“Just in time, Aunt Wang is here. Let’s set off,” Wang Jialiang said with a smile.
Wang Guifen placed the items on the ground and stepped up first. “Yi Yi, hand the things up.”
“All right.” Su Yi passed the items one by one.
Li Chunlan looked at the snacks, fruits, and even the snow cream she herself would have been reluctant to use, her eyes burning with jealousy.
Once all the items were placed in the cart, Wang Guifen reached out to pull her daughter-in-law up. There wasn’t much space in the cart, and with so many people and boxes of goods already aboard, it was crowded.
Wang Guifen and Su Yi had arrived late, so the good spots were already taken. Only the middle seat remained, but without a handrail, it would be bumpy.
Between the two female educated youths, there was a small gap. If they squeezed, Su Yi could sit there. She was a young woman and couldn’t sit with the male comrades. On the male side, everyone was already seated, so no gap could be made.
“Comrades, I see there’s a seat here. Could you squeeze together a bit so she can sit? There are a lot of people in this cart; this way everyone can sit comfortably,” Wang Guifen said with a smile.
Li Chunlan, sitting in the corner, looked at the two female educated youths. She had just asked the same thing, but they had only glanced at her coldly, their expressions full of disdain. Their words implied that her clothes were newly made and couldn’t be dirtied—they were clearly looking down on her.
She was curious to see how Wang Guifen would get them to make space. Surely they would shame her severely.
“Auntie, there’s no room here. Our clothes are expensive; they can’t get dirty.”
“Yes, isn’t there space in the middle? Why don’t you sit there?”
One of the young women covered her nose lightly with a handkerchief as she spoke.
Li Chunlan smiled smugly—see, she thought, I told you. They’re going to disdain me.
Wang Guifen stepped forward. “This is a seat for three. Do you need three seats for your behinds? I thought city people were polite, but it turns out they’re all show and no substance. If this is the kind of people coming to help with production in Tanghe Brigade, I’m worried they’ll cause trouble.”
Her words were harsh. There were many educated youths being sent down. If they really were as Wang Guifen suggested, they would become representatives of the spoiled youth, and be criticized by the youth work office.
“What nonsense are you talking about? We’re unrefined? Is a country bumpkin like you any better? Yes, we do despise you. You all smell bad—I want to gag just smelling you.”
“Slap!”
Su Yi swung her hand and slapped the young woman across the face.
Everyone in the cart froze. Su Yi looked fair-skinned, delicate, her features soft and graceful, not like a typical rural girl, let alone someone who could hit another person.
Wang Guifen was stunned. Her daughter-in-law hit someone? Well, good, she did.
Li Chunlan’s mouth dropped open. Su… Su… Su Yi hit someone?
The female youth clutched her face, shocked. Being sent down to the rural outskirts was already unfortunate; now they were being hit by a rural girl. Their pent-up anger seemed to find a release.
She raised her hand to retaliate.
Her wrist was grabbed, nearly broken.
Wang Guifen applied force.
“Ah!”
Su Yi pulled Wang Guifen behind her.
“You are here to participate in production work, to complete labor tasks, not to enjoy yourselves. Looking down on rural people like this—if your attitude is improper, we won’t hesitate to report your arrogance and prejudice to the youth office so they can properly handle you.”
Once Su Yi spoke, everyone paused.
“Qingqing, forget it. We just got here. If we get a lecture, it might affect our chances to return to the city later,” another young woman whispered, tugging at her companion’s skirt.
The young woman named Qingqing sat down angrily, scooting over a little. A space opened up.
Wang Guifen helped Su Yi sit there, while she herself and Li Chunlan took the corner seats.
“Yi Yi, this is your first time hitting someone, huh?” Wang Guifen teased.
Li Chunlan, humiliated by the two female youths, had nothing to say.
“Exactly. Now when you go out, no one who only knows how to bully weaker people will dare mess with you,” Wang Guifen said with a smile.
Li Chunlan forced an awkward laugh, realizing Wang Guifen was subtly criticizing her. She had only given up the seat to the outsiders and had been humiliated in return.
Wang Jialiang, just moments ago, had been anxious that things might escalate. Fortunately, it hadn’t come to blows.
“Clatter, clatter, bang, bang.” The three-wheeled cart headed toward the Tanghe Brigade.
A male comrade glanced at Su Yi across the way. Although she had hit someone, it was justified, and the other two had been at fault. If the female youths continued to cause trouble, it would only be to their own detriment.
The youth office was near Wang Guifen’s house. When the cart stopped, Wang Guifen and Su Yi reached the doorway in just a few steps.
Aunt Zhang came out when she heard the door open.
“Guifen is back!”
“Yes, thankfully we had a ride; otherwise, we might still be halfway there,” Wang Guifen said with a smile.
Su Yi entered the house first.
“Guifen, didn’t you catch seven big fat fish in Tanghe yesterday? When people in the brigade heard, a whole group went downstream to catch fish. Guess what? Not a single one caught anything,” Aunt Zhang said, laughing.
“Also, some gossiping women claimed that you’d caught all the fish in Tanghe. Shameless!”
Wang Guifen smiled. “Those without ability only resent those with talent. Don’t mind them. Their mouths are on them. I’ve been in a good mood these past few days, but if I run into them up close, I’ll tear their mouths apart.”
Although Wang Guifen didn’t want trouble, she wasn’t afraid of it either. She would deal with these women eventually.
“You should go inside and rest. It’s been a long journey.” Aunt Zhang smiled and turned to leave.
“Wait.”
“These are some snacks I bought today for Yi Yi, for your Xu Dong too,” Wang Guifen said, reaching into a bag and pulling out five pieces of candied fruit.
Aunt Zhang waved her hands. “No, no, no. These are precious. Keep them for Yi Yi; I don’t want them.”
“Oh, just take them. Yi Yi still has plenty,” Wang Guifen said, handing the candied fruit to Aunt Zhang over the courtyard wall.
Then she turned and went inside.
Aunt Zhang looked at the candied fruit in her hand and then back at those entering the house.
“Guifen really treats her daughter-in-law like her own daughter. Such good candied fruit, bought just like that. Yi Yi is lucky; her days will only get better.” She took out a handkerchief, wrapped a few pieces of the candied fruit, and went inside.
Inside, Su Yi poured a jar of water for Wang Guifen and a cup for herself. They sat on the kang, resting.
Outside, shouting, scolding, and the sounds of hitting could be heard.