The appearance of the comrades from the Agricultural Machinery Station at Huangzhuang Brigade sparked heated discussion. Everyone looked with envy at that already worn and slightly old tractor.
Huangzhuang Brigade wasn’t the poorest brigade under the commune, but it was definitely not wealthy either. Two years ago, when the Agricultural Machinery Station helped brigades introduce tractors, Huangzhuang Brigade actively participated, but was ultimately rejected due to its terrain—something that had always been a sore spot.
Last year, the brigade leader heard that the county had introduced a new batch of tractors, so he actively sought connections with the Agricultural Machinery Station. The matter was initiated but had not yet been finalized.
Now that comrades from the Agricultural Machinery Station had come to Huangzhuang Brigade—even though it was for personal matters—it still filled everyone’s hearts with hope. They felt that securing a tractor was practically certain.
Yang Dai, however, didn’t care what the others were thinking. At this moment, her ears were suffering under her mother’s nagging.
Mother Yang approved of Yang Dai and Han Lin helping others. After all, when it came to matters of life and death, they couldn’t just stand by.
But at the same time, she couldn’t help feeling distressed that her daughter was hurt, and she kept chattering endlessly.
Yang Dai couldn’t argue, so she could only sit there and listen.
“Tomorrow I’ll go back to my mother’s house and ask your uncle for some scar-removing medicine.” Yang Dai’s wound wasn’t big, and it had already been treated, but Mother Yang still wasn’t at ease.
“Why don’t you come with me?” Mother Yang stared at her daughter’s face. “The wound doesn’t look deep, but since it’s on your face, it’s better to be careful with the medicine.”
Then she quickly changed her mind: “Forget it, no need to trouble you. I’ll go by myself. You just stay home and rest these two days.”
As she spoke, she glanced over at Mother Han.
Mother Han smiled and naturally agreed, “Yes, you should rest well. It’s not busy farming season right now. If you feel tired, then rest.”
Yang Dai had been zoning out at her mother’s nagging, but when she heard her mention her uncle, she suddenly reacted.
Her medicinal powder could definitely be sold.
Her uncle was a barefoot doctor in the neighboring Zhanghe Brigade. Mother Yang’s family had practiced medicine for generations, passing down useful prescriptions that seemed ordinary but were effective.
“Mother, let me go with you. It’s been a long time since I last saw Uncle.” Once Yang Dai had the idea, she naturally wanted to participate.
But her eagerness only made Mother Yang more uneasy.
She patted her daughter’s hand and said firmly, “No need, I’ll go alone. You just stay home and recover.”
With that, she left with Father Yang.
Seeing their in-laws depart, Father and Mother Han also didn’t stay long.
Within minutes, only Yang Dai and Han Lin were left in the room.
“How much do you think we should price the powder at?” Yang Dai had already shifted her focus to money-making ideas.
Since job recruitment in the city wasn’t looking hopeful for now, she needed to try harder elsewhere.
“I think you should at least go visit your uncle’s place first.” Han Lin understood her thoughts, but judging from Mother Yang’s attitude earlier, it was obvious Yang Dai had some conflict with her uncle’s family.
“No rush.” Yang Dai’s memory of her uncle was blurry—she hadn’t visited in years. She couldn’t even recall what had happened, only that something must have caused a rift.
Her mother seemed welcome enough there, but clearly not Yang Dai.
And given her current messy reputation, her relatives definitely wouldn’t like her.
Better to wait, at least until she could salvage her reputation.
But she could still sell the powder.
After all, whatever her relationship with her uncle’s family was, outsiders wouldn’t know.
Since she was injured, she wouldn’t go to work for now. She planned to shut the door, tidy up the house, and quietly live her own life.
But that was only her wishful thinking. For the next two days, guests came without end.
The tractor’s appearance caused more stir than Yang Dai had imagined.
People kept asking how she and Han Lin knew comrades from the Agricultural Machinery Station. Some busybodies even came just to see what gifts those comrades had brought them.
In less than two days, a new rumor spread in Huangzhuang Brigade.
It said that since Han Lin and Yang Dai had separated from the family and could no longer rely on either side, they had latched onto the Agricultural Machinery Station comrades. To thank the couple, those comrades would surely spend heavily on them.
Yang Dai stayed at home, quietly healing and papering the walls with newspapers, unaware of outside gossip.
She only found out when Xia Ziqing came to visit.
Hearing the rumors, Yang Dai felt her years of good temper nearly shattered.
When she had saved that person, she never thought of repayment—but even if she didn’t want repayment, she certainly didn’t deserve slander!
“Comrade Yang Dai, I know you’re not that kind of person.” Xia Ziqing’s attitude was still excellent. He righteously expressed his belief in her: “Those outside rumors aren’t worth paying attention to.”
“You seem to believe me a lot?” Yang Dai studied him again.
From the start, Xia Ziqing had shown goodwill toward her, but it felt strange. She always suspected he had ulterior motives.
But thinking about herself—she wasn’t a noble daughter of a duke’s household, nor a future crown princess like in her past life.
Now she was just someone with a ruined reputation.
She did have her dowry, but only she and Han Lin knew about it. Xia Ziqing couldn’t possibly know.
“I respect knowledgeable people. I heard you actively submitted articles to the newspaper. That initiative impressed me. Besides, a person can’t be judged solely by reputation. I think we can be friends.” Xia Ziqing once again extended friendliness.
“I only happened to see the call for submissions—it was nothing. If Comrade Xia also wants to contribute, I can give you the address.” Yang Dai still smiled, but her eyes were scrutinizing.
She really couldn’t figure out his intentions.
