“Since you don’t dare to speak, then keep your mouth shut from now on! If any rumors get out, I won’t guarantee that I won’t report him!” Seeing the two of them look guilty, Shen Suyu turned around satisfied and began to leave.
But just as she stepped out of the thatched hut, a voice exploded in her ears:
“Bitch! How dare you deliberately fall into the water and flirt with Captain Gu! And you’re supposed to be a young educated youth! You’re nothing but a fickle tramp!”
A girl in a red blouse, with rosy cheeks and gaudy makeup, rushed at her. Her pitch-black claws reached out to grab Shen Suyu, who disgustedly dodged. Looking closely, Shen Suyu recognized her—it was Zhong Yao’s younger sister, Zhong Xin.
It turned out that Zhong Xin had secretly liked Captain Gu. When she heard that Shen Suyu had fallen into the water while Captain Gu was present, she had rushed over, hiding outside to watch. Seeing Shen Suyu come out, she immediately flew into a rage.
After Shen Suyu dodged, Zhong Xin pointed at her nose and cursed, “Bitch! Do you know Captain Gu got hurt because of you?!”
“Zhong Yao, you better control your sister’s mouth! Spreading rumors about me could cost you your head, you know?” Shen Suyu cast her a cold glance, then turned to Zhong Yao with a slightly threatening look. She had no intention of dealing with such a brainless, spoiled brat herself.
“Bitch… ugh!” Zhong Xin tried to curse again, but Zhong Yao, standing at the door, flashed a sharp glint in his eyes. Selfish by nature, he would never let his sister ruin him. He rushed forward, clamped a hand over Zhong Xin’s mouth, and dragged her back inside, fearing that if Shen Suyu got angry, she might report him for rape, leading to total disaster.
Shen Suyu frowned, observing the two of them, sensing something was off. In the original book, at this point, she shouldn’t have had any interaction with Captain Gu. Could her transmigration have caused a butterfly effect, leading to Captain Gu’s injury? She pondered as she made her way back to the youth work point.
The youth work point in the 1970s was slightly better than Zhong Yao’s dilapidated hut, but not by much—mudbrick buildings, paper-covered windows, and several female educated youths crowded into one room. Although they slept on bunk beds, at least it was a proper girls’ youth point and relatively clean.
When Shen Suyu returned, she happened to see a familiar figure at the door—her friend in the original book, Meng Zhiqing.
“Oh? Su Yu, didn’t you go to Zhong Yao’s house?” Meng Zhiqing had just poured out her wash water. Seeing her, she leaned closer with a gossiping smile. “You and Zhong Yao…”
“You know about Zhong Yao and me?” Shen Suyu narrowed her beautiful eyes and, seeing no one around, pulled Meng Zhiqing inside, frowning. “You were there today? What exactly happened?”
“Su Yu? You don’t remember?” Meng Zhiqing touched her forehead in surprise. Seeing no fever, she continued, “Today you and Zhong Yao were on the boat and accidentally fell into the river. Zhong Yao risked his life to save you!”
“What about Captain Gu? Didn’t he save me? I heard from Zhong Xin that he got hurt too,” Shen Suyu frowned, suspicious.
Meng Zhiqing’s account matched Zhong Yao’s. Could the original plot have changed?
“Captain Gu?” Meng Zhiqing paused, then explained, “Oh! Captain Gu just happened to be nearby. He helped with the life ring and got a small scrape on his hand. Zhong Xin overreacted because she’s not very bright.”
“Just a scrape?” Shen Suyu frowned.
“Yes! That country girl Zhong Xin has always had a crush on Captain Gu and likes to show off in front of him. So what happened with you and Zhong Yao?” Meng Zhiqing nodded and, when mentioning Zhong Xin, her eyes showed a trace of disdain. She then looked at Shen Suyu with mild amusement, half-joking: “I thought Zhong Yao saved you, and you’d be giving yourself to him?”
“Don’t joke,” Shen Suyu replied, relieved inside. It seemed she had overthought things.
By the time Shen Suyu settled the Zhong Yao matter, it was already dark. Guided by Meng Zhiqing, she gradually adapted to life in the 1970s. Although conditions were still rough, the youth work points were slightly better, and the organization provided three meals a day.
In the evening, starving after a day of work, Shen Suyu followed Meng Zhiqing with their food, just about to start eating, when a commotion erupted outside.
“Who could it be at this hour?” Meng Zhiqing peered out, seeing two dark figures entering the yard.
“Xiao Meng, Xiao Yu! It’s me!”
The wooden door creaked open, revealing a short, plump old woman with a round face, full of smiles but calculating eyes. This was the village’s elected women’s director. Behind her, a hunched figure followed—it was Zhong Yao.
“Director! What brings you here at this hour? Please sit!” Meng Zhiqing hurriedly offered a stool. Shen Suyu, however, glared coldly at Zhong Yao. “What are you here for?” Could he still be stirring up trouble over today’s incident?
Zhong Yao, hunched from long-term malnutrition, lowered his head. The sight made Shen Suyu increasingly uncomfortable. How could the original female lead even like him?
“Xiao Yu, I know what happened today! We’re all neighbors here, just came to mediate a bit,” the women’s director said, trying to smooth things over, but Shen Suyu immediately cut her off:
“Director, I respect you, but there’s nothing to mediate between him and me!”
“This… what’s going on?” Meng Zhiqing looked confused. The wrinkled old eyes of the women’s director flickered with displeasure. “Xiao Yu, you can’t speak like that!”
“Many people saw today. Zhong Yao risked his life to save you. How can you turn your back on him?” The director pursed her lips, speaking in a seemingly heartfelt, advising tone. “Zhong Yao is sincere, strong, hardworking, and focused on improving himself! Your sister-in-law should notice—he truly cherishes you!”
“What did he save me for? If your talk gets around, it won’t sound good! A girl’s reputation is the most important! You and Zhong Yao are about the same age; you can’t despise him, can you?” The director’s words were all praise for Zhong Yao.
Shen Suyu sneered in her heart. “Focused? Didn’t I read the book? Five or six women in a harem and he’s ‘focused’? His heart’s like a durian, crowded with people, and yet he calls himself sincere?”
And the so-called women’s director didn’t even ask if she was hurt or whether Zhong Yao had mistreated her, instead trying to morally pressure her. If she said no, tomorrow there would probably be rumors claiming the educated youth looked down on rural men.
“Director, if Zhong Yao is so great, why don’t you marry him yourself?” Shen Suyu sneered, setting down her lunchbox. Her perfectly shaped lips curved with sarcasm, instantly changing the women’s director’s expression.
“You… Xiao Yu? How dare you speak like that?” The director was fuming. Meng Zhiqing awkwardly chimed in: “Xiao Yu! Director, she’s only doing this for your own good. How can you speak to her like that?”