“That’s her?”
“Yep, that’s her. The Zhiqing (Educated Youth) from the city. Her name’s Su Wanqing.”
“She only looks average. Lu Shiyan would really fall for her?”
“Who knows? I heard that at the Threshing Ground earlier, she talked with Lu Shiyan for quite a while, and he even smiled at her.”
“He smiled? Lu Shiyan can smile?”
“It’s true. Quite a few people saw it.”
“Tch, what’s so special about that? She just knows how to dress up. Look at that skirt she’s wearing. It’s so short you can see her calves. Shameless.”
“Exactly. What respectable girl dresses like that?”
Su Wanqing slowed her steps. Listening to the gossip behind her, the corners of her lips gradually curled upward.
She turned around and smiled at the group.
The women had not expected her to turn back. They froze instantly, their words stuck in their throats.
Su Wanqing looked them up and down.
Every one of them wore dull gray jackets. Their hair was tied up carelessly, their faces were tanned dark red by the sun, and some even had sunspots.
“Ladies, what were you talking about just now?” Su Wanqing asked with a smile. “I didn’t hear clearly. Say it again.”
The women exchanged glances. No one spoke.
“Not talking?” Su Wanqing nodded. “Then let me say it for you. You were saying my clothes are too short and that I’m shameless, right?”
Still no one spoke.
Su Wanqing smiled.
“I wear short clothes because I want to. I have the looks to pull it off. Do you?”
She took two steps forward and stopped in front of the girl standing at the front, looking her up and down.
The girl unconsciously took a step back.
“Your skin is so dark. A dress wouldn’t look good on you anyway.” Su Wanqing sighed sympathetically. “No wonder you wear long pants. You’re trying to cover up your flaws.”
“You!”
The girl’s face turned bright red, but she was too angry to say anything.
Su Wanqing turned to the next one.
“And you. Those spots on your face can’t be covered no matter what you use, right? If I were you, I wouldn’t bother dressing up either. It would only make me look uglier.”
“Su Wanqing, you’ve gone too far!”
“How have I gone too far?” Su Wanqing blinked innocently. “I was only telling the truth. You were gossiping about me behind my back. Why can’t I say a few things about you? You’re allowed to set fires, but I’m not allowed to light a lamp?”
The group was furious, their faces turning green, yet they had no way to argue back.
Su Wanqing waved casually.
“Alright, I’m done talking. I need to go back and eat. I still have work this afternoon. You all carry on chatting. Keep gossiping if you want. I don’t mind.”
With that, she swayed her hips and walked away.
The women behind her stomped their feet in frustration.
“What kind of person is she?”
“Shameless!”
“Let’s go argue with her!”
“Argue about what? How are you supposed to argue with the things she said?”
Their faces flushed red with anger, but they truly had no way to deal with her.
Only after walking some distance away did Su Wanqing finally burst out laughing.
【Ding. Detected that the Host has successfully maintained the ‘vicious supporting female character’ persona. Excellent performance in arguing back. Points +10.】
Su Wanqing was delighted.
This system was wonderful.
It even rewarded her for arguing with people.
Although she had no idea what the points were for, she assumed she would find out eventually.
When she returned to the Zhiqing (Educated Youth) point, the courtyard was quiet.
Su Wanqing pushed open the door. Several people inside were eating lunch. When they saw her enter, they all looked up.
Zhang Hongying snorted and lowered her head to continue eating, ignoring her.
Su Wanqing did not care. Walking to her bed, she pulled out a cloth bundle from beneath her pillow. Inside were biscuits and canned food she had taken from her space the previous night.
She sat on the edge of the bed, opened the biscuit packet, took out one, and bit into it.
Crunch.
Everyone in the room looked over.
Liu Weihong swallowed.
“Su Wanqing, where did you get those biscuits?”
Without even looking up, Su Wanqing replied, “Someone gave them to me.”
“Who gave them to you?” Zhang Hongying asked sarcastically. “Don’t tell me it was Lu Shiyan. He lives in a cowshed. How could he have biscuits?”
Only then did Su Wanqing look up at her.
With a smile, she said, “It was Lu Shiyan. So what? What’s wrong with living in a cowshed? He has biscuits. Do you? You’re nothing but a snob who looks down on people.”
Zhang Hongying was instantly speechless.
Su Wanqing took another bite of her biscuit, deliberately chewing loudly.
Zhang Hongying slammed her bowl onto the table.
“I’m not eating anymore!”
She stood up and stormed out.
Liu Weihong looked at Zhang Hongying’s departing figure, then at Su Wanqing.
“Su Wanqing, maybe don’t argue with her all the time. You live in the same room. If things get too tense, it won’t be good.”
Su Wanqing glanced at her.
“When did I argue with her? Isn’t she the one constantly looking for trouble and targeting me? Am I not allowed to tell the truth?”
Liu Weihong opened her mouth but had no response.
After finishing her biscuit, Su Wanqing opened the can and scooped out a spoonful.
Sweet.
Delicious.
This space really was a wonderful thing. Whatever she wanted to eat was available.
That afternoon, she changed clothes before going back to work.
The skirt was put away and replaced with a cleaner pair of pants. She still wore the floral blouse, but this time every button was fastened neatly.
It was not because she wanted to change.
After sitting there for only a short while that morning, the mosquitoes had nearly eaten her alive.
After thinking it over, pants seemed like the better option.
When she arrived at the Threshing Ground, Erhu had already replaced the table and chair.
The table was noticeably taller than the one from the morning. The chair had a backrest. Though old and worn, it was much more comfortable.
“Comrade Su, what do you think?” Erhu asked with an honest smile, scratching his head.
Su Wanqing sat down and tested it before nodding.
“It’s good. Very good. Thank you, Brother Erhu.”
Hearing her sweet voice call him Brother Erhu, Erhu immediately blushed.
“Th Then that’s good. You sit here. I’ll go back to work.”
He turned to leave.
“Brother Erhu.”
Su Wanqing called out to him.
Erhu stopped and looked back in confusion.
Su Wanqing pulled two White Rabbit Candy from her pocket and held them out to him.
“Here. Thanks for helping me.”
Erhu stared at the candies, his eyes widening.
White Rabbit Candy was expensive even at the supply and marketing cooperative. He might only get to eat it a few times a year.
“Th This isn’t appropriate.” He waved his hands. “I only moved a table. No need, really.”
“Take them.”
Su Wanqing stuffed the candies into his hand.
“It’s not anything valuable. Why be so polite?”
Clutching the two candies, Erhu’s face turned as red as a monkey’s backside.
“Th Then I’ll accept them. Thank you, Comrade Su!”
As soon as he finished speaking, he turned around and ran off, even faster than he had that morning.
Su Wanqing smiled and shook her head before sitting down to prepare for work.
The afternoon was busier than the morning. She spent the entire time recording Labor Points until her hand grew sore.
As the sun began sinking toward the west, the crowd gradually thinned.
Su Wanqing packed up her things and prepared to finish for the day.
The moment she looked up, she saw Lu Shiyan standing in the distance once again.
This time he was empty handed.
He simply stood there watching her.
Su Wanqing waved at him.
Lu Shiyan walked over.
“You changed chairs?” He glanced at the chair she was sitting on.
Su Wanqing nodded.
“Brother Erhu changed it for me.”
Lu Shiyan frowned.
“Erhu?”
“That’s right. He’s really enthusiastic.” Su Wanqing deliberately added, “He’s better than you. When I ask you to do something, I have to wait. When I ask him, he gets it done immediately.”
Lu Shiyan’s face darkened again.