Chapter 5

They had left early in the morning, and by the time they returned, the sun had already set.

He Xianqiu sat dazedly on the ox cart. Though she was highly adaptable and had accepted that she had become the female supporting character, she still found it difficult to adjust to having her once-refined life utterly transformed.

Soon, they reached the village entrance. Everyone else jumped off the cart. He Xianqiu struggled to set her basket down. Since Zhang Zhijuan hadn’t bought much, she helped carry the pot.

The two of them carried their things back to the educated youth dormitory. He Xianqiu had never carried such a heavy load before. Her back and waist were aching badly, but she gritted her teeth and insisted on walking all the way back.

As soon as she got to the dormitory, she felt as if her strength had drained away completely and collapsed limply onto her bed. Zhang Zhijuan couldn’t help laughing at the sight.

Once she had rested a while, He Xianqiu finally began sorting through the contents of her basket. She put the five jin of refined flour, three jin of pork, and the seasonings away in the kitchen. The thermos she tucked under her bed. She didn’t take out the meat buns or pastries—she planned to find a chance to secretly stash them in the sack she kept by the corner of her bed.

As she tidied up, she could sense the other women’s strong, envious gazes. Even though they hadn’t seen the buns and pastries, they must have smelled them. But she didn’t plan to share. She hadn’t bought all that much, and it would have to last her several days. Those were her three meals a day.

She carried the jars and seasonings to the kitchen and said to Zhang Zhijuan, who was cooking:

“Zhijuan-jie, I bought some refined flour and three jin of pork. Let’s cook a big pot of noodles and divide it among everyone at the educated youth point.”

Zhang Zhijuan waved her hand. “Xianqiu, refined flour is precious stuff. No need to share it with us. Just make a bowl for yourself.”

He Xianqiu shook her head. “It’s fine. Go ahead and cook it. Use as much seasoning as you need—don’t skimp. If there’s any left over, I’ll keep it to make more noodles for myself later.”

“What about Yang Zhiqing’s share?” Zhang Zhijuan asked, thinking of the conflict between He Xianqiu and Yang Shuhua.

“Don’t cook hers,” He Xianqiu said bluntly. She certainly wouldn’t waste food on an ingrate.

He Xianqiu held grudges. She still remembered Yang Shuhua scaring her, so she certainly wasn’t about to be generous now.

And if Yang Shuhua came looking for trouble again, she’d deal with her head-on. Miss He wasn’t afraid of her in the least.

Hearing her say this, Zhang Zhijuan simply nodded. “Alright.”

It was perfectly normal that He Xianqiu didn’t want to share with Yang Shuhua. After all, Yang Shuhua often targeted her.

“Alright, then. I’ll leave you to it.”

He Xianqiu didn’t leave. There were two candle stands in the kitchen. She boiled water in her new pot to disinfect it before heating water for a bath.

Zhang Zhijuan helped her carry the water and pour it into the pot. “You don’t have to wash so thoroughly, you know. Just wiping down would be clean enough.”

He Xianqiu shook her head. “I’m used to it. If I don’t bathe for a day, I feel awful.”

Suddenly, lively voices erupted outside. He Xianqiu looked up curiously.

What was going on? This was the first time she’d seen the educated youth point so boisterous.

“Changping, you’re back! Did your sweetheart take good care of you?”

Her brain felt as if it exploded with a roar. She froze in place.

The male and female leads were back?

This novel was so old that while He Xianqiu still remembered parts of the plot, she’d long forgotten the exact sequence of events.

She had a visceral aversion to the male and female leads. In her eyes, these two were disasters. The male lead had caused the female supporting character to be framed and isolated by admirers. The female lead’s admirer had eventually murdered the supporting character, leaving not even a corpse—she’d been eaten clean by fish.

A chill rose up her spine. That person who would one day murder her could be lurking in any corner. Even though she was still alive and well, she remained extremely wary.

Seeing He Xianqiu standing there unmoving, her expression strange, Zhang Zhijuan asked, “Xianqiu, what’s wrong?”

He Xianqiu snapped back to herself. “Nothing. Just spacing out, thinking about some things.” But her hands were clenched tight.

“Oh, I see.” Zhang Zhijuan believed her. Seeing her color return, she went back to cooking.

“I think it’s the new educated youth, Zhao Yaling, who’s returned. She and a male educated youth who’s her fiancé—they say he was injured, so she took leave to care for him.”

He Xianqiu nodded. With that reminder, her memory stirred—yes, the male lead had been helping the female lead with farm work when a hoe fell on his foot, putting him in the hospital.

And the female supporting character had heard the commotion and stormed over to scold Zhao Yaling. The female lead had looked so pitiful that the male lead had berated the supporting character on the spot.

Other sympathetic male educated youths had also called her unreasonable, making her so furious she’d nearly slapped the female lead—and eventually, she really did.

But the timeline didn’t match up. That had happened months after the supporting character was sent down, and she herself had just arrived.

He Xianqiu could understand why the supporting character had been so angry. She’d liked Chen Changping, and Zhao Yaling had known that perfectly well—yet she’d secretly gotten together with him anyway.

The supporting character’s actions were unwise—too impulsive and self-defeating—but she could still sympathize.

