Chapter 20

“You’re my future wife. My mother told me before she passed that I must treat you well—and as it happens, I’m a very filial son.”

Fu Tingchuan said this without the slightest hint of embarrassment. Su Nian had heard that his father scolded him at home all the time for being unfilial, and now he had the nerve to say that with a straight face?

She was just about to mock him when Tian Li walked over.

“Commander, do you think it’s possible to transfer Qiao Qiqi to the kitchen garden team too? I heard from Sister Cai that they’re still one person short.”

Tian Li was actually younger than Fu Tingchuan and held a lower rank, but he was a native of the Heilongjiang area, unlike Fu Tingchuan who had been transferred in from another province. He carried an air of superiority and completely lacked the respect shown by Xiao Jiang and the others.

Fu Tingchuan didn’t seem surprised at all—it was like he had already expected this.

“Well, since Instructor Tian has asked, let’s just transfer her. It’s not a big deal. You could’ve just gone straight to the political instructor about this, since he’s the one in charge of assignments.”

The subtext: you’re overstepping your authority.

But Tian Li didn’t pick up on that at all. He thought Fu Tingchuan was giving him face, and happily ran off to brag to Qiao Qiqi.

Su Nian poked Fu Tingchuan in the waist and asked, “How did Tian Li even become an instructor? Can someone like him really be trusted to manage the educated youth? Isn’t that asking for trouble?”

Fu Tingchuan gave Tian Li a cold glance and sneered.

“Him? He got the job through connections. This land originally belonged to their commune. As the son of the commune leader, it makes sense to give him a job without real authority.”

Su Nian didn’t pursue the topic further. Since it wasn’t something Fu Tingchuan could change, there was no point in arguing about it. She just had a bad feeling—something about that older educated youth’s belly didn’t seem right. It didn’t look like fat…

“By the way, do you speak English?”

Caught off guard by the sudden topic shift, Su Nian answered instinctively: “Of course I do. Not only English—I also know Russian and Japanese!”

Since high schools at the time sometimes offered foreign language classes, Fu Tingchuan didn’t find it suspicious.

But Su Nian regretted her words immediately. The original Su Nian may have been a top student, but she was a disaster at languages. Aside from Chinese, she was hopeless. Hopefully, Fu Tingchuan wouldn’t try to verify it—she’d heard that her old school had already merged with another one.

“Perfect. In two days, our division commander is coming with a team to inspect the place. Since you have a camera, help us take some photos. I’ll cover the cost of the film.”

“Commander Fu, you want me to be both a translator and a photographer, and you’re not even paying me?”

Su Nian teased him.

“When you become my wife, I’ll hand over my entire paycheck to you. Still want to argue over a little wage?”

Fu Tingchuan really knew how to shut her up with just one sentence.

Luckily, the meeting ended and Su Nian used it as an excuse to escape.

Wang Dahu came over with a grin and teased, “Fu Tingchuan, I was giving a speech up there, and you were whispering sweet nothings down here—is this how you lead by example?”

“I was just discussing with Comrade Su about helping us with translation and photography for the inspection. What can I say—our political instructor dropped the ball again. The original translator bailed, so I, as commander, had to make a sacrifice and have my own fiancée step in.”

Wang Dahu immediately zipped his lips.

This guy had just caught him in a work-related blunder.

“Didn’t expect Comrade Su to be so talented. That saves us the trouble of hiring someone from outside. I’ll bring her something nice as a thank-you.”

Fu Tingchuan replied calmly, “No need. I already submitted the expense request for the translator fee. Just make sure to approve it.”

After Wang Dahu walked away, it finally dawned on him—so he was still paying the money after all?

—

The next day at reporting time, Su Nian indeed saw Qiao Qiqi looking smug. Honestly, she couldn’t understand what the girl was so proud of—Tian Li clearly had ulterior motives.

Sister Cai, the team leader, was a straightforward and no-nonsense Northerner.

“I don’t care where you’re from or what your background is—once you’re here, you work hard. The kitchen garden team is the lightest assignment in the corps. If you can’t even handle this, then you might as well go back to where you came from.

Other posts need training—we don’t have time to waste here.

Washing and picking vegetables doesn’t need teaching. For the gardening work, you’ll need to follow the older women around and learn—at least figure out which plant is which.

Alright, let’s get moving. Finish up your work by 10:30, or you’ll delay everyone’s lunch.”

Su Nian was very self-aware. She didn’t have any special skills, so she obediently followed the older woman’s lead, memorizing everything she was told. As long as she didn’t have to work in the fields, she could handle the rest.

But Qiao Qiqi was different.

She hadn’t done much housework before—after all, she had older sisters at home. And now that she had someone backing her here, she naturally felt superior.

After several failed attempts to distinguish between bok choy and mustard greens, the woman mentoring her finally exploded.

“Did you leave your brain at home when you came to the countryside? I’ve told you so many times—how can you not get it? You keep tilting your head and acting cute.

You’re here to contribute, not to live in luxury.”

Qiao Qiqi snapped back, “Well, I don’t know, that’s why I’m learning! If you’re not teaching me well, why blame me for being slow? I demand a different teacher.”

The older woman was so furious she dropped her basket and stood off to the side.

Sister Cai came over, drawn by the noise. “What’s going on now? It’s not even been half an hour and there’s already conflict?”

Qiao Qiqi rushed over with a sway in her hips to complain, only to be pushed aside.

“Why are you talking like you’ve got feathers in your throat? Speak properly, will you?

Since you can’t handle that task, go wash and pick vegetables instead. At least you don’t have to recognize them. Can you manage that?”

“Thank you, team leader!”

As soon as Qiao Qiqi left, Su Nian felt like the air had become cleaner. She couldn’t understand why Qiao was pretending to be all dainty and delicate in front of a bunch of women. Tian Li wasn’t even here.

“You’re Su Nian, right? You’re doing a good job. If you get tired, just let me know and take a break.”

Su Nian looked at the knife in her left hand and the chives in her right. Honestly, she didn’t feel tired at all—it was less exhausting than working out at the gym.

“Call me Nian Nian, Sister Yang. I’m not tired, let’s keep going!”

Sister Yang smiled warmly. “Alright, Nian Nian. That girl earlier—she came from the same place as you?”

“Yeah, we were high school classmates. We never really got along. She has a bit of a temper and always wants to outshine everyone. She wasn’t very favored at home either, so I don’t know where she gets that attitude.”

The previously furious woman joined the conversation.

“I heard she was pushed in by that Tian guy. You new folks better be careful—out here in the middle of nowhere, you never know who to trust. Isn’t she the second one he’s brought in?”

Sister Yang rolled her eyes. “Don’t spread rumors without proof. We shouldn’t talk nonsense like that.”