There was some straw on the wooden bed. Other than that, there was nothing. Aside from one table and a small desk by the window, the room was completely bare.
Lan Xingyu stared at the straw bed for a long while. In her small suitcase, she only had one set of bedsheets and covers, plus some clothes—nothing else.
No choice.
She spread the sheet over the straw and sat down blankly. There wasn’t even a place to hang clothes.
Before long, Village Chief Liu came to call the three of them to move their grain. When they got outside, they saw three baskets of sweet potatoes—and nothing more.
Seeing their unhappy expressions, Village Chief Liu explained, “The rice harvest won’t be ready until September. For now, everyone will have to make do with sweet potatoes. You can also go into town and buy rice yourselves.”
Zhang Weiping and Zhao Jiani exchanged a look, both understanding the other’s thoughts—
They needed to get money. Fast.
Lan Xingyu didn’t care. She was only thinking about her future life.
“Come lift.”
Village Chief Liu and Zhang Weiping carried one basket of sweet potatoes inside. Soon they came back for the second. But when it came to the third, Zhang Weiping stopped, crossing his arms as he watched the show.
“Carry your own sweet potatoes.”
Village Chief Liu looked at Lan Xingyu. “Can you lift it?”
Lan Xingyu shook her head.
She couldn’t.
“Come try.”
Village Chief Liu had already grabbed the basket, gesturing for her.
Lan Xingyu looked at the basket, took out a handkerchief and placed it on top, then grabbed the rim and looked at Village Chief Liu.
Village Chief Liu’s emotions were complicated. With a sudden heave—
The basket crashed to the ground, and sweet potatoes rolled everywhere.
“Hahaha—”
Zhang Weiping burst out laughing. Zhao Jiani covered her mouth, also giggling.
Lan Xingyu’s face darkened as she stepped back, vigorously kicking the dirt off her shoes.
Village Chief Liu: “…”
He had seen all kinds of educated youths before—including ones like this—but those had been female comrades.
What was going on with this male comrade?
Like the foolish son of some rich landlord.
He had clearly used force just now, but the other side hadn’t reacted at all, which was why the basket had tipped over.
“Then pick them up one by one and carry them inside.”
“You help me pick them up. I’ll give you one yuan,” Lan Xingyu said.
“I’ll do it!”
Before Village Chief Liu could speak, Zhang Weiping had already rushed forward to gather the sweet potatoes.
“…Hey.” You’re stealing my business!
Village Chief Liu was speechless and went to help too, only to be pushed aside by Zhang Weiping.
“Village Chief Liu, Educated Youth Lan asked me to pick them up, not you.”
Village Chief Liu tossed a sweet potato back into the basket and rolled his eyes.
Forget it. His money had been stolen—might as well let the kid earn it.
Zhao Jiani stood awkwardly to the side, but she understood Zhang Weiping. He didn’t have a single cent on him right now—how else were the two of them supposed to survive?
They were childhood sweethearts, but she didn’t like Zhang Weiping. She only saw him as a brother. But Zhang Weiping liked her very much, which was why he had followed her to the countryside.
Lan Xingyu didn’t stop him. She turned and went back to the educated youth courtyard.
If he wanted to pick them up, let him. She was paying one yuan either way.
Village Chief Liu shook his head as he watched her leave. That basket of sweet potatoes was worth maybe five yuan total, and she was casually offering one yuan.
Truly the foolish son of a rich landlord—too much money to burn.
Lan Xingyu went to the toilet. Not only was the environment terrible, it stank—and there were mosquitoes biting her butt.
She quickly took out mosquito spray and used it, then sprayed some perfume. Only then did it get a bit better.
When she returned to the room, Zhang Weiping immediately asked her for the money. Lan Xingyu handed him one yuan and said,
“In the future, help me with work. I’ll pay you.”
“Okay, okay, okay!”
Zhang Weiping grinned obsequiously.
Lan Xingyu took out a cigarette, lit it, and sat cross-legged on the bed, propping up her head.
Zhang Weiping lay on his bed watching her, thinking he should get on her good side instead of targeting her.
That way, there’d be endless money to earn later.
After finishing a cigarette, Lan Xingyu headed out.
