Su Rui returned home in the middle of the night but couldn’t fall asleep. Leaning on her arm, she gazed out the window, lost in thought about Guo Qingwang.

That guy was nothing but a tumor.

When would Sister Zhao finally have some news?

They couldn’t just let the people of Qingnan Village finish all the work before dealing with the issue—by then, it would be too late.

When they were selling Beauty Peaches, those people were already green with envy. Now, staring at herself in the mirror in the dead of night, Su Rui felt like she was about to mutate.

As the night grew quieter, her mind drifted to the true identity of “Brother”—a prisoner in a labor reform camp.

Over the past few days, she had finally gotten used to looking at him. She could even sit through a meal while watching his massive mouth. Though she hadn’t developed any romantic feelings, it was enough for her to call it quits and sever any attachment.

After some thought, Su Rui took out a sheet of letter paper.

She was unhappy, so naturally, she wanted someone else to be unhappy too.

She blamed him for not revealing his identity from the start and for saying all those flattering words. The more she thought about it, the more frustrated she became. She was so annoyed that she felt like slapping herself.

She pulled out a half-burnt candle from her tin box. Su Chang’e often teased her for having the temperament of a spoiled capitalist lady. Every household had kerosene lamps, but she disliked the pungent smell of kerosene.

After lighting the candle, Su Rui pondered for a moment. As usual, she began her letter with a neat and elegant opening line.

But today, she simply couldn’t bring herself to write something like “I hope this letter finds you well and brings a smile to your face.” Forget him—just thinking about his face made it impossible for her to smile.

A person who looked so unpleasant—why did everything he did have to be equally unpleasant?

Cheating, swindling, killing, arson—none of it was something a decent human being would do.

She didn’t dare offend him, genuinely afraid he might show up at her doorstep. So, she decided to put him to good use instead.

Thus, she wrote: “The autumn moon carries my thoughts as I reflect deeply.”

But if Su Rui were to put it in her own words, it would mean: “I’ve thought long and hard and decided that under the autumn moonlight, I’m going to dump all my grievances on you.”

Once she started, she couldn’t stop. Since she had no intention of continuing this so-called relationship, she stuck to her principle—don’t be the one to break up; make him do it instead.

With bold, sweeping strokes, she filled three whole pages—front and back.

Although their relationship was in a delicate stage and they hadn’t officially declared themselves a couple, their letters had always been written with the intent of courting each other. So why not make him retreat first?

She started by ranting about the poor attitude of the sales clerks at the People’s Department Store. Then, she complained about the men from Qingnan Village trying to steal Xiaoba Village’s peaches. In between, she threw in a few words of praise for the Beauty Peaches before finally leading up to the main issue—how that old bastard Guo Qingwang, out of sheer jealousy for not getting a cut of the profits, refused to let the idle women of Xiaoba Village take on extra work.

At the end, she subtly hinted that there were troops stationed in the area for a construction project and that the village had even made the news. She also mentioned that she knew quite a few soldiers, making it clear that Xiaoba Village wasn’t a place where just anyone could stir up trouble.

Finally, using the writing skills she had honed for her graduate school exams, she unleashed a furious tirade about how detestable Guo Qingwang was.

By the time the autumn moon hung high over the jujube tree, she had finished venting and flicked the letter with her fingers, feeling utterly refreshed.

The next morning, Su Rui nearly overslept and missed collecting the eggs.

Fortunately, everyone was used to her fetching eggs from the chicken coop every day, so no one else went to check. She successfully slipped a fresh egg into her pocket and skipped breakfast, hurrying off to the supply and marketing cooperative to affix a stamp and send her letter.

From behind the door, Su Chang’e watched her leave and pulled Su Hongpei aside. “Did I see that right? She’s still in contact with a prisoner? Willingly?”

Su Hongpei hadn’t been sleeping well lately either. Tossing and turning at night had left her looking haggard. She sighed, “You should think of a way to help her. She didn’t sleep at all last night.”

Su Chang’e was too pleased to hide her excitement. Her eyes sparkled with satisfaction, but she still put on a show of concern. “How would I know? If I had known he was a prisoner, I would’ve rather gone on a blind date myself.”

“Really? You should know that bad people always get what’s coming to them.” Su Hongpei turned to look at her.

Su Chang’e felt uneasy under her gaze. “Big Sister, I’m only looking out for her.”

Su Hongpei’s voice was calm. “Then why are you jealous of her?”

