Seeing that Ke Yuerong had finally quieted down, Song Zhuowei released her fist and, using the momentum, gave her a shove.
Ke Yuerong stumbled backward two steps.
Her lips were tightly pressed together, her face half stubbornness and half resentment.
Silently, she swore to herself that she would find another chance to defeat Song Zhuowei.
She would wipe away this humiliation.
Just as she was thinking of a new strategy, she looked up and suddenly saw Song Zhuowei turn toward Lin Xizhi and his tone wasn’t gentle with her either.
“Comrade Xiao Lin, what’s going on with you?” Song Zhuowei asked with a frown. “Why is it that every time I see you, you’re being bullied?”
Confusion filled Lin Xizhi’s large eyes.
“I don’t know either… Why does it always happen so coincidentally?”
Then she lowered her voice and said softly,
“But… thank you all the same. Captain Song, you’re truly a very good man.”
Song Zhuowei impatiently waved a hand.
“Nothing to thank me for. It’s part of my job.”
He glanced at the still-fuming Ke Yuerong and casually introduced her to Lin Xizhi.
“Her name is Ke Yuerong. She’s the scorekeeper at the Fifth Brigade’s drying yard.”
“She used to be a member of the militia. Later, when the militia was reorganized and upgraded, the women were reassigned elsewhere.”
“Don’t let the fact that she’s a woman fool you. She’s been as strong as an ox since she was little. At ten years old, she could knock down three boys by herself.”
“So around here, nobody’s ever treated her like some delicate young lady.”
“If I hadn’t arrived just now, you definitely would’ve gotten a beating.”
Lin Xizhi was just about to nod when Pei Yunnuo suddenly stepped in front of Song Zhuowei.
She held up both palms, where the skin had been scraped open and blood was still oozing out.
With tearful sobs, she said,
“Yes… Sister Ke is incredibly strong.”
“She only pushed me once, and I ended up like this…”
“Sob… Could I take some time off and go to the clinic to put some medicine on my hands?”
“If I keep handling salted fish with open wounds, they’ll become infected and rot…”
When the others saw the injuries on her palms, they immediately began criticizing Ke Yuerong again.
“Xiao Ke, you’ve really gone too far!”
“Even if she’s new and not doing the work well, you shouldn’t have pushed her!”
As everyone voiced their indignation on Pei Yunnuo’s behalf, she quietly slipped over to Lin Xizhi’s side and clung tightly to her arm.
“Sister Xizhi, where were you assigned?”
“Can I work with you instead?”
“Please, dear Sister, just ask Captain Song. He’ll definitely agree if it’s you!”
Pei Yunnuo wasn’t speaking quietly.
Song Zhuowei had obviously heard every word.
But when Lin Xizhi looked at him, she realized he wasn’t even looking her way.
Instead, his gaze remained fixed on the embattled Ke Yuerong, who was being criticized from all sides.
Lin Xizhi smiled inwardly.
He’s quite good at pretending to be deaf.
He had clearly heard it.
He was simply pretending otherwise.
Was he really waiting for her to ask him on Pei Yunnuo’s behalf?
Originally, she hadn’t intended to.
But since Song Zhuowei seemed to be expecting it…
She didn’t mind putting on a little performance.
“Captain Song.”
Lin Xizhi called softly, almost in a whisper.
“You’ve seen it yourself. My younger sister and Comrade Xiao Ke have clashed like this.”
“If she stays at the drying yard, they’ll probably end up ‘at war’ every single day.”
“Constant conflict certainly isn’t good for the unity of the collective.”
“So… shouldn’t we find a way to separate them?”
At last, Song Zhuowei turned around.
His brows knit together sternly.
Judging by his expression, he seemed to share Ke Yuerong’s opinion regarding personnel assignments.
“What do you think this brigade is?”
“Your family’s private property?”
“No organization. No discipline.”
“You’ve only just arrived, and you’re already trying to change assignments.”
“If everyone were as demanding as you, constantly asking for special treatment, how difficult do you think that would make the brigade leader’s job?”
The moment those words left his mouth, the entire area fell silent.
Everyone quietly looked toward Lin Xizhi.
