Chapter 14

The front gate of the Song household stood wide open. Song Chunhua was standing at the doorway of the kitchen, wiping tears from her face. The clothes that had been clean that morning were now covered in mud. Strands of wheat clung to her messy hair, and her disheveled appearance startled Song Chunzhi, who had just returned. Had Song Chunhua gotten into a fight in the fields?

“Song Chunzhi, why did you have to open your big mouth? Why did you insist I go to work in the fields? Look at me now! Are you satisfied?” Song Chunhua turned at the sound of footsteps and glared at Song Chunzhi with red-rimmed eyes, her voice full of resentment and accusation.

Song Chunzhi hadn’t intended to pay her any mind. In this sweltering weather, finding a shady spot to rest seemed far more sensible. But to her surprise, this fool came looking for trouble on her own. Did she really think Chunzhi was still the same pushover as before?

“Seeing you in this sorry state? Of course I’m happy.”

A brilliant smile lit up Song Chunzhi’s delicate face as she looked at the dirt-covered, wild-haired Song Chunhua, who resembled nothing more than an angry rooster. So this was supposed to be the female lead of some era-transcending novel? Nonsense. It only worked when someone else was silently covering for her. Now that she no longer had that support, her true colors showed. A lazy, manipulative freeloader like Song Chunhua… she was hardly leading lady material.

“Joining the brigade’s labor efforts is your duty as a member of the team. Even the great leaders say that labor is the most honorable thing one can do. You think you can just sit at home, freeloading off my work points and eating for free?”

“You think you’re some kind of pampered young miss? Hate to break it to you, but we live in a new society now.”

Song Chunzhi’s almond-shaped eyes were sharp with mockery as she met Song Chunhua’s resentful gaze. She walked toward her slowly and said coldly, “Everything you stole… every single point… I’ll be taking it back. You’d better earn those points fair and square and start paying off your debt. Otherwise, I’ll make sure everyone hears about the work points you’ve stolen. Let’s see how long you can keep that a secret.”

“You…”

Song Chunhua had not expected this kind of response. When she thought about all the things she had secretly taken over the years, her tongue failed her. Her body slowly slumped against the wall. Just that morning, her hands had blistered from working, and she had only earned two measly work points. How could she ever repay everything she owed to Song Chunzhi?

“What are you standing there for? Go make dinner!” Song Chunzhi snapped when she saw Chunhua leaning against the wall in a daze. “How many times have you been beaten and still haven’t learned anything? You have no awareness at all.”

Song Chunhua bit her lip, feeling deeply wronged. After working herself to the bone in the fields, she still had to come back and cook? What kind of miserable life was this? She conveniently forgot that in the past, Song Chunzhi had endured far worse: working in the fields, cooking, and serving Chunhua like a beast of burden.

“Dad said someone needs to bring water…”

Song Chunzhi had just washed her face and was about to go inside for a rest when she heard a voice behind her. It was Song Chunhua, speaking in a mosquito-like whisper. She frowned slightly and turned to look. “What did you say? I didn’t hear you.”

“An educated youth passed out from the heat in the fields. When I came back, Dad said someone needs to bring water. I’ll cook, you go deliver the water,” Song Chunhua explained, watching Chunzhi’s expression cautiously. When she saw no trace of anger, she continued.

“Alright,” Song Chunzhi replied calmly.

She had already heard about the educated youth fainting from heatstroke. Glancing up at the blazing sun, she agreed silently that it was indeed too hot. And honestly, she didn’t mind delivering water. Compared to cooking in that stifling kitchen, this was a far better option.

“There are chicken mushrooms on the cutting board. Remember to make soup, and don’t you dare just make cold cucumber salad again. If you do, Dad might turn you into a cucumber,” Song Chunzhi said as she filled the green army-issued water canteen with cool well water. Before she left, she added dryly, “We’ve eaten cucumber so many times, I’m practically turning green.”

“Chunzhi, where are you off to in this heat?” Li Yufeng had just returned from the fields and spotted her. She smiled and asked warmly. Of everyone in the Song family, only Chunzhi was sensible. The others were just… too hard to describe.

Chunzhi was surprised that Li Yufeng even spoke to her. In the past, she treated Chunzhi like air. With a faint smile, she answered, “It’s too hot today, so I’m taking water to my dad in the field.”

“What a thoughtful girl.”

Watching her walk away, Li Yufeng sighed. How could such a good child be born into a den of wolves like the Song family? Heaven was truly unfair.

“Chunzhi!”

In the fields, several villagers harvesting wheat saw her approach and immediately greeted her. A few couldn’t help but gossip.

“Chunzhi, you’re here. Let me tell you, your sister is hopeless. She almost cut her own leg with the sickle! Barely did any work before she started crying…”

“Exactly. Chunhua’s nowhere near as efficient as you. She’s a grown girl who doesn’t know the first thing about fieldwork. You don’t see that often.”

“Would she even be out here if you hadn’t injured your arm? Chunhua’s as lazy as they come. I’ve never seen her lift a finger before…”

Just as Zhao Dafeng was bending over to harvest wheat, he spotted Song Chunzhi and quickly called out to Song Xingguo, who was resting in the middle of the field.

“Xingguo, your daughter Chunzhi brought you water. I have to say, this girl is way better than your second daughter. She’s considerate and hardworking.”

