Chapter 59 : Yang Yufeng’s Little Trick

“Sister, I think she’s disgusting.”  

Wang Shufen looked into the distance and saw Yang Yufen in a miserable state.  

But she didn’t understand normally, Yang Yufen didn’t seem like a clean person. Why was she so disgusted by manure? It’s not like she actually ate it.  

“Hmph, we just needed to teach her a lesson.”  

Lu Fangfang vented her frustration.  

She had learned from her mistakes and would never let Yang Yufen take advantage of her again.  

Wang Shufen was curious. “Sister, what did she do to offend you this time?”  

Lu Fangfang didn’t hold back and told her about the two times Yang Yufen had climbed over the wall into her yard.  

She hadn’t really suffered any losses, but she still found it disgusting.  

The day before yesterday, since Yang Yufen had worked for her, she treated her and her family to a meal with beef bone soup.  

If it were anyone else, they would have at least felt a little grateful.  

But Yang Yufen? She acted as if nothing had happened and even had the audacity to blame her.  

“Ugh, how shameless! Just making her sick isn’t enough of a punishment.”  

Wang Shufen spat on the ground. “Sister, how about I tell my husband?”  

“Forget it, Sister Shufen. Don’t tell Brother-in-law. After all, Mingcheng and Yang Yufen’s husband are comrades-in-arms and in the same camp. We should give them some face.”  

Wang Shufen nodded, she had to admit that made sense.  

They were all part of the same community, and a complete falling-out wouldn’t be good for anyone.  

“Sister, when Captain Zhuang comes back, have him talk to Yang Yufen’s husband. We can’t just let this go.”  

Lu Fangfang was in a good mood. She linked arms with Wang Shufen and said, “Sister Shufen, don’t worry. I’m not the kind of person who lets people walk all over me.”  

She was no longer the helpless girl she had been when she first arrived, struggling just to have enough food to eat.  

Now, with Sister Shufen and Mingcheng by her side, she wasn’t afraid of anyone.  

Picking up her kettle, Lu Fangfang gave it a shake and grinned. “Sister Shufen, are you thirsty now?”  

“A little.”  

Lu Fangfang unscrewed the lid and handed it over.  

Wang Shufen took a big sip, then smiled. “It’s so sweet! Sister, you put a lot of sugar in it, didn’t you?”  

“Hehe, not that much.”  

Hearing Sister Shufen say it was sweet made Lu Fangfang feel satisfied.  

After Sister Shufen finished drinking, Lu Fangfang took a sip herself.  

The sweetness lingered in her mouth, filling her with happiness.  

After resting for a while, she asked Wang Shufen to check the potatoes she had arranged in the field to see if they were placed correctly.  

Wang Shufen walked along the ridges, nodded, and said, “Looks good! They’re spaced just right, neither too far nor too close. You can go ahead and bury them now.”  

With Sister Shufen’s approval, Lu Fangfang felt relieved.  

She picked up the hoe and carefully buried the potatoes, one by one.  

Standing at the edge of the field, she wiped the sweat from her forehead and looked at the five rows of potatoes. A sense of accomplishment washed over her.  

When autumn came, she would be able to harvest at least a sack and a half of potatoes from these five rows.  

If she planted some cabbage and radishes and dried some vegetables in the summer, her family wouldn’t have to worry about having enough to eat in the winter.  

Lu Fangfang rummaged through her vegetable seeds and found a bag of spinach seeds.  

She took them to ask Wang Shufen if she had planted any, and seeing that she hadn’t, Lu Fangfang decided to plant some herself.  

Ever since she had started fleeing from the famine, she hadn’t eaten fresh vegetables in so long. She was craving them desperately.  

Now that she was planting spinach, all she needed to do was water it regularly, and in a month or so, she could finally eat fresh greens.  

“Sister, take a break. Go home, have something to eat, rest up, and come back in the afternoon.”  

In the distance, Wang Shufen called out.  

Lu Fangfang wiped the sweat off her face, she was feeling exhausted too.  

Packing up her tools, she carried them and walked back toward the staff quarters with Wang Shufen.  

As they entered the compound, she saw some of the usual sisters-in-law chatting in their familiar spots.  

However, Sister Hao Mei was missing from the group. Instead, there was a new face, Zhu Haimei.  