“I did go to high school, but my language grades were always bad. Writing for the newspaper isn’t for me.” Xia Ziqing’s expression didn’t change as he smoothly changed the subject. “When sewing clothes today, I found I was missing a button. Aunt Huang reminded me that since you just got married, you should have some spares. So I came to ask.”
Yang Dai’s brows lifted slightly. She looked at him with even more scrutiny, but her hands kept moving. “I do have many buttons. See if any work for you.”
Xia Ziqing picked two buttons, chatted a bit, then left as dusk approached.
When Yang Dai saw him out, she happened to meet Han Lin returning.
The two men exchanged a glance. Xia Ziqing froze briefly, then quickly adjusted, nodded at Han Lin, and left hurriedly.
“What’s so interesting about him?” After he left, Han Lin couldn’t help asking, seeing Yang Dai still standing at the door watching his back.
Yang Dai shook her head. “Just think it’s strange.”
As a sent-down youth, Xia Ziqing naturally had a barrier with brigade folk. Even when they interacted, they usually chose leaders or people with good reputation.
She was obviously neither.
Besides, several families in Huangzhuang had also married recently. Xia Ziqing had no reason to skip them and come to her specifically for a button.
But since he showed no malice, Yang Dai could only push aside the strange feeling.
“Tonight I’ll go up the mountain again. Tomorrow morning, I’ll go check with the Housing Bureau in the county,” Han Lin said of his plans, then promised, “After staying there two days, I’ll buy a stove when I return. Cooking will be much easier.”
Yang Dai nodded. They didn’t lack ration tickets; they just needed proper excuses and money. Then they could buy whatever they wanted.
It had been her idea to buy a stove.
After living under the same roof with Han Lin for so long, she had completely given up on teaching him to cook.
When she realized his cooking was hopeless, she had even dug out her old recipe book, hoping it would help.
But in the end, she was disappointed.
She had no choice but to do it herself. Maybe she truly had talent in cooking—or maybe it was residual memory of this body. At first, she stumbled a lot, but she was still better than Han Lin.
Still, she couldn’t manage both the firewood and the cooking.
So lately, Han Lin lit the fire while she cooked.
But both found it troublesome, and meal times grew odd.
If they could buy a coal stove, things would be much easier.
“I set some traps in the mountains earlier. Something may have fallen in. I’ll go check.”
As soon as he said this, Father Han walked in with a dark face. “You’re going up the mountain again? Not allowed!”
“It’s long been a rule in our brigade: you don’t go past the temple. You’ve known this since childhood. How can you forget as you grow older?” Father Han’s expression was stern. “You should know what’s right and wrong.”
Mother Han also stepped forward, examining him. “Be honest—have you really gone deep into the mountain recently?”
When Han Lin nodded, she smacked his arm. “Do you not care about your life?”
“Listen to me—don’t go. If we find out you went again, we’ll break your legs!”
Though Father Han said nothing, it was clear he agreed.
Yang Dai and Han Lin exchanged a look, then turned back to his parents.
“Is there something special about the temple up there?”
In recent years, old customs had been destroyed, and that temple had been smashed. When Han Lin went up, he had looked—it was half-collapsed. But judging by the beams, it must have stood for centuries.
Father and Mother Han still kept silent. So Han Lin laid it out plainly: “If you don’t explain today, I’ll still go.”
“There’s something evil up there—it’s cursed.” Mother Han finally gave in.
The temple had been built about two hundred years ago, always with few monks.
During wartime years, villagers of Huangzhuang had hidden in the mountains. The monks had helped greatly.
But after that, their numbers dwindled.
After the founding of the new country, only one monk remained, guarding the temple.
During the movement to smash the old, temples were targeted. Many people went up to destroy it.
The monk, unable to stop them, warned: the temple kept the mountain safe; if it fell, the mountain spirit would be angered, and Huangzhuang would suffer.
But no one listened. Some even wanted to parade him in the streets.
Soon, the monk disappeared, and no one cared.
But then, people going up the mountain met with accidents—falls, or encounters with wild beasts.
The brigade leader, sensing something wrong, gathered strong young men to sweep the mountain, armed with homemade shotguns.
But it was useless.
In groups, they were fine. But whenever someone strayed alone, accidents happened.
After several incidents, the villagers discovered the rule: below the temple was safe; above it was not.
No one dared speak of it openly, but everyone silently enforced the rule—never go past the temple.
Mother Han hadn’t suspected Han Lin at first. But after eating rabbit meat at his house, she had doubts. With their lazy habits and meager savings, it was impossible for them to afford rabbit.
She pondered it for days before telling Father Han. Then they came to confront their son. Hearing him talk of going again, they couldn’t contain themselves.
“Just listen to me—don’t go. Work hard, follow your father, and you’ll never lack meat.” Mother Han then looked at Yang Dai, hoping she would persuade him.
“Han Lin, listen to your parents. We won’t go to the mountain again.” Seeing Mother Han’s tear-swollen eyes, Yang Dai could only agree.
Finally, after coaxing his mother, they were able to rest in bed.
“Do you believe it?” In the dark, Han Lin suddenly asked.
“The proper thing is to keep our distance.” Yang Dai hadn’t fallen asleep either.
She used to burn incense and pray at temples, thinking of it more as comfort than belief. But since crossing over, her thoughts had changed.
After all, neither she nor Han Lin could explain how they had transmigrated.
“Don’t go again. We’ll just use meat tickets to buy meat.” They had collected plenty of ration tickets, so Yang Dai said this without worry.
Han Lin chuckled and suddenly said, “I think there are often people moving around in that mountain.”