Chapter 39 end

The Su family has lost their captaincy and cannot become the village secretary or the accountant, so they can only become ordinary members of the production team.

Captain Su is already middle-aged… oh no, he's nearly old. The position of captain was still quite impressive.

At least in front of his family and in the village, being the captain gave him a lot of say.

Now, suddenly becoming an ordinary person, especially after going out to work, their whole family has been reassigned jobs.

Looking at the heavy labor that was even more strenuous than before, the faces of the Su family turned somewhat grim, and they even had a quarrel with the new captain, Gou Fu.

"What happened to the work I arranged before?" They felt targeted by the captain, which was infuriating!

"Now everyone is doing this kind of work. What, are you a woman? Are you fighting over easy work with the women?" Gou Fu showed no mercy.

Earlier in the year, the Su family arranged for his mother to shovel manure, and she even fell and injured her back.

The villagers had probably seen enough of the Su family's excessive behavior in recent years, and no one spoke up for them.

"And besides, the men do the heavy work while the women just lift and carry, it's fair and just," Gou Fu said, indicating that he was not deliberately targeting the Su family; everyone was the same, contributing to the production team!

Only the Su family did not accept this and felt that Gou Fu was targeting them!

Especially Captain Su; since he became captain, he hardly farmed and was responsible for overall management. By the end of the day, Captain Su felt that his old back couldn't take it!

The rest of the Su family felt equally uncomfortable, especially since they hadn't earned enough work points that day.

The next two days were even harder, making the three sisters-in-law very dissatisfied. They whispered to their husbands, blaming it all on their sister-in-law. If it weren't for her, the villagers wouldn't think badly of their family.

It would have been great if their father were still the captain, looking out for the villagers. Who knew that they had a sister-in-law like that, which affected their father's position?

They didn't want to admit that it was their fault that their father lost the captaincy. Now that they were living so hard, they couldn't help but vent their frustrations onto Su Qianqian.

"Mom, don't meddle in Qianqian's affairs anymore. Once a daughter is married, she's like water poured out. If Fangzi sends something to her maternal home, you're not satisfied."

"Exactly! She caused such a big mess but hasn't come to explain, nor has she visited her maternal home even twice. Instead, Mom goes to see Qianqian every time, bringing food."

"Our family's food didn't come from thin air, Mom. Qianqian still has her husband to support her."

Sitting nearby, listening to her son and daughter-in-law's words, Huang Yaying's expression was somewhat forced. Deep down, she felt bitter; Qianqian wouldn't get an abortion, and Luo Liangce also wanted a child…

Huang Yaying didn't want to care about these two fools anymore; if it weren't for her daughter, she wouldn't have.

But hearing their words, she felt a bit cold-hearted. They were family, her own sister; could she just ignore her?

"Mom, it's not that we don't want to help, but we aren't doing particularly well either. Managing ourselves is already hard enough," the daughter-in-law expressed her dissatisfaction. They worked hard to earn their work points; was it to support their sister-in-law?

After speaking, she elbowed her husband beside her, and he nodded in agreement, "Mom, if you keep sending our food to Qianqian, I won't work anymore. My son won't have anything to eat!"

Who isn't precious? From the man's perspective, his sister couldn't compare to his own child!

On the other hand, Su Qianqian, no matter how uninformed she was about the village's major events, knew that her father was no longer the captain. The captaincy… had been taken over!

How could this happen?

Clearly, in her previous life, this never happened. How could her father lose the captaincy in this life??

However, after panicking for a moment, Su Qianqian frowned again. In the end, the position of captain didn't have much use anymore. She comforted herself; if it's gone, it's gone.

But what she didn't expect was that the most pressing issue was not her mother cutting off her food supply, but…

"Let's get a divorce." As soon as Luo Liangce returned, he calmly said to Su Qianqian.

Before, he had endured because her father was the captain, but who would have thought… Hmph, her father was such a useless man that he could even lose the captaincy.

Now, since Luo Liangce couldn't benefit from it anymore, he naturally thought of leaving. Otherwise, as the former captain's son-in-law, he would be targeted by the current captain.

"What did you say?!" Su Qianqian, relying on her identity as the captain's daughter, had always looked down on Luo Liangce, treating him poorly.

She had always thought she was very successful, but now, hearing Luo Liangce take the initiative to say the word 'divorce', she raised her voice in disbelief. Her tone was somewhat sharp.

"I said, let's divorce. After all, we haven't even consummated our marriage, and you don't even know whose illegitimate child you're carrying," Luo Liangce said with a face full of disgust and disdain; he had long since grown tired of Su Qianqian.

"You, what did you say? You useless man! I kindly helped you act as a shield. Hmph, if word got out that you were useless, how many times do you think you'd be mocked?!"

Su Qianqian had been brainwashing herself; now she firmly believed her actions were for the greater good, helping Luo Liangce.

Luo Liangce only found Su Qianqian's thought process incomprehensible; conversing with her was a waste of breath.

Especially when he saw her pregnant belly, filled with disgust, he said, "Tomorrow, we will go to town and get the divorce certificate."

If it weren't for being forced into it by the captain's family, he wouldn't have married her in the first place.

"You dare?" Su Qianqian no longer hoped to become a wealthy wife in the future but felt the need to deal with her scumbag first. Luo Liangce would never escape her side in this lifetime.

Her fierce actions and the grim anger on her face made Luo Liangce find her even more repulsive.

"You're truly making me sick."

That disdainful expression and the word "sick" made Su Qianqian, already emotionally volatile due to pregnancy, even more madly obsessive.

"Luo Liangce, what did you just say?!" She was so furious she nearly shouted, wanting to rush over and beat Luo Liangce.

But she was already weak, and with her big belly, she felt even weaker. She was directly pushed away by Luo Liangce, which was annoying.

Stumbling and nearly falling, Su Qianqian glared angrily at the direction Luo Liangce left, her eyes turning red.

In the next moment, a surge of furious hatred swept through her body and heart, and she slowly got up, going out to find her three older brothers.

Damn it, that scumbag Luo Liangce must have forgotten that her father was no longer the captain. She still had three strong brothers!

