Chapter 18

“Then how do you know about all this?” Lu Lanlan asked curiously. If she hadn’t seen those maggots that day, she would have already moved in with that creep.

In a way, those maggots saved her life.

“I found out by accident,” Gu Yu explained. “That day, after coming back from the infirmary, we had an argument. I wanted to talk to her about switching rooms.

Just as I started, she had a stomachache and ran to the restroom, so I sat there waiting. A gust of wind blew her diary open, and that’s when I saw it.”

By the time she finished speaking, Gu Yu’s voice was barely audible, but as soon as Lu Lanlan heard the words ‘diary,’ she understood everything.

“Then I rushed back to our dorm. But for some reason, ever since that day, that big and strong female educated youth has been sticking to me. I couldn’t shake her off. After the dirty female educated youth was taken away at noon, she came to me and asked me to move into her room.

Of course, I refused, but she somehow found out some things about me and started using them to threaten me. I had no choice but to say I’d discuss it with you,” Gu Yu pleaded, looking at Lu Lanlan. “You’re the only one who can help me now.”

“So, what you’re saying is, I need to cling to you and not let go?” Lu Lanlan asked.

Gu Yu nodded. “That’s the only way. If she knows that I’m the one refusing to move, she’ll definitely expose my secrets.”

Hearing this, Lu Lanlan laughed. “Aren’t you afraid that now that you’ve told me, I might not help you and just watch you walk into the fire pit? After all, we’re not exactly on good terms.”

“I believe you’re not that kind of person,” Gu Yu said firmly. When she saw Lu Lanlan bravely catching the dirty female educated youth despite the threat of being hit with a brick, she was convinced that Lu Lanlan was a good person.

“Heh, now you trust me? Weren’t you the one who always had a prejudice against me before?” Lu Lanlan said sarcastically.

She was kind-hearted, but that didn’t mean she didn’t hold grudges.

“I was wrong,” Gu Yu admitted sincerely, showing no signs of irritation. She knew Lu Lanlan would help her, and this was just payback for all the things she had said before.

Seeing her like this, Lu Lanlan pouted. “Fine.”

Gu Yu breathed a sigh of relief.

“Alright, go back to work. I have things to do too,” Lu Lanlan said.

“I’ll help you,” Gu Yu said, picking up a rake and starting to work beside her.

“You don’t have to. Just go do your own tasks,” Lu Lanlan replied.

Gu Yu scratched her head awkwardly. “I’ve been assigned to work with her, so I don’t dare go back.”

Hearing this, Lu Lanlan didn’t drive her away.

Later, when it was time to record work points, Lu Lanlan made sure the points for Gu Yu’s work were recorded under her name.

After the work points were tallied, Gu Yu stuck to Lu Lanlan on the way back to the dormitory, making everyone in the educated youth dorm curious.

Everyone knew that Gu Yu and Lu Lanlan didn’t get along. Why were they suddenly so close?

Xu Xiangdong was the last one to report his work points.

“Brother Xiangdong, why are you so late today?” the record-keeper asked.

“I went to town at noon, so I got back late and worked slower. By the way, Xiaoxia, isn’t the village chief letting you handle work assignments?” Xu Xiangdong asked.

Xu Xiaoxia nodded. “Yeah.”

“Can you do me a favor?” Xu Xiangdong said.

“Of course, Brother Xiangdong. What do you need?” Xu Xiaoxia had liked Xu Xiangdong since childhood, so she was more than happy to help him.

“That new educated youth, Gu Yu—don’t assign her to work with that strong female educated youth anymore. Separate them,” Xu Xiangdong said.

Xu Xiaoxia’s smile instantly faded. “Brother Xiangdong, why are you suddenly concerned about the female educated youths?”

“When I was working in the fields today, I saw…” Xu Xiangdong explained everything to Xu Xiaoxia in detail.

“That Gu Yu clearly doesn’t like that strong female educated youth. She even pointed a rake at her. If they keep working together, I’m afraid there will be trouble.”

Hearing this, Xu Xiaoxia smiled again. “Alright, I understand.”

“Okay, it’s getting late. Let’s pack up and head back.” After speaking, Xu Xiangdong stayed behind to help Xu Xiaoxia clean up.

Seeing this, Xu Xiaoxia felt even happier.

—-

Back at the dormitory, Fu Chunian had already prepared dinner.

“If your back isn’t feeling well, you should rest. I’ll cook when I get back,” Lu Lanlan said as she washed her hands.

“I rested all afternoon, so I feel much better now,” Fu Chunian said with a smile.

Watching their interaction, Gu Yu suddenly felt a little uneasy. What if these two ended up getting married in less than two months?

With that thought, Gu Yu grabbed Lu Lanlan’s arm and said, “Even if you get married, don’t move out.”

“?”

“What nonsense are you spouting? Who’s getting married? Go make your dinner,” Lu Lanlan said.

Fu Chunian glanced at the two but said nothing.

Once they were back in their room, he asked, “Did you and Gu Yu make up?”

“Not really. She just needs my help,” Lu Lanlan replied.

Fu Chunian frowned. “Don’t just agree to everything. She hasn’t been very nice to you before.”

Lu Lanlan nodded. “I know, but this situation benefits me too, so I agreed.”

If Gu Yu moved out, where would the dirty female educated youth stay when she got back? She’d probably have to share a room with Lu Lanlan.

“Alright.”

In the courtyard, the strong female educated youth blocked Gu Yu’s way. “Didn’t you say you had a stomachache and came back early? Why were you with Lu Lanlan?”

“I went to find her right after the restroom break to talk about switching rooms. She refused. Her boyfriend just got hit with a brick yesterday—do you think she’d want to share a room with that person?” Gu Yu explained.

Hearing this, the strong female educated youth looked toward Fu Chunian’s room, her face filled with displeasure.

Gu Yu took the opportunity to slip away.

That night, when Lu Lanlan returned to the dormitory, Gu Yu warned her, “I think you should tell your boyfriend to be careful. I’m afraid that psycho might try something bad.”

“Got it.”

—-

The next morning, while eating, Lu Lanlan relayed the warning to Fu Chunian.

After that, Gu Yu stuck to Lu Lanlan every day, enduring Fu Chunian’s disapproving stares while working with her.

For over a week, just before Fu Chunian lost his patience, the dirty female educated youth was released.

The moment she returned, Gu Yu finally relaxed and stopped clinging to Lu Lanlan.

Lu Lanlan was just starting to enjoy her peace when she returned to the dormitory and found that their vegetable garden—where the seedlings had already sprouted—had been trampled.

“Who did this?!” Lu Lanlan shouted.

Everyone was stunned, having never seen her this angry.

“Lu Zhiqing, the garden was fine this morning. Someone must have done it at noon,” one of the educated youths said.

Fu Chunian crouched down to examine the footprints.

“These footprints look like they belong to a male educated youth,” someone commented.