Chapter 22: “Someone’s Watching from Above,” Going to the Countryside

After finishing her worship, Liu Xinghe happily found two volumes of the Mathematics, Physics, and Chemistry Series at the scrap station and paid for them before heading home.

The whole series had seventeen volumes; she happened to pick up two identical copies of Trigonometry.

Just as she reached her doorstep, she saw the Zhang siblings waiting for her. She hurried over, smiling, and asked, “Why are you here?”

“Xinghe, open the door quickly! We brought some fine wine and good food to celebrate with you.”

Zhang Ruoruo waved cheerfully from the gate, carrying a net bag of eggs and a bag of malted milk powder.

Beside her, Zhang Xiaojun lifted a net bag full of aluminum lunch boxes. “We cooked all this ourselves.”

“Thank you both.”

Liu Xinghe felt a warm happiness in her heart, opened the door, and invited them inside to sit.

“Celebrate what?” she asked.

“Celebrate you escaping misery, celebrating your revenge, celebrating the Shen family getting what they deserved,” Ruoruo said excitedly, standing up and gesturing dramatically:

“You know, the Shen family’s house vanished without a trace, leaving only a huge hole. When I went to see it, I nearly laughed myself silly. Karma, it’s karma! The family got arrested, the house is gone, and they’re being sent to the far northwest for eight years of labor reform planting trees. The heavens really have eyes! Bad people always get their comeuppance—haha!”

Xiaojun added:

“I heard that when the Shen family found out at the police station, they fainted. Later, when they woke up, they were trembling in fear. Old Mrs. Shen even went insane in prison. Just now when we came over, we saw the police escorting them to the northwest. We couldn’t miss the chance to celebrate with you, and also to see you off.”

Clapping her hands and laughing, Liu Xinghe said, “This is definitely worth celebrating. Honestly, it’s the best news I’ve heard today. With them ending up like this, I can go to the countryside with peace of mind. Wait here, I’ll steam a plate of dumplings to celebrate.”

The dumplings were ready to steam, so it didn’t take long. Ruoruo and Xiaojun set out the dishes, and soon the dumplings were ready as well. The three of them sat down, eating and chatting.

“Is anyone home?”

Just as they were enjoying their meal, there was a knock at the door, and someone called out from outside.

“Yes, someone’s here.”

Liu Xinghe put down her chopsticks and ran to open the door.

“Aunt Wang? Please come in.” Standing there was Wang Cuihua, the very same aunt who had helped expose her scumbag father and stepmother.

“No need to come in. I just came to give you something. Aren’t you going to the countryside today? This is homemade fermented black beans. They go perfectly with stir-fried meat. Take a jar. If you like it, you can write to me, and I’ll send more.”

Aunt Wang pressed a large jar full of black beans into Liu Xinghe’s arms and ran off.

“Ah, Auntie—” Liu Xinghe held the jar, looking at the retreating figure, and called out a loud thank you, “Thank you, Auntie!”

Before she could even close the door, another familiar figure appeared: Aunt Meihua, who had once broadcast the recording on the tape recorder. She did the same thing, pressed a bag of preserved vegetables into Liu Xinghe’s hands, and dashed off.

It was like a switch had been flipped—barely had Liu Xinghe sat down when a stream of people arrived to give her gifts. Each person simply dropped off their items and left, without lingering. Many of them she didn’t even know.

The scene reminded her of the offerings at her grandfather’s and mother’s graves—so similar it was uncanny.

Liu Xinghe closed the door and decided not to open it anymore. Sitting down, she looked at the Zhang siblings in puzzlement. “What’s going on with all these people? Did something happen that I don’t know about?”

“Well,” Ruoruo sighed, “I guess it’s because the Shen family’s house suddenly disappeared. There hasn’t been a single explanation, so people have turned it into a legend. I think I heard someone say that you have ‘someone above’—your grandfather and mother were officials. Anyone who bullied you would face consequences; the opposite would benefit you. People believe this wholeheartedly.”

“Maybe that’s why everyone’s rushing to give you gifts. Why not? Might as well be useful supplies for your trip to the countryside.”

Xiaojun added:

“The stories about the Shen family’s house disappearing are wildly exaggerated, with many versions floating around. The most popular version is what my sister said. After all, no one knows how the house vanished. Even if the police explained it as a collapse due to structural weakness, few would believe it.”

Xiaojun himself didn’t believe it either: “There was no sign of collapse at all. It’s like the house was uprooted and taken away. So I chalk it up to the Shen family getting what they deserved.”

“I see! That explains why everyone came to give me gifts,” Liu Xinghe said, amused. She never imagined that taking a house could cause such a chain reaction. People in any era loved to imagine stories. Times may change, but human imagination knows no bounds.

On the bright side, having a reputation for ‘someone above’ meant no one dared to cause her trouble. The house was safer now, essentially enjoying double protection. It also helped her grandfather and mother collect more offerings. Not bad at all!

Ruoruo glanced at the time. “Xinghe, what time is your train? We’ll take you to the station after lunch.”

“My ticket is for 1:50. Still a bit of time. Come on, let’s keep eating.”

“Let’s eat!”

Having resolved her curiosity and learned the Shen family’s fate, Liu Xinghe was in high spirits and focused on her meal.

After lunch, she handed the keys to Chief Zhang, who had come by, and that was it—it was time to leave.

Ruoruo and Xiaojun carried her luggage and the various foods piled at her doorstep to the station.

Before parting, Liu Xinghe gave one of the volumes of the Mathematics, Physics, and Chemistry Series she had found at the scrap station that morning to Ruoruo.

“Ruoruo, this book is for you. Don’t forget to read and practice while working, to relax a bit.”

“Thanks! I’ll do that,” Ruoruo said happily, taking the book. “Safe travels, Xinghe. If you need anything in the countryside, write to me and I’ll send it.”

Xiaojun reminded her, “Stay safe on the way, and when you arrive, write to let us know you’re okay.”

Liu Xinghe waved. “Alright, go ahead. I need to enter the station and find a good window seat.”

“Goodbye!”

Watching the siblings leave the station hall, Liu Xinghe reunited with Director Zhou and his daughter. Together, they boarded the bus bound for Lexian, Sichuan Province.

Her countryside journey had begun.