“Jealous? Of her? She doesn’t even have two ounces of flesh on her chest. What’s there to be jealous of?” Su Chang’e snapped. “If our family hadn’t taken them in, she and her father would’ve starved to death. Big Sister, we’re blood sisters. Don’t let her use you and make you thank her for it.”

Su Hongpei sighed. “Over the years, our family has long repaid all the kindness we have shown them. You’d better take care of yourself.” With that, she walked out the door.

Su Chang’e stared at her sister’s departing figure for a long moment before spitting on the ground. She then went back inside, sat in front of the mirror, and absentmindedly combed her hair. After a while, she grew frustrated and threw the wooden comb aside.

***

Three days later.

During the morning meeting, Director Zhao deliberately stayed behind to talk to Su Rui.

Although Su Rui was young, she had firm opinions. Director Zhao wanted to discuss Guo Qingwang’s matter with her.

After deliberating for a long time, they realized that the only option was to wait.

Su Rui joined the militia team leaders in practicing the staff exercises, holding an old sugarcane in her hand. Feeling stifled, she performed the routine with great vigor. Everyone who saw her couldn’t help but cheer in admiration.

After finishing the exercises, Su Rui finally saw Wanzi. Wanzi’s parents had gone to visit relatives, so they let her out to play.

Not in the mood to go home for lunch, Su Rui decided to go with Wanzi to the supply and marketing cooperative to buy a block of brined vegetable tofu. They planned to cook and eat it together in the small wooden hut.

A large piece of vegetable tofu could serve as both a staple and a dish. In the past, when people couldn’t afford meat, they even treated tofu as a substitute.

Wanzi, holding the tofu, hopped outside excitedly, almost bumping into a man.

Su Rui quickly pulled Wanzi aside. The little girl looked down at the tofu in her arms—fortunately, it wasn’t broken.

Su Rui recognized the men who had entered. They were from Qingnan Village, walking in groups of three to five toward the counter. Some bought cigarettes, while others purchased alcohol.

Yan’er, who had a sharp eye, whispered to Su Rui as she walked past, “These guys made a little money and are acting all high and mighty, coming here every day to buy fried peanuts to go with their drinks.”

Su Rui asked, “Are they working for the army?”

Yan’er sneered, “Working for the army? No, they’re just helping with road construction outside the base. If you didn’t know better, you’d think they were some big shots.”

One of the men, a bald guy, glanced over and sneered, “Oh, isn’t this Comrade Su Rui, who’s been shouting about equal pay for equal work? Equal pay? Dream on! You people haven’t even done any real work!”

Another man, reeking of alcohol, smirked and winked. “What work? The widows are just sitting under the peach trees doing business, haha.”

Su Rui’s face instantly darkened. She let out a cold laugh and said, “Today, you mock others for being widows. Tomorrow, your own wife might end up one.”

The bald man was immediately enraged. Gripping his bottle of liquor, he shouted, “Who the hell are you cursing? Don’t think I’ll go easy on you just because you’re a woman! I’ve had enough of you for a long time!”

Su Rui raised her old sugarcane like a staff and blocked his path. “It would be an insult if someone like you found me pleasing to the eye.”

The bald man lost his temper and charged forward. The others tried to hold him back but failed. In his rage, he accidentally stepped onto the tofu, slipped two meters away, and landed in a painful split, his pants ripping apart in the process.

The liquor bottle, under everyone’s watchful eyes, rolled away, spilling its contents as it went…

“Oh no, my liquor! Damn, this hurts like hell! You little brat, you set me up!”

Su Rui quickly pulled Wanzi behind her. “She’s just a child!”

Yan’er chimed in, “That’s right! She’s just a kid!”

Wanzi plopped down on the ground and burst into tears. “You—you even bully children! You shameless scoundrel! Waaaahhh—”

“Pay for my pants!” the bald man yelled.

It was midday, and there were plenty of people around buying groceries. The bald man clutched his legs as others helped him up. Just as he was about to continue making a fuss, a trembling figure appeared—Old Lady Ah Xi.

She walked unsteadily, her whole body trembling as she pointed a finger at the bald man’s nose. “My god-granddaughter’s business is my business! Compensation? Fine! Let’s go to your house and find my cousin’s daughter. I’ll kneel before her and apologize—cough, cough, cough—”

Old Lady Ah Xi’s cousin’s daughter was the bald man’s grandmother.

The bald man’s face instantly froze.

