After struggling to survive in a post-apocalyptic wasteland for over a decade, Song Wei finally dies. Her only regret is never having a full stomach. When she opens her eyes again, she became an educated youth who went to the countryside in Northeast China.
Bad news: Her new identity is a frail beauty—a "vase" type who's all looks and a hopeless romantic.
Good news: Everything around her is normal. No radiation, no mutated creatures. She's in a rural village by the mountains, brimming with wild resources. Finally, she can eat to her heart's content!
Before long, the once-helpless Song Wei, who couldn't lift a finger, turns into a fierce villager who can throw punches at wild boars, carry logs on her shoulder, chase off local bullies, and stand her ground against any nosy aunties in the village.
Villagers in Ping'an Commune: "Don't Provoke Comrade Song. She's no pushover!"
Song Wei, meanwhile, just wants to enjoy the life in the countryside. When she isn't working, she's foraging in the mountains, stocking up on food, and sharing gossip with the local aunties. She's reasonable… mostly.
Then, unexpectedly, she adopts a poor, scruffy little kid nobody wants. But what about this tall, rough guy with eight-pack abs who returned to the village after retiring from the army?
Why did he follow her? Oh, it turned out to be the kid's brother.
Song Wei holds up the chubby, well-fed child she's been raising. "Here, take your brother."
The child wails, clinging to her. "I don't want my brother; I want my sister!"
The man ignores his little brother, gazing intently at her. "I don't have a home."
Song Wei: "What's that supposed to mean?"
Man: "You're already taking care of my little brother… would it be too much trouble to take me in too? I'm strong, you know."
Song Wei: "…Are you two just trying to mooch off me?"
"I'm sorry, Weiwei, but I've only ever thought of you as a sister. I don't have feelings for you."
"Song Wei, Luo Yecheng and I are now together, so please stay away from him from now on. It's uncomfortable for both of us when you're around."
"Song Wei, have you no shame? Luo Yecheng already said he doesn't like you…"
SPLASH…
The sensation of falling into the water and the choking feeling of drowning was overwhelming.
A flood of memories flashed through her mind like a television drama playing out scene by scene. Suddenly, Song Wei's eyes flew open, and she found herself staring at a slightly old, plain white ceiling.
Wasn't she supposed to be dead?
What was happening…?
"Song Wei, you're awake! How are you feeling?"
A woman with two pigtail braids, wearing simple, patched-up clothes, walked over and asked with concern.
"You're so foolish! Even if Luo Yecheng doesn't like you, you shouldn't have jumped into the river to end your life."
Li Juan, the woman, sighed with relief upon seeing her awake.
Looking down at her own hands, Song Wei's pupils trembled, and tears filled her eyes. But this wasn't sadness—these were tears of pure joy.
She… had transmigrated.
She'd come to a world with no radiation, no mutated animals or plants.
The air here was so fresh it made her want to take deep, greedy breaths.
Li Juan noticed her crying and mistook her tears for sadness.
"Don't cry now. Everyone already knows that Luo Yecheng and Jiang Xiaowan are together. It's not worth it…"
"I'm fine," Song Wei said hoarsely, a hint of embarrassment in her voice.
Gurgle gurgle…
Her stomach grumbled with hunger, a sensation she knew all too well. But her face remained calm—this feeling was a daily reality in her old, desolate world. She'd gotten used to it.
"Oh! I nearly forgot!"
Li Juan quickly pulled out an aluminum lunchbox that looked worn from years of use.
"This is your share of the food. I brought it over for you."
Opening the lunchbox, the scent of food hit her, and Song Wei's eyes lit up with greed.
She eagerly grabbed the box, forgoing the spoon and poured the whole grain porridge directly into her mouth.
Li Juan was taken aback by her ravenous eating, startled by how ferociously she devoured the food.
It must have been some serious hunger to push a pale, frail girl like this into such a desperate state.
The so-called porridge was merely coarse cornmeal mush made from dried corn, mixed with tiny bits of stone that hadn't been fully sifted out. It was harsh on the throat, but Song Wei loved it.
This was real, pure, natural food without any pollution.
"Slow down! Nobody's taking it from you," Li Juan said, worried she might choke as she handed her a bowl of water.
Song Wei took a large gulp, easing her throat, then went right back to eating.
She devoured the meal in no time, and the feeling of food filling her stomach was incredibly satisfying.
After she'd eaten, a doctor came by to check on her. Her body was still weak, and the doctor asked if she wanted to stay and rest or be discharged.
She chose to leave.
The doctor looked at her, hesitating—she looks as if she might faint at any moment.
Song Wei's appearance was soft and delicate, like a traditional southern belle. Though her features were beautiful, her slim, fragile frame didn't seem suited for hard labor, yet here she was, assigned as an educated youth in the countryside.
Right now, her face was pale, giving her a sickly look that would make anyone feel pity.
"Maybe you should reconsider?" the doctor asked gently.
"No," she replied firmly. "I'm ready to leave."
"Well then, the bill is one yuan."
One yuan. Li Juan winced at the amount.
The doctor chimed in, "You're young; no need to get so worked up. Jumping into the water in the middle of winter… you've suffered enough. Next time, don't be so reckless."
Embarrassed, Song Wei asked Li Juan to cover the bill for her.
"I didn't bring any money."
Though Li Juan was pained by the expense, she agreed to lend her the money.
"You'd better remember to pay me back."
One yuan was a significant amount for her.
"I'll pay you back as soon as we get back," Song Wei promised. Having retained this body's memories, she knew where to find her money.
Her body was still weak, but her steps were light, and her gaze carried a hint of excitement.
Li Juan found it odd—why did she seem so cheerful?
They returned to the village on an ox cart that happened to be waiting at the usual spot.
A few village women were already sitting there, chatting with their baskets in hand.
Song Wei's sharp ears caught her name being mentioned.
"Isn't that Comrade Song?"
Seeing her appear so suddenly, everyone on the cart turned to look at her.
"Oh, Comrade Song, you're up and about already?" She didn't look entirely well, though.
"Come sit here! It's good to see you're up. Everyone's been worried."
Worried, yes, but more out of curiosity than genuine concern. The whole village had heard about her jumping into the river over Luo Yecheng, and people were buzzing with gossip.
"Hello, Aunt Ma, Aunt Guihua…"
Pale and sweaty from the exertion, Song Wei's lips looked faintly blue, as if she could pass out at any moment.
Yet, in truth, she felt fantastic.
With a full belly, she felt content and matched faces to the names in her memory, though many faces were still unfamiliar.
After all, her previous self had only been here for about a week.
"Comrade Song, did you hear? Comrade Luo is about to marry Jiang Xiaowan."
One woman leaned over, gossiping. "Luo Yecheng is really popular, but look at you! You even jumped into the river over him, and he didn't show a bit of worry. He's still going ahead with the marriage as if nothing happened."
Another woman quickly scolded her, "Liu Guifen, what are you stirring up? Comrade Song just got out of the hospital. What if you upset her and she ends up back there?"
Who would say such things to someone who had just been discharged?
Liu Guifen scooted away, as if afraid Song Wei might blame her for anything that happened.
Song Wei glanced at her, recognizing Liu Guifen from her original memories.
"Oh, I'm fine, thank you, Aunt Ma. But…"
She looked genuinely puzzled. "Who said I jumped into the river over Comrade Luo?"
The people on the cart exchanged glances.
Liu Guifen quickly interjected, "Come now, Comrade Song, don't deny it to save face. Everyone knows you jumped in for Comrade Luo."
Song Wei kept a look of confusion, responding calmly, "I did like Comrade Luo before, but I wouldn't risk my life over him. That day, I happened to run into Comrade Jiang Xiaowan by the river. We had a bit of a disagreement about him, things got a little rough, and I slipped on the wet stones by the riverbank and fell in."
