Chapter 16 – The Female Supporting Character in the Confession Book

Wen Xin took the pastries back home. Zhang Xiuying casually asked where they came from, and after learning they were a gift from someone, she didn’t ask any further questions.

In the evening, when the whole family was gathered, each person was given a piece.

The pastries were red bean cakes, sweet and delicious, making everyone’s mood better with every bite.

Sister-in-law Wen talked about news from Linjia Village. Lin Jianzhang had returned to the Military Unit to file his marriage report and had remarried Luo Manzhen. He was now preparing to go with the military.

After hearing this, Zhang Xiuying snorted and didn’t say anything.

Sister-in-law Wen was just casually chatting, and after that, she moved on to other topics.

By the end of August, the corn planted in May had started to bear ears. This was the crucial period for them to mature, and there could be no carelessness. Zhang Xiuying and the other women were called to pull weeds. Second Sister-in-law Wen, who was pregnant, didn’t rest either; she did some light tasks. When Wen Xin came home from work, she helped with cooking dinner.

The original owner had rarely been in the kitchen growing up, and the meals she cooked could only be eaten but were not particularly tasty. Since Wen Xin had arrived, she perfectly inherited this trait. She didn’t have high standards for cooking, as long as the food was cooked, it was good enough.

No one at home complained; as long as it wasn’t unbearably inedible, it could be eaten.

The weeds in the fields had mostly been pulled, and the mushrooms on the mountain had reached their peak growth season. Mushrooms were one of the main sources of income for the family throughout the year and also an excellent opportunity to improve their diet.

On weekends when she didn’t have to work, Wen Xin went up the mountain with Zhang Xiuying and Sister-in-law Wen, while Second Sister-in-law Wen stayed home to do household chores.

The three of them carried cloth bags, with Wen Xin holding a large cloth pouch.

They headed toward the red pine forest and met many others who were out collecting mushrooms. Along the way, they chatted and laughed, creating a lively atmosphere.

Wen Xin stayed with the unmarried girls in a group. She didn’t talk much and didn’t interact with the village girls very often, but most girls of her age were simple and not scheming. People like Luo Manzhen were rare, and in general, getting along with them was quite comfortable.

Wen Pandi was also among the group. She was the third daughter of Wen Second Uncle’s family and was seventeen years old now. Due to the relationship between Liu Guixiang and Zhang Xiuying, Wen Yuejun and Wen Pandi’s family didn’t have much interaction. The original owner, because of some childhood incidents, also had a poor relationship with her cousins.

Wen Pandi walked on one side with her close friends, not saying a word to Wen Xin. Since Wen Pandi didn’t speak to Wen Xin, Wen Xin didn’t speak to her either. On the other hand, the youngest daughter of Bai Second Aunt’s family was easier to talk to, and she came over to Wen Xin and said,

“Pandi got proposed to a few days ago. The person is from Hejia Village. My mom said he’s thirty-three, never married before, and now he’s got 200 yuan for the dowry. Your Second Aunt agreed to it.” Liu Guixiang was an extremely male-dominated person, and this could be seen from the names she gave to her daughters.

Wen Pandi’s two older sisters had also married poorly, and Wen Pandi was now marrying a man in his thirties, which suggested her later life would likely be quite difficult.

But Wen Xin didn’t feel sorry for Wen Pandi, as the original owner’s death in her past life had been largely caused by the younger generation spreading rumors about her.

Bai Second Aunt’s daughter continued: “When the news about Lin Jianzhang spread to our village, Pandi didn’t stop talking badly about you.”

“That was to be expected.” Wen Xin replied. “Look at our cousins—what kind of lives did Pandi and the others live, and what kind of life do I live? It’s normal for them to feel upset.”

In fact, when the original owner was a child, she had thought about trying to get along with her cousins. She would always save some of the treats she got for the three sisters, but the things she gave out didn’t earn her any kindness from them.

She was even beaten by her cousins for being the one who could go to school and was spoiled by her parents.

At that time, the original owner couldn’t fight back against all three of them, and because it was the time when her teeth were changing, they knocked out some of her teeth.

After that, the original owner stopped playing with Wen Pandi and her sisters.

The three sisters hated her even more for not giving them the good food. They even tried to gang up on her again, but this time, the original owner didn’t tolerate them.

