Yan Naqian was hiding in the banana grove on the outskirts of the village, crying softly.

When she thought about how she had almost been violated by that disgusting old man, Bai Shikeng, just now, she was filled with hatred.

When would these cursed days ever end?

But what could she do about it?

Her parents valued her brothers more, doted on her younger sister, and sent her, the eldest daughter, to the countryside. They had even sworn they would find a way to bring her back within two years. She had been foolish enough to believe them, not investigating anything beforehand. It was only after arriving in the countryside that she realized how incredibly difficult it was for educated youths to return to the city—practically harder than ascending to the heavens!

Wiping away her tears, Yan Naqian thought it over repeatedly and realized her only option was to write to Song Sui.

She and Song Sui were childhood sweethearts When he heard she was being sent to the countryside, he was so anxious he tried everything to persuade her not to go. But what could she do? In the end, she could only leave in tears.

Even though Song Sui’s situation was also quite awkward, Yan Naqian truly had no other choice.

She straightened her clothes and hair, carefully wiped away her tears, and stood up, preparing to head back to the Educated Youth Station to write to Song Sui.

The Educated Youth Station was already in chaos.

Over a dozen young men had injuries, while the young women were in an uproar. Some were applying medicine to the wounded, others cleaning up the mess, some bringing food and water, and still others whispering among themselves—

“Do you think what that new male youth said is true?”
“I think it’s true. Otherwise, why would he hit Bai Shikeng and not anyone else?”
“Who was the female youth Bai Shikeng tried to bully?”
“Who else could it be? Yan Naqian! She was the only one who didn’t go to work today. Serves her right!”
“Hey, don’t say that. We’re all educated youths here…”

Hiding outside the door, Yan Naqian felt her face burning with shame. She was overwhelmed by grievance and had no idea how to face anyone.

A female youth named Jia Xiaohong, who particularly disliked Yan Naqian, sneered, “Hmph, Yan Naqian takes twenty-five days off every month: five days for a cold, five days for a fever, five days for a stomachache, five days for diarrhea, and five days for her period. You all just pamper her, dragging down our work points every day. Let me make it clear—this month, I can’t even afford laundry soap anymore. So if anyone mentions sharing work points again, I’ll fight them!”

At that moment, someone roared angrily, “You’re supposed to be educated intellectuals. Stop gossiping behind people’s backs!”

Yan Naqian recognized the voice. It belonged to Jiang Hongzhi, who had admired her for a long time.

She heard Jia Xiaohong snap angrily, “It’s you, Jiang Hongzhi! You were the one who suggested we unite as a group of educated youths, saying that twisted fibers make a strong rope. I only agreed to shared work points because of your nonsense, but in truth, you’re just biased toward Yan Naqian!”

“When Yan Naqian wants to take leave, you’re all too willing to approve it. But when any of us ask for sick leave, you scowl and refuse! If you care about her so much, why don’t you just give her your own work points…”

Jiang Hongzhi was furious. “What nonsense are you spouting? If you don’t agree with shared work points, then just remove yourself from the group!”

Some tried to mediate. “Alright, alright, everyone take a step back. Let’s not argue for now. Let’s have lunch first; we still have to work in the afternoon…”

Others, mostly female youths, whispered in support of Jia Xiaohong—

“Hongzhi, I think Jia Xiaohong has a point.”
“I don’t want shared work points anymore either. Can’t we just earn our own? More work, more points; no work, no points!”
“Exactly! Even the village production teams don’t have shared work points. Why should we?”
“Hongzhi, I’m not participating in shared work points this month!”
“Count me out!”
“Me too…”

Yan Naqian couldn’t help but realize they all had grievances against her.

She was so ashamed and angry!

Juas she was just about to sneak away, the village broadcast sounded—

“Testing, testing… Can you hear me? Yes? Alright, let’s begin… Fellow villagers and educated youth comrades, good afternoon! After lunch, please bring your stools and gather at the open space in front of the village committee office by two o’clock. Teams Two, Three, and Five, as well as the Educated Youth Station, must all be present. Others can skip if they’re busy.”

Yan Naqian immediately sensed trouble.

