± Wang Hong rolled her eyes at her: ¡°What? You think my chicken soup isn¡¯t good enough?¡± ¡°That¡¯s not it at all.¡± Lin Nianhe replied seriously, ¡°Everyone says Aunt Wang¡¯s cooking is the best in the commune, and even the way she smashes cucumbers is prettier than anyone else¡¯s. How about you smash a cucumber for me? Let me see what a really good-looking smashed cucumber looks like?¡± Wang Hong laughed out loud, poking Lin Nianhe¡¯s forehead with her hand: ¡°You sure have a way with words.¡± Lin Nianhe: ¡°...¡± This was like avoiding the beginning of the month but not the fifteenth. She rubbed her forehead and said softly, ¡°My brother said they¡¯re going to Nine-miles Team to arrest people. When do you think you will go to the Women¡¯s Federation to file a complaint?¡± Wang Hong was about to poke her again out of habit but seeing the red mark she left on the spot she had just touched, she quickly retracted her hand, not daring to touch this delicate girl anymore. ¡°I wrote the report last night, and later I¡¯ll have the team leader take it over. Tomorrow I¡¯ll go there myself,¡± Wang Hong had already arranged everything, then told Lin Nianhe, ¡°You¡¯re still young, don¡¯t always worry about things so much, no wonder you¡¯re not growing taller.¡± Lin Nianhe: ¡°...?¡± Her, her... In her past life, she was 172 cm tall, a standard long-legged beauty. But could she say that? Clearly not. Lin Nianhe, with a heart full of rebuttals, was unable to speak up and could only look pitifully at Wang Hong. To think she was considering Wang Hong¡¯s interests, figuring that if Wang Hong had to go to the Women¡¯s Federation, she would stay behind to take care of Wang Xixi for a while. Indeed, one shouldn¡¯t be too kindhearted; it only leads to getting hurt oneself. While Lin Nianhe was pondering whether she should continue to be a cold-hearted loner, Wang Hong brought a steaming bowl of chicken soup in front of her: ¡°Here, drink this. You look so thin.¡± Lin Nianhe looked at the big chicken leg in the bowl and sniffled. Well, Aunt Wang was just speaking the truth, it wasn¡¯t such a big sin. Chapter 34 - 34 33 We Call for Reinforcements ?34: Chapter 33 We Call for Reinforcements 34: Chapter 33 We Call for Reinforcements Wang Hong seemed to know that last night¡¯s eggs had been divided among the two little girls by Lin Nianhe, so today she brought a small stool over and watched closely until Lin Nianhe finished a whole bowl of soup to her satisfaction. Lin Nianhe rubbed her belly and belched, ¡°Aunt Wang, I¡¯m going to change Daxi¡¯s bandages now.¡± Wang Hong responded, ¡°Okay, she¡¯s inside. She didn¡¯t have a fever last night, just mentioned feeling dizzy a few times.¡± ¡°Good that she didn¡¯t have a fever,¡± Lin Nianhe said as she entered the room of Wang Xixi. The Wang Family now lived in the house left behind by Wang Hong¡¯s parents, consisting of four mud rooms in total; Wang Xixi and Wang Huanhuan each had their own room, and Wang Hong lived in another with Wang Lele. When Lin Nianhe walked in, Wang Xixi was leaning against the quilts, fiddling with an old rabbit doll in her hands, and on the edge of the kang bed, there was a bowl containing a handful of wild fruits. ¡°Educated Youth Lin,¡± Wang Xixi saw Lin Nianhe coming in and instinctively tried to sit up straighter. She had only moved a bit when Lin Nianhe stopped her, ¡°Don¡¯t move around, just lean back comfortably.¡± Wang Xixi¡¯s cheeks turned a faint red as she set aside the little rabbit that Wang Lele had given her and said, ¡°Thank you. I¡¯m feeling much better.¡± The bandage on Wang Xixi¡¯s head had obviously been untied before; it was sloppily rewrapped, and the original bow had been undone and carelessly tied into a slip knot. Lin Nianhe put down her shoulder bag and started changing the dressing while making small talk, ¡°The wound is forming a thin scab; it¡¯s healing quite quickly. Don¡¯t bump it again, or if the scab gets torn off, it could start bleeding all over again.¡± ¡°Mhm, I know,¡± Wang Xixi was more experienced today and stayed very still, stiff-necked, ¡°I only washed my face today, didn¡¯t touch the bandage.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Lin Nianhe dabbed some iodine around the wound. With the weather heating up, it was still necessary to prevent infections. She gently applied the medicine and rebandaged the wound, and this time she asked, ¡°Would you like a bow or a slip knot?¡± Wang Xixi hesitated briefly before responding, ¡°Well, could you tie a bow for me, please?¡± Her mother couldn¡¯t help but laugh when she saw her with a big bow on her head. She thought that no matter why one laughed, being able to laugh was always good. After Lin Nianhe tied the bow, she checked the other bruises on Wang Xixi¡¯s body and, seeing they weren¡¯t as swollen as the day before, didn¡¯t apply more medicine. ¡°You still need to rest up. Don¡¯t wander around too much recently and don¡¯t do any work. If you have wood ear mushrooms at home, eat more of those; they¡¯re good for blood replenishment.¡± Wang Xixi nodded gently and then pushed the small bowl toward Lin Nianhe, ¡°Educated Youth Lin, have some fruits. My second sister picked them.¡± In the bowl were cherry-sized red fruits, wild cherries from the mountain. Lin Nianhe took one and put it in her mouth, and instantly¡ª It was so tart it almost brought tears to her eyes. Her look at Wang Xixi was a bit reproachful. Daxi, why repay kindness with cruelty? Seeing Lin Nianhe¡¯s face scrunched up in a frown, Wang Xixi quickly passed the tea jar over, apologetically explaining, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I didn¡¯t realize you didn¡¯t like sour things...¡± Lin Nianhe shuddered and pushed away the tea jar, saying, ¡°It¡¯s okay, I just didn¡¯t expect it to be that sour.¡± She definitely preferred purely sweet fruits. As for these tart enough to turn the teeth on edge, they were beyond her ability to enjoy. Wang Xixi, seeing that Lin Nianhe was alright, breathed a sigh of relief, somewhat embarrassed, ¡°The wild cherries are indeed a bit sour at this time. In half a month, I¡¯ll go pick some sweet ones for you.¡± Lin Nianhe glanced at the bright red cluster and nodded, ¡°Sure, wait until you¡¯re better, find me at the Educated Youth Corps, and we¡¯ll go together.¡± ¡°Deal!¡± Wang Xixi seemed to have finally found something to reciprocate Lin Nianhe¡¯s kindness, chattering away about the various things from the mountain, so much so that Lin Nianhe felt like heading up the mountain for a walk right then and there. But going to the mountain was out of the question now; the mountains really did have wild boars and wolves at this time. She figured Aunt Wang even scoffed at her scrawny frame. It was safer to refrain from showing off. She couldn¡¯t climb the mountains, but she could still make a trip to the river. Wang Xixi told Lin Nianhe that there was a small river not far from the cornfield on the eastern side of the village. The river wasn¡¯t deep, it was where villagers usually washed their clothes, and with good luck, one could even catch fish. Lin Nianhe planned to stroll around, it would be good for digestion. The river was indeed shallow, three to four meters wide, and she could see to the bottom at a glance. The deepest part barely reached Lin Nianhe¡¯s waist. Crouching by the river, she couldn¡¯t resist reaching out to stir the water a little. Coolness enveloped her fingertips, accompanied by birds chirping and the gentle sound of the river, a sense of tranquil satisfaction emerged spontaneously. Just as Lin Nianhe squinted to enjoy the moment, she suddenly heard very light footsteps nearby. Walking on muddy ground makes soft sounds. Yet, she still heard the faint snap of twigs breaking. Lin Nianhe didn¡¯t move, still squatting there as if she hadn¡¯t noticed anything. She slowly quieted her breathing, focusing all her attention behind her. Just as a big hand with a distinctive smell reached out to her, she suddenly stepped to the left, swiftly stood up, and with a back kick, sent the muscular man, who had sneakily approached and bent over behind her, tumbling into the river. Zhao Zhuangshi cried out, ¡°Momma!¡± as he fell into the river, splashing water everywhere. He had intended to push Lin Nianhe, but in a moment of distraction, found himself in the water instead. Caught off guard, he swallowed several mouthfuls of water, his nose burning painfully. Struggling to get up from the water, Zhao Zhuangshi turned to look at Lin Nianhe with rage swirling in his eyes. Lin Nianhe stood on the riverbank with her arms crossed, looking at him with great interest, ¡°What are you trying to do?¡± Zhao Zhuangshi had already stood up in the river. Unaware of the seriousness of the situation, he wiped the water off his face and looked at Lin Nianhe with a vicious smile, ¡°Educated Youth Lin, I got a body full of bruises and had to go to the cattle shed because of you. Tell me, don¡¯t you think you owe me something?¡± Zhao Zhuangshi had been in the cattle shed, with Uncle Guan watching him closely; he wasn¡¯t allowed off work until he finished his tasks, even his midday meal was delivered to the cattle shed by Widow Zhao. With Uncle Guan, an outsider, around, Widow Zhao naturally had no chance to tell Zhao Zhuangshi about what had happened that day. Therefore, Zhao Zhuangshi still had no idea that Su Yuncheng had visited the village or what his own mother had promised Lin Nianhe. He took big strides toward the riverbank, rubbing his hands and looking at Lin Nianhe with lecherous eyes. Lin Nianhe glanced at him and raised her hand to massage her neck. Qi sink to the elixir field, Lin Nianhe decisively called for help: ¡°Widow¡ªZhao¡ª¡± ¡°Your son is bothering me again!¡± The village was quiet, surrounded by mountains on three sides. Lin Nianhe¡¯s voice carried, echoing across Ten Miles Team. The river wasn¡¯t far from the cornfield, and the second after Lin Nianhe¡¯s shout, Widow Zhao¡¯s varied tones came from the cornfield, ¡°I¡¯m coming!¡± Zhao Zhuangshi looked at Lin Nianhe in shock, not believing his ears. He squinted his eyes and spread out his arms, lunging toward Lin Nianhe. No matter who was coming, as long as he hugged and kissed her, she would be his! Zhao Zhuangshi¡¯s thoughts were simple and blissful. But what he received was still just Lin Nianhe¡¯s shoe. Chapter 35 - 35 34 Everyone is Talented ?35: Chapter 34: Everyone is Talented 35: Chapter 34: Everyone is Talented The first time he fell into the water, Zhao Zhuangshi thought it was because he bent over and his center of gravity was unstable. But the immediate second fall into the water really shocked Zhao Zhuangshi. A little girl, swift as a kitten, actually managed to kick him into the river? As a well-known troublemaker in the area, Zhao Zhuangshi could get bitten by Widow Zhao¡¯s dog, or beat up by some young wife¡¯s husband, but he absolutely could not be hit by a little girl. How could he show his face around if this got out? Zhao Zhuangshi chalked up the second fall to his own carelessness and climbed towards the shore again, determined. ¡°Jeez, with that persistence, he could do better than being a thug.¡± Lin Nianhe grimaced and silently moved a step to the right. In the next instant, Widow Zhao arrived as expected, sprinting to the riverbank and swinging her arm to smack Zhao Zhuangshi on the head. Zhao Zhuangshi spun three and a half times in midair before falling into the water again. Lying in the icy river water, Zhao Zhuangshi felt like he just saw his mother. No, that must have been his great-grandma. The river water flooding his nose and mouth, Zhao Zhuangshi suddenly snapped to his senses, covered his head, and struggled to stand up. ¡°Damn it, you little bastard, looking for a beating... cough, mom.¡± Seeing him in such a sorry state, Widow Zhao couldn¡¯t help but get even angrier; glancing at the river, she scowled and waved at Zhao Zhuangshi, ¡°Come here.¡± Trusting his mother, Zhao Zhuangshi obediently walked towards the shore. However, he was cautious enough to avoid a large rock by the riverbank, climbing up the shore about three or four meters away from Widow Zhao. From this distance, if his mom tried to hit him again, he could still run away! When the villagers arrived at the riverbank, they saw Widow Zhao, hands on hips, furiously scolding. They were all too familiar with this scene, which happened every few days. Normally, they would avoid Widow Zhao¡¯s scolding to dodge trouble, but today they just couldn¡¯t bring themselves to leave¡ª The sun must have risen from the west, as Widow Zhao¡¯s target today was none other than her eldest son. ¡°...You little black-hearted, ungrateful scumbag, just like your dead father! Working doesn¡¯t tire you, huh? All day long, just swaggering about, inheriting the worthless traits of the Old Zhao Family!¡± ¡°All day knowing nothing but teasing cats and dogs, I should have kept the placenta instead of you!¡± ¡°Today, if I don¡¯t beat you till even your ancestors can¡¯t recognize you, my last name isn¡¯t Zhao!¡± Caught up in her fury, Widow Zhao snapped off a thick willow branch and lashed it towards Zhao Zhuangshi, hiding behind the rock. Zhao Zhuangshi, who was leisurely listening to the scolding, got hit unexpectedly and couldn¡¯t dodge in time. Struck on the arm, he wailed even louder than he had the previous evening. Li Dahe, who was on his way to the commune, heard the commotion and rode over, arriving just in time to see the splendid scene of Widow Zhao whipping Zhao Zhuangshi with the willow branch. He asked the villagers, who were watching eagerly, ¡°What happened now?¡± The villagers, arms crossed and eyes glued to the mother and son, replied, ¡°Don¡¯t know.¡± Li Dahe: ¡°...¡± You don¡¯t know and yet you¡¯re watching with such glee? He looked around and spotted Lin Nianhe standing tiptoed at the river¡¯s edge. Intuition told Li Dahe that she was definitely involved in this mess! Li Dahe walked over to Lin Nianhe, hands behind his back, and asked, ¡°Educated Youth Lin, what happened this time?¡± Lin Nianhe: ¡°Aunt Zhao is disciplining her son. Uncle Team Leader, you shouldn¡¯t interfere in family matters.¡± Li Dahe glanced at Zhao Zhuangshi, who was wailing and rolling on the ground, his old face furrowed into a frown. It had been many years, and this was the first time he had seen Widow Zhao hitting her son. Usually, she spoils him like an ancestor, so why did she suddenly remember to discipline her son today? Lin Nianhe¡¯s lips curved slightly, and she said nonchalantly, ¡°Perhaps that incident the other day made Aunt Zhao see the light, Uncle Team Leader. We should give her a chance to correct her mistakes.¡± Li Dahe was also watching the scene of Zhao Zhuangshi being beaten, and unintentionally let his true thoughts slip out: ¡°How can she correct this mistake? Strangle him and have another?¡± Lin Nianhe: ¡°...¡± She realized that everyone in Ten Miles Team was a character. On the other side, Widow Zhao finally got tired of beating him. Hands on hips and panting, she pointed at Zhao Zhuangshi¡¯s multicolored face and spat, ¡°If you dare to skip work and loaf around again, I¡¯d rather see the Old Zhao Family die out than spare you!¡± Her voice was especially loud when she shouted this sentence, seemingly trying to prove something to the villagers. Having just witnessed a ruthless beating, the villagers truly believed in Widow Zhao¡¯s resolve upon hearing these words. ¡°Ah, the Old Zhao Family has finally wised up. If they don¡¯t discipline this little bastard properly, he¡¯s bound to cause big trouble later.¡± ¡°Exactly, the lad is always flirting around, what girl would dare marry him?¡± ¡°If they don¡¯t discipline him, it won¡¯t be long before the Old Zhao Family comes to an end... ah spit, I mean the Zhuangshi lad will stay a bachelor!¡± Lin Nianhe¡¯s lips twitched into a smile, understanding the situation but not commenting. Hearing the gossip of the onlookers, Widow Zhao¡¯s face burned, but she could only tough it out and tell them, ¡°I was foolish before and I apologize to everyone. If this boy causes any trouble again, you can tie him up, I won¡¯t object at all!¡± After all, they had been fellow villagers for decades, and there was still some respect due. Seeing her determination, nobody ridiculed her further; they agreed, occasionally even offering a few words of praise. Once people started to disperse, Widow Zhao came up to Lin Nianhe, wringing her hands nervously, ¡°Educated Youth Lin, are you alright? Weren¡¯t frightened, were you? Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll go home and stew an old hen to help calm your nerves.¡± Lin Nianhe suppressed a smile and shook her head, ¡°Aunt Zhao, you came just in time. I¡¯m fine, just a bit startled. Keep the old hen to nourish yourself; I¡¯ve already eaten at Aunt Wang¡¯s house.¡± At the word ¡°frightened,¡± Widow Zhao¡¯s hands trembled. She forced a smile that looked more like a cry, ¡°Well, well, rest assured, after I go back, I will definitely discipline this damned boy, ensuring he won¡¯t bother you again... What happened today was also my fault; I was busy working and didn¡¯t spare time to discipline him, you see...¡± ¡°Then you go ahead, I¡¯ll be heading back now,¡± Lin Nianhe said with a slight smile, and as she turned, her eyes met Li Dahe¡¯s. Lin Nianhe innocently spread her hands: ¡°Uncle Team Leader, if there¡¯s nothing else, I¡¯ll be taking my leave.¡± Li Dahe chewed on his cheek: ¡°Alright, go rest.¡± He wasn¡¯t a simpleton like Sun Guanghui. Today¡¯s beating by Widow Zhao was clearly because of this little bastard. But well... Li Dahe felt that this was also fine. Regardless of the reason, with one less bully in the village, the young ladies and wives were a lot safer. Li Dahe waved everyone back to work and exchanged a few words with Widow Zhao about the importance of raising children properly. Then he quickly got on his bicycle and headed to the commune. Once everyone had dispersed, Zhao Zhuangshi finally caught his breath and got up from the ground. Clutching his leg, he limped over to Widow Zhao, his tone full of grievance: ¡°Mom, what got into you today? Why¡¯d you even listen to that damned girl? If you had been a minute later, I¡¯d have a wife!¡± Widow Zhao¡¯s head buzzed. She turned around and slapped Zhao Zhuangshi on the head, teeth clenched in anger: ¡°Remember this, even if you remain a bachelor all your life, you are never to think about that jinx!¡± She couldn¡¯t endure such a troublesome daughter-in-law with her old bones! Chapter 36 - 36 35 Not Allowing Her to Be Diligent ?36: Chapter 35 Not Allowing Her to Be Diligent 36: Chapter 35 Not Allowing Her to Be Diligent The riverbank was quite far from the task area of the fifth squad where the Educated Youths were located. By the time they arrived, the place was already crowded with people. They couldn¡¯t see the scene or squeeze in, only able to hear Zhao Zhuangshi¡¯s pig-like screams. It was rare to have such excitement, but they could only listen. This is truly a sad story. On the way back from work, Wen Lan was still muttering, ¡°Meizi, what exactly happened? Didn¡¯t Widow Zhao treat her son like a treasure? How come she suddenly started beating him?¡± Wang Shumei was exhausted to death, barely able to lift her feet while walking. She half-opened her eyes and replied listlessly, ¡°You go back and ask Nianhe, she should know.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Um.¡± Wen Lan¡¯s eyes instantly brightened, grabbing Wang Shumei¡¯s arm for a 200-meter sprint. Wang Shumei: ¡°...!¡± She¡¯s going to die at Wen Lan¡¯s hands one day! Wen Lan dragged Wang Shumei all the way to the backyard of the Educated Youth Corps, excitedly asking Lin Nianhe, who was crouched beside the vegetable garden watering, ¡°Hezi, what exactly happened with Widow Zhao beating her son this afternoon? Did you see it?¡± Lin Nianhe was carefully watering, not lifting her head as she replied, ¡°Yeah, I saw it.¡± ¡°Tell me quickly!¡± Lin Nianhe still didn¡¯t look up, her movements exceptionally slow, the water in the scoop dropping drip by drip onto the ground. She casually said, ¡°It wasn¡¯t much, Aunt Zhao was just scared by the incident that night and had to quickly teach her son a lesson, afraid that he would cause more trouble.¡± Wen Lan was not satisfied, ¡°That¡¯s it?¡± Lin Nianhe simply put down the water scoop, looked up at Wen Lan, and described, ¡°She whipped him with a willow branch, very harshly, I guess Zhao Zhuangshi won¡¯t be able to work in the fields for three to five days.¡± Wen Lan let out a long ¡°Oh¡± and finally showed a satisfied expression. ¡°He deserves it! Such a scoundrel should be beaten like that!¡± She waved her fists, expressing regret, ¡°If only I could have squeezed in, I could have helped beat him!¡± Lin Nianhe raised an eyebrow. Lucky she didn¡¯t squeeze in. Otherwise, that would be another story. Wen Lan suddenly looked at Lin Nianhe, her eyes shining even brighter, ¡°Right, Hezi, that move you used on Widow Zhao that night, how did you do it? I saw you pin her down so fiercely, can you teach me?¡± Wen Lan had been thinking about this for several days, but every time she saw Lin Nianhe¡¯s pale little face, she felt embarrassed to ask. Now seeing her able to water the garden, she must be mostly recovered, right? ¡°Sure,¡± Lin Nianhe nodded, ¡°It¡¯s a small capture, using skillful strength, quite simple, I¡¯ll teach you later.¡± ¡°Great!¡± Wen Lan was satisfied, patting Wang Shumei, who was sitting on the ground panting, ¡°Look at you, useless, just rest, I¡¯ll cook myself.¡± Wang Shumei: ¡°...¡± She actually could walk, really! Wen Lan ignored her explanation, sauntering back to the front yard. Lin Nianhe looked at Wang Shumei¡¯s aggrieved face and asked her, ¡°What has Sister Lan done to you?¡± Wang Shumei¡¯s voice was particularly weak, ¡°She dragged me running back.¡± Lin Nianhe clicked her tongue sympathetically, got up to pour a cup of cool boiled water and gave it to her. ¡°Thank you.¡± Wang Shumei took the water, drinking it and finally recovering somewhat. She asked, ¡°How are things at Aunt Wang¡¯s house?¡± ¡°They might have arrested someone,¡± Lin Nianhe replied softly, ¡°But the sentencing and such will take some time. A female comrade came in the afternoon to examine Daxi¡¯s injuries.¡± ¡°I saw the brigade leader riding out, was he going to the Women¡¯s Federation?¡± ¡°Probably.¡± Lin Nianhe and Wang Shumei chatted intermittently. She picked up the small water scoop again, slowly watering. Wang Shumei watched for a while before she couldn¡¯t help but say, ¡°That vegetable patch is yours, do you really need to be so fussy about it?¡± Lin Nianhe, without lifting her head, casually replied, ¡°They¡¯re just ungerminated seeds, I¡¯m afraid watering them too fast might scare them.¡± Wang Shumei: ¡°...¡± She always felt out of place with them because she was too normal. Wang Shumei watched Lin Nianhe handling it with such care, ultimately swallowing the mockery at the tip of her tongue, rested for a while and then tremblingly stood up, left her with the words ¡°You take your time playing,¡± and stumbled back to the front yard, leaning on the wall. After she left, Lin Nianhe finally breathed a sigh of relief. The water she used contained a nutrient solution for plants that could promote their growth. The instructions on the nutrient solution had strict dosage requirements, and it was inconvenient for her to use a spray bottle, so she could only water slowly with a ladle. She wasn¡¯t sick, how could she possibly spoil her own crops? She would love to use her automatic sprinkler, which could water everything in three seconds. Lin Nianhe continued watering; farming was new to her, and she could only learn step by step. She had books and instructional videos related to agriculture, but most of the specialized terms in the books were nearly incomprehensible to her, and the videos mostly used modern planting methods, which were not suitable for her current situation. She shuffled along and finished watering half a row, then stood up to stretch her sore legs when she saw Miao Yulan coming into the backyard with a washbasin. Miao Yulan looked at the ladle in her hand, paused for a moment, and asked in surprise, ¡°You¡¯re watering the plants?¡± ¡°Yep.¡± Lin Nianhe rubbed her sore legs. She had been running back and forth today, yet she hadn¡¯t forgotten to labor in the fields... Such diligence meant she deserved a good snack for supper. Miao Yulan looked into her eyes with a bit of helplessness, ¡°The watering should be done in the morning.¡± Lin Nianhe: ¡°...¡± She looked at the ground, then at the ladle in her hand, and after being silent for three seconds, she decisively put it down by the wall corner, thanked Miao Yulan, and then went back inside to ponder the serious issue of preparing an extra meal. It wasn¡¯t that she was lazy or greedy, but time didn¡¯t allow her to be more industrious. She¡¯d just eaten a big bowl of chicken at Wang Hong¡¯s house, and Lin Nianhe was not hungry at all now. The braised fish that Su Yuncheng had brought was stored in her space for tomorrow¡¯s meal. She wandered around the room and ultimately decided to read and answer some quiz questions. After running around all day, she still didn¡¯t forget to acquire knowledge; she had to treat herself to something. With that in mind, Lin Nianhe took out a bag of nuts, picked up a book, and threw a nut into her mouth. Lin Nianhe didn¡¯t rush to look at the high school textbooks Si Yuncheng had brought her. She timed herself and seriously did a mathematics paper for the middle school exam. Once done, she checked the answers and felt a sense of achievement from all the red ticks across her paper. After two hours bent over her desk, Lin Nianhe put down her pen and got up to do some basic anaerobic exercises on the Kang bed. It had to be said, the Kang was indeed a great thing, aside from its original purpose, it even saved using a yoga mat for exercises. Lin Nianhe didn¡¯t dare to exert herself too much, her small frame needed to progress gradually, hurrying might cause more harm than good. She worked up a light sweat, then looked at the time; it was 8:30 pm. She took out a bath bucket to bathe, and while soaking, she flipped out the tablet that stored the high school online courses. She never liked making things hard for herself; with this facility available, there was no need to insist on self-studying. After bathing, Lin Nianhe, refreshed, sat back at the desk and put on an earphone to listen to the online course. She was immersed in the ocean of mathematics, oblivious to the fact that in the two rooms of the front yard, they were discussing her. Wen Lan sat on the edge of the Kang, soaking her feet and suddenly said, ¡°Meizi, why do you think Hezi goes to bed so early every day? Is she still not feeling well?¡± Wang Shumei had already laid down in her bedclothes, and although she was initially somewhat sleepy, now she was a bit more alert. Lin Nianhe not feeling well? Of course, she didn¡¯t believe it. Wang Shumei thought for a minute, yawned, and said, ¡°There¡¯s nothing else to do even if we don¡¯t sleep. Xiao Lan, you should wash up quickly too, I¡¯m so sleepy.¡± ¡°Oh, okay.¡± And in the room separated from them by just a wall, all three had already lain down. Wang Xue tossed and turned several times and finally couldn¡¯t resist propping herself up, asking softly, ¡°What do you think, is that gentleman really Lin Nianhe¡¯s brother?¡± Chapter 37 - 37 36 The Familiar Little Old Man ?37: Chapter 36: The Familiar Little Old Man 37: Chapter 36: The Familiar Little Old Man After Wang Xue raised the question, the room fell silent for a moment. Just as she thought the two had fallen asleep, Yu Xiangqin suddenly turned over and looked at her, counter-asking, ¡°Do you also feel that something is off?¡± Wang Xue replied vaguely, ¡°I just feel that the two of them are quite strange.¡± Wrapped in her quilt, Yu Xiangqin sat up, cross-legged, and said, ¡°What do you mean quite strange? They are too strange! She said that the man is her neighbor, right? What kind of neighbor delivers grain and meat?¡± ¡°She¡¯s only been here a few days, right? And this neighbor has come three times! Even a real brother wouldn¡¯t look after her that much... Ah right, what do you think he came for today? Was it because of Zhao Zhuangshi¡¯s issue? Otherwise, Widow Zhao must have been kicked in the head by a donkey to beat her own son like that!¡± Yu Xiangqin kept going on and on. The room was unlit, and she couldn¡¯t see Wang Xue¡¯s uncertain expression. Miao Yulan opened her mouth at the end of the platform bed, but her habitual silence made it impossible for her to interject. Resting her head on her arm, Wang Xue stared at the pitch-black wall, her voice very soft, ¡°But Lin Nianhe is only seventeen; they probably aren¡¯t dating, right?¡± ¡°So what if he¡¯s seventeen? In the village, they could already be engaged,¡± Yu Xiangqin pursed her lips, convinced, ¡°There must be something between them!¡± Wang Xue didn¡¯t want to respond to that. Getting no response, Yu Xiangqin turned and patted Miao Yulan, ¡°Yulan, what do you think?¡± After thinking for a bit, Miao Yulan replied softly, ¡°Educated Youth Lin is good looking, and both of them are from Beijing, so...it¡¯s normal, I guess?¡± It was as if someone had choked Yu Xiangqin, and she stopped abruptly with a ¡°gah¡± sound. Miao Yulan buried half of her face into the worn quilt and continued, ¡°Don¡¯t overthink it. If there really was something, why would Educated Youth Lin come to the countryside?¡± Miao Yulan¡¯s intention was to defend Lin Nianhe for a moment, to save her from earning a bad reputation for improper conduct. Yet, her words reminded Wang Xue, reigniting her previously wilted thoughts. Yes, if there really was something between them, couldn¡¯t they just get married? Why bother coming to the countryside to endure hardships and suffering? Wang Xue¡¯s spirits, which had been down all day, finally lifted a bit. In the night, the corners of her mouth lifted. Day after day, the sun rose punctually. At four-thirty, sounds of starting fires and cooking came from the front yard. Lin Nainhe turned over and opened her eyes. The biological clock is indeed a peculiar thing. She had adapted to waking up early within just a few days of her arrival. By five o¡¯clock, the village came to life. The sound of pots and pans clanging, children being scolded and crying, along with Gouzi¡¯s barking, intertwined to paint a vivid picture of everyday life. After changing her clothes, Lin Nianhe opened the window, and the cool morning air mixed with the dampness of dew hit her face. She wasn¡¯t sure if it was because she rode the bicycle too hard yesterday or last night¡¯s activities were a bit too much, or perhaps her body was just too delicate, but Lin Nianhe felt like a tin man who had rusted, with stiff muscles and sluggish movements. She didn¡¯t rush to eat, instead standing at the door stretching and kicking her legs to warm up. After moving about for about ten minutes, her body began to feel slightly warm. Seeing that working hours were approaching, Wang Shumei hurried to the backyard. Lin Nianhe stopped her stretches and greeted her with a smile, ¡°Have you eaten?¡± ¡°I have,¡± Wang Shumei came to her side and asked, ¡°What about you? Feeling any better?¡± ¡°Quite good,¡± Lin Nianhe smiled, ¡°I¡¯ll go to work tomorrow.¡± ¡°Mmm.¡± Wang Shumei looked at her, and after a moment of silence said, ¡°Xiao Lan was worried about you last night, she shut the doors and windows by seven, we thought you were not feeling well.¡± Lin Nianhe discerned a deep meaning from this ordinary statement. She smiled softly and replied, ¡°I¡¯ve been a heavy sleeper since I was a child, and these past few days have been so exhausting that I go to bed even earlier.¡± Wang Shumei saw her composed expression and secretly breathed a sigh of relief, thinking she had been overthinking. The last time she came to see Lin Nianhe, she saw her writing and drawing, and yesterday after Wen Lan mentioned it, she worried that Lin Nianhe, young and naive, might hide in her room to sneak a look at some inappropriate books. Wang Shumei didn¡¯t think further, patted Lin Nianhe on the shoulder, ¡°As long as everything¡¯s okay, I¡¯m heading to work now, take some more rest at home.¡± ¡°Alrighty,¡± Lin Nianhe waved at her, ¡°Be careful at work.¡± Wang Shumei didn¡¯t say anything more and turned to leave. Watching her retreating figure, Lin Nianhe clicked her tongue lightly. Looks like she will have to close the door later tonight, but it¡¯s pity for her eyes, having to endure the dim light of the candle. After the gong for work sounded, the Educated Youth Corps soon returned to quietness. Lin Nianhe washed the cherries, ignoring her empty stomach, she ate one first. Yesterday, Wang Xixi¡¯s wild cherries had indeed been sour, but they also triggered her cravings, she even dreamed about bright red cherries last night. Now, the sweet juice spread in her mouth, instantly dispelling the mental shadow left by the sour cherries. For breakfast, she ate half a basket of crab roe buns, accompanied by a cup of malted milk. This cross-era combination was unexpectedly delicious, satisfying Lin Nianhe immensely. In the morning, while the Educated Youth Corps was empty, Lin Nianhe released a robotic vacuum cleaner to sweep the floors and she continued yesterday¡¯s interrupted watering work. After all, being outside, she still didn¡¯t dare to use the spray bottle, honestly watering with a scoop instead. Being lazy feels great momentarily, but getting caught means catastrophe. While Lin Nianhe¡¯s life here was quiet and peaceful, outside it wasn¡¯t so calm. An official from the commune had gone to Wang Hong¡¯s house to gather information, and on the way, they also brought the news that the entire Old Zhang Family had been arrested¡ª Indeed, the whole family was arrested, as the adults weren¡¯t home, two children from the second household of the Zhang Family had been taken to the police station. It was not just the Zhang Family, even the old bachelor who had talked about paying one hundred yuan as dowry was taken away. The old bachelor felt wronged, never having thought he¡¯d be questioned by the Public Security for failing to find a wife. That afternoon, when Lin Nianhe went to change Wang Xixi¡¯s dressing, she encountered Second Uncle Li and a slightly familiar old man on the road. Lin Nianhe pondered for a moment and remembered who that person was¡ª the chief of the Nine-miles Team, he had been beside them the day she arrived. If Li Dahe secretly disliked the educated youths, then the chief of the Nine-miles Team openly despised them. Lin Nianhe remembered that when he had received the educated youths that day, he hadn¡¯t spared any harsh words, he spat nothing but unkind words, his pettiness almost causing instant depression. ¡°Second Uncle Li, you look busy.¡± Lin Nianhe¡¯s face sported an obliging smile as she casually greeted Second Uncle Li. ¡°Hmm,¡± Second Uncle Li, still the straightforward and hardworking personality, nodded at Lin Nianhe and said no more. Lin Nianhe didn¡¯t feel awkward at all, still smiling brightly, ¡°Then you carry on, I¡¯m off to change Daxi¡¯s dressing, Aunt Wang will get anxious if I¡¯m late.¡± As she spoke, she even patted her small shoulder bag. Second Uncle Li was a bit puzzled as to why this kid was telling him all these details, he hadn¡¯t asked her what she was up to! But the little old man standing next to him lit up, his look at Lin Nianhe suddenly changed. ¡°Oh my, you¡¯re the Educated Youth Lin who¡¯s been treating Daxi¡¯s illness? I just heard Li Da talk about you yesterday, well, I¡¯m Daxi¡¯s third uncle, heading to see her too. Let¡¯s go, young lady, we¡¯ll go together.¡± Chapter 38 - 38 37 The Young are Playing Mind Games ?38: Chapter 37 The Young are Playing Mind Games 38: Chapter 37 The Young are Playing Mind Games Lin Nianhe eyed the small old man before her, and four words slowly surfaced in her mind¡ª Either a crook or a thief. Putting everything else aside, who comes to visit a sick person with both hands empty? She glanced at the captain of the Nine-miles Team and silently took a step back. ¡°Uncle, I¡¯m still a young girl, and it¡¯s not appropriate for me to walk with a man.¡± After saying that, she waved her hand, ¡°Second Uncle Li, I¡¯m leaving first, please take care of things.¡± Then she dashed away swiftly. ¡°Hey? What¡¯s this girl up to?¡± Wang Wei was bewildered. He was nearly fifty, what could he possibly do to her? Second Uncle Li, with his hands clasped behind his back, shot a glance at Wang Wei: ¡°Educated Youth Lin isn¡¯t wrong, it doesn¡¯t look right for a young girl to walk with an old man like you.¡± Wang Wei rolled his eyes at him and stopped talking. Second Uncle Li continued to amble towards Wang Hong¡¯s house, leading the way for Wang Wei. Lin Nianhe trotted to Wang Hong¡¯s house, and as soon as she pushed the door open, she was greeted by Wang Lele¡¯s smiling face: ¡°Sister Lin.¡± ¡°Good girl.¡± Lin Nianhe rubbed her head, ¡°Where¡¯s your mother?¡± ¡°Mom went to find some wood ear mushrooms for big sister.¡± Wang Lele looked up at Lin Nianhe and said in a babyish voice. Lin Nianhe slightly furrowed her brows and asked again: ¡°What about your second sister?¡± ¡°Second sister went with mom.¡± Wang Lele patted her chest, ¡°I take care of big sister!¡± ¡°Lele is such a good girl.¡± Lin Nianhe took her hand, ¡°Come on, let¡¯s go inside.¡± Wang Lele really liked Lin Nianhe, not just because Sister Lin had given her eggs to eat, but also because she had saved her older sister. The little girl obediently followed Lin Nianhe into the house, and Wang Xixi, who was still propped up, smiled upon seeing Lin Nianhe: ¡°Educated Youth Lin, you¡¯ve come...¡± ¡°Do you have a third uncle?¡± Lin Nianhe interrupted her, ¡°He¡¯s coming this way, said he was coming to see you.¡± Wang Xixi was taken aback, annoyance flashing across her face: ¡°My mother doesn¡¯t have any brothers, that¡¯s my paternal uncle.¡± ¡°Bad relationship?¡± Lin Nianhe casually lifted Wang Lele onto the kang bed and stuffed a candy into her mouth. Wang Xixi pursed her lips, her brows filled with resentment: ¡°It was his mother who matched my mom back then, praising the other family to the skies and coaxing my mom to get married to them.¡± Lin Nianhe instantly understood the grievances between the two families. She nodded, stood up, and closed Wang Xixi¡¯s room door. The door did not have a latch, so she used the broom by the door to wedge it shut. ¡°Alright, don¡¯t be angry, let¡¯s wait for them to come.¡± As she spoke, Lin Nianhe took out some items to change Wang Xixi¡¯s dressing. She had just removed the gauze from Wang Xixi¡¯s head when Wang Wei¡¯s voice came from outside the door: ¡°Daxi! Your third uncle is here to see you!¡± Wang Xixi wanted to respond, but Lin Nianhe shook her head at her. She called out loud: ¡°Uncle, please wait a moment, Daxi is changing her dressing, it¡¯s not convenient for you to come in.¡± ¡°There¡¯s nothing inconvenient about it, I¡¯m her blood-related third uncle!¡± Wang Wei followed the voice and tried to pull the door open, only to find that it was secured. He was somewhat displeased and started knocking on the door loudly: ¡°Daxi, open the door.¡± Lin Nianhe went to the door, hugging her arms and said with a low chuckle: ¡°Uncle, it¡¯s really not convenient, Daxi has injuries all over her body, she¡¯s a grown girl, it doesn¡¯t look right, and not even her biological father should see.¡± Wang Wei¡¯s breath hitched. He knew it¡ªnone of these educated youths were any good! Useless at work, but champions in assigning labels! ¡°Uncle, please wait in the courtyard for a while, once Daxi is done with her dressing and has her clothes on, we¡¯ll invite you in.¡± Wang Wei clenched his teeth but could only suppress his anger and nod: ¡°Alright, thank you for your efforts.¡± What else could he say? If he forced his way in, wouldn¡¯t that make him a hoodlum? Nianhe Lin¡¯s voice came through the crack in the door: ¡°You¡¯re welcome.¡± Wang Wei was so annoyed by the unhurried tone that his eyes rolled. Nianhe Lin returned to Wang Xixi¡¯s side, glanced at her wound, and whispered, ¡°Daxi, you and Lele stay inside the house, try to keep quiet, and don¡¯t open the door no matter what he says. Second Uncle Li probably hasn¡¯t left, so don¡¯t be afraid.¡± Wang Xixi looked at her in astonishment and instinctively reached out to grab her hand: ¡°What are you going to do?¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to call for help.¡± Nianhe Lin said as she climbed onto the kang (a traditional Chinese bed), ¡°Don¡¯t wrap the gauze, understand?¡± Wang Xixi nodded immediately: ¡°Got it.¡± Nianhe Lin smiled with satisfaction, pushed open the window, and climbed out. Wang Lele was startled but, recalling Nianhe Lin¡¯s words, immediately covered her mouth with her little hands. Nianhe Lin hopped out of the window, tiptoed across the backyard vegetable garden, and smoothly vaulted over the not-so-high wall. Her destination was clear¡ªthe cornfield. At times like this, she had to seek the help of the aunties. She ran all the way to the cornfield and, as luck would have it, Aunt Li was helping out in the fifth group today. ¡°Aunt Li!¡± Nianhe Lin stood at the edge of the field, waving to Aunt Li. Aunt Li straightened up and looked surprised: ¡°Educated Youth Lin? What brings you here?¡± Nianhe Lin said: ¡°Daxi¡¯s third uncle on her father¡¯s side has come to see her, Aunt Wang has gone up the mountain, and, you see...¡± Aunt Li frowned and immediately called out to her own son in the field: ¡°Li Xiaoshan! Go fetch your father!¡± Li Xiaoshan stood up and asked, ¡°What do you need my father for?¡± ¡°Tell him to go to Aunt Wang¡¯s house. That good-for-nothing Wang Wei is spouting nonsense again!¡± Aunt Li hastily climbed onto the ridge and turned to Second Aunt Li, ¡°Laoer¡¯s wife, come on, let¡¯s have a look.¡± ¡°Okay!¡± Second Aunt Li quickly put aside her work. However, Li Xiaoshan didn¡¯t obediently go to look for Li Dahe but told his elder brother, ¡°Big brother, you find Dad. I¡¯ll go along with Mom to see.¡± Li Xiaohai looked puzzled: ¡°What are you going for?¡± ¡°I¡¯m afraid Mom will start a fight.¡± Leaving behind this comment, Li Xiaoshan hurriedly followed. Li Xiaohai wiped his sweat and muttered, ¡°What, afraid we¡¯ll lose?¡± Aunt Li didn¡¯t react to her youngest son¡¯s insistence on coming along. She was more curious about something else: ¡°Educated Youth Lin, you said Wang Wei is blocking the door, so how did you get out?¡± Nianhe Lin: ¡°I climbed over the wall.¡± Aunt Li paused in her step, nearly stumbling. Facing Aunt Li¡¯s complex gaze, Nianhe Lin gave an innocent smile: ¡°Aunt Li, you should go through the front door. It¡¯s better for me to climb back in. Please don¡¯t say it was me who went to call you, okay?¡± Aunt Li: ¡°...¡± These young kids today, all so cunning. But when they reach my age, they will understand. None of those tricks work better than a few good slaps! When Nianhe Lin skillfully climbed back into Wang Xixi¡¯s room, Wang Xixi was cradling Wang Lele and patting her back, while her eyes were firmly fixed on the door as if expecting someone to kick it open at any second. ¡°Don¡¯t be scared, Aunt Li has arrived,¡± Nianhe Lin said as she closed the window and spoke softly to her. Wang Xixi immediately breathed a sigh of relief, her eyes reddened. Nianhe Lin poked her face and asked, ¡°Can you walk now?¡± ¡°I can,¡± Wang Xixi nodded, ¡°It¡¯s just a bit slow.¡± Nianhe Lin shook her head: ¡°No, you can¡¯t, absolutely can¡¯t walk at all. Even eating and drinking have to be done on the bed.¡± Wang Xixi: ¡°...?¡± Chapter 39 - 39 38 The Master Finally Returned ?39: Chapter 38 The Master Finally Returned 39: Chapter 38 The Master Finally Returned Wang Wei squatted in the Wang family¡¯s courtyard, having smoked a couple of dry tobacco rolls, when suddenly something felt off. He stood up and knocked on the door again: ¡°Daxi, what are you doing? Why aren¡¯t you done yet?¡± The response was still that jaunty Beijing accent: ¡°Look at you, all impatient, is it really necessary? Changing dressing isn¡¯t like painting walls, how can it be that quick?¡± Wang Wei: ¡°...¡± His door-knocking hand froze mid-air, feeling uneasy: ¡°Girl, open the door. How can you not let me see my own niece?¡± ¡°That¡¯s quite the statement... Why do you need to watch your niece change her dressing? Don¡¯t say I didn¡¯t warn you ahead, Daxi can¡¯t be exposed to the wind right now, forcing your way in is not only hooliganism but also endangering her life!¡± Wang Wei silently looked down at the shovel he had just picked up. Before he could put the tool down, Second Uncle Li¡¯s calloused hand grasped the handle of the shovel. Second Uncle Li glared at him fiercely: ¡°What are you trying to do?¡± Seeing his face, Wang Wei felt a chill and quickly said: ¡°I saw that the path by Daxi¡¯s door is uneven, I wanted to fix it for her!¡± Second Uncle Li let go of the handle: ¡°Oh, then you do it.¡± Wang Wei, with gritted teeth, bent down to level the ground. When Aunt Li and Second Aunt Li arrived with Li Xiaoshan, they saw this bizarre scene. Aunt Li didn¡¯t even know where to start scolding. She hesitated, glaring and asked: ¡°Wang Wei, what are you doing here?¡± Hearing it was Aunt Li¡¯s voice, Wang Wei didn¡¯t take it seriously, leisurely putting down the shovel, easing into the posture of a brigade leader and turned slowly¡ª Then he saw Second Aunt Li next to Aunt Li, towering like an iron tower. Wang Wei instantly recalled the night when this old lady had kicked Old Mrs. Zhang¡¯s daughter-in-law three meters away. He involuntarily softened, smiling back: ¡°Sister-in-law, I just came to check on Daxi, see, she¡¯s getting her dressing changed. The ground by her door is uneven, just leveling it a bit.¡± Aunt Li sneered: ¡°This ground has been uneven for four or five years. You¡¯ve only just thought of fixing it for the child today as her uncle? What do you expect, a letter of commendation from the head of our household?¡± Wang Wei¡¯s mouth twitched, coughing twice, saying: ¡°Sister-in-law, what you¡¯re saying is too harsh. Isn¡¯t it just because I¡¯ve been busy with brigade work?¡± ¡°Hah, talking like you¡¯re the only one busy being a brigade leader. Got big and small matters at my sister-in-law¡¯s house, how has my man never been held up?¡± Wang Wei had no desire to talk anymore. Couldn¡¯t argue. He leaned on the shovel, pretending not to hear. After all, he hadn¡¯t done anything really bad, just came to see his sister, couldn¡¯t be faulted anywhere. Seeing his ¡°a dead pig not afraid of boiling water¡± attitude, Aunt Li and Second Aunt Li exchanged a look. The two women didn¡¯t waste more words, walking straight toward Wang Wei. Wang Wei, having just faked an air of detachment for half a minute, was shoved against the wall by a slap from Second Aunt Li. ¡°Hey you... can you stop being so hands-on, comrade!¡± What should have been a strong accusation, when spoken by Wang Wei, unexpectedly carried a tinge of a harried housewife¡¯s grievance. Second Aunt Li gave him a sidelong glance, too lazy to bother, and went straight to knock on the door: ¡°Educated Youth Lin, it¡¯s me, open the door, we¡¯re here to help.¡± ¡°Okay!¡± As expected, Lin Nianhe quickly came to open the door. Aunt Li and Second Aunt Li entered one after another. Just as Wang Wei was about to follow them in, just as he reached the door, the door slammed shut with a loud ¡°bang,¡± mercilessly smashing his nose. Wang Wei cried out in pain, covering his nose and retreating three steps before steadying himself, with blood flowing from his nose through his fingers, looking especially miserable. As soon as Aunt Li entered, she saw Wang Xixi¡¯s head injury and cursed, ¡°What a sin,¡± grabbing the broom Lin Nianhe used to latch the door, ready to rush out. Lin Nianhe hurriedly stopped her, ¡°Aunt Li, calm down, calm down. Daxi¡¯s injury wasn¡¯t caused by him, beating him is pointless.¡± Aunt Li, not very tall, was fully embraced by Lin Nianhe around the shoulders. She shook her head and said, ¡°Let¡¯s wait for Aunt Wang to come back and discuss.¡± Aunt Li bit her teeth, glared at the door, and reluctantly put down the broom. She sat at the edge of the kang bed, took over and held Wang Lele, then with a furrowed brow closely examined Wang Xixi¡¯s head wound, causing Wang Xixi to feel a bit uncomfortable under her intense gaze before she finally said, ¡°That¡¯s a really bad injury.¡± Lin Nianhe, standing aside, tensed up. She thought Aunt Li was brewing up some profound wisdom to say! Wang Xixi gave a weak smile and said softly, ¡°Auntie, don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m much better now. I just didn¡¯t expect him to come when my mother wasn¡¯t around... Thank you for coming.¡± ¡°What silly thing to say, of course it¡¯s what should be done.¡± Aunt Li gently patted Wang Lele¡¯s back, ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid, you sisters just stay put in the house, I¡¯ll see who dares to be arrogant.¡± Second Aunt Li also said, ¡°Yes, girl, don¡¯t be afraid. Your second uncle is watching him outside.¡± Wang Xixi¡¯s eyes teemed with tears. She nodded gently, lips tightly pressed, unsure of what to say. She was already sensible when her mother got divorced. She could never forget the faces of those relatives. Some criticized her mother for corrupting the family, others called her mother pretentious, saying every daughter-in-law must endure the mother-in-law¡¯s grinding, and still others felt that the house should belong to them, that her and her mother¡¯s family should not occupy it. It was their own property, yet it felt like charity from others. Back then, living each day made even sugar water taste bitter. Like now, relatives who couldn¡¯t be less related would always create chaos at home, and the village aunties were verbally harsh but always helped drive those troublemakers away. As time went by and after a few beatings, they quieted down and stopped coming over. Wang Xixi thought they¡¯d never have to live those days again, yet the bad ones hadn¡¯t reformed; they were just lurking in the dark crevices, always ready to tear a piece from them. Lin Nianhe walked to the edge of the kang bed and casually asked Aunt Li, ¡°Aunt Li, has Hehua gone to school yet?