Chapter 31: You Dare Yell at Me?

Chen Xue was momentarily stunned by the sudden voice that appeared. “Alright, Comrade Liu.”

Song Yue didn’t even glance at Liu Wei and turned to enter the house.

Liu Wei ignored Song Yue, her eyes curving into a smile. “Comrade Chen, do you have another broom? I’d like to help Comrade Song clean the room.”

“Of course, I’ll get one for you.”

Chen Xue turned around to fetch a broom.

Watching him walk away, Liu Wei curled her lips in disdain, then glanced over at Li Xinyue, raising an eyebrow with a cold snort.

So what if she’s pretty? A brainless fool is still annoying all the same.

When Chen Xue returned, Liu Wei quickly concealed the contempt in her eyes, smiled, and took the broom before heading inside to clean.

Song Yue had just swept down all the cobwebs from the walls when Liu Wei entered.

The two of them exchanged a glance but said nothing, silently working together to sweep the floor.

Just as they finished sweeping, a furious shout erupted from outside.

“What exactly do you want? I’ve already explained things to you, and I’ve said all the nice things I could!”

Song Yue and Liu Wei looked up.

Zhao Zirui was shouting at Li Xinyue, who was crouched on the ground.

“Was it me who told you to come to the countryside? You were the one who insisted on coming! I advised you against it, your family advised you against it!”

“Now that you’re here, what’s the point of making a fuss?”

“If you want to leave, then leave! Just don’t bother me anymore!”

With that, Zhao Zirui grabbed his suitcase and left.

Li Xinyue abruptly stood up. “Zhao Zirui, you dare yell at me?!”

“If I wasn’t worried about you, would I have followed you here?”

“Fine! If you want to leave, then leave! Who’s afraid of who!”

After shouting, she turned and stormed off.

Song Yue: “…”

If no one chases after her, she’ll probably stop after ten steps and come back.

Retracting her gaze, Song Yue turned to grab a basin and a cloth, preparing to wipe down the heated brick bed.

Liu Wei suddenly suggested, “Comrade Song, should we go and persuade Xinyue?”

Without looking back, Song Yue replied, “Go if you want to. Don’t drag me along.”

“Alright then.”

Liu Wei agreed, then turned and ran outside. “Hey!”

Hearing someone call her, Li Xinyue immediately ran faster.

Liu Wei shouted louder, “Xinyue!”

Seeing her run off, Chen Xue quickly chased after her as well.

She was new here and unfamiliar with the place—if anything happened to her, as the person in charge, he wouldn’t be able to avoid responsibility.

Meanwhile, Song Yue took out a washbasin specifically for washing feet, along with an old cloth, and started wiping the brick bed.

She carried the basin outside to fetch water.

As she did, she overheard Lin He talking to Zhao Zirui.

“Zhao Zirui, she ran off, and you’re not going after her?”

“No need. She’ll come back on her own soon enough.”

“This place is unfamiliar to her—what if she gets lost?”

“She’s a grown woman. She won’t get lost.”

“Lin He, if you’re so worried, go after her yourself.”

“Like hell I will. She’s not my girlfriend.”

Carrying the water, Song Yue walked back into the house just as Lin He stepped out of his own room.

“Comrade Song, are you done with the broom? I need to sweep my room too.”

Song Yue pointed to where the broom was. “Over there.”

“Alright.”

Song Yue went inside and continued wiping the bed.

Just as she put down the cloth, Li Xinyue returned, crying, with Liu Wei accompanying her.

As soon as she entered the house, Li Xinyue sobbed, “I came here for him, and he actually yelled at me! I’ve never suffered such humiliation before!”

Liu Wei wiped Li Xinyue’s tears while comforting her, but her gaze kept flicking toward Song Yue. “Don’t cry, don’t cry.”

“Xinyue, think about it—you’re already uncomfortable here, and Comrade Zhao is from the same place as you. He must be uncomfortable too, right? He’s struggling to adapt as well.”

