Chapter 21: Why Should I Be Forbidden from Eating Vegetables

Jiang Xun remained silent. Sun Lanlan, her face pale, said anxiously, “Comrade Jiang, my mother was just in a bad mood today, she didn’t mean it like that. It had nothing to do with my second brother, please don’t…”

“Zhou Yan, put the pot on your side,” Jiang Xun interrupted, as if he hadn't heard Sun Lanlan at all, speaking instead to Zhou Yan beside him.

Sun Lanlan’s words caught in her throat.

Lin Jingyue watched the scene unfold and smiled; Jiang Xun truly was more unpredictable than she’d imagined.

Were the Sun family so afraid of him because he’d done something to them?

The tractor jolted its way back. When they arrived at the Educated Youth Point, Zhou Yan leaned over and whispered to Lin Jingyue, “Don’t be fooled by Jiang Xun’s calm demeanor. His temper… isn’t exactly gentle. When he first arrived last year, a few of the idle fellows from the brigade tried to pick on him, didn’t like him at all. He ended up fighting five of them at once and laid them all out. They were bedridden for days.”

After that, no one dared to provoke him again.

“How much was the pot? Let’s split the cost,” Jiang Xun said, placing the pot on the stove outside Lin Jingyue’s door and looking up at her.

He had also asked someone to find him an iron pot, but it hadn’t come through—someone else had snatched it first. He was told to try again next time, but he hadn’t expected Lin Jingyue to be even quicker.

“Are you suggesting we cook and eat together?” she asked.

Jiang Xun raised an eyebrow, his eyes clearly saying, “Aren’t we already doing that?” Lin Jingyue couldn’t help but smile.

“And me!” Zhou Yan quickly raised his hand.

“I can cook,” Jiang Xun offered quietly.

Lin Jingyue… Suddenly, she didn’t feel like refusing. Jiang Xun’s skills in the kitchen were enough to make anyone crave his food day and night.

Not to be outdone, Zhou Yan chimed in, “I can gather firewood and wash dishes!”

“So… am I just freeloading?” Lin Jingyue felt something was off.

“Not at all. We’re using your stove and your pot. We’re getting the better deal,” Jiang Xun replied.

“But you said you’d pay,” Lin Jingyue said with a skeptical look that clearly warned, “Don’t try to cheat me out of money.”

Jiang Xun smiled helplessly, “Of course, we’ll pay.”

“Good.”

“So, about eating together…?”

“Let’s forget it,” Lin Jingyue replied. Although Jiang Xun’s cooking was tempting, she didn’t want to get too involved. She had too many secrets, and besides, she could cook for herself.

Jiang Xun’s eyes darkened. He stopped Zhou Yan, who seemed about to protest, and said to Lin Jingyue, “Alright, from tomorrow we’ll eat separately.”

“Fine.”

That evening, Jiang Xun kneaded dough to make dumplings—he brought out white flour, while Lin Jingyue provided the meat.

The filling was pork and cabbage; the cabbage came straight from the Educated Youth’s vegetable patch, and Zhou Yan helped out.

…

“If we’re eating separately, then let’s make a clean break. I started this vegetable patch—if you want vegetables, you’ll have to grow your own,” Chen Chunlan suddenly announced as the three were enjoying their plump, white dumplings. She was sitting nearby with her cornmeal porridge.

Sun Liangdong’s eyes flashed with envy. “That’s right. Since we’re eating separately, you’ll have to grow your own vegetables.”

“Comrade Chen, you may have started the patch, but we grew vegetables too. We watered and fertilized it. Why shouldn’t we share in the harvest?” Zhou Yan replied, not even looking up as he ate another dumpling.

He and Jiang Xun had arrived last year and had contributed plenty to the vegetable plot.

Chen Chunlan’s expression soured. “You say you watered and fertilized it, but who saw you?”

She didn’t really believe them. Usually, Xie Wenjuan and Wang Xueping were in charge of the patch.

“They did,” Zhou Yan said, pointing to the two women.