¡± Aunt Li, distracted by her, replied, ¡°She will go in a few days. The road is too long, and with Tiezhu not going, I don¡¯t dare let her go alone.¡± Originally, she had planned to let her daughter continue school these days, but seeing Wang Xixi¡¯s injuries... She really feared her own Xiao Hehua might also be taken away. ¡°Right, safety first.¡± Lin Nianhe rubbed Wang Lele¡¯s head, ¡°Lele will be going to school soon too, right?¡± ¡°Yes, she should be going next year,¡± Aunt Li nodded, ¡°Accountant Zhao¡¯s eldest daughter is about the same age as Lele, they can go together.¡± Second Aunt Li also interjected, ¡°There are quite a few kids about Lele¡¯s age in our village, like Gou Dan, Sanya, and those two from the Old Sie family.¡± Talking about children made the conversation plentiful, significantly easing the oppressive atmosphere in the room. After a while, Lin Nianhe finally heard Wang Hong¡¯s voice. ¡°...Sure, we¡¯ll make it tonight. Mom will make scrambled eggs for you.¡± ¡°Just make it for Big Sister and Lele. Mom, I don¡¯t like eggs.¡± ¡°Nonsense, who doesn¡¯t like eggs? How will you grow tall if you don¡¯t eat eggs... Wang Wei? What are you doing at my house?¡± Inside, Lin Nianhe¡¯s eyes instantly lit up. Finally, the person in charge had returned! Chapter 40 - 40 39 The Fiery Passion of the Elderly ?40: Chapter 39: The Fiery Passion of the Elderly 40: Chapter 39: The Fiery Passion of the Elderly Wang Wei was indeed a bit intimidated by Wang Hong. His little sister had always been fierce since childhood, and instead of becoming steadier with age, she had become even more ferocious. Truly someone to avoid provoking. But this time he had legitimate business to attend to; it wasn¡¯t like he was after anything from her. Thinking this way, Wang Wei straightened his back a bit. Baring his teeth, he smiled at Wang Hong: ¡°Little sister, did you go up the mountain?¡± Wang Hong looked around and saw that Second Uncle Li and Li Xiaoshan were both there, so she pushed Wang Huanhuan: ¡°Go, go play with your Brother Xiao Shan.¡± Wang Huanhuan obediently went to Li Xiaoshan¡¯s side, carrying a small bamboo basket on her back, and didn¡¯t utter a word of nonsense. Li Xiaoshan looked down at the sprout-like Wang Huanhuan and stepped forward, shielding the little girl behind him. Over there, Wang Hong put down the bamboo basket she was carrying on her back and glanced sideways at Wang Wei: ¡°Speak if you have something to say, scram if you don¡¯t.¡± ¡°Little sister, look at you, I¡¯m here for Daxi,¡± said Wang Wei as he walked up and tugged at Wang Hong, ¡°Come on, let¡¯s talk inside.¡± ¡°What¡¯s there to talk about inside? It¡¯s been so many years since I¡¯ve had anything to do with your family. My girl was beaten up by people from your Nine-miles Team, and I didn¡¯t come after you, the team leader, for neglecting your duties, out of consideration for the affection your dad showed us back in the day by giving us steamed buns. If you dare to spout nonsense in front of me again, just watch if I don¡¯t slap you silly!¡± Wang Wei¡¯s face turned alternately red and white. Seeing Wang Hong¡¯s unyielding attitude, he could only say: ¡°Little sister, there can¡¯t be two kings in one stroke, you...¡± ¡°There can¡¯t even be one king in a stroke,¡± Wang Hong rolled her eyes, ¡°If you don¡¯t get to the point, I¡¯ll throw you out right now.¡± ¡°Alright, alright,¡± Wang Wei, seeing this, could only say, ¡°I¡¯m here to tell you to just drop the matter with the Zhang Family! People were beaten, houses were smashed, and both Zhang Laoda and Laosan were beaten by your Ten Miles Team till they looked like bloodied gourds, and you still want to report it to Public Security? Are you trying to drive people to a dead end?¡± Wang Hong sneered, hands on her hips, and her voice suddenly heightened: ¡°I¡¯m driving them? When their family tied up my girl, why didn¡¯t you say they were driving my girl to a dead end?¡± ¡°Wang Wei, oh Wang Wei, slap your chest and ask yourself! Are you really worried about whether the Zhang Family has a way out? You¡¯re just afraid that if they get convicted, your Nine-miles Team won¡¯t be named advanced!¡± ¡°I¡¯ll tell you, you can bully me, but bully my girl? Each and every one of you can go to hell! If I don¡¯t get them all locked up behind bars, then I¡¯ve lived all these years for nothing!¡± Wang Wei¡¯s hands were shaking with anger: ¡°You, you you you look at yourself! You don¡¯t look like a women¡¯s leader at all!¡± ¡°How do I not look like a women¡¯s leader? Which girl in our Ten Miles Team hasn¡¯t gone to school, which worthless man dares to hit his wife?¡± Wang Hong didn¡¯t show the slightest weakness, standing up tall and straight. Inside, Lin Nianhe leaned by the door, clicking his tongue. How can someone at her age still be so hot-headed... At times like this, shouldn¡¯t she just push the door open and let that heartless man see what state Daxi is in, to morally bind his tongue? These elders nowadays, why do they all grow in temper but not in wisdom? ¡°What¡¯s going on here? Making noise in broad daylight?¡± The voice of Li Dahe reached Lin Nianhe¡¯s ears, she raised an eyebrow, the head of the household was here, this should ease the situation a bit. But Lin Nianhe had forgotten, the one who had raised his arm in a clarion call that day, leading people to fight at Nine-miles Team, was this very family head. Li Dahe stormed in with bulging eyes and directly slapped the arguing Wang Wei to the side: ¡°What are you doing? Are you trying to hit a female comrade from our team?¡± Wang Wei was a bit dazed by this sudden slap. With his temperament, at times like this, he had to slap back! But when he saw Li Xiaohai behind Li Dahe, and Li Xiaoshan beside him looking unfriendly, and remembered there was a black tower in the house... Wang Wei forced a smile and said: ¡°Brother Li, we can talk things out, Daxi didn¡¯t suffer much, look, I¡¯ll take charge, have the Zhang Family compensate my little sister with ten yuan, and you guys let the Zhang Family go.¡± Li Dahe, running his fingers through his hair, snorted coldly, ¡°I¡¯m not Public Security, how can I release them? Are you suggesting a jailbreak? Xiao Wang, your thinking is very dangerous!¡± Li Dahe looked at him disgustedly, ¡°Thank God you¡¯re not from the Ten Miles Team. With that level of consciousness, not to mention becoming the team leader, I think you should be the first to be sent to a labor camp!¡± Wang Wei¡¯s eyes were red with anger. Ever since he became the team leader, who dared to talk to him like that? He pointed at Li Dahe, his fingers trembling, ¡°Fine, you guys are ruthless! I won¡¯t bother with your damn mess from now on. You¡¯ll regret it later!¡± Dropping threats as if it were routine business, Wang Wei huffed loudly and turned to leave. ¡°Go to hell!¡± Li Dahe kicked Wang Wei¡¯s butt straight away. With a yelp, Wang Wei fell flat on his face. Li Dahe pointed at his nose and cursed, ¡°Don¡¯t give me that bullshit! And I¡¯m not afraid to tell you, every one from the Old Zhang Family, not a single one will end up well! You heard it from me!¡± ¡°You, you¡¯re assaulting me! You hit me! I¡¯m going to sue you!¡± ¡°Sue! Hurry up! Whoever doesn¡¯t is a coward!¡± ¡°I...¡± Hearing the ruckus outside, Lin Nianhe started to doubt her life. Why... is everyone so blunt and straightforward? She felt it hard to fit in with them. While Lin Nianhe was questioning her life, Aunt Li suddenly patted her on the shoulder. Before she could react, Second Aunt Li pushed her aside, then threw open the door and dashed out. That eagerness to join the fight if she was late... Lin Nianhe quietly moved back to Wang Xixi¡¯s side, ¡°Come on, I¡¯ll dress that wound on your head.¡± Wang Xixi hesitated, ¡°Aren¡¯t we supposed to pretend it¡¯s nothing?¡± ¡°Look at their state, besides us two, who else wants to make a fuss over your injury?¡± ¡°Hmm... indeed, no one.¡± The clamor outside gradually faded away, only occasionally interrupted by a heart-wrenching howl. Lin Nianhe easily recognized it as Wang Wei¡¯s voice. After she had dressed Wang Xixi¡¯s wound, she softly instructed her a few words before saying goodbye. Wang Xixi grabbed her hand, ¡°Educated Youth Lin, wait a moment, my mom will be back from the mountain and surely have found some good stuff. Stay for dinner.¡± ¡°No, I ate before I came here,¡± Lin Nianhe refused with a smile, ¡°I have to work tomorrow. I¡¯ll come see you in the evening.¡± ¡°Okay then,¡± Wang Xixi could only nod, ¡°If you can¡¯t finish the work, let... Huanhuan help you first, and I¡¯ll help you later.¡± ¡°No need, I can finish.¡± Lin Nianhe bid farewell to Wang Xixi and left. As soon as she stepped out the door, she saw Xiao Shan hadn¡¯t gone to beat up Wang Wei and was still guarding the door. Lin Nianhe nodded at him as a greeting, said hello to Wang Huanhuan in the courtyard, and then left the Wang Family¡¯s place. She hadn¡¯t gone far when Xiao Shan chased after her. ¡°Um, Educated Youth Lin... could you please wait...¡± Lin Nianhe stopped and turned to see Xiao Shan¡¯s face flushed red. Chapter 41 - 41 40 What exactly happened ?41: Chapter 40 What exactly happened? 41: Chapter 40 What exactly happened? In the world, there are only two things you should never let down¡ªdelicious food and juicy gossip. Looking at the big juicy news that fell from the sky, Lin Nianhe decisively opened her arms to warmly embrace it. ¡°Comrade Li, do you have something to ask?¡± Lin Nianhe¡¯s lips curved up slightly, and the sparkling light in her eyes scared Li Xiaoshan into silently taking a half step back. He turned his head away and dared not look at Lin Nianhe, stammering, ¡°That, uh... is Daxi doing any better?¡± ¡°Much better,¡± Lin Nianhe answered, ¡°Her injuries aren¡¯t serious. If you¡¯re worried, you can go and see for yourself.¡± ¡°That, uh... that won¡¯t be necessary...¡± Li Xiaoshan¡¯s face turned beet red. He scratched his head, his eyes darting around awkwardly. Lin Nianhe felt anxious for him seeing him like this. She made as if to leave: ¡°If you have nothing else, I¡¯ll be heading back.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t!¡± Li Xiaoshan stretched out his hand, wanting to stop Lin Nianhe but not daring to touch her, his hand tensely hanging in mid-air, looking pitiful. Lin Nianhe repressed the smile in her eyes and asked with her hands behind her back: ¡°Does Comrade Li have another matter?¡± ¡°I, I do have something...¡± Li Xiaoshan touched his nose and said with a soft voice, ¡°Could, could I trouble, trouble you to take something, something for me to Daxi?¡± A melon delivered to the door¡ªit would be absurd not to eat it! Lin Nianhe decisively nodded: ¡°Sure! Have you brought it?¡± ¡°No...¡± Li Xiaoshan wrung the hem of his shirt. He had come from the fields, how could he possibly have brought anything with him? He quickly spoke up for fear that Lin Nianhe would find it troublesome, saying: ¡°That, well, Educated Youth Lin, you go back to the Educated Youth Corps first. I¡¯ll head home to get it and then bring it to you... also, to not bother you with another trip, when you next go see Daxi... you can just take it to her.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Lin Nianhe agreed cheerfully, ¡°Let¡¯s say tomorrow then. I¡¯ll bring it to Daxi when I go see her again to avoid others seeing and thinking too much.¡± ¡°Great! Thank you!¡± Li Xiaoshan, promised by Lin Nianhe, suddenly broke into a brilliant grin and ran off quickly. Lin Nianhe watched his retreating figure and couldn¡¯t help but laugh. Oh, such an era of innocence. She didn¡¯t give it much thought and jauntily headed back to the Educated Youth Corps. Li Xiaoshan, calm in appearance but fast in pace, was already waiting at the door by the time Lin Nianhe reached the Corps. As soon as he saw Lin Nianhe, he hurriedly passed the cloth bag in his hand to her, involuntarily stammering again: ¡°Th-thank you.¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡± Lin Nianhe accepted the small cloth bag he handed over. The feel of it was all too familiar, it felt like... a silk scarf. Just as Lin Nianhe was about to leave, Li Xiaoshan took out two eggs: ¡°This, uh, thank you for saving Daxi, this, this is for you to eat.¡± Lin Nianhe burst out laughing. She couldn¡¯t help but remind him: ¡°Aunt Wang has already thanked me. If you still want to thank me, you can treat me to a celebratory drink some time.¡± Li Xiaoshan¡¯s face flushed crimson in an instant, and he hung his head low, stumbling over his words, unable to speak. The gong signaling the end of work coincidentally began to sound. Li Xiaoshan was suddenly flustered, as if he was doing something shameful, shuffling back and forth, wanting to run but feeling it wasn¡¯t appropriate. Lin Nianhe couldn¡¯t help but find it amusing to watch him like this. She stepped back into the Corps and said, ¡°Don¡¯t thank me anymore. Give the eggs to Daxi; she needs to nourish her body more.¡± Li Xiaoshan held the eggs and nodded earnestly, taking her words to heart. Late that night, Wang Hong found a wild rabbit with a broken neck in her yard, and Aunt Li discovered her youngest son was nowhere to be found in the middle of the night. Of course, Lin Nianhe had no clue about this. After a good sleep, she finally changed into clothes suitable for work, put on labor-protection gloves and a straw hat, wrapped herself with a scarf, and went out to work with the neighbors from the front yard, voluntarily declaring the end of her rest time. Her proactive attitude pleased Li Dahe very much. Although the little bastard was crafty, he was still quite active when it came to work! With this filter in mind, Li Dahe even overlooked the fact that Lin Nianhe was just an active little good-for-nothing. Today¡¯s task was still weeding, and Lin Nianhe remembered Aunt Li¡¯s teachings; although she hadn¡¯t been in the fields for three days, her work still seemed decent. But Lin Nianhe felt something was off today¡ª No matter where she went, there were always aunties sneaking peeks at her. Even Aunt Li acted strangely, looking at her with eyes as if she wanted to say something but hesitated. Lin Nianhe pondered for a long time but still couldn¡¯t figure out what exactly had happened. She didn¡¯t do anything extraordinary. Could it be because of the incident with Zhao Zhuangshi, she had become famous after one fight? That¡¯s the only possibility her limited imagination could conjure. Lin Nianhe wasn¡¯t in the mood to think too much; as the sun rose higher, she felt her back was almost roasted. It¡¯s only the end of May, and working was already this uncomfortable, not to mention the autumn harvest... Lin Nianhe only felt darkness before her eyes, and her future looked bleak. The more she sweated, the more her hands trembled, Lin Nianhe had regrets. Perhaps, she could procrastinate for another day? She believed Widow Zhao wouldn¡¯t mind. Lin Nianhe was about to give up her work that morning when suddenly Aunt Li¡¯s figure appeared in front of her. ¡°Educated Youth Lin, come take a break and have some water,¡± Aunt Li called out. Just as Lin Nianhe was about to thank her, she heard an auntie next to her tease: ¡°Auntie, are you heartbroken for Educated Youth Lin?¡± Aunt Li¡¯s face turned slightly red, and after giving the other a glare, she said: ¡°Educated Youth Lin has just recovered from illness. What¡¯s wrong with letting her drink some water and rest?¡± ¡°Hahaha, why didn¡¯t I see you offering water to Educated Youth Miao when she recovered from her illness?¡± ¡°If you can¡¯t speak properly, then shut up. Nobody considers you mute!¡± After roaring at the other, Aunt Li looked at Lin Nianhe again with careful eyes: ¡°Listen, Educated Youth Lin, don¡¯t mind their nonsense. If you¡¯re tired, take a break; if you can¡¯t finish the work, I¡¯ll help you.¡± Lin Nianhe: ¡°Uh... that¡¯s not necessary.¡± She felt that things were definitely more bizarre than she had imagined! As Lin Nianhe thought, throughout the day she received countless inexplicable looks and meaningful smiles. The feeling was like a new bride entering the family, meeting a group of mothers-in-law. ¡°Sister Shumei, what exactly happened during these three days I was gone?¡± After work, Lin Nianhe asked Wang Shumei through Wen Lan. Tired to the bone, Wang Shumei shook her head: ¡°I don¡¯t know either, no one said anything before, it¡¯s just today, everyone¡¯s acting weird, and someone even asked about your birthday.¡± Lin Nianhe licked her lips. What on earth happened that she didn¡¯t know about! Carrying a belly full of doubts, Lin Nianhe returned to the Educated Youth Corps and, after packing her bag, immediately went looking for Wang Xixi, planning to quickly ask Wang Hong about this peculiar rumor that spread through the village. She knew Wang Hong wouldn¡¯t hide anything from her, but she didn¡¯t expect to get the answer so quickly¡ª ¡°Listen, my girl, don¡¯t cry. If your mom knew you had these feelings, she would have already discussed it with the Li family... Don¡¯t be angry either, Li Xiaoshan is both dumb and slow, what else does he have besides his strength? Finding out now that he fancies someone else is better than learning it after you¡¯re engaged, right?¡± ¡°Which young man nowadays doesn¡¯t fancy a city girl? Miss Lin is fair-skinned; not only Li Xiaoshan fancies her, but I think she¡¯s quite...¡± Lin Nianhe stood at the entrance of Wang Hong¡¯s house, slowly a giant question mark formed in her mind. Chapter 42 - 42 41 Big Misunderstanding ?42: Chapter 41: Big Misunderstanding 42: Chapter 41: Big Misunderstanding Eating melon seeds has once again hit home for Lin Nianhe... her mood... very irritable. She didn¡¯t misunderstand, did she? Wang Hong¡¯s implication was that Li Xiaoshan liked her? Who came up with this fake mandarin duck tale?! ¡°Mom... I, I... I¡¯m not...¡± The sobbing voice of Wang Xixi reached Lin Nianhe¡¯s ears; she snapped back to reality, hurriedly pushed the door open, and entered without even knocking. Aunt Wang and the other three were all crowded in Wang Xixi¡¯s small room. Seeing Lin Nianhe come in, the expressions on all four faces became very complex. Lin Nianhe was somewhat amused and perplexed: ¡°Aunt Wang, Daxi, did I hear you right just now that you¡¯ve misunderstood Comrade Li Xiaoshan and me dating?¡± Wang Xixi pursed her lips, tears rolling down ceaselessly. She clenched the corner of her blanket tightly, fearing that she couldn¡¯t help but lash out in anger. What could she say to Lin Nianhe? After all, she had saved her when she was about to die! Wang Xixi gritted her teeth, not daring to make a sound. Wang Hong sighed and said to Lin Nianhe: ¡°Miss Lin, don¡¯t overthink it. I know this isn¡¯t your fault...¡± ¡°It¡¯s not that, Aunt Wang. You¡¯ve really got it wrong.¡± Lin Nianhe sighed and took out the cloth package Li Xiaoshan had given her yesterday from her shoulder bag: ¡°This is something Comrade Li Xiaoshan asked me to pass on to Daxi. He was afraid that if he delivered it himself, it would cause gossip.¡± Lin Nianhe was somewhat amused and perplexed. This had turned into a situation where nobody gossiped about Li Xiaoshan and Wang Xixi, but it turned into rumors about her and Li Xiaoshan instead. Wang Xixi abruptly looked up, her eyes filled with astonishment as she looked at Lin Nianhe. ¡°Are you serious?¡± Wang Xixi stared at Lin Nianhe, afraid that she was deceiving her. ¡°Of course, it¡¯s true.¡± Lin Nianhe placed the cloth package on her lap. ¡°I haven¡¯t touched what¡¯s inside. You open it yourself and see.¡± Wang Xixi¡¯s hands trembled as she took the package and carefully untied the knot. A bright red scarf appeared before everyone¡¯s eyes. Wang Huanhuan exclaimed, ¡°It¡¯s so beautiful!¡± Lin Nianhe commented, ¡°Straight guys really do have a uniform taste in aesthetics.¡± Wang Hong stared at the red scarf, somewhat dumbfounded, and it took her a while before she asked Lin Nianhe: ¡°Someone saw Li Xiaoshan giving you something yesterday; was it this?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Lin Nianhe nodded, thoroughly exposing Li Xiaoshan, ¡°He even wanted to give me two eggs as thanks for saving Daxi, but I refused it.¡± Wang Hong finally relaxed, ¡°I knew it, you¡¯re not the type who would fancy Li Xiaoshan.¡± Wang Xixi had not spoken all along, her fingers gently caressing the scarf, tears still streaming, whether out of happiness or grievance. Lin Nianhe glanced at her, tugged at Aunt Wang¡¯s fingers, and asked: ¡°Aunt Wang, have the villagers misunderstood something?¡± ¡°Well...¡± Wang Hong felt a bit embarrassed, ¡°A few days ago, someone saw Li Xiaoshan buying a red scarf at the Cooperative Society, and yesterday someone said they saw him giving you something... and aren¡¯t you also wearing a red scarf at work today...¡± Lin Nianhe¡¯s eyes widened: ¡°Has nobody noticed that I wore a red scarf to work a few days ago?¡± Wang Hong: ¡°Well, I didn¡¯t see it.¡± Lin Nianhe¡¯s breath stuck in her throat. Indeed, Wang Hong was in a meeting at that time; of course, she hadn¡¯t seen it. She covered her eyes, not wanting to face this miserable reality. Taking a deep breath, Lin Nianhe wearily explained: ¡°The scarf is from my brother, who came to see me the other day. He saw that I had cut my face and asked the courier to bring it to me.¡± Wang Hong believed it. She frowned and said, ¡°These old ladies have nothing better to do than yammer on about nothing. And Li Xiaoshan is such a muddled fool, how could he let you carry stuff for him!¡± She slapped her thigh, stood up, and said to them, ¡°You all stay at home. I¡¯m going to have a talk with Sister-in-law Li about this!¡± ¡°Alrighty, take care, Aunt Wang, and go get ¡¯em!¡± Lin Nianhe instinctively gave Wang Hong a boost, watching her march out the door with strong determination to clear things up. She thought, judging by Wang Hong¡¯s fighting spirit, she really didn¡¯t need to worry about this little interlude at all. But what she never anticipated was that the enthusiasm and confusion of the villagers consuming gossip far exceeded her imagination. The next day, discussions about ¡°Wang Xixi madly in love with Li Xiaoshan, forcefully trying to split up Lin Nianhe and Li Xiaoshan¡± topped the Ten Miles Team¡¯s hot debate list. ¡°Goodness, can¡¯t you tell how stubborn that girl Daxi is? She¡¯s the kind that would bash her head against a wall, which ordinary girl has the guts for that?¡± ¡°Daxi is so silly; a melon forced off its vine is not sweet. Why insist on this, only to suffer later?¡± ¡°If you ask me, the Li family is not seeing things clearly. Do you think Educated Youths are so easy to marry? Educated Youth Lin¡¯s family is in Beijing, if she could really go back to the city, who would stay in this countryside...¡± ¡°No kidding. Didn¡¯t Old Sun from Birch Team marry an Educated Youth? A couple years later, she went back to the city, leaving her child and husband behind...¡± Being the center of the hot topic, Wang Xixi was at home nursing her injuries, Li Xiaoshan got beaten by Aunt Li with a willow branch and didn¡¯t go to work yesterday, and unfortunately, Lin Nianhe became the only person involved who was present. Facing the probing and disdainful looks of the aunts, Lin Nianhe popped a piece of chocolate into her mouth. This completely unexpected disaster hit her so suddenly, she had to properly pamper herself. Wang Shumei discreetly approached Lin Nianhe and whispered, ¡°Nianhe, why don¡¯t you take some leave and rest up?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t even think about it!¡± Lin Nianhe quickly shook her head, ¡°If I dare walk away now, they¡¯d say I was so heartbroken that I¡¯ve taken to my bed with a serious illness.¡± Wang Shumei thought for a moment and nodded in agreement: ¡°Actually, that could very well happen.¡± Lin Nianhe sighed, feeling her head buzzing. Wang Shumei leaned in closer to her, speaking in a volume only they could hear, ¡°Nianhe, did you notice something¡ª who saw Li Xiaoshan delivering things to you?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Lin Nianhe was taken aback and looked up at her. Wang Shumei frowned slightly, keeping her gaze locked on her: ¡°I remember you telling me yesterday that Li Xiaoshan gave you the stuff at the gate of the Educated Youth Corps, right after he got off work, correct?¡± Reminded by Wang Shumei, Lin Nianhe also recalled. She had a headache from the villagers¡¯ noise, and had actually overlooked such an important matter. Furrowing her brow, Lin Nianhe said, ¡°Yeah, at that time, he was all dazed and only started to run off when he heard the gong signalling the end of the work shift.¡± ¡°That means there were no people at the Educated Youth Corps at that time,¡± said Wang Shumei, ¡°I just asked Sun Guanghui, no one left work early yesterday.¡± Lin Nianhe massaged her temples with the back of her hand, feeling a headache: ¡°So who could have seen it?¡± This day and age didn¡¯t have surveillance to check with even if one wanted to. This is just great... Lin Nianhe and Wang Shumei stared at each other, both unable to figure out where the problem lay. Just as they were racking their brains over this, the team leader on the ridges shouted, ¡°Educated Youth Lin, Educated Youth Wang! What are you two up to together?¡± Lin Nianhe: ¡°...¡± Wang Shumei: ¡°...¡± In the distance, Wen Lan straightened up to glance over there, then shook her head and squatted back down. ¡°Two silly girls, slackers bunching up together, wanting to make sure they¡¯re seen or what!¡± Chapter 43 - 43 42 She Isolated the Entire Village ?43: Chapter 42 She Isolated the Entire Village 43: Chapter 42 She Isolated the Entire Village Due to being caught slacking off on the spot, Lin Nianhe and Wang Shumei each had a point deducted. Li Dahe¡¯s words of accusation circled his mouth over a hundred times but eventually were swallowed back down. Well, girls are thin-skinned after all, they were already being pointed at and commented on by the villagers. If he criticizes them a bit more and they start crying, making a scene, or even threaten to hang themselves, then what? Li Dahe didn¡¯t criticize Lin Nianhe and Wang Shumei, and neither did the village aunties. They just quietly looked at Lin Nianhe with sympathetic eyes, even Wang Shumei was automatically ignored by them. As if she had lost some divine predestined love. Lin Nianhe: ¡°...¡± My heart is so tired. Wang Shumei didn¡¯t care about losing that one point; as she saw Lin Nianhe¡¯s helpless look, she covered her mouth and snickered. Wen Lan looked at Lin Nianhe, disdainfully curled her lip: ¡°What a chicken, just say whatever you want to say.¡± Lin Nianhe and Wang Shumei looked at her, puzzled. The next second, Wen Lan leaped forward, grabbed the scorekeeper from the stool, and stepped up onto it herself. Standing on the stool with her hands on her hips, Wen Lan showed a bit of the grandeur of commanding the world. ¡°Don¡¯t you lot speak nonsense, Hezi and Li Xiaoshan have nothing to do with each other, each and every one of you making up stories, what do you really know...¡± Wen Lan, with emotion running high, rattled off a long string of her hometown dialect surprisingly clearly and rapidly. As the only person from Shaanxi Province in the whole Ten Miles Team, Wen Lan successfully isolated everyone else with her regional accent. Those waiting in line to have their points recorded were all dumbfounded on the spot. Pairs of eyes filled with curiosity and confusion, looked blankly at Wen Lan. Wang Shumei tugged at Lin Nianhe: ¡°Should we pull her down? The team leader¡¯s face is turning blue.¡± Lin Nianhe gave her a sidelong glance and asked a very practical question: ¡°Do you even have the strength? I certainly don¡¯t.¡± Wang Shumei was silent for a moment: ¡°The team leader has weathered more storms than we have ever known, this must be just a small scene for him!¡± ¡°Yeah, Uncle Team Leader¡¯s face looks so bad, he must be thinking of other unhappy things.¡± ¡°The life of a team leader is really tough.¡± ¡°Troublesome, tiresome, and even makes you lose hair.¡± Li Dahe: ¡°...¡± If he kicked these three little bastards out right now, surely nobody would blame him, right? Li Dahe gasped for breath and pointed at Wen Lan: ¡°You! Get down! What do you think you¡¯re doing!¡± Feeling her piece was said, Wen Lan jumped down from the stool, making sure to clean off her footprint that she left behind. Wen Lan flicked her long braid and returned to Lin Nianhe and Wang Shumei¡¯s side, grabbing one with each hand, and said to the crowd with dull eyes: ¡°I¡¯ve said all that needs to be said, if you keep spreading nonsense, I won¡¯t be polite anymore!¡± After saying this, she walked away with Wang Shumei and Lin Nianhe in tow. Leaving a group of villagers to form a Shaanxi dialect self-study group, trying to figure out what Wen Lan had said. ¡°I only heard something about making stuff up...¡± ¡°Although I didn¡¯t understand, Educated Youth Wen¡¯s tone was quite aggressive, was she looking to fight?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not right for so many of us to beat up a young girl, is it?¡± ¡°What¡¯s with this kid, usually she¡¯s pretty agile, so how come she yells so much without lifting a hand, who knows who she was pointing at...¡± For a while, ¡°What did Wen Lan say¡± successfully took over as the Ten Miles Team¡¯s latest long-standing hot topic of discussion. Li Dahe wiped his face, very troubled. Seeing that everyone was present, he pondered for a moment and then pulled the scorekeeper back up from the stool. The scorekeeper, whose bottom had barely warmed his seat, was about to curse his mother when he turned his head and saw Li Dahe. Feeling meek he asked, ¡°Uncle Li, need a hand? Or maybe step on the table, it¡¯s steadier.¡± Li Dahe glared at him fiercely, standing on the stool, made a fist with one hand to support his lower lip, and coughed vigorously twice: ¡°Alright, since everyone¡¯s here, let¡¯s discuss a matter.¡± The crowd, buzzing with discussion, fell silent and turned their attention to Li Dahe. Li Dahe was quite satisfied with their response, nodded and said, ¡°These past two days, there¡¯s been a bit of trouble in Ten Miles Team, and you all have an idea of what¡¯s going on.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll say it once here: my youngest took things to Educated Youth Lin to ask for her help to pass them to Daxi, Educated Youth Lin¡¯s scarf was a delivery from Comrade Su by the postman, if you don¡¯t believe it, ask the postman yourself when he comes to the village tomorrow.¡± ¡°It was really my youngest¡¯s fault for all this. I¡¯ve decided, let him take half of his points for five days, and he¡¯s got to work when we repair the dam too.¡± ¡°From now on, anyone who blathers about this again or makes trouble in front of Educated Youth Lin, watch out, I¡¯ll deduct your points too!¡± Actually, what Li Dahe said was pretty much the same as what Wen Lan said. The only difference was that people understood what Li Dahe said. Li Dahe, as the leader of Ten Miles Team, still commands respect in the village, and after hearing his words and knowing there were other witnesses, people were inclined to believe most of it. It was unclear who remarked, ¡°Right, I remember it now, a few days ago Educated Youth Lin was wearing a red scarf, on the day Educated Youth Miao howled so loud the whole cornfield could hear!¡± Perhaps it was the deep impression that event had left on everyone, after a moment of recollection, they all nodded in agreement. With this, Nianhe was finally able to clear his name. Nobody cared who started the rumors or who was outside the Educated Youth Corps that day except Nianhe and Wang Shumei. But the gossip around Xiao Shan and Wang Xixi was gathering steam, looking like it wouldn¡¯t stop without a marriage. Regarding this, both the Li family and the Wang Family were very proactive; within a mere five days, they had set up an engagement for the two children, with the wedding planned for before the autumn harvest. This move effectively silenced the gossipers, and when the topic of Wang Xixi being kidnapped by the Zhang Family came up, it transformed into ¡ª ¡°Daxi is truly like Hongzi, deeply loyal! She¡¯d rather die than run off with another man... Xiao Shan, you better treat your wife well in the future, she¡¯s laid down her life for you!¡± Every time Xiao Shan heard these remarks, he would nod his head in earnest and promise, then blush and run off quickly. ¡°Nianhe, do you think the wound on my head will heal before the harvest? Will it leave a scar?¡± One day, Wang Xixi, tugging on Lin Nianhe¡¯s sleeve, asked. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, trust my medicine,¡± Lin Nianhe replied with a smile, ¡°Are you making new clothes?¡± Wang Xixi clenched the red fabric in her hand tightly, her cheeks blushing: ¡°No, I mean... um, he gave me two pieces of fabric to cut into clothes, I was just looking... looking...¡± Lin Nianhe chuckled: ¡°Look all you want, you¡¯re already engaged and you¡¯re still so shy.¡± It must be said, Wang Xixi and Xiao Shan really did resemble each other, both sharing the same bashful traits. Lin Nianhe placed a small porcelain jar beside Wang Xixi¡¯s pillow: ¡°After the scab falls off, apply it morning and evening, it¡¯ll soon remove the scar.¡± ¡°Thank you,¡± Wang Xixi opened her arms toward Lin Nianhe, ¡°Nianhe, how can I ever thank you?¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing really,¡± Lin Nianhe laughed and gave her a hug, then said, ¡°I won¡¯t keep you any longer, we¡¯ve got less work in the fields today, we¡¯re going up the mountain to gather firewood.¡± ¡°Eh? I¡¯ll come with you, I can help you,¡± Wang Xixi said, getting ready to climb off the bed. Lin Nianhe held her by the shoulders: ¡°You stop running around outside, you¡¯re getting married in less than two months, stay at home and keep your skin fair.¡± Wang Xixi¡¯s face flushed bright red at once, she shyly gave Lin Nianhe a push, nearly sending her flying out the door. ¡°Hahaha...¡± Lin Nianhe wasn¡¯t offended, just laughed and bid her farewell before leaving the Wang family¡¯s door. By the doorway, Wen Lan and Wang Shumei were waiting for her, with three empty baskets placed by their feet. Lin Nianhe casually tossed her small bag into the basket, shouldered it, and together with the other two, headed towards the back mountain. Chapter 44 - 44 43 The Mountain Road is Difficult ?44: Chapter 43 The Mountain Road is Difficult 44: Chapter 43 The Mountain Road is Difficult Lin Nianhe had climbed many mountains before and trekked through numerous rugged, winding paths. Now as she walked again, although her physical strength didn¡¯t allow her to jump around wildly, it wasn¡¯t too unbearable for her either. Wen Lan, as always, seemed not to know what tiredness was. Once she entered the mountains, it was as if she was home; wherever there was something to eat, she would surely spot it, prompting Wang Shumei to wonder if she had secretly scaled the mountain at night. Although Wang Shumei was suspicious, she really didn¡¯t have the energy to ask. She had lived in the city before and hardly ever climbed mountains. Although it was the slack farming season and there wasn¡¯t much work in the fields, they had still put in a morning¡¯s work, so to say they weren¡¯t tired would be a lie. ¡°Hey, slow down a bit,¡± Wang Shumei, catching her breath against a tree, complained, ¡°Aren¡¯t we just picking up firewood? We could just pick some at the foot of the mountain. Don¡¯t go any further in, or we might encounter wolves again.¡± Wen Lan burst out laughing, pointing eastward: ¡°This isn¡¯t deep mountain anyway. Less than two miles to the east is the main road. What are you afraid of?¡± Wang Shumei rolled her eyes at her, and after catching her breath, found the strength to ask, ¡°Xiao Lan, how come you¡¯re so familiar with this mountain?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, my home is close to the Qinling mountains, you know about Qinling, right? Even the shortest peak there is taller than here.¡± Wen Lan said with her chin up, quite proud, ¡°Since I was a kid, I¡¯ve been scrabbling around in the mountains with my brother and sister. What haven¡¯t I seen?¡± No sooner had Wen Lan finished speaking, there was a rustling from the leaves, and then, an animal resembling neither a deer nor a donkey poked its head out from behind the brush. Lin Nianhe pointed at the animal ahead: ¡°Well, Sister Lan, tell us what this is?¡± Wen Lan: ¡°...?¡± Wen Lan was baffled; she really had never seen such a creature. Behind them, Wang Shumei chuckled softly and casually tossed a stone she picked up from the ground. The small animal, startled by the noise, immediately retracted its head and scuttled away. Wang Shumei, feeling like she had found her stage, Chin lifted, stated: ¡°That¡¯s a muntjac. Don¡¯t worry about it.¡± Lin Nianhe also knew about this peculiar creature called the muntjac, having often seen it online. Pretending to be perplexed, she inquired: ¡°Why call it a muntjac?¡± ¡°Hmm... you¡¯ll find out in a bit.¡± Wang Shumei acted profound, taking the opportunity to rest against the tree. Wen Lan raised her eyebrows and suggested: ¡°Let¡¯s keep moving. We didn¡¯t bring any wood-cutting tools, and if it bumps into us, wouldn¡¯t all our bones break?¡± Wang Shumei waved her hand, indicating that Wen Lan need not worry. Seeing Wang Shumei so composed, Wen Lan also relaxed a bit. However, just as she eased up, the familiar rustling came from the brush again. A small head peeped out once more, tilting as if it were asking: Who just threw something at me? Lin Nianhe chuckled out loud. She had only heard about how curious muntjacs were, that even if hunters missed, they would return on their own. Now, witnessing it with her own eyes, the comical aspect seemed to have doubled. She bent over laughing, scaring the muntjac away once again. Wen Lan watched in utter confusion, not understanding: ¡°Why did it come back and then run away again? What¡¯s it doing?¡± Wang Shumei, seeing her dumbfounded look, suddenly felt her to be similar to the muntjac. Wang Shumei also laughed, saying meaningfully: ¡°Maybe it wanted to ask me something!¡± Wen Lan pouted: ¡°Don¡¯t be so superstitious, how could an animal have such thoughts?¡± ¡°Hahaha...¡± Joyful laughter echoed through the woods. The girls were laughing as heartily as they hadn¡¯t since they arrived at the Ten Miles Team. Living off the mountains, there was always an abundance of delicious things in the mountains. Although they weren¡¯t hunters, they could still pick wild fruits and find mushrooms. They walked and chatted, listening to Comrade Wen Lan reminisce about her glory days rampaging through the Qinling mountains. ¡°... A huge wild boar, massive it was! It was my big cousin who led seven or eight lads from the village to take it down! Dragged it back to my grandma¡¯s place in the village, and we got a huge chunk of boar meat, at least seven or eight pounds!¡± Lin Nianhe mulled over her words, finally feeling at ease. ¡°Sister Lan, did you often visit your grandmother¡¯s house before? Is that where you learned to do farm work?¡± Wen Lan¡¯s bragging stiffened on her lips. She opened her mouth, then finally glared at Lin Nianhe: ¡°How come you¡¯re so nosy? I just mentioned hunting wild boars, and you read into all that.¡± She was essentially admitting it. Wang Shumei couldn¡¯t help but wonder: ¡°Then why didn¡¯t you just go to your grandmother¡¯s village when you went to the countryside? Why go so far away?¡± Wen Lan lowered her head. She walked with her head down, not speaking for a long time. Just as Wang Shumei felt she had been too intrusive and was about to apologize to Wen Lan, she heard her say, ¡°No one knows better than me how hard life is in the Northwest. My grandmother and my eldest uncle tighten their belts all year round to get by. If I had gone there, it would have just been an extra burden and made it even harder to survive.¡± Wen Lan¡¯s voice was very low, she wiped away her tears and added: ¡°Although it¡¯s cold in the Northeast, the land is fertile and there¡¯s enough to eat. I can also help support my family.¡± Leading the way, her slender back seemed to hold countless reserves of strength. Lin Nianhe slowed her pace, watching Wen Lan, her heart beating a bit faster. If possible, who wouldn¡¯t want to hide under their parents¡¯ wings, a nai?ve girl who knows of nothing at all? Life forced them to grow up early to share their family¡¯s worries, forgetting to give them even a piece of candy. After hearing Wen Lan¡¯s words, Wang Shumei also fell silent for a long time, then sighed lightly: ¡°I miss my sister and my brother, too.¡± When most people first feel homesick, they think of their parents, but Wang Shumei thought of her siblings. Lin Nianhe glanced at her and saw that Wang Shumei¡¯s eyes were also red. She pondered whether she should also join in and think of something... Hmm... She felt like eating barbecue, hotpot, big crabs. She¡¯d eat it when she got back in the evening. ¡°Hey, there¡¯s a cave up ahead, let¡¯s rest our feet there.¡± Wen Lan¡¯s sadness was fleeting, disappearing from her mind within a few breaths. She turned around, pulled the staggering Wang Shumei, and led the three of them into a cave about twenty or thirty square meters in size. It was unclear what this place was used for, with the cave entrance covered with dead branches and weeds, obviously it had been a long time since anyone had set foot here; it seemed to be naturally formed. The three of them each found a spot to sit down, drinking from their water bottles, resting. Wang Shumei leaned against the cave wall, panting: ¡°This mountain path is too difficult to travel. I¡¯d rather carry two hundred pounds of rice for five miles than climb mountains again.¡± ¡°Dream on!¡± Wen Lan snorted, ¡°If I could get two hundred pounds of rice, I¡¯d be willing to walk fifty miles!¡± ¡°Hahaha, that¡¯s true!¡± Carrying the rice, however long the journey, would feel sweet and not tiring at all. Lin Nianhe ignored their wishful thinking and took the chance to loiter at the cave entrance, stealthily sprinkling some realgar powder in the weeds. ¡°Hezi, what are you doing?¡± Wen Lan called out to her. ¡°Oh, I was just looking over there, you can actually see the main road from here,¡± Lin Nianhe casually pointed to the east. ¡°Really?¡± Intrigued, Wen Lan got up and joined Lin Nianhe, using her hand as a visor to look, and indeed saw the distant road. Wang Shumei didn¡¯t have the strength to look, focusing instead on rubbing her sore and weak legs. After resting in the cave for a while, they prepared to descend the mountain. The trip had been quite fruitful as they even found some wild chicken eggs. However, it seemed that their good luck had been used up on the way up the mountain. Less than ten minutes after leaving the cave, dark clouds suddenly rolled in from the horizon. A muffled thunderclap sounded across the sky, and raindrops the size of beans began to pour down. Chapter 45 - 45 44 Casualties and Patients ?45: Chapter 44 Casualties and Patients 45: Chapter 44 Casualties and Patients The local soil and water nurture the local people, just like the forthright and bold character of Northeastern people, the wind and rain here are also swift and decisive. The sudden downpour made the leaves crackle as they were struck, pounding the ground, and even stirred up the dust. Birds headed back to their nests, wild animals returned to their dens, and after a bout of commotion, only the sound of rain and wind remained in the woods. The mountain path became muddy, and the rocks that once offered footholds were now slippery and treacherous. ¡°Hurry, hurry, we can¡¯t dawdle any longer!¡± Wen Lan called out, turning back to extend her hand to them. The path downhill was already difficult, and the rain made it even more so. Just as Lin Nianhe was about to grab Wen Lan¡¯s hand, out of the corner of her eye, she saw Wang Shumei¡¯s figure drop, screaming as she fell into the mud. The birds that had just found shelter from the rain took off in a flurry, their feathers shedding resentment towards Wang Shumei. ¡°You¡¯re so clumsy, geez!¡± Wen Lan quickly went to help Wang Shumei, with Lin Nianhe also reaching out to assist. ¡°Hiss...¡± Wang Shumei¡¯s right foot barely touched the ground before she collapsed back down, her face pale as she shook her head: ¡°No, I can¡¯t move, my foot is twisted.¡± The rain quickly soaked their clothes, and Wang Shumei wiped the water from her face, looking at Lin Nianhe and Wen Lan: ¡°You guys go on ahead, I¡¯ll just take shelter under the tree for a while, and wait...¡± ¡°Don¡¯t wait; let¡¯s go back to the cave first.¡± Lin Nianhe squinted through the rain, ¡°The rain is too heavy, it¡¯s too dangerous to go down the mountain now.¡± They were not wearing professional hiking shoes, and in this kind of weather, the probability of injury from falling was not small. Wen Lan glanced at the downhill path and nodded: ¡°Right, go back first, you definitely can¡¯t stay here by yourself.¡± Having said that, she took off her backpack and stuffed it into Lin Nianhe¡¯s arms, then bent down to grab Wang Shumei¡¯s arm and hoisted her onto her back. Lin Nianhe helped support Wang Shumei, and the three of them, with one foot deep and one foot shallow, returned to the cave. For a moment, Lin Nianhe didn¡¯t know if she should feel relieved¡ªthankfully they hadn¡¯t gone far, otherwise if they were stranded halfway, they really wouldn¡¯t know what to do. Wen Lan wiped the rainwater from her face and said to Lin Nianhe, ¡°Hezi, you take care of her, I¡¯ll go get some firewood.¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t the trees all wet? Can they be used?¡± Lin Nianhe stopped her. ¡°If we¡¯re quick before it rains too much, we can still find some.¡± Before Wen Lan¡¯s words finished, she had already rushed into the curtain of rain. Wang Shumei was a bit dazed, her pale face turned to Lin Nianhe: ¡°Xiao Lan is going out alone, is this, okay?¡± She was gasping in pain while speaking. ¡°It should be fine, I trust her.¡± Lin Nianhe looked away and didn¡¯t bother being too polite or trying to find others. She took all the items out of her backpack and from her ¡°sling bag,¡± she took out a small bottle of medicinal liquor. Because of Wang Xixi¡¯s incident, Lin Nianhe had transferred many medicines to typical glass bottles of the era in the last few days, or wrapped five or six pills in small paper packets, which wouldn¡¯t raise suspicion when used. ¡°Come on, let me see your ankle.¡± Lin Nianhe, holding the glass bottle, approached Wang Shumei and handed her a handkerchief: ¡°Wipe your face first.¡± Wang Shumei was in severe pain, her face turning white. She didn¡¯t scream out in pain; she gritted her teeth and endured, only saying to Lin Nianhe: ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯ve dragged you down.¡± ¡°What are you talking about?¡± Lin Nianhe casually replied, lifting Wang Shumei¡¯s pant leg. Her ankle was already swollen and red, looking painful at a glance. Lin Nianhe clicked her tongue, no wonder Wang Shumei couldn¡¯t walk at all, this injury, she was afraid, would need ten days to half a month to recover. After checking and seeing that Wang Shumei¡¯s ankle wasn¡¯t dislocated, she then took the medicinal liquor from the side. While rubbing her palms together, she said, ¡°It¡¯s going to hurt a bit, you just bear with it, don¡¯t kick me.¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine, I can endure¡ªah!¡± Wang Shumei felt as if every pore on her body was frantically secreting cold sweat, and the intense pain had started to make her teeth tremble. Lin Nianhe seemed not to hear her agonized screams at all, eyes downcast, continuing to rub medicinal liquor into her injury. When Wen Lan returned, she saw Wang Shumei leaning pale against the wall, looking like she had just been roughed up. Beside her, Lin Nianhe was nibbling on a white steamed bun that she seemed to have scrounged up from nowhere, evidently enjoying it. The firewood Wen Lan was carrying fell to the ground with a clatter, and she rushed over to Wang Shumei in just a few strides. She patted Wang Shumei¡¯s face and asked Lin Nianhe anxiously, ¡°Wasn¡¯t Meizi just hurt in the foot? Why does she look like she¡¯s on her deathbed?¡± Lin Nianhe handed her a bun, mumbling, ¡°I applied some medicine on her. It probably hurt a bit just now.¡± Wen Lan finally breathed a sigh of relief. She turned, spotted the white bun, and couldn¡¯t help but swallow her saliva. Taking the bun, she whispered, ¡°I¡¯ll give it back to you later.¡± Lin Nianhe rolled her eyes at her and put down the half-eaten bun to pick up the fallen firewood. After starting a fire in the deeper, wind-sheltered part of the cave, she went over to Wang Shumei. ¡°Sister Shumei, haven¡¯t you recovered a bit?¡± Lin Nianhe reached out and poked her face. ¡°Come warm up by the fire first. It¡¯s not good if you catch a cold.¡± Wang Shumei was already numb with pain. At the sound of her voice, she slowly turned to look at Lin Nianhe with a complicated expression, ¡°I just can¡¯t figure out why Wang Xixi is so grateful to you.¡± Lin Nianhe: ¡°...¡± Was she implying that she was too rough? Was that it? Wang Shumei offered her an ugly smile, ¡°Cough cough, it hurts.¡± Seeing that she was an injured person, Lin Nianhe generously decided not to argue with her, helping her to sit by the fire and giving her a bun. The three of them sat around the fire, looking at each other, and suddenly they all burst out laughing. They were truly unfortunate. Stuck on a mountain during their first trip up due to a rainstorm, they might be the most miserable people out there. ¡°Hey, do you think, if they notice we¡¯re missing, they¡¯ll come looking for us on the mountain? What if they take a wrong turn? What if they fall?