Chapter 59: I Have Something to Ask You

Chen Juhua’s wailing and crying gradually faded into the distance until it disappeared completely.

Back at the educated youth spot.

Lin He was cooking, Zhao Zirui was tending the fire.

Li Xinyue and Liu Wei sat nearby, chatting and laughing.

It was quite a harmonious and pleasant scene.

But the moment they saw her, that beautiful moment came to an abrupt halt.

Li Xinyue and Liu Wei’s smiles froze instantly before vanishing completely.

They glanced at Song Yue.

Li Xinyue got up, pulled Liu Wei along, and went back into the house.

Lin He tossed the spatula to Zhao Zirui. “You keep an eye on the food—I’ll go help Comrade Song carry firewood…”

Before Lin He could finish, Song Yue walked over and interrupted him.

“Just focus on your cooking. Carrying firewood is a small matter—burning the food is a big one.”

With that, she turned and ran off toward the firewood storage.

Lin He had no choice but to focus on cooking.

Song Yue threw the firewood into the storage, clapped the dust off her hands, and turned to the senior educated youths.

“The firewood has been returned. We’re even now.”

Aside from Jiang Xuemei and Li Tao, the other educated youths didn’t look too happy.

Song Yue ignored them and went to wash her hands.

Lin He called out, “Comrade Song, the food’s ready! Hurry over.”

“Alright, coming.”

After hearing her response, Lin He turned to Zhao Zirui.

“Zhao Zirui, go call those two out. If they won’t come, just pack their food in lunchboxes and take it in. That way, they won’t have to come out and nitpick in front of us.”

Zhao Zirui got up and went to call Li Xinyue and Liu Wei. “I’ll get them to come out.”

Song Yue picked up a lunchbox and glanced at the food on the table.

Hmm.

Not bad.

Stir-fried wood ear mushrooms with pork, steamed egg with minced meat, and a plate of scrambled eggs with chives.

Three dishes in total.

Somehow, Zhao Zirui managed to bring Li Xinyue and Liu Wei back out.

Everyone sat down.

Song Yue scooped her rice without a word and started eating.

Her eating speed was fast but not in a sloppy, ravenous way. She was efficient—quick yet composed.

No one could find fault with it.

Her swift movements were a stark contrast to Li Xinyue and Liu Wei, who ate slowly and delicately.

Li Xinyue at least carried an air of refinement.

But Liu Wei… She was deliberately nibbling at her food, putting on an act.

After all, they had all seen her devour steamed buns on the train without a second thought.

Halfway through the meal—

Li Xinyue suddenly looked at Zhao Zirui. “Zirui-ge, didn’t you say you had something to talk about earlier?”

“Not something to say—something to ask you.”

“Xinyue, if I ask this…”

Zhao Zirui trailed off, then pulled a small cloth pouch from his pocket, placed it on the table, and opened it.

Song Yue glanced at it.

A few White Rabbit milk candies and two eggs.

Her eyebrow twitched. So this was what Zhang Jiaojiao had slipped to Zhao Zirui?

As expected—

Zhao Zirui continued, “After work this afternoon, I went to gather firewood.

While I was at it, a woman from the village suddenly appeared out of nowhere, stuffed this into my arms, and ran off.”

“What should I do with it?”

“Return it, or…”

Song Yue chuckled inwardly. Zhao Zirui was good. He wasn’t sure if she had seen it happen or not, so he was trying to preemptively expose himself to avoid leaving a handle for others to use against him?

“Smack!”

Li Xinyue slammed the table and stood up abruptly. “Of course you should just throw it away! What else is there to do?!”

She reached out, ready to grab the pouch and toss it.

Liu Wei spoke up. “Xinyue, if you throw it away, the girl who gave it won’t know.

She might think the educated youth accepted her gift.”

Li Xinyue paused. That was true.

But… Keeping the stuff here was ruining her appetite.

She turned to Liu Wei. “Then what do you suggest? I can’t eat with that thing sitting here.”

Liu Wei smiled. “Xinyue, Zhao Zirui is good-looking and an educated youth in the countryside. It’s normal for people to give him gifts. This just proves you have good taste, doesn’t it?”

“You’re beautiful too. In the future, some young men from the village will probably bring you gifts as well.”

Li Xinyue blurted out, “If anyone gives me something, I’ll throw it out on the spot. I wouldn’t accept it.”

Liu Wei coaxed, “Getting angry won’t help. The best way is to wait until tomorrow before work, find the girl in front of everyone, return the gift, and tell her not to embarrass herself again.”

After finishing, she turned to Song Yue, Zhao Zirui, and Lin He. “What do you all think of this plan?”

Zhao Zirui was more interested in Song Yue’s opinion—he wanted to confirm if she had seen what happened.

But she just kept her head down, eating. Not only did she stay silent, she didn’t even show any expression.

Zhao Zirui reined in his thoughts and smiled. “I think it’s a good idea.”

Liu Wei beamed. “Lin He, Song Yue, what about you two?”

“What?” Song Yue finally looked up, her face blank. “I was focused on eating and didn’t hear.”

Liu Wei froze: “…”

She opened her mouth to repeat it. “It’s just—”

Li Xinyue cut her off. “Ask Lin He.”

Song Yue resumed eating.

Liu Wei turned to Lin He. “Lin He, what do you think?”

“If you think it’s good, go ahead. Don’t ask me.” Lin He was impatient. “Just don’t start a fight tomorrow.”

Li Xinyue: “…”

Song Yue finished the last bite of rice, picked up her lunchbox, and stood up to leave.

Lin He instinctively asked, “Where are you going, Comrade Song?”

Without looking back, Song Yue said, “I’m full.”

The three of them looked at their bowls…

They hadn’t even finished half of their meals.

Song Yue took her lunchbox inside, grabbed a bag, and filled it with some rice and eggs.

Then she walked out and placed the bag in the middle of the table.

“Egg custard, scrambled eggs—I contributed two eggs. I’ll also cover my portion of rice.”

“The wood ear mushrooms in the stir-fry were picked by me, so that dish evens out.”

“I don’t like owing favors. Take it.”

Lin He frowned. “Song—”

Song Yue cut him off before he could finish. “Even blood brothers settle accounts clearly.”

Lin He paused, then relented. “Alright then.”

With that, the others had no choice but to pitch in too.

If even blood brothers settled accounts clearly, how could they not?

After putting the bag down, Song Yue prepared to leave, estimating that if she walked slowly, she’d reach the work point just in time to collect her labor credits.

She had barely taken a step—

When someone arrived.

And they were looking for her.

“Is Comrade Song here?”

The man’s voice rang out, drawing the attention of not just Lin He and the others, but also the senior educated youths nearby who were eating. Everyone smelled gossip and turned to look.

Song Yue responded, “I’m here.”

As her words fell, two familiar figures stepped into the educated youth spot.

Yang Chunhua and Chen Guoqiang.

Song Yue quickly walked over.

“Comrade Song, thank you for what you did this afternoon.” Yang Chunhua smiled. “We brought some things from home—please don’t mind them.”

The senior educated youths were dumbfounded.

What was Song Yue up to?

Why did people keep bringing her gifts?

Li Xinyue looked bewildered.

Liu Wei burned with jealousy.

Song Yue raised her hand and pushed back the items Chen Guoqiang offered.

“There’s no need for this, Chunhua-jie. It was just a small favor—anyone would have helped.”

Yang Chunhua looked at her with concern. “Helping is one thing, but you got dragged into trouble because of it.”

Song Yue grinned. “Didn’t I beat him up for it?”