Chapter 12

The group of people ate with great relish, bowls full of food in their hands. Yunying sat beside Lin Kexin, holding her own bowl.

“Kexin, the money for today’s meat and vegetables was paid by Wei Zhiqing. Later, let’s split the cost with him,” Yunying said.

She didn’t like taking advantage of others. The villagers had come to help repair their cave dwellings, and it wouldn’t be right to let Wei Zhiqing bear all the cost of the food.

“Mm, after dinner we’ll ask him how much it was,” Lin Kexin replied with a smile. This meal was the most satisfying one she had eaten since being reborn.

After the villagers left, Lin Kexin and Yunying went to find Wei Dongming.

“Wei Zhiqing, how much did you spend on the groceries today? We’ll split it with you,” Lin Kexin said.

Even Li Tao, who was tidying up nearby, hurried over.

“That’s right, Brother Wei. Tell us the amount, and we’ll each pay our share!”

“No need, it wasn’t much,” Wei Dongming said with a wave of his hand. His family background was well-off. The pork, vegetables, and cornmeal together had only cost four yuan—something he could easily cover.

“No way, we can’t just let you pay everything,” Yunying said firmly. As she spoke, she started digging into her trouser pocket for money.

Seeing that everyone was insistent, Wei Dongming stopped resisting.

Clear accounts keep good friends, after all. That way no one would feel burdened, and they could get along well in the long run.

“It was four yuan in total. Just give me one yuan each,” he said.

Once they handed over their shares, the group returned to their dorm.

Exhausted from the day, Yunying and Lin Kexin fetched hot water for a quick wash and were about to rest when Liu Xuewei muttered from the side:

“Tch, a little girl like you, and on your very first day you’re already clinging to the male educated youths. Don’t think your little schemes to seduce are so subtle!”

Yunying’s brows furrowed instantly. She was about to argue when Lin Kexin spoke up first:

“It’s said that a dirty heart sees everything as dirty.

We’ve been open and aboveboard, helping each other as comrades should. But in some people’s eyes, that turns into seduction? Or do you think that speaking to a male educated youth automatically means flirting?”

“Am I wrong?” Liu Xuewei snapped back, sitting up straight on her bed.

“Everyone here is living just fine, but you’re the one making a fuss. Insisting on moving to the cave dwellings—and with male educated youths, no less! You expect me to believe there’s nothing going on?”

“You’re spouting nonsense! Kexin sleepwalks—she was only afraid of disturbing the rest of us, that’s why she asked to live in the cave!

And besides, both Li Zhiqing and Wei Zhiqing are good comrades. We’re innocent and aboveboard, nothing like what you’re saying!” Yunying retorted, nearly in tears. She had worried people might gossip like this—and sure enough, before they’d even moved in, Liu Xuewei was already stirring trouble.

“Sleepwalking?” Liu Xuewei sneered, as if she had heard the funniest joke.

“Lin Kexin, can’t you come up with a better excuse? Sleepwalking? Why don’t you just say you kill people in your sleep while you’re at it?”

“You—!” Yunying’s face turned scarlet. She wasn’t good at quarrels, and after just a few exchanges she was tongue-tied, glaring furiously instead.

“Liu Xuewei, you’re just being spiteful because you can’t have what others have!” Lin Kexin’s expression turned cold, her gaze sharp as ice.

“I’m not like you—snoring and grinding your teeth at night without even realizing it. The poor girls who share a bed with you really have it hard!”

“I do not!” Liu Xuewei snapped, instantly defensive.

“Oh, but you do,” another educated youth—nicknamed Sister Li—suddenly chimed in.

“Last night you kept me awake the whole time. I’ve never heard a girl snore so loud in my life!”

Another girl who had slept right beside Liu Xuewei added, “Me too! And that teeth-grinding—if I hadn’t known better, I’d have thought a rat spirit was gnawing on your bones!”

“Haha, Xiaoping, that’s the perfect description!” someone else said, giving her a thumbs-up.

Liu Xuewei’s face turned crimson with shame. She could only glare daggers at Lin Kexin, secretly vowing to write a letter of complaint to her aunt at the first chance.

“Hey, Yingzi, how much does it cost to fix up one of those cave dwellings?” Xiaoping asked curiously. She had glanced at them after work and thought they actually looked pretty nice once tidied up.

If it wasn’t too expensive, who would want to keep squeezing onto one big bed with everyone else?

“Not much,” Yunying said, moving closer. “The captain said feeding the villagers who do the work is just twenty cents per person per day. Uncle Yongquan said they’ll be done by tomorrow at the latest. So, altogether it’s maybe three yuan.”

“Three yuan? Are you sure?” Xiaoping asked in surprise. She had thought it would cost at least seven or eight.

“Mm, I’m sure,” Yunying said seriously. “The mud walls and wheat husks don’t cost anything. The door planks—Li Zhiqing borrowed a saw and cut them himself from the mountain. Wages and food costs we split between the four of us. Three yuan is me rounding up.

And once we tidy the space in front, we can plant vegetables there. Imagine how much we’ll save not buying them!”

Her clear explanation drew several curious educated youths closer to listen.

“Kexin, don’t you think I’m right?” Yunying asked, pulling her into the conversation.

“Yes. And not just saving on vegetables—cave dwellings are warm in winter and cool in summer. You won’t wake up sweating in the heat,” Lin Kexin said. She understood Yunying was trying to help her integrate into the group, and she wasn’t about to reject her kindness.

“Sounds wonderful,” Xiaoping said, eyes shining with envy. She leaned toward the window, glancing again in the direction of the caves, then asked, “Yingzi, which one is yours?”

Kicking off her shoes, Yunying climbed onto the bed and pointed.

“The one on the far side. Kexin lives next to me. Li Zhiqing and Wei Zhiqing are on the far west end. And Kexin said later we’ll fence off the front with bamboo.”

She explained openly, and Xiaoping’s envy reached its peak. After thinking for only a moment, she grabbed Lin Kexin’s hand.

“Kexin, can I take the cave next to yours?”

“Ah?” Lin Kexin blinked, startled by the sudden request.

Xiaoping gave an embarrassed smile. “I’m a light sleeper—every little noise wakes me up. Look at my dark circles. Since I got here, I haven’t slept well once. Especially not last night…”

As she spoke, she deliberately glanced at Liu Xuewei.

“Just talk to the captain, I won’t object!”

Lin Kexin hadn’t expected someone to ask so soon. In her previous life, it had taken ages before anyone realized the advantages of the caves.

“I want one too! If Xiaoping goes, then so will I. I’ll take the cave next to hers!” said her friend Zheng Fangfang.

“Then I’ll take the one next to Fangfang…”

Just like that, the eleven cave dwellings were quickly claimed.

Even Sister Li, usually the most composed, chose one. Hers was adjacent to Li Tao’s.

“The last one is next to the men’s cave. To prevent gossip, I’ll take that one,” she declared.

She still had considerable authority among the female educated youths, and by choosing the spot herself, she made sure no one else would stir rumors.

Of course, the person she meant was Liu Xuewei.

Liu Xuewei kept her head down, nervously twisting her clothes in her hands, not daring to say another word.

Inside, though, she cursed Lin Kexin to pieces.

It was all her fault that everyone was excluding her!

What she couldn’t understand was why everyone stood up for Lin Kexin. Wasn’t she the shameless one getting close to the male educated youths?

And as she listened to the others chatter about the caves’ benefits, even she started to feel tempted.

Maybe… if she went to the captain early tomorrow morning?