Su Fu didn’t speak, only looked at the team leader with a half-smile.
Li Youcai: “…”
“Educated Youth Li, the harvest rush is coming soon. I hope you can—”
The moment Li Mingyu heard the words harvest rush, she grabbed Su Fu and ran.
“We need to move fast — we must get back to the city before harvest!”
She had experienced the harvest rush last year. Of all the mixed feelings, only bitterness remained.
Su Fu thought the same. During harvest season, everyone in the village — from three years old to eighty — worked as long as they could walk.
When she was in school, she never went home during the farming holiday; she hid at her godmother’s place in town.
Su Fu: “Li-Li is wise.”
Li Mingyu proudly raised her chin. “Of course.”
After arriving in town, the first thing they did was go to the post office to make a phone call.
Su Fu waited beside her and idly flipped through the newspapers in a basket.
After reading the national news, she noticed a story below — apparently a serialized novel, this issue labeled Final Chapter.
Even without context, she roughly understood:
It told the story of an educated youth sent to the countryside who overcame hardships to build rural life.
What Su Fu cared about most:Did newspapers pay money for publishing stories?
If yes, she wanted to try too.
After Li Mingyu finished the call and paid the fee, she bought two sheets of newly issued local stamps.
Before Su Fu could ask, she smiled and explained:
“My grandparents love collecting stamps. Every time I come to town I buy some.”
Su Fu was a practical person — she only cared about making money and living well.
“You’re really filial.”
Li Mingyu sighed.“When I came to the countryside I angered my grandma into getting sick. The first time we met, I was crying by the roadside because of that.”
Actually, Su Fu and Li Mingyu were quite fated.
Before they became close, Su Fu had met her three times — all three times she was crying.
First meeting: under the big tree at the educated youth station entrance.Li Mingyu cried like pear blossoms in rain, eyes red like a rabbit.Su Fu liked beautiful people regardless of gender.She happened to have a carrot in hand and inexplicably handed it over.
Second meeting: under the big tree at the village entrance.Li Mingyu sat crying, looking like a wilted flower.Su Fu again inexplicably gave her the fruit candy in her pocket.
Third meeting: in a small grove.Li Mingyu cried while cursing someone.Su Fu knocked down the man harassing her in two moves — that led to their later transactions.
Su Fu had no friends. Villagers privately called her a jinx.
They said she killed her mother at birth, her father at age five,and brought misfortune to the Lin family — fires, lightning strikes, people ending up bald and half-crazy.
She didn’t care. If she truly brought disaster, they’d all be dead already.
They chatted until reaching the state-run restaurant.
“One braised pork ribs, one scallion oil prawns, two bowls of rice.”
Su Fu: “Li-Li you’re the best.”
Li Mingyu couldn’t eat shrimp — she got rashes.Su Fu loved shrimp in any form.
Li Mingyu said proudly,“Follow your big sister and you’ll eat well and drink well.”
If they weren’t outside, Su Fu would’ve massaged her shoulders.
“My Sister Li is not only pretty — she’s thoughtful and generous too.”
After eating, Li Mingyu wanted to find the team leader immediately.
Su Fu stopped her.“Wait until results come out. If rumors spread before success, villagers will gossip.”
Li Mingyu:“Alright. I’ll go work then — later the team leader can write me a commendation letter.”
She really did work hard in the countryside — poor efficiency, but great attitude.
As Su Fu reached her home, a woman grabbed her.
“Su Fu!!”
She missed that voice — turning back, it was Su Meimei whom she hadn’t seen in a long time.
“Oh, Aunt’s back? Empty-handed? So rude — Grandma might not let you in later…”
Su Meimei gritted her teeth.“Was it you who did something?!”
“Did what?”
Su Fu blinked innocently.
Su Meimei wanted to scratch her face off, but suppressed it — she still had a plan.
Once this wretch marries into the mountain village, I’ll beat her badly — rip her nails out, tear her hair, scratch her face!
The malice in her eyes spilled out.
Su Fu grinned brightly.
“Aunt, why wear a wool hat in this heat? Don’t grow lice~”
Su Meimei snorted and walked inside.
Su Fu went to the chicken coop picking.“Eeny, meeny, miny, moe — whoever I pick gets eaten.”
She grabbed a chicken — one slash — blood splattered.
Holding the dead chicken she smiled at Su Meimei.
“Aunt rarely visits — is killing one chicken enough hospitality?”
Under sunlight, the cleaver in her hand still dripped blood; her face speckled red — terrifying.
Su Meimei trembled.“E-enough…”
She forgot — this girl was eerie.
Can the plan still succeed? She had no confidence now.
Su Fu ignored her and boiled water to pluck feathers.
She cleaned the chicken, scooped the feathers, then put them onto two unwashed vegetable leaves.
(These vegetables were watered daily with urine by Wang Xiaojiao.)
“Aunt, chicken soup’s ready~”
Inside the room Su Meimei removed her hat to cool off, then hurriedly put it back on hearing that.
Su Fu peeked in — almost laughed.
Her head was bald, dotted with red heat rashes.
“Oh? Becoming a nun? Superstition isn’t allowed these days.”
Su Meimei glared. “None of your business!”
“Drink more soup — maybe hair will grow.”
At the table sat a large bowl of clear watery soup with a few vegetable leaves floating.
Su Fu:“Meat soup with veggies — drink it and your hair doubles growth.”
Su Meimei didn’t believe it, but it was still meat broth.
“No need to leave meat — my mom loves me most.”
Su Fu blinked.“That won’t do — trying to hog it?”
She rolled her eyes and left.
In the kitchen the real chicken was cooking — dipped in scallion oil, delicious.
After eating a whole chicken, Su Fu burped and threw the bones back into the pot.
Passing the table, Su Meimei had nearly finished the “soup”.
“Tsk tsk, Aunt, so selfish.”
Su Meimei rolled her eyes.“My mother raised this chicken — I can eat it however I want!”
Su Fu wondered — she seemed to like it a lot.
Did my cooking improve? Surely feather-washing water can’t taste good…
She couldn’t figure it out.
Returning to her room, she smiled while closing the door:
“Don’t wake me while I sleep — or none of you will sleep either”