The male educated youth dormitory was a different story.

Wu Donglin was so frustrated that he could hardly resist the urge to hit someone, but hearing some people flatter him made him feel better again.

Hmph.

He was a city boy.

His family was wealthy, with five full-time workers.

He was different from these people!

Especially the country bumpkins in the village who dared to laugh at him. Just wait and see how he would get back at them.

Someone suddenly asked, “Donglin, if your family is so well-off, why did you come to the countryside?”

Wu Donglin got angry just thinking about it. While venting his frustrations, he started boasting. Although he had schemed to get money from Zhang Yunxi and never gave his girlfriends any money, he was generous with his buddies.

As he chatted, he took out a pack of peach shortbread cookies from his bag and shared them with everyone, not forgetting to add, “Back in my hometown, everyone knew Zhang Yunxi liked me, but I didn’t like her. I chose her cousin instead, and that’s why she’s trying to get back at me now.”

The male educated youth listened, but most of them didn’t quite believe him. Zhang Yunxi’s attitude earlier didn’t seem like she liked him at all. It was only because she wasn’t here now that he could brag. But since there were cookies, they didn’t mind letting Wu Donglin boast.

Mmm, the peach shortbread was delicious.

The next day, Zhang Yunxi officially started work. Although the original owner had worked in the city, she had never done such physically demanding labor.

The task at hand was to pull up peanuts, pick them clean, and load them into baskets. Other villagers would then carry the baskets to the river to wash them.

Originally, everyone was supposed to pick the peanuts in the shade, but people kept sneaking bites of the peanuts while working in the shade!

Later, Brigade leader Zhao made everyone pick peanuts under the sun for better supervision. Anyone caught eating peanuts would be fined two work points. Even so, many still took the risk!

But Zhang Yunxi wasn’t one of them.

Constantly bending over to pull up peanuts made her feel like her back was about to break. Her hands were also blistered from the effort, leaving her no energy to think about anything else.

The main issue was that it hadn’t rained recently. If it had rained and loosened the soil, pulling up the peanuts would have been much easier.

People around her laughed at Zhang Yunxi, saying her work was terrible. How would she manage in the future?

You couldn’t marry someone like her.

Zhao Mo and Er Gouzi came to help. Er Gouzi pulled the peanuts, while Zhao Mo picked them.

Zhang Yunxi, not caring about her image anymore, plopped down on the ground, exhausted. “You guys finally came. I can take a break now. If this keeps up, I feel like my back will break tomorrow.”

Zhao Mo asked, “Auntie, do you have a water bottle?”

“A water bottle?” Zhang Yunxi thought about it.

She really didn’t have one.

“You should buy a water bottle and fill it with sugar water. I forgot to remind you when we went to the supply and marketing cooperative last time,” Zhao Mo said regretfully. She had been so distracted looking around that her mind went blank.

“It’s fine,” Zhang Yunxi said, wiping her sweat. Her throat was parched.

The two kids worked for about twenty minutes before Zhang Yunxi sent them away. Even though she was struggling, seeing the two little ones so tired made her feel bad.

After a grueling day of work.

Zhang Yunxi asked the accountant, “Uncle, how many work points did I earn today?”

The accountant: “Three.”

Zhang Yunxi: “What?!”

Her voice rose sharply. Zhao Rencheng, who was standing next to the accountant, glanced at her. Seeing her utterly defeated expression, he couldn’t help but chuckle. He had seen Zhang Yunxi during his patrol today, walking unsteadily like an eighty-year-old woman. The good thing was that even though she worked slowly and took breaks with outside help, she didn’t go on strike or cause a scene.

Noticing her red, blistered hands, he reminded her, “Go to the barefoot doctor and get some medicine for your hands. It’s free.”

“Ah? Oh, okay.”

Zhang Yunxi’s soul felt like it had left her body.

Like a ghost, she went to the barefoot doctor’s house. After applying medicine to both hands, she thanked him and trudged back to the female educated youth dormitory, her shoulders slumped, like a walking corpse.

According to the work point system in Zhao Village.

One work point was worth five cents, which meant she had earned fifteen cents today!

But she had worked for ten hours.

Zhang Yunxi wanted to cry. It was so exhausting. She finally understood why educated youth would do anything to return to the city. She would too.

Wuwuwu.

“Auntie,” Zhao Mo called her.

“Yeah,” Zhang Yunxi responded weakly from her bed.

Deng Damei burst out laughing beside her. “You look even worse than I did back then, hahaha…”

Zhang Yunxi didn’t even have the energy to roll her eyes at her.

Just then, Zhao Mo walked in, giving Deng Damei a wary look.

Deng Damei shrugged. “Alright, alright, since your aunt looks so miserable, I’ll leave.”

Zhao Mo pursed her lips, feeling a bit embarrassed. “Thank you.”

Deng Damei waved it off. “No problem.”

Zhao Mo closed the dormitory door and took out an egg, handing it to Zhang Yunxi. “This is a wild egg I found with Er Gouzi in the mountains. There were three in total, so we each got one.”

“You’re lying!” Zhang Yunxi pointed at her nose. “Don’t lie to me.”

Zhao Mo was startled.

How did her aunt know?

“I… I didn’t take Er Gouzi’s egg. This is mine. I just wanted to give it to you.”

“Good girl.” Zhang Yunxi reached out and hugged Zhao Mo. “Little Mo Mo, you’re the best. I love you the most.”

Zhao Mo stiffened.

Her aunt was really… a bit too affectionate.

But deep down, she felt a sweet warmth, like she had eaten candy!

“Eat it.”

“Let’s split it. My hands are dirty. You break it,” Zhang Yunxi said.

“No, Auntie. Next time I find an egg, I’ll eat it myself. This one is for you!” Zhao Mo insisted.

Zhang Yunxi refused.

Zhao Mo put the egg down and left.

“Hey, Zhao Mo…” Zhang Yunxi called out, but Zhao Mo was already gone.

Deng Damei peeked her head in, saw the egg, and clicked her tongue. “Having a niece is really nice.”

“I think so too.”

Zhang Yunxi said proudly.

Deng Damei laughed.

Zhang Yunxi carefully peeled the egg and ate it, finally feeling a bit of strength return. The medicine on her hands had dried, so she started sewing clothes with her battered hands. Zhao Mo would start school soon, and Zhang Yunxi wanted her to go in a brand-new state.

The first day of work ended with Zhang Yunxi completely exhausted.

On the second day, seeing how miserable Wu Donglin looked gave her a strange sense of motivation.

Indeed.

Happiness is best built on the suffering of your enemies!

Wu Donglin secretly gloated. Zhang Yunxi must like him. Why else would she keep glancing at him? Women’s jealousy is truly terrifying. Just because he liked her cousin, she was resorting to such tactics.

Or…

Was this her way of getting his attention?

That made sense.

Before, he hadn’t even bothered to acknowledge her. Now, at least, he was paying attention to her.

She must be thrilled!

No!

He couldn’t let this woman succeed so easily. She was too scheming. Even if it was for his sake, he couldn’t tolerate it. He liked kind, obedient, and understanding girls.

He would have to find a chance to talk to Zhang Yunxi. He didn’t like this way of getting his attention.

He preferred it the way it was in the city—return the money and be sweet and obedient.

Wu Donglin sighed.

Being too charming was a burden. Dealing with admirers took so much energy. Ah, what a headache.