¡± Wen Lan nibbled on the bun while trying to warm herself by the fire, hoping her wet clothes would dry faster. Lin Nianhe propped her chin on her hands, responding listlessly, ¡°With this heavy rain, who would climb the mountain? Even if someone wanted to rescue us, they¡¯d have to save their own lives first, right?¡± Wang Shumei¡¯s foot hurt, and now she felt a backache from sitting. Supporting her left leg with one hand, she sighed, ¡°If it weren¡¯t for me dragging you two down, we¡¯d probably be close to the Educated Youth Corps by now.¡± She was a bit downhearted, covering her face in frustration. ¡°Nonsense, it¡¯s not like you fell on purpose. We couldn¡¯t just leave you on the mountain.¡± Wen Lan savored the bun bite by bite, relishing the sweet taste of the white flour, ¡°Hezi, how did you even think to bring food supplies?¡± Lin Nianhe uttered a ¡°Hmm¡± and replied, resting her head, ¡°I was afraid of getting hungry.¡± Wang Shumei was also curious, ¡°Then why did you bring medicinal liquor too?¡± Lin Nianhe: ¡°It¡¯s our first time climbing a mountain. What if someone fell?¡± Wang Shumei thought for a moment and accepted Lin Nianhe¡¯s explanation. If Wen Lan hadn¡¯t assured her it wasn¡¯t necessary, she might have brought some food supplies herself. The flames licked at the wood, making quiet crackling noises. Outside, the wind and rain intensified, sometimes sweeping into the cave, causing the fire to waver. The roiling dark clouds obscured the daylight, creating an oppressive atmosphere that stifled one¡¯s breath. Having finished her bun, Wang Shumei cautiously moved her ankle, and to her relief, the sharp pain was gone. ¡°Nianhe, your medicine really works. Where did you buy it?¡± ¡°Mmm... I brought it from home...¡± Hearing Lin Nianhe¡¯s feeble voice, Wang Shumei immediately turned to look at her. Lin Nianhe curled up, her head tilted and resting on her knees. Bathed in the firelight, her face was alarmingly red. Her usually bright eyes were now half-closed, lashes trembling lightly and brows slightly furrowed. Wang Shumei thought to herself that this was not good and quickly, albeit with some difficulty, moved closer to check on Lin Nianhe. Her palm felt the heat radiating from her forehead. ¡°Xiao Lan, Nianhe has a fever!¡± Chapter 46 - 46 45 The Overly Curious Family of Roe Deer ?46: Chapter 45 The Overly Curious Family of Roe Deer 46: Chapter 45 The Overly Curious Family of Roe Deer Lin Nianhe felt very tired, very sleepy, and a bit cold. She originally thought that she was just exhausted and figured a little nap would make it better. It was only after Wang Shumei¡¯s words that she realized she had caught a cold and had a fever. ¡°What? A fever?¡± Wen Lan was startled and quickly stuffed the last bit of steamed bun into her mouth, getting up to Lin Nianhe¡¯s side. ¡°Nianhe? Nianhe!¡± Wen Lan also felt Lin Nianhe¡¯s temperature and, sensing the burning heat, she became a bit panicked: ¡°What should we do now? We definitely can¡¯t go down the mountain now.¡± After a moment of panic, Wang Shumei calmed down and handed over her handkerchief to Wen Lan: ¡°Quick, use the rainwater to make a cool compress for her.¡± As she spoke, Wang Shumei pulled Lin Nianhe into her arms: ¡°Nianhe, lean on me, it¡¯ll be warmer.¡± Wen Lan took the handkerchief to catch rainwater, and Lin Nianhe steadied herself, summoning the energy to push Wang Shumei¡¯s arm away and stood up somewhat unsteadily. ¡°What are you doing, Nianhe?¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing, I¡¯m just going to have some water.¡± Lin Nianhe hurried to grab her water bottle before Wen Lan returned and took the opportunity to pop a fever-reducing pill into her mouth. ¡°Oh, my little ancestor, if you wanted water, you should have just told me.¡± Wen Lan wrung out the handkerchief, flicked the water off her hands, and came back to support Lin Nianhe, having her sit by the fire. Wang Shumei embraced Lin Nianhe again, and Wen Lan placed the cool handkerchief on her forehead, then worked hard at rubbing Lin Nianhe¡¯s icy hands. Curled up in Wang Shumei¡¯s embrace, Lin Nianhe¡¯s consciousness began to dim. She felt... she was rather fortunate... Seeing Lin Nianhe drift off into a drowsy sleep, Wen Lan¡¯s hands stiffened, and her voice quivered with a tinge of tremble: ¡°Nianhe... she won¡¯t die, will she?¡± Wang Shumei was startled, first checking Lin Nianhe¡¯s breathing before glaring at Wen Lan: ¡°Don¡¯t talk nonsense; she¡¯s still breathing!¡± She lowered her eyes to look at Lin Nianhe¡¯s flushed little face, her thoughts inevitably drifting away. Many years ago, when her sister had a high fever, she held her just like this. After a long while, she sighed softly, turning the handkerchief over. Wen Lan¡¯s clothes were wetter than the two of them, a chill through her body as she dared not get too close to Lin Nianhe. She furrowed her brows, contemplating for a while: ¡°How about you two stay here, and I go down the mountain to call for help?¡± Wang Shumei thought for a moment before shaking her head: ¡°Don¡¯t, with such heavy rain, how long would a round trip take? Besides, who would come? Plus, if it¡¯s just Nianhe and me here, we wouldn¡¯t be able to handle even a dumb muntjac.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true.¡± Wen Lan sighed, somewhat annoyed, ¡°We shouldn¡¯t have come out today! This is really bad luck.¡± The misfortunes were far from over. I don¡¯t know where the wicked wind came from, howling and penetrating the cave. The wind toppled over three backpack baskets and blew out the already struggling fire, scattering the firewood all over the place. Wang Shumei shuffled to turn her back, trying her best to shield Lin Nianhe from the wind. Wen Lan scrambled around the cave gathering firewood, but after a while, she realized the futility¡ª with the wind this strong, a fire simply couldn¡¯t be lit. She simply put the firewood aside and sat down shoulder-to-shoulder with Wang Shumei, even moving Lin Nianhe¡¯s extended legs towards their human wall. Wen Lan patted Wang Shumei¡¯s shoulder: ¡°If you get tired, just lean on me.¡± Wang Shumei gently leaned on Wen Lan¡¯s shoulder, also feeling sleepy. Wen Lan suddenly felt her head as well. Wang Shumei puzzled: ¡°What for?¡± ¡°Nothing much, just checking if you¡¯ve got a fever.¡± Wang Shumei was slightly stunned, her lips curving into a slight smile. The ghostly howling of the wind made a ruckus for a while and then dispersed, and fortunately, the rain also gradually lessened. Wen Lan saw the rain easing and immediately picked up the three people¡¯s carrying baskets, stacking them up before saying to Wang Shumei, ¡°Later when we move, I¡¯ll carry Hezi on my back, and you just support me as I walk.¡± Wang Shumei was surprised: ¡°Can you manage?¡± Wen Lan gave her a sidelong glance: ¡°Who do you think you¡¯re looking down on?¡± Comrade Wen Lan physically demonstrated what it meant for women to be capable of holding up half the sky. She hung three carrying baskets in front of her, carried the unconscious Lin Nianhe on her back, and even supported Wang Shumei with her right hand. With such a difficult posture, she remarkably didn¡¯t stumble or bump into anything while leading Wang Shumei and Lin Nianhe down the path. Even the pheasant eggs in the carrying baskets didn¡¯t break. Halfway through their journey, they finally encountered the searching party. Li Dahe was leading the team, followed as always by his three sons, with Wang Hong, Second Aunt Li, and the male comrades of the Educated Youth Corps behind them... even Widow Zhao had come. The Educated Youths knew about Lin Nianhe and the other two going to collect firewood. They hadn¡¯t been worried at first since gathering firewood typically took place near the foot of the mountain, and even with rain, it wouldn¡¯t be difficult to return. But two hours passed without their return, and Sun Guanghui, afraid they got lost due to unfamiliarity with the mountain paths and were trapped by the rain, quickly went to find Li Dahe. Now seeing the three of them in this state, everyone who had intended to go up the mountain was stunned. ...How did they get down? Li Dahe was the first to snap out of it, waving his hand and calling out, ¡°Quick, quick, come help!¡± Wang Hong rushed forward, taking over from Wang Shumei first. She looked at Lin Nianhe, with her eyes tightly closed, and asked, ¡°What happened to Miss Lin?¡± Wen Lan, slightly out of breath, replied, ¡°She¡¯s come down with a fever from getting cold.¡± Second Aunt Li took Lin Nianhe off Wen Lan¡¯s back and carried her towards the Educated Youth Corps site, ¡°I¡¯ll take Educated Youth Lin back first.¡± Wang Hong wanted to follow, but seeing that Wang Shumei had also twisted her ankle, she quickly called Widow Zhao over, and the two of them propped up Wang Shumei and headed down the mountain. In the Educated Youth Corps site, Wang Xue and the others had boiled a pot of ginger soup. Li Dahe did not allow the female Educated Youths to follow him up the mountain, fearing complications, and asked them to wait here instead. ¡°Why haven¡¯t they come back yet? I hope nothing happened...¡± Yu Xiangqin, frowning, paced back and forth at the doorway, her good heart failing to produce comforting words. ¡°Xiangqin, stop pacing, it¡¯s making me dizzy just watching you,¡± called out Wang Xue from beside the stove. ¡°Aye...¡± Yu Xiangqin smacked her lips and turned around, but as she did, she caught sight of Second Aunt Li¡¯s robust figure. ¡°Eh? Second Aunt Li? Did you find them?¡± Yu Xiangqin went out to meet her, only then to see Lin Nianhe on Second Aunt Li¡¯s back, ¡°Wow! What happened?¡± ¡°Hurry, bring some hot water, Educated Youth Lin has a fever,¡± said Second Aunt Li, moving quickly and breathlessly. ¡°Alright, will do!¡± Second Aunt Li carried Lin Nianhe to the back courtyard and, without delay, rummaged through the cabinet to find clean clothes to change her into. Miao Yulan came over with a bowl of ginger soup, and asked in a low voice, ¡°What about Educated Youth Wang and Educated Youth Wen? Are they alright?¡± ¡°Educated Youth Wang twisted her ankle, they¡¯re behind us, they¡¯ll be back soon!¡± Second Aunt Li thought they were just helping Wang Shumei, but at that moment in the mountains, an overly curious and foolish roe deer, along with its siblings, came to gawk at the people who had earlier thrown stones at it. Originally, the villagers had come to find the trouble-causing Educated Youths, feeling somewhat resentful. But now, carrying back four roe deer, they instantly no longer saw today¡¯s events as troublesome. That was meat, after all! The villagers were happy, but Li Dahe couldn¡¯t bring himself to feel any joy. Because as soon as he returned to the Educated Youth Corps site, Second Aunt Li informed him that Lin Nianhe¡¯s fever had gotten even worse. Chapter 47 - 47 46 Taking Care ?47: Chapter 46: Taking Care 47: Chapter 46: Taking Care Lin Nianhe had a jumble of chaotic dreams. In her dreams, it seemed as if she had returned to the time of the catastrophic apocalypse, at one moment scorching hot to the point of dizziness, and the next, bitterly cold to the marrow. But this time, she wasn¡¯t struggling to survive alone; there were Mr. Lin and Aunt Lin¡¯s petty yet warm nagging, Wen Lan¡¯s indecipherable dialect, Wang Shumei¡¯s sister-like calm care, as well as the villagers who would start fighting at the drop of a hat... And there was a man who grew in the heart of her heart. Su Yuncheng watched Lin Nianhe, her face flushed red, yet unable to suppress the smile tugging at her lips, and considered calling for a doctor. They call this a common cold with fever? It¡¯s obviously hallucinations caused by the fever! He was about to get up when a slight flutter of the girl¡¯s eyelashes on the hospital bed caught his eye, and her eyes slowly opened. Lin Nianhe was a bit dazed. Gazing at the walls with a hint of grey amidst the white, inhaling the lingering smell of disinfectant, she instinctively furrowed her brows. ¡°Awake? Do you feel uncomfortable anywhere? I¡¯ll call a doctor for you.¡± The deep male voice caressed her heart. She blinked and looked in the direction of the voice. Yes, it was that brother from her dreams who braved high temperatures or snowstorms to deliver supplies to her. Lin Nianhe¡¯s lips curved slightly upward. ¡°Brother Yuncheng.¡± She tried to sit up, but the soreness throughout her body made her feel as if she had been stuffed into a sack and beaten. Her muscles were on strike, and she couldn¡¯t muster any strength. After a barely noticeable struggle, Lin Nianhe was forced to lie flat. ¡°Don¡¯t move around.¡± Su Yuncheng noticed her attempt to get up and immediately pressed down her left hand, ¡°You still have the IV drip to finish.¡± Lin Nianhe licked her lips and glanced at the large glass medicine bottle on the IV stand, ¡°Is this... a hospital?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Su Yuncheng frowned slightly and stood up to mix some warm water for her. Holding the enamel mug, he looked at her and then back at the mug, his ears slightly tinged with red. Lin Nianhe stared at the mug in his hand, her gaze intense. Her throat was both dry and sore; the water in Su Yuncheng¡¯s hands was incredibly tempting to her. Seeing her longing gaze, Su Yuncheng cleared his throat softly, reached out to support her head, and helped her sit up. ¡°Sigh...¡± Lin Nianhe breathed a sigh of relief. The hospital bed was very hard; sitting up was much more comfortable than lying down. Moreover, because she had a fever, she was covered with two blankets, and she was almost unable to breathe. After drinking most of the warm water with Su Yuncheng¡¯s help, Lin Nianhe finally felt a bit more comfortable. She looked at Su Yuncheng and hesitated before asking, ¡°Did you bring me here?¡± Su Yuncheng shook his head and glanced at the bed next to them. Following his gaze, Lin Nianhe looked over and saw Wang Hong asleep on the bed. She must have been exhausted from the ordeal, sleeping deeply. It was pitch black outside the window, without a star or moon in sight. ¡°Director Wang rode her bike to bring you here, then asked some people to find me at the police station,¡± Su Yuncheng explained while propping up the pillow for Lin Nianhe to lean on. Lin Nianhe, seeing the apologetic look in his eyes, said, ¡°Sorry, I¡¯ve caused you trouble again.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t mention it,¡± replied Su Yuncheng in a gentle tone, ¡°You sit here for a while, I¡¯ll go find the doctor.¡± With that, he turned and left. The night shift doctor was a man who handed Lin Nianhe a thermometer. After she measured her temperature, he said, ¡°Your temperature has gone down, no issues. Call the nurse when your IV is finished.¡± ¡°Alright, thank you for your hard work.¡± Su Yuncheng nodded slightly to him, and the doctor waved his hand before turning and leaving. Lin Nianhe leaned on the headboard, squinting her eyes as she looked at Su Yuncheng. She tried hard to recall how she managed to get down the mountain, but despite her efforts, her memory stubbornly remained inside the cave. She looked down at her clothes, noticing they were not the same ones she had worn going up the mountain. Could it be... She glanced unconsciously at Su Yuncheng. Su Yuncheng didn¡¯t grasp the meaning of her subtle gesture, simply asking, ¡°Are you hungry? I had someone buy some porridge. I¡¯ll go warm it up for you.¡± His reaction reassured Lin Nianhe instead. That¡¯s right, she didn¡¯t have any clothes in town, so it couldn¡¯t have been him who changed her. ¡°No need,¡± Lin Nianhe shook her head, ¡°I don¡¯t have an appetite, don¡¯t want to eat, and I¡¯m not hungry.¡± She wasn¡¯t hungry at all now; she disliked the smell of disinfectant, and it even made her feel slightly nauseous. Upon hearing her say this, Su Yuncheng had no choice but to put down the lunchbox he had just picked up. He sat on a stool beside the hospital bed, and after a moment of silence, he asked, ¡°How about you sleep a little longer?¡± Lin Nianhe was having trouble sleeping at the moment. She glanced at the time, eleven o¡¯clock. ¡°I can¡¯t really sleep,¡± she said to Su Yuncheng, ¡°Brother Yuncheng, you should go home first. I¡¯m fine here.¡± There were a good eight beds in the ward, and the only empty bed was the one Wang Hong was sleeping in. If Su Yuncheng were to stay here, he would have to sit up all night. ¡°I¡¯m not tired.¡± Su Yuncheng¡¯s voice was very low, ¡°This place is crowded and bustling, I¡¯ll stay with you.¡± Though it was a hospital, there was no guarantee that someone with ill intentions wouldn¡¯t come prowling. Having money stolen would be a minor issue, but the thought of someone taking advantage of her while she slept soundly... Moreover, she was sick; how could he rest easy and go home to sleep? Su Yuncheng glanced at Lin Nianhe and asked her, ¡°Director Wang said you got caught in the rain on the mountain, what were you doing there?¡± ¡°Oh, I was collecting firewood.¡± Lin Nianhe felt unlucky just thinking about today¡¯s events. ¡°It started raining on the way back, so we hid in a cave...¡± Su Yuncheng listened, his heart pounding with fear. ¡°Weren¡¯t you afraid of wild animals seeking shelter in the cave?¡± He pressed his brow, ¡°Moreover, didn¡¯t I tell you that you don¡¯t need to go up the mountain to collect firewood?¡± His expression was somewhat strict, making Lin Nianhe feel inexplicably guilty. Lin Nianhe forced a smile and explained, ¡°I was going to the countryside, I can¡¯t always be detached from the community.¡± It was a casual excuse, but Su Yuncheng¡¯s brow furrowed even tighter. If he hadn¡¯t known that she had been in the village recently, he might have suspected she was aware of something. ¡°You don¡¯t need to do this,¡± Su Yuncheng said quietly after a long pause, ¡°Your safety is more important than anything. I¡¯m sure Uncle and Aunt Lin feel the same way.¡± Lin Nianhe wanted to say that it was actually an accident, a case of bad luck, and that her body was simply too frail. But halfway through her words, she said, ¡°Okay, I won¡¯t take risks anymore. Even if I do collect firewood, I¡¯ll make sure to only do it at the foot of the mountain.¡± Su Yuncheng saw the clearness in her eyes, not seeming deceitful, and slowly nodded, accepting her promise. Just recovered from a fever, Lin Nianhe naturally couldn¡¯t go without eating. After chatting with her softly for a few moments and seeing that she still had no intention of sleeping a while longer, Su Yuncheng took out a packet of milk powder and made her a cup of milk. The fragrance of milk immediately spread throughout the ward, and someone even sniffled, opening their eyes searching for the source of the aroma. Lin Nianhe was surprised, ¡°Where did you get this milk powder?¡± Su Yuncheng cooled the milk a bit and then passed the cup to her, ¡°I bought it for you. Drinking milk is good for your health, and with your weak constitution, you should have a cup every day. Once it¡¯s finished, I¡¯ll get more.¡± Lin Nianhe keenly sensed the subtlety in his words. Clearly, this milk powder wasn¡¯t something that could be easily obtained. Chapter 48 - 48 47 Being Obstinate and Vague ?48: Chapter 47: Being Obstinate and Vague 48: Chapter 47: Being Obstinate and Vague Where the milk powder came from, Su Yuncheng didn¡¯t explain, so Lin Nianhe didn¡¯t ask further. Sipping the milk little by little, the warm sweetness filled her stomach, making her break into slight sweat, feeling much more relaxed. Su Yuncheng watched her drink the milk like a little cat, gentleness filling his deep eyes. Lin Nianhe couldn¡¯t finish half of it and felt uneasy to let Su Yuncheng drink what she left, so she forced herself to continue. A gulp of milk stayed in her mouth, unable to swallow for quite a while. Seeing this, Su Yuncheng chuckled and reached out his hand to her: ¡°If you can¡¯t drink it, put it down. Don¡¯t force yourself.¡± Lin Nianhe¡¯s cheeks reddened slightly as she handed back the enamel mug to him. Su Yuncheng sealed the mug and turned to her: ¡°Lie down for a bit longer?¡± Perhaps due to the warm milk, Lin Nianhe really felt sleepy. She wriggled back down to lie, wanting to say some more, but her eyelids were so heavy they closed on their own. Su Yuncheng¡¯s averted gaze finally landed on her face. He tucked her in, his hand lingering by her cheek for a moment, brushing the stray hair beside her cheek to one side. The night passed without conversation. When Lin Nianhe woke up again, it was already bright daylight. The gloominess of yesterday had dissipated, the sky was a cloudless azure blue, a rare good weather. The hospital room was also glaringly bright, Lin Nianhe raised her hand to shield her eyes, her mind still in a haze. ¡°Awake?¡± Wang Hong¡¯s voice came from beside the bed, laced with a hint of cheer. ¡°Hmm...¡± Rubbing her eyes and letting them adjust to the light, Lin Nianhe lowered her hand, ¡°Aunt Wang, thank you for all the trouble, I appreciate it.¡± She smiled at Wang Hong and unconsciously glanced at the other side of the bed. ¡°Comrade Xiao Su has gone to buy breakfast,¡± Wang Hong seemed to see through her thoughts and directly said, ¡°How do you feel? Any discomforts?¡± Lin Nianhe propped herself up to sit and moved her stiff limbs a bit before saying, ¡°Much better, I should be okay now.¡± Wang Hong felt her forehead and nodded: ¡°Yes, the fever has subsided.¡± She sighed in relief then playfully tapped Lin Nianhe¡¯s head: ¡°Silly girl, you nearly scared us to death yesterday! Got so delirious with fever... thank goodness for the bicycle in our team, or else wouldn¡¯t you have gotten even more confused?¡± As she spoke, Wang Hong handed Lin Nianhe a cup of water: ¡°Drink some, drink lots of hot water, you¡¯ll recover faster.¡± Lin Nianhe thanked her and took a big gulp of water. She asked: ¡°Aunt Wang, how¡¯s Sister Shumei¡¯s foot?¡± ¡°It¡¯s just a sprain, she¡¯ll be fine after some rest,¡± Wang Hong replied casually. In the villagers¡¯ view, a sprain or a fever wasn¡¯t a serious illness. If it wasn¡¯t for Li Dahe finding Lin Nianhe unresponsive yesterday, they really wouldn¡¯t have sent her to the hospital. Hearing Wang Shumei was okay, Lin Nianhe finally felt at ease, then asked: ¡°How did I get down the mountain yesterday?¡± ¡°Ho, you¡¯d never guess, it was Wen Lan who carried you down,¡± said Wang Hong excitedly, ¡°When we found the three of you, Miss Wen was carrying you and helping Miss Wang. She managed not to let either of you fall!¡± Lin Nianhe was astonished. Did she speak too loudly to Sister Lan before? Seemingly to prevent Lin Nianhe from feeling bored, Wang Hong continued to tell her about finding the roe deer family on the mountain. Lin Nianhe gave appropriate expressions of surprise and admiration, but her gaze couldn¡¯t help wandering towards the door again. Wang Hong saw Lin Nianhe¡¯s preoccupied look and chuckled. She said, ¡°Speaking of which, Comrade Xiao Su is also quite something. Last night, late into the night when I woke up, he was still watching over you. He wouldn¡¯t agree to sleep for a bit when I offered, saying he¡¯s used to it, that not sleeping a night doesn¡¯t matter much... Hey, Miss Lin, what did Comrade Xiao Su do before?¡± Before Lin Nianhe could answer, Su Yuncheng appeared at the door. He was holding two lunch boxes and also carrying a full cloth bag. ¡°Director Wang, have some breakfast.¡± Su Yuncheng returned to the bedside, handed a lunch box to Wang Hong, and then took out an oil-paper wrapped package from the cloth bag. Wang Hong opened it to find congee made from two kinds of rice, and two large meat buns wrapped in oil paper. She hurriedly said, ¡°I can¡¯t eat all this, just a sip of porridge will do.¡± ¡°It¡¯s our duty to treat you to a meal for taking the trouble to bring Nianhe to the hospital. If you refuse even breakfast, how could we have peace of mind?¡± Su Yuncheng said it so thoroughly and nicely that Aunt Wang wanted to match-make him right there and then. Aunt Wang laughed and agreed, but in the end, she only ate one bun. Lin Nianhe saw that he only brought two lunch boxes and asked, ¡°What about yours?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve eaten already. You eat.¡± Lin Nianhe was still not fully recovered, she managed to eat half a bowl of porridge and a meat bun but absolutely couldn¡¯t eat any more. She pursed her lips, intending to say she would wait until lunch to eat more, but Su Yuncheng took the lunch box from her hands and quickly finished the remaining porridge. Lin Nianhe¡¯s cheeks began to redden at his naturally flowing actions. ¡°Th-those were my leftovers,¡± she said softly. ¡°Uh-huh.¡± Su Yuncheng responded with unusual equanimity. Lin Nianhe blinked. Was he... just not wanting to waste food? Wang Hong smiled with pursed lips, her gaze towards the two held deep meaning. These two kids are quite interesting, one is clueless, the other won¡¯t say it outright. She clicked her tongue; she wondered just when Comrade Xiao Su would make a move! After cleaning up the lunch boxes, Su Yuncheng planned to find a doctor to check on Lin Nianhe again, when Feng Wei¡¯s voice came from outside the ward door: ¡°Brother Cheng, could you come out for a moment?¡± Su Yuncheng glanced at him, then turned to Lin Nianhe and Wang Hong, ¡°Wait for me for a bit, I¡¯ll be right back.¡± ¡°Alright, no rush.¡± Not long after Su Yuncheng left, a doctor arrived. Not the male doctor from last night; Lin Nianhe had never seen this one. She hadn¡¯t seen Zhou Fenyang before, but Zhou Fenyang was very familiar with Lin Nianhe. Wearing a white coat, she walked up to Lin Nianhe¡¯s bedside, handed her a thermometer, and said coldly, ¡°Take your temperature.¡± ¡°Thank you,¡± Lin Nianhe took the thermometer with her usual politeness. Wang Hong, fearing she didn¡¯t have the strength to hold the thermometer properly, even reached out to help support her shoulder. Zhou Fenyang examined Lin Nianhe with tightly furrowed brows. She had been off yesterday and had heard from colleagues about Su Yuncheng running around for a little Miss last night, even staying the whole night. Looking at the medical record, indeed, it was Lin Nianhe. Zhou Fenyang didn¡¯t hesitate to take up the task, wanting to see for herself what this Miss looked like. What she saw was a disappointment to her. The girl seemed frail and delicate, an image of vulnerability. What good was this delicate doll in the countryside? She probably came all this way just to cling to Su Yuncheng and live off him! With these thoughts, Zhou Fenyang nearly rolled her eyes to the heavens. Lin Nianhe was much clearer now and sensed the doctor¡¯s hostility, furrowing her brow slightly. ¡°Comrade, do I have some terminal illness?¡± Lin Nianhe looked up at Zhou Fenyang. Coming to her senses, Zhou Fenyang curled her lip: ¡°You just have a fever, it¡¯s not a serious illness.¡± Lin Nianhe: ¡°If that¡¯s the case, could you stop looking at me like I¡¯m a dead person? It¡¯s quite frightening.¡± Zhou Fenyang, initially thinking that Lin Nianhe was a soft persimmon because of her delicate appearance, did not expect her to be so sharp-tongued. Zhou Fenyang sneered, ¡°Why do you care so much? Do I need your permission to look at you?¡± Faced with her provocative attitude, Lin Nianhe, who was still feeling weak, suddenly felt energized. Chapter 49 - 49 48 Please Dont Misunderstand ?49: Chapter 48: Please Don¡¯t Misunderstand 49: Chapter 48: Please Don¡¯t Misunderstand Zhou Fenyang looked at Lin Nianhe¡¯s suddenly changed expression, frowning even more deeply. She crossed her arms and sneered at Lin Nianhe: ¡°You, an educated youth, fell ill and had a man watch over you all night. What kind of behavior is this? How did your parents teach you?¡± When she said this, she did not lower her voice deliberately, instantly attracting the attention of others in the ward. They looked at Zhou Fenyang, clad in a white lab coat, and then at Lin Nianhe, whispering to each other. Indeed, last night it was indeed a man sitting by the bedside all night... Nowadays, it¡¯s not proper to act intimate in public¡ªeven officially married couples wouldn¡¯t dare walk too close together on the street. Therefore, they looked at Lin Nianhe with particularly complex expressions. Only the old lady on the bed to the right of Lin Nianhe furrowed her brow, giving Zhou Fenyang a scrutinizing look. Lin Nianhe raised an eyebrow. She initially thought this girl¡¯s hostility stemmed from jealousy of her good looks, but now it seems... It¡¯s another peach blossom for Su Yuncheng. She sighed inwardly. Men, truly bothersome. Lin Nianhe looked up at Zhou Fenyang with a slowly curling up corner of her mouth. ¡°Comrade, if I remember correctly, you didn¡¯t treat me last night, did you? It must have been hard for you, to even specially worry about who was taking care of me.¡± Zhou Fenyang was taken aback, instinctively wanting to deny: ¡°I didn¡¯t...¡± Lin Nianhe didn¡¯t give her the opportunity to speak, continuing on her own: ¡°What you just implied was that we educated youths should not come to the health clinic when we¡¯re sick, and the comrades in the commune should not sympathize with our homesickness or specifically find our family to take care of us when we¡¯re ill, right?¡± Zhou Fenyang¡¯s scalp tingled: ¡°I didn¡¯t...¡± ¡°No need to say more, I truly understand. Later, I will go to the commune to reflect. It¡¯s my fault for being unwell and causing trouble for everyone, certainly not the fault of our Team Leader. Nor should we blame the kind comrade who went to call my brother, since he didn¡¯t know I am an educated youth and needed special treatment.¡± Zhou Fenyang: ¡°...¡± Isn¡¯t she a patient? How can a patient talk so much? Wang Hong looked at Lin Nianhe, her mouth twitching fiercely. She took a deep breath, poured a cup of water, and handed it over: ¡°Here, drink some water.¡± Don¡¯t talk your throat sore after such a long speech. ¡°Thank you, Aunt Wang.¡± Lin Nianhe was grateful, ¡°Aunt Wang, I¡¯ll be discharged later, although I¡¯m not fully recovered yet, I absolutely won¡¯t cause any trouble for the Team.¡± Wang Hong: ¡°...¡± She didn¡¯t know how to respond to that. A matter that could be resolved with a couple of words, why must this kid say so much? If only she could physically intervene directly... It would be resolute and efficient! Catching a glimpse of Wang Hong¡¯s tightly clenched right fist, Lin Nianhe truly missed Wang Shumei. Even without Wang Shumei, having Aunt Li would also do. Without anyone to set her up, Lin Nianhe could only silently hold her teacup, bowing her head to drink. She lowered her head, looking utterly bullied. The old lady in the next bed hesitated for a moment, unable to restrain herself from speaking up: ¡°Doctor comrade, what you said isn¡¯t right. The educated youths go to the countryside to build the rural areas, and both the commune and the team are responsible and obligated to take good care of the educated youths.¡± While speaking, the old lady even couldn¡¯t help coughing twice, appearing very weak. She leaned against the headboard, her right hand weakly clenched into a fist tapping her chest, taking a moment before continuing: ¡°Besides, when this child was brought in yesterday, she was already feverish to the point of losing consciousness. It wasn¡¯t wrong for the team¡¯s leaders to call her brother, was it?¡± The old lady started, and others in the ward were also moved, supporting: ¡°Not allowing family visits or medical care when sick, what would that be like? Even the old landlords wouldn¡¯t dare to do such a thing!¡± ¡°Last night my son was here; he said that the two of them were just talking, they certainly didn¡¯t do anything that would count as improper behavior!¡± ¡°A young girl alone in the hospital isn¡¯t going to work. There¡¯s no one to even help her with water...¡± Zhou Fenyang had never expected to be ambushed by a group of patients, nor did she expect them to be flip-floppers, each changing their story faster than the last! Lin Nianhe¡¯s fingernails gently tapped on the enamel tea mug, a cunning glint flashing in her eyes. ¡°Don¡¯t talk nonsense! I just, I just...¡± Zhou Fenyang, sweating profusely, started backing away in a panic, waving her hands as she explained, ¡°I never stopped the educated youth from seeking medical treatment...¡± ¡°What do you mean by that?¡± Wang Hong finally stood up. Endurance has its limits, no need to endure further! She had refrained from taking action because the person who had come to examine Wang Xixi¡¯s injuries was Zhou Fenyang. Although she had been aloof, her examination report for Wang Xixi was quite fair, for which Wang Hong was somewhat grateful. But seeing Zhou Fenyang¡¯s attitude of seeking trouble, Wang Hong could no longer stand by. The two kinds of people Wang Hong despised the most in her life¡ª One, men who look down on women; Two, women who make life difficult for other women. Looking at Doctor Zhou, who was also in her twenties, didn¡¯t she know the dire consequences that accusing a woman of ¡°behavioral issues¡± could bring? Wang Hong closed in step by step, grabbing Zhou Fenyang¡¯s arm. She still remembered the past incident and didn¡¯t slap her right away. ¡°What do you mean exactly? Using those words to marginalize the educated youth from Ten Miles Team, what are you trying to do?¡± When Wang Hong scowled, Lin Nianhe, who had survived countless brutal scenes, felt intimidated, not to mention Zhou Fenyang. Zhou Fenyang struggled forcefully, trying to escape Wang Hong¡¯s grip: ¡°Don¡¯t touch me! Are you trying to hit a doctor? You, you... Help!¡± Hearing the commotion in the room, Su Yuncheng and Feng Wei, who had been discussing work outside in the corridor, immediately stopped their conversation and rushed in. As soon as Su Yuncheng entered the room, his first glance was towards Lin Nianhe. Seeing that she was still safely seated on the hospital bed, he loosened his clenched fist. Upon seeing Su Yuncheng, Zhou Fenyang, with an unknown surge of strength, broke free from Wang Hong¡¯s grasp and lunged towards Su Yuncheng: ¡°Yuncheng! Save me! This woman is trying to kill me!¡± Su Yuncheng¡¯s eyes were cold, and he quickly stepped aside just as Zhou Fenyang was about to throw herself at him. Zhou Fenyang stumbled, almost falling to the ground, saved only by Feng Wei catching her, thus sparing her the embarrassment. Zhou Fenyang looked at Su Yuncheng incredulously, her eyes filled with astonishment. ¡°Su Yuncheng, you won¡¯t help me?¡± Su Yuncheng: ¡°Men and women are different, Comrade Zhou, please be mindful of your impact.¡± Having said that, he turned to Wang Hong, his tone slightly milder: ¡°Director Wang, what happened here?¡± Wang Hong scoffed, her eyes coldly fixed on Zhou Fenyang. Zhou Fenyang felt as if her arm had been clamped by an iron hoop, numb from the pain. She held back her tears and glared at Su Yuncheng. He must have moved away because there were too many people around, right? She must have been too abrupt just now... As Zhou Fenyang was desperately finding excuses for Su Yuncheng¡¯s actions, that soft voice entered her ears again: ¡°So... Comrade, you know Brother Yuncheng, are you so concerned about Brother Yuncheng taking care of me because you misunderstood our relationship?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t get the wrong idea, Comrade. Brother Yuncheng and I are just like real siblings, please don¡¯t misunderstand!¡± Chapter 50 - 50 49 Wielding the Sword to Cut the Peach Blossoms ?50: Chapter 49: Wielding the Sword to Cut the Peach Blossoms 50: Chapter 49: Wielding the Sword to Cut the Peach Blossoms Nianhe¡¯s words, like a ladle of cold water poured into a boiling pot of oil, splattered numerous scalding droplets, enough to fully cook Zhou Fenyang. ¡°Ah? So, it turns out that you¡¯re actually fond of him, and that¡¯s why you¡¯re sourly criticising him!¡± ¡°That really shouldn¡¯t be done, how can you drive someone into a corner without even clarifying things...¡± Zhou Fenyang¡¯s face turned pale, and her hands began to tremble. She had never imagined that this delicate girl would push her to this extent, and she was momentarily at a loss. Wang Hong¡¯s expression softened, and she clicked her tongue in her mind. No wonder even Widow Zhao was no match, this girl¡¯s mouth is truly lethal! Feng Wei wore a look of shock, with only two thoughts in his mind¡ª No wonder Brother Cheng kept her so tightly hidden, just like Zhou Xu said, this girl is really like a celestial maiden; and... Sister Fen Yang is doomed! As for the center of the conversation, Su Yuncheng... He looked at Nianhe a few steps away, a hint of amusement flashing in his eyes. The young girl had just recovered from a fever, her complexion slightly pale, probably just after drinking warm water, leaving her lips pink and moist. She just sat there quietly, holding a teacup, staring at him with her clear, distinct big eyes without blinking. Tempting. Su Yuncheng steadied his mind, not caring about others¡¯ reactions, and directly walked towards Lin Nianhe. He reached out to take the teacup from her hand and said, ¡°Don¡¯t think too much, I have no relationship with Comrade Zhou, we only know each other through work, and she occasionally performs injury assessments for the policewomen.¡± He paused, staring into Lin Nianhe¡¯s eyes, and added, ¡°I¡¯m not familiar with her. The incident at Director Wang¡¯s house was the first time we collaborated officially.¡± Lin Nianhe looked at him, blinking twice. She realized that this man was particularly eloquent when rejecting romantic advances. First, there was Wang Xue, and now this female doctor. Whenever he wanted to distance himself from a female comrade he disliked, he always found a way to extricate himself. His way of cutting off these romantic advances was even more swift than Aunt Wang¡¯s slapping. Before Lin Nianhe could speak, Zhou Fenyang couldn¡¯t help but scream out, ¡°Su Yuncheng! Do you have a conscience? You say you¡¯re not familiar with me? Who took care of you two years ago? Without me, you would¡¯ve died long ago!¡± Lin Nianhe¡¯s eyes suddenly brightened. Oh wow, there¡¯s gossip here! Su Yuncheng put down the teacup, and from an angle Lin Nianhe couldn¡¯t see, a chilling intent flashed in his eyes. ¡°If I remember correctly, the person who treated me two years ago was Dean Wang of Beijing Hospital. I was already eighty percent recovered when I arrived at Lan County. I met you through Zhou Xu, what exactly do you mean by ¡®life-saving grace¡¯, Comrade Zhou?¡± Zhou Fenyang clutched her chest, her body swaying slightly, and her voice trembled, ¡°It was when you first arrived, I, I brought you meals daily. Without me, would you have recovered so well?¡± Lin Nianhe looked at Su Yuncheng, then looked at Zhou Fenyang who seemed to be trying hard to impress a man. Maybe, should she help him out considering all the favors and care the ¡®childhood friend¡¯ had shown her? Just as Lin Nianhe was about to speak, Su Yuncheng didn¡¯t wait and spoke up confidently, ¡°I never ate the meals you brought. Uncle Sun from the police station can testify. Both fetching the meals and eating them were done by Zhou Xu.¡± Su Yuncheng¡¯s tone was particularly calm, utterly composed. Zhou Fenyang widened her eyes, shaking her head in disbelief, ¡°Impossible! You¡¯re lying to me!¡± Su Yuncheng¡¯s patience was wearing thin, he looked at Feng Wei and tilted his chin slightly. Feng Wei had no choice but to step forward and explain, ¡°Sister Fen Yang, it¡¯s true. When Brother Cheng first arrived, he brought his own meals and never ate at the canteen, let alone the meals you sent.¡± The chubby man scratched his head somewhat embarrassedly, ¡°I actually ate quite a bit...¡± Zhou Fenyang stiffly turned her head and looked at Feng Wei¡¯s plump belly, her mind completely shattered. The meticulously prepared lunches she made all went into this little fatty and useless little brother¡¯s mouth? The hospital ward was eerily quiet, and everyone¡¯s gaze towards Zhou Fenyang was more complex than the next, unsure whether they should sympathize with her. Lin Nianhe took out the thermometer and, after looking at it, said, ¡°So I still have a bit of a fever because no one cooked a special meal for me? I¡¯ve never heard before that eating could cure illness.¡± Previously, Zhou Fenyang particularly enjoyed listening to Su Yuncheng talk, always finding his Beijing accent stylish and pleasant. Now, hearing the same accent from Lin Nianhe¡¯s mouth made her... just want to sew her lips shut. Zhou Fenyang burst into tears with a ¡°wa¡± sound, and turned and ran out quickly. Su Yuncheng didn¡¯t chase after her, nor did he continue explaining; he frowned and took the thermometer from her hands, ¡°Why do you still have a fever? Let me see.¡± Lin Nianhe indeed still had a bit of a fever, 37.2 degrees. Su Yuncheng, frowning, told her, ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid, I¡¯m going to find a doctor.¡± Lin Nianhe shook her head, ¡°I¡¯m fine, it must have been the food I just ate that was a bit hot... Brother Yuncheng, I don¡¯t want to stay in the hospital anymore, I want to go back.¡± She really wanted to go back to the village, wanted to change clothes, take a bath, and eat something good. But Su Yuncheng didn¡¯t agree directly and said, ¡°I¡¯ll go call the doctor to see what the doctor says.¡± ¡°Ah...¡± Su Yuncheng stuffed two White Rabbit Creamy Candies into her hand, seemingly saying: Be obedient. Lin Nianhe¡¯s refusal was bought with two candies; she shrugged her shoulders and let him do as he pleased. Mainly because being disobedient wasn¡¯t an option for her either. As soon as Su Yuncheng left, Feng Wei moved over. He greeted Lin Nianhe with a curious look in his eyes, then went to Wang Hong¡¯s side and whispered a few words. ¡°Really?¡± Wang Hong¡¯s eyes burst with surprise. Feng Wei nodded and said, ¡°I need to trouble you to go to the station again.¡± Wang Hong instinctively grabbed Lin Nianhe¡¯s hand, ¡°I¡¯ll wait for Comrade Xiao Su to return before leaving.¡± Feng Wei quickly glanced at Lin Nianhe, seeing her weak and sickly appearance, and nodded. This was Brother Cheng¡¯s beloved; if he dared to leave her here alone, he wouldn¡¯t end well. Lin Nianhe was unaware of the twists and turns in Feng Wei¡¯s heart; she leaned forward to the old woman in the next bed and said, ¡°Auntie, thank you for just now.¡± The auntie was probably in her fifties, with her temples turning gray and terribly thin, her lips colorless. She smiled at Lin Nianhe and shook her head, ¡°It¡¯s nothing; you young folks leaving your homes and coming here isn¡¯t easy.¡± Listening to her somewhat literary way of speaking, Lin Nianhe said, ¡°Auntie, my name is Lin Nianhe, an Educated youth from Ten Miles Team. Are you a leader from the commune?¡± ¡°Not at all, I am the principal of the high school in town, I just retired last month,¡± She paused, then said, ¡°My surname is Wu.¡± ¡°Principal Wu,¡± Lin Nianhe¡¯s smile was sweet, ¡°Hello, I respect teachers the most.¡± Principal Wu looked at Lin Nianhe and asked, ¡°Have you attended high school?¡± ¡°I have,¡± Lin Nianhe nodded, ¡°I went to the countryside right after graduating from high school.¡± ¡°Mm,¡± Principal Wu¡¯s smile became much more genuine, ¡°Supporting the countryside is also building our country; you shouldn¡¯t look down upon it, and you must earnestly accept the education of the peasant comrades, the wisdom of the working people can¡¯t be learned from books.¡± Lin Nianhe listened and nodded, then took Wang Hong¡¯s hand and said to Principal Wu, ¡°Principal Wu, rest assured, the fellow villagers from Ten Miles Team are all very kind. By the way, this is the head of the women¡¯s department of our team; she takes very good care of us!¡± Principal Wu¡¯s eyes lit up noticeably when she heard ¡°Ten Miles Team.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve heard about you; your team has the most children going to school, Captain Li said it¡¯s all your doing. Can you tell me how you managed to convince everyone to send their kids to school?¡± Wang Hong: ¡°...¡± Those who refuse to send their children to school should just be relentlessly beaten. Obviously, that couldn¡¯t be said out loud. Wang Hong turned her head to look at Lin Nianhe and signaled with her eyes, ¡°You started this conversation; you handle it!¡± Chapter 51 - 51 50 Dont Give Up ?51: Chapter 50 Don¡¯t Give Up 51: Chapter 50 Don¡¯t Give Up When truth cannot convince everyone, fists will persuade them. Lin Nianhe understood the real reason behind the high enrolment rate of children in the Ten Miles Team as soon as she saw Wang Hong¡¯s gaze. She couldn¡¯t help but imagine the scene where Wang Hong persuaded parents to send their children to school... ¡°The child is of age to attend school.¡± ¡°Um...¡± ¡°You still hesitating? Beat him up!¡± Any hesitation, even just for a second, was deemed disrespectful to Aunt Wang! Lin Nianhe shuddered, her smile brighter than before, ¡°Principal Wu, you have no idea, Aunt Wang earnestly promotes the importance of gender equality and education in the village... Everyone is truly convinced!¡± Speaking of education, Principal Wu¡¯s eyes lit up a lot. She asked earnestly, ¡°Could you elaborate on that?¡± Lin Nianhe: ¡°...¡± Dare she say it, and would she dare to listen? Principal Wu sighed, a touch of sorrow on her face. ¡°Actually, many people think education is useless, no one attends literacy classes, nor the night school, they all say that even after studying, one still ends up farming in the countryside, it¡¯s useless.¡± ¡°But it¡¯s different, studying isn¡¯t just about literacy and arithmetic, it also enlightens one on understanding and knowing affairs... The great learning is in the illumination...¡± Principal Wu stopped abruptly, the rest of her words caught in her throat, her face flushed red, she changed her tune, ¡°Going to school contributes to the national development.¡± Wang Hong didn¡¯t know what Principal Wu left unsaid, but Lin Nianhe knew. She looked at Principal Wu, who was hesitant to speak further, feeling somewhat bitter. ¡°Cough cough cough...¡± Principal Wu covered her chest, coughing intensely. Wang Hong snapped out of it and quickly stood up to pour her a cup of hot water, patting her back while saying, ¡°Don¡¯t talk about these things if you are coughing, just rest well.¡± Principal Wu was coughing nearly to the point of suffocation, and after a while, she caught her breath and leaned back. She clasped Wang Hong¡¯s hand and did not let go, her murky eyes staring at her, ¡°Comrade, what you are doing is very meaningful!¡± Wang Hong felt a bit awkward. She hadn¡¯t read much, having dropped out after her parents died. At first, she merely thought that girls were no different, if boys could go to school, why couldn¡¯t girls? Later, after seeing too many uneducated fathers, she thought these kids better not turn out like their deadbeat dads. Therefore, she crammed as many boys as she could into the school. She really hadn¡¯t thought too much about it. Wang Hong really didn¡¯t know how to respond to Principal Wu¡¯s words and once again glanced at Lin Nianhe for help. Lin Nianhe looked at Principal Wu. She wasn¡¯t beautiful, skinny and aged, her eyes filled with burdens, as if she was worried about the whole world. Sunlight bathed her, gilding her with a golden hue. Lin Nianhe pursed her lips, and a blunt truth slipped out: ¡°There¡¯s nothing that a beating couldn¡¯t solve; if there is, then it¡¯s just not hard enough.¡± Wang Hong¡¯s embarrassment instantly vanished, she slowly turned her head to look at Lin Nianhe, her stiff neck making a cringe-inducing ¡°crack¡± sound. She felt like, her hand wanted to slap something. Principal Wu had just stopped coughing when she was choked again by Lin Nianhe¡¯s words, hurriedly drinking a few sips of hot water to suppress the itch in her throat. After a light cough, looking at Wang Hong, she genuinely couldn¡¯t believe Lin Nianhe¡¯s words. Taking Lin Nianhe¡¯s words as a joke, she asked while patting Wang Hong¡¯s hand, ¡°How old do you think I look?¡± Wang Hong after glaring at Lin Nianhe then turned back, scrutinized Principal Wu, and conservatively said, ¡°Fifty?¡± In fact, Wang Hong thought Principal Wu looked like she was in her mid-fifties, but since she said she had just retired, she should not be that old. Principal Wu laughed and waved her hand, ¡°I am thirty-nine officially.¡± Wang Hong¡¯s eyes widened in shock. Lin Nianhe also frowned, looking at her white temples and the deep wrinkles on her forehead. They say people in the countryside age faster, but Principal Wu looked even older than those in their fifties in the village. Lin Nianhe felt a heaviness in her chest, not wanting to think further. Still holding Wang Hong¡¯s hand, Principal Wu looked earnestly into her eyes, ¡°Sister, I had to retire due to illness, but if you¡¯re willing, could you possibly go to other teams to share your experience? I still have some influence at the commune office, I can arrange this.¡± Wang Hong licked her lips. What experience does she have! Seeing Principal Wu¡¯s sincere face, Wang Hong felt uneasy and lowered her head, saying, ¡°Miss Lin is right... a spanking will do.¡± Principal Wu: ¡°...¡± She... After a long while, she sighed deeply, closed her eyes wearily, and leaned back against the headboard. In that moment, Lin Nianhe felt that she had aged a lot. Wang Hong also sighed and turned back to sit on the stool beside Lin Nianhe¡¯s bed. After a moment of silence, she reached out and patted Lin Nianhe. Lin Nianhe: ¡°...¡± Telling the truth really comes at a cost. She awkwardly touched her nose and flashed Wang Hong a flattering smile. Wang Hong rolled her eyes and ignored her. When Su Yuncheng and the doctor returned, they keenly sensed Lin Nianhe¡¯s low spirits. He looked at her and coaxed, ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid, at most you¡¯ll just get another injection, it won¡¯t hurt.