Chapter 62: A Guilty Conscience

Song Yue paused for a moment and thanked him, “Thanks.”

Hearing her thanks, Lin He had already made a mental note to bring something next time.

But then…

Song Yue added, “No.”

“…” Lin He suddenly felt an inexplicable sense of disappointment. “Alright then.”

Song Yue returned to her room.

Just as she reached the door, she overheard Liu Wei asking Li Xinyue, “Xinyue, do you and Song Yue know how to cook?”

Song Yue hesitated for a moment but ultimately stepped inside.

Seeing her enter, the two of them were briefly stunned before turning their backs and lowering their voices. “Neither of us can.”

“Weiwei, why are you asking about this?”

Though they spoke softly, their words still reached Song Yue’s ears.

“If you live alone, you’ll have to cook for yourself, right?”

Hearing this, Song Yue immediately understood that Liu Wei was scheming again. She was probably trying to move in with Li Xinyue.

Living together… most likely meant leeching off Li Xinyue.

Li Xinyue frowned. “That shouldn’t be a problem. Lin He knows how to cook. We can just eat with him.”

Liu Wei asked, “Would Comrade Lin really agree to that?”

Li Xinyue was full of confidence. “Why wouldn’t he? We’re good friends.”

Liu Wei hesitated for a moment before cautiously suggesting, “Maybe you should ask him first?”

Li Xinyue nodded. “Alright, I’ll go ask him.”

She got up and left the room.

Liu Wei watched her go, a slow smile spreading across her face. Then, as if suddenly remembering something, she quickly suppressed the smile and cautiously glanced toward Song Yue.

Seeing that Song Yue had her back to them, she let out a sigh of relief.

But before she could fully relax—

Song Yue suddenly turned around and strode toward her.

Liu Wei was so startled that she thought Song Yue was coming for her and jumped up in alarm.

“Song Yue, what do you want?!”

But to her surprise, Song Yue walked right past her and headed straight for the door, not even sparing her a glance.

Liu Wei was baffled. Seeing that Song Yue hadn’t paid her any attention, she figured she must have overreacted and misunderstood.

Just then, Song Yue paused at the doorway and turned back with a smile, looking directly at Liu Wei.

“Comrade Liu, as the saying goes—’A clear conscience fears no ghost knocking at the door.'”

She gave Liu Wei a meaningful look, completely ignoring the way Liu Wei’s face darkened, then turned and left.

She hadn’t done that to scare Liu Wei on purpose—she had just suddenly remembered that she hadn’t recorded her work points yet.

As soon as she stepped out, she heard Lin He and Li Xinyue arguing.

It was the usual—Lin He had no intention of cooking for Li Xinyue and Zhao Zirui after he moved out.

Li Xinyue, of course, refused to accept that. In her mind, they’d been good friends for years, so Lin He should cook for her.

As the argument escalated and they were about to start shouting, Song Yue gently interjected, “Have you recorded your work points for today?”

With that one sentence, the room fell into sudden silence.

Both of them turned to look at her.

Song Yue didn’t bother looking back at them. She simply turned and left the compound.

At the work point registration area, a line had already formed.

Song Yue queued up, and before long, Lin He and the other three also arrived.

There were no issues with recording the points.

Song Yue glanced at her work record—eight points.

Hmm.

That was the result of her exhausting labor today.

According to what the village chief had told her earlier, one work point was worth about five cents…

So, she had earned 80 cents today. If she worked full-time for a month, she’d make around twelve yuan.

Chen Juhua’s work points hadn’t been transferred over yet, and since the person recording the points hadn’t mentioned it, that meant the team leader hadn’t gotten around to dealing with it.

Well, the team leader was her Uncle Li now.

No rush.

Back at the compound, Song Yue washed her face, brushed her teeth, and soaked her feet before getting into bed.

Even after lying down, she didn’t fall asleep right away. Instead, she listened as Liu Wei and Li Xinyue returned and entered their room.

Only then did she turn over and go to sleep.

---

At the Cattle Shed

Under the moonlight, two figures arrived at the cattle shed’s courtyard gate. One of them reached out to push the door—but it wouldn’t budge.

Zhou Ye turned to look at Lu Huaishen. “Boss, the door’s locked. We’ll have to climb over.”

“Mm.”

Just as they were about to climb over the wall—

A low voice came from inside the courtyard. “Who’s out there?”

Lu Huaishen responded, “It’s me.”

Hearing his voice, Yun Xingjun quickly opened the gate and called out to the two men outside, “Come in, quickly.”

Zhou Ye and Lu Huaishen stepped into the courtyard.

Yun Xingjun hurriedly shut the gate behind them.

Zhou Ye asked, “Uncle Yun, why aren’t you asleep yet?”

Yun Xingjun glanced at them. “Dad told me to wait for you two to return.”

“Oh, right—have you eaten yet? If not, I can ask Auntie to make something.”

Zhou Ye replied, “Uncle Yun, we already ate.”

Lu Huaishen fixed his gaze on Yun Xingjun. “Uncle Yun, just tell us what’s going on.”

Yun Xingjun’s heart skipped a beat, but he quickly composed himself.

As expected of him…

His perception was sharp.

Just as he was about to speak, a cough sounded from inside the house.

” Cough, cough. “

Then, an elderly voice called out, “Xingjun, is Lu Huaishen back?”

At this hour, Old Man Yun was still awake?

That meant today’s matter must be serious.

Zhou Ye glanced sideways at Lu Huaishen.

Lu Huaishen stared in the direction of the house.

The old man’s voice rang out again, “If he’s back, let him in.”

Yun Xingjun looked at Lu Huaishen. “Uh…”

Lu Huaishen pressed his lips together and stepped toward the house.

Zhou Ye asked, “Should I stay out here, then?”

Without turning back, Lu Huaishen said, “Mm, go back to your room.”

Inside the house.

Old Man Yun asked with concern, “You’ve been out all day. Are you tired?”

Yun Xingjun poured a cup of water for Lu Huaishen.

Lu Huaishen’s voice was calm. “I’m fine.”

Old Man Yun got straight to the point. “I won’t waste time with small talk, since I don’t want to keep you from resting.”

Lu Huaishen hummed in acknowledgment.

“Xingzhi and Xingjun told me not to mention this to you. They said you’re already busy enough.”

“But this matter concerns that girl, so I think you should hear it.”

As soon as he heard it was about Song Yue, Lu Huaishen’s hand, which was holding the teacup, paused. He looked at Old Man Yun. “Mm. Go ahead.”

Old Man Yun said, “On their way back from fetching water tonight, Xingzhi and Xingjun overheard some villagers talking. They were saying that girl is cursed and brings misfortune to men…”

Lu Huaishen: “…”

Old Man Yun had only just started explaining when he suddenly forgot what came next. So, he turned to Yun Xingjun and asked, “Xingjun, how exactly did they put it?”

Without hesitation, Yun Xingjun replied, “They said her childhood fiancé had an accident and died…”

Lu Huaishen: “…”

When did he die? Why didn’t he know about this?

Old Man Yun was also momentarily stunned. He glanced at Lu Huaishen.

Clearing his throat, he gave Yun Xingjun a pointed look. “Cough.“

Yun Xingjun suddenly realized—

Oh, right.

The person sitting in front of him was Song Yue’s childhood fiancé.

He hurriedly corrected himself, “Oh… they didn’t actually say her fiancé died.”

“Anyway, they said that every man who tried to get close to her either died or ended up crippled.”

“They said quite a few men had been affected… and that’s why all the young men in the village avoid her.”