Chapter 9

Even if the Gu family hated her, so what? The college entrance exam was in December, and half of the original host’s vengeance had already been served.

Once she crushed the Gu family and Zhou Shanshan into the mud, she could just pat her backside and return to the city.

The original host’s enemies were mainly the Gu family and Zhou Shanshan.

Song Wanyue exchanged a knowing glance with Cui Hehua, and the two of them walked out of the educated youth dorm.

After checking that no one was around, Song Wanyue asked, smiling in triumph,
“Auntie, are you satisfied with what you saw? Didn’t I tell the truth? If they dare to plot against me, I’ll stomp them into the ground.”

She was thrilled, feeling as if she had finally avenged a great wrong.

Cui Hehua’s smile never faltered. She nodded repeatedly, “You’ve really changed, girl. You don’t let yourself suffer anymore. I don’t know who’s helping you behind the scenes, and I don’t need to know. But you’d better be careful—the Gu family might lash out when cornered.”

The Gu family was finished.

Song Wanyue narrowed her eyes. “Auntie, you know I’ve always been straightforward and naive. I believed whatever people told me. But Zhou Shanshan—she’s the one I would never trust. The only reason I didn’t tear things apart with her before was because Gu Dahai is the son of the brigade leader.”

“To return to the city, I needed his stamp of approval, so I couldn’t afford to offend him. But now that Zhou Shanshan has schemed against me, of course I can’t let her off.”

“She treated my chastity as nothing and even wanted me to be her child’s stepmother. I won’t agree to that. Everyone knows Gu Dahai likes her. I figure she wants me to marry Gu Dahai so she can have her husband and child taken to the capital.”

That kind of person—was Gu Dahai blind?

Cui Hehua consoled her, “Don’t be afraid, Wanyue. Zhou Shanshan is just jealous that you’re doing well. Now that she’s thinking about divorce, she can just walk away and return to the city. Naturally, Gu Dahai and the child need someone to take over. If the Gu family agreed to their divorce, they must have already set their sights on you.”

“You must be careful. A young, pretty, single girl in the countryside is like a sweet bun—everyone wants a bite. Once you pass the exam and return to the city, you’ll be able to bring your husband and child there and live well. But in the city, once your career flourishes, your in-laws will cling to you like bloodsucking leeches.”

Song Wanyue nodded. “Auntie, I’ll remember. From now on, I’ll be careful about who I befriend. I’ll keep people like Zhou Shanshan, who harbor wolfish ambitions, far away from me.”

Zhou Shanshan was ruthless, and Gu Dahai wasn’t any weaker. By 1981, he had managed to secure financial support from the Song family, the original host’s parents. That silver tongue of his could charm anyone; otherwise, he wouldn’t have strung Zhou Shanshan along.

In the city, Zhou Shanshan had been a social butterfly. After she was sent down, Gu Dahai set his eyes on her and pursued her for three months before she finally agreed.

Zhou Shanshan used to repeat that she would never marry a villager. Yet after coming down, she gave in under Gu Dahai’s persistence.

At that time, three months was more than enough to prove that Gu Dahai truly liked Zhou Shanshan’s type.

The system had just told Song Wanyue that in her past life, after the original host’s death, Gu Dahai remarried Zhou Shanshan. But even then, he sought out other women—always the same type as Zhou Shanshan: pure and sweet-looking.

When men gained money, they sought excitement.

After Zhou Shanshan discovered this, she had those women “taken care of.”

And where did they end up?

In remote mountain villages, married off to poor men who couldn’t afford wives. Gu Dahai knew but didn’t interfere. By then, they already had four children, and divorce would complicate custody.

Moreover, Zhou Shanshan knew many of his secrets. But by then, all she cared about was money and children. After seeing too much of his behavior, the two simply led separate lives, each doing as they pleased.

That was why the original host and her family died so unjustly.

Before Gu Dahai rose to success, the original host cared for his and Zhou Shanshan’s children, while the Song family provided the startup capital for his factory. Once the business flourished, they were discarded like a broken millstone, wiped out entirely.