What Song Wei said was true. That day, she and Jiang Xiaowan were arguing by the river over Luo Yecheng, which led to a shoving match. In the scuffle, she accidentally slipped on a rock and fell into the water.
With a faintly weak voice, she asked, "Who's spreading these rumors? If you go look where I fell, it's obvious I slipped. The traces of slipping and falling are different from those of jumping."
Hearing this, the women on the cart were stunned, mouths agape.
"I remember now," one of the aunts spoke up. "It was Jiang Xiaowan who ran to get help, and it was Granny Niu who got there first. She was the one who started shouting that Song Wei had jumped in the river over Comrade Luo, so we all believed it."
"Lies!" Liu Guifen cut in sharply. "My mother-in-law never said that."
Granny Niu was the old woman Song Wei remembered arguing with not long after arriving in the village, and Liu Guifen was her daughter-in-law.
Song Wei smirked inwardly. "Looks like Granny Niu still holds a grudge. By spreading lies, she's clearly trying to ruin my reputation."
The others on the cart were silent.
Reputation? They thought. With the way she's been chasing Luo Yecheng around, what reputation does she even have left?
Song Wei forced a bitter smile. "I did chase after Comrade Luo, but I had my reasons."
At this, everyone perked up, eager for gossip.
She feigned frustration as she explained, "Luo Yecheng and I grew up in the same neighborhood. His family was much poorer than mine, so when he left for the countryside, he asked me for ration tickets, promising he'd take care of me someday."
"Then he'd write letters telling me how hard things were out here, and over time, I kept sending him money and more ration tickets. With all I invested in him, why wouldn't I try to get it back?"
The others gasped, surprised to hear this side of the story.
Putting on a pained expression, Song Wei continued, "If he didn't like me, then why was he taking my money and my tickets? One was even a bicycle ticket."
A collective gasp sounded.
During these times, ration tickets were precious, but a bicycle ticket was especially rare.
In fact, in their whole county, you could count the people with a bicycle ticket on one hand. In their village, only the head of the brigade had a bicycle, and even that was secondhand.
"How could Comrade Luo do something like that?"
Anyone in her shoes would feel hurt; it was like a stab to the heart.
And wasn't this girl a little too naive, just handing over a bicycle ticket like that?
Even Li Juan looked shocked. "Luo Yecheng… that's just too much!"
Liu Guifen sneered, "Who knows if any of that's true? I don't believe Comrade Luo would do something like that."
It wasn't that she had a particular fondness for Luo Yecheng; she just disliked seeing Song Wei content.
Song Wei smiled slightly. "Oh, but I have proof. He mentioned it in his letters, and he even signed an IOU for the bicycle ticket."
In her memories, Song Wei knew that Luo Yecheng had been thrilled when he learned she had a bicycle ticket, so much so that he'd written up an IOU to persuade her to give it to him.
These women were the local gossip experts, and whatever was discussed here on the ox cart would soon spread throughout the village.
After today, Song Wei wouldn't need to chase after Luo Yecheng; she'd even have a solid reason to give him the cold shoulder.
With such juicy news, the women couldn't hold back and immediately launched into heated discussions.
In their minds, Song Wei had gone from a foolish girl head over heels for Luo Yecheng to a sympathetic figure, even if she still seemed a little naive.
Naive enough to give up a bicycle ticket—something they'd never even seen themselves.
The ride back was long, and with Song Wei present, the women didn't want to keep gossiping about her. Soon enough, they moved on to other topics.
Though the ox cart jolted uncomfortably, leaving her backside sore, Song Wei felt content as she soaked up all the local gossip.
This simple, lively village life—with none of the schemes or fighting for survival she'd known before—was a joy.
She fit in easily with the other women, occasionally chiming in, which only fueled their enthusiasm.
Li Juan watched in stunned silence as Song Wei, looking pale but perfectly at ease, chatted and laughed with the village women, even shelling sunflower seeds with a newfound ease.
Who was this girl? She's nothing like before…
By the time they returned to the village, the women were reluctant to part ways, and Song Wei felt the same.
Grabbing Aunt Ma's hand, she beamed. "Auntie, I feel such a connection with you all! Please, invite me to your chats next time."
Aunt Ma softened at her enthusiasm. "Of course, dear. If you need anything or have trouble, come to me. I'll set the record straight about you and Comrade Luo."
With an expression full of gratitude, Song Wei replied, "You're like family to me, Auntie."
Reluctantly, she waved as they left, then headed with a relaxed smile toward the youth station with Li Juan.
Li Juan was still in shock. "How did you manage that?"
Villagers weren't exactly welcoming to outsiders, viewing these educated youths as city folks who didn't know how to survive on their own.
Song Wei raised an eyebrow. "Just by talking and connecting—everyone loves a good story."
Most people had a soft spot for a bit of gossip.
By now, most of the other educated youths had gone to work, leaving only one person at the station to prepare lunch.
Upon seeing them, the woman raised an eyebrow. "Oh, Song Wei, finally back, I see."
The female youth's words were tinged with sarcasm, her gaze smug and unsympathetic. Song Wei knew she wasn't asking out of genuine concern.
Without acknowledging her, Song Wei went straight to her assigned room.
The youth station was just a row of mudbrick houses, leftover lodgings for servants from an old landlord. Each room was small, around 17 square meters, and the housing wasn't free.
Each youth had to pay ten yuan to live here. After paying, they could stay in their room indefinitely. Otherwise, they had to sleep in a shared bunk room.
Song Wei was glad she'd chosen her own small room; if not, she'd have found a way to afford one.
Opening her door, she went to the bedside bundle where her money was kept.
She took out one yuan and two dimes from the small pile and returned the rest. Then she turned and went to find Li Juan.
"Here's the money I borrowed from you, plus an extra two dimes to thank you for all the help."
Li Juan was thrilled to receive the money.
"This… it's only right for us to help each other as fellow educated youths. You should keep it."
Song Wei shook her head. "Nothing should be taken for granted."
In the end, Li Juan accepted the two dimes with a slightly embarrassed look on her face. Liu Linlin, standing nearby, chimed in with a snide tone, "Well, seems helping her out did have its perks. No wonder you were so eager to run around after her."
Li Juan's face flushed. "That's not why…"
Song Wei shot Liu Linlin a cool look. "We're not living by the sea, so why are you trying to play overseer here? This is between Li Juan and me. What makes you think you get to butt in?"
Liu Linlin slammed a pot onto the stove with a loud clank. "What's that supposed to mean? Besides, I was talking to Li Juan, not you!"
"Please, let's not argue," Li Juan tried to interject.
Liu Linlin sneered. "Oh look, ever since that little swim landed you in the hospital, you've gotten way too full of yourself."
Li Juan quickly spoke up. "Linlin, please stop. Song Wei didn't jump in the river—she slipped in by accident."
After hearing Song Wei's story on the cart, it had sounded logical to Li Juan. Anyone in her shoes would have been upset after sending Luo Yecheng so many things only to get nothing in return.
Liu Linlin scoffed. "Oh, so we're just taking her word for it now? Everyone saw her chasing after Luo Yecheng, and now he's off forming a 'revolutionary partnership' with someone else, so yeah, it makes sense she'd be upset enough to throw herself into the river. Some people really have no shame."
Song Wei looked at her calmly. "Whether I'm shameless or not, I can't say. But I can tell you're definitely shameless. For one, Luo Yecheng and I are from the same place, so maybe there's some history there. You, though? Didn't you give him gifts a few times, even when he was dating Jiang Xiaowan? It's not like people didn't notice."
Liu Linlin, clearly not one to keep her cool, flushed red with anger and lunged at Song Wei. "You wretch!"
Oh? So she wanted to fight now?