Su Qianqian's three older brothers were really tired of her and didn't want to talk to her anymore.

But…

Su Qianqian shamelessly claimed she would help her keep Luo Liangce around; otherwise, if they divorced, she would have to return to her maternal home and would have to live off them while bearing a child???

That wouldn't do!

Absolutely not!!!

"I can help you break his legs. How will he earn work points to support you for the rest of his life?" The oldest brother wasn't stupid; he thought this kind of thing wasn't easy to accomplish.

The important thing was, if it didn't go well, wouldn't they have to support their sister? Their brother-in-law and nephew would also have to be supported.

"Big brother, that man Luo Liangce is about to run away. If he abandons his wife and child, our family's reputation will fall even lower. As long as we keep him around, I can still earn work points…"

Su Qianqian cursed her big brother in her heart; don't think she couldn't hear. He was worried about her returning home to eat their food, right?

Her maternal home was her home too; that was her father and mother. Why shouldn't they give her food?

Wasn't it those three scummy women whispering in their ears? They were truly forgetting their sister now that they had wives!

However, in front of them, Su Qianqian didn't dare show her resentment. Instead, she kneeled and cried to beg for their help.

The three brothers, while she was kneeling and crying pitifully, ultimately couldn't bring themselves to drive her away.

As for Luo Liangce, seeing their family fall into hardship, losing the captaincy, he wanted to abandon his wife and child??? Damn scumbag!

Just as Su Qianqian had said, he was a scumbag. Once he could return to the city, he would definitely leave at the first opportunity.

"Don't worry, Qianqian. I will definitely help you with this matter."

"What are you saying, brother? We're just going to talk to Luo Zhixing and make him understand that he can't treat Qianqian coldly and that divorce is not an option."

"Ah, yes, yes…"

The three sisters-in-law didn't want their husbands to get involved in this matter, but no matter how much they resented Su Qianqian's misdeeds, she was still their sister.

Dare Luo Liangce run away? He better stay in the village and take good care of their sister.

In just a couple of days, news of Luo Liangce's broken leg had spread throughout the entire production team.

"Ahhhhh!!!" Luo Liangce, who had his leg broken, was dragged back to the house he shared with Su Qianqian, screaming, "Take me, take me to the hospital!!!"

He was beaten at the foot of the mountain after someone covered him with a sack. No matter what he said, his assailants didn't respond; they just broke his leg.

He passed out after that, and someone who was gathering firewood or grass found him. They immediately called Su Qianqian and her family to come over.

When Su's family arrived, they were shocked. "How did this happen? What on earth happened? Who would do such a thing? Who's so heartless???"

"Liangce, don't be scared, don't be scared. We're taking you home now!!" Their anxious expressions were obviously not fake as they carried Luo Liangce home, crying as they went.

As for seeing a doctor, maybe they forgot, or perhaps they didn't have the money.

However, Luo Liangce's situation made everyone in the village uneasy. Who could have done it?

If someone dared to hurt a young educated man like Luo, what's to stop them from hurting anyone else? They had to get to the bottom of this.

Su Qianqian didn't want to find a doctor for Luo Liangce, because this was what she had intended in the first place. If he were to get better, wouldn't all the effort be wasted?

But now the villagers were investigating the matter. If they found out that she wasn't looking for a doctor to treat Luo Liangce, wouldn't they start suspecting her?

So, Su Qianqian reluctantly asked someone to help find a doctor. However, no one wanted to help, and the Su family members were also busy with their own matters.

The main issue was that they were afraid the doctor would come and expect them to pay the bill.

They even thought Su Qianqian was being too fussy. His leg was broken; why even bother calling a doctor? Wasn't that just wasting money?

"If the villagers find out we're not doing anything to help Luo Liangce, won't they start suspecting us?"

As soon as Su Qianqian said this, everyone turned to look at her. What did she mean? Was Su Qianqian threatening them?

If they didn't bring in a doctor, would she expose them?

Alright then, alright! She really was their "good sister." All their help had been for nothing.

"Qianqian, you're married now. As they say, a married daughter is like water spilled out of the family. In the future, don't come looking for your eldest brother anymore. We have our own matters to deal with."

The eldest sister-in-law spoke with disdain, her tone cold and indifferent. Meanwhile, the eldest brother looked hesitant, as if he felt guilty under his wife's control.

Su Qianqian hated her eldest sister-in-law, and her eldest brother too. Couldn't he stand up for himself for once?

"I understand. Just this once, brother. Please help me one last time." Inside, Su Qianqian cursed, but on the outside, she looked pitiful, as if realizing she was no longer the cherished little sister but an outsider to the Su family.

Even though the eldest brother was displeased with his sister, he never expected that after all he'd done for her, he'd still be blamed.

If he had known, he would have walked away and not cared if she lived or died.

When the doctor finally arrived, he couldn't set the bone. If it had been dislocated, that would've been easier, but this was a fracture…

"You should still take him to the hospital. I have a few pain-relief medicines here. Boil them for him to drink," the doctor said, shaking his head. He was just a barefoot doctor, capable of treating colds and fevers, but not skilled in surgeries.

Su Qianqian frowned, her face full of distress. "Is it that serious? But… but I don't have money. How can we afford treatment?"

She started to cry, rubbing her pregnant belly. "Liangce is just an educated youth. He doesn't have money, and I'm about to give birth. How can we afford to see a doctor? Can't you help us out, doctor?"

Su Qianqian kept muttering about having no money, saying they would have to leave things as they were and hope for the best. She begged the doctor to help.

Most doctors in this era held the belief in saving lives, so the doctor sighed and used some planks to stabilize both of Luo Liangce's legs, advising that he not move them and hope they would heal naturally over time.

After finishing, the doctor advised, "It's best to go to a hospital. I'm not very good with this. If both legs are fully broken, it might be too late. If you take him to the hospital now, there might still be hope."

Su Qianqian nodded repeatedly, full of gratitude. "I understand. Thank you, doctor."

But as soon as the doctor left, Su Qianqian returned to the house and smirked coldly. Go to the hospital? That would cost a lot of money. Let's leave it to fate!

