She didn’t believe Shen Zhiyi could be that stupid, which meant something must have happened at home. Whatever it was, she didn’t care.
As long as she could slap the label of “capitalist’s daughter” onto her and make her life difficult, that would be enough.
The moment the word “sent-down” was uttered, the other four people immediately looked over in unison.
Shen Zhiyi stared at her and let out a cold laugh. “Do you know how defamation is punished?”
She naturally knew that the crime of defamation didn’t exist at this time, but the other woman didn’t know that.
Zhang Sumei panicked. “Oh, what crime are you talking about?”
“Zhiyi, I was just speaking casually!”
If she had known the other girl would be sent to the countryside, she never would have broken off their friendship.
Shen Zhiyi sat up straight, and before anyone could anticipate what she was doing, she raised her hand and sent a slap flying across Zhang Sumei’s face.
“Smack—”
Zhang Sumei was stunned senseless, her cheek burning with pain. “Shen Zhiyi! How dare you hit me!”
Shen Zhiyi smiled sweetly at her. “Oh, why talk about hitting?”
“I was just casually touching, wasn’t I?”
Zhang Sumei’s yellowed teeth nearly ground to dust. “Is that touching? That was clearly hitting!”
Shen Zhiyi curled her lip. “Hah, and what about you? Was that just casually speaking?”
She raised her voice. “My grandfather is an important researcher at the Capital Weapons Research Institute, and my father works at the Academy of Agricultural Sciences. They’re both top-tier national talents.”
“Even if your whole family gets sent down, they never will.”
When you’re out in the world, you make your own status.
The other four people all covered their mouths in shock. Oh my!
The Academy of Agricultural Sciences!
The Research Institute!
Comrade Shen’s family was way too impressive.
Shen Zhiyi’s eyes turned cold. “Keep your mouth clean, or next time it won’t just be a touch.”
Zhang Sumei wanted to lose her temper but didn’t dare. Her parents favored sons over daughters—they’d even taken 100 yuan of her sent-down allowance.
They said it was for her younger brother’s bride price.
The remaining 29 yuan wasn’t enough for anything.
She’d been worrying about that before, but not anymore. With He Zhiyi around, why would she worry about money and ration tickets?
“Zhiyi, it’s all my fault. I apologize.”
She didn’t want to offend the other girl either, but every time she thought about how the man she’d adored for so long sneered at her yet was the only one who showed Shen Zhiyi any kindness, she couldn’t control the jealousy burning in her heart.
This little incident quieted them down considerably, until the train attendant pushed a food cart over.
“Anyone need a meal?”
Shen Zhiyi happened to be a bit hungry, so she looked over.
At this time, there were no boxed meals—the food was served directly from large metal buckets on the cart, with several stacks of enamel bowls beside them.
“I’ll have one.”
The vendor’s face immediately lit up with a smile. “Coming right up!”
“Meat or vegetarian?”
Normally, Shen Zhiyi would have chosen meat, but this was the 1970s, so she chose vegetarian.
The truth was, she couldn’t stomach big chunks of fatty meat—couldn’t even stand the smell.
A large bowl, rice at the bottom, stir-fried greens on top.
The bowl was piled high, like a little mountain.
Zhang Sumei immediately raised her own money and tickets. “Give me one with meat.”
The meat dish was pork stir-fried with cabbage, with rice as the staple.
“Eighty cents.”
Zhang Sumei took the big bowl and secretly glanced at Shen Zhiyi across from her, a hint of smugness on her face.
Hmph, something must have happened at home. Otherwise, when had the young miss ever eaten such poor food?
Besides the two of them who’d bought meals, the other four ate the dry rations they’d brought.
Wang Xiaoxia pulled out a coarse flour pancake from her bag, then took out a glass jar, unscrewed the lid, and placed it on the small table in front of them.
“My mother made this. Would you all…”
Before she could even finish speaking, the female comrade beside her pinched her nose and cut her off shrilly.
“Ugh, it stinks!”
“Take it away! Take it away, hurry!”
Wang Xiaoxia’s face stiffened, mortified beyond words. “I…”
“I…”
Shen Zhiyi, however, directly extended her bowl toward her. “Comrade Wang, could I try some of your pickled vegetables?”
Wang Xiaoxia was startled, then quickly said, “Of course! Let me get some for you.”
Her eyes reddened as she fumbled in her bag and pulled out a pair of chopsticks. “These are clean.”
Zhao Xinghua, sitting at the very edge, smiled and tore open his coarse flour steamed bun. “I’ll have some too.”
“Good thing you’re here—otherwise I’d be chewing on a flavorless bun.”
Zhou Hong, who’d been pinching her nose, watched them with a face that shifted between pale and red.
She shot Shen Zhiyi a covert glare.
Taking a deep breath, she pretended nothing was wrong and pulled out an oil-paper package from her bag.
The aroma of roast duck wafted over.
She forced down the saliva pooling in her mouth and the urge to tear into the duck ravenously, picking up a piece and eating it in small, delicate bites.
Between bites, she’d dab her lips with small squares of tissue paper she’d cut beforehand.
Hmph, playing dead. All that talk about research institutes and agricultural academies, yet they can’t even afford a piece of meat. Who are they trying to fool?
The pork in Zhang Sumei’s bowl instantly lost its appeal.
At that moment, Zhou Hong was absolutely insufferable. The woman who had been slightly hunched her whole life suddenly straightened her back with pride.
She dabbed her mouth with a paper napkin and put on airs, saying, “Oh dear~ I’ve always had a tiny appetite since I was little. I brought too much and can’t finish it all.”
“Would any of you like some?”
She was just being polite, of course. In this day and age, even a three-year-old knew you don’t just help yourself to someone else’s rations, let alone a group of adults.
But little did she expect there would be someone shameless enough to take her up on it.
Shen Zhiyi’s face lit up with delight. “Really? Then thank you kindly!”
“Come, come, let’s all share.”
Before Zhou Hong could even react, the roast duck in the oil paper wrapping had already been distributed by Shen Zhiyi.
Shen Zhiyi beamed as she urged everyone, “Eat up! She can’t finish it all anyway, and in this heat, it’ll go bad if it sits too long. What a waste that would be.”
The way she carried on, you’d think she was handing out her own food.
Zhang Sumei was the first to pick up a piece of roast duck from her bowl. Before the chopsticks even reached her mouth, her tongue was practically hanging out a mile ahead.
“Plop—”
A big drop of drool silently fell.
The remaining few people each thanked Zhou Hong in turn before taking small, polite bites.
Zhou Hong’s face flushed red with anger. She had bought this duck with her own compensation money, hadn’t even eaten more than a few bites herself, and now it was gone just like that.
She gritted her teeth and glared at Shen Zhiyi. Damn her, just you wait!
Shen Zhiyi shot her a look of disdain. “What are you glaring at me for?”
“Could it be… you never actually wanted to share that duck, and were just showing off?”
“Then you should’ve said so earlier.”
Shen Zhiyi spat, tossing the half-bitten piece of roast duck back onto the other woman’s oil paper wrapping.
“Here, have it back.”
Zhao Xinghua, who had just taken a single bite: “!”
What about him then? What was he supposed to do?