Stretching her arms, Song Wei intercepted Liu Linlin's hand, grabbed her wrist, and with an easy flick, tossed her aside. Li Juan's mouth fell open in shock, expecting delicate, frail Song Wei to be the one getting hurt.
A group of other returning educated youths witnessed the scene just as Liu Linlin stumbled to the ground. Song Wei barely glanced at them before turning back to Liu Linlin.
"Just so you know, you started this."
Liu Linlin had landed face-first, bruising her nose, and she cried out in pain, cursing loudly. The others rushed over to break things up.
"Song Wei, what are you doing?" Luo Yecheng hurriedly helped Liu Linlin up, turning to her with a frown. "Why did you hit her?"
Liu Linlin, clutching her face, shot Song Wei a venomous glare.
Song Wei let out a cold laugh, rolling her eyes dramatically. "Luo Yecheng, not only are you a sleaze, but you're blind too. Did your eyes end up on a dog's head? Couldn't you see she tried to hit me first?"
"You…"
Luo Yecheng was taken aback. He hadn't expected her to speak to him like this, and his face grew dark. "Even so, you didn't have to go that far."
"Oh, enough already. I didn't just want to hit her—I want to hit you too. Give back the ration tickets I gave you! After all the favors I did for you, you turn around and start courting someone else? You think I'm just here to be taken advantage of?"
Luo Yecheng looked uncomfortable. "Song Wei, stop causing a scene. You need rest—you just got out of the hospital."
"I'm giving you a heads-up to save you some face. Don't push me to ruin your wedding to Jiang Xiaowan. We'll see how much you like that kind of 'scene'."
He hadn't expected her to call him out so publicly, and his face darkened. Just as he was about to respond, she cut him off.
"Don't forget, Luo Yecheng—you owe me a bicycle ticket. I have the IOU to prove it."
She stared him down, deadpan.
"When you begged me for the ticket, you even wrote a letter. I kept it. Don't even think about wriggling out of this. If you're any kind of man, you'll return what you owe. Otherwise, I'll make sure everyone knows what kind of person you are. You've got a few days to pay up."
She rubbed her forehead, shot him and Liu Linlin a dismissive glance, and walked off, hand on her temple like some fragile, delicate flower.
"This is giving me such a headache. I'm going to lie down, so don't bother me unless it's important."
And with that, she swept back into the women's dormitory, not giving Luo Yecheng a chance to argue.
Everyone else stood around in silence.
After a moment, a senior youth cleared the tension, and the group dispersed, going back to their business. But Luo Yecheng's face was livid, his pride clearly in tatters. Liu Linlin fumed too, but everyone else was far more intrigued by Song Wei's new attitude.
"What's up with her?"
"It's like she's finally done with him, and not hiding it one bit."
"Li Juan, do you know what's going on?"
Li Juan, though angry herself, was too shy to criticize him openly. "Probably just like she said."
She then carefully explained what Song Wei had shared on the cart. People were stunned—she hadn't jumped into the river out of heartbreak, but had accidentally slipped on a stone.
One of the female youths blinked in shock. "But everyone thought…"
She trailed off, but they all knew what she meant.
Li Juan, said angrily, "That was all because of that nosy Granny Niu! She's been badmouthing Song Wei ever since she arrived, all because of a silly argument they had!"
Inside, Song Wei overheard their gossip, a sly grin on her face.
Her head was still throbbing; the original owner had hit her head hard on a rock during the fall and had quite the bruise. She lay down for a nap to recover.
When she woke, the other educated youths had left for work. Being freshly out of the hospital, she was granted a day off to rest.
Song Wei spent the time sorting through her belongings. The original owner hadn't brought much money or ration tickets. Her family situation had been complicated—she had a biological father but a stepmother, plus a half-brother and a stepsister.
As they say, once you get a stepmother, you also get a "stepfather," and that couldn't have been truer here.
The original owner didn't have to go to the countryside. Her birth mother had arranged a job for her before passing away, so she only needed to graduate from school to take it up.
However, with two girls in the Song family who had just graduated from high school, one of them had to go to the countryside.
So, her stepmother schemed to take Song Wei's job for her own daughter, signing Song Wei up to go to the countryside without her knowledge. By the time Song Wei found out, it was already too late.
The original owner didn't even have time to to be sad, she was forced into the train heading to the countryside. After two days of tears, she realized her assigned location was the same rural area as her childhood Sweetheart, Luo Yecheng.
She calmed herself down and regarded Luo Yecheng as her last straw.
But it turned out all her efforts were in vain. After knowing her situation, Luo Yecheng dismissed their past, saying he'd only ever seen her as a sister. Then, as if to twist the knife, he revealed a shocking truth: he was dating Jiang Xiaowan, the daughter of the village party secretary, and they were already planning to marry.
To everyone else in the village, it just looked like she was desperately pursuing Luo Yecheng, and they began whispering that she was shameless and clingy. Even Liu Linlin mocked her frequently, throwing the village gossip back in her face.
The real Song Wei knew everything, but she could only cry alone in her small room, feeling desperate and abandoned. After her confrontation with Jiang Xiaowan by the river—where she had accidentally slipped in—the last of her will faded, and her soul dissipated. After that, she didn't know how she traveled through time and space to here and became Song Wei.
This life meant everything to her now, and she didn't feel guilty about taking it—after all, the original owner had already chosen to let go; it wasn't as if she'd taken it by force.
She had no interest in any romance with Luo Yecheng. If she had free time, she'd rather spend it stocking up on mountain goods and preserving food for the winter.
Song Wei had a little over a hundred yuan saved up, not much but not little either. The reason she even had some savings and tickets was thanks to her brother, who was serving in the army. He would send her 15 yuan and a few ration tickets each month. Initially, her stepmother had intercepted these, but after visiting home, her brother found out and had given her stepbrother a thorough beating in front of her father and stepmother.
Since then, her stepmother hadn't dared take the money, though she still took some for household expenses—otherwise, she'd even deny Song Wei food at home. Now, she was left with just over 100 yuan and a few tickets. It was enough to live on for the time being, but she knew no more would be coming, and she didn't intend to rely on her brother's support.
She'd need a way to earn money, though direct business was impossible in this era without facing accusations of profiteering. A side business was out of the question, but there was always the black market. Supplies were scarce, and the mountain's resources were something she could make use of—provided she didn't get caught.
After carefully hiding her money and tickets, she left the dormitory. Her headache had mostly gone, and she couldn't sit still, gazing at the endless mountains surrounding the village. She grabbed a basket and a machete, heading eagerly into the hills.
"Here I come, dear mountains!"
Standing at the base of the mountain, Song Wei felt exhilarated by the clean, radiation-free air and the sight of normal, unmutated plants. If only people knew how much her heart was racing with excitement.
Squatting down, she grabbed a handful of fresh grass, stuffing it into her mouth to savor its bitter, earthy taste. Finally, she felt a sense of peace.
At that moment, she noticed a scrawny little boy watching her with wide eyes from a tree nearby. He was barefoot and dressed in tattered clothes, holding a few walnuts in his shirt.
She calmly swallowed the grass and met the child's gaze. The two of them stared each other down until he finally bared his teeth and narrowed his pretty eyes in a feeble attempt to look fierce.
"mine!"
The tree he was standing under was a walnut tree. Song Wei eyed the walnuts hungrily but, with no desire to compete with a child, decided to move on.
"Alright, they're yours." She gave him a nod and continued deeper into the mountains, ignoring the wary look he shot her as she walked away.
"Dangerous…beasts in the mountains," the boy said finally, a little reluctantly, before scurrying up the tree to hide.
Song Wei chuckled, calling back, "Noted," though she had no intention of turning back.
She went to the countryside just after the busy farming season.
