《Reborn as a Superpower Girl in the 80s》


 Chapter 1 - 1 1 Crossing Over

    ?Chapter 1: Chapter 1: Crossing Over Chapter 1: Chapter 1: Crossing Over Under the large willow tree in the center of Qingshan Village, the villagers were still discussing the recognition drama that unfolded at Zhao¡¯s Second Wife¡¯s place yesterday, which was probably more exciting than any play ever performed.


    Meanwhile, Luo Qiao, who had been fighting zombies in the apocalypse just a moment ago, failed to save herself after being pushed into a horde of zombies by a teammate, and only heard someone screaming her name heart-wrenchingly before she lost consciousness.


    The next moment Luo Qiao woke up to find herself in a strange place, feeling extremely weak and suffering from a severe headache, and before she could think further, a flood of memories rushed into her brain.


    As she endured the headache and sorted out the memories, she realized she had transmigrated into the undesired and pitiful fifteen-year-old Luo Qiao from the 1980s, yet why were the names of the people in the original host¡¯s memories so familiar to her? After closing her eyes and repeating them several times,


    She then remembered ¡ª this was from a novel she had read before, ¡°The Swapped Life,¡± where the female supporting character, also named Luo Qiao, led a miserable life and only found out at her death that her life had been swapped with someone else¡¯s.


    She recalled the plot, which she didn¡¯t remember clearly, and only then did she understand why the Zhao Family of Qingshan Village refused to recognize the daughter that had been returned to them.


    Because only Gao Suhua, Zhao¡¯s Second Wife, knew that Luo Qiao was not her biological daughter, and now that her son, whom she had raised for fifteen years, had left with his biological parents, there were still six daughters to support at home, so she refused to recognize Luo Qiao firmly.


    Just as Luo Qiao had figured out that she had not only transmigrated but also entered into a book, she heard a magnetic voice say, ¡°Awake?¡±


    Following the sound, Luo Qiao saw the curtain at the door being opened, and a man with a resolute and handsome appearance but an icy cold expression entered, his eyes deep and sharp, holding a pair of crutches.


    Luo Qiao composed herself and asked hoarsely, ¡°Who are you? Where is this?¡±


    Lu Yichen looked at the little girl who still had no color on her face and didn¡¯t answer Luo Qiao¡¯s question, but instead said coldly, ¡°Get up and drink your medicine.¡±


    Luo Qiao wanted to ask more, but when she met those cold eyes, she shut her mouth obediently, endured the dizziness, and sat up, taking the bowl and laboriously drank the medicinal soup.


    After finishing, she handed back the bowl and even said, ¡°Thank you.¡±


    The man on the ground said, ¡°Lu Yichen, my name. Rest well.¡± Then he left the room.


    Luo Qiao was somewhat confused. What was the situation now?


    In the novel, the Zhao Family had reluctantly accepted her due to the pressure from the commune leaders, treating her as a servant all along. But who was this man now? And where was she?


    Luo Qiao saw the man just walk away, and she was quite angry, but since she was feeling very dizzy, she thought it would be better to wait until she felt better to inquire further. She fell into a groggy sleep again.


    It seemed as if Luo Qiao had a dream, as if she had arrived at a small canyon. There the scenery was pleasant, with a waterfall pouring down from the mountain to form a creek. Outside the valley, there was a field about ten acres large, but it was empty.


    Across the creek, the ground was lush with vegetation, and far away, there was a two-storied Bamboo Building.


    Luo Qiao crossed over on the stone bridge above the creek, walked up to the Bamboo Building, and asked softly, ¡°Is anyone there?¡±


    But when no one responded after a long while, Luo Qiao, not daring to enter someone else¡¯s home without permission, continued along the path.


    In front of the Bamboo Building, there was a flower garden about three acres in size, planted with common flowers like peonies, Chinese roses, crabapples, camellias, orchids, peonies, jasmine, and roses.


    Further ahead was a large herb garden, where ginseng and Lingzhi mushrooms were both being cultivated ¡ª truly a wonder of the world. The medicinal herbs in the garden were indeed well-stocked.

 Chapter 2 - 2 2 Abandoned

    ?Chapter 2: Chapter 2: Abandoned Chapter 2: Chapter 2: Abandoned Following the path of the medicinal garden uphill, a small tea plantation rested on the slope near the valley. The area was not small, and it seemed to host a variety of plants, which Luo Qiao, as a northerner, couldn¡¯t differentiate.


    In her past life, Luo Qiao was a wood-based ability user. Her wood-based special ability was different from others¡¯; while other wood-based ability users could only use their power to promote plant growth.


    Luo Qiao¡¯s wood-based special ability also included healing and attack powers. Seeing these plants made her feel a sense of kinship, but that was all in the past. Luo Qiao sighed and continued walking forward.


    Curiously looking around this place, she wondered why she was the only one here. Before she could figure it out, she felt someone pushing her and heard someone say, ¡°Wake up, have some food before you sleep again.¡±


    Luo Qiao opened her eyes, slightly confused, but as she regained her senses, she realized she was still in the same house as before. She laughed at herself for the dream she had just had.


    Lu Yichen brought food over and asked, ¡°Do you need me to help you sit up?¡±


    Luo Qiao replied, ¡°No need, I can do it myself.¡±


    Looking at the large bowl brought in front of her, filled with potatoes and dried green beans stir-fried in minced meat, lying on a bed of white noodles¡ªall of which smelled delicious¡ªLuo Qiao knew from the original host¡¯s memory that pure white flour was not something every household could afford nowadays.


    She felt somewhat surprised and flattered. To be honest, she was dying to eat; although she could eat her fill in the apocalyptic world, the grains were grown using special abilities, and the seeds had mutated long ago, stripping away the unique natural aroma of the food.


    However, Luo Qiao knew nothing about what had happened to her since the original host had fainted, which left her constantly uneasy.


    Seeing Luo Qiao take the bowl but just staring off into space, Lu Yichen said, ¡°Why aren¡¯t you eating? Does it not suit your taste?¡±


    Luo Qiao jumped, shook her head quickly, and said, ¡°No, it¡¯s not that, I just...¡±


    Lu Yichen said, ¡°Eat first. After you finish your meal, I¡¯ll tell you anything you want to know.¡±


    After he finished speaking, he turned and left the room.


    Luo Qiao breathed out and said to herself, ¡°It¡¯s true, the most important thing is to eat.¡±


    When Lu Yichen came back in, Luo Qiao had surprisingly finished the entire bowl of noodles to the last drop, still feeling a bit hungry, to tell the truth. It was simply too delicious.


    A bit embarrassed, Luo Qiao¡¯s cheeks turned red as she said, ¡°It was so delicious, I ate a bit too much.¡±


    After saying this, she lowered her head and sneaked a peek at Lu Yichen.


    Lu Yichen, with a hint of amusement, looked at the somewhat frail and pretty girl, which reminded him of his sister far away in the Capital City.


    Luo Qiao cleared her throat and asked, ¡°How came I to be here?¡±


    Lu Yichen pondered for a moment before answering, ¡°Your foster parents left with Zhao Guibao¡ªoh, that¡¯s the child who was swapped with you. The Zhao Family claims that you¡¯re not their biological daughter, saying their own daughter died shortly after she was born.¡±


    Luo Qiao sneered inwardly, thinking, ¡°Gao Suhua, you¡¯ve got some nerve. But this is also good; it saves me from slaving away at the Zhao Family like the original host.¡±


    But then she quickly turned her thoughts to her own household registration and said, ¡°Thank you for taking me in and feeding me. I will repay you in the future.¡±


    Lu Yichen replied, ¡°You fell and injured your head yesterday, losing quite a bit of blood. The doctor said you shouldn¡¯t be moved, so you were settled here for now. Auntie Gao from the village chief¡¯s family has been looking after you; she just had to leave for a bit.¡±


    Luo Qiao nodded slightly and said, ¡°I¡¯ve caused you trouble.¡±


    Yet, in her heart, she thought of how the original host had been abandoned.


    Lu Yichen added, ¡°You should rest for now. Once you¡¯re better, we can talk to the village chief to sort things out.¡±

 Chapter 3 - 3 3 The Special Ability Followed

    ?Chapter 3: Chapter 3 The Special Ability Followed Chapter 3: Chapter 3 The Special Ability Followed Lu Yichen finished speaking and went out. Luo Qiao lay alone on the kang, thinking it would be great if she had a Special Ability so that she could get better sooner. Now, in her current state, she couldn¡¯t do anything and still needed others to take care of her.


    The thought weighed heavy on her heart. She needed to recover quickly to resolve her household registration issue, unsure if Qingshan Village would allow her to settle down.


    Thinking of the melodramatic plot of that book, she figured it must be the spring of 1980 now. Fifteen years ago, Zhao Pulin, the second son of the Zhao family from Qingshan Village, and his wife Gao Suhua went to the city to run some errands, not expecting that the pregnant Gao Suhua would suddenly feel the pangs of childbirth.


    After knowing she had given birth to another daughter, she couldn¡¯t stop crying under the blanket, thinking that they already had four births and five daughters. It wasn¡¯t hard to guess that her in-laws definitely wouldn¡¯t like this baby girl.


    Seeing another pregnant woman in the same ward, still in a deep sleep and dressed unusually, Gao Suhua was filled with wicked thoughts. She took the opportunity when no one else was around to switch the two baby girls. She had just finished her misdeed, her heart pounding with fear, when the relatives of that pregnant woman completed the hospital transfer procedures and left.


    The melodrama was, no sooner had she switched her daughter without taking a closer look at the baby girl, than she was startled by an unexpected turn of events. A couple that moved into the adjacent bed suggested swapping children when they learned that the Gao Suhua couple wanted a son.


    They expressed their desire for a ¡°little coat for the heart,¡± which made Gao Suhua incredibly happy. After discussing it with her husband upon his return, they agreed to the exchange.


    Zhao Pulin and Gao Suhua could never have imagined that the son they had cherished for fifteen years would leave them without hesitation to go with his biological parents from the city. Their branch of the Zhao family became a laughingstock in Qingshan Village.


    Now, the Zhao¡¯s Second Wife already had six daughters to raise and was unwilling to acknowledge Luo Qiao, whom they returned. What¡¯s more, Gao Suhua knew that Luo Qiao wasn¡¯t her biological daughter.


    What the people of the Zhao family didn¡¯t know till now was that the couple from the Luo family only wanted to secure a good identity for their newly born son back then. They didn¡¯t want their son to suffer with them in the labor camp where they were sent during the Cultural Revolution.


    Now that the couple had been exonerated and returned to the city, they wanted to reclaim their son to raise him properly and dote on him. Luo Qiao, who grew up beside them, never won their affection and was conveniently sent back to her biological parents.


    What the Luo couple didn¡¯t know was that Luo Qiao wasn¡¯t actually the daughter of the Zhao family. They were now focused on setting their lives back on track, each returning to their own homes, and finding their own mothers.


    Sadly, during the tug-of-war between the Zhao and Luo families over the child, the original owner of this body was pushed and hit her head on the steps, bleeding profusely and losing consciousness. When she woke up, she had become the current Luo Qiao with a different soul.


    Luo Qiao sighed deeply, recalling the scant parental affection she had in her previous life. Her parents were always busy, busy, busy, the only things they could give her were money, money, money, and all she knew was to enroll in various study classes.


    She had always thought that if she was good enough, she could make her parents notice her. But before she received any attention, she first encountered the apocalypse. In this life, she would no longer chase those elusive things and was content living freely on her own.


    Turning over, she saw a grain of rice in the kang crack, probably left over from drying grain last year, and casually pinched it in her hand. As she was absorbed in her thoughts, she instinctively used her Special Ability to quicken the growth.


    By the time Luo Qiao realized what she had done, a sprout over two inches long had already grown, which terrified her. She hurriedly destroyed the evidence. After the shock passed, she was filled with excitement¡ªher Special Ability had followed her here.


    Luo Qiao began to probe her own body and faintly sensed the familiar wave of her Special Ability. It was a pity that it was now very weak, only at the level of Second Rank. It was enough to accelerate the growth of plants, but she was incapable of doing anything else.

 Chapter 4 - 4 4 Unrecognized

    ?Chapter 4: Chapter 4 Unrecognized Chapter 4: Chapter 4 Unrecognized Even having Second Rank was enough to make Luo Qiao incredibly happy. As long as she still had her Special Ability, that was all that mattered to her. She would slowly increase it over time¡ªafter all, the memories of her original self told her that the forests lay ahead of Qingshan Village.


    Besides, it was a time of peace now; there was no urgent need to quickly enhance her Special Ability level for self-defense.


    Knowing that her Special Ability had followed her, she felt reassured at heart. Even if no one took her in, she could live comfortably by herself. At worst, she could go to the mountains to find some rare and valuable plants to cultivate and, when the time came, sell them to support herself.


    The thought of flowers and plants led her back to the dream she had before. She wished she had a space of her own, but she was not one to indulge in unrealistic fantasies. After all, even during the apocalypse, those with space-related Special Abilities were rare, and she was certainly not that lucky.


    With her Special Ability, her life had a layer of security, and she relaxed. Perhaps because she had indeed lost a lot of blood the day before, it didn¡¯t take long before she slowly drifted back to sleep.


    Unexpectedly, she continued the dream she had before. Luo Qiao returned to the front of the Bamboo Building, where she still encountered no one. Emboldened, she pushed open the main door and went inside.


    Luo Qiao found the interior to be quite spacious, and after walking around, she noticed that besides the living room, the first floor also housed a kitchen and a utility room. She looked up towards the second floor, knowing it wouldn¡¯t be appropriate to go up there without invitation, but her curiosity led her to climb the stairs.


    Upstairs were three rooms¡ªa bedroom, a study, and another filled entirely with musical instruments like guzhengs, guqins, pipas, erhus, suonas, xiaos, flutes, shengs, pottery xuns, and konghous.


    Each type of instrument was present in multiple copies, indicating that the owner must be someone who loved music deeply.


    The bedroom contained many pieces of jewelry, all of exquisite quality, and several embroidery stands of varying sizes. The cabinets were filled with completed embroidery works, along with plenty of high-quality embroidery fabric and threads.


    The study was a mix of books about medicine, music theory, and various Embroidery Techniques. Luo Qiao casually picked up one of the books about Embroidery Techniques.


    Just as she was about to open the book in her hands, she heard a commotion growing louder and closer, and couldn¡¯t help but wake up.


    Listening closely to the noise outside, she heard a woman say, ¡°It¡¯s not that we don¡¯t recognize her, it¡¯s just that she really isn¡¯t our daughter. Our daughter died at birth.¡±


    Then another woman spoke up, ¡°Then why did you agree to let her stay? If you don¡¯t recognize her, why didn¡¯t you just have the Luo couple take her away with them?¡±


    Another woman chimed in, ¡°That woman from the Luo Family gave the Zhao Family two hundred yuan; that¡¯s why Gao Suhua agreed to let the girl stay.¡±


    ¡°Since you took their money, you should take her back to your place to raise. What gives you the right to dump her at Lu Yichen¡¯s house?¡±


    ¡°The brigade leader is here, the brigade leader is here.¡±


    A man then said, ¡°Gao Suhua, what on earth is the Zhao Family doing? You can¡¯t just leave the person at Comrade Lu¡¯s house without caring for her.¡±


    Gao Suhua replied, ¡°Brigade leader, we live far away, and the doctor said yesterday that it would be best not to move her too much. It¡¯s really inconvenient for us to come over.¡±


    The brigade leader said, ¡°Then when are you going to take her back? She can¡¯t stay at Comrade Lu¡¯s house forever.¡±


    Gao Suhua continued, ¡°Brigade leader, as you know, I have to provide for six daughters at home. It¡¯s not that I don¡¯t recognize her, but she really is not the Zhao Family¡¯s child. Why not see if any family in the village wants a daughter and just take her home with them?¡±


    Luo Qiao listened to their conversation from inside the house, feeling extremely angry. What did they think of her?


    She then heard Lu Yichen say, ¡°You should also listen to what the young girl thinks before you make any decisions.¡±

 Chapter 5 - 5 5 Black Household

    ?Chapter 5: Chapter 5: Black Household Chapter 5: Chapter 5: Black Household The team leader looked at Lu Yichen and asked, ¡°How is the person doing now? Have they woken up?¡±


    Lu Yichen said coldly, ¡°They woke up once earlier, ate something, and then went back to sleep.¡±


    Luo Qiao knew this issue had to be faced sooner or later, and it was better to resolve it early to avoid complications over time.


    So she got off the kang and was about to go out when she heard people approaching the house, and soon enough, a good number of them came in. Seeing Luo Qiao putting on her shoes, the team leader asked, ¡°Girl, are you feeling better?¡±


    Luo Qiao¡¯s complexion was still not great. After years of suffering with the Luo Family at the farm, except for being tall, her body was extremely thin.


    With a weak voice, Luo Qiao replied, ¡°I¡¯m feeling better, thank you for your concern, Team Leader. May I ask Auntie Zhao a few questions?¡±


    The team leader glanced at Gao Suhua then said, ¡°Yes, ask whatever you want.¡±


    Luo Qiao asked, ¡°Auntie Zhao, do you know where my parents are?¡±


    Gao Suhua said evasively, ¡°How would I know? The family left in a hurry that year, and just at that time, the Luo family wanted a daughter and so they took you away.¡±


    Luo Qiao asked coldly, ¡°Are you sure I¡¯m not your daughter?¡±


    Gao Suhua said, ¡°How could that be false? Just by looking at your face, you couldn¡¯t possibly be my daughter.¡±


    Everyone looked at Luo Qiao¡¯s face, which indeed bore no resemblance to the Zhao family members; all six daughters of the Zhao family had large faces, like their parents.


    Luo Qiao said, ¡°So what you¡¯re saying is you won¡¯t take me back with you to the Zhao family, is that right?¡±


    Gao Suhua said, ¡°Why would I take care of you if you¡¯re not my daughter? Of course, I cannot take you back.¡±


    Luo Qiao let out a breath and said, ¡°But you took the Luo family¡¯s money and agreed to a clear separation. Now that the Luo family has left, you say such things. What am I supposed to do from now on?¡±


    Gao Suhua replied, ¡°Our Zhao family is not to blame. You were never our daughter to begin with. I can¡¯t neglect my own daughters to take care of an outsider. Moreover, that money was compensation from the Luo family for raising their son for them.¡±


    Turning to the team leader and the villagers, Luo Qiao said, ¡°Team Leader, fellow villagers, you all see my situation now. The Zhao family refuses to acknowledge me as their daughter.


    Since that¡¯s the case, I won¡¯t impose on the Zhao family. But could the village help me settle a household registration and find a place to stay? I can earn work points and support myself.¡±


    Luo Qiao knew that although the village had not yet distributed production to individual households and was still working for work points, those days wouldn¡¯t last much longer, as distribution to households was imminent.


    Some villagers who were spectating said, ¡°The Zhao family doesn¡¯t want you, why don¡¯t you just return to the Luo family? That¡¯s a city household registration.¡±


    Luo Qiao said, ¡°You all saw what happened yesterday. The Luo family won¡¯t allow me to go back, and my household registration has already been transferred out. Yesterday¡¯s documents have already been handed over to Auntie Zhao.¡±


    Gao Suhua hurriedly pulled out several papers from her pocket and stuffed them into Luo Qiao¡¯s hands, saying, ¡°You should keep these papers yourself; our Zhao family can¡¯t handle this.¡±


    Luo Qiao opened the papers and looked them over, then said, ¡°Team Leader, if you won¡¯t take care of this, I will have to go to the commune. And who knows, I might even have to involve the police.¡±


    Gao Suhua said, ¡°This is something that can be resolved right here in the village, there¡¯s no need to get the police involved. It would be a bad influence.¡±


    Luo Qiao said with a sense of grievance, ¡°I need the police to investigate my birth. The Luo family has already transferred my household registration. If I can¡¯t settle my registration here, I¡¯ll have to ask for police assistance. I can¡¯t just become an undocumented person, right?¡±

 Chapter 6 - 6 6 Solutions

    ?Chapter 6: Chapter 6 Solutions Chapter 6: Chapter 6 Solutions The brigade leader furrowed his brow upon hearing that Luo Qiao wanted to involve the police, thinking to himself that since the Zhao Family¡¯s son¡¯s household registration had already been moved, even if Luo Qiao wasn¡¯t their daughter, the issue of her household registration being left behind wasn¡¯t a big deal.


    Gao Suhua also feared that Luo Qiao might genuinely seek the police, and if other matters were dredged up in the process it wouldn¡¯t be good, so she chimed in, ¡°Brigade leader, given that my Gui Bao¡¯s registration has been moved too, why not just help her leave it behind as well?¡±


    The brigade leader also worried about the Zhao Family¡¯s affairs becoming public and becoming a joke to other villages, so he said, ¡°Alright then, the Educated Youth courtyard is empty, you can stay there for now, but you can¡¯t stay for free.¡±


    Luo Qiao said, ¡°I understand, the house is public property, I¡¯ll pay rent.¡±


    The brigade leader, seeing that Luo Qiao was young but sensible, felt much more comfortable and said, ¡°Give me your proof of household registration transfer, and when I have time, I¡¯ll get your registration settled.


    At the Educated Youth courtyard, you¡¯ll pay one yuan a month to the brigade. If you don¡¯t have money now, we can deduct it from the year-end bonus. You don¡¯t have any objections to that, do you?¡±


    Luo Qiao replied, ¡°No objections, thank you, brigade leader.¡±


    Wishing to minimize future disputes, Luo Qiao said, ¡°Since that¡¯s the case, would you please write us a certificate, brigade leader? A document stating I have no ties with the Zhao Family. So, if the Luo and Zhao families bring this up again, there will be a certificate to refer to, saving everyone trouble.¡±


    Gao Suhua, eager to dissociate herself from Luo Qiao, not wanting to provide for her unconditionally, and fearing the Luo Family might cause trouble later, thought it sensible to have such a document. It would prove that Luo Qiao herself claimed she could earn her own work points and support herself so that she wouldn¡¯t blame the Zhao Family for any future misfortune.


    Lu Yichen fetched paper and pen and drafted three copies of a certificate, roughly stating that Luo Qiao was not blood-related to the Zhao Family and that in the future they would lead separate lives without interfering with each other. Then the brigade leader, Lu Yichen, and several respected villagers signed as witnesses.


    In the end, Luo Qiao, Gao Suhua, and Zhao Pulin, who had been silently following behind, also signed, affixed their fingerprints, and the matter was considered settled, with each relevant party and the brigade keeping a copy.


    With the issue resolved, the brigade leader dismissed everyone, telling Luo Qiao, ¡°You¡¯re still not fully recovered, so temporarily you can stay at Yichen¡¯s place. The Luo Family left ten yuan for you yesterday for your medical care.


    The doctor¡¯s visit and medication cost three yuan, so here are seven yuan left for you to take; you¡¯ll need to purchase some things for when you move to the Educated Youth courtyard.¡±


    Luo Qiao took the money and thanked the brigade leader profusely.


    At last, the issue was settled, and Luo Qiao was utterly exhausted.


    Lu Yichen said, ¡°You should rest for a while,¡± and then went out with the brigade leader.


    Once Lu Yichen and the brigade leader had left, Luo Qiao quickly lay down on the kang, her body too weak.


    Lying on the kang and sorting through the events, she thought about possibly living in Qingshan Village for the next few years and couldn¡¯t help but sigh.


    Recalling the place she¡¯d dreamed of before, Luo Qiao wished she really had such a space. Thinking of the novels she¡¯d read before, she jokingly said aloud, ¡°Enter.¡±


    In an instant, the view before her eyes changed, and she found herself standing in front of a bookshelf. Taking a closer look, wasn¡¯t this the place from her dream? She was stunned and, after snapping out of it, pinched herself hard enough to make her grimace in pain.


    So, it wasn¡¯t a dream after all; she really did have a space. Her consciousness had only entered here before, but this was incredibly lucky. Spotting the book that had fallen to the ground, it was the same Embroidery Technique book she had pulled out in her dream.


    For now, she had no interest in the book, so she put it back in its place.

 Chapter 7 - 7 7 Space Carrier

    ?Chapter 7: Chapter 7 Space Carrier Chapter 7: Chapter 7 Space Carrier Next to the desk, Luo Qiao saw a letter weighted down on the surface, titled ¡°To be opened by the destined,¡± and fortunately, having learned calligraphy in her previous life, she managed to piece together the content inside.


    It said the previous owner was from the Great Tang, who, delighted by this space, shared the secret with her best friend, only to have the secret leaked, resulting in her tragic separation from her family and an untimely death.


    She advised the destined one to guard the secret well and to be aware of the principle, ¡°An innocent man holds no blame, but one who possesses a jade commits a crime.¡±


    The letter briefly described the functions of the space: a well behind the Bamboo Building, which when used regularly enhances beauty and health; the time inside moves four times faster than the outside world, allowing crops to be harvested in all four seasons each year.


    Produce grown inside tasted better than that from outside, and the underground storage underneath the Bamboo Building could preserve things forever without them ever spoiling.


    At the end, Luo Qiao reached for her neck and, sure enough, felt the Crescent Jade Amulet. According to the original owner¡¯s memory, she¡¯d had it since she was young, this item could never belong to the Luo Family.


    Unable to understand, she stopped thinking about it but learned from the letter that the space must have come about when the original owner¡¯s blood touched the jade the previous day, though the amulet itself seemed unremarkable.


    However, it made sense, the item was fortunately unremarkable, otherwise, it would have surely been taken by the Luo Family members, especially considering that the original owner had been raised and cared for by Grandma Luo from a young age, and the Luo couple hardly paid any attention to her.


    When the original owner was nine, Grandma Luo fell severely ill and passed away, leaving her to live with the two daughters of Luo Family¡¯s Main Wife, so the couple never discovered the amulet.


    Now, Luo Qiao felt an unreal sensation, surprisingly excited and at a loss, sitting silently in the study for a long time before she could calm down.


    After descending to the first floor, she found the entrance to the storage, and going down, she noticed the storehouse was quite large, mostly filled with grains, and there were some fruits and the least number of vegetables.


    Further inside were rows of shelves laden with gold, silver, jade artifacts, ancient paintings, exquisitely crafted bowls, dishes, tea sets, as well as many pieces of fabric and varieties of embroidery thread.


    In the farthest part, there were several chest of drawers, and upon closer examination, Luo Qiao found they were all labeled with seeds for grains, vegetables, flowers, and medicinal herbs.


    After a brief inspection, she left the Bamboo Building; behind it was a small door, beyond which was a bamboo forest, and the rear wall of the Bamboo Building neatly lined with a lot of dried straw.


    Luo Qiao then remembered the kitchen stove was traditional, so she went back to the kitchen to look again, finding it had two stoves and all sorts of knives, plates, bowls, basins.


    There were steaming baskets of various sizes, even a rolling board and rolling pin for dough, and most importantly, a stone mill in the kitchen, quite well-equipped indeed.


    After inspecting the kitchen, Luo Qiao walked towards the back door to find that well, and shortly after exiting, she saw the well reputed to enhance beauty and health.


    Curious, Luo Qiao decided to try the water, because she had never drawn water from a well in her previous life; despite having memories of the original body, it still took quite a while to haul up half a bucket.


    She ladled some water with a calabash dipper by her side and drank it down, it was indeed refreshingly sweet and smooth, suddenly she laughed¡ªit sounded like something from a liquor commercial.


    Ahead was the bamboo forest, not very large, but it contained various kinds of bamboo¡ªosmanthus, Xiangfei, arrow, purple, hairy, and phoenix tail bamboo, among a few others that Luo Qiao did not recognize.


    Luo Qiao did not venture further, as she had been on the kang when she entered and wasn¡¯t wearing shoes, and it was broad daylight; Lu Yichen might arrive at any moment.

 Chapter 8 - 8 8 Bad Intentions

    ?Chapter 8: Chapter 8 Bad Intentions Chapter 8: Chapter 8 Bad Intentions So Luo Qiao hurriedly left the space, thinking she would come back in the evening to have a good look around.


    When it was getting dark, Lu Yichen returned and knocked on the door to hand Luo Qiao a household registration book. Luo Qiao, surprised, accepted it and said, ¡°Thank you, I didn¡¯t expect it to be processed so quickly.¡±


    What Luo Qiao didn¡¯t know was that this household registration book was not easy to obtain, especially since Luo Qiao was a minor setting up her own household¡ªit was thanks to Lu Yichen pulling some strings that she was able to get it.


    For some reason, Lu Yichen just wanted to help her get it sorted out sooner rather than later, fearing that further complications might arise if they waited.


    Luckily, Lu Yichen had personally taken care of it that afternoon. Had they waited for the team leader to have time to handle it, who knows how long it would have taken.


    Lu Yichen said, ¡°Tomorrow the village will find someone to help you clean up the Youth League residence, if you¡¯re feeling better, you can pick out which room you want to live in.¡±


    Luo Qiao gratefully said, ¡°Thank you, Brother Lu.¡±


    No sooner had the two of them finished talking when they heard someone else come in. Lu Yichen said, ¡°Auntie Gao is here.¡±


    Lu Yichen introduced Luo Qiao, saying, ¡°This is Auntie Gao from the team leader¡¯s family; she has been taking care of you.¡±


    Luo Qiao said gratefully, ¡°Auntie, thank you for all the trouble.¡±


    Meanwhile, at the Zhao Family¡¯s home, Zhao Pulin¡¯s elder brother Zhao Changlin, his sister-in-law Liu Fang, and his younger sister Zhao Chunli, and brother-in-law Jia Mingshan were all gathered together discussing Luo Qiao.


    Zhao Changlin said, ¡°Such a big decision, and you made it without discussing it first. Yesterday, in front of the whole village, you took the Luo Family¡¯s money, promising to take care of Luo Qiao.


    How come, after just one night, you changed your minds, causing a stir that the whole village knows you¡¯re disowning Luo Qiao? If one day the Luo Family returns to see Luo Qiao, how will you explain it to them?¡±


    Gao Suhua said, ¡°Big Brother, if the Luo Family cared about her, they wouldn¡¯t have left her in the village. Our family already has six daughters, we really don¡¯t lack one more. Besides, we truly can¡¯t afford to keep her.¡±


    Zhao Chunli, the Zhao Family¡¯s younger daughter, said, ¡°Sister-in-law, are you saying Luo Qiao really isn¡¯t our Zhao Family¡¯s child?¡±


    Gao Suhua replied, ¡°Indeed. At that time, I was so weak after giving birth; the child was frail, and knowing it was another daughter, I didn¡¯t have the heart to care for her, and she didn¡¯t survive.


    Your second brother was coming back to the village to borrow a cart to take us home, and the couple in the same ward had abandoned Luo Qiao there, so I thought we might as well raise her if it came to that.


    But before I could even discuss it with your brother, the Luo couple said they wanted to raise a daughter, and that¡¯s when we exchanged the children.¡±


    Zhao Chunli said, ¡°So, you¡¯re saying the Luo Family doesn¡¯t know that Luo Qiao isn¡¯t our Zhao Family¡¯s child?¡±


    Gao Suhua replied, ¡°Yes, they don¡¯t know.¡±


    Zhao Chunli went on, ¡°Sister-in-law, are you not thinking clearly? Luo Qiao is already fifteen; in another two or three years, she could be married off. Plus, a girl that age can help out around the house.¡±


    Gao Suhua argued, ¡°Forget it, haven¡¯t you seen how skinny that child is, like a stick? Moreover, she lost so much blood yesterday that she nearly couldn¡¯t be saved. The doctor said she¡¯s too weak, that even if she recovers, she won¡¯t be able to do any heavy work.


    Fortunately, the doctor said yesterday that she¡¯d hit her head and it¡¯d be best not to move her; that¡¯s why we didn¡¯t take her back, or she wouldn¡¯t have been so easy to dismiss.¡±


    Zhao Chunli felt her sister-in-law was a bit foolish, unable to calculate the situation properly.


    Glancing at her elder brother and sister-in-law in the room, she whispered, ¡°Sister-in-law, I heard there¡¯s a family in Beipo Village looking to find a wife for their son who broke his leg, and they are offering fifty yuan. If you bring her back home and take care of her for a few days, you could make fifty just like that.¡±


    Gao Suhua, somewhat tempted, glanced at her husband sitting to the side, then turned to her younger sister-in-law and asked, ¡°Really, it¡¯s true?¡±


    Zhao Chunli replied with some irritation, ¡°How could it not be true? I just heard about it a few days ago. That family simply wants an obedient girl who can take care of their son. That¡¯s all there is to it.¡±

 Chapter 9 - 9 9 Settling In

    ?Chapter 9: Chapter 9 Settling In Chapter 9: Chapter 9 Settling In Zhao Changlin, upon hearing his younger sister¡¯s comments, said, ¡°Chunli, come up with fewer bad ideas. It¡¯s getting late, and you and your husband should head back; you have to go to work tomorrow.¡±


    Zhao Chunli said, ¡°I¡¯m thinking of what¡¯s best for Luo Qiao. Can a young girl really support herself? If this works out, you and second brother could even gain an extra source of income.¡±


    Zhao Changlin said, ¡°What goes around comes around. You better stop doing things that harm others. Since we¡¯ve already declared in front of the whole village that we¡¯re going separate ways from now on, let¡¯s not dwell on such pointless schemes.¡±


    After saying this, Zhao Changlin took his wife and left. He had never liked his brother¡¯s wife¡¯s personality. They had gone to the commune for business earlier that day and only found out upon returning that his younger brother¡¯s family had taken such drastic measures.


    Since the matter was settled, they had no reason to interfere, for the family had been divided.


    At nightfall, Luo Qiao waited until Lu Yichen had come back inside and closed the door before she entered the space.


    Once in the space, she walked toward the valley. On both sides, various fruit trees were growing, not in great numbers or variety, but this still delighted Luo Qiao¡ªin those days, fruit was hard to come by.


    Not far from the waterfall, there was a pond formed by diverting the terrain¡¯s water, which contained a patch of lotus flowers.


    Luo Qiao looked up at the mountain, covered with tall trees, yet she did not recognize many of them.


    After her tour, she realized that except for herself, there were no living creatures in this space. It looked like she would have to make a trip to the mountains and do some experimentation once she was feeling better.


    The next day, Luo Qiao woke up early, feeling much better than the day before. She planned to go to the Youth League courtyard to choose a room. It was better to move out sooner so as not to impose on Lu Yichen¡¯s family.


    Although her physical condition was still weak, the situation of an unmarried man and woman living together was indecorous. Besides, she had heard from the brigade leader that the Youth League courtyard was not far from Lu Yichen¡¯s house.


    Perhaps it was the water from the space she drank the day before that made her feel better. Despite the early spring morning being warm but still chilly, Luo Qiao found a basin in the yard and fetched some water from the jar at the kitchen door.


    As she was about to wash her face, Lu Yichen came out of the kitchen with a ladle of hot water, saying, ¡°It¡¯s cold; add some hot water before you wash.¡±


    By the time Luo Qiao looked up, Lu Yichen had already turned and walked away. He was truly a man with a stern appearance but a soft heart.


    She had already told Auntie Gao the night before not to come over anymore, as she could take care of herself, and didn¡¯t want to keep troubling her.


    After Luo Qiao finished getting ready, Lu Yichen had also prepared breakfast. After eating, they went to the Youth League courtyard where the brigade leader and several strong villagers from the village had just arrived.


    The brigade leader said to Luo Qiao, ¡°No one lives in the Youth League courtyard now. Choose whichever room you like and have them help you tidy up.¡±


    In the end, Luo Qiao chose the room at the farthest end, conveniently located next to the kitchen.


    The room had been vacated not too long ago, so not many repairs were needed. It was tidied up in one morning, but now that it was cleaned, there was nothing inside but a kang bed.


    The original occupant had left with only a small bundle, containing a few changes of clothes and nothing else.


    The brigade leader had gone home and returned with his wife bringing an old quilt and bedding, two sets of dishes and chopsticks, about twenty pounds of cornmeal, and a few seasonings. Fortunately, there were pots and a water jar in the kitchen of the Youth League courtyard.


    There was also a pile of firewood in the backyard, without which there would¡¯ve been no way to cook in the future.


    Gratefully, Luo Qiao said, ¡°Thank you, Auntie. Consider these items borrowed. Once I have enough money to buy my own, I will return everything to you.¡±


    The brigade leader¡¯s wife replied, ¡°I¡¯m glad you don¡¯t mind. Life will get better gradually.¡±

 Chapter 10 - 10 10 Got Noticed

    ?Chapter 10: Chapter 10 Got Noticed Chapter 10: Chapter 10 Got Noticed Luo Qiao said, ¡°Auntie, if you can help me, I¡¯m too grateful to express. I¡¯ll try my best to live well and avoid causing any trouble in our village.¡±


    The team leader¡¯s wife gave a few instructions and then left; she still had to go to work later and told Luo Qiao to rest for two more days before starting her job, once she had recovered.


    Having brought her belongings with her, Luo Qiao had now settled down in Qingshan Village.


    What comforted Luo Qiao the most was that there was a well in the educated youth hostel, which saved her the trouble of having to fetch water just for appearances.


    Gao Suhua had not slept well the previous night; she thought her sister-in-law was making sense¡ªtaking the girl back, nurturing her for a few days and then sending her off to another household could earn them a sum of money.


    So, after breakfast on her way to work, she said to Zhao Pulin, ¡°My dear, I think Chunli is right. We should take the girl back home.¡±


    Zhao Pulin said, ¡°Don¡¯t listen to Chunli¡¯s nonsense. We have already signed an agreement in front of the team leaders and the villagers. Aren¡¯t you afraid of being laughed at?¡±


    Gao Suhua replied, ¡°What¡¯s there to be afraid of? We can just say we felt sorry for the Luo Family and took her in to provide care. After some time, we¡¯ll announce we¡¯ve found a good household for her. What does a young girl know, anyway?¡±


    Zhao Pulin retorted, ¡°Our family won¡¯t commit such unscrupulous deeds. Didn¡¯t you hear Chunli mention that the family on the north slope has a son with a broken leg? Luo Qiao is just a child. What will people think of us if they find out?¡±


    Gao Suhua pouted and said, ¡°By then we just won¡¯t tell the villagers.¡±


    Zhao Pulin, somewhat angry, replied, ¡°The north slope team isn¡¯t far from us; do you think the villagers are fools?¡±


    Having resolved to pay a visit to Lu Yichen¡¯s home at noon after getting off work, Gao Suhua did not believe that the young girl, upon hearing she would be taken back, could remain indifferent.


    Meanwhile, having taken Zhao Guibao back to the city, the Luo Family couple went through household registration the next day and changed his name to Luo Bin.


    Luo Tianming and his wife Feng Hui discussed sending Luo Bin back to school, but the boy refused, much to the frustration of the couple.


    The Luo Family had not been back in Ji City for long since being rehabilitated from the farm. The family of five, along with Big Brother Luo Tiancheng¡¯s family of seven, lived in a government-reallocated courtyard with many people but few rooms.


    Luo Bin had to share a room with his two cousins from his eldest uncle¡¯s family. The eldest cousin was unwilling to do so; the accommodations in the city were not as spacious as in the countryside, and he found that the children of the Luo Family did not seem to like him much.


    If it weren¡¯t for the better food compared to Qingshan Village and the fact that Ji City was more lively than the village, he would have long caused a fuss to return to Qingshan Village.


    As for Luo Qiao, she had not rested all morning. After sending off the team leader¡¯s wife, she locked the courtyard door and then went inside to make sure all doors and windows were secure before entering her space.


    First, she found some seeds in the underground storage and planted a variety, a task that was not difficult for her as a Wood-Based Ability User. In her previous life, she often worked on land cultivation and rapid plant growth at the base.


    Now that her special ability level was too weak, she had to earnestly plant in the space. After a whole morning, she had only managed to plant a little over half an acre¡ªthe weakness of her body was indeed troublesome.


    Having planted everything that needed to be sown, Luo Qiao decided to wrap up and prepare some food to strengthen her body.


