Sensing Qiu Lina’s antagonistic attitude, Lin Shu responded, “We’ve got several hours on the road. Can’t we sing one song now and another later?”

Lin Shu could have firmly said they had enough time, but instead, she chose to turn it into a question to irritate Qiu Lina further.

Qiu Lina’s expression darkened. “Workers are the big brothers, so we should naturally—”

“Alright, let’s not cause division. Workers and farmers are like family,” an older model worker chimed in to smooth things over. “The journey is long. We can sing songs about farmers, workers, soldiers, students, whatever—we should mix it up to keep it fun.”

Qiu Lina, seeing someone stand up for Lin Shu, was displeased.

She held a grudge against Lin Shu, partly because her cousin was Wu Xuan, and partly because of Zhou Qiaoling.

Because of Lin Shu and Fang Dihua, not only did Zhou Qiaoling lose her job, but her whole family suffered.

The real kicker was that the job Qiu Lina’s younger brother had gotten through a connection with their second aunt also fell through.

She was resentful in her heart.

Of course, she wouldn’t bring this up.

She even convinced herself that she was only standing up for her cousin, who, in her mind, had been played by Lin Shu.

After hearing from her fourth aunt, Qiu Lina believed that Lin Shu had turned up her nose at her talented and good-looking cousin.

Wu Xuan had actually explained that Lin Shu never even went on a matchmaking date—it was his sister-in-law who had secretly arranged for someone to meet her.

The idea was that the man had taken a liking to Lin Shu, thinking that perhaps after some time she would warm up to him.

But then, her husband returned from the front lines unharmed, and the whole matter was naturally dropped.

Wu Xuan had specifically told their friends and relatives not to spread rumors, lest it reach Lin Shu’s husband’s ears and cause unnecessary trouble.

But Qiu Lina was convinced that her cousin was covering for Lin Shu, thinking she was a seductive woman who wasn’t decent.

Lin Shu could feel Qiu Lina’s animosity but couldn’t be bothered to find out why.

She didn’t rely on Qiu Lina for anything—why should she care what Qiu Lina thought?

Everyone seemed to enjoy singing.

When it came to singing, Lin Shu would start the song and encourage everyone to join in, paying attention to who sang the loudest.

She would then give those who performed well a chance to shine, allowing them to show off a little.

This approach won her the quiet admiration of many, as it gave them an opportunity to showcase themselves.

The group happily sang songs all the way to the city.

The City Revolutionary Committee’s guesthouse didn’t have enough space for everyone, so Lin Shu and the others were assigned to stay at other units’ guesthouses.

By the time they checked in, it was already dark.

Each person received two or three mixed-grain steamed buns and a bit of pickled vegetables for dinner.

Lu Da was quite pleased, but Qiu Lina complained about the poor food, grumbling that there wasn’t even a warm dish and the buns were cold.

Qiu Lina said, “Lin Shu, these hard buns—someone as delicate as you must find them hard to stomach, right?”

Sister Lu Da couldn’t stand Qiu Lina constantly targeting Lin Shu along the way and immediately snapped back, “Comrade Qiu Lina, does your textile factory have such great food? In the countryside, we’re in the lean season and eating dried sweet potato or coarse corn buns at every meal. These buns mixed with refined flour are something we only eat during the New Year. Why wouldn’t my sister-in-law be used to them? She may look delicate, but she doesn’t have a pampered stomach like yours.”

Everyone’s expressions turned subtle as they glanced at Qiu Lina.

Picky about mixed-grain buns?

What kind of model worker was this?

Did she have a capitalist’s stomach in a proletariat body?

Qiu Lina’s face flushed with anger as she glared at Lin Shu but didn’t dare to pick another fight.

After the long bus ride that left them feeling sore, Lin Shu didn’t feel like chatting with others.

She took her sister-in-law to fetch water, wash up, and go back to their room early to rest.

It was already late March, and after the strong winds and sandstorms of February, the weather was now bright and sunny, with warm sunshine.

Lu Da, being strong and active, had stopped wearing her winter coat half a month ago, while Lin Shu had only recently shed hers.