Song Wanyue said, “Auntie, you’re still going out to rally votes, right? Uncle Zhang has a real shot at becoming brigade leader. You need to work hard.”

Even without her twenty-yuan “donation,” Zhang Youlin still had good chances.

She was just adding a little fuel to the fire.

If certain presidents could hand out money to secure votes, what was twenty yuan from her?

Zhang Youlin was steady and hardworking, certainly better than Gu Weimin. He might be a bit tongue-tied and too straightforward, but he was honest and upright.

Unlike Cui Hehua, he wasn’t glib.

But to be brigade leader, he was more than capable.

Cui Hehua nodded seriously. “Alright, Wanyue, Auntie will remember your kindness. If your Uncle Zhang becomes brigade leader, I’ll invite you to our home for dinner. Don’t be shy.”

The girl had finally figured things out. It didn’t matter who was backing her—Cui Hehua was happy to befriend her.

If they could topple the Gu family and make Zhang Shufen live miserably, her heart would be satisfied.

Song Wanyue didn’t decline. “Alright, Auntie, I’ll come. I’ll even buy some good wine to celebrate Uncle Zhang.”

She still had to stay in the village for more than a month. She needed to give face to the new brigade leader’s wife.

The Zhang family had also helped her a lot. She owed them that much—after all, not everyone dared to go up against the brigade leader’s family.

“Alright, I’ll get going then.”

“Okay, Auntie, take care. I’ll help you pull some votes.”

Cui Hehua walked away humming a tune.

Song Wanyue glanced at the time—it was already two o’clock. Just watching the drama had eaten up so much time.

When she returned to the dorm, the educated youths were still arguing about Zhou Shanshan.

Yang Liu had her hands on her hips. “I don’t care, Zhou Shanshan has to move out. She disgusts me. Her bed is right next to mine, and even Zhang Auntie slept there once. Who knows what the three of them have done on whose bed?”

“My bed feels damp—what else could it be but that filthy stuff?”

“Wang Dabing, I know you like Zhou Shanshan. Now you’re even defending her? Oh, Wanyue, you’re back.”

“Zhou Shanshan, if you don’t wash my quilt, I’ll carry it around with me and follow you everywhere. Wherever you go, I’ll tell people: Zhou Shanshan, her man, and his mother slept in our female dorm beds without even washing them afterward.”

Getting Zhou Shanshan to pay compensation was unlikely.

Yang Liu, a capital girl, was bold and outspoken—she said whatever came to mind.

At her words, the room went silent.

Li Jiaojiao looked at Zhou Shanshan hesitantly. “Comrade Zhou, why don’t you just wash her bedsheet? Since you’re back together with Gu Dahai, it’s not really right for you to stay here in the dorm anymore. You should go home and nurse the baby.”

Song Wanyue nodded. “That’s right, Zhou Shanshan. Time to go home and breastfeed your child, hahaha.”

Her baby was only two months old, not yet weaned. Every day, either Zhou Shanshan went to the Gu family to feed him, or Gu Dahai carried the baby to the dorm.

They had been divorced for less than ten days—shortly after news of the college entrance exam resumption came out.

Zhou Shanshan’s hands froze as she packed.

Staring at the stains on the sheet, she said, “Fine, I’ll wash it. Happy now?”

Yang Liu’s loud voice carried authority; she wasn’t afraid of anyone.

Yang Liu brightened. “Good. Now hurry up, finish packing, and move out.”

Zhou Shanshan finished packing, then looked at Song Wanyue with tearful eyes. “Wanyue, can I stay with you? Just squeeze in for a few days? You have that whole room to yourself. Please, I beg you.”

In the past, whenever she cried, Song Wanyue would comfort her.

Now, the sight only made Song Wanyue’s skin crawl.

She shook her head firmly. “No. I haven’t forgotten that you were fooling around with Gu Dahai in the room, then tried to pin it on me. I’m clean and innocent. I won’t ruin my reputation by living with you. You’d better go home and nurse your baby.”