Liu Yue’e had no idea where she grabbed a broom from, but the next thing anyone knew, she was swinging it at Niu Lidong’s head. She didn’t care whether she was hitting his head or his backside—she simply beat him without mercy.
In the past, when her own daughter had been beaten black and blue, all she could do was swallow her anger. Now, she finally had a chance to vent her grievances and settle old scores.
Niu Lidong covered his head with both hands, grimacing in pain as the blows rained down on him.
“We said no! Why are you hitting me?”
“Because you deserve it! Don’t you love beating people? Today you’ll find out what it feels like to be on the receiving end!”
“Help! Somebody help!”
Clutching his head, Niu Lidong cried for help. His legs were already weak to begin with, and after stumbling and falling twice, he scrambled away on all fours and fled Xiaoguan Village in disgrace.
Laughter erupted behind him.
“Don’t you dare come back! If you do, we’ll beat you again!”
Liu Yue’e finally felt the knot in her heart loosen. Let’s see who would still dare say that Feng’er had been wrong to get a divorce.
The entire time she was beating Niu Lidong, Liu Dalong had been standing nearby. He acted as though he hadn’t seen a thing.
“Alright, everyone, go back and think about it. Submit your candidates for Women’s Director. Each production group should nominate one person. If our village can’t come up with anyone suitable, we’ll have to bring someone over from the educated youth station. Several nearby villages are already doing that. That’s enough for today—everyone, disperse!”
They could actually transfer someone from the educated youth station?
The villagers looked surprised, but it made sense. There weren’t many literate people in the village, while the educated youth station already had qualified candidates. As long as those educated youths integrated well with the villagers, they’d make excellent Women’s Directors.
Now nobody could say for certain who would end up getting the position.
Lin Yi spent two days tutoring Yingzi at home. On Monday, she rode her bicycle and took Yingzi to school.
With her schoolbag on her back, Yingzi’s face was filled with joy. She looked even happier than Lin Yi had been on his own first day of school.
As they passed through the village, many people looked at her strangely. Yingzi didn’t care in the slightest. She wrapped an arm around Lin Yi’s slim waist, leaned against him, and held her head high with pride.
“Yingzi, are you really going back to school?”
“Of course! My sister-in-law is sending me to school, and she’s even tutoring me. My sister-in-law is amazing!”
Her friends looked at her with obvious envy.
Someone called out to Lin Yi, “Our village’s selecting a Women’s Director. You should go take a look too.”
“A Women’s Director?”
“Thanks, sister-in-law. I’ll stop by later.”
Lin Yi wasn’t particularly interested in the position and didn’t give it much thought.
They stopped at the school gate, and Yingzi happily jumped off the bicycle.
She hadn’t stepped into this school for two years. Even when she had passed by the entrance before, she hadn’t dared to glance inside.
“Come on, Yingzi.”
Lin Yi led her into the school, where they happened to run into Fu Yang during recess.
Holding a stack of books, Fu Yang smiled as soon as he saw them.
“Lin Yi, you’re here? About Yingzi…”
He looked a little troubled. The village children already had weak academic foundations, and Yingzi hadn’t attended school for two years. Letting her return was a risk for him.
Lin Yi said calmly, “I won’t make things difficult for you. Don’t worry. During this month’s placement exam, if she doesn’t do well, I’ll take her right back.”
Her voice was steady, calm, and reassuring. Even though she spoke lightly, it inspired an inexplicable sense of confidence.
“Alright, then. I agree. I’ll do my best to help her catch up. Oh, right—the village is choosing a Women’s Director. There’s something I’m not sure whether I should mention…”
“Yingzi, go to your classroom first.”
Lin Yi sent Yingzi away before turning back to him.
“If you have something to say, just say it.”
Lin Yi looked at him directly.
Fu Yang’s cheeks immediately turned red.
He was naturally introverted, disliked socializing, and wasn’t especially decisive. Faced with someone as straightforward and efficient as Lin Yi—someone who always got straight to the point—he instantly felt pressured.
“Well… did you know? Recently, Yuan Jinfeng has been dating Xu Li. Xu Li wants to compete for our village’s Women’s Director position.”
Lin Yi had thought he was going to say something important. So it was only this.
“If she wants to run, then let her run. If she’s capable enough, she can have the job.”
Fu Yang fell silent.
It seemed Lin Yi truly no longer cared about Yuan Jinfeng.
“Alright. I guess I was worrying for nothing. I just thought… if Xu Li becomes the Women’s Director in our village, she’ll be in a position to supervise you, and you…”
Lin Yi paused.
She didn’t particularly care who became the Women’s Director.
But supervise her?
That wasn’t happening.
“Thank you, Fu Yang. I understand now.”
Although they knew each other, they weren’t especially close. The fact that he had kindly warned her was already more than enough.
On her way back from the school, Lin Yi noticed that the atmosphere in the village had changed. Groups of people stood together in twos and threes, discussing something.
The production brigade’s accountant, Xiao Li, stood beneath the old locust tree with a notebook, recording nominations.
“Group One, who’s your candidate?”
“Liu Xia.”
“What about Group Two? Anyone?”
No one.
Nearly everyone in Group Two was illiterate, so they couldn’t come up with a suitable candidate.
“And Group Three?”
Group Three was Lin Yi’s group.
Before Lin Yi could even speak, someone spotted her.
“Lin Yi, aren’t you signing up?”
“Our group is nominating Lin Yi! Accountant Li, write her name down!”
Accountant Li glanced at Lin Yi. She didn’t seem particularly enthusiastic about becoming the Women’s Director. On the contrary, the people around her looked far more excited than she did.
“Lin Yi, are you registering?”
Lin Yi smiled.
“Go ahead and put my name down.”
Just then, a group of educated youths walked over.
Their clothes were obviously made of much finer fabric than those worn by ordinary villagers.
The group, both men and women, chatted and laughed as they approached.
“That’s the registration table over there. Let’s hurry and sign up.”