Chapter 9

The day of going to the countryside was drawing closer.

Every day, Lin Jiayi lived happily, surrounded by her father’s love—her little life was sweet and carefree.

Lin Dong spent his days either cooking delicious food for his daughter and storing it away in the space, or going to the supply and marketing cooperative to buy daily necessities, like soap, hand cream, gloves, scarves, cloth shoes, candy, pastries, and biscuits.

Lin Jiayi was busy too—busy handling the work her mother had left behind.

After her mother’s death, the hospital had kept a job for her to inherit. For the past few years, she had been studying. Originally, she was supposed to start working after graduating from high school this year.

But unexpectedly, she was forced to go to the countryside. When she went to the hospital, she discovered that the old woman, Zhang Yun, had secretly helped Yang Xueqin complete the paperwork. The hospital thought that the person coming next week to start work was Yang Xueqin.

Helpless, Lin Jiayi once again displayed her award-worthy acting skills.

“Director Qin, you were my mother’s superior. You can’t just stand by while her daughter is bullied like this! No wonder I was suddenly registered to go to the countryside—it turns out they schemed to steal the job my mother left for me.

These ingrates—do they even deserve the care my father gave them every month? If my father hadn’t returned home earlier than expected, I might not even have known the kind of suffering they were preparing for me.”

As she cried, she rolled up her sleeves, revealing bruises that hadn’t completely faded.

Director Qin had been an old classmate of Lin Jiayi’s mother and had some affection for her. Seeing Lin Jiayi, who resembled her mother by seven points, he couldn’t help but feel his heart ache—she naturally became the object of his emotional attachment.

“They’ve gone too far. Jiayi, don’t be afraid. Uncle Qin will definitely get justice for you. Your mother’s job will absolutely not fall into the hands of someone with such poor character.

And to dare register you for the countryside, letting you get hurt… Your father is really something too. A grown man, yet he couldn’t even protect his child—how disgraceful.”

“Uncle Qin, my father has already applied for a transfer to personally take care of me. He’s now working at the Public Security Bureau. He knows he was wrong, and we should give him a chance to make it right, shouldn’t we?

Although I must go to the countryside, this job can’t just fall cheaply into the hands of those scoundrels. That’s why I came to ask for your help—otherwise, I truly wouldn’t know what to do.”

Lin Jiayi acted pitiful and coquettish, which naturally delighted Director Qin. He wished he could treat her as his own daughter. It was a pity he had no son, otherwise he would definitely have wanted her as a daughter-in-law.

“Uncle Qin will take you to the personnel department right now and have the paperwork changed back. Since you can’t inherit this job, then let’s sell it instead. With the money, you’ll at least have some security when you go to the countryside.”

Director Qin personally accompanied her, forcing the officials who had already taken money to process the paperwork into a state of panic, afraid of losing their jobs.

In the end, the job was sold to the son of the hospital’s logistics director. His son was also of age to be sent to the countryside, and the family had been worrying about it. When Director Qin approached them, they agreed immediately.

To show gratitude to Lin Jiayi, they even gave an extra 200 yuan. The job was sold for 1,200 yuan, and the logistics director warmly added a stack of nationwide ration tickets as a gift for the child going to the countryside.

And so, Lin Jiayi happily returned home with money and tickets in hand.

Meanwhile, Yang Xueqin—who had been hoping to inherit the job, start work, and send money to her daughter every month—had no idea that everything had already crumbled. If she found out, she would surely cry her eyes out.

Lin Jiayi returned home, excitedly telling Lin Dong all about her clever maneuver, which made him burst out laughing.

Every night before bed, Lin Jiayi would enter the space to check on the fast-growing farmland, curious about its progress.

Sure enough, the gift given to the female lead wasn’t ordinary. Even though the crops looked plain, their functions were remarkable. In just one week, Lin Jiayi already saw hope for a harvest in autumn.

She predicted that, at this rate, once she reached the northeast, there might be a harvest waiting. Life for the Lin family was looking promising!

The next day, she shared this good news with Lin Dong.

He was pleased too. Even though they couldn’t openly do business yet, as retired soldiers with connections and networks, they would have no trouble selling essential goods like grain, fruit, and vegetables.

After some thought, Lin Dong decided to give Lin Jiayi another 1,000 yuan to take with her, trusting that she wouldn’t lose it.

“Daughter, once you’re in the countryside, buy yourself a house. I’ve heard the conditions in the educated youth dormitories aren’t very good, and it wouldn’t be convenient for you to live there. Only if you take more money will I feel at ease.”

Lin Jiayi gathered together the remaining money along with what she got from selling the job. Counting it all, she gasped—she was practically a little rich lady of the 1970s!

“Dad, even with all my spending these past weeks, I’ve only used less than 1,000 yuan? Now I still have 3,300 yuan left. Oh my goodness—there probably aren’t many people richer than me in all of Beijing!”

“Silly girl, do you think Beijing is really that poor? People just keep a low profile. There are plenty of rich folks. But in other places, you’d definitely be considered wealthy.”

Lin Jiayi thought to herself: there might be rich people in Beijing, but how many fathers would let their daughter bring 3,000 yuan to the countryside? Lin Dong truly treated her as his own daughter and was making it up to her wholeheartedly.

With the delivery of the last sack of supplies, Lin Jiayi’s procurement finally came to an end.

Lin Dong had bought her many sacks for convenience in carrying things later, whether by hand or by truck.

Three days earlier, he had already mailed out quilts, padded clothing, thick coats, cotton shoes, thin bedding, a four-piece set, a kettle, mugs, and basins for her.

Most of the candies, cigarettes, alcohol, and pastries were stored in the space, leaving only a small portion in her shoulder bag. All Lin Jiayi needed to carry was that and two rattan suitcases from the Friendship Store.

He even personally called Fang Tianze, who promised to pick her up himself and had already arranged a house in the village. Once she arrived, she could choose and pay directly.

Finally, the departure day arrived.

Lin Jiayi dressed beautifully in a floral dress, carrying her little bag, while Lin Dong rode a bicycle with her two suitcases and a cloth bag of lunchboxes. Together, they headed to the station.

Lin Jiayi wasn’t breathtakingly beautiful, but she was cute and pleasing to the eye, resembling actress Joey Wong.

Dressed well, she naturally drew attention at the station. After all, most of the other girls going to the countryside weren’t so refined. For someone this pampered to be sent off—while rare—wasn’t entirely unheard of.

Lin Jiayi quickly spotted Yao Qingqing, whose eyes burned with hatred, and walked over naturally.

“Yao Qingqing, what a coincidence! Looks like we’ll be traveling together again.”

No matter how it sounded, it wasn’t a friendly greeting—it was clearly a provocation. Several girls nearby instinctively stepped aside.