Song Xiu Jun lay back on the kang and slept straight through until noon without eating breakfast, only waking when Zhang Ruolan knocked on her door.
"Xiu Jun, are you feeling better?"
Song Xiu Jun nodded: "Much better."
"That's good. How about I help you make lunch so you can rest properly?" Zhang Ruolan rolled up her sleeves and entered the kitchen.
Only then did Song Xiu Jun notice that Zhang Ruolan was carrying a gray cloth bag containing food supplies.
"Xiao Lan, when you come to help, you don't need to bring your own rations," said Song Xiu Jun, who wasn't the type to fuss over these things. The rice in her space was enough to last her a lifetime.
"How could that be…" Zhang Ruolan tried to decline.
Song Xiu Jun cut her off directly: "Then I can't accept your kindness."Zhang Ruolan smiled sheepishly: "Alright then, I'll put on a brave face today and freeload off you.""
They ended up making a bowl of egg drop soup and stir-fried some seasonal vegetables.
After the two had lunch, Zhang Ruolan helped wash the dishes before returning to the Educated Youth Spot to rest.
In the afternoon, Song Xiu Jun still felt justified in not going to work. By evening, Wang Danniang came to visit her.
"Xiao Song, I heard you were sick today. Are you feeling better?"
Song Xiu Jun had asked Grandpa Niudan to make her a reclining chair and was resting in the yard. Seeing Wang Danniang enter, she quickly tried to get up to greet her.
"Stay lying down, stay lying down," said Wang Damei, familiarly pulling out a stool herself. "Today when Zhang Zhiqing asked for leave on your behalf, the Brigade leader doubted you, but I immediately stood up for you."
Song Xiu Jun rubbed her nose and gave a guilty dry laugh.
"Looking at you now, your complexion seems fine. Looks like you've recovered."
How could she not be fine? She wasn't actually sick – she just wanted to sleep in.
"I'm going to chat in the village. Want to come?"
Now that the weather was turning cooler, team members would gather under the big tree in the village during evenings. It was quite cool there, with fewer mosquitoes.
"I'll go," said Song Xiu Jun, suddenly interested as she recalled the man and woman she had seen early that morning.
After attending such gatherings two or three times, you could basically figure out clearly who had issues with whom, and who was involved with whom ambiguously in the village.
She filled a pocket with spiced sunflower seeds, and she and Wang Damei each carried a stool as they set out.
Wang Danniang quickly found her old friends under the tree and immediately brought her into her gossip squad: "Xiao Song, you probably know everyone here, so I won't introduce them."
Naturally she knew them – she worked in the same team with some of them. She smoothly started distributing sunflower seeds, immediately winning the favor of all the women present.
"Xiao Song Zhiqing, why aren't you giving me any sunflower seeds?" Li Gaiying immediately caught the scent of roasted sunflower seeds. Her half-full stomach immediately started watering at the aroma.
"Aunt Li, our relationship isn't good. Why should I give you free sunflower seeds?" Song Xiu Jun said directly.
"You little educated youth, and you're from the big city too! Don't you know what respecting elders means? When I criticize you, it's for your own good," Li Gaiying said very unhappily. "If you share some sunflower seeds with me, I'll remember to share good things with you in the future."
"That won't do. I'm naturally contrary and don't like being taken advantage of," Song Xiu Jun was unyielding with people she didn't like. She wouldn't please anyone.
"Oh my, everyone see this? These educated youth from the city are so arrogant! They don't care about us country folk, looking down on us villagers! Having a few sunflower seeds counts as taking advantage now?" Li Gaiying slapped her thigh and wailed as if wronged.
"Auntie, save your energy or you'll get hungry faster tonight," Song Xiu Jun grinned at her, baring her teeth. Arguing with Li Gaiying was always so entertaining.
Li Gaiying glared. This young Song was truly different from other educated female youths – others would choose to avoid conflict after being scolded like this.
But this little Song had thick skin. Every time they argued, she seemed to be using her as entertainment.
