Wang Guifang was the only new Educated Youth who could earn over eight work points daily, outperforming even some veteran Educated Youth. During the autumn harvest, she consistently achieved full work points each day.
Some older women in the Production Team quite admired such a diligent person.
But Song Xiu Jun declared righteously, "I'm doing this to work better. I admit I don't know how to do farm work—I've never done it before. Isn't it normal not to know how? Who is born knowing how to work? If my hands get blisters or the skin breaks, that would truly delay my work."
"Secondly, did my gloves cost public money? To avoid holding everyone back, I bought gloves with my own money and worked hard to keep up with the progress. Shouldn't my spirit be praised? Gloves are a small expense, but delaying work is a big issue. My only concern is for the Production Team."
The people around were taken aback, and under Song Xiu Jun's sincere gaze, they actually started to think, "That makes sense."
Wang Damei clapped her hands and said, "Exactly! Young Song Zhiqing wears gloves to work precisely to avoid delays. How did this get twisted into not being afraid of hardship?"
"Li Gaiying, what's wrong with you? Throwing false accusations around, trying to undermine unity?"
Just as Mother Li was about to retort, a bicycle bell rang in the distance. The postman shouted, "Who is Song Xiu Jun? There's a letter for you!"
Song Xiu Jun calculated the time; she had been in the countryside for over half a month. There should have been some progress regarding the Jiang family matters by now.
She took the letter, which was from Li Qiu Ying.
Upon opening it, she found two full pages of writing. Half of the text was cursing her, and the other half was cursing Jiang Jian Guo.
She quickly skimmed through the letter, raised her eyebrows in surprise, a cold smile flickering at the corner of her mouth before quickly fading.
Jiang Li Min and her adulterer had been sent to a farm for reform through labor, sentenced to eight and ten years respectively. They were already carrying soil. Given their previous scheming against the legal wife, with those incriminating letters, they weren't likely to fare well.
It was just a pity she missed the "spectacle" of their public parade.
Shortly after, a smuggling ring was uncovered in Shanghai, involving not just the food factory but several others. Many people were arrested, including Jiang Jian Guo and his son. Jiang Ai Dang was also involved in the smuggling.
Due to the large sums involved, Jiang Jian Guo was sentenced to eat a bullet, and Jiang Ai Dang received a twenty-year sentence. The Jiang family's house was confiscated, and Li Qiu Ying lost her job at the food factory as a result.
Moreover, a shady deed Jiang Jian Guo had committed years ago was also uncovered.
Li Qiu Ying's parents had been reported and sent down to the countryside—it turned out Jiang Jian Guo was behind it.
Back in the day, Song's father and Jiang Jian Guo both pursued Li Qiu Ying. Li Qiu Ying's grandfather had favored the honest and reliable Song Minghua.
Jiang Jian Guo, believing the Li family looked down on him, held a grudge and waited for an opportunity to take revenge on the Li family.
He bribed the Red Armband, leading to the entire Li family being sent down.
Father Li was a primary school principal, Mother Li a teacher, and Li's uncle and aunt both worked in the education bureau—intellectuals were easy targets for false accusations.
With this matter brought to light, the Li family was exonerated and returned to the city. Li Qiu Ying went back to her parents' home, weeping and begging for forgiveness, claiming she had been deceived. Father Li and Mother Li softened.
Li Qiu Ying remembered the job left by Song Minghua, which was originally intended for Jiang Li Min. Now, Jiang Li Min naturally couldn't benefit from it.
She planned to exchange this job for another position. The food factory was full of familiar faces, but she hadn't expected Song Xiu Jun to have already sold the job.
Her last escape route had been blocked by her own daughter, who naturally wrote to berate her harshly.
"Oh, right, there's also a package for you at the post office. Since it's quite large, it wasn't convenient for me to bring it over. You'll need to pick it up yourself when you have time," the postman added before leaving.
Song Xiu Jun was surprised. Could Li Qiu Ying actually have prepared something for her? Was it raining red from the sky?
"Were there any letters sent to the Brigade Headquarters?" she pressed.
Right now, what concerned her most was the letter of commendation. With such a great achievement, asking for a letter of commendation wasn't too much, was it?
She must not forget about this matter. Otherwise, when she went to pick up the package, she would definitely call that old police officer to remind him.