“Mm.” Song Xingguo had forgotten to bring his canteen that morning and was parched, his throat burning. When he saw Song Chunzhi approaching with the water canteen, he swallowed hard. Remembering the disgrace Chunhua caused earlier that morning, he found himself agreeing with Zhao Dafeng’s words.

Song Chunzhi unstrapped the water canteen from her back with her right hand and handed it to Song Xingguo. Before she could speak, her left arm was suddenly yanked by Chen Xiuying. She cried out in pain.

“Chunzhi, why did you only bring one canteen? Don’t you know your uncle and I need water too?”

Chen Xiuying scolded her, her face stern as her eyes fixed on the canteen in Song Xingguo’s hands. She licked her parched lips. Though she had brought a canteen herself in the morning, the heat had been intense. She’d refused to drink any so she could save it all for her younger son, whose face had turned red from the sun.

“Grandma, you grabbed my injured arm. It hurts…”

Song Chunzhi rolled her eyes inwardly. If she weren’t trying to prevent Song Xingguo from going on a rampage at home, she wouldn’t have bothered to bring a canteen at all. She gave her arm a firm pinch, her apricot-shaped eyes brimming with tears. Her voice trembled as she complained to Chen Xiuying, face full of grievance as she turned toward the crowd.

“Mom, her arm’s still hurt. How could you grab it like that?” Qian Yufen, Song Guoming’s wife, came over to inspect Chunzhi’s arm and reproached Chen Xiuying. Then, with genuine concern, she asked, “Chunzhi, are you alright? Did it make your injury worse?”

“Auntie, it’s okay. She just pulled it really hard and it hurts a lot.” Song Chunzhi shook her head, her voice thick with sorrow. She supported her left arm with her hand, and anyone watching could clearly see what had happened.

“I only tugged her once. It’s not like it would do real damage. Who told her to only bring one canteen?” Chen Xiuying said dismissively, casting a disdainful glance at Chunzhi’s arm. Useless girl, she thought. How did she even manage to injure herself on the mountain?

“Mom, didn’t you bring a canteen this morning? And besides, Guoming’s already drunk so much. How could he still be thirsty?” Qian Yufen was frustrated by Chen Xiuying’s blind favoritism toward Song Guoming. She shot her husband a glare across the field and continued, “Chunzhi brought water even with an injured arm. She’s such a thoughtful girl. How could you grab her like that…”

“Exactly. They’ve already split households. It’s completely normal for Chunzhi to bring just one canteen. What is there to be angry about? Isn’t she the one who gave her own water to her son?”

The murmurs and criticisms from those nearby made Chen Xiuying furious, but her mouth was so dry she didn’t want to argue. Let them talk. That little brat! So what if she dislocated her arm? She was her grandmother, and if she wanted to yank her arm off, who could stop her?

“Mom, have some water.” Having quenched his thirst, Song Xingguo handed the canteen to Chen Xiuying and quickly told Chunzhi, “Next time, bring more canteens when you come.”

Standing off to the side, still holding her sore arm, Song Chunzhi listened as everyone criticized Chen Xiuying. But when she heard Song Xingguo’s comment, she rolled her eyes again inwardly. What a filial son, she thought bitterly. Easy for him to say. Next time, she wouldn’t even bother. On the outside, though, she stayed silent.

Chen Xiuying took the canteen and gulped down over half its contents in one go. Then she waved at Song Guoming. “You must be exhausted. Come get some water.”

“Mom, I’m not thirsty,” Song Guoming replied without looking up. Though he had heard all the commotion, he kept his head down and continued harvesting wheat. Still, hearing his mother call out to him made him uneasy.

He didn’t care if his mother threw away her own reputation, but he still had to live in the village. The incident with Zhao Wanmiao had already been embarrassing enough. He had no interest in becoming gossip fodder again.

When Song Xingguo got home, he was pleased to see there were chicken mushrooms to eat. Looking at Song Chunzhi, he felt very satisfied. This daughter was sensible. Even though she was not working, she knew to go up the mountain to find something. He scolded Song Chunhua, “You can’t even learn from your sister properly. You don’t know anything. You’re really stupid.”

Noticing bruises all over Song Jiawang’s face, he grew alarmed. “Jiawang, what happened to your face? Who hit you? Tell me.”

“I was just roughhousing with some friends. I hit them too,” Jiawang said nervously, lowering his head. Earlier that day, some kids had called him superstitious and ganged up on him. They warned him not to tell his parents or they’d beat him up again.

“Does it hurt? Don’t do that again, alright? After dinner, I’ll give you money to go to Dr. Ye’s and get some medicine,” Song Xingguo said gently. He never doubted his son’s words. In his mind, Jiawang wasn’t the type to lie.

That afternoon, after a nap, Song Chunzhi got up once the sun had eased and took a cloth bag from under her bed. She carefully picked through the wild fruits she had gathered that morning, filling the bag to the brim. Remembering the mosquito bite on Commander Gu’s neck last time, she thoughtfully added a handful of dried mugwort, an excellent mosquito repellent.

She handed two dark red wild apples to the two guards, then gave the cloth bag to Xiao Tian, asking him to pass it to Commander Gu. Her gifts might not be as valuable as Gu Huaishan’s, but at least they represented her sincerity. It wouldn’t be right to keep accepting his things without returning the favor.

Just as she walked under the shade of some trees with a lotus leaf over her head, someone called out to her.

“Miss, do you know how to get to Dr. Ye’s house?”

Startled, she turned around and saw a gentle-looking man she didn’t recognize.