¡± He thought she was upset about having to stay in the hospital. Lin Nianhe tugged at the corner of her mouth and shook her head, ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± Seeing Su Yuncheng coming back, Wang Hong immediately stood up: ¡°Well, Comrade Xiao Su, I need to go to the police station with Comrade Feng, can you take care of Miss Lin for a while?¡± Feng Wei had told her that the Zhang Family was about to be sentenced, and there were some procedures she needed to handle, this matter couldn¡¯t be delayed. ¡°Okay,¡± Su Yuncheng was already aware of this and nodded, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, if Nianhe doesn¡¯t need to stay in the hospital anymore, I¡¯ll take her back.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± After Wang Hong finished speaking, she poked Lin Nianhe¡¯s head: ¡°Don¡¯t go strutting around before you¡¯re fully healed, don¡¯t make me have to bring you back here.¡± Lin Nianhe: ¡°Alright.¡± Wang Hong quickly fled the awkward scene. Somehow, even though Principal Wu hadn¡¯t said anything, she just felt hugely indebted. The doctor took Lin Nianhe¡¯s temperature again, 37.1 degrees. The doctor said, ¡°It¡¯s nothing serious, you can go home, I¡¯ll prescribe some medicine, just take it if you have a fever again.¡± ¡°Great! Thank you, doctor!¡± Lin Nianhe¡¯s eyes lit up. Her little nest, she was coming back! Su Yuncheng told Lin Nianhe to wait, and followed the doctor to get the medicine. It was broad daylight now, so he didn¡¯t need to worry too much. Lin Nianhe got up to put on her shoes, folded the blanket, and was packing her things when she glimpsed Principal Wu still leaning against the bed, seemingly lifeless. Lin Nianhe¡¯s fingers slowly curled, she lowered her gaze for a moment, and softly said: ¡°The way of the university, lies in the promotion of the explicitly stated virtues, in affection to the people, in stopping at the highest good.¡± Principal Wu suddenly opened his eyes, instinctively wanting to stop Lin Nianhe from continuing. Lin Nianhe didn¡¯t plan to say more, she looked at Principal Wu and smiled slightly, ¡°Principal Wu, I think what Aunt Wang did was to teach according to the student¡¯s ability, no matter what, the result was good, it¡¯s just a pity it can¡¯t be generalized.¡± ¡°But I believe, one day in the future, parents will voluntarily send their children to school, telling them the importance of education.¡± ¡°To eliminate malpractices for sage enlightenment, willing to treasure the declining years despite frailty.¡± ¡°Principal Wu, don¡¯t give up.¡± Principal Wu looked steadily at the young girl in front of him, two lines of clear tears slid down the temples. At this moment, Lin Nianhe didn¡¯t know that in the decades to come, every time Principal Wu faced difficulties, he would always remember this day. On this day, that little girl, against the light, smiling gracefully, told him not to give up. Chapter 52 - 52 51 Where Do Things Come From ?52: Chapter 51: Where Do Things Come From? 52: Chapter 51: Where Do Things Come From? Su Yuncheng returned with the medicine, Lin Nianhe had already retied her braids. She sat on the edge of the bed, swinging her feet. The sunlight spilled over her, her eyes lightly squinted, corners of her mouth slightly upturned. Su Yuncheng unconsciously lightened his steps, afraid of disturbing her. But when he was five steps away from her, she opened her eyes and turned her head to look at him. ¡°You¡¯re back.¡± The girl¡¯s tone was cheerful, her voice lilting upwards, as if not at all bothered by Zhou Fenyang¡¯s matter. Su Yuncheng responded in a low voice, taking out a jacket from the cloth bag he had brought in the morning and handed it to her: ¡°Put this on, don¡¯t catch a cold again.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Lin Nianhe answered obediently, afraid that Su Yuncheng might change his mind and let her endure another injection. His clothes were excessively large, she couldn¡¯t even stretch her hands out of them. Lin Nianhe silently rolled up the sleeves, then looked at Su Yuncheng, her eyes asking when they would leave. Su Yuncheng looked at her, a smile on his lips, ¡°Can you walk?¡± ¡°I can.¡± Lin Nianhe said as she jumped off the bed, physically proving that she was fine. Of course, she wasn¡¯t fine. Her body ached all over after the fever, and her legs felt somewhat weak. But she was desperate to go back; she felt sticky and uncomfortable, and she would go mad if she didn¡¯t take a shower and change clothes soon. Su Yuncheng packed up everything, seeing Lin Nianhe wave towards Principal Wu off to the side, he also nodded goodbye to her. Principal Wu watched the two leave, the wrinkles between her brows deepening slightly. The words of the young educated youth lingered in her ears, reminding her that nothing is set in stone, anything could happen. She... perhaps could really hold on a little longer. ¡°Wrap your clothes tightly, it¡¯s windy outside.¡± In the hallway, Su Yuncheng instructed Lin Nianhe, slowing his pace. Lin Nianhe followed behind him, her gaze falling on the large cloth bag in Su Yuncheng¡¯s hand. It looked quite heavy, and she wondered what was inside. Su Yuncheng didn¡¯t explain; he led Lin Nianhe out of the clinic, hung the cloth bag on the bicycle handle, and turned back to gesture her to sit on the rear seat. Lin Nianhe, feeling groggy, didn¡¯t even notice his reddening ears and nervously clenched fists. There was a cushion tied to the rear seat of the bicycle, making it quite comfortable to sit on. The wind was mostly blocked by Su Yuncheng, and the occasional light breeze that hit Lin Nianhe¡¯s face made her groggy head much clearer, a lot more comfortable than staying in the sickroom. Once they left the town, Lin Nianhe felt the discomfort. The dirt road was bumpy, and even with a cushion, it felt unsettlingly insecure. The bicycle wheel hit a small hole, causing Lin Nianhe¡¯s body to uncontrollably lean backwards. She cried out softly, instinctively reaching out to grab the hem of Su Yuncheng¡¯s shirt. A pull and a tug prevented her from falling off, but it also brought her close to Su Yuncheng¡¯s back. Su Yuncheng felt his mind go blank, his tense muscles starting to stiffen. The soft touch on his back lost him in the fragrance of the fields. ¡°Squeak¡ª¡± With the last bit of his sanity, Su Yuncheng pressed the brake. He got off the bicycle, hands on the handlebar, and looked down at Lin Nianhe, ¡°The road is bumpy, I¡¯ll push the bike while you sit.¡± Lin Nianhe, still dazed from the shaking, came to her senses as he spoke. Her gaze followed his, falling on her hand that was still clutching his shirt. Such a small contact wouldn¡¯t even count as flirting in later times, but now... Lin Nianhe quickly let go, apologizing to him, ¡°Sorry, I was just scared of falling off.¡± ¡°It¡¯s, it¡¯s fine, not your fault, it¡¯s... it¡¯s my fault for not riding steady.¡± Su Yuncheng stammered a bit. After speaking, he turned hurriedly and continued pushing the bike forward. Lin Nianhe sat on the back seat, watching his back and couldn¡¯t help but smile. She thought, him pushing the bike like this, was much more flirtatious than if he had biked. Ahead, Su Yuncheng¡¯s hands on the handlebar trembled slightly. The little girl¡¯s gaze was something he couldn¡¯t ignore, and the guilt made him feel as though she had seen through the affections in his heart. He unconsciously quickened his pace, eager to escape this unsettling situation. Nianhe watched him for a while before retracting her gaze, supporting her forehead with one hand, and squinting to enjoy the warmth of the sunlight on her body. The place where Yuncheng got off the car wasn¡¯t far from Ten Miles Team, and after a fifteen-minute walk, he was pushing Nianhe into the village. It was just after nine o¡¯clock, and most villagers were still at work, so the village was quiet. The Educated Youth Corps was also quiet, but there was someone who hadn¡¯t gone to work either. Upon hearing the sound of the car, Wang Shumei raised her voice and asked, ¡°Who is it?¡± Nianhe jumped out from the back seat: ¡°Sister Shumei, I¡¯m back.¡± Originally on the kang (a traditional Chinese bed platform), Wang Shumei leaned out of the window upon hearing this, and upon seeing it was Nianhe, she breathed a sigh of relief and started to move down from the kang. In the courtyard, Yuncheng said to Nianhe, ¡°You go see her first; I¡¯ll wait for you in the backyard.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Nianhe nodded in agreement and explained, ¡°Sister Shumei sprained her foot, I¡¯ll go check on her first.¡± The final explanation made the corners of Yuncheng¡¯s mouth slightly lift. Was she worried that leaving like this would make him feel uncomfortable? Yuncheng hadn¡¯t guessed wrong; indeed, that was what Nianhe was thinking. Someone had looked after her the entire night and brought her all the way back; it would be unreasonable not to provide an explanation before turning to see someone else. However, the true reason behind such thoughts was not something Yuncheng considered; he just assumed Nianhe was worried about him being unhappy. Nianhe quickly entered the small room where Wang Shumei and Wen Lan lived, just in time to stop Wang Shumei, who was trying to get down from the kang. ¡°Don¡¯t move recklessly,¡± Nianhe urged her to sit back, ¡°It will hurt more if you injure it again.¡± Wang Shumei touched Nianhe¡¯s forehead and, not feeling any heat, she finally eased, ¡°Alright, it¡¯s good that you are back. Did your brother bring you back? Go entertain him first; we can talk later.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Nianhe replied, and noticing the tea jar on the kang was empty, she poured some water for Wang Shumei before leaving. Yuncheng had already pushed the bicycle to the backyard, and he wasn¡¯t idle, but was busy drawing water into the vat. ¡°Brother Yuncheng, stop working,¡± Nianhe opened her unlocked door and said, ¡°Come inside and rest first.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay, I¡¯m not tired, you go inside first.¡± ¡°I...¡± ¡°Listen to me.¡± Unable to argue with him, Nianhe shrugged helplessly and went back inside. Her place was a bit messy, and she didn¡¯t know what had happened the day before. Yesterday¡¯s clothes were thrown in a wooden tub, and the floor was covered with countless muddy footprints; even the edge of the kang was stained with dust and a few spots of mud. Nianhe glanced at Yuncheng outside the window, but eventually just wiped the kang clean with a rag. Just after she threw the rag aside, Yuncheng came in carrying a large cloth bag. ¡°The water is filled up. Are you hungry? I can make something for you,¡± he asked while looking at Nianhe. Nianhe shook her head: ¡°Not hungry, I had a good breakfast.¡± ¡°Well, then.¡± Yuncheng placed the cloth bag on the table, and while his peripheral vision caught sight of the checkered cloth she used as a dust cover for the books, he couldn¡¯t help asking, ¡°Why do you cover the books with it?¡± ¡°Oh, the ground outside is just dirt, I was afraid that the dust would get the books dirty,¡± Nianhe explained as she approached him. She looked up at him, saying, ¡°Brother Yuncheng, thank you.¡± Her big eyes were clear and distinct, as transparent as if one could see straight to the bottom of a clear spring. Yuncheng paused for a moment, quickly averted his gaze, and began taking items out of the cloth bag. Two cans of yellow peach, a bag of milk powder, a bag of salted duck eggs, and seven or eight apples. ¡°I have to go to work, but if you don¡¯t feel well and don¡¯t want to cook, you can join meals at the front yard or stay with the villagers for a few days; don¡¯t starve yourself just because you don¡¯t want to cook.¡± While speaking, Yuncheng neatly arranged the items, finally taking out two packs of medicine from his pocket. However, Nianhe was not concerned about the food; seeing the salted duck eggs on the table, she couldn¡¯t help asking, ¡°Brother Yuncheng, did you buy these things from the Cooperative Society?¡± Forgive her lack of experience, it made sense for the Cooperative Society to sell duck eggs, but selling cooked salted duck eggs... was that normal? Moreover, she belatedly felt something was off¡ª If she remembered correctly, nowadays the allocations of grain, oil, meat, and sugar were controlled, weren¡¯t they? Yuncheng lived alone in Lan County; even if there were leftovers, how much could he save? And the things he brought for her, by normal standards, he couldn¡¯t possibly save that much even in two years. So where did these items... come from? Chapter 53 - 53 52 Matters of Human Relationships and Worldly Affairs ?53: Chapter 52: Matters of Human Relationships and Worldly Affairs 53: Chapter 52: Matters of Human Relationships and Worldly Affairs Su Yuncheng¡¯s hand paused slightly. He lowered his eyes to tidy up the cloth pouch, only starting to speak once he had folded it neatly: ¡°Just eat it when I give it to you, don¡¯t ask where it came from.¡± Naturally, the items weren¡¯t bought at the Cooperative Society. How could you get fruit there without lining up early? Not to mention duck eggs. Lin Nianhe lowered his voice a notch: ¡°Then, is there any mutton available?¡± Su Yuncheng instinctively replied, ¡°You wanna eat? I¡¯ll get it.¡± Lin Nianhe: ¡°So it¡¯s from the black market, huh? Next time, take me with you, ok?¡± Su Yuncheng: ¡°...¡± He was thinking about how to feed her, yet she was thinking about going to the black market? Su Yuncheng didn¡¯t ponder deeply and touched his forehead as he said, ¡°It¡¯s not possible, that kind of place is too dangerous, and besides, I only go there to investigate cases.¡± His words reminded Lin Nianhe of a piece of information he had casually learned from Uncle Liu at the police station before¡ªthe black market near the hospital had two groups fighting. Looking at these items, and thinking about the time Uncle Liu mentioned that event, it seemed that the black market near the hospital had returned to normal. Lin Nianhe tilted his head, his eyes twinkling with amusement: ¡°Mixing public duties with private interests?¡± Su Yuncheng tapped her forehead lightly: ¡°Enduring hardship for a future comeback.¡± Lin Nianhe held her head: ¡°Alright then.¡± Seeing her gesture like this, Su Yuncheng immediately panicked: ¡°Sorry, I was too rough.¡± Lin Nianhe was too embarrassed to say that this tap was far less than one-tenth of Aunt Wang¡¯s strength. Su Yuncheng wanted to pull her hand away to check, but though his hand lifted, he dared not grasp her white wrist. His hand hovered in mid-air, unable to advance or retreat. Lin Nianhe smiled lightly: ¡°It¡¯s alright, it doesn¡¯t hurt.¡± She said this as she lowered her hand, a slight redness at the center of her brow. Su Yuncheng really wanted to chop off his own hand. What a debt. Lin Nianhe, looking at the items on the table, said after a moment of silence: ¡°Yuncheng, no matter what you do, always be careful.¡± Her voice was soft, wrapping Su Yuncheng¡¯s heart in a warm flow. He nodded solemnly: ¡°I know, don¡¯t worry.¡± Previously he had no attachments, so he acted without thinking of the consequences. Now it was different, he had a delicate little girl waiting for him to look after, reminding him to be cautious. After Lin Nianhe said this, she looked up to see Su Yuncheng¡¯s extremely touched expression. He... What exactly had he imagined from this mere courtesy? Lin Nianhe cleared her throat and said, ¡°Yuncheng, you don¡¯t need to buy mutton for me, I don¡¯t want to eat it, I was just asking.¡± ¡°Then tell me whatever you want, and I¡¯ll get it for you,¡± Su Yuncheng said, partly threatening and partly in fear, fearing she might head to the black market, ¡°There¡¯s a local bully in the town¡¯s black market, it¡¯s very easy for a young girl to get into trouble.¡± ¡°Mhm, I won¡¯t go,¡± Lin Nianhe smiled brightly, ¡°and I also don¡¯t have the time.¡± Only then did Su Yuncheng feel relieved. He urged her, ¡°Go lie down, rest well, and don¡¯t rush to work tomorrow. It¡¯s better to talk about it when you¡¯re fully recovered.¡± ¡°And you?¡± ¡°I should be going,¡± Su Yuncheng said, ¡°I¡¯ll close the door for you, don¡¯t come out.¡± ¡°Ok,¡± Lin Nianhe crisply agreed, ¡°when I¡¯m rested, I¡¯ll go to town and treat you to a meal.¡± ¡°Alright, come to me anytime if there¡¯s anything.¡± Su Yuncheng insisted on not letting Lin Nianhe escort him, yet she still saw him out the door, watching him leave before returning to her room. She took four apples, four duck eggs, and a can of peaches, together with the medicinal wine, and carried them to the front yard. ¡°Sister Shumei, I¡¯m here.¡± Lin Nianhe knocked on the door. ¡°Just come in, no need to knock,¡± Wang Shumei responded. Lin Nianhe pushed the door open, smiled cheerfully as he placed down the things he brought, and handed her the medicinal wine, ¡°How¡¯s your foot? Let me take a look.¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing serious, it just still hurts when I walk,¡± Wang Shumei said, rolling up her trouser leg. A palm-sized bruise was still swelling. ¡°Tsck,¡± Lin Nianhe clicked his tongue, ¡°That¡¯s pretty bad. You shouldn¡¯t walk around too much and don¡¯t rush to work.¡± Wang Shumei agreed briskly: ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m not in a hurry, I¡¯ve asked for leave from the captain until I¡¯m fully healed.¡± Her words surprised Lin Nianhe. Looking at Wang Shumei¡¯s simple clothes, he hadn¡¯t expected her to be indifferent about the work points and dare to rest for a few extra days. Seeing the inquiry in Lin Nianhe¡¯s eyes, Wang Shumei said in a seemingly calm manner: ¡°Even if I wanted to work, I couldn¡¯t. You can only earn work points if you¡¯re alive, right?¡± If it were Miao Yulan, not just a sprained foot, even if she broke her leg, she would still be able to hobble to the fields. Lin Nianhe didn¡¯t probe further, only saying, ¡°As long as you know what¡¯s best for you. If you need anything, just shout out for me, I¡¯ll hear you.¡± ¡°Alright,¡± Wang Shumei pointed at the things on the table. ¡°Keep the medicine, but take back and eat those snacks yourself.¡± ¡°My brother got a lot, I can¡¯t finish it,¡± Lin Nianhe shook his head. ¡°Besides, without you and Sister Lan, I would have died on the mountain without anyone knowing.¡± ¡°What are you talking about,¡± Wang Shumei rolled her eyes at Lin Nianhe, ¡°I didn¡¯t take care of you just for the snacks.¡± ¡°I know you didn¡¯t. Just consider it as me visiting the sick and bringing gifts,¡± Lin Nianhe said as he stood up. ¡°I won¡¯t keep you any longer, I¡¯m going to go back to sleep.¡± ¡°Okay, go ahead,¡± Wang Shumei added, ¡°But take your things with you.¡± Lin Nianhe pretended not to hear, knowing Wang Shumei couldn¡¯t catch up to him, and walked away swinging his hands. Even though they had returned to the cave because Wang Shumei had sprained her ankle that day, Lin Nianhe knew that if he had gone up the mountain alone, he would have also sought shelter in the cave due to the sudden heavy rain. From Wang Hong¡¯s description, Lin Nianhe could infer that they would have hurried to take her down the mountain right after the rain stopped. He remembered this kindness. Lin Nianhe returned to his room, locked the door, and drew the curtains. He first lit a heater and waited for the warmth to set in, meanwhile, he also checked his temperature. 36.8 degrees, the fever was completely gone. When the room temperature rose, he then took out a bath bucket for a soak. After a comfortable bath, Lin Nianhe felt some strength return to his sore muscles. He changed into clean clothes and crawled into bed. As soon as his head touched the pillow, he fell into a deep sleep. He slept through completely unaware of Su Yuncheng¡¯s visit at noon. Su Yuncheng had brought even more items this time, but they weren¡¯t for Lin Nianhe. Li Dahe was a bit puzzled when he saw Su Yuncheng outside, ¡°Comrade Su, what do you mean by this?¡± ¡°Yesterday, I troubled the villagers to go up the mountain to find Nianhe. If her illness were delayed, it would have been troublesome. There are also two female comrades from the Educated Youth Corps who need thanking. I¡¯m here to deliver some thank-you gifts on their behalf. Please, Dahe, help me deliver these gifts to each household.¡± Li Dahe, smacking his lips, thought that these two must be like siblings. Handling such social intricacies felt like they had it figured out clearly! Li Dahe figured that just searching for someone on the mountain wasn¡¯t physical labor, and they had even unexpectedly caught a wild pheasant, quite enough that there wasn¡¯t a need to specially deliver thank-you gifts. He represented the villagers in refusal. Unsuccessfully. Su Yuncheng insisted on giving the gifts. In the end, it was Aunt Li who said, ¡°Since Comrade Su insists, just take him around. If it were someone from our village, the family would also need to give something as thanks, right?¡± As Aunt Li spoke, she gave Li Dahe a meaningful look. Knowing his wife¡¯s cues well, Li Dahe immediately understood her intent. Li Dahe, stroking his hair as he looked at Aunt Li, was full of confusion¡ª Since when had his wife become so scheming? Chapter 54 - 54 53 Thank You, Sister-in-Law ?54: Chapter 53 Thank You, Sister-in-Law 54: Chapter 53 Thank You, Sister-in-Law Lin Nianhe woke up when it was already evening. She was awakened by hunger. The aroma of food was already wafting from the front courtyard. As she opened the door, she saw apples, duck eggs, and canned food placed on the ground, obviously returned to her by those two again. Thinking there were many people in the front courtyard, Lin Nianhe did not bring anything with her and leisurely made her way there. She had just rounded the east wall when she saw Wen Lan. ¡°Yo, awake now?¡± Wen Lan quickly approached Lin Nianhe in two strides and reached out to touch her forehead, ¡°Not bad, the fever¡¯s gone.¡± ¡°Sister Lan.¡± Lin Nianhe affectionately linked her arm, ¡°You worked hard taking care of me yesterday.¡± ¡°No trouble at all, you¡¯re light as a kitten,¡± Wen Lan said nonchalantly with a wave of her hand, ¡°How¡¯s it? All better now?¡± ¡°Pretty much.¡± Lin Nianhe stretched lazily, ¡°Won¡¯t hinder me from transplanting rice seedlings.¡± Wen Lan curled her lips, still looking rather disdainful, ¡°You must be out of your mind, there are no seedlings for you to transplant now.¡± Lin Nianhe: ¡°...¡± She rubbed her nose and asked, ¡°Why did you return the stuff to me again? I said it was meant for you two to eat.¡± ¡°Return it? What do you think your house is, not the kind of place to keep sending stuff like that!¡± Wen Lan rolled her eyes at her, ¡°Left a pile, right a pile, what are you two trying to do, give away all your belongings?¡± Lin Nianhe was baffled by her words. What did she mean by left a pile, right a pile? She only gave once. Wang Shumei hopped on one leg out of the house, propped herself on the doorframe, and told Lin Nianhe, ¡°Your brother came at noon, gave something to the folks who went up the mountain to search for us yesterday, and also brought flour and eggs to our Educated Youth Corps.¡± ¡°Ah?¡± Lin Nianhe¡¯s eyes widened. She had planned to do this tomorrow when she had more energy. Favors like this can wear thin; one unintentional mistake, and people might not help you next time. She still had to live here for a long time and dared not squander others¡¯ goodwill. But how come Su Yuncheng took the initiative before she could act? Wang Shumei hopped over to Lin Nianhe and whispered, ¡°Your brother also brought brown sugar and canned food for Xiao Lan and me. We¡¯ve kept those things, so please don¡¯t bring anything else, it really wasn¡¯t a big deal. We¡¯re sisters and we¡¯ll be around each other for a long time, it¡¯s not necessary.¡± Lin Nianhe felt a bit stunned. Su Yuncheng had thought things through too much. Seeing Lin Nianhe¡¯s confused face, Wen Lan couldn¡¯t help but burst into laughter, ¡°What¡¯s up? You didn¡¯t know your brother was giving stuff away?¡± Lin Nianhe was clueless, ¡°I really didn¡¯t know. He didn¡¯t tell me.¡± If only Su Yuncheng had mentioned it, she wouldn¡¯t have let him. Wang Shumei patted her shoulder and told her, ¡°Alright, your brother did a better job with this than you would have. At least it lets the villagers know you have family to look after you... He probably thought the same, otherwise, he wouldn¡¯t have done it without you.¡± Lin Nianhe nodded thoughtfully, ¡°Yeah, that makes sense.¡± Educated youth were often bullied, mostly because they were unfamiliar with the place and had no one to back them up. By sending gifts on her behalf, Su Yuncheng, besides showing gratitude, was essentially telling others that Lin Nianhe also had family support here. With someone caring about her so wholeheartedly, Lin Nianhe felt a warm feeling in her chest. While they were talking, Yu Xiangqin came out from the kitchen. Seeing Lin Nianhe, her expression was a bit awkward. ¡°Ahem,¡± Yu Xiangqin cleared her throat, ¡°Well, Lin Nianhe, we¡¯ve cooked enough for an extra portion, if you don¡¯t feel like cooking, just bring over your bowl.¡± She added uneasily, ¡°If you can cook yourself, then pretend I didn¡¯t say anything.¡± Seeing her awkward manner, Lin Nianhe almost wanted to laugh. Wang Shumei tugged on her finger and whispered in her ear, ¡°They even made ginger soup for you yesterday.¡± Lin Nianhe was momentarily stunned. She finally understood what Wang Hong had said that day. Indeed, their intentions weren¡¯t bad. Lin Nianhe didn¡¯t hesitate anymore and chuckled as she nodded: ¡°Alright then, I¡¯ll be lazy and not cook, I¡¯ll mooch a meal off you guys.¡± The thank-you gift Su Yuncheng sent was actually not too much, twelve jins of flour, twelve eggs, divided up, it was about the amount for one or two meals per person. After knowing the amount, Lin Nianhe didn¡¯t take more, just took two steamed buns made from two different flours and excused herself for feeling unwell and went back to cook on her own stove. She wasn¡¯t in the mood to cook, so she took out a portion of sweet and sour pork loin and stir-fried baby bok choy from her space, and also a bowl of preserved egg and lean pork congee, eating it with the steamed buns until she was full. While eating, she couldn¡¯t help but sigh. The debt she owed to Su Yuncheng seemed to be growing more and more. It was making her lose sleep and her appetite. After the meal, Lin Nianhe took out paper and pen, wrote a brief note, and stuffed the note along with five yuan into an envelope, planning to ask the mail carrier to pass it to Su Yuncheng when he came to the village. Since he was able to deliver things from Su Yuncheng to her, he must be well-acquainted with him. After finishing this task, Lin Nianhe finally relaxed and went back to sleep. It had to be said, Su Yuncheng¡¯s strategy was quite effective. The next day, as Lin Nianhe went to work, the villagers she passed by all inquired about her health. Even Li Dahe asked her once. Since the rumor incident, it had been a long time since Lin Nianhe had felt such warmth from the villagers. She responded with a smile to each one of them, patting her chest to signal that a little sickness was not enough to stop her determination to build the country! Listening to Lin Nianhe¡¯s words, Li Dahe¡¯s hair seemed to be so worried it wanted to fly away from him. If this little bastard could do half of what she said, he wouldn¡¯t have to comb through the cornfields to find where the weeds were less dense. Lin Nianhe started with a heroic vigor, pulling weeds for ten minutes, but then had no choice but to start cajoling herself. She was really silly, truly. She should have known better than to think that a fever going down meant she was cured. There was an opportunity for a legitimate sick leave right in front of her which she hadn¡¯t cherished, and when the sweat slid down her cheeks and she regretted it, it was already too late for regret. Luckily, the team leader was particularly lenient with her today, seeing her tired and allowing her to sit for a while without publicly naming and criticizing her. She was only docked work points. At noon when work ended, Wen Lan dragged Lin Nianhe and looked into the distance with a suggestion: ¡°Hezi, why don¡¯t you take the afternoon off?¡± ¡°Hm?¡± Lin Nianhe looked surprised, ¡°Sister Lan, you suddenly showing so much concern for me, it¡¯s making me anxious!¡± Wen Lan gazed thoughtfully towards Qingshan: ¡°That¡¯s not quite it, the key point is I just had a day of not having to carry heavy sacks after work, give me another couple of days to relax.¡± Lin Nianhe: ¡°...¡± If Wen Lan could not explain it, Lin Nianhe genuinely would have thanked her from the bottom of her heart. Lin Nianhe followed Wen Lan¡¯s suggestion, having toiled in the fields for the whole morning and only earned two work points. It really wasn¡¯t worth it compared to resting at the Educated Youth Corps. However, Wen Lan¡¯s wish to not carry sacks after work did not come true, as in the afternoon, the postal worker delivered her package. ¡°Wen Lan, your package! Wang Shumei, you¡¯ve got a letter!¡± Zhou Xu¡¯s loud voice echoed throughout the Educated Youth Corps. Arriving even faster than Wen Lan was Lin Nianhe. She ran over and handed the letter she prepared the night before to Zhou Xu: ¡°Comrade, may I ask if you could please deliver this letter to Su Yuncheng for me?¡± Zhou Xu, who had just unloaded a huge package and wiped the sweat off his brow, took the letter without even asking where Su Yuncheng¡¯s house was and agreed: ¡°Sure, I¡¯ll deliver it later.¡± ¡°Thank you, it¡¯s much appreciated.¡± ¡°No problem, don¡¯t worry about it.¡± Zhou Xu smiled broadly, but seeing one letter still unclaimed, he shouted again: ¡°Wang Shumei! You¡¯ve got a letter!¡± Lin Nianhe stretched out her hand: ¡°Wang Shumei sprained her ankle, I¡¯ll take it for her.¡± Zhou Xu blurted out: ¡°Alright, thanks sister-in-law!¡± Lin Nianhe: ¡°...?¡± What did she just hear? Chapter 55 - 55 54 She Slips Her Hand into Her Pocket ?55: Chapter 54 She Slips Her Hand into Her Pocket... 55: Chapter 54 She Slips Her Hand into Her Pocket... Lin Nianhe looked at the delivery boy¡¯s nai?ve face and rubbed her ears: ¡°What did you call me?¡± Upon realizing his slip of the tongue, Zhou Xu wanted to correct himself but had no idea where to start for the explanation to be convincing. Lin Nianhe slowly narrowed her eyes, her gaze filled with an intimidating threat: ¡°Comrade, the relationship between Su Yuncheng and me is purely that of neighbors who grew up together. If you spread rumors, I will report you to the commune!¡± Zhou Xu laughed awkwardly, racking his brains to come up with an excuse: ¡°Sorry, Sister Lin, I just... you actually resemble my sister-in-law a lot! I misspoke!¡± Lin Nianhe: ¡°...¡± Nobody with an IQ over twenty could come up with such a divine excuse. She forced a smile and tried to brainwash herself, coercing her mind to accept the explanation. ¡°Oh fine then, just be more careful in the future.¡± Lin Nianhe said, her face tensed as she seriously warned, ¡°If you talk nonsense again, I will definitely report you.¡± Zhou Xu nodded repeatedly: ¡°Sure, sure, don¡¯t worry.¡± He agreed readily, but couldn¡¯t help but inwardly scoff. What pure childhood neighborhood relationship! He had heard from his sister how Brother Cheng tended to Sister Lin all night when she was sick. And recently, he had been procuring all sorts of things that girls liked to eat, and even intended to buy milk powder... This wasn¡¯t about raising a childhood friend as a sister; this was clearly raising a wife as a daughter. Embedded in Zhou Xu¡¯s mind were the tender affections between Brother Cheng and Sister Lin. He completely forgot about his sister¡¯s unrequited love and her daily tears at home, which painted a picture of deep sadness. After warning Zhou Xu, Lin Nianhe didn¡¯t take the matter to heart¡ªshe could be misunderstood over delivering something for Li Xiaoshan to Wang Xixi, so it was perfectly normal for Zhou Xu to misunderstand her and Su Yuncheng. She turned around, intending to help Wen Lan with the enormous parcel. But without missing a step, Wen Lan, with one hand, swiftly carried the large package into the Educated Youth Corps¡¯s gate. Lin Nianhe watched her back and silently retracted her outstretched hand. She had disrespected Sister Lan! While she was lost in thought, Zhou Xu had already sped off like a whirlwind on his bicycle. If one observed closely, they would notice that Zhou Xu rode his bicycle with extra force from his left foot while his right foot had to tiptoe slightly when pedaling. But the inconvenience of his legs could not stop Zhou Xu from fleeing the scene. He rode away as fast as he could, heading straight for Su Yuncheng¡¯s home. Su Yuncheng lived in a bungalow in the police station¡¯s courtyard. The place was tidy, with coal stacked neatly under a shed on the east side and, on the west, a cellar with a row of green onions planted along the wall. ¡°Brother Cheng! Sister Lin... *cough* Comrade Lin sent you a message!¡± Zhou Xu¡¯s intelligence always performed better when he saw Su Yuncheng. He swiftly corrected himself and with a simpleton¡¯s smile waved towards Su Yuncheng at the door. Su Yuncheng had just gotten home not long ago and hadn¡¯t started cooking yet. He came out upon hearing the noise, extending his hand toward Zhou Xu: ¡°Hand it over.¡± He wore a clean, tidy white shirt, facial expression not as gentle as usual, eyes cold as frost¡ªseemingly nervous. Zhou Xu handed over the letter, but didn¡¯t leave. Sure enough, the next second after Su Yuncheng took the letter, he asked: ¡°How is she?¡± ¡°She looked spirited enough. I visited her after finishing work, and she was coming out of the Educated Youth Corps. She probably didn¡¯t go to work today.¡± Zhou Xu omitted the part about ¡°sister-in-law¡± and told everything else. ¡°Mhm.¡± Su Yuncheng¡¯s expression finally relaxed. He opened the envelope and glanced at the note and money inside. This... Su Yuncheng closed the envelope without changing his expression and asked Zhou Xu: ¡°Noticed anything recently?¡± Zhou Xu wisely started with ¡°Nothing much happening at Ten Miles Team,¡± before getting to the point: ¡°However, there¡¯s unrest at Nine-miles Team. I happened to catch them holding a big meeting when I was delivering letters today. After the Zhang Family was sentenced, those two children went back to the village and didn¡¯t want to deal with it, they¡¯re still arguing about that matter.¡± ¡°They don¡¯t get to decide whether to interfere or not,¡± said Su Yuncheng nonchalantly. ¡°What about that matter? Any news yet?¡± Zhou Xu scratched his head awkwardly, clearly indicating that there was no news. Su Yuncheng was neither surprised nor disappointed. Zhou Xu used to be a scout under his command, and due to an injury, he was discharged and transferred to civilian work alongside Su Yuncheng. Su Yuncheng was assigned to the police station, while Zhou Xu should have returned to the countryside to farm. Worried that Zhou Xu would struggle with farming because of his limp, Su Yuncheng pulled some strings and got him a job as a postman. At the time, Su Yuncheng didn¡¯t realize that Zhou Xu could still be of use in this position, gathering intelligence from ten miles around while delivering mail. If not for Zhou Xu, choosing a place for Lin Nianhe to move to would have been a bit of a hassle. Zhou Xu was not nimble, but he stood up straight. After a moment¡¯s thought, he said, ¡°There is another matter, though it probably isn¡¯t related to that¡ªthe Educated Youth at Nine-miles Team have been stealing chickens and eggs from the locals and reselling them!¡± The speaker was unintentional, but the listener was keen. Su Yuncheng frowned. The outside world was never at peace, and the Educated Youth Corps was also gearing up for their third campaign. The package for Wen Lan was sent from home, filled with a thick cotton coat made by Wen Lan¡¯s mother and two sisters, and a hefty cotton quilt. Both the coat and the quilt were not new; they looked like old ones that had been taken apart and then padded with an extra layer of cotton. Such a coat and quilt naturally couldn¡¯t be as warm as new ones, but this was the best the Wen Family could provide for Wen Lan. Wen Lan didn¡¯t mind the heat at all, rolling on the bed with the items and laughing like a flower blossoming. ¡°See, isn¡¯t this flower pretty? You can¡¯t even tell it¡¯s patched, right? My mom¡¯s craftsmanship is great! Actually, my own skills are also...¡± Before Wen Lan could finish showing off, their room¡¯s door was pushed open. All three turned to look, only to see Wang Xue standing at the door with furrowed brows, looking at Lin Nianhe. Lin Nianhe raised an eyebrow: ¡°Do you need something?¡± Wang Xue didn¡¯t enter, remaining where she was, and said while looking at Lin Nianhe, ¡°Comrade Lin, could you please watch your behavior a little? That postman just called for you... We didn¡¯t mind hearing it, but if the locals heard it, they would surely gossip about the Educated Youth Corps again.¡± Her voice was not too loud or too soft, just enough for everyone in the courtyard to hear. Wang Shumei was sitting on the bed, fiddling with her letter. Hearing this, she looked at Lin Nianhe, asking with her eyes what had happened. Lin Nianhe smiled lightly and said, staring into Wang Xue¡¯s eyes, ¡°Didn¡¯t the postman comrade explain? He said I look like his sister-in-law and accidentally called out the wrong name.¡± Wang Xue found Lin Nianhe¡¯s smile irritating. Thinking back to how Su Yuncheng had pushed his bike to take her home a few days ago filled Wang Xue with a bitterness like vinegar had been poured into her heart. She clenched her fists, not wanting to let this incident pass lightly: ¡°Are you saying I¡¯m targeting you? I¡¯m considering the reputation of the Educated Youth Corps here. Who would believe such a childish excuse?¡± Lin Nianhe¡¯s lips curled slightly: ¡°Well, why couldn¡¯t you believe it?¡± Wang Xue was so blocked by her words she choked, pinching her own palm hard before managing to calm down, ¡°Lin Nianhe, can you not only think of yourself when you do things? Can you also...¡± ¡°Ah right, right, you¡¯re correct.¡± Lin Nianhe leaned back, nodding halfheartedly, ¡°I¡¯ll reflect on it when I get back, deeply reflect. Should I also self-punish with three drinks? Would that work for you?¡± ¡°What kind of attitude is this!¡± Wang Xue stomped her foot in anger. She couldn¡¯t understand how she, who came to ¡°hold accountable,¡± ended up being the angry one in the end? Lin Nianhe¡¯s eyes lost their teasing mirth, and after a chilly glance at Wang Xue that lingered for a moment, she said indifferently, ¡°This, of course, is an attitude of unity and friendship, as Aunt Wang specifically instructed before. Otherwise, why do you think I managed to hold back from slapping you after you spoke your first sentence?¡± ¡°You... You still want to resort to violence?¡± Wang Xue¡¯s teeth began to chatter, and as she remembered the scene where Lin Nianhe once kicked open Widow Zhao¡¯s door, she unconsciously stepped back. ¡°Of course not,¡± Lin Nianhe broke into a smile again, ¡°Aunt Wang said, anyone who dares not to unite with comrades will be sent to the Great Northern Wilderness, so you¡¯d better not stir up trouble again¡ª¡± ¡°I¡¯ll tattle, and I¡¯m pretty quick at it.¡± She tucked her small hands in her pockets, the person in front of her not even qualifying as an opponent. Chapter 56 - 56 55 Men Only Affect the Speed at Which She Draws Her Sword ?56: Chapter 55: Men Only Affect the Speed at Which She Draws Her Sword 56: Chapter 55: Men Only Affect the Speed at Which She Draws Her Sword Aunt Wang proved that her deterrent power is not something us mere mortals can shake easily, as she can subdue everyone in the Ten Miles Team, young and old, all by herself. Since Lin Nianhe brought up Wang Hong, Wang Xue has been as docile as a quail, taking detours when she sees Lin Nianhe, for fear that one dissatisfaction would set her off to tattle. Perhaps some may doubt Lin Nianhe¡¯s combat abilities, but no one dares say she can¡¯t tattle. To this day, Zhao Zhuangshi still dares not approach the riverbank! With him as an example, who would dare underestimate Lin Nianhe¡¯s tattling skills? Thanks to Lin Nianhe¡¯s efforts, the Educated Youth Corps settled into a brief period of quietness. After recovering for half a day, Lin Nianhe went back to work, earning a steady five points a day. Li Dahe went from initial disdain to now feeling relieved about her only earning five points. Not bad at all, isn¡¯t it about how much is enough? Five points might be few, but it¡¯s better than being bedridden, right? Li Dahe felt that he couldn¡¯t be too concerned about how much work Lin Nianhe did¡ªhis hairline couldn¡¯t withstand keeping such close tabs on this little bastard. In fact, Lin Nianhe was not only contributing the labor equivalent of five points; she was also earnestly mobilizing the villagers to build the country and convincing them to recognize that a know-it-all youth just learning to farm and earning five points was already a great effort... Wen Lan also took note of her hard work. ¡°Hezi, you¡¯ve been doing quite well recently, no longer needing my help after work,¡± Wen Lan said, fanning herself with her hat as they walked. Lin Nianhe raised her chin: ¡°Looking down on who?¡± She used to be quite the little brick-moving expert, only now her body wasn¡¯t cooperating... Wen Lan glanced at her sideways: ¡°You.¡± Lin Nianhe: ¡°...¡± Suddenly, she missed Sister Shumei. She believed that Sister Shumei currently couldn¡¯t outwork her. As long as Sister Shumei went to work, Sister Lan wouldn¡¯t keep nagging her. Speaking of Sister Shumei, she was quite the character. After twisting her ankle, she boldly chose to recline in the Educated Youth Corps for half a month, determined to completely recover from her injury. Even when Wang Hong came to ask personally, she only said one thing: Auntie, if I don¡¯t heal properly, and end up lame, it¡¯ll be a lifelong issue. Wang Hong pondered over this and figured there was sense in that. So she let her be. This move not only shocked the villagers but also left the folks at the Educated Youth Corps wondering what gave Wang Shumei such confidence. Lin Nianhe¡¯s good days were obvious for all to see, as everyone knew she came from a well-off family. But Sister Shumei had always been quiet, not looking like she had any support from home. Lately, Wang Xue and Miao Yulan had begun to keep their distance from Wang Shumei and Wen Lan, fearing that once the food was divided, Sister Shumei wouldn¡¯t have enough and would ask to borrow from them. As Lin Nianhe and Wen Lan strolled to the outside of the Educated Youth Corps, they happened to overhear Sun Guanghui¡¯s voice: ¡°...I¡¯ll lend it to you, don¡¯t get worked up.¡± Lin Nianhe, without any hesitation, retracted her step and stood still, not forgetting to grab Wen Lan. ¡°What are you...¡± Wen Lan began to speak, but Lin Nianhe covered her mouth. Lin Nianhe whispered in her ear: ¡°Don¡¯t talk, don¡¯t go in, just wait a moment.¡± Wen Lan, not understanding the situation, assumed Lin Nianhe was up to no good again, so she stood with hands on hips waiting, occasionally glancing at the large stone on the ground. From inside the Educated Youth Corps, Wang Shumei¡¯s voice could be heard: ¡°Thanks, but I¡¯m fine, I have enough food.¡± ¡°Alright then, just let me know if you need anything.¡± Lin Nianhe listened, smacked her lips, and pulled Wen Lan inside. Wen Lan, confused by her actions, asked: ¡°Hezi, you didn¡¯t let me speak, just to overhear these two pointless sentences?¡± Lin Nianhe defended herself with pride: ¡°Don¡¯t vilify me, I was clearly trying to avoid embarrassing Sister Shumei.¡± Wang Shumei: ¡°...¡± They¡¯re practically eavesdropping in broad daylight. Having recuperated for some time now, Wang Shumei could walk without issue. Today was her turn, along with Wen Lan, to cook. Not waiting for Wen Lan to return, she had already prepared the meal. ¡°Xiao Lan, Nianhe, I¡¯m thinking of going to town tomorrow. Do you want to come with me?¡± Wang Shumei asked while serving the rice. ¡°You¡¯re going to town?¡± Wen Lan sounded dubious. ¡°Can your legs handle it?¡± ¡°They can.¡± ¡°Then, would you mind mailing a letter for me?¡± Wen Lan asked. ¡°I won¡¯t be going. A trip there means at least half a day¡¯s work missed.¡± Wen Lan, like Lin Nianhe, almost never had her work points fluctuate. But she was paid ten points. ¡°Sure,¡± Wang Shumei agreed readily, passing the filled bowl of rice to her and then turning to Lin Nianhe. ¡°Nianhe, are you going?¡± Lin Nianhe pondered. She should also make a trip to town, needing to scout the black market and owed Su Yuncheng a meal. With that thought in mind, she nodded: ¡°I¡¯ll go. I will ask Uncle Team Leader for a leave later.¡± Wang Shumei hadn¡¯t expected Lin Nianhe would want to go and nodded after a moment¡¯s pause: ¡°Alright, we¡¯ll go together tomorrow.¡± Lin Nianhe found Wang Shumei¡¯s expression a bit strange, as if plotting to do something sneaky. The observer¡¯s instinct in her sensed a juicy story brewing. True to form, Wang Shumei didn¡¯t disappoint Lin Nianhe. The next day, right after they dropped off Wen Lan¡¯s letter in the mailbox, Wang Shumei said, ¡°Nianhe, I need to drop by my cousin¡¯s place and pay him a visit since I haven¡¯t done so since arriving.¡± Lin Nianhe nodded in agreement: ¡°Okay, go ahead. I¡¯ll stroll around the Cooperative Society. Let¡¯s meet at the State-Owned Restaurant at twelve.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Wang Shumei replied and left. Lin Nianhe looked at her empty basket on her back and shook her head helplessly. Going to her cousin¡¯s place without bringing anything was something Wang Shumei would not typically do. Lin Nianhe saw through it without saying anything, shook her head, and turned towards the direction of the police station. The gatekeeper was still Uncle Liu, steadfast at his post. Lin Nianhe cheerfully approached, handing the old man a small packet of tea, barely weighing half a liang (about a quarter of an ounce). ¡°Uncle Liu, long time no see. You look even younger than before.¡± Uncle Liu¡¯s stern face broke into a grin. He sniffed the tea leaves and said to Lin Nianhe: ¡°Girl, are you here to see your brother?¡± ¡°Yes. Can you please tell him to come out?¡± Lin Nianhe said with a smile. ¡°Today is not your day,¡± Uncle Liu said with a wry smile, ¡°Xiao Su left early this morning to work on a case and isn¡¯t here.¡± Lin Nianhe didn¡¯t let her disappointment show: ¡°That¡¯s fine. If my brother comes back this morning, please tell him to meet me at the State-Owned Restaurant entrance at twelve. If he¡¯s busy, he need not come at all, and if it¡¯s past the time, don¡¯t bother telling him.¡± Uncle Liu took note carefully, and then asked, ¡°Got anything urgent? Shouldn¡¯t you leave him a note?¡± ¡°No need, I¡¯m fine,¡± Lin Nianhe said with a casual wave. ¡°I just happened to come to town and thought of inviting him for a meal. If he is busy, no worries.¡± ¡°Alright, should there be anything urgent, you can tell me as well.¡± ¡°Okay, thanks a lot.¡± Lin Nianhe waved at him. ¡°You¡¯re busy, I won¡¯t trouble you further.¡± ¡°Go on and have fun.¡± Uncle Liu waved back, continuing to enjoy the scent of the tea leaves. Lin Nianhe turned and sighed with a slight frown. Great, with Su Yuncheng not at the police station, she didn¡¯t have the guts to venture into the black market. She was planning to sell things, and if Su Yuncheng caught her in the act, she had no way to explain where her merchandise came from. Men, they really knew how to slow down a woman¡¯s decisiveness! Lin Nianhe wandered the streets aimlessly and found herself in front of the Textile Factory Family Courtyard. Watching the aunties sitting around in small groups, a determined gleam flashed in her eyes. Chapter 57 - 57 56 The Whole World is Against Her ?57: Chapter 56 The Whole World is Against Her 57: Chapter 56 The Whole World is Against Her You have your trick; I have my ladder across the bridge. A mere hiccup, it shall absolutely not hinder my steps to earn a bit of little money! Lin Nianhe turned and entered an unvisited small alley, taking out an empty basket from her space storage and filled it with roughly twenty pounds of apples, gauging by her capability. Less is better than not being able to carry at all, I suppose. The most important thing when traversing streets and alleys isn¡¯t how much stock you¡¯ve got, but being able to still walk while carrying it. The black cloth for covering the basket had been prepared in advance, and with everything well arranged, Lin Nianhe stepped out and walked on. She was only here to scout today, hence didn¡¯t bother with much disguise. The absence of surveillance she had complained about a thousand times before had now become her umbrella of protection. As long as she wasn¡¯t caught red-handed with the stolen goods, there was no need for fear. In any case, even if they were to turn her den upside down, at most they¡¯d find she¡¯d been spending money like water lately, and the unfortunate revelation of Comrade Old Lin giving her pocket money would come to light... Lin Nianhe licked her lips, thinking of sending a telegram to Comrade Old Lin later to report her safety. It wasn¡¯t that she didn¡¯t want to write a letter back, it¡¯s just her handwriting differed greatly from that of the original owner; her writing was sharp and aggressive, while the former¡¯s was a delicate and elegant small script, which she still needed to practice. While lost in her thoughts, Lin Nianhe entered the gates of the Textile Factory Family Courtyard. As soon as she entered the courtyard, she froze on the spot. Seeing the person before her, only one thought filled her mind¡ª The whole world was against her. How many people in the town? Tens of thousands? Hundreds of thousands? What were the chances of running into someone you know? One in tens of thousands? One in hundreds of thousands? Lin Nianhe didn¡¯t know the exact numbers; she only knew that she might as well have not bothered carrying those twenty pounds of apples. Principal Wu looked at Lin Nianhe, and after a moment of surprise, smiled: ¡°Lin Nianhe? What are you doing here?