The group exited the train station and stood by the roadside waiting for the bus.
After waiting for about ten minutes, an old-fashioned bus came wobbling down the road and stopped in front of them.
“This is the one. Get on.”
The family friend’s older brother glanced at the bus, helped Lin Wanwan load her luggage, and then prepared to head back to the train station.
“Uncle Lin asked me to tell you that if anything happens, you must send him a telegram. Don’t keep everything bottled up inside.”
Lin Wanwan obediently agreed.
“Mhm, I know.”
After saying that, she waved goodbye.
There were not many passengers on the midday bus, and several seats at the back remained empty.
Lin Wanwan boarded first and quickly claimed a window seat. She waved at Fang Yun and invited her to sit in the empty seat beside her.
Sun Cheng and Gao Yongyuan sat behind them.
Xu Wen wanted to sit with Shan Miaoyi, but Shan Miaoyi had already dragged Cheng Shi to the very back of the bus, deliberately staying far away from Lin Wanwan.
The smell inside the bus was even worse than on the train, making people feel nauseated.
Unable to tolerate the odor, Lin Wanwan pushed the window open with all her strength and wrapped the red scarf with white polka dots tightly around her nose and mouth. Looking listless, she leaned against the window.
The bus slowly started moving toward the county town.
The road leading there was uneven and full of bumps, causing the bus to shake violently and making the ride extremely uncomfortable.
The weather was scorching hot. With the windows open, gusts of heated wind blew directly into her face, making her head feel increasingly heavy and foggy.
It took about two hours to reach the county town.
Afterward, the county officials arranged a passenger truck for them.
The truck was packed with Educated Youth heading to the countryside. The smell of gasoline from the exhaust and the dust flying up from the road were even more nauseating than the bus ride.
Even with the scarf covering her face, Lin Wanwan could barely endure it. Leaning against Fang Yun, she drifted in and out of sleep.
“Wanwan, Wanwan, wake up. We’ve arrived.”
Fang Yun gently nudged her shoulder.
“Mm…”
Lin Wanwan opened her eyes and responded groggily.
She stood up and removed the scarf as she headed toward the exit, but her legs suddenly went weak. She staggered and dropped back into her seat.
The truck had been shaking so violently that all four of her limbs felt weak and powerless. She could not even stand steadily.
“Be careful!”
Fang Yun exclaimed.
Looking at Lin Wanwan’s flushed cheeks and dazed expression, she reached out and pulled her up.
“I’ll carry your luggage down first and then come back for you.”
Lin Wanwan’s reactions were sluggish. It took her quite a while before she finally replied.
“Mm…”
She patted her slightly burning cheeks, trying to clear her head, before standing up again.
Everyone else had already gotten off the truck and was waiting for her.
With flushed cheeks and watery peach blossom eyes, Lin Wanwan looked delicate and fragile as she walked, like a willow branch swaying in the wind, as though she might collapse at any moment.
The attention of every young man present was instantly drawn toward her.
Cheng Shi directly walked over.
His eyes remained fixed on her as he tried to keep his tone calm.
“Careful. I’ll help you.”
“Thank you, but there’s no need.”
Lin Wanwan’s attitude toward Cheng Shi was noticeably distant.
She raised her eyes toward Fang Yun and unconsciously sounded a little spoiled as she said,
“Fang Yun, come help me instead!”
Among everyone present, Fang Yun was the one she liked most.
“Hey! Coming!”
Fang Yun immediately walked over and supported her arm.
Only after Lin Wanwan had stepped safely onto the ground did she let go.
Standing nearby, Cheng Shi looked extremely dejected, his lips pressed into a straight line.
“Pretentious.”
Shan Miaoyi nearly ground her back teeth to pieces.
Why was this little vixen even more annoying than she had been in her previous life?
What was she pretending for?
Could she not even walk anymore without someone supporting her?
All she knew was how to attract men.
Could she not survive without male attention?
How shameless!
Fortunately, Shan Miaoyi’s voice was very quiet, and no one heard her.
By now it was already afternoon.
The sunlight shone down mercilessly, so bright that people could barely keep their eyes open.
Lin Wanwan wrapped the scarf around her face again, squinting as she surveyed the rows of mud houses before her.
She silently sighed.
This place really looked poor.
Most of the houses were mud structures, while brick houses were extremely rare.