When they tried to hit her, she fought back by grabbing Wen Pandi, whom she could overpower, and hit her. She then went home and told her parents. Wen Yuejun was so angry that he personally went to find Wen Second Uncle.

Second Uncle Wen was scolded thoroughly by Wen Yuejun. Unable to argue with Wen Yuejun, he went home and gave the three sisters a severe beating.

After that, the three sisters no longer dared to block the original owner, but they didn’t stop badmouthing her.

The group entered the red pine forest, and everyone split into smaller groups, walking in different directions.

Some people with sharp eyes and good luck found mushrooms as soon as they entered the forest. Wen Xin was one of them.

She found pine mushrooms that had just started growing. The mushrooms were not fully opened yet, about the size of a thumb, and they grew in small clusters. These young pine mushrooms had the best texture and flavor.

Wen Xin placed the mushrooms in her basket. Before she could stand up, she discovered another cluster of mushrooms hidden among the dry leaves.

After finishing with the second cluster, she found another one not far away.

Wen Xin crouched down and barely got up. Mushroom picking was addictive, and she kept collecting mushrooms, slowly drifting away from the group. By the time her small basket was full and her cloth pouch was half-filled, Wen Xin was tired. She found a tree to sit under, drank some water, and ate some dry food.

The dry food was what Zhang Xiuying had made that morning before they left. It was made from white flour and vegetable oil, and even when it had cooled, it remained soft and chewy. It was delicious even with just plain water.

Wen Xin ate a piece, her stomach feeling fuller. Realizing it was getting late, she decided to head back.

As Wen Xin walked away, the spot where she had been sitting started to show mounds in the ground. Soon, several men, covered in dry leaves, gathered together under the command of one of them. The leader made a retreat signal, and the men, still covered in leaves, marched in formation, quickly running down the mountain. Before leaving, the leader looked back at the spot where Wen Xin had been.

He wore a broad smile on his face.

This good mood lasted until they returned to camp. It was mealtime, and the soldiers who had completed their camouflage training changed into fresh clothes and headed to the mess hall.

Gu Xiuping also went to his dorm to change. When he came out, Zhu Dazhi was sitting on his bed reading the newspaper.

The two of them went to the kitchen together. Zhu Dazhi turned to Gu Xiuping and said: “Old Gu, I’ve got some good news for you. Captain Lin really did remarry his ex-wife.”

A few days ago, the political commissar of their regiment was heading to a military district meeting, and Zhu Dazhi went along. Lin Jianzhang and people from their regiment also attended, and some of the people who accompanied them were familiar with Zhu Dazhi.

Zhu Dazhi was a warm and friendly person, and he spent several days casually hanging out with them. Since Lin Jianzhang was also acquainted with the two of them, it was inevitable that they would talk about him.

As soon as Zhu Dazhi found out that Lin Jianzhang had remarried, he couldn’t wait to rush back and tell Gu Xiuping as soon as possible.

Gu Xiuping glanced at Zhu Dazhi with disdain. “You just found out? I knew about this a long time ago. I even know why he remarried.”

Gu Xiuping had already thoroughly investigated Lin Jianzhang’s relationship with Wen Xin.

“Are you dumb? His family is right here. It’s not hard to find out about them. By the time you get back from the military district, the news will already be old news.” Gu Xiuping said, tossing a peanut into his mouth.

Upon hearing Gu Xiuping’s words, Zhu Dazhi felt rather foolish. How had he not realized that Lin Jianzhang’s family was right here?

“Old Gu, we’re all good brothers. Tell me, what do you really think? Do you want to end up with Comrade Wen or not?”

“Stop talking nonsense.” Gu Xiuping rolled his eyes at Zhu Dazhi.

Zhu Dazhi wasn’t satisfied with that answer, and the conversation drifted off-topic.

By the time Wen Xin reached the large Military Unit, her half-full cloth pouch was completely filled.

Zhang Xiuying had been following the group the whole way and hadn’t gathered many mushrooms—her basket was far from full, while Sister-in-law Wen had managed to fill one completely.

When Wen Xin returned with a full load, both the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law were smiling broadly. The people who had gone up the mountain with them looked at Wen Xin’s haul with a mix of envy and jealousy.

Zhang Xiuying’s smile never faded.

