Chapter 16

Lin Haiyin wanted to find that person, but Li Da, without thinking, patted his chest and promised that he would help search.

Lin Haiyin asked, “Isn’t it too troublesome?”

“It’s not troublesome. I’m not busy right now. I’ll secretly inquire after work. As long as it’s someone from our commune, I can definitely track them down.”

Zhang Cuihua watched her foolish son patting his chest and making such a promise, shaking her head. Did he really think he was some kind of living Lei Feng?

Zhang Cuihua then instructed them, “Unless it’s absolutely necessary, don’t spread this around. It wouldn’t be good for a woman’s reputation.”

Lin Haiyin’s eyes filled with tears, “Thank you, Aunt, for thinking of me.”

Zhang Cuihua sighed, “It’s not easy for women, and you are a person who’s suffered a lot.”

Those words nearly made Lin Haiyin burst into tears. Her mother had passed away, and her father had never spoken such thoughtful words to her. How ironic.

“Go to sleep, it’s late.”

That night, Gu Sui stayed at the Li family’s house, and Lin Haiyin didn’t return home, sleeping in the same bed as Li Tao.

They had originally made plans to find that person, but the next day things took a turn.

In the morning, at the Educated Youth point, Fang Jie saw her and sarcastically said, “Oh, spending the night out, huh?”

Lin Haiyin ignored her.

By the afternoon, the news of Lin Haiyin not returning to the Educated Youth point and spending the night out had spread throughout Qingxi Village. The malice behind it could almost kill someone.

When Zhang Cuihua heard this, she pointed at the person spreading the gossip and scolded, “Don’t you know your mouth stinks? Still, you have to come out and spread filth to disgust others. What’s wrong with Lin Haiyin not returning to the Educated Youth point? She slept with Li Tao last night, do we need to inform you?”

“You all, being women, why make things difficult for other women? I spit! You should have been drowned in a urine bucket when you were born, and then come back as someone else! If you’re a woman, you shouldn’t even live!”

The person awkwardly smiled and said, “Li Tao’s mother, don’t be so angry, why are you directing it at me? It wasn’t me who said that.”

“Wasn’t it you who said it just now? A bunch of gossiping women. Even if you die, you’ll end up in the ‘Tongue-Pulling Hell.'”

Wu Min’s mother, Liu Yufeng, meaningfully said, “Flies don’t bite a seamless egg!”

Zhang Cuihua immediately dropped the hoe she was holding and lunged at her. The two started fighting.

“I’ll make sure you don’t bite a seamless egg!”

“I’ll beat you to death, you old hag!”

“You’re a mother too, how can your mouth be so venomous!”

Zhang Cuihua was always good at fighting, and Liu Yufeng was nearly overwhelmed by the blows. Wu Min tried to rush over to help, but Li Tao stood in her way with his arms crossed.

Wu Min couldn’t beat Li Tao either. The Li family mother and daughter were both tigresses.

Wu Min was almost in tears from the anger. “Aren’t you going to pull them apart? If anything happens to my mom, I’ll report you all to the police and have you all arrested.”

After the fight, Zhang Cuihua marched proudly back, and Lin Haiyin, holding a bundle of vermicelli and two cans of meat, was waiting cheerfully at the Li family’s door.

Lin Haiyin had heard the news of Zhang Cuihua fighting for her while she was working elsewhere. After finishing work, she returned to the Educated Youth point, rummaged through cabinets, and brought over a lot of food. She said she would cook lunch today and treat the Li family to a good meal.

Zhang Cuihua said, “No need to be so polite. I just can’t stand those people. You can think of it as me doing a good deed.”

“Ah!” Lin Haiyin laughed so hard her eyes squinted.

Lin Haiyin was particularly generous, and a large pot of canned meat stewed with vermicelli bubbled away in the pot. When it was ready to be served, she sprinkled some fresh garlic shoots on top, and the aroma was irresistible.

Lin Haiyin eagerly served Zhang Cuihua some food, saying, “Aunt, you’re amazing! I really want to learn from you. Why argue with those gossipers? Just rush in and start fighting!”

Zhang Cuihua laughed heartily, “That’s the way to do it! There’s no point in reasoning with those women—they’re just the kind who deserve to be beaten.”

“You’re absolutely right! Here, have another piece of meat.”

Li Da and Li Tao exchanged a glance. They couldn’t help but feel like they were adopted, and Lin Haiyin was the one who was truly their biological mother.

Meeting by chance was a kind of fate, and sitting down together to eat and chat was a blessing earned through destiny. Lin Haiyin was simply a perfect match for Zhang Cuihua’s temper.

After finishing lunch at the Li family’s house, it was almost time for Lin Haiyin to return to work. She regretted not having enough time to go back and settle things with Fang Jie.

