“Oh, new educated youth arrived?”

Qinghe Production Brigade wasn’t particularly large, and since everyone lived together, they all knew each other. So, a new face was easily noticed.

Niu Shuxiang walked over. “Young man, are you the new educated youth? What’s your name?”

Lin Bangguo, who had been talking to Wang Ting, was startled by the sudden interruption. He quickly put on a friendly smile. “Hello, auntie. My name is Lin Bangguo. I just arrived in the countryside.”

Niu Shuxiang nodded, sizing him up before suddenly reaching out to squeeze his arm. “Not bad, not bad. You’ve got the build for farm work.”

“I can’t stand those weak, frail types—no strength at all, can’t do a lick of work, yet cause endless trouble. What’s the point of people like that coming to the countryside? Just to make a mess?”

Lin Bangguo’s smile nearly faltered. What’s wrong with these country folk? So undignified?

Beside him, Wang Ting was practically fuming.

“How many educated youth came down with you this time? Why would you even want to leave the city? The city’s so much better. We can’t even get in if we wanted to.”

Lin Bangguo’s mouth twitched. “There are three of us this time.”

As he spoke, he pulled Wang Ting forward, signaling with his eyes for her to greet the woman.

Wang Ting was reluctant, but for the sake of Lin Bangguo’s plan, she forced a smile. “Hello, auntie. My name is Wang Ting.”

Niu Shuxiang barely glanced at her, ignoring her completely as she continued talking to Lin Bangguo. “Where’s the third one?”

“Heard he’s sick,” Lin Bangguo said with a worried expression. “So sick he can’t even get out of bed.”

“Sick?” Niu Shuxiang exclaimed in surprise.

Wang Ting sighed. “Comrade Song was perfectly fine on the journey, not a single issue. Who knew he’d fall ill as soon as we arrived? And he’s not even staying at the educated youth point, so we have no idea how he’s doing.”

Her face showed concern, but only she knew what she was really thinking.

“This Song isn’t staying at the educated youth point?” Niu Shuxiang immediately latched onto the key detail.

“No, he’s staying at the brigade leader’s house, I heard.”

At that, Niu Shuxiang’s eyes flickered. After a few more idle remarks, she turned and left.

The moment she was gone, Wang Ting’s expression darkened. “What kind of people are these? Bangguo, are you sure this will work?”

“It will,” Lin Bangguo said, his gaze deep and calculating.

Ever since he’d started work today and heard that Song Jing’an was too sick to come, he’d had a feeling—this was his opportunity.

He knew just how outstanding Song Jing’an was. If Song were allowed to shine in front of everyone, Lin Bangguo would forever be overshadowed. So, it was best to ruin people’s first impression of him.

Besides, Song Jing’an was foolish enough to offend the other educated youth right off the bat.

Thinking of Liang Jian’s background—which he’d learned about yesterday—Lin Bangguo felt a surge of excitement. If he could build a good relationship with him, returning to the city someday wouldn’t be a problem. But he couldn’t put all his eggs in one basket. Sometimes, country folk could be useful too.

…

“Xiuyun, I heard a new educated youth is staying at your place?”

Huang Xiuyun kept pulling weeds without pause. “Yeah, a new arrival. There weren’t any beds left at the educated youth point, so he’s staying with us for now.”

“Word is this new guy’s health isn’t great—fell sick as soon as he got here.”

Huang Xiuyun glanced at Aunt Suhua. “Who told you that?”

“You didn’t know?” Aunt Suhua looked surprised. “It’s all over the brigade. Tell me, is it true the new guy’s sick?”

Huang Xiuyun nodded. “Yeah, my Junwu even went to fetch Dr. Lin for him.”

“Oh?” Aunt Suhua mused. “I’ll have to go set the others straight. Can’t let them misunderstand the poor guy.”

Huang Xiuyun didn’t think much of it and didn’t mention it to anyone else. So when rumors later spread like wildfire that Song Jing’an was faking illness to avoid work, she was completely stunned.

“Didn’t the brigade leader already explain this at the last meeting?”