¡± Lin Nianhe: ¡°Just passing by.¡± Principal Wu, carrying vegetables, walked cheerfully to her side and asked, ¡°Are you feeling better? How has your health been recently?¡± She looked at Lin Nianhe as if she was looking at her student, at her own child. In reality, Principal Wu had no children. Her husband had been a teacher and during the disastrous years distributed his own food ration to fainting students, yet he didn¡¯t survive that autumn. They had no children, but they had many. Principal Wu held Lin Nianhe¡¯s hand, her mouth curving lightly, her eyes full of concern. ¡°I¡¯m fine, how have you been recently?¡± Lin Nianhe said while taking the vegetables from Principal Wu¡¯s hand, ¡°Where is your home? Let me walk you back.¡± ¡°I¡¯m the same as always,¡± Principal Wu said, not very particular about her own health, ¡°I was just discharged from the hospital two days ago. My older sister is worried about me, insisting I stay with her for a while. But really, there¡¯s no need for her to take care of me. It¡¯s just my old problem acting up again due to the recent chill.¡± Principal Wu didn¡¯t turn down Lin Nianhe¡¯s kind offer and they talked as they walked into a small courtyard. The courtyard was tidy and warm. Lin Nianhe set down the vegetables and prepared to take her leave: ¡°Well, you should rest well, I¡¯ll be going now.¡± ¡°What¡¯s the hurry? Have some water.¡± Principal Wu said, as she pulled Lin Nianhe into the main room. Lin Nianhe, seeing her still pale, didn¡¯t dare to sit and wait for water, but quickly took the thermos from her and poured two bowls of water. Principal Wu sat down, and her pale face didn¡¯t prevent her from being in a good mood: ¡°Yesterday I took a trip to the commune and proposed to the leaders the idea of fundraising to build a primary school in the Ten Miles Team. Compared to high school education, primary education is actually more essential. If they don¡¯t attend primary school, everything else is just empty talk in the future.¡± Lin Nianhe advised, ¡°You also need to take care of your health and not work too hard.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not tired.¡± Principal Wu drank a sip of water and her eyes sparkled with hope, ¡°I¡¯m thinking of setting up a primary school in the Ten Miles Team so that the children won¡¯t have to walk over ten miles of mountain roads to school anymore. The time they save could be spent learning a few more characters, which would be beneficial.¡± Lin Nianhe nodded slightly: ¡°That¡¯s true, and if the primary school dismisses earlier, the children can also help out with family chores, reducing the burden a bit.¡± Half-grown children in the village are all used as labor; even little kids can earn three or four points a day by collecting pig fodder. Thinking about this, Lin Nianhe suddenly felt sorrowful. Uncle Team Leader has valid reasons to disdain her; half is due to her insistence on portraying herself as useless, and the other half... purely deserved by her own doing. Principal Wu seemed to have already envisioned primary schools being built in every team, her gaze exceptionally bright, as if even her cough had lightened considerably. She talked about the school planning, the rearrangement of school hours to fit in with the children¡¯s labor, and various methods to persuade each family to send their children to school. As Lin Nianhe listened to her talk, she thought of something Aunt Li had said to her before. ¡®A couple of years ago, the commune did mention building more primary schools, but nothing came of it... We can barely afford meals, where would the money come from to build so many schools?¡¯ Lin Nianhe felt that Principal Wu¡¯s aspirations were unlikely to be realized. Principal Wu is an academic deeply dedicated to education; her eyes see only children and education. As such, she often overlooks some objective issues. For instance, her ideas all have a premise ¨C money. Even the Ten Miles Team, one of the top three wealthiest teams in the commune, doesn¡¯t have spare cash to build schools, let alone other impoverished villages. Building schools is not a one-time expense; teachers¡¯ salaries, classroom maintenance... these are long-term costs that cannot be avoided and are absolute necessities. If the Ten Miles Team has any extra money, the first choice would be to raise more piglets, which next year could be exchanged for more meat and food coupons to supplement their livelihoods, making life better for the villagers. Yet what Principal Wu thinks is to endure poverty and raise more outstanding youth to build up the country and the hometown. Actually, neither of them is wrong; they just look at the issue from different perspectives and standpoints. Lin Nianhe waited until Principal Wu finished speaking, then casually asked, ¡°Did the leaders of the commune agree?¡± ¡°Ah, he went to a meeting in the county, I left a letter for him,¡± Principal Wu replied nonchalantly, ¡°We¡¯ll hear back once he returns in a few days.¡± Seeing her filled with hope, Lin Nianhe really feared that knowing the truth would hit her hard and she wouldn¡¯t be able to stand it. After hesitating for a while, she still said, ¡°If every team were to build a primary school, it might be difficult to achieve in the short term, after all, we have to fill our stomachs first.¡± ¡°I know, we will take it step by step,¡± Principal Wu replied. Lin Nianhe felt that her advice had not truly been taken to heart by Principal Wu. She didn¡¯t say much more, just kept her company and said things she liked to hear before taking her leave. When she left the Textile Factory Family Courtyard, it was already half-past eleven. Lin Nianhe knew she had no chance to survey the market today, so she retreated to her secluded alley to put away her carrying basket and headed towards the State-Owned Restaurant. She had just waited at the entrance of the State-Owned Restaurant for five minutes when she saw Su Yuncheng and Wang Shumei coming together. Lin Nianhe: ¡°...?¡± How did these two end up together? Chapter 58 - 58 57 His Tenderness, Limited-Time Availability ?58: Chapter 57 His Tenderness, Limited-Time Availability 58: Chapter 57 His Tenderness, Limited-Time Availability Wang Shumei, carrying a basket on her back, followed behind Su Yuncheng like a child who had done something wrong, moving forward slowly. Lin Nianhe could clearly see the expression on her face as if she was gritting her teeth, wishing she could deal with Su Yuncheng harshly. She probably guessed where the two of them had met. As she got closer, a smile spread across Su Yuncheng¡¯s lips as he looked at Lin Nianhe and said, ¡°Uncle Liu told me that you came early, went to buy something?¡± Lin Nianhe glanced at her empty hands: ¡°Yes, I bought some air from the town, it¡¯s free and doesn¡¯t require tickets.¡± Su Yuncheng laughed lightly, still staring at her. Lin Nianhe openly confessed, ¡°I was originally planning to go to the Cooperative Society, but on the way, I ran into Principal Wu and went to her house to sit for a while. She wants to establish a primary school in Ten Miles Team and we talked for a long time.¡± After pondering for a moment, Su Yuncheng asked, ¡°The auntie who was staying to your right in the hospital?¡± ¡°Uh-huh.¡± Lin Nianhe couldn¡¯t help but marvel at Su Yuncheng¡¯s memory. He had only met Principal Wu once, merely greeting her when they parted, and yet he remembered her. Su Yuncheng, hearing her speak so orderly, finally breathed a sigh of relief. Today, the moment he saw Wang Shumei in the black market, he became nervous, afraid that he might see Lin Nianhe in some corner. Now knowing that she was just visiting and chatting, his heart finally settled down. Lin Nianhe reached out and took Wang Shumei¡¯s arm, patting her shoulder as if to comfort her: ¡°Let¡¯s go, I¡¯ll treat you two to a meal.¡± Wang Shumei: ¡°...¡± She didn¡¯t want to eat. Lin Nianhe didn¡¯t give her a chance to refuse and pulled her into the State-Owned Restaurant. At this time, the State-Owned Restaurant did not have a wide variety of dishes, but the ingredients used were substantial, and the master chef was also skilled. Lin Nianhe ordered three dishes: a braised pork, a pot of chicken stewed with mushrooms, and a dish of shredded potatoes, along with three bowls of rice. Not long after, a waiter called them to get their dishes. Su Yuncheng stood up to serve the dishes, and Lin Nianhe did not stop him, taking the opportunity to ask Wang Shumei, ¡°What exactly happened? Were you caught?¡± Wang Shumei knew she couldn¡¯t hide her secret when she saw Lin Nianhe¡¯s shrewd eyes and simply admitted, ¡°Almost!¡± What could she do if she didn¡¯t admit it? As soon as she turned around, Su Yuncheng would tell Lin Nianhe. ¡°Although he didn¡¯t catch me, he said that in the future I¡¯m not allowed to set foot in there! If he sees me there again, even if I ran away, he would go to the Educated Youth Corps and drag me out.¡± Wang Shumei was seething with rage. She had misunderstood Su Yuncheng. She always thought Su Yuncheng was a very gentle person, never expecting that his gentleness, like the meat buns at the State-Owned Restaurant, had a limited offer. ¡°Time¡±¡ªLin Nianhe was there. Lin Nianhe pondered over Wang Shumei¡¯s words, then said softly after a moment of contemplation, ¡°He recently mentioned to me that it was chaotic over there and could lead to trouble.¡± Wang Shumei caught her breath and took a gulp of water from the cup on the table before saying, ¡°I know, I had a feeling something was off today.¡± If she had not felt something abnormal, she would not have obediently followed Su Yuncheng to leave. During the twenty or so days in Ten Miles Team, she hadn¡¯t learned much else, but a stubbornly combative attitude had rooted itself in her mind. ¡°Tch, a seasoned hand, huh.¡± Lin Nianhe looked at her with a side-eye, ¡°My apologies.¡± So that¡¯s why, she thought, Wang Shumei dared to rest for half a month each time; she had other ways to make money. As they were talking, Su Yuncheng came back with the dishes. Lin Nianhe handed the chopsticks to Wang Shumei: ¡°Come on, let¡¯s eat.¡± She also passed a pair of chopsticks to Su Yuncheng: ¡°Brother Yuncheng, eat more.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Su Yuncheng actually wanted to talk to her about the five yuan business, but with Wang Shumei there, he had to swallow it back. This matter had been weighing on his mind for many days, but with his busy work, he had no time to visit her. All in all, it had been almost half a month since they had seen each other. Su Yuncheng ate his meal, glancing occasionally at Lin Nianhe. Seeing that her cheeks were still tender and she hadn¡¯t lost weight, his worry finally eased a bit. Wang Shumei initially didn¡¯t have much of an appetite, but after eating a piece of braised pork, she threw all her worries to the back of her head, turning her anger into an appetite. They finished the meal thoroughly, and Su Yuncheng asked Lin Nianhe, ¡°Do you have enough ration tickets for the Cooperative Society? I have some at home, should I bring them for you?¡± ¡°No need,¡± Lin Nianhe shook her head, ¡°I brought a lot from home, and haven¡¯t used much yet.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good,¡± Su Yuncheng nodded, ¡°I have things to do this afternoon, you should go back early, and be careful on the way.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Lin Nianhe waved to him, ¡°Goodbye.¡± ¡°Goodbye.¡± Wang Shumei always felt that when Su Yuncheng left, he gave her a warning look. It seemed to say: Don¡¯t lead Lin Nianhe astray. Wang Shumei¡¯s head ached. ¡°Let¡¯s go, to the Cooperative Society.¡± Wang Shumei said listlessly. ¡°Okay...¡± Lin Nianhe was about to leave when she caught a glimpse of the State-Owned Restaurant staff carrying out two large steamer baskets. The savory aroma of meat buns permeated the air. She dashed over in an instant and secured the first place in line. ¡°Sister Shumei, come quick!¡± She waved Wang Shumei over. Wang Shumei approached, puzzled, and asked her, ¡°Why are you buying buns now?¡± ¡°I forgot to bring a lunchbox, just getting a couple of buns for Sister Lan.¡± Lin Nianhe explained as she handed over a money ticket, ¡°I want four meat buns.¡± After all, they always cooked special meals; they couldn¡¯t forget about Wen Lan! The server, expressionless, accepted the money ticket and wrapped four buns in greased paper for Lin Nianhe. ¡°Phew... it¡¯s so hot!¡± Lin Nianhe juggled the package between her hands before placing it in Wang Shumei¡¯s basket. Wang Shumei: ¡°...¡± She was still a sick patient with a sprained ankle; was it really okay to have her carry things? Lin Nianhe showed no sympathy for Wang Shumei¡¯s injured state and dragged her to the Cooperative Society, symbolically buying ten pounds of rice and a pound of glutinous rice strips for snacks. Wang Shumei didn¡¯t buy anything but kept giving Lin Nianhe a mournful look. Lin Nianhe was so creeped out by her gaze that she couldn¡¯t help but say, ¡°Please don¡¯t escalate personal behavior to the level of neighbors! Sister Shumei, don¡¯t always look at me like that, it¡¯s not like I¡¯m the one stopping you, right?¡± ¡°I know it¡¯s not you,¡± Wang Shumei replied, ¡°but you seem easier to bully.¡± Lin Nianhe: ¡°...?¡± Heh, she clearly knew nothing about her own strength. Lin Nianhe was pondering whether to teach her a direct lesson or to trick her indirectly when her face was suddenly pinched by Wang Shumei. Lin Nianhe: ¡°...!¡± Wang Shumei: ¡°Tsk, really soft.¡± Lin Nianhe slapped her hand away and rolled her eyes at her, ¡°Stop touching me, are you forcing me to take action?¡± Wang Shumei: ¡°Oh, quite fierce.¡± Lin Nianhe: ¡°...¡± Is it that she can no longer wield a knife, or has Wang Shumei become too cocky? Does she honestly think I wouldn¡¯t hit an invalid? Lin Nianhe narrowed her eyes and reached for the soft flesh on Wang Shumei¡¯s waist with her mischievous little hand. ¡°Hey? Hahaha... I was wrong, I was wrong, stop it!¡± ¡°Tsk, quite a soft waist.¡± ¡°Hahaha... If you tickle me again, I¡¯m going to hit you!¡± ¡°Oh, quite fierce.¡± Lin Nianhe was never one to hold a grudge, she would settle it on the spot. Having teased Wang Shumei, Lin Nianhe felt refreshed and clear-headed. Wang Shumei, however, laughed until she was out of breath and, mustering her strength, headed back to the Educated Youth Corps, collapsing onto the little stool by the door and carelessly throwing her basket to the side. ¡°Crash¡ª¡± The greased paper package and the bright red dates rolled out of the basket in a scramble, scattering on the ground. Lin Nianhe¡¯s step towards Wang Shumei abruptly turned, and she headed east instead. ¡°Stop right there!¡± Chapter 59 - 59 58 Just an Average Monkey Spirit Compared to Her ?59: Chapter 58: Just an Average Monkey Spirit Compared to Her 59: Chapter 58: Just an Average Monkey Spirit Compared to Her ¡°Hehehe, Sister Shumei, I just remembered that I have two newspapers from yesterday that I haven¡¯t read yet. I¡¯m going to head back first, haha!¡± ¡°If you dare to ignore me, I¡¯ll go and complain at your Aunt Wang¡¯s doorstep!¡± Lin Nianhe¡¯s steps halted. She slowly turned around, staring at Wang Shumei, who sat there nonchalantly on a small stool. After a long time, she silently walked over, lifted the carrying basket, and began picking up the scattered items. One jujube, two jujubes... When Lin Nianhe picked up the third jujube, she couldn¡¯t hold back and looked up at Wang Shumei: ¡°Sister Shumei, you¡¯re becoming more and more like me.¡± Wang Shumei gave Lin Nianhe a roll of her eyes, pretending not to understand what she meant, while massaging her legs and mumbling, ¡°Ah, still not fully better. Who knows when I can start working again. I wasn¡¯t that worried before, but now...¡± ¡°You don¡¯t know, I still have a brother and sister at home counting on me for support. What am I supposed to do now?¡± ¡°Nianhe, if I starve myself and my siblings to death, whose fault would that be for these three lives?¡± Lin Nianhe continued picking up jujubes, not wanting to chime in. Seeing the opportunity, Wang Shumei cheerfully picked up the jujubes scattered around her. She was indeed worried, but not to the extent of dragging Lin Nianhe into her troubles. For this, she had been mentally prepared long ago. After about ten minutes, Lin Nianhe tossed the last few jujubes into the basket and then stood with her hands on her hips in front of Wang Shumei, tilting her chin up slightly: ¡°Sister Shumei, that ¡®cousin¡¯ of yours, he¡¯s a truck driver, right?¡± Wang Shumei was instantly terrified. How did this girl know? Seeing her expression, Lin Nianhe knew she hadn¡¯t guessed wrong. She tossed her braid, snorted arrogantly, and dragged Wang Shumei¡¯s carrying basket into her room. Wang Shumei wasn¡¯t in the mood to fake illness anymore and stood up to go back, even closing the door behind her. ¡°How did you know? Your brother told you... no, that¡¯s not right, he wouldn¡¯t know either!¡± Wang Shumei frowned deeply, scrutinizing Lin Nianhe with a sense of inquiry and caution. Lin Nianhe pointed to a corner of the basket: ¡°There must be twenty pounds of jujubes there, right? Look at the regret on your face when you were caught, obviously you hadn¡¯t bought enough.¡± ¡°We, as Educated Youth, only get the chance to go to town during the slack farming season, at most twice a month. What are you planning to do with so many jujubes, sell them? You can¡¯t possibly keep them all for eating, can you? And besides, most people trade in eggs and grains, jujubes? Who would want them except for weddings and childbirth? In this little town, twenty pounds of jujubes could take five or six days to sell, right?¡± Lin Nianhe¡¯s face wore a mocking smile: ¡°So, there¡¯s no way you can sell them all yourself. With that much stuff... only a truck driver who travels far and wide carrying goods would have the networks to send them elsewhere.¡± Wang Shumei¡¯s heart went cold. This girl was sharper than any monkey. Wang Shumei cleared her throat awkwardly: ¡°So you...¡± ¡°Shh.¡± Lin Nianhe suddenly held up a finger, giving Wang Shumei a look to stay quiet. Wang Shumei stopped talking immediately, closing her mouth tight. In the courtyard, there was a faint sound of footsteps, like someone sneaking around. At first, Wang Shumei heard nothing, but as the sound got closer, she confirmed someone was coming. Wang Shumei tensed up instantly, subconsciously grabbing a small broom used for sweeping the kang, her palm sweating. As she was on high alert, Lin Nianhe suddenly patted her shoulder. That pat startled Wang Shumei so much that, if her legs had allowed, she would have literally jumped up. Before Wang Shumei could cry out, Lin Nianhe covered her mouth. Wang Shumei looked at Lin Nianhe, wondering if this girl was deliberately revenge on her. Lin Nianhe paid no attention to Wang Shumei¡¯s expression, holding her breath and concentrating, she listened carefully to the noises outside. She didn¡¯t think it was a thief; no one would dare to enter through the front door in broad daylight to steal something. She just felt that this person was being somewhat strange, tiptoeing around. This made her unable to help thinking about that ¡°peeping Tom.¡± After calming herself down, Wang Shumei also realized this and quietly moved next to Lin Nianhe, pursing her lips towards her. Lin Nianhe did not move, she closed her eyes, focusing all her attention on her hearing. The footsteps went through the front yard, circled around the kitchen, and finally, stopped right in front of their door. There were no more noises from outside, and the person was also holding their breath in concentration. Lin Nianhe opened her eyes and looked at Wang Shumei. Wang Shumei gripped the broom handle tightly, nodding seriously and solemnly at Lin Nianhe. Lin Nianhe licked her lips, reached for the door handle, and in a flash pulled the door open. As she swung the door open, she stepped aside, and Wang Shumei¡¯s broom ¡°swooshed¡± through the air. Wang Shumei, true to her roots from the black earth region, swung the broom handle fiercely, as if it was a mighty weapon. She had a bit of Aunt Wang¡¯s spirit. ¡°Swoosh¡ª¡± ¡°Ow!¡± A scream followed the slicing air, the man outside howled, then with a thud, he sat down on the ground. Wang Shumei was startled, her voice trembling slightly, ¡°Did I kill him?¡± Lin Nianhe came out from behind the door emotionlessly and said lightly, ¡°Impossible, didn¡¯t hit his head. And judging by his full-voiced howl, he¡¯s got plenty of days ahead of him.¡± Only then did Wang Shumei relax and point the broom at the person, ¡°You! What are you sneaking around for?¡± Lin Nianhe could also finally see clearly who the person wailing and clutching his shoulder was. Unexpected yet reasonable, the person scaling the wall turned out to be a member of the Educated Youth Corps. It was Fu Aiguo, responsible for carrying water in the front yard due to his inability to cook. He clutched his shoulder, his dark face swollen to the color of a pig¡¯s liver, obviously in great pain. Lin Nianhe glared at him, ¡°Speak, why did you run back to the Educated Youth Corps during work hours and eavesdrop by our door? Are you trying to play the rogue?¡± This really was a misunderstanding towards Fu Aiguo; he had no intention of playing the rogue. Fu Aiguo felt an intense pain in his left shoulder, and he quickly shook his head, trying to defend himself, ¡°I didn¡¯t! I just, I just wet my shoes and came back to change a pair!¡± Wang Shumei snorted coldly, ¡°You changed shoes and ran to my door for what? You¡¯ve been living at the Educated Youth Corps for all these years; could you get the way or the house wrong?¡± ¡°No, no... I didn¡¯t mean...¡± Fu Aiguo¡¯s eyes wandered, but he quickly thought of an excuse: ¡°I just heard some noise in your house, I was afraid there was a thief, so I came to check!¡± This rationale seemed to give Fu Aiguo a boost of confidence; his back no longer sore, his legs no longer weak, he sprang up from the ground, ¡°Well, you¡¯re all okay, I¡¯m going to change my shoes.¡± After he spoke, he ran off, not giving Lin Nianhe and Wang Shumei another chance to question him. Fu Aiguo hurried back to the men of the Educated Youth Corps¡¯ place, and after a while, he ran out with a new pair of shoes. Wang Shumei watched Fu Aiguo¡¯s retreating figure and asserted, ¡°That man, there¡¯s something off about him.¡± Lin Nianhe looked at her, ¡°Sister Shumei, he¡¯s treating you like a fool.¡± ¡°Huh... huh?¡± Chapter 60 - 60 59 Sister Shumei, Lets Cooperate ?60: Chapter 59 Sister Shumei, Let¡¯s Cooperate 60: Chapter 59 Sister Shumei, Let¡¯s Cooperate What exactly is Fu Aiguo¡¯s problem, neither Lin Nianhe nor Wang Shumei knows. All they could do was to place him at the top of their suspect list, and be more observant and careful in the future. After all, they were the ones who beat him up. Although Lin Nianhe felt she just opened a door, Wang Shumei insisted it was her look that suggested she take action. Lin Nianhe decided not to make eye contact with her anymore. ¡°Nianhe, do you think he might have fractured a bone?¡± It had been ten minutes since Fu Aiguo left, yet Wang Shumei couldn¡¯t help but worry. Lin Nianhe: ¡°Impossible, I saw him brace himself on the ground when getting up. If it were really broken, how would he have the strength to run?¡± Acute localized pain can also immobilize a person, seeing how swiftly he ran, Lin Nianhe thought it¡¯s unlikely that he was seriously hurt. Wang Shumei¡¯s worried look in her eyes dispersed slightly: ¡°That¡¯s true.¡± It wasn¡¯t that she had sympathy for Fu Aiguo being injured or disabled; she was afraid of compensating him. ¡°Okay, let¡¯s not talk about him for now,¡± Lin Nianhe nodded to Wang Shumei, ¡°Sister Shumei, let¡¯s partner up.¡± ¡°Hm?¡± Wang Shumei was slow to react as Lin Nianhe changed the subject too quickly, not understanding what she was getting at. Lin Nianhe snatched the broom from her hand and tossed it onto the kang bed, then pulled her to sit on the edge of the kang before speaking: ¡°Don¡¯t be nervous, this is your own home after all.¡± Wang Shumei watched her take charge, her lips quivering slightly. Lin Nianhe looked at her and slowly raised a naive smile: ¡°Sister Shumei, just to be frank with you, I too have a channel.¡± Wang Shumei¡¯s eyes widened in shock: ¡°What did you say?¡± After sizing up Lin Nianhe from head to toe three times, Wang Shumei firmly shook her head: ¡°Impossible, absolutely impossible.¡± Could Lin Nianhe, a kid from a Beijing compound, be dealing in the black market? Wang Shumei was more inclined to believe that Lin Nianhe said so because¡ª ¡°Tell your brother, he doesn¡¯t need to test me, I won¡¯t touch this market anymore, definitely not cause any trouble under his watch, alright?¡± Wang Shumei felt that Lin Nianhe was sounding her out on behalf of Su Yuncheng. Lin Nianhe: ¡°...¡± She was very curious as to what Su Yuncheng had done to Wang Shumei. How did it end up scaring the kid this much? She cleared her throat and turned to look northward, directly addressing the matter: ¡°Apples, I can give you two thousand jin for the first batch, at 0.4 yuan per jin.¡± The Cooperative Society¡¯s apples were 0.45 yuan, and occasionally they could sell for 0.48 yuan. Normally, things on the black market are un-ticked and mostly pricier than those at the Cooperative Society; occasionally, black market grain prices are even double those of the Cooperative Society. But fruit is an exception. Although every time the Cooperative Society has apples for sale there¡¯s no shortage of people in long queues, fruit is not filling nor a necessity, it¡¯s usually bought by families to indulge their children. If black market fruit costs twice as much as the Cooperative Society¡¯s... people would rather spend a little more on meat. No matter how sweet the apples are, they can¡¯t be more delicious than meat! Therefore, Lin Nianhe took a step back, adhering to the idea of making money together, and gave Wang Shumei a profitable price. Actually, based on future inflation, the current price of 0.4 yuan per jin for apples is much higher than the price she paid when stockpiling them. Wang Shumei looked at Lin Nianhe, her voice stuck in her throat. Her lips twitched twice and she swallowed. ¡°You¡¯re saying... two thousand jin of apples? Selling to me for 0.4 yuan per jin?¡± She was somewhat in disbelief, ¡°Where did you get this channel?¡± Lin Nianhe remained enigmatic, gazing northward. She paused for a dozen seconds before speaking: ¡°Guess why I came here to the countryside?¡± If Wen Lan were in the room at this moment, she would surely retort directly: If you don¡¯t know, how would I know? And that would successfully shut Lin Nianhe up without a word to say. But now, it¡¯s the seasoned black market dealer Wang Shumei here. She closed her eyes, and a possibility came to mind. Wang Shumei had heard from her cousin that someone could bring in goods from even further north. Could it be that Lin Nianhe came here to the countryside not because of Su Yuncheng¡¯s presence and his ability to take care of her, but to receive goods smuggled from the outside... She shivered and raised her hand abruptly: ¡°Stop talking. I don¡¯t want to know.¡± These kinds of matters, too large to handle, are not fit for someone as insignificant as her to be privy to. Lin Nianhe withdrew her gaze, a hint of a smile flickering across her eyes. Dealing with smart people is always straightforward. She would conveniently fill in the gaps on her own. Lin Nianhe turned to look at Wang Shumei: ¡°So, are you in? I really do need a stable channel for selling these goods.¡± Wang Shumei looked at Lin Nianhe, and after a silent moment, she could not help but ask: ¡°What about your brother?¡± Lin Nianhe repeated her tactics: ¡°Guess, why did he react so strongly to you going to the black market?¡± Wang Shumei was stunned, recalling the way Su Yuncheng had looked at her before he left. The look that told her not to lead Lin Nianhe astray. Thinking about it now, perhaps his focus on her was more out of concern that Lin Nianhe would get involved, which would make arresting her later a very unpleasant affair. Wang Shumei took a deep breath and nodded: ¡°Alright, I trust you.¡± Lin Nianhe¡¯s smile broadened, shallow yet evident. It¡¯s not the quantity of allies that counts, but their usefulness. Wang Shumei straightened her expression, sat on the edge of the kang bed with one leg hanging down, and asked Lin Nianhe seriously: ¡°Will you always be able to get this many apples in the future? Anything else? What about grains? And meat?¡± Grain. She had some, but she dared not sell. She could not bear to even think about it, it pained her heart too much. ¡°This batch is all apples,¡± Lin Nianhe tactfully addressed the lighter issues, ¡°but since it¡¯s our first collaboration, I didn¡¯t want to move too much at once. You should try selling these first. If sales are good, next time we can agree to a larger amount, I¡¯ll negotiate.¡± Wang Shumei immediately understood Lin Nianhe¡¯s role¡ªa facilitator. She covered her chest and took a long breath. In that instant, Wang Shumei ¡°realized¡± a lot. No wonder she always felt she and Lin Nianhe were birds of a feather; it turns out they were in the same line of business. After her ¡°realization¡±, Wang Shumei couldn¡¯t hide her excitement and pressed on: ¡°If my cousin can sell them, can we obtain goods on a long-term basis? Can your side supply enough?¡± The first collaboration would inevitably involve testing the waters and reservations on both sides. But if they could bring out two thousand kilos of apples on a first try, then later... Wang Shumei envisioned numerous banknotes. ¡°Rest assured,¡± Lin Nianhe said earnestly, patting her shoulder, ¡°steady as she goes.¡± Her source of goods was stable and safe. As long as she kept the secret of her space hidden, no one could possibly know where her goods came from. As for whether there would be enough... Heh, she had stockpiled twenty thousand tons of apples; she feared only that they wouldn¡¯t be able to sell them all. Lin Nianhe¡¯s serene expression filled Wang Shumei with confidence. She nodded vigorously and then said, ¡°My cousin is going to the provincial capital in three days, passing through the brigade... Can you make it on your end? How will we make the exchange?¡± Lin Nianhe had already considered the drop-off location when proposing the cooperation. Hearing this, she smiled faintly: ¡°Remember the cave where we took shelter from the rain last time? Let¡¯s do it there. But since we¡¯re dealing with a large quantity, tell him to come by at night. My people will leave the goods there beforehand and depart without meeting your cousin. You can just give me the money.¡± Wang Shumei¡¯s eyes lit up upon mention of the cave. That day, Wen Lan had said that the cave was only two miles from the main road; hiding goods in the cave was far more discreet than leaving them by the roadside. But still¡ª ¡°Climbing down the mountain with such a load, my brother will have only one other person with him; I¡¯m afraid they won¡¯t manage.¡± Wang Shumei furrowed her brows, clearly worried. The place might be suitable, but carrying two thousand kilos of apples across mountainous terrain... Forget her cousin, who was just an ordinary man¡ªeven Wen Lan couldn¡¯t accomplish such a feat! Chapter 61 - 61 60 The Play Must Go on in Full ?61: Chapter 60: The Play Must Go on in Full 61: Chapter 60: The Play Must Go on in Full Wang Shumei¡¯s concern was precisely something Lin Nianhe hadn¡¯t even considered. Looking at Wang Shumei, Lin Nianhe had an especially complicated look in her eyes: ¡°Sister Shumei, do you know what a... pulley is?¡± She had honestly never thought that transporting goods would be a problem, because to her, it wasn¡¯t even an issue. If a problem that could be solved with a simple pulley system, why insist on carrying things by hand? Looking at Wang Shumei¡¯s clear and simplistic eyes, in that moment, Lin Nianhe suddenly felt confident about the upcoming college entrance exam. Lin Nianhe patted Wang Shumei¡¯s shoulder and explained to her: ¡°Simply put, tie a rope and slide the boxes down.¡± Wang Shumei considered this very seriously and raised a very practical question: ¡°What if it hits a tree?¡± There were definitely trees on the mountain, it wasn¡¯t flat ground. Lin Nianhe rubbed her forehead, slightly pained: ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it, I¡¯ll have them handle it. They¡¯ll need it for bringing things up the mountain too, just don¡¯t dismantle it afterward, you can use it directly.¡± With a simple sentence, Lin Nianhe made Wang Shumei believe that there was a team supporting her. Perhaps feeling that since they could do it going up the mountain, going down wouldn¡¯t be a problem either, Wang Shumei didn¡¯t dwell on it for too long. She nodded her head: ¡°Okay, then in three days, my cousin will be passing by at night, and I¡¯ll take them up the mountain.¡± ¡°How are you going to leave?¡± Lin Nianhe looked at her with doubt in her eyes, ¡°Moreover, can you manage?¡± Considering Wang Shumei¡¯s performance the last time she went up the mountain, Lin Nianhe even doubted if she could find the way. Wang Shumei had no problem using her brain, but this physical labor... She touched her nose awkwardly: ¡°Cough cough, I¡¯ll hike up the mountain these next two days when I¡¯m free, to get familiar with it.¡± ¡°Spare your feet,¡± Lin Nianhe said with pursed lips and a light chuckle, ¡°Wait for me to calculate...¡± She closed her eyes, recalling the angle and distance she¡¯d seen the main road from the cave that day. After a brief calculation, Lin Nianhe said: ¡°The cave is about a mile north of the village, tell your cousin to follow the road when the time comes. The rope for the pulley will be left on the tree, just follow the rope up the mountain, and you¡¯ll reach the cave.¡± Wang Shumei didn¡¯t overextend herself, she just noted it down: ¡°Got it, I know.¡± At this point, neither of them had any doubts about each other. Lin Nianhe always believed in not suspecting the people she employed, and even if the others had ideas of deceiving her, she could afford the loss of just two thousand catties of apples. If they became too greedy and wanted to cling to her for sources... Lin Nianhe could only leave them an intact corpse out of respect for their acquaintance. As for Wang Shumei, she didn¡¯t feel any psychological pressure¡ªif they couldn¡¯t find the goods on the mountain, at worst she would have just taken an unnecessary trip and wouldn¡¯t suffer any real loss. If things went smoothly, she could earn about a hundred yuan in profit, which was much better than before. Also, working with Lin Nianhe was obviously much safer than buying goods in the black market. At the very least, if Su Yuncheng were to catch people again, it wouldn¡¯t be as terrifying as today. With Lin Nianhe there, he¡¯d at least show a friendly face, right? Thinking of her younger sister and brother back home, Wang Shumei knew she had to give it a try. After a brief discussion, a cooperation plan was preliminarily established. That night, Wang Shumei was so excited that she had trouble falling asleep. She was thinking about a hundred yuan, thinking about if this could happen every month... Incidentally, she also revisited everything Fu Aiguo had done these days, to no avail. Wang Shumei rarely chatted with the male Educated Youth, only occasionally talking a few words with that simple-minded Sun Guanghui, usually to remind him when he was being silly. Fu Aiguo... She planned to ask Sun Guanghui indirectly. Perhaps she didn¡¯t even need to be too subtle; Sun Guanghui might not understand if it wasn¡¯t obvious. Unintentionally, Wang Shumei pictured Sun Guanghui¡¯s baffled face asking ¡°What exactly do you want to ask?¡± She couldn¡¯t hold back and let out a low laugh. The laughter disturbed Wen Lan, who turned over in a daze, murmured something about a flatbread, and went back to sleep. Wang Shumei was so frightened that she quickly closed her eyes, forcibly suppressing her amusement, and continued to think about her hundred yuan, and even more hundreds of yuan, under the covers. In the backyard, Lin Nianhe wasn¡¯t asleep either. She took out a set of loose black sportswear and hiking shoes from her space, changed into them, tied her long hair up high and put on a hat. She glanced at her watch: nine o¡¯clock. In this era with no nightlife, at this time, almost everyone in the village was resting. Without further hesitation, she secured her headlamp and quietly left the house. As she closed the door, her hand hesitated slightly. The creaking sound of the closing door followed. The corners of Lin Nianhe¡¯s mouth curved slightly upwards. She didn¡¯t lock the door, and turned to climb over the wall. In the front yard, Wang Shumei, who hadn¡¯t fallen asleep yet, opened her eyes upon hearing the noise from the backyard gate. She lay there in the dark, thinking whether Lin Nianhe was getting up for a night trip or going out. She waited and waited, not knowing how long it had been, half-dreaming and half-awake when she heard the backyard door again. Lin Nianhe did indeed go to the mountain, but she didn¡¯t go to the cave. Although she had only walked that path once, she knew it well and wasn¡¯t worried about getting lost at all. She ran out in the middle of the night for two reasons; one was to make sure Wang Shumei knew she had gone out, and the second was... To age the pulley! This wasn¡¯t like a nail that you could just rub with sand a couple of times. There were too many people and too many observant eyes at the Educated Youth Corps. Creating loud noises could bring trouble. Under the dark and windy night, Lin Nianhe squatted in the woods, diligently sanding the pulley with sandpaper, occasionally taking out some snacks from her space to reward herself. She did not head back until it was about time. After fastening the door, Lin Nianhe washed off the dust, and took out a bunch of kebabs and cold cola. After all the trouble she went through today, she deserved to eat something good. For two consecutive nights, Wang Shumei heard the opening of the backyard door. And the next day saw Lin Nianhe obviously drained, always too lazy even to cook, just coping with rice noodle strips for dinner. On the third evening, as soon as Lin Nianhe returned to the Educated Youth Corps, Wang Shumei handed her a bowl. Inside the bowl was dried green beans stewed with potatoes, and a white flour bun. ¡°This is my own ration. I brought you a little. Eat something,¡± Wang Shumei told Lin Nianhe. ¡°Mhm, thanks, Sister Shumei,¡± Lin Nianhe said without refusing, taking it and even yawning. Seeing her like this, Wang Shumei couldn¡¯t help but ask in a low voice, ¡°How¡¯s it going?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll go out and check soon; the goods should be placed there before nine o¡¯clock,¡± Lin Nianhe replied in a voice audible only to the two of them. Wang Shumei hesitated for a moment but then said, ¡°Xiao Lan sleeps soundly, shall I accompany you? It¡¯s too dangerous for you alone.¡± Lin Nianhe laughed and brushed it off: ¡°It¡¯s okay, it¡¯s just this one trip, no trouble at all.¡± ¡°You think I didn¡¯t hear you opening the door the past two nights?¡± Wang Shumei glared at her. Lin Nianhe feigned ignorance: ¡°Really? That must¡¯ve been when I went to the latrine.¡± Wang Shumei sighed lightly, didn¡¯t expose her further, and only said, ¡°If you don¡¯t need my company, have them pick you up, and be careful.¡± ¡°Alright, don¡¯t worry.¡± Lin Nianhe left cheerfully with the bowl in hand, in a very good mood. She had already visualized the scene of the little money flying towards her. Chapter 62 - 62 61 First Transaction ?62: Chapter 61 First Transaction 62: Chapter 61 First Transaction The cave was still the same cave, and even the scattered firewood inside remained. Lin Nianhe arrived there just at seven o¡¯clock, today she wasn¡¯t dressed in sportswear but still in her usual work attire. She collected all the scattered items on the ground into her space, then went to the edge of the cave and threw all the garbage out in one go. Quick and efficient. The ordinary apples she stored in her space were packed in sacks. Her space couldn¡¯t contain living things and was not under pressure, so stacking in sacks was more space-efficient than using cardboard boxes. One sack weighed a hundred jin, already weighed by the fruit farmers when selling. Lin Nianhe took out twenty sacks of apples and piled them up. Looking at each relatively clean sack, she smacked her lips. A close shave, she had almost overlooked it. She casually took out a small utility knife, picked a few lucky sacks at random, and made some not too damaging cuts, tearing the cut areas a bit to make them look worse. Then she sprinkled some sand from her space onto the sacks, only content when they all looked dirty and grubby. Finally, she placed a few mouse traps near the apples, to prevent her beloved little apples from being harmed by unseen creatures. After doing all that, she cleaned her hands with a wet wipe, took out the pulley and hemp ropes that she had worn out over two nights, put on a headlamp and gloves, and went out to install the cargo-lifting equipment for them. This technical job was quite difficult, Lin Nianhe had to climb more than a dozen trees to finish it. Fortunately, she had a ladder and was not short of installation tools, thus she made it back to the Educated Youth Corps before nine o¡¯clock. She tidied herself up under the wall, then climbed over into the backyard. Sure enough, as soon as she got on top of the wall, she saw Wang Shumei. Lin Nianhe jumped down without a sound, waved to Wang Shumei, and then pushed open the door of the small house. Wang Shumei followed her in, unable to hide her surprise: ¡°You always seem so delicate, but you¡¯re pretty nimble at climbing walls.¡± Lin Nianhe replied as if she were dying of thirst, only after gulping down a jar of boiled water: ¡°I picked it up as a kid running around with my brothers... The stuff is over there, when is your cousin coming?¡± ¡°It¡¯ll be after ten,¡± whispered Wang Shumei, ¡°I¡¯ll go and meet him later.¡± ¡°Uh-huh, okay.¡± Lin Nianhe sat down, took out paper and pen, and said, ¡°Just right, let me tell you...¡± ¡°The apples are packed in sacks, with mouse traps placed beside them. There are hooks on the rope connected to the pulley. Hang them on the sacks and slide down...¡± As she was explaining, Lin Nianhe was also drawing, showing Wang Shumei how to use the pulley system. Wang Shumei listened intensely, asking again and again wherever she did not understand, until she fully comprehended. Lin Nianhe tore off the paper sketching the pulley assembly and handed it to her: ¡°Take this with you, just look at it again if you don¡¯t understand something.¡± Wang Shumei looked at the paper with complex eyes, shaking her head: ¡°Forget it, honestly... Nianhe, actually, if you hadn¡¯t drawn the diagram, I would have understood just by your explanation.¡± Lin Nianhe: ¡°...?¡± Suddenly, she lost a little bit of her desire to make money. But not making money was impossible, absolutely impossible. Wang Shumei climbed over the wall and left at ten o¡¯clock, taking with her twenty jin of red dates and Lin Nianhe¡¯s flashlight. Watching her go over the wall, Lin Nianhe began to worry. Wang Shumei was not like her; she had little ability to protect herself. In the dead of night, nothing would happen, right...? Lin Nianhe frowned slightly, considering following to check. Just then, there was the sound of a door opening from the front yard, footsteps dragging lazily toward the outhouse. Lin Nianhe quickly turned and went back into the house. With Wang Shumei not present, she must be; this way, if the absence of Wang Shumei from the house was discovered, she could still help cover for her. After being restless for three nights straight, Lin Nianhe felt a terrible pain in her back and legs. But she couldn¡¯t fall asleep at all; even the slightest noise from outside made her think Wang Shumei might have returned. Staring at the pitch-black curtains, Lin Nianhe sighed softly, ¡°When a child travels a thousand miles, the mother¡¯s worries grow...¡± ¡°Achoo¡ª¡± By the dark roadside, Wang Shumei squatted in a ditch, sneezing. She rubbed her arms, unable to stop herself from murmuring, ¡°Hei Province is so cold, it¡¯s June and still freezing.¡± She had no idea that someone might be talking about her at this very moment. Above her head was exactly what Lin Nianhe had described: the rope and pulley system she had just managed to locate after pacing back and forth three times. The thing was really inconspicuous, hidden among the tree canopy; if it weren¡¯t because Lin Nianhe had mentioned a red string on the branch, she would have definitely missed it. After more than twenty minutes, there was finally a light on the road. A large truck approached slowly, not moving very fast. But Wang Shumei didn¡¯t rush out directly; she waited until the truck was close enough and saw the hand resting on the truck window. Only then she stood up straight. The hand was holding a red cloth, shaking it three times, pausing for two seconds, and then shaking three more times. ¡°Zhuzi bro!¡± Wang Shumei climbed out of the ditch, waving at the truck. The truck stopped right in front of her, and two strong young men jumped down. Qian Guozhu, with his bushy eyebrows and big eyes, smiled and sized up Wang Shumei before nodding: ¡°Not bad, you¡¯ve gained weight.¡± Gaining weight is good, it means she hasn¡¯t had a hard time. Wang Shumei smiled and greeted the other person: ¡°Cangzi bro.¡± ¡°Hey, sister.¡± Sun ManCang was short and thin, looking very slick. Wang Shumei dragged the backpack out of the ditch and said to the two of them: ¡°These are my findings; the black market around here is strictly managed, so I can¡¯t go next time. But I found another way¡ª¡± Wang Shumei said with excitement, pointing behind her: ¡°Up on the mountain, two thousand kilos of apples.¡± Qian Guozhu and Sun ManCang were initially a little disappointed only to see about twenty kilos of red dates, but the moment they heard two thousand kilos of apples, both of their eyes widened incredulously, staring at Wang Shumei. ¡°Big sister, what did you say?¡± Qian Guozhu rubbed his ears, ¡°How many apples?¡± ¡°Two thousand kilos,¡± Wang Shumei unconsciously lifted her chin. ¡°Wow, sister¡¯s got skills, these are in high demand,¡± Sun ManCang swallowed, ¡°How much did you pay for them?¡± Wang Shumei stretched out four fingers: ¡°Forty cents!¡± Qian Guozhu felt his brain buzz, unable to utter even a coherent sentence. Sun ManCang¡¯s jaw dropped in shock as well. Wang Shumei enjoyed their stunned expressions for a moment before saying, ¡°I¡¯ve calculated, selling the apples for too much won¡¯t be good. Zhuzi bro, you flip them for fifty-five cents, and the three of us could make three hundred!¡± If they sold them piece by piece, they could earn even more, but Qian Guozhu and the other man had a task to complete; they couldn¡¯t just sell at the black market, they had to flip them to the market boss. Qian Guozhu was still a bit stunned, but the thought of money instantly energized him: ¡°Where are they? Big sister, watch the truck for me, Cangzi and I will go up and carry them down!¡± Just two thousand kilos of apples, he could handle it! But Wang Shumei said, ¡°No need to carry, they¡¯ve set up a pulley system for it, and¡ª¡± ¡°That person said, this is the first time working together so he can¡¯t give us too much, but if we collaborate well in the future, there will be even more!¡± Qian Guozhu and Sun ManCang turned into two stone statues. They really couldn¡¯t believe their ears. The moon, unnoticeably, had peeked its head out, silently watching the people below with a gleeful chuckle. Suddenly, Qian Guozhu grabbed Wang Shumei, his already dark face now looked even darker: ¡°Big sister, tell me the truth, what exactly have you been up to recently?¡± Wang Shumei: ¡°...?¡± Chapter 63 - 63 62 Wang Shumeis Home ?63: Chapter 62 Wang Shumei¡¯s Home 63: Chapter 62 Wang Shumei¡¯s Home In the dead of night, under a moonless and windy sky. Wang Shumei stood in the ditch, explaining to Qian Guozhu and Sun ManCang for over ten minutes, finally convincing her two brothers that no underworld boss in Lan County had abducted their younger sister. ¡°I¡¯ll go up the mountain and check, if there¡¯s anything, you wait to receive the goods.¡± Sun ManCang took the initiative to step forward. Wang Shumei was somewhat worried: ¡°Brother Cangzi, let me go with you. It¡¯s dark on the mountain roads.¡± ¡°No need, you two just talk for a while.¡± Sun ManCang still had a sense of measure; in the middle of the night, and not being Wang Shumei¡¯s biological brother, it was not appropriate to be together. Qian Guozhu was also worried about Sun ManCang going up the mountain alone and encountering trouble, but he was even more worried about Wang Shumei being alone in the wilderness. So he said, ¡°Be careful on the road, don¡¯t rush, and avoid accidents.¡± ¡°Hehe, don¡¯t worry, brother, I¡¯ve been scrambling in the mountains since I was a kid, you know what I¡¯m capable of.