    She took out some rice from the storage to cook in the kitchen, planning to make a pot of rich rice porridge, along with a dish of minced garlic eggplant and ¡°Di San Xian¡± (a stir-fry of potatoes, eggplant, and bell peppers). Although there was plenty of cooking oil in the storage, her body couldn¡¯t handle too much greasiness at the moment.


    She pickled some spicy cucumbers and sweet and sour radishes in two small porcelain bowls, to serve as a side dish to porridge or rice in the future.


    Just as she finished preparing and was about to exit the space, she heard someone knocking at the main door. Luo Qiao quickly left the space and composed herself before walking into the courtyard and asking, ¡°Who is it?¡±

 Chapter 11 - 11 11 Come Knocking on the Door

    ?Chapter 11: Chapter 11 Come Knocking on the Door Chapter 11: Chapter 11 Come Knocking on the Door The people outside didn¡¯t speak, but, upon hearing someone come out, they resumed knocking on the door.


    Luo Qiao stepped forward and peered through the crack of the door, identifying the person outside. She asked, ¡°Auntie Zhao, do you need something?¡±


    Gao Suhua, seeing that Luo Qiao didn¡¯t open the door, said somewhat angrily, ¡°Open the door, you stupid girl.¡±


    Luo Qiao replied, ¡°If Auntie Zhao doesn¡¯t need anything, I¡¯ll head back inside.¡±


    Luo Qiao certainly didn¡¯t indulge her. Gao Suhua was no easy person to deal with. A rural woman capable of switching babies was inherently immoral and selfish. There was definitely no good reason for her to come knocking at this hour.


    After finally separating from the Zhao Family and acquiring her own independent household registration, she didn¡¯t want anything to do with the Zhao Family anymore.


    Gao Suhua noticed Luo Qiao was quite vigilant, and said, ¡°Luo Qiao, your Uncle Zhao and I have thought it over all night. Although you are not our Zhao Family¡¯s own daughter,


    we did promise the Luo Family to take good care of you. Now that you are not well, your Uncle Zhao and I have decided it would be better to take you home so we can look after you properly.¡±


    Luo Qiao sneered inwardly and said, ¡°Auntie doesn¡¯t need to worry about me. I can take care of myself. Since you are not my biological parents,


    I don¡¯t want to be a burden to you. I have things to take care of in my house, so I will be busy now.¡±


    Not waiting for Gao Suhua to say anything else, Luo Qiao had already gone back inside. She would have been foolish to believe Gao Suhua¡¯s nonsense; she wasn¡¯t the original owner of this body.


    After returning to her room, Luo Qiao listened to the commotion outside. Hearing Gao Suhua walk away while cursing under her breath, she scoffed mockingly, suspecting that Gao Suhua was up to no good.


    Noticing it was getting late and making sure it was safe, she went back to her space and drew a bucket of water first, cleaning up the kitchen thoroughly. Luo Qiao didn¡¯t have the heart to waste the leftover water and poured it onto the plot of land she had planted that morning.


    Apart from malnutrition, this body didn¡¯t have any serious issues. She believed it wouldn¡¯t be long before she was completely rejuvenated.


    After collecting some straw from behind the Bamboo Building, Luo Qiao thought the straw wouldn¡¯t last long as fuel. She considered collecting more firewood from the mountain to store in her space later.


    Currently on a bland diet, she took some rice and simmered a pot of thick rice porridge that would last several meals.


    After the rice porridge was ready, she scooped out a large bowl to cool and stored the rest in a big basin, which she placed in the underground cellar. It would stay warm, so she could eat it anytime without reheating.


    After stir-frying garlic eggplant and ¡°treasure from the earth,¡± she drank the porridge and then left the space.


    In the kitchen, she boiled a large pot of water and thoroughly cleaned and wiped down everything again. Luo Qiao had a slight obsession with cleanliness and would feel uncomfortable if things were not tidy.


    The houses at the ¡°educated youth spot¡± had mud interiors and stone exteriors but were topped with small black tiles¡ªmuch better than the thatch roofs of some homes in the village. Since these houses were built in ¡¯66, they were considered quite good for the village.


    The courtyard Luo Qiao was living in used to house the female ¡°educated youths,¡± while the neighboring courtyard previously occupied by the male ¡°educated youths¡± was also vacant. Luo Qiao was quite pleased with this arrangement; living here alone made it more convenient to do as she pleased.


    Actually, many families in the village had their eye on the ¡°educated youth¡± houses, but the commune leaders had stated that they could either buy the houses outright or pay monthly rent.


    When the villagers heard it would cost them money to live there, no one was willing to pay, and that¡¯s how Luo Qiao got such a good deal.

 Chapter 12 - 12 12 Goals

    ?Chapter 12: Chapter 12 Goals Chapter 12: Chapter 12 Goals Luo Qiao thought that once she regained her strength in a few days, she would wander up the mountains, search for some medicinal herbs, and exchange them for money to buy the yard designated for the female educated youth.


    It would save the trouble of having to look for another place to live should someone in the village buy it one day.


    The yard for the female educated youth had two main rooms, a kitchen, and a storeroom. Luo Qiao quite liked it, especially since there was a well in the courtyard, which was very convenient.


    Gao Suhua didn¡¯t fare well at Luo Qiao¡¯s and thought to herself that this girl was really bold, daring not to open the door for her. She would just wait and see.


    For the next two days, Luo Qiao did nothing but rest in the courtyard. The well water from the space really was a treasure; she felt much better after just two days.


    Although she still had a frail appearance, her constitution had greatly improved compared to before, and even her skin looked much better than it used to be.


    Moreover, she had spent the past two days in space, tirelessly creating different dishes to nourish her body. So, Luo Qiao decided that tomorrow she would find the Brigade Leader and get assigned some work, lest people start to gossip.


    During these two days, Luo Qiao also thought it through. Her body was only fifteen years old; she certainly couldn¡¯t just stay in the village forever. It was the early eighties, and she had to find a way to go to school. At the very least, she needed to obtain a diploma, didn¡¯t she?


    The original owner of her body hadn¡¯t been to school while staying with the Luo Family in the farm because of their ¡°bad¡± social status. The farm¡¯s school did not allow the children of sent-down personnel to attend.


    But the original owner was smart. There were quite a few educated people in the farm, and she, being sweet-talking and sensible, received a lot of teachings from the Old Couple Yang next door. Before they returned to the city, they even encouraged her to seize the opportunity to go to school in the future.


    Regrettably, the Luo Family was rehabilitated and returned to the city, and in a few days, they sent her to this place. Luo Qiao remembered what the Luo couple had done to the original owner and vowed to make them regret it one day.


    She found a piece of paper with two addresses from the pocket of a set of old clothes in her bundle. Those were the addresses given by Grandpa Yang and Grandma Yang who lived next door in the farm, and Grandpa Yuan who wasn¡¯t far from her home there.


    Back in the farm, these people had taken good care of her. They would jokingly tell the original owner that she didn¡¯t resemble the Luo family very much and saw that Luo Tianming and Feng Hui weren¡¯t close to her. They even teased her that she was adopted.


    Heh, the public¡¯s eyes are truly discerning.


    Luo Qiao stored the piece of paper in the Spatial Study Room, thinking that in the past few days, Gao Suhua hadn¡¯t come to bother her. She didn¡¯t know if Suhua had given up or was brewing a bigger plan.


    The next morning, after having breakfast and getting ready, Luo Qiao went to the riverbank. The wife of the Brigade Leader had previously told her to gather there to be assigned work.


    When Luo Qiao arrived, she wasn¡¯t too late. Brigade Leader Gao Jiefang was already there waiting for people. Luo Qiao walked over and said, ¡°Good morning, Brigade Leader. I¡¯ve come to work.¡±


    The Brigade Leader, noticing that she indeed looked much healthier, kindly advised, ¡°Make sure you¡¯re completely well before you start working. Don¡¯t let yourself fall sick again.¡±


    Luo Qiao replied with a smile, ¡°Thank you, Brigade Leader. I¡¯m pretty much better now. I need to provide for myself after all.¡± At her words, several sympathetic gazes fell upon her.


    A woman beside her commented, ¡°Look at how skinny she is, like a bamboo pole. What work can she do? No wonder the Zhao Family didn¡¯t want her.¡±


    A woman who sympathized with Luo Qiao said, ¡°Sister-in-law Xiulan, the poor girl has already had a hard enough time. We have to take things slowly. Weren¡¯t we just the same at her age, unable to do much?¡±

 Chapter 13 - 13 13 Going to Work

    ?Chapter 13: Chapter 13 Going to Work Chapter 13: Chapter 13 Going to Work Luo Qiao, grateful that someone had spoken up for her, nodded at the woman and glanced at the one named Li Xiulan, who had just made the sarcastic comment. Just by looking at her face, she could tell she was a mean person.


    When Li Xiulan heard Sun Haitang speak up for Luo Qiao, she snorted coldly and said, ¡°Sun Haitang has something to say about everything. I¡¯m only telling the plain truth.¡±


    Luo Qiao replied, ¡°I earn work points for the amount of work I do. Thank you, Auntie Xiulan, for your concern.¡±


    Li Xiulan gave Luo Qiao a disdainful look, ¡°Who¡¯s concerned about you? Just don¡¯t hold everyone back.¡±


    The brigade leader¡¯s wife, Qiao Lianlian, came over and said to Li Xiulan, ¡°Save your words, better to worry about your second and third sons instead.¡±


    Upon hearing Qiao Lianlian¡¯s words, Li Xiulan fell silent. Her two sons were tall and strong, but it was a pity that both were lazier than the other, dodging work and lounging about all day.


    By the end of the year, they didn¡¯t earn as many work points as some of the half-grown kids, which is why at well over twenty, no family was willing to marry their daughters to such men, especially with Li Xiulan¡¯s reputation for stirring trouble in the village.


    As the crowd had nearly all arrived, the brigade leader began assigning tasks. It was now March, and the ground was slowly thawing. Today¡¯s task was to spread the compost that had been fermenting over winter onto the fields.


    In a few days, they would just have to turn the soil lightly with an iron plow before starting the spring sowing. Luo Qiao¡¯s job today was the same as the brigade leader¡¯s wife; after the men had delivered the fermented manure to the fields using tractors, donkey carts, and ox carts, they would spread it with shovels.


    The original body was skinny, but she had worked hard on the farm and wasn¡¯t weak. Added to that, the past few days of nourishment from the Spatial Well Water meant she could work quite efficiently.


    However, the soul within this body was now Luo Qiao from another time, someone brought up in a city, someone not accustomed to such labor. Even in post-apocalyptic times, she had simply used her Special Ability to stimulate plant growth.


    Though the smell of the compost was truly overpowering, having survived the apocalypse, she couldn¡¯t afford to let others gossip about her on her first day at work, so she strived to ignore her sense of smell.


    This actually earned her additional favor from the brigade leader¡¯s wife, Qiao Lianlian, who seemed to appreciate that Luo Qiao was truly capable of supporting herself, and even shared with her several tips for farmwork.


    Lu Yichen, the tractor driver of the brigade, spotted the young girl bustling about in the field from afar. He thought her thin frame might be blown away by a strong gust of wind and couldn¡¯t help but take a few extra glances.


    After the morning¡¯s labor, Luo Qiao did feel somewhat tired. Although she had dealt with planting in her previous life, she had never done such physically demanding work before. Fortunately, the original host¡¯s memories helped her avoid being too clumsy.


    When she got home at noon, she boiled a pot of hot water in the kitchen courtyard, afraid that if the chimney didn¡¯t smoke, it might raise others¡¯ suspicions.


    While resting, she stoked the fire until the water in the pot was hot enough, then she removed the wood, found a medium-sized bathtub from the miscellaneous items in the space, cleaned it, and then filled it with water.


    After securing the front door, she moved the bathtub into the bedroom, closed the doors and windows, and took a refreshing bath to recover. She figured it would take a few days of continuous work to adjust.


    Afterwards, she emptied the bathwater in the yard, cleaned the tub, and then fetched a large bowl of rice porridge from the space. Accompanied by some pickled spicy cucumbers and radish strips that she had previously made, along with the two leftover scallion pancakes from breakfast, she ate her lunch.


    She took a nap in the space¡¯s bedroom and only when she heard the gong did she come out of the space, ready to go back to work.


    Locking the front door behind her, she headed to the field. The afternoon¡¯s work was the same as the morning¡¯s, spreading manure in the fields.

 Chapter 14 - 14 14 Change Tactics

    ?Chapter 14: Chapter 14 Change Tactics Chapter 14: Chapter 14 Change Tactics On the way, Luo Qiao kept thinking that school had already started and that she needed to find time to visit the middle school at the commune to see if she could resolve her schooling issue.


    She didn¡¯t know if it was possible to only attend exams and skip regular classes, but once the land was allotted to her, she would have more control over her time.


    When she arrived at the field, the brigade leader¡¯s wife, Qiao Lianlian, was already there and waved Luo Qiao over to work next to her.


    Qiao Lianlian hadn¡¯t stopped praising Luo Qiao to her husband since lunchtime; indeed, this young girl was truly likable and earnest, which made her quite endearing.


    Luo Qiao learned quite a bit about the village affairs by chatting with Auntie Gao that afternoon at work.


    As the days passed, Luo Qiao gradually came to understand Qingshan Village. Gao Suhua had come by twice during this period, but Luo Qiao had ignored her, as there was nothing Gao Suhua could do from outside a closed door.


    Usually, while working, Luo Qiao would follow the brigade leader¡¯s wife, Qiao Lianlian. Gao Suhua had tried several times to speak to Luo Qiao but had failed, nearly driving her to fury.


    Now, Gao Suhua had changed her tactics, sending her daughters to cozy up to Luo Qiao, clearly harboring some malicious intent.


    But Luo Qiao was now responsible for her own household registration; whatever schemes Gao Suhua had planned were pointless. She was not the same person that the Zhao Family had taken advantage of for a lifetime, using her thoroughly.


    After half a month of hard work, all the village fields had been plowed, and they were ready to rest the soil for a few days before starting to plant.


    Before planting, the commune organized road repairs. Each village was responsible for its own section, and all able-bodied adults in the village were assigned to assist with the commune¡¯s road work.


    The road work essentially meant smoothing out the road and filling any holes with dirt, a job that would only take a couple of days and would not interfere with the spring planting.


    Some women and older children were assigned to the brigade¡¯s warehouse to sort soybean seeds. Over these days, Luo Qiao also became more familiar with the rest of the work team.


    After work that day, the brigade leader announced a day off tomorrow to tend to private affairs and prepare their allocated land for planting, as the day after tomorrow would mark the start of the spring planting, and no leave would be allowed.


    The land originally retained for the educated youths was divided by the brigade leader, and Luo Qiao had been allocated two portions for her personal use. She had been tending to it a little each day after finishing work, and by now, the land had been neatly furrowed.


    Behind the youth hostel, Luo Qiao had about one and a half portions of land where she intended to grow vegetables. She planned to plant sweet potatoes, potatoes, and corn on the two allotted portions, so as not to arouse envy if her vegetable crops did too well.


    After all, planting vegetables on that one-and-a-half-portion land and selling them later to a state-owned business in the commune or city would bring in some cash, and since policies weren¡¯t as strict as before, she wouldn¡¯t be scrutinized too much.


    Luo Qiao planned to make a trip to the commune the next day, hoping to find a set of junior and senior high school books and to check with the school whether she could transfer in and only attend exams without regular classes.


    These days, Luo Qiao had gone back to a normal diet. In the evening, she steamed some rice, which came from her space since Qingshan Village mostly grew corn and wheat, so she never cooked rice during the day.


    She made a stew with potatoes and green beans and also stir-fried some eggplant with minced garlic. After dinner, she cleaned up the kitchen. The water in the outside kitchen had already been heated up, so she took out some water and had a bath.


    Just as she was about to tidy up the stuff in the courtyard and return to her room, she heard people coming down the small path. By the sound of the voices, Luo Qiao knew it had to be the girls from the Zhao Family again. Really, they were relentless.

 Chapter 15 - 15 15 Playing with the Zhao Family Sisters

    ?Chapter 15: Chapter 15 Playing with the Zhao Family Sisters Chapter 15: Chapter 15 Playing with the Zhao Family Sisters Luo Qiao thought of the xun in the instrument room on the second floor of her space. She had learned various instruments in her past life; though she wasn¡¯t an expert, she could still play a little. By now, the sky had already darkened slightly.


    The educated youth spot was still some distance away from the village, and the closest home to here was Lu Yichen¡¯s. In recent days, one or two of the Zhao Family sisters came over each day to cozy up to her, truly annoying her to no end.


    After thinking about it for a moment, Luo Qiao turned and headed towards the backyard. There was a small gate there leading to the courtyard where the male educated youths stayed, but the latch was on the female side. She unlocked it and passed through to the males¡¯ courtyard.


    She found a secluded place to enter her space, went upstairs to get a xun, tested it out inside the space to make sure it was fine, and then left the space.


    When those two figures were about a hundred meters from her courtyard, Luo Qiao began to play a haunting melody. The Zhao Family sisters were so frightened that they ran off at full speed, howling as they went.


    Getting what they deserved for coming over to be a nuisance all the time, scare you to death, hmph!


    Standing in his own yard, Lu Yichen heard the noise from over there and looked towards the direction of the educated youth spot with some puzzlement.


    When he heard the Zhao Family sisters, who had run near his house, babbling non-stop about ghosts and how terrifying it was, he couldn¡¯t help but worry a little about the young girl.


    Irritated by the knocking, Luo Qiao asked, ¡°Who is it?¡±


    Lu Yichen, hearing the fiery tone of her question, responded, ¡°It¡¯s me, Lu Yichen.¡±


    Separated by the courtyard gate, one inside and one outside, ¡°Something wrong?¡±


    ¡°Nothing¡¯s wrong. I just heard some noise over here and came to check on you. As long as you¡¯re ok.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine, thank you, Brother Lu. It¡¯s getting late, you should head back and rest early.¡±


    Only after hearing the departing footsteps did Luo Qiao return to her room, sighing at the empty space, and then she made sure the doors and windows were secure before entering her space.


    She now basically slept in her space at night; anyway, she could hear anything happening outside, and she really didn¡¯t want to use other people¡¯s old blankets.


    In the space, she had already planted ten acres with crops: dry rice, wheat, corn, sorghum, millet, broomcorn, soybeans, and even some green beans and red beans in the corners.


    She also planted lots of sweet potatoes and potatoes along the sides of the valley, and didn¡¯t spare the area along the creek either, planting it with various vegetables.


    Looking at the space she had completely filled, Luo Qiao felt immensely pleased. It would be great if tomorrow at the commune she could find someone selling young chickens, ducks, or geese. She had already tested it out with the mice in the house before.


    The space was capable of sustaining living creatures, so for the sake of future culinary desires, she decided to raise chickens, ducks, and geese in the space. This way, in a few days, she¡¯d have eggs and meat, how wonderful.


    Gazing at the vibrant space, her mood was quite good. But when she thought about her current financial embarrassment, she knew she had to figure out a way to make some money tomorrow.


    She had been busy working recently, trying to leave a good impression on the community members, and hadn¡¯t had time to explore the mountains.


    If she could return from the commune early tomorrow, she would definitely make a trip to the mountains.


    After exercising in the space for half a day, the original body was quite tall, standing at 163 cm, but was far too skinny. She didn¡¯t need a doctor to diagnose her with malnutrition.


    However, over the past few days, she had sorted out her body with her special ability, and since she had cooked and drunk water using only the well water from the space, her body might look frail, but it was now quite different on the inside.


    The food the brigade leader¡¯s wife had brought could last just over a month. She needed to figure out how to get more food in order to not arouse suspicion.

 Chapter 16 - 16 16 Silent Care

    ?Chapter 16: Chapter 16 Silent Care Chapter 16: Chapter 16 Silent Care Luo Qiao thought of this and decided that tomorrow she couldn¡¯t go to the commune first; it would be better to head to the mountain. That way, she could also find an excuse. Otherwise, what could she do with just seven yuan?


    Early the next day, Luo Qiao got up and started cooking porridge in the kitchen before returning to the kitchen in the Spatial Warehouse to make scallion pancakes. She also scooped out some previously pickled radishes and spicy cucumbers before leaving the warehouse.


    After she freshened up, the porridge in the kitchen was ready. She poured a large bowl to cool down, and the rest she put into a basin and stored back in the Spatial Warehouse.


    After eating, she cleaned up the kitchen and noticed that there wasn¡¯t even a strap basket in the courtyard. She thought that she would have to find someone who could weave baskets later to make one for her use¡ªit would be more convenient.


    Now, she could only ask to borrow one to use for the time being, so she locked her door and walked toward the nearest house, which belonged to Lu Yichen.


    The educated youth spot was about five hundred meters away from Lu Yichen¡¯s house, which could be considered outside the village, still a certain distance from the village center and close to Daqing Mountain.


    That day, the Luo Family and the Zhao Family had intended to go to the foot of Daqing Mountain to reason with the brigade leader. It so happened that they had a disagreement at the gate of Lu Yichen¡¯s home, and unexpectedly, it escalated into a fight between the two families.


    In the chaos, Luo Qiao was pushed down and hit her head, causing her to faint, and she had to be taken into Lu Yichen¡¯s house for emergency aid.


    Luo Qiao gently knocked on the door of Lu Yichen¡¯s house, and someone inside asked, ¡°Who is it?¡±


    Luo Qiao replied softly, ¡°It¡¯s me, Luo Qiao.¡±


    The door soon opened, and Lu Yichen looked at the slender and tall girl outside, ¡°So early, is there something you need?¡±


    Luo Qiao felt a bit awkward, perhaps she had come too early, ¡°Brother Lu, I was wondering if there¡¯s anyone in the village who can weave strap baskets?¡±


    Lu Yichen didn¡¯t respond but turned back into the courtyard. Luo Qiao thought she had come too early and disturbed the household.


    Just as she was about to leave, she saw Lu Yichen come out with a strap basket. It was clearly unused, and it was just the right size for her to carry.


    Lu Yichen said, ¡°No need to buy one, take this basket to use.¡±


    Luo Qiao took the basket and asked, ¡°How much is it?¡±


    Lu Yichen waved his hand, ¡°Just take it. No need to pay for it. I wove it myself, and it¡¯s a bit too small for my use.¡±


    Luo Qiao saw that Lu Yichen had already turned back to the courtyard. Knowing that he probably wouldn¡¯t take the money even if she mentioned it again, she called out to the courtyard, ¡°Then thank you, Big Brother Lu.¡±


    After turning around, she thought to herself that she would make some delicious food and bring it over in the future to repay the kindness.


    Lu Yichen heard the fading footsteps outside the courtyard and sighed in relief, laughing at himself self-deprecatingly. He had specially woven the basket for the young girl just a few days ago, yet he still had to make up an excuse about it not fitting him.


    Luo Qiao, carrying the basket, walked up the path toward Daqing Mountain. These days, she would train her body every night in the Spatial Warehouse. In her previous life, her parents were always flying around busy with their affairs, hardly ever having time to spend with her.


    At the age of eight, after a friend¡¯s child of her father was kidnapped and held for ransom, her father enrolled her in classes for taekwondo, sanda, and freestyle fighting.


    Possibly gifted in sports, she did quite well in them. Despite being a girl, she could handle four or five grown men without a problem.


    The original owner of her body had also learned military boxing from Old Master Yuan, who lived not far from her family during their time at the farm. She learned it well and received high praise from Master Yuan.


    When Old Master Yuan left, he advised her not to slack off and to keep practicing every day. The Luo Family had heard about these things, but no one really took them seriously.

 Chapter 17 - 17 17 The Zhao Family Sisters Schemes

    ?Chapter 17: Chapter 17 The Zhao Family Sisters¡¯ Schemes Chapter 17: Chapter 17 The Zhao Family Sisters¡¯ Schemes As she walked up the mountain, she saw quite a few wild greens starting to sprout. Qiao Lianlian, the wife of the team leader, had taught her a lot, and the original host also had some memories, so Luo Qiao had been picking wild greens in the fields lately.


    Whenever she found something she liked to eat, she would dig some up and toss them into her basket, planning to make a meal with a wild greens filling for dumplings, and to send some to Lu Yichen as well, for she had imposed on him for several days at his house.


    Today, she had also received a basket from him for free, and such debts of gratitude must be repaid. She also picked a few uncommon wild greens from the field and stored them in her space, planning to grow some in the valley for convenience in the future.


    After roaming the mountain for half a day without finding anything particularly good, she gathered some common medicinal herbs like Bupleurum and dandelions. The original host had learned quite a bit about traditional Chinese medicine while working at a farm with Grandpa Yang.


    Knowing the effects of these herbs, she picked some to keep on hand. These common medicinal herbs were not planted in her space, so she casually threw a couple of plants in there, as planting a few wouldn¡¯t take up much space.


    In the forest ahead, there were many dry branches, and Luo Qiao took out a sickle from her space, gathered the dry branches together, and, after ensuring it was safe, stored them in her space.


    Seeing that it was getting late, she tied up a small bundle of twigs with vines, placed it on top of her basket, and headed down the mountain.


    Passing through an area of weeds, she heard a rustle and carefully parted the underbrush to discover a nest of eggs, likely left behind by a wild chicken that had been startled away earlier. What a pity.


    But at least the filling for tonight¡¯s dumplings was settled, haha!


    She arrived home and put everything away, only to see it was already past nine o¡¯clock. She quickly washed up, changed into the set of clothes with the fewest patches, shouldered her basket, and made her way towards the collective farm.


    Qingshan Village wasn¡¯t too far from the collective farm, just a half-hour walk, and only an hour¡¯s drive from the urban area. Since it was even farther to the county seat than to the city, people from this area usually went to the city with a recommendation letter for shopping.


    Luo Qiao¡¯s pace was quicker than others¡¯, thanks to the training in her space these past days. As she was about to leave the village, she ran into Zhao Xiaoxing and Zhao Xiaocao, the Zhao Family¡¯s third and fifth daughters.


    Zhao Xiaoxing quickened her pace and caught up with Luo Qiao, asking loudly, ¡°Luo Qiao, where are you headed?¡±


    Luo Qiao saw several women looking over and, with a spin of her eyes, said, ¡°I picked some medicinal herbs on the mountain and am going to the collective farm to see if they¡¯ll buy them. Our house is running out of food, and I can¡¯t just let myself starve to death, can I?¡±


    Zhao Xiaocao, although not looking like much, was quicker witted than Zhao Xiaoxing and said, ¡°Then why have you been refusing to go home with us these past few days? Don¡¯t bother with the collective farm, come back home with us. If there¡¯s food for one person in the Zhao Family, we won¡¯t let you go hungry.¡±


    She knew what her mother had in mind; as long as Luo Qiao came back with them, their family would have an extra source of income.


    Luo Qiao replied, ¡°We¡¯re neither relatives nor close friends; I can¡¯t trouble you. Besides, Auntie Zhao and I signed an agreement, so what does it mean for you Zhao Family Sisters to come over and persuade me to return to your family time and again?


    Unless you¡¯re afraid that the Luo Family will say you unjustly received those two hundred yuan, I can¡¯t see anything else that would be worth your while to invite me back to your house, unless you have some ulterior motives.¡±


    Upon hearing Luo Qiao say this, Zhao Xiaoxing, worried about the gossipmongers overhearing and affecting her mother¡¯s plans, quickly said, ¡°Luo Qiao, what are you talking about?


    You¡¯re just too foolish to recognize kindness¡ª we only feared you might starve to death, which is why we kindly wanted you to return with us to the Zhao Family. Don¡¯t be so ungrateful, hmph!¡±

 Chapter 18 - 18 18 Pointing Out The Commune

    ?Chapter 18: Chapter 18: Pointing Out, The Commune Chapter 18: Chapter 18: Pointing Out, The Commune Luo Qiao laughed and said, ¡°So I misjudged you all. Well then, let¡¯s just forget about me going back with you to the Zhao Family. Since I¡¯m not a daughter of the Zhao Family and don¡¯t want to trouble others, how about you lend me some grain instead?¡±


    Zhao Xiaoxing, who was straightforward, flared up upon hearing Luo Qiao ask for grain: ¡°Luo Qiao, what pipe dreams are you having? We don¡¯t have enough for ourselves, how could we possibly lend you any?¡±


    As soon as this statement came out, Zhao Xiaocao quickly pulled on her third sister, silently cursing Zhao Xiaoxing for being such a fool.


    Luo Qiao burst into loud laughter: ¡°I knew it, how could the Zhao Family possibly care if I starve to death? Your lying skills still need practice.¡± After speaking, she walked away, still laughing.


    Zhao Xiaoxing said with an embarrassed and annoyed face, ¡°You¡¯re just a child no one wants.¡±


    Luo Qiao said loudly, ¡°Whether I¡¯m a child no one wants, your mother knows best. You¡¯d better go home and ask her what she did fifteen years ago.¡±


    Luo Qiao didn¡¯t lower her voice on purpose when she said this; she was really getting annoyed with the Zhao Family, who had been coming to her house every other day for some time now, bothering her incessantly.


    Zhao Xiaocao pulled her third sister, Zhao Xiaoxing, to prevent her from speaking further, as it was clear that she was no match for Luo Qiao, inadvertently turning it into a spectacle for the villagers to laugh at.


    She could see that Luo Qiao had deliberately spoken this way to let the villagers know that the Zhao Family had been secretly visiting her, trying to get her to go back with them to the Zhao Family. If something were to happen to her, wouldn¡¯t it mean the Zhao Family had schemed against a lone girl?


    The Zhao Family Sisters hadn¡¯t attended school much, aside from Zhao Xiaocao, who had finished primary school. The other sisters had only attended for a year or two. Zhao Xiaocao had wanted to go to middle school, but Gao Suhua disagreed, so that was the end of it.


    Zhao Xiaotao, the eldest in the Zhao Family, was already twenty-one years old. Due to her high dowry demands and picky nature, she had only managed to get engaged this year and was set to get married next month.


    Villagers said that these days Gao Suhua was busy finding a match for Zhao Xiaomei, the second daughter. But the talks had fallen through over the dowry issue, and rumors had begun to swirl with the slightest provocation.


    Zhao Xiaomei¡¯s situation had been the talk of the fields lately. Among the six Zhao sisters, she was considered the prettiest. Everyone in the village figured Gao Suhua wouldn¡¯t settle for anything less than a hefty price for her.


    Zhao Xiaoxing and Zhao Xiaomei were twins, but Zhao Xiaoxing had been matched with Zhang Changping from the neighboring village since they were young. The arrangement was made because Zhao Pulin had once saved Zhang Changping¡¯s grandfather, leading to their families agreeing to the union when they were only children.


    The high bride price previously was for the only male heir of the family, Zhao Guibao. Now that Zhao Guibao had left with his relatives from the city, Gao Suhua still ruined negotiations over the dowry, and everyone had been making fun of her behind her back.


    Luo Qiao thought to herself that if her own biological daughter was being used to collect a dowry, let alone an outsider like her, the Zhao Family definitely would not be so eager to have her return to them without some ulterior motive. They also didn¡¯t want the villagers to find out, always choosing to come to persuade her after work when no one was around.


    Following Luo Qiao, Lu Yichen thought to himself that he was not too dumb after all. That day, he had overheard the conversation between the Zhao sisters, and he certainly had no fondness for them.


    When Luo Qiao arrived at the commune, she first familiarized herself with the layout before entering the only traditional Chinese medicine shop in the commune, asking, ¡°Excuse me, does this place buy medicinal herbs?¡±


    A young man in the shop responded, ¡°Have they been processed?¡±


    Luo Qiao answered, ¡°No, I¡¯m just here today to find out if you do.¡±


    The young man asked curiously, ¡°What kind do you have?¡±

 Chapter 19 - 19 19 Making Money

    ?Chapter 19: Chapter 19 Making Money Chapter 19: Chapter 19 Making Money Luo Qiao took out the harvested bupleurum from her carrying basket; because it had not yet been processed, the young man said, ¡°These unprocessed bupleurum are two mao per jin, and the processed ones are three mao five.¡±


    Looking around to ensure no one in the store was paying attention, Luo Qiao took out a ginseng wrapped in a handkerchief from her carrying basket and handed it over.


    The young man glanced at it and quickly handed it back, instinctively checking the store before lowering his voice and saying, ¡°Please wait a moment, I¡¯ll go and fetch Shopkeeper Geng.¡±


    Not long after, the young man came out from the back hall and said, ¡°Miss, please follow me to the backyard.¡±


    Luo Qiao knew that the store was inconvenient with the constant flow of people, so she followed him to the backyard, where a middle-aged man in a Zhongshan suit was inspecting the recently acquired herbs.


    The young man said, ¡°Shopkeeper Geng, I¡¯ve brought the person.¡±


    And to Luo Qiao, he said, ¡°This is our shopkeeper, surnamed Geng.¡±


    Luo Qiao politely greeted the middle-aged man, ¡°Hello, Shopkeeper Geng.¡±


    Shopkeeper Geng nodded at Luo Qiao, hastening the inventory task at hand, and said, ¡°Please wait a moment, I¡¯ll be done shortly.¡±


    The young man, seeing that he was no longer needed, said, ¡°I¡¯ll leave you two to talk. I¡¯ll go attend to the customers at the front.¡±


    Luo Qiao nodded and thanked the young man, ¡°Thank you.¡±


    After Shopkeeper Geng finished with his tasks and logged them, he said with some urgency, ¡°I apologize for the wait, please come inside.¡±


    The two of them entered a room, one after the other, and Shopkeeper Geng said, ¡°Show me the item.¡±


    Luo Qiao saw that the man had a clear and honest gaze, and didn¡¯t seem like a bad person. She set her carrying basket down, took out the ginseng wrapped in the handkerchief, and handed it directly to him.


    Shopkeeper Geng received the handkerchief and carefully unfolded it. His eyes lit up when he saw the contents; he hastened to get a magnifying glass from the shelf nearby and began examining it meticulously, saying, ¡°This is truly a fine item, in good condition and without any damage.¡±


    He took several careful looks with the magnifying glass, visibly excited, and then raised his head to look earnestly at Luo Qiao and asked, ¡°Did you harvest this?¡±


    Luo Qiao nodded. Fortunately, she was tall; though thin, she had disguised herself before entering, and Geng Ming didn¡¯t seem like someone who would be calculative.


    After inspecting it again, Shopkeeper Geng said with some reluctance to let go, ¡°This ginseng is almost seventy years old; it would definitely fetch a higher price in the city than what our commune would offer.¡±


    After a brief consideration, Luo Qiao said, ¡°Please give me a fair price, Shopkeeper Geng. What¡¯s the highest you can offer? I¡¯ll take that. Going to the city is troublesome, and after all, this was an unexpected find.¡±


    Shopkeeper Geng had a friend whose father was gravely ill and in dire need of ginseng to sustain his life. He knew that the young woman was telling the truth, so after thinking for a moment, he said, ¡°Five hundred yuan.¡±


    Luo Qiao considered it briefly, then said, ¡°It¡¯s a deal.¡±


    This ginseng was something Luo Qiao had specifically looked for in her space. Too small, and it wouldn¡¯t be worth much; too large, and it might cause trouble for herself. That morning, she had even made a phony scene, just in case.


    She knew that the city would definitely pay more than the commune, but she wanted to buy the house the ¡®sent-down¡¯ youth were living in, and continue with her studies, which meant she needed a steady source of income.


    Medicinal herbs were the perfect excuse. The villagers would surely try to dig into it, and there had to be something to satisfy their curiosity. This herb shop was just the place.


    Shopkeeper Geng smiled and said, ¡°My name is Geng Ming. You can call me Uncle Geng.¡±


    Luo Qiao smiled and replied, ¡°Then I won¡¯t stand on ceremony. I¡¯ll be counting on Uncle Geng¡¯s help in the future.¡±


    Geng Ming smiled and poured Luo Qiao a cup of tea, saying, ¡°I¡¯ll go get the money ready; please enjoy some tea.¡±

 Chapter 20 - 20 20 Rich School

    ?Chapter 20: Chapter 20 Rich, School Chapter 20: Chapter 20 Rich, School Luo Qiao casually asked, ¡°I wonder if Uncle Geng has any coupons, if so, please find some for me, and just deduct it from the ginseng money.¡±


    Geng Ming looked at Luo Qiao and nodded in understanding, ¡°Alright, please have a seat for a moment.¡±


    When Geng Ming came back, he was holding a kraft paper bag containing exactly four hundred yuan, all in Big Unity currency, and another kraft paper bag that held two Big Unity notes along with various coupons.


    Luo Qiao briefly looked through them and saw sugar coupons, cloth coupons, soap coupons, and a good variety of industrial coupons. It was a shame there were no meat coupons, but what made Luo Qiao happiest was that there was actually a sewing machine coupon inside.


    Geng Ming also thought that the price offered for the ginseng was not as high as in the city, and he happened to have a sewing machine coupon which he no longer needed since he had already bought one for his home, so he decided to give it to Luo Qiao as a gift.


    After receiving the money and coupons, Luo Qiao gave Geng Ming a few instructions. Then she went to the front of the shop and sold the several pounds of Bupleurum that she had in her basket. Only then did she say goodbye and leave the Chinese medicine shop.


    Thinking about her own home, she decided to go to the supply and marketing cooperative to exchange those coupons for goods.


    The supply and marketing cooperative was quite large, with many people inside. Seeing that the counters where she needed to purchase items were crowded with people, she had no choice but to walk towards the back to see if there was anything she needed.


    At the very end, she found a simple stove for sale, useful for the winter, and asked about the price, ¡°Comrade, how much is this stove?¡±


    The sales clerk didn¡¯t even lift his eyes, just replied, ¡°Six industrial coupons, six yuan.¡±


    Luo Qiao thought it over and it really wasn¡¯t cheap, but the stove was compact and could use both coal balls and firewood. Considering it might be difficult to buy one in the winter, she decided that encountering it now might as well mean buying it.


    She counted out six industrial coupons and six yuan and handed them over. The clerk behind the counter was taken aback, clearly not expecting Luo Qiao to actually make the purchase. After verifying the money and coupons were correct, he lifted the stove over the counter.


    No sooner had Luo Qiao bought the stove than she regretted it. How was she going to buy other things while carrying it?


    The sales clerk looked up to see the young lady¡¯s face full of regret and realized what she was thinking as she looked at the other counters. He didn¡¯t expect this young lady to be able to produce industrial coupons; appearances really could be deceiving.


    So he offered, ¡°How about you leave the stove here with me, and you can pick it up after you¡¯re done shopping.¡±


    Luo Qiao was delighted to hear this. She really hadn¡¯t thought of that and thanked him repeatedly before heading over to the other counters.


    Since she had almost used up all her coupons, except for the sewing machine coupon, she bought a thermos, Jiefang shoes and cloth shoes, soap, towels, toothpaste and toothbrush, a time-characteristic enameled washbasin, and a comb.


    The comb that the original owner carried with her was almost toothless, not to mention toothpaste which was nonexistent, a toothbrush whose bristles were nearly worn down, and a towel as tattered as a spider web, completely unusable.


    So, aside from the little stove, everything she bought today was essential.


    When she returned to the counter where she had bought the stove, her hair had been completely disheveled by the crowd. She quickly retied it and thanked the clerk before leaving the supply and marketing cooperative.


    She was also wary of encountering people from the village, so she first found a secluded corner to store the little stove in her space, leaving only the shoes and washbasin outside, as the shoes were meant to be worn out anyway.


    The washbasin would be necessary for washing clothes by the river in the future, and it was better to show those plainly.


    After sorting these items, she headed to the commune¡¯s middle school, wondering how to proceed with her situation.


    But upon inquiry, she learned that to attend junior high, one must take the exam along with this year¡¯s elementary school graduates, only then could she attend the middle school, or she would need an elementary school graduation certificate, and the middle school would issue exam papers to determine her grade based on the scores.


    Luo Qiao wanted to ask more, but the person had already become somewhat impatient, waving his hand to dismiss her.