At the brigade meeting, Bai Fumin had introduced the new educated youth. But since Song Jing’an was still sick at the time, no one had seen him, and Bai Fumin had explained the situation.

Logically, such an outrageous rumor shouldn’t have spread—yet it did.

“It wasn’t me who spread it. After you told me last time, I explained it to them, but no one believed me.”

Aunt Suhua was kind-hearted. Seeing the rumors in the brigade grow wilder, she sought out Huang Xiuyun again. “Xiuyun, go talk to Comrade Song. This can’t go on—it’s really bad for him. He needs to come out and explain things himself.”

Huang Xiuyun thanked Aunt Suhua and hurried home.

Bai Zhizhi was muttering to herself in the yard when she saw her sister-in-law rush back in a fluster. “Sis-in-law, why are you back?”

“Zhizhi, where’s Comrade Song?”

Bai Zhizhi pointed to Song Jing’an’s room. “Hasn’t come out.”

Seeing her sister-in-law’s anxious expression, she asked curiously, “What’s wrong? Did he cause trouble?”

“How could he cause trouble when he hasn’t even left the house?” Huang Xiuyun panted. “But it’s precisely because he hasn’t left that trouble’s found him.”

Bai Zhizhi suddenly recalled her past life’s memories—this was the beginning of Song Jing’an’s unlucky fate. Because of this illness, his reputation in Qinghe Brigade plummeted.

Just then, the door that had remained shut all this time finally opened. Song Jing’an, still looking somewhat weak, stepped out.

Huang Xiuyun had been frantic, but seeing his condition, she instinctively softened her tone. “Comrade Song, how are you feeling now?”

Her gaze at him was as if he were a fragile porcelain doll. These city-educated youths are so delicate, she thought. Country folk like us barely fall sick once a year.

“Much better,” Song Jing’an replied.

Old Lin’s medicine had been quite effective.

“Sis-in-law mentioned something happened—is it related to me?” he asked gently.

Huang Xiuyun relayed the rampant rumors circulating in the brigade, watching with sympathy as his face paled further.

“Don’t worry, Comrade Song. Once you start working, these idle gossip will die down on their own.”

As she spoke, Huang Xiuyun felt deeply embarrassed, silently cursing the rumor-mongers for making the villagers seem like a bunch of nosy busybodies.

Song Jing’an truly hadn’t expected this. Even with the Bai family’s testimony, things had turned out the same. He didn’t know whether to credit Lin Bangguo’s luck or the inevitability of the plot.

But he wasn’t disheartened. Even if Lin Bangguo had the plot’s advantage, this time, he was determined not to play the role of a foil.

“It’s alright, Sis-in-law. Truth will out. Right now, there’s just some misunderstanding. Once people get to know me, things will be fine.”

“Right, right.” Huang Xiuyun nodded repeatedly, relieved to see he wasn’t too affected. Then she remembered her unfinished work. “Oh no, I still have chores to do!”

With that, she rushed off again.

Once Huang Xiuyun left, Bai Zhizhi watched as Song Jing’an’s entire demeanor shifted—clearly up to no good.

“What are you planning?” she asked warily.

“Don’t worry, nothing at all.” Song Jing’an chuckled reassuringly before glancing at the book in her hands. “What are you reading?”

It looked like an elementary school textbook.

Bai Zhizhi immediately frowned. “Uncle Lin told me to study.”

Her missing soul had been feeble-minded, never having learned to read. And her original self, a little hedgehog spirit, had inherited the White Immortal’s knowledge directly—no formal education involved.

So, in a way, she was half-illiterate.

Uncle Lin’s first task for her was to study, believing she needed a foundation before properly learning medicine.

The Bai family members had all attended school to some extent and could teach her basic knowledge, but for anything more advanced, she had to study on her own.

Seeing her troubled expression, Song Jing’an blurted out, “I’ll teach you.”

“You?” Bai Zhizhi gave him a doubtful look, recalling that in his past life, he hadn’t even passed the college entrance exams.

Song Jing’an nodded. After all, he was a top student in his own right—teaching Bai Zhizhi would be effortless.

If possible, he hoped she could take the college entrance exams with him someday. More knowledge was never a bad thing.