As soon as she entered the space, Shen Zhiyao grabbed little Bai Bai into her arms, angrily tugging at its fur. Bai Bai winced in pain, wanting to escape but unable to, because Shen Zhiyao held it tightly.
“Stop, Yao Yao! I saw it all. It wasn’t your fault! His words were too harsh—how could he say such things about a world-class beauty like you?”
Shen Zhiyao stopped tugging at Bai Bai’s fur and looked down at it. “Right? I used to think he was a good person, and I even considered repaying him with my body. But now? Forget it. I’ll just find a way to help him avoid his past fate and keep my distance. Let’s find a beautiful, quiet place, hide there, and live in this space for the rest of our lives. I’ll be a happy salted fish, and you’ll stay with me forever!”
With that, she hugged Bai Bai tightly and buried her face in it.
Bai Bai silently grumbled: “You want to be all cute and charming, but who could have guessed you’d turn into this monster when scolding someone?”
It even puckered its mouth down in a human-like pout.
Meanwhile, Lu Sicheng saw Shen Zhiyao storm back into her room. He didn’t know what she was thinking, so he just stood there staring at the door. After five minutes of lingering, he reluctantly returned to his own room.
Back in his room, he felt like slapping himself twice. Why did I let my sharp mouth make a little girl this angry?
He didn’t notice the stirrings in his own heart. If this had been any of the women from before, after being scolded, they’d be upset no matter what. He’d feel like he’d lost if he didn’t slap them back.
Having vented her frustration, Shen Zhiyao made another mask, put it on, and stepped out of the space. She needed to go to town, otherwise people might become suspicious if she didn’t have her luggage.
Carrying her small backpack, she left. Lu Sicheng, whose hearing as a soldier was much sharper than normal, perked up at the sound of her opening the door. Without thinking, he rushed to the doorway, pretending to be leaving as well.
Their eyes met for a moment, then quickly diverted. Shen Zhiyao was still angry; Lu Sicheng didn’t dare hold her gaze. Seeing the little girl with a mask on made him inexplicably happy.
A few steps later, they ran into Lin Yesheng and Niu Xiaohua. Niu Xiaohua, ever unthinking, asked, “Shen Zhiyao, why are you always wearing a mask? Do you have some contagious disease?”
Shen Zhiyao now resembled a string of firecrackers—one spark and she’d explode.
“Mind your own business! Why are you worrying about me like a bland radish? Do you live by the sea or something? You talk like your words stink worse than his foot odor. Not wearing a mask—are you trying to suffocate me?”
Niu Xiaohua’s hands trembled with rage as she pointed at her. “You… you…”
Shen Zhiyao swatted away her hand.
“‘You’ what? You can’t even speak properly and still dare to annoy me! There’s a pound of mud on your neck that can’t cover the veins popping out! Go wash yourself. Next time I’ll need a piece of cloth to cover my eyes—just seeing you makes me lose my appetite. Move aside!”
She strode off angrily, not caring about Niu Xiaohua’s expression. Lu Sicheng’s mouth twitched—this little bunny was more like a firecracker!
At that moment, a tall, thin man ran up to Lu Sicheng. Snap back to reality, he followed the man to his room, shut the door, and whispered: “What’s going on? What happened?”
The tall man, Sun Dayong, one of Lu Sicheng’s deputy company commanders, whispered back: “Commander, I quietly went into the mountains this morning and found a strange set of footprints. They don’t look like a civilian’s. Civilians would leave cloth shoe prints, but these are leather shoes!”
“Good. Tonight, we’ll go in quietly and see if we can catch them. We’ve been given ten days—seven have passed. We need to hurry and remember to bring our weapons!”
Sun Dayong left. Lu Sicheng chewed on leftover steamed buns and eggs from the morning, flavorless as sawdust. If he completed this mission, he’d have to leave. Shen Zhiyao was likely a new sent-down youth, and it would be hard to see her again…
Shen Zhiyao, of course, had no idea. She strolled casually around the town, stopped by the post office to buy a few sheets of stamps—these would likely appreciate in value, and she wanted to stock up.
The two boxes of small yellow croaker she had found in her Beijing house were already in the safe, and she added the stamps to the collection. After buying them, she headed back. Near the village entrance, she discreetly retrieved her prepared luggage from the space, stuffing it into a bulky bundle. It was better that no one saw what was inside—whatever she needed later would appear to come from home.
In fact, Shen Zhiyao didn’t know that after her encounters on the train and at the sent-down youth quarters, she had already gained a reputation. No one dared ask where her things came from—except Niu Xiaohua, who seemed to enjoy tormenting herself.
Panting as she carried her burdens, sweating under the mask and the load, she fumed. I came here to repay him, and he actually said my nose has two holes!
As she neared the house, Lu Sicheng saw her struggling. His legs reacted faster than his brain, and he ran to take the bundle from her arms. Shen Zhiyao froze, then quickly followed.
At the doorway, seeing her open the door, he didn’t step in, instead shoving the luggage back into her arms and turning to leave. His retreating figure looked like a dog being chased. Shen Zhiyao didn’t even get a chance to say thanks.
Back in his room, Lu Sicheng felt a wave of regret. What was I thinking? How could I have caused such a misunderstanding?
Shen Zhiyao, meanwhile, thought it was a coincidence. She planned to thank him later with some food.
Once inside, she hung curtains from the space appropriate for the era, arranged her luggage, and set out malted milk, sponge cakes, and some fruit candy on the table, covering it with a floral cloth.
She also went to the kitchen, putting away half a bag of rice, half a bag of flour, ten eggs, and some bowls and plates to make it look proper.
After tidying up, she went into the space to shower and eat again. Having sweated before, she needed to wash again—her cleanliness obsession wouldn’t allow otherwise.
While washing, she thought about collecting firewood in the mountains. The chimney couldn’t stay smoke-free, and she had always used the space’s toilet. How would she manage later? She really didn’t want to use a pit toilet—what if she misstepped?
After eating, she left the space. There was still some time before nightfall, so she decided to take a nap. These past few days hadn’t allowed for proper rest, so she set an alarm and drifted off.