Chapter 16.1

Compared to the fickle female educated youths, Hu Lihong was more perceptive.

She approached Ruan Mingfu, who was awkwardly rubbing her hands, with a more flattering demeanor. “Educated Youth Ruan, it was wrong of me to speak ill of you behind your back. I apologize.”

Ruan Mingfu glanced at her.

“Realized your mistake?”

Hu Lihong nodded vigorously. “Educated Youth Ruan, it’s all my fault for saying things I shouldn’t have. You’re a magnanimous person, please forgive me this time. If I speak ill of you again in the future, feel free to tear my mouth off!”

Although Hu Lihong seemed like a gossip-loving scatterbrain, she had her own sense of propriety and was very adept at handling situations.

Ruan Mingfu thought for a moment.

The original owner didn’t have a significant grudge against Hu Lihong. She had even defended the original owner a few times.

“Alright,” Ruan Mingfu stood up from her chair. “I forgive you.”

Hu Lihong’s eyes lit up, and her delicate face showed excitement.

“Educated Youth Ruan, you’re truly magnanimous for not holding a grudge,” Hu Lihong said, her tone more coy. “Can I borrow your newspaper to take a look?”

Ruan Mingfu: “…”

Just finished praising her, and now she’s getting greedy?

Seeing Ruan Mingfu frown, Hu Lihong quickly tried to amend her request.

“I didn’t mean it like that. I’m already very grateful for your forgiveness. I wouldn’t dare ask for more. It’s just… you know, life is tough for the educated youths. This is a rare opportunity, and I’d like to try.”

“If it’s inconvenient for you, I’ll think of another way.”

Fearing that Ruan Mingfu might get upset, Hu Lihong quickly added, “Don’t worry, I’ll take over all your tasks at the educated youth camp from now on!”

“Really?”

Ruan Mingfu looked at Hu Lihong suspiciously.

“Of course it’s true,” Hu Lihong patted her chest vigorously. “I never lie.”

Upon hearing the latter part of Hu Lihong’s statement, Ruan Mingfu hesitated.

Hu Lihong’s later statement made it hard to believe her.

But…

“Fine, you can take these newspapers,” Ruan Mingfu thought for a moment. “I don’t want too many. Just help me with one month’s worth of work.”

Hu Lihong’s face brightened with excitement.

“Thank you, Educated Youth Ruan!”

Hu Lihong, initially anxious, was pleasantly surprised by Ruan Mingfu’s easygoing attitude. The arrangement to help with work was reduced to just one month.

She had misjudged Educated Youth Ruan, she was truly a good person.

Hu Lihong happily took the newspapers and entered the house, but was soon stopped by a few familiar educated youths.

“What are you holding?”

One of the female educated] youths reached out to look but was slapped away by Hu Lihong.

“Don’t touch with your dirty hands,” she glared at the female educated youth. “These are borrowed from Educated Youth Ruan. Don’t get them dirty, I have to return them.”

The female educated youth suddenly realized. “So, Hu Lihong, I didn’t know you had such a sharp mind.”

Hu Lihong cleaned the table thoroughly before placing the newspapers on it.

“There are still many things you don’t know…”

Each newspaper has its own style, and they print contact information and addresses on the newspapers for convenience.

The female educated youth’s eyes were eager. “Lihong, could you let me read it too?”

“That’s not possible,” Hu Lihong said without even raising her head. “I had to promise to work for a month to borrow these newspapers from Educated Youth Ruan.”

She had gone through a lot to get these newspapers, and this female educated youth had quite a nerve.

“A month?!”

The female educated youth was indignant. “What are a few newspapers worth, that you have to work a whole month? Educated Youth Ruan is really too unreasonable!”

Hu Lihong’s face darkened as well.

Though Ruan Mingfu said it was for a month, the educated youth took turns. If you really calculated it, it was only a couple of times a month at most. Hu Lihong knew that Ruan Mingfu just wanted to vent her frustration.

Hu Lihong understood that.

“Then you go buy them yourself.”

The educated youth weren’t short of a few dimes for newspapers, but they didn’t have the time. Besides, the team leader wouldn’t approve of more leave after the previous break.

Otherwise, they wouldn’t have to grovel to Ruan Mingfu.

“Enough, stop arguing,” the mediator intervened, “Since these are Educated Youth Ruan’s newspapers, let’s ask her. I’m sure Educated Youth Ruan won’t be so stingy.”

And so, more people ended up working for Ruan Mingfu every month.

Counting it carefully, they would have to wait until next spring.

The male educated youth also started to think after hearing that Ruan Mingfu sent articles to the newspaper.

Those who believed they were good writers began taking out their pens and paper to write.

Even though everyone was poor at this time, why not try writing an article when it only cost a few pennies for postage?

Thus, a writing craze swept through the educated youths.

Ruan Mingfu wasn’t bothered by this.

She could handle it, so others could handle it too.

Indeed, the newspaper office ended up publishing articles from a few educated youths.

*

Recently, Ruan Mingfu’s days were quite good.

The educated youths, in order to borrow newspapers from her, even prepared the water for washing her face. They greeted her with smiles on the road, no longer indifferent as before.

Ruan Mingfu was enjoying it greatly, her tail nearly wagging with joy.

It seemed she really liked being admired.

One day, as Ruan Mingfu returned home exhausted from work, she saw a person she hadn’t seen in a long time at the entrance of the educated youth camp.

Zhou Peng exuded an aura of hostility, his gaze piercingly cold as he looked at her.

Under his intimidating gaze, Ruan Mingfu’s hand shook. Her beautiful eyebrows furrowed instantly, and her smile vanished.

What Ruan Mingfu didn’t know was that Zhou Peng’s fury was even harder to contain when he saw her like this.

“Surprised to see me?”

His voice was still magnetic and elegant, but Ruan Mingfu sensed danger in it.

She forced herself to remain calm. “What do you want from me?”

The female educated youths watched anxiously from a distance.

Recently, their relationship with Ruan Mingfu had improved a lot. Although it was still not harmonious, it was much better than before.

“After not seeing you for a few days, your relationship with these educated youths has improved,” Zhou Peng’s eyes narrowed behind his glasses, revealing an inscrutable emotion.

He ran his tongue lightly over his teeth, feeling a thrill.

Zhou Peng chuckled softly.

He had worked hard to isolate Ruan Mingfu from the other educated youths so that she would have to rely on herself. He didn’t know what had happened in the past few days, but the situation he had created was being undone.

Things were… getting more interesting.

“It’s none of your business,” Ruan Mingfu unconsciously tightened her grip on what she was holding. “If you have nothing else, please leave.”

From the first glance, she had felt that this person was very dangerous.

Her subconscious rejected his approach.

“What if I say no?” Zhou Peng took a step closer, bringing an oppressive feeling. “How do you plan to deal with me?”

Ruan Mingfu’s face turned pale.

“I don’t think this is a good place to talk. What do you think?”

Zhu Hong’s lips moved but she couldn’t speak.

It was Hu Lihong standing aside who said, “What… what do you want to take Ruan Mingfu for…”

Zhou Peng’s chilling gaze turned to her, making Hu Lihong shiver, swallowing the rest of her words.

Wow, Zhou Peng is much more frightening than Comrade Xie.

**