Liu Guifen’s eyes turned green with envy as she watched the kids boasting about their fish and honey. If the kids had so much, how much more did Song Wei have?

One of the mothers called her out. “What, Liu Guifen, planning to snatch from my kid now? Do you have any shame left?”

“Just try touching my son’s things,” said another, “and I’ll scratch your face up!”

Liu Guifen wasn’t scared of a single person, or even two, but facing a group of angry mothers? She didn’t dare take her chances.

“I wasn’t saying anything about the kids. I meant Song Wei!” she retorted, clinging to her excuse. “She’s not even from our brigade, so why should she get all the good things from our mountains?”

Heidan tried to stand in front of Song Wei to shield her with his small frame. “Sister Song is part of our brigade! She found these things herself, so they’re hers!”

“Get out of here, you little jinx without parents,” Liu Guifen sneered.

Song Wei’s eyes narrowed, a hard edge in her gaze as she gently pulled Heidan to her side. Her voice carried a thinly veiled anger.

“Auntie, are you trying to turn the Zhiqing against the villagers?” Song Wei asked with a cold smile. “We came to help build up the country with mutual respect and understanding, but it seems like you’re determined to sow discord. Such hostility doesn’t really show the right spirit.”

Liu Guifen’s eyes went wide. “That’s not what I meant! How could you say that?”

Song Wei flashed her a friendly smile. “Oh, then I must have misunderstood you! But, just a tip—watch your words. We Zhiqing are new to the village, so it’s normal for there to be some friction. Just like in families, people have misunderstandings sometimes.”

Then, looking around, she raised her voice a bit. “But the ladies in this village are so warm and welcoming. I’m sure we’ll quickly feel at home with their help. When I came here, they told me this village has the best morals in the area. I wasn’t sure at first, but after spending time with them, I’m convinced!”

The other women, hearing this, relaxed and softened toward her. With Song Wei’s friendly attitude, they felt less resistant. Liu Guifen’s petty behavior had soured their impression of her, especially since she kept trying to take things from the kids.

“The Zhiqing are a part of our brigade too?” one woman retorted. “Are you going to go tell the team leader this nonsense?”

“Right? The Zhiqing earn their work points, so why shouldn’t they get their share from the mountain too? Everyone sees what you’re up to, trying to bully a young girl.”

Aunt Ma chimed in, “Song Wei, don’t mind her. If she tries anything, we’ll go to the team leader and settle this right.”

Song Wei nodded sweetly. “Thank you, aunties.”

Ignoring Liu Guifen’s fuming gaze, she calmly waved goodbye to the other kids and walked down the hill with Heidan.

Once she left, one of Liu Guifen’s friends gave her a wry smile. “Honestly, what were you thinking? Didn’t your mother-in-law just have a run-in with her today?”

“Who does that girl think she is?” Liu Guifen fumed. “All of you, siding with an outsider! I’m the one who’s from the Village!”

“Have you ever given the village kids fish or honey?” her friend shot back.

Liu Guifen was taken aback. “For that little bit of food? Who cares?”

“Well, I care! My son wasn’t there to get any today, though.”

Liu Guifen’s face flushed. “Whose side are you on?”

“I was just trying to comfort you. Don’t you feel better?”

Liu Guifen clenched her fists. “You’re making it worse!”

---

By now, people were growing accustomed to seeing Song Wei come back with a large load of firewood, though they still eyed her bounty with envy. Gao Le and his friend were simply in awe.

“We’ve got to gather some firewood before winter comes,” Gao Le said, watching Song Wei. “I hear the winters here are brutal.”

Zhao Su, squatting on the doorstep and eating his meal, sighed, his face scrunched up in dismay. “I don’t want to. When will all this work end? One more day here, and I’m done. My father is heartless for sending me here to suffer.”

Gao Le gave him a nudge. “You should be glad. At least we can go back home someday once they’ve cooled off. Most of the other Zhiqing have no chance at all.”

He whispered this, knowing how tempting the idea of going back to the city was for everyone. Gao Le and Zhao Su may not have been the sharpest, but they knew enough to keep quiet about such things.

Just then, a sweet, lilting voice cut in, nearly making Gao Le drop his bowl. “Gao Le, Zhao Su, are you two short on food? I can share some with you if you like.”

It was Bai Yunjiao. Gao Le nearly jumped out of his skin, feeling as if he were in some eerie play.

Zhao Su cast a wary glance at her. His mother had warned him that women who approached without reason usually had ulterior motives—either for his looks or his status. Now that he was stuck in the countryside and barely able to sustain himself, he couldn’t afford to take on another mouth to feed.

“No thanks, we’re fine,” he said flatly, pulling his bowl closer.

Gao Le grunted a similar response, and Zhao Su shuffled a bit farther away, spooning rice into his mouth.

Bai Yunjiao bit her lip, attempting to appear shy but curious. “What were you two talking about?”

Gao Le and Zhao Su exchanged wary looks. This girl definitely had ulterior motives.

“We were just heading off. See you around!” The two friends quickly rose, practically tripping over each other to get back inside and shut the door.

“She’s trying to figure out our background!” Gao Le exclaimed as soon as they were inside.

Zhao Su nodded, a serious look on his face. “My mother warned me—women like that want you to do all the work, give them tickets, money, and labor. Not happening.”

“Right! We can barely make ends meet ourselves. Two work points a day? Even the old ladies here think we’re useless.”

Zhao Su looked at him in confusion. “Wait, really? I thought two points a day was impressive.”

The two of them stared at each other for a moment, then nodded in agreement.

Before coming to the countryside, they’d been pampered city boys with no worries. Earning two points a day seemed like an achievement, given they hadn’t shed a single tear over it.

The two chose to forget the fact that they cried secretly together in the first two days