There are both advantages and disadvantages to this situation.
The advantage is that she doesn't have to experience the pain of harvesting right after arriving in the countryside, which is a struggle that puts one on the brink of death every day.
Otherwise, the original owner might have ended up in the hospital not from falling into a river, but from heatstroke or exhaustion.
The downside was that she had no work points since she had just arrived in the countryside. Winter comes early in Northeast China, and it's uncertain whether her small amount of grain will last through the winter.
In the commune, it's not guaranteed that she can exchange enough food for her needs, so Song Wei set her sights on the mountains.
The deep mountains are home to wild animals, and many villagers are afraid to enter, which works to Song Wei's advantage.
She soon found a tree full of fresh, plump black fungus, her eyes lighting up at the sight. Loading up a third of her basket, she continued. A little further along, she spotted some wild fruit—a local variety of kiwifruit known as "yuan jujube" that was about the size of a red date and smelled deliciously fragrant.
She picked and ate her fill, her mouth full as she gathered the low-hanging fruit. She even climbed a tall tree to get more, looking like a monkey as she scaled the branches.
However, an unexpected event occurred.
A snake as thick as an arm silently hung behind her on a branch. Just as it opened its mouth to attack, Song Wei tilted her neck, and her free right hand precisely caught the snake's head.
Her delicate hand, with skin so fair that the dark blue veins were visible, tightened instantly, and the tendons on the back of her hand stood out clearly. She yanked the snake down, smashing its head against the tree trunk.
With a loud crash, the snake's head nearly got crushed.
This strike killed the snake, but its body continued to writhe uncontrollably.
"Not bad. Must be about three pounds," she said, lifting the snake with satisfaction. It was food, after all.
She stuffed it into her basket, covering it with a layer of leaves, before adding more wild mushrooms and finishing off with some kindling.
With her basket piled high, Song Wei returned, effortlessly carrying the load while hauling a thick log under one arm. To anyone watching, it was hard to believe this was the same frail young woman who had just been in the hospital.
As she descended the mountain, she happened to pass some villagers returning home from work. Seeing her heavy load of firewood, a few villagers widened their eyes in surprise.
"Who's that carrying so much firewood?"
"Oh my, isn't that Song Wei?"
Recognizing Song Wei, Aunt Ma, who felt she was already familiar with her, quickly approached.
"Song Wei, how are you managing so much firewood? Aren't you worried about overexerting yourself after just getting out of the hospital?"
Aunt Ma looked at her slight frame and delicate arms, worrying that the firewood might be too much for her.
Song Wei noticed them too, freeing up a hand to wave in greeting.
"Aunt Ma, I'm alright. Since I had nothing else to do, I thought I'd gather some wood. I heard winters here get very cold, so I want to stock up."
"Yes, winters here are harsh! We tend to stay indoors the whole season. And that new room you young people were given doesn't even have a heated kang bed—it's essential to get it properly set up for winter. Stocking up on firewood is a good idea."
Yet… she'd gathered quite a lot this time.
"Thank you, Aunt Ma! I really appreciate the help. By the way, is there anyone in the village who can set up a kang? And I'll need to buy some essentials soon—are there any carpenters around who can make furniture?"
"Of Course there is. My husband can set up a kang for you, though keep in mind, as good as our friendship is, setting up the kang and making the bricks will cost some money."
She leaned in to speak softly to Song Wei, who nodded understandingly.
"Don't worry, Aunt. I may not have much, but I'll pay your husband fairly for the materials and the work."
"Okey, After lunch, I'll have him come by to give you a hand. And as for the carpenter, when you're ready, just let me know, and I'll take you to him."
"Great! Thanks, Aunt Ma."
After they settled the matter, Song Wei continued toward the settlement with the load of firewood on her back, while Aunt Ma called out behind her to take it slow.
When she arrived at the youth station, all the returning youth were taken aback, their eyes wide with surprise. Song Wei's delicate appearance had always given them the impression of a fragile, sickly young girl, making the sight of her carrying such a heavy load of firewood a jarring contrast.
Li Juan exclaimed, "Song Wei… how did you manage to collect so much firewood?"
Rushing over to help, Li Juan was taken aback by the weight of the load. Not only had Song Wei carried it down from the mountain, but there was even a thick branch in the bundle. Li Juan was thoroughly impressed; she herself could barely lift that much.
"Everyone was at work when I woke up, so I thought I'd keep myself busy and went up the mountain."
Liu Linlin chimed in sarcastically, "Isn't she supposed to be sick? Looks healthier than any of us, skipping work and running around. Are you not concerned about betraying everyone's trust?"
With a snap, Song Wei broke a branch as thick as an arm in half and shot Liu Linlin a steely glance.
"Don't push me to slap you while I'm still in a good mood."
Although angry, Liu Linlin, not wanting to provoke a fight, held her tongue under Song Wei's intense gaze.
Li Juan cut in, "It's not even harvest season, and the captain allowed Song Wei time off. She can gather firewood without breaking any rules."
Items from the mountain, although technically collective property, generally followed an unspoken rule—unless it was a large animal like a wild boar that needed to be shared, smaller finds were considered the gatherer's property. People even turned a blind eye to small game like pheasants and rabbits, and anyone reporting such things would likely face village disapproval.
Song Wei stacked her firewood neatly in front of her room, drawing the others' attention to the rest of her haul.
The downside of the youth station was that it offered little privacy, so anything brought back from the mountain was on full display.
"Wow, Song Wei! Where'd you find so many wild kiwis? They're delicious!" said Li Juan, who had grown familiar with the mountain's resources in her three years there.
With a generous spirit, Song Wei shared a few with Li Juan, though no one else received any.
Song Wei guarded her supplies carefully, though she was happy to share with those close to her. But for others she hardly knew or didn't get along with, why should she share the fruits of her hard work?
"What's that underneath?"
Unfortunately, someone without much tact, Xu Laidi, decided to reach into Song Wei's basket without asking. Known as the most shameless in the youth station, she grabbed several round fruits and, noticing something unusual underneath, pulled it out excitedly.
"Aah!"
It was a large snake! She'd grabbed it by the head, and, terrified, shrieked and threw it to the ground.
Song Wei picked up the snake and hit her with it before reclaiming the fruit she'd taken.
"What's the deal? Grabbing things in broad daylight?"
Regaining her composure, Xu Laidi eyed the snake, muttering, "Why are you being so stingy? Aren't we supposed to help each other out as fellow youth? A few wild kiwis are hardly worth being so selfish over. Besides, they're from the mountain, so they're not really yours. What's wrong with me taking some?"
Song Wei smirked, "If the mountain's bounty is so free for all, why didn't you go find any yourself? What I bring back, I'll share as I see fit."
"A snake that big—did you catch it yourself?" one of the youth asked as a small crowd gathered, eyeing the meat hungrily.
They hadn't had meat in ages, and the snake offered a decent amount.
"Snake meat from the mountain is communal property, Song Wei. You're not planning to keep it all to yourself, are you? We youth are one group, so you should share it."
The youth who spoke was known for his stinginess, yet his eyes were fixed on the snake.
Song Wei replied, "So, by that logic, anything the villagers bring back from the mountain should be shared too? Would you like me to spread the word around tomorrow?"
He quickly quieted down. If word got around, he'd face plenty of scorn from the villagers. No one really shared meat in such situations—everyone kept whatever they could get. Even if another youth had caught the snake, they'd have kept it for themselves too.
Though the settlement had one iron pot and a communal stove, the youth had long stopped cooking meals together. Coming from different places, with differing tastes and habits, conflicts easily arose. In fact, a fight had broken out the year before over uneven food portions, so they'd switched to cooking separately except during the harvest season.
Song Wei turned to Li Juan, "Do you know how to cook snake meat?"