¡± Sun ManCang responded and then plunged into the woods. Once his figure disappeared, Qian Guozhu silently put the dates in the trunk of the vehicle, shifting other items to cover them, and clearing a spot in preparation to receive the arrival of the apples. Wang Shumei stood at the rear of the vehicle, looking up and watching him busy. Qian Guozhu was somewhat angry; he felt that Wang Shumei¡¯s collaboration with an Educated Youth she had only known for a month was too risky. But he also understood that Wang Shumei did this to help them all earn a bit more. Qian Guozhu was the eldest nephew of Wang Shumei¡¯s biological mother, whose own mother passed away early, and after the stepmother entered the door, he was taken in by his aunt. Later, it was his aunt who arranged for him to buy this job as a truck driver through her connections. Then, after his aunt passed away and another stepmother entered the door. At that time, Qian Guozhu, looking at the three children his aunt left behind ¨C one elder and two younger, an eighteen-year-old boy, silently took on the responsibility of caring for them. The first two years, it was Qian Guozhu who supported them, and later, as Wang Shumei grew up, she joined him in bearing the burden. The mother has passed away, and the eldest sister took on a maternal role. Wang Shumei could hardly recall the bitterness and grievances she had swallowed over the years, she only knew that the hardships and miseries she had endured were not to be experienced by her younger siblings. Qian Guozhu put down a wooden box and suddenly sighed, ¡°Before I came out this time, I took Damin and Xiaoxiao back home, asking your sister-in-law to look after them, you... don¡¯t worry.¡± Wang Shumei smiled as she leaned on the car door, watching Qian Guozhu speak: ¡°Brother, don¡¯t be angry with me, I¡¯ve been thinking... after a while, I¡¯ll send Damin to join the army, and when Xiaoxiao finishes high school, I¡¯ll bring her here to be with me.¡± ¡°Our Ten Miles Team leader is a good person. By then, I¡¯ll discuss with him and maybe settle for a piece of land in the team and build two rooms; I¡¯ll just live with Xiaoxiao and not go back.¡± ¡°Your wife is pregnant, so try to save more money, and plan to have more children in the future; it¡¯s good to have support from children.¡± Wang Shumei seldom spoke her heart out. Life had turned this girl, just eighteen years and two months old, into a seasoned veteran. At eighteen, others might complain about the hardships of country life or the exhaustion of work, but she had long become accustomed to these, and even... She felt that the past month in Ten Miles Team was the most relaxed time she had had in years. There was no need to outwit a stepmother, nor were there any chaotic troubles bothering her. Doing farm work, chatting leisurely, teasing Wen Lan, pinching Lin Nianhe¡¯s soft little face... Life was quite leisurely and pleasing. Qian Guozhu listened as Wang Shumei prattled on about their family matters, occasionally hearing her mention the two new friends she made at the Educated Youth Corps. His eyes grew a bit warm. His younger sister, ever since their aunt passed away, had no friends. As a child, she was busy pasting matchboxes right after school; all household chores were on her. She had no time to make friends. After growing up a bit, she delved into the black market, where the shy young girl learned to talk to people like people and to demons like demons. Such a girl, always has a guard up when meeting someone. Qian Guozhu didn¡¯t expect that most people who feared going to the countryside found an opportunity when they came to Wang Shumei. The moon rose high, and suddenly, there was a rustling sound of branches parting in the woods. Wang Shumei¡¯s eyes instantly lit up: ¡°Here they come!¡± Before she could move, Qian Guozhu jumped into the ditch, raised his hand in front of the tree, catching the sack sliding down the rope. Lin Nianhe, fearing that this contraption would be seen, deliberately hung it higher by stepping on a ladder. Fortunately, Qian Guozhu could climb trees, and quickly climbed up to untie the sack. Holding the sack, he hesitated. Should he just drop it? What if it breaks? This is all money. Wang Shumei had already run underneath the tree, excitedly reaching out her hands: ¡°Quick, give it to me!¡± Qian Guozhu hesitated for a moment, hugged the tree trunk with one hand, and leaned over to place the sack in Wang Shumei¡¯s arms. The one hundred pounds sack made Wang Shumei stagger, but she still clung to it tightly, refusing to let go. Sack by sack of apples slid down the hemp rope, and after Qian Guozhu caught them, he bent down to hand them to Wang Shumei, who placed them on the ground one by one. Twenty sacks. Qian Guozhu, who also helped load trucks when transporting goods, had a steady grasp on the weights. He could tell that each sack here weighed a hundred pounds, maybe even a pound or two more. After coming down from the tree, Qian Guozhu wiped off his sweat and said to Wang Shumei, ¡°I¡¯ll give you eight hundred first, and tell that girl, I¡¯ll make up the extra next time.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Wang Shumei agreed without hesitation, answering on behalf of Lin Nianhe. After a pause, she added, ¡°Brother, be careful not to let anyone inquire about the origin of the goods.¡± ¡°I understand.¡± Qian Guozhu chuckled, turned back to his truck, took out a torn jacket from a ragged bag, tore open an inner pocket, and counted¡ª not enough. He then continuously tore open the remaining two jackets, and finally counted out eight hundred sixty yuan. He went back to Wang Shumei, scratching his head somewhat embarrassedly: ¡°Big sister, I didn¡¯t bring much money, take sixty first, and I¡¯ll...¡± ¡°I¡¯ll take fifty, give the rest to Damin and Xiaoxiao.¡± Wang Shumei handed him back one banknote. She knew what kind of person her cousin was; probably this money was all he and Sun ManCang brought. If she took it all, these two might struggle to afford a warm meal at the State-Owned Restaurant before they had sold the apples. Qian Guozhu was planning to get some pork in the provincial city this time; otherwise, he really wouldn¡¯t have brought so much. Clutching the ten yuan in his hand, he nodded earnestly: ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll give it to Damin and Xiaoxiao. These kids... never mind, I¡¯ll have your sister-in-law give them some money every half a month, don¡¯t let that woman take it.¡± ¡°Alright,¡± Wang Shumei smiled and nodded, ¡°With sister-in-law looking after things, I¡¯m relieved.¡± Qian Guozhu¡¯s wife was a forthright person, and when she married him, he spent almost all of his earnings on his younger siblings, leaving himself with nothing, not even a decent cotton jacket. Even so, the girl never complained and took care of daily affairs after entering the door, often waiting at the school gates for Damin and Xiaoxiao, bringing them home after school to cook for them. It was also because of them that sister-in-law dared not have children for three years after the marriage and only recently got pregnant. ¡°Alright, you wait over there. When Cangzi comes down, I will take you back to the Educated Youth Corps.¡± Qian Guozhu shooed Wang Shumei to the side and began loading the apples onto the truck. Chapter 64 - 64 63 Two Silly Girls ?64: Chapter 63 Two Silly Girls 64: Chapter 63 Two Silly Girls Wang Shumei nearly had her soul scared out of her when she climbed over the Educated Youth Corps¡¯ wall. Lin Nianhe had moved a small bench to sit at the entrance, hands propping up her cheeks, staring intently at her. Wang Shumei gritted her teeth and walked up to her, whispering a complaint: ¡°Why aren¡¯t you sleeping? You scared the life out of me!¡± She was scared into a cold sweat. Had she not thought about the money in her pocket and the need not to alarm others, she would have shouted loud enough to wake the whole village. Lin Nianhe stood up: ¡°Waiting for you.¡± Wang Shumei was taken aback, and her heart suddenly felt warm. She thought of her own little Xiaoxiao. That girl would also wait for her at the door when she returned late. Sometimes it was so late that Xiaoxiao would fall asleep waiting, and it was Damin who carried her back to the room. Wang Shumei couldn¡¯t resist and pinched Lin Nianhe¡¯s cheek. ¡°I¡¯m fine, my brother brought me back. From now on, you should sleep¡ªthey¡¯re nothing to be afraid of, don¡¯t worry about me.¡± ¡®Sis is okay, big brother brought me back, you should sleep from now on, don¡¯t be scared, no need to worry about your sister.¡¯ Wang Shumei didn¡¯t know how many times she had said similar things, but now saying them to Lin Nianhe, it surprisingly didn¡¯t feel out of place. Lin Nianhe brushed off her hand, her disdain apparent: ¡°Your hand¡¯s dirty, and you still pinch my cheek¡ªI just washed my face.¡± Wang Shumei: ¡°...¡± She must be crazy. How could this girl be like her Xiaoxiao? Xiaoxiao would never mind the dirt on her hands; she would simply wriggle closer to snuggle in her arms. Lin Nianhe had no idea she was thinking of her sister, and with a yawn, said, ¡°It¡¯s good you¡¯re back. I boiled some water for you. Wash up here before you go back.¡± With that, she pushed the door open. Inside the kitchen, water boiled in a large iron pot, a candle was lit next to the stove, and a wooden basin along with soap and a towel were placed to the side. Wang Shumei suppressed a smile, followed her into the house, and after securely closing the door, she gestured for Lin Nianhe to come over: ¡°Come here.¡± ¡°Hm?¡± Lin Nianhe looked at her puzzled: ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± Wang Shumei handed the eighty banknotes of ¡®Da Tuan Jie¡¯ that she had separated out in the morning to Lin Nianhe, telling her: ¡°My brother didn¡¯t bring a scale, so he asked me to tell you that he¡¯ll make up for the excess next time.¡± Lin Nianhe held the thick stack of money, somewhat bewildered. She really did not expect to get the money today. After pondering for a moment, Wang Shumei added softly: ¡°Don¡¯t worry, my brother is very tight-lipped. Even if he got caught, the matter would end with him¡ªhe definitely wouldn¡¯t rat you out.¡± Qian Guozhu and she had an unspoken understanding¡ª Take the fall alone, and in return, take care of the family for me. They never articulated it, but they understood each other¡¯s intentions well. Lin Nianhe looked at Wang Shumei and, after a moment of silence, nodded: ¡°Okay, you go bathe first. We can talk about the rest after this sale.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Wang Shumei washed up quietly at Lin Nianhe¡¯s place and then tiptoed back to the front courtyard. Wen Lan had no idea her bed had been empty for most of the night. Wang Shumei had earlier lubricated their room door with oil, eliminating the annoying squeak when opening or closing it, so she wouldn¡¯t disturb others. She got this idea from seeing Lin Nianhe opening and closing the door two nights ago. Wang Shumei slipped out of her clothes and into the bed, and in the dark, she counted the fifty yuan over and over again. She simply couldn¡¯t fall asleep. Lin Nianhe wasn¡¯t asleep either. After counting the money once, she placed it into a small wooden box in her space, designated for storing money. When she came down to the countryside, Comrade Old Lin had given all his private savings¡ª423 yuan, Lin¡¯s uncle gave her four hundred, and Aunt Lin gave her one hundred. After getting here, she had sporadically spent a little over fifty, and now, another eight hundred was added. After three nights of hustling, she made eight hundred yuan. It felt so easy, almost like a dream. She held the small wooden box, feeling she hadn¡¯t let down the transmigrator¡¯s honor. Hmm, her starting point was already pretty high. Other time travelers need to hustle in the black market, use a variety of skills to catch the black market boss¡¯s attention and gain trust before becoming a supplier... She got it in one step, directly finding a sales channel, making the equivalent of two to three years of urban salary in just three days. If this goes well, next time she can bring out more goods and earn more batches of eight hundred... Lin Nianhe looked at the wooden box in her hands, planning to free up a box tomorrow. To store money! Before falling asleep, Lin Nianhe silently prayed in her heart, hoping their sales would go smoothly... The sales indeed went very smoothly. Sun ManCang had already checked in the cave, and the apples were of quite good quality, even better than those sold at the Cooperative Society for 0.48 yuan. Thus, when they took the goods to a familiar black market in the provincial city, they actually sold them for 0.58 yuan each, higher than Wang Shumei had estimated. This wasn¡¯t hard to understand since Wang Shumei had never seen what apples looked like before and had only estimated the price based on her past experience trading them. Selling for more money naturally meant a larger share for everyone. Qian Guozhu exchanged some money on the black market, leaving some for Wang Shumei, and took some home as well. He also bought quite a few things in the provincial city, again dividing them into two portions. This time, he and Sun ManCang made a point of passing by Ten Miles Team in daylight. The truck stopped at the entrance of the village, and Qian Guozhu carried the items into the village looking for Wang Shumei. His timing was perfect; it was time for work, and he didn¡¯t encounter anyone to ask for directions after walking for quite a while. Finally, he caught someone and Qian Guozhu hurriedly approached: ¡°Comrade, hello, can you lead me to the Educated Youth Corps?¡± Fu Aiguo saw someone approaching and was thinking of running away but was still called out to. He took one look at the tall and burly Qian Guozhu and instinctively stepped back: ¡°You, who are you looking for?¡± ¡°I¡¯m looking for Wang Shumei.¡± Qian Guozhu cracked a smile, ¡°I¡¯m her brother, just passing by, bringing her some stuff.¡± Lately, the mere mention of ¡°Wang Shumei¡± made Fu Aiguo¡¯s shoulder ache. The blow he received that day left his shoulder swollen two inches high, and it hadn¡¯t healed yet. Because he felt guilty, he didn¡¯t dare to complain, nor could he tell others, not even daring to take time off, forcing himself to continue working in pain. These days, whenever he saw Wang Shumei, he would take a detour. Today, too, he coincidentally got the message for him, tried to run off to pee, but ended up in the hands of Wang Shumei¡¯s brother. Wang Shumei... Is she specifically here to torment me? He looked at Qian Guozhu and thought about his own situation, suppressing the irritation in his heart and saying, ¡°They¡¯re working right now, go find her in the fields.¡± After speaking, he carelessly pointed towards the cornfield, then turned and ran towards the Educated Youth Corps. Right, he¡¯d go back to the Educated Youth Corps, and if later asked about it, he¡¯d say he fell into a haystack and came back to change clothes. Qian Guozhu didn¡¯t overthink it; he just felt the young man was somewhat sneaky, not looking like an honest person. He glanced back at the clothes Fu Aiguo was wearing, planning to tell his sister Shumei to be careful around this guy later. In the cornfield, the exasperated voice of the squad leader of team five echoed: ¡°Lin Nianhe, Wang Shumei! Why are you two together again? Should I just assign you two a piece of land tomorrow?¡± Lin Nianhe: ¡°Hmm... That¡¯s not a bad idea.¡± After all, she didn¡¯t care much about losing some work points. Wang Shumei: ¡°Squad leader, would you believe me if I said my foot hurts and I came to Nianhe for medicine?¡± You have to give some reason, otherwise, it¡¯s too embarrassing. Wen Lan from afar: ¡°Two silly girls, beyond saving.¡± Chapter 65 - 65 64 Fragile Friendship ?65: Chapter 64 Fragile Friendship 65: Chapter 64 Fragile Friendship ¡°Lin Nianhe, Wang Shumei! Why are you two together again? Maybe tomorrow I should assign a plot of land just for you two.¡± Qian Guozhu had just entered the cornfield when he heard his younger sister being criticized by name. He was startled and hurried over, all smiles on his face, and pulled out a pack of cigarettes to give to the team leader, ¡°Comrade, good day, I am Wang Shumei¡¯s cousin. My younger sister is ignorant and has caused trouble for the leaders, I¡¯m sorry for the trouble! You are working hard, really hard.¡± Qian Guozhu wasn¡¯t used to doing these kinds of things, but life forced him to learn. Seeing the whole pack of Fengshou brand cigarettes, the team leader instinctively swallowed his saliva, rubbed the cigarette box with his rough fingertips, then resisted the temptation and handed it back to Qian Guozhu. ¡°What are you doing? Take it back.¡± He didn¡¯t accept the bribe, which made Qian Guozhu even more nervous. Seeing him like this, the team leader laughed, ¡°What¡¯s the matter, afraid I¡¯ll make things tough for your little sister? Don¡¯t worry, I wouldn¡¯t bully a little bastard like her.¡± The team leader cheerfully waved his hand and shouted toward the field, ¡°Wang Shumei, your brother is here to see you.¡± Then he walked away with his hands behind his back, his spine extra straight. Hmm, from now on he could also boast about getting Fengshou cigarettes! Wang Shumei came out from the field, grinning at Qian Guozhu: ¡°Brother, why are you here?¡± ¡°Just passing by, brought you something.¡± Qian Guozhu glanced at the girl sizing him up in the field, and lowered his voice a bit, ¡°Is it her?¡± Wang Shumei turned to look and saw Lin Nianhe observing Qian Guozhu. She didn¡¯t reply, just said, ¡°Then accompany me back to the Educated Youth Corps first, have some water before you go.¡± Qian Guozhu couldn¡¯t delay his work too long. There were time limits for his trip back and forth, and if he dawdled too much here, he would have to hurry on the way back. Qian Guozhu looked at the endless cornfield, hesitated a bit, ¡°I¡¯ll finish the work here before I leave, no rush.¡± Just drive faster on the way back, and make sure they don¡¯t find out. ¡°Forget it, you¡¯ve never done this, I¡¯d have to teach you how.¡± Wang Shumei rarely had the chance to look down on someone working in the field, and she immediately retorted. Qian Guozhu¡¯s face grew hot, internally cursing his own uselessness, unable to arrange a job for Wang Shumei or help her with the work. Seeing his expression, Wang Shumei knew what he was thinking and urged, ¡°Let¡¯s go, or Cangzi might think you got lost!¡± With that, she led Qian Guozhu away, leaving a new topic swirling through the endless cornfield¡ª ¡°Educated Youth Wang¡¯s brother is quite handsome, looks like a man who can handle responsibilities.¡± ¡°Absolutely, men who care for their sisters are never far off.¡± ¡°Educated Youth Lin, do you know what Educated Youth Wang¡¯s brother does for work?¡± Lin Nianhe was somewhat puzzled. It¡¯s the same with brothers, so why didn¡¯t Aunt praise Su Yuncheng when he came? He¡¯s even more good-looking. Perhaps¡ª ¡°Sister Lan, the day my brother came, after I went with him, did the aunts say anything?¡± Wen Lan thought seriously for a while, then shook her head: ¡°Nothing.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Lin Nianhe doubted, ¡°Think again.¡± ¡°It¡¯s true, nothing was said and¡ª¡± ¡°Can you keep your distance from me? You got me docked points, I¡¯ll break your head!¡± Lin Nianhe: ¡°...¡± This fragile friendship, worthless in the face of work points. Wen Lan, seeing Lin Nianhe still standing in her row of the field, clicked her tongue and cajoled like comforting a child: ¡°Listen, you go back first, I¡¯ll sort things out for you after I finish.¡± When Wen Lan spoke these words, she didn¡¯t even lift her head, her perfunctory attitude was very clear. Lin Nianhe bared his teeth at her, but in the end, considering their friendship, he gave up the idea of getting into a fight with Wen Lan. Hmm, friendship. When Wang Shumei and Qian Guozhu returned to the Educated Youth Corps, Fu Aiguo had already left. Qian Guozhu surveyed the yard of the Educated Youth Corps and seeing that everything was fine, he breathed a sigh of relief. ¡°Big sister, I bought you a Snowflake Cream in the provincial city. They say this is what all the young girls in the city use.¡± ¡°Keep these ration tickets. If you need anything, just write to your sister-in-law, and I¡¯ll sort it out. I¡¯m familiar with the black market back home; tickets are easy to exchange there... but don¡¯t go there anymore.¡± ¡°Apples total 2032 kilograms. You pay the people the missing amount. Those apples are good, sold for 0.58... I calculated on the way, Damin and his group won¡¯t spend all that money. I took twenty back, and you keep the rest.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay, don¡¯t worry about home, if they need anything, there¡¯s me and your sister-in-law... I heard that the factory here intends to send someone every month. I will talk to the team leader when I get back; I¡¯ll come over every time.¡± ¡°Oh right, your sister-in-law said your coat was thin, she told you not to worry about it; she¡¯s getting you a new one, and I will bring it when it¡¯s ready.¡± ¡°I bought three hair bands, you distribute them to your two friends... and don¡¯t be stingy outside, if you need money, just tell me.¡± As Qian Guozhu dug things out and rattled on, his chatter was disjointed, saying whatever came to mind. Wang Shumei¡¯s eyes welled up with warmth, she nodded slightly and responded in a low voice. After Qian Guozhu finished instructing and handed over the money, He looked around the small room, then at Wang Shumei, and lowered his voice: ¡°Give some gifts to the leaders on the team, do the work if we can handle it, if not, don¡¯t push too hard. It¡¯s nothing serious; it doesn¡¯t matter if you partake or not... Don¡¯t exhaust yourself.¡± Wang Shumei nodded lightly, smiling, ¡°I¡¯m not that tired. I just twisted my ankle by mistake while walking, and I rested more than half a month. I only do about three or four points of work usually, just like a kid.¡± In fact, Wang Shumei could earn five points a day, but she thought that by understating it, her brother and sister-in-law would worry less. ¡°Brother, I¡¯m fine, I know what¡¯s light and what¡¯s heavy. You take good care of sister-in-law and my little nephew...¡± Wang Shumei wiped the corner of her eye, and continued in a subdued voice, ¡°If things can stabilize here, you also don¡¯t need to come often in the future.¡± Qian Guozhu vaguely responded, ¡°Hmm.¡± He was about to leave when suddenly, as if remembering something, he said to Wang Shumei: ¡°I met a young guy on the way here, wearing a black vest and blue trousers, do you know him?¡± ¡°Ah?¡± Wang Shumei frowned. Almost all the men working in the fields wore such clothes. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Wang Shumei asked. Qian Guozhu said, ¡°He looked suspicious to me; better keep your distance from him.¡± Wang Shumei felt a bit helpless, replying, ¡°It¡¯s okay, brother, you¡¯d know if you come here a couple of more times. No one bullies female Educated Youths in Ten Miles Team.¡± ¡°How could that be?¡± Qian Guozhu was skeptical, ¡°I¡¯ve heard that, in earlier years, some female Educated Youths were...¡± His cheeks flushed, and he was too embarrassed to continue. Wang Shumei thought for a moment, then told the truth, ¡°The last one who tried to climb over the wall of the Educated Youth Corps was whipped by his mother with a willow branch in front of the whole village until he couldn¡¯t get up from his bed for three days, and is still cleaning cow sheds now.¡± ¡°Moreover, our team also has a women¡¯s director who swings her shovel when fighting.¡± Qian Guozhu was astonished, ¡°...!¡± The female comrades in this brigade are too fierce, aren¡¯t they? He looked at Wang Shumei with eyes full of concern, feeling that his little sister might have been beaten too. Could it be that her ankle injury was caused by someone hitting her? Wang Shumei touched her nose, pointing to another bed in the room: ¡°Brother, don¡¯t worry, the Xiao Lan I told you about, she can hold a man up with one hand, oh, and Nianhe, the one you saw in the field earlier¡ª¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be fooled by her demure appearance, this girl once kicked a man into the river.¡± Qian Guozhu was silent again. The female comrades outside are really scary, he thought, missing his wife. Chapter 66 - 66 65 In Ones Lifetime ?66: Chapter 65: In One¡¯s Lifetime 66: Chapter 65: In One¡¯s Lifetime Qian Guozhu had always felt that his eldest sister was clever and unlikely to be taken advantage of outside. But now, he just wanted to turn back to the town to find a machete to place under his eldest sister¡¯s pillow. Wang Shumei used all her skills to convince Qian Guozhu that she would not suffer any losses and sent him away. She roughly looked through the things Qian Guozhu brought again. Rice, flour, snacks, plus snow cream and soap. As soon as she saw the soap, Wang Shumei thought of Lin Nianhe. The soap she used at her place that evening seemed to smell better than this one... ¡°Hmm? Soap?¡± Lin Nianhe blinked and nonchalantly replied, ¡°I brought it from home.¡± After a pause, she curiously said, ¡°Are there different kinds of soap? Let me see!¡± With that, she grabbed the soap from Wang Shumei like a curious baby and sniffed it hard. Seeing this, Wang Shumei didn¡¯t suspect anything and truly believed that the particularly fragrant soap had been brought from Beijing. Well, there must be plenty of good stuff in Beijing. Wen Lan, seeing Lin Nianhe behaving this way, couldn¡¯t understand, ¡°How do you usually live? How come you¡¯ve only seen one type of soap? The Cooperative Society in Beijing must be huge, right? You must go there often.¡± Lin Nianhe looked innocent, ¡°Even if I went, I wouldn¡¯t specifically look for soap. Those are all bought by my mom, I don¡¯t deal with it.¡± What could she say? She hadn¡¯t considered the soap issue when she came; the soap in her room was from her storage, and the ¡®ShuX Jia¡¯ brand had been rubbed off with hot water by her. Lin Nianhe hadn¡¯t cared too much about the soap issue before; after all, she didn¡¯t use soap for face washing, and purchasing one specifically for show seemed unnecessary. Life, after all, requires saving here, spending there. Faced with Wen Lan¡¯s disdainful look, Lin Nianhe shrugged it off, leaning on the edge of the table. Wang Shumei laughed and took out two red hair bands, giving one to each of them, ¡°My brother brought these especially for you, saying thank you for taking care of me.¡± Wen Lan, ¡°Looks nice!¡± Lin Nianhe, ¡°Th-Thank you.¡± Yet another assault by straight male aesthetics! After thanking her and taking the hair band, Lin Nianhe tied it on right away. She went back to make lunch, and Wang Shumei followed shortly after. Lin Nianhe was peeling potatoes by the stove and asked her, ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± Wang Shumei placed 50 cents on the stove top, lowering her voice, ¡°The extra money, I brought it over for you.¡± ¡°Ah?¡± Lin Nianhe was a bit surprised, ¡°That much extra?¡± The fruit farmers were really honest! ¡°Yeah, they weighed it when they sold it.¡± Wang Shumei didn¡¯t mention she had added a few cents more herself, crouching next to Lin Nianhe, she softly asked, ¡°Will there be more next time?¡± ¡°If sales go well, then continue,¡± Lin Nianhe answered easily, ¡°Anytime for me, just let me know three days before your brother comes, I¡¯ll arrange everything.¡± Wang Shumei examined her, somewhat hesitant, ¡°Do you have other channels?¡± Lin Nianhe smiled with her eyes, ¡°Can¡¯t say, can¡¯t say.¡± She had to give Wang Shumei this illusion; she deliberately led her to believe her source was from abroad. After all this trouble, it couldn¡¯t just be for two thousand catties of apples, could it? Having such a grand setup, they couldn¡¯t possibly have just one sales channel, could they? It wasn¡¯t that she was unreliable, it was simply out of necessity. Wang Shumei didn¡¯t ask further, only saying, ¡°Next time, could you give me a bit more?¡± Lin Nianhe straightforwardly asked, ¡°How much can you handle?¡± Wang Shumei thought about what Qian Guozhu had said, and held up a finger to Lin Nianhe, ¡°For now, six thousand catties of apples at a time.¡± Six thousand catties, three tons. Including the goods used for cover, it was the maximum capacity that Qian Guozhu¡¯s truck could handle. Apples sell well in the provincial city; the black market told Qian Guozhu, any amount is welcome. Lin Nianhe thought for a moment and nodded: ¡°Okay.¡± She was feeling melancholic now¡ªshe felt that she would never be able to sell all her twenty thousand tons of apples in her lifetime. Wang Shumei added, ¡°We can take more grain, even double or triple the amount. If the vehicle doesn¡¯t fit, we can find a way to make a few more trips.¡± Grain sells well and doesn¡¯t spoil easily. Every time the word ¡°grain¡± was mentioned, Lin Nianhe¡¯s heart ached. She shook her head in pain: ¡°Really, there isn¡¯t.¡± Wang Shumei was somewhat puzzled: ¡°Why? It sells well.¡± Lin Nianhe: ¡°The profit is too low.¡± At the Cooperative Society, rice is 12 cents per half kilogram, and it requires coupons. The black market does not need coupons, and can be sold for 15 to 18 cents. But that¡¯s not a matter of profit. The main problem is the huge difference in quality, and the grain bags still have manufacturing dates starting with ¡®2¡¯ printed on them! Lin Nianhe really didn¡¯t have the leisure to trade and repack thousands of these bags of rice and flour to resell them. Besides, massive amounts of grain entering the market would inevitably cause market fluctuations, and if it really attracted attention and led to an investigation... So, she¡¯d better just stick to selling apples, simple and safe. Wang Shumei pondered for a while and also understood Lin Nianhe¡¯s point. She nodded, no longer dwelling on the grain issue, and only said: ¡°Alright, next time six thousand jin.¡± ¡°Mhm.¡± Wang Shumei left, and Lin Nianhe hadn¡¯t finished peeling her potatoes yet. She held a potato, deep in thought. Six thousand jin of apples, forty cents per jin, that would be two thousand four hundred yuan. Based on the current prices, that could buy a courtyard house in Beijing, right? You know, the apples she is selling now, were bought for one yuan twenty cents per jin at the time. That¡¯s like buying a courtyard house for seven thousand two hundred yuan. Although it¡¯s not possible to buy and sell houses now, this business, it¡¯s worth it. It¡¯s just a pity for her grains... Lin Nianhe painfully clutched her chest. What she lost was not just grain, but one courtyard house after another. For her own health and peace of mind, Lin Nianhe quickly put the idea of the courtyard house out of her mind and started cooking. The second visit from Qian Guozhu came faster than expected; a week later, Wang Shumei received a telegram with a date on it. She hurriedly went to find Lin Nianhe, but there was an awkward issue¡ª ¡°Well, Nianhe, how about we take less this time, I suddenly remembered, my brother probably doesn¡¯t have that much money.¡± She was also confused, forgetting how much money was needed for six thousand jin of apples. Lin Nianhe waved her hand slightly: ¡°Then let¡¯s settle the payment when he returns, no rush.¡± Wang Shumei was surprised: ¡°Aren¡¯t you afraid we won¡¯t pay?¡± Lin Nianhe sized her up: ¡°Your residence registration is at Ten Miles Team, where could you run?¡± Wang Shumei: ¡°That¡¯s also true.¡± Three days later when delivering the goods, Lin Nianhe still went out after dinner for a while, placed the apples in the cave and lingered around, only returning around nine o¡¯clock. It wasn¡¯t long before Wang Shumei also went out. The wall in the backyard, in recent times, had been climbed over more times than in the past few years combined. As a wall, its dignity had long been trampled beyond recognition. Three days later, Qian Guozhu came to Ten Miles Team again, still bringing things for Wang Shumei and gifts for her two friends. After he left, Wang Shumei sneakily brought Lin Nianhe two thousand four hundred and thirty yuan. ¡°Sister Shumei, this money, did you round it up for me?¡± Lin Nianhe looked at the neatly stacked stacks of banknotes, frowning. Chapter 67 - 67 66 She is the Most Outstanding Kid ?67: Chapter 66: She is the Most Outstanding Kid 67: Chapter 66: She is the Most Outstanding Kid Wang Shumei was startled by her sudden seriousness, and nodded in acknowledgment: ¡°Yes, such a big deal, I would never catch onto it without you.¡± Lin Nianhe looked at her for a while, then silently returned to the inner room and opened the kang cabinet with her back to Wang Shumei. In a little while, she came out with a handful of change. ¡°How much should it be?¡± Lin Nianhe asked. Wang Shumei saw her seriousness and refused: ¡°Nianhe, really, there¡¯s no need, I...¡± ¡°Sister Shumei, even real brothers settle accounts clearly,¡± Lin Nianhe said earnestly, ¡°Since it¡¯s a partnership, don¡¯t mix personal feelings into it, I set the price, I won¡¯t lose out, you can¡¯t be like this.¡± The straightforwardness of Northeastern people ran deep in Wang Shumei¡¯s bones, she felt that she was making so much money because of Lin Nianhe, giving a bit more to round out the amount felt better face-wise, and she wouldn¡¯t feel too guilty in her heart. In her previous life, Lin Nianhe was not short of money, and had also been involved in such matters. But the result was, gratitude for a bucket of rice could turn into animosity over a measure of rice, and in the end, it made everyone look bad. Now, she would never mix money and emotions again. It was better for everyone. Wang Shumei lowered her eyes to think for a moment, then nodded: ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll listen to you.¡± Lin Nianhe gave her the change, and seemingly casually asked: ¡°Is your brother coming again in ten days?¡± ¡°No,¡± Wang Shumei shook her head, ¡°This time was an accident, they didn¡¯t take enough goods last time, so they made another trip, my brother said he would come once a month from now on.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good,¡± Lin Nianhe nodded, ¡°That¡¯s pretty good.¡± One house a month, she couldn¡¯t be unsatisfied without courting disaster from heaven. On the 43rd day in the countryside, Lin Nianhe achieved financial independence. She stayed up all night reading two hundred transmigration novels, ensuring she was the most outstanding one. To celebrate, Comrade Xiao Lin threw a big night feast for two consecutive nights. Ultimately, because she ate too wildly and carelessly, she ended up with acute gastroenteritis, and lay on the kang for three days. Perhaps being sick brought back memories of the last fever, after drinking white porridge for three days, Lin Nianhe decided to do something significant. ¡°Going to the town?¡± Wang Shumei, with money in her pocket, was also eager to go, ¡°I¡¯ll go too!¡± Lin Nianhe shook her head in refusal: ¡°I have to find someone, it¡¯s urgent.¡± ¡°Looking for your brother?¡± ¡°No.¡± Lin Nianhe mysteriously shook her head, turned, and left, leaving Wang Shumei clutching a pocketful of banknotes, feeling as uncomfortable as if a cat were scratching at her heart. Lin Nianhe was rather lucky that day, she encountered an oxcart on her way. She gave the old man a few pieces of fruit candy, hitched a ride, and reached the town. ¡°Girl, when will you be heading back?¡± the old man asked her cheerfully, ¡°Do you need me to wait for you?¡± ¡°No thank you, old man, I am going to visit a friend, you go on with your work,¡± Lin Nianhe smiled and waved her thanks, ¡°Thank you much.¡± ¡°Hey, why the courtesy,¡± the old man laughed, the wrinkles on his face deepening. Watching Lin Nianhe¡¯s back, the old man couldn¡¯t help but sigh: ¡°If the educated youth in our group were as sensible as her, that would be great; those darn kids know nothing but making trouble...¡± Lin Nianhe did not hear the old man¡¯s muttering, her goal clear, she first went to the Cooperative Society and bought two bottles of peach can that cures all diseases, then walked towards the Textile Factory Family Courtyard. Following the route she remembered, Lin Nianhe found the house of Principal Wu¡¯s older sister, saw that the courtyard door was slightly ajar, and quietly sighed in relief, knocking on the door. ¡°Cough cough... Who is it?¡± Hearing that familiar cough, Lin Nianhe inwardly sighed. ¡°Principal Wu, it¡¯s me, Lin Nianhe.¡± ¡°The door is unlocked, come in... cough cough cough...¡± Principal Wu was probably sicker than before, unable even to get off the bed to open the door. Lin Nianhe pushed the door open, turned around to close the courtyard gate, and followed the sound into the west room. Principal Wu was originally lying down, but sat up when she heard the knocking. ¡°Nianhe, come in, help yourself to some water.¡± Principal Wu truly wanted to do more but was physically unable. She turned around to prop up her pillow and leaned on it. Lin Nianhe put down the canned peaches, quickly walked over, and helped her. ¡°Principal Wu, how have you gotten worse again?¡± Lin Nianhe frowned slightly as she helped cover her with the quilt. Principal Wu shook her head, her complexion pale with a hint of green, her voice so weak it was heart-wrenching: ¡°It¡¯s nothing, just caught a bit of a cold recently.¡± The weather had been quite nice lately, getting warmer by the day. A cold was unlikely. It was probably the disillusionment of her vision, unable to bear the blow, that had caused her to fall ill. Lin Nianhe looked at her, sighed softly after a moment of silence, and said: ¡°I came to see you today because I have something to discuss.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± Principal Wu asked, looking at her, ¡°Tell me, though I might not be able to help.¡± Her face bore a faint, self-deprecating smile amidst her frailty. ¡°Last time you mentioned wanting to establish a primary school in the Birch Team, I thought about it after I went back, and it¡¯s a very good idea,¡± Lin Nianhe paused, then added, ¡°I want to donate.¡± ¡°Ah? You want to donate?¡± It was as if a shot of adrenaline had been administered, Principal Wu¡¯s eyes suddenly brightened. ¡°How much... how much can you donate?¡± Lin Nianhe smiled slightly and said: ¡°When I came down to the countryside, both my father and my brother gave me quite a bit of money. I¡¯ll keep some and donate five hundred.¡± Wang Shumei had recently been planning on building a house; her child Xiaoxiao was going to high school this year, and in another two years after graduating from high school, she would inevitably need to bring Xiaoxiao over sooner or later. It might be better to move out early and avoid daily chaos. So, she subtly inquired from Aunt Li about the cost of building a house ¡ª three rooms, around one hundred bucks. As Lin Nianhe considered, with her donation of five hundred, it would be enough to build a small school in Ten Miles Team. Upon hearing her words, Principal Wu was so excited that her hands trembled, and she couldn¡¯t stop coughing for a while. Her suggestion had been noticed by the leaders of the commune but wasn¡¯t realized; she also had to listen to a bunch of poor-mouthing nonsense. In short¡ªdidn¡¯t the Birch Team have a school already? Building another wouldn¡¯t bring many students, focusing on development is still necessary! Principal Wu fell sick as soon as she got home. She had all the passion but couldn¡¯t warm anyone with it. Lin Nianhe held Principal Wu¡¯s trembling hand and said softly, ¡°You must recover soon, otherwise, I won¡¯t even have anyone to help with the donation.¡± ¡°Nianhe, you, you...¡± Principal Wu¡¯s lips trembled; she wanted to be a bit selfish and just agree, but after hesitating for a while, still asked: ¡°Do your parents know about this? It¡¯s not a small amount of money.¡± Asking this, Principal Wu felt much relieved. She¡¯d never done anything against her conscience in her lifetime; if she really accepted Lin Nianhe¡¯s money carelessly, she would spend the rest of her life immersed in guilt. Children are important, but this was her affair; she couldn¡¯t, for the sake of a group of kids, harm another child. ¡°They know.¡± Lin Nianhe smiled reassuringly, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, they are very supportive and also hope to contribute to the cause of education.¡± Lin Nianhe had the capability to give out these five hundred yuan before. But she didn¡¯t, or rather, using that money felt somewhat unreal. After all, it was given by Mr. Lin and Aunt Lin to the real Lin Nianhe. Now that she had earned her own money, whatever she did was justifiable. As for her family... Should she give Comrade Old Lin a call later? Chapter 68 - 68 67 The Kind Father and the Filial Daughter ?68: Chapter 67: The Kind Father and the Filial Daughter 68: Chapter 67: The Kind Father and the Filial Daughter Principal Wu was overjoyed. Ever since her husband had passed away, she had not felt such happiness. Her illness had arisen because of the school, and now it had ended because of the school. Had it not been for Lin Nianhe insisting that she rest, she would even want to go to the commune right now. Lin Nianhe chatted with her for a while and only left after proposing a request to donate anonymously. Walking out of Principal Wu¡¯s house, Lin Nianhe felt the cloud that had been pressing on her heart for several days disperse. She turned her head back and saw Principal Wu still standing at the doorway watching her. Looking at her frail figure, Lin Nianhe suddenly thought of a line of poetry. ¡°And I wish I could build palaces to shelter all the poor in cold.¡± She felt a warmth in her eyes. Having experienced the apocalypse, she had become thoroughly disillusioned with human nature. She had seen girls who sold themselves for a packet of instant noodles, couples turning knives on each other, parents who would trade their children for food, children who cannibalized their parents... She had once thought that humanity was beyond salvation. Until she arrived here. She met Wang Hong who tirelessly toiled for a girl¡¯s sake, Principal Wu who devoted herself exhaustively to education, Li Dahe who gave up his hair for the economy of Birch Team... And then there was the brilliant spark on the ox cart that day, which could start a prairie fire. Perhaps, In Wang Hong¡¯s eyes, she was the benefactor who saved Wang Xixi; In Principal Wu¡¯s eyes, she was the good person supporting education; In Li Dahe¡¯s eyes, she... was still a bit of a waste. But in Lin Nianhe¡¯s eyes, it was they who built a bridge with their own blood, step by step leading her out of the abyss. They had ignited themselves to illuminate her path forward, helping her find the way home. She seemed to hear the eager calls ahead¡ª ¡°Come over quickly, or I¡¯ll send you off to the Great Northern Wilderness.¡± Lin Nianhe pondered a lot, and when she returned to her senses, she was already at the doorstep of the post office. She hesitated for a moment, then stepped into the post office. The post office had a telephone, but the call was very expensive. Lin Nianhe dialed Comrade Old Lin¡¯s office phone, clenching the handset tightly. ¡°Hello, good day.¡± Mr. Lin¡¯s voice came from the earpiece, somewhat stern. Lin Nianhe opened her mouth and said, ¡°Daddy, it¡¯s me.¡± ¡°Eh? Eh!¡± Comrade Old Lin¡¯s sternness dissipated instantly, laughing heartily, ¡°Hehe! Why are you calling at this time? Missing Daddy? Or feeling unwell? Has someone bullied you?¡± Mr. Lin grew more anxious as he spoke, thinking increasingly negative thoughts. Listening to his voice, Lin Nianhe felt her eyes grow warmer. She sniffed, looking downward, ¡°Nothing, I just came to town and was worried you might miss me too much, so I called to have a chat with you.¡± Comrade Old Lin detected the choke in Lin Nianhe¡¯s voice, his own eyes becoming slightly moist, ¡°Look at you, a grown girl, why are you crying?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not crying.¡± Lin Nianhe wiped the tears from the corner of her eyes and hurriedly changed the subject, ¡°Dad, I¡¯m doing very well in Birch Team; Uncle Team Leader takes good care of me, and the work isn¡¯t tiring. Oh, I¡¯ve learned how to plant vegetables, they¡¯ve already sprouted.¡± Learned to plant vegetables¡ªlearned to spend money to get people to help with planting. It¡¯s okay to simplify it a bit, right? ¡°Wow, my girl is amazing!¡± Mr. Lin was proud yet heartbroken. His girl had never done hard labor since she was young, and now... ¡°Daddy, the aunties in Birch Team like me so much, Aunt Li even brought me some tomatoes from her garden the other day, they were so tasty.¡± Mr. Lin nodded repeatedly, ¡°Good, good, good... make sure to give something back to people, and if you don¡¯t have vegetables, go to the Cooperative Society and buy something, right, do you have enough money? Should I ask your mom to send you some?¡± Comrade Old Lin seemed to have forgotten how much money his beloved daughter had taken with her when she left home. Or perhaps he remembered, but still worried that his child wouldn¡¯t have enough to eat outside. He had arranged everything that could be arranged, but still, he couldn¡¯t rest easy. ¡°There¡¯s no need, I have enough money. I have a single room at the Educated Youth Corps where I can cook for myself. I had the village carpenter, Second Uncle Li, make some furniture, and all in all, it only cost me thirty yuan.¡± Lin Nianhe took the opportunity to bring up the main point: ¡°Dad, I¡¯ve recently met Principal Wu from the high school in town. She wants to build a primary school in the Team, but there¡¯s no money... I want to donate some, do you think that¡¯s okay?¡± Mr. Lin was taken aback, his first reaction being: ¡°Hehe, haven¡¯t you been tricked by a swindler?¡± Lin Nianhe¡¯s lips trembled slightly. This reaction was very reasonable, very real. All she could say was: ¡°Brother Yuncheng has met her too.¡± ¡°Oh, if that¡¯s the case, then I¡¯m relieved!¡± Lin Nianhe: ¡°...¡± If she wasn¡¯t feeling wrong, did Comrade Old Lin mean that only she could be tricked by a swindler? Surely he wasn¡¯t saying she was foolish, right? Phone calls were expensive, Lin Nianhe didn¡¯t dwell on it and simply said: ¡°Then I¡¯ll donate it.¡± ¡°Yes, yes.¡± Comrade Old Lin became much more serious, ¡°Education is very important. To be able to do something within our power is a good thing.¡± Comrade Old Lin didn¡¯t say too many pompous words, but after affirming Lin Nianhe¡¯s idea, he said: ¡°I¡¯ll have your mother send you some more money, you shouldn¡¯t neglect yourself because of helping others.¡± ¡°Dad, really, there¡¯s no need,¡± Lin Nianhe replied in a tender, soft voice, ¡°before I left, my brother also gave me four hundred yuan.¡± Comrade Old Lin: ¡°...¡± So now, he¡¯s the poorest in the family, is that it? Lin Nianhe, listening to the silence on the other end of the phone, covered her mouth and snickered. She cleared her throat and quickly added: ¡°Actually, I¡¯m not just being blindly kind-hearted, Dad, you don¡¯t know, our Team doesn¡¯t have a school, and the kids have to walk seven or eight miles to Birch Team to go to school... Recently, a child accidentally fell into the river on the way, nearly losing their life.¡± On hearing Lin Nianhe¡¯s words, Comrade Old Lin no longer pondered over the family status issues. He had been to the countryside before and knew how difficult the mountain roads were. The thought of little children the size of Beanny walking such a long way every day... He couldn¡¯t help but picture Lin Nianhe as a child in their place, his heart aching instantly and his eyes welling up with warmth. ¡°That¡¯s great, my girl, well done!¡± ¡°Go ahead and do it. If you¡¯re short of money, tell Dad.¡± Thousands of words ultimately condensed into these two sentences. After hanging up the phone, Comrade Old Lin was reflective for a while, then quickly picked up his big tea mug and went next door to find Mr. Su. ¡°Hey, Old Su, guess who just called me?¡± Mr. Su didn¡¯t even bother giving him a glance: ¡°The whole building could hear you yelling ¡®Hehe¡¯, I¡¯m not deaf.¡± ¡°Hey, look at you, what a way to talk, is Yuncheng too busy to pay attention to you again? I¡¯m telling you, daughters are closer to the heart. Just look, my girl even ran to town to call me...¡± ¡°Ah, my daughter is so filial!¡± Mr. Lin sat on the chair, legs crossed and foot shaking. Mr. Su gave him a glare but didn¡¯t want to respond. Mr. Lin was there to show off and didn¡¯t care whether he got a response or not. ¡°Hey, you know Hehe is such a clever child, she¡¯s only been down to the country for a few days and the vegetables she planted have already sprouted! I always thought she wasn¡¯t one for farm work, but look, unexpectedly, it turns out she¡¯s truly my daughter, everything she does is successful!¡± ¡°This girl is beloved wherever she goes, the Aunties in the Corps often bring her vegetables to eat, just afraid she¡¯ll go hungry... Hey, Old Su, do you think I should prepare some things to send over to them? We can¡¯t just enjoy others¡¯ generosity without giving back!¡± ¡°My daughter is so conscientious, she saw that the children in the Team had to walk seven or eight miles of mountain road to go to school, so she wants to donate a school for the Team!¡± Mr. Lin raised his chin, glancing at Mr. Su with a clear message in his eyes¡ª I¡¯ve finished talking, it¡¯s your turn to praise my daughter! Mr. Su didn¡¯t want to respond, only wanting to call his own ungrateful son to ask where he had run off to, not even calling once in a month to check on his old father. His hand touched the phone, but like getting an electric shock, he withdrew it. No way, he couldn¡¯t make this call in front of Old Lin, otherwise Old Lin would just grab the phone and continue to brag about his daughter. Mr. Su watched the self-congratulating Mr. Lin, when a sudden insight came to him¡ª ¡°Yes, Hehe is such a good child, you must keep an eye on her, or else some brat might whisk her away, and then you¡¯ll have reason to cry!