“You’re right,” Li Juan agreed, “I have some extra vegetable seeds. I’ll share some with you.”

They weren’t the only ones discussing this; the others were planning too.

“Are you planning to grow veggies?” Gao Le asked, eyeing his friend.

His look said it all: great, you plant them, and I’ll just help myself when I need some.

Zhao Su, rolling his eyes, replied with a deadpan look, “Do I look like someone who can grow veggies? That’s two points a day for you.”

Gao Le scoffed, “Like you’re working any harder for the same two points.”

Meanwhile, the guy who had taken to following Bai Yunjiao around puffed his chest out, eager to please. “Bai, just leave your garden to me. I’ll plant everything for you!”

Bai Yunjiao looked at him with a soft, appreciative gaze. “Thank you, Comrade Ma. You’re such a kind person,” she said sweetly.

Yet the moment she turned away, her expression shifted with barely concealed disdain. What a fool. He had been here for so long and was only earning so few work points every day, yet he was still helping me. She barely stopped herself from rolling her eyes. But if he was willing to be a sucker, she wasn’t about to turn him down.

Meanwhile, Xu Laidi silently cursed Song Wei and Li Juan under her breath, but eventually, she shuffled over to the backyard to plan out her own small plot. Like it or not, she didn’t want to be left without any veggies.

The same went for three of the other guys.

Li Juan, meanwhile, came outside under the moonlight to start planning her own plot. She figured she’d follow Song Wei’s advice and start chopping bamboo the next day to build a fence around her garden. Knowing Xu Laidi, it wouldn’t be long before she tried sneaking veggies again.

Seeing Li Juan, Xu Laidi let out a huff, but Li Juan ignored her completely.

The next day, Song Wei woke to the sound of the village’s work bell. As she went outside, she noticed Luo Yecheng chatting with Liu Linlin.

Without hesitation, she walked straight over.

“Comrade Luo, you’re getting married next month, right?”

Hearing her mention his upcoming marriage, Luo Yecheng assumed Song Wei was finally feeling jealous and remorseful. He’d thought it was only a matter of time before she came around.

Beside him, though, Liu Linlin’s face darkened, her eyes clouding with disappointment. She had arrived in the countryside on the same train as Luo Yecheng and had immediately been charmed by his bookish elegance. When they’d both been assigned to the same commune, she’d thought it was fate. But instead of her, he had chosen to marry some farm girl. She bitterly blamed Jiang Xiaowan, thinking she’d forced herself on him, spreading rumors until Luo Yecheng had no choice but to marry her.

If Jiang Xiaowan didn’t have a bunch of brothers and a father who was the village secretary, Liu Linlin would have stormed to her house ages ago.

“Song Wei, you know how I—” Luo Yecheng began, trying to explain.

But Song Wei cut him off, her voice icy. “Quit flattering yourself. It’s been days—where are my ration tickets?”

Luo Yecheng’s words died in his throat. He looked embarrassed, having assumed her demands were just an empty, jealous threat.

“Song Wei, let’s not act rashly. We can talk this out,” he implored. But he had no way of producing those tickets—they were long gone, especially the bicycle ticket he’d sent home, hoping his family could use it to get him a job in the city.

But jobs were scarce, and even with the bicycle ticket, securing a way back to the city was proving impossible. He’d given away the ticket and gained nothing in return. Now here she was, demanding it back, and he had no way to fulfill her request.

Song Wei crossed her arms, tapping a finger thoughtfully against her chin. “Can’t give it back? Then I suppose I’ll just go to your future father-in-law during the wedding and see if he’ll help pay me back. And until you pay up, stay out of my sight, or I might just slap you.”

After threatening Luo Yecheng, Song Wei turned on her heel and went off to work.

But Liu Linlin rushed in front of her, stopping her. “Comrade Song, don’t you think you’re going too far? You gave those things to him willingly, and now you’re taking them back? Is that what a person of integrity does?”

Liu Linlin stepped closer, head tilted back to appear more intimidating, but Song Wei, who was slightly taller, just rolled her eyes. Extending a finger, she pressed it to Liu Linlin’s forehead, pushing her back a step.

“Stand back. I don’t want anyone getting the wrong idea and thinking we have something inappropriate going on here.”

Gao Le and Zhao Su, who had just walked out, choked with laughter.

Cough, cough… This girl really had no filter.

Liu Linlin, though, didn’t understand Song Wei’s dig, even as she took a few steps back in confusion.

Song Wei continued, “Tell me, what’s my relationship with Luo Yecheng?”

Without thinking, Liu Linlin replied, “You two have nothing to do with each other!”

“Exactly,” Song Wei said, crossing her arms. “So, if there’s no relationship, why’d he feel entitled to accept my tickets?”

Turning to Gao Le and Zhao Su, who were openly eavesdropping, she asked, “If I offered you my ration tickets, would you take them?”

They both shook their heads in unison.

Gao Le straightened, pride in his voice. “I’d never accept a girl’s tickets. That’d be shameless.”

Zhao Su nodded in agreement. “My mom always says if a girl gives you something for no reason, she probably wants something from you. And if I can’t give her what she wants, I’d better not take it in the first place.”

Song Wei shot them an approving look, making the two grin with pride.

Luo Yecheng, however, looked like he’d swallowed something sour.

“Did you hear that?” Song Wei asked Liu Linlin. “I gave him those tickets because I thought he liked me too. If he didn’t, then why would he accept them?”

Song Wei’s usual gentle demeanor vanished, replaced with a queenly authority as she brushed past Liu Linlin’s outstretched hand.

“Wait up, Song Wei! Let’s head to work together!” Gao Le and Zhao Su called, following her with renewed admiration.

Left behind, Liu Linlin stood in shock, her thoughts spinning. One part of her agreed with Song Wei, while another voice insisted Luo Yecheng must have had no choice.

“Brother Luo…” she murmured, but Luo Yecheng ignored her, too annoyed to respond. He found himself irritated by how easily Liu Linlin had been cornered by Song Wei’s arguments. Where was the fire he’d expect from her?

“We should go to work,” he said curtly, leaving her to trail behind, torn between her frustration and a creeping sense that Song Wei might have a point.

No, she told herself, shaking her head. Luo Yecheng’s a good man. He must have accepted her help out of sheer necessity. He’d never use someone like that.

Convincing herself, Liu Linlin hurried after him, calling out, “Wait for me, Comrade Luo!”