—Today, she had narrowly escaped being assaulted by Bai Shikeng, and now this incident had dragged in the new male educated youth. Was the village announcing a meeting because of this?

No, it couldn’t be!

They could deal with Bai Shikeng, but her reputation must not be ruined!

Yan Naqian hurried toward the village committee, her mind racing. She racked her brain, trying to think of a way to absolve herself.

No, it wouldn’t work. She was the only one who hadn’t gone to work at the Educated Youth Station today. A quick check of the roster would expose her.

Just then, a few women passed by her, chatting—

“Hey, what do you think the village committee meeting is about?”
“Probably the fight at the Educated Youth Station?”
“I think it’s about the theft in Team One!”
“What? Team One had a theft?”
“Yes, I happened to visit, and I heard Zhengkun’s wife arguing with Li Cui’er about it…”

Yan Naqian froze, and a bold plan formed in her mind.

—The village party secretary, Bai Zhengqian, had a foolish daughter named Bai Taotao. That Bai Taotao was stunningly beautiful but sadly dim-witted. Could she come up with a way to make Bai Taotao her scapegoat?

Yan Naqian turned and headed toward Bai Zhengqian’s house.

Luck seemed to be on her side. Just as she reached the Bai family’s courtyard gate, Bai Taotao ran out.

Yan Naqian grabbed Bai Taotao and dragged her into a nearby alley.

= =

At the Bai family home, Bai Dongsheng had gone to the village broadcasting room to announce the meeting notice, then returned to help Bai Zhengqian move slowly toward the village committee.

Song Zhi and Bai Dongsheng discussed and decided it would be faster to carry Bai Zhengqian on a chair.

Both were strong, so they steadied the chair with Bai Zhengqian seated and carried him along.

Bai Taotao didn’t want to leave Song Zhi and insisted on following. She jumped out of bed, slipped on her shoes, and ran after them.

Tang Liren, worried about her foolish daughter, hurriedly tried to put on her shoes to follow, but in her panic, she couldn’t find her.

Bai Lili, seeing her mother exhausted from a day’s work, said, “Mom, you and my sister-in-law stay home and watch Hongdou and Huangdou do their reading and writing. I’ll go with Xing’er. Don’t worry, I’ll look after Dad, and Xing’er will watch Taotao. Nothing will happen.”

Tang Liren, her back aching, patted her youngest daughter. “Xing’er, you better take good care of your fourth sister! If you’re lazy at home, I won’t say anything, but if something happens to her outside, you’ll be in trouble! Now hurry up—Taotao’s running off!”

Bai Xingxing agreed and rushed out.

But when she reached the courtyard, Bai Taotao was nowhere to be seen.

 Bai Xingxing grew anxious, and stood at the door and shouted, “Fourth Sister? Fourth Sister! Bai Taozi!”

Bai Lili, who had been following behind, also stepped out and froze. “We just left the house, and you already lost your older sister?”

Bai Xingxing was about to panic. “Hurry up and look for her!”

Bai Lili comforted her. “Don’t worry, she can’t have gone far. Let’s split up—I’ll head back, and you check up ahead!”

At this moment, Bai Taotao had been pulled aside by Yan Naqian.

Bai Taoji curiously studied the young woman in front of her.

—This young woman was quite pretty, especially her pair of watery eyes that looked as if she had just cried?

The young woman said to her, “Taotao, if someone asks you later where you went, just say… you went to the Educated Youth Station to play. Then Bai Shikeng came, gave you a candy, and wanted to kiss you. You agreed, got it?”

Bai Taoji wasn’t really stupid. Besides, she had just overheard Song Zhi talking to her father earlier. How could she not understand what was going on?

She stared at Yan Naqian, thinking that this woman is truly wicked!

Bai Taoji nodded seriously. “Okay!”

Yan Naqian was overjoyed, thinking this little fool was easy to deceive. After considering for a moment, she felt it wasn’t entirely reliable, so she said, “Let’s rehearse it once… Taotao, where did you go today?”

Bai Taoji: “I went to the Educated Youth Station to play!”

Yan Naqian: “Who did you meet?”

“I ran into Bai Shikeng!”
“What did Bai Shikeng give you?”

