“Pfft—”

Someone couldn’t help but laugh, and once one person started, others followed, laughter erupting one after another. Even those who didn’t want to laugh were eventually amused. Zhang Yunxi’s words made sense—why would someone as beautiful as her bother with Wu Donglin? Wu Donglin, who cared deeply about his reputation, couldn’t tolerate anyone undermining his charm: “Back then, it was your sister who said you liked me, and you—”

“Right, my sister told you that I liked you. But have you ever considered that she might be jealous of me? Jealous because I’m pretty, get good grades, and am well-liked by the teachers? So she deliberately told you, of all people, that I liked you, just to mock me and feel satisfied with herself?” Zhang Yunxi smiled. “It’s good to be confident, but don’t be blindly confident.”

“You!” Wu Donglin’s belief crumbled. “No, that’s impossible. You do like me!”

Zhang Yunxi found it amusing. “Look at my demeanor—does it seem like I like you?”

The onlookers all shook their heads.

If she liked him, she definitely wouldn’t act like this!

Brigade leader Zhao, with his hands behind his back, raised his voice: “I don’t care whether you like each other or not. Wu Zhiqing (educated youth), return the money to Zhang Zhiqing.”

“I never took any money!”

Wu Donglin retorted.

Zhang Yunxi frowned in confusion. “Are you sure? How could you not remember what you did? Did you hit your head or something? If you don’t want to give it back, I won’t force you.”

Wu Donglin was so angry that his nostrils flared. “I said I didn’t take it, so I didn’t!”

“Fine, don’t give it back then. I’d rather spend ten yuan to cut off all ties with you. Just don’t go around boasting about me anymore. Don’t worry, even if you were the last man on earth, I still wouldn’t like you!”

Now that Zhang Yunxi didn’t need to collect the debt, she no longer had to play the victim or act submissive in front of him.

“Zhang Yunxi!!!” Wu Donglin roared, veins bulging on his forehead.

The onlookers all wore strange expressions. She had already said she didn’t want the money, so why was he still so furious?

Wu Donglin took a deep breath, then dramatically pulled out two ten-yuan bills from his pants pocket. He slapped one of them into her hand. “Isn’t this what you want? Here, take it! A woman like you will never earn my affection! My father is the director of the rubber factory, and we have five full-time workers in our family. Money is no issue for me!”

Auntie Yu clutched her chest. Good heavens, five full-time workers! Even if each earned just thirty yuan, that would be one hundred and fifty yuan!

One hundred and fifty yuan! A farming family might not even earn that much in a whole year!

No wonder he could so easily toss out ten yuan.

Zhang Yunxi took the money, not bothering to acknowledge his show of arrogance. “Well, you can go now. I won’t see you out.”

Wu Donglin was so angry he felt dizzy. Just as he was about to leave, Er Gouzi continued to wail: “You pushed me! You have to pay me!”

Er Gouzi’s family silently watched the drama, not daring to step forward. They didn’t have Er Gouzi’s thick skin, but they really wanted him to get money from Wu Donglin. After all, his family had five full-time workers!!!

Wu Donglin raised his foot, ready to kick Er Gouzi.

Er Gouzi’s father immediately stepped forward, his face dark. “What do you think you’re doing?”

Whoosh—

Behind him, at least eighteen men, all over 175 cm tall, emerged.

Wu Donglin gulped and instinctively took a step back. “Wh-what are you all doing?”

Er Gouzi: “Give me money!”

Wu Donglin took a deep breath, gritting his teeth. “How much do you want?!”

Er Gouzi: “One yuan!”

Wu Donglin breathed a sigh of relief. Thankfully, it wasn’t ten yuan—that would have been a month’s living expenses for him. “Here, take it!”

Er Gouzi took the money.

His father was about to take it from him, but Er Gouzi quickly handed it to Brigade leader Zhao instead. “Grandpa, I want to go to school. I want to be in the same class as Zhao Mo. Please help me enroll.”

Brigade leader Zhao was a bit stunned, but it was always a good thing for a child in the village to get an education, so he nodded. “Alright, study hard. Don’t waste that one yuan.”

Er Gouzi nodded vigorously.

Wuwuwu.

It was the first time in his life he had held so much money, and in less than a second, it was gone. His hand didn’t even have time to react!

Er Gouzi’s family frowned when they saw him using the money for school, but since he had enrolled himself, they didn’t say anything. However, once they got home, they told Er Gouzi’s grandparents that they were not to allow him to continue his education!

Their family had always been united against outsiders but quick to stab each other in the back internally.

This wasn’t a contradiction.

The big drama ended with Er Gouzi’s enrollment. Zhang Yunxi secretly winked at the two children.

Wu Donglin saw it and was furious. He had only brought 130 yuan with him to the countryside, and now he had given away 121 yuan!

How was he supposed to live like this?

Damn it! Zhang Yunxi was truly not a good woman. Just because he didn’t like her, she was using this method to torment him!

How scheming.

He wouldn’t let Zhang Yunxi off the hook!!

Zhang Yunxi pocketed the ten yuan. In the past, the original owner had been swindled by Wu Donglin out of not only a hundred yuan but also a Hero fountain pen and a Zhongshan suit. The pen cost five yuan, and the suit eleven yuan.

That left four yuan.

She would find a way to get that back too.

Zhang Yunxi felt she was being quite generous—she hadn’t even asked for ration coupons. No, she had to figure out how to get his fabric coupons. After buying clothes for herself and Zhao Mo, she was out of fabric coupons.

Being merciful to the enemy is being cruel to yourself!

She had to get everything back!

In the evening, the smoke from cooking fires blended with the gray sky as each household began preparing dinner. The topic of conversation shifted from Zhang Yunxi to Wu Donglin. Even though it was Zhang Yunxi who had caused the scene, under the impact of Wu Donglin’s family background, except for a few who were still thinking about Zhang Yunxi, everyone was talking about Wu Donglin.

Even the female educated youth dormitory was no exception.

Deng Damei, biting her chopsticks, asked Zhang Yunxi, “Does his family really have that many full-time workers?”

“Pretty much. Two of them are his brothers-in-law, and the rest are his older brother, sister-in-law, and his father. They’re considered well-off in the city.”

“Wow, that’s amazing.”

Deng Damei thought about her own family situation and couldn’t help but feel envious. Her family had been thrilled when she went to the countryside—one less mouth to feed, and she could earn grain there. If her family hadn’t only had one daughter, they would have sent everyone to the countryside.

“But!”

“But what?” Deng Damei pressed.

“His father’s position is reserved for his second brother. Most of the family’s money has been spent on buying a house for his older brother, and his sister-in-law is very controlling with the finances. His father is from the countryside and has relatives there, so he sends fifteen yuan to his parents every month. Right now, Wu Donglin can live comfortably thanks to his father’s support, but if his father retires, he’ll be broke.”

Zhang Yunxi was actually quite curious about the current situation in the Wu family, as they had a new job position at home, and she wasn’t sure who it would go to.

“Still, that’s much better than my situation.”

Deng Damei poked at her pumpkin porridge, feeling down.

“Not at all. You’re self-reliant, confident, cheerful, and kind-hearted. You’re amazing!” Zhang Yunxi praised her.

Deng Damei burst out laughing. “Am I really that great?”

“Of course!” Zhang Yunxi said with certainty.

Deng Damei wasn’t sad anymore. In fact, she was quite pleased. After dinner, she sat in the yard knitting socks.

Zhang Yunxi was sewing clothes, while He Xiaoxiao carved her wooden figures. The female dormitory was peaceful and harmonious.