“Where are we supposed to go now?”
Fang Yun looked around but could not see anyone who had come to pick them up.
Besides their group, many unfamiliar Educated Youth were also present. They had been assigned here from all over the country.
After such a long journey, nobody was in particularly good condition.
The blazing sun overhead only made everyone more irritable.
“We’re already here. Why hasn’t anyone come to get us yet? Is this how we’re being treated?”
“This place looks way too poor. If I’d known, I would’ve chosen somewhere else!”
“When are they coming? It’s so hot!”
Sitting on top of her suitcase, Lin Wanwan considered taking out the last bottle of canned sweet syrup from her bag and eating it if nobody arrived soon.
She had barely eaten anything since morning, and after being tossed around for hours, she was nearly starving.
Just as the thought crossed her mind, she heard the sound of wheels rolling over stone pavement from up ahead.
Several ox carts slowly approached.
“Person A, Person B, Person C, Person D… those assigned to Hongqi Production Team, hurry over here!”
“Person Zhao, Person Qian, Person Wang, Person Zhu… Honggen Brigade, over here, over here!”
“…”
“Lin Wanwan, Xu Wen, Sun Cheng, Gao Yongyuan, Fang Yun, Shan Miaoyi, Cheng Shi, Lu Zhaodi, He Langtao! Come here! You belong to Hongxin Brigade!”
Lin Wanwan stood up and dragged her luggage toward the ox cart assigned to Hongxin Brigade.
There were nine people assigned to Hongxin Brigade altogether.
Four male Educated Youth and five female Educated Youth.
The brigade leader was a square-faced man in his forties.
When he looked at the group lined up before him, his face immediately darkened.
The male Educated Youth looked decent enough.
They seemed energetic and capable.
But what was going on with these female Educated Youth?
Two of them were wearing dresses, and another had a red scarf wrapped around her face. Each looked more delicate than the last.
None of them appeared capable of farm work.
And why were there even more female Educated Youth than male ones?
Wouldn’t it have been better to send a few more men?
At least men had some strength.
The square-faced brigade leader felt utterly depressed.
In a muffled voice, he said,
“I’ll read the names again. Make sure they’re correct.”
“He Langtao.”
“Lu Zhaodi.”
“Cheng Shi.”
“Shan Miaoyi.”
“Fang Yun.”
“Gao Yongyuan.”
“Sun Cheng.”
“Xu Wen.”
“Lin Wanwan.”
When her name was called, Lin Wanwan raised her hand.
At the same time, she removed the scarf covering her face, revealing her slightly sun-reddened cheeks.
“…”
The square-faced brigade leader froze on the spot.
This fair-skinned, delicate female Educated Youth who looked like a fox spirit—
Could she really work in the fields?
With looks like hers, all the young men in the village would probably lose their souls.
Wasn’t this just creating trouble for him?
Having too many female Educated Youth was already troublesome enough.
Now one of them was this beautiful.
That made it even worse.
The square-faced brigade leader let out two heavy sighs, seeming to age several years in an instant.
He waved his hand at them.
“Get on the cart. Move quickly!”
“Lu Ye, help them load their luggage.”
“Mm.”
A deep, cold voice sounded out.
Lin Wanwan’s ears twitched slightly.
Tilting her head, she looked behind the square-faced brigade leader.
A tall figure jumped down from the wagon attached behind the ox cart.
He walked forward with the sunlight at his back, making it difficult to see his face clearly.
He wore a white sleeveless undershirt.
Perhaps because he worked in the fields every day, his skin was a light wheat color.
The muscles on his exposed arms were well-defined and powerful.
With broad shoulders, a narrow waist, and an exceptionally impressive physique, he stood out immediately.
His shirt was damp with sweat and clung tightly to his body, faintly outlining the contours of his chest muscles and abdominal muscles.
Taking a few long strides, he crossed the distance in only a couple of steps.
Only when he drew closer did Lin Wanwan get a clear look at him.
The man’s features were sharply defined.
His eyes were long and narrow, his cheeks slightly gaunt, and beneath a high nose bridge his thin lips were pressed together.
His dark eyes were deep and sinister-looking.
A fierce, intimidating aura radiated from him, making him seem difficult to approach.
The moment he appeared, all of the male Educated Youth standing nearby were instantly overshadowed and faded into the background.