Chapter 20 : Encounter

“Yun Siying, I’m Jiang Zhengguo, the captain of the Hongxing Brigade,” Jiang Zhengguo introduced himself with a shrewd smile, though there was little joy in his eyes. Over the past few years, their brigade had already received several batches of educated youth, and now another one was arriving. He had no idea when it would finally end.

They respected these educated youths, but most of them were arrogant, looked down on the villagers, lacked real work skills, and were full of schemes and the older village women constantly came to him to complain.

Now, another group had come, and this female educated youth in front of him was exceptionally beautiful, like a fairy. He could already imagine the starry-eyed looks the young village men would give her. He could only hope this one would be better than the rest. Fortunately, this time there were only four educated youths: two women and two men.

When Nangong Ruochen heard the soft, clear voice, he turned and saw a face that gleamed white and radiant, with delicate features, a pair of large almond-shaped eyes, a tall and petite nose, and small, rose-petal-like lips.

Her hairstyle stood out. Unlike other female comrades who either cut their hair short or wore two braids on their chest, her hair was tied high up and twisted into a neat bun.

She also had an excellent figure. She wore a floral-patterned shirt, black pants, and a pair of white Huili sneakers. She looked youthful, vibrant, and practically glowing.

She carried a leather suitcase in one hand, with a military green bag slung over one shoulder and a matching water bottle across her body. Her fair, delicate hands gripped the suitcase as she smiled and spoke to the captain.

She looked so striking, he couldn’t tear his eyes away. His heart beat wildly, and his eyes rippled like a clear lake into which someone had tossed a pebble.

Why was it her? Why hadn’t he felt this way before when he saw her? She was no longer a cold, lifeless beauty, but a breathtaking, spirited one, radiant and full of vitality.

“Siying, why are you here doing countryside labor too?” Nangong Ruochen asked, trying to steady the emotion in his heart. He politely reached out and helped her lift the suitcase onto the tractor.

“Oh, it’s you, Nangong Ruochen. I’m not the Shu family’s biological daughter, so naturally, I had to go to the countryside,” Yun Siying replied calmly, blinking at him.

“What? How could that be?” Nangong Ruochen was stunned and looked at her in disbelief.

Just then, the other three educated youths arrived. Shu Ruxue was at the front. She called out sweetly, “Uncle Captain, are you here to pick up the educated youth today?”

“It’s Yinyin! Didn’t you go back to your biological parents in the capital? Why are you out here working in the countryside?” Jiang Zhengguo asked in surprise, seeing her luggage.

“Uncle Captain, it’s not me it was Yun Siying. She didn’t want to suffer out here in the countryside, so she secretly signed me up in her place. That’s why I’m here,” Shu Ruxue pointed at Yun Siying, her eyes filled with malice.

The captain, who had initially developed a good impression of Yun Siying, now frowned and began to think she was an ungrateful troublemaker.

“Tsk. Shu Ruxue, you can eat whatever you like, but you can’t just say whatever you want. I formally transferred the countryside assignment to you the day after I agreed to go in your place, and I left the Shu family on the third day. Without your household registration booklet, how could I have registered for you?”

“As for your parents raising me for eighteen years, I already repaid that debt by taking your place in the countryside. I even published a notice in the newspaper to sever ties with your family. So why are you still clinging to me?” Yun Siying said with a look of disbelief and grievance.

“Humph! Yun Siying, you don’t even know yet your biological parents are in this brigade. Are you really that happy to have found them?” Shu Ruxue said gloatingly, as if she’d thought of something amusing.

“They say you and I were mistakenly swapped at the hospital. Because you resemble Tang Lingxue by 80%, they concluded you’re their biological daughter. I need to go back and see if I resemble your adoptive parents. If I do, then they’re my parents. If not, I might be someone else’s child. Who’s to say it was only you and I who were switched? You can’t just force a pair of parents on me. Don’t you think so, Shu Ruxue?” Yun Siying already knew who her real parents were, so how could she accept anyone else as her father and mother?

“That’s impossible! You are their daughter.” Shu Ruxue looked a bit flustered. Did Yun Siying know something?

“Whether I am or not, I still have to return to the village to see for myself,” Yun Siying said calmly.

“Yun Siying, Ruxue is right. Since you two were mistakenly switched, her adoptive parents are your biological parents. You’re not looking down on them just because they’re from the countryside, are you?” Shen Subai said. Although he feared Yun Siying’s temper, Ruxue was his fiancée he had to take her side.

“Ha! You’re Shu Ruxue’s fiancé, of course you’d take her side. But I’m saying, it’s still not certain whether they’re really my biological parents or not.” Yun Siying was seriously tempted to give them both a beating.

Nangong Ruochen felt uneasy seeing Shen Subai, but once he heard Yun Siying say that Shen Subai was Shu Ruxue’s fiancé, the discomfort in his heart vanished.

“Get in the car already! I still have to go back and earn work points,” the team captain interjected. He didn’t want to get involved in their conflict. Right or wrong didn’t matter to him, what mattered was working hard.

“Captain, is the post office far from here? My luggage has already arrived. Can I go pick it up first?” Yun Siying asked the captain.

Before the captain could reply, Shu Ruxue cut in, “Yun Siying, you always have so much going on. Everyone else can bring their luggage themselves to the countryside, but you can’t? And you even spent money to mail it? You really can’t handle any hardship.”

“Captain, I’ve never been far from home since I was little. I heard that theft is rampant outside, and I was worried my luggage might get stolen while I slept. I thought mailing it would be safer. Was I wrong for doing that?”

“I heard several people in other carriages had their money stolen. I was honestly glad for my foresight.” As Yun Siying said this, she secretly used her mental powers to scan Shu Ruxue’s luggage and pockets, transferring all her money into a hidden space. She didn’t originally plan to go that far, but since Ruxue was so eager to stir up trouble, she saw no reason to be polite.

Naturally, she didn’t spare Shen Subai either, she also took all the money on him and stored it in her space. That was the price for meddling in other people’s business.

The captain sighed. This girl from the Li family used to be so obedient and hardworking. After just a few months away, he barely recognized her. Now she was nothing but trouble.

“Nangong , go to the post office first,” the captain said immediately. If they didn’t go, he was sure Yun Siying wouldn’t be able to sleep that night.