Chapter 36 ☆ Flashlight (Part 1)

“I’m going to live at Xie’s house.”

Yingying chirped, and the whole place fell silent for a moment. Everyone looked at each other: “Xie family? Which Xie family?”

Then, the water began to boil like boiling oil: “Who is the Xie family? The landlord family!”

Before liberation, all the people with the surname Lin in Tianshui Village were tenants of the Xie family. After liberation, Lin became the most common surname in the village, with only a few people with other surnames. This is one of the reasons why the Xie family has had such a hard time in recent years. After all, in the countryside of that era, a large population can ensure that they will not be bullied.

At this time, everyone was in an uproar. Lin Dafu scolded them several times but failed to calm them down. Especially those young and energetic men, they were all shouting: “How can we let Cheng Zhiqing live in the landlord’s house!”

“Yes, no, absolutely not!”

The others were also talking to each other; it was very noisy: “What’s going on? That Cheng Zhiqing has eyes on the top of his head, and he wants to live in Xie San’s house?”

“Don’t these two always work together? A single man and a single woman…”

There were all kinds of things being said at once, and everyone was very excited, more lively than watching a play during the Chinese New Year. Cheng Yaoyao sat in the excitement, turned her head, and looked to the side, where a tall and thin figure stood not far from the crowd, half of his body was immersed in the darkness, like an outsider.

Cheng Yaoyao couldn’t see his expression clearly. She curled the corners of her lips toward him quietly, then immediately returned to her expressionless look.

Lin Dafu shouted angrily: “Quiet! Are you the captain, or am I the captain?”

The captain spoke, and everyone gradually quieted down, no matter how reluctant they were. Lin Dafu coughed and said, “Cheng Zhiqing, do you really want to live in the Xie family?”

Lin Dafu said to Cheng Yaoyao seriously, “Cheng Zhiqing, you know the background of the Xie family. Do you really want to live with the Xie family? There are several other families in the village with good environments. Do you want to reconsider?”

Cheng Yaoyao raised the corners of her lips slightly. Her face was extremely cold and beautiful, and when she wasn’t smiling, she exuded an air of superiority.

She looked around at everyone and said, “Captain, you said earlier that we can choose whose house we want to live in, right?”

“Yes.” Lin Dafu nodded involuntarily when he was stared at by those peach blossom eyes. Cheng Yaoyao curled her rosy lips and said, “I’ve thought about it. I want to live in the Xie family.”

“I don’t agree!”

“Yes, we all disagree! How can we let the educated youth from the city live in this bastard’s house!” Several young men started yelling.

Cheng Yaoyao stood up suddenly, her beautiful and fierce eyes tinged with anger: “I don’t live in your house, how can you object?!”

Cheng Yaoyao’s voice was not loud, but her arrogant aura shocked everyone. Especially those guys who were mixed in the crowd and making a fuss, they were suddenly silent, for no other reason—Cheng Yaoyao’s look was really too hot and exciting!

Cheng Yaoyao said loudly to Lin Dafu: “Captain, if I move into the Xie family, the only people who are qualified to object are the Xie family, right?”

“Yes, yes.” Lin Dafu coughed and said, “Then Xie San, do you agree that Cheng Zhiqing can live in your house?”

Everyone’s eyes turned to Xie San, who was standing alone. The tall and straight young man in a torn coat raised his eyes and said, “I have no objection.”

His indifferent attitude made the young men gnash their teeth and say, “You’re taking advantage of me!”

But no one dared to speak directly. Xie San was a fierce fighter, and no one in the village could take advantage of him.

Cheng Yaoyao was willing, and Xie San had no objection, so Lin Dafu had no choice but to say, “Then it’s settled.”

Cheng Yaoyao carelessly stroked the non-existent wrinkles on her skirt and said, “So, can we adjourn now?”

…

Cheng Yaoyao said a few words, and the usually long and tedious meeting ended. Even as the crowd gradually dispersed, they were still chattering about this matter. It can be seen that this matter will become the topic of conversation for everyone in Tianshui Village for a long time in the future.

“Xie San is such a lucky kid.”

“The two of them have developed some feelings for each other after working together for a while.”

These words came out of nowhere in the crowd, immediately triggering a buzz of discussion, including some malicious laughter from men.

Especially Zhang Aihua, who was so busy that she wished she had three mouths, spitting out saliva and saying to others: “I told you last time that Cheng Zhiqing took Xie San’s car back to the village! These two people…”

Lin Dafu specially kept Cheng Yaoyao and talked to her alone for a while: “Cheng Zhiqing, please think about it carefully. Xie San’s family is of high status and has a small population. You, a grown-up girl, are living in his house…”

“It’s quiet and has a small population, which is good.” Cheng Yaoyao interrupted him with a smile, “Thank you for your concern, Captain.”

Seeing that she insisted, Lin Dafu stopped persuading her and walked away with his hands behind his back.

Wang Cuiping came over again: “Yaoyao, come here for a moment. I have something to discuss with you.”