Li Juan nodded quickly.
"Great, give me a hand."
Song Wei, though embarrassed, admitted she only knew how to roast or boil, and her attempts typically resulted in tough, unappetizing meat. In her past life, cooking animal meat was mostly just about survival, but now, she wanted to make something delicious.
The others watched as Song Wei and Li Juan walked off with the snake, envy plain in their eyes.
"Song Wei really has changed. She'd have shared the meat with comrade Luo before, but now…"
A soft, timid voice murmured, glancing tenderly at Luo Yecheng.
"Maybe she's just misunderstanding comrade Luo. They could probably clear things up if they talked."
Luo Yecheng, who had been frowning because Song Wei's eyes never fell on him from beginning to end, softened at Bai Yunjiu's words.
Yes, she must still be angry with him. But that was alright; he'd just need to sweet-talk her. Song Wei had been mad at him before, but his charm had always won her over. Confident in his appeal, Luo Yecheng decided to bide his time and wait until Song Wei and Li Juan were done cooking the snake. Then he'd go talk to her.
Song Wei didn't care about Luo Yecheng's overconfident thoughts and was busy cleaning the snake meat. She may not be a cook, but she knew how to clean and prepare a snake.
Slitting open the belly, she pulled out its innards, setting aside the gallbladder—it was a valuable medicinal ingredient. Then, with fluid motions, she skinned the snake.
Watching her, Li Juan couldn't help but gulp. The sight of Song Wei smiling as she skinned the snake gave her chills.
"All done. The rest is on you," Song Wei said, clapping her hands before heading off to start the fire.
Li Juan, an experienced educated youth, had her own setup in the back with a small outdoor stove. There wasn't an iron pot, only a clay one—getting an iron pot required industrial coupons, and even then, it wasn't guaranteed, as ironware was scarce at the supply center.
But for stewing snake meat, the clay pot would do.
Li Juan quickly chopped the snake into pieces, adding a little oil to the pot, letting it heat, and then tossing in some garlic and other seasonings before stirring in the snake meat.
Song Wei noticed she was using very little oil, but that was understandable; oil was precious. For rural folk, eating something cooked with oil was a luxury; often, they'd just boil ingredients in water, not daring to use much oil for frying.
Once the snake meat started to sizzle and release its aroma, Li Juan added water.
Song Wei thought for a moment, then brought over the mushrooms she'd gathered to add to the pot.
"Add these," she said.
Li Juan's eyes lit up. "Wow, you managed to find so many mushrooms!"
Song Wei smiled, "Lucky day."
Few people go deep into the mountains, and now is the season when mushrooms emerge.
Snake meat doesn't need long to cook, and soon the delicious aroma filled the courtyard.
The others ate their coarse grain, finding it harder to stomach as the rich scent of snake stew wafted by. They swallowed hard, enviously eying their own bland meals.
Unable to resist, Luo Yecheng grabbed a handful of greens and headed over to Li Juan's place.
Other educated youth watched from the cracks in their doors, eager to see what would happen next.
Luo Yecheng strolled into the backyard, looking at the bubbling pot of stew, his mouth watering before he turned and gave Song Wei a warm, affectionate gaze.
"Song Wei, I know you're hurt over Jiang Xiaowan, but believe me, you're still special to me. Since we met, I've always thought of you as a sister. I didn't realize you felt more than that, but please don't be sad. Though I'm going to marry Jiang Xiaowan, you'll always be my little sister, and I'll be there for you whenever you need me."
When he finished, Song Wei looked at him, genuinely shocked. Shocked at the sheer thickness of his skin.
Luo Yecheng straightened, wearing a soft, gentle smile.
But in the next moment, that smile vanished.
Song Wei sneered, "Where'd this big idiot come from?"
Li Juan almost choked on her laughter, quickly covering her mouth. She hadn't expected that reaction at all.
In the past, Song Wei would've been moved, forgiving Luo Yecheng on the spot.
Luo Yecheng's face stiffened. "I know you're still upset…"
Song Wei cut him off, glancing at the handful of greens he was holding, ready to avoid hearing any more of his nonsense.
"Listen, Luo Yecheng, did you really bring those little greens here expecting to mooch off my snake meat? And with all that sentimental nonsense? Not a word of it was anything I wanted to hear. Now, turn around and get out."
Looking hurt, Luo Yecheng replied, "You're not acting like yourself. You weren't like this before."
Song Wei picked up a firewood stick from the pile, "Don't push me. Do you have my tickets ready to return? Don't make me show up at your wedding and make a scene."
The way she brandished the stick made it clear she wasn't kidding. Luo Yecheng took two steps back, flustered. "Song Wei, you…"
She threw the firewood stick, narrowly missing his face.
Terrified, he stumbled, leaving the greens behind as he hurried out. Song Wei picked them up and tossed them after him.
"Take your greens and scram. We don't need them!"
Luo Yecheng left, humiliated. He couldn't believe he'd been kicked out like that; his face felt scorched with embarrassment.
What had happened to the sweet, considerate Song Wei? How did she become so selfish and crude.
He consoled himself, thinking how lucky he was not to have fallen for her. Having to deal with such a shrew would have been unbearable.
When the educated youth who were observing secretly saw that Luo Yecheng had been driven out, they were sure that there was no hope for them. Xu Laidi, inhaling the delicious aroma of the stew, grumbled to herself.
"They eat and eat; they're gonna eat themselves sick at this rate. What's wrong with sharing a bit of the snake meat? No wonder Luo Yecheng didn't like her. I wouldn't, either, if I were a man…"
But whatever the other educated youth thought, Song Wei and Li Juan enjoyed their meal.
The stew was rich and flavorful, the soup a creamy white. Just dipping coarse bread into the broth was a treat.
Li Juan, feeling a bit guilty, said, "I'll treat you next time. I've still got some cured meat I can share."
Song Wei kept eating, not lifting her head, "Sounds good."
As they ate, someone called from outside.
Song Wei took her bowl to the door, finding a middle-aged man standing outside.
"Song Zhiqing (educated youth), I'm here to build your kang."
It was Aunt Ma's husband, Jiang Erzhu.
Song Wei grinned, "Thank you, Uncle Erzhu."
"No trouble. The job's not hard, so it'll be done soon."
For him, farm work and manual labor were second nature. Nearly every household in the village had these heated beds, essential for surviving winter.
Jiang Erzhu efficiently unloaded bricks from the cart, while Song Wei, having nearly finished eating, asked Li Juan to keep the stew warm and joined him in unloading.
Eager to see her new room set up, she pitched in with enthusiasm.
"Song Zhiqing, you're strong!" Jiang Erzhu remarked, watching her haul large stacks of bricks at an impressive pace, half-worried she'd overdo it.
Song Wei smiled modestly, "Just a little strength."
Despite her delicate appearance, she was stronger than she looked.
Jiang Erzhu worked through the evening, almost completing the brick bed (kang) before he had to leave. Song Wei would have to wait a day before using it.
Just as he was about to head out, she offered him a bowl of snake stew, with thick chunks of meat and mushrooms.
"Uncle Erzhu, you worked so hard. Please take this home and try it."
The aroma was tempting, but he waved it off. "No need, I've already eaten. I'm not hungry."
But Song Wei pressed it into his hands, "It's not much, just enough for your kids to try. Aunt Ma and I are close, so please let them have a taste."
Thinking of his children, Jiang Erzhu chuckled and accepted the bowl with a grateful smile.
"Well, then, I'll shamelessly accept it."
After Jiang Erzhu left, Song Wei turned to go back to her room, only to be stopped by Xu Laidi, who suddenly stepped out, blocking her path.
"Song Wei, what's your problem? Don't you know the zhiqing (educated youth) don't get along well with the villagers? You shared your meat with some country bumpkin and didn't give any to us. What, do you think you're better than us? Where's your sense of unity?"
