Chapter 4

Song Chunzhi went into her own room, grabbed a few pieces of her underclothes, then headed straight to the adjacent room that belonged to Song Chunhua. She looked around the spacious and cozy space and nodded in satisfaction.

Without hesitation, she pulled the bedsheet off the bed, bundled up Song Chunhua’s personal belongings inside, and tossed the bundle at the door. Glancing at Song Chunhua, who had rushed over to question her, she lifted her chin with a cold smile and declared, “From now on, this room is mine.”

“What?”

Song Chunhua was stunned. She stared at Song Chunzhi for a good while, then looked at her belongings scattered on the floor and realized she wasn’t joking. Instantly, anger flared as she shouted, “This is my room! Why should it be yours?”

“Your room? Does it have your name written on it?”

Song Chunzhi’s charming face curved into a mocking smile as she met Song Chunhua’s furious gaze. “Those clothes made from fabric I earned with my labor points are mine too. You can keep the old ones. I’ve traded other things for them. Everything in the other room is yours now. I’m generous, I won’t even charge you.”

In Honggang County, there was a textile factory. Fabric with minor defects was distributed to nearby communes. The Second Brigade of Xishan Village received a portion every few months. Villagers could use their work points to exchange for fabric, though the amount was limited and distribution was competitive. Zhao Wanmiao brought Song Chunzhi along every time. Her sole function was to sign the point book.

“My new clothes…”

Hearing that, Song Chunhua immediately crouched down to check her things and found only worn clothes. None of her newer or better garments were there. Her face filled with grievance, and burning with rage, she pounced at Song Chunzhi with a shout, her eyes flashing with hatred. “Song Chunzhi! I’ll fight you!”

Seeing the madness on Song Chunhua’s face and the hand reaching toward her delicate face, Song Chunzhi sneered inwardly. She had always been proud of her beauty across both lifetimes. How dare someone try to claw at it? Clearly, she had gone too easy earlier.

She grabbed Song Chunhua’s hand mid-air and met her angry glare with a faint smile. Then, she clawed hard at Song Chunhua’s already swollen cheek. Three fresh scratches immediately appeared. With her hair disheveled and her face looking pitiful, Song Chunhua might have appeared fragile and delicate. Unfortunately for her, Song Chunzhi was not one to appreciate such beauty. She landed a solid kick to Song Chunhua’s body and said coldly, “Take your stuff and get out.”

“Ah…”

Song Chunhua fell to the floor from the kick, crying out in pain. She instinctively touched her face where she had been scratched. When she saw blood on her fingers, she froze in shock. Was her face disfigured?

Panicking, she scrambled up with her belongings and rushed into the other room. She grabbed half a mirror to inspect her face.

“Song Chunzhi, I won’t let you get away with this!”

Looking at her face, swollen like a steamed bun with three bloody claw marks across one cheek, she trembled as she held the mirror. Fear gripped her. What if the scars never faded?

She thought about getting medicine from the village clinic, but remembered she had spent all her money in the county and had no labor points. The brigade required a signature or fingerprint for using points. She clenched her teeth in frustration. When Zhao Wanmiao got back that evening, she would make sure she scratched up Song Chunzhi’s face and had her strung up for a beating.

Meanwhile, Song Chunzhi shut the door and found a clean set of bedding. Despite her pain, she tidied the room to suit her own preferences, erasing every trace of Song Chunhua’s existence. Just looking at it had been annoying enough.

She took out the medicine prescribed by Doctor Ye and applied it to her arm and knee. The initial sting was intense, and she bit her lip to stop herself from crying out. Soon after, the cool relief kicked in, easing much of the pain. Money well spent, she thought to herself.

She had planned to lie down for a rest, worn out from the earlier scuffle, but her round eyes caught sight of a paper-wrapped package on the dressing table. Curious, she grabbed it and unwrapped it to find it filled with golden sponge cakes. Judging by the weight, it was at least a pound and a half. The rich aroma filled the room.

Gurgle…

Her stomach rumbled loudly.

Without hesitation, she picked up one of the sponge cakes and stuffed it into her mouth. The sweet, buttery taste overwhelmed her senses with joy. Tears welled up in her eyes and rolled down her cheeks, her hands, and onto the golden treat.

This was the best thing she had ever eaten, across both her lives…

In the past, anything good in the house went to her younger brother, Song Jiawang. Zhao Wanmiao would sneak some to Song Chunhua too, claiming she was frail from being born early. Song Chunhua never had to work, and used Song Chunzhi’s labor points for everything. Chunzhi had always known, but she accepted it. After all, Chunhua was her younger sister, and she believed it was okay to suffer a bit so her sister wouldn’t have to.

But all that patience had brought her nothing but darkness.

She shoved more sponge cake into her mouth, chewing furiously, wiping away her tears with the back of her hand. Her reddened eyes glinted with hatred. She hated her past weakness, Zhao Wanmiao’s favoritism, Song Chunhua’s shamelessness, and everything about Song Xingguo and that scoundrel. The sweet cakes filled her stomach and soothed her emotions.