A living ancestor. He couldn’t afford to offend her. Every New Year, even his own grandmother had to go visit her and pay respects.

Supported by his companions, he cursed under his breath but left in a hurry.

Old Lady Ah Xi snorted as she watched them go. She might be an old woman, but she had one unbeatable advantage—seniority.

Su Rui pressed her lips together in a smile. Yan’er took another piece of tofu and stuffed it into Wanzi’s arms. “Alright, little ancestor, stop crying now. If you keep crying, I’ll go tell your mom.”

Wanzi weighed the tofu in her hands and wiped her tears away. Her tears came fast, but they disappeared just as quickly. Seeing that the troublemakers were gone, her crying stopped too. “Thank you, Sister Yan’er.”

Su Rui patted her head and turned to Old Lady Ah Xi. “Why haven’t you gone to eat?”

The elderly people in the village who were over sixty and had no family were provided with communal meals. They ate with the educated youths and even got an egg every day.

Old Lady Ah Xi pouted, pulled out a yuan from her pocket, and handed it shakily to Yan’er. “Granddaughter, get me two liang of baijiu.”

Su Rui immediately snatched the money and stuffed it back into Old Lady Ah Xi’s pouch. She and Wanzi, one on each side, propped her up and led her away. “Come on, let’s go home and eat tofu.”

Old Lady Ah Xi smacked her lips. “Lately, food has no taste. It’s hard to swallow.”

Su Rui replied expressionlessly, “I don’t believe you.”

Old Lady Ah Xi hobbled along after them. “Slow down, slow down, hey.”

When they arrived at Old Lady Ah Xi’s house, Su Rui rolled up her sleeves and prepared a dipping sauce. Old Lady Ah Xi and Wanzi sat side by side on the doorstep, counting the sparrow nests under the eaves.

The vegetable tofu from the supply and marketing cooperative was made by an old uncle from her hometown in Hanzhong, Shaanxi. His sour whey tofu-making technique was a real skill. The tofu he made was smooth and tender with a slight sweetness. Whether paired with dipping sauce or cooked into porridge, it never tasted bitter or astringent.

Before long, Si’er followed the scent and ran over, pouting. “You guys didn’t call me.”

Su Rui gestured toward the tofu. “Your family eats better than this.”

Si’er’s family took good care of her, and she was plump and well-fed. She eagerly carried out the table, set it up, and wiped her mouth. “I want to eat too.”

Su Rui grinned. “Of course, there’s enough for you.”

She pan-fried the edges of the tofu until golden brown, sprinkled it with salt and Sichuan pepper powder, and served it with the vegetable tofu for dipping. The group ate happily, savoring the spicy, numbing, and flavorful dish.

After finishing the meal, Su Rui told the others to keep an eye on Old Lady Ah Xi and stop her from buying liquor. Meanwhile, she set off for the army’s road construction site.

Even if she couldn’t get any work there, she still wanted to disgust those men.

The road construction was in full swing, with military light trucks shuttling back and forth. She heard that the roadbed was being reinforced with crushed stone for drainage, with multiple layers being laid down before the final concrete surface was poured.

A concrete road.

Su Rui knew that once the road was completed, the military wouldn’t be able to stop civilians from using it. In the end, Xiaoba Village would benefit the most.

She noticed a temporary guard post beside the construction site, where a familiar face was smiling ingratiatingly while talking to the soldiers.

Guo Qingwang had positioned himself as a supervisor. He knew all too well how his men slacked off and cut corners, so he kept a close watch on them from morning till night.

The moment he saw Su Rui appear, his eyelids twitched wildly.

Here she comes again.

She was the one who stirred up trouble about equal pay for equal work last time.

Seeing Guo Qingwang on high alert, Su Rui noticed that he was no longer keeping his hands behind his back. Instead, his thumbs were hooked onto his synthetic leather belt, even tugging it up slightly.

Are you ready, dear?

Su Rui leaned in closer, her expression filled with astonishment and concern. “Uncle Guo, why is your face turning purple? Didn’t sleep well last night?” Must be because of all the bad things you’ve done.

“Call me Village Head!” Guo Qingwang braced himself for battle, forcing a stiff smile. “Thanks for your kind words, but I slept just fine. What are you doing here? This has nothing to do with Xiaoba Village. Hurry back.”

The opponent launched a counterattack.

Su Rui grinned. “It’s not my place to manage Xiaoba Village’s affairs. I just came to see the the soldier brother.”

