Chapter 26 – Those Hands That Once Saved Lives… Are Now Shoveling Cow Dung??

Huang Yulong and the others instantly shut their mouths. How could they dare say such a thing out loud? If the boss ever found out they were gossiping about his wife, wouldn’t that be…

“The scenery outside looks nice—we were just talking about that…”

“Yes, yes, just that!”

Lu Tingxiao silently turned his gaze out the window. Barren land, desolate plains—was this supposed to be “nice scenery”?

The men felt awkward and hurriedly scattered to busy themselves. If they lingered under his stare any longer, they would completely lose their composure, and the consequences for them… would be beyond tragic.

Lu Tingxiao shot them a wordless look—clearly annoyed. “Keep a proper eye on the prisoners. Useless when it comes to actual work!”

The few of them felt like their hearts had been stabbed. It was indeed their fault, and being scolded by the boss was deserved. But still, it stung.

“Captain Huang, tell me honestly—our boss’s tongue is so venomous. Do you think he’ll ever find a wife?”

“Hush…” Huang Yulong wanted to live a few more years—no way he was answering that. If such words ever reached the boss’s ears, he’d be a dead man walking.

These blockheads really didn’t know how they’d die one day!

——

When Xia Wanwan returned, Xia Yuwei had already finished lunch. Seeing her younger sister come back, she quickly asked:
“Why did it take so long?”

“I ate over there. Did you eat yet?”

“I did. I even saved you some,” Xia Yuwei said, pointing to the meat and food she’d kept aside.

Her gaze subconsciously drifted toward Huo Banyang inside, and she asked with a cheerful smile:
“Sister Banyang, have you eaten yet? Want a little more?”

Huo Banyang was surprised, but quickly declined politely:
“Thank you, Wanwan. I just ate with your elder sister. When we settle down, I’ll treat you both to a meal.”

“No need to be so polite…” Still, someone offering to treat wasn’t a bad thing.

She glanced at the two sitting nearby—they seemed unusually quiet…

What she didn’t know was that during lunch, Wang Dongmei had just been harshly scolded by Xia Yuwei and even threatened: “If you dare bully my little sister again, I’ll make sure you regret it!”

Wang Dongmei, for all her arrogance, was still just a little girl. She had never seen such a scene before. But it was obvious these two sisters weren’t ordinary, so she could only stew in silence. With not a penny left in her pocket, she had no confidence to fight back.

The awkward atmosphere finally lifted when it was time to get off the train.

All six carried their luggage, and upon stepping onto the platform, they immediately saw someone holding a sign to pick them up.

It turned out to be a man in his forties.

After introductions, they learned his name was Gao Yuanwu. He checked their names against a slip of paper before leading them onward.

Xia Wanwan was puzzled. Shouldn’t they wait for more people? Was it really just the few of them?

The moment Lu Tingxiao got off with Qingzhu, his eyes swept the train station, searching for a particular figure. Only after seeing her being picked up by someone did he board the military truck with his men.

Gao Yuanwu led them onto a tractor to head toward the commune. Having grown up in the city, the group was a bit shocked at riding such a crude “three-wheeler.”

Xia Wanwan, however, didn’t mind. She could even drive one herself. It was just a tractor—it only rattled a little and made one’s backside go numb. She could endure that.

In fact, in these times, even a tractor was considered precious. Many villages didn’t have one at all. That was why people always said going to the countryside was bitter hardship.

Wang Dongmei’s face was gloomy. What kind of place is this? She was already regretting coming, but it was too late.

Her family had refused to let her brother come, so she had been forced to bear the hardship herself. But now, with her money gone, she didn’t even know if she could survive.

They finally arrived at the commune, where a sign read Lin County People’s Commune. After getting off with their luggage, Gao Yuanwu explained that another group had arrived yesterday and had already been assigned to different villages. Only Dongninggou village hadn’t gotten anyone, so all of them today would be sent there.

Xia Wanwan hadn’t expected things to go so smoothly. That was the very village where her parents were!

She had thought it would take some effort, but it seemed heaven itself was helping her.

Soon, the Dongninggou village chief, Niu Xingwang, came to fetch them. But he looked anything but pleased.

These are the people I get? Two men and four girls?

City girls were all pampered and fragile. Once in his village, they would only drag down production. How could he possibly feel happy about this?

Xia Wanwan and Xia Yuwei forced themselves to remain calm. They couldn’t let anyone guess their true identities. If the chief learned they were family with someone here, it could spell disaster. Villages were full of troublemakers, after all.

The same people who had complained about the discomfort of the tractor earlier now didn’t dare utter a word—because this time, they were sitting on an ox cart.

The jolting was unbearable. Before long, Wang Dongmei turned pale from motion sickness, leaning over the cart frame to vomit violently.

The village chief cast her a scornful glare, then said nothing, continuing to drive the cart.

But from that one look, Xia Wanwan instantly understood—this man clearly disliked girls. But what could they do?

She and her elder sister were willing to do light chores, even if it meant earning fewer work points. They had money with them and didn’t rely on labor for food anyway.

Along the way, the fields were lively, full of men and women working.

Xia Wanwan wondered if her parents might be among them. But she was thinking too much.

Educated youth were only given the filthiest, most backbreaking jobs in the village. They wouldn’t be allowed to work in the fields.

Sure enough, the day before, Xia Chengzhi had been shoveling cow dung when he heard people say a new batch of educated youth would arrive today. And this morning, he had seen the chief go out with the ox—clearly to fetch them.

He worried about whether his daughter could make it here. But knowing that mischievous girl’s cleverness, he believed she would find a way.

Chen Ling, also shoveling dung, couldn’t stop glancing toward the village entrance. She had no idea how her daughter was living these days, and prayed she might be among the new arrivals.

At last, the ox cart entered Dongninggou. The village sat against a mountain range, its slopes thick with green trees, and at its base ran a wide river like a jade belt.

The houses were scattered in rows—some tiled, some mud huts. The entire place looked gray and lifeless, dust hanging in the air.

But that was the way of villages in this era. When people couldn’t even eat their fill, who cared about appearances?

Pushing a dung cart through the village, Xia Chengzhi and Chen Ling suddenly came face to face with their daughters.

Chen Ling’s heart trembled—her eldest daughter had come too? What was going on?

But after a brief glance of recognition, the couple quickly lowered their heads and hurried past with the cart.

Xia Wanwan and Xia Yuwei stood stunned. Were those really our parents?

That was the dean of the city hospital!

Those hands… those hands had once saved lives and healed the wounded…

And now they were shoveling cow dung??!

A sharp pain twisted in Xia Wanwan’s chest. All of this—everything—was caused by her second uncle. That ungrateful, treacherous wolf!