Since she received Cheng Yaoyao’s milk powder last time, Wang Cuiping had a very good impression of her. Now, with other considerations in mind, she was even friendlier to Cheng Yaoyao: “Yaoyao, what do you think? Would you like to live with Xie San?”

Wang Cuiping asked while staring closely at Cheng Yaoyao’s face. This face really looks like a vixen ^[1]phrase used to describe someone who is very attractive and alluring.. When has Tianshui Village ever produced such a beauty? How could a golden phoenix from the city end up in someone else’s home?

Cheng Yaoyao smiled and said, “I heard that the Xie family’s house is nice, warm in winter and cool in summer, and it’s built with blue bricks.”

“Just because of that?” Wang Cuiping couldn’t see any flaws on Cheng Yaoyao’s face and smiled: “Yaoyao, you’ve only just come to the village and don’t know much about it. Xie San is a 20-year-old young man with only a grandmother and a sister at home. It will be inconvenient for you to live in his house! My aunt’s house has a clean and tidy empty room. My husband and I are well-known in the surrounding villages. Even though there are two young men in my family, they live in the east room, and you would live in the west room. With me and your sister-in-law at home, I guarantee that you will live in peace. Why don’t you come to live in my aunt’s house? The room is all ready for you!”

Wang Cuiping was very eloquent, and she genuinely liked Cheng Yaoyao, so Cheng Yaoyao was somewhat moved by her words. If it weren’t for Xie San, living in the secretary’s house would probably be her best option.

Cheng Yaoyao pursed her lips and smiled without saying anything. She quickly calculated in her mind that changing her job still depended on the branch secretary, and she couldn’t offend Wang Cuiping. However, she didn’t want to live in their house either, so she needed a good excuse to refuse.

While she was hesitating, Lin Jiajun pulled his brother over. Lin Jiaqi was wearing a short-sleeved sailor shirt today, with a slender and strong physique, which attracted many girls’ attention. Lin Jiaqi didn’t want to come at first, but Lin Jiajun, feeling embarrassed, insisted on bringing his brother as a shield.

Lin Jiajun, usually fearless, became shy like a girl when he came in front of Cheng Yaoyao: “Cheng… Cheng Zhiqing.”

Lin Jiaqi nodded to Cheng Yaoyao but said nothing and didn’t even look at her.

Lin Jiajun asked his mother: “Mom, have you talked to Cheng Zhiqing?”

“I was just talking to her,” Wang Cuiping said, giving her useless youngest son a disapproving look. The girl was right in front of him, and he was asking like that. Wasn’t he afraid of embarrassing her?

Cheng Yaoyao thought quickly and said awkwardly, “Aunt, it’s not that I don’t want to live in your house, but I have never worked before, and I’m afraid it might cause trouble for you.”

“No trouble!” Before Wang Cuiping could speak, Lin Jiajun said, “You don’t have to work if you live in my house!”

Cheng Yaoyao blinked her eyes, her long eyelashes like butterfly wings: “That’s so embarrassing. How can I not work when I’m living in someone else’s house?”

Looking into those eyes, Lin Jiajun felt so lighthearted that he even forgot his last name and kept saying, “You don’t have to work, I will do it!”

Even if Lin Jiajun didn’t speak up, Wang Cuiping wouldn’t let Cheng Yaoyao do any work. But seeing her youngest son so enchanted, she felt a bit uncomfortable.

Cheng Yaoyao noticed Wang Cuiping’s expression and smiled, “It’s getting late. I need to go back. I have to pack up tomorrow morning.”

“By yourself? It’s not safe on the road,” Lin Jiaqi suddenly said.

“Yes, it’s quite far from the educated youth site and it’s not safe for you to go alone,” Lin Jiajun said, slapping his forehead. He wasn’t as thoughtful as his brother. “Shall I take you back?”

Cheng Yaoyao smiled politely and said, “No, the other educated youth are waiting for me up front.”

“Then I’ll take you to the front!” Lin Jiajun said foolishly, suddenly covering the back of his head with his hands, “Mom, why did you hit me?”

Wang Cuiping gritted her teeth and smiled, “They’ve already said you don’t need to send her!”

Cheng Yaoyao pretended not to see it, smiled, and turned to leave.

Lin Jiajun rubbed his head, his eyes still lingering on Cheng Yaoyao’s back. After she disappeared, he complained to his mother, “Mom, didn’t you promise? You said you would let Cheng Zhiqing live in our house. Now she’s going to pay rent to Xie San, and all the scoundrels are at home.”

“Shut your mouth! Cheng Yaoyao is like a golden phoenix from the city—we’re not worthy of her. Stop thinking about her!” Wang Cuiping scolded her beloved youngest son harshly.

Lin Jiaqi didn’t say anything and turned back to go home. Wang Cuiping glanced at her second son’s back and was anxious. This second son usually kept his thoughts to himself, but as a mother, she could tell he had more on his mind. When he asked that extra question, Wang Cuiping’s heart went on high alert.

No matter how beautiful Cheng Yaoyao is, it would be a waste if she caused discord among the brothers! Wang Cuiping, always practical, immediately gave up her little plan.