This feeling of punching cotton was truly strange.
"I say, Gaiying, stop bullying these city kids. You just can't go a day without causing trouble, can you?" Having eaten someone's food, Wang Danniang's old friend immediately spoke up righteously.
"That's right, that's right! It's not our fault you're unpopular. We get along well with Educated Youth Song – see how she shares melon seeds with us? Not like those shallow people who stare at everything like dogs spotting shit."
"Bah! Who are you calling a dog?"
"I didn't name anyone. What, you're identifying yourself?"
"Oh dear, oh dear! You're all ganging up on me! I can't take it – my chest hurts from anger! You have to pay my medical expenses!" Li Gaiying clutched her chest, trembling as she shouted.
Many people were sitting under the big tree, gathered in small groups chatting about daily life. But since it was Li Gaiying making a scene, everyone was used to her occasional dramatics and paid no attention.
Song Xiu Jun secretly observed the crowd around her. Still curious about the romantic encounter from early dawn, she naturally wanted to know who the male and female leads were.
But she had only seen their general silhouettes and heard their voices.
With both men and women present in this area, she examined everyone present, trying to identify who it might be.
Looking at each person in turn, she met the gaze of a young man who shyly smiled at her. She could only nod politely in response before scanning another group. It seemed like none of the several dozen people present matched…
"Let's all ignore her – she's used to having no shame," an old woman proactively brought up another topic. "Hey, did you know? Lanzi told me today she wants to arrange a marriage for her youngest daughter."
"What? Anzi hasn't found a partner yet, how can they skip the second child?"
"Anzi has always been the Brigade leader's problematic eldest. Just because he's not married doesn't mean his younger sisters can't marry either."
Hearing it was gossip about the Brigade leader's family, Song Xiu Jun immediately perked up. It seemed the Brigade leader and his wife knew about their daughter's crush on Educated Youth Zhao.
"But it's quite sudden. She hasn't even gotten her high school diploma yet. Didn't they say they wanted to keep her home for two more years?"
"None of you know as much as I do," an old auntie stretched her neck toward them, revealing a mysterious smile.
This immediately attracted everyone's attention. Even Li Gaiying stopped making trouble, moving her small stool closer to the group.
"Last night, the Brigade leader's family argued all night. I heard Xiao Li has her eye on some young man, and the Brigade leader couple doesn't approve," the auntie proudly tucked her hair behind her ear, giving everyone a meaningful look.
"What kind of young man could cause them to argue all night?"
As for exactly who it was, no one present knew. The old auntie who overheard the Brigade leader's family argument hadn't been able to identify the person from their conversation.
Just as they were about to pool their ideas and guess potential candidates –
A woman's scream came from the yard of a thatched house not far away.
"You useless woman, can't even handle a simple task! What did I marry you for, you worthless thing!"
A man's furious roar followed.
Song Xiu Jun was stunned: "How arrogant!"
The crowd remained unperturbed: "Young Song Zhiqing, don't people in the city beat their wives?"
Of course they do. Throughout history, even in the most progressive times, there's never been a shortage of men who beat their wives.
"Aren't you going to intervene?" She heard the sound of fists hitting flesh, along with the woman's muffled groans and screams, and instinctively frowned.
The members of Xianghong Brigade didn't seem like such cold-hearted people, yet they all remained indifferent.
Wang Damei tugged at her sleeve: "Xiu Jun, you don't know the whole story. It's not that we won't intervene, but that our help isn't appreciated."
"That's right. Lanzi is our brigade's women's director. She tried to intervene several times, but Wang Chunhua always rebuffed her."
"It's between husband and wife – they don't like us outsiders meddling."
"Better not interfere. They're actually quite loving~"
"Exactly, we wouldn't do anything to damage a couple's relationship."
The old women's tones suddenly became sarcastic.
Song Xiu Jun seemed to understand roughly, though the man's voice sounded somewhat familiar… like the man she encountered having an affair early this morning.