Su Rui retreated strategically.

Guo Qingwang squinted at her petite frame, his eyes narrowing. “Soldier brother? Is he the soldier from your village?”

The opponent began probing.

Su Rui nodded. “They’re all in the military. Maybe they know each other and can introduce me to some work. You know how it is—four and a half months of downtime in the farming season. People can’t just sit around and do nothing.”

Su Rui threw a feint.

Guo Qingwang scoffed at her words. “Then you’re mistaken. The work assigned here was given to Qingnan Village. How could I possibly give it to you?”

Here it comes!

“Who has such authority—” Su Rui was just about to question who his backer was. If necessary, she could bring her trusted allies and confront them. However, she was interrupted!

A bald man who had previously slipped at the supply and marketing cooperative walked over with a few buddies carrying cement bags. “Hey! Why are you chasing me all the way here?!”

“Have you hanged your clothes?” Su Rui’s gaze flicked toward his crotch, making the bald man instinctively clamp his legs together…

Su Rui burst into laughter. So insecure, huh?

The bald man inexplicably felt like she was mocking him. Covering his crotch, he shuffled aside.

Another man, who had previously tried to “help” Xiaoba Village pick peaches but was chased away by Director Zhao, now stood smugly with his belly puffed out, watching Su Rui deliver goods and count money one trip after another.

Feeling triumphant, he gloated, “Your Xiaoba Village has Peach Mountain, but our Village Head Guo has a gold mine. Jealous? Envious? Well, you’re not getting a share!”

Su Rui glanced at the obviously smaller cement bag he was carrying and smirked. “Pregnant with your second child? If you’re this weak at work, you might as well go home and rest.”

The man stiffened. “…Who are you mocking?”

Guo Qingwang waved dismissively, signaling them to continue working.

As a group of passing soldiers walked by, he immediately straightened up, nodding and bowing as he greeted them.

Su Rui, her face blank, silently pondered over their words.

Knowing she was up to no good, Guo Qingwang put on an official tone. “Comrade Su Rui, the military entrusted me with some positions for road construction. I have a responsibility to them. I can’t just let anyone take the jobs, can I? Don’t put me in a difficult position. Go back to your Peach Mountain.”

Su Rui was so amused by his shamelessness that she laughed. She knew he wouldn’t end well in the future, yet she still found his smug face repulsive.

She asked, “Then shouldn’t you at least inform all three villages about the military’s job requirements so suitable people can apply? Hiding this information—do you really think that’s fair?”

“I’ve explained this to Director Zhao many times!” Guo Qingwang said impatiently. “I’ll tell you one last time—I’m the head of the brigade. I know better than anyone who in the three villages is fit for the job. Even if the military officers question me, I can justify my decisions. If you have the ability, go talk to the military. Stop bothering me.”

He knew perfectly well that Su Rui had no military connections, yet he deliberately threw these words at her, hoping she would break down and cry on the spot.

Come on, little girl, cry already!

Su Rui: “Hahaha.”

Guo Qingwang: “…”

Guo Qingwang frowned. “What are you laughing at?”

Su Rui: “Hahahaha.”

Guo Qingwang was getting irritated. “I’m asking you—what exactly are you laughing at?”

Su Rui put her hands on her hips and looked up. “Hahahahaha!”

He had heard of people getting so angry they fainted, but he had never seen someone get so angry they turned into a lunatic!

Guo Qingwang snapped, “Do you really think you can fight against me? You can’t expect all the benefits to go to Xiaoba Village!”

“I’m fighting for legal rights!” Su Rui stopped laughing and continued, “You are the head of three villages, not just the village head of Qingnan Village!”

Guo Qingwang was momentarily speechless. After a while, he sneered, “If a man doesn’t look out for himself, heaven and earth will destroy him. Even if I die, I’ll make sure no woman from Xiaoba Village gets a piece of this!” In this world, no man should be overshadowed by a woman.

Su Rui was about to argue when she saw a soldier approaching from across the stone road.

The man was accompanied by several others, and Su Rui sensed that he was likely a high-ranking officer.

“Village Head Guo Qingwang, is that you? Please come with me to the military affairs office.”

Guo Qingwang’s face stiffened. “What for?”

“Don’t worry. It’s just a phone call.” The officer remained polite. “From the township government office.”

The township government office?

Guo Qingwang followed them while continuously glancing back.

He suddenly recalled Su Rui’s laughter.

Could it be… that little girl actually had something up her sleeve?