¡± Comrade Old Lin¡¯s smile froze at the corners of his mouth, suddenly finding the tea in his mug less fragrant. Chapter 69 - 69 68 The Worst of Times ?69: Chapter 68 The Worst of Times 69: Chapter 68 The Worst of Times How Comrade Old Lin showed off, Lin Nianhe couldn¡¯t imagine. She paid the phone bill, and out of the corner of her eye, she caught sight of the stamps on the counter... Stamps! Lin Nianhe¡¯s eyes suddenly brightened. In her past life, she had the fortune to glimpse that famous misprinted stamp that was sold at an astronomical price. It was from that moment that she developed an interest in philately. But back then, acquiring a stamp from this era often came at a great cost. And now, they lay quietly on the counter as if countless invisible little hands were desperately reaching out to her, seemingly saying¡ªcome over here quickly. She rubbed her hands together, her feet uncontrollably shifting towards them... Su Yuncheng originally came to the post office to look for Zhou Xu. But as soon as he stepped through the post office doors, he caught sight of the little girl he hadn¡¯t seen for more than ten days. She was dressed in simple black pants and a white shirt, with her hair braided into two plaits, tied off with red strings. She was leaning on the counter, her eyes fervently watching the sales clerk cutting stamps. Her eyes were bright, as if she was looking at something incredible. Su Yuncheng had been very busy lately, almost living in the police station. He hadn¡¯t seen her for many days and was deeply concerned. Seeing her so engrossed, he somewhat reluctantly refrained from disturbing her. He¡¯d wait for a bit. Once she was done, he would go and talk to her. Lin Nianhe¡¯s eyes were filled with stamps, and she nervously watched the sales clerk¡¯s hands, afraid that she would inadvertently damage her treasures. The sales clerk felt both amused and exasperated. Others would simply tear the stamps, but this little girl insisted on using scissors, looking terrified she might mess them up. The clerk had been too lazy to bother, but Lin Nianhe had given her two pieces of candy. ¡°Girl, what are you buying so many stamps for?¡± the sales clerk couldn¡¯t help asking. Lin Nianhe replied, ¡°They¡¯re pretty!¡± The sales clerk¡¯s hand trembled, nearly cutting a stamp in half. Lin Nianhe smiled warmly, quickly adding, ¡°Sister, can you save two of each new stamp for me when they arrive? I¡¯m an educated youth from Ten Miles Team, I can¡¯t run away...¡± ¡°Like them?¡± Su Yuncheng timely stepped forward, looking down at Lin Nianhe. His low, familiar, and enticing male voice made Lin Nianhe turn around, and sure enough, she saw Su Yuncheng. She was somewhat surprised: ¡°Brother Yuncheng, what brings you here?¡± ¡°Looking for someone.¡± Su Yuncheng glanced at the stamps in her hand, ¡°If you like them, I can buy the new ones for you later on.¡± ¡°Sure.¡± Lin Nianhe smiled and nodded, ¡°Brother Yuncheng, you¡¯re so nice.¡± She didn¡¯t trust the sales clerk too much; after all, how could someone so busy remember her little request? Su Yuncheng watched her bright smiling face, her words ¡°you¡¯re so nice¡± echoing in his ears. Her voice lifted at the end, her tone cheerful; she was very happy. Just buying stamps for her made her this happy. Truly, she was easily contented. His heart beat a bit chaotically, and with a low cough, he forced himself to cool down, asking her, ¡°Do you have business in town?¡± ¡°I went to see Principal Wu,¡± Lin Nianhe replied, ¡°She wants to establish a primary school in the brigade, but there are some difficulties.¡± He could guess what the ¡°difficulties¡± she referred to were. He asked, ¡°Do you need my help?¡± ¡°No need,¡± Lin Nianhe responded, ¡°My dad said he will make a donation.¡± Having just heartened up Comrade Old Lin, Lin Nianhe felt it was necessary to give him a sweet date. ¡°I see,¡± Su Yuncheng pondered, then said, ¡°If it¡¯s not enough, let me know.¡± Seeing no trace of doubt in his eyes, Lin Nianhe couldn¡¯t help asking, ¡°Aren¡¯t you afraid I¡¯ll be scammed?¡± Su Yuncheng¡¯s eyes held a smile as he shook his head: ¡°I trust you have your own considerations and judgments, you won¡¯t be scammed.¡± Lin Nianhe looked slightly surprised. Compared with Comrade Old Lin, she actually found Su Yuncheng quite eloquent. Her smile grew even brighter; she nodded in agreement, ¡°Mhm, Principal Wu is a good person.¡± In judging people and assessing situations, Lin Nianhe was quite confident in herself. ¡°Brother Cheng!¡± The voice of Zhou Xu came from behind Lin Nianhe. Su Yuncheng frowned slightly and quickly asked her, ¡°Are you in a hurry to get back? Why not wait for me a bit, and we can have lunch together at noon?¡± ¡°I...¡± Lin Nianhe was about to nod her head when that voice came from even closer: ¡°Brother Cheng, I¡¯ve got the leave approved, shall we go?¡± Lin Nianhe saw Su Yuncheng¡¯s brows furrow deeply, assuming that he had urgent matters to attend to. Being very considerate, she said, ¡°No need, I have to go back to work this afternoon, so I¡¯ll be leaving now. Brother Yuncheng, you go ahead with your business.¡± As someone well-versed in social etiquette, how could she not understand that this was just a polite remark? She waved her hand cheerfully at him and offered a courteous reply, ¡°Maybe we¡¯ll have a chance in a few days.¡± Su Yuncheng really wanted to ignore her refusal and keep her there, but on second thought, he nodded and asked earnestly, ¡°In a few days?¡± He had indeed been busy lately. Rather than rushing to keep her for a meal, it would be better to let her go back and rest properly. ¡°Uh...¡± Lin Nianhe hadn¡¯t expected her polite words to be followed up so diligently. After a moment¡¯s thought, she could only say, ¡°How about you send me a letter when you have the time to rest?¡± Su Yuncheng nodded, ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll look for you once I¡¯m done with these busy days.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Lin Nianhe left with her stamps, and just then Zhou Xu approached, ¡°Brother Cheng, shall we go?¡± Su Yuncheng didn¡¯t speak, only turned to look at him. Zhou Xu: ¡°...¡± The last time he saw that look from Brother Cheng was during his military service, when he had been punished to do a 20-kilometer weighted cross-country run for ten consecutive days for reasons that even dogs wouldn¡¯t believe. Zhou Xu¡¯s cold sweat dripped down; he retreated silently, murmuring his defense: ¡°I didn¡¯t see sister-in-law... Ah no, Comrade Lin at first! When I did, I was afraid that she might misunderstand that you were loitering around and hiding something from her...¡± ¡°Brother Cheng, I was wrong, I came at the wrong time!¡± Su Yuncheng was about to scold him, but after the word ¡°sister-in-law,¡± he didn¡¯t even hear what Zhou Xu said next. He kept a stern face, warning, ¡°Watch your mouth, don¡¯t ruin her reputation with your careless talk.¡± ¡°Brother Cheng, I really... Ah? Ah! Got it!¡± Su Yuncheng no longer paid attention to Zhou Xu¡¯s narrow escape from disaster, but turned to look outside. By the time his gaze fell, Lin Nianhe¡¯s figure was nowhere to be seen. He withdrew his gaze, feeling somewhat irritable. Lin Nianhe left the post office and headed straight in the direction of Ten Miles Team. She clutched the envelope, afraid that someone might come out and snatch it from her. ¡°Young lady!¡± As she was walking, a calling voice suddenly came from behind. Lin Nianhe stopped and saw that it was the old man who drove the cart. ¡°Old man, you¡¯ve finished your chores,¡± Lin Nianhe said with a smile, stepping aside. The old man gradually slowed down and stopped in front of Lin Nianhe, asking, ¡°Are you going back?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Lin Nianhe nodded. The old man knocked his pipe casually and called out, ¡°Come, get on the cart.¡± ¡°Thank you, sir.¡± Lin Nianhe did not refuse, cheerfully boarding the cart. The old man had come to town to fetch tiles, not many, just half a cartload, providing Lin Nianhe with a place to sit. Lin Nianhe casually asked, ¡°Old man, are these for building a house?¡± The old man¡¯s originally cheerful face instantly fell, and he rolled his eyes. Taking another draw from his tobacco pouch and smacking his lips twice, he finally said, ¡°Yes, they¡¯re for building a house; they said more Educated youth are coming.¡± The old man looked troubled, though it was unclear whether he was worried about the house or his own chicken eggs. After brooding for a while, the old man belatedly realized that his aversion to Educated youth might upset the young lady behind him. Turning his head to explain, he saw that the girl¡¯s brows were locked tightly, seemingly more bothered than he was. Chapter 70 - 70 69 An Unexpected Encounter with an Elderly Lady ?70: Chapter 69: An Unexpected Encounter with an Elderly Lady 70: Chapter 69: An Unexpected Encounter with an Elderly Lady ¡°Girl, what¡¯s wrong with you?¡± The uncle couldn¡¯t help but ask. Lin Nianhe snapped back to reality, shaking her head: ¡°Nothing, uncle, just curiously asking, if more educated youth come, does every team have to accommodate them?¡± ¡°That¡¯s for sure,¡± the uncle nodded, ¡°but I heard there will be fewer people coming this time...¡± The uncle himself shook his head after saying that. This wasn¡¯t about how many people, but rather whether many or few, it¡¯s an utterly bothersome issue. Lin Nianhe was also annoyed. There was simply no more room in the front yard for female educated youth; if more came, they wouldn¡¯t squeeze into her place, would they? If it really came to that, her good days would be over. Not everyone can sleep like a log like Wen Lan; it would be too difficult for her to sneak out in the middle of the night. Lin Nianhe was worried, but for the moment couldn¡¯t think of a good solution. She was annoyed, and so was the uncle. Both were momentarily silent, no longer in the mood for idle chatter. The oxcart slowly traveled along the country road, and soon caught up to an old lady carrying a small bundle. The old lady, with her graying hair, looked to be in her fifties, but she was sprightly and moved quickly, striding along briskly. As the oxcart passed by, her upturned almond-shaped eyes lit up. ¡°Hey hey, fellow villager, I¡¯m heading to Nine-miles Team, can you give me a lift?¡± She stretched out her hand to stop the oxcart, nearly blocking in front of the ox, as if she wouldn¡¯t let them pass without agreeing. ¡°Nine-miles Team?¡± The uncle was stunned, his eyes showing a trace of wariness, ¡°What are you going there for?¡± ¡°I¡¯m visiting my daughter!¡± the old lady said, without waiting for the uncle¡¯s consent, she dashed onto the oxcart and settled down before adding, ¡°My daughter is an educated youth!¡± The uncle immediately curled his lips, clearly displeased with the idea of transporting relatives of the educated youth from his own team. But since she was already on the cart, he couldn¡¯t exactly grab her and throw her off, could he? Driving the cart, the uncle was a bit more grumpy, and the speed of the cart increased a bit. The old lady didn¡¯t feel awkward at all, and her eyes roamed over Lin Nianhe: ¡°Oh my, this young lady is quite pretty! Are you an educated youth from my daughter¡¯s team as well?¡± ¡°No,¡± Lin Nianhe shifted aside, ¡°I¡¯m an educated youth from Ten Miles Team.¡± ¡°Eh, that sounds familiar, and not far away,¡± the old lady looked at Lin Nianhe as if a wolf had seen meat, ¡°Girl, how old are you? Engaged yet? Where¡¯s your family from? How many people are in your house? What do your parents do?¡± Lin Nianhe raised an eyebrow. Had she bumped into a family registrar? The corners of her mouth slowly curled upwards into a smile, showing a friendly face to the old lady: ¡°My parents aren¡¯t capable of much, just getting by on what my grandpa left us. My grandpa used to kill a lot of people, and only stopped when he got old.¡± Lin Nianhe swore, she definitely wasn¡¯t lying. Old Master Lin was genuinely a veteran, distinguished in battle. However, he had been injured early on and passed away during a year of disaster. Hearing Lin Nianhe say this, the old lady¡¯s face immediately twisted with disdain, her look at Lin Nianhe was as if seeing the offspring of a landlord. ¡°Tsk tsk tsk.¡± She smacked her lips, the corners almost reaching her chin: ¡°Then how come you can still be an educated youth? In our area, you¡¯d be sent to live in the cowshed!¡± ¡°Oh my, the world really has changed, even bandit¡¯s offspring can be educated youth, in my opinion, such people should have their ancestral graves dug up...¡± Lin Nianhe: ¡°My grandpa was a soldier.¡± ¡°Gah¡ª¡± The woman nearly bit her own tongue off. Suddenly, her face of disgust transformed into a blooming smile, with the speed of face-changing that could only be called astounding: ¡°Aiyo, look at you girl, why do you love to tease me so? Being a soldier is great, being a soldier is wonderful! Hey, girl, has your family found you a match yet? My eldest son is about your age, he¡¯s quite the handsome one...¡± Lin Nianhe really didn¡¯t want to continue the conversation; even with her love for chatter, she couldn¡¯t keep it going with someone like this. ¡°Girl, why aren¡¯t you speaking? Tell me, what exactly is inside your house, what are you doing...¡± Lin Nianhe stuffed her hand into her trouser pocket and took out a piece of milk candy from the space and popped it into her mouth. The woman had initially struck up a conversation with Lin Nianhe because she looked well-dressed, suggesting her family was well-off, and now seeing her eating candy, her eyes lit up even more. ¡°Girl, what kind of candy is that? Give me a piece, will you?¡± Lin Nianhe didn¡¯t reply straight away; seeing that they were almost at Ten Miles Team, she turned her head and said, ¡°Lady, you¡¯re quite capable!¡± The woman lifted her chin proudly: ¡°That¡¯s right, I am capable indeed, otherwise how could I have given birth to my eldest son...¡± Lin Nianhe: ¡°Other people rely on the labor of their hands to eat, but you, you can get food just by using your mouth, that¡¯s a skill indeed I can¡¯t learn.¡± The woman was left a bit dazed by her words, taking quite a while to realize she¡¯d been insulted. ¡°Heh, you little brat, you dare to...¡± Lin Nianhe didn¡¯t wait for her to finish cursing, and even less for her to take a swing, she promptly jumped off the vehicle. She steadied herself and turned back to wave at the old man: ¡°Sir, take it slow, next time you come to Ten Miles Team, I¡¯ll treat you to a cup of tea.¡± The man had already slowed down seeing they were close to Ten Miles Team, and upon seeing Lin Nianhe jump off safely, he couldn¡¯t help but chuckle. Waving back at Lin Nianhe, he said, ¡°Okay, if I go to the town again in the future, just wait for me at the entrance of the village in the morning.¡± ¡°You son of a bitch...¡± The old man snapped the whip fiercely, and the woman who was still cursing jolted, this time really biting her tongue. ¡°Ow¡ª¡± The woman¡¯s cries of pain gradually faded away. Lin Nianhe watched this scene unfold with an exceptionally bright smile. ¡°That¡¯s outrageous, to have such a woman as your mother, it really is fatal.¡± She murmured softly to herself and walked towards the Educated Youth Corps. After all, just a passing woman, Lin Nianhe didn¡¯t take her to heart. Lin Nianhe came back early today; the work hadn¡¯t ended yet. Upon returning to her room, she refilled the halfway empty bags of rice and flour and placed some dried goods like eggs and kelp in the cupboard. After putting away the visible items, Lin Nianhe washed her hands clean and, with great care, took out an album with an off-white cover from the space and began to organize her precious stamps. She collected stamps not to sell them later but because she genuinely liked them and didn¡¯t want to miss out on any. After organizing her stamps and eating a bowl of the fried sauce noodles she had stored in the space, she finally heard the gong signaling the end of work. To ensure a good rest, Lin Nianhe decided to wait until the neighbors in the front yard had also finished their meals before taking a noon break. She truly had enough of the noise. With this thought, she took out the textbooks that Su Yuncheng had brought her to read. Today, in the front yard, Yu Xiangqin and Miao Yulan were cooking, and Miao Yulan went to the backyard to pick vegetables after work. She held a basin and picked two green onions, when she looked up, she saw Lin Nianhe sitting behind the window, writing. She sat up straight, her eyes lightly lowered, occasionally furrowing her brows, as if pondering something, her pen pausing from time to time. The green barrel of the pen against her fair skin looked extremely beautiful. The early summer breeze blew in through the window, brushing away the stray hairs on her forehead. A pretty checkered cloth by the window shielded the book from dust, and at the corner of the desk sat a candlestick with tears of wax, keeping away who knows how much darkness. Through the small window, the world inside was Miao Yulan¡¯s dream. Chapter 71 - 71 70 Drink Coffee Then Eat Melon ?71: Chapter 70: Drink Coffee Then Eat Melon 71: Chapter 70: Drink Coffee Then Eat Melon Lin Nianhe set down her pen and calmly picked up her tea cup, took a sip of water. Then, as if she had just noticed someone outside, she smiled and waved at Miao Yulan, as a greeting. Looking at her radiant smile, Miao Yulan hesitated for a moment and walked toward her. The closer she got, the more uneasy she felt, and her steps slowed down. When she was three steps away from the window, Miao Yulan finally couldn¡¯t move forward anymore. She stood there, as if she had trespassed into a place she shouldn¡¯t be. Lin Nianhe sighed softly in her heart. Perhaps it was because of the old lady she saw today, she couldn¡¯t help but think of Miao Yulan¡¯s family again. Maybe her family also has a mother who takes pride in having a son. Lin Nianhe asked, ¡°Is there something you need from me?¡± She softened her voice, afraid of scaring Miao Yulan away. Miao Yulan was holding a vegetable basin in one hand and clutching the corner of her clothes with the other. Her hands were still dusty from just coming off work. She quickly glanced at the stack of books and asked hesitantly, ¡°I, I... I see you often read, do you, do you... have any newspapers that I could borrow to read?¡± Actually, she wanted to borrow a book; she wanted to read ¡°Red Rock.¡± She had glanced through a copy that her desk mate had during school, and she remembered it till now. But she was too shy to ask, afraid that Lin Nianhe would not want to lend it or find it bothersome to lend. Lin Nianhe nodded without hesitation: ¡°Sure, wait a moment, I¡¯ll find it for you.¡± ¡°No, no, no...¡± Miao Yulan quickly shook her head. She awkwardly tugged at the corner of her mouth, revealing an unattractive smile, ¡°My hands are dirty, I¡¯ll come and get it from you after I finish cooking... is that okay?¡± She was always so cautious, always afraid her words would trouble others or be disliked. Last time she borrowed money, probably took all her courage. ¡°That¡¯s fine.¡± Lin Nianhe nodded, ¡°Actually, I just put them away. I¡¯ll get them out for you later.¡± Her tone was calm, showing no impatience. Miao Yulan relaxed a bit, and her smile became less stiff. She thanked her and went back to the vegetable garden. Lin Nianhe twirled her fountain pen twice, pulled open the drawer, and took out the newspapers. Ever since there were books on the desk, these old newspapers had long ceased to make an appearance. Lin Nianhe picked out a few that she had read, slightly shuffled their order, and then neatly stacked them to one side, waiting for Miao Yulan to come and get them. She lowered her head to read, listening as the footsteps receded, much lighter than when they came. A smile inadvertently formed on Lin Nianhe¡¯s lips. She took out a set of practice questions and started working on them as she felt the sleepiness coming on. Just as the clanking of the spatula in the front yard ceased, Lin Nianhe timely put down her pen, pulled the curtains closed, and prepared for a nap. Yawning, she had just unfastened a button when a loud shout came from the front yard¡ª ¡°Miao Laidi!¡± Lin Nianhe¡¯s hand trembled, and the button was fastened again. After that shout from the front yard, a series of dialects she couldn¡¯t quite understand followed. The voices were familiar, especially the cursing. Lin Nianhe yawned again. This drama was ill-timed; she was sleepy. After hesitating for three seconds, Lin Nianhe took a cup of coffee from the space, threw her head back and drank it down, then grabbed a handful of sunflower seeds and rushed out in a dash. Who needs sleep during the day when you can sleep peacefully at night! A nap is not as essential as enjoying some gossip! Lin Nianhe arrived just in time, a round of fighting had already finished in the front yard. Miao Yulan¡¯s face bore two bright red handprints, and she trembled like a quail, held tightly in Wang Xue¡¯s arms. Further ahead were Wen Lan and Yu Xiangqin, seemingly in unspoken agreement, each grabbing one of the newcomer¡¯s arms, keeping her away from Miao Yulan. As for Wang Shumei, she waited for Lin Nianhe, standing next to the east wall¡ªa spot where she could see everything clearly without getting involved. The newcomer... Lin Nianhe recognized her. The lady who had shared a ride with her to the Nine-miles Team. Lin Nianhe walked over to Wang Shumei with some sunflower seeds, opened her palm, and offered some: ¡°What happened?¡± Wang Shumei took a few seeds and said, ¡°I tried to pull Xiao Lan over, but she went to wash her hands and was too far from me, couldn¡¯t grab her.¡± Lin Nianhe: ¡°...¡± She realized lately that Wang Shumei¡¯s wallet had grown thicker, and she seemed to be heading in a direction of having more money than sense. Was she asking about Wen Lan starting a fight? Wen Lan wanting to fight three times a day was hardly a surprise. Fortunately, Wang Shumei didn¡¯t have too much money. After a pause, she continued, ¡°It should be Miao Yulan¡¯s mother who arrived. The moment she walked in, she started cursing, claiming that Miao Yulan tricked her about the address of the village team, making her walk extra distances for nothing.¡± After finishing, Wang Shumei smirked. They both knew, Miao Yulan¡¯s mother would only come here for one reason¡ª Her eldest daughter¡¯s betrothal money. Miao Yulan hadn¡¯t dealt with it, nor had she mentioned it again, seeming to have sent a letter home explaining her lack of money. They all thought due to the distance and difficulty, Miao Yulan¡¯s mother wouldn¡¯t literally come knocking. Yet, here she was. Lin Nianhe poked Wang Shumei¡¯s waist: ¡°On my way back today, I ran into that lady, but she said she was going to Nine-miles Team.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Wang Shumei was perplexed, ¡°Is there some misunderstanding here? She couldn¡¯t have gotten it wrong.¡± Lin Nianhe didn¡¯t respond. She felt there was indeed a high possibility of misremembering. They whispered among themselves, while the nearby male Educated youths either feigned or were genuinely clueless, standing like a row of wooden posts. It wasn¡¯t really their fault; the woman was older and a comrade, they couldn¡¯t just manhandle her, what else could they do but watch? Lin Nianhe found something quite amusing¡ª Wang Xue and Miao Yulan were close to the kitchen, and standing in front of them was Fu Aiguo. His fists were clenched tight, muscles all tensed up, eyes fixed on the lady as if ready to rush forward should she break free from Wen Lan and Yu Xiangqin. Lin Nianhe cracked sunflower seeds. Well, a hidden melon twist. ¡°... You damn little wretch, I fed and clothed you, and you dared to lie about the address of the village team, I should have never kept you, should have drowned you in a urine pot...¡± The grandmom, while being pulled back by her arms, couldn¡¯t hit anyone but still continued to curse. Her voice was so sharply piercing that Lin Nianhe couldn¡¯t think straight against such a backdrop. She rubbed her forehead and asked Wang Shumei, ¡°Should we intervene?¡± Wang Shumei countered, ¡°How do we intervene?¡± Lin Nianhe locked eyes with her for a moment, then they both thought of someone: ¡°Aunt Wang.¡± In such times, in such situations, they had to call in the top enforcer of Ten Miles Team to manage the scene! The front yard door was no option; Lin Nianhe was about to head back to the backyard to scale the wall when the grandma suddenly calmed down. Finally smelling the aroma of the food, she ceased her swearing and struggling. ¡°Miao Laidi! What are you dazing out for? Your mom has traveled a long way and is nearly starving, can¡¯t you serve some rice to your mom?¡± Lin Nianhe drew her foot back inside. Such immediate twists and turns, indeed typical of this grandma¡¯s style. Chapter 72 - 72 71 Recently Good at Sabotaging Oneself ?72: Chapter 71: Recently Good at Sabotaging Oneself 72: Chapter 71: Recently Good at Sabotaging Oneself In the front courtyard where communal cooking was taking place, the grain usage was scrupulously metered out¡ªeach person contributed grain according to what they needed to eat, and consumption was similarly regulated. There were times when extra dishes were prepared, but rice was never in surplus. Suddenly up for a meal, the crowd exchanged glances, nearly thrown off by her abrupt change of heart. Miao Yulan wiped away her tears, her voice trembling as she said, ¡°Mom, wait a moment, I¡¯ll make some for you right away...¡± ¡°What¡¯s there to make? Isn¡¯t there food already?¡± Taking advantage of Wen Lan and Yu Xiangqin¡¯s bewilderment, the matriarch wriggled free from their grasp and plopped down at the dining table. ¡°It¡¯s not... That¡¯s everyone¡¯s...¡± Miao Yulan initially wanted to explain, but then thought better of it, ¡°I¡¯ll give you my share.¡± ¡°Eh,¡± the matriarch snorted, before glaring daggers at Miao Yulan, ¡°You sure live comfortably these days, don¡¯t you? Your father and I don¡¯t even dare to eat three meals a day, yet you¡¯re so full every single meal!¡± Miao Yulan bowed her head so low, her chin nearly poked into her collarbone. Her face was extremely red, though whether it was from the slap or embarrassment was uncertain. She dared not meet anyone¡¯s gaze, her eyes void of spirit. The corn mush and a mantou reserved for Miao Yulan had already been dished out. She handed them over to her mother and stood aside. ¡°What¡¯s this, that¡¯s it? Are you trying to starve me to death?¡± the matriarch¡¯s eyebrows shot up in indignation as she gulped down more than half the bowl of corn mush in one go. Wang Shumei patted Lin Nianhe on the hand, stepped forward, and took a seat. She bit into a mantou before saying, ¡°What are you all standing around for? Eat up, we still have work this afternoon.¡± Finished speaking, she shot a glance at the matriarch: ¡°Here, we dole out food based on the amount of grain each person contributes. Your daughter doesn¡¯t have much grain, so she gets less food. It¡¯s not like she knew you were coming to bring food for you, isn¡¯t that normal?¡± While Wang Shumei spoke, she had already swallowed half a mantou. Others finally snapped back to their senses and sat down to eat. ¡°Right, matriarch, Yulan only gets this bit for a meal. You think you¡¯ll starve to death? Exactly, eating so little, anyone would nearly starve,¡± Wang Xue said as she grabbed two mantous¡ªone for herself, and she secreted the other away. ¡°Haven¡¯t you seen? Your daughter is so thin she barely looks human anymore.¡± Yu Xiangqin returned with a flick of the hand and a roll of her eyes, huffing, ¡°Didn¡¯t Yulan send most of her grain home to her family after last autumn¡¯s harvest? Since spring planting started, she¡¯s been eating only once a day through winter, drinking cold water when hungry.¡± To their words, the matriarch pretended not to hear, muttering curses under her breath while eating, in her native dialect, which they could barely comprehend but from the tone, sensed the tranquility was only because of the available food, and who knew what commotion would ensue later. Wen Lan sat next to Wang Shumei, glancing here and there, wanting to speak yet not knowing what to say. She eventually chose silence, planning to wait for Lin Nianhe to speak, or for the matriarch to lash out again so she could feign a hand tremor and sling her chopsticks at her. Having made up her mind, Wen Lan mulled over the angle and force of projectile chopsticks while waiting for Lin Nianhe to speak. Lin Nianhe didn¡¯t say a word; she was instead inching towards the back courtyard in the most inconspicuous manner possible. She really didn¡¯t want the matriarch to notice her, as their last separation was anything but pleasant. A tirade from her might provoke Nianhe to the point of throwing an electric baton, just to shut her up. Just as Nianhe made it behind the eastern wall, a head suddenly peeked inside the gate. Wang Xixi entered, carrying a small bamboo basket, not spotting Lin Nianhe, and cheerfully said to Wang Shumei and Wen Lan, ¡°Hello, I¡¯m looking for Nianhe, is she here?¡± ¡°Eh? Hezi was just...¡± ¡°She¡¯s in the back courtyard, just go straight there!¡± Wang Shumei pulled at Wen Lan to stop her mid-sentence. She had just caught sight of Lin Nianhe slipping away, probably due to seeing Wang Xixi, right? Wang Shumei felt Wang Xixi¡¯s arrival was quite timely, saving them the hassle of scaling fences. ¡°Okay,¡± Wang Xixi smiled and nodded, heading for the back courtyard with her basket. She had only rounded the east wall when she saw Lin Nianhe desperately waving at her, signaling for her not to speak. Wang Xixi¡¯s steps paused briefly, then she walked past the east wall as if nothing was wrong and disappeared from everyone¡¯s sight. Lin Nianhe dragged Wang Xixi to the back courtyard and only stopped walking once they were far enough away. Wang Xixi didn¡¯t know what had happened and handed a bamboo basket to Lin Nianhe: ¡°Nianhe, my second sister and I picked cherries on the mountain, try them, this should be the last batch for the year, they¡¯re sweet.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Lin Nianhe had no intention of refusing and took it, then whispered to Wang Xixi: ¡°Daxi, you hurry back home, and help us tell Aunt Wang¡ªjust say that Miao Yulan¡¯s mother is here, Aunt Wang will understand.¡± ¡°Ah?¡± Wang Xixi frowned, only then remembering that there seemed to have been an older lady in the front courtyard earlier. Her expression fell as she whispered softly: ¡°My mom went to the commune before dinner time, made a phone call to the Ten Miles Team headquarters, it seemed like some emergency; she left even without eating... Oh right, Uncle Li also went with her.¡± Lin Nianhe: ¡°...¡± Could it be that Principal Wu couldn¡¯t contain his excitement and went to the commune to talk to the leaders about building the school? Based on the timing, it was indeed possible. Lin Nianhe was somewhat baffled. Recently, she seemed to have become quite adept at trapping herself. With Aunt Wang and Uncle Team Leader both not around, Lin Nianhe felt a bit at a loss, unsure who to turn to. Aside from these two, the only other person in the Ten Miles Team with any authority was Accountant Zhao, but Lin Nianhe had never seen him before and didn¡¯t know him at all. Wang Xixi tugged at Lin Nianhe¡¯s sleeve and said softly, ¡°Or should I go... go find Aunt Li?¡± Her cheeks were blushing; clearly, the prospect of seeking out her future mother-in-law was making her shy. Lin Nianhe licked her lips, thinking that if this were just a simple fight, Aunt Li would be an option, but for something like this... As Lin Nianhe hesitated, the front courtyard erupted into commotion again. The old lady, having eaten her fill and re-energized, sprang into action. Before anyone else could react, she grabbed the small wooden stool she¡¯d been sitting on, and with a pounce, charged towards Miao Yulan who was standing at the back. The hard wooden stool was swung onto Miao Yulan¡¯s back. The blow was both swift and sudden; the Educated youth eating their meals hadn¡¯t reacted at all and by the time they turned around, Miao Yulan had staggered and fallen to the ground. ¡°Damn girl, dare to deceive your mother! Speak! What¡¯s the deal with that letter? Your own brother is getting married and you, as the elder sister, contribute not a penny, what are you thinking?¡± ¡°If not for your brother, why would I even bother with you? You ungrateful wolf cub...¡± She kept hitting as she spoke, showing no mercy as if she weren¡¯t beating her own daughter. Miao Yulan curled up into a ball, shielding her head and face with her arms, assuming a posture that was heartbreakingly practiced. In the back courtyard, Lin Nianhe had no time to think anymore, she pushed Wang Xixi and said: ¡°Just find someone, anyone, if Uncle Jih or some other elder can come, that would be best.¡± Wang Xixi replied with an ¡°okay¡± and dashed towards the back wall, jumping over the courtyard¡¯s pride with agility. Lin Nianhe listened to the pitiful howls in the front courtyard, her mind racing through some of the darkest memories. Those curses and howls made her feel for an instant as if she had returned to the apocalypse. Violence spread in her eyes, Lin Nianhe picked up a kitchen knife and headed to the front courtyard. Chapter 73 - 73 72 She Hasnt Swung a Brick for Many Years ?73: Chapter 72 She Hasn¡¯t Swung a Brick for Many Years 73: Chapter 72 She Hasn¡¯t Swung a Brick for Many Years On the country lane, two bicycles kicked up dust as they sped towards Ten Miles Team. With sweat pouring down his head, Zhou Xu was trailing behind Su Yuncheng and said, ¡°Brother Cheng, the leader of Nine-miles Team is just a smiling tiger. I heard comrades from the commune say he¡¯s been pocketing things for years.¡± ¡°Hmm,¡± Su Yuncheng seemed to be lost in thought, nodding without expression. Zhou Xu glanced over at him and asked again, ¡°But they collude and don¡¯t tell the truth, what do we do about this?¡± After a moment of silence, Su Yuncheng answered, ¡°I remember that Director Wang of Ten Miles Team is Wang Wei¡¯s cousin, and she has some connections with the Zhang Family, let¡¯s go ask her.¡± Zhou Xu¡¯s legs stiffened, nearly falling off the bike. Wiping off his sweat and twitching at the mouth, he said, ¡°Right, right, right, we should pay a visit to Ten Miles Team for an investigation. Even if the villagers have reasons to cover for them, I believe the Educated Youth Corps won¡¯t keep it secret, let¡¯s go ask there!¡± As he spoke, he quickly cast a glance at Su Yuncheng. Su Yuncheng gave a low ¡°hmm¡± in affirmation, slowing down a bit. Zhou Xu let out a long sigh of relief, feeling somewhat easier. Ever since they left the post office, his Brother Cheng kept up a punishing pace citing ¡°urgent official business,¡± almost causing the bike chains to spark from the friction. That pace would have been a piece of cake before Zhou Xu¡¯s leg injury, but now, he was exhausted to the bones. Waiting for him to catch up again, Su Yuncheng said indifferently, ¡°You should train more, you can¡¯t even keep up with normal speed.¡± Zhou Xu: ¡°...¡± Twenty minutes from the town to Nine-miles Team, and he calls that normal speed? Zhou Xu tearfully accepted this painful concern, ¡°Got it, I know.¡± He sniffed and, thinking of his own leg, suggested, ¡°Brother Cheng, it¡¯s not appropriate for just the two of us men to go directly to Director Wang¡¯s house, right? How about we first go to the Educated Youth Corps and ask Comrade Lin to take us?¡± Su Yuncheng replied, ¡°Alright.¡± And then, the speed slowed down even further. Zhou Xu wished he could slap himself! If he knew the solution was this simple, he would have said so earlier! The two bicycles entered Ten Miles Team one after the other. They hadn¡¯t reached the Educated Youth Corps yet when they already heard a quarrel from a distance. ¡°...Damn it, I¡¯ll beat you to death!¡± ¡°Tsk, quite ambitious, go ahead and hit me then. Oh, you can¡¯t even touch me!¡± ¡°You damn brat, stand still! I will hack you to death!¡± ¡°Sister Lan, step aside! Let her come at me. The last one who said they¡¯d ¡®kill me¡¯ is now buried so deep even their grave¡¯s weeds are taller than their great-grandfather... Come on, don¡¯t be a coward, the one who dodges is a wuss!¡± That clear and crisp Beijing accent, Zhou Xu was all too familiar with it. Zhou Xu: ¡°Brother Cheng, are we...¡± Was this an inopportune time? Before he could finish his sentence, Su Yuncheng had already casually left his bicycle and dashed into the Educated Youth Corps compound. Zhou Xu paused, remembering Lin Nianhe¡¯s frail figure. He quickly dismounted, not bothering to hide his limp, and followed quickly, even forgetting to pick up their fallen bicycles. After entering the compound, Zhou Xu was stunned. He expected to see his sister-in-law looking pitifully beaten while still verbally defiant, but in reality ¡ª Lin Nianhe held a large kitchen knife in her right hand, with her left hand loosely holding onto Wang Shumei, dragging her as she chased Mrs. Miao with the knife... If Mrs. Miao hadn¡¯t been constantly pulling Wen Lan to dodge, she¡¯d probably be chopped into eight pieces by now. The scene was somewhat horrifying, and Zhou Xu stiffly turned his head to look at Su Yuncheng. Brother Cheng, you have both the looks and the family background, why not consider... switching to someone else before it¡¯s too late? Sister Lin only seems soft and bully-able, after all. Su Yuncheng was also a bit stupefied. He had thought that the girl had grown up and would not impulsively swing a brick to fight anymore, but... The little girl had indeed grown up, no longer swinging a brick... Now she wielded a kitchen knife. Over the past two years at the police station, Su Yuncheng had seen quite a few female comrades fight, all with the demeanor of shrews, which irritated and annoyed him. But Lin Nianhe... Her cheeks were puffed, her face flushed, and the corners of her eyes were slightly red. Her slender arms seemed unable to bear the weight of the kitchen knife and were even trembling slightly. Like a little rabbit pushed into a corner, ready to bite. Lin Nianhe¡¯s hands were indeed shaking. With anger. Her eyes were indeed a bit red. Also with anger. In fact, she had calmed down after taking up the kitchen knife. This was not the apocalypse; she didn¡¯t need to embroil herself in a life-and-death legal dispute over a shrew. Originally, she just intended to scare people with the kitchen knife. She understood better than anyone that bullies would wimp out the moment they faced real resistance. But when she rounded the east wall and saw Miao Yulan beaten within an inch of her life, the violence in her heart surged once again. The image of Miao Yulan timidly borrowing the newspaper kept fluttering before her eyes; she couldn¡¯t ignore it. Even a tiger doesn¡¯t eat its cubs; some people are worse than beasts. Lin Nianhe¡¯s threat carried a bit more sincerity. The first time she swung down, the blade grazed Mrs. Miao¡¯s nose, breaking the skin slightly. The pain and the sight of blood were so frightening that she thought her nose had been sliced off. Beating a shrew who was scared out of her wits was simply too easy. Lin Nianhe had good control over the angle at which she swung the kitchen knife, each time scaring her half to death, yet avoiding actually wounding her. After half a day of chasing, the only injury Mrs. Miao had was the scratch on her nose from the start; she was untouched everywhere else. Yet she felt pain everywhere, as if she had been chopped countless times. ¡°Enough!¡± After a brief moment of shock, Su Yuncheng reprimanded loudly. He quickly stepped in front of Lin Nianhe, grabbed her right wrist, and snatched away the kitchen knife from her hand. Such a large knife alarmed him; he always felt she might lose her grip and end up hurting herself. Lin Nianhe had been so immersed in her act that she didn¡¯t even notice when Su Yuncheng had come in. Startled, she was disarmed. Wang Shumei had been clutching Lin Nianhe¡¯s arm the whole time, so exhausted that she was on the verge of collapsing. Now seeing Su Yuncheng, she was more excited than Mrs. Miao, as if she had seen a savior. Wang Shumei released Lin Nianhe¡¯s hand, stepped back two steps, leaning against the wall to catch her breath. She could handle an occasional outburst, but a prolonged fight was too much for her. Seeing that Lin Nianhe was without the kitchen knife, Mrs. Miao immediately felt empowered again. She pointed at Lin Nianhe, cursing loudly: ¡°You wicked girl, full of malice! You¡¯re after my life! I¡¯ll report you to the Public Security! I¡¯ll crush you!¡± Lin Nianhe, just feeling embarrassed by Su Yuncheng¡¯s arrival, flared up again upon hearing these words. ¡°Going to the Public Security at your age, fighting all the time, have you lived so long that you¡¯ve lost your face? Want to report to the Public Security? Hurry up and report! Before they arrive, I¡¯ll deal with you myself!¡± After Su Yuncheng snatched Lin Nianhe¡¯s kitchen knife away, he let go of her hand. Now seeing her charge forward empty-handed, he instantly blocked her with his non-knife hand. Great, she dared to leap forward with nothing in hand ¡ª he wished he¡¯d waited a bit longer before taking her kitchen knife. Su Yuncheng¡¯s arm wrapped around Lin Nianhe¡¯s waist like an iron hoop, preventing her from advancing another step no matter how much she kicked and flailed. In the heat of the moment, no one cared whether his actions were overstepping the line. Only his ears turned red. Chapter 74 - 74 73 The Victims Stool and the Victim ?74: Chapter 73 The Victim¡¯s Stool and the Victim 74: Chapter 73 The Victim¡¯s Stool and the Victim Su Yuncheng never expected that his first embrace with Lin Nianhe would be under such circumstances. If this could even be considered an embrace. Lin Nianhe, on the other hand, didn¡¯t react too much. She pushed Su Yuncheng¡¯s arm and struggled discontentedly: ¡°Let go of me!¡± Just pretend to block and let her be, don¡¯t get in the way of her fighting! Su Yuncheng came to his senses and sighed helplessly: ¡°Little ancestor, what¡¯s the point of fighting? If fighting could solve problems, what do you need me for?¡± It was only then that Lin Nianhe belatedly remembered¡ªoh right, he¡¯s Public Security. Lin Nianhe gave up on the idea of trying to kick Mrs. Miao and stood firmly, no longer making a scene. The police uncle has arrived, her big performance could also come to an end. Others might not have noticed Su Yuncheng embracing Lin Nianhe, but how could Mrs. Miao, who was staring at her the whole time, not see? She sneered, revealing a mouthful of yellow teeth: ¡°Well well, you little harlot trifling with affairs of men and women...¡± ¡°Slap!¡± A solid slap landed on Mrs. Miao¡¯s face, cutting off her words. Wen Lan, with a dark face, shook her hand. She had been holding back that slap for a long time! After delivering it, Wen Lan felt an immense sense of relief and was even tempted to do it again. Mrs. Miao looked astonished at the girl she had always used as a shield, dumbstruck. What¡¯s happening at the Educated Youth Corps? Why is every single one of these girls more aggressive than the next? When Lin Nianhe pretended to chop Mrs. Miao, she had been holding back, but Wen Lan¡¯s slap was another matter¡ªsolid. Mrs. Miao felt her face go numb, chewed on her gums, and spat out a mouthful of blood. She sat down on the ground in a daze, then suddenly began howling and beating her thighs: ¡°I¡¯m dying, oh! Not letting people live, oh! You¡¯re killing me!¡± ¡°An educated youth beating people! I¡¯ll report it to Public Security! Arrested them all!¡± Lin Nianhe tilted her head: ¡°This scene feels so familiar.¡± Wang Shumei stood up straight: ¡°Suddenly, I kind of miss Aunt Zhao.¡± Wen Lan¡¯s eyes burned fiercely: ¡°Cry out again, and I¡¯ll smack you once more!¡± Su Yuncheng: ¡°...¡± He rubbed his temples and turned back to Zhou Xu: ¡°Don¡¯t just stand there, go call the Team Leader of the Ten Miles Team and also bring me my work notebook.¡± He didn¡¯t dare to leave Lin Nianhe for a single step. He had a feeling that the moment he turned away, this little ancestor would also give that shrew a slap. Zhou Xu had watched a drama he couldn¡¯t integrate into, and now that he was mentioned, he quickly responded and limped to bring Su Yuncheng a red-covered notebook. Being a regular messenger, he was familiar with every family in the team. Just as he was about to go find the Team Leader, he heard Lin Nianhe say: ¡°Uncle Team Leader went to the commune with Aunt Wang, he¡¯s not here.¡± If Aunt Wang were home, there¡¯d be no need for her to mediate anyway. Zhou Xu stopped in his tracks and looked at Su Yuncheng. Su Yuncheng was silent for a moment, then flipped open the notebook and turned to ask Lin Nianhe: ¡°Tell me, what happened?¡± Lin Nianhe pointed behind her, righteously complaining: ¡°She came to the Educated Youth Corps to beat people up! She was the first to start!¡± ¡°She eats our food, curses our people, and even smashed our little stool!¡± Upon hearing this, Mrs. Miao ignored Wen Lan¡¯s threat, started wailing and beating her legs again: ¡°I¡¯ll report it to Public Security! These people are going to kill me...¡± Su Yuncheng swept over her with a cold glance: ¡°I am Public Security.¡± ¡°...¡± Mrs. Miao¡¯s crying came to a sudden stop. She wasn¡¯t blind; this man obviously knew that most ferocious girl. Wouldn¡¯t that mean trouble for her? Her eyes whirled about, who knows what mischief she was plotting. Su Yuncheng withdrew his gaze, looked behind Lin Nianhe, and saw nothing but a small stool with a broken leg. That must be the so-called ¡®victim stool¡¯ she mentioned. ¡°The victim?¡± he asked. Lin Nianhe then turned around, not seeing Miao Yulan. Wang Xue came out of their house at this point, swiftly approaching Su Yuncheng¡¯s side, and said, ¡°It was Comrade Miao Yulan who was beaten. It was chaotic just now, so I helped her inside. Comrade, would you like to take a look?¡± Her speech was brisk, but her eyes were constantly fixed on Su Yuncheng. Su Yuncheng glanced down as he was writing, and replied, ¡°A female comrade?¡± ¡°Um, yes.¡± Wang Xue spoke for Lin Nianhe, ¡°This lady is Yulan¡¯s mother. As soon as she arrived, she hit Yulan, and then beat her again after dinner... Comrade, why don¡¯t you come inside and take a look? I didn¡¯t lie, Yulan really was beaten.¡± Su Yuncheng: ¡°It¡¯s inappropriate for me to enter a female comrade¡¯s room.¡± Wang Xue¡¯s breath hitched slightly, emphasizing, ¡°But isn¡¯t this an investigation? We are willing to cooperate...¡± ¡°Mm.¡± Su Yuncheng looked towards Lin Nianhe, handing her his notebook and pen, ¡°Nianhe, go inside for me and check. Note down the extent of the injuries.¡± Lin Nianhe: ¡°Oh.¡± Lin Nianhe took the notebook and pen and entered the room where Wang Xue and others stayed. Miao Yulan was lying on the heated brick bed, with Yu Xiangqin taking care of her by her side. The clothes she had been wearing were already taken off. Her back was crisscrossed with fresh welts; the lighter areas were swollen two fingers high, while the more severe ones were a bloody and fuzzy mess of mottled and entwined wounds, with not a single spot unharmed. Seeing Lin Nianhe come in, Yu Xiangqin hurriedly said, ¡°Lin Nianhe, do you still have any medicine for injuries? I think Yulan¡¯s wounds are quite bad...¡± She frowned, one hand still holding the back of Miao Yulan¡¯s head. Lin Nianhe walked over, pulling her hand away gently, ¡°Did she get hit on the head?¡± ¡°Take a look, it¡¯s swollen so big.¡± Yu Xiangqin moved to the side, her eyes full of expectation as she looked at Lin Nianhe. Last time Wang Xixi lost so much blood, and Lin Nianhe managed to heal her without even leaving a scar on her face. This time should be the same, right? Lin Nianhe gently touched the swollen area, the size of half a palm, with blood on it¡ªlikely hit by splintered wood. Miao Yulan was naturally skinny; now lying there, her spine protruded in a line. Her consciousness was already dim; her breathing in with no breath out appeared so sorrowful to behold. Had one not seen it with their own eyes, it would be hard to believe this was done by her own mother. Lin Nianhe withdrew her hand, shaking her head, ¡°No, she must be sent to the town¡¯s health clinic. If not handled properly, it could be life-threatening.¡± When Wang Xixi hit the wall, at least she did it herself, and her innate self-preservation wouldn¡¯t allow her to hit with full force, but Miao Yulan¡¯s case... Even without the head injury, just the wounds on her back alone would not be easy to treat. This degree of damage could easily lead to internal bleeding. Yu Xiangqin¡¯s eyes reddened. She sat by the edge of the brick bed, silent. Go to the health clinic? Where would the money come from? Lin Nianhe briefly noted down the injuries in the notebook, and looking up to see Yu Xiangqin still motionless, she understood her worries. She closed the notebook, reached into her pocket, and pulled out a banknote, handing it to her, ¡°You accompany Miao Yulan. Consider this money a loan from me to her.¡± Yu Xiangqin stared at the neatly folded banknote, stunned, ¡°You... you¡¯re willing to lend?¡± Even after making such a fuss previously, Lin Nianhe was not willing to lend money, so why today... ¡°Human life is of utmost importance.¡± Lin Nianhe quietly instructed, ¡°Don¡¯t tell her mother about the money. Help her get dressed and prepare some bedding. She¡¯ll need to be taken to town by an ox cart.¡± ¡°Yes, yes!¡± Yu Xiangqin finally confirmed that Lin Nianhe really did intend to lend money to save Miao Yulan¡¯s life. She quickly accepted it, tucking it into the pocket sewn into her small vest. She said, ¡°I thank you on behalf of Yulan. That, that is, I¡¯ll bring back whatever is left.¡± ¡°Buy her something to eat... Wait a moment before bringing her out. I¡¯ll think of a way to send her mother off first, she can¡¯t withstand another beating.¡± After Lin Nianhe finished speaking, she left. There was still a troublesome person outside; without getting rid of her, sending Miao Yulan to the hospital would not be easy. As Lin Nianhe stepped out the door, she saw Wang Xue still circling Su Yuncheng, chattering about the day¡¯s events. Perhaps to speak a few more words with Su Yuncheng, she narrated the causes and consequences in extreme detail, even mentioning Mrs. Miao¡¯s accidental detour to Nine-miles Team. ¡°Right! Miao Laidi, that wretched girl, was supposed to go to Nine-miles Team! She ran to Ten Miles Team, there must be something behind this! You all need to tell me the truth, did she bribe the leaders to get here?