Though the days were warm, it was still chilly in the mornings and evenings.

Washing feet in cold water was indeed freezing!

Being away from home, Lin Shu didn’t want to fuss too much; she thought it would be fine to just make do.

Unexpectedly, after a short while, Old Man Lu came knocking on their door with a thermos of hot water.

Lin Shu asked, “Dad, where did you get the hot water?”

Since they were only staying a day or two, they brought just basic eating utensils, and no one had thought to bring a thermos, as it could easily break.

Old Man Lu chuckled, “I took a stroll over there, did some acupuncture, and even cupped someone.”

Having made acquaintances with people at the guesthouse, getting a thermos of hot water was no big deal.

Lu Da was thrilled, “Our dad’s skills are really appreciated wherever he goes.”

They shared a room with another woman named Yu Qian’er, who was from Jiao County, a neighboring county close to Qing County.

They had all come on the same bus.

Yu Qian’er, although not as tall as Sister Lu Da, was similarly sturdy and could be recognized as a capable working woman.

She was somewhat hesitant to speak with Lin Shu because Lin Shu was so beautiful, had a lovely singing voice, and carried herself with elegance and grace, which made her feel out of place compared to their more rugged appearances.

Yu Qian’er was a bit skeptical.

She suspected that Lin Shu might be a capitalist’s daughter who had been sent down to the countryside.

Yu Qian’er was very enthusiastic about Sister Lu Da, especially after learning that Sister Lu Da was a tractor driver, which made her admire Sister Lu Da even more.

Soon, Sister Lu Da learned that Yu Qian’er’s village was called Dayu Tree Village, named for the many elm trees there.

When Yu Qian’er was born, she happened to be eating elm seed porridge, so her father named her Yu Qian’er.

As time passed, Yu Qian’er also found out about the temperament of the women in Sister Lu’s family.

Yu Qian’er inquired about Sister Lu Da’s family.

Sister Lu Da said, “Our third sister-in-law is the most amazing. She’s been recognized by the Public Security Bureau several times for catching criminals and so on…”

She was praising Lin Shu to Yu Qian’er.

When introducing herself on the bus, Lin Shu only mentioned her name and did not talk about her own accomplishments.

Even though she had appeared in the newspaper a few times, news from the county and the countryside wasn’t always immediately known, and even if someone saw it, they wouldn’t necessarily connect it to Lin Shu right away.

Yu Qian’er was unaware of Lin Shu’s accomplishments.

Yu Qian’er said, “Your third sister-in-law is really impressive. I would love to meet her.”

Sister Lu pointed to Lin Shu, who was lying down on a bed, and said, “There she is.”

Yu Qian’er looked at her in surprise, “Seriously? She looks so… delicate. Can she really catch bad guys?”

She felt that Lin Shu looked so fragile, she could be easily toppled with a push.

After receiving confirmation from Sister Lu, Yu Qian’er immediately apologized to Lin Shu, “Sister Lin Shu, I made an error in judgment based on my own experience. I apologize.”

Lin Shu smiled and said, “It’s alright. We don’t know each other yet, so it’s natural to form first impressions.”

Yu Qian’er said, “Your voice sounds really nice.”

Her temperament was also gentle, and her clothes were a bit different from theirs, making her seem less like a countryside person.

The next morning, everyone received two steamed buns for breakfast.

Sister Lu, having a big appetite, took three buns, and Lin Shu even gave her one of hers.

After breakfast, they lined up to go to the grand hall of the City Revolutionary Committee.

Lin Shu spotted her second sister, Lin Xia, at a glance and immediately waved, “Second Sister!”

Lin Xia, who had been looking around for her, ran over to greet them.

After learning that Lin Xia was an electrician going to the countryside to provide electricity, Yu Qian’er was thrilled and completely believed that Lin Shu was indeed from the countryside, even if she appeared particularly delicate.

“Forget it.”

While they were talking, Lin Shu noticed Factory Director Jiang glancing over occasionally.

When their eyes met, he waved to her.

After entering the conference hall, everyone took their seats according to their units.

Such conferences were quite standard: leaders took turns speaking, some preferred to shout slogans and recite quotes, while others were brief and to the point.

