Chapter 10

Luo Yisen, though only twenty-three, was indeed a widower with a five-year-old son. His wife had died during childbirth.

It was already noon, and he was busy making lunch for his child since his parents were still out working in the fields. He hadn’t gone to the fields today because he was tasked with driving the tractor to pick up the newly relocated urban youth. With no one else at home, he had to handle everything himself.

He had just started washing vegetables when he heard a voice from the courtyard—sharp, complaining, and clearly displeased.

That female comrade he’d brought home, reportedly named Song Yitao, stood in the courtyard shouting:

“Even the people next door have proper, though broken, furniture. But you stuck me in a firewood shed—are you planning to let me grow old alone in there?”

“There isn’t even a stool!”

“Ugh! The place reeks of mold!”

…

“Daddy, who is that? She’s so noisy!”
Little Luo Xiaojun was helping his father in the kitchen and covered his ears, clearly annoyed by Song Yitao’s voice.

“She’ll be living with us from now on,” Luo Yisen said.
“But Xiaojun, you’re not allowed to mess with her.”

Luo Xiaojun pouted, looking at Song Yitao outside like he wished he could plug her mouth with a clump of mud.

“Then, Daddy, please tell her to shut up. She’s so loud!”

Luo Yisen put down the vegetables and walked out to the courtyard.

“Comrade Song, there are no other available houses in the brigade.”

“If you don’t want to stay here, you can leave!”

His stern voice instantly silenced Song Yitao. She stood there, dumbfounded.

“As for the furniture,” Luo Yisen added, “I’ll bring some over for you in a bit.”

Song Yitao opened her mouth to retort, but seeing his cold expression, fear crept into her heart. She lowered her voice and mumbled, “Then make sure you do…”

Luo Yisen didn’t respond and turned back to continue cooking.

Luo Xiaojun looked up at him, asking, “Daddy, is she quiet now?”

“She is. Good boy,” he replied, patting his son’s head.

Then he discussed with Xiaojun, “How about we let that aunty use your little bed for now?”

Xiaojun thought about it—if someone else used his bed, he’d get to sleep with Daddy. That didn’t seem so bad, so he nodded in agreement.

“Okay, I’ll let her use it.”

Soon, Luo Yisen brought over a few pieces of simple furniture for Song Yitao: a small table, a chair, and a single bed.

Seeing the items, her frustration eased a little.

“Well, at least you’ve got some conscience,” she muttered.

Luo Yisen didn’t reply—he dropped off the items and prepared to leave.

Just then, Song Yitao called out, “Um… thank you.”

He paused, glanced at her, said nothing, and walked away.

Watching his retreating figure, she felt a strange twinge in her heart. She quickly shook it off and began cleaning the room, placing the furniture where it belonged.

But not ten minutes later, a blood-curdling scream rang out from the shed:

“Aaaahhhhhh!!”

“Spiders!”

“Centipedes!”

“Pill bugs!”

“Luo Yisen, you son of a—$#@&…!”

From next door, Deng Zhilan heard everything loud and clear.

She’d stopped passing roof tiles by now and was resting by the door, eyes barely closed, when the shrieking started again. She frowned deeply.

She had expected someone from the Song family to be sent down after her letter exposed Song Chengzu to the Red Guards. But she hadn’t imagined it would be Song Yitao herself—and in the same village!

Zhilan stood up at once and walked over to the Luo residence. The shed door stood wide open, and Song Yitao was perched on a stool, her face full of terror.

Following her gaze, Zhilan saw… just a few bugs.

This little devil—she’d manipulated the original host so easily—and yet she was scared of bugs?

Without hesitation, Deng Zhilan grabbed a broom from the door and charged into the shed, going straight for the nest of bugs.

Within seconds, spiders, centipedes, and pill bugs clung to the broom. She then thrust the broom in front of Song Yitao.

“What’s the fuss? Spiders are adorable. Centipedes are beautiful. What’s there to be afraid of?”

Song Yitao’s face turned ghost-white. She backed away in horror, slipped, and fell off the stool.

“Stay away from me!”

“Deng Zhilan, I’m warning you—don’t touch me!”

Just then, little Luo Xiaojun came out with his dad and witnessed the scene. He couldn’t help but laugh.

“Scaredy-cat!”

Song Yitao glared at him, and Xiaojun quickly hid behind his dad.

“Oh, you don’t want me to come near?” Zhilan teased. “Then I definitely will!”

She shook the broom out right above Song Yitao’s head. In an instant, the other girl shrieked again:

“AAAAHHH! HELP ME!!”

Zhilan burst out laughing. Even little Xiaojun cracked up. Luo Yisen, however, seemed a bit bothered and finally intervened.

“Comrade Song, those bugs are just insects. They won’t bite you or climb on you. Don’t be scared.”

Song Yitao slowly lowered her hands from her tear-streaked face, looking pitiful.

“I… I’ve been scared of them since I was little. And she did it on purpose to scare me.”

Zhilan sneered inwardly. The original host never harmed you—yet you hurt her deliberately.

She threw the broom right at Song Yitao’s face, leaving a red mark across her cheek.

Dusting off her hands, Deng Zhilan said coldly:

“You know what you did. Don’t play innocent.”

Luo Yisen raised a brow. Wait… they know each other?

“Try coming after me again, Song Yitao, and I’ll make sure you regret it.”

Shaking with fear, Song Yitao still tried to keep up a tough front.

“I didn’t do anything. Stop falsely accusing me!”

The tension thickened. Luo Yisen stepped forward to separate them.

“Enough. Both of you—no more fighting. If there’s a problem, talk it out.”

Zhilan huffed coldly.

“Fine. For your sake, Captain Luo, I’ll let her off today.”

Song Yitao tried to compose herself, smoothing her clothes.

“I’m not afraid of you.”

Meanwhile, Wei Yanzhen finished patching the roof. He came out and saw only one stool by the door. Glancing next door, he spotted his wife in the Luo family courtyard.

And sitting on the ground like a crazed woman, covered in dirt… was Song Yitao?

It wasn’t a shock, though—if Song Chengzu had been sent down, it made sense his daughter would come in his place.

“You okay, sweetheart?” he asked.

“I’m fine,” Zhilan replied. “Let’s go home.”

But before leaving, Wei Yanzhen remembered something important. He pulled Zhilan into the main room of the Luo house, where the three of them—him, Zhilan, and Luo Yisen—sat down to discuss the matter privately, deliberately leaving Song Yitao outside.