Shortly after, another educated youth at the station—Yuan Fengxin—fell from the mountain. Not only did he break his leg, but he also broke his right hand.

This accident made Yuan Fengxin cry bitterly, as he claimed someone had pushed him. He insisted on calling the police. "My hand!!" he wailed.

Yuan Fengxin had heard about Luo Liangce's leg being broken and how the Su family didn't take him to see a doctor. That made him nervous.

He realized Luo Liangce might have been beaten because he wanted a divorce, thinking he could escape after the Su family had lost their power in the team.

Who knew…

Yuan Fengxin reflected on his own situation. He had been flirting with the elementary school principal's daughter, intending to use her as a stepping stone to get a teaching position at the school.

But he had only ever seen her as a tool, intending to dump her once he returned to the city. Now, thinking about it…

He was scared. What if the same thing happened to him? He didn't want his legs broken. And that principal had some connections; he could even track down his family address in the city.

Before he could act, he heard that the girl was already engaged.

He thought he could use this situation to guilt-trip her, distance himself, and have her feel indebted enough to help him get the teaching position—killing two birds with one stone.

But who was it? Who had set him up?

"I was harmed. Someone is targeting us educated youths, definitely!" he emphasized, hoping to get more attention by highlighting his identity, making the other educated youths feel nervous.

Yuan Fengxin's words indeed sparked fear among the other educated youths. "Yeah, lately it's only been us educated youths getting into accidents."

"Who is it? We don't have any enmity with the villagers, do we?" The others anxiously asked each other, afraid they might be the next to have their limbs broken without even knowing why.

"Take me to the hospital, please. Hurry, take me to the hospital." Yuan Fengxin, seeing they believed him and were now suspicious of each other, hurriedly spoke up.

He didn't want to lose his limbs.

"Alright, alright, we'll take you now. But Yuan Zhixing, going to the hospital won't be cheap." Some knew Yuan Fengxin's financial situation. Did he have money to pay for it?

"Tch, why are you so greedy? Isn't a person's life more important than money?"

"Yeah, we're all educated youths. If we don't help each other, we'll end up dead."

"Alright, but you guys lend Yuan Zhixing the money. I don't have any. I have to send mountain goods and other things back to my family in the city every month." Besides, she didn't expect to be able to afford treatment for herself if she ever got seriously ill—it was too expensive.

The other educated youths exchanged awkward looks, hesitantly turning to Yuan Fengxin. They were right; none of them had money. Who would be willing to lend Yuan Fengxin money?

Sure, they were all educated youths sent to the countryside together, but they weren't relatives or even close friends—just comrades sticking together for survival. If Yuan Fengxin couldn't repay the money, it would be like throwing it into a pit.

"I have money, I have money. Just take me to the hospital, and I'll repay you when I get back." Yuan Fengxin spoke through gritted teeth, barely conscious from the pain, before passing out.

Of course, not all the educated youths were so concerned about money. Some of them offered a few coins, willing to lend it to Yuan Fengxin.

"Send him first. We'll talk about everything later. If his limbs are really broken, Yuan Zhiqing's life is ruined. Report it to the police in town as well. Before, no one cared about Luo Zhiqing's matter, but that won't work anymore…"

They were also scared, feeling as though they were being specifically targeted. Why were they being treated this way??

Yuan Zhiqing was one thing, but Luo Zhiqing had married someone from the village, and was considered a permanent resident. Why was he still being persecuted?

They finally managed to borrow a tractor and sent him to the town. At the same time, they made a detour to the police station. Such a malicious incident had to be addressed for the sake of the Zhiqings.

The police officers, hearing how serious the situation was, quickly dispatched a team and returned to the village with the group of Zhiqings, taking the opportunity to investigate the assault.

Yuan Zhiqing only said he had been pushed by someone, but he didn't know who it was. As for anyone he had a grudge with… he couldn't think of anyone, except for Jiang Manzhu!!! It had to be her.

But when the police investigated, Teacher Jiang, Teacher Li, and Xiao Bei were all at school. The teachers were teaching, and the student was attending class, so none of them had the time to commit the crime.

Unable to find answers from Yuan Fengxin, they went to investigate Luo Liangce's side.

When Su Qianqian found out, she didn't panic but instead held her large belly and cried pitifully, "I don't even know who this curse of misfortune is. I'm still carrying Liangce's child—how will we survive in the future?"

Su's family was furious. If they found out who did this, they would definitely not let them off!

Luo Liangce, however, suspected that it was Su's family who attacked him because he wanted to divorce Su Qianqian.

At the time, many people were watching, overhearing the conversation. Divorce? Why? This was scandalous.

Luo Liangce explained that he wanted to divorce Su Qianqian because they had never shared a marital bed, yet Su Qianqian was pregnant with someone else's child.

Su Qianqian cried bitterly, "We're a married couple! How can you falsely accuse me like this? We clearly spent our wedding night together, and there were many other times too. You, you, you're slandering me just to accuse my brothers and ruin their reputation?!"

When the villagers heard this, they were left gaping. "Wow, we heard before that Luo Liangce was impotent, but is that really true? Why else would he marry a wife and not consummate the marriage?"

"Officers, you must stand up for us. Luo Liangce, as our son-in-law, we treated him with love and care. Now he's falsely accusing us—he's utterly ungrateful." Su's family was filled with grief. After all, no one had seen anything, and without evidence, how could they be blamed?

The villagers didn't think Su's family did it either. After all, they were from the same village. Sure, they took advantage of work points now and then, but other than that, they were relatively easygoing.

"Yes, for Luo Zhiqing to say such things, there must be some proof, right?"

Su Qianqian looked at the officers with grievance. "Officers, Luo Liangce is definitely not like what the villagers are saying. He is perfectly capable. If you don't believe me, you can go check. He can absolutely still perform…"

As she spoke, she started crying again. The onlookers, however, felt embarrassed, blushing with awkwardness. Was the Su family's daughter always this bold in her words after getting married?

Luo Liangce, knowing the truth about himself, was enraged at her words and roared furiously, "Even so, I still want a divorce! You wouldn't agree, so you had someone break my leg on purpose, didn't you?"