“A piece of candy!”
“Why did he give you candy?”

Just then, Bai Xingxing’s voice rang out loudly from the main road outside. “Fourth Sister! Fourth Sister… Bai Taozi!”

Bai Taoji responded with a clear “Hey!”

Afraid of being discovered, Yan Naqian hastily reminded her, “Taotao, remember, if anyone asks, you have to answer like this, okay?”

Bai Taoji sweetly replied, “Okay.”

Yan Naqian ran into another alley to avoid Bai Xingxing, who was following the voice.

Seeing the Bai sisters walk away, Yan Naqian finally let out a sigh of relief.

Actually, she didn’t expect to fool everyone. She just didn’t want the matter of being defiled by Bai Shikeng to be exposed in public. She hoped that if the village head really called a meeting to discuss this, they could stop the story once it is revealed to be related to Bai Taotao.

Bai Xingxing found Bai Taotao and called over their third sister. The three of them headed to the village committee together.

Several people were already gathered in groups at the open space in front of the committee office, chatting.

Bai Taotaoi only had eyes for Song Zhi.

She ran quickly to his side, put her small hand on his arm, and immediately felt herself immersed in a dense aura of spiritual energy, making her feel completely comfortable.

Song Zhi turned to glance at her.

At that moment, a woman eating peanuts joked with Bai Taotao. “Taozi, let me ask you, what’s one peanut plus one peanut?”

—Peanuts could have single or double kernels. The original body had been genuinely stupid and unable to answer this question. If people pressed her, she’d end up crying. Yet, the villagers loved teasing her with this question.

Bai Taoji said, “It’s equal to nothing!”

The woman: …

Bai Taoji kindly explained, “Otherwise, auntie, give me two peanuts and I’ll show you.”

The woman actually handed her a handful of boiled peanuts in shells.

Bai Taoji picked out two peanuts, still holding onto Song Zhi’s arm. She peeled one with a single kernel, took out the plump peanut, and stuffed it into Song Zhi’s mouth. Then she peeled another with two kernels, popped the peanuts into her own mouth, and handed the empty shells back to the woman. “One plus one equals nothing!”

The woman burst into laughter.

Song Zhi, with the peanut still in his mouth, also smiled, thinking Bai Taotao really did have the mind of a child.

Several other women nearby started chattering—

“Who’s this young man? Why is Taotao holding his arm like that?”
“Oh, come on, Taotao doesn’t have any bad intentions.”
“That’s true. She hugs dogs the same way!”

Song Zhi: …

Alright, although being held by a beautiful girl felt a little awkward, considering her mental age was probably four or five, she likely meant no harm.

Song Zhi didn’t push Bai Taotao away.

Maybe also because…

Her smile was too genuine and pretty?

By this time, Yan Naqian had also arrived at the village committee and found herself a quiet corner. But as soon as she sat down, she saw Bai Taotao following a young man. That man’s appearance and features…

Yan Naqian immediately jumped up!

—He, he, he—he’s Song Zhi?! Song Sui’s older brother???

Was it Song Zhi who had just saved her from Bai Shikeng? She had been so panicked earlier that she hadn’t taken a good look… If she had known, she wouldn’t have fed Bai Taotao that story. She could have simply admitted what happened openly. After all, a hero saving a damsel in distress was perfectly reasonable and even gave her a reason to “repay” him.

In that instant, Yan Naqian regretted her actions deeply and cursed herself for not recognizing Song Zhi. Of course, this was partly because Song Zhi rarely visited his father, so she hardly knew him and had only met him a few times!

Yan Naqian mulled it over again—

Since Song Zhi was here, did she still need Song Sui’s help? After all, Song Zhi was Song Xi’s biological son, while Song Sui was only an adopted son. But if Song Zhi was so capable, why had he come to Ruyi Village?

The more she thought about it, the more confused Yan Naqian felt.

T/N: I hope everyone is aware that the inconsistent in Bai Taotao’s adress (Taotao, Taozi, and Taoji) is completely intentional. The author changes it in consistently in one chapter cause she’s called all those names by people. I’m not making an error in translation 🫣.