“He’s already feeling bad, and he still has to comfort you. But you don’t listen to him, so of course he lost his temper.”

Li Xinyue opened her mouth to argue. “But—”

Liu Wei suddenly turned to Song Yue. “Comrade Song, why are you only wiping that spot? What about this side?”

Without lifting her head, Song Yue replied, “I’m cleaning the spot where I sleep.”

Liu Wei frowned, her tone carrying a hint of displeasure.

“Can’t you help us clean as well? We’re sleeping on the same bed, aren’t we?”

Song Yue lifted her gaze and stared at Liu Wei. “You don’t have hands?”

A chill ran down Liu Wei’s spine. She forced an awkward smile. “I do, but I was just—”

Before she could finish, Song Yue tossed the cloth into the water. “That’s your business. Don’t push it onto me.”

She picked up the basin and walked out, pausing to glance at Li Xinyue. “And stop crying. If you keep wailing, you won’t even have a place to sleep tonight. Think about whether you brought a blanket or not.”

“…” Li Xinyue stopped crying, her tear-filled eyes looking at Song Yue. Instinctively, she replied, “I didn’t.”

Song Yue didn’t say anything more, simply carrying the basin outside.

Liu Wei was stunned. “Xinyue, you didn’t bring a blanket?”

Li Xinyue shook her head.

Liu Wei asked, “Then what did you bring?”

Li Xinyue thought for a moment. “Just clothes, some food, and money with ration tickets.”

Hearing this, Song Yue furrowed her brows.

Meanwhile, Liu Wei’s eyes lit up at the mention of money and ration tickets. “Open your suitcase and let’s see if there’s anything we can use as bedding.”

“There probably isn’t.” Li Xinyue hesitated but still turned to retrieve the suitcase she had thrown into the courtyard earlier. “I’ll show you.”

“Alright.” Liu Wei was particularly enthusiastic. “I’ll help you carry it in.”

Li Xinyue was touched. “Thank you, Liu Wei. You’re so kind.”

Song Yue glanced at her, wanting to say something but ultimately holding back.

Forget it.

Better to keep quiet and mind her own business.

She set the basin aside.

The two of them carried the suitcase inside and placed it on the part of the bed that hadn’t been wiped yet. Then, they opened it and began rummaging through its contents.

Song Yue glanced at her own bags. She couldn’t just leave them out in the open either.

She needed to buy a cabinet.

The ones in her personal storage space couldn’t be taken out.

She’d have to get one here first.

She wondered if anyone in the village made cabinets.

She’d ask Chen Xue first.

With that thought, she slung her shoulder bag over her body and stepped out.

As she walked out the door, Liu Wei shot her a wary look.

Song Yue pretended not to see it.

She looked for Chen Xue but couldn’t find him—he must have gone out.

So she decided to go ask around the village herself.

Just as she reached the courtyard entrance, a voice called out from behind her.

“Comrade Song, where are you going?”

She paused in her steps. “Just taking a walk around the village to get familiar with the place.”

Lin He quickly caught up. “Perfect, I’ll go with you.”

Song Yue: “…”

The two of them walked out of the educated youth housing, maintaining a certain distance.

Lin He soon caught up and walked alongside her, leaving some space between them.

He grinned. “Comrade Song, you’re not just taking a stroll, are you? You’re looking for someone who makes cabinets, right?”

Song Yue glanced at him. “You’re different from them.”

“Of course.” Lin He smirked. “I also know that the best people to ask about these things are kids.”

He pointed ahead. “Look, there are some right there.”

Song Yue looked up.

In the fields ahead, a group of children—around seven or eight, maybe nine years old—were carrying baskets filled with grass.

Were they gathering fodder for cows? Earning work points?

“I brought candy.” Lin He took out a few White Rabbit milk candies from his bag and handed two to Song Yue. “Here, Comrade Song, have some.”