Grandma Bai was also furious. “Forget about the others.”
“Those two heartless ones actually published a notice in the newspaper severing ties, and even Zhiyi was forced to go to the countryside.”
Just as she finished cursing, her eldest son Bai Shuyou returned with a dark, grim face.
“Aunt and Uncle were taken away in secret by people from above.”
“The moment they were taken, the Qin family immediately used that as an excuse to force Shang Lu and his wife to go to the countryside too.”
“And then, Zhiyi also went to the countryside.”
He then went on to explain how He Zhiyi had been forced to go to the countryside by her second uncle and her eldest aunt’s family.
Well, that did it—the old couple’s lungs were about to burst with rage.
The old lady gritted her teeth. “This can’t just be left at that. Go! Go handle it!”
“Send their children to the countryside as well!”
In the cowshed, Shen Zhiyi silently sighed to herself more than once, grateful that she had come.
In just a few days, her parents had already lost more than a little weight.
And looking at this shabby room, thank goodness it was summer. If it were winter, before she even arrived, her parents would have frozen to death here.
“Alright, durian, right? I know. I’ll bring it for you tomorrow.”
Mother Shen nodded happily. “And also face masks, moisturizer, serum, sunscreen…”
She had only been here a few days, and she already felt like she was aging. This wouldn’t do!
Father Shen had his own request too. “Zhizhi, bring Dad a razor.”
Shen Zhiyi: “…”
Getting the items wasn’t the problem, but…
“Dad! Mom! You two can’t let your guard down just because I’m here.”
“Look at where you’re staying—the wind blows right through the cracks at night! How can you dare ask for all this stuff?!”
If they got caught, it would be a disaster!
Father Shen and Mother Shen looked utterly wronged.
“Fine.”
“Then we won’t ask for anything.”
After seeing her parents, Shen Zhiyi finally felt at ease for the time being. She slept the most peaceful sleep she’d had since transmigrating, inside her Dimensional Villa on the island.
Early the next morning, the new educated youths gathered together and headed to the commune grain station to buy grain.
As usual, Shen Zhiyi wore a set of old clothes. She wanted to keep a low profile, but unfortunately, her face was just too eye-catching.
Wang Xiaoxia glanced at her from the side and couldn’t help but sigh inwardly.
Ah, this really was—when someone was beautiful, even wearing a burlap sack looked good.
Zhou Hong stared at that graceful figure, gnashing her teeth in hatred.
Pah!
With a face like that, she was always out to seduce men!
Zhao Xinghua pulled the handcart and couldn’t help but sigh. “Ah, the more we walk, the hotter it gets.”
Seeing this, Wang Xiaoxia walked over. “Comrade Zhao, let me pull for a while.”
The sun grew harsher, and their pace slowed more and more.
The group stopped and started, and after more than two hours, they finally arrived at the grain station.
“Educated youths? Then give me your certificates.”
One by one, they handed their educated youth certificates to the staff member.
The staff member registered them while explaining, “According to local policy, adult residents get a monthly grain ration of 35 jin.”
Children started receiving rations from age three, with different quotas for ages three, five, and ten.
Ordinary residents got 27 jin, while laborers got more than ordinary residents.
Heavy manual laborers like miners received 44 jin per month, while light manual laborers got 35 jin.
Thirty-some jin of grain was no light load—thank goodness they had brought the handcart.
Zhang Sumei sneaked a glance at He Zhiyi. “Hey, since we’re here, shouldn’t we buy a few more things to take back?”
Like some meat, for instance.
Especially He Zhiyi—she was used to eating delicacies every day. Now that she was eating vegetarian day in and day out, could she even handle it?
Wang Xiaoxia agreed. “Yeah, the older educated youths said that once we officially start work tomorrow, we might not get a single day off in a whole month.”
“We should go to the supply and marketing cooperative and buy everything we need.”
So the group headed over.
Shen Zhiyi had nothing to buy, so she didn’t go inside. “You all go ahead. I’ll watch the cart here.”
Zhang Sumei tried to persuade her. “Oh, come on, come with us. No one’s going to steal anything.”
As long as the other girl came along, she was determined to drag her into buying two jin of pork to satisfy her cravings!
Shen Zhiyi shot her a glare. “Are we that close? Why so much nonsense?”
“You…” Zhang Sumei gritted her teeth.
Zhou Hong reached out and tugged at her. “Let’s go!”
The two stepped through the door of the supply and marketing cooperative together, and Zhou Hong said impatiently, “Why do you bother with her?”
“Does she look like she can afford anything?”
Hah—so what if she was a rich young lady? She’d fallen to a state even worse than theirs, hadn’t she?
What Zhang Sumei hadn’t expected was that Zhou Hong actually bought two jin of pork.
Zhao Xinghua was stunned. “Comrade Zhou, you bought meat!”
The educated youth point had communal meals, and she’d gone and bought meat—now that was generous.
And then he thought about the money and ration tickets he’d brought with him to the countryside. Ah, what a tight budget he had.
Zhou Hong was immensely pleased, casting a covert glance at He Zhiyi. “Oh, it’s just a small token of appreciation, nothing worth much.”
Upon seeing He Zhiyi’s utterly expressionless face, she secretly clenched her fists.
Impossible—how could the other woman have no reaction at all?
The moment Zhang Sumei thought about having meat to eat once they returned to the educated youth point, she salivated and swallowed hard.
Ah, she craved meat so badly she couldn’t wait any longer.
And so, she immediately linked arms with the other woman again, all buddy-buddy. “Comrade Zhou, we came early this morning and haven’t eaten a thing yet.”
“Let’s grab something to eat at the state-run restaurant before we head back.”
Aside from the two of them, no one else wanted to go.
Wang Xiaoxia furrowed her brow. “How about this—you two go, and the rest of us will haul the grain back first.”
That wouldn’t do at all. In Zhang Sumei’s view, eating meat without letting others know about it was the same as not eating at all.
They happened to be standing right at the entrance of the state-run restaurant, and Zhang Sumei grabbed Wang Xiaoxia, dragging her inside.
Wang Xiaoxia was extremely embarrassed. “Don’t—”
The food in the restaurant was so expensive; she couldn’t bear to spend the money.
Shen Zhiyi wasn’t usually one to meddle in others’ affairs, but this… how was it any different from bullying?
She stepped forward, swiftly seizing Zhang Sumei’s wrist and wrenching it downward with force.
“Ah—”
Zhang Sumei’s face went pale from the pain as she frantically shook her arm.
This little bitch—her family had fallen on hard times, couldn’t even afford a bite of meat, and still dared to show off here.
“You bitch—”
She reached out with her claws, lunging at that face.
Shen Zhiyi let out a cold snort and extended her leg to kick the woman away. Her leg was already in the air when, out of nowhere, another figure came charging over.
Zheng Hansong had spotted several female comrades fighting at the restaurant entrance from a distance. Without a second thought, he rushed over and yanked the woman who was throwing punches off to the side.
Shen Zhiyi: “!”
Where did she go!
There was no stopping her momentum now!
“Kua chi—”
And just like that, right in front of everyone, she did a full split.
Everyone: “…”