Chen Yanran always wore a gentle smile in front of others, while Xu Ying carried a cool, distant air. With her aloof expression and notoriously short temper, it was easy for people to associate her with unpleasantness.
“Yanran, you’re really too kind. You actually let Xu Ying bully you like this,” muttered Chen Yanran’s loyal follower, her voice filled with indignation. “You didn’t even do anything wrong—you just sent a letter to Dong Zhiqing, yet she still had the audacity to pick a fight with you.”
“Tch, the captain’s family spoiled her rotten. Once she leaves their house, I wonder who’ll still bother spoiling her,” the follower added with a sneer.
Hearing this, many of the educated youths who’d always been annoyed by Xu Ying’s lofty attitude—especially since she came from the countryside but looked down on city folk—quickly joined in.
“Xu Ying is really being unreasonable this time,” someone chimed in.
“Exactly! You only sent a letter to Wenzhong, and she’s acting like you’ve committed some terrible crime. Honestly, she’s so full of herself. Dong Wenzhong isn’t even her fiancé, yet she’s acting like some jealous wife.”
While the story about Dong Wenzhong’s injury gradually faded from people’s lips, the talk about Xu Ying’s supposed pettiness only grew louder.
Zhang Qiuling, who’d never been able to stomach Chen Yanran’s two-faced sweetness, watched from the sidelines with cold amusement. She had no intention of letting Chen Yanran off easy.
With a sneer, she spoke up, her voice laced with sarcasm. “Chen Yanran, why didn’t you save Xu Ying back then if you’re so kind? Instead, you stood there pretending to be a hero. Or what? Hoping the captain would see and fall for you?”
Her words cut sharply, exposing Chen Yanran’s hidden motives.
Chen Yanran’s face flushed with embarrassment as everyone turned their gazes toward her. Ever since that incident was exposed, her standing in the Educated Youth Institute had plummeted. She’d been lying low these past few days, trying to avoid attention, yet Zhang Qiuling still dragged the matter up again.
She shot a vicious glare at Zhang Qiuling’s bed, her eyes filled with hatred.
“Zhang Qiuling, I’ve already admitted my mistake and apologized! Why are you still harping on it?” Her voice trembled, her eyes reddening as she spoke. Her shoulders shook faintly, as if she were about to burst into tears.
Zhang Qiuling gave a disdainful snort. “I just can’t stand fake white lotuses like you. Always scheming, always playing innocent while stabbing others in the back.” With that, she pulled the quilt over herself and turned away, signaling the conversation was over.
Chen Yanran stood rooted to the spot, so furious she couldn’t speak.
Meanwhile, Dong Wenzhong awoke in the dead of night, the sharp pain in his right arm jolting him from his sleep. His whole body ached, but the searing pain in his hand made him grit his teeth in hatred. He longed to know who’d attacked him that night—yet no face, no voice came to mind.
When dawn finally broke, bad news greeted him.
“Wenzhong, the commune’s recruiting teachers,” Chen Yanran said eagerly, eyes shining with excitement. “I heard each village gets three slots. If we get in, we won’t have to work in the fields anymore!”
But lying in bed, his right arm still useless, Dong Wenzhong felt only despair.
He looked at her helplessly. “Yanran… with my injury, I can’t take the exam. But you still can. If you study hard, you’ll definitely pass.”
Chen Yanran’s smile faltered momentarily. She’d hoped they could escape together. But quickly, she recovered, determination flaring in her eyes.
“Yes, I can still go.” She clenched her fists. The days of laboring under the scorching sun were too exhausting. She couldn’t keep doing this forever.
“Don’t worry, Wenzhong. I’ll work hard. Once I become a teacher and get a salary and food rations, life will be better for both of us.”
Hearing her words, Dong Wenzhong’s heart softened. It wasn’t in vain, he thought, that he’d chosen her over Xu Ying.
But Chen Yanran soon frowned, worry creeping into her face. “Wenzhong… but we’ve offended the captain’s family. Will they even let us join the competition?”