Who wouldn’t be enraged if the man you liked was introduced to your friend, only for them to sneak around behind your back?

Still, He Xianqiu shook her head. Wasting one’s youth on a scumbag wasn’t worth it. There were plenty of men better than him.

As the supporting character, she could probably meet all sorts of high-ranking, well-born young men.

But it was in line with that girl’s temperament—pampered in a wealthy family, willful and spoiled, naturally unwilling to think things through.

He Xianqiu felt the supporting character had been willful but not malicious at first. The later escalation—becoming truly vicious—had likely been from obsession with Chen Changping and the inexorable pull of the plot.

Worst of all, her family hadn’t known what was going on. They thought Zhao Yaling had treated her kindly, so they kept helping her, and that shameless woman had accepted it all.

Her fists clenched. She’d always thought the main couple had questionable morals, though online readers never agreed and had scolded her at length.

Poor supporting character. She’d died early because of them. Even if she’d grown hateful by the end, that was too harsh a punishment.

He Xianqiu had no intention of getting involved with those disasters.

But some things would inevitably happen.

When the noodles were ready, Zhang Zhijuan called everyone to eat.

The educated youths came to the kitchen and exclaimed in surprise when they saw the big pot of noodles.

“Where did these noodles come from?”

Zhang Zhijuan explained, “He Zhiqing bought refined flour and had them made into noodles to share with everyone.”

Everyone was delighted and kept saying, “Oh, we couldn’t possibly!”

In those days, an ordinary family might wait ages to taste noodles made from fine flour—such food was precious.

He Xianqiu smiled. “Don’t be shy. I can’t finish all that by myself. Hurry up and take some before it goes cold.”

Since she’d said so, the others didn’t stand on ceremony. They took up bowls and began fishing out noodles, thanking her one by one.

“Thank you, He Zhiqing.”

Yang Shuhua was also surprised to see the noodles—she hadn’t eaten anything this good since coming here.

But after a while, she realized no one was serving her any.

Her face froze. Rage bubbled up inside her, but she knew He Xianqiu wouldn’t give her any, so she could only glare resentfully.

He Xianqiu noticed her look but ignored her. She picked up her own portion and left the kitchen.

It was hot lately, so everyone had moved the dining tables and benches outdoors.

He Xianqiu sat on a stool, eating unhurriedly. The noodles were chewy and well-seasoned. She ate with relish.

Once she was full, she returned to the dormitory—and the moment she looked up, she saw Zhao Yaling.

Zhao Yaling stared at her in surprise, then said gently, “Xianqiu, you came here too?”

He Xianqiu gave her a cool glance, not wanting to respond. But Zhao Yaling grabbed her wrist and began explaining in a soft voice:

“Xianqiu, Changping-ge and I truly love each other. So… it’s my fault. I hope you won’t try to keep us apart.”

She spoke as if she were terribly aggrieved, as though He Xianqiu had done something wrong to them.

He Xianqiu frowned. She didn’t like strangers touching her. She pulled her hand away, and Zhao Yaling immediately looked pitiful.

The others saw this and thought He Xianqiu was unbelievably arrogant, ready to break up a couple—but having just eaten her noodles, they said nothing aloud.

Yang Shuhua, still resentful over being left out, added fuel to the fire:

“They really love each other, and someone still wants to break them up—how shameless.”

At that, the others began casting condemning looks at He Xianqiu, forgetting they’d just eaten her noodles.

He Xianqiu felt speechless. What exactly had she done?

“You two can be together all you like. I haven’t tried to stop you. Don’t look so pitiful—it’s not like I’ve bullied you. And when have I ever tried to break you up?” she said coolly.

The others exchanged subtle glances.

“She’s right—He Zhiqing hasn’t done anything. Why act so wronged?”

“Yeah, she didn’t say or do anything to you.”

“It’s only men who’d fall for that look…”

Zhao Yaling was momentarily at a loss. She hadn’t expected He Xianqiu to be so calm.

In the past, these little tricks were enough to make everyone scold He Xianqiu and resent her—but this time, it hadn’t worked.

He Xianqiu ignored her and walked straight to her bed.

Sitting down, she wondered whether she ought to avoid offending the female lead.

But seriously—who could tolerate this? She was expected to let them smear dung on her without fighting back?

Anyway, she didn’t think she’d done anything wrong. She feared the female lead’s future vengeance, but that didn’t mean she’d let herself be humiliated.

He Xianqiu rubbed her forehead, exasperated. What a mess.

Thinking of the future, her expression turned resolute. Since she’d become the supporting character, she was determined to change her ending.

She absolutely wouldn’t end up dead with no corpse left behind.

But as for quietly swallowing every false accusation—never in her life.

She wasn’t some dung beetle here to collect others’ filth.

And she wasn’t some ninja turtle who’d silently endure being framed or bullied.

Though she’d clashed with the female lead, He Xianqiu’s mood hadn’t been too badly affected.

After she bathed, she lay down, exhausted—and perhaps because she’d eaten well, she actually slept sweetly.

Zhao Yaling, on the other hand, was tense all over because of her presence.

If He Xianqiu had still been her old foolish self, Zhao Yaling wouldn’t have cared—but she could sense she’d changed.

That made her wary.