Aunt Hui fixed her gaze on Lin Xizhi, unable to shake the feeling that this young woman was especially close to her.
As though they had known each other in a previous life.
The moment Lin Xizhi met her, she trusted her completely.
Unlike everyone else, she wasn’t frightened away by the cold indifference in Aunt Hui’s eyes.
Moreover, she was genuinely thoughtful and filial in everything she did.
For example, on her very first day, Lin Xizhi had mended the clothes Aunt Hui had torn while practicing martial arts.
She scrubbed the cooking pot, washed the dishes, and prepared two meals.
Despite being physically exhausted herself, she had hauled bucket after bucket of water back to the house until the freshwater jar was completely full.
Such patience and sincerity couldn’t be faked.
In just a single day, Aunt Hui’s heart had already begun to favor Lin Xizhi.
Especially every time the girl called her “Master.”
It always filled her heart with warmth…
As if she had somehow regained something precious she had once lost.
Aunt Hui couldn’t explain this strange bond.
But she had sincerely accepted Lin Xizhi as her disciple.
Precisely because of that, she desperately wanted to know what kind of heartless monster could poison such a kind-hearted girl.
Still, Aunt Hui refused to soften her words.
“One more person means one more mouth to feed. Do you think this place is a charity?” she rolled her eyes. “Taking you in is troublesome enough already. Now you want to bring someone else here too?”
Lin Xizhi smiled.
“Master, this isn’t a charity. This is your home.”
“In your home, you make the rules.”
“No matter who comes, they only get to eat if you say they can.”
“And however much you allow them to eat is exactly how much they’ll get.”
“If you think you don’t even have enough food for yourself and don’t want to feed us, then you don’t have to give us a single grain of rice or a single strand of noodles.”
Aunt Hui crossed one leg over the other.
The neat bun pinned at the back of her head with a wooden chopstick bobbed proudly as she tilted her chin.
“What you said makes sense. That’s exactly right.”
“In that case, bringing in another helper isn’t impossible.”
She relented but only slightly.
“However, let me make one thing perfectly clear first.”
“If she’s useless, I’ll throw both of you out together!”
Lin Xizhi beamed.
“Alright, Master! I understand!”
With Aunt Hui’s permission secured, and after obediently applying medicine to all the cuts and bruises on her body under her master’s supervision, Lin Xizhi left Widow Village and asked for directions as she made her way to find Pei Yunnuo.
Pei Yunnuo had been assigned to the drying yard of the Fifth Production Brigade.
Her daily duties consisted of drying salted fish, dried shrimp, laver, and kelp.
Since several people worked together, the workload wasn’t particularly heavy. Compared to many other assignments, it was considered an easy job.
The downside was that it required spending long hours under the blazing sun.
To avoid getting sunburned, workers had to wear wide bamboo hats and protective sleeve covers.
But October in Lingnan was still oppressively hot.
By the end of each workday, her whole body felt salty and sour, like a piece of fish that had been marinated until it stank.
That very morning, while learning the ropes from an older woman in the drying yard, Pei Yunnuo had secretly cried several times.
The thought of living like this every single day filled her with despair.
Her heart raced with panic.
She was a refined, elegant young woman from the city.
How could she possibly work alongside these rough country peasants who smacked their lips while eating?
If she stayed here long enough, she’d end up smelling just like them.
To make matters worse, whenever everyone worked together, they spoke only in the local dialect.
She couldn’t understand a single word.
It always felt as though they were talking about her.
Laughing at her.
The thought made her chest tighten.
She missed her mother.
She missed her older brother.
She wanted to go back to her bright, spotless home in Mingzhu City.
The more she thought about it, the more wronged she felt.
She wanted to cry again.
“Pei Yunnuo! Someone’s here looking for you.”
The scorekeeper of the drying yard, Ke Yuerong, walked over.
One glance was enough for her to notice Pei Yunnuo secretly wiping away tears.
She clicked her tongue.
“What’s wrong with you? Why are you crying all of a sudden? Anyone would think someone bullied you.”
Among everyone in the Fifth Production Brigade’s drying yard, Ke Yuerong spoke the best Mandarin.
Although she still had a strong local accent, at least Pei Yunnuo could understand her.
Talking to Ke Yuerong was the only time Pei Yunnuo didn’t feel completely isolated here.
So she quickly tried to stay on the woman’s good side.
“I’m not crying,” Pei Yunnuo explained softly. “When I was hanging up the fishing nets just now, I accidentally got sand in my eyes.”
Ke Yuerong frowned and scolded her.
“I already told you to be more careful! Slow down! Work more seriously!”
“This time it was only sand getting into your own eyes.”
“What about next time?”
“What if you’re careless and damage the fishing nets? Those are collective property!”
Pei Yunnuo gritted her teeth in frustration.
She was already in such a miserable state.
Yet the scorekeeper’s first concern wasn’t her health or safety
It was collective property.
Just as she’d thought…
Women simply couldn’t get along with other women.
If only the drying yard’s scorekeeper had been a man.
She was sure she would have charmed him long ago.
But circumstances left her with no choice.
She forced a smile.
“Don’t worry, Sister Ke. I definitely won’t cause any trouble in the drying yard.”
“Oh, right you just said someone came looking for me. Who is it?”
“Is it Brother A-Ming?”
The person Pei Yunnuo most wanted to see now was A-Ming from the Sea Guard Team.
Because the way A-Ming looked at her was exactly the same as all the men who had pursued her in the past.
If she wanted to escape this miserable life in the drying yard as soon as possible, A-Ming was her best opportunity.
So she had been eagerly waiting for him to come see her.
Instead, Ke Yuerong pointed toward the entrance and barked,
“A-Ming isn’t even from our production brigade! Why would he come here for no reason?”
“It’s your sister who’s here to see you!”
Her sister?
Lin Xizhi?!
As Pei Yunnuo hurried toward the entrance of the drying yard, confusion filled her mind.
Ever since the pirate incident, Lin Xizhi’s attitude toward her entire family had completely changed.
Why would she suddenly come looking for her now?
Despite finding it unbelievable, the instant she saw Lin Xizhi, Pei Yunnuo rushed forward and threw herself into her arms.
“Big Sister! Please save me!”
“This place isn’t fit for human beings!”
Lin Xizhi had barely opened her mouth to comfort her when someone suddenly charged over from behind.
Without a word, the newcomer grabbed Pei Yunnuo by the collar, yanked her violently away from Lin Xizhi’s embrace, and shoved her hard to the ground.
“Comrade Pei Yunnuo!”
“What you just said was completely irresponsible!”
“Considering you’re new here, I’ve already assigned you the easiest job in the entire drying yard!”
“And just a moment ago you were smiling happily!”
“Now the moment your sister arrives, you’re complaining that this isn’t a place fit for human beings?”
Ke Yuerong’s face darkened with fury.
Her skin was naturally wheat-colored.
Now, flushed red with anger, she looked as though she’d just been pulled out of a vat of soy sauce.
Combined with the fierce killing intent radiating from her…
She looked like the reincarnation of the mighty Guan Yu himself.
Lin Xizhi was still stunned by the woman’s astonishing strength when, the very next second, Ke Yuerong turned her blazing glare toward her.
“You’re one of the educated youths who came to the countryside with her too, aren’t you?”
“Instead of staying in your own production brigade and doing your work properly, what are you doing running around?”
“If you hadn’t come looking for her, would she have suddenly started saying such nonsense?”
“In the end…”
“This is all your fault!”