When they returned home, Wen Xin emptied the mushrooms from her bag. She set aside a small portion to be prepared for dinner and placed the rest on strings to be hung up under the eaves to naturally dry.

These mushrooms, when dried in the air, could be stored for an entire year.

Wen Xin, Sister-in-law Wen, and Zhang Xiuying worked together, sitting on stools, bending over to string the mushrooms. They didn’t stop until their waists ached from the work, but they finally finished and hung everything up. Second Sister-in-law Wen was busy cooking in the kitchen.

When Wen Yuejun and his two sons came home for dinner, they saw the eaves lined with mushrooms, and the joy of a bountiful harvest surged in their hearts. “These mushrooms have grown really well this year. There must be forty or fifty pounds, right?”

Zhang Xiuying smiled and replied: “Yes, there is. Most of them were collected by Xin Xin, while Juan’er found one basket. My basket barely had anything in it.”

“Xin Xin is really capable.” Wen Yuejun praised her. After Wen Xin had fallen seriously ill, Wen Yuejun realized that he hadn’t paid enough attention to her, so since then, he began to care for her more. Compliments like this became a regular occurrence, with Wen Xin hearing them from time to time.

The family had gotten used to this.

After washing their hands, Second Sister-in-law Wen brought the cooked dishes into the living room. The main dish that night was cornmeal cakes, with mushrooms stewed with a small piece of bacon, giving off a savory aroma that made everyone’s mouth water. There was also a plate of stir-fried eggplant and another plate of stir-fried vegetables. After dinner and a short rest, the family headed up the mountain again.

This time, all three of the Wen family members went together and didn’t join the large Military Unit.

Wen Xin’s good luck continued into the afternoon. Mushrooms kept appearing one after another, and the three of them even managed to collect half a bag of lion’s mane mushrooms.

The wild lion’s mane mushrooms were large, with long, coarse hairs that glistened. The ones they collected were as big as an adult man’s fist, and they were among the largest they had found in recent years.

When they got home that evening, the first thing they did was send Big Brother Wen on her bike to the county’s State-Owned Restaurant to sell the lion’s mane mushrooms.

Lion’s mane mushrooms were quite valuable, and they had gathered about ten pounds that afternoon. Conservatively, they could sell it for around five to six yuan. After working all year in the fields, at the end of the year, after settling everything, aside from the grain, the cash they’d have in hand would amount to about two to three hundred yuan. This was assuming they had enough strong labor in the family; for families with fewer strong workers, by the end of the year, they might only have about one hundred yuan left.

Big Brother Wen was no stranger to selling lion’s mane mushrooms and had done it many times before. The family lived an hour away from the county town, and by the time she had sold the mushrooms and returned home, it was already dark. Sister-in-law Wen heated up the dinner, and after eating, they all quickly went to bed.

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The next day, Wen Xin went to work.

Along the way, she encountered several fellow villagers carrying cloth bags. When she arrived at her workplace, Aunt Zhu from the department began talking about the mushrooms she had bought at the street corner that morning.

This topic quickly sparked a lively conversation, and they all discussed the growing seasons and cooking methods for mushrooms.

Around 8 a.m., the postal worker, Xiao Luo, came to deliver the newspaper and also handed Wen Xin a letter.

The letter was from Gu Xiuping. Wen Xin didn’t open it right away but placed it in her bag. Xiao Qian, curious, came over to ask about it, but Wen Xin casually brushed it off.

That evening, after dinner, Wen Xin finally opened the letter.

Compared to Lin Jianzhang’s handwriting, Gu Xiuping’s was much more elegant. It could even be described as “writing that moves like a dragon and snake” and “iron and silver strokes.”

His letter was properly written, with no bold or out-of-place remarks like the ones before. At the end, he merely expressed his hope that Wen Xin would write back.

Wen Xin spent the whole night thinking about the letter, and the next day, she replied.

Ever since sending the letter to Wen Xin, Gu Xiuping had been feeling anxious.

Starting from the third day after sending it, he began to pass by the mailroom three times a day.

Finally, on the third day, he saw a letter with his name on it.

Trying to suppress his excitement, he grabbed the letter and ran back to the dormitory at a speed similar to running 800 meters.

Once inside, he locked the door, placed the letter on his desk, carefully washed his hands and face, straightened his clothes, and sat at his desk with a serious expression, opening the letter as if he were reviewing the results of a military school exam.