There were five or six villages vying for spots, and only two final teaching positions available. Competition was fierce—and without the captain’s approval, their chances were slim.
“If only Xu Ying were willing to speak up for us,” Chen Yanran murmured, biting her lip. “With her help, I’d at least have a fifty percent chance.”
Dong Wenzhong sighed bitterly. Xu Ying had become completely different lately—distant, indifferent, unapproachable. She wouldn’t lift a finger to help them.
“Yanran, are you sure it was Xu Ying’s voice you heard that night?” he asked suddenly, narrowing his eyes.
Chen Yanran’s eyes widened as she nodded fervently. “I’m sure! It was definitely her. Could she have been the one who hurt you?”
Dong Wenzhong gave a wry smile. “No way. Xu Ying’s so small and weak—how could she beat me up like that? Besides, the person that night was strong enough to cover my mouth and drag me away. I’m sure it was a man.”
Still, he couldn’t figure out who in Xujiacun would harbor such deep hatred toward him. He’d been here for over a year, kept his head down… so why ambush him like this?
Whoever it was, Dong Wenzhong vowed he wouldn’t let them get away with it.
Later that morning, Chen Yanran made her way to the captain’s house, standing hesitantly at the gate. Her feet felt rooted to the ground—she dreaded encountering that shrew, Mrs. Xu.
The news of the commune recruiting teachers had already spread like wildfire. Educated youths eager to escape field labor flocked to the captain’s house to sign up.
Seeing Chen Yanran frozen outside, Sun Yunjuan walked over curiously. “Yanran, are you signing up too?”
Chen Yanran nodded.
“Then why are you just standing here? Most of the others have already signed up. If you wait too long, there might not be any spots left,” Sun Yunjuan warned.
At her words, panic surged through Chen Yanran. She hurried inside, only to halt abruptly at the sight before her.
In the courtyard, Xu Ying lounged leisurely on a reclining chair, basking in the warm sunlight. Her serene, carefree expression struck Chen Yanran like a slap to the face.
Why? Why was Xu Ying’s life so easy? In a rural village where daughters were usually overlooked, why was Xu Ying treated like a precious jewel in the Xu family?
Even though her parents weren’t biased toward sons, they’d never loved her as much as the Xu family loved Xu Ying. Otherwise, they wouldn’t have allowed her to draw lots to come to the countryside in the first place.
“Yanran, don’t forget—you can’t afford to offend Xu Ying,” Sun Yunjuan whispered beside her. “What if she tells the captain to block your application?”
Chen Yanran bit her lip hard, unwilling yet helpless, and finally stepped inside.
Meanwhile, Xu Ying stood up and stretched lazily. “Mom, I’m heading into town. Don’t bother saving lunch for me,” she called out casually as she walked away.
Mrs. Xu had just come out holding a basket of eggs meant for her beloved daughter, only to watch Xu Ying leave before she could hand them over.
Watching this scene unfold, Chen Yanran nearly ground her teeth to dust.
Xu Ying, meanwhile, made her way straight to her grandmother’s house. Her second uncle’s family owned a bicycle—a rare luxury in the village. Years ago, her cousin had been a respected factory worker in the county until an accident ruined his career. But before that, he’d managed to buy a bicycle for the family.
Standing outside the Xu family’s old courtyard, Xu Ying felt her heart pounding.
She’d always feared her grandmother. Her parents often told her that Grandma Xu had once been a tutor in a wealthy household, which explained why she was so strict with the younger generation. Every encounter left Xu Ying feeling small and nervous.
But in this new life, she understood. Her grandmother’s sternness wasn’t cruelty—it was care, disguised as tough love.
“Grandpa, Grandma, I’m here to see you,” Xu Ying called out brightly, stepping into the yard with a smile, carrying several duck eggs she’d taken from her space.
Hearing her unusually cheerful voice, Grandma Xu paused, a flicker of curiosity flashing in her eyes.