"Was it your three brothers? Wasn't it?" Luo Liangce was livid. He had broken his leg. "They even refused to take me to the doctor. They deliberately let my leg break!!"

"Liangce, you know our family's situation. We couldn't afford surgery. Besides, didn't we already bring in a doctor? Where do you think the board stabilizing your leg came from?"

Every word Su Qianqian spoke was filled with grievance as she caressed her heavily pregnant belly. Maybe it was the tension and panic, but she started to feel pain in her stomach.

"Ah!! My stomach, my stomach hurts! Mom, mom, am I going into labor?" Su Qianqian couldn't help but call out to Huang Yeying, fearing for her life and the baby's.

"Labor? Quick, call the midwife! No, you all go out first. Qianqian, hurry to the room. The other room is ready. Eldest, go get the midwife."

Huang Yeying became flustered, quickly ordering people around. "Eldest's wife, go boil hot water, and get some towels too…"

Seeing the situation, the officers quickly left the room. It seemed like they were too busy to deal with them right now.

But the investigation still had to be done. Based on the times and locations Luo Liangce had mentioned, they investigated the three men's work schedules…

The three Su brothers had been assigned to do heavy labor, carrying things back and forth from the fields to the warehouse. If one of them had slipped away for a moment to beat someone up… if no one noticed, it would have been hard to tell if they had left or not.

The brothers insisted they had gone to carry fertilizer and even helped carry two buckets of manure. There were even witnesses to prove they had been there helping…

Luo Liangce was furious. The attack had happened days ago, and the brothers had long coordinated their alibis, fearing discovery.

There were no fingerprints, no surveillance footage in those days—how could they easily solve a case like this?

Later, they arrested a small-time thug from a neighboring brigade. The man had lost all his money gambling and was drunk, causing trouble wherever he went. He not only beat people up but also harassed young girls, almost ruining a girl's reputation. In the end, he got shot.

It was the same man who had attacked Yuan Fengxin, and it wasn't his first time committing such crimes.

Luo Liangce refused to believe it. At home, he yelled and cursed at Su Qianqian and her illegitimate child, calling them vile, despicable… all sorts of insults. Huang Yeying was displeased, but Su Qianqian felt triumphant.

Luo Liangce, this is your comeuppance!

In your past life, you abandoned your wife and child to return to the city and live in comfort. In this life, let's see how you fall into ruin and live out your days in misery!

She had even hooked up with Zhu Dachun. Zhu Dachun hadn't expected Su Qianqian to give him a son??

Right in front of Luo Liangce, she had him wear a green hat, driving him half to death with anger. He couldn't even leave the house, and the food he was given was worse than slop. Even when the news of the college entrance exams being reinstated came out, he only heard about it after the fact.

Later, Luo Liangce starved to death in bed.

Yuan Fengxin owed a mountain of debt for his medical bills, but his leg still limped, and his right hand couldn't be saved. He couldn't take the college exams or do heavy labor. Eventually, he ended up homeless, scavenging on the streets…

…

How their tragic fates unfolded in the future had no effect on Jiang Manzhu at this moment.

Jiang Manzhu had only recently learned about Li Linxi's feelings for her. She was shocked at first, but Li Linxi hadn't taken any further action.

Just like before, he woke up early to cook breakfast. As the weather cooled, he would heat water for her to wash her face. When she went to school, he carried her small cloth bag. At lunchtime and in the evenings, he took care of most of the household chores.

If she wasn't feeling well, he would make her brown sugar tea and remind her to stay warm…

He didn't show any romantic gestures, nor was he good with sweet words. He was just a simple, honest man who quietly figured out how to take care of her.

At first, she was wary and cautious, but over time, she got used to it, partly because of Li Linxi's slow and steady approach, like a frog in warm water.

Jiang Manzhu hadn't been involved in the major events happening in the village, but who would have thought that she would be dragged into it?

If Yuan Fengxin hadn't brought her up, she might have forgotten what he (the original protagonist) had done to her. It turns out, without the original protagonist's help, Yuan Fengxin had ended up so miserable??

Tsk, tsk, tsk! Serves him right.

Luckily, it had been a school day. Otherwise, clearing her name would have been such a headache! Trashy man!

Jiang Manzhu didn't bother to hide her disdain for Yuan Fengxin, calling him garbage and a "disgusting man." Even Linxi heard it.

Linxi didn't know the exact details between them, but he understood that when a woman is cursing someone, the best responses are either silence or agreement.

Moreover, Linxi also thought Yuan Fengxin was no good, so he gave Jiang Manzhu a reply, "Yeah."

You're absolutely right!

Perhaps the quickest way to bond with someone is to gossip about others behind their backs. Take Jiang Manzhu, for example. She now felt much closer to Linxi.

The tension she had toward Linxi eased significantly, and she returned to her usual carefree and composed demeanor.

However, their relationship had subtly shifted. It was no longer the simple one it used to be. Occasionally, when they locked eyes, there was a faint hint of ambiguity in the air.

As September ended and October began, the weather turned colder, especially in the mornings, when frost started to appear.

By mid-to-late October, it was even chillier. Mornings required an extra layer or two of clothing. Catching a cold became common, as evidenced by Jiang Manzhu.

She had only kicked off her blanket a bit the previous night, but by morning, her throat was dry and sore, and she sneezed several times. Little Bei, startled, hurried to bring her some ginger tea.

"Sister-in-law, wear more layers! It's cold. Don't sacrifice warmth for beauty," Little Bei advised, concerned. "If you get sick, you'll have to drink that bitter medicine!"

"Got it, got it. My little housekeeper," Jiang Manzhu said with a helpless smile, rubbing Little Bei's head.

Linxi, noticing that Jiang Manzhu had caught a cold, frowned. "Did you cover yourself properly last night? Was the blanket too thin? Did you change the cooling mat yet?"

Linxi wouldn't just casually go to Jiang Manzhu's room, but he knew she liked to stay cool. She had kept using the bamboo cooling mat, which was nice and cold during the summer.