Lu Fangfang glanced at her curiously but didn’t linger. She simply walked off with Sister Shufen.  

—

“Sister Shufen and Comrade Lu, are you going outside to plant crops?”

Zhu Haimei watched the two figures walk away, feeling a little curious.  

A sister-in-law beside her immediately chimed in, “Oh, they’re reclaiming land on the riverbank east of the family compound. I heard they want to grow vegetables. But honestly, I think the little garden in front of our yard is enough. Why go through all that trouble?”  

“That’s right. If we grow too many vegetables, we won’t even be able to eat them all. It’s just a waste.”  

“Hehe, if there’s too much, that’s perfect! I’ll just go ask my sister-in-law for some.”  

“Look at you, acting so shameless. If you want vegetables, why don’t you plant some yourself?”  

The women chuckled as they chatted.  

“Pfft.”  

Yang Yufen stood to the side, her face still looking a little pale.  

She glanced at Lu Fangfang’s back and spat in disgust.  

Then, turning her head, she noticed Zhu Haimei and immediately moved closer.  

She didn’t know much about Zhu Haimei’s background, but one thing was clear this woman had money.  

“Sister Haimei, you probably don’t know this, but a few days ago, Captain Zhuang bought an entire military truck full of supplies just to marry Lu Fangfang.”  

Seeing Zhu Haimei looking at her, Yang Yufen exaggerated even more.  

“Oh my, that truck was packed with everything food, drinks, daily necessities… There was even a massive double-door wardrobe with mirrors! It was like they were setting up a whole supply and marketing cooperative. It was outrageous!”  

She then added slyly, “Sister Haimei, your wedding is coming up soon. You can’t let her outshine you.”  

Zhu Haimei smirked mockingly.  

This kind of petty provocation? It was laughable.  

But still…  

She glanced at the other women and asked, “Sisters-in-law, did Zhuang Mingcheng really buy a whole truckload of supplies?”  

“Yes, it was indeed a big truck. When I saw it, I thought they were opening a shop here in the family compound. I got excited for nothing!”  

The sister-in-law next to her laughed. The memory was amusing.  

Zhu Haimei frowned and continued asking, “Was there a sewing machine?”  

“Uh… I didn’t see one.”  

“What about a bicycle?”  

“No.”  

“A radio? A watch?”  

“Nope.”  

Zhu Haimei scoffed. “Zhuang Mingcheng is a battalion commander, yet he didn’t even buy those essentials?”  

She lowered her head and smiled. No sewing machine, no bicycle, no radio, no watch… That was pretty shabby.  

Thinking it over, she decided this afternoon, she’d have Li Dajun take a leave, and they’d go to the city together.  

No, they’d go to the provincial capital!  

Her man might not outrank Zhuang Mingcheng, but in other ways, she could definitely surpass Lu Fangfang!  

Yang Yufen saw her plan unfolding and got excited.  

She cleared her throat and continued, “Ahem, Sister Haimei, let me tell you something else. A few days ago, Comrade Fangfang bought a cow skeleton and treated everyone in the family compound to beef bone soup. If you had arrived earlier, you could’ve tasted Xiao Lu’s cooking…”  

Before she could finish, one of the sisters-in-law cut in excitedly, “Speaking of beef bone soup, just hearing about it makes me crave it again. Comrade Lu is such a good person, and her cooking skills are amazing.”  

“By the way, when Comrade Lu gets married, what will you give her as a wedding gift?”  

“I have a pair of enamel basins at home, got them when I got married but never used them. I’ll gift them to Xiao Lu.”  

“I have a piece of floral fabric.”  

—

Yang Yufen paused, turned around, and glared at them.  

She had finally managed to steer the conversation back to the beef bone soup, yet these two had veered off-topic again!  

“She invited everyone in the compound for beef bone soup?”  

Zhu Haimei was a bit surprised. She didn’t expect Lu Fangfang to be so generous.  

But in her eyes, it was nothing special. What was so great about beef bone soup?  

If she were hosting, she’d treat the whole compound to real meat!  

“Sisters-in-law, Dajun and I are getting married on the sixth day of the New Year. You all must come.”  

Zhu Haimei said this with a smile before turning around to find Li Dajun.  

She needed to get to the provincial capital and she wasn’t going to wait another second.