Xu Laidi was impulsive, mostly driven by her craving for the meat. Her outburst had some of the other zhiqing looking on with interest. Quite a few seemed to agree with her.
The smile fell from Song Wei's face. "Where do you get the nerve to say something so shameless?"
"It's my food. Who I share it with is my business. Now, move."
Xu Laidi stood stubbornly in her way. "No, not unless you give us the rest of the snake meat."
Was she this desperate?
"It's all gone," Li Juan said firmly. "There's nothing left to share."
"What?!"
Refusing to believe her, Xu Laidi barged into the backyard, where the clay pot sat empty. Her eyes reddened at the sight.
"You two must've been pigs in a past life to eat that much! Several pounds of meat, and you give it to some random villager instead of us…"
Song Wei interrupted her, "Stop calling people 'country bumpkins.' You're not in much better shape yourself. At least they can farm and support themselves. You can barely feed yourself, so what right do you have to look down on anyone? Besides, farmers are respected members of society now—are you looking down on the working people?"
Xu Laidi paled at that. She wouldn't dare admit to something like that; if word spread, she'd face serious criticism.
"I didn't mean that! You're twisting my words!"
Her face now showing a hint of fear, Xu Laidi gave up on the snake meat, cast a hateful glare at Song Wei and Li Juan, and hurried back to the shared dorm.
Xu Laidi's background was no secret. With a name like hers, it was clear she came from a family that valued sons over daughters. Unwanted and penniless, she couldn't afford a private room and had to stay in the communal quarters.
"Song Zhiqing, isn't that a bit harsh? I'm sure she didn't mean anything by it," someone chimed in, hoping to score some points. Her words were soft, but Song Wei could feel the barbs.
It was Bai Yunjiao, trying to play peacemaker. "After all, we're all here together in the countryside, so that's a bond in itself. We're all educated youth and should be united; Xu Zhiqing didn't mean anything bad with those words. We have no real issue with her, so there's no need to let it spread and give the villagers a bad impression of us."
What she meant was that now only she and Xu laidi had a conflict. If it really got out, it would be her who spread it?
"They already think we're unruly, don't they?" Song Wei replied, leaving Bai Yunjiao momentarily at a loss for words.
"And besides, if rumors do spread, it won't be hard to trace them back. If anyone dares slander me, I'll go door-to-door with Xu Laidi to find out who's behind it."
Bai Yunjiao bit her lip, her tone softening as her eyes grew watery. "That's not what I meant…"
Looking ready to cry, she made herself seem like the victim, as if Song Wei had wronged her.
Song Wei stepped back three paces, pulling Li Juan with her. "Everyone saw that, right? I didn't lay a hand on her."
Luo Yecheng, about to step in as a mediator, stopped in his tracks, speechless.
Bai Yunjiao also looked taken aback, clearly not expecting this reaction.
Song Wei looked her in the eyes. "Are you crying? Did a tear fall? Go ahead, explain why. I don't want anyone thinking I hit you. I'm not the type to just hit people, you know."
The other zhiqing were left speechless. Was she serious? Didn't she just get into a fight with Liu Linlin?
Luo Yecheng also remembered her not hesitating to throw punches at him, his expression turning dark.
Now Bai Yunjiao didn't know whether to cry or hold back.
"I… you didn't bully me," she admitted, her voice trembling with a hint of grievance.
"Exactly," Song Wei said, "I didn't. I only said a few words, didn't even mention your name. Who'd be dumb enough to take offense at that? Seems to me they'd only do that if they planned to spread Xu Laidi's words and blame me for it, right, Bai Zhiqing?"
Song Wei flashed a big, toothy smile, and Bai Yunjiao's forced grin faltered.
"Well, that's enough. Let's all call it a day. We have work tomorrow," Song Wei waved them off dismissively.
The urgent harvesting season might be over, but there was plenty left to do—drying grains, shucking corn, and getting more turnips and cabbage into the fields before winter. In the countryside, work never really stopped except when snow covered the ground.
Satisfied and with a full stomach, Song Wei went to bed, sleeping soundly on her simple wooden bed. She even smiled in her sleep.
At dawn the next day, around six, the team's gong sounded, signaling time for work.
The sound was familiar to the older zhiqing, but the newer ones dragged their feet. Song Wei, however, was up and energized, ready to go.
She joined Li Juan to receive her assignment for the day.
"Song Zhiqing," the team leader looked at her, noting the white bandage around her head, which gave her a frail appearance. He sighed.
"Why don't you go shell the corn over there? It's a light task, and you'll get five points for it."
A full workload was worth ten points, a rate based on a full day's labor from an adult man. To prevent slacking, the team leader had split the work fairly, so each person completed their share independently.
Song Wei's assigned pile was about five points worth—a sizeable stack of corn that'd take a half-day's effort. The lighter work was usually left for the elderly and teenagers, who'd spend the entire day on it.
Considering her injury, the team leader gave her an easy task. She took it without complaint.
When she got to the corn pile, others had already started, some sitting on the ground, others on small stools they'd brought from home.
Song Wei didn't want to sit on the ground—it wasn't about cleanliness, but sitting like that for too long made her legs go numb. So, she found a solid stone to sit on, set it in place, greeted those she knew, smiled at those she didn't, and started working.
"Song Zhiqing, you're here?"
The nearby aunties immediately turned their attention to her, curiously.
One of the older women scooted her stool closer.
"Feeling better? I heard you took a dip in the river," she said, her eyes alight with curiosity.
It was clear that Song Wei's story from the ox cart had already spread.
With a smack on her thigh, Song Wei put on an exaggeratedly aggrieved expression. "Aunt Xiu, I slipped and fell in the water by accident, and now there's this crazy rumor. Sure, I liked Luo Yecheng before, but why on earth would I try to drown myself over him? I mean, he'd be fine, still marrying Jiang Xiaowan, while I'm left with this awful reputation! What would I even gain from that? I am so unlucky, right? The folks here are so warm and kind, and the food is so delicious, how could I be so depressed as to commit suicide?"
The women around her, already eavesdropping, broke into approving smiles as Song Wei praised the friendliness of the Ping'an Brigade.
"Well, isn't that the truth! Our folks here are as warm-hearted as they come."
Song Wei nodded brightly. "Absolutely! Even though I just arrived, everyone's been so helpful."
"Got any tips for shelling corn, Aunt Xiu?" she asked casually, shifting the conversation.
"Oh, I sure do!" Aunt Xiu responded, delighted. "See, you don't want to use just your hands—that'll tear your skin up. You take the cob and scrape it with a piece of the leftover corncob, like this," she demonstrated, showing how to use the rough cob to pull off the kernels with ease.
"Or if you've got a pair of Liberation shoes with a grooved sole, you can rub the cob against it. That'll get a good amount off in just a few tries," she continued.
Liberation shoes have ridged soles that are perfect for quickly scraping corn kernels free. But, since those shoes are precious, few would use them just for shelling corn.
Though Song Wei didn't have Liberation shoes, she had plenty of arm strength. After a few practice, she could finish shelling each ear of corn in just seconds.
"You've got quick hands, Song Zhiqing!" Aunt Xiu observed with an admiring nod, joined by a few others.
In truth, Song Wei was eager to finish quickly and head back up to the mountains. But this task was light, and she got to hear all the latest village gossip.
Perhaps because she was the subject of some rumors herself, they didn't discuss on her gossip. Instead, the conversation drifted to other tales from nearby villages. The Ping'an Brigade was made up of four connected villages, with Song Wei living in Laozaogou. Today, the gossip focused on the next village over.
Song Wei joined in without a hitch.