Jiang Manzhu felt a bit guilty because she had been lazy. She thought the weather wasn't too cold yet, and she would get hot when she first lay down, only feeling a bit chilly in the early morning.

But who knew…

Achoo!

Quickly, she covered her face with a handkerchief, worried she might spread the cold. "Little Bei, stay away from me. I'm like a walking germ right now, and I don't want to pass it on to you."

"I'm not afraid! I'm strong!" Little Bei puffed out his chest, patting it firmly. Don't think of Little Bei as weak; he was actually quite robust.

"Alright, alright, my strong Little Bei. Have some ginger tea too, just in case you catch a cold." Jiang Manzhu pulled out some Western medicine that Linxi had bought last year. The pills had a long shelf life, lasting at least a couple of years.

Even though she said all this, Jiang Manzhu still separated their meals to avoid passing her illness to them, which would be a real hassle.

Whether it was the cost of seeing a doctor or the delay in work, both were too expensive.

From that moment on, Linxi became more concerned about Jiang Manzhu's warmth than she was. From blankets and pajamas to winter shoes, he had everything prepared.

Jiang Manzhu wasn't made of stone. Previously, she hadn't understood Linxi's intentions, but now that she did, her thoughts often wandered in the wrong direction.

Her heart felt warm, though she didn't show it on her face. Only Little Bei noticed that the atmosphere between his sister-in-law and third brother had grown a bit odd. But when asked, they both said it was nothing.

Little Bei didn't understand. Little Bei was confused. All Little Bei needed to do was study hard and eat well!

At the end of the year, during the final exams, the classes taught by the three educated youth once again achieved excellent results. Principal Zeng grinned from ear to ear. Oh, these educated youths were truly remarkable.

The village leader had been mistaken. The real value of the educated youth wasn't in manual labor but in helping the village's children improve their grades and strive to leave the countryside.

Principal Zeng was even considering whether to recruit a couple more teachers. Every semester counted, as no one knew when the educated youth would return to the city.

This year, the neighboring production brigade had already seen several "intellectuals" (those working in academic fields) return to the city, indicating that there might be some major changes happening.

Meanwhile, the Leap Forward Production Brigade was busy embarking on a new annual hunting campaign, led by Captain Gou Fu.

Linxi, being the only capable male in his household, had to join the hunting team.

Jiang Manzhu wasn't worried about Linxi at all. As the male lead with the protagonist's aura, he would surely triumph. Even if he didn't achieve great things, he would return safe and sound.

On the first day, the team had a good haul.

On the second day, they caught even more game.

On the third day, they brought back a large wild boar. However, while capturing it, Linxi was accidentally knocked into a tree, injuring himself. He was helped back home, clearly in pain. Jiang Manzhu was deeply concerned. Was he seriously hurt? Did he need to go to the hospital?

"No need. Just apply some ointment," Linxi calmly refused, his tone steady.

Seeing this, Jiang Manzhu assumed Linxi wasn't too seriously injured. She turned to the two men who had helped him back, thanking them, "Thank you."

"Does it hurt? Here, I brought some red flower oil. Are you sure you don't need to see a doctor? Even a small clinic at the crossroads would do. How did you get hurt?" Jiang Manzhu asked, her tone full of worry. She was so anxious that she didn't notice she was still holding the red flower oil.

Linxi's heart warmed at her concern. Perhaps her attention meant she had noticed all he had done for her over the past half-year, keeping it in her heart…

"It's not serious. I was wearing thick clothes, and it was just a bump against the tree," Linxi smiled gently to reassure her, his handsome face exuding warmth.

"Really?" Jiang Manzhu was skeptical. If it weren't serious, why did he need help getting home?

"Enough talk. Where does it hurt?" Jiang Manzhu cut him off before he could explain further.

"My back," Linxi admitted when he saw that she was getting frustrated.

"Do you want me to help, or should Little Bei do it?" Jiang Manzhu asked while still holding the red flower oil. Her expression remained calm, but there was a hint of something else in her question.

Linxi sensed the subtle test in her words, his heart skipping a beat with a trace of joy. "I'll trouble you then. We wouldn't want to scare Little Bei."

Linxi was then helped back to his room, where a small brazier had been set up. "Take off your clothes," Jiang Manzhu instructed.

When he removed his clothes, revealing his back, a large, long bruise stood out, turning dark purple.

Hiss—

Linxi continued to pretend nothing was wrong, maintaining his calm and collected expression, which greatly impressed Jiang Manzhu.

He clearly wasn't dressed warmly enough. To make hunting easier, he'd only worn three or four layers. Since he'd been moving around, he hadn't felt cold.

"Does it hurt?" Jiang Manzhu's first instinct was to ask upon seeing the bruise. But after asking, she gave a helpless laugh, "That was a silly question. Of course, it hurts."

"Bear with it. I'll need to rub the oil in hard," Jiang Manzhu said bluntly. She planned to put some real effort into it.

"Okay," Linxi, who was used to enduring pain, simply replied. Especially in front of Jiang Manzhu, he wouldn't show any sign of weakness.

Jiang Manzhu poured some red flower oil into her hand, rubbed her palms together, and then began to massage the oil into Linxi's back. "Once the oil is absorbed, you'll feel better soon."

She spoke to comfort Linxi, but in truth, her strength wasn't much. The rubbing sensation on Linxi's back felt warm and comforting rather than painful.

Lingxi held back the sound he wanted to make, feeling the hand moving across his back.

His face turned red as he felt time dragging on. Finally, when Jiang Manzhu pulled her hand back and said, "All done," he let out a sigh of relief.

Jiang Manzhu's hand was sore, and she shook it out. "You can put your clothes back on, don't catch a cold, it's winter."

Only then did Jiang Manzhu notice that Lingxi's face was flushed, likely from holding back. Was it because she'd pressed too hard and hurt him?

That made sense. The injury was severe; if it were her, she would've cried by now.

"You've got a bad bruise. If we don't massage it out today, it'll hurt even more tomorrow. You need to understand," Jiang Manzhu said gently, trying to reassure him.