Then, the model workers were invited to speak.

Being chosen as a representative for such a city-wide event was a prestigious opportunity, often assigned by the leaders, adding a golden touch to the selected individuals.

After the speeches, unit leaders took turns addressing the crowd, followed by the awarding of certificates and prizes.

The prizes were the usual assortment: thermoses, basins, tea mugs, with a few pens and notebooks added.

The real reward was the honor!

By the time the awards were handed out, it was already afternoon. Many who hadn’t eaten well in the morning were now feeling famished.

Lin Shu took out some steamed cakes to share with her group, and Yu Qian’er also benefited from it.

Yu Qian’er was very grateful and didn’t dare to eat much.

She only took half a piece.

After learning that the cakes were made by Lin Shu, she was even more impressed, saying, “One shouldn’t judge by appearances. Comrade Lin Shu is truly remarkable; these cakes are delicious. It’s a pity everyone has to get back to work. Otherwise, you could come to our brigade for elm leaf dishes. Our brigade’s elm trees are especially good, better than others. During the years of hunger, the elm trees were our lifeline.

The leaves and bark of the elm trees are edible and taste better than wood shavings when mixed with coarse grains.”

After the conference, counties that were far away organized their people to head back immediately, skipping accommodation due to the high costs.

Lin Xia invited Old Man Lu and Lu Da to stay a couple more days in the city to look around, but Old Man Lu politely declined.

As an older man, it didn’t seem appropriate to mix with young women, and he needed to return to work.

Lu Da also didn’t want to stay; she needed to get back to spring planting.

They told Lin Shu not to hurry and to stay in the city a bit longer if she wanted, and return home when she was ready.

Qiu Lina kept staring at Lin Shu, feeling a bit surreal.

She hadn’t expected Lin Shu to be the most beautiful military wife, truly recognized by the Public Security Bureau multiple times.

At the conference, while most model workers only had their names mentioned, the leaders specifically spoke about Lin Shu’s achievements.

As Yu Qian’er was about to leave, she hurried over and loudly said to Lin Shu, “Lin Shu, you’re amazing! You truly deserve to be the most beautiful military wife. I’m sorry for having prejudiced views about you based on what others said on the bus. I apologize!”

She gave a formal bow to Lin Shu and cast a pointed glance at Qiu Lina.

Qiu Lina, enraged,…

“What’s wrong with this person? Why go so far just to flatter Lin Shu? What can she offer you?”

After Yu Qian’er’s remarks, others began to see Lin Shu in a new light and greeted her warmly with handshakes.

Qiu Lina scowled.

Her disdain for Lin Shu wasn’t going to vanish easily.

The man “just sacrificed” and now wants to set up a matchmaking date?

How could she be so indifferent and still have the nerve to be the most beautiful military wife?

While everyone else prepared to head back on the bus, Qiu Lina stayed behind.

She planned to take the opportunity to visit a cousin and have her introduce her to a couple of young bachelors from the city.

Her cousin had mentioned two potential suitors, one of whom was Wei Lan.

He came from a good family, was already a deputy section chief at a young age, and his family was actively seeking a match for him.

Qiu Lina prided herself on being young and capable, with good looks to match, believing she was a good match for someone like Wei Lan.

If she could marry someone from the city, she might be able to work at the city textile factory, and perhaps even land a cadre position.

After Father Lu and Sister Lu left, Lin Xia planned to take Lin Shu to the Power Supply Bureau’s guesthouse.

She had been on a business trip in Huang County recently and had only returned to the city Power Supply Bureau this month.

She had also been working a few days at the steel mill.

The accommodations at the Power Supply Bureau were cramped, with her and five other single female colleagues sharing a room.

At the steel mill, they also stayed in shared dorms, but Aunt Jiang would often invite her to stay at her home.

She wanted to put Lin Shu up at the guesthouse.

Although it had a musty smell, it was at least more spacious and comfortable than the dorms.

“Comrade Lin Shu!” Wei Lan, dressed in a Zhongshan suit with four pockets, came running over with a happy expression to greet Lin Shu.