Without even thinking, Lin Haiyin knew that once the gossip spread, she could almost be certain that Fang Jie was the one who had talked. They had fought so many times, and she had never resorted to physical confrontation—Fang Jie probably thought she wouldn’t dare. Today, Lin Haiyin was ready to show her otherwise.

Fuming with anger, Lin Haiyin had barely waited for the evening when another incident occurred: the person who had tried to molest her the previous night had shown up.

This person, sporting a face full of scratches, insisted that Lin Haiyin couldn’t handle the hardships of farm life and wanted to marry him. He refused, and when Lin Haiyin didn’t let him go, he tried to flee, only to end up with a face full of injuries from an enraged Lin Haiyin.

The man was known as Er Lai Zi, a notorious little thug from a neighboring team. Now, with a look of triumph, he shouted, “I know you Educated Youth! You’ve only been in the countryside for a short time and can’t handle the hard work. You just want to find a man to support you. I, Er Lai Zi, may not be much, but I’d never be interested in you useless women!”

At that moment, Lin Haiyin was shaking with fury.

Li Tao picked up a stone and threw it at him, “I’ll show you what happens when you talk nonsense!”

“I’m not lying. Last night she was wearing a grayish-blue jacket. Tell me, am I wrong?”

Fang Jie chimed in, “That’s the one, no mistake about it!”

Er Lai Zi became even more smug. “I’m a good man too. If you insist on throwing yourself at me, I can’t just turn you down, can I?”

Li Da rushed over, pinned Er Lai Zi down, and began beating him. Er Lai Zi was as thin as a bamboo pole, so there was no escaping. He screamed in pain.

Zhang Cuihua grabbed Lin Haiyin’s hand, clenched her fist tightly, and spat on the ground. “To hell with you! Lin Haiyin and my Li Da are together, and you think she’d be interested in you, Er Lai Zi? It’s laughable! Last night, Li Da and Lin Haiyin went for a walk outside the valley, and you dared to block their way? You must be living on borrowed time, hanging yourself like an old immortal!”

Lin Haiyin snapped back to reality and instantly understood Zhang Cuihua’s meaning. Angrily, she said, “Li Da, tear off his pants. You kicked him on the leg last night, and it looks like you didn’t kick hard enough. Go ahead and give him another one.”

Er Lai Zi struggled desperately. “What are you going to do to me?”

Li Da didn’t answer. He simply went to work, ripping off Er Lai Zi’s pants. There was a large bruise on his thigh, a huge mark, and the injury was severe. Clearly, it wasn’t something a girl like Lin Haiyin could have done.

Li Da kicked again. “I’ll make your legs match.”

Er Lai Zi screamed, “Help! My leg’s broken! My leg’s broken!”

People gathered around, stepping forward to take a look. Tsk, indeed, his legs were now quite symmetrical.

Er Lai Zi tried to run, but Li Da stomped on him, pinning him to the ground. After struggling for a long time, he couldn’t escape.

“Lin Haiyin hasn’t seen you before, so now you’d better come clean. Who sent you to harm her?”

Er Lai Zi wasn’t the type to have any loyalty. He immediately threw Liu Kai under the bus.

“It was him! He gave me twenty bucks to ruin Lin Haiyin’s reputation.”

Lin Haiyin looked over at Liu Kai, who was standing behind the crowd. “Was it you and Fang Jie who plotted against me? I don’t remember ever offending you.”

At this point, Liu Kai no longer tried to hide the truth. “It was Fang Jie who gave me the money to hire someone.”

Fang Jie stared at Liu Kai in disbelief. “How dare you slander me like this? Have you lost your mind? Do you still want to go back?”

Liu Kai, not the honest type, sneered. “You promised me that Wang Lu would help me find a way back to the city. How long has it been, and has there been any progress? You’re just stringing me along. Well, I, Liu Kai, don’t fall for that kind of thing!”

Wang Lu was nearly driven mad. What did any of this have to do with her?

Wang Lu snapped, “You two are the ones doing these things. Why are you blaming me?”

Liu Kai glanced at Wang Lu. “If anyone’s using you, it’s Fang Jie. I’m still the victim here.”

The people around Qingxi Village were stunned. What was going on? There were so few Educated Youth in Qingxi Village, and they were scheming like this just to ruin one person’s life?

Lin Haiyin was truly unlucky. These city-bred Educated Youth were so crafty and vicious.

This whole “dog biting dog” situation was an eye-opener for the villagers. The chaos they’d caused was beyond control.

Lin Haiyin, determined, took the next step—she called the police.

With Er Lai Zi tied up, Li Da stood tall, saying, “I’ll go. I’m quick, I’ll be back soon.”

Lin Haiyin’s eyes welled up. “Thank you.”

