Early the next morning, Xu Ying rose with the sun, a conscious effort given she wasn’t in her own home, where the luxury of sleeping in was always an option. In the kitchen, Mother Zhao was already at work. Her eyes, however, betrayed a restless night, still pondering the mysterious inquiry from the evening before. She hadn’t spoken of it, and the unspoken thought had kept her tossing until well past midnight.
“Yingying, you’re awake!” Mother Zhao exclaimed, her voice thick with lingering curiosity. Dark circles shadowed her eyes, making her resemble a comical giant panda. “I know who that girl you were talking about last night was! Shubo got engaged a few days ago, and his fiancée’s sister is named Cheng Yinglan. What do you want with her?”
Xu Ying stifled a laugh at Mother Zhao’s earnest, almost silly, interrogation. How could she explain that she didn’t know the girl at all, that this was all part of a perplexing task? Three hundred yuan, it seemed, was not easily earned. A thought suddenly sparked in her mind—Zhang Qiuling from the Educated Youth Institute! “I heard one of the female educated youths in our village mention her,” Xu Ying quickly fabricated, “so I just wanted to ask.”
Mother Zhao, satisfied with the explanation, let out a relieved “Oh!” before turning back to her cooking, nearly letting the porridge boil over.
Back in her room, Xu Ying accessed her system. Several lines of text glowed on the taskbar, an introduction to Cheng Yinglan. A cold dread settled over Xu Ying as she read: Cheng Yinglan, too, had been implicated in her previous life. After her eldest sister-in-law’s family fell on hard times, she had returned home seeking help from her parents. Mother Zhao, out of maternal love, had continuously aided her daughter. But the mysterious avenger, still consumed by a vengeful hatred, had targeted Mother Zhao’s home, feeling that the entire family deserved ruin. The original intent was to destroy the Zhao family, but Cheng Yinglan had been tragically dragged into it, defiled and driven to suicide.
Rage surged through Xu Ying. Who was this person, so consumed by fury at their family, especially when the opportunity for them to return to the city had been denied? Could it be that this individual, without Dong Wenzhong and Chen Yanran, would have made it back on their own?
Xu Ying desperately tried to narrow down the possibilities. If her father truly hadn’t intervened, the only person who might have returned on their own was Gu Yanfang from the Educated Youth Institute. Gu Yanfang came from a respectable family with connections, forced into the countryside by circumstances. With her family’s full effort, she would surely have returned. But no, it couldn’t be her. Gu Yanfang was hopelessly romantic, following the man she loved to the countryside without hesitation. Now, with their love blossoming, they had settled down in the village, living a good life. It wouldn’t be her.
And Zhang Qiuling? Unlikely. Xu Ying had accidentally discovered in her past life that Zhang Qiuling was fond of Da Ya’s second brother, and the two seemed to have married. There weren’t many educated youths in their village; most who could return had already done so. The rest were those with no power or influence, or those who were practically invisible at home, or from impoverished backgrounds. Xu Ying’s mind spun, but she couldn’t pinpoint the culprit. She would have to go back and observe, slowly.
After breakfast, Mother Zhao accompanied Sister Xu to the hospital for a check-up. The news was joyous: Sister Xu was indeed pregnant. Mother Zhao was overjoyed, and Sister Xu herself beamed with surprise and happiness, already planning how to surprise her husband.
Upon their return, Xu Ying was already preparing dinner. Father Zhao had killed the duck before heading to work that morning. Xu Ying divided the duck in half, planning to make a beer duck with one half and a rich soup with the other. Her sister-in-law’s pregnancy brought many dietary restrictions, so the beer duck was out. Instead, Xu Ying thoughtfully prepared pickled cabbage and crucian carp soup for her, having noticed her sister-in-law’s preference for sour flavors that morning.
“This smells absolutely divine!” Mother Zhao exclaimed, taking a deep breath as she approached the house. As they stepped into the courtyard, a neighbor smiled and called out, “Sister-in-law, what delicious feast are you cooking? It smells so good!” Sister-in-law Xu, who had initially lacked appetite, now felt her stomach rumble.
“Yingying must have cooked it. Mom, hurry back! I’m starving!” Sister-in-law Xu practically ran ahead. Mother Zhao followed, inhaling the fragrant air, her earlier doubts about Xu Ying’s cooking skills completely vanished.
Xu Ying’s culinary prowess at noon earned unanimous praise. Mother Zhao’s affection for Xu Ying deepened further; the girl had yet another remarkable quality: she cooked wonderfully.
That afternoon, Xu Ying and Mrs. Xu boarded the bus for their journey home. As soon as they arrived, the joyful news of Mrs. Xu’s pregnancy spread like wildfire through the household. Mother Xu, however, wasn’t overly thrilled. She had her own daughter, who, she believed, would be her solace in old age. Grandchildren, to her, were not of paramount importance. Among the family, aside from Brother Xu, Father Xu was the happiest. A new addition to the family signified prosperity and good fortune.
At the same time, another piece of good news arrived: Father Xu had been commended by his superiors and received a certificate. He was beaming with pride. Mother Xu, seeing his jubilation, couldn’t help but scoff, “This isn’t like when you were first investigated.” She recalled the day Xu Ying had left for her trip. Unbeknownst to them, some wretched soul had written a damaging report, accusing Father Xu of corruption. The matter had been serious, with officials arriving to conduct a thorough search. Father Xu, furious, had defiantly allowed them to search openly, yet nothing was found. Xu Ying smiled faintly at the memory. The events hadn’t unfolded so quickly then; Dong Wenzhong had only just returned to the city. But in her rebirth, she had moved everything accprding to the safety of her family .
Mother Xu spoke of the incident with lingering anger. That person had been too cruel, wishing their family ill fortune. She pursed her lips, then turned to her daughter, her curiosity piqued. “My daughter, how did you think of telling your dad to go inspect the dam? Don’t tell me, your dad really did find something wrong when he went to see it. If it hadn’t been repaired quickly, it would have caused a huge problem. That dam still needs attention.”
Xu Ying smiled subtly. “I simply stumbled upon it. The leaders were inspecting the countryside, wanting to see if the villagers were living well and if the crops were good. The dam is a crucial protector of the village and its land, so it’s essential to examine it carefully.”
Mother Xu no longer questioned her daughter’s insight. Her daughter was smart and thoughtful. Dams in rural areas were indeed vital. They prevented soil erosion, protected crops from waterlogging, resisted floodwaters, and even served as a safeguard against drought. They were immensely useful, and one could even raise fish in them, providing an occasional treat for everyone.
“Xu Jiangmin is in for a rough time now,” Mother Xu continued, her voice tinged with satisfaction. “He had been in charge of dam inspections before, and the people he chose were his own relatives. I don’t know how they conducted their checks normally. If your dad hadn’t gone this time, something truly catastrophic would have happened later. The leader explicitly stated he would be punished.” Mother Xu’s pride was evident. She knew that boy, with his wild ambition, was eager to see her husband fall, so he could seize the captain’s position.