The afternoon sun remained hot, filtering through the worn curtains and bathing her fair, lovely face. The tension in her brows gradually eased under the sunlight, which now enveloped her entire body in brightness.

After a short nap, Song Chunzhi opened her round almond eyes and glanced at the sun outside the window. It was getting late. She quickly got up and headed out to retrieve the bamboo basket she had hidden in the haystack earlier that morning. She found the mushrooms inside a bit wilted, so she washed and soaked them. Then she dug out six eggs from the bamboo basket in the kitchen.

Back when the family ate eggs, there had never been a share for her. Aside from the ones reserved for their grandmother, Song Jiawang ate them every day, and Zhao Wanmiao always gave one to Song Chunhua, claiming she needed nourishment due to her premature birth and weak body. Even though Song Xingguo disapproved, he never said anything. After all, raising a girl well could bring more benefits later than the cost of a few eggs.

Song Chunzhi boiled four eggs and kept two for making a chicken-mushroom egg noodle soup. While the eggs were cooking, she quickly tore the mushrooms into small pieces, pulled a couple of scallions from the vegetable patch beside the kitchen, chopped them, and dug out a spoonful of flour to mix into a paste.

Once the eggs were boiled, she set them aside to cool. In less than fifteen minutes, the aroma of the special chicken-mushroom egg soup filled the kitchen. Song Chunzhi even added a dash of sesame oil, making the fragrance spread even farther.

“So fragrant…”

Song Chunhua, who had cried herself to sleep in her small, bare room, was awakened by the rich smell. She couldn’t help but mutter to herself. Just as she was about to go out and investigate, she remembered the unpredictable and aggressive behavior Song Chunzhi had shown earlier. What if she snapped again? Her face was still throbbing. She hesitated, resentment darkening her delicate features.

“Just wait until Mom gets back. We’ll see how arrogant you still act.”

After devouring a full bowl of chicken-mushroom egg noodle soup and two boiled eggs, Song Chunzhi felt completely satisfied. Her cheeks were flushed from the steam as she picked up the aluminum lunchbox from the chopping board, tucked the remaining two boiled eggs into her coat, and walked into what was now her room. A short while later, she emerged, her bright face glowing with contentment, carrying the lunchbox as she strode purposefully toward the west end of the village.

Inside the house, Song Chunhua had heard the door open and immediately rushed into the kitchen. That tantalizing smell had tormented her long enough. She had planned to sneak a bite while no one was around, but when she lifted the pot lid and saw only the dregs of food left behind, she froze. Bits of mushrooms and strands of noodles clung to the sides of the pot, evidence that it had indeed been the soup she had smelled.

She glanced around the kitchen. Everything was a mess. That damned Song Chunzhi had cooked, eaten, and left without cleaning up, not even saving her a single bite.

Clutching her empty stomach, Song Chunhua slammed the pot lid down in frustration. Her swollen face twisted with hatred as she gritted her teeth.

“Damn you, Song Chunzhi! When Mom and Dad get home tonight, you’re dead!”

Meanwhile, Song Chunzhi had arrived at the base of the mountain, carefully surveying the stationed military post before approaching the entrance. Just as she neared, a sharp voice barked at her.

“Who’s there? Stop right there!”

She immediately halted and offered the guard a polite smile.

“Hello, comrade. I’m a villager from the nearby village. I came to deliver something.”

“Our station doesn’t allow civilians inside,” one of the two guards at the gate responded. Their eyes scanned her quickly but relaxed somewhat upon seeing her demeanor. One of them asked, “Who are you looking for? We can call them out. Do you know their name?”

“No… no, there’s no need. Just help me pass this along.”

She knew full well civilians weren’t allowed inside. Quickly, she opened the aluminum lunchbox for inspection, revealing its fragrant contents, along with two hard-boiled eggs wrapped in a blue handkerchief.

“Could you please deliver this to Commander Gu Huaishan?”

The guards inspected the items. The rich aroma of the lunchbox and the still-warm eggs made both of them gulp. One of them turned to her and said, “Sorry, miss. We’re not allowed to accept food or gifts from villagers. You’d better take it back.”

They exchanged amused glances. Gu Huaishan had only just arrived at the post, and already the village girls were showing up with food. Then again, with his handsome face, it wasn’t a surprise. They themselves had stared a while the first time they saw him.

“This isn’t a gift. It’s to thank him.”

Song Chunzhi quickly explained, “I was chased by a wild boar in the mountains earlier. Commander Gu shot it and saved my life. This is just my way of thanking him. Please, I really need your help.”

“Oh, so that’s what happened,” one of the guards said, their embarrassment showing now that they realized the misunderstanding.

They recalled the commander returning with a wild boar at noon. Everyone had been thrilled at the prospect of fresh meat. Who would have guessed it had something to do with the young woman standing before them?

“Alright then. We’ll try to get it to him. If the commander doesn’t accept it, though, there’s nothing we can do.”

“That’s more than enough. Thank you both so much. Please make sure both the lunch and the eggs get to him.”

Her face lit up with relief as she handed over the items. Then she pulled something from her pocket and pressed it into one of the guard’s hands.

“And this… please give it to your leader.”