“No way, the patch was managed by Jiang Xun and me. How could no one know?” he added with exaggerated disbelief.

Xie Wenjuan’s face changed slightly.

Wang Xueping, embarrassed, admitted, “Sorry, we only helped with weeding. Most of the work was done by them.”

The two of them always finished their assigned tasks quickly and came back early. The work that Jiang Xun and Zhou Yan did in the patch had truly gone unnoticed by the others. But she and Xie Wenjuan knew.

In her previous life, whenever this topic came up, Xie Wenjuan would subtly change the subject. Everyone thought the two women worked the hardest, and they’d often get a little extra food at mealtimes.

Zhou Yan and Jiang Xun always had good things and didn’t fuss over it.

Both had come from the capital, from powerful and influential families—she didn’t want to make enemies of them.

Now that Wang Xueping had spoken, Xie Wenjuan could only look at the two men apologetically. “The vegetables are for everyone,” she said.

“That’s not necessarily true. The newcomers haven’t done anything—why should they get to eat?” Chen Chunlan snapped, her face darkening. She just couldn’t stand Lin Jingyue, with her fox-like charm and arrogant airs.

“We may not have worked the patch, but we did our share of other tasks—why shouldn’t we eat?” Xia Nan, who had just returned from the commune, frowned as she overheard.

Lin Xinrou and her two companions had also returned. “That’s right, why not? If the patch belongs to the Educated Youth Point, then everyone should share.”

Chen Chunlan had forgotten—Lin Jingyue wasn’t the only newcomer!

“Some people think just because they started a patch, they’re something special. They didn’t even plant much. Do they think the whole Educated Youth Point belongs to them?” Xia Nan, still annoyed, was cutting with her words.

Lin Xinrou glanced at Chen Chunlan, half-lidding her eyes. “Comrade Chen, the newcomers are part of this group too. You’re undermining our unity.”

Chen Chunlan’s face was now unsightly. She hadn’t expected all the newcomers to be so difficult—not only were they temperamental, but also sharp-tongued.

Wasn’t everyone supposed to keep their heads down when they first arrived? Why did these new ones have such confidence?

Yang Ming, who stood near Xia Nan, added, “We haven’t slacked off on any of the tasks assigned to us.”

In other words, why shouldn’t he get to eat the vegetables?

Seeing that Chen Chunlan had roused everyone’s anger, Luo Jianhua glanced at Sun Liangdong, whose face was equally unpleasant, and said to everyone, “Comrade Chen and Comrade Sun are just joking with everyone. We’re a team, and we have to stick together. Otherwise…”

He left the threat unfinished, but everyone understood. The Educated Youth never got along well with the local teams, and only because the Qingshan Brigade had a good leader did they receive fair treatment. Elsewhere, things could be much worse.

Jiang Xun looked around. “Let’s split it, then. The vegetable patch belongs to everyone. Just divide it down the middle.”

As soon as he spoke, no one said another word.

And so, the matter was settled.

…

After dinner, the Educated Youth Point was bustling again.

The Party Secretary’s wife had arrived, bringing with her the matchmaker and several women from the brigade—an impressive entourage.

Sun Zhiyuan rushed over when he heard the news, only to find his mother embroiled in a heated argument with Wang Xueping in the yard.

Mostly, it was Auntie Sun arguing; Wang Xueping looked mortified.

She hadn’t expected the Sun family to come after her so soon this time—she’d had no time to prepare.

“Auntie, please don’t talk nonsense. I’m the one who’s with Comrade Wang!” Sun Liangdong finally lost his patience. Thinking of what was in Wang Xueping’s hands, he blurted it out.

The yard fell silent for a few seconds.

Auntie Sun spat, “I don’t care if you two are together. My son Zhiyuan has already touched her all over—who else would want her if she doesn’t marry him?”

In the city, her daughter’s engagement had already been ruined. She had to keep hold of Wang Xueping. This was all the fault of that shameless vixen; if it weren’t for trying to save her, her daughter’s marriage wouldn’t have fallen through.

PS: Made some changes—they’re not eating together anymore.