When they got outside, he saw her standing there like a silly little rabbit, hugging an enormous bundle of firewood in her arms.
Her fair, rosy cheeks were flushed from the effort, and she panted softly.
Completely unaware of herself, she had no idea how many eyes she had attracted.
The moment her beautiful eyes met his, they sparkled with unmistakable delight, as though the little rabbit was about to hop over and proudly show him her achievement.
Seeing that she wasn’t the one who had been injured, Xie Jinghuai quietly let out a sigh of relief.
Then he suddenly came to his senses.
Wait… why was he so concerned about her?
Xie Jinghuai abruptly withdrew his gaze, his expression returning to its usual cold and indifferent look.
Ruan Liuzheng was completely baffled by his sudden change.
Seriously? Did he just perform a face-changing act?
At that moment, Deng Yuanchao’s booming voice rang out.
“I already told you it’s nothing! Such a tiny problem scared you half to death. Hurry up and go back.”
Chen Wenjuan’s eyes reddened as she looked at the brigade leader with a face full of grievance. Although she was simmering with resentment, she knew better than to offend him.
However, when her gaze accidentally landed on Ruan Liuzheng, the grievance in her heart instantly turned into anger.
A trace of hatred flashed through her eyes. As she walked past Ruan Liuzheng, she deliberately pretended to catch on the bundle of firewood before secretly shoving her hard.
Caught off guard, Ruan Liuzheng lost her balance and fell to the ground.
Her face instantly turned deathly pale.
Tears welled up in her eyes.
Enduring the pain, Ruan Liuzheng raised her hand. Tiny shards of gravel had embedded themselves in her pale palm, and beads of blood slowly seeped out.
Anyone could tell how much it hurt.
Xie Jinghuai’s heart clenched painfully.
With tear-filled eyes, Ruan Liuzheng spoke in a trembling, aggrieved voice.
“Comrade Chen… why did you push me?”
Chen Wenjuan froze in shock. She had never imagined Ruan Liuzheng could be this delicate.
“I… I didn’t! I didn’t do it on purpose!”
Zhang Xiaoquan immediately stepped forward.
“Comrade Chen, I clearly saw you deliberately bump into Comrade Ruan just now. What does your snakebite have to do with her? Why are you taking your anger out on her? Is bullying an honest person fun?”
Having her intentions exposed, Chen Wenjuan’s face flushed bright red.
“I… I really didn’t mean to.”
Although she insisted otherwise, she was still young, and the guilt in her eyes was impossible to hide.
Deng Yuanchao was so angry he looked ready to explode.
“Xiaoquan, take Comrade Ruan to get her wound treated. Comrade Chen, come with me to the brigade office.”
Chen Wenjuan immediately wilted. Biting her lip, she became convinced that Ruan Liuzheng had fallen on purpose.
Watching Chen Wenjuan being led away, a faint glimmer flashed through Ruan Liuzheng’s eyes.
“Comrade Zhang, I brought medicine with me. I’ll go back and treat it myself. Thank you for today.”
Seeing her like this, Zhang Xiaoquan immediately felt a strong urge to protect her.
“It’s nothing, Comrade Ruan. I’ll testify for you at the brigade office.”
Ruan Liuzheng gave him a soft, sweet smile.
“Thank you.”
Zhang Xiaoquan thought to himself:
I’m done for… She’s so beautiful… so beautiful!
Keeping her head lowered like a timid little quail, Ruan Liuzheng walked toward the educated youths’ quarters, not daring to look at Xie Jinghuai even once.
One step.
Two steps.
Three steps…
“Ah~”
Like a frightened little rabbit, Ruan Liuzheng was suddenly pulled behind a nearby tree. She looked up at Xie Jinghuai with panic written all over her face.
“Comrade Xie, why are you grabbing me?”
Seeing her trembling slightly, Xie Jinghuai took hold of her left hand, and his heart tightened.
“This needs to be disinfected. I’ll treat it for you.”
Ruan Liuzheng thought to herself,
Oh.
Even so, she knitted her delicate brows together as though she were in great pain.
