“Ranran, we’re educated youths from the same place. It’s only right that we help each other. But since you already gave me the gourd, it belongs to me now. Since you’re sick and missing home, of course I can lend it to you for the time being.
But the gourd is a symbol of our friendship, and I treasure it very much. Once you recover, you can return it to me. What do you think?
If you agree, I’ll go get the gourd. You’re still not feeling well, so I’ll make lunch for you today too.”
It was already noon, and the other educated youths had returned from work. Jiang Yue deliberately raised her voice, and several female educated youths gathered at the doorway after hearing her.
Someone spoke up righteously, saying that Wen Ranran had willingly given the item away, yet now she was asking Jiang Yue to return it. Jiang Yue had even specifically asked the brigade leader for leave to come back and check on her because she was worried, and was even helping cook lunch for her today. Wen Ranran’s actions were simply ungrateful!
Hearing people criticize Wen Ranran on her behalf filled Jiang Yue with secret delight. In this situation, Wen Ranran would definitely be too ashamed to show her face!
That gourd might not be especially useful for helping her get rich, but at critical moments it could save a life. In the future, when Zhou Musheng became incapable in that area, it was also the gourd that restored his vigor. She absolutely could not return it to Wen Ranran!
Most importantly, according to the developments in her previous life, Wen Ranran would die from illness in a few days. Keeping the gourd with her would never allow it to realize its greatest value. She herself was the ideal owner of the gourd!
Jiang Yue furrowed her brows with an injured expression, but Wen Ranran’s reaction was completely different from what she had imagined.
Looking at Jiang Yue’s affected expression, Wen Ranran sneered and slapped her across the face, instantly tearing apart her hypocritical act.
“That gourd was carved by my late grandfather. How could I casually give it away to you?
It’s true that you helped me on the train, but to thank you, I already shared the braised pork I brought from home with you back then. You only asked for the gourd after seeing it while I was looking through my things. Because you had helped me, I felt too embarrassed to refuse, so I agreed to lend it to you to play with for a while. How did it suddenly become yours after only a few days?
And helping me cook? Jiang Yue, others may not know, but don’t you know yourself? Ever since we came to the countryside, every time it was your turn to cook, you’d have a headache today or cut your hand tomorrow. How many times have I helped you? Have you ever helped me even once?
Even if you once saved my life, I should’ve repaid that debt long ago. Yet you’re still relying on the fact that you spoke up for me a few times on the train to hold it over my head, deliberately ruining my reputation in front of everyone. Friends? Hah, I’m not blessed enough to be friends with someone like you. Hurry up and return the gourd to me!”
Wen Ranran’s body had not fully recovered, and her voice was still weak, but every word she spoke felt like a slap across Jiang Yue’s face. Especially the actual slap she had just delivered—it was like grinding Jiang Yue’s dignity into the dirt.
Jiang Yue covered her face in disbelief, tears bursting from her eyes. She couldn’t understand why things had become completely different in this life.
Wen Ranran should have been endlessly grateful to her until death, just like in her previous life, instead of repaying kindness with hostility like she was now!
So she glared resentfully at Wen Ranran, trembling with rage.
“Is that really how you see me? Fine, I admit you did help me cook a few times, but I never thought you’d hold onto such trivial things for so long. Isn’t helping each other what friends are supposed to do? When I helped you, I never expected repayment!
Isn’t it just a gourd? I’ll return it to you. Don’t regret it later!”
Wen Ranran looked down at Jiang Yue coldly. “Whoever regrets it is a dog.”
Anyone who got involved with such a selfish person was asking for trouble!
Unable to bear the humiliation, Jiang Yue wiped her tears and rushed out. From her room she dug out a tiny wooden gourd, not even as big as a finger, and threw it onto Wen Ranran’s bed.
“Here, take it back. We’re even now, right?!”
“Wait.”
Hearing Wen Ranran stop her, Jiang Yue immediately felt secretly pleased and became smug again.
As expected, Wen Ranran was still the same fool who revolved around her. Only now did she realize she should apologize—but it was too late!
Her forgiveness wasn’t that cheap.
She was going to make Wen Ranran apologize in front of everyone and give her a few yuan on top of that so she could buy a fragrant box of Snowflake cream!
She was going to see Zhou Musheng that afternoon, so she had to maintain her image.
Jiang Yue was still fantasizing about Wen Ranran humiliating herself when Wen Ranran pointed at the bowl of water on the table and said, “Who said we’re even? Take your water out. I don’t need it. And remember to cook—you still owe me four meals!”
After saying that, Wen Ranran turned around and lay back down on the bed, too lazy to pay her any more attention.
Jiang Yue’s beautiful fantasy shattered. She was left so speechless and humiliated that her face alternated between red and pale. Biting her lip hard, she ran out crying.
Seeing this, an educated youth surnamed Niu, trying to keep the peace and worried something might happen to her, hurried after her.
The remaining educated youths looked at each other, all feeling that Wen Ranran was completely different today.
After all, Educated Youth Wen was beautiful, quiet, and famously gentle-tempered. Because Jiang Yue had helped her before, she had always treated Jiang Yue especially well. Yet today the two had suddenly fallen out. Something must have happened between them.
The atmosphere at the educated youth station became awkward, but everyone now understood the situation: Jiang Yue had been lying all along, constantly using her past favor to manipulate Wen Ranran. Now that Wen Ranran refused to keep suffering in silence, Jiang Yue became unhappy!
The female educated youth who had just spoken up for Jiang Yue realized she had misunderstood Wen Ranran. Blushing in embarrassment, she carefully walked over to Wen Ranran and apologized.
“Educated Youth Wen, I said the wrong thing just now. I’m sorry. Get some good rest. I’ll cook today’s meal.”
Before Wen Ranran could reply, she fled as if escaping. The other educated youths quickly went to help as well, and soon the kitchen filled with the sounds of bustling activity.
…
The room suddenly became quiet. After venting her anger, Wen Ranran now lay on the bed, dizzy beyond measure.
After resting for quite a while, the spinning sensation finally eased. Wen Ranran picked up the wooden gourd and examined it in her palm, unable to stop thinking that there had to be something unusual about it. Otherwise Jiang Yue would never value it so much or go to such lengths to avoid returning it.
When Jiang Yue had tested her earlier, Wen Ranran had already realized it: the current Jiang Yue had definitely been reborn.
Although Wen Ranran didn’t remember the novel mentioning the gourd, anything a reborn Jiang Yue valued this much could not possibly be ordinary.
So Wen Ranran immediately pricked her finger with a needle and squeezed a drop of blood onto the gourd.
She waited quietly for a long time. Just as Wen Ranran was about to lose patience, the gourd suddenly lit up, transforming into countless points of light that flew into her body. The gourd itself dimmed, and at the same time, an upside-down gourd floating in midair appeared inside Wen Ranran’s mind.