 Chapter 21 - 21 21 Chance Encounter

    ?Chapter 21: Chapter 21 Chance Encounter Chapter 21: Chapter 21 Chance Encounter She had never attended school while she was sent down to the farm; how could she have a primary school diploma? If that was the case, she could only return to the village¡¯s primary school to see if she could take the exam with this year¡¯s graduates. The thought alone felt like a waste of time.


    Standing outside the school, she felt somewhat melancholic. She had wanted to take the high school entrance exam with this year¡¯s graduates from the commune¡¯s junior high, but it seemed she would have to find another way.


    Not far away, Lu Yichen watched the disheartened girl, feeling an involuntary pang of pity.


    He was off work today and had come to the commune to handle some matters with a comrade-in-arms. He hadn¡¯t expected to run into the girl here.


    After the girl left, as if possessed by some whimsical spirit, he walked over.


    Luo Qiao thought that since it was only April, there was still time to think of another plan. If all else failed, she could take a shortcut and go directly to the home of the middle school principal. There would always be a way.


    Having finished her business, and seeing that it was time for lunch, the state-owned restaurant was just ahead. She was considering whether to go in for a meal or find a secluded spot to take something out from her space to make do.


    Then she heard a voice from behind, ¡°Hungry?¡±


    Luo Qiao turned around and saw Lu Yichen standing behind her. ¡°Brother Lu, are you here for business at the commune too?¡±


    Lu Yichen had just learned from the school janitor that this little girl was inquiring about schooling. It was good she was ambitious.


    Lu Yichen looked at Luo Qiao, ¡°Come on, it¡¯s noon, I¡¯ll take you to lunch.¡± The familiarity in his tone could make one think they were quite close.


    Luo Qiao hadn¡¯t expected Lu Yichen to just offer to take her to lunch, and said somewhat embarrassedly, ¡°I have... I brought some dry food, there¡¯s no need for Brother Lu to treat me.¡±


    Initially, Luo Qiao wanted to say she had food coupons, but knowing her situation all too well, she didn¡¯t want to cause trouble for herself, so she changed her response.


    Lu Yichen led the way to the state-owned restaurant. Seeing Luo Qiao hadn¡¯t followed, he turned to see she was still standing in place, ¡°Aren¡¯t you coming?¡±


    Luo Qiao wanted to persist, but seeing Lu Yichen¡¯s furrowed brow, she sheepishly followed.


    Inside the restaurant, Lu Yichen looked at Luo Qiao, asking with his eyes what she wanted to eat.


    Luo Qiao glanced at the blackboard on the wall listing today¡¯s offerings, ¡°I¡¯ll have a bowl of vegetable noodles.¡±


    Lu Yichen ordered two bowls of noodles, a serving of braised pork, a serving of hot and sour shredded potatoes, and two steamed buns.


    Watching as Lu Yichen paid with food coupons, meat coupons, and money before coming to sit down.


    Luo Qiao was actually quite embarrassed. She glanced at Lu Yichen across from her and thought she had intended to repay him by bringing over some dumplings that evening, but now she owed him even more. She sighed and made a silly gesture with her head lowered.


    Opposite her, Lu Yichen, who just happened to look up, caught the gesture and thought to himself how capable this little girl was of being silly.


    He couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°What brought you to town today?¡±


    Luo Qiao replied, ¡°I bought some daily necessities.¡± Thinking it over, she saw no need to hide anything and added, ¡°I also went to the commune¡¯s middle school to inquire about attending school.¡±


    Lu Yichen asked, ¡°You want to go to school?¡±


    Luo Qiao nodded, ¡°But getting into this commune¡¯s middle school isn¡¯t easy. I already finished the junior high curriculum while at the farm, following some of the teachers. I had hoped to ask if I could join this year¡¯s graduating class for schooling.


    However, the janitor said it wasn¡¯t possible. Either I needed to have a primary school diploma and pass the school¡¯s exam to transfer, or I had to take the exam with this year¡¯s primary graduates to move up.¡±


    Lu Yichen hadn¡¯t expected the girl to have already finished the junior high curriculum, seeing her unhappy expression. After hesitating for a moment, he said, ¡°One of my comrades works at the county education bureau. I¡¯ll help you ask if there¡¯s a way to make it easier.¡±

 Chapter 22 - 22 22 Seeking Help Searching for Books at the

    ?Chapter 22: Chapter 22 Seeking Help, Searching for Books at the Scrap Station Chapter 22: Chapter 22 Seeking Help, Searching for Books at the Scrap Station Luo Qiao¡¯s eyes suddenly lit up, and she asked carefully, ¡°Won¡¯t that cause trouble for others?¡±


    Lu Yichen thought for a moment and said, ¡°Just follow the policy. If there¡¯s an exam, then take the exam. It¡¯s not like we are asking them to cheat.¡±


    Luo Qiao was delighted and a smile appeared on her face. She looked at Lu Yichen across from her and said, ¡°Then I¡¯ll treat you to shepherd¡¯s purse dumplings tonight.¡±


    Lu Yichen didn¡¯t say anything, but a faint smile could be seen on his face.


    Just then, the waiter called out, ¡°The food for table three is ready, please come and get it.¡±


    It was then that Luo Qiao remembered that this was not the future era where the customer is king.


    She had no choice but to get up and go with Lu Yichen to the serving window to carry their food over.


    However, the chef¡¯s skills were quite good. The braised pork was fatty without being greasy and lean without being tough. Luo Qiao ate a few bites and then stopped, afraid she wouldn¡¯t finish the large serving of noodles and that it would be wasteful.


    It had been a while since she arrived here, and this was the first time she had eaten meat. There were various vegetables in the space, but no meat, which made her seriously suspect that the previous owner of the space was a vegetarian.


    Otherwise, why would there be no hint of meat at all in the space? With this thought, Luo Qiao was reminded of another purpose for her visit to the commune this time.


    Lu Yichen pushed some of the braised pork towards Luo Qiao and said, ¡°Eat more meat.¡±


    Luo Qiao smiled and pointed at the bowl of noodles, ¡°This bowl is not small; I¡¯m afraid the noodles will be left over.¡±


    Lu Yichen was about to say that left over was not a problem but, looking around at the other diners, he kept his words to himself.


    Luo Qiao had to work hard to finish the bowl of noodles. Now there were no small servings; all were served in the same large, coarse porcelain bowls.


    After finishing their meal, Lu Yichen asked, ¡°Are you going back to the village now, or do you want to continue looking around?¡±


    Luo Qiao didn¡¯t hide her intention: ¡°I want to go to the recycling station to look for some textbooks.¡±


    Lu Yichen pointed her in the right direction, and the two parted ways.


    By the time she arrived at the recycling station, an elderly grandfather was guarding the entrance. Luo Qiao explained her purpose, and the old man said, ¡°Find what you need quickly and leave. The books are three cents a pound.¡±


    Luo Qiao nodded and entered the yard. The commune¡¯s recycling station was not large, just one big warehouse with some iron frames and broken tables piled up in the yard. Inside the warehouse, there was a musty smell.


    Without giving it much thought, she quickly began searching and, after some effort, found a complete set of middle school textbooks. She was still missing a few high school books, which she would look for another time. In a corner, she also found three thread-bound books, all damaged to various extents.


    Among other odds and ends, she found a porcelain vase. She wasn¡¯t sure if it was an antique, but it looked like one, so she included it with her finds.


    Having found nothing else of interest, she carried her items out and had the guard weigh them. The total came to twenty-one pounds and sixty-three cents.


    The kind old man even found her some string to tie everything up with. After paying, Luo Qiao took out a handful of jujubes from her pocket and left them on the table with a word of thanks before she departed.


    She had nothing else of value on her, and the jujubes, produced in her space, weren¡¯t worth much, so giving them away as a token of gratitude was just right.


    Finding a secluded corner, she transferred her items into the space¡ªcarrying them was inconvenient. Now all that was left was to see where she could buy some chicks. She didn¡¯t find any chicks, but in an alley, she came across someone selling ducklings.


    There were a total of ten ducklings left in the basket. They were originally one dime each, but Luo Qiao agreed to take them all, pricing each at eight cents, along with the basket, for a total of one yuan.

 Chapter 23 - 23 23 The Hypothetical Enemy

    ?Chapter 23: Chapter 23 The Hypothetical Enemy Chapter 23: Chapter 23 The Hypothetical Enemy Luo Qiao had also agreed to buy twenty chicks from her, saying they would meet at the small grove at the commune crossroads the day after tomorrow at noon to make the transaction. They would also be priced at eight cents each. As for the piglets, the person said they would look around since they were not easy to find. After agreeing on this, the two parted ways.


    After leaving the commune, she gathered the ten ducklings in the grove ahead into her space before briskly walking toward the village.


    As she neared the village, she came across a donkey cart stopped on the side of the road, surrounded by several men and women. Luo Qiao arrived to see Sun Haitang also standing there.


    She approached and asked, ¡°Auntie Haitang, why are you standing here?¡±


    Sun Haitang replied, ¡°I didn¡¯t go to work today. I went to the county instead, and now the donkey cart has broken down just as I arrived here. Where have you been?¡±


    Luo Qiao replied openly, ¡°I went to the commune and bought some daily necessities.¡±


    While speaking with Auntie Haitang, she also nodded to the others as a form of greeting.


    The woman standing next to Auntie Haitang asked, ¡°Luo Qiao, what did you buy?¡±


    Luo Qiao generously set her basket down for them to see: an enamel washbasin, a pair of Jiefang canvas shoes, a pair of black cloth shoes, a bar of soap, over twenty pounds of cornmeal, a pound of millet, and half a pound of salt.


    On seeing these items, someone showed envy, remarking, ¡°That must have cost quite a bit of money and food stamps.¡±


    Luo Qiao smiled and said, ¡°I collected some medicinal herbs on the mountain and exchanged them for some money and food stamps, really nothing to live on.¡±


    The woman hurriedly asked, ¡°Medicinal herbs? What kind of herbs can be exchanged for so much money and stamps?¡±


    Luo Qiao didn¡¯t conceal it, telling her, ¡°Bupleurum and Scutellaria.¡±


    The woman seemed eager to ask more, but a man behind her pulled her back.


    Auntie Haitang let out a sigh, ¡°Now that you can earn seven work points, supporting yourself isn¡¯t a problem. Things will get better. If you need any help, just tell Auntie, don¡¯t be shy.¡±


    After expressing her thanks, Luo Qiao said, ¡°Auntie, I¡¯ll be heading off first to take care of my private plot.¡± She waved to the others as well.


    After Luo Qiao left, a girl standing next to Sun Haitang asked, ¡°Auntie, who is that? I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve seen her before.¡±


    The girl was the daughter of the village Secretary¡¯s home, two years older than Luo Qiao and named Zhang Qiaoyan, a first-year student at the county high school.


    Zhang Qiaoyan watched Luo Qiao¡¯s retreating figure thoughtfully, her gaze full of displeasure¡ªbecause Luo Qiao was taller than her and more beautiful.


    In this period, Luo Qiao¡¯s complexion had improved significantly, and her hair quality had also become much better than before. Although her figure was still slender, her features were definitely not lacking.


    But in Luo Qiao¡¯s mind, all this was trivial. This body was only fifteen years old, and she believed that in no time at all, she would grow into a graceful and beautiful young lady.


    Auntie Haitang sighed as she watched Luo Qiao¡¯s back, ¡°You wouldn¡¯t know since you stayed in town to keep your elder sister company and didn¡¯t come back to the village for a while, but this Luo Qiao...¡±


    Auntie Haitang then added, ¡°Luo Qiao is capable. Now she can earn seven work points, and she¡¯s very agile in her tasks. It¡¯s just that the child is quite pitiable.¡±


    After hearing all this, Zhang Qiaoyan finally relaxed, ¡®Hmph, being pretty is one thing, but she¡¯s still pitiable. I am a high school student,¡¯ she thought, feeling a sense of superiority.


    Luo Qiao was unaware that in just this short span of time, someone had made her their imagined rival.


    Upon entering the village, she saw the back of Sixth Sister Zhao running off and snorted coldly in her heart as she made her way home.


    Gao Suhua was tidying up the courtyard when she heard her young daughter burst in: ¡°She¡¯s back, she¡¯s back. That Luo Qiao has returned, carrying her basket.¡±


    Upon hearing this, Gao Suhua¡¯s mind raced with various guesses, itching with curiosity and thinking about finding an excuse to probe into Luo Qiao¡¯s affairs.


    It was perfect timing as her elder daughter walked in, and she said, ¡°Xiaotao, go over to the educated youth spot and see what Luo Qiao bought today.¡±


    Zhao Xiaotao ignored her mother and proceeded straight into the main room.


    Seeing her elder daughter disregard her, Gao Suhua wasn¡¯t angry. She spoke to her second daughter, Zhao Xiaomei, who was following behind, ¡°Xiaomei, if your sister won¡¯t go, you go. If there are any good things to be had, I¡¯ll include them in your dowry when you get engaged.¡±


    On hearing this, Zhao Xiaomei perked up, smiling, ¡°You said it, Mom.¡±

 Chapter 24 - 24 24 Dream of Beautiful Things

    ?Chapter 24: Chapter 24 Dream of Beautiful Things Chapter 24: Chapter 24 Dream of Beautiful Things Gao Suhua picked up the dustpan in the courtyard and looked toward her second daughter. ¡°Like I said, if she asks what you¡¯re doing, just say you¡¯re helping her with her private plot.¡±


    Zhao Xiaomei picked up a scoop and filled it halfway with water from the water jar, drank it, put the ladle down with a smile, and ran off.


    Zhao Xiaotao, who was sitting in the main room, felt some regret, fearing that if Luo Qiao actually bought something big, it would become Zhao Xiaomei¡¯s dowry. She stood up and walked outside as well.


    Luo Qiao returned home, brought in the bupleurum that was drying, and then placed the washbasin, soap, and towel inside the house, along with placing two pairs of new shoes by the kang bedhead.


    She had intentionally let the villagers see those things today and had deliberately mentioned that she had gathered medicinal herbs to deliver to the herbal store, lest her daily well-being arouse suspicion.


    During this period, her goal was twofold: to recuperate her health and to leave a good impression on the villagers¡ªthat she had been honestly working and earning work points.


    Now that her body was well-conditioned, although her special ability hadn¡¯t made much progress, managing the backyard and the crops in her private plot was no issue at all.


    She could also venture into the mountains when she was free. While she might not be ready for the deep mountains yet, the inner part should pose no problem, given her skills.


    At least her time hadn¡¯t been wasted; self-defense would not be an issue in the future.


    After cleaning the shepherd¡¯s purse she had dug up that morning, she cracked all the wild chicken eggs into a basin. Then she went into her space to stir-fry the eggs and prepared the filling before leaving the space.


    Being an orphan, she figured it was best to be cautious about everything. If she fried eggs outside and someone came looking for trouble, it would be too much of a hassle.


    She had mixed white flour with corn flour because she feared Lu Yichen asking where she got the white flour, so she used half and half. Besides, the corn flour from her space was ground finely, which made for a better texture.


    She had already prepared the garlic sauce ahead of time to dip the dumplings in later.


    Everything was ready, and the dough had rested enough. Just as she was about to start making the dumplings, someone knocked on the front door.


    Luo Qiao collected her things and washed her hands before asking, ¡°Who is it?¡±


    Zhao Xiaomei¡¯s voice came from the other side of the door, ¡°It¡¯s me, your second sister.¡±


    Luo Qiao rolled her eyes and thought to herself that the Zhao Family really had no shame. They had just signed an agreement, and now they were endlessly harassing her at her doorstep.


    It seemed she would have to teach them a lesson; they really took her for a pushover.


    Luo Qiao opened the door but did not let her in, asking, ¡°What is it, Zhao Family Second Sister?¡±


    Zhao Xiaomei peered through the gap in the door but couldn¡¯t see anything. ¡°I came to ask if your private plot needs tidying?¡±


    Luo Qiao replied, ¡°Do you even know where my private plot is located?¡±


    Zhao Xiaomei didn¡¯t catch on immediately, ¡°Of course, I know.¡±


    Luo Qiao suddenly laughed, ¡°Then didn¡¯t you see it on your way over? I¡¯ve already taken care of everything. That¡¯s a rather far-fetched excuse.¡±


    Zhao Xiaomei, preoccupied with how to fool Luo Qiao, hadn¡¯t paid much attention to whether the plot was tidy on her way over.


    She hesitated, her face changing slightly, but still managed to say brazenly, ¡°I was so focused on getting here that I didn¡¯t notice. Let¡¯s talk inside, standing here is quite tiring.¡±


    Luo Qiao knew exactly why she had come, and seeing a figure moving on the hillside, she quickly devised a plan.


    So she stepped back to let her into the yard. If the Zhao Family needed a lesson, they had sought her out, so they could not blame her for the humiliation they might face.


    Once inside the courtyard, Zhao Xiaomei quickly scanned around for what she wanted, then attempted to head into the house.


    Luo Qiao spoke up, ¡°If there¡¯s something you want to talk about, let¡¯s discuss it here in the courtyard. I still need to go out and dig up wild vegetables soon.¡±


    Turning her head, Zhao Xiaomei addressed Luo Qiao, ¡°I heard you went to the commune today?¡±

 Chapter 25 - 25 25 I Cant Understand What Others Are Saying

    ?Chapter 25: Chapter 25 I Can¡¯t Understand What Others Are Saying Chapter 25: Chapter 25 I Can¡¯t Understand What Others Are Saying Luo Qiao nodded in agreement and replied, ¡°Yes, there¡¯s a shortage of everything, so I sold some herbs and bought a few daily necessities.¡±


    Zhao Xiaomei said, ¡°What all did you buy? Let the Second Sister take a look.¡±


    Without waiting, she eagerly made her way into the house and, upon seeing the shoes on the kang and the enamel washbasin on the floor, her eyes glittered.


    Wow, are these new Jiefang shoes?


    Zhao Xiaomei picked them up and felt them for a while, then said, ¡°Luo Qiao, our feet are pretty much the same size. Could you lend these shoes to the Second Sister for a few days?¡±


    Luo Qiao replied with a smile that wasn¡¯t quite a smile, ¡°I haven¡¯t even worn these shoes yet. Besides, our shoe sizes aren¡¯t the same; I wear size thirty-six, and you can¡¯t fit into them.¡±


    Zhao Xiaomei, after looking for a long while and apparently lost in thought, said, ¡°It¡¯s fine, I wear size thirty-seven, my feet are slim so I can definitely squeeze into them.¡±


    She seemed deaf to what others were saying, absorbed in her own world.


    Then she looked at the enamel washbasin on the ground and said, ¡°This enamel washbasin is so pretty. Can¡¯t we take turns using it, Luo Qiao? I really love the color of this basin.¡±


    When purchasing it, the supply and sales cooperative had only two kinds: one was the big red double happiness pattern used for weddings, and the other was this blue kind with a pattern of two fish at the bottom. Luo Qiao had no choice but to choose the blue one.


    Faced with such shamelessness, Luo Qiao was speechless, ¡°These items are personal belongings. It¡¯s disgusting to share them like that.¡±


    Just then, footsteps were heard in the courtyard, and in came Zhao Xiaotao. Luo Qiao thought to herself that there must be someone in cahoots.


    Before Luo Qiao could agree, Zhao Xiaomei hugged the items and left the courtyard, ¡°Sister, why did you come over?¡±


    Zhao Xiaotao replied, ¡°Mom sent me to ask if Luo Qiao needs any vegetable seeds.¡±


    Luo Qiao snorted internally. Zhao Xiaotao was clever indeed, her excuse sounded much more reliable than Zhao Xiaomei¡¯s.


    Luo Qiao didn¡¯t want to continue the pointless conversation and waste her time, ¡°I don¡¯t need the seeds, Auntie Gao from the brigade leader¡¯s house has already helped me find some. If there¡¯s nothing else, you should head back. I need to go out and dig up some wild vegetables.¡±


    Zhao Xiaotao was now staring intently at the things in her younger sister¡¯s arms. Zhao Xiaomei had noticed her older sister¡¯s gaze, but since she was the one who took the items, she couldn¡¯t afford to give them away to her.


    With a quick thought, Zhao Xiaomei said, ¡°Alright, we won¡¯t bother you then. I¡¯ll borrow these items for now, and I¡¯ll return them to you later.¡±


    By this time, Luo Qiao could hear the people from the slope earlier coming down, so she raised her voice and said, ¡°Zhao Family Second Sister, that won¡¯t do. When I came to the village, I hardly brought anything with me, and this is the only pair of shoes I have.


    That¡¯s why I didn¡¯t work today and went to town to buy these new shoes. I can¡¯t just lend them to you before I¡¯ve even worn them myself. We¡¯re not close relatives or anything, do you really have the nerve to take the belongings of an orphan girl like me?¡±


    Zhao Xiaomei became somewhat anxious and retorted, ¡°Don¡¯t be so stingy, I¡¯m just borrowing them to wear, not keeping them. You¡¯re being so petty about it.¡±


    As Luo Qiao heard the people arriving at the front gate, her voice grew even louder, ¡°I¡¯m not being stingy. It¡¯s only because I managed to find these medicinal herbs that I could afford these items. I don¡¯t even have spare clothes, which is why I went to buy them.


    I¡¯ll need to wear the shoes for work tomorrow. What will I wear if I lend them to you? Plus, the size is too small for you, and I can¡¯t lend you the washbasin either. When I arrived at the village, I had nothing.


    All this time, I¡¯ve been using a bowl borrowed from Auntie Gao to wash my face. I gritted my teeth to buy this basin. So it¡¯s not that I¡¯m stingy; these items are necessities. I really can¡¯t lend them to you.¡±

 Chapter 26 - 26 26 Robbery

    ?Chapter 26: Chapter 26 Robbery Chapter 26: Chapter 26 Robbery Zhao Xiaomei said with some displeasure, ¡°Luo Qiao, don¡¯t forget that in this village, only our Zhao Family has some ties with you. What¡¯s wrong with borrowing a few things from you?¡±


    Having said that, she hugged the items and headed out. The Zhao Family Sisters just wanted to hurry and take the items back home, and they didn¡¯t even notice several villagers coming down the slope.


    They thought that as long as the items were in their house, they could just deny everything. What could Luo Qiao, an orphan girl, possibly do to the Zhao Family?


    But they were wrong. Luo Qiao wasn¡¯t about to let them get away with this behavior. When they had run out of the gate and walked two or three meters further, Luo Qiao raised her voice and shouted, ¡°Robbery, they¡¯re stealing!


    The Zhao Family won¡¯t let people live, everyone come and see, the Zhao Family Sisters are stealing things, they won¡¯t even leave an orphan girl alone!¡±


    Luo Qiao had previously found a small piece of green onion in her space, squeezed out the juice in her hand, closed her eyes, and smeared it on. The tears came streaming down.


    At this moment, the brigade leader was sending off a cadre who had come down to the village for official business. They both stopped in their tracks when they heard the shouting.


    Luo Qiao¡¯s voice was high-pitched enough to sing soprano. With her shouting, the villagers working on their private plots all gathered around to watch the commotion,


    Now the Zhao Family Sisters were in a quandary, neither advancing nor retreating, and faced the gathering crowd with a feeling of utter shame.


    Among those coming down from the mountain was big-mouth Li Xiulan. Li Xiulan was the sort who couldn¡¯t stand to see others doing well. Just the other day, the Zhao Family¡¯s son had been taken away, but they had also received two hundred yuan, which left her feeling indignant.


    So she blurted out, ¡°The Zhao Family¡¯s daughters are really something. Luo Qiao already said she wouldn¡¯t lend them anything, and they were about to run off with her things while insisting that in this village, only their Zhao Family has some sort of relationship with Luo Qiao. ¡®What¡¯s wrong with borrowing a few things?¡¯ you said?


    You really have some nerve, bullying an orphan girl like that.¡±


    All Luo Qiao had to do was keep pretending to cry. With that pungent scent on her hands, the tears just kept coming more and more ¨C she was really committed.


    The brigade leader and the commune cadre came over as well, and Gao Jiefang asked, ¡°What exactly happened here?¡±


    Li Xiulan didn¡¯t hesitate to speak up: ¡°The Zhao Family¡¯s daughters went over to Luo Qiao¡¯s place and took a liking to her newly bought enamel basin and Jiefang shoes. They asked to borrow them outright, but Luo Qiao told them that she had bought them precisely because she had nothing, so she couldn¡¯t lend them.


    But the Zhao Family¡¯s daughters said she was being stingy and mentioned their family¡¯s supposed relationship with her, then just ran off with her things. Wouldn¡¯t that make anybody anxious?¡±


    Angered, Zhao Xiaomei retorted, ¡°Auntie Xiulan, you stick your nose into everything. It was Luo Qiao who lent them to us.¡±


    No pushover, Li Xiulan snapped back, ¡°You pull off such a shameful act, and you still won¡¯t let others stand up for what¡¯s fair? It wasn¡¯t just me who heard it; a whole group of five or six of us heard her refuse to lend to you.¡±


    An auntie standing next to Li Xiulan also chimed in, ¡°If she didn¡¯t want to lend, you sisters shouldn¡¯t have just snatched them and run. Isn¡¯t that outright bullying?¡±


    The brigade leader approached Luo Qiao, who was crying uncontrollably, and said, ¡°Luo Qiao, stop crying for now. Tell us what really happened?¡±


    Luo Qiao wiped her face with her sleeve and, holding back tears, explained, ¡°I had just come back from the commune not long ago when Zhao Family Second Sister showed up. She asked if I needed any help tidying up my private plot, which is in view from my house. I really didn¡¯t understand Zhao Second Sister¡¯s intentions.


    So I just told her the truth that I had already taken care of it. Then Zhao Second Sister asked if I had been to the commune, and without waiting for my consent, she went into my house. As soon as she entered, she saw the Jiefang shoes on the kang bed and said she wanted to borrow them.¡±

 Chapter 27 - 27 27 Making a Fool of Oneself Blowing Up

    ?Chapter 27: Chapter 27 Making a Fool of Oneself, Blowing Up Chapter 27: Chapter 27 Making a Fool of Oneself, Blowing Up Luo Qiao let out a sobbing hiccup and continued, ¡°I said I wear size 36 shoes and she can¡¯t fit into them, but she said her feet are slender and she could definitely get into them. Before I agreed, she also mentioned wanting to exchange enamel basins with me.¡±


    Before I finished speaking, the Zhao Family Eldest Sister also came over, asking if I needed any seeds. I said the wife of the brigade leader already prepared some for me.


    I was planning to go dig up some wild vegetables, so I didn¡¯t keep them around. The Zhao Family Second Sister grabbed my stuff and left, even accusing me of being stingy. In this village, I only have some connection with their family. I had no choice but to chase after them.¡±


    The brigade leader¡¯s face was dark with anger as he looked towards the two Zhao sisters and said, ¡°Return the items now.¡±


    Zhao Xiaomei, reluctantly, threw the items back into Luo Qiao¡¯s arms, saying, ¡°As if I wanted them that much.¡±


    Luo Qiao quickly caught them, afraid that the enamel basin would break. She definitely wasn¡¯t going to let the Zhao Family get their way, and she also wanted to teach the Zhao Family a lesson.


    The brigade leader sent someone to call over Zhao Pulin and his wife. After Gao Suhua arrived, she said with a smile, ¡°It¡¯s a misunderstanding, all a misunderstanding.¡±


    Luo Qiao watched coldly as Gao Suhua put on her act.


    The brigade leader said sternly, ¡°Gao Suhua, with so many eyes watching, where do you see a misunderstanding?¡±


    Gao Suhua ignored the brigade leader¡¯s stern face and stepped forward to grab Luo Qiao¡¯s hand, saying with a smile, ¡°Luo Qiao, you child, this is all because we were worried about you living alone. What if something bad happened?


    I sent your eldest sister and second sister over to take you back to the Zhao Family. I thought since we took the Luo Family¡¯s money, it wouldn¡¯t be right to do nothing. Later, if we met again, it would be hard to explain to the Luo Family.


    Your second sister probably just used the wrong method. Xiaotao, Xiaomei, apologize to sister Luo Qiao now.¡±


    Li Xiulan, after hearing Gao Suhua¡¯s words, burst into laughter, ¡°Gao Suhua, do you ever have such good intentions? We all heard what your Xiaomei said earlier.


    It¡¯s just shameless. You and your daughters could put on a grand play, pretending to be virtuous after being prostitutes.¡±


    Zhao Pulin knew his wife¡¯s words were false, but he found Li Xiulan¡¯s words extremely unpleasant, so he spoke up, ¡°Li Xiulan, watch your language. What kind of talk is that coming from an aunt?¡±


    Li Xiulan chuckled and said, ¡°The Zhao Family has done the deed and now doesn¡¯t allow others to speak of it? You clearly came to steal someone¡¯s belongings and made it sound so righteous. Initially, you refused to take in Luo Qiao at all costs.


    It must be because you saw her outperforming your daughters in earning work points, and then you changed your mind. One shouldn¡¯t be so shameless.¡±


    Zhao Pulin was about to retort when, out of nowhere, a dirty and skinny little boy about five or six years old popped up, ¡°I know what they are planning.¡±


    Gao Suhua opened her mouth to scold, ¡°You unwanted little bastard, get out of here.¡±


    Li Xiulan, on the other hand, smiled and said, ¡°Stone, tell us what the Zhao Family is planning.¡±


    The boy named Stone looked around at the crowd, ¡°If I tell you, can I get a steamed bun?¡±


    Li Xiulan, though reluctant to give up that steamed bun, was ready to bear the cost to embarrass the Zhao Family.


    She promised Stone, ¡°Alright, you little rascal, always thinking about eating.¡±


    Gao Suhua yelled, ¡°You little bastard, if you dare to spread wild gossip, I¡¯ll beat you up.¡±


    Stone had often been scolded by Gao Suhua in the past, but in the presence of so many people, he was not afraid of her.


    Stone said loudly, ¡°Their family wants to trick that sister into going back home, then sell her to the cripple from Beipo Village to be his wife.¡±


    When Gao Suhua heard this, she knew trouble was brewing, so she chased after Stone, trying to hit him while cursing, ¡°You little bastard, spouting nonsense, I¡¯ll tear your mouth to pieces.¡±

 Chapter 28 - 28 28 Tearing Off the Mask

    ?Chapter 28: Chapter 28: Tearing Off the Mask Chapter 28: Chapter 28: Tearing Off the Mask Stone ran and shouted, ¡°I¡¯m not talking nonsense, it was you who said it.¡±


    Seeing that the child was about to be caught by Gao Suhua, Luo Qiao, having had enough of this charade, no longer wanted to play along. She pulled the child behind her and bellowed, ¡°Enough!¡±


    Gao Suhua and the surrounding villagers were all stunned, only to hear Luo Qiao say, ¡°I don¡¯t care what the Zhao Family¡¯s intentions are. Back then, you didn¡¯t want to accept me, and I can understand that since there¡¯s no blood relation between us.


    I, Luo Qiao, would not act so desperately clinging to you. That¡¯s why I signed the document in front of the Brigade Leader and respected elders of the village, stating that from then on, there would be no relation between me and the Zhao Family.¡±


    Looking around at the gathered villagers, Luo Qiao continued, ¡°I don¡¯t know why the Zhao Family changed their mind later and keep sending people to harass me every now and then.


    Out of concern for my reputation, I try not to think the worst of people, but I definitely don¡¯t believe you¡¯re doing it out of kindness.


    You dare to say that what this child said just now isn¡¯t true, then what are you after? Don¡¯t tell me you actually feel uncomfortable about taking the Luo Family¡¯s two hundred yuan and want to take me back to return it.¡±


    Gao Suhua, having her shortcomings exposed in front of so many villagers, could not afford to lose face now; suppressing her anger, she said, ¡°Of course, we feel uneasy about taking the Luo Family¡¯s money without caring for you.¡±


    Luo Qiao laughed, ¡°Then, Auntie Zhao, if you really feel uneasy, just give me that two hundred yuan. This way, I could live a little better, and you won¡¯t have to feel uneasy, how about that?¡±


    Gao Suhua could no longer maintain her pretense of benevolence and scolded, ¡°You really are greedy. We considered looking out for you a little, and now you¡¯re thinking of taking all of the Luo Family¡¯s money. At such a young age, you sure are audacious.¡±


    Luo Qiao spoke loudly, ¡°I want to clarify once again that I have no relation with the Zhao Family. The money I used to treat my head injury after the fall was left with Brigade Leader Gao by the Luo Family, so from beginning to end, I have nothing to do with the Zhao Family.


    Your daughter came today under the pretense of helping me tend to my reserved land, but actually came to steal things, saying that in this village we are closer to the Zhao Family, thinking to threaten me.


    Do you think the grandfathers, grandmothers, uncles, aunties, and elders in the village are as scheming as you are? The reserved land is right beside the road; anyone who cares a bit can see it¡¯s already been taken care of.


    They even ask if I need help. Do you think I¡¯m a fool? Since we have no relation and have even signed an agreement to that effect, we¡¯re unrelated people, and you should stop coming to my house all the time.


    I don¡¯t have so much time to waste with you; I need to take care of myself. Zhao Xiaomei keeps coming to my house and calling herself my second sister, which is unpleasant to hear. It¡¯s better to be straightforward and honest as a person.


    I trust that Brigade Leader Gao Jiefang will deal with today¡¯s incident fairly, and I believe that all the folks here are reasonable people. Everyone¡¯s eyes are clear; the black cannot be turned white.¡±


    Having said her piece, Luo Qiao then turned to Brigade Leader Gao Jiefang. She had to do this today; before, because the original body was too weak and because she was new to the village, she had to leave a good impression on the villagers.


    Now, in front of so many villagers, she had to stand up for herself, or else anyone could step on her in the future, especially since she was an outsider.


    Brigade Leader Gao Jiefang spoke up, ¡°Zhao Pulin, what do you have to say?¡±


    Zhao Pulin had not expected his two daughters to do such a thing. Having been an honest person for most of his life, his face was completely lost because of them.

 Chapter 29 - 29 29 Killing the Chicken to Scare the Monkey

    ?Chapter 29: Chapter 29: Killing the Chicken to Scare the Monkey Chapter 29: Chapter 29: Killing the Chicken to Scare the Monkey Zhao Xiaomei looked up at the brigade leader, ¡°Brigade leader, Luo Qiao, she¡¯s an outsider. Our Zhao Family has been in Qingshan Village for generations, don¡¯t confuse insiders with outsiders.¡±


    Upon hearing this, Gao Jiefang¡¯s face darkened. Not to mention that there were officials from the commune standing behind him now. If he were to bully a lone girl after hearing Zhao Xiaomei¡¯s words, how would he continue to be the brigade leader?


    Before he could speak, Zhao Pulin stepped forward and slapped Zhao Xiaomei. Was she trying to bring disaster upon the Zhao Family? No matter what, he was still the brigade leader; there was no need for her to teach others how to do their jobs.


    Didn¡¯t she see how long the brigade leader¡¯s face became? She really didn¡¯t understand the severity of the situation.


    Zhao Xiaomei did not expect her dad to come up and slap her. She was doing this for whom, and yet he was siding with an outsider to bully her.


    Feeling aggrieved, she said, ¡°You hit me for an outsider; I hate you,¡± and pushed her father away before running off.


    In fact, Zhao Xiaomei simply couldn¡¯t stay there any longer. It was just a good opportunity to run away; she knew her reputation was also ruined because of what happened today.


    Zhao Pulin hurriedly apologized to the brigade leader, ¡°Brigade leader, please don¡¯t listen to Xiaomei¡¯s nonsense; she¡¯s just embarrassed and panicked.¡±


    The brigade leader said, ¡°Regardless, them going to someone¡¯s house to snatch things is wrong. Luo Qiao brought this matter to me for handling today, which shows the child¡¯s sense of righteousness.


    If a case had been filed, your daughter would have to be taken to the police station to be locked up. I¡¯m not trying to scare you; this is a case of robbery, which can be a big or small matter. You need to understand that.¡±


    Zhao Xiaotao, still on the scene, looked extremely uncomfortable, ¡°Brigade leader, this matter has nothing to do with me. I just came over to ask Luo Qiao if she needed any seeds, and I didn¡¯t take part in the snatching of things.¡±


    Her statement only made things worse, as if drawing attention to her guilt. It would have been better for her to remain silent, and it made people despise her even more.


    Luo Qiao stood aside, watching. She had to admit that the brigade leader was a smart man. The matter was exactly as the brigade leader had said. If the police had been really called, at the very least, she would have to undergo criticism and education. If she insisted on pressing charges, it would likely result in detention for a while.


    Zhao Pulin hung his head and said to Luo Qiao, ¡°Luo Qiao, I have wronged you. Now that this matter has occurred, I apologize on their behalf. Would that suffice?¡±


    Luo Qiao said, ¡°The ones who did wrong are them, and they are the ones who should apologize. Today, I¡¯ve left the matter to the brigade leader, and I trust he is a good village official.¡±


    The brigade leader, not wishing to drag the matter on, said, ¡°Pulin, the fact is your daughters are in the wrong. To give Luo Qiao, as well as the villagers, an explanation and a warning,


    Zhao Xiaomei must apologize to Luo Qiao in person. Additionally, as a sign of your apology, you should compensate Luo Qiao with ten jin of cornmeal. Do you agree?¡±


    When Gao Suhua heard this, she thought it was unacceptable, ¡°No way, isn¡¯t an apology enough? The things are still in her possession, our Xiaomei didn¡¯t take anything.¡±


    The brigade leader said, ¡°If there¡¯s no punishment for wrongdoing, then it might set a bad example for the village children. If you do not agree, I will not be involved anymore. If Luo Qiao reports this to the police, don¡¯t come to me.¡±


    When the villagers heard this, they too disagreed. Li Xiulan cried out, ¡°Gao Suhua, does your Zhao Family want to ruin our Qingshan Village¡¯s reputation? Having someone who has been locked up,


    it will affect the young men and women of the village when they get married in the future. The brigade leader is right; having made a mistake, there must be consequences. It¡¯s like killing a chicken for something, oh, right, to make an example to the monkeys.¡±

 Chapter 30 - 30 30 Always Have to Stand Up for the Original

    ?Chapter 30: Chapter 30: Always Have to Stand Up for the Original Body Chapter 30: Chapter 30: Always Have to Stand Up for the Original Body A young man standing in the crowd said, ¡°Auntie Xiulan, that¡¯s what you call ¡®killing the chicken to scare the monkey.¡¯


    Li Xiulan laughed and said, ¡°Right, right, right, that¡¯s the word. Da Liang is really something, his education wasn¡¯t wasted.¡±


    Zhao Pulin knew that the ten pounds of corn flour were definitely going to be given away, so he could only say, ¡°All right, I¡¯ll have someone from my family deliver the ten pounds of corn flour in a bit.¡±


    Luo Qiao was no fool. She feared that after eating this ten pounds of corn flour, all her previous efforts would be in vain, and by tomorrow, she would be subjected to people¡¯s finger-pointing and gossip.


    Thus, she thought of the elderly Lin couple living in the east of the village and spoke up, ¡°Brigade Leader, I have something to say.¡±


    The Brigade Leader thought Luo Qiao was dissatisfied with the solution and felt somewhat displeased, but still patiently said, ¡°Go ahead.¡±


    Luo Qiao said, ¡°Uncle, since this ten pounds of corn flour is meant as a punishment, I wouldn¡¯t feel at peace eating it. It might be better to turn it into a good deed. Please, Brigade Leader, give it to the elderly Lin couple in the east of the village.