Xie Jinghuai led her along a secluded path where no one could see them, all the way to his house.
“Wait here.”
Ruan Liuzheng obediently lowered her head.
“Mm.”
A short while later, Xie Jinghuai came back carrying a military medical kit. Taking her hand again, he said,
“It’ll hurt a little.”
Ruan Liuzheng frowned tightly. As Xie Jinghuai removed the first tiny stone from her palm, she instinctively tried to pull her hand away.
“It hurts…”
The moment he heard her say it hurt, Xie Jinghuai’s scalp went numb.
He couldn’t help recalling the girl from his dream.
His entire body tensed, and in a stiff voice he said,
“I’ll be gentler.”
Seeing his awkward nervousness, Ruan Liuzheng lowered her head obediently and responded with a soft hum.
“Okay.”
Xie Jinghuai had not expected her to be so obedient that she didn’t make a single sound.
When he looked up, he saw her biting her lip so hard it was almost bleeding.
His deep voice softened as he said, “If it hurts, it’s okay to make a little noise.”
Ruan Liuzheng was in a good mood as she looked at the hand he had just finished applying medicine to.
She smiled. “Comrade Xie, I’ve troubled you again.”
Seeing that she had clearly been bullied yet still looked so innocent and absent-minded, Xie Jinghuai’s heart softened a little.
“For the next two days, don’t let it touch water.”
Ruan Liuzheng nodded repeatedly like a clumsy little rabbit.
“Th-Then I’ll head back now.”
Looking at how awkward and restrained she seemed, Xie Jinghuai called out to her.
He handed her the key in his hand.
“This is the front gate key. You can come cook tomorrow.”
Looking at the key glinting in the sunlight, Ruan Liuzheng bowed sweetly to him.
“Thank you, Comrade Xie. You’re such a wonderful person.”
Watching her jog happily out of the courtyard, a faint smile appeared on Xie Jinghuai’s lips.
A wonderful person?
Only someone like her would think everyone was a good person.
Looking at the water jar and the stack of firewood in the courtyard, he let out a quiet sigh.
He had only helped because her hand was injured.
It definitely wasn’t for any other reason.
Helping the people was simply what a soldier ought to do.
After leaving Xie Jinghuai’s house, Ruan Liuzheng took a deserted route back to the educated youth residence.
Her dark eyes settled on Chen Wenjuan’s bed.
She then glanced at the key in her hand.
It had all been worth it.
Her brows were filled with icy resolve.
What was a little pain compared to this?
Ruan Liuzheng gently twirled the key around her finger.
What kind of gift should she prepare for Chen Wenjuan?
She reached into her space and grabbed the harmless green snake.
“Little one, I’ll have to trouble you one more time.”
It was evening by the time Chen Wenjuan returned from the production brigade office, holding a copy of Quotations from Chairman Mao in her hand.
It was obvious she had been subjected to ideological education.
She glared at Ruan Liuzheng in silent anger before letting out a cold snort.
The other educated youths said nothing.
To them, anyone with ideological problems deserved nothing but contempt.
The revolutionary cause had no need for troublemakers.
Late that night, everyone was fast asleep.
Suddenly, a piercing scream shattered the silence, jolting everyone awake.
“A snake! A snake…”
The moment they heard the word “snake,” everyone was fully awake in fright.
They hurriedly lit the oil lamp.
They searched for what felt like half the night but found nothing.
“Comrade Chen, are you imagining things? Were you so frightened after being bitten before that you’re seeing things?”
Chen Wenjuan froze for a few seconds before immediately insisting,
“No. I’m certain it was a snake!”
“Did it bite you?”
One of the older educated youths asked irritably,
“Everyone has to work tomorrow. Be more careful.”
After being disturbed for half the night, everyone lay back down and quickly fell asleep again.
Chen Wenjuan was so angry her chest felt tight.
Could it really have been just her imagination?
In the darkness, the corners of Ruan Liuzheng’s lips curled into a faint smile before she turned over and went to sleep.
Tomorrow, we’ll continue the game.