"Apparently Widow Hu never cared for her husband, and now that he's gone, they say she's got a stream of men sneaking over.I don't know whose man is so bad. If the wife finds out, there will definitely be a fight." one of the women said, eyes widening.
"Forget other villages—some of our own men from the village have been visiting, too," someone else chimed in, sparking instant interest.
"Who?" Song Wei asked, her eyes gleaming with curiosity as she and the others leaned in closer.
The woman relaying the news beamed with pride, "My son saw it himself just last night. It was Guifen's husband, sneaking out of Widow Hu's house."
"Oh, my…" Song Wei whispered, her excitement mirroring the others. She knew Guifen—one of the locals—and couldn't wait to learn more.
"So, it was that 'Old Lady Niu's' son?"
"That's right," Aunt Xiu said with a knowing look. "Guifen's husband is a layabout, never lifting a finger. And Old Lady Niu still dotes on him. If Guifen finds out, there'll be no end to it."
The woman sharing the gossip had a mischievous look in her eye. "Maybe I should tell Guifen," she mused.
Song Wei quickly intervened. "Think about it, Aunt Wang. If only your son saw him, Old Lady Niu will trace it right back to you, saying you're spreading lies out of jealousy. And if her son denies it, what proof would you have? You'd be dragging trouble onto yourself."
Aunt Wang paused, realizing Song Wei had a point.
"Song Zhiqing is right," Aunt Xiu added. "Even if your son testifies, no one else would believe it."
Gratefully, Aunt Wang patted Song Wei's hand. "Thank goodness for your advice, Song Zhiqing. Otherwise, Old Lady Niu would've made a mess of my life."
"Hey, you lot, are you working or just gossiping here?" the team leader's voice barked as he approached, frowning at the group.
The "Melon Eating Team" quickly dispersed.
"What're you fussing about? We're working, aren't we?" Aunt Wang retorted with a roll of her eyes. "I might be slow, but I'm still working."
Aunt Xiu, with a gleam in her eye, asked the team leader, "Da Lin, were you drinking with that old hunter last night? I heard your wife saying you kept her up half the night; she didn't get to bed until dawn."
Song Wei nearly choked on her own spit, surprised by the boldness of these women.
The team leader, Jiang Da Lin, turned beet red.
"Ha! No wonder his wife looked so worn out this morning," Aunt Wang chuckled with a mischievous grin.
The team leader barked a couple of reprimands to get them to work seriously, then made a hasty retreat.
His retreating figure looked like he was running from some terrifying beast.
Muttering as he walked away, "That loudmouthed woman, can't keep anything to herself!"
He was so embarrassed!
"A bunch of old ladies, gossiping away… And there's a young girl, too."
Song Wei: …So someone finally noticed I'm here?
But she wasn't the least bit shy!
"Oh, uh, Song Zhiqing, I'd forgotten about you, hehe…"
Song Wei's expression turned serious. "It's fine."
She watched the team leader's awkward departure with amusement.
"Wow, Song Zhiqing, you're really quick!" one of the women noted, impressed by how much corn Song Wei had shelled, even while joining in on the gossip.
While chatting, Song Wei's hands hadn't slowed. She could shell a cob in seconds, and her pile was already halfway done.
The old women looked at her with new respect, realizing she was far from the fragile city girl they'd assumed.
"I'm just trying to finish quickly so I can go up the mountain for firewood. I heard the winters here are freezing," Song Wei explained with a grin.
Aunt Wang, nodded. "You have to collect more firewood. It gets so cold here that no one wants to leave the house, and if you don't have a heated kang, it'll be tough for you city folks."
Aunt Xiu: "Speaking of which, this season is when the mountains are full of supplies. It's good to gather more while you can, the few work points you new educated youth have are not enough to get food."
Without enough grain for the winter, the only option would be to buy food from the brigade.
Song Wei worked so quickly that when the scorekeeper arrived, they were completely taken aback.
"How did you finish so fast?!"
Upon seeing Song Wei's progress, the scorekeeper blurted out her surprise.
It just so happened that this scorekeeper was all too familiar: none other than Song Wei's "rival," Jiang Xiaowan. The moment Jiang Xiaowan appeared, her face matched the one from Song Wei's memories.
Jiang Xiaowan had delicate features, fair skin, and wore two black braids, her dress patterned with small floral prints. She appeared more polished, even more "city-like," than some of the girls in the Zhiqing commune.
Song Wei, on the other hand, had an oval face, and the original owner's expression often carried a trace of melancholy, giving her a frail and timid look. But with the soul of post-apocalyptic Song Wei now in the picture, there was a hint of heroic spirit in her gaze, and she looked more composed. Her face still held that Jiangnan delicacy, creating a striking contrast with Jiang Xiaowan's vibrant style. That said, Song Wei's features were arguably more refined.
Jiang Xiaowan glared at Song Wei, not bothering to hide her distaste. "If you're well enough to finish the corn so quickly, then I guess your health is just fine. This work is supposed to be for the elderly and kids. Why don't you take on some more serious work?"
The implication was clear—she was accusing Song Wei of slacking off, avoiding tougher tasks.
Song Wei gave her an eye-roll and shot back, "Are those eyes of yours just for decoration? Don't you see this bandage wrapped around my head? The team leader assigned me to shell corn and even set me up in the shade, so I wouldn't pass out under that blazing sun. Who's going to take responsibility if that happens? You?"
Jiang Xiaowan was at a loss for words.
Nearby, Aunt Wang and the others, who had formed a bond with Song Wei over shared gossip, chimed in.
"Song Zhiqing just works quickly, that's all. She only just got out of the hospital, so fieldwork would be too much. The sun's too strong, and she's still recovering. If anything happened, it'd be a real problem."
"Right, Comrade Jiang, just mark her work already. Song Zhiqing still needs to collect firewood for the winter. She's new to the commune, so she'd better prepare properly if she wants to make it through."
Jiang Xiaowan stomped her foot, frustrated. "Whose side are you on, the village or the Zhiqing (educated youth)? I'm a villager, remember!"
Would Aunt Wang and the other experienced people be afraid of her?
"Comrade Jiang, that's not right. How are we siding with the Zhiqing? You think we're not allowed to speak the truth?"
Song Wei nodded in agreement. "Exactly. These aunties are clearly brave enough to help the weak, a noble quality if you ask me!"
The women straightened their backs, pleased by Song Wei's compliment.
Jiang Xiaowan fumed, her face red with anger. If she's weak, then what am I?
"Goodness, what's the fuss?" Aunt Xiu intervened when she saw Jiang Xiaowan on the verge of tears. "Song Zhiqing's work is done, so just mark it. Why argue and risk getting lectured by the brigade leader?"
Jiang Xiaowan stopped talking and cast one last glare at Song Wei before noting her work on the ledger.
Song Wei stretched her neck to glance over.
"What are you looking at?" Jiang Xiaowan snapped, still seething.
"Oh, just admiring the calligraphy. It has a real Wang Xizhi vibe—bold and forceful," Song Wei replied with a grin, confirming that her points were fairly marked.
With a final, scornful eye-roll, Jiang Xiaowan lifted her head and strode away haughtily.
The moment she was gone, the aunties huddled together to gossip again.
Song Wei eagerly joined in.
"Can you believe how pampered the village secretary's daughter is?" one of the aunties said. "They put her through school up to high school, never make her work in the fields, and now she's even a scorekeeper!"
The role of scorekeeper was easy and prestigious—a coveted job. But it was handed to Jiang Xiaowan, just because of her father's position, even though there were other literate villagers.
"Only daughter in a family with four sons—of course she's spoiled," another woman said with a shake of her head.
"Too bad her eyesight's so bad that she's taken a liking to Luo Zhiqing," Song Wei added, unable to resist.
The aunties turned to her with a look that said, You, of all people, are one to talk?