    I am still young, and there¡¯s no shortage of wild greens on the mountain. Besides, I know medicinal herbs and can dig some up to exchange for food and necessities in the city.¡±


    The commune cadre who had been silent until now said, ¡°He¡¯s a good comrade. This positive and upward spirit is worth learning from for all of us.¡±


    The Brigade Leader echoed, ¡°Director Wang is right.¡±


    Luo Qiao said, ¡°Brigade Leader, it¡¯s getting late. Let¡¯s not waste everyone¡¯s time. You can just make the decision to deliver the corn flour to the elderly couple¡¯s home.¡±


    Then she turned to Zhao Pulin and Gao Suhua and said, ¡°Since we have no relationship, you should stop using the excuse of caring for me to come to my door and do shameful things. Everyone has their limits, so I ask you to have some self-respect in the future.¡±


    Zhao Pulin had never been so embarrassed before. Being lectured by a young girl, he opened his mouth to say, ¡°Rest assured, if anyone from their side comes looking for trouble at your place again, I¡¯ll break their legs.¡±


    Luo Qiao responded with satisfaction, ¡°I hope you¡¯ll keep your word.¡±


    Seeing that there was no more drama to watch, the villagers began to leave in twos and threes. Gao Suhua, looking upset, cursed at Luo Qiao, ¡°No wonder the Luo family doesn¡¯t want you; you¡¯re just a white-eyed wolf.¡±


    Luo Qiao replied, ¡°A white-eyed wolf is still better than someone who loses all their morals for their own selfish interests.¡±


    Gao Suhua froze for a moment. She had just seen mockery in Luo Qiao¡¯s eyes and, had she not been a baby in swaddling clothes back then, would have thought Luo Qiao knew everything about her.


    Not daring to stay any longer, Gao Suhua left with a barrage of curses.


    Luo Qiao turned and went back to her yard, securely closing the gate behind her. She had thought about seeking out her biological parents; if she was not having a good life, then Su Hua¡¯s biological daughter shouldn¡¯t expect to have one either.


    But then she thought again¡ªher biological parents hadn¡¯t recognized her for many years, and if the daughter by their side wasn¡¯t their own, what hope could she have that they would treat her well once recognized?


    Moreover, the daughter of the Zhao family had been raised by her biological parents since she was little, and there were definite feelings there. Even if she could be recognized by her parents, it wasn¡¯t certain they would let their adopted daughter return to the countryside to suffer.


    Living under the same roof, she would truly be masochistic to seek out such a recognition of kinship, and besides, if she really did get recognized, she might end up less free than she was now.


    The key point was that they might not even want to recognize her, thinking instead that she wanted to climb their social ladder. So for the time being, this was fine; it wasn¡¯t like she couldn¡¯t survive on her own.


    As for Gao Suhua¡¯s daughter, she wasn¡¯t going to let her off easily. She needed to think about what to do in the future because she always had to avenge her original self.

 Chapter 31 - 31 31 Repaying a Peach with a Plum

    ?Chapter 31: Chapter 31: Repaying a Peach with a Plum Chapter 31: Chapter 31: Repaying a Peach with a Plum She found two bamboo mats from the space, and her hands efficiently worked until two mats of dumplings were ready in no time. Luo Qiao had put a pot of water on to heat early in the kitchen, and by now, the water was boiling just right for cooking the dumplings.


    The pot was large, so she first boiled one mat¡¯s worth, about seventy dumplings. The remaining mat of dumplings she planned to boil later before storing them in her special space.


    She kept twenty for herself and put all the rest into a small porcelain basin. Then she took a small bamboo bowl from her space, filled it with plenty of garlic sauce, and headed towards Lu Yichen¡¯s home.


    When Luo Qiao arrived, Lu Yichen was chopping wood in the courtyard. Hearing footsteps, he looked up and saw it was Luo Qiao.


    He also knew about the incident that had occurred in the afternoon. He hadn¡¯t expected that this little girl would be so tough, not falling for the Zhao Family¡¯s schemes. Only when one stands up for oneself, can one avoid being bullied.


    Luo Qiao offered a small smile, ¡°Brother Lu, I¡¯ve brought you some dumplings.¡±


    Lu Yichen hadn¡¯t expected the little girl to actually bring him dumplings, which made him feel somewhat embarrassed.


    Luo Qiao walked into the courtyard and, as if she had done so many times before, headed towards the kitchen while saying, ¡°You should wash your hands too, don¡¯t work anymore. Dumplings are best eaten hot. I¡¯ll go into the kitchen and find something to serve them with; I still need to take my basin back with me.¡±


    She had stayed at Lu Yichen¡¯s home for two days before, so she knew exactly where everything was. Lu Yichen, for his part, was a neat person; everywhere was tidy and clean.


    Luo Qiao dished out the dumplings and garlic sauce into a basin and bowl, covering the bamboo bowl with cheesecloth within the porcelain basin. By the time she was done, Lu Yichen had already washed his hands and was coming over.


    As Luo Qiao exited the kitchen and noticed Lu Yichen walking towards her, she said, ¡°Big Brother, eat them while they¡¯re hot. I¡¯ll be off now.¡±


    Lu Yichen glanced at the dumplings served in the kitchen and asked with a frown, ¡°Where did you get the white flour from?¡±


    Luo Qiao glanced towards the courtyard gate and replied softly, ¡°I picked some herbs in the mountains this morning and took them to the herbal medicine shop in town. I got some money and food tickets, and I thought it wouldn¡¯t do to make dumplings just with corn flour.


    So I bought a little to bring home, just the right amount for two meals. Alright, I won¡¯t keep you any longer, as my dumplings will get cold. I¡¯m heading out.¡±


    Luo Qiao didn¡¯t give Lu Yichen a chance to ask any more questions, finished speaking, and dashed off with her basin.


    Lu Yichen sighed with amusement. How could he, a grown man, feel comfortable eating her food? But he worried that repaying her might upset the little girl. He thought about chopping some firewood for her as compensation in the future.


    Picking up his chopsticks, he tasted a dumpling. Hmm, delicious. The little girl was quite a good cook, on par with the chefs at state-run restaurants.


    In her previous life, when Luo Qiao went to university, her mother bought an apartment near her school. Not wanting strangers in her private space, she didn¡¯t hire a housekeeper.


    At first, she either ate instant noodles or ordered takeout. Eventually, she got tired of that and started learning to cook by watching videos on her phone. One day during a holiday, she returned home and, because the housekeeper had taken sudden leave, she cooked three dishes and a soup herself.


    Her parents returned home just in time for dinner. That day, smiles filled their faces, a rare delight. From then on, she considered learning to cook an essential task.


    She followed not only along with videos but also took a cooking class, mastering the eight major cuisines without skimping on Western meals, Chinese pastries, or Western desserts. It¡¯s unfortunate that no matter how well she learned,


    her parents were always too busy with near-endless meetings, negotiations, contract signings, and tireless travel. Not a minute to spare.

 Chapter 32 - 32 32 Intention

    ?Chapter 32: Chapter 32 Intention Chapter 32: Chapter 32 Intention So, after repeated disappointments and when she was about to give up, the apocalypse came. In the half year since the world had ended, she had learned nothing but indifference because you never knew when someone would cast you aside to save their own life.


    And then, it happened.


    Luo Qiao got home, closed the front door properly, and then entered the house. She certainly didn¡¯t want to be eating and have someone barge in unexpectedly, and besides, if someone saw how well she was eating,


    she might never live in peace in this village again. Some people just couldn¡¯t stand to see others doing well, so it was better not to create trouble for herself without reason.


    She picked up a dumpling, and it was truly delicious. Although there were still not enough seasonings, these were pure natural foods. Luo Qiao finished more than twenty dumplings by herself. She was so full.


    When the pot began to boil, she cooked the remaining dumplings and used her mind to place them directly into the Spatial Warehouse. Whenever she wanted to eat them, they would come out just as if they were freshly cooked.


    She aired a bowl of dumpling soup for herself and then started cleaning up the kitchen.


    Sitting in the courtyard sipping the dumpling soup, she thought about the day¡¯s events and decided to put off the house-buying for a bit. After all, she had not been in the village for long, and it was better to wait for schooling matters to settle down first.


    Once she got through the busy spring planting and had sorted out the schooling, she would get the brigade leader to issue her a certificate to go out. She would say she was looking for her parents, which would give Gao Suhua something to worry about.


    In fact, Gao Suhua didn¡¯t even know the original host¡¯s biological parents. All she knew was that after the childbirth, the woman remained unconscious and needed to be transferred to another hospital for treatment, with the family busy arranging the transfer and finding a vehicle.


    Only a friend¡¯s wife was left to care for them in the room. Gao Suhua seized the moment when that woman went to the toilet to switch the two babies.


    Gao Suhua was a capable person; to save time, she found an outfit for a baby in the unconscious woman¡¯s bag, dressed her own daughter in it, and directly swapped the babies.


    It might have been fate as well that the clothes the original host¡¯s parents had made for her were all of one pattern, so in the rush, no one noticed that the baby in the swaddling clothes wasn¡¯t the original host.


    Even so, Luo Qiao could not forgive them. How could they be so negligent of their child? She didn¡¯t believe the two children could look the same; Gao Suhua¡¯s daughter was premature.


    Living in the countryside, with poor nutrition, the child must have been frail. If they had paid a little attention, they couldn¡¯t have failed to notice. The original host¡¯s life was already lost, so Luo Qiao had no intentions of acknowledging them.


    But she also had no plans to let that girl, innocent though she might be but had taken over the original host¡¯s identity, have an easy life either. This was the only thing Luo Qiao could do for the original host.


    Her health had not been an issue lately, so she planned on enriching her Spatial Warehouse. She would roam around in the mountains to see if she could find some wild chickens, rabbits, or other small animals to throw into her space to raise.


    Days without meat were intolerable for Luo Qiao. She glanced at Daqing Mountain, considering whether she should venture into the deeper parts of the forest when the team had its break.


    After all, with the Spatial Warehouse and the skills from her past life already recovering quite a bit, it was just unfortunate that her special ability had not improved.


    In the center of the village, the Zhao Family, Zhao Pulin gave Zhao Xiaomei a harsh beating after she came back from outside and demanded she apologize to Luo Qiao in front of all the team members the next day on the job.


    Zhao Xiaomei was reluctant at first, but Zhao Pulin told her that this was Director Wang¡¯s order, to use her as an example to warn the members of the district against breaking the law. It seemed that the intention came from Director Wang of the commune.

 Chapter 33 - 33 33 Zhao Pulins Fury

    ?Chapter 33: Chapter 33 Zhao Pulin¡¯s Fury Chapter 33: Chapter 33 Zhao Pulin¡¯s Fury Zhao Xiaomei burst into tears, ¡°Mom, you were the one who told me to do it. I definitely won¡¯t apologize to that cheap Luo Qiao in front of the villagers tomorrow. What about my reputation then?¡±


    Gao Suhua was still busy cooking in the kitchen. Hearing her second daughter¡¯s words, she said, ¡°It¡¯s your own fault for not using your head. If you can¡¯t coax her, just take the stuff and leave. If you don¡¯t apologize, do you expect your old mother to do it?¡±


    Now that the sisters of the Zhao Family had learned about the day¡¯s events, Zhao Xiaotao watched coldly for a while before saying, ¡°I don¡¯t care how you handle it, but you¡¯d better sort this out.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t let this get to Zheng Qiao Village. If the Zheng Family gets upset and it affects my wedding next month, I won¡¯t let you off the hook.¡±


    Zhao Xiaomei turned to her eldest sister and said, ¡°Who are you not letting off the hook? Did you not go today?¡±


    Seeing that the second sister was trying to involve her, Zhao Xiaotao became angry and said, ¡°Did I snatch those things?¡±


    Zhao Xiaomei, now full of rage, pointed at Zhao Xiaotao and stammered, ¡°You, you, you...¡± but couldn¡¯t finish her sentence.


    Zitting to one side, Zhao Xiaocao spoke up, ¡°If Luo Qiao caused this mess, why not just ask her to tell the Village Chief to drop the matter? That should solve it.¡±


    Zhao Xiaoxing looked at Zhao Xiaocao as if she were a fool, ¡°Easy for you to say. If you¡¯re so capable, go deal with that damned Luo Qiao yourself.¡±


    Zhao Xiaocao continued, ¡°She¡¯s just an orphan. If this really blows up, it won¡¯t just reflect badly on our family; the entire Zhao Clan will lose face. No matter how strong Luo Qiao is, surely she¡¯s afraid of the villagers tripping her up later on.¡±


    After hearing her fifth daughter¡¯s words, Gao Suhua turned to her husband, ¡°Right, why didn¡¯t I think of that? Xiaocao is right. Our village already has tensions between the Zhaos, Gaos, Lis, and Suns. If we really apologize to Luo Qiao, an outsider, in front of all the villagers tomorrow, the Zhao Clan will be utterly disgraced. We should quickly consult with our grandfather and see what to do.¡±


    Zhao Pulin remained seated and unmoved. Since Director Wang from the commune had decided, even the grandfather would probably not dare to meddle in this matter lightly.


    Gao Suhua, exasperated, said, ¡°What a time to still behave like this, it¡¯s driving me to my wit¡¯s end.¡±


    Zhao Xiaomei was truly anxious now, ¡°Dad, are you really not going to help me? If I apologize to that orphan tomorrow, our sisters¡¯ as well as the Zhao family¡¯s reputation will be ruined.¡±


    ¡°Not to mention it might affect my older sister¡¯s marriage, and as for my younger sisters and me finding suitors in the future, which is more important to you right now: your face or our happiness?¡±


    Zhao Pulin stood up, ¡°It seems I really owe you a debt for you to go stirring up trouble. After causing problems, you know to come to me to bear the consequences.¡±


    Gao Suhua cautiously admitted her fault, ¡°Husband, what¡¯s done is done. Yelling at us now is useless. Who knew that little wretch Luo Qiao would be so malicious. It was only after Xiaomei went out the door with the stuff that she started shouting about robbery. Isn¡¯t that a clear setup to frame our daughter?¡±


    Zhao Pulin, reigniting with anger, pointed at Gao Suhua¡¯s nose and scolded, ¡°Look at what you¡¯re saying. These girls have been spoiled by you. Did anyone provoke or disturb you? You call her a little wretch, but did she ask you to barge in and steal? And then you say she framed you? If you hadn¡¯t gone to rob, would she have been able to do that? I, Zhao Pulin, have really drawn the short straw marrying a disaster like you.¡±

 Chapter 34 - 34 34 Not a Single One to Ease the Mind

    ?Chapter 34: Chapter 34: Not a Single One to Ease the Mind Chapter 34: Chapter 34: Not a Single One to Ease the Mind Sixth Sister Zhao, Zhao Xiaoyun, hid in a corner watching her own mom being scolded by her dad, along with her big sister and second sister, and she felt pretty good about it, who called for them always bullying her¡ªit really served them right to be scolded.


    Just thinking about it made her laugh, which happened to be seen by the turning Zhao Xiaomei. Now she had stirred up trouble. Zhao Xiaomei didn¡¯t say a word and stepped forward to give Zhao Xiaoyun a kick, cursing, ¡°If it wasn¡¯t for you coming back and saying you saw Luo Qiao coming back from the commune carrying a basket on her back.


    We wouldn¡¯t have gone to Luo Qiao¡¯s house. It was all your fault, yet here you are laughing. I¡¯ll beat you to death, you little calamity.¡±


    Zhao Xiaoyun ran to her dad, Zhao Pulin, in a flash, ¡°Second sister, I just told mom that Luo Qiao came back from the commune carrying a basket. I didn¡¯t say anything wrong; it was clearly your own greed. And now you still want to take your anger out on me.¡±


    As she spoke, she already started to sob.


    Zhao Pulin looked annoyed and shouted, ¡°All of you, shut up. Not one of you is peaceful.¡±


    After that, he headed for the main gate, thinking of what his wife had just mentioned. He decided to go to his big brother¡¯s house first to talk about it and see what to do next.


    Once the man of the house had gone, Zhao Xiaoyun quickly ran out as well. She didn¡¯t want to stay behind and become the punching bag of her second sister and mom.


    Zhao Pulin made his way to his big brother¡¯s house. When Zhao Changlin saw his brother coming, he quickly called his daughter, Zhao Xiaoli, to pour a bowl of water.


    Zhao Changlin had also heard about what happened today. Just now his wife was still scolding her sister-in-law for teaching her nieces all wrong, not learning anything good and only thinking about taking advantage instead of enough, now they had even started to grab openly.


    Although he said nothing, he didn¡¯t approve of what his sister-in-law and nieces had done, not to mention he heard they were also seen by an official from the commune. If Luo Qiao had not let it go, they might have been in the clink by now.


    Zhao Xiaoli brought the water over, ¡°Second Uncle, have some water.¡±


    After delivering the water, she went into the kitchen to help her mom.


    Zhao Xiaoli glanced at her second uncle outside, ¡°Mom, what¡¯s my second uncle coming to my dad for?¡±


    The Zhao Family¡¯s eldest sister-in-law, Liu Fang, was picking vegetables, ¡°What can he do? After what happened today, surely your second aunt has given another bad idea. Your second uncle is here to consult with your dad and seek advice.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t bother with them. Hurry and wash the picked wild vegetables. Your brother will be coming back from school soon.¡±


    Zhao Xiaoli picked up the plucked vegetables and went out to the yard to wash them in the water jar, while her ears stayed tuned to the conversation between her dad and her second uncle.


    Zhao Pulin took the last puff of his cigarette before he spoke gravely, ¡°Big Brother, Su Hua said to go find Grandpa, to have our Zhao Family meet with Luo Qiao tonight, to let her relax her stance.¡±


    Zhao Changlin glanced at his no-good brother, ¡°You managed to think of such a plan after making such a big fuss today, not to mention there were commune officials there as well.¡±


    He sighed and continued, ¡°I¡¯m not critiquing, but the way your wife and girls are should be corrected, or who knows what kind of trouble they¡¯ll cause in the future.¡±


    Zhao Pulin responded, ¡°Got it, Big Brother. But should we go see Grandpa about today¡¯s matter?¡±


    Zhao Changlin replied, ¡°I¡¯ll accompany you on a visit to see what Grandpa has to say.¡±


    As a result, just as the brothers were leaving the courtyard, they bumped into Brigade Leader Gao Jiefang and Accountant Sun Guichang. Jiefang said, ¡°We just ran into you guys. We came to get those ten pounds of cornmeal.¡±


    Zhao Pulin wiped his face and sighed, ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll go back with you to get it.¡±


    He felt a deep pain in his heart.

 Chapter 35 - 35 35 Dont Want a Night Full of Dreams

    ?Chapter 35: Chapter 35: Don¡¯t Want a Night Full of Dreams Chapter 35: Chapter 35: Don¡¯t Want a Night Full of Dreams The team leader just didn¡¯t want to drag things out, as everyone was clear about what kind of person Gao Suhua was; there was a fear that if things were left overnight, whether the ten pounds of cornmeal could still be obtained would be up in the air.


    Gao Suhua was already feeling extremely down, and now she saw her man coming in with the village¡¯s team leader and Accountant Sun.


    Her heart skipped a beat, and she hurriedly said, ¡°The team leader and Accountant Sun are here, please come inside and sit down.¡±


    Accountant Sun said, ¡°Never mind sitting, we haven¡¯t had dinner yet. We came to get the ten pounds of cornmeal, so as to get things done before it gets completely dark.¡±


    Gao Suhua said with a distressed look, ¡°Can it be a little less? It¡¯s a tough time right now, and no family is eating well. Xiaomei knows she was wrong now. Can we just forget about the grain?¡±


    The team leader knew that Gao Suhua was one to shirk responsibilities, which was why he had called Accountant Sun over, to quickly settle the matter. Otherwise, his authority as the team leader would mean nothing in the future, and he would lose the respect of the people.


    Zhao Pulin knew why the team leader and Accountant Sun had come over now, and with a red face from embarrassment, he bellowed, ¡°Go get it fast, haven¡¯t we lost enough face already?¡±


    Gao Suhua saw that Zhao Pulin was truly angry this time, and she reluctantly walked inside the house.


    When she came out again, she was holding a small cloth bag and said, ¡°I can¡¯t include this cloth bag in the weight.¡±


    Accountant Sun took the bag and weighed it in his hand, saying, ¡°This is not ten pounds; you¡¯re trying to fool us.¡±


    Zhao Pulin glared fiercely at Gao Suhua, snatched the bag, and strode into the house, with Gao Suhua calling out from behind, ¡°Dad...¡±


    After the team leader and Accountant Sun got what they came for, they left Zhao¡¯s house and headed towards Lin¡¯s house at the eastern end of the village. Speaking of the Lin family¡¯s couple, they were indeed pitiable people.


    When they were young, they worked in a factory in the provincial city, and their two daughters were married locally. Their only son, the year before they returned to Qingshan Village, followed a group of classmates on a big trip and never returned.


    The couple spent all their savings looking for him and lost their jobs due to taking leave for too long. Deprived of a source of income and not wanting to disturb their daughters¡¯ lives,


    they asked their daughters to send a telegram immediately if there was news about their brother, then packed up and returned to Qingshan Village. In the intervening time, their daughters had only visited a few times.


    In these hard times, everyone¡¯s life is difficult. The two daughters apparently had many children and were living tightly, so it was understandable that they couldn¡¯t come to see their parents.


    Half a year ago, Old Man Lin fell down a slope and injured his back, preventing him from doing heavy work. His wife had been crying daily since their son disappeared, and her health deteriorated; thus, the couple¡¯s life was truly difficult.


    With no savings left and still occasionally helping their daughters, Old Man Lin stayed in the commune¡¯s health clinic for over ten days after his injury. After spending the last of their savings, they still owed the team money.


    It was said that only the second daughter came back at the time and left hastily after a few days. The debts registered in the team¡¯s books remained unpaid, and people in the village didn¡¯t interact much with the Old Couple of the Lin family.


    The Lins were originally from outside Qingshan Village and now the old couple was more isolated than ever. A few days ago, Luo Qiao passed by the Lin family¡¯s courtyard on her way to work and overheard the village women gossiping about the Lin family¡¯s situation.


    Perhaps because they were both considered outsiders in Qingshan Village, Luo Qiao felt a sense of sympathy. She had planned to find an opportunity to help, and now, coincidentally, the chance had arrived.


    Ten pounds of food wasn¡¯t a lot, but it would be enough for the old couple to have a few full meals.

 Chapter 36 - 36 36 Going Too Far

    ?Chapter 36: Chapter 36 Going Too Far Chapter 36: Chapter 36 Going Too Far The Old Couple of the Lin family didn¡¯t know about the incidents in the village today, so when the brigade leader and Accountant Sun came over, they were somewhat puzzled. But after Accountant Sun explained the situation, the eyes of the Old Couple of the Lin family reddened.


    They had actually run out of food recently. They hadn¡¯t received much grain last autumn since the old man had been injured and unable to work, and Old Lady Lin was not well enough to engage in high-point labor tasks.


    The brigade leader, being kind-hearted, allowed her to manage the comings and goings of livestock in the breeding yard. The job wasn¡¯t strenuous but it required literacy to keep records, and since Old Lady Lin could read, the villagers couldn¡¯t say much.


    However, last year their younger daughter came back complaining that with so many children at home they were never full. When she left, she took quite a lot of grain, leaving the couple since then without a single full meal.


    It was fortunate that they now had wild vegetables, or else the Old Couple might not have endured.


    Their knowledge of the Zhao Family¡¯s issues was limited, albeit they had seen the girl from a distance a few times without interacting with her. They had not expected that in their hardest times, this girl would bring them hope.


    After the brigade leader and Accountant Sun left, the Old Couple of the Lin family felt full of gratitude toward Luo Qiao. They had been surviving on wild vegetables for two or three days already.


    Old Man Lin comforted his wife, ¡°Perhaps we old bones can hold on for a few more years and maybe even get to see our son.¡±


    After speaking, both of them had tears in their eyes.


    Luo Qiao saw that it was getting dark and so she tidied up and entered the space.


    The bupleurum and dandelions she had thrown in before had been planted by Luo Qiao, saving her the trouble of searching for them when needed.


    Now the space was brimming with life, with young sprouts appearing on the crops planted in the fields. After exercising, she practiced a set of military boxing before soaking in a hot bath in the space.


    Once she had tidied herself up, she went to the study and picked up the books about Embroidery Technique. She had already read several of them, which encompassed the famous embroidery styles of Suzhou, Hunan, Guangdong, and Shu.


    Luo Qiao was growing increasingly fond of embroidery. She planned to finish this book and then try her hand at it on the embroidery frame. In her past life, she had studied fashion design, which included embroidery.


    She had learned embroidery before, but her skill was mediocre. Now, having read so many embroidery techniques, she thought maybe she could embroider a bright future for herself.


    Ha-ha, just kidding. Embroidery is too hard on the eyes. It makes for a nice hobby, but studying Embroidery Technique without a teacher¡¯s guidance would probably not be effective. Still, in her spare time, it was something to ponder more about.


    But just as she finished reading the book and took out the embroidery cloth and threads, she heard knocking from outside. Luo Qiao quickly put her things away, left the space, and after listening intently, she recognized it was someone from the Zhao Family.


    Luo Qiao knew what they wanted but thought the Zhao family people were really inappropriate; it was already dark and they were still coming over. No matter what the reason, this was simply too overbearing.


    Luo Qiao decided not to open the door. After all, she would have plenty of excuses tomorrow, whether it was saying she was too scared to open it or claiming she slept too deeply to hear the knocking. What could they do to her?


    Just as she had resolved not to open the door, another group of people arrived¡ªshe could tell by their voices that it was the brigade leader and his wife and Accountant Sun coming together.


    The brigade leader asked, ¡°Why aren¡¯t you folks staying in your own homes in the middle of the night instead of coming to Luo Qiao¡¯s doorstep?¡±


    The Zhao family people hadn¡¯t expected to be caught by the brigade leader and Accountant Sun before even making contact; it was indeed a blow to their dignity.

 Chapter 37 - 37 37 Public Apology

    ?Chapter 37: Chapter 37 Public Apology Chapter 37: Chapter 37 Public Apology The original Zhao Family Patriarch who had come along, being Zhao Pulin¡¯s great-grandfather Zhao Mingqiang, also wanted to argue a few points with the brigade commander.


    But he only heard the brigade commander say, ¡°Director Wang has already instructed about tomorrow¡¯s matters and that a report must be given to the commune.¡±


    Once the Zhao family members heard this, they abandoned the idea of further advocating for themselves; after all, it was Zhao Xiaomei¡¯s behavior that had crossed the line, and it wasn¡¯t possible to go head to head with the commune officials over her.


    So, it wasn¡¯t long before the Zhao family members returned the way they had come.


    Seeing that the Zhao family had left, the brigade commander, his wife, and Accountant Sun finally departed together.


    The next day, Luo Qiao got up early to get ready and heated up the soy milk she had ground in her Spatial Warehouse the night before, and also stir-fried two dishes on another stove, saute?ed green beans and spicy shredded potatoes.


    She also used the soy pulp to make a pancake by adding some flour, green onions, cilantro, carrots, salt, sichuan pepper powder, and the last remaining pheasant egg from yesterday. She waited until the soy milk was ready and then poured it out.


    After cleaning the pan and drying it on low heat, she brushed a layer of oil on it and fried the other side of the soy pulp pancake to a golden brown, which was incredibly fragrant. She made quite a lot, keeping out what she needed for breakfast today, and stored the rest in the underground warehouse.


    She planned to use the midday period in the coming days to go up the mountains and prepare more to have at hand whenever she got hungry.


    After breakfast and tidying up the kitchen, she took out a bamboo tube she had found in her Spatial Warehouse.


    The bamboo tube wasn¡¯t very large; such thick bamboo couldn¡¯t be found in the north, but if anyone asked, she would simply say it was a gift from someone at the farm.


    She heated some water in the outer kitchen. Without smoke from the kitchen, people might get suspicious, so heating water served a dual purpose: she could bring it to work to drink when she was thirsty.


    By the time Luo Qiao arrived at the riverbank, many people had already gathered. Today was the start of spring planting, and no one dared to be late.


    When Qiao Lianlian saw Luo Qiao arrive, she waved her over.


    Luo Qiao called out obediently, ¡°Auntie.¡±


    Qiao Lianlian smiled and said, ¡°Come over here quickly. Zhao¡¯s Second Daughter will have to apologize to you later.¡±


    Then she whispered to Luo Qiao, ¡°Did you hear anything last night?¡±


    Luo Qiao knew what Auntie Gao meant; she certainly couldn¡¯t tell her she had heard the noise but hadn¡¯t come out, haha.


    So she also whispered, ¡°Auntie, I went to bed early last night. Did something happen in the village?¡±


    Seeing that Luo Qiao seemed unaware of the events, Qiao Lianlian, not wanting to stress her, didn¡¯t bring up last night¡¯s incident. After all, not many people knew about it.


    Before long, the brigade commander stood up and announced, ¡°Today, we have two things to address. First, Zhao Pulin¡¯s daughter, Zhao Xiaomei, must apologize to Luo Qiao in front of everyone.


    As for why she must apologize, I believe everyone knows, so I won¡¯t take up more time elaborating. Spring planting is upon us, but Director Wang from the commune has still requested that we take this opportunity to educate everyone.


    Illegally seizing other people¡¯s property without their consent, that is, with the intent of unlawful possession, constitutes robbery, which is an offense. If reported to the police, it can lead to imprisonment depending on the severity of the case.


    Thus, I hope that all members will remember not to do things they might regret, causing harm to themselves and others, and bringing shame to their families and our village.¡±


    ¡°Because this is Zhao Xiaomei¡¯s first offense and Luo Qiao has been generous enough to let the village handle it, Zhao Xiaomei must personally apologize to Luo Qiao and promise that yesterday¡¯s incident will not happen again.¡±


    Reluctantly, Zhao Xiaomei went up to the platform and said to Luo Qiao, who stood below, ¡°I¡¯m sorry; I won¡¯t do it again. Please forgive me.¡±

 Chapter 38 - 38 38 Disgusting the Zhao Family Spring

    ?Chapter 38: Chapter 38 Disgusting the Zhao Family, Spring Planting Chapter 38: Chapter 38 Disgusting the Zhao Family, Spring Planting Luo Qiao, seeing that her purpose to disgust the Zhao Family had been achieved, said indifferently, ¡°I accept your apology. I hope you will truly reform and become a person of use to society.¡±


    Upon hearing this, those who had never attended school thought Luo Qiao was quite magnanimous to forgive Zhao Xiaomei so easily, but those who had were not of the same mind, especially Zhang Qiaoyan from the Secretary¡¯s home.


    She sensed an underlying message in Luo Qiao¡¯s words. What did she mean by truly reform? It was almost as if Zhao Xiaomei had committed such acts multiple times, and what was that about becoming a person of use to society? It may have sounded okay at first, but upon closer listen, wasn¡¯t this a sarcasm directed at Zhao Xiaomei?


    Zhao Xiaomei, a simple village girl who had only two years of primary school education and couldn¡¯t fully recognize characters, how could she become a person of use to society? Luo Qiao had successfully drawn Zhang Qiaoyan¡¯s attention and dislike.


    However, Luo Qiao was unaware of this.


    After Zhao Xiaomei finished her apology and ran off the stage with her face covered, Brigade Leader Gao Jiefang finally said, ¡°Let¡¯s consider this matter settled and never bring it up again.


    But let this serve as a warning to everyone. From now on, absolutely no illegal acts will be tolerated. Otherwise, no one can save you, and what awaits you will be legal sanctions. Have you all understood?¡±


    The commune members, not expecting a talk of sentencing, replied, ¡°We understand, Brigade Leader. We will never commit such vile acts.¡±


    As soon as these words were spoken, the faces of the Zhao Family members turned to a palette of colors, the words clearly meant for them.


    Gao Jiefang said, ¡°Moving on, spring planting officially starts today. I hope everyone will work hard to ensure the quality and quantity of the planting. Enough talk, let¡¯s get down to assigning tasks.¡±


    Luo Qiao had been following Auntie Gao. Now, the two daughters-in-law of the Gao Family also came over, and Auntie Gao introduced them to Luo Qiao, ¡°This is my eldest daughter-in-law, Song Jiao. Just call her Sister-in-law Gao from now on.


    The one beside her is my second daughter-in-law, Feng Qiaohui. You can also call her Second Sister-in-law Gao.¡±


    Luo Qiao obediently greeted, ¡°Sister-in-law Gao, Second Sister-in-law Gao, it¡¯s nice to meet you. I am Luo Qiao. Please give me your guidance in the future.¡±


    Both of them greeted Luo Qiao with smiles, and soon it was their turn. Today¡¯s task allocation was for seed sowing, and everyone grouped into threes and fives, heading to their assigned fields.


    Walking along, gazing at the vast blue sky and limitless brown earth, the warm and gentle spring breeze on her face, the Paddyfield Pipit¡¯s call from the distance mountains¡ªall of this was so comforting. The spring planting had officially begun.


    ¡°Paddyfield Pipit, Paddyfield Pipit¡±, sowing happiness!


    As they walked, Auntie Gao kept repeating the sowing technique to her. Seeds should be neither too many nor too few; each acre had its proper ratio. Too few seeds risked no germination and no crop.


    Too many not only wasted seeds but also meant extra work thinning out excess sprouts later, time-consuming and labor-intensive; thus, three seeds per spot were optimal.


    Actually, the original Luo Qiao had done this kind of work at the farm before, but she did not interrupt Auntie Gao¡¯s advice. Instead, she felt warmth in her heart.


    The next day at noon, Luo Qiao made a trip to the commune and brought back the chicks she had reserved. Leaving three outside to raise, she placed the rest into her space and let them roam on the mountain. Piglets were harder to find, so there were none for the time being.


    Spring planting kept her busy for almost half a month. Luo Qiao switched among multiple types of work¡ªsowing seeds, leading livestock, covering the soil. None of the tasks were too heavy, but they were still exhausting by the end of the day.


    During the break times at noon, she had also gone up the mountain a few times. Surprisingly, she managed to catch a pregnant wild rabbit and released it to develop freely on the mountain.


    She thought about catching a few more in the deeper forest. In no time, she believed, there would be a large group of little rabbits. Heh heh!

 Chapter 39 - 39 39 Enrollment

    ?Chapter 39: Chapter 39 Enrollment Chapter 39: Chapter 39 Enrollment Luo Qiao had tried, and realized the space could be influenced by one¡¯s thoughts, meaning the chickens and rabbits would not descend the mountain at will, relieving Luo Qiao of worries that they might someday ravage her vegetables and crops after growing in numbers.


    During this period, Luo Qiao had read through all the junior high textbooks she had found in the space, confident that she would have no trouble with the entrance exams. She had even roughly gone through the high school textbooks, although sadly, they weren¡¯t complete. It seemed she would need to find more when she had the time.


    After the spring planting was over, Lu Yichen sent word that his comrade had already spoken with the commune¡¯s middle school, stating that if Luo Qiao passed their examination, she could take the middle school entrance exam along with this year¡¯s graduates.


    But if she failed, it would be quite embarrassing. As long as she passed the test, the school would assist her in setting up her academic record, which reassured her.


    Overjoyed upon receiving the message, Luo Qiao said, ¡°Brother Lu, I truly can¡¯t thank you enough. I¡¯ll make some snacks as a token of my appreciation and you¡¯ll deliver them to your comrade for me. Don¡¯t you dare refuse.¡±


    Lu Yichen, looking at the young girl smiling in the sunlight, felt his spirits lift, knowing she didn¡¯t want to impose a favor on him, so he didn¡¯t object.


    Luo Qiao was one to act on her words promptly; she requested time off the next day from the team leader, who, upon inquiry, received an honest explanation from her. However, she asked the team leader to keep her secret, not wanting the villagers to gossip.


    The team leader nodded in agreement, his respect for Luo Qiao growing.


    When Luo Qiao arrived at the commune¡¯s middle school, the gates had only just opened. After explaining her purpose to the gatekeeper, the elderly man came out and pointed her to the direction of the principal¡¯s office.


    According to the gatekeeper, Principal Qin was the earliest to arrive and would undoubtedly be in his office now.


    She knocked gently on the door, and a voice from inside said, ¡°Come in.¡±


    Luo Qiao pushed open the door and entered, saying respectfully, ¡°Good morning, Principal. My name is Luo Qiao. Director Jiang from the county education bureau sent me here to participate in the entrance examination.¡±


    Principal Qin paused momentarily, then smiled, ¡°Ah, now I remember. You¡¯re the one Director Jiang mentioned, the one who wants to go straight to taking the middle school entrance exam, right?¡±


    Luo Qiao nodded and replied, ¡°Yes, Principal.¡±


    Principal Qin inquired, ¡°I heard you haven¡¯t attended elementary school before?¡±


    Without concealment, Luo Qiao replied, ¡°Yes, when I was at the farm, I learned a lot from several professors there for many years. After they returned to the city, I continued to self-study.


    I¡¯ve finished the junior high curriculum and am preparing to study at high school. However, self-study alone isn¡¯t enough; one needs a diploma to be recognized by everyone, which is why I¡¯ve come to trouble you, Principal.¡±


    Hearing sounds of activity outside the office as people started to arrive, Principal Qin called a teacher from the graduating class to bring a mock middle school exam for Luo Qiao to take.


    After two hours, Luo Qiao had completed all the papers, and by the time she finished the last one, the earlier papers had already been graded, astonishing the teachers who¡¯d come in.


    Principal Qin decided on the spot to allow her to join Class One, though Luo Qiao also explained her situation; she would not have time to attend classes regularly, but she would certainly review and practice more at home.


    Upon hearing Luo Qiao¡¯s explanation, Principal Qin sighed deeply and spoke earnestly, ¡°You must review thoroughly. Every time the school holds exams, a classmate will inform you in advance.¡±


    After thanking him profusely, Luo Qiao followed the teacher who had been called over, Teacher Ning of Class One, completed the admission procedures, and paid the fees. Having looked at the graduating class¡¯s textbooks, Luo Qiao realized she already owned most of them, thereby saving a considerable sum on book costs.


    With Teacher Ning, Luo Qiao then briefly introduced herself to Class One. Teacher Ning also explained Luo Qiao¡¯s circumstances. After finalizing everything, Luo Qiao bade the teacher farewell and left the school.

 Chapter 40 - 40 40 Finding a Treasure

    ?Chapter 40: Chapter 40 Finding a Treasure Chapter 40: Chapter 40 Finding a Treasure Luo Qiao checked the time and since there was still time, she went to the waste station to see if she could get lucky and find those missing high school textbooks. Unexpectedly, the old gatekeeper still recognized her.


    After entering, Luo Qiao searched for a long time but only found a thread-bound medical book and not the high school books she lacked. As she was about to leave, she tripped over a stone and almost fell.


    When she steadied herself and was about to leave, she noticed a small part of the stone had a hint of green. She couldn¡¯t help but bend down to pick it up, her heartbeat quickening as she examined it closely.


    Could this be the legendary raw gemstone? She wondered how it ended up here. Just then, the old gatekeeper came in looking for something and said, ¡°Did you find what you were looking for?¡±


    Seeing Luo Qiao holding the stone that was used to prop the door, he asked, ¡°Girl, what do you want with that? It¡¯s just an old man¡¯s doorstop.¡±


    Luo Qiao said, ¡°I almost tripped over this stone, but it looks quite pretty.¡±


    The old man replied, ¡°If you like it, there are a few more like it by the mountain wall outside, but other than looking nice, they¡¯re not good for much else.¡±


    Luo Qiao smiled and said, ¡°Then thank you, old man. I was just about to go back to work on the flowerbed.¡±


    So Luo Qiao took that stone with her as well, and upon checking the dirt wall outside, indeed there were a few inconspicuous stones lying around, although none as nice as the one in her hand.


    To be honest, Luo Qiao wasn¡¯t sure if these were raw gemstones, but the one in her hand possibly showed green because it had been rubbing against the ground for a long time, revealing a patch the size of a fingernail.


    Maybe they had been confiscated during a previous raid and discarded in the corner because no one recognized them. Including the one in her hand, there were six stones in total, and Luo Qiao picked all of them up and put them in her basket before heading to the gate.


    The old man saw that Luo Qiao had only found one book and waved her off, but she said, ¡°And these stones.¡±


    The old man suddenly burst out laughing, saying, ¡°Those stones are just taking up space if left there. What use are they to you, child?¡±


    Luo Qiao felt a bit embarrassed to just take them for free, so she said, ¡°Old man, I don¡¯t feel right about taking this without giving anything in return. How about you just take something for it so I can be at peace with it?¡±


    The old man laughed even harder, replying, ¡°You¡¯re a strange girl, not happy without paying for it. Alright then, just give me three pennies.¡±


    Luo Qiao didn¡¯t have small change and took out a fifty-cent piece instead, saying, ¡°Here¡¯s fifty cents. You always look after me, so don¡¯t bother with change. Buy yourself a pack of cigarettes with the rest.¡±


    After saying this, she quickly ran off. A few steps away, she playfully turned around and waved at the old man, ¡°Goodbye, old man.¡±


    She found a secluded corner to store the six fist-sized stones from her basket into her space. Seeing that it was getting late, she hurried back. She still had to go to work in the afternoon.