Lingxi seemed to grasp her meaning and didn't explain why his face had turned red earlier. Her explanation worked just fine.

It was better than letting her misunderstand and think he was having inappropriate thoughts. He simply responded with a quiet "Mm," and said, "I need to put my clothes on. You should go."

Without saying anything else, Jiang Manzhu turned and left.

Red flower oil was greasy; she needed to wash her hands.

Outside, Xiaobei was still playing in the snow with his friends. When he heard his third brother had an accident, he rushed back in a panic and asked, "Sister-in-law, is third brother okay?"

"Nothing serious, don't worry." Jiang Manzhu patted his head. "Your hair is getting long. When your third brother has time, ask him to cut it. It's almost covering your eyes."

Xiaobei instinctively touched his head. Is it long? He wasn't sure, but he didn't object to his sister-in-law's words.

"Where's third brother?" Xiaobei looked around but didn't see him and was still worried.

"Your third brother just applied some medicine; he'll be out soon. Come, have some roasted sweet potatoes. It's winter, after all, and sweet potatoes are perfect for the cold."

"Okay." Xiaobei plopped down on a small stool by the fire, breaking open a sweet potato that released a fragrant aroma. One bite, and he felt the warmth and sweetness.

As for his third brother? As long as he was okay, Xiaobei wouldn't let it interrupt his enjoyment of roasted sweet potatoes.

When Lingxi came out of his room, he saw the two most important people in his life happily eating roasted sweet potatoes by the fire. As soon as Xiaobei saw him, he took a few big bites of his own sweet potato and then immediately handed over another one.

"Ha, Lingxi, here, we saved two for you," Jiang Manzhu said with a playful laugh, sweet and carefree.

Lingxi sat down on the small stool next to Jiang Manzhu. "These sweet potatoes are a little burnt, maybe if—"

Before he could finish, Jiang Manzhu's pretty eyes glared at him angrily, her voice pouty, "If you think you can do better, go ahead! Honestly, you complain so much when I'm roasting for you."

Lingxi sighed, "Alright, alright, it's delicious. It's the best roasted sweet potato I've ever had."

Jiang Manzhu laughed even more, her chin lifting in pride as if to say, "I'm the best."

Lingxi looked at her with pure affection. For a moment, with snow falling outside, a fire warming the inside, and sweet potatoes in hand, life felt peaceful.

Before the New Year, Tang Shengyan came to deliver gifts to Jiang Manzhu. They were quite valuable. Jiang Manzhu sighed as she looked at him. "Tang Shengyan, stop visiting me. I've decided to settle down here."

Hearing this, Tang Shengyan's face turned pale, and he breathed unevenly. "Wh-what do you mean?"

"I mean I've found someone to spend my life with. You coming around will only make things look suspicious." Jiang Manzhu offered an excuse, seeing that Tang Shengyan wasn't giving up easily.

He kept bringing her gifts—was he testing her resolve? Didn't he know that people shouldn't be tested?

If one day her heart wavered, things could get complicated.

She had no intention of taking on the emotional debts of her past self. It wasn't right for either of them.

"Alright, you should go back." Jiang Manzhu waved him off, feeling lighter after resolving this issue.

But the brilliant smile on her face was harsh in Lingxi's eyes as he watched from inside the house.

That picture-perfect scene of a handsome man and a beautiful woman, laughing together…

It stung. So much that a knot of jealousy and frustration rose inside Lingxi, his gaze sharpening as he looked at Tang Shengyan.

Because he remembered she'd once said that he was her childhood friend… How could any man not be jealous?

As Jiang Manzhu came back inside, Lingxi couldn't hold back anymore. He grabbed her wrist, his handsome face filled with a bit of restrained frustration. "What did you say to him?"

"You told me that when I married into the Ling family, I became part of it. If I die, I'm still the Ling family's ghost. My brother's gone, but I'm still here…"

"Tang Shengyan, as a city youth, isn't right for you. Look at me—what is it you like about him?"

His low voice, tinged with a bit of grievance, rasped in her ear as his handsome face loomed close.

"I'm not with him. I know he's not right for me. And also, what does my brother being gone have to do with you? Do you plan to inherit his widow or something?"

Jiang Manzhu was annoyed by his words and pinched his waist, though she only managed to grab his clothes.

Frustrated, she grabbed his hair instead, making the already aggrieved man's eyes redden from the pain.

"I'm my own person. Who I want to be with is my own choice, got it?" Stop pushing this big macho attitude; I'll tear your scalp off, believe it or not!

"I get it, I do… I'm just… jealous and worried," Lingxi admitted, his voice sounding awkward, as if embarrassed. But he still wanted to tell Jiang Manzhu how he felt.

He didn't want their relationship to be ruined just because he was too shy to speak up.

Jiang Manzhu knew feeling pity for a man was the start of trouble, but for some reason, she softened a little at this moment.

"No, I'm not with Tang Shengyan. I've already rejected him," Jiang Manzhu wasn't one to drag things out in matters of love. If she didn't like someone, she refused them—no need to string them along.

Lingxi's eyes lit up suddenly, like a fire that burned straight into Jiang Manzhu's heart. His gaze flickered a few times.

Then he gently pushed her away. "Alright, you're standing too close. Get away from me!"

…

Tang Shengyan had never seen Jiang Manzhu get close to anyone, but after observing for several months, he noticed… the only person who seemed to be close to her was her little brother-in-law—Lingxi?

Lingxi?!

The thought made his face change several times, and instead of approaching Jiang Manzhu, he confronted Lingxi directly.

With a scrutinizing and hostile look, he asked, "Do you know how inappropriate your relationship with her is? If word got out, do you realize how much harm it could cause her?"

At those words, Lingxi's eyes instantly sharpened, staring at Tang Shengyan like a hawk. The competition between the two men was intense.

"That has nothing to do with you, Tang Shengyan. Your constant meddling is really annoying," Lingxi shot back. He wasn't stupid; he knew how to handle the situation.

And Tang Shengyan? He was just an annoying suitor with no right to swagger in front of him.

"Lingxi, since she chose you, you'd better protect her. Otherwise… I'll be watching." Tang Shengyan knew there wasn't much else he could do at this point.

