Chapter 144: If You Cannot Speak Properly, Then Shut Up

Li Er-ya was very self-aware and made sure not to crowd Lin Jingyue, focusing diligently on her work instead.

Chen Chunlan’s eyes darted around with gossip, but because the subject was Lin Jingyue, she held it back. Truth be told, Lin Jingyue was usually open to a bit of gossip, but if it involved Lin Xinjian or Lin Xinting, one had to be careful. Chen Chunlan had always prided herself on knowing her place.

The atmosphere among the three was somewhat strange, but they were all hardworking, so the production quota was met by the time Jiang Xun arrived.

"I’m exhausted. Let’s head back." Lin Jingyue gulped down a large mouthful of spirit spring water, only then feeling slightly better.

"Don't come tomorrow," Jiang Xun said, looking at her with concern.

"How can that be?" Spotting the brigade leader approaching in her peripheral vision, Lin Jingyue straightened her back and said righteously, "I am a brick of socialism; I must go wherever I am needed. How could I slack off when I’ve come to the countryside to support the construction? Absolutely not!"

Jiang Xun: "..."

The brigade leader and the party secretary: "..."

Both rolled their eyes toward the sky; this educated youth, Lin, could turn black into white with a single breath.

Lin Jingyue pretended she had just noticed them and greeted them with a grin, "Hello, Brigade Leader! Hello, Secretary!" Her energy was infectious.

The brigade leader looked at her sparkling eyes, his mouth twitching slightly. "Hello, educated youth Lin." As he spoke, he quickened his pace to leave.

"..."

"There are actually people like you in this world." Even Chen Chunlan felt speechless. With that, she left as well.

Lin Jingyue and Jiang Xun walked away side by side, while Li Er-ya watched their retreating figures, her eyes filled with envy.

Returning to the place she shared with Lin Xinjian, Li Er-ya hurried to start a fire and cook. It was called a meal, but it was just sweet potato congee—and a thin one at that; they couldn’t afford solid food. Along with it was a soup made of foraged wild vegetables. Fortunately, now that spring had arrived, there were plenty of greens.

"Hmph, spineless wretch," Lin Xinjian sneered when he saw Li Er-ya eating the thin vegetable congee with relish.

Li Er-ya’s hand paused, but she kept her head lowered and didn't retort. The life she had now was one she had begged for, and she felt she had to endure whatever came with it.

Seeing her silent, Lin Xinjian felt even more irritable. He wanted to throw the bowl in his hand at her, but his last shred of reason held him back—if he threw it, he would go hungry. In the end, he bowed to the reality of his life.

Whether it was his marriage to Li Er-ya or surviving on wild vegetables, he was no longer the Lin Xinjian he once was.

In stark contrast to this bleak existence was the educated youth dormitory. Lin Jingyue and the others had prepared three dishes and a soup: braised radish with cured pork ribs, and a cold tossed salad of wild vegetables. Tender greens were mixed with minced garlic and chili, and when a ladle of sizzling hot oil was poured over them, the aroma was instantaneous. Their staple was a mix of rice and grains, and they ate with great satisfaction.

After dinner, it was still early. Lin Jingyue busied herself tending to her medicinal herbs. Most were for Sun Lanlan and Guo Yutong. As for Zhao Daya and the other girl she had saved last year, their family conditions were poor, so they had long since stopped taking medicine and were just recuperating on their own. The others in the brigade rarely spent money on medicine for minor aches and pains, and there were no serious illnesses in the village. Even if there were, they wouldn’t dare ask Lin Jingyue, and she was happy to be left in peace.

The next day, Lin Jingyue went to work as usual. She and Jiang Xun weren't assigned to the same spot, but they were not far apart. Just as she was looking for a chance to slack off, she heard a commotion.

"Do you even know what you're doing? Where are you throwing that?" Li Cuihua’s face was as dark as a pot as she glared at the person behind her.

"Who told you to be so slow?" Zhang Shuting’s expression was equally sour. She had been assigned to work with Li Cuihua and Auntie Liu. It was her first day, and she was responsible for spreading fertilizer. It was a disgusting task, and she hadn't complained yet, but this woman acted as if she’d eaten gunpowder, never letting up for a second.

"You're slow yourself, yet you won't let anyone say a word. Hmph, and you call yourself a country girl—you're not even as good as me," Zhang Shuting pouted. She couldn't stand the way Li Cuihua looked down her nose at everyone. She despised the educated youths while secretly envying them; it was hypocritical.

"You..." Li Cuihua hadn't expected Zhang Shuting to have such a sharp tongue, and her expression darkened further.

"Enough, you two! Hurry up! If we don't finish the quota, I’m going to lose my temper with you both," Auntie Liu said, rolling her eyes.

Li Cuihua glared at Zhang Shuting and reluctantly went back to planting seeds. Lin Jingyue raised an eyebrow slightly and looked away.

When work ended, Sun Lanlan came over to get her medicine. The two walked together, happening to be right behind Zhang Shuting and Li Cuihua.

"Shuting!" Feng Wanjia came running over, looking flustered.

"What’s wrong?" Zhang Shuting grabbed her. When she saw the men behind her, she grew alert. "What do you want?"

Feng Wanjia’s eyes were red, likely from anger. She glared at the two men who had stopped. "They insist on escorting me back." She wasn't an idiot; she knew the way. Even though it was her first day, she wasn't so helpless that she couldn't find her way home. Everyone knew what those two were up to.

"We won't trouble you two," Zhang Shuting said coldly.

The two young men looked at each other with a cocky smirk. "You just arrived at Qingshan Brigade and aren't familiar with things. Don't be so modest; let's help each other out."

"Not needed, thanks."

Li Cuihua, standing behind them, rolled her eyes. "Oh, come on, we’re all neighbors here. What’s the big deal? Er-zhu, hurry up and take the two educated youths back." She turned to the girls. "Educated youth Zhang, educated youth Feng, don't overthink it. This is Qingshan Brigade, not..."

"Shut your mouth!" Feng Wanjia coldly interrupted her. "Who are you? Do we need you to speak for us? If you want men to escort you, just say so; no need to beat around the bush!"

"Shameless," Zhang Shuting added.

The two then looked at the two stunned men. "Get lost. Toads craving swan meat—don't think we’re afraid of your threats. If you try to ruin our reputations, I’ll just stab you and be done with it."

"..."

Lin Jingyue and Sun Lanlan exchanged a look. How fierce!

Li Cuihua’s face was beyond description. How dared they?

"Cuihua, if you can't speak properly, then shut up," Auntie Liu, who wasn't far away, said with a roll of her eyes. For the first time, she felt that Li Cuihua was truly useless.

"Auntie Liu!" Li Cuihua gritted her teeth.

"Er-zhu, what are you two doing? Why aren't you heading home? Aren't you tired?" Auntie Liu looked at the two men. These boys used to get into all sorts of trouble with Sun Tiezhu. Her own son had turned over a new leaf, but these two continued to run wild in the brigade. Everyone had been lenient only out of respect for their elders.

"Auntie, we aren't doing anything. The two educated youths just arrived, and we were just worried they weren't familiar with the paths, heh heh." Er-zhu scratched his head with a cheeky grin. He stepped forward. "Educated youth Feng, you..."

His words cut off abruptly when he saw Lin Jingyue standing behind Li Cuihua. His face turned pale with terror.