    Not long after leaving the commune, right under the big bridge where the river bank was, she saw two people fallen down by a bicycle that lay upside down beside them. It was close to noon, and there weren¡¯t many people on the road.


    It seemed they had just fallen because the bicycle wheels were still spinning. Luo Qiao quickly ran over and anxiously called out from above, ¡°Are you okay?¡±


    One of the girls, upon hearing someone ask if they were okay, suddenly began to cry and shouted at the woman on the ground, ¡°Mom, Mom, what¡¯s happened to you? Please don¡¯t scare me.¡±


    Luo Qiao saw the girl vigorously shaking the unconscious middle-aged woman and hurriedly intervened, ¡°Don¡¯t shake her, check where she is hurt first.¡±

 Chapter 41 - 41 41 Falling under the Bridge

    ?Chapter 41: Chapter 41 Falling under the Bridge Chapter 41: Chapter 41 Falling under the Bridge The girl quickly wiped away the tears on her face. By now, Luo Qiao had also jumped down from the dam and roughly checked the injured woman¡ªno bleeding point was found, but it seemed her aunt¡¯s arm might have been fractured.


    Luo Qiao said, ¡°Don¡¯t move her. I¡¯m going to the commune health center right now to call for a doctor. It¡¯s best to find something to carry her, just in case there are injuries we haven¡¯t spotted, to avoid causing any secondary harm.¡±


    At this moment, the girl could only cry, and upon hearing Luo Qiao¡¯s words, she simply nodded through her tears.


    After struggling to climb up the dam, she bolted toward the commune health center. Hearing that someone had fallen off the bridge, the doctor didn¡¯t even bother to finish their meal. Two medical staff grabbed a wooden door panel and prepared to follow Luo Qiao to retrieve the injured person.


    It was only after Luo Qiao asked that she found out the commune health center didn¡¯t have a stretcher and always used this wooden door panel to carry people. Luo Qiao was exasperated, but thinking it was just the early 1980s, she didn¡¯t dwell on it and led them toward the bridge.


    After a medical examination, it was confirmed that besides the fracture in the forearm, all other areas were just superficial wounds. As for why she had passed out, she likely hit the back of her head when she fell.


    Once they had carried the person up from the riverbed, Luo Qiao intended to leave, but the girl kept holding onto her, saying, ¡°Sister, um, I really want to thank you for today. I¡¯m a bit scared right now. Can you stay with me until we get to the health center?¡±


    Zhang Xiao was truly terrified and completely clueless. For some reason, she felt an exceptional dependence on Luo Qiao and, despite being older than her, just wanted Luo Qiao to stay by her side.


    Seeing that the girl was not lightly scared, Luo Qiao said, ¡°Which village are you from? You should first send someone to inform your family. Otherwise, you won¡¯t be able to handle it on your own, and you¡¯re injured as well. You need to get it bandaged.¡±


    Zhang Xiao was still in shock at this point, but holding on to Luo Qiao¡¯s hand, she only said after hearing Luo Qiao¡¯s words, ¡°Right, right, you¡¯re correct. I need to notify my dad first.¡±


    Luo Qiao heard her address him not as ¡®dad¡¯ but as ¡®father¡¯, and guessed these two must be from the city. She then said, ¡°If there¡¯s a phone to contact him, that¡¯ll be best. If we have to pass the message, we don¡¯t know if we¡¯ll find someone going that way.¡±


    Zhang Xiao said, ¡°Could you please help me go to the post office and call my dad? Tell him our situation, please.¡±


    While speaking, she even put her hands together as if in prayer. Zhang Xiao¡¯s mind was filled with images of her mother fainting, and she just couldn¡¯t bear to leave.


    Luo Qiao said, ¡°Give me the telephone number, and I¡¯ll go for you.¡±


    Zhang Xiao said, ¡°My name is Zhang Xiao. The phone number is XXXX. My dad, Zhang Jianjun, works for the army. Thank you so much for your help.¡±


    After Luo Qiao delivered the people to the health center, she turned around and ran to the post office, ¡°Comrade, I need to make a phone call.¡±


    At that time, phone calls still required an operator for connection, and once someone on the other end picked up, a deep voice came through, ¡°I¡¯m Zhang Jianjun. Who is this?¡±


    Luo Qiao quickly said, ¡°Hello, your daughter Zhang Xiao asked me to call you. They¡¯re currently at Chaoyang Commune Health Center. Please come quickly.¡±


    Zhang Jianjun asked, ¡°What happened? Why are they at the health center?¡±


    Luo Qiao said, ¡°They rode their bicycle off the bridge.¡±


    Zhang Jianjun became anxious, asking, ¡°How are they? Are the injuries serious?¡±


    Thinking about how expensive phone calls were at that time, Luo Qiao said, ¡°Auntie¡¯s arm is fractured. Please hurry over, they¡¯re waiting for you.¡±

 Chapter 42 - 42 42 Pain and Repayment

    ?Chapter 42: Chapter 42 Pain and Repayment Chapter 42: Chapter 42 Pain and Repayment After finishing speaking, she hung up the phone. Just those few sentences cost three copper coins¡ªquite the sting.


    Luo Qiao knew those two were fine, and after the call she didn¡¯t return to the health clinic. She believed Zhang Xiao¡¯s father would arrive shortly anyway, and she was aware that there was a military unit stationed not far from there.


    Zhang Xiao¡¯s father could very well be an officer, given that he personally answered the call. The office must have had a telephone, and it was unlikely that an operator would be on the line.


    The little detour meant she got home late. After taking some ready-made food out of her space, Luo Qiao boiled a pot of water while eating, in the courtyard kitchen.


    When she had finished her meal, the water was ready. Taking a short rest, she filled a bamboo container with water before finally heading out to work.


    Now that her schooling issue was resolved, Luo Qiao felt exceptionally happy, so she went to work that afternoon with a spring in her step.


    Since she hadn¡¯t worked in the morning, Luo Qiao went to the team leader to get assigned work. Li Erya, who cut grass, had twisted her ankle the day before, and now they were short of people for this task, so the team leader asked Luo Qiao to join the grass-cutting in the afternoon.


    The team leader casually inquired, ¡°Did you get your matter taken care of?¡±


    Luo Qiao answered with a smile, ¡°Yes, I won¡¯t need to attend classes for the next few months. I just have to go in for exams, and my homeroom teacher will have a classmate notify me in advance.¡±


    The team leader replied with a laugh, ¡°That¡¯s good to hear. You can make something of yourself by studying.¡±


    The team leader thought to himself that whether she could get into high school was another matter. At least with a junior high diploma, she¡¯d have some security for the future. Nodding his head and smiling, he left.


    Luo Qiao arrived at the animal husbandry yard, collected a sickle and a carry-basket, and then joined Auntie Zhang from her team to head up the mountain.


    Auntie Zhang said, ¡°We need to cut three baskets of grass this afternoon to get three work points. Each basket must be packed tightly. Someone always checks when we return.¡±


    They walked uphill for a good while until Auntie Zhang finally pointed out, ¡°We¡¯ll cut in that dip over there¡ªthe grass is lush. It¡¯s just a bit of a walk.¡±


    Racing up and down with Auntie Zhang all afternoon, Luo Qiao managed to earn those three work points¡ªit certainly wasn¡¯t easy.


    They finished work earlier than those in the fields because once the task was done, they could leave. Back home, Luo Qiao washed up, then lay on the kang bed a while before getting ready to cook.


    While cutting grass on the mountain, she had also picked some wild chives. She started by shredding potatoes and mixing them with some flour, sprinkling pepper powder and salt, and stirring well before steaming them in a pot.


    She purposely made a little extra, considering the day¡¯s successes with school needed some recognition for Lu Yichen who had helped.


    After prepping the wild chives and chopping them finely, she sliced some garlic and made a mashed garlic mix, along with chili sauce.


    When the time was right, she took out the cooked dish, heated some oil, and after frying the Sichuan peppercorns, wild chives, and garlic slices to release the aroma, she tossed in the steamed mixture to stir-fry, filling the air with its delicious scent.


    Once it was cooked, Luo Qiao served it into a porcelain bowl, placed mashed garlic and chili sauce to one side of the bowl, and then hastened to Lu Yichen¡¯s home.


    Lu Yichen had been called away that day to help another team transport sand and stone. He had just come home and finished washing up, preparing to take a break before cooking.


    Standing at the gate, Luo Qiao called out, ¡°Brother Lu, are you home?¡±


    Hearing it was Luo Qiao, Lu Yichen replied, ¡°Come in.¡±


    Seeing Luo Qiao with the porcelain bowl, he asked, ¡°What¡¯s this? Did you get your school stuff sorted, and now you¡¯ve come to thank me again?¡±


    Luo Qiao replied playfully, ¡°Yes, Big Brother Lu, you guessed right away! I passed the test and was placed into Class A. I also arranged with the school not to attend daily classes, just to go in for exams.¡±


    Lu Yichen laughed, ¡°Impressive. It seems your grades are good.¡±

 Chapter 43 - 43 43 Its impolite not to reciprocate

    ?Chapter 43: Chapter 43: It¡¯s impolite not to reciprocate Chapter 43: Chapter 43: It¡¯s impolite not to reciprocate Luo Qiao said, ¡°It¡¯s okay, thank you, Brother Lu, for always taking care of me. Today I made stir-fried potatoes that don¡¯t mash easily, and I¡¯ve brought some over for you to try.¡±


    As she spoke, she headed straight for the kitchen, saying, ¡°I¡¯ll just clear a bowl first.¡±


    Thinking of something, she turned her head and asked, ¡°Brother Lu, do you eat mashed garlic and chili? I¡¯ve put some on the side of the bowl. If you don¡¯t like it, I can just leave it in the bowl.¡±


    Lu Yichen said, ¡°I¡¯m not picky, thank you, Luo Qiao.¡±


    Luo Qiao laughed and said, ¡°Why are you thanking me now?¡±


    Lu Yichen said, ¡°You should stop bringing food over in the future; otherwise, I¡¯ll start feeling embarrassed.¡±


    Luo Qiao said, ¡°It¡¯s only proper to reciprocate. You¡¯ve helped me so much, and preparing some food is the only thing I¡¯m good at right now. Please don¡¯t be so formal.¡±


    Lu Yichen said, ¡°Alright then, I won¡¯t be polite with you. It¡¯s perfect as I¡¯m tired from the day and now I don¡¯t have to bother cooking.¡±


    Once Luo Qiao had cleared a bowl, she took her leave.


    Lu Yichen, smelling the fragrance, thought to himself that he had said he would send some firewood over after last time and had not managed to find the time. Today was a good opportunity since he didn¡¯t have to cook. He could go down to the foot of the mountain to gather some firewood and take it over after dinner.


    If the young lady understood the importance of not taking without giving in return, he, as a grown man, certainly couldn¡¯t take advantage of a young lady.


    So after eating, Lu Yichen took a rope and a shoulder pole and went up the mountain.


    Meanwhile, Luo Qiao returned home, picked a little cilantro from the space, and came out. She had only sown seeds in the backyard vegetable garden and didn¡¯t dare to let them grow too fast since one could see the backyard from halfway up the hill.


    It was fine for her plants to be just a bit better than others, to avoid causing herself trouble.


    After eating, she began to work on her own plot of land, planting five rows of corn around the perimeter while the center was interspersed with sweet potatoes and potatoes. She had chopped some thorny brush from the foot of the mountain to fence the area, leaving only a small gate.


    This way, she could prevent envy from others if her crops grew well, and stop anyone from sneaking into her farm, for, after all, she was still considered an outsider by the villagers. If it weren¡¯t for Auntie Gao from the team leader¡¯s house taking her to work every day, she wouldn¡¯t have been able to integrate so quickly.


    When she was putting up the thorn fence, many people gossiped, but Luo Qiao explained that her plot was right by the road, with animals passing by from time to time. Moreover, since it was at the foot of the mountain, she also feared that wild animals would come down and ruin the crops.


    Hearing this, everyone felt it made sense, and eventually, no one condemned her for guarding against the villagers.


    In truth, they weren¡¯t wrong; she did put up the fence to keep the villagers out, haha!


    There were always a few idle hands and cheapskates in the village, and some children also occasionally messed around in others¡¯ private land. Anyway, it was always good to take some precautions.


    Better safe than sorry, and to avoid causing conflicts or legal disputes.


    Meanwhile, in Capital City, after a chaotic scene, Luo Jianing was taken into the emergency room. Soon, a nurse came out and called, ¡°Is Luo Jianing¡¯s family here?¡±


    Ning Xueling hurriedly said, ¡°Nurse, I¡¯m her mother. How is she doing?¡±


    The nurse said, ¡°She¡¯s currently in critical care. The patient has lost quite a lot of blood and needs a transfusion. Do the family members wish to donate blood or use blood from the hospital¡¯s blood bank?¡±


    Upon hearing that her daughter needed a blood transfusion, Ning Xueling trembled as she said, ¡°I¡¯m her mother; draw my blood, please.¡±


    The nurse said, ¡°Then please come with me. We need to test your blood type first.¡±


    Ning Xueling was now scared and anxious. Jianing had always had weak health since she was a child, often needing to go to the hospital three or four times a year. But today, she had been pushed down the stairs by Ning Lingyu from Big Brother¡¯s house. She blamed herself for not protecting her daughter well enough.

 Chapter 44 - 44 44 The Blood Types Dont Match

    ?Chapter 44: Chapter 44: The Blood Types Don¡¯t Match Chapter 44: Chapter 44: The Blood Types Don¡¯t Match The nurse came out soon after taking blood and said, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but your blood type doesn¡¯t match the patient¡¯s. You can¡¯t donate blood. Are there any other family members?¡±


    Ning Xueling was so frightened that she could barely stand and said, ¡°They¡¯re already on the way. What blood type is my daughter?¡±


    The nurse replied, ¡°The patient has AB type blood.¡±


    After hearing this, Ning Xueling said softly, ¡°How could it be AB type? Nurse, could there be a mistake?¡±


    The nurse carefully checked the form again and said, ¡°There¡¯s no mistake. The patient is AB type blood, and yours is A type.¡±


    As soon as the nurse¡¯s words came out, Ning Xueling¡¯s head nearly exploded, and she almost fainted. The nurse thought she was worried about her daughter and kindly said, ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry. We have a supply of AB type blood in our blood bank. I¡¯ll go get it right now.¡±


    After the nurse left, Ning Xueling didn¡¯t really hear what she said. She leaned against the wall and barely managed to return to the outside of the operating room.


    All she could think about was the AB blood type the nurse mentioned. How could this be possible? She was type A, her husband was type O; it was impossible for them to have a child with AB blood type. Where did things go wrong?


    Ning Xueling was so nervous her palms were sweating. She had always cared for the child herself; how could it not be her own child? And if it truly wasn¡¯t her daughter, where was her own daughter?


    The relationship with her mother-in-law had already been tense due to issues with the two sons, and now if her mother-in-law found out that the child she had been raising wasn¡¯t from the Luo family, she didn¡¯t want to think about it¡ªit would be horrible.


    But if she couldn¡¯t find the reason for this, it might not just be a simple matter that the child wasn¡¯t from the Luo family. She knew that if the child really had AB type blood, it definitely wasn¡¯t her daughter.


    However, the Luo family might not see it that way. She had indeed given birth to her daughter in the hospital, and if the Luo family implicated her, what would she do?


    No, she couldn¡¯t let anyone know about this until she had investigated it thoroughly.


    So she forced herself to remain calm, found a chair outside the operating room to sit down on, and began thinking about how to proceed with the investigation.


    With such a big issue at hand, she couldn¡¯t even talk to her family about it. She felt like her head was going to explode but felt slightly better after she pressed her temples with her hands.


    She stared at the door to the operating room, wondering how she¡¯d face Jia Ning in the future. Just then, Luo Haotian and her younger son Luo Siyuan hurried over.


    Luo Haotian asked anxiously, ¡°Xueling, what exactly happened? How did Jia Ning get injured?¡±


    Ning Xueling said, ¡°I¡¯m not exactly sure myself. Today, I took her to my parents¡¯ house. I¡¯m not clear about what exactly happened between Jia Ning and Ling Yu. When I came out, Jia Ning had already fallen down the stairs.¡±


    She didn¡¯t dare mention the sentence Jia Ning had said before she fainted, that it was Ling Yu who had pushed her. She was afraid Haotian would become hostile towards her family.


    The nurse, carrying the blood, saw that there were more people beside Ning Xueling and began to say, ¡°We¡¯ve taken the blood from the blood bank¡ª¡±


    Ning Xueling, fearing the nurse might say something she shouldn¡¯t, quickly said, ¡°Saving my daughter is the priority. Hurry and transfuse it to her.¡±


    The nurse saw that the family had no objections and hurried into the operating room. She had meant to say that once the blood had been taken from the bank, it couldn¡¯t be returned.


    Fortunately, the patient¡¯s family was understanding and didn¡¯t make things difficult for her.


    Ning Lingyu was still pretending to be pitiful in her bedroom. She genuinely hadn¡¯t expected Luo Jianing to be so reckless, willing to gamble with her own body and think of a scheme to frame someone for the sake of Qiu Shaoyang.

 Chapter 45 - 45 45 Injuries Justify the Means

    ?Chapter 45: Chapter 45: Injuries Justify the Means Chapter 45: Chapter 45: Injuries Justify the Means With her frail body, a fall might have sent her directly to the afterlife, yet now Aunt must think it was her who pushed that wretch. It¡¯s infuriating.


    Originally, the Qiu Family¡¯s remark years ago was just a jest; they never specified who the engagement was with. Yet she took it seriously, which would have been fine, but she always wants to step on her to curry favor with the Qiu Family.


    She¡¯s not that old yet, but it really seems like there¡¯s something wrong with her cousin¡¯s brain. Being around each other always ends in no good¡ªtruly maddening.


    But what to do now? Hiding doesn¡¯t suit Ning Lingyu¡¯s nature. Why feel guilty for something she didn¡¯t do? Her cousin¡¯s bleeding was her own doing. Getting hurt doesn¡¯t automatically make her right.


    Yes, that¡¯s it.


    Having made up her mind, she left the room, went downstairs, and first called her dad. As soon as the call connected, ¡°Dad, are you busy right now?¡±


    Ning Hongda, while looking at the documents in front of him, asked, ¡°What made you think of calling Dad? Is there something wrong?¡±


    Ning Lingyu then told him about Aunt and the cousin coming back, recounted every word of Luo Jianing starting trouble without missing a beat, and also insisted that she definitely didn¡¯t push anyone.


    After listening to his daughter, Ning Hongda knew she wouldn¡¯t lie. He always had trouble liking his sister¡¯s Jianing, feeling the child was too scheming.


    So he said, ¡°All right, since the incident has happened, go to your mother¡¯s and my bedroom drawer, take some more money, and send it over to the hospital. I¡¯ll head to the hospital right away too.


    You¡¯d better tell your mother as well, to prevent her from getting agitated by misinformation if she doesn¡¯t know what happened, and cause her to lose her temper. We¡¯ll meet at the hospital.¡±


    Ning Lingyu was scared to call her mom. With her mom¡¯s fiery temper, she¡¯d probably scold her first, and just the thought was frightening.


    But if she didn¡¯t tell her mom and let her find out something happened without being informed, her mom would be even angrier. Not to mention, her mom was currently pregnant with a seven-months¡¯ baby.


    If this caused any distress, she would truly become a sinner.


    Therefore, she directly called her third brother, Ning Lingyu, at his office and recapped the situation, asking him if he could possibly take leave to go to their mother¡¯s, to make sure she stayed calm and avoid further trouble.


    She took all the cash from the drawer and left the compound, heading for the nearest hospital. Her aunt must have taken that habitually deceptive Luo Jianing there.


    Just as she arrived at the hospital entrance, she saw Dad, sweaty-headed, arriving on his bicycle.


    Ning Lingyu said apologetically, ¡°Dad, I¡¯m sorry. Even though this really isn¡¯t my fault, I was the only one with Jianing on the second floor at the time. Jianing specifically told Aunt that I was the one who pushed her. I¡¯m afraid I might not be able to clear my name.¡±


    Ning Hongda reassured, ¡°Let¡¯s talk about this matter later. Now, let¡¯s go up and see Aunt and check how Jianing is doing?¡±


    Ning Lingyu nodded, following her father towards the hospital, and after asking at the front desk, they found the operating room.


    When they arrived, the patient hadn¡¯t been brought out yet. Ning Hongda approached his sister and brother-in-law, ¡°How is Jianing doing?¡±


    Ning Xueling had been crying the whole time, while Luo Haotian glanced at the door of the operating room: ¡°Siyuan and I just arrived too; we still don¡¯t know the specifics.¡±


    Luo Haotian looked toward his brother-in-law¡¯s niece, Ning Lingyu standing behind him, and asked, ¡°Ling Yu, what exactly happened? How did Jianing fall down the stairs?¡±


    Ning Lingyu recounted the incident again, this time not hiding anything, including the matter with Qiu Shaoyang.

 Chapter 46 - 46 46 Character Issue

    ?Chapter 46: Chapter 46 Character Issue Chapter 46: Chapter 46 Character Issue Ning Lingyu had always felt that speaking ill of the elders behind their backs in their presence was not proper, and Luo Jianing was especially good at pretending.


    But this time was different. If she did not speak up, Luo Jianing would be able to pin the blame on her for the pushing incident unjustly. Luo Jianing was adept at playing the victim, always pretending to be weak and vulnerable in front of others to garner sympathy.


    The expressions on the faces of those present darkened upon hearing Ning Lingyu¡¯s words. One reason was that Ning Lingyu was not known to lie, and everybody knew that she usually gave in to Jia Ning, which made it highly likely that this incident was true.


    Secondly, the matter with the Qiu Family was just a casual joke made in jest when everyone was together, as Ning Lingyu had said. It shouldn¡¯t be taken seriously, and Ning Lingyu was there at the time too. The Qiu Family had not indicated any arrangement of marriage with any particular family.


    More importantly, Luo Haotian felt that his daughter was only fifteen years old. Wasn¡¯t it too early to be considering these matters now?


    If what Ning Lingyu was saying was true, and such scheming means were being used to harm others now, then this would be a question of character, something Luo Haotian could not tolerate.


    Luo Haotian then turned towards his wife, whose eyes were reddened, and asked, ¡°When we arrived just now, why didn¡¯t you tell us about what Jia Ning had said before she fainted?¡±


    Ning Xueling lifted her head and replied, ¡°What do you mean by that? I wasn¡¯t at the scene either. I only came out from Mom¡¯s room when I heard their cries of alarm. By then, Jia Ning only said that Ling Yu pushed her before she fainted.


    I didn¡¯t know the details of what had happened. I wasn¡¯t sure if what she said was true. We should wait until she wakes up to clarify things. Of course, I didn¡¯t mention it because I was afraid it would cause a misunderstanding between the two families.¡±


    She was already troubled by the blood type issue, so she exploded at Luo Haotian¡¯s questioning.


    Luo Haotian thought she was just worried that her daughter was in a bad mood, so he didn¡¯t take her outburst to heart.


    Instead, he placed his hand on her shoulder and said, ¡°Xueling, you don¡¯t need to worry too much. Jia Ning will be fine. As for how she fell, we can ask her when she wakes up.¡±


    He had spent a few years as a reconnaissance soldier in the army and believed that if Jia Ning had lied, he would definitely be able to tell.


    He sighed and glanced at Ling Yu, and then thought of Qiu Shaoyang. Deep down, he still couldn¡¯t believe that his daughter would be dishonest.


    Ning Lingyu had seen her uncle¡¯s look and said something unexpected, ¡°Since nobody at home has gone, why don¡¯t we report this to the police? I trust that the police can find out the truth.


    After all, Jia Ning and I have conflicting statements right now. Uncle, you surely don¡¯t want to believe that Jia Ning lied, but I indeed do not want to bear this false accusation. I do not want to shame my father or have people in the neighborhood talking behind our backs.


    Therefore, I think it¡¯s best to let the police handle it, to be fair to all of us.¡±


    Luo Haotian did not expect his niece to be so sensitive and said, ¡°I don¡¯t distrust you, it¡¯s just hard to accept.¡±


    He could not accept that the daughter he had cherished for so many years could have such poor character. If things were as Lingyu described, how would he face Jia Ning in the future?


    Ning Lingyu continued, ¡°I still think it¡¯s better to report this to the police. I don¡¯t want to be wronged for no reason. I¡¯ve had enough of this since childhood.¡±


    With these words, the expressions of the elders grew even more troubled. Having to bring family issues to the attention of the police was not a matter to be proud of.


    Luo Siyuan approached Ning Lingyu and said, ¡°Lingyu, don¡¯t be like this. We don¡¯t blame you.¡±

 Chapter 47 - 47 47 Outbreak

    ?Chapter 47: Chapter 47 Outbreak Chapter 47: Chapter 47 Outbreak Ning Lingyu was somewhat angry as she spoke, ¡°You really are a family, aren¡¯t you? Yes, you don¡¯t blame me, and why would you? Luo Jianing has clearly been a lying expert since childhood.¡±


    These words made Luo Haotian and his wife Ning Xueling, and even Luo Siyuan, look even more displeased.


    Ning Hongda scolded, ¡°Lingyu, don¡¯t talk nonsense.¡±


    Ning Lingyu let out a laugh and continued, ¡°Jianing and I have never gotten along since we were little. You might not believe me if I say this, but many times I¡¯ve quietly suffered the consequences. It was clearly not my fault, yet as soon as she cried,


    you all thought I was bullying her, including the rumors in the courtyard. Our family¡¯s affairs¡ª who spread those rumors that were unfavorable to me? It wasn¡¯t a big deal when it was just minor squabbles, but now I can¡¯t keep my peace being accused of such a serious crime as harming someone.¡±


    After choking back a sob, she continued, ¡°That¡¯s why this matter must be reported to the police. I refuse to muddle through and take the blame again; her poor health is not my doing.


    All this time whether it was our parents, aunts, uncles, and even our elder brother and sisters, you¡¯ve always told me to give in to her. But when have you ever considered how I feel?


    Just because she is fragile, I have to compromise? Not this time. I absolutely refuse to agree, as this is a matter of personal character that could affect my future, even my whole life. I will not compromise.¡±


    Ning Hongda hadn¡¯t expected his daughter to say so much this time. Everyone always thought she was carefree and heartless, and they felt that Jianing, whose health had been poor since childhood, couldn¡¯t take any stress.


    So they really had been telling her since she was little to always be considerate of Jianing. She was the older sister, but now the three adults and Siyuan felt deeply ashamed.


    Indeed, everything about Jianing was not Lingyu¡¯s doing, yet they had demanded that she give in to Jianing for over a decade, leaving Luo Haotian and his wife feeling utterly mortified.


    At that moment, the door to the operating room opened, and the doctor came out. The group quickly gathered around.


    Luo Haotian and Ning Xueling both asked anxiously at the same time, ¡°Doctor, how is my daughter?¡±


    The doctor removed his mask and said, ¡°She¡¯s out of danger now and will be coming out soon. However, the wound on her forehead is quite deep and may leave a scar, but it shouldn¡¯t be too much of a problem.


    Of course, this has a lot to do with physical constitution and subsequent care. Also, you must be careful not to get her broken arm wet. As her parents, please pay close attention.¡±


    Just as the doctor finished instructing, a nurse wheeled Luo Jianing out. She had lost a lot of blood and her face was rather pale, which was distressingly pitiable to behold.


    For a moment, everyone¡¯s attention shifted to Luo Jianing, and they temporarily forgot about Ning Lingyu¡¯s previously spoken words.


    As Ning Lingyu had anticipated, once her third brother talked about the incident, their mother Zhang Yuehua¡¯s temper flared, but thankfully her brother¡¯s constant reassurances prevented their mother from storming the hospital to deal with the situation then and there.


    However, after hearing her son¡¯s words this time, Zhang Yuehua didn¡¯t think her own daughter would lie, but the nauseating incident had still occurred in her own home, which was undeniably irritating.


    That Jianing from her sister-in-law¡¯s family wasn¡¯t as harmless as she seemed. She always felt that the child wasn¡¯t genuine, a bit dark on the inside, somehow just not likable.


    Ever since Luo Qiao took care of the Zhao Family Sisters, life had been quite pleasant. After work, she busied herself in the small vegetable patch in the backyard, not letting a single spot beside the wall go to waste.


    She found some thick poles on the mountain to set up against the wall, planting lots of pumpkins, squash, bottle gourds, and loofah. Apart from a chicken coop in the corner, there was hardly any vacant space left in the backyard.


    These last few days, Lu Yichen had brought over a lot of firewood. Luo Qiao felt increasingly indebted, wondering what food she might cook to repay the favor.


    After all, one couldn¡¯t accept favors without giving something in return. It was like she was really asking for trouble¡ªsuch a nuisance!


    That day, finishing work early and with time to spare, she decided to take a walk up the mountain.


    By now, Luo Qiao had thoroughly adapted to village life. Just finish the assigned tasks, record the work points, and leaving early was not a problem.


    If anyone gossiped, the person in charge of work points would help her retort, ¡°If you finish early, you can leave early too. Are you dawdling because you want others to keep you company? You can¡¯t even compete with a teenager, yet you have the nerve to gossip.¡±

 Chapter 48 - 48 48 Spatial Well Water Attracts Fish

    ?Chapter 48: Chapter 48 Spatial Well Water Attracts Fish Chapter 48: Chapter 48 Spatial Well Water Attracts Fish After a few times, those looking for trouble dared not gossip anymore. Hard work was the undeniable truth. However, Luo Qiao kept her actions within reasonable limits, leaving about half an hour earlier, which was acceptable. Leaving any earlier would¡¯ve made her seem out of place with the rest.


    The village was not as strict as it had been in past years, and there were women who finished their tasks early, earning labor points before heading home. Therefore, Luo Qiao didn¡¯t stand out too much.


    Thanks to the Spatial Well Water and her daily exercises, and having been well-fed recently, her body was in good condition. But since she was still young, she needed to take it easy. After all, she only committed to seven labor points of work per day¡ªno more.


    She acted this way to let the villagers know she could support herself. Having a good reputation always made things more convenient.


    After returning her tools to the collective, she headed for Daqing Mountain with her basket on her back.


    Midway up the mountain, she gathered plenty of fresh shepherd¡¯s purse and circled around before hitting a wild chicken with a stone. It was a trip well worth her time.


    Seeing that it was getting late, she decided not to venture further in. Glancing at the depths of Daqing Mountain, she thought about when the collective would next have a day off. This way, she also saved herself the trouble of asking the captain for leave.


    Not far ahead, something stirred. Treading lightly, Luo Qiao approached and discovered two rabbits. She carefully set her basket down, but it still made a sound.


    The rabbits were very alert, so it took quite an effort for her to catch one. If she hadn¡¯t been so agile, she probably wouldn¡¯t have caught even that one¡ªturns out it was a female.


    After scanning the area and seeing no one around, she cautiously placed the rabbit into her basket before storing it in her space. Being careful was always best.


    Passing by a pool, Luo Qiao had a sudden idea to see if the Spatial Well Water could attract fish. If it worked, she could make some fish bait and have a legitimate reason to eat fish in the future.


    People in the village said that this pool had fish too, but they were cunning, even harder to catch than those in the big river. Luo Qiao thought that if she could catch a few, she might be able to put them in the pond in her space.


    After making sure no one was around, she dipped her hand in the pool, controlling a bit of Well Water to flow from her fingers, but the pool showed no reaction.


    It seemed the water from her space was not that miraculous after all, which left her slightly disappointed. Sighing, she prepared to stand up and head downhill back home.


    Just as she turned and bent to pick up her basket, she caught a shadow moving in the depths of the pool out of the corner of her eye. Luo Qiao watched for a moment before she realized her current posture.


    She quickly straightened up and turned back to the pool to find that the shadow was a school of fish. My God, this was terrifying. Anyone with a fear of dense patterns would have fainted on the spot.


    It took Luo Qiao a while to collect herself. She hurried to the edge of the pool and found a safe spot to attract the fish closer, making it easier to gather them into her space.


    Regardless if they were big or small fish, she was actually quite frightened at the thought of them biting her, for her hand was still in the water.


    She feared someone witnessing this unscientific sight, which could cause unnecessary trouble.


    So, she quickly transferred a batch of fish to the pond in her space. Luo Qiao then withdrew her hand, tossing a few fish onto the shore before preparing to stop.


    Indeed, she heard someone coming down the mountain, but she dared not call them over. The villagers had said the pool was very deep, and as she saw most of the fish starting to disperse, grabbing more would require getting into the water.

 Chapter 49 - 49 49 is going to be released

    ?Chapter 49: Chapter 49 is going to be released Chapter 49: Chapter 49 is going to be released Please forgive her slight self-centeredness; she was afraid that if she called someone over and they went into the pond to catch fish, causing something bad to happen, they might blame her.


    Therefore, she left two fish on the shore and stashed the rest in the kitchen space of her ¡°dimension,¡± quickly making her escape.


    The reason she didn¡¯t put the fish into the space¡¯s stream was that she didn¡¯t want to contaminate it. She wasn¡¯t sure if the stream water could purify itself, and if it couldn¡¯t, the water might get dirty over time.


    After all, there was that pond by the waterfall, which was spacious enough to raise some fish and shrimp.


    As Luo Qiao thought about the scene at the pond, she suddenly stopped in her tracks. Oh, she realized why the villagers had said it was hard to catch fish in the pond and that it was very deep, and nobody dared to go in lightly.


    It had taken quite a while after she dropped well water into it before the fish appeared, so there must be an underground river beneath the pond. Otherwise, it wouldn¡¯t be possible for so many fish to emerge so densely after a while when normally, one would only occasionally see fish swimming in the pond.


    After she stopped adding well water, the fish gradually dispersed, clearly no longer attracted without the well water, so they must have returned to the underground river.


    Wow, does that mean she had found a way to make money?


    If she could find a steady partnership to regularly supply fresh fish, heh heh, wow, she could make a fortune.


    With a plan in mind, she walked lightly down the mountain.


    As she descended the mountain, she saw Grandma Lin from the east side of the village picking up firewood at the foot of the mountain, but there weren¡¯t any good firewood left here, only twigs that wouldn¡¯t burn for long.


    Luo Qiao suddenly felt a pang of sadness in her heart. She sighed and approached, saying, ¡°Grandma Lin, are you gathering firewood?¡±


    Old Lady Lin, seeing it was the pretty young girl, asked, ¡°Whose daughter are you?¡±


    Luo Qiao replied with a smile, ¡°Grandma Lin, my name is Luo Qiao. I¡¯ve just settled in our brigade.¡±


    Old Lady Lin suddenly remembered something and said, ¡°You¡¯re the girl that the Zhao family disowned?¡±


    Luo Qiao said, ¡°Grandma Lin, I was never the Zhao family¡¯s daughter to begin with; it¡¯s only right that they don¡¯t acknowledge me.¡±


    Old Lady Lin said, ¡°Girl, look at me, an old woman who can¡¯t speak properly.¡±


    Luo Qiao said, ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡±


    Old Lady Lin said, ¡°Girl, I really want to thank you. A few days ago, the brigade leader and Accountant Sun came to my house with some grains, saying you had told them to deliver it. Sigh, the old man hasn¡¯t been feeling well these past few days and didn¡¯t have time to come by and give thanks.


    Really, thank you, girl. If not for those grains, we...¡±


    Old Lady Lin¡¯s eyes turned red, and she was too choked up to continue.


    Luo Qiao said, ¡°It¡¯s okay, Grandma Lin. That grain was a penalty for the Zhao family. They did something bad and using their things to do some good deeds is fine. So, you don¡¯t have to keep it on your mind.¡±


    Seeing the scant amount of firewood in the elderly woman¡¯s basket, Luo Qiao asked, ¡°Grandma Lin, how much firewood do you have left at home?¡±


    Old Lady Lin sighed and said, ¡°Not much left. I only came out to gather some because Grandpa Lin felt quite better today. It would be troublesome if it rained.¡±


    Luo Qiao thought of cutting more firewood in the next few days to bring to the elderly couple, feeling their plight was truly too hard.


    So she set down her basket and started helping to pick up firewood. Old Lady Lin, feeling embarrassed to accept help, quickly protested, ¡°Girl, please go ahead with your own matters, I can¡¯t delay you. I should gather a bit more and head back.¡±

 Chapter 50 - 50 50 I Dont Want to Owe Favors

    ?Chapter 50: Chapter 50 I Don¡¯t Want to Owe Favors Chapter 50: Chapter 50 I Don¡¯t Want to Owe Favors Luo Qiao didn¡¯t stop picking until her basket was almost full.


    Then she took out a fish, about two jins in weight, from her own basket and placed it into Grandma Lin¡¯s basket.


    She said softly, ¡°Grandma Lin, I caught this fish in the pond. Take it home and use it to nourish yourself and Grandpa Lin.¡±


    Old Lady Lin was startled and hastily objected, ¡°Girl, this won¡¯t do. The grain you¡¯ve given us already weighs heavily on our conscience. How can we accept your fish? It¡¯s true that there are fish in the pond, but they¡¯re not easy to catch.


    Girl, you should avoid that pond in the future. It¡¯s very deep. I remember my father-in-law saying that even a rope of fifty or sixty meters didn¡¯t reach the bottom. Please, girl, stay safe and steer clear of that place.¡±


    Luo Qiao replied, ¡°Grandma Lin, I didn¡¯t go into the water, I used a net. Please don¡¯t worry.¡±


    Without pausing her movements, she placed the fish at the bottom of the basket and then added more firewood on top, while Old Lady Lin fretted, clapping her hands anxiously.


    Luo Qiao continued, ¡°Grandma Lin, I have another fish in my basket. Please, don¡¯t be shy. It¡¯s getting late; you should head home.¡±


    Old Lady Lin, with mixed emotions, could only nod her head and prepared to leave. Luo Qiao, seeing the load of firewood on the old woman¡¯s back, couldn¡¯t bear it and said, ¡°Grandma Lin, wait here for me, please don¡¯t go anywhere.¡±


    She then quickly shouldered her own basket and hurried home. It wasn¡¯t far from the mountain to the Educated Youth spot, so the journey was short.


    Rushing to put the basket back in the yard and locking the door, she ran back to Old Lady Lin, lifted her basket of firewood onto her back, and said, ¡°Let¡¯s go, I¡¯ll help you take this home.¡±


    Old Lady Lin protested, ¡°Oh my, really, it¡¯s not necessary. I thought you had something urgent to attend to. I can carry it myself.¡±


    Luo Qiao insisted, ¡°It¡¯s no trouble, Grandma Lin. Let¡¯s go, or you¡¯ll be late for cooking dinner.¡±


    Seeing Luo Qiao¡¯s determination to help, Old Lady Lin could only accept and they headed towards her home together.


    Along the way, the old woman and the young girl chatted amiably. They encountered many villagers; some praised Luo Qiao for her good deed, others were critical, saying there was no benefit in trying to get on the good side of Old Lady Lin, accusing Luo Qiao of putting on a show for the village.


    These words didn¡¯t hurt Luo Qiao; if it weren¡¯t for seeing Grandma Lin so thin and frail, to the point a gust of wind could topple her, she might not have felt so compelled to help. After all, it was just lending a hand.


    Now wasn¡¯t the apocalypse, after all. One had to integrate into the community. Besides, when she first arrived at the Educated Youth spot, if not for the help of the brigade leader and his wife, she wouldn¡¯t have settled in so quickly.


