Ren Yan lived on the first floor, just like Lin Yuexi. Apart from the living room, kitchen, and bathroom, Ren Yan wouldn't casually enter any other areas.
Lin Yuexi could, without any hesitation, wait for Ren Yan to leave the house before slowly going upstairs to pack things from each room.
The large furniture in the house was all original, and Lin Yuexi hadn't touched it. Besides that, she hadn't even been willing to leave behind the curtains.
Anyway, Ren Yan had been leaving with large bags and packages every day for the past two days, sometimes even calling her friends to help. After they left, if someone came in and found the house empty, they wouldn't suspect anything.
With over a decade of experience as a loner in the apocalypse, Lin Yuexi wouldn't leave any loopholes.
As for Ren Yan, the only one who might cause suspicion...
Don't let her large build and intimidating appearance fool you; her temperament is the complete opposite of her exterior. She's very simple, straightforward, and has no excessive needs, as long as she can eat her fill.
With departure scheduled for tomorrow, Ren Yan started preparing food for the train journey from noon onwards.
While kneading dough, she complained to Lin Yuexi, "Those people are just jealous of me, and their expressions are so ugly."
Lin Yuexi lay in the rocking chair, her eyes slightly lowered as she rested. Hearing this, the corner of her mouth curved up slightly.
Over the past few days, through Ren Yan's occasional complaints, she had figured out Ren Yan's past, which was completely contrary to the Original Host's understanding.
Ren Yan was indeed an orphan of a martyr, and she had quite a few relatives, including grandparents and uncles.
Based on her own experiences, the Original Host assumed Ren Yan also had her parents' pension in her possession. Little did she know that people like Leng Zhi and his wife were a rare minority.
Ren Yan had never even seen her parents' pension; it had always been held by her grandparents.
She was naturally strong, and with that came a huge appetite.
Initially, her relatives were willing to support her for the sake of the pension. Gradually, they grew tired of her large appetite and, when she was five, they finally 'couldn't take it anymore' and kicked her out.
She was fortunate enough to be found by Commander Ren, who was on a mission, while she was wandering. After investigating her background, Commander Ren adopted her.
Commander Ren never married, and many people said it was because of Ren Yan that he didn't dare to marry, as his salary was simply not enough to support anyone else.
However, the real reason was that Commander Ren couldn't have his own children due to an injury. He didn't want to burden anyone else, so he lived alone with Ren Yan.
When Ren Yan was sixteen, Commander Ren sacrificed himself during a mission, and Ren Yan became an orphan once again.
The matter of going to the countryside was not originally related to her, but Ren Yan was now nineteen, past the age for receiving subsidies. She didn't have a job yet and couldn't afford to support herself in the city.
Most importantly, besides supporting the big eater Ren Yan, Commander Ren also had to support his entire extended family. Not only did he not save money, but he also incurred significant debt.
Although the money was borrowed from comrades-in-arms and they didn't expect her to repay it, this honest child kept a record of every penny.
She used Commander Ren's pension to pay off debts, and still owed nearly two thousand yuan, with about fifteen hundred of that spent on Commander Ren's siblings.
After much deliberation, this Tiger Girl decided to go to the countryside, specifically choosing the Northeast, where it was rumored there was ginseng to be found.
When she stated her reason, even Leng Zhi was stunned.
It was the first time he had heard of someone sincerely wanting to repay a debt by going to the countryside, where one couldn't even earn fifty yuan a year.
And digging for ginseng? What a pipe dream.
With her physical strength, which Commander Ren had taught her since childhood, why not enlist in the army!
She grew tall but not smart.
However, her name had already been registered, and others, even if they wanted to help, couldn't change the fact that she was going to the countryside.
Lin Yuexi asked softly, "Is it Wang Yue again?"
After Ren Yan's actions that day, Lin Yuexi guessed that Old Master Leng must have also intervened. Wang Yue's reputation in the compound had recently become infamous; even without going out, Lin Yuexi had heard how difficult Wang Yue's days had been in the compound recently.
It was said that when she walked down the street, anyone slightly older would scold her.
After hitting Li Hehua that day, Wang Qin disappeared somewhere. Before leaving, she took all the money and food tickets from Wang Hanzhong's home. Yesterday, Li Hehua had to borrow vegetables from Aunt Li.
Yesterday afternoon, people from the Educated Youth Office came to notify Wang Yue and her brother that they were to go to the countryside, to the harshest region in the Northwest.
With several incidents piling up, Wang Yue probably couldn't take it anymore and started lashing out at anyone.
Ren Yan pursed her lips, "She's really a bit crazy. This morning, when I came back with breakfast, she rushed up and tried to snatch it. I just gently pushed her, and she fell to the ground, demanding I pay her. She said if I didn't give her fifty yuan, she wouldn't be done with me. Isn't that extortion?"
Lin Yuexi's mouth twitched. Did this Tiger Girl have a misunderstanding about her own strength?
Ren Yan, this child, couldn't stop. After letting the dough she had prepared rise, she turned to chop meat filling. "Luckily, Aunt Li happened to be going out, and she scolded Wang Yue away."
Suddenly thinking of something, she held the kitchen knife and squatted by the rocking chair, whispering, "I heard from Aunt Hao that Wang Yue went to Deputy Director Qian's house last night to borrow money. Deputy Director Qian's ex-wife was also at his house at the time. Apparently, while they were 'wrestling,' Wang Yue burst in. She was almost scratched into a loofah by Deputy Director Qian's ex-wife. I saw several bloody marks on her neck this morning."
Lin Yuexi didn't know what expression to make for a moment.
No wonder Wang Yue went crazy. With the situation at home, the only way she could get a significant benefit for her travel expenses and tickets was through Director Wang, but this was another blow.
However, Wang Yue and Deputy Director Qian's relationship... seemed unusual.
Wang Qin's move was ruthless. Yesterday, I heard from Ren Yan, the little gossip, that Li Hehua and Wang Guangzong were also borrowing money and tickets everywhere.
Old Man Wang, after two 'no common language' divorces and remarriages, had many sons.
Wang Hanzhong was born to Old Man Wang's first wife, whom he married in the countryside. He had never been valued, and now both his daughters had brought great shame to the Wang family. It seemed Old Man Wang had given up on this branch of the family; otherwise, if Old Man Wang had just let a little slip through his fingers, their family wouldn't be in such dire straits.
Within Lin Yuexi's spiritual power's 'visible' range, she had already scanned the neighboring house the night before last with her spiritual power and truly couldn't find a single dollar.
As for Old Man Wang's house, and those people lurking behind the scenes with their cold intentions, Lin Yuexi's face showed a faint smile.
Her body isn't well right now, so there's no rush. It's 1972; she'll save up more.
&
Time is like fine sand in the hand; you feel it's slow, but it has already slipped away through your fingers.
It seemed like the blink of an eye, and it was the day Lin Yuexi was supposed to go to the countryside.
After being woken up by Ren Yan early in the morning, Lin Yuexi sat blankly on the bed, gazing at the dim sky outside the window, feeling as if she were floating in a void.
Her small hands, capable of clearly seeing even the capillaries, covered her chest and she murmured, "Yan Yan, I feel uncomfortable here."
It felt like something was blocking inside.
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