Weren't you chasing after him just yesterday?
Song Wei maintained her composure. "I wasn't thinking straight back then, that's all. Why else would I have wasted all those tickets and even a bicycle ticket on him?"
The aunties, seeing her acknowledge her own mistakes, gave her a sympathetic look.
"It's good you've come to sense. But really, a bicycle tickets? It's a bicycle!" Aunt Wang said, patting her chest as if she were the one who'd lost the ticket.
Song Wei's mouth twitched. "Don't worry, I'm going to get it back. Anyway, ladies, I've got to run. Let's catch up next time!"
With that, she headed off.
Time to head back to the mountains!
This time, Song Wei brought a large wicker basket and two burlap sacks. She'd spotted a pine grove the other day and planned to gather as many pine nuts as possible. They tasted delicious but were tedious to harvest—each pine cone yielded only a few nuts, so it was time-consuming. The villagers usually left this task to kids, as adults found it too time-intensive.
Coincidentally, she spotted the same boy she'd seen yesterday.
He was rail-thin, his bones visible beneath his tattered, dirty clothes. He was barefoot, his exposed skin marked with bruises.
While most village families were poor, they generally kept their children decently clothed, albeit in patched garments. Only neglected girls from families that favored boys were dressed as poorly as this child.
Upon seeing her, the boy was wary but didn't bolt as he had the day before.
He was ravenously eating something.
It turned out to be a small fruit known locally as lantern berries, or cape gooseberries. The ripe ones were bright red, like little lanterns, and quite festive-looking.
The boy quickly harvested all the berries he could reach, stuffing them into his ragged shirt for safekeeping.
Seeing his distrustful gaze, Song Wei considered leaving him be. But then her ears perked up.
Something small and gray darted out of the bushes—a rabbit!
The boy was startled, but his eyes gleamed with excitement. Dropping his berries, he ran barefoot after it.
However, he couldn't keep up with the rabbit's speed. Seeing that the rabbit was about to run away, he became so anxious that his eyes turned red.
Whiz…
A stone flew through the air, striking the rabbit squarely on the head. It managed to stumble a few more steps before collapsing, legs kicking as it fell still.
The little boy stopped, his eyes glued to the rabbit, but he didn't go over to pick it up. Instead, he looked over at Song Wei.
Song Wei walked over, lifted the rabbit by its hind leg, and could see the disappointment in the boy's eyes. He glanced longingly at the rabbit, then turned to leave.
"Wait, do you know how to roast a rabbit?"
Half an hour later, in a hidden spot in the woods, Song Wei tapped a thick pine cone with a stick. The pine trees here must have been a different species because the cones were larger than an adult's hand, and the seeds were big as well. As she tapped the open cone, the seeds easily fell out.
After emptying a cone, she tossed it aside, where a small, skinny, dirt-streaked hand picked it up and threw it into the fire. Above the fire, he carefully roasted the rabbit meat, which had been sizzling for a while and now gave off a delicious aroma.
"What's your name?" Song Wei asked.
"Heidan," he answered sullenly.
"How old are you?"
"Five."
But Heidan looked more like a three-year-old, his small frame undersized.
"Do you live alone?"
"No, I have my grandparents, my uncle's family, and my other uncle's family."
"But they don't like me."
There was no mention of his parents. Song Wei had a rough idea of his situation.
The pine cones were almost done. After shaking out a full bag of cones, she'd only collected around five pounds of seeds.
Too bad these are all shell and barely any nut inside, she thought, though she was still pleased with what she had. The pine seeds had a wonderfully nutty aroma.
The smell of roasted rabbit was becoming irresistible, and the two of them squatted by the fire, watching the meat cook with hungry eyes.
"Shame there's no oil. It would be amazing if we found some honey," Song Wei said.
Just a layer of sweet honey would make the meat smell and taste even better. They had smeared the rabbit meat with a sour wild berry and stuffed the belly with wild onions, sprinkling a little salt over it. Song Wei had brought the salt, intending to roast something in the mountains if she found it, and was glad her luck had paid off.
"It smells amazing!" Song Wei exclaimed, looking more excited than Heidan, whose stomach growled, though he didn't show as much eagerness as her.
Finally, the rabbit was ready. Song Wei tore off a large hind leg and handed it to him.
"Here, your payment."
Heidan sniffed, his eyes watering slightly as he grabbed the meat and immediately took a big bite, not even waiting for it to cool.
"It's hot! No one's fighting you for it. You'll burn your tongue and miss out on the flavor."
Despite the minimal seasoning, the meat tasted amazing to both of them.
Heidan, with his small stomach, quickly filled up on the rabbit leg. Accustomed to hunger, his stomach was actually quite small, and one rabbit leg was more than enough for him.
Once he finished eating, he eagerly helped Song Wei collect pine cones, mushrooms, and chestnuts. This pine forest was full of matsutake mushrooms, and the two had gone deeper into the woods. Village kids had been warned not to venture this far, and the adults were busy working, which left this spot mostly untouched.
"There's a patch of matsutake here!" Heidan called out excitedly. Song Wei, carrying a basket on her back, wandered over at a leisurely pace, picking up a couple of nice-looking porcini mushrooms on the way.
Matsutake mushrooms were highly nutritious and easy to preserve when dried, and there were plenty in this forest. Song Wei noticed that Heidan was putting all the mushrooms he found into her basket.
"These are yours—you should take them home."
He shook his head stubbornly. "I don't want to. If I take them home, I won't get to eat them."
Ignoring her suggestion, he focused on carefully placing the mushrooms in her basket. Song Wei didn't argue further.
After sharing her rabbit meat, Heidan began putting any good finds he made into her basket.
"What did you come to the mountain for?"
"To find food and gather firewood."
Heidan, who had brought his own little basket, was so small that it looked taller than him.
They won't feed him, yet they make him carry heavy things. His family has no heart.
Song Wei thought as she kept collecting. With her basket almost full of mushrooms, she began filling one sack with pine cones to crack open later, since shelling them now would take too long. The other bag was for chestnuts, and they carefully removed the prickly outer shells.
Even though Heidan's fingers were pricked, he didn't make a sound. He was also barefoot, his feet scratched.
Song Wei ushered him to the side and pulled out some of the prickles stuck in his feet.
"Why on earth would you go there barefoot? Stay here and be good. If you get bored, start cracking open the pine cones."
She went off to gather the rest of the chestnuts herself.
By the time they were heading home, Song Wei had a basket full of mushrooms and two large sacks laid across her back. She carried a branch as thick as her arm in her left hand, and with her right, she held Heidan's basket of firewood, moving briskly.
Heidan, his hands empty, looked on in awe, struggling to keep up with his bare feet as he tried to catch up to her.
"I…I can carry my own," he said, trying to take his load.
"You'd fall behind. It'll be dark soon, and you don't want to stay here and feed the wild animals, do you?"
Her tone wasn't exactly gentle, but Heidan could still sense the care behind her words.
He sniffled, his eyes reddening as though he might cry.
"What are you crying for? Where do you live?"
Heidan pointed toward a path that led in the opposite direction of the Zhiqing camp.
He wiped his nose, whispering, "You…you remind me of my mom."
Song Wei: …
Of all the things to say!
"Alright, take your stuff and go. Are you close?"
He nodded, trying to hold back tears.
"Don't be so stupid next time. If you can't protect what you find in the mountains, hide it somewhere only you know. Don't overwork yourself by hauling too much firewood."
Heidan nodded, still sniffling, his expression determined.
He turned to go, looking back repeatedly as he left.
Song Wei waited until he was out of sight, then headed back to the Zhiqing quarters. When she arrived with yet another massive branch and two full sacks, the others just stared.
A petite girl, looking as frail as a flower, was somehow hauling all this—there was no getting used to the sight.