    One must always look forward, look to the good and to the kind. And working in the fields, she had often heard the aunties talking about the Lin family¡¯s situation. Having encountered them, she couldn¡¯t just ignore their plight.


    After delivering the items to their home without lingering, she left. Luo Qiao didn¡¯t mention the offer to help them gather firewood in the mountains another day, not wanting to unsettle the old couple.


    The Old Couple of the Lin family were only in their sixties, but they looked to be over seventy. Helping them was the least she could do and for her, it wasn¡¯t a hassle.


    As for what others said, it didn¡¯t matter. After all, mouths belonged to others, and they were free to speak as they wished. It wouldn¡¯t cost her a piece of flesh.


    Back at home, Luo Qiao prepared the two fish, mainly because she feared that Lu Yichen wouldn¡¯t have enough to eat. After all, he had brought so much firewood. In truth, she would have preferred to tell him it wasn¡¯t necessary, convinced that she could handle it herself.


    But after mentioning it several times, Lu Yichen thought she didn¡¯t want to owe any favors, so she let him be. As a matter of courtesy, the only thing she could do was prepare some food to return the favor.

 Chapter 51 - 51 51 Someone is Looking for You Outside the

    ?Chapter 51: Chapter 51 Someone is Looking for You Outside the Gate Chapter 51: Chapter 51 Someone is Looking for You Outside the Gate There was a Sichuan pepper tree in the space, and Luo Qiao picked some leaves. She had prepared the cornmeal in advance, dividing it into two portions to let it rest, with one portion mixed with Sichuan pepper leaves, pepper powder, salt, and also two eggs.


    The eggs were from wild chickens she had caught in the mountains and placed in the space; they were enough to satisfy her cravings for now, and once the chicks she was raising started to lay eggs, she could eat them to her heart¡¯s content.


    Just thinking about it made her happy, and she couldn¡¯t help humming a song while cooking.


    She handled the fish, cut it into pieces, and marinated it; by the time it stewed, it would be perfect to eat with the pancakes. She had enjoyed this meal with her classmates at a farmhouse restaurant before, and the taste was truly great.


    Once she finished preparing the side ingredients and the fish was marinated enough, she started working on the pancake dough again after setting the fish to stew.


    She made one portion savory and the other plain. With a slap-slap-slap, the pancakes adhered to the pan, ready to be served hot from the stove.


    She removed a stick of wood from the stove to lower the flame, then she closed the main door and entered her space to take a bath. By the time she had finished cleaning up and serving the food, it was just ready to come off the stove.


    She served some into a porcelain basin and picked out a dozen pancakes to wrap in a steaming cloth, locking the door before heading to Lu Yichen¡¯s house.


    Lu Yichen had just gotten home not long ago. For the past few days, they had all been helping out at the commune, transporting various production materials back from the county. He was shaking dust from his jacket at the front door when he saw Luo Qiao approaching with the porcelain basin.


    As Luo Qiao got closer, she said, ¡°Brother Lu, I made some pancakes and brought you some to try. Now you don¡¯t have to bother to cook.¡±


    Lu Yichen said, ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you there¡¯s no need to send food over anymore? If I eat your cooking a few more times, I¡¯m afraid my stomach will get spoiled.¡±


    Luo Qiao laughed upon hearing that, ¡°You helped me with so much firewood the other day, Brother Lu, I can¡¯t just take it for nothing. This is a matter of give and take, and at least I can present food with some confidence.¡±


    After arranging everything, she said, ¡°Brother Lu, I made some stewed fish for you. Wash your hands and eat while it¡¯s hot; it won¡¯t taste good once it turns cold. I¡¯ll leave now.¡±


    Since she had already delivered the meal, it seemed pointless to make any fuss. However, watching Luo Qiao walk away, Lu Yichen suddenly smiled.


    He and this little girl had somewhat similar temperaments; neither wanted to take advantage of others for nothing. He chuckled and shook his head, well, since it was delivered, he might as well eat. Besides, the young girl hadn¡¯t lied¡ªthe food really was delicious and impressive.


    After washing his hands and just reaching the kitchen door, a delicious aroma hit his nose. The young girl might not be big, but her cooking skills were genuinely remarkable.


    Lu Yichen happily finished a whole basin of stewed fish, with only two pancakes left. He then comfortably belched.


    He had just finished tidying up the basin and bowls and was about to heat some water in the pot to fill his thermos when he heard someone knocking at the front door.


    The only people who visited him were the brigade leader, the secretary, and Luo Qiao a few times. He didn¡¯t have much interaction with the other villagers, mainly because he always had a cold expression that scared people.


    Moreover, since he hadn¡¯t been in the village for very long, the villagers were not very familiar with him, so it was quite a surprise to hear someone knocking.


    As he walked towards the door, Lu Yichen called out, ¡°Who¡¯s there?¡±


    He asked but heard no reply.


    Arriving at the front door to see a girl standing outside, Lu Yichen asked with a frown, ¡°Who are you?¡±


    The girl was fidgeting with the hem of her dress, looking somewhat embarrassed as she said, ¡°Brother Lu, my name is Gao Taohua, I¡¯m eighteen this year. I, uh, I wanted to ask, what do you think of me?¡±

 Chapter 52 - 52 52 I Have a Fiancée

    ?Chapter 52: Chapter 52 I Have a Fiance?e Chapter 52: Chapter 52 I Have a Fiance?e Lu Yichen¡¯s face darkened instantly as he said, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, miss, but you seem to have the wrong place; I¡¯m engaged.¡±


    Having said that, he was about to close the door.


    Gao Taohua became anxious and pushed the door open, pleading, ¡°Brother Lu, don¡¯t deceive people. If you had a fiance?e, you wouldn¡¯t come to our place. Besides, you¡¯re still limping now. I, as a female comrade, don¡¯t despise you; what¡¯s there for you to be unwilling about?¡±


    This only caused Lu Yichen¡¯s temper to flare up even more. He bit back the urge to kick her out and said instead, ¡°You have bad breath.¡±


    After hearing Lu Yichen¡¯s remark, Gao Taohua glared at him before covering her face and running away.


    After finishing her meal and cleaning up, Luo Qiao planned to bring a fish over to the brigade commander¡¯s house as a token of gratitude for their recent help. She happened to overhear Gao Taohua¡¯s conversation with Lu Yichen, which nearly caused her to choke with laughter.


    She snickered, her shoulders shaking, and waited for Lu Yichen to enter his yard before planning her exit to avoid the embarrassment of being caught eavesdropping by the people involved.


    While she was entertaining herself, she heard Lu Yichen say, ¡°How much longer do you plan to stand there?¡±


    Looking around, Luo Qiao saw no one else.


    Amused and frustrated, Lu Yichen said, ¡°I¡¯m talking to you; what are you looking around for?¡±


    Realizing that he might be referring to her, Luo Qiao looked down and saw her shadow on the ground. ¡°Oh no, I¡¯ve been discovered,¡± she thought sheepishly, and came out trying to appease him, saying, ¡°Um, Big Brother, I wasn¡¯t intentionally listening around the corner. I just happened to be passing by, honestly.¡± She even lifted her belongings to prove she wasn¡¯t lying.


    Lu Yichen couldn¡¯t be bothered to fuss over it and said, ¡°It¡¯s unsafe for a girl to be out alone late at night. Wherever you¡¯re going, let me take you there.¡±


    Luo Qiao hurriedly declined, ¡°No need, no need, I¡¯ll be right back, it¡¯s still early.¡± Then she swiftly ran off.


    She didn¡¯t want to risk any misunderstandings that could lead to further gossip, especially not if Gao Taohua decided to return. Why invite trouble?


    Lu Yichen was taken aback by her reaction; he shook his head at Luo Qiao¡¯s retreating figure and returned to the yard.


    Luo Qiao made her way to the brigade commander¡¯s home and called out at the gate, ¡°Auntie Gao, are you home?¡±


    The household had just finished dinner. Qiao Lianlian greeted Luo Qiao with a smile, ¡°Come in, what brings you here at this hour? Have you eaten?¡±


    Luo Qiao answered with a smile, ¡°I have, just came over after dinner.¡±


    As she walked inside, she greeted the brigade commander, ¡°Hello, Brigadier, sorry to disturb you during your meal.¡±


    Seeing two children seated beside, she greeted warmly, ¡°Hello there, kids.¡±


    Luo Qiao also greeted the brigade commander¡¯s son and daughter-in-law, who were at the table.


    The brigade commander asked, ¡°Is there something you need, Luo Qiao?¡±


    Luo Qiao lifted the item in her hand, ¡°Auntie Gao, please find a basin and fill it with water.¡±


    Everyone turned their gaze towards the bag Luo Qiao was holding, sensing something moving inside.


    Auntie Gao asked, ¡°What¡¯s that?¡±


    Luo Qiao began dragging her towards the water vat, explaining, ¡°It¡¯s fish; I caught it in the pond. I brought one for you to try. You won¡¯t be able to eat it today since it¡¯s still alive, so keep it in water, and tomorrow it will be a nice treat for everyone.¡±


    Upon hearing this, Auntie Gao stopped in her tracks, gripping Luo Qiao firmly, ¡°That won¡¯t do, my dear. You¡¯ve worked hard to get some food, and I can¡¯t accept it.¡±


    Luo Qiao pulled Auntie Gao back, insisting, ¡°Auntie, please don¡¯t forget all the things I¡¯ve borrowed from your house. If it wasn¡¯t for the help from the brigade and you, I wouldn¡¯t have known what to do.¡±

 Chapter 53 - 53 53 Sending Fish

    ?Chapter 53: Chapter 53 Sending Fish Chapter 53: Chapter 53 Sending Fish She paused for a moment and then said, ¡°These past months, it¡¯s been you, Auntie, leading me to work and looking out for me everywhere, which is why I¡¯ve been able to fit into our village so quickly.


    Moreover, you¡¯ve taught me so much. I just want to express my gratitude; please don¡¯t refuse it.¡±


    Auntie Gao looked at her husband, the brigade leader, who then said, ¡°Since it¡¯s the child¡¯s sincere gesture, we should accept it. Make sure you help her out more in the future.¡±


    Now that her husband had spoken, Auntie Gao still said, ¡°But don¡¯t do this again in the future. You¡¯ve finally got some nice things for yourself; use them to nourish your own body first. Look at how thin you are while just growing taller.¡±


    Luo Qiao smiled and said, ¡°I understand. Anyway, thank you for taking care of me during this time.¡±


    Auntie Gao replied, ¡°What¡¯s there to thank? Settling down in our village means you¡¯re one of us, a fellow villager¡ªit¡¯s only right, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    Thinking of something else, she added, ¡°Also, we aren¡¯t so formal here in the village; there¡¯s no need for such polite language. Why be so ceremonious with your auntie?


    Luo Qiao laughed and said, ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll take your advice. I won¡¯t be so formal with you anymore.¡±


    Auntie Gao heard Luo Qiao change her wording and laughed, ¡°That¡¯s more like it,¡± before bursting into hearty laughter.


    After fetching a basin of water, they finally put the fish in it. Fortunately, the basin was big enough; the fish weighed more than three pounds, drawing the whole family to gather around.


    The brigade leader¡¯s grandchildren, a boy and a girl, pointed at the fish in the basin and laughed, ¡°Fish, fish, big fish!¡±


    Auntie Gao hadn¡¯t expected the fish to be so big either and asked quickly, ¡°Luo Qiao, did you catch this fish at the pond?¡±


    Luo Qiao replied, ¡°I went up the mountain after work today and saw some fish in the pond, so I caught a few.¡± She then bent down to play with the two children.


    The brigade leader and his wife exchanged a look, and the brigade leader queried further, ¡°You went to that pond?¡±


    Luo Qiao responded, ¡°Yes, when I saw there were fish, I thought I¡¯d catch a few. Why, what¡¯s the matter?¡±


    The brigade leader said, ¡°Don¡¯t go there alone in the future. That pond might not look big, but it¡¯s deep, and there were people who drowned there a few years ago trying to catch fish.


    Villagers don¡¯t let the children play near that pond, and I regret I didn¡¯t think to warn you. Be careful not to go there to catch fish again.¡±


    Luo Qiao said, ¡°Oh, I see. Okay, I¡¯ll bear that in mind. Thank you for the warning, brigade leader.¡±


    But not going was out of the question; she still needed to earn money from the fish in that pond. Nevertheless, it wouldn¡¯t do to disregard the well-intentioned advice.


    Luo Qiao didn¡¯t linger much longer, saying a few words before saying goodbye and leaving. Auntie Gao had wanted to accompany her but was declined by Luo Qiao.


    It was only after Luo Qiao had made her way back to the Educated Youth Spot and entered through the big gates that the figure following behind her departed.


    Once home, she tidied up quickly and entered the space, heading straight for the pond by the waterfall at the valley.


    Seeing the fish in the pond, she smiled contentedly. She really didn¡¯t know what species they were, though they were all black and not snakeheads, with few bones and delicious flesh.


    She planned to look for shrimp, crabs, and other fish fry to put in the pond later on, which would enrich it greatly.


    She had only recently figured out some workings of this space. The letter in the study hadn¡¯t contained all the details. Inside the space, she could perform all operations with just her thoughts, saving a lot of trouble.


    Using her thoughts, she harvested all the ripe fruits in the valley and stored them. She had previously tried in the space to hasten growth with her Special Ability, but unfortunately, it failed. The Wood-Based Special Ability didn¡¯t seem to affect the plants within the space, likely because there was some restriction in place.

 Chapter 54 - 54 54 Thank-You Gift

    ?Chapter 54: Chapter 54 Thank-You Gift Chapter 54: Chapter 54 Thank-You Gift Having practiced a set of boxing in front of the Bamboo Building, Luo Qiao also spent half an hour doing yoga in her room before she bathed in the downstream creek, arranged her hair, and began practicing embroidery, in which she had recently made some progress.


    The next day, after Luo Qiao left the Spatial Warehouse, she heard the soft, pattering rain outside the house; on such a day, there was no need to go out to work.


    So Luo Qiao decided to take advantage of the free time to make some snacks, as she had previously mentioned wanting to give something to Lu Yichen¡¯s comrade at the Bureau of Education to show her appreciation.


    After a simple breakfast, she decided to make some small twisted doughnuts with flavors of green onion, pepper and salt, and another batch that was sweet, promptly getting to work.


    It was raining, so she did not open the main gate but went straight into the Spatial Warehouse. After bmaking the dough, she let it rest.


    After walking around the mountain in the Spatial Warehouse, she noticed the rabbits were breeding really fast. She picked some Sichuan pepper leaves before heading back to the kitchen.


    She kept busy for the whole morning in the Spatial Warehouse, making three small basins of twisted doughnuts. Thinking of the rabbits on the mountain, she took down two of the larger ones and made them into spicy dried rabbit meat. Looking at her achievements, she was indeed pleased.


    She hadn¡¯t taken the time to have a proper lunch, the smell of cooking oil filling the air all day had robbed her of any appetite, so she just boiled a pot of red bean porridge and made a few appetizing small dishes.


    After eating, she divided her work, retaining a portion for herself, and dividing the rest into two parts¡ªone for Lu Yichen and the other for his colleague at the Bureau of Education. It wasn¡¯t much, but it was a token of her sentiment.


    After all, if it weren¡¯t for them, she wouldn¡¯t have been able to sort out her schooling issue so quickly.


    After cleaning up the kitchen and spending some time reviewing her high school textbooks, Luo Qiao finally left the Spatial Warehouse. Looking at the courtyard, it seemed it had rained the entire day; the sky had already begun to darken.


    Luo Qiao went into the kitchen to boil a pot of water. A day without smoke from the chimney wouldn¡¯t do; someone might just start talking, and that would be trouble enough. Villagers lacked other forms of entertainment and spent their days minding other people¡¯s business.


    In the village, if your chimney didn¡¯t smoke, it was a problem, and smoking too much was also a problem¡ªthere were always those busybodies with nothing better to do meddling around.


    Once the water was boiled, Luo Qiao first filled the hot water flask and then poured the rest into a large basin, which she stored in the Spatial Warehouse to use for a bath after her exercises.


    Luckily Luo Qiao had boiled a pot of water, because indeed someone had been watching her house¡ªthat was Li Xiulan¡¯s family living south of the bridge. Li Xiulan had noticed at noon that there was no smoke coming from Luo Qiao¡¯s chimney.


    She joked with her daughter Gao Taohua, ¡°It seems that the orphan girl from the Educated Youth¡¯s home is having a hard time, not daring to even cook at home on a day off from work, bragging she can fend for herself, hmph!¡±


    Feng Xiaojuan, her elder daughter-in-law, responded, ¡°Luo Qiao gets seven work points almost every day now. Even if times are tough, it will only be for this half of the year. By the time of the autumn harvest she¡¯ll be living the good life.¡±


    Initially, Li Xiulan was displeased at her daughter-in-law¡¯s rebuttal, but after pondering, she had to admit that the point was valid. Times were hard now, yet with mountain greens available, as long as one was diligent, starvation wasn¡¯t a threat.


    That girl gets seven work points a day, just one less than what the women get, and by autumn, she would indeed earn a fair share of grain. Suddenly, an idea popped into her head.


    So, come dinnertime, she paid extra attention to Luo Qiao¡¯s chimney, only regretting that her view was limited to just the chimney from her distance, and she couldn¡¯t see anything else.


    After dinner, back inside her house, she spoke to her husband Gao Shunyi, ¡°Dad, about our second son... ah no, he¡¯s a bit too old for it. It¡¯s our youngest son who would be suitable.¡±

 Chapter 55 - 55 55 Being Watched

    ?Chapter 55: Chapter 55 Being Watched Chapter 55: Chapter 55 Being Watched Gao Shunyi glanced at his wife, her words seemingly without head or tail, some nonsense. He didn¡¯t respond but reached for his tobacco pipe, ready to indulge in a post-meal smoke, which was like tasting the clouds and mist, akin to a fairy¡¯s delight.


    Li Xiulan, slightly displeased, smacked Gao Shunyi¡¯s arm with a slap. ¡°I¡¯m talking serious business here, and you start puffing on your poisonous concoction again?¡±


    Tobacco scattered all over the bed, Gao Shunyi said a bit angrily, ¡°If you want to talk, just talk. Why hit me? Look at this mess of tobacco now.¡±


    Li Xiulan said, ¡°You don¡¯t do any proper work all day, just know how to puff, puff that suffocating dry tobacco.¡±


    While tidying up, Gao Shunyi responded, ¡°I¡¯d like to smoke Daqianmen or Golden Leaf instead, if only you¡¯d get it for me.¡±


    Once Gao Shunyi had cleaned up, Li Xiulan continued, ¡°What do you think about setting up Luo Qiao with our youngest son?¡±


    Gao Shunyi paused in his movements, ¡°Would that young girl be willing? I fear not, don¡¯t dream about it.¡±


    Though he said this, Gao Shunyi, while puffing on his pipe, pondered the possibility of this matter.


    Luo Qiao was an outsider, and with a bit of effort, it might not be impossible. An orphan girl is easier to control than the eldest daughter-in-law who cries and runs back to her parents¡¯ home at the drop of a hat, such a nuisance.


    Li Xiulan snorted, ¡°She¡¯s an orphan girl. What kind of good family is she hoping to find? If she gets engaged to our youngest son, we¡¯ll be able to help her.¡±


    ¡°If it weren¡¯t for her earning seven work points a day, do you think I¡¯d consider her? Besides, our youngest son is a bit short, but Luo Qiao is tall even though thin. The grandchildren they¡¯ll have might compensate for that.¡±


    Gao Shunyi gave his wife a cool look, ¡°What nonsense are you spurting? Our youngest son is only sixteen; he can still grow. Others may say that, but for you, his mother, to go along with it is wrong. What if the boy hears and feels bad?¡±


    Li Xiulan said, ¡°Aren¡¯t I just discussing it with you in private? Am I not considering our youngest son?¡±


    This time, Gao Shunyi didn¡¯t respond; after all, if it worked out, it would be a good thing, and if not, there was no loss. If it really did happen, they might even save on the dowry¡ªa fortunate matter indeed.


    The following day, although the rain had stopped, the fields were too wet to work, so Luo Qiao decided to go to the city and use her sewing machine voucher. For convenience¡¯s sake in the future, she decided to buy one to keep in her space.


    With the money from selling ginseng, she had intended to buy the house first, but upon reflection, buying it now might draw too much attention, possibly bringing unnecessary trouble.


    It was better to quietly make money first. Besides, if she left for college in three years, she doubted she¡¯d come back, and even if she did, the stay wouldn¡¯t be long.


    After breakfast, she took the two portions of snacks she had packed the day before, locked the front door, and walked outside. Reaching Lu Yichen¡¯s house, she heard movement in the yard, only then did she knock.


    Lu Yichen opened the door to see Luo Qiao, ¡°So early, is there something you need?¡±


    Luo Qiao handed over the items, ¡°These are the snacks I prepared yesterday. It¡¯s not much, but consider it a small token of my appreciation. When you have time, could you pass them on to your comrade for me and thank him?


    The other portion is for you, have a taste of my cooking skills. Oh, right, these snacks can last a few days, so there¡¯s no rush; just bring them when it¡¯s convenient.¡±


    Lu Yi looked at the items handed over, feeling a bit awkward. His relationship with his comrade was good and didn¡¯t warrant special favors. Yet the girl had brought them all this way.

 Chapter 56 - 56 56 Writing a Letter of Introduction to the

    ?Chapter 56: Chapter 56: Writing a Letter of Introduction to the City Chapter 56: Chapter 56: Writing a Letter of Introduction to the City It¡¯s nevertheless a token of appreciation from someone, knowing this girl doesn¡¯t like being indebted to others, and I¡¯ve got a piece myself, but right now, she¡¯s still living a hard life.


    So I said, ¡°Let¡¯s forget about mine, I¡¯ve already had your food before, accepting more gifts would be inappropriate. I¡¯ll accept this on behalf of my comrade though. It just so happens that I need to go to the county today to haul goods for the commune and the Supply and Marketing Cooperative general store, so I can get this taken care of.¡±


    Luo Qiao said, ¡°The stuff isn¡¯t much, let¡¯s not fuss over it. It wouldn¡¯t be right to make something nice and skip you, only giving it to your comrade. Don¡¯t worry, I have enough food. I dug up some herbs in the mountains earlier and exchanged them for some money.¡±


    With that said, Lu Yichen had no choice but to thank Luo Qiao.


    Just now, having heard Lu Yichen was going to the county to haul goods, she asked, ¡°When are you leaving?¡±


    Lu Yichen replied, ¡°Soon. Why, is there something up?¡±


    Luo Qiao nodded and said, ¡°I¡¯ll ride on your tractor to the commune in a little while, saves me walking.¡±


    She didn¡¯t mention going to the city, the fewer people knew about it, the better. She didn¡¯t want the whole village to know that today¡¯s trip to the city was not just to buy a sewing machine, but also to see if there was a place to sell fish.


    I need to earn some money for peace of mind. Although the space has quite a few valuable items, they are too expensive; it would be too troublesome if someone with ill intent noticed a fifteen or sixteen-year-old carrying such valuable items.


    Those things were not just worth three or five hundred, but fetching one out would probably be worth tens of thousands. Unless absolutely necessary, it really wouldn¡¯t be wise to touch those items. It¡¯s better to proceed cautiously and steadily.


    Lu Yichen couldn¡¯t probe further and just said, ¡°Okay, wait for me by the riverbank.¡±


    Luo Qiao, with her basket on her back, said, ¡°I¡¯m going to the brigade leader¡¯s place. If you go there and I¡¯m not yet there, just wait a moment for me.¡±


    Lu Yichen nodded his head.


    Only then did Luo Qiao turn around and head towards the brigade leader¡¯s house.


    Coincidentally, as she crossed the river, she saw the brigade leader heading to the brigade office. Luo Qiao hurried after him and entered the office almost at the same time as he did.


    Gao Jiefang, hearing someone come in behind him, turned and saw it was Luo Qiao, ¡°So early, what¡¯s the matter?¡±


    Luo Qiao said, ¡°Brigade leader, it¡¯s like this, I can¡¯t work today and it¡¯s been some time since I came to the village, I¡¯d like to go back to the city, I left in a hurry and didn¡¯t say goodbye to a friend who returned to Ji City with me.


    Now that I¡¯m settled here in Qingshan Village, I was thinking of going back once more. It just so happens that I need to bring some things back and would like to ask the brigade leader for an introduction letter.


    Mainly because I¡¯m worried I won¡¯t be able to return tonight, and if I need to stay overnight, without an introduction letter, I wouldn¡¯t be able to find accommodation just in case.¡±


    Gao Jiefang frowned and said, ¡°Luo Qiao, ah, that, uncle wants to say, although our commune is close to the city, can you, a young girl, make it alone? Also, don¡¯t blow all the money you made from selling medicinal herbs.¡±


    Luo Qiao knew the brigade leader meant well for her; one concern was that it was unsafe for a young girl to travel alone, and another was that he feared she might spend all her saved money and struggle in the future.


    She smiled and said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, uncle, I understand your kindness, but I really must make this trip. There are some things I¡¯ve left at someone else¡¯s house that I need to take back.¡±


    Worried the brigade leader might not believe her, she went on, ¡°It¡¯s like this, the grandparents who taught me at the farm left some things for me when they went back to the city. I was afraid my brothers and sisters at home would take them.¡±


    So, those grandparents let me bring some things back to the Luo Family, and the rest were kept at someone else¡¯s place¡ªwho just so happened to return to the city before the New Year, like us, and their home is also in Ji City.¡±

 Chapter 57 - 57 57 Dont Want to Be Too High-Profile

    ?Chapter 57: Chapter 57 Don¡¯t Want to Be Too High-Profile Chapter 57: Chapter 57 Don¡¯t Want to Be Too High-Profile Luo Qiao sighed and continued, ¡°But because the place we moved to back in the city was small, without a separate room to sleep in, I never went to fetch them.


    It¡¯s not anything particularly valuable anyway. There are two sets of bedding and a few pieces of fabric, just a small token of their kindness.


    Ah, it¡¯s probably for the best that we lived in such a small place and I didn¡¯t go to get them; otherwise, I¡¯m afraid I wouldn¡¯t have been able to keep those things safe.¡±


    Seeing Luo Qiao somewhat forlorn, someone said, ¡°Look to the future, things will get better.¡±


    With that, they entered the house to prepare a letter of introduction for Luo Qiao.


    Luo Qiao wasn¡¯t making this up, the elders had indeed left behind the items they couldn¡¯t take with them, and although the bedding wasn¡¯t new, it was much better than what the Luo family had.


    At that time, it was because of Grandpa Yuan¡¯s son, who had helped from behind the scenes, that the Luo family¡¯s exoneration had proceeded so smoothly. Therefore, Grandpa Yuan knew that it wouldn¡¯t be long before the Luo family would return to the city.


    They knew exactly what kind of life the original body led daily, which is why Grandpa Yuan took extra care and had two of the better sets of his and Grandma Yang¡¯s bedding put away at the Yao family¡¯s home, who were comparatively honest and kind.


    The bedding did indeed contain two pieces of fabric as well, but she didn¡¯t plan on bringing everything back with her as the Yao family was also struggling, and they had helped her a lot on the farm.


    There was no shortage of bedding in the space; there were plenty of brand-new sets stored in the bedroom¡¯s wardrobe. Right now, she was using new bedding from the space, while the bedding from the brigade leader¡¯s place was just for show on the large kang bed.


    Back then, the grandpas and grandmas had indeed wanted to leave some money for the original body, who had refused to accept it for a simple reason: being unwelcomed at the Luo family, she feared that if the money was discovered, it could lead to trouble.


    However, on this trip to the city, it would be a good chance to seal and send letters to both families. After returning to Ji City before New Year¡¯s, the original body had no money to send letters, and before finding a solution after the holiday, she was sent back to Qingshan Village.


    Unfortunately, the original body¡¯s mental state was affected, coupled with malnutrition, and during a sudden fight between the Zhao and Luo families, she lost her life after being pushed around.


    The brigade leader quickly finished writing the letter of introduction and told her to be careful, to finish her business in the city and return to the village early.


    Luo Qiao said to the brigade leader, ¡°Uncle Chief, please don¡¯t tell anyone about my trip to the city. I don¡¯t want to attract too much attention and cause further trouble.¡±


    Gao Jiefang instantly understood, nodded, and said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I am not one of those gossips in the village.¡±


    After thanking Gao Jiefang, Luo Qiao dashed towards the tractor shed. That was considered a valuable asset in the village, so they built a special mud-brick room for it. Whenever it wasn¡¯t working, it would be parked inside, like a garage in future times, though now it was called the tractor shed in the village.


    When she arrived, there were already a few women seated atop it with several more climbing up. Everyone was taking advantage of the day when they couldn¡¯t work the fields to handle their own affairs, knowing they would need to earn work points as soon as they were able to start working again.


    Lu Yichen, seeing that everyone was aboard, reminded them to sit tight. Just as he started the tractor, he heard someone shouting from behind, ¡°Wait up, wait up, ah, I¡¯m dead tired.¡±


    Without looking, one could tell who it was; Li Xiulan caught her breath and upon seeing Luo Qiao also in the tractor, her face brightened. She yelled at Gao Taohua who was following behind, ¡°Can¡¯t you walk any faster? Are you growing maggots back there?¡±


    Luo Qiao felt nauseated upon hearing this.


    So, she moved to the empty seat inside and had just settled down when she heard Li Xiulan say, ¡°Hey Luo Qiao, give your auntie a hand here.¡±

 Chapter 58 - 58 58 Turning Someone Away Midway

    ?Chapter 58: Chapter 58 Turning Someone Away Midway Chapter 58: Chapter 58 Turning Someone Away Midway Luo Qiao thought to herself, is this damn woman crazy? There were still so many people outside waiting for her to ferry across, she turned and said, ¡°Auntie, you¡¯d better find someone else. If you drag me down again, that wouldn¡¯t be good.¡±


    Upon hearing this, everyone burst into laughter. A woman chuckled, ¡°Li Xiulan, you¡¯re really funny, expecting Luo Qiao, who hardly has two ounces of flesh on her, to pull you with your tonnage, that¡¯s hilarious.¡±


    Li Xiulan¡¯s face darkened at the woman¡¯s words, ¡°Can¡¯t you speak properly? She¡¯s just helping out, what¡¯s the big deal with her moving a little, she¡¯s so young?¡±


    Ding Caifeng, the daughter-in-law of Accountant Sun who had a beef with Li Xiulan, said, ¡°Aren¡¯t you bullying her? What has Luo Qiao done to you? With so many people on the bus, you pick on her specifically.¡±


    Li Xiulan, who already didn¡¯t get along with Ding Caifeng, heard these words, thinking that Ding was trying to ruin her good deeds, right?


    Just as she was about to start cursing, she heard Lu Yichen say, ¡°Are you getting on or not? If not, then we¡¯re leaving. If we¡¯re late for the delivery, are you going to take responsibility?¡±


    He then stepped hard on the accelerator, and after the vehicle sputtered a few times, emitting a puff of black smoke, the sound of shifting gears followed. This frightened Li Xiulan so much that she no longer needed help to get on.


    Although clumsy, she managed to climb aboard. As for Gao Taohua, who was still walking leisurely behind, Lu Yichen shouted, ¡°Sit tight.¡±


    With that, the vehicle started moving forward. Gao Taohua had just reached the bridge when she saw the vehicle begin to move. In a panic, she stopped dawdling and ran to chase the tractor, but Lu Yichen completely ignored her, shifting gears and speeding away.


    Panicked, Li Xiulan began to shout and holler. When she saw that Lu Yichen wasn¡¯t taking her seriously, she started to curse him, calling him a cripple, a heartless bastard, saying he must have gone deaf at such a young age.


    The vehicle suddenly stopped, and Lu Yichen¡¯s stern voice commanded, ¡°Get off.¡±


    By this time, they had already traveled two li. Li Xiulan became frantic, ¡°Why should I get off?¡±


    Lu Yichen replied, ¡°Don¡¯t make me repeat myself. If this delays the commune¡¯s business, I¡¯ll report it as it is. We¡¯ll see if the Gao Family can afford the consequences.¡±


    Seeing the stern look on Lu Yichen¡¯s face, Li Xiulan realized she would be in trouble if she refused to disembark, fearing that this ¡®dead cripple¡¯ might actually report her.


    Thinking about how her family was not well-off to begin with, and how Gao Shunyi would probably give her a serious talking-to for causing trouble outside just for the sake of saving face,


    she had no choice but to dejectedly get off the vehicle, still cussing, ¡°You damn cripple, serves you right to be lame for life and remain a bachelor forever.¡±


    This earned her nothing but disdain from everyone on board, but at this time, no one was eager to provoke her, just in case she went crazy.


    Without Li Xiulan¡¯s noisy complaints, there was harmony among the passengers.


    Soon they arrived at the commune. The tractor stopped at the junction outside the commune, leading to the county town and the city.


    Luo Qiao, along with everyone else, got off the tractor and nodded at Lu Yichen before stepping back to the side of the road.


    The village women were all chatting and laughing as they walked towards the commune. No one seemed to pay any attention to Luo Qiao¡¯s movements. Seeing that no one was watching her, she positioned herself on the side of the road that led to the city, waiting for the bus.


    She had inquired before when she used to go to work; the buses to the city ran two round trips a day. She estimated that one should be arriving soon.


    There were a few people waiting for the bus nearby, the fare being twenty cents. Luo Qiao had prepared the exact change in advance.


    She didn¡¯t have to wait long before the bus arrived. The ticket seller yelled through the window, ¡°Anyone going to the city? It¡¯s time to move out. Are there any more passengers?¡±


    Luo Qiao boarded the bus and found a place to sit. The bus had come from the county town and would pass through the military family district up ahead. The bus was quite crowded.

 Chapter 59 - 59 59 Argument

    ?Chapter 59: Chapter 59 Argument Chapter 59: Chapter 59 Argument The conductor saw that everyone was onboard and announced, ¡°Fellow passengers who have just boarded, please make sure to buy your tickets.¡±


    Once everyone had purchased their tickets, the conductor shouted, ¡°The road is not in the best condition, so please hold on tight, make yourselves comfortable, and take care to protect any fragile items.¡±


    The route to the city was still a dirt road; with dust flying outside, no one dared to open the windows. Moreover, occasional stretches were full of potholes, so the vehicle inevitably jolted.


    Two women sitting side by side in the front started arguing because they bumped into each other during the bumpy ride.


    ¡°Why did you bump into me? Look, you¡¯ve cracked all my eggs.¡±


    ¡°Is it my fault that the bus is bouncing around?¡±


    ¡°But it was your bump that broke my eggs, and I don¡¯t care, you have to compensate me. Otherwise, what will I bring to my aunt in the city?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s none of my business. It¡¯s your aunt, not mine.¡±


    ¡°How can you be so unreasonable?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve already told you, I only bumped your eggs because the bus jolted, and I couldn¡¯t sit steady. Go blame the driver if you want; he¡¯s the one who didn¡¯t drive well.¡±


    Everyone in the bus was exasperated!


    The conductor chimed in, ¡°Blaming the driver for this? Aunty, you really are something. If everyone acted like you, our drivers might as well not work at all, and you might as well not take the bus at all.


    This bus is a public vehicle; it¡¯s an old pal of our drivers, who cherish it dearly. They drive back and forth between the county town and the city every day, so they know the road like the back of their hand.


    The stretch we just went through was full of potholes. If you can drive through it without a single bump and break someone¡¯s eggs, apologies should come before talking about compensation. Look at you, you even expect the driver to pay for your damage.¡±


    After being rebuked by the conductor, the woman quieted down but pretended to be a quail, closing her eyes and pretending to sleep, while someone on the bus simply couldn¡¯t stand it any longer.


    A woman sitting next to her said, ¡°Young lady, what you¡¯re doing isn¡¯t right. This problem isn¡¯t resolved yet, and your attitude is definitely problematic. Which village are you from?¡±


    The woman who tried to solve the problem by pretending to sleep couldn¡¯t keep up the act and hurriedly admitted, ¡°I was wrong since I did knock into her eggs, but it was really because the bus jolted that I couldn¡¯t keep my balance.¡±


    The conductor asked, ¡°Big sister, how many of your eggs are broken?¡±


    The woman replied, ¡°Six of them are broken. My aunt is in the hospital, and my mother asked me to bring these eggs to the city to help her recover. There weren¡¯t many to begin with, and now six are gone. How am I supposed to explain this?¡±


    With that, she burst into tears.


    The people on the bus looked at the complainer, who probably felt she was in the wrong. She took out three copper coins and threw them onto the lap of the aggrieved woman.


    With a gruff voice, she said, ¡°Stop crying, as if I¡¯ve bullied you or something. It¡¯s just six eggs, I¡¯m compensating you, isn¡¯t that enough? What a stroke of bad luck.¡±


    The woman accepted the money and stopped crying, and the other passengers turned away, no longer involving themselves.


    Luo Qiao thought that as life got better, incidents like the one today would no longer happen. After all, poverty was the cause of such misfortunes, and right now, eggs were still a valuable commodity.


    The bus arrived in the city at precisely eight in the morning. The conductor reminded everyone that the return trip would be at half past twelve noon, and if anyone missed it, there would be another bus at five in the afternoon. He emphasized the importance of remembering this for those planning to return.


    The original host didn¡¯t have many memories of this place, having been sent with the Luo family to the countryside shortly after birth, and only staying in Ji City for a short period before being relocated back to Qingshan Village after being rehabilitated.


    Indeed, Luo Qiao in the book really never experienced a single good day in her life. She was switched at birth, and aside from the late Grandma Luo, no one in the Luo family genuinely cared for her, and she spent her last days worried about the original host.

 Chapter 60 - 60 60 The Life of the Original Protagonist in

    ?Chapter 60: Chapter 60 The Life of the Original Protagonist in the Book Chapter 60: Chapter 60 The Life of the Original Protagonist in the Book In the book, Luo Qiao, under the intervention of the brigade¡¯s cadres, was acknowledged by the Zhao Family. However, her days became even more difficult, with Gao Suhua frequently beating and scolding the original owner, who couldn¡¯t even manage to eat a full meal every day.


    Among the Zhao Family daughters, aside from the fourth daughter, Zhao Xiaohua, who was somewhat kind to her, none of them treated her well. She became the one in the family who ate the least, woke the earliest, and worked the most.


    Other than cooking, which was not her responsibility, she took care of all other household chores and still couldn¡¯t neglect earning work points in the fields. Although Zhao Pulin treated her fairly well, never beating or scolding her, and would even stand up to protect her when his wife and daughters went too far.


    In the end, he gave her up in the face of profit, marrying her off to Fool Er for an eight-hundred-yuan bridal price. All she took to her husband¡¯s home were two sets of ragged clothes, and the Zhao Family Sisters would still visit from time to time to ask for things, making her in-laws dislike her even more.


    Half a year after she entered the household, Fool Er, with his mother¡¯s indulgence, beat the original owner. Once the beating began, it happened again, and there would always be a few days in a month when her body bore bruises. Although the original owner had learned some martial arts at the farm, her nature was too timid.


    When she reached middle age, Fool Er accidentally drowned. Both her in-laws and her own family wanted to scheme to have her remarried, and that¡¯s when she bravely stole her household registration book and ID card for the first time and escaped.


    With not much money on her, not knowing how many jobs she changed, she drifted outside for over a decade before she unexpectedly encountered relatives from her biological mother¡¯s side. Later, without her knowledge, that person had a DNA test done and came to her door, revealing her identity.


    But she was already approaching old age¡ªwhat was the use of knowing all this now? Later, by chance, she overheard the Zhao Family daughter who had taken her place in life making a phone call and learned that she had long known she was not Luo Qiao¡¯s daughter.


    Furthermore, she later interacted with the Zhao Family as relatives but kept it from outsiders. Even the biological parents on the original owner¡¯s side did not know, thinking it a coincidental kinship.


    The original owner¡¯s family members didn¡¯t care much until a cousin stayed at the hotel where she worked and remarked that she looked too much like his deceased grandmother. After several more chance encounters...


