Before dinner, Yu Huan carried a large bowl of freshly stewed meat to the educated youth compound. When she arrived, she saw Song Yujie waiting at the entrance.
“Hehe! Give it to me!”
Song Yujie hurried over with a big smile and took the large bowl from her hands.
Yu Huan naturally let go of it.
“Educated Youth Song, where is Educated Youth Ling?”
Song Yujie held the bowl in one hand and pulled out a stack of money and ration coupons with the other.
“My brother is resting in his room. Here’s the money and some ration coupons for you.”
“You don’t need to give me this much.”
Seeing that he had several yuan in his hand, Yu Huan casually took one yuan and two industrial coupons.
Since she hadn’t seen Ling Yuan, Yu Huan turned around and left, feeling a little disappointed.
For several days in a row, Yu Huan had no opportunity to interact with Ling Yuan.
That Evening
After dinner, Yu Jian’an spoke to his father.
“Dad, I’d like to go to the county town and look for a job.”
Over the past few days, whenever he went out to work in the fields, he felt as though the villagers were silently mocking him.
So what if he’s the only high school graduate in the village? After graduating and returning home, he still has to work in the fields like everyone else.
Even if he couldn’t get into university, he should at least find a job in the county town, just like his second older brother.
Yu Huan’s father also felt it was a waste for his son to return to farm work after graduating from high school.
“Then go look for your second brother tomorrow and see if he has heard about any job openings through his connections.”
“Alright, Dad.”
However, Yu Jian’an was already thinking that he couldn’t rely entirely on his second brother. He should also visit the entrances of various government offices and factories himself. Perhaps he’d get lucky and find an opportunity.
When Yu Huan heard that her third brother wanted to look for work in the county town, she deliberately went into her space and took out a Good Luck Talisman. It was effective for one day.
She folded it neatly and brought it to Yu Jian’an.
“Third Brother, keep this somewhere safe. Don’t you dare lose it!”
Yu Huan handed him the talisman and reminded him sternly.
“Little Sister