She lowered her eyes.
No one could see the expression in them.
No one could guess what she was thinking.
The crowd simply waited to see how this once-famous, now-impoverished capitalist family’s young lady would break down in tears.
Even Pei Yunnuo had already resigned herself to staying at the drying yard…
When Lin Xizhi slowly raised her head.
She looked directly at Song Zhuowei and said,
“Captain Song is absolutely right.”
“I failed to think things through.”
“I only saw that my sworn younger sister had been injured and that she and Comrade Xiao Ke had gotten into a conflict.”
“I was only thinking about solving the immediate problem and didn’t consider the trouble it would cause the organization.”
Her sincere attitude in admitting fault made Song Zhuowei frown even more deeply.
Then Lin Xizhi changed the subject.
Looking toward the flushed-faced Ke Yuerong, she continued,
“Actually, I can tell that Comrade Xiao Ke is someone who speaks her mind.”
“She’s wholeheartedly devoted to the public good.”
“She insists on doing everything by the book, which can make her seem rather cold and uncompromising.”
“But that’s also proof that she’s conscientious and responsible.”
“That’s something all of us should learn from.”
The moment she finished speaking, not only Song Zhuowei but even Ke Yuerong stared at her in stunned silence.
Ke Yuerong looked at Lin Xizhi in complete disbelief.
She had expected Lin Xizhi to complain.
Or to beg for mercy.
But she had never imagined that Lin Xizhi would actually speak up for her.
As though she hadn’t noticed Ke Yuerong’s astonished expression, Lin Xizhi turned back to Song Zhuowei.
“Yunnuo has only just arrived.”
“There are many rules she doesn’t understand yet.”
“She’s probably still slow and clumsy with her work.”
“Comrade Xiao Ke has high standards, so it’s only natural that the two of them would have some friction while she’s still adapting.”
“When all is said and done, we’re the ones who need to improve.”
She paused.
Then, naturally steering the conversation toward her true objective, she said,
“Captain Song, what do you think of this?”
“Since the drying yard requires someone as strict and conscientious as Comrade Xiao Ke…”
“Could Yunnuo perhaps be transferred to another position for the time being?”
“Maybe somewhere that requires more careful attention than physical strength.”
“Once she’s learned the rules and gained some experience, she can be assigned wherever she’s needed most.”
“That way, the drying yard’s work won’t be affected, she’ll improve more quickly, and she won’t hold back the collective.”
She had deliberately avoided saying that Pei Yunnuo should be transferred to work with her.
Instead, she framed everything from the perspective of work efficiency and the collective’s interests.
The villagers watching nearby exchanged quiet glances.
Just look at how she handles herself.
Every word is measured.
She considers everyone’s position.
Compared to her, Ke Yuerong still has a lot to learn.
Song Zhuowei was studying Lin Xizhi as well.
Every time he met her, she seemed to reveal another side of herself.
She was decisive.
Quick-witted.
And, most importantly…
She was never afraid to take responsibility.
On that point alone, she was far better than all those people in the brigade who only knew how to shift blame and shirk responsibility whenever something happened.
Besides…
Although Lin Xizhi’s earlier remarks sounded like an admission of fault, they had also quietly given Ke Yuerong a graceful way to step down.
Today’s farce…
Wouldn’t escalate any further.
Song Zhuowei’s gaze drifted toward the blood still seeping from the base of Pei Yunnuo’s palms.
Then he glanced at Ke Yuerong, who stubbornly held her chin high, refusing to lower her head.
Finally, he spoke in a gruff voice.
“Newly arrived educated youths do need some time to adapt to each brigade’s work.”
“Pei Yunnuo.”
“Since you can’t handle the drying yard work, and your hands are injured, then stop working there for now.”
Joy surged through Pei Yunnuo.
She was just about to thank him
When Song Zhuowei turned to one of the Sea Guard members watching nearby.
“Shuisheng!”
“Take her to Aunt Liu at the pig farm.”
“Tell Aunt Liu I sent her.”
“Have her help out there for a few days.”
“She can learn to feed pigs and cook pig feed.”
“That work requires careful attention.”
“We’ll see whether she can manage that.”