Chapter 8 Walnut for Brain Health

Xia Xiao watched the scene unfold but didn't say a word. Anyone with eyes could see that Li Shengmei and Zheng Xianghong weren't getting along. However, Xia Xiao's impression of Li Shengmei had soured.

In the original host's memory, Li Shengmei was easygoing, warm, and generous, truly caring about her female comrades.

Now, that saying is proven true; you really can't judge a book by its cover.

In the spirit of fairness, Xia Xiao was also assigned as much work as everyone else, which she couldn't have completed without Zheng Xianghong's help. Even so, by the end of the day, her back ached, her waist was so sore she couldn't straighten it, and she was gasping for breath non-stop.

Seeing Xia Xiao like this, Li Shengmei looked even more disdainful, but since Xia Xiao eventually fulfilled her tasks, Li Shengmei didn't say anything more, although her contempt was very clear.

Xia Xiao ignored Li Shengmei's gaze. If someone didn't appreciate her, she wasn't going to bend over backward to please them.

"Auntie, thank you. If it wasn't for your help, I couldn't have finished today's work." This was genuinely how Xia Xiao felt; without Zheng Xianghong's help, she couldn't have completed it.

"Oh, what are you thanking me for, so formal! You're just a young girl, how much work can you do? I have the strength to help you out now, but you still have to rely on yourself," Zheng Xianghong said with a sigh. "My own girls, all married off to other villages, they still have to work in the fields while pregnant. If they had married within the production team, at least I could take care of them."

Xia Xiao also detected the concerns of a mother for her daughters who had married away, but she didn't know the Gao family well, so she couldn't comment.

"Let's go, time to eat," Zheng Xianghong beckoned Xia Xiao.

Xia Xiao nodded. Everyone still ate together from the same pot. This was her first time eating the communal meal officially, different from the school cafeteria. She saw no trace of oil or meat.

But she was so tired and hungry from working that after half a bowl of porridge and some salty wild vegetables, she couldn't eat any more.

"Eat up, how are you going to have the energy to work if you don't eat? You can't waste food," Zheng Xianghong urged, sitting with Xia Xiao.

Xia Xiao sighed. Wasting was indeed shameful. It wasn't her previous life anymore; in these times, everyone was struggling, and she couldn't be the exception.

Zheng Xianghong still felt Xia Xiao ate too little, who only laughingly replied that being small, she had a small appetite.

Many people in the production team were eating, some took their meals home in lunchboxes or bowls. Xia Xiao saw the team leader and both Gao Jiazhi and Gao Jiaxing brothers were there.

"Auntie, isn't Brother Gao still studying? Why does he have to work with the production team as well?" Xia Xiao asked quietly.

"After school, he can work. City kids have it better, with food coupons and all. Here in the countryside, if you don't work, you don't get to eat," replied Zheng Xianghong.

Her words made Xia Xiao somewhat embarrassed; she couldn't respond to that.

After a satisfying meal, Xia Xiao returned to her dormitory. Yang Xuehua and the others all had their food delivered to the dorm. By now, Sun Yuhua had already gone to take a bath, and the others asked Xia Xiao about her day.

Xia Xiao didn't hide anything; there were no secrets in the same production team. News would spread and everyone would find out.

"I heard that Director Li used to fancy the soldier team leader, and even the team leader's mother agreed, but Zheng Xianghong came between them and ended up becoming the Military Wife. Since her first three children were daughters, she wasn't favored by the team leader's mother. With the two sons that came later, it was somewhat better. Director Li, even though she married someone with a limp, her husband used to be an officer, so she has connections with the police station too. I've heard both her sons are soldiers now," Dong Meihua said.

Yang Xuehua remarked, "You can't really say that. The team leader and Director Li were never an item, so Zheng Xianghong can't be accused of interfering. If the team leader had shown interest in Director Li, Zheng Xianghong wouldn't even have been in the picture. If she hears what you're saying, it won't sit well with her."

Wang Aihua said, "Let's not gossip about others, Comrade Meihua. You should be careful with what you say. It's not nice to talk about people behind their backs."

Dong Meihua pouted. She didn't say anything else, but internally, she disagreed.

Xia Xiao internally shook her head. If Dong Meihua didn't change her ways, she was bound to suffer for it.

Just as she was thinking this, Xia Xiao heard someone outside shouting, "Xia Xiao, someone's looking for you."

She stood up and went outside, surprised to see Gao Jiaxing, "Brother Gao, are you looking for me?"

Xia Xiao was unabashed. In her previous life, she was over twenty years old, and now she was calling a sixteen-year-old boy "Brother" without feeling the slightest bit odd. It was mainly because Gao Jiaxing was tall and mature-looking, and Xia Xiao had to look up at him, so not calling him "brother" was out of the question.

"My mom asked me to give this to you," Gao Jiaxing handed over a bag to her.

Xia Xiao looked inside and saw it was full of walnuts. She immediately said, "Auntie, how can you give me walnuts? Just keep them for yourself; it's too embarrassing."

"They're good for the brain," Gao Jiaxing said and then left.

Xia Xiao stood there, speechless.

Back in the dormitory, she was surrounded by her dorm mates, "What is that?"

"Auntie gave me some walnuts," Xia Xiao replied.

"Why would Zheng Xianghong give you walnuts?" Dong Meihua asked.

Xia Xiao shook her head. She actually suspected Gao Jiaxing instead; she hadn't forgotten how she once handed him a stone to check if it would transport into the space. Maybe the boy thought there was something wrong with her brain and it needed some nourishment.

Indeed, Xia Xiao guessed right. Gao Jiaxing did think that way, so when he got some walnuts, Xia Xiao was the first person he thought of.

Feng Ying chimed in, "Xia Xiao, maybe Zheng Xianghong has taken a liking to you and wants you for a daughter-in-law? Why else would she care for you so much and even send you walnuts? In the south, walnuts are quite rare."

With that one statement, Feng Ying ignited the gossip in the dormitory. Everyone knew the team leader's wife, Zheng Xianghong, and her helpful nature in the team, but for her to go out of her way to bring things to Youth Point for Xia Xiao, it stirred their curiosity.

Especially since walnuts are uncommon around there, it was odd that Zheng Xianghong would think of Xia Xiao first.

Dong Meihua said, "Impossible. If Zheng Xianghong was looking for a daughter-in-law, she wouldn't set her sights on Xia Xiao. In the countryside, you want a bride with strength, someone who can bear children. Xia Xiao doesn't fit the criteria for a rural bride at all."

As she spoke, Dong Meihua gave Xia Xiao a thorough look over, noting her slight stature and directly discounting the possibility.

Both Wang Aihua and Feng Ying thought about it and also felt it wasn't likely.

Made uncomfortable by Dong Meihua's scrutiny, Xia Xiao said, "Yes, someone like you would be perfect, right?" Dong Meihua had a round and healthy-looking face, the sort that would meet many mothers' criteria for choosing a daughter-in-law.