    ...the cousin impulsively had her hair tested and privately confirmed their blood relation through DNA. Only then did he begin to hire a private investigator to look into the past events.


    Well, in that book, the original owner¡¯s life was just a tragedy. The only one who had truly been good to her was Grandma Luo, who had raised her.


    Therefore, Luo Qiao decided that when she had the time, she would definitely make a trip back to the farm to visit Grandma Luo¡¯s grave, burn some paper money, and let her rest in peace.


    All along the way, the city was indeed much more prosperous than the commune. She first found a secluded spot to enter her space and changed into an outfit she had prepared earlier, the fabric taken from the warehouse.


    She didn¡¯t make it too extravagant because she didn¡¯t want to attract too much attention. The parts of the clothes covering her hips were made more fitted, and the trouser legs were straight cut, not too different from what most people were wearing at the time if you didn¡¯t look closely.


    The shirt was a small one that was slightly nipped at the waist. When she put it on, she looked quite spirited. You have to dress decently when you go to a department store to buy a sewing machine, or they might not pay attention to you. Worse, you could end up with a few scornful comments¡ªwhy bother with that?


    After leaving the space, she went straight to a department store in the city. She had already scouted the location, finding a blind spot in the alley behind the department store. She planned to have someone help her move and store the goods there later on.


    She wasn¡¯t lacking anything else at the moment. It was still the era of ration coupons, and money couldn¡¯t buy you everything without the tickets, so she just briefly browsed around without much interest.

 Chapter 61 - 61 61 Ideals are Plump Reality is Skinny

    ?Chapter 61: Chapter 61: Ideals are Plump, Reality is Skinny Chapter 61: Chapter 61: Ideals are Plump, Reality is Skinny Upon reaching the area that sold large items, they asked for a sewing machine which, in addition to the ticket, cost another one hundred and fifty yuan¡ªan amount that truly pained one¡¯s heart, but since they had come to buy a sewing machine, there was no point in dwelling on it any further.


    After having the sales clerk issue the receipt, Luo Qiao handed over the money and receipt and asked their moving master to deliver the item to the alley behind.


    The master, upon hearing that someone would come for it later, couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°Why not wait at the department store entrance?¡±


    Luo Qiao answered with a smile, ¡°That entrance is too conspicuous, and I have no idea when my family could get here. I¡¯d rather not be gawked at like a monkey, so I arranged to meet here.¡±


    The master thought about it and agreed that the sewing machine was indeed a large item, bound to catch several glances from people coming and going. It was normal for the young lady to feel embarrassed due to her shyness.¡±


    So, after delivering the item, he didn¡¯t say much more and left with a hint of envy.


    Luo Qiao stood guard over her things until two groups of people passed. After ensuring no one else was around, she quickly stashed the item into her space and hurried away from there.


    There was another pressing matter, which was to find a place to sell fish. After finding a spot, she changed back into her original clothes, because dressing too finely while wandering the streets made her fear drawing unwanted attention.


    Considering her clothes only had two patches, she didn¡¯t stand out at all in the crowd. Carrying her basket on her back, Luo Qiao walked through streets and alleys. By noon, she still hadn¡¯t found a suitable place to collaborate with.


    She might have been too naive. She visited two state-owned restaurants only to find that they required fish every day, but the issue was, firstly, they already had regular delivery people, and secondly, they insisted on door-to-door delivery.


    The larger markets, now run by state-owned enterprises, were willing to come and collect goods, but required proper documentation from a collective farm to prove the origin and ownership of the products.


    Luo Qiao stood in a corner, watching the busy street and thought of a saying from the future, ¡°Ideals are beautiful, but reality is skeletal.¡±


    Her stomach was growling with hunger, so she found a quiet spot and used her basket as cover, taking out a two-layered bun from her space, along with a pickled radish strip, and made do with a makeshift meal.


    After drinking some water from a bamboo container, she realized she would miss the midday transport, so she decided to catch the afternoon ride home instead.


    She got up and asked several passersby before finally finding the waste station. It was slightly out of the way but still larger than the one at the commune, as you¡¯d expect in the city. Luo Qiao told the gatekeeper auntie that she was looking for high school textbooks.


    The auntie, whose daughter was near Luo Qiao¡¯s age and also in school, perhaps moved by compassion, even gave her a few tips. Luo Qiao thanked her with a smile before making her way inside.


    She first headed for the room with books, which were piled high. After some searching, she found the specific books she wanted, along with some exercise books, and picked out some of the better ones to put in her basket.


    Then she thought of checking the other warehouses to see if there was anything else she might like. At the very back, there was one full of old furniture, most of which was missing arms or legs.


    Just as Luo Qiao was about to leave, she noticed two Taishi Chairs against the wall. They were obviously antiques, and there was a small table nearby that seemed to be part of a set, made of the same type of wood.


    For some reason, Luo Qiao suddenly felt the urge to take these quaint, ancient-looking pieces of furniture with her, especially considering that aside from one Taishi Chair which had a broken leg, the rest looked undamaged.


    She thought that with some repairs, they could still be used, not to mention to serve as collectibles. Unexpectedly, the broken leg turned out to be resting on top of a nearby broken cabinet, which gave her a sense of finding something that was once lost. Finding someone skilled to restore it later, it should be hard to tell it was ever damaged.

 Chapter 62 - 62 62 Picking Up a Bargain

    ?Chapter 62: Chapter 62 Picking Up a Bargain Chapter 62: Chapter 62 Picking Up a Bargain Although Luo Qiao didn¡¯t know what kind of wood these pieces of furniture were made from, the craftsmanship was particularly exquisite. From this, it was clear that they must have come from a well-off household.


    However, it was unclear why they were so well preserved and had been able to stay here for such a long time.


    As Luo Qiao thought about how to discuss the furniture with the people outside, she moved on to the next room, which was full of scrap metal and didn¡¯t yield anything useful.


    After making the rounds in the other storehouses, she returned to the one with books and newspapers to search for some books, before shouldering her basket and heading out.


    Wondering whether the furniture already had an owner, she weighed her goods, paid the account at the entrance, and then asked, ¡°Auntie, I was wondering if those two chairs and the small table against the wall in the storeroom inside are for sale?¡±


    The auntie did not expect this young girl to take an interest in those items, which had been instructed to be kept aside by the people from the Revolutionary Committee. But ever since the person in charge had been imprisoned earlier in the year, the furniture was left untouched due to its relatively high price and had just been discarded there.


    Luo Qiao, fearing they would think she was just asking casually and not take her seriously, said, ¡°My family is from the countryside outside the city, and my brother is getting married these days, but we don¡¯t have much money to buy furniture.


    So I was wondering if those chairs and table are for sale? If the price is right, we¡¯d like to buy them to add some splendor to my brother¡¯s wedding.¡±


    The workers at the entrance looked at each other, and the auntie from before said, ¡°How about we ask for her and see what the higher-ups say?¡±


    Consequently, a middle-aged man from behind her went into the office. A few minutes later, the uncle came out and said, ¡°I¡¯ve asked, and the furniture can be sold, but the price is not low.


    Of course, it¡¯s cheaper than making new ones, but you¡¯ve also seen that except for one chair with a broken leg, a new coat of paint would make the rest look nearly new.


    For those two tables and three chairs, it would be thirty-five bucks.¡± Luo Qiao, upon hearing the price of thirty-five bucks, felt a sharp pain.


    Remembering the uncle¡¯s words, she asked, ¡°Uncle, you said there were two tables and three chairs inside, but I clearly saw only one table and two chairs.¡±


    The middle-aged uncle gave a smile and said, ¡°We¡¯re using them in our office. If you want them, we¡¯ll move them out.¡±


    Luo Qiao, feeling troubled, said, ¡°Uncle, could you make it a little cheaper? We really don¡¯t have that much money.¡±


    The uncle probably felt that this young girl wouldn¡¯t be able to afford the asking price and didn¡¯t want to waste more words: ¡°The lowest is thirty bucks, I can¡¯t go any lower. If you can buy it, buy it; if not, let¡¯s forget about this.¡±


    Luo Qiao put on a pitiful face and begged, ¡°Uncle, can¡¯t it be a little less? That stuff is just gathering dust there. Take a little off, and we¡¯ll take it.¡±


    The uncle replied, ¡°I can¡¯t go any lower. I¡¯m really not asking too much for that furniture¡ªyou don¡¯t believe me, but there¡¯s nothing I can do.¡±


    After mulling it over for a while, Luo Qiao looked up to the uncle again, ¡°Uncle, could you help me deliver it to the site just around the corner up front? Some of my family will come to pick me up later, and they won¡¯t have to come here then, otherwise we¡¯ll be late getting home, is that okay?¡±


    After discussing among themselves, they helped move out what was being used in the office, and realizing the amount was quite substantial, they preferred to get rid of it sooner to prevent it from affecting their closing time.


    The auntie who had directed Luo Qiao before said, ¡°Girl, this isn¡¯t a small amount of stuff. Are you sure you can haul it all?¡±

 Chapter 63 - 63 63 Jeep Out of Control Saving People

    ?Chapter 63: Chapter 63 Jeep Out of Control, Saving People Chapter 63: Chapter 63 Jeep Out of Control, Saving People Luo Qiao said with a smile, ¡°Auntie, it should be close enough. We came here following the village tractor.¡±


    The countrywoman heard this and said, ¡°That¡¯s acceptable then.¡±


    So, after paying the money, several people helped to make two trips using the waste collection station¡¯s carts to bring the items to the large courtyard around the corner. That place used to be where the Revolutionary Committee stored things, but now it was deserted.


    After everyone had left, Luo Qiao waited a bit longer to ensure they had truly gone back to the waste collection station before she stashed the items in her space and left the area.


    Thinking about the fish that still had no place to go, she sighed and walked forward, feeling that this time hope was lost.


    Although she didn¡¯t come back with nothing, having bought the sewing machine, and not to mention the three chairs that Luo Qiao especially liked, she thought about repainting and arranging them once she had a place of her own.


    While she was happily contemplating this, she suddenly heard someone yelling, ¡°Get out of the way, quickly move!¡±


    Luo Qiao immediately stepped to the side, and as she turned her head, she saw a jeep barreling down from the slope.


    But just then, a bullock cart appeared in the alley, and the man who had just shouted for people to move instinctively rushed over, trying to stop the bullock cart from coming out.


    His actions were quick enough to save the bullock cart and its occupants, but the man himself was sent flying by the oncoming jeep.


    Onlookers screamed, and Luo Qiao, without another thought, hurried over. Fortunately, the man had fallen on a pile of sand, not on the hard ground, which might have reduced the injuries somewhat.


    She instinctively thought to shout ¡°Call 120!¡± but before the words left her mouth, she realized there was no 120 service yet. Instead, she yelled at the stunned people on the bullock cart, ¡°Don¡¯t just stand there, clear the cart and take him to the hospital.¡±


    Spurred by Luo Qiao¡¯s shouting, the people on the bullock cart snapped out of their shock. They knew it was to save them that the accident happened; if it weren¡¯t for the man¡¯s intervention, they would have been the ones hit.


    When Luo Qiao got there, Grandpa Yang, who had been sifting sand nearby, had approached the injured man. Luo Qiao urgently said, ¡°Grandpa, don¡¯t move him yet.


    Let¡¯s check him first before moving, just in case he has a fracture that could cause more damage internally; a secondary injury would be even worse.¡±


    Seeing that the man was still conscious, Luo Qiao quickly said, ¡°Comrade, hold on, we are taking you to the hospital right away.¡±


    Qiao Yu never expected that after completing his mission and just visiting a comrade¡¯s parents on the way, he would fall victim to such an incident. He looked at the young girl helping to check his wounds and slowly closed his eyes.


    He could still hear the girl shouting at him, ¡°Don¡¯t fall asleep, comrade, stay awake, we¡¯re taking you to the hospital right now.¡±


    It was only then that Luo Qiao realized the truth of the saying, ¡°You only realize your inadequacies when you need certain skills.¡± Although she had learned traditional Chinese medicine from Grandpa Yang, she had never dealt with such a serious injury before.


    Thinking of her basket, she hurriedly asked Grandpa Yang to fetch it for her. There was no time for concerns now; she used the basket as a cover and took several Sanqi plants out of her space to stop his bleeding, otherwise, he might not make it to the hospital.


    After the bleeding was under control, she checked and found his leg was broken.


    Luo Qiao said, ¡°We need to get to the hospital quickly.¡±


    Looking up and seeing the bullock cart was still not here, she shouted with frustration, ¡°What are you dawdling for? Saving a person is urgent!¡±


    The old man driving the cart heard Luo Qiao¡¯s shout and led the bullock cart over, but a mother and daughter standing next to him were blocking the way, and Luo Qiao¡¯s anger flared up.

 Chapter 64 - 64 64 Nothing Is More Important than Human Life

    ?Chapter 64: Chapter 64 Nothing Is More Important than Human Life Chapter 64: Chapter 64 Nothing Is More Important than Human Life Luo Qiao shouted angrily, ¡°What are you two trying to do? Which brigade are you from? I¡¯d really like to ask how cold-hearted you have to be to block the road and not let the cart through. If it weren¡¯t for this comrade saving you,


    you might already be crippled or dead by now. How can you be so heartless? What are you standing around for? Hurry up and bring the ox cart over.¡± At that moment, the surrounding people also cast unfriendly glances at the mother and daughter.


    Then an irritable middle-aged uncle took three steps in two and strode forward, snatching the reins and pulling the ox cart over. Luo Qiao said, ¡°Come on, Uncle, Big Brother, lend a hand to move this rescue hero onto the ox cart, thank you, everyone.¡±


    The two women squeezed through and said, ¡°No way, this ox cart belongs to the village. If this man dies on the cart from his serious injuries, how can we explain it to the village?¡±


    When Luo Qiao heard this, she really wanted to lash out. If it weren¡¯t for the urgency of saving someone, she truly could have hit someone. Is this something a human would say?


    An old lady who had just witnessed the whole process spoke up, ¡°Just now, this comrade shouldn¡¯t have bothered saving you. It would have been better if that car had hit and killed you all; you wouldn¡¯t even count as human beings.


    It¡¯s because of trying to save you that this young man ended up like this, and you still have the nerve to say such things. I¡¯m embarrassed for you.¡±


    Luo Qiao called out, ¡°Could any comrade who is free please go report to the public security? After such a big incident, we need to get official involvement, let the police handle this.¡±


    Without paying attention to the expressions of the mother and daughter, she had people hurry the ox cart towards the nearest hospital.


    Upon arrival at the hospital, he was immediately taken to the emergency room. The nurse handed out a bill instructing to pay a hospital admission deposit of a hundred yuan, which left everyone looking at each other in dismay; nobody carried that much money on them.


    But the nurse insisted that the man needed surgery right away. The people who had come along asked, ¡°Nurse, this comrade just saved someone¡¯s life. We¡¯re not his relatives, could you please save him first and let his family pay later when they arrive?¡±


    The nurse said with some difficulty, ¡°This comrade¡¯s injuries are severe, and the hospital has no precedent for that. You¡¯ll have to figure something out.¡±


    Luo Qiao sighed and said, ¡°Give me the bill, please. I urge you to do your best to save him. He got hurt trying to save someone else; he¡¯s a hero.¡±


    Taking the bill, Luo Qiao turned and walked towards the payment counter. She didn¡¯t want to stand out, but nothing was more important than a human life.


    She could earn money back if she lost it, but if a person was gone, everything would be gone. Although they were strangers to each other, if it hadn¡¯t been for his shout at the critical moment, she might have been in trouble herself.


    Just based on his readiness to risk his life to help others, he deserved Luo Qiao¡¯s respect.


    After completing the procedures, she returned to the emergency room, where the police had arrived to make inquiries.


    Luo Qiao explained what had happened earlier. Fortunately, although the slope was long, it wasn¡¯t too steep, and coupled with the timely shout, otherwise, the trouble would be unimaginable.


    Originally, Luo Qiao also wanted to ask about the ultimate fate of the car, but the few police officers who came said that everything was still under investigation.


    Luo Qiao sensed that today¡¯s matter might not be simple; a perfectly good jeep couldn¡¯t have just malfunctioned¡ªit might have been tampered with deliberately. Since the police said so, she didn¡¯t ask any further.


    After the police had finished their questions, Luo Qiao asked, ¡°Officer, may I leave now? I came to the city for some business.¡±


    The police officer replied, ¡°If possible, please don¡¯t leave for the time being. If you have nowhere to stay, we can help arrange a place for you.¡±

 Chapter 65 - 65 65 Collaborate with the Police

    ?Chapter 65: Chapter 65 Collaborate with the Police Chapter 65: Chapter 65 Collaborate with the Police The policewoman explained, ¡°Because the road is a bit out of the way, there were only about a dozen witnesses at the time, most of whom came out after hearing the shouts, so we need your cooperation.


    Our officers are already investigating and collecting evidence, so I hope you can understand.¡±


    Luo Qiao nodded to show her understanding. Those who had helped bring in the injured had already given their statements and left their addresses, and they had left. Now, outside the emergency room, besides Luo Qiao, there were only three police officers left.


    Luo Qiao said, ¡°Comrade, there¡¯s no need to arrange a place for me. The family of the comrade inside hasn¡¯t arrived yet, and since I can¡¯t leave right now, I¡¯ll stay and take care of him.


    ¡°I have to leave by four o¡¯clock at the latest tomorrow. By then, his family should be able to come. Any later will not do. I¡¯ve only got a two-day leave authorization, and I need to return to village work.¡±


    In fact, even if this comrade¡¯s surgery ended today, it¡¯s unlikely he could wake up immediately, but just in case something happens, it¡¯s good to have someone here to look after him, considering I can¡¯t leave anyway.


    It¡¯s only right to lend a hand; consider it a repayment for his warning shout that spared me from misfortune.


    The police officers were quite satisfied with Luo Qiao¡¯s offer to help; they really couldn¡¯t spare anyone to look after the comrade who was involved in the accident today. If Luo Qiao hadn¡¯t offered, they were just about to entrust the hospital staff.


    After the police officers left, Luo Qiao finally noticed that her own clothes and trousers were stained with blood. She was in a sorry state, but there was nobody outside the emergency room, and she didn¡¯t dare to leave, fearing that something might happen.


    Half an hour later, the door of the emergency room opened, and Luo Qiao stepped forward and asked, ¡°Doctor, how is he?¡±


    The doctor replied, ¡°He was brought in just in time, and the way the bleeding was stopped before arrival was very well done. Otherwise, I¡¯m afraid the patient would¡¯ve been in danger.¡±


    Luo Qiao said, ¡°Thank you, Doctor.¡±


    The doctor replied, ¡°You¡¯re welcome, it¡¯s only right.¡±


    Soon the patient was wheeled out and taken straight to a hospital room, with a fracture in his right leg, multiple soft tissue contusions, but fortunately, no organ damage; there was only a mild concussion.


    Thank goodness, as long as the person is alright, everything else is a minor issue. It¡¯s still a mystery what happened with that car.


    The nurse asked her to keep an eye on the IV drip and to call someone when it was finished.


    Seeing the dirty state of her clothes, Luo Qiao couldn¡¯t stand it anymore; she asked a caregiver aunty in the bed next door to watch the drip while she went to clean herself up.


    The aunty was very agreeable and even offered her own wash basin seeing that Luo Qiao only had a basket.


    After thanking the aunty, Luo Qiao took her enamel wash basin to the water room. She had just pulled out a clean towel and change of clothes from her space while using the basket to cover her actions.


    After quickly wiping herself down in the water room, she asked a nurse for a place to change. She knew there were no surveillance cameras, but she was cautious and couldn¡¯t dare to use her space in such a crowded place as the hospital.


    Once she had tidied up, Luo Qiao returned to the hospital room, returned the wash basin to the aunty, and then using the basket for cover again, she took out a couple of dried red jujubes to give to the aunty as a thank-you gift.


    The aunty was a hearty person who accepted the gift with a laugh, saying Luo Qiao was too polite. The jujubes were a good item, and she kept thanking Luo Qiao.


    Luo Qiao was already beyond modest in stature, and these days, due to better nutrition, she had put on a little more weight and wasn¡¯t as thin as before. She was also open and generous in her actions, which made everyone believe she was just young-looking.

 Chapter 66 - 66 66 The Injured is Qiao Yu

    ?Chapter 66: Chapter 66 The Injured is Qiao Yu Chapter 66: Chapter 66 The Injured is Qiao Yu The auntie and another family in the ward treated her as if she were a seventeen or eighteen-year-old girl, and Luo Qiao didn¡¯t refute it.


    After sitting for a while and having the IV fluids changed, Luo Qiao took out a bamboo cylinder and a bamboo ladle from the Spatial Warehouse using her basket and went to fetch some hot water.


    Every so often, she would feed the patient a mouthful or two of water.


    When the doctor came by, he instructed that tonight would be particularly critical and to pay extra attention, and if the patient woke up later on, to notify the on-duty doctor.


    Luo Qiao went out for a bit later on, brought back some things, and also prepared some food for the person in the hospital bed.


    There was another IV fluid to be administered at night, and by the time it was done, it was already late. After the nurse collected the IV bottle, she told her to tidy up, turn off the lights, and not to lock the door, as there would be doctors making rounds.


    Luo Qiao sat on the stool, resting her head on the bed¡¯s edge, unable to sleep soundly, and would stretch her hand out every now and then to check the patient¡¯s forehead, fearing a fever.


    Qiao Yu woke up in the middle of the night. His night vision was very good, having been trained, and seeing someone lying by the bed, he knew from the day¡¯s events that he must be in a hospital.


    He moved slightly, and Luo Qiao was immediately startled awake. Still groggy, her hand reached out to feel the forehead of the person on the bed, muttering to herself, ¡°Good, no fever.¡±


    Just as she was about to lie back down, she sensed something was amiss. Looking carefully, she saw the person¡¯s eyes were open. ¡°You¡¯re awake?¡±


    Luo Qiao stood up at once. ¡°Are you okay? I¡¯ll go call the doctor right now.¡±


    Without waiting for Qiao Yu¡¯s reply, Luo Qiao quickly left the ward.


    She knocked on the door of the duty room. ¡°Doctor, the patient in bed sixteen has woken up.¡±


    The doctor came to check and asked a few questions before leaving.


    There were three beds in this ward. To avoid disturbing others, Luo Qiao didn¡¯t say much and went to her basket to take out a bamboo cylinder wrapped in a towel, saying, ¡°There¡¯s some porridge in here, do you want to have some? It has cooled down though.¡±


    It wasn¡¯t actually very cold; Luo Qiao had put it in the Spatial Warehouse when it was just a little bit warm.


    Qiao Yu was really hungry. He had been delayed at noon, originally planning to have dinner early after finishing his tasks, but an incident had not been expected.


    Now, hungrier than ever, with his stomach practically attached to his back, Luo Qiao didn¡¯t turn on the light so as not to disturb the others. Conveniently, this bed was next to a window, so she pulled back the curtains a bit and fed him the porridge in the moonlight, quieting the room once again.


    Both of them thought that they would talk when it was daybreak since it wasn¡¯t convenient now.


    The next day, as the sky lightened a bit, there was noise in the ward, and Luo Qiao woke up, a habit formed from living in the post-apocalyptic world.


    Qiao Yu had woken up by then too, and with people waking and moving around, he recognized the girl who had come to his aid yesterday and spoke up, ¡°My name is Qiao Yu, thank you.¡±


    Luo Qiao replied with a faint smile, ¡°I¡¯m Luo Qiao. Don¡¯t mention it, if it wasn¡¯t for your shout yesterday, I might have been in trouble too. I should be thanking you.¡±


    Luo Qiao gave Qiao Yu a brief account of the events, then added, ¡°If there¡¯s nothing else needed from the police, I¡¯ll be heading back. Do you need me to notify your family?¡±


    After thinking for a moment, Qiao Yu said, ¡°Could you call my cousin for me? He teaches at City No. 1 Middle School nearby.¡±


    Luo Qiao asked, ¡°Is it far from here? If not, I could go over there.¡±


    Qiao Yu said, ¡°The school is on the east side, it might be a bit far.¡±


    Luo Qiao responded, ¡°Then never mind, I¡¯ll make the call for you in a bit.¡±

 Chapter 67 - 67 67 Encounter With an Intellectual Disability

    ?Chapter 67: Chapter 67 Encounter With an Intellectual Disability Chapter 67: Chapter 67 Encounter With an Intellectual Disability Luo Qiao grabbed a towel, turned around, and left the ward. She washed her face at the water room, tied her hair into a ponytail, and made herself presentable before returning to the ward. She asked Qiao Yu if he needed someone to assist him to the bathroom.


    Seeing him shake his head, her heart galloped wildly, but she maintained a composed expression as she picked up the bamboo container from yesterday that she had used to serve porridge and left the ward.


    She first went to a public phone not far from the hospital to call Qiao Yu¡¯s cousin, Song Wenbin, and informed him of Qiao Yu¡¯s condition.


    Only then did she find a place to have a simple breakfast, filling the bamboo container with a portion of porridge, a boiled egg, and four buns before heading back to the hospital. Now, the little food coupons she had were used up completely.


    The porridge she gave Qiao Yu last night was taken from her space, and it was boiled with the water from her space¡¯s well. She couldn¡¯t let him eat too much of that to avoid any trouble for herself in the future.


    Back in the ward, she asked a male companion from the next bed to help lift the patient. After expressing her thanks, she turned to Qiao Yu and asked, ¡°Can you eat by yourself, or shall I feed you?¡±


    Don¡¯t get the wrong idea, because Comrade Qiao Yu¡¯s right arm was also injured. Lifting it up and down might cause the wound to split open.


    Luo Qiao couldn¡¯t help but be amazed at herself for saving people with such dedication: ¡°Forget it, forget it, I¡¯ll feed you to save you from further injury.¡±


    Qiao Yu remembered how, before he fainted yesterday, this young girl had anxiously pleaded with him not to fall asleep, probably scared out of her wits the day before.


    She placed a bun in Qiao Yu¡¯s left hand and said, ¡°Eat the bun yourself; I¡¯ll feed you the porridge.¡±


    Qiao Yu replied, ¡°Then thank you.¡±


    Once a bamboo container of porridge was finished and the buns were eaten, Luo Qiao returned to the ward after washing the container in the water room. She then saw a young man standing in front of Qiao Yu¡¯s bed.


    When Qiao Yu saw Luo Qiao approaching, he recounted to the young man how Luo Qiao had saved him. Yet to her surprise, Song Wenbin looked at Luo Qiao with disdain and remarked, ¡°Isn¡¯t this just another one trying to climb the social ladder?¡±


    His voice wasn¡¯t very loud, but Luo Qiao and the mother and son in the next bed heard him clearly.


    Luo Qiao laughed with a hint of mockery and said as if looking at someone ignorant, ¡°Comrade Qiao, since your relative is here, it¡¯s time for me to leave. But before I do, shouldn¡¯t you reimburse me for the medical expenses I covered for you?¡±


    As she spoke, she took out the receipt for the money paid the day before and handed it over.


    Then she added, ¡°As for the meals last night and this morning, let¡¯s forget about it. After all, you are a hero who sacrificed himself for others. Consider it my treat.¡±


    She then placed the bamboo container and spoon on the table and continued, ¡°You can keep these, as there are no cups to drink from here. Rest assured, these were unused before, so you can throw them away once you get a cup.¡±


    Having already used these items for Qiao Yu, Luo Qiao had no intentions of taking them back. If Qiao Yu didn¡¯t want them, she would dispose of them herself.


    Before Qiao Yu could respond, Song Wenbin interjected, ¡°You should take your things with you. It seems like you¡¯re trying to leave something behind to remember you by.¡±


    Upon hearing his cousin speak out of line, Qiao Yu grew angry and admonished, ¡°Shut up! What kind of attitude is that?¡±


    Song Wenbin was about to retort when the police officers who had handled the case the day before entered. The female officer said, ¡°Xiao Luo, we really owe you our thanks for taking the time to help.¡±


    Luo Qiao replied, ¡°It¡¯s no trouble at all. This gentleman woke up in the middle of the night, and I was just about to go find you.¡±


    The police officers once again recounted the previous day¡¯s events to Qiao Yu, who then pulled out an identification card and flashed it briefly.

 Chapter 68 - 68 68 Incurred the Wrath of the Crowd

    ?Chapter 68: Chapter 68 Incurred the Wrath of the Crowd Chapter 68: Chapter 68 Incurred the Wrath of the Crowd All I heard the public security officer whisper, ¡°The car yesterday was driven by the mayor¡¯s son, but for some reason, someone had tampered with it.¡± These few sentences were spoken in a particularly low voice.


    Dian Dian nodded and then said, ¡°Luckily, there weren¡¯t many people on that road at the time, and it¡¯s also fortunate that the driver, Su Xiangwei, had some sense to drive the car onto the sand pile at the construction site ahead before it stopped. I expect they¡¯ll be arriving soon.


    They left the station late last night because of the case.¡±


    As she spoke, the sound of more voices came from outside.


    The mayor arrived with his wife and child, carrying fruit and nutrition supplements in his hands, followed by the hospital¡¯s leaders. Seeing this situation, Luo Qiao quickly stepped aside.


    After exchanging pleasantries, the mayor said, ¡°Comrade, I really want to thank you for yesterday¡¯s incident. If it weren¡¯t for you, a major disaster might have occurred. Don¡¯t worry, we will take care of your medical expenses. Just focus on getting well.¡±


    The auntie beside couldn¡¯t bear it any longer and blurted out, ¡°First, you should repay the medical expenses that this young lady advanced yesterday. That way, no one can accuse her of having ulterior motives.


    These days, it¡¯s hard to be a good person. She kindly advanced the money, only to be insulted. She thought the patient¡¯s family hadn¡¯t arrived and took care of him all night, and now that the family is here, they accuse her of having another agenda.


    Ah, the world is truly deteriorating. There are all kinds of people. Someone does a good deed and still suffers grievances. It¡¯s really unbearable to watch.¡±


    The female public security officer listened to these words, her expression becoming stern, ¡°Yesterday it was this young lady who asked someone to help bring the injured person here. Others gave their statements and left their contact information before heading home.


    Most of them live in that area, but this young lady is from out of town. She happened to be in the city on business and stumbled upon the accident. She kept her cool and managed to stop the bleeding before bringing the injured here.


    And we¡¯ve inquired ¨C she knows a bit about medicine ¨C so she directed the relocation so that the comrade didn¡¯t suffer a second injury. The attending physician from yesterday can vouch for her actions most clearly.¡±


    Fortunately, the attending physician was also there, ¡°Yes, if the bleeding hadn¡¯t been stopped in time yesterday, we might not have been able to save him even if he was brought in. So, it¡¯s fair to say this young lady deserves to be called a life-saver.¡±


    The doctor had just finished speaking when the nurse from yesterday¡¯s operating room happened to be there as well.


    She continued, ¡°Yesterday, this young lady advanced a hundred yuan for medical expenses as a deposit. There were many people around at the time, and perhaps not everyone had enough money on them.


    So many said to let the hospital save the person first and the relatives could pay later. But our hospital has no such precedent. If it wasn¡¯t for this young lady paying in time, things might not have gone so smoothly.¡±


    The female public security officer continued, ¡°Originally, she wanted to leave, but since the case wasn¡¯t closed, and fearing that something else might happen, she was asked to stay another night.


    Our comrades at the station wanted to arrange temporary accommodation for her, but she said that wouldn¡¯t be necessary. Since the injured comrade¡¯s family hadn¡¯t arrived, she would rather stay and watch over him.


    At that time, we were tied up with the case and didn¡¯t have extra officers to spare, so we proceeded in this manner. Therefore, we need to clarify that the comrade acted out of heroism and kindness, not with an intention to catch the eye of someone influential.¡±


    Having finished, she glanced at the patient and his relatives on the bed, her face looking very unpleasant.


    The boy in the neighbouring bed said, ¡°My mom is right. Their words earlier were too unpleasant. This comrade prepared food for the injured person last night and this morning, and seeing that he was inconvenient, even fed him personally.¡±

 Chapter 69 - 69 69 I Do Not Accept Your Apology

    ?Chapter 69: Chapter 69 I Do Not Accept Your Apology Chapter 69: Chapter 69 I Do Not Accept Your Apology After glancing at Song Wenbin, she continued, ¡°The family arrived late without even saying ¡®thank you¡¯ and then had the audacity to claim with a sour face that someone was trying to climb the social ladder and had ulterior motives. Everyone in our ward couldn¡¯t bear to hear such disrespectful talk. It¡¯s just too demeaning.¡±


    ¡°The doctor instructed us to pay extra attention at night. After the last IV bag was finished, it was already late, yet we had to keep checking if Big Brother had a fever. The sister barely got any rest in the first half of the night.¡±


    ¡°When Big Brother woke up in the middle of the night, after the doctor checked him, the sister even fed him a meal before she could rest. She didn¡¯t even have a place to sleep; she just sat on a chair and dozed off beside the bed for the whole night.¡±


    ¡°In the morning, she made a phone call to notify the family and brought back breakfast to feed him. Yet when the relatives arrived, they accused her of having an ulterior motive. Your relative only mentioned his name; what could anyone possibly want from him?¡±


    Standing to the side, the aunt listened to her son¡¯s words and said, ¡°My son is absolutely right. I heard these relatives are teachers at the city¡¯s Number One Middle School.¡± She shook her head and snorted, her expression laden with meaning.


    This caused an uproar, and Song Wenbin¡¯s face turned from green to red in embarrassment. After hearing what people said, he realized that he had probably made a mistake. So he said, ¡°Comrade, I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    But Luo Qiao remained calm and said, ¡°Let¡¯s settle my out-of-pocket medical expenses first.¡±


    Then the secretary behind the Mayor took out two hundred yuan and handed it over. Luo Qiao extracted ten Big Unity bills, counted them in front of everyone, and said, ¡°Exactly one hundred, so I¡¯ll take it.¡±


    She then collected the bamboo tube and spoon, saying, ¡°Since the relative is concerned about leaving these as a pretext, I will take them back too. Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m still young and don¡¯t have such heavy tastes.


    In the future, when I get to college, there¡¯ll be so many talented individuals to choose from. Rest assured, I also want to reiterate that the reason I helped stop the bleeding and took care of him is because I admired his selflessness in saving others.


    Not all girls are as you describe them in your words. And I do not accept your apology. If an apology were enough, what would be the need for laws? Your behavior and your profession do not match.¡±


    After Luo Qiao finished speaking, everyone was taken aback. Indeed, not all issues can be resolved with an apology.


    Luo Qiao then asked the officers, ¡°May I leave now?¡±


    The female officer replied, ¡°Yes, you can go. Thank you so much, and sorry you had to endure such grievance.¡±


    Luo Qiao smiled and said, ¡°It¡¯s fine. I won¡¯t punish myself for others¡¯ mistakes. Think of it as just a gust of wind, blowing away.¡±


    The female officer said, ¡°I¡¯ll walk you to the door.¡±


    Taking her backpack, Luo Qiao said, ¡°Since everything here is settled, I¡¯ll be taking my leave now.¡±


    After finishing speaking, she nodded to everyone.


    When she reached the aunt, she took a handful of dates from her backpack and said, ¡°Auntie, thank you for speaking up for justice. I¡¯m leaving now; I wish your son a speedy recovery.¡±


    The aunt replied, ¡°We just spoke what was fair; it¡¯s nothing.¡±


    Qiao Yu had not expected things to turn out this way and was extremely anxious in bed. What a mess. If he had known this would happen, he would have never asked his cousin to come.


    He opened his mouth to call her back, but no words came out.


    The Mayor¡¯s family exchanged a few words, left some things for him, told him to take care and mentioned they would come to visit again when they had time.

 Chapter 70 - 70 70 Not Wanting to Climb the Social Ladder

    ?Chapter 70: Chapter 70: Not Wanting to Climb the Social Ladder Chapter 70: Chapter 70: Not Wanting to Climb the Social Ladder As they were leaving, the mayor¡¯s secretary laid down a red envelope, stating it was a thank-you gift, and the group exited the hospital room.


    The room quieted down not long after.


    Qiao Yu reflected on what had happened. The mayor had visited today because he saved the people on that ox cart. Without his intervention, those on the cart might have had an accident, which could have very well resulted in fatalities.


    Therefore, the family of three came to show their gratitude, but as for himself, he never regretted saving lives. However, he also recognized that if Luo Qiao hadn¡¯t provided first aid and paid the hundred yuan upfront, his own survival would have been uncertain.


    Yet, this stranger who went through all the trouble didn¡¯t receive any thanks, and his cousin had upset her so much that she left without even bidding him goodbye.


    He glanced at his cousin, who was sulking with his eyes shut, and decided in his heart to personally seek out Luo Qiao¡¯s address and pay her a visit to express his gratitude once he recovered.


    Staying in the room felt awkward for Song Wenbin, so he said, ¡°Cousin, I¡¯ll go get some things ready for you. I¡¯ll be right back.¡±


    He quickly skedaddled after speaking, all for the sake of Sister Fangfang. It seemed he had really become too anxious this time.


    Once outside the hospital room, Song Wenbin exhaled a sigh of relief. But that girl was truly sharp-tongued, refusing even to accept his apology. Humph, as if he was inclined to apologize to her.


    However, he did indeed go too far this time. Ah, forget it, it¡¯s so annoying. Anyway, he had to ensure his cousin¡¯s welfare for Sister Fangfang¡¯s sake, adopting the philosophy of ¡®better to wrong a thousand than to let one slip.¡¯ Yes, that was the right approach.


    No sooner had Luo Qiao stepped out of the hospital than the secretary caught up with her. The mayor understood that the patient inside needed thanks, but this young lady deserved it even more.


    If it hadn¡¯t been for her intervention, resolving the incident might not have been as straightforward. Besides, no matter who was involved, once a life was lost, things would become much more complicated.


    Moreover, he would have been vulnerable to attacks by his opponents, so this young lady was truly the savior of their family¡¯s future.


    The police officers had left ahead of them, with the female officer giving her name to Luo Qiao, inviting her to visit at the precinct when she was in Ji City.


    The mayor¡¯s wife stepped forward and said, ¡°Young lady, let¡¯s find somewhere to talk.¡±


    Luo Qiao replied, ¡°Ma¡¯am, there¡¯s really no need. I have to catch a ride back. I understand how you feel. Anyone else in that situation would have done the same.¡±


    The mayor took a step forward and announced, ¡°My name is Su Zihao, the current mayor of Ji City. This is my wife, Comrade Feng Lanxiang, who works at the bank.¡±


    He gestured to the young man standing aside and continued, ¡°This is my younger son, Su Xiangwei. We really owe you a debt of gratitude for what happened.¡±


    Su Xiangwei bowed deeply to Luo Qiao, saying sincerely, ¡°Thank you. If it weren¡¯t for you, I could have been in big trouble this time.¡±


    Luo Qiao smiled lightly and responded, ¡°Anyone would have done the same. There¡¯s no need to thank me. I must be going now or I¡¯ll be late. So, I hope to see you again if fate allows.¡±


    The secretary approached Luo Qiao and handed her a slip of paper with a phone number and his name, Liang Rui.


    Secretary Liang said, ¡°Call this number if you ever need anything.¡±


    The mayor¡¯s wife had initially intended to offer more money, not wanting to incur this kind of personal debt that might lead to someone seeking favors later.


    But the mayor¡¯s glance stopped her. It was evident that the girl truly did not want to get entangled in this cycle of indebtedness. He decided to obtain the girl¡¯s information from the police and ensure she was well looked after.


    Luo Qiao slowed her pace only after turning the corner, not wishing to give anyone else a reason for disdain after already being accused of social climbing; thus, she made a swift departure.

 Chapter 71 - 71 71 Accidentally Entering the Black Market

    ?Chapter 71: Chapter 71 Accidentally Entering the Black Market Chapter 71: Chapter 71 Accidentally Entering the Black Market Luo Qiao glanced at the sun, there was still some time before the noon train, and she thought it was a good opportunity to take another walk around. She checked the clothes she was wearing, and with a thought, entered her space where the clothes she had washed yesterday were already dry.