If Lingxi didn't treat her well, he would take her back!

Tang Shengyan cast one last angry glance at Lingxi before leaving, unable to understand why Jiang Manzhu had chosen him. Wasn't Lingxi just a country teacher, destined to live a humble life?

Had Jiang Manzhu really not considered going back to the city?

Li Linxi's expression was serious and earnest. "You will never have that day." Take her away? Impossible!

At this moment, Principal Zeng finally made up his mind to recruit two or three more educated youth as teachers, as there were two or three more spots available for this year's entrance exam to junior high school compared to last year!!!

Excited, Principal Zeng could walk into the meeting with his head held high!

This summer, the educated youth had little interest in working in the fields because they were focusing on studying hard, hoping to become elementary school teachers.

Li Linxi and Jiang Manzhu kept their distance from them, but Wang, the educated youth, was close by; she was the only one living a comfortable life.

Who wouldn't be envious?

Even the newly appointed brigade leader, Gou Fu, noticed that the educated youth were distracted, and he merely reminded them a few times to "work hard and not be lazy," without saying much more.

No one knew when they would be able to return to the city. Since the policies hadn't changed, who wouldn't feel excited about being able to improve their situation a bit?

The only thing Gou Fu could do was go find the elementary school principal. Why was it only targeting the educated youth? The children in their brigade were doing well in school too, and they could surely pass the exam!!!

What could the principal do?

Fine, fine, everyone can come!

Feeling troubled, he could only copy a few more exam papers, and this time he personally crafted the questions, splitting them into two subjects: Chinese and Math, rather than combining both subjects into one paper like last time.

Later, Gou Fu issued an order: whoever delayed the urgent planting and harvesting work would not get a spot for the teacher recruitment exam!

Suddenly, everyone became enthusiastic. While working in the fields, they even recited lessons or slogans, just in case they might need them!

Jiang Manzhu and Li Linxi's math textbooks for grades four and five had all been borrowed.

Jiang Manzhu didn't care whether they got selected because she knew that in October this year, a sensational news was about to arrive—the college entrance exam was being restored!

The central government was reviving the first college entrance exam next year, but this December would be the first time the exam was held again, just after one semester of professional courses for one year.

The country was in a hurry.

The ten-year delay of the college entrance exam had left intellectuals without proper education, and the road to building a socialist modernization had come to a standstill.

With Jiang Manzhu's anticipation, that day finally arrived.

The news indeed created a nationwide stir; all the educated youth were ecstatic—the college entrance exam was back, and they could return to the city!!

Jiang Manzhu was equally excited and thrilled. She had saved so much money to cover her upcoming university living expenses and tuition. It might not be enough, but surely she could manage in the first year.

The diligent studying she had done for the past two or three years, her tireless efforts, were all for this college entrance exam, right??

"Linxi, you've been so diligent. This time, for the college entrance exam, we're definitely going to get into college. Then we won't have to worry about our futures," Jiang Manzhu said excitedly, patting Li Linxi's shoulder, the first time she mentioned their future together.

Li Linxi wasn't as excited as Jiang Manzhu; on the contrary, she sat in silence, merely responding with a quiet "mm."

Jiang Manzhu, who was slow to realize, noticed that Linxi seemed to be in a bad mood?

"Are you worried about Linxi? When the time comes, we can rent a place near the university for Xiaobei to live. Perhaps by then, you won't even have to live in the university. Someone as capable and outstanding as you will definitely get into the best university, and your future will be bright!"

Jiang Manzhu reassured her. Since she had made some money from business, this shouldn't be too hard, right?

"We still have a month to review; don't slack off! This will affect your entire future." Jiang Manzhu patted her shoulder. She encouraged Linxi to think carefully; she had already given her suggestions.

"Mm, I know. You study hard; you'll definitely get into college," Linxi said. She knew that this village couldn't keep this golden phoenix.

As for keeping this phoenix, the only way was to follow the golden phoenix wherever she went.

"Of course," Jiang Manzhu nodded proudly, confident that if she couldn't outdo others after being ahead for so many years, she would truly be a big loser.

In the following month, Jiang Manzhu studied hard for the exams. Before the college entrance exam, she thought about what she wanted to do in the future. But as for college… if possible, the best would be the highest!

No one knew that Jiang Manzhu had books; they only thought she had fourth and fifth-grade math books. Fortunately, she had reviewed over the summer…

But it was just fourth and fifth-grade math, at most up to junior high school Chinese and math; it was considered giving them time.

Everyone was particularly grateful to Principal Zeng. In the coming days, no matter how the brigade leader urged them, reviewing became their top priority.

The children who had completed junior high and high school were equally excited. The college entrance exam hadn't been restored for ten years; the educated youth were toiling in the fields without time or energy to study.

Their own children were different. Mothers would always have a flattering filter for their own kids. They studied hard; what if they got into college?

Once they got in, they wouldn't just be mud-covered workers anymore!!! Maybe they would be assigned to a factory?

To become a great worker! How delightful!

"Study, study hard for me!"

Fortunately, they had just harvested the crops, and the upcoming farming tasks weren't as busy. The children had this determination, and as brigade leader, he couldn't stop them from wanting to work hard for their country.

For such a good brigade leader, the educated youth felt deeply moved. Thankfully, they had a new brigade leader.

Huang Yaying had spread the word about the ungratefulness of these educated youth, making some of them furious.

However, all this didn't affect Jiang Manzhu. Every day, besides teaching, she studied with Li Linxi, waiting for the college entrance exam to arrive.

On the morning of December 10th, just as the day was beginning to brighten, tractors were already filled with students preparing for the college entrance exam.

Like the rising sun, filled with the hope of light, not even the coldest winter could hide their passionate hearts; their future was in their hands.

As the tractor "puttered" off into the distance, it couldn't hold so many people, so they sat on the driver's canopy, not allowing anyone to fall behind.

After the exam, the results wouldn't come out quickly. No matter how anxious they were, they still had to stay in the village and continue working.

