Chapter 27: Stirring Up Trouble

The other teams chimed in, “That’s right, that’s right.”

Li Jianguo snorted, “Say whatever you want, but it won’t work this time. I was the one who went to pick up the educated youths, so I get to choose first.”

Deng Xuejun looked at Secretary Zhou. “Forget it, Secretary, you decide.”

Secretary Zhou glanced at the team leaders and village branch secretaries present.

After a brief silence, he offered a solution:

“How about this? We’ve always assigned them in the past. This time, let’s let the educated youths choose for themselves.”

As soon as Secretary Zhou finished speaking, the team leaders and secretaries had yet to voice their approval or objections when Deng Xuejun jumped right in.

“Our team has a tractor. We’ll drive it over later and take you all back in one go.”

After boasting about his team’s advantage, Deng Xuejun turned to Li Jianguo and added,

“Their team has a tractor too, but they don’t pick people up with it. They use an ox cart for luggage, and you’ll have to walk yourselves.”

Li Jianguo: “…”

The educated youths’ eyes lit up as they looked at Deng Xuejun.

Seeing the situation shift, the other teams quickly threw out their own perks.

“Our team is also arranging for a tractor, and we’ll even select someone to drive it. As educated youths from the city, you’ll have a chance to become tractor drivers!”

“If you’re chosen as a tractor driver, you won’t have to work in the fields.”

Driving a tractor was way better than farm work!

The educated youths’ eyes sparkled again.

As for the remaining two teams—

One offered ox carts for people to ride and larger living quarters for the educated youths.

The other, like Li Jianguo, stayed silent. That team leader wasn’t in a hurry; he knew there would be more batches of educated youths coming later.

More importantly, his team truly couldn’t compete with the others. He would just wait until the others filled up their housing, leaving his team as the only option left.

Watching the team leaders flaunt their advantages like peacocks displaying their feathers, Song Yue couldn’t help but find it amusing.

Lin He suddenly scooted closer and sat beside her, lowering his voice. “Hey.”

“Song Yue, which one are you choosing?”

Without hesitation, Song Yue answered, “Uncle Li.”

A bag of sweets was no joke.

Lin He immediately followed up, “Then I’ll choose Uncle Li too.”

Song Yue turned to him with a puzzled look. “?”

“You’re not going with those two?”

Lin He looked into her bright, lively eyes and felt his heartbeat quicken slightly.

He hurriedly shifted his gaze away. “Why would I follow them? I’d have to watch them being lovey-dovey all day, and if they get into a fight, I’ll be the one they take it out on.”

Song Yue: “…”

Lin He sighed. “I just worry that if, by chance, they—”

Song Yue cut him off. “Don’t worry, they definitely won’t choose Uncle Li’s team. They’ll either pick the one with a tractor or the one that’s about to get a tractor.”

Liu Wei, sitting nearby, clenched her teeth as she watched Lin He and Song Yue chat.

Shameless.

One moment flirting with this one, the next moment turning around to flirt with Comrade Lin.

Zhang Shumin, unwilling to stay with the others but unable to decide on her own, also approached Song Yue. “Song Yue, which one do you think I should choose?”

Without hesitation, Song Yue answered, “Uncle Li.”

Zhang Shumin hesitated. “Other than Uncle Li?”

Lin He frowned. “What? You don’t want to be with Song Yue?”

Zhang Shumin sighed. “I do, but…”

But she didn’t want people knowing about her illness. She trusted Song Yue not to tell anyone.

But others might. If they were like Liu Wei and Li Xinyue, thinking her illness was contagious, what then?

If word spread in the village, how would both the villagers and the people at the educated youth station see her?

Song Yue saw right through her hesitation. “My advice is to pick the tractor team.”

A tractor?

Zhang Shumin grew even more conflicted. The tractor team was a hot choice—many people wanted in.

“But…”

Song Yue reminded her, “The tractor team leader will be selective. Even if you choose them, you still have to see if they accept you. So…”

Song Yue didn’t finish her sentence, but Zhang Shumin understood.

Even if she picked the tractor team, if the leader didn’t want her, it was useless.

“I get it.” Zhang Shumin thanked her. “Thanks, Song Yue.”

Song Yue remained calm. “You’re welcome. If you need anything later, just come to me.”

Lin He listened to their conversation.

Deng Xuejun walked up to him. “Young man, want to join my team?”

Lin He glanced at Song Yue with a smile. “Sure, as long as you take her too. Is that okay?”

Deng Xuejun turned his gaze to Song Yue.

Li Jianguo’s heart skipped a beat. Please don’t let him take Comrade Song.

Even Lin He—why did he have to bring up Comrade Song?

Looking at Song Yue’s frail and delicate figure, Deng Xuejun estimated that she’d probably end up being a burden.

He shook his head. “Forget it.”

His gaze then shifted to Zhang Shumin.

Compared to Song Yue, Zhang Shumin looked sturdier and seemed like a capable worker. “What about you, Comrade?”

Zhang Shumin hesitated. “I…”

Liu Wei, seeing Zhang Shumin being actively invited, felt furious, clenching her fists inside her sleeves.

She spoke up, “Captain Deng.”

The moment Song Yue heard Liu Wei’s voice, she knew trouble was coming.

And sure enough—

Liu Wei’s next words were, “Shumin, before you agree, shouldn’t you tell Captain Deng about your health condition?”

Song Yue: Did Zhang Shumin dig up Liu Wei’s ancestral grave in a past life or what?

Why else would Liu Wei keep targeting her?

Zhang Shumin glared at Liu Wei. Here she goes again!

She had been interrupted by Song Yue before, and now she was bringing it up again!

What had she ever done to Liu Wei?

A surge of grievance welled up in her chest, making her nose tingle with the urge to cry.

But then she remembered Song Yue’s advice from earlier and forced herself to swallow it down.

Deng Xuejun’s eyes widened. “Comrade, you have a health issue? You don’t look sick at all.”

“Comrade, we country folk speak bluntly—don’t take offense.”

Zhang Shumin took a deep breath. “Captain, my health does have some issues, but I take medicine. It won’t affect my work.”

Liu Wei froze, not expecting Zhang Shumin to admit it so directly.

Song Yue’s eyes gleamed with satisfaction.

She actually listened to my advice.

Zhang Shumin then pointed to her luggage.

“See all that over there? It’s mine. I carried it all by myself. If I were really that sick, would I have been able to bring all that? Right, Captain?”

Deng Xuejun glanced over, then nodded. “You’ve got a point.”

Zhang Shumin smiled. “So, Captain, if you’re okay with it, I’ll join your team. If not, I’ll just look elsewhere.”

Deng Xuejun chuckled. “You’re straightforward. I like that. Join us.”

Zhang Shumin hadn’t expected him to say that.

Maybe being open about her illness wasn’t as bad as she’d thought…

Just as she was about to agree—

Liu Wei’s voice piped up again.