Chapter 136

Zhou Yian and Xia Jie left, and Shi Tingyu and Lu Weiguo exchanged a glance. Lu Weiguo said, “I’ll go take a look.”

Shi Tingyu thought for a moment and decided to go with him.

She wasn’t particularly scared. If Bai Qiuyue reported her for associating with people in the cattle shed, she might worry a bit, but she wasn’t afraid about the house situation at all.

The reason Bai Qiuyue dared to report them was partly because she did so anonymously, so no one would know it was her. She also assumed the Lu family didn’t have a good relationship with the brigade leader’s family. This could be inferred from her occasional remarks. She probably thought that even if they figured out she was the one who reported them, they wouldn’t be able to do anything about it.

Overall, Bai Qiuyue was spoiled, petty, vengeful, but not very smart.

However, thinking of Zhou Yian made Shi Tingyu remember the female protagonist of this world. Zhou Yian mentioned that his wife overheard Bai Qiuyue planning to report them. Shi Tingyu felt this might be the female protagonist, aware of the storyline, helping them out. After all, the Lu family had been kind to Zhou Yian. If the Lu family hadn’t protected him back then, he wouldn’t have survived as an orphan from a former landlord’s family.

Eating from a communal pot was not an easy thing, especially during those years of scarcity when food was life itself. Because of this, Zhou Yian often helped the Lu family with various tasks.

A lot of time had passed since she read the novel before transmigrating, so she only vaguely remembered the main characters and the general storyline. She couldn’t recall the details. She also had no memory of Bai Qiuyue. But judging by the female protagonist’s attitude, it was likely that Bai Qiuyue didn’t end well. In novels, those who opposed the protagonists rarely had a good ending.

Still, Shi Tingyu couldn’t rely entirely on the storyline. People’s actions mattered, and she couldn’t leave everything to fate. Who knew what tricks Bai Qiuyue might pull? Even if the protagonists prevailed in the end, there could be collateral damage or unintended consequences along the way.

Due to a heavy snowfall, the muddy roads outside had turned to ice, and as people walked, the ice and snow turned to slush. The snow in front of the Lu house had been cleared by Lu Weiguo, but stepping out of the Lu family’s area, the main road became muddy.

Lu Weiguo squatted down and beckoned to his wife, “Get on.”

Shi Tingyu looked at her shoes and then climbed onto his back. Lu Weiguo stood up easily, giving Shi Tingyu a significantly higher vantage point.

Lu Weiguo patted her butt and said, “Wife, you need to eat more. We’ve been married for so long, and you still haven’t gained any weight.”

Shi Tingyu twisted his ear, “Are you complaining about me?”

Lu Weiguo smiled, “No complaints, I like you.”

Only then did Shi Tingyu let him go.

Lu Weiguo wasn’t actually complaining about her being thin; he was worried about her health. At this time, most people weren’t overweight because of the economic conditions. Many still believed that being a bit plump was a sign of health.

There weren’t many people on the road as everyone was working. The saying “work hard in the cold, and get to work right after eating dumplings” was apt.

After they got past the muddy section of the road, Shi Tingyu patted Lu Weiguo’s shoulder. “Weiguo, put me down. The road is better here.”

Lu Weiguo didn’t put her down. “It’s okay, I’ll carry you.”

Shi Tingyu insisted on not being carried outside, as public morals were very conservative, and it wouldn’t look good if anyone saw them, especially with Bai Qiuyue harboring ill will towards them.

Unable to persuade her, Lu Weiguo finally put her down. They walked a bit further and were about to turn onto the main road leading to the county.

At this moment, a figure covered in mud appeared from the direction of the main road. Her hair was disheveled, and she was limping and dragging her leg.

Shi Tingyu was startled and wondered if the person needed help.

Lu Weiguo, with his sharp eyes, recognized the person’s clothes. “That’s Bai Qiuyue.”

Clothes weren’t changed frequently in these times, especially the winter clothes used during the New Year, which were considered precious. Bai Qiuyue was wearing the same outfit they had seen her in outside their house.

To Shi Tingyu, everyone’s clothes looked similar, so she didn’t recognize them as well as Lu Weiguo, who had grown up in the 1970s.

Bai Qiuyue also saw them. She instinctively touched the pocket of her coat, where the report letter was.

Considering the timing and Bai Qiuyue’s disheveled appearance, Shi Tingyu knew she hadn’t sent out the report letter.

She stepped forward, smiling at the embarrassed Bai Qiuyue. “Comrade Bai, where are you going? How did you end up like this?”

Bai Qiuyue blushed and looked guilty.

She felt that Shi Tingyu’s words had a hidden meaning, as if she knew something. Bai Qiuyue stammered, “N-nothing, I just fell.”

Shi Tingyu couldn’t help but smirk. Bai Qiuyue’s guilty expression was practically screaming, “I did something wrong to you.”

Knowing Bai Qiuyue hadn’t sent the letter, Shi Tingyu and Lu Weiguo decided not to go to the county. They had to figure out a way to deal with this vengeful woman.

Bai Qiuyue’s nature was different from the gossipers in the family compound. Those people mostly just watched and spread gossip without intending to cause real harm. Bai Qiuyue, however, turned to reporting them when things didn’t go her way, accusing them of capitalist tendencies. If they encountered a corrupt official, it could spell big trouble for their family.

In these times, a false accusation could ruin lives. Bai Qiuyue couldn’t plead ignorance; every year, those accused were publicly denounced, and everyone, including Bai Qiuyue, would have attended those meetings.

As Bai Qiuyue limped past them, her face contorted in pain. Normally, she would ask for help if someone was on the road, but now she just walked past them, her guilt evident.

Shi Tingyu stared after her, making Bai Qiuyue feel a prickling sensation on her back. She quickened her pace, biting her lip.

After Bai Qiuyue left, Lu Weiguo and Shi Tingyu were about to head back when someone else turned the corner onto the main road.

The person was slim, with fair skin and a delicate appearance. She paused in surprise upon seeing them.

The newcomer was He Ping, Zhou Yian’s wife.

He Ping looked at the two of them. She knew Lu Weiguo and knew this was his wife. But that was what didn’t make sense.

In her previous life, Lu Weiguo had risen to a high position but had never married. She didn’t know what had gone wrong, but now Lu Weiguo had married such a beautiful wife.