The brigade leader had been following up on Ma Qian’s case. With the evidence against him irrefutable, Ma Qian was quickly sentenced to two years in prison.
“However, he won’t be returning to our brigade afterward,” the brigade leader added.
Hearing this news, the members of the educated youth compound collectively breathed a sigh of relief.
Liu Linlin remarked, “If he came back, we’d have to make a fuss. Having someone who picks locks and steals living with us? That’s just not safe.”
For once, Xu Laidi agreed with everyone else, saying, “Exactly. I don’t want to live near a thief either.”
Bai Yunjiao felt the greatest relief. Everything Ma Qian had done thoroughly disgusted her, and she had been terrified he might seek revenge after serving his time.
After explaining Ma Qian’s situation, the brigade leader prepared to leave but not before reminding everyone:
“In two days, we’ll be harvesting radishes. Prepare yourselves.”
The announcement elicited mixed feelings.
Although the snowfall had stopped and the weather had warmed slightly, the chill in the air was still biting. Harvesting radishes in such conditions meant frozen hands.
On the bright side, earning work points meant more grain and money, which made the hardship worthwhile.
Of course, the least enthusiastic were Gao Le and Zhao Su.
The two lazybones groaned miserably, “Can we hire others to help like last time?”
The brigade leader shook his head. “Probably not. This time, work points will be calculated based on individual output. And in this weather, even the children will want to help their families, so they won’t be available to help others.”
Harvesting radishes was simpler than planting crops, and children could assist without earning their own work points. This would help families earn maximum points.
No matter how much money Gao Le and Zhao Su had, it couldn’t compare to the importance of food.
The day of the radish harvest arrived. The familiar work bell rang, and the village came to life.
“Time to pull radishes!”
The slightly warmer weather had everyone groaning as they reluctantly crawled out of their warm beds, groggy and half-asleep as they washed their faces and brushed their teeth.
Although it still looked dark outside, Song Wei got up without much trouble.
Even Heidan had woken up and was trying to dress himself, albeit with half-closed eyes.
Song Wei pinched his chubby cheeks, tucked the two still-sleeping wolf pups into his arms, and said, “Come on, let’s go. I’ll take you to your brother first.”
She stuffed their pockets with pine nut candies and led Heidan out. By then, the educated youths were already making breakfast together—a simple porridge, as everyone needed to hurry to work.
Seeing Song Wei leaving with Heidan, Xu Laidi couldn’t help but make a snide remark.
“Off to Comrade Lin’s house again? It’s nice to have a village man who can cook. You don’t even have to make your own breakfast. But, Song Wei, you should be more reserved. You’re just dating and not married yet. Running to his house every day might ruin your reputation.”
Song Wei adjusted Heidan’s clothes and gave Xu Laidi a sidelong glance.
“It’s been a while since you got a beating. Is your skin itching again?”
Xu Laidi shrank back instinctively. “What are you doing? You can’t just hit people over a few words. I was just saying this for your own good, and you’re not even grateful!”
Song Wei calmly adjusted the wolf pup in her arms and replied, “Xu Laidi, how many years have you been in the countryside? You’re not young anymore. Instead of worrying about me, maybe you should think about yourself.
“Even if my reputation were truly ruined, Lin Zhen would still marry me. But what about you, Xu Laidi? Do you not want to get married? I didn’t realize you were such a progressive, modern woman.”
Xu Laidi’s face turned pale and then red. Everyone knew how desperate she was to get married, but her poor personality and high standards had left her single. She had even chased after Gao Le and Zhao Su with heavy makeup, nearly scaring them into crying for their mothers.
Having delivered her jab, Song Wei left with Xiao Heidan, feeling refreshed.
“Really… coming out early in the morning just to get scolded. What is Xu Laidi even thinking?”
The other educated youths kept their heads down, hiding their amusement.
Liu Linlin openly laughed and said, “Xu Laidi, you should stop worrying about Song Wei. Lin Zhen clearly likes her, and everyone can see it. You’re just embarrassing yourself.”
Xu Laidi spat angrily. “So what if he likes her? He’s a cripple. Song Wei might think she has high standards, but she’ll regret it when she ends up marrying a lame country bumpkin!”
Liu Linlin rolled her eyes. “Even so, it’s still better than you—desperate to marry but unable to find anyone.”
“What did you say? I have plenty of suitors! It’s just that I don’t want to marry any of these poor country men!”
Liu Linlin smirked. “Oh, we know who’s interested in you—our brigade’s old bachelor!”
“You… Liu Linlin, you little brat! Stop slandering me!”
The two began fighting, and the other educated youths hurried to separate them.
By then, Song Wei had reached Lin Zhen’s house, unaware of the chaos she’d left behind.
She happily bit into a steaming hot bun, utterly content.
Having endured the harsh conditions of a post-apocalyptic wasteland, this was the life she had always dreamed of.
A warm breakfast in the morning, hot meals waiting after work, and a loved one by her side.
As she ate, she found herself growing more and more satisfied with Lin Zhen.
In her worldview, there was no need for rigid gender roles. Everyone should just do what they could.
Seeing how happy she was, Lin Zhen also felt a sense of fulfillment.
Though his injured leg limited him, being able to contribute—even just by cooking—made him happy.
Besides, he thought, “If I couldn’t cook well, would I have even found a partner? Those who mock me—can they find someone as beautiful, capable, and educated as Song Wei?”
“I’m full now,” Song Wei said. “You take care of the wolf pups. I’m off to work.”
Lin Zhen nodded. “I’ll bring lunch to you later.”
With a basket on her back, Song Wei headed out, her pockets now holding two warm eggs.
By the time she reached the fields, many people were already hard at work. She quickly went to the bridge leader to claim her assignment.
“I’ll take three acres,” Song Wei declared confidently.
The brigade leader was taken aback. “Are you sure? It’s not like you to be this eager.”
“I’m sure. Mark it for me, please.”
“Alright. But remember, once you claim it, you’ve got to finish it!”
“Got it,” Song Wei replied, rolling up her sleeves and heading straight into the fields.
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