Chapter 29: My Uncle is Chen Wei

An Tao didn’t really think the frail-looking Ye Siran could help him, but deep down, he longed for someone to be there for him. So he laughed at himself bitterly.

“People are gathered from all over the country because of fate. If your family sends something to share with everyone, that’s called ‘sharing joys and hardships.’ But speaking ill of them behind their backs isn’t right, is it?”

The bespectacled educated youth said angrily. Seeing An Tao and Xiao Zhiyu laugh together, he found their laughter grating.

Although he was also from the city, his family was very ordinary, with many siblings.

He wanted to latch onto Wen Lin, hoping for her money and fine things. It was outrageous that these people didn’t want to share.

Ye Siran, hearing the bespectacled youth speak this way, felt disgusted. Fate? More like they thought she was easy to exploit!

Just by looking at Wen Lin’s outfit, one could tell her family was well-off.

She stopped in her tracks, sizing up the bespectacled youth, and frowned. “You think freeloading off others is called sharing joys and hardships?”

“Freeloading? We city educated youths are sent to the countryside to help rural development. Bringing good things from home to share with everyone—that’s sharing joys and hardships.”

Ye Siran saw him speak so confidently and regained her usual coldness. “The thing I dislike most is sharing hardships. That’s why I chose to pick tea leaves—I don’t want to hold anyone back, I don’t want to suffer with others.

Think about it—if I don’t want to share my suffering, do you think I’d want to share my joys?”

“I never expected Youth Ye to be like this!” the bespectacled youth said angrily, deliberately turning his face away from Ye Siran.

It wasn’t that he disliked her beauty; he simply cared more about Wen Lin’s money.

So he intentionally acted unimpressed in front of Wen Lin.

Ye Siran, finding him increasingly obnoxious, said bluntly and coldly, “So what if I’m like this? I just like to speak directly, not beat around the bush. What’s wrong with that?

Some people talk pretty words about sharing joys and hardships, but in reality, they just want to take advantage of others. I have no patience for people like that.”

“You’re so arrogant and unreasonable, who would dare be friends with you?” the bespectacled youth roared in anger.

Wen Lin, who could not bear to see Ye Siran troubled, stepped forward, hands on her hips.

In a louder voice, she declared, “I am Siran’s best friend. I’d fight for her without hesitation.”

“I’m willing to be Ye Jie’s brother. If you like sharing hardships, then don’t hang out with us,” Xiao Zhiyu said, patting his chest. He had regretted staying in the same cave dwelling with this person since last night.

Last night, he had laughed the loudest while urging others to bring out their good food for everyone, yet he didn’t bring anything himself.

An Tao hated being pressured by talks of sharing hardships. He said fiercely, “If you’re so noble, go repair the river. We have no interest in being associated with you.”

The bespectacled youth, furious with the group, could barely sputter, “Y-you… how can you talk like this?”

“We like talking like this. If you don’t like it, leave. Nobody asked you to stay,” Xiao Zhiyu said disdainfully.

“And what if I talk like this? If you don’t want to listen, you can leave. Stay away from us in the future; we don’t play nice,” Wen Lin added, arrogantly shaking her right fist in front of him.

“Hmph! You act like a rich city girl. I have no intention of associating with you,” the bespectacled youth spat out, seeing Wen Lin’s attitude, realizing his pursuit was hopeless. No longer pretending to be polite, his words dripped with malice.

Seeing everyone tell him to leave, his pride was hurt. Enraged, his teeth ground together, jealousy and hatred making him lose all reason.

So he stubbornly made a threat: “Fine, I’ll leave—but I’ll tell the village chief that you’re forming cliques and neglecting your duties!”

The coal-black, round-faced female educated youth looked at his retreating figure and worriedly said, “Don’t be afraid, I’ll testify for you.”

“Thanks for your kindness, but I’m not afraid of him complaining. Chen Wei, the Armed Forces Minister of Quma County, is my uncle,” Ye Siran said with a smile.

If she hadn’t lived a previous life, Ye Siran wouldn’t have dared to make such a claim.

“You’re serious, Youth Ye?” An Tao was stunned. No wonder she said she could protect him.

“Seems like it’s true. No wonder Ye Jie could sit in the passenger seat that day, hahaha…”

“Hello, Youth Ye. I’m Wang Fang from Xiang Province. I’ve been here almost five years. My family often sends me good food. Out of courtesy, I used to share with everyone. But I arrived early, so unlike Youth An, I don’t have to endure scorn for eating more of my own food.”

“Wang Jie, from now on we stick with Siran. We won’t share anything with them. Last night, Siran and I ate the cured meat and rice ourselves—it was so delicious,” Wen Lin said.

Wen Lin had always liked showing off. Clearly, she was a pampered city girl.

“Young Ye cooks so well. When my family sends good food, we can all have a proper meal together.”

“Sure, but you also have to work. I’ll just handle the cooking,” Ye Siran said lightly.

In her previous life, after her former father-in-law He Yongchang died, she often ate alone.

This time, she didn’t want to live such a bleak life again. Having someone to eat with was a simple pleasure.

As they walked, chatting and laughing, Ye Siran’s eyes, which had rarely shown joy, now occasionally sparkled.

Her gaze, once always quiet and unflinching, seemed unable to find happiness in anything.

Now it was different. Soon she would enter the farm, with a chance to see her grandparents, and she sometimes laughed aloud.

But when she stepped into the farm, she was stunned. She hadn’t expected the Wuyi Farm to be so vast, stretching endlessly.

She estimated it spanned over a thousand acres, with several tea mountains, rice fields, and dry land.

The farm had cattle pens, pigsties, chicken coops, and fish ponds, with many administrators.

More people were sent for reform, young and old. Some were hoeing fields, others cutting pig fodder.

Some were reclaiming land, some hunched with age, others tall and upright.

Every face she saw was numb, expressionless, barely noticing their passersby.

Conditions were far worse than in the city. Supplies were scarce. Daily chores like hoeing, feeding pigs, and transplanting rice were grueling.

Most had lived in the city and lacked strong work skills. At the farm, they were told to work, not to worry about being full.

They didn’t care if newcomers were educated youth or sent for reform—they simply worked mechanically.

Sometimes, when villagers and educated youth came to pick tea leaves, smelling sweet potato and corn cakes, they were tempted, but wouldn’t look twice.