Li Da really did rush to the town, and before nightfall, he returned with the police. Er Lai Zi, Liu Kai, Fang Jie, and Wang Lu were all taken away.

Lin Haiyin wasn’t sure what gave her the courage, but she took Li Da up the mountain. After talking with him, she decided she wanted to be with him. She even set a plan: they would get married the day they slaughtered the New Year pig, just before the New Year.

Li Da was at a loss, not knowing what to do.

Lin Haiyin, blushing, scolded him, “Are you even a man? I’m asking you, do you want to be with me or not?”

“Yes!”

“Then it’s settled!”

Lin Haiyin wasn’t concerned about what others might say. That very day, she moved all her belongings—several large trunks—into the Li family’s house. She would no longer stay at the Educated Youth spot.

Li Da, both surprised and delighted, ran home to tell his mother that Lin Haiyin wanted to be with him. Zhang Cuihua sighed and smiled, “A good girl like her, and she’s chosen you, you silly boy.”

Li Da could only grin foolishly in response.

The next day, Wang Lu was released because she hadn’t been involved in the plot. Er Lai Zi, Liu Kai, and Fang Jie, however, were all taken away to spend time in detention.

Wang Lu had had enough of life in Qingxi Village. After being released from the police station, she called her family, and as soon as the phone rang, tears welled up in her eyes. “Brother, please come and take me home.”

As Wang Lu walked back to Qingxi Village, Lin Haiyin had already moved out. The only person left at the Educated Youth spot was Gu Sui.

Wang Lu, looking disheveled, approached Gu Sui. “This time, I really am leaving.”

Gu Sui nodded silently.

A few days later, Wang Lu’s brother, Wang Jian, arrived in Qingxi Village.

Wang Jian said, “Sweetheart, go inside and pack up. I’ll have a word with Gu Sui.”

Wang Lu nodded, entered the house, and closed the door behind her.

Wang Jian sized up Gu Sui. It had been more than half a year since they last met. His sister was looking gaunt and worn, while Gu Sui still appeared as refined and composed as ever.

Wang Jian spoke coldly, “It wasn’t our family that reported your parents to the Northeast.”

Gu Sui responded calmly, “I know.”

“Wang Lu is being unreasonable, changing your assignment. If it bothers you, I can help. I can even get you reassigned back to the city, as an apology from the Wang family. Please, don’t hold this against us.”

Gu Sui curled the corners of his lips. “Wang, there’s no need to be so polite when speaking to a country farmer like me. As long as you don’t interfere with me, I won’t cause any trouble.”

“That would be best.”

With that, Wang Jian left with Wang Lu. Fang Jie and Liu Kai were sent off for reform, while Lin Haiyin happily prepared for her wedding. The large house at the Educated Youth spot was now only occupied by Gu Sui.

Once the busy farming season was over, and the village was entering the winter months, the villagers finally had a few days to relax.

There were no more chores in the fields, but the hardworking folks didn’t truly rest.

Every morning, after breakfast, the men of the village would take their iron pincers and hammers to the cliffs to gather stones.

In rural areas, there were many uses for stones.

For example, stone houses were sturdier than those made of mud, and many of the houses in Qingxi Village were made of stone.

The mountain paths were also paved with crushed stone.

The quarried, rectangular stones were used for building houses, while the crushed stones were used for paving roads.

Qingxi Village was lucky enough to have a cliff nearby, standing tens of meters high, completely covered in stone, and very close. Other villages had to go through much more trouble to gather stones.

Guan Yue, however, had grown tired of the noise. Aside from meal times, she had stopped staying in the wooden house and, every day, was disturbed by the sound of the hammers hitting the iron pincers below.

One day, while Gu Sui was cooking, Guan Yue heard the familiar noise of the hammers. She walked a few steps down the hill, curious to see what was happening at the cliff.

As soon as she descended, Guan Yue heard a terrified scream from below the cliff.

She took two steps back and realized the cliff ahead was collapsing.

Without thinking, she hurled the iron vine on her wrist toward the falling boulders, desperately trying to hold them back.

The entire cliff face crumbled, the stones too large and heavy for her to control. The iron vine, pushed to its limits, frantically coiled around the massive trees on the mountain.

The trees were instantly uprooted, crashing down with a deafening sound.

Cold sweat poured down Guan Yue’s forehead as her powers nearly depleted. The iron vine, pulling on the stones, snapped one by one. She collapsed weakly to the ground.

Gu Sui burst out, witnessing the scene. He was on the brink of madness.

“Guan Yue!”

With a final snap, the last iron vine broke, and the cliff collapsed with a thunderous roar, sending vibrations through the air.

Gu Sui rushed over, pulling her into his arms. “Guan Yue! What happened? Wake up!”

But Guan Yue had already passed out.