The postman was taken aback. "How did you know? There really is one. I delivered the letters to the Brigade Headquarters first before coming to find you."
Song Xiu Jun was overjoyed. She pulled three pieces of fruit candy from her pocket and handed them to the postman. "Thank you! Have some candy."
The postman smiled and accepted it, exchanged a few polite words, then mounted his heavy-duty bicycle and left.
Song Xiu Jun immediately dashed toward the Brigade Headquarters.
"Brigade leader, Brigade leader! Is there a letter sent to the Brigade Headquarters?" she called out loudly as soon as she stepped into the office.
"Young lady, you've got quite the voice," the Brigade leader said, extinguishing his cigarette and pushing open the window beside him with a chuckle. "It seems you already know what's going on."
Song Xiu Jun rubbed her nose and smiled sheepishly.
"It's a letter of commendation from the Shanghai Police Department. It says you assisted the police in dismantling an illegal trafficking ring."
The Brigade Accountant and the secretary had already taken turns reading the letter of commendation, and they both looked at Song Xiu Jun with affectionate eyes.
Since Song Xiu Jun was now an Educated Youth of the Xianghong Brigade, this letter of commendation was naturally an honor for the Xianghong Brigade as well.
"The letter also contained some coupons, which the police department secured as a reward for you," the Brigade leader said, gathering the scattered coupons on the desk and handing them to her. "But the letter of commendation itself won't be given to you."
He planned to show it to the commune secretary during the next commune meeting—perhaps it could help the brigade secure some benefits this year!
Song Xiu Jun nodded repeatedly. A quick glance revealed that the coupons were for various daily necessities: grain coupons, meat coupons, and even some for pastries, sugar, cloth coupons… It was quite a variety and incredibly thoughtful!
Delighted, she tucked the coupons into her clothes pocket—though in reality, she stored them in her space.
Then she returned to the threshing ground. Earlier, she had run off without notifying the work points recorder, and as soon as she returned, she was warned: "Little Song Zhiqing, if you don't complete today's tasks, I'll have to deduct your work points."
Song Xiu Jun straightened her chest proudly. "I just went to the Brigade Headquarters! Before coming to the countryside, I helped the police solve a case. Now, Shanghai has sent a letter of commendation!"
She was brimming with pride! Who would dare casually accuse her now? She was a good youth who wholeheartedly served the public!
The work points recorder was left speechless. He looked her up and down, then waved his hand. "Go back to work."
Song Xiu Jun's voice had been loud, and everyone nearby heard her clearly. As soon as the work points recorder left, they started chattering curiously.
"Little Song Zhiqing, is what you just said true or not?"
"Look at the question you're asking—it's utterly pointless! If she were lying about something like this, wouldn't it be exposed as soon as someone checks at the Brigade Headquarters?"
"Little Song Zhiqing, what kind of case did you help solve?"
Li Gaiying, having just suffered a setback at Song Xiu Jun's hands half an hour ago, naturally refused to hold back with her words: "What help could a scrawny little girl like her possibly offer the police? She's probably just shamelessly fishing for a letter of commendation over some trivial favor to make herself look good!"
"Always causing trouble."
"Yingzi, you're just jealous!"
"Hah, as if I'd be jealous of some little girl. Does she even dare say what case it's about?"
Song Xiu Jun swayed her head and replied with an air of profundity: "Classified. Without authorization, I can't disclose it casually."
Li Gaiying curled her lip: "What's there to be so smug about? Getting involved in such serious matters—anyone can see you're not a proper girl. Better watch out or no one will dare marry a show-off like you. You might even face retaliation."
Song Xiu Jun narrowed her eyes: "Old woman Li, seems you're green with envy. Use that fart-filled brain of yours to think—someone like me, a public-spirited youth, would obviously have my identity kept confidential by the authorities. Otherwise, who'd dare provide information to the government in the future?"
"Don't even try to argue. Are you questioning our Huaguo police's investigative capabilities? I have full confidence in them. Even if someone comes for revenge, I'm not afraid. I'm contributing to society—any retaliation would mean opposing the state."
That single statement instantly shut Li Gaiying up, leaving her unable to retort. She couldn't win this argument—simply couldn't win. Li Gaiying had finally met her match.