    Finding a hidden spot to enter her space, she changed back into her original clothes and began wandering aimlessly through the streets again. When she walked into a deep, secluded alley, she noticed groups of people acting quite strangely.


    Upon closer observation, she realized they were trading; she had inadvertently stumbled into the Black Market. But why had no one stopped her? It was too easy to get in.


    Thinking about the Black Market, Luo Qiao suddenly thought of a place to sell her fish. This was indeed a suitable place to offload them. All she needed to do was to find the person in charge of the Black Market and sell them the goods.


    Having realized this, she retraced her steps out of the alley and found a place to disguise herself. There were many cosmetics in the bedroom of her space. In no time, she came out looking like a rustic country woman.


    She approached the entrance to the alley again. This time, someone stopped her¡ªa middle-aged man. She told him directly that she was looking for their boss to discuss a big deal.


    The man studied her for a long moment and, seeing that she was not at all nervous, said, ¡°Wait here.¡±


    He then ran off.


    Luo Qiao thought her unimpeded entry earlier might have been due to a similar oversight which she had exploited.


    It wasn¡¯t long before the man came back and said, ¡°Come with me.¡±


    She was taken through a series of twists and turns to a courtyard that was slightly removed from the alley they had just been in, yet very close to it.


    After the chubby man knocked on the door and led people in, he said to the person inside, ¡°It¡¯s the woman who wants to talk to the boss about something. I¡¯ll leave now.¡±


    The man who opened the door in the courtyard took Luo Qiao to a room towards the back and knocked softly, ¡°Boss, the guy brought her over.¡±


    A magnetic voice came from inside the room, ¡°Let her in.¡±


    The door opened, and Luo Qiao, following behind, was led inside.


    The room was neat and simply furnished. A man of about twenty-five or twenty-six years of age came out from the inner room and asked, ¡°Are you the one who wants to discuss a big deal with me?¡±


    Luo Qiao replied, ¡°Yes, hello.¡±


    The man watched Luo Qiao for a while and then gestured with his hand, ¡°Have a seat.¡±


    Luo Qiao, relying on her extra lifetime of experience, said, ¡°My last name is Luo. May I ask how to address you?¡±


    The man seemed slightly taken aback and asked, ¡°You came to do business with me without knowing who I am?¡±


    Luo Qiao smiled and said, ¡°I won¡¯t hide it from you. I stumbled into that alley earlier and saw people trading, so it was a spur-of-the-moment idea.¡±


    The man¡¯s face revealed a curious expression and said, ¡°My last name is He, but let¡¯s get down to the business you have, Comrade Luo.¡±


    Luo Qiao carefully opened her backpack. Before coming back, she had already moved the fish basin from the kitchen space into her backpack. Thankfully, it fit just right; any bigger and it wouldn¡¯t have fit.


    She pulled out a large black fish from inside, weighing about a pound and a half, taking the two people in the room by surprise.


    ¡°Do you take live fish like this?¡± asked Luo Qiao.


    He Yujie, suppressing his elation, inquired, ¡°How many do you have?¡±


    Luo Qiao responded, ¡°I can¡¯t guarantee how many I¡¯ll catch each time, but what¡¯s the maximum you would want?¡±


    He Yujie remarked, ¡°This fish doesn¡¯t look like a river fish; river fish couldn¡¯t possibly get this big. And I¡¯ve never seen this variety even from the river.¡±


    Luo Qiao thought for a moment and then said, ¡°Well, it¡¯s getting late, and it will be noon soon. How about this, we use your place to cook one of the fish first? You try the taste, and then we can continue talking.¡±

 Chapter 72 - 72 72 The Black Boss Who Was Laughed at by Rage

    ?Chapter 72: Chapter 72: The Black Boss Who Was Laughed at by Rage Chapter 72: Chapter 72: The Black Boss Who Was Laughed at by Rage He Yujie had not expected this woman to be so bold. The young man following beside her had a face full of admiration; no one had dared to speak to the boss like that.


    ¡°Alright,¡± said He Yujie, ¡°let Ning Rui take you to the kitchen.¡±


    But he was thinking to himself that her dress and manner of speaking did not match, which made her rather interesting.


    Luo Qia nodded her head and followed them out with composure.


    True to the reputation of being the Black Market leader, the ingredients in the kitchen were not lacking in quality. Luo Qiao saw that someone had already stewed the rice, prepared stir-fried white pork with aniseed, saute?ed leeks with eggs, home-style tofu, and a coriander egg soup.


    She then started to prepare braised fish. Before long, the fragrant aroma filled the kitchen. Ning Rui, lured by the scent, glanced over several times. Even He Yujie, inside the room, looked up toward the kitchen a few times.


    Soon enough, Luo Qiao had finished cooking, moving as naturally as if she were in her own home, and Ning Rui was truly impressed by her.


    After the meal was served, He Yujie said to Luo Qiao, ¡°It¡¯s also time for lunch, let¡¯s eat together.¡±


    Luo Qiao, thinking she still had business to discuss and not knowing how long it would take, took a seat as well.


    He Yujie started eating first, picking up a piece of fish and placing it in his mouth. Immediately, his eyes lit up¡ªthe fish was even more tender and tastier than the usual fare.


    During the meal, with three people and four dishes, the fish was the first to be finished. Ning Rui said, somewhat embarrassedly, ¡°Comrade Luo¡¯s fish is really delicious.¡±


    After the dishes and chopsticks had been cleared away, Luo Qiao did not initiate conversation, waiting to see what this Boss He would say.


    He Yujie brewed a pot of tea, poured a cup for both Luo Qiao and himself, and finally said, ¡°You are quite unique, but let¡¯s talk business.¡±


    Luo Qiao took a sip from her teacup and responded, ¡°Fair enough.¡±


    ¡°For the ordinary river and lake fish of good quality, we pay six mao per jin,¡± said He Yujie, ¡°but your fish indeed has excellent flesh quality, so I¡¯ll give you one mao more, seven mao per jin. What do you think?¡±


    Luo Qiao knew his offer was not low and replied, ¡°Alright, let¡¯s start with that for now. I believe that once someone has tried this fish, they¡¯ll definitely come back for more.¡±


    ¡°How much of this fish do you have right now?¡± He Yujie asked.


    ¡°The fish is best when it¡¯s fresh, right?¡± said Luo Qiao.


    He Yujie squinted his eyes, pondering what this woman could be up to. When others came to sell to him, they had to cater to his needs, but this woman always managed to surprise.


    ¡°I have the fish,¡± said Luo Qiao, ¡°but I¡¯m not responsible for delivery. You will need to come and get it.¡±


    ¡°So just for that uncertain amount of your fish, I¡¯d have to send someone to pick it up? That doesn¡¯t seem like a good deal,¡± He Yujie pointed out.


    ¡°Whether it¡¯s a good deal or not, we¡¯ll see after we cooperate. If you think it¡¯s really not suitable, that¡¯s fine too. I can take my time finding the right person to sell to,¡± Luo Qiao responded.


    He Yujie was both annoyed and amused by this unassuming woman before him. What was she really here for, to sneak in a meal under the guise of trading fish and then take off?


    ¡°Tell me where to pick up the goods?¡± he said.


    Luo Qiao touched her nose and gave a light cough before replying, ¡°In the forest by the road from Wangshan County Chaoyang Commune to the city, that¡¯s where the goods will come from.¡±


    Of course, He Yujie knew where Chaoyang Commune was. Laughing cynically, he said, ¡°Are you sure you¡¯re not messing with me?¡±


    That area was home to stationed troops and was also not far from the city, so everyone was aware of it.


    ¡°If you don¡¯t believe it, I can¡¯t help you. Like I said, I won¡¯t deliver the fish. You can come once a month, and I¡¯ll catch more, right?¡± Luo Qiao stated.


    Feeling a surge of irritation but contemplating that it wouldn¡¯t hurt to trust her once, He Yujie said, ¡°The day after tomorrow, a vehicle will be returning from there anyway. How much fish can you supply?¡±

 Chapter 73 - 73 73 The Plan Succeeds Searching for the Yao

    ?Chapter 73: Chapter 73 The Plan Succeeds, Searching for the Yao Family Chapter 73: Chapter 73 The Plan Succeeds, Searching for the Yao Family Luo Qiao said somewhat embarrassedly, ¡°I¡¯m not responsible for the equipment to carry the fish, I¡¯m just in charge of delivering the fish there. After you weigh them, you must put them into water quickly; otherwise, they might die of thirst by the time we reach Ji City.¡±


    He Yujie let out a long breath, feeling choked up. Why did it feel so frustrating? This woman was step by step leading him to do as she wished, with an ambiguous smile on his face, he said, ¡°Okay, I just hope Comrade Luo won¡¯t disappoint me.¡±


    In the end, the two agreed on the time for the delivery: nine o¡¯clock the night after next, starting with two hundred jin to test the waters. As Luo Qiao left, she left behind the fish she had brought in her basket but unceremoniously took a scale from Big Brother He¡¯s place.


    This almost made Ning Rui worship her; no one dared to bargain in front of Big Brother He. But today, he really had his eyes opened; Big Brother He repeatedly compromised, letting this average-looking woman lead him by the nose.


    It was already past two when she left the Black Market. Luo Qiao had prepared around two jin of dried red dates, and after asking around, she found the Yao Family¡¯s home, which had not left a specific address, only mentioning it was in the family compound of the city theater.


    It took Luo Qiao quite some effort to find the Yao Family¡¯s home. When she was led there, Auntie Yao was tidying up in the yard and only came out when she heard someone calling from outside.


    Seeing Luo Qiao, she said happily, ¡°You girl, you haven¡¯t visited us for such a long time, but it¡¯s our fault too for not leaving an address for you.


    Your Uncle Yao and the others even went to the steel plant area to look for you, but the steel plant is too big, and after asking many people, no one knew your parents¡¯ names.


    It looks like you¡¯ve been doing well since returning to the city, gotten taller and a bit plumper. Back on the farm, you mentioned you were just growing taller, a head taller than girls your age.


    Now that you¡¯re back in the city, life¡¯s gotten better. Try to put on a bit more weight; that would make you even prettier.¡± She circled around Luo Qiao, taking her time before nodding satisfactorily.


    It was only then that she remembered their neighbor was there too, and she said with a laugh, ¡°Look at me, I got too excited and neglected Auntie Chen. Thank you, Auntie Chen, this is a relative from far away.¡±


    Luo Qiao also put down her basket, took out a handful of dried red dates, and handed them over, saying, ¡°Thank you, Grandma Xie, for showing me the way. Please don¡¯t look down on these few dates.¡±


    Granny Chen said with a smile, ¡°You are all being too polite, it was no big deal. How could I accept this?¡±


    Luo Qiao replied with a smile, ¡°It¡¯s nothing expensive, just something to sweeten your mouth.¡±


    Granny Chen left with a smile on her face after saying a few flattering words, and Auntie Yao then pulled Luo Qiao into the yard, asking, ¡°Have you all settled down well?¡±


    Instead of answering, Luo Qiao asked, ¡°Where are Uncle Yao and the others?¡±


    Auntie Yao answered with a smile, ¡°They¡¯ve gone to work. Now your Uncle Yao has gotten his job back and works at the big theater. Brother Pengfei found a temporary job to start with, and your sister Li Li has gone to her grandma¡¯s house, though she should be back soon.


    The two little ones have gone to school. Oh, right, which school are you attending? You can¡¯t fall behind on your studies after coming back. Professor Yang and his wife said that as long as you work hard, getting into a decent university shouldn¡¯t be a problem.¡±


    Luo Qiao said, ¡°I¡¯m not in Ji City now, I¡¯m not the daughter of the Luo Family; once they settled down after returning to the city, they sent me back...¡±


    After hearing Luo Qiao¡¯s story, Auntie Yao slapped the table in anger and started crying, ¡°Then you don¡¯t need to go back to Qingshan Village. Since your household registration is now independent, you should come to Auntie¡¯s house.


    You¡¯re still young; it¡¯s not okay to stop going to school. If Master Yuan and Professor Yang and his wife find out, they will definitely be worried too. Listen to Auntie.¡±

 Chapter 74 - 74 74 Sending Letters Returning to the Village

    ?Chapter 74: Chapter 74 Sending Letters, Returning to the Village Chapter 74: Chapter 74 Sending Letters, Returning to the Village Luo Qiao said, ¡°Auntie, I am definitely going to continue my studies. I¡¯ve enrolled in school and will be taking the entrance exam with this year¡¯s students, so don¡¯t worry.


    Don¡¯t forget I¡¯ve been studying traditional Chinese medicine with Professor Yang, and I¡¯ve collected quite a few herbs on the mountain and sold them for some money. So, you really don¡¯t have to worry about my living expenses; on the contrary, I¡¯m actually living better since leaving the Luo Family.¡±


    As soon as the Luo Family was mentioned, Auntie Yao became enraged again: ¡°I always wondered why the Luo family treated you the way they did, but now I see that those so-called parents are not even your biological ones. For the sake of their own son, they¡¯ve done such shameless deeds.


    If I see them again, I¡¯ll give them a piece of my mind. They are both so shameless! They¡¯re too cruel-hearted, how could they do such things?¡±


    Once Auntie Yao had calmed down, Luo Qiao said she needed to leave. Auntie Yao insisted she stay the night and leave the next day, since it was only right to see her when she visited.


    But Luo Qiao mentioned she had left her team yesterday, and if she didn¡¯t return soon, it would be hard to explain to the villagers. Auntie Yao originally wanted to give Luo Qiao some food and other necessities, but since Luo Qiao also had bedding to carry back, it was too much to take.


    So she packed all the leftover buns from lunch for Luo Qiao instead, saying it would save her from having to cook after getting home in the evening.


    Luo Qiao took only one set of her bedding, but Auntie Yao insisted that she take the two pieces of cloth as well, saying she needed to dress well for school and wouldn¡¯t take ¡®no¡¯ for an answer.


    Thus, Luo Qiao ended up taking the two pieces of fabric with her, leaving about two pounds of red dates for Auntie Yao, and once again bringing tears to her aunt¡¯s eyes. In her heart, she thought, ¡®How could such a good child have such a hard life?¡¯


    Auntie Yao walked with Luo Qiao all the way out of the family courtyard before Luo Qiao stopped her from going any further, promising to visit when she had time and to write if anything came up. She then hurried toward the bus station.


    Passing by the post office, she mailed letters to Grandpa Yuan and Professor Yang¡¯s parents, sending along about two pounds of red dates to each household as well.


    Her spirits lifted after taking care of the tasks, Luo Qiao walked joyously towards the bus station, thinking to herself that she¡¯d buy a watch when she could afford it because it was too inconvenient to tell time without one.


    The bus had already arrived at the station and was just waiting for its departure time. Luo Qiao purchased her ticket, placed her luggage on the engine hood in front of the bus, and took a seat in the front, to avoid the crowded back.


    Close to departure time, the driver and the ticket collector boarded. The bus left the station at exactly five o¡¯clock. After a bumpy ride, Luo Qiao finally arrived at the commune junction and took a moment to compose herself before getting off the bus and starting her walk back.


    It was really the smell inside the bus that was too overpowering. Luckily it was still light outside, and she encountered a few villagers who had been to the commune for errands along the way.


    One of them was Gao Shunyi from the Li Xiulan family. Seeing Luo Qiao returning with a backpack, he couldn¡¯t help but look a few extra times, thinking to himself how capable Luo Qiao was and wondering what she had brought back this time.


    A village woman asked, ¡°Luo Qiao girl, where have you been?¡±


    Knowing she couldn¡¯t hide the truth, Luo Qiao replied openly, ¡°I went to fetch a quilt.¡± She didn¡¯t mention going to the city, only fetching the quilt.


    She was thankful to have reached the village entrance so she wouldn¡¯t have to answer any more questions. She quickly greeted them and turned onto the path leading home.


    After a short walk, she saw Lu Yichen shaking dust off his clothes at his house¡¯s front gate. Luo Qiao thought to herself how early he finished work today.


    Lu Yichen furrowed his brow and asked, ¡°You didn¡¯t come back yesterday?¡±


    After saying that, he looked at Luo Qiao, waiting for her response.

 Chapter 75 - 75 75 Haha wishful thinking indeed

    ?Chapter 75: Chapter 75 Haha, wishful thinking indeed Chapter 75: Chapter 75 Haha, wishful thinking indeed Luo Qiao said with a smile, ¡°Yes, I went to the city yesterday and stayed for a night.¡±


    Lu Yichen glanced at the basket behind her and asked, ¡°Do you want me to help you carry it over?¡±


    Luo Qiao waved her hand, ¡°It¡¯s not very heavy, just a set of bedding.¡±


    She waved her hand and headed towards her home.


    As she opened the front gate and entered the yard, she hurriedly placed her things and then quickly went to the backyard. She released a couple of chickens from the space into the chicken coop, in case someone came over for a visit and found something amiss.


    After taking the blankets that the team leader¡¯s wife had given her and washing them, nightfall had arrived. Although she had never used the blankets herself, she felt at ease only after returning them clean.


    Once everything was in order, she boiled a pot of water, preparing to fill the thermos to keep it warm, and used the opportunity to bake some steamed buns over the fire.


    What Luo Qiao didn¡¯t know was that a few groups of people were talking about her.


    Gao Shunyi returned home and told Li Xiulan about encountering Luo Qiao on the road, also mentioning that Luo Qiao was carrying a basket full to the brim.


    Li Xiulan became excited, ¡°Did you see what was inside?¡±


    Gao Shunyi replied, ¡°It looked like a blanket on top; I don¡¯t know what was underneath. But the blanket seemed quite new. I wonder where she got it from. Such a young age, yet quite capable.¡±


    Upon hearing that the blanket was quite new, Li Xiulan thought that all those things would eventually belong to her own family. She planned to remind Luo Qiao to take good care of her things, so the young girl wouldn¡¯t ruin them without knowing how to manage the household.


    While she was feeling pleased, she heard Gao Shunyi saying, ¡°You should take Taohua¡¯s matter more seriously. We can¡¯t delay any further. If it really comes down to it, look at the two families we talked about before and settle for whichever offers a higher bride price.


    ¡°If we keep delaying, she¡¯ll end up an old maid. Plus, once she¡¯s married off, the bride price can help with finding a match for Ru Lin, our second child. Just compare it to what the Rumu Family offered for Shunyi.¡±


    Li Xiulan replied, ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll take another look these days and decide quickly. We really can¡¯t keep dragging our feet with Ru Lin; it gets harder to talk about marriage the longer we wait.¡±


    Suddenly thinking of something, she looked at her husband, ¡°Dad, when do you think we should settle things with Luo Qiao? I bet there could be others in the village eyeing that girl. We can¡¯t afford to be late.¡±


    Gao Shunyi said, ¡°Let¡¯s wait a bit longer. The girl has just arrived in the village, and it wouldn¡¯t look good to be too eager. We¡¯ll visit her more often when there¡¯s nothing else going on. Let her come over to our house more frequently, and once we¡¯re closer, we can bring it up.¡±


    Li Xiulan agreed, ¡°Alright, then. I¡¯ll make a point of talking to her more often. If things work out, we could save a lot of money.¡±


    Gao Shunyi cautioned, ¡°Don¡¯t mention this to anyone at home, and don¡¯t blabber about it outside either, to avoid being a laughingstock.¡±


    Li Xiulan snorted, ¡°Am I that stupid? If I let it slip and others rush in before us, I¡¯d regret it to death.¡±


    Gao Shunyi nodded, ¡°As long as you see the big picture, that¡¯s fine. Just keep your mouth shut; don¡¯t go around blabbering all day. Now go cook something, I¡¯m starved to death.¡±


    Li Xiulan said with a smile, ¡°Sure thing, I¡¯ll go cook now. You take a break first.¡±


    Meanwhile, the Yao family in Ji City was also discussing Luo Qiao. The family head, Yao Chengxuan, was furious after his wife told him about Luo Qiao, ¡°The Luo Family is really despicable. I heard that Luo¡¯s old man used to be a cadre of some sort back in the day.


    ¡°How could they raise such a shameless son? It¡¯s inhuman. Luo Qiao is only a fifteen or sixteen-year-old child. And the Zhao Family from Qingshan Village isn¡¯t any better; they¡¯re all the same kind of people.¡±

 Chapter 76 - 76 76 Jealousy

    ?Chapter 76: Chapter 76 Jealousy Chapter 76: Chapter 76 Jealousy The eldest son of the Yao Family, Yao Pengfei, said, ¡°Dad, calm down; my mom mentioned that Luo Qiao looked plumper and fairer than when she was on the farm, indicating that she¡¯s been living a decent life.


    Luo Qiao has already enrolled, and in a few months, she¡¯ll be sitting for the middle school entrance exams. With her intelligence, getting into a good high school shouldn¡¯t be a problem. I know that Chaoyang Commune isn¡¯t far from Ji City; I even delivered some goods there a few days ago.


    It¡¯s quite possible that if Luo Qiao does well, she might get into the top school in the city. By then, we should take extra care of her since there isn¡¯t a better solution for now.¡±


    Yao Lili, the eldest daughter of the Yao Family, finished the last bite of her meal and said, ¡°You all really have a knack for worrying, can¡¯t even manage your own affairs, yet concerned with hers. Luo Qiao had Master Yuan and the old couple from the Yang Family looking out for her on the farm.


    For all we know, she might still be in touch with them; those families could have given her a helping hand, and she could be living better than us. Look how anxious you all are¡ªit¡¯s as if she were your own daughter.¡±


    Yao Chengxuan frowned and looked at his eldest daughter, ¡°What¡¯s with that tone? You¡¯re grown up; when will you start acting like it?¡±


    Yao Lili responded, ¡°Did I say something wrong? They¡¯re just neighbors like us. When the Yuan Family and the Yang Family left, did they leave you their addresses?¡±


    Auntie Yao Wu Peiling said, ¡°Why would they leave their addresses for no reason? And when those two families left, they also gave us quite a few things.¡±


    Yao Lili snorted, ¡°Those were things they didn¡¯t want, couldn¡¯t take with them. Just look at the quilts; they gave the best ones to Luo Qiao. I wanted to use one of those quilts earlier, and you wouldn¡¯t let me touch it.


    The Yuan Family and the Yang Family left their addresses for Luo Qiao, and I heard that the Luo Family got back to Ji City earlier than us because Master Yuan¡¯s grandson pulled some strings.


    That fool Luo Qiao didn¡¯t even tell her family, and once they got back to Ji City, they booted her straight to the countryside¡ªhahaha, that just kills me.¡±


    Yao Pengrui, the youngest son of the Yao Family, couldn¡¯t stand his older sister¡¯s Schadenfreude attitude and said, ¡°Sis, you¡¯re such a disappointment. Back on the farm, Sister Luo Qiao shared the nice food she got from the Yuan and Yang families with us.


    Listen to the awful things you¡¯re saying. You¡¯re just jealous of Sister Luo Qiao¡¯s popularity, aren¡¯t you? But that¡¯s not something you can envy¡ªit¡¯s not your fate.¡±


    Yao Lili, caught off guard by her brother¡¯s insight into her petty thoughts, turned to her parents and said, ¡°Mom, Dad, aren¡¯t you going to say anything? I am her big sister after all.¡±


    Yao Chengxuan glanced at his daughter, his eyes filled with complexity, ¡°Your brother isn¡¯t wrong, Lili. If you don¡¯t change your ways, you¡¯re going to suffer a lot in the future.¡±


    Seeing her dad not taking her side, Yao Lili retorted, ¡°So, in the end, you all look down on me, thinking Luo Qiao¡¯s so great. Why don¡¯t you adopt her as your daughter then?¡±


    At this, Yao Pengfei couldn¡¯t stand it any longer, ¡°That¡¯s enough, Lili. The more you talk, the less sense you make. Can¡¯t you understand a single word of reason anymore?¡±


    Yao Lili abruptly stood up, ran back to her room, and slammed the door with a resounding bang.


    Meanwhile, in the military compound, Zhang Xiao had just poured himself a glass of water and sat down when his dad came home. He smiled and said, ¡°Dad, you¡¯re back.¡±


    Zhang Jianjun patted his daughter on the head and asked, ¡°How¡¯s your mom today?¡±


    Zhang Xiao replied, ¡°She¡¯s fine, thankfully it was her left hand; otherwise, she wouldn¡¯t be able to attend classes. Don¡¯t worry; I¡¯ll take good care of Mom.¡±

 Chapter 77 - 77 77 Begging for Mercy

    ?Chapter 77: Chapter 77 Begging for Mercy Chapter 77: Chapter 77 Begging for Mercy Zhang Xiao poured a glass of water for her father and handed it over, ¡°Dad, is there still no news about the girl who helped us that day?¡±


    Zhang Jianjun replied, ¡°No, I asked the people from Chaoyang Commune, and they all said they hadn¡¯t seen the girl. Could it be she¡¯s not from around here?¡±


    Zhang Xiao thought for a moment and said, ¡°That¡¯s possible. She spoke to me in standard Mandarin that day. It¡¯s possible she¡¯s not from here.


    Oh, it¡¯s all my fault. I didn¡¯t even ask her name.


    I haven¡¯t thanked her properly yet, and I even let her pay for the phone call. I really feel bad about it.¡±


    Zhang Jianjun saw that his daughter was a bit unhappy, ¡°Maybe we¡¯ll run into her again someday, and then we¡¯ll thank her properly.¡±


    Zhang Xiao nodded, sighed, and said, ¡°That¡¯s the only thing we can do now.¡±


    Just then, someone knocked on the front door. Zhang Xiao looked at her father, who shook his head.


    If it wasn¡¯t someone Dad was expecting, then who could it be at this time? She put down the cup in her hand and ran to open the door, only to cheerfully shout, ¡°Second Brother, how come you¡¯re back?¡±


    Zhang Yue responded, ¡°Do you not welcome my return?¡±


    Zhang Xiao said with a smile, ¡°Of course, I welcome you! Second Brother, did you bring me any gifts this time?¡±


    Zhang Yue ¡®humphed¡¯, darted into the courtyard, and said, ¡°I knew it. The reason you¡¯re so happy to see me is because of the gifts I brought back, not because you really missed your Second Brother.¡±


    Zhang Xiao ran up like a sycophant, hooked her arm through her brother¡¯s, and laughed, ¡°How could that be? The gifts are just a bonus. The main thing is I missed Second Brother himself.¡±


    After greeting their father, Zhang Yue then asked, ¡°Why haven¡¯t I seen Mom?¡±


    Zhang Xiao looked somewhat uneasy, ¡°Mom went to the clinic to change her dressings. She¡¯ll be back soon.¡±


    Zhang Yue suddenly stood up, ¡°What happened? Mom got hurt?¡±


    Zhang Xiao, a bit headache-ridden, glanced at their dad sitting aside, who didn¡¯t seem inclined to come to her aid, so she muttered quietly, ¡°I¡ªI was riding the bike, and I took Mom down to the dam.¡±


    Zhang Yue exclaimed loudly, ¡°You reckless girl, what are you talking about? Where is Mom hurt?¡±


    Zhang Xiao, with her head bowed, said, ¡°Mom, uh, well, she broke her arm, and she also has a few scrapes.¡±


    Zhang Yue remarked, ¡°Zhang Xiao, you really did it this time. The road is so wide, how could you manage to bike down to the dam? I¡¯m really speechless.¡±


    After speaking, he turned and left the house, ready to go to the clinic to pick someone up.


    Zhang Xiao also chased after him, pleading, ¡°Second Brother, I¡¯m sorry, I really didn¡¯t mean it. Can you keep this a secret and not tell Big Brother for now? Otherwise, he¡¯ll scold me to death. I¡¯m begging you, Second Brother.¡±


    Zhang Yue fiercely tapped her forehead with his finger and said, ¡°You¡¯re grown up now. I need to see how bad Mom¡¯s injuries are before I decide whether I¡¯ll agree to your request or not.¡±


    Zhang Xiao fawningly replied, ¡°Okay, okay, I¡¯m telling you, Mom is really almost recovered.¡±


    The voices of the siblings grew fainter and fainter until they disappeared.


    The next morning, Luo Qiao got up early to eat breakfast and headed to the riverside to start her work. She happened to hear a few women gossiping about Li Xiulan¡¯s family business.


    Li Xiulan was looking for a match for Gao Taohua, and that morning, two families had shown up. Li Xiulan had announced that she would settle on whichever family offered the higher bride price.


    It was also mentioned that they were waiting for Gao Taohua¡¯s bride price money to look for a match for their second son Ru Lin.


    Luo Qiao was listening intently when she heard someone say, ¡°Stop talking, someone¡¯s coming, we don¡¯t want to stir up trouble again.¡±

 Chapter 78 - 78 78 Became a Hot Commodity

    ?Chapter 78: Chapter 78 Became a Hot Commodity Chapter 78: Chapter 78 Became a Hot Commodity Luo Qiao followed the onlooker¡¯s gaze and saw the Gao Family approaching. Li Xiulan immediately spotted Luo Qiao in the crowd and, with a beaming smile, made a beeline for her.


    Seeing the look in Li Xiulan¡¯s eyes, Luo Qiao felt uncomfortable, thinking, ¡®This woman is up to no good.¡¯


    ¡°Luo Qiao, why haven¡¯t we seen you at work these past few days?¡± Li Xiulan pretended to be close, attempting to grab Luo Qiao¡¯s arm.


    With cautious movements, Luo Qiao dodged: ¡°Good morning, Auntie Li.¡±


    Li Xiulan clearly saw Luo Qiao¡¯s subtle evasion but still cheerfully said, ¡°Luo Qiao, if there¡¯s any heavy work you can¡¯t handle, just tell Auntie. It¡¯s no trouble for someone from a big family like mine to lend a hand.¡±


    Luo Qiao eyed this village gossip, known to never do anything without expecting something in return, and wondered what ulterior motives she might have for being so unexpectedly kind.


    Luo Qiao smiled and said, ¡°Thank you, Auntie,¡± her politeness tinged with aloofness.


    Li Xiulan responded, ¡°There¡¯s no need to be formal with Auntie. Now that you¡¯ve settled in Qingshan Village, we¡¯re all family here.¡±


    Luo Qiao narrowed her eyes, pondering over Li Xiulan¡¯s shrewd calculation. What was she up to?


    Just then, Auntie Gao from the team leader¡¯s household came over; Luo Qiao politely nodded at Li Xiulan and walked towards Auntie Gao.


    Luo Qiao sensed something off about Li Xiulan¡¯s gaze and knew she had to keep her distance.


    Auntie Gao asked with a smile, ¡°When did you get back? Is everything settled?¡±


    Not hiding anything, Luo Qiao spoke softly, ¡°I got back yesterday afternoon. Everything¡¯s taken care of. By the way, Auntie, I¡¯ve taken the quilt apart to wash it, and I¡¯ll bring it over tomorrow.¡±


    Auntie Gao replied, ¡°What¡¯s the rush? You hardly used it; why bother washing it?¡±


    Though she said that, she actually thought highly of Luo Qiao for being so considerate.


    Luo Qiao simply smiled without saying much.


    Today, while weeding the sweet potato fields, Luo Qiao ended up working with Auntie Gao as usual. They were joined by a couple of women who had ridden with them on Lu Yichen¡¯s tractor to the commune that day.


    The topic of Li Xiulan getting kicked off the tractor came up, and it led to discussions about how Li Xiulan had been recently trying to find suitors for Gao Taohua, starting a while ago, but Taohua was not impressed by the two families she had seen so far.


    Remembering how she¡¯d encountered Gao Taohua confessing to Lu Yichen that evening, Luo Qiao suddenly laughed. It seemed Taohua had decent taste, but it was unfortunate that Gao Shunyi and Li Xiulan likely wouldn¡¯t agree to it.


    Even if they did agree, Lu Yichen probably wouldn¡¯t fancy getting involved with such a troublesome Yue Family himself. Luo Qiao had overheard enough village gossip about the couple to know that much.


    One appeared honest but was scheming, while the other was not only gossipy and argumentative but also liked to take advantage of others¡ªthey indeed made a perfect match.


    Seeing Luo Qiao laughing and chatting with the team leader¡¯s wife in the distance, the people from the Zhao Family were full of scorn. She hadn¡¯t been in the village long but had already cozied up to the team leader¡¯s wife¡ªclearly having someone powerful in her corner, not giving a second thought to the Zhaos.


    Gao Suhua kept her eyes on Luo Qiao, who was growing more attractive day by day. Now she even regretted her past decision, thinking she could have cashed in on the girl by now.


    A few days earlier, her sister-in-law made another visit saying that the family from Beipo Village hadn¡¯t found a suitable match yet. According to her, the dowry had risen from fifty to a hundred, as her city sister had chipped in more, aiming for a decent husband.


    The more she watched Luo Qiao, the more suitable she believed her to be, with the calculations flashing undisguised in her eyes.

 Chapter 79 - 79 79 Malice

    ?Chapter 79: Chapter 79 Malice Chapter 79: Chapter 79 Malice Gao Suhua thought to herself that since she had already discussed it with her sister-in-law, the Luo Family would definitely not care about Luo Qiao anymore. Therefore, even if she did something, nobody would stand up for her.


    As long as she sent her to Beipo Village, that family would surely not let her escape the village. Even if she wanted to resist, she would be alone and helpless. She heard that the family in Beipo Village was quite influential there.


    Being an orphan, she feared she would have no choice but to comply. The men in that village were known to have bad tempers. After making up her mind, she planned to finish work in the evening and go over to Jiajia Village to discuss it with her sister-in-law.


    She could always give her sister-in-law some money when the time came. Pleased with her plan, she started busying herself with her current work, thinking of the money she would soon have in her hands, feeling delighted.


    Unbeknownst to Luo Qiao, so many people were scheming against her. She was just thinking about what to cook when she got home at midday.


    When she got home from work at noon and was washing vegetables in the kitchen, preparing to make some braised noodles, she heard someone calling from outside, ¡°Is anyone there?¡±


    Luo Qiao put down the vegetables and went outside. ¡°Who are you?¡±


    A girl who was much shorter than herself stood outside and said to Luo Qiao, ¡°My name is Qiao Ruimei. The homeroom teacher asked you to come to school tomorrow for the mid-term exam. Be at school before eight o¡¯clock in the morning, and first stop by his office.¡±


    Luo Qiao replied, ¡°Thank you, classmate Ruimei.¡±


    Qiao Ruimei looked at the girl in front of her who was in the same class but didn¡¯t need to attend school every day, thinking that without attending classes, she couldn¡¯t possibly achieve a good grade. It was such a waste of money.


    Luo Qiao then said, ¡°Ruimei, please wait a moment.¡±


    She went back into the house and came out with two handfuls of dried red dates. ¡°You¡¯ve gone out of your way to deliver the message. Take these to eat on the way.¡±


    Qiao Ruimei replied somewhat embarrassedly, ¡°I really shouldn¡¯t accept this. I was just passing by.¡±


    Luo Qiao insisted, ¡°Take it, it¡¯s nothing valuable. In the future, I might still need your help delivering messages. Even if it¡¯s on your way, it¡¯s still a detour, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    Qiao Ruimei hadn¡¯t expected Luo Qiao to be so thoughtful and said, ¡°Then you should arrive early tomorrow to avoid missing the exam.¡±


    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll arrive early,¡± Luo Qiao assured her. ¡°Take care on your way back.¡±


    After seeing off her classmate, Luo Qiao hurried to finish cooking. After eating and cleaning up, she went to the village chief¡¯s house to ask for another day off.


    Having practiced in the space and done yoga in the evening, she read for a while before going to bed early, as she had to go to school the next day.


    In the morning, she boiled eggs and made porridge in the space, accompanied by some pickled vegetables. After eating and tidying up, she left the space.


    Today, she wore old clothes as she didn¡¯t want to stand out too much at school. Being a transfer student was already drawing enough attention. With the middle school exam just a few months away, she didn¡¯t want to invite unnecessary trouble.


    She had bought two pens and a notebook at the commune last time. She walked quickly to school, arriving just as the gates had opened. After greeting the gatekeeper, she went straight to the homeroom teacher¡¯s office.


    Unexpectedly, several teachers were already in the office. Luo Qiao knocked gently on the door, and the teachers inside all looked up simultaneously.


    Homeroom teacher Ning Lintian, seeing that it was Luo Qiao, said, ¡°Come in.¡±


    After entering, Luo Qiao greeted them, ¡°Good morning, teachers.¡±


    The other teachers sitting there nodded at her amicably and went back to their business.


    Teacher Ning then asked, ¡°It¡¯s the mid-term exam today; have you been studying at home?¡±


    ¡°Teacher Ning, don¡¯t worry,¡± Luo Qiao replied. ¡°I review every day.¡±

 Chapter 80 - 80 80 Exam Scout the Location

    ?Chapter 80: Chapter 80 Exam, Scout the Location Chapter 80: Chapter 80 Exam, Scout the Location Teacher Ning said with a serious expression, ¡°That¡¯s good, go to the classroom first.¡±


    Luckily she brought a cloth with her, otherwise this stool wouldn¡¯t even be sitable.


    After Luo Qiao sat down, many people glanced over at her secretly, and some girls even showed disdain.


    Many students thought to themselves that they attended classes at school every day, yet some still failed exams. This girl named Luo Qiao didn¡¯t even attend classes, haha!


    The teacher soon arrived, passing out the papers from front to back. Luo Qiao¡¯s speed in doing the exam was not slow, and she had nearly finished in half an hour. However, to avoid disturbing other students, she waited until after checking for mistakes before mentally entering her space.


    The proctoring teacher saw that she didn¡¯t move at all for a long time, and even shook their head lightly.


    Thinking that probably many of the questions were unsolvable by this transfer student, since she hadn¡¯t written anything for quite some time.


    After two subjects in the morning, Luo Qiao didn¡¯t go back to the village. She went to scout a location on the road from the commune to the city, as they had a trade to do at night, and she wanted to make sure in advance to avoid any mistakes later on.


    Luo Qiao wandered around there for a bit and indeed found a suitable spot. It wasn¡¯t far from the roadside and had a well house that provided some cover. No one seemed to have visited this well house regularly.


    The door of the house was barred with a stick. She opened it to look inside, and the well was covered with a stone slab, likely to prevent children from accidentally falling in. It was thoughtfully done.


    Outside, there was a large area where she could place the items that night, before leading them in from the roadside.


    After ensuring the spot was good and safe, she entered her space, cooked herself a bowl of noodles with tomato and egg sauce, and quickly finished lunch. She also rested for a while in her space, but for fear of missing the afternoon exam, she didn¡¯t stay long.


    In the last exam of the afternoon, Luo Qiao didn¡¯t wait until the end, finishing it in half an hour, handed in her paper, and left.


    She still needed to go fishing in the pond by the mountainside. She didn¡¯t want to be there after dark as the pond gave off an eerie vibe. After all, everyone said it was too deep.


    Fortunately, the space contained several wooden buckets and large basins; otherwise, she wouldn¡¯t know where to put the fish she caught. She also wondered why the person before her had stored such things in the space.


    Back home and with time to spare, she pondered how fish in a bucket or basin wouldn¡¯t be easy to weigh due to the water. But presently, she didn¡¯t have anything suitable in her space to use as a scale.


    She walked around the yard without coming up with a solution, and while considering the vines on the mountain, she realized they could damage the fish scales. Then, she spotted the clothes on the kang in the house and took the most worn piece into her space.


    She trimmed off the unnecessary parts and used the sewing machine assembled the previous night to sew the clothes into a bag roughly the size of a bucket. She reinforced the bottom with an extra layer, neatly cut several holes, and made handles on top.


    In the small pit, she had dug by the river in her space the night before, she laid down the oilpaper stored in the warehouse, planning to use her mind to collect fish into it at the pond to prevent water from seeping into the ground.


    With everything prepared to her satisfaction, she finished up, exited the space, shouldered her basket, and headed up the mountain. The pond was not far from the bottom of the mountain and didn¡¯t take long to reach, though it was off the usual path up.


    One had to turn to another side, where few people went.


    Just like before, she added some well water to the pond and waited roughly fifteen minutes. Then she saw a shadow moving toward her from the rocky side of the mountain.