Chapter 21

When it was time, the educated youths started heading back, so Lu Shili stopped chatting with Old Li.

Not far away, Jiang Cheng and Chen Xiaocao were walking ahead, while Lin Muyu followed behind, carrying several big bags.

Lin Muyu was drenched in sweat, his steps unsteady. Lu Shili glanced at him and sneered inwardly.

This guy clearly doesn’t have the strength for such work, yet insists on showing off and taking on more than he can handle.

It took Lin Muyu quite some effort to reach the donkey cart. When he finally moved his things onto it, he caught sight of the full basket and the big bundle beside it.

He was slightly surprised—seems like Lu Shili is someone worth getting close to.

He did feel a bit of regret though. The sponge cakes he bought earlier had already been given to Jiang Cheng.

He had just paid for them when Jiang Cheng mentioned how long it had been since she last had sponge cake, saying that her family usually only ate the factory’s rations.

Lin Muyu had been hesitating about whether to give them to her or not, but once he heard that, he handed them over immediately.

“Comrade Lu, did you buy all these things?”

Guo Zhiguo rushed back and couldn’t help asking when he saw the pile of goods next to Lu Shili.

Guo Zhiguo’s family only had his father working at the factory, while his mother and the rest of the big household depended solely on that one wage.

Factory workers didn’t earn much—barely three hundred yuan a year at most. After food and living expenses, they were lucky to save two hundred.

When Guo got on the cart and it jolted, he caught sight of the meat and fabric inside. He guessed this lot must have cost no less than a hundred yuan.

Truly, Lu Shili lived up to being from Beijing—spending money like water. Folks from small places like them really couldn’t compare.

Lu Shili turned his head and said generously, “Didn’t I just find my younger sister? I wasn’t able to take care of her all these years, so the least I can do is make it up to her with food.”

He said this deliberately so that no one would pester Jiang Tian about it. Normally, when they went up the mountain, they often ate meat. If anyone happened to pass by and caught a whiff, they could just blame it on him.

As someone from Beijing, he wasn’t worried if people talked. And besides, even if they were caught eating meat, what of it? He had just reunited with his sister—what’s wrong with her eating a little more?

The others on the donkey cart sighed in admiration, thinking how generous Comrade Lu really was.

When the cart arrived at the educated youths’ quarters, everyone dispersed. Lu Shili picked up his bundles and was about to head home.

Suddenly, two people blocked his way. One of them was Jiang Ying, who put on a coy look and called out, “Brother Shili,” while trying to throw herself at him.

A chill ran down Lu Shili’s spine. He jumped aside with his bags and frowned, scolding, “Who are you? A grown girl shouldn’t go around clinging to people.”

No sooner had he said this than Lin Muyu walked over from behind. “Comrade Lu, let me help you with that.”

Lu Shili shook his head in refusal.

“Brother Shili, I’m Tian’s friend,” Jiang Ying insisted.

“Comrade Lu, you’re carrying so much—why not let me help?” Lin Muyu pressed again.

Just as the two were pestering him, Jiang Er appeared.

“Cousin!”

The moment Lu Shili saw his little cousin, it felt like salvation.

“No need, our Little Ears came to fetch me.”

Jiang Ying forced a sweet smile and said, “Little Ears, you’re here!”

Jiang Er bluntly replied, “Comrade Jiang, don’t call me that. We don’t have any connection to you. And stop trying to seduce my brother-in-law!”

Only then did Lu Shili realize that this girl was the so-called Jiang educated youth.

Jiang Ying let out an awkward laugh and denied it, “Your sister and I used to be good friends. I just wanted some company, that’s all.”

But no matter what Jiang Ying said, Lu Shili didn’t believe her. He had already heard plenty from Old Li about the village, though he hadn’t met everyone yet.

Meanwhile, upon hearing that Lu Shili’s “foolish” sister was married, Lin Muyu felt a wave of disgust.

He didn’t want second-hand goods.

Just then, Jiang Tian came walking over from the distance. “Cousin.”

Hearing her voice, Lin Muyu turned his head. The girl was dressed in a plain cotton jacket, loose and bulky, yet her pale, clean face stood out. Her eyes were bright and lively, and her twin braids were tied with simple elastics.

In that instant, Lin Muyu was dazzled. Who would’ve thought such a beauty existed in this village? He no longer cared whether she was “second-hand” or not.

Her looks were even more stunning than Jiang Cheng’s, more spirited than that educated youth from the neighboring village, and far more charming than Jiang Ying.

As Lin Muyu’s eyes grew feverish, Jiang Ying was secretly muttering to herself. Just a few days had passed, and Jiang Tian had become so beautiful.

She attributed it all to that ginseng. Something as precious as ginseng surely had great effects on the body—no wonder Jiang Tian looked so much better now.

When Jiang Tian came closer, she saw the big bundles Lu Shili was carrying and then glanced at Jiang Ying and the male youth beside her. She instantly understood what was going on.

“Cousin, did these two come looking for you?”

As soon as she spoke, Jiang Ying put on a pitiful look. “Tian Tian, you won’t even call me by name anymore? We used to play so well together.”

Jiang Tian sneered inwardly: When I was foolish, we were friends. But now that I’m well, why aren’t we friends anymore? Do you really not see the reason?

Lu Shili grew irritated listening to Jiang Ying’s whining.

“Sister, let’s go home. They weren’t here for me anyway.”

If he stayed another moment, these two would disgust him to death.

A hypocritical pretender and a clingy little green-tea girl.

In his twenty-odd years, he had met plenty of odd characters, but none as bad as these two.

On the way back, Lu Shili briefly recounted everything that had happened.

The Jiang siblings couldn’t help looking at him with sympathy.

Once home, Jiang Tian finally got a good look at the contents of the basket.

She glanced at Lu Shili, who gave her a small smile. “Sister, since you wouldn’t take money, I just exchanged it all for goods. This way you can’t turn it down, right?”

Jiang Tian truly didn’t know what to say about this second cousin.

Jiang Er, however, had no complaints. Seeing all the good food, his eyes lit up. He happily thought that with so much meat at home, they’d be able to eat it every day.

Lu Shili also took out the White Rabbit candies and fruit drops, dividing them into two portions and handing them to the siblings. Jiang Tian firmly refused.

“We just bought some a few days ago. Take them all to Little Ears’ room instead.”

Jiang Er had wanted to refuse too—he still had plenty left—but honestly, who would ever dislike having more candy?

In the end, he only accepted half, saying he’d save the rest for their next trip up the mountain.