¡± ¡°This wasteful thing, she has money to switch places for herself, but no money for her own little brother¡¯s marriage...¡± Her words left everyone at the Educated Youth Corps shocked to their core. To dare throw such filth on her own daughter, was she not afraid her daughter would be sent down to an even more harsh place? Chapter 75 - 75 74 The Small Matter of Passing a Message ?75: Chapter 74 The Small Matter of Passing a Message 75: Chapter 74 The Small Matter of Passing a Message Su Yuncheng frowned upon hearing this. If it is true that the Educated Youth arbitrarily switched production teams, this matter is indeed troublesome. He was thinking when Lin Nianhe came up to him, handed back his notebook, and said softly, ¡°We can¡¯t delay; Miao Yulan has a head injury and her injuries are severe. We need to rush her to the health clinic.¡± ¡°Mm.¡± One problem after another, and to make matters worse, none of the Team¡¯s officials were around, giving Su Yuncheng a headache. Just then, a series of urgent footsteps came from outside. ¡°Who? Who dares to beat people up in Ten Miles Team? This is outrageous!¡± Aunt Li led a crowd of women who swarmed into the Educated Youth Corps¡¯ gate. It seems that Wang Xixi told them that it was Miao Yulan¡¯s mother causing trouble, so Aunt Li didn¡¯t bring any men with her. Lin Nianhe glanced through the crowd, familiar and unfamiliar faces were all present, even Widow Zhao had followed. Widow Zhao had been very pro-active in various village matters lately, seemingly wanting to quickly clear her family¡¯s bad reputation, to avoid being reported by village folks. Widow Zhao spat in disdain upon seeing Mrs. Miao seated on the ground: ¡°You old thing playing with life, coming here to bully the young? Show some real guts and let¡¯s go head to head!¡± Tut-tut, this approach won¡¯t do. The key to crying, causing a scene, or threatening suicide is to stir up emotions. But at the Educated Youth Corps¡ª The men are like wooden blocks, and the women together have ten thousand wits. Are these tactics useful with them? Widow Zhao felt Mrs. Miao was clueless and distasteful. Mrs. Miao didn¡¯t expect so many villagers to come. Her parental family was also in the countryside, where the Educated Youth are despised by everyone; how could there be commune members standing up for the Educated Youth? She was momentarily stunned before scrambling up from the ground and with hands on hips retorted Widow Zhao: ¡°Which dog kennel left the door open for you, you...¡± Seeing Mrs. Miao talk back, Widow Zhao¡¯s fighting spirit soared instantly! Wiping her mouth, Widow Zhao who had held back for more than half a month finally let loose a torrent of cursing. Not only was Widow Zhao cursing back, but the other women too refused to be outdone, singing in chorus, responding back and forth, all sorts of tactics employed, they managed to scold Mrs. Miao without giving her a chance to retort. Watching them curse with such gusto, with Second Aunt Li backing them up, Aunt Li quickly approached Lin Nianhe to ask her, ¡°Daxi didn¡¯t explain it clearly to me, what¡¯s the matter? Is Educated Youth Miao in trouble again?¡± That ¡°again¡± made Lin Nianhe somewhat embarrassed. She touched her nose, her voice softening: ¡°Aunt Li, Miao Yulan was beaten by her mother, the injury is quite severe, I think we should take her to the health clinic.¡± ¡°What?¡± Aunt Li¡¯s eyes widened. In her eyes, Lin Nianhe was once able to save Wang Xixi in a few strokes, like a god-like doctor. But now this god-doctor says she can¡¯t treat Miao Yulan¡¯s illness. Aunt Li had already started to ponder which plot of land behind the mountain to bury Miao Yulan in. ¡°Aunt Li?¡± Seeing Aunt Li not moving, Lin Nianhe tugged at her sleeve to remind her, ¡°Her injury is on her back; we need to borrow the team¡¯s ox cart.¡± ¡°Ah? Oh, right, right...¡± Aunt Li snapped back to her senses, remembering the person wasn¡¯t dead yet. She turned around and called out, ¡°Laoer¡¯s family, hurry up, go to the ox shed to find Uncle Guan to harness the cart, to take Educated Youth Miao to the health clinic!¡± Second Aunt Li, feeling a sense of duty to support the rear, shoved the person beside her: ¡°Hurry, go call Uncle Guan to harness the cart.¡± Those engaged in the cursing were too caught up to turn back, passing the message along: ¡°Go call Uncle Guan... for what? It¡¯s not for slaughtering cattle, anyway.¡± ¡°Go get Uncle Guan to slaughter the cow!¡± ¡°...!¡± The cursing was loud and erupted one after the other. Lin Nianhe and the others couldn¡¯t make out what the words had turned into at the end. Aunt Li was pulling Lin Nianhe into the house, saying, ¡°Let them curse. Come with me to check on Educated Youth Miao.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Lin Nianhe, led by Aunt Li, felt the thorns on her body slowly soften. The aunts were indeed fierce, but when standing behind them, it was indeed hard not to feel at ease. Su Yuncheng watched the suddenly obedient girl, his eyes smiling. Today¡¯s incident allowed him to see another side of her¡ªa wilful, domineering, lively, and vibrant her. He couldn¡¯t help but recall how she wielded the kitchen knife just now. Quite fierce. After Aunt Li entered the house, she came out within a short while, rushed up to Su Yuncheng in three quick steps, interrupting his reminiscing: ¡°Public Security officer! I need to report a crime! This person has beaten a child to death, arrest her!¡± Aunt Li¡¯s words hit the courtyard¡¯s quarrel like a pause button; everyone froze instantly, each maintaining their previous action. After a solid ten seconds, they stiffly turned their heads to look at Aunt Li. Beaten... beaten to death? They stared at Aunt Li, yearning for a negating answer. The first to snap out of it was Mrs. Miao. Her expression stiffened, and without arguing about the truth, she grabbed her small bundle and headed for the door without hesitation. Perhaps running from the kitchen knife had unblocked her Ren and Du meridians, as Mrs. Miao adeptly dodged every reaching hand and successfully leaped out of the Educated Youth Corps spot. She then breathed a sigh of relief, patted her chest cursing ¡°bad luck¡± three times, and scurrying with her short legs, she hurried towards the entrance of the village. ¡°Damn girl always causing trouble, neither dying early nor late, just had to be now... No, I have to go to the commune, it¡¯s fine to beat her at home, why does it come to this after all these years, just one beating and death...¡± Muttering as she walked, she pondered whether she could use this incident to demand more dowry money for her older son. Not to mention anything else, at least the money for sending that girl off should come from this bunch of bumpkins! The more she thought about it, the more pleased she was, already considering whether to spend the money on a large wardrobe for her older son or a new bed. Then, she heard the sound of a bicycle. Looking up, she saw a balding old man pushing a bicycle, and a meter away was a tall, thin woman with short hair... Back in the Educated Youth Corps spot, Aunt Li stopped the aunts who were about to rush out and catch someone. She shook her head at them, whispering, ¡°Not dead, not dead, just a bit seriously injured... Did anyone go to find Uncle Guan to hitch up the cart? We must hurry to take Educated Youth Miao to the health center!¡± After saying this, Aunt Li also felt a bit embarrassed. She didn¡¯t intend to let the person go this way, but a certain Miss Lin said that beating someone wouldn¡¯t solve the problem; what really mattered was taking the opportunity to get Mrs. Miao to stop bleeding Miao Yulan dry. Most crucially, they did not know why Miao Yulan¡¯s transfer from Ten Miles Team to Nine-miles Team. Before Miao Yulan woke up, they couldn¡¯t afford to let Mrs. Miao make a big fuss about the matter, or it would be easy to directly convict Miao Yulan. Aunt Li agreed with Lin Nianhe¡¯s thinking but still felt that a beating would save more trouble. Lin Nianhe could only gesture to Su Yuncheng outside with a pout: The Public Security is still here, shouldn¡¯t we hold back? Between choosing to give a beating and holding back, Aunt Li decisively chose the latter. Not worth it for such an old woman! Aunt Li felt she had made the right choice and was about to hurry the others to disperse quickly, not to block Uncle Guan¡¯s car, when suddenly two angry shouts came from outside the courtyard¡ª ¡°So you¡¯re not a thief but Miao Yulan¡¯s mother? Good, I¡¯ve been waiting for you for some days!¡± ¡°Who? Who wants to slaughter the cow? If the cow is slaughtered, how will you use your plow?¡± Chapter 76 - 76 75 Climbing Over the Wall, Eating a Big Melon ?76: Chapter 75: Climbing Over the Wall, Eating a Big Melon 76: Chapter 75: Climbing Over the Wall, Eating a Big Melon ¡°Ah yo, Uncle Guan, no one¡¯s slaughtering cattle today, why are you hitching up the cart?¡± ¡°Hongzi, Hongzi! How did this come to blows just like that... Hongzi, I came out for a stroll and found a shovel, does it look like it¡¯s from your house?¡± ¡°Hitching up the cart? It¡¯s just two words, how can you still not get it straight... I¡¯m not saying this to you guys, all of you aren¡¯t young anymore, why so panicked when something happens? You¡¯re all less sensible than kids...¡± ¡°So it¡¯s just you favouring sons over daughters, huh? It¡¯s just you demanding money from your daughter to add to your son¡¯s dowry, huh? It¡¯s just you nearly driving your girl to death, huh? ... A referral letter? You think you¡¯re impressive because you have a referral letter? How come I suspect that your referral letter is fake? Come on, let me take you to the Women¡¯s Federation to properly check its authenticity... The Women¡¯s Federation doesn¡¯t care? When a comrade woman has a problem, it¡¯s the Women¡¯s Federation¡¯s business!¡± Outside, two groups of people spoke their minds, each one educating their own, without the slightest impact on each other. Zhou Xu watched from the sidelines, shocked. When he used to come and go delivering mail, he always felt that the folks of Ten Miles Team were kind and easy to talk to, and he never heard of them causing any outrageous trouble. Now it seems he had been blinded! The local customs of this team could be called the most fierce in the surrounding eight villages! So... Sister Lin was sent here on his suggestion... Zhou Xu wanted to run, really wanted to, at least on the way back to town, he didn¡¯t want to accompany Su Yuncheng. Lin Nianhe listened to the commotion outside and peeked out from the room. She glanced at Su Yuncheng¡¯s back and tiptoed, planning to take a wide berth and sneak out to see. She had given up her nap for melon eating; she had to witness the ending with her own eyes! Lin Nianhe didn¡¯t get far before she got stuck. Su Yuncheng grabbed her by the collar with one hand and dragged her back to his side. ¡°What are you trying to do?¡± he asked, looking down at her. Lin Nianhe looked at him innocently, ¡°Taking a walk.¡± The girl who was like a little hedgehog just a moment ago had become docile now, her voice soft and sweet, totally different from before. Su Yuncheng¡¯s lips formed a smile and he told her, ¡°Be good, don¡¯t go out, I¡¯ll take a look.¡± Lin Nianhe: ¡°Okay.¡± As long as he left, could he really stop her wherever she wanted to go? Su Yuncheng gave her a deep look and then went out with Zhou Xu. Here, he couldn¡¯t really let the angry villagers beat Mrs. Miao to death, even though she was not to be pitied for dying. Su Yuncheng stepped out of the courtyard and closed the door behind him. Then he said to Zhou Xu, ¡°Keep watch, don¡¯t let her out.¡± Zhou Xu was panicking badly now, feeling this was a good time to make amends for past faults, hurriedly spread his arms to block the entrance, ¡°Okay! Mission guaranteed!¡± Su Yuncheng didn¡¯t hesitate anymore, walking towards Wang Hong, who claimed to go to the Women¡¯s Federation but was holding Mrs. Miao¡¯s hair unreleased. Wang Hong and Li Dahe were clueless about what had happened; initially, they blocked Mrs. Miao only because they thought this sly-looking stranger, with an unfamiliar face, came to steal something. But then they found out, it was Miao Yulan¡¯s mother. Wang Hong knew what she was about in no time. There, regardless of what someone had done, beat them first and ask questions later. Meanwhile, Li Dahe leaned against the bicycle, puffing on his smoking pipe and advised halfheartedly, ¡°Hongzi, stay calm, don¡¯t hit her yet, maybe this person has some serious business...¡± Until he saw the crowd dispersing, Su Yuncheng walking over. Li Dahe choked on a drag of smoke, anxious. ¡°Hongzi! Hongzi let go first! Let¡¯s hear what the Public Security officer has to say!¡± He emphasized the words ¡°Public Security¡± particularly, fearing Wang Hong wouldn¡¯t hear. Wang Hong heard, and saw, but she didn¡¯t let go. Wang Hong panted heavily and nodded towards Su Yuncheng, ¡°Comrade Xiao Su, what¡¯s going on here?¡± As if he didn¡¯t see the bloodstreaks on Mrs. Miao¡¯s face, Su Yuncheng casually nodded, greeted Li Dahe and Wang Hong, and then said, ¡°She was smashing things up at the Educated Youth Corps, injured Educated Youth Miao Yulan, and also had conflicts with other members there.¡± ¡°Right, right! She even smashed our little stools!¡± A crisp voice came from the wall of the Educated Youth Corps. Su Yuncheng turned his head and saw the little ancestor lying on the wall, with two heads beside her. Lin Nianhe was clinging to the top of the wall, touching Wang Shumei¡¯s hand with her finger. Wang Shumei then said, ¡°Aunt Wang, Yulan is almost out of breath; what kind of mother could do such a thing!¡± ¡°She¡¯s been promoting the old idea of preferring sons over daughters!¡± ¡°Probably has done this plenty at home!¡± ¡°She needs to be properly educated!¡± ¡°Yes, and she needs to compensate for our little stools!¡± Wang Hong looked at the three of them, saw that they were all neat and tidy, not looking like they had been beaten, and felt a lot less tense. ¡°That stool... bah, how is that Educated Youth Miao doing?¡± Wang Hong raised her voice and asked. Lin Nianhe frowned, looking terrified, ¡°Her back doesn¡¯t have a good patch of skin, and her head is also injured. Even the slave-drivers in the old days weren¡¯t as cruel as her!¡± Mrs. Miao¡¯s hair was still being gripped by Wang Hong; she had to bend over unwillingly, her head already in a crazy pain. ¡°You little wench farting nonsense, it¡¯s none of your business if I discipline my own daughter, you...¡± Wang Hong kicked her in the thigh, her eyes red with anger and cursed, ¡°Do you even know that¡¯s your daughter? How could you be so rough on her? To say such things in front of everyone, I think you¡¯re asking for trouble!¡± ¡°Hongzi, why waste words with her? Hurry up and send her to the Women¡¯s Federation! Don¡¯t let her stay here and dirty our place!¡± ¡°Right, let her squat in the pigsty!¡± ¡°Or just take her to the cowshed... Just not our Ten Miles Team¡¯s cowshed; we don¡¯t want someone here who beats her own daughter to death!¡± The aunts were saying one thing after another, looking at Mrs. Miao with disgust in their eyes. Being under Wang Hong¡¯s control these years, they also believed that gender equality was a good thing¡ªat least in the Ten Miles Team, there was no damned man who dared to beat his wife, and no unruly mother-in-law dared to abuse someone just because they had birthed a daughter! These were benefits they had genuinely felt, and even if some people still harbored notions of preferring sons, they did not dare to make it public. Actually, those who were shouting the loudest were these very people. Because they had been beaten themselves, they couldn¡¯t let her off easily! Lin Nianhe watched with interest, a smile on her lips. Feeling someone watching her, she turned her head, and her eyes met Su Yuncheng¡¯s amused gaze. His smile was full of helplessness and indulgence, as if he didn¡¯t know what to do with her. In a low voice, Lin Nianhe said, ¡°I didn¡¯t go out.¡± She didn¡¯t go out; she just climbed the wall to watch the conclusion. Su Yuncheng chuckled softly and replied, ¡°Stand firm, don¡¯t fall.¡± Not far away, Zhou Xu watched the two of them talking and silently lowered his arms. There was indeed no need to block the gate. Amidst the commotion, Uncle Guan came with his ox cart. By this time, Miao Yulan had already fainted, with Second Aunt Li taking the lead, along with Wen Lan, to carry her onto the ox cart. Yu Xiangqin pulled Wang Xue up onto the cart, with a bundle in her arms, which contained clothes for Miao Yulan. Most people only saw Miao Yulan¡¯s condition at this moment, and witnessing her miserable state, everyone¡¯s brows furrowed tightly. ¡°Such a sin... Even if you discipline a child, you don¡¯t do it like this...¡± No one knew who was choking back sobs and complaining. Chapter 77 - 77 76 Miao Tiezhu ?77: Chapter 76 Miao Tiezhu 77: Chapter 76 Miao Tiezhu Beating children is no rare occurrence, those naughty ones acting up can¡¯t be subdued without laying into them a couple of times. But who would beat their child to within an inch of their life? Even a few days ago, when Widow Zhao wanted to clear her name, she used a willow branch that leaves welts but doesn¡¯t break bones. Miao Yulan was sent to the health clinic, and Mrs. Miao... She first went to the police station, confirmed that the introduction letter was genuine, and learned that Miao Yulan¡¯s assigned place in the countryside was originally Ten Miles Team. She had taken the wrong path merely because she was illiterate. As soon as she stepped out, she was snatched up by Wang Hong who was waiting outside and taken to the Women¡¯s Federation. Gloriously touted as: Assisting the female cadre of Southern Province in educating those who fall behind! In front of Director Wang, no petty tricks work; Director Wang cures all kinds of disobedience. Mrs. Miao never expected that she would come here, fierce and brimming with confidence to demand money, only to end up not getting a penny, first taking a long and wrongful path, then being chased by a girl with a kitchen knife, getting beaten up, sent to the police station, and subjected to ideological education classes by the Women¡¯s Federation... If she could do it over, she definitely wouldn¡¯t have come here! What she doesn¡¯t know yet is that her ordeal is far from over. ¡°Money? Why are you worrying about that?¡± Lin Nianhe shook her legs while sitting on the hospital bench, ¡°Whoever injured you will pay for your medical expenses.¡± Miao Yulan slept groggily for two days and finally woke up. During these two days, the girls from the Educated Youth Corps took turns to accompany her, Wang Hong also stayed for a night, and today, it was Lin Nianhe and Wen Lan¡¯s turn. Wen Lan, who was sitting on the other side, yawned and then remembered something was amiss: ¡°Nianhe, if I slapped her too, do I have to pay?¡± Sister Lan, not afraid to offend gods or ghosts, only feared losing money! She needed to save for her train ticket home! Lin Nianhe took out a tin can from her shoulder bag, pulled out three orange candies from inside, stuffed one into Miao Yulan¡¯s mouth, gave another to Wen Lan, and ate one herself. She said, ¡°She used you to block the knife; that was self-defense, what¡¯s there to compensate?¡± Wen Lan, with the candy in her mouth, hesitantly looked at Lin Nianhe: ¡°Then you...¡± ¡°What about me?¡± Lin Nianhe stood her ground, ¡°Aunt Wang was responsible for most of her injuries. If Aunt Wang compensates her, then I will.¡± Wen Lan pondered for a while and felt it made a lot of sense. Lin Nianhe turned to Miao Yulan, rummaged through her bag again, and took out a stack of newspapers and two books, placing them beside her, ¡°You wanted to read the newspapers before; I¡¯ve brought them for you. Just reading newspapers is boring, so I picked two books for you. Read them when you¡¯re bored.¡± Miao Yulan was startled and looked incredulously at the books that Lin Nianhe placed beside her. She saw the glaring words ¡°Red Rock¡± on the top book. Those two books were not borrowed by Su Yuncheng to Lin Nianhe; she had just gone to buy them. She did not quite understand why or perhaps... because they belonged to someone else, she felt it wasn¡¯t right to pass them on. Lin Nianhe didn¡¯t realize that she coincidentally picked two books, one of which was Miao Yulan¡¯s once yearned-for read. Tucking in the corner of Miao Yulan¡¯s blanket, she asked, ¡°Aunt Wang asked me to inquire, what do you plan to do about your family¡¯s situation?¡± After all, Mrs. Miao isn¡¯t from Ten Miles Team, and Wang Hong really can¡¯t do much to her. It all depends on what Miao Yulan thinks. Miao Yulan had been in the countryside for nearly four years and hadn¡¯t been beaten for a long time, allowing her to let her guard down and have the courage to refuse during the last time she was asked for money. Now, this beating has once again stirred up an innate fear of her mother in her heart. When asked what she wanted to do, Miao Yulan shuddered, even retracting her hand that was reaching out for books. Wen Lan frowned upon seeing this: ¡°What are you still afraid of? In my opinion, you¡¯re just too cowardly. So what if she¡¯s your birth mother? She never treated you like a daughter; why would you still consider her your mother, huh?¡± Lin Nianhe pursed her lips with a light chuckle, fell silent for a moment, took Miao Yulan¡¯s hand, and said, ¡°That day when you fainted, I wanted her to leave quickly, not to delay your treatment, so I let Aunt Li tell a lie, saying you were beaten to death...¡± Miao Yulan: ¡°...?¡± ¡°That day, when you were carried out unconscious, she saw it, so if you want a way out, you actually could ¡®die¡¯ once.¡± Lin Nianhe blinked and added, ¡°But you have to think it through because if you do that, your chances of returning home might be gone.¡± Lin Nianhe couldn¡¯t say that there would be college entrance exams in a few more years; she could only tell her about the reality right in front of them. ¡°Home...¡± Miao Yulan let her eyes fall and a bitter smile played around her lips. She fidgeted with the corner of the blanket, silent for a moment before asking, ¡°Nianhe, would your mom, after not seeing you for four years, start by complaining and cursing the moment she enters the door?¡± Lin Nianhe thought of Aunt Lin and shook her head: ¡°No.¡± Miao Yulan then looked at Wen Lan: ¡°Wen Lan, would your brother beat and scold you since childhood, throwing all sorts of chores onto you?¡± Wen Lan: ¡°I don¡¯t have a brother.¡± Miao Yulan: ¡°...¡± Lin Nianhe couldn¡¯t help it and chuckled out loud. She held Miao Yulan¡¯s trembling hand and sincerely said, ¡°You should ask Sister Shumei about that; she has a brother.¡± Miao Yulan took a deep breath and then a bitter smile appeared. She said, ¡°Actually, there¡¯s no need to ask... I always thought that all girls were treated like that... I saw Aunt Wang get divorced for the sake of her daughter, and I saw Aunt Li¡¯s family treat Xiao Hehua like a treasure... I should¡¯ve understood long ago...¡± Tears streamed down her cheeks; she lifted her hand to wipe away the tears, her voice light but firm: ¡°Then let¡¯s die once.¡± ¡°Home... I¡¯ve never truly had one.¡± If she had never seen the light, she could¡¯ve endured the darkness. But once the deceiving black cloth was lifted, and she realized that not the entire world was the same, she just... couldn¡¯t take it anymore. Lin Nianhe patted the back of her hand and said, ¡°Fine, Aunt Wang went to the police station today; I¡¯ll go talk to her. Don¡¯t worry about the rest, just focus on getting better.¡± Wen Lan nodded: ¡°Yeah, right, just focus on getting better. You don¡¯t have to send them food anymore; you can live well on your own.¡± Miao Yulan tugged at the corner of her mouth, raising the most relaxed smile she¡¯s had in her life. She said: ¡°Nianhe, I want to change my name.¡± She wanted to change her name, to completely sever ties with the past. Lin Nianhe nodded: ¡°Okay, what do you want to be called?¡± Miao Yulan had only just had the idea; she hadn¡¯t really thought about what her new name should be. She looked at the two people beside her bed and asked: ¡°How about, you guys help me think of something?¡± Lin Nianhe and Wen Lan shared a glance, both seeing the cluelessness in each other¡¯s eyes. When it came to naming, Lin Nianhe was utterly lacking in talent. But she was fast: ¡°Cuihua? Caihua? Xiao Hua? Oh right, let¡¯s not involve plants... How about Shufen? Shuzhen? Miao Goudan, what do you think? Hm? Miao Tiezhu?¡± Miao Yulan: ¡°...¡± She felt that Lin Nianhe might actually want her to go through with this act. Even Wen Lan found the names Lin Nianhe was suggesting to be unreliable. She rolled her eyes at Lin Nianhe: ¡°Silly girl, who names a girl Tiezhu? How about Hongzhu then?¡± Miao Yulan: ¡°...¡± ¡°What kind of name is Hongzhu? That¡¯s even worse... Um, Miao Xiaoxue? Sounds a bit like Wang Xue¡¯s daughter, never mind that... Naming in a health clinic, how about Miao Dawei?¡± ¡°Miao Xiaowei, Miao Xiaowei sounds nicer!¡± ¡°Miao Shengsheng is also pretty good, sounds somewhat distinguished. Or how about you change your surname as well, call yourself Zhou Shengsheng?¡± ¡°Why the surname Zhou? If you like, you can borrow mine, call yourself Wen Sanshui.¡± ¡°Or Lin Mumu is fine too, my surname is also available for you to use.¡± Miao Yulan: ¡°...¡± She wants to call a doctor... oh no, she wants to call for the doctor. Chapter 78 - 78 77 Friends Are There to Trick ?78: Chapter 77 Friends Are There to Trick 78: Chapter 77 Friends Are There to Trick Because they were discussing a new name for Miao Yulan, Lin Nianhe completely forgot to go to the police station to find Wang Hong. Wang Hong left the police station carrying a few boiled eggs and didn¡¯t see Lin Nianhe, who had agreed to meet her there. Thinking that she might have been delayed leaving the health clinic, she went on her way to meet her. This meeting took her straight to the hospital ward. ¡°Comrade Steel, do you want some water? Do you want some candy? Shall I go buy you a couple of meat buns?¡± Wang Hong: ¡°...?¡± Comrade...Steel? She looked around and saw only those two girls beside Miao Yulan¡¯s hospital bed, with no male comrade in sight. Only the auntie, who had been at death¡¯s door yesterday, was now watching them with a lively interest, her eyes shining brightly. Wang Hong thought to herself, could it be possible this older girl¡¯s name is Steel? What kind of parents would curse their daughter with a name like that! Wang Hong approached as calmly as possible and poked Lin Nianhe in the head, ¡°Didn¡¯t we agree that you would come find me at the police station? You¡¯ve caused me a lot of trouble.¡± ¡°Ah, Aunt Wang, you¡¯re here.¡± Lin Nianhe quickly got up to give up her seat to Wang Hong before saying, ¡°Well, you see, we were just giving Miao...Miao Tiechui a new name.¡± Wang Hong: ¡°...?¡± It was only then that Wang Hong noticed Miao Yulan¡¯s vacant stare and despondent face. By the looks of it, if she could move freely, she¡¯d probably jump out the window. A twitch formed at the corner of Wang Hong¡¯s mouth, ¡°You¡¯re naming her Tiechui?¡± ¡°Ah no, we¡¯ve come up with many names, but she didn¡¯t like them...¡± After listening to a long list of different names, Wang Hong sympathetically took Miao Yulan¡¯s hand. ¡°Miss Miao, it¡¯s my fault for not arranging things properly. I shouldn¡¯t have let her come here.¡± Wang Hong expressed her deep apologies, ¡°Are you feeling okay? Do you want me to call the doctor to check on you?¡± She finally understood why the big girl beside them could sit up too. Who wouldn¡¯t want to watch this joke? Miao Yulan licked her lips and suddenly smiled. She shook her head and said to Wang Hong, ¡°Aunt Wang, I¡¯ve thought it over. Just do as you and Nianhe said. Tell her I¡¯m dead. I don¡¯t want to go back anymore.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Wang Hong unusually didn¡¯t scold her but nodded in agreement, stroked her hair, and said, ¡°Don¡¯t think about these things anymore. I¡¯ll take care of it... From now on, you are a child of our brigade. Don¡¯t be afraid, the aunties are here.¡± While speaking, Wang Hong took out the eggs, peeled them, and handed them to Miao Yulan. Seeing the egg in her hand, tears welled up in Miao Yulan¡¯s eyes and fell drop by drop. She had been sick before, but she had never even had a sip of millet porridge. Blood relatives didn¡¯t compare to the fellow villagers she had lived with for four years. ¡°Eat quickly.¡± Wang Hong urged, ¡°You need to get your strength back first... You should learn from Shumei. Look at her, she recovered from her injury and is as lively as a donkey, even able to climb over walls.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Miao Yulan held back tears, smiling as she ate the egg in small bites. After she finished eating, Wang Hong asked: ¡°What name would you like to change to? Don¡¯t listen to those two, they¡¯re just messing with you.¡± Wang Hong was actually mistaken this time; Lin Nianhe and Wen Lan weren¡¯t doing it on purpose... They were genuinely not good at coming up with names. Miao Yulan¡¯s eyes glanced at the book ¡°Red Rock¡± beside her and said softly, ¡°How about I take the name Miao Hongyan?¡± Wen Lan: ¡°So why do you dislike the name Hongzhu?¡± Lin Nianhe: ¡°Tiechui, do you want to think about it again?¡± Wang Hong slapped the two away, ¡°Scram, scram, scram, both of you with your nonsense!¡± After a moment of thought, Wang Hong looked seriously at Miao Yulan and suggested: ¡°For a girl, ¡®Red Rock¡¯ is a bit too tough-sounding. How about...¡± ¡°Hongqi!¡± Lin Nianhe interjected, standing at the end of the bed with hands over her heart, cleared her throat, and said, ¡°We were born under the red flag, grew up in the spring breeze, running on the fields of hope... How about you take the name Miao Tianye?¡± Miao Yulan: ¡°I¡¯ll choose Miao Hongqi.¡± Wang Hong: ¡°...¡± Actually, she wanted to suggest the name ¡°Hongyan.¡± But seeing Miao Yulan... oh no, Miao Hongqi, already looking eager to settle this matter, Wang Hong didn¡¯t speak up to avoid entering another round of debate. She smiled, lips pressed together, stood up, and said, ¡°Alright, then I¡¯ll head to the commune now and change your name, then we¡¯ll send her off.¡± Miao Hongqi nodded: ¡°Thank you, Aunt Wang.¡± ¡°What are you talking about, there¡¯s no need for such formality.¡± Wang Hong was as brisk and efficient as ever. After settling on the name, she hurried off. She figured that once she left, everything would be set in stone, and Miss Miao wouldn¡¯t be troubled anymore. Shouldn¡¯t be... right? ¡°Comrade Miao Hongqi, your new name is a bit of a mouthful; how about picking a nickname? Like, Tiechui?¡± Miao Hongqi: ¡°...¡± She wanted to be discharged from the hospital, to keep her distance from her. Miao Hongqi was brooding when a nurse came to inform her to go and change her dressings. Lin Nianhe and Wen Lan jumped into action, both reaching to support her arm and said in unison, ¡°Come on, get out of bed.¡± Miao Hongqi looked left and right, and seeing that neither of them intended to let go, she asked, ¡°How do you expect me to get out of bed like this?¡± They¡¯re not planning to tear me apart, are they? Even the nurse looked a bit distressed and instructed, ¡°She¡¯s seriously injured on her back and can¡¯t exert force... Hey, I didn¡¯t tell you to support her back! You, you, you... Nevermind, I¡¯ll do it.¡± Miao Hongqi looked at the nurse gratefully, as if looking at a lifesaver. In the dressing change room, Zhou Fenyang frowned at the medical record and complained, ¡°How could she be beaten up like this? She¡¯s really suffered...¡± Before she could finish her sentence, the door was pushed open. Zhou Fenyang purposely softened her voice: ¡°Come on, lie down¡ªwhat, it¡¯s you?¡± Her words stopped abruptly at the sight of Lin Nianhe, and her already sour mood worsened instantly. Lin Nianhe: ¡°What a coincidence.¡± They say you should never offend doctors, and now Lin Nianhe was truly feeling the weight of that statement. She wouldn¡¯t take this opportunity for revenge and deliberately harm Tiechui while changing the dressings, would she? Lin Nianhe felt that the possibility was quite significant. Wen Lan looked puzzled and asked, ¡°What¡¯s the matter, Hezi? You know her?¡± Lin Nianhe licked her lips: ¡°I guess you could say that I know her.¡± Zhou Fenyang was much more direct, pointing at the door: ¡°You get out.¡± Lin Nianhe ¡°hmm¡±ed, standing still: ¡°Can¡¯t leave, I¡¯m afraid you might take personal revenge on my friend.¡± Zhou Fenyang hadn¡¯t reacted when Miao Hongqi was taken aback. She said, a friend? She vaguely remembered that when she first approached Lin Nianhe, her assessment of herself was: hadn¡¯t noticed me, can¡¯t say she looked down on me. She had also never dared to get close to Lin Nianhe; she was too good, making her unworthy of friendship. And now, she was saying they were friends. These past few days, Miao Hongqi felt she had lost a lot, but at the same time, she had gained a lot, too. With eyes slightly warm, she was about to say something when she heard the doctor sneer: ¡°What do you take me for? Am I going to kill her or what?¡± Lin Nianhe: ¡°What if?¡± Zhou Fenyang was so irritated that she began to tremble with anger: ¡°Fine, fine fine fine, then you watch! Let¡¯s see what you can actually understand!¡± As she spoke, she stood up and clattered the items in the metal tray noisily. Miao Hongqi felt that she should do something for her friend, too. She searched for the right words for a long time, finally speaking up just as Zhou Fenyang was about to start: ¡°Nianhe is also skilled in medicine, she treated the girls from our commune who were injured, and none of them were left with scars.¡± Zhou Fenyang¡¯s hand froze, turning to size up Lin Nianhe: ¡°You¡¯ve studied medicine?¡± Lin Nianhe: ¡°...¡± This matter, she couldn¡¯t admit. She wasn¡¯t worried about Zhou Fenyang complaining to Su Yuncheng; what if she went home and told her brother, and Zhou Xu mentioned it to Su Yuncheng? When others fall from grace, it sparks a city-wide celebration and admiration, but her fall would only lead her onto an experiment table for dissection. Lin Nianhe glanced at Comrade Tiechui. She wondered if saying she was delirious from the injury to her head could be convincing enough to get them off her back. Chapter 79 - 79 78 - Zhou Fenyangs Final Defiance ?79: Chapter 78 ¨C Zhou Fenyang¡¯s Final Defiance 79: Chapter 78 ¨C Zhou Fenyang¡¯s Final Defiance The treatment room fell into an eerie silence, Zhou Fenyang waited for Lin Nianhe¡¯s response, even pausing her actions. Lin Nianhe¡¯s eyes darted around, and she lifted her chin: ¡°Yes, I can do it too. It¡¯s just treating illness, what¡¯s so difficult about that?¡± She put her hands in her pockets, looking utterly haughty. Zhou Fenyang snickered coldly: ¡°Oh really? Then why don¡¯t you do it?¡± Treating illness? She made it sound so easy. If she knew how to treat people, would she have come to the hospital last time just for a common cold? Lin Nianhe obviously felt a bit guilty: ¡°We¡¯ve already paid, why should I do it?¡± Zhou Fenyang rolled her eyes at her, dismissing her behavior as mere boasting. She didn¡¯t waste any more time, turned her head away from Lin Nianhe, and focused on bandaging Miao Hongqi¡¯s wounds. She turned her head so quickly that she missed the fleeting smile in Lin Nianhe¡¯s eyes. Lin Nianhe¡¯s eyes held a smile. Well, that went smoothly enough. Miao Hongqi was somewhat lucky; the patchy scars didn¡¯t cause internal bleeding, nor did the wounds on her head, they were all superficial. Although painful, it wasn¡¯t life-threatening. Changing the bandages was very painful, and even though Zhou Fenyang was deliberately gentle, Miao Hongqi still sweated profusely from the pain. She gritted her teeth and endured, not making a sound, sweating cold sweat but shedding no tears. She would never shed tears for those people again; from now on, she would rely solely on herself, she would never be weak again... ¡°Silly girl, if it hurts just shout it out, why endure it?¡± Wen Lan suddenly bent down and stared directly into Miao Hongqi¡¯s reddened eyes. Wen Lan didn¡¯t understand why Miao Hongqi felt she had to endure this way. It hurts, just scream, it¡¯ll feel a lot better. Miao Hongqi looked at Wen Lan, and after three seconds, whether from pain or some other reason, she passed out from lack of breath. Lin Nianhe: ¡°Sister Lan, you made her faint.¡± Wen Lan: ¡°Eh? How can she be so fragile?¡± Zhou Fenyang¡¯s hand trembled slightly, almost poking Miao Hongqi with the tweezers. Are they really friends? Even her annoying little brother isn¡¯t as infuriating as these two. From a doctor¡¯s perspective, Zhou Fenyang made the best decision for her patient¡ª Lin Nianhe and Wen Lan stood in the corridor, staring at the closed door, speechless. Lin Nianhe tugged at Wen Lan¡¯s clothing: ¡°If she didn¡¯t bandage Tiechui properly and something happens, let¡¯s post a big-character poster at the entrance of the clinic and hang a banner, how about that?¡± Wen Lan thought about the scene and asked, ¡°Would that get them to treat Sanshui properly?¡± Lin Nianhe: ¡°No, but it might get us some compensation.¡± Wen Lan: ¡°Oh, then we can give it a try.¡± The thin wooden door was not soundproof, Zhou Fenyang clenched her teeth, almost wanting to go out and slash Lin Nianhe with a knife. A nurse quietly reminded her: ¡°Doctor Zhou, you better do a good job. If they really make a scene, you¡¯ll be in big trouble.¡± Zhou Fenyang: ¡°...¡± Thank you, no need to remind me again. Fortunately, the two outside didn¡¯t say anything more, and Miao Hongqi also woke up not long after, and Zhou Fenyang¡¯s bandaging went relatively smoothly. ¡°You¡¯re recovering well, but you¡¯re in poor condition. Eat more nutritious food,¡± Zhou Fenyang said coldly. ¡°Thank you.¡± Miao Hongqi¡¯s face was pale as she dressed with the nurse¡¯s help. Zhou Fenyang snorted lightly, opened the door, and glared at Lin Nianhe, silent. Lin Nianhe: ¡°Do you prefer a red or white background for the big-character poster?¡± Zhou Fenyang¡¯s indifferent face stiffened and then cracked. She gnashed her teeth and glared at Lin Nianhe as if she was the big-character poster. She clenched her fists and growled, ¡°I dressed her wounds well! The nurses saw it!¡± Lin Nianhe stood with her hands behind her back, unmoved: ¡°Seeing is not always believing, let alone second-hand information... Hmm, I have to keep a close eye on Tiechui, and if anything happens, you¡¯ll be the first one I come for.¡± Zhou Fenyang: ¡°...¡± Lin Nianhe¡¯s voice was not deliberately lowered when she spoke, as if she wanted everyone to know she was in conflict with Zhou Fenyang. She did it on purpose. In a situation where coexistence was impossible, glossing over only shackled herself, it was better to tear it thoroughly and let others know¡ª If my friends or I am harmed, it must be your doing. Lin Nianhe¡¯s reverse approach baffled Zhou Fenyang. She couldn¡¯t understand, had the girl gone mad? Her friend¡¯s safety was still in her hands, yet she dared to challenge her so boldly? Shouldn¡¯t she have apologized for the previous incidents, begged for forgiveness, and then desperately sent Su Yuncheng to tempt her with his charm or something... But she didn¡¯t, none of that. She was like an icicle in winter, hard and straight, harmless if still, deadly if it falls. Zhou Fenyang¡¯s lips trembled, staring at Lin Nianhe, unable to utter a word. She felt like she was about to pass out from anger. Lin Nianhe slowly looked down, smiling in her eyes: ¡°So you better take good care of my friend, don¡¯t give me any reason to catch you.¡± ¡°I can hit people, quite viciously.¡± Zhou Fenyang: ¡°...¡± This blatant threat was utterly detestable. Zhou Fenyang didn¡¯t want to talk to her any longer, leaving behind a disdainful scoff as her final defiance. Lin Nianhe casually withdrew her gaze and went with Wen Lan to pick up Miao Hongqi. Miao Hongqi¡¯s legs went weak from pain, and upon seeing this, Wen Lan simply bent down and carried her on his back. Miao Hongqi, stunned, lay on Wen Lan¡¯s back and whispered, ¡°I... I can walk on my own.¡± Wen Lan, striding swiftly without looking back, said, ¡°You wish, if you fall again and the wound splits, you¡¯ll have to settle down in the clinic for good.¡± While talking, Wen Lan spared a glance at Lin Nianhe and added, ¡°It¡¯s fine if you fall on me, but if you fall on Hezi, she might just have to stay next to you.¡± Lin Nianhe kept walking with her hands behind her, pretending not to hear. After two consecutive illnesses, Wen Lan had treated her like someone who could be knocked over by just a gust of wind. Lin Nianhe didn¡¯t argue with Wen Lan, because of their friendship. With Sister Lan around, the journey back to the ward was much easier for Miao Hongqi. After she settled back into bed, Lin Nianhe asked, ¡°I¡¯m going to buy some food, what would you like?¡± Miao Hongqi quickly said, ¡°Don¡¯t get anything for me, I just had an egg, I¡¯m not hungry.¡± Lin Nianhe ignored her comment and turned to Wen Lan: ¡°Sister Lan, do you want buns or rice?¡± Wen Lan licked her lips and patted her purse: ¡°I brought some dry food, you go ahead and buy for yourself.¡± Lin Nianhe took her lunch box casually: ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll go heat it up for you on my way.¡± With that, she left. Lin Nianhe kind of craved the braised pork from the State-Owned Restaurant; the master chef¡¯s skill was impeccable, and she missed it after a few days without. She unconsciously quickened her steps, with visions of delicious braised pork floating before her eyes. Until that face, ingrained in her heart, appeared and pushed the vision of braised pork away. Lin Nianhe paused her steps momentarily, then sped up even more. ¡°Brother Yuncheng, what brings you here?¡± Chapter 80 - 80 79 Hard Compliments ?80: Chapter 79: Hard Compliments 80: Chapter 79: Hard Compliments Lin Nianhe did pay a lot of attention to looks. For instance, the first time she saw the note left by Su Yuncheng, she couldn¡¯t help but speculate about his appearance. If she had to pick her favorite person since she transgressed, without a doubt, Beauty Su would win by his looks alone, standing unrivaled. However, Lin Nianhe only liked Su Yuncheng for his face. At least she didn¡¯t enjoy casual chats with him. Too awkward. She also never intended to express her liking to him. Seeing how the previous confessions had turned disastrous, she had witnessed them herself. How many other girls had failed before him was beyond her knowledge. She liked sweet things and didn¡¯t want to seek out bitterness for herself. Just... consider him an elder brother, at least then she could always see the face she liked. Su Yuncheng was carrying a net bag, inside of which were lunch boxes. He saw Lin Nianhe coming over and handed her the net bag, ¡°Lunch, it¡¯s for you guys.¡± Lin Nianhe looked at the three lunch boxes, slightly puzzled, ¡°How did you know I was here?¡± ¡°Director Wang told me,¡± Su Yuncheng said with a light smile. Wang Hong hadn¡¯t told Lin Nianhe what she needed to do at the police station, Lin Nianhe only vaguely knew that Su Yuncheng needed her for something. She didn¡¯t ask, took it over and said, ¡°Good timing, I won¡¯t go to the State-Owned Restaurant then.¡± While speaking, she reached into her pocket, ¡°How much?¡± ¡°No need,¡± Su Yuncheng frowned. ¡°It¡¯s not just for me.¡± Lin Nianhe pulled out a banknote and two yuan, ¡°You choose, which one?¡± This wasn¡¯t letting him choose; this was clearly making the choice for him. Su Yuncheng sighed with a helpless smile and took the two yuan from between her fingers. Lin Nianhe smiled, her eyes curving up, and asked him, ¡°Do you want to come up and eat together?¡± ¡°No thanks, I¡¯ve eaten already,¡± Su Yuncheng said, then handed her an envelope, ¡°This is for you.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± Lin Nianhe freed her hand to take the envelope, instinctively asking, ¡°From my family?¡± As soon as she held the envelope, she knew it wasn¡¯t a family letter. The papers inside were small, about an inch square... ¡°Stamps?¡± Lin Nianhe¡¯s eyes suddenly sparkled. She looked at Su Yuncheng, full of expectation. Su Yuncheng felt a bit flustered under her gaze, and he nodded, ¡°Yes, but none of them are new. We get lots of mail at our unit, so I asked them for some.¡± Lin Nianhe couldn¡¯t wait and stuffed both net bags into his hands, carefully opening the envelope and squinting inside. There were quite a few, and she didn¡¯t see them clearly at first. At that moment, Lin Nianhe felt that not being conversational wasn¡¯t Beauty Su¡¯s fault at all. He was just not articulate; it was a characteristic of his personality, how could it be considered a flaw or fault! Lin Nianhe held the envelope, looking at Su Yuncheng. She was seriously contemplating whether she had ever openly disliked him or spoken too loudly before. Facing Lin Nianhe¡¯s overly direct gaze, Su Yuncheng¡¯s heart beat even more chaotically. She looked at him this way, liking those stamps, right? He had always been a bit worried that she would despise those old stamps, even though he had carefully selected them, discarding any that looked unappealing, yet this still couldn¡¯t change the fact that they were old. ¡°There haven¡¯t been any new stamps lately, so...¡± Su Yuncheng still explained, ¡°If you don¡¯t like them, just throw them away.¡± ¡°I like them!¡± Lin Nianhe embraced the envelope tightly, as if afraid he would snatch it back, ¡°I really like them!¡± Compared to new stamps, Lin Nianhe actually preferred old ones. The remaining traces carried attachment and nostalgia, making one wonder about the expectations they once held. Hearing her so surely say she liked them, Su Yuncheng finally felt relieved. Seeing her like this, he very much wanted to ruffle her hair. His hand hesitated for a long time, but ultimately it did not rise. He asked: ¡°Are you staying at the clinic tonight?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Lin Nianhe nodded. ¡°Tiechui is seriously injured; she can¡¯t be left alone. Sister Lan and I will take care of her.¡± ¡°Tiechui?¡± Su Yuncheng appeared somewhat shocked. Lin Nianhe nodded earnestly: ¡°Yes, Comrade Miao changed her name to Miao Hongqi, I gave her a nickname.¡± ¡°...Well, not bad.¡± Su Yuncheng forced a compliment. At least she wasn¡¯t called Tiezhu or Gou Dan. ¡°I think so too, to honor her will as strong as steel!¡± Su Yuncheng didn¡¯t want to delve too much into whether the name was suitable for a girl; he feared he couldn¡¯t praise it adequately. Without hesitating, he quickly changed the subject: ¡°Shall I come and keep you company tonight?¡± ¡°No need.¡± Lin Nianhe smiled and shook her head. ¡°Sister Lan is here, and there are empty beds in the ward. I¡¯m not scared.¡± Su Yuncheng hesitated for a moment, then nodded: ¡°Alright, if there¡¯s anything, just go to the police station, someone will be on duty.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Su Yuncheng handed back the two net bags to Lin Nianhe, signaling her to hurry back. Lin Nianhe waved at him and added, ¡°I¡¯ll go back early tomorrow. Once I¡¯m less busy, I¡¯ll treat you to a meal.¡± ¡°Alright, go on.¡± Su Yuncheng watched her leave until her figure disappeared from view, then he returned to the police station. He just happened to meet Feng Wei, who was returning from dinner at the cafeteria, and casually asked: ¡°Are you on duty tonight?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Feng Wei nodded, ¡°What¡¯s up, Brother Cheng?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll take over for you.¡± Feng Wei was astonished, touching his own belly, suspecting he had misheard. The chubby guy began to think if he had done something wrong recently, making Brother Cheng distrustful of letting him take the duty... ¡°Hey? Why are you back so soon?¡± Just as Lin Nianhe entered the ward, Wen Lan asked in wonder. ¡°My brother brought food and I just met him downstairs,¡± Lin Nianhe said as she put their three lunch boxes aside and opened the ones Su Yuncheng brought. Inside the lunch boxes were identical, pork and cabbage dumplings, still hot and plump, their aroma quickly filling the air. ¡°Eat quickly,¡± Lin Nianhe urged, ¡°they¡¯ll stick together otherwise.¡± Wen Lan and Miao Hongqi didn¡¯t react, just staring hungrily at the dumplings. For Wen Lan, the last time she had dumplings was the day she left home; her mom had made her a bowl of sour soup dumplings. For Miao Hongqi, it had been during the New Year¡¯s. Seeing that neither of them reached for it, Lin Nianhe sighed lightly, ¡°Come on, take them, they¡¯re very hot.¡± Her fingertips were already slightly red, as if she would drop the lunchboxes the next second. Wen Lan immediately took the lunchbox. The dumplings were too enticing, too hard to resist. Wen Lan resigned herself: ¡°Just put it on my tab, I¡¯ll pay you back when the grain is distributed.¡± She didn¡¯t have much money left; her family was all working, but there were many kids at home, and her grandmother needed financial support too. When she left, Mrs. Wen managed to scrape together twenty-seven yuan for her. That money had to last her until the autumn harvest. But Wen Lan felt secure; she was capable, earning ten points a day, enough for her food. But Miao Hongqi didn¡¯t have the same confidence. Even if she didn¡¯t need to send food back home anymore, her life was still very strained; she truly couldn¡¯t afford to eat. Lin Nianhe put the chopsticks in her hand, reassuringly saying, ¡°What are you afraid of? Aunt Wang is fighting for your justice, isn¡¯t she?¡± Miao Hongqi was momentarily stunned. She felt that just successfully cutting ties with them was good enough, how could she possibly still get money?