She spoke in a soft, weak voice: “Chuan ge, I…”
Mu Chuan saw that the brigade leader was urging them on urgently and didn’t catch her meaning. He applied a little force with his hand and pulled her up onto the cart.
As luck would have it, Bai Wei stepped right onto a pile of cow dung. The dung had already dried out and was loose and crumbly, but it still carried an indescribable stench.
Bai Wei froze completely, on the verge of tears.
The brigade leader’s voice rang out abruptly: “Everyone sit tight, we’re about to hit the road. If you fall off, don’t blame me.”
Before Bai Wei’s tears could even fall, Mu Chuan pulled her down to sit.
Mu Chuan leaned his face close, wearing a look of deep concern: “Weiwei, what’s wrong? Are you feeling unwell somewhere?”
Bai Wei shook her head. Her smile was uglier than her tears.
The cart driver Old Zhang cracked his whip, producing a sharp snap in the air, and the ox cart began to move slowly.
“Ugh…”
The cart had barely gone two or three li when Bai Wei started vomiting over the side. She had never in her life ridden such a dirty, smelly, broken-down ox cart. Glancing at the people across from her, a sense of superiority welled up in her heart.
Because she had been reborn. After her rebirth, she learned that they all lived inside a book, and she, Bai Wei, was the female lead—the daughter of destiny.
Hmph. As for that Li Qingge sitting across from her, so what if she was pretty? In the end, she’d still marry some village good-for-nothing.
That kind of person couldn’t stir up any waves. She wasn’t even worthy of being Bai Wei’s opponent.
Just a vicious supporting female character—bullied by her in the village, bullied by her again after returning to the city. Utterly insignificant.
As for Gongsun Shinian, he was the male lead of the book, her destined partner. The two of them were bound by fate, and she was determined to have him. That man couldn’t escape her grasp.
As for Mu Chuan, her loyal simp—considering he was decent-looking, treated her well, and would have a good job in the future, she’d take pity on him and let him be a backup. Once she married Gongsun Shinian in the future, she could have a little affair on the side. Just thinking about it was thrilling.
Bai Wei gazed at Gongsun Shinian’s face with infatuation. This man wasn’t just handsome—he’d been so outstanding in her past life too. After she schemed to marry him, what made her gnash her teeth in hatred was that he never touched her once in their entire marriage.
Thinking of her own great figure and pretty face—they said a woman chasing a man was just a thin veil away. She refused to believe she couldn’t win over a man. Even if she had to use any means necessary, she would have him.
Even reborn, she refused to accept it. This life, she swore this man would be crazy for her, obsessed with her, and slam himself against walls for her.
Sensing a disgusting gaze on him, Gongsun Shinian raised his head alertly. Bai Wei flashed him a sweet smile: “Shinian ge.”
Gongsun Shinian’s eyes were cold as knives: “Comrade Bai Wei, don’t go calling me that. My mother only gave birth to one son—me. And besides, I’m not familiar with you. Don’t try to claim kinship.”
Bai Wei choked on her words, unable to speak. Being humiliated in front of that cannon fodder Li Qingge made her feel she’d lost all face and dignity.
She lowered her head, fingers clenched tightly, looking utterly forlorn.
Mu Chuan’s heart ached at the sight. He comforted her: “Weiwei, don’t pay him any mind. Some people just don’t know what’s good for them.”
“Ugh…”
Bai Wei opened her mouth and vomited again.
The brigade leader wore a look of disgust. He could tell now—this girl might look harmless, but she was anything but easy to deal with.
He let out a long, quiet sigh, his gaze fixed straight ahead while his thoughts drifted far away. It seemed the educated youth point was about to get lively again.
[Ooh, the male lead sure talks tough. Being this cold to the female lead now—careful, you might end up in the doghouse trying to win her back later.]
Gongsun Shinian was thoroughly speechless inside. Why was she so certain he would ever fall for a woman like Bai Wei?
By the time the cart reached the village, the entire Zhuzuiling Brigade was already shrouded in night.
The closer the ox cart got to the village, the more sounds could be heard from each household—the clatter of cooking, children running and playing, and the howling of the wind.
Faint lamplight spilled out through the courtyards, and the several educated youths couldn’t help but look around with curious eyes.
Another minute or two passed before the ox cart stopped in front of a black gate.
This was a row of low earthen houses. The group peered inside curiously, but their view was blocked by the gate.
With a “bang,” the door suddenly opened from within, and a young man about 1.75 meters tall stepped out. He had thick, dark eyebrows, tanned skin, and a face that radiated righteousness.
Seeing the people outside, he froze for a moment before quickly recovering.
“Brigade leader, these must be the new educated youths, right?”
The brigade leader nodded: “That’s right. Take care of them for a bit. I’ll have Old Zhang bring over their grain rations shortly.”
“It’s a bit late today. You lot should remember to go to the brigade tomorrow to collect your rural subsidy—it’s distributed once a month.”
When the educated youths arrived in the countryside, each person could receive 40 jin of grain rations and ten yuan per month. After one year, they’d have to fend for themselves.
Watching the brigade leader leave, Dang Aiguo quietly sized up the five people before him. Each one was strikingly good-looking, carried an extraordinary bearing, and wore clothes that didn’t look cheap.
His eyes flickered slightly, and his attitude warmed up by two degrees as he flashed a mouthful of white teeth. “Hello, everyone. I’m the person in charge of our educated youth point. You’ve all had a long journey—put your things down first, then come out and have a bite to eat.”
Bai Wei: She knew exactly what this bastard was really like, hmph! With the Golden Finger of rebirth, she felt herself a cut above the rest.
Li Qingge’s first impression of Dang Aiguo was neither good nor bad. He looked honest and simple, didn’t waste words, and after sitting in the car all day, her back and waist were indeed aching.
Xiao Gua spoke up to remind her, “Host, you haven’t had your melon today yet.”
[Come on, come on, time to eat the melon. Let’s take a look at the honest and simple Dang Aiguo first.]
Seeing the big melon before her, Li Qingge’s eyes went wide as saucers, and the exhaustion on her body vanished in an instant.
[Dang Aiguo is such a dog. He looks all proper and decent, but he’s actually hooked up with the village party secretary’s daughter. The two of them are always sneaking off to the little woods for dates, doing this and that.]
[Not only that—he’s also got a thing going with one of the female educated youths at the point. They’re constantly making eyes at each other all day. Damn, he’s really something, playing two boats at once.]
[How does he manage it? One at the educated youth point, one in the village, and both of them are head-over-heels devoted to him. You’d never guess it—with such an honest, justice-filled face. You really can’t judge a book by its cover.]
Gongsun Shinian glanced at the back of Li Qingge’s head and couldn’t help twitching the corner of his mouth.
Wen Shaoqing listened to the chattering voice in his head all complaining about Dang Aiguo. He looked around suspiciously—who was talking? No one had opened their mouth just now.