Only Principal Zeng felt regretful. If he had known, he would have let these educated youth become teachers sooner. Now they were all about to leave, oh no… my bright achievement in junior high school entrance exams was about to crash.

The college entrance exam results wouldn't be released; only the admission letters from universities would come.

They had made significant progress in their production brigade; astonishingly, two of them were admitted to the highest institutions! Emphasizing heavily: two!!!

Gou Fu couldn't help but laugh three times towards the sky. He had just taken office for a short time, and now he had such good results; the commune would surely praise him!!

When he learned that Jiang Manzhu and Li Linxi were accepted into the highest institutions, the people in the village praised them. "Truly deserving of being high school graduates; I always thought you two were the smartest and most outstanding."

"Our child improved from failing to scoring ninety points, thanks to the two teachers."

"Yes, yes, we knew this all along; they're amazing!!"

Now, no one mocked or looked down on them. All that remained was admiration and awe. How could anyone be so outstanding? There was also a sense of pride; these were people from our production brigade. Did any other brigade have this?

"We must celebrate this properly! When are we throwing a party to celebrate their admission?" Getting into the highest institutions, to them, was equivalent to being top scholars; one word: awesome!

"Of course we must! Linxi, you need to tell your mom and brother the good news!"

"Hey, what nonsense are you saying! They're already happy; don't bring up their deceased family members, that's bad luck!" Seriously, why bring up someone's deceased parents and siblings at such a good time? Isn't that spoiling the mood?

"Everyone here is right; we must have a celebration. Tomorrow evening, let's treat everyone to a feast to celebrate the admission."

Li Linxi beamed, his mood evidently lifted.

Of course, it was because they needed to prepare ingredients for the feast in the next couple of days. That evening, everyone ate joyfully, except for those who participated in the college entrance exam but hadn't received their admission letters yet.

As they left, they packed up leftover dishes, helping to clear the table and chairs, being very diligent.

The people left behind had some celebrating, some were sleeping soundly, and others were contemplating.

After Jiang Manzhu's initial excitement faded, she began to notice that Li Linxi seemed unhappy. Why was that?

Wasn't getting into college a good thing? There shouldn't be anything to be unhappy about!

Preparing to have a conversation with Li Linxi, she said, "What's wrong? Getting into university is a good thing! What's there to be unhappy about? Just tell me, and we can figure it out together."

Keeping everything bottled up inside isn't helpful. Two heads are better than one, and discussing things properly can lead to a solution.

"Of course, getting into university is exciting, but I'm worried about Xiao Bei. Also, the cost of living in the capital isn't low…" Li Linxi expressed her concerns about Xiao Bei getting into trouble and her own worries about not having an income in an unfamiliar place, just sitting idle.

Jiang Manzhu paused for two seconds, then said, "Didn't you notice the admission letter? There's no tuition fee, and there's a subsidy every year."

At first, she also thought that the tuition and living expenses would overwhelm her. Who knew… there was no tuition fee and additional financial aid? "The country is fully committed to training talents. If you don't strive for improvement now, you might find it hard to compete with others in the future."

Everyone's academic level had been poor after resuming the college entrance exams, but after a year of studying and reviewing, others might achieve higher scores, and it wouldn't be easy to surpass them.

He had been hesitant and worried about this, not paying much attention to the details, still thinking that Manzhu might not have enough for tuition and living expenses. He was planning to earn some money at home and send it to her every month…

Seeing his expression of realization and the guilty and awkward smile on his face, Jiang Manzhu felt somewhat helpless. "Don't worry about that anymore. Instead of worrying about this, you should think about where to settle Xiao Bei properly. You can't just leave him in the village, right?"

Even if Xiao Bei was willing, Li Linxi wouldn't be.

Li Linxi nodded, the despair lifting from him completely. "After the final exams, I'll go to the capital and check things out…"

Tang Shengyan didn't dare to find Jiang Manzhu because he felt ashamed. He had previously spoken confidently, but now he realized… he couldn't compare to Manzhu or Li Linxi.

He was going back to the city because he also got into a university, but it wasn't as good as Manzhu and Li Linxi's.

Before he left, Tang Shengyan had a premonition that perhaps this was the last time he would see Manzhu.

The 'rented' room in the village was returned to the production team, and they sold off any furniture and household items that could be sold, at a low price, and some villagers took over.

These were all city goods. Oh, just say that the Tang family was well-off, and now this golden son-in-law was going back to the city.

It was a pity for Yuan Fengxin and Luo Liangce, who couldn't take the college entrance exam due to injuries.

"Manzhu, I'm leaving. My family is urging me in their letters. Do you want to go back with me? The country has redressed many injustices, and you can get your parents' belongings back…"

Tang Shengyan couldn't help but want to take Manzhu with him, even offering a condition she would find hard to refuse.

But unexpectedly, Jiang Manzhu smiled and shook her head, "No, I'll go back later. Goodbye."

"Goodbye, and I wish you happiness." Tang Shengyan left reluctantly.

Li Linxi wanted to grab her hand, a bit hurriedly. "If you want to go back to the city to take a look, I'll go with you."

Don't go with him.

"It's the New Year soon, and the station will be crowded. I don't like being in a crowd. There will be plenty of opportunities later; you can accompany me then," Jiang Manzhu said playfully, her smile sweet and charming. Her words left Li Linxi stunned, his heart racing.

His heart raced, afraid he was imagining things, afraid he misunderstood Jiang Manzhu's meaning.

"Jiang, Jiang… do I understand correctly? You, you accept me??" His eyes sparkled like a galaxy as he looked at Jiang Manzhu. He thought he would have to pursue her for a long time.

Maybe he would never have this chance at all.

At first, it was about pursuing her, but later, he got used to being good to her. Whether she accepted him was her freedom.

But at that moment, it felt like the whole sky lit up. His handsome face was filled with joy as he excitedly asked.

"What? Are you not happy?" Jiang Manzhu discovered for the first time that Li Linxi, who usually was calm and composed, had such a childish expression.

The sweet smile on her lips, tinged with a bit of pride, made Li Linxi feel overjoyed.

"Happy, of course, I'm happy!!!" Mom, did you see that?

End.