“To my house?” Zhao Mo was stunned.

“Yes.” Zhang Yunxi was determined to meet Zhao Mo’s scumbag father. “Let’s go in first. I’ll put the grain in the kitchen, and then we can talk.”

“Oh.” Zhao Mo hoisted the basket onto her back and followed Zhang Yunxi.

After placing the grain in the kitchen—fifty pounds of sweet potatoes and fifty pounds of coarse rice—Zhang Yunxi sighed. The accountant had said she was too delicate for heavy labor and might end up owing the commune grain.

Zhang Yunxi: “…”

In a way, the accountant was right.

She really wasn’t cut out for farm work.

It was possible she’d owe the commune grain for a long time.

After marking the burlap sack, Zhang Yunxi pulled Zhao Mo to sit on the long bench where the female educated youth usually ate. She took down Zhao Mo’s basket and said, “Let’s eat some chestnuts first.”

“Okay.” Zhao Mo had been about to peel a chestnut for Zhang Yunxi, but her nails were caked with dirt. Knowing how clean the educated youth were, she hesitated.

Zhang Yunxi didn’t think much of it. She went to the kitchen, grabbed a cleaver, and with a few swift chops, split the chestnuts open. She peeled one and handed the white flesh to Zhao Mo. “Eat up.”

“This is for you,” Zhao Mo said.

“I’ll have some too.” Zhang Yunxi peeled another chestnut for herself. “Have you ever been to town?”

“No.” Zhao Mo shook her head.

Few children from the commune had been to town. The only one she knew who had was Er Gouzi, whose father had once worked there. Er Gouzi had gone once and said the town was amazing—there were multi-story buildings, cars, and the supply and marketing cooperative was full of goods.

“How about I take you there tomorrow?” Zhang Yunxi wanted to buy the child a set of clothes—not fancy ones, just simple blue homespun fabric.

She had noticed the other children today. Their clothes were patched and worn, but at least they were neat. Zhao Mo’s clothes, on the other hand, were practically rags.

Zhang Yunxi strongly suspected that Zhao Mo’s clothes had been passed down through at least five generations to be so tattered.

Zhao Mo paused mid-chew and asked quietly, “Really?”

“Of course!”

“But I have to work.”

The thought of skipping work sent a shiver down Zhao Mo’s spine.

“Don’t worry, leave it to me!”

As an educated youth, Zhang Yunxi only had one day to rest and prepare before starting work. She didn’t know when the next break would come, so she had to make the most of this opportunity.

Zhao Mo couldn’t imagine what Zhang Yunxi had in mind, but after cutting pigweed and earning two work points, she went home to boil water and wait for her family to return.

Zhao Hongqiang had heard that his sister-in-law had come to the village as an educated youth, and memories of his time with Zhao Mo’s mother flooded his mind. He had loved her—she was beautiful, graceful, well-educated, and spoke softly.

But she had never loved him.

She had always been in tears.

As if she had suffered some great injustice.

Later, she passed away, leaving him the butt of village jokes for a long time. Eventually, he married an illiterate, divorced woman, Yuan Guixiang, who abused Zhao Mo. Zhao Hongqiang never intervened.

In his eyes, a girl was destined to marry out anyway, so doing more work was actually good for her.

What mattered was that Zhao Mo’s mother was a stain on his life!

“Dad.” Zhao Mo called out to Zhao Hongqiang.

Zhao Hongqiang was about to go to his room to fetch his liquor. He grunted impatiently, “What?”

Zhao Mo said, “Auntie is coming over for dinner later.”

Zhao Hongqiang stopped in his tracks. With his square face and close-cropped hair, he already looked intimidating. Now, with his head lowered and glaring at her, he was downright terrifying.

Zhao Mo instinctively took a step back.

Zhao Hongqiang demanded, “What’s she coming for?”

“Auntie is coming for dinner,” Zhao Mo repeated.

Yuan Guixiang had just returned and, hearing this, flew into a rage. “Your aunt has come to our house without bringing anything, and now you’re inviting her to dinner? How generous of you! If you are so generous, why don’t you go and treat her to a meal yourself!”

Zhao Hongqiang remained silent, clearly agreeing with Yuan Guixiang.

“Not welcome, huh?”

A clear, cold voice rang out.

Everyone turned to the door.

She was beautiful, her skin glowing in the orange hues of the setting sun.

Zhao Hongqiang’s pupils trembled. He had thought Zhao Mo’s mother was beautiful, but her sister was even more stunning.

As a woman, Yuan Guixiang immediately noticed her husband’s gaze and cursed inwardly, vixen. She stepped in front of Zhao Hongqiang, blocking his view. “Sister-in-law, what are you here for? I heard you were coming for dinner. I never expected a city girl to be so shameless, daring to show up empty-handed.”

“Why should I be embarrassed? This time I came here not for anything else but to collect a debt.” Zhang Yunxi stared straight at Zhao Hongqiang, her eyes filled with undisguised hatred. “You’re the one who killed my sister, aren’t you? Don’t think I don’t know. It was your dirty tricks that forced my sister to marry you. Back then, the policies weren’t in place to protect female educated youth from being forced to marry locals, but now, forcing an educated youth to marry a local and abusing them is punishable by death. My sister may have died many years ago, but I have evidence that you murdered her, that you drove her to her death!”

“What are you talking about!”

Faced with the threat to his life, Zhao Hongqiang immediately forgot about her beauty. “Your sister took her own life!”

Neighbors from nearby courtyards, hearing Zhang Yunxi’s accusations, stopped cooking and rushed over to see what was happening. This young woman had just arrived and was already talking about sentencing Zhao Hongqiang to death.

Tsk.

Not someone to mess with!
But since they were all neighbors and relatives, they couldn’t just let Zhang Yunxi do as she pleased. Someone immediately went to fetch Team Leader Zhao to handle the situation.

Zhang Yunxi sneered, her eyes filled with murderous intent. “It all started when you raped her, ruining her life. That’s why she took her own life. Rape is punishable by death, as everyone here knows!”

“Stop talking nonsense!” Zhao Hongqiang felt a chill run through his body.

Because he had indeed raped his former wife.

The crowd buzzed with discussion. No one was surprised by the revelation, but Zhang Yunxi’s demand for Zhao Hongqiang’s death was another matter.

Someone quickly said, “That’s all in the past. Zhao Hongqiang is Zhao Mo’s father now. Without him, what will happen to Zhao Mo?”

“Exactly, young lady, be merciful.”

“If you vent your anger, what will happen to Zhao Mo?”

…

Team Leader Zhao arrived. Ever since he saw Zhang Yunxi arrive in the brigade, he had a bad feeling. Sure enough, she wasn’t going to let Zhao Hongqiang off the hook. But even he hadn’t expected her to be so brazen, demanding Zhao Hongqiang’s death right after arriving.

“Let me see the evidence. If it’s conclusive, I won’t protect him.”

“Team Leader!”

“Uncle Zhao!”

Many people shouted.

Even Zhang Yunxi was surprised. She had been prepared to argue with everyone, but she hadn’t expected the team leader to be so reasonable. “Fine, stand there and watch. I’ll show you my sister’s letters.”

Team Leader Zhao noted the young woman’s caution and didn’t argue, standing where he was to observe.