She needed an excuse to go into town—to take some things out and fix up her little bed.
Walking toward the village entrance, she glanced at the people working in the fields. They were weeding in the rice paddies.
She shuddered.
Are there bugs in there?
Of course there were bugs.
Not just bugs—there were leeches and bloodsucking parasites.
But Lan Xingyu didn’t know that. She had been a pampered rich young lady—how would she know any of this?
Once she left the village, she entered the forest, took out a portion of abalone claypot rice to eat, and opened a bottle of cola.
These past few days she hadn’t eaten her fill—she was practically starving.
After eating, she slipped behind a large rock and entered her space. She took a bath in the swimming pool, then prepared the things she wanted to bring out. After that, she lay down to rest, planning to go back when it got dark.
Afraid she might oversleep, she even set an alarm.
With her body finally relaxed, she really did fall asleep.
Ding ding ding—
The alarm rang. She hurried up, slung the packed items over her back, and exited the space.
It was just a quilt and some daily necessities, plus a retro electric fan. She could still carry those.
On the way back, many people stared at her. It just so happened to be the end of the workday.
She kept her head down, ignoring the looks, and walked straight toward the educated youth courtyard.
At the gate, someone greeted her.
“You’re the new educated youth, right? What should we call you?”
“Surname Lan.”
“Lan… man?”
Zhou Jianjun looked confused.
Lan Xingyu didn’t bother explaining. After speaking, she walked past him.
“He seems pretty cold, doesn’t he?”
Zhou Jianjun said to Xiao Heng beside him. Xiao Heng ignored him and entered the courtyard, stopping at Tang Zhirou’s door.
“Zhirou, we’re cooking wild rabbit later. Come eat with us.”
Tang Zhirou had just washed up and returned to her room. She had been sizing up Zhao Jiani when she heard Xiao Heng’s words.
Disgust surged instantly.
They had already broken off their engagement to fulfill his wish to be with Jiang Wanwan, yet he still shamelessly chased her to the countryside.
Wasn’t it just because he was eyeing the ten chests of gold her father owned?
After being reborn, she had obtained a spatial ability. Right now, those ten chests of gold were safely inside her space.
No one was taking them.
Originally, the gold had been buried underground at her home. She had persuaded her father to dig it up and store it in her space—the safest place.
Their two grandfathers had once been very close, and somehow the matter of the gold had slipped out. The Xiao family had been coveting it ever since, which was why Xiao Heng eagerly followed her to the countryside.
She and Xiao Heng had grown up together as childhood sweethearts.
But her half-sister from the same mother had actually hooked up with Xiao Heng and ultimately caused her miserable death.
She hated those two to the bone.
So she had also signed her “sister”—now technically her cousin—up to go to the countryside.
Originally she planned to torment that bitch properly out here.
But since Xiao Heng had followed too…
Then she’d torment both of them together.
“I’m not eating rabbit!”
Tang Zhirou’s gaze was icy.
Xiao Heng spoke gently, “Just try it. It’s very tasty.”
“Not eating!”
Tang Zhirou turned her back on him.
Meanwhile, Jiang Wanwan looked at Xiao Heng with ambiguous eyes. “Can I go eat?”
Xiao Heng’s face darkened, but he nodded and turned to leave.
Zhao Jiani quietly watched everything unfold, already sizing these people up.
Who would be the most profitable to latch onto?
Lan Xingyu had no idea the drama among these people had already begun.
As soon as she entered the room, she saw an extremely handsome man with eight-pack abs sitting shirtless on the opposite bed, smoking.
Through the curling smoke, his cold, sharp face looked as if carved by the gods themselves.
His broad face was sharply defined, phoenix eyes half-lidded yet piercing, a high straight nose, and thin lips as perfectly cut as blades.
His powerful chest rose and fell—the lines, the muscles, the sheer sense of strength…
The man’s gaze swept over.
Lan Xingyu quickly turned her back, tossed her things onto the bed, plopped down on the edge, and lit a cigarette.
This has to be the male lead.
Her mood instantly soured. She didn’t even feel like making the bed anymore. She took a hard drag, exhaled slowly, long lashes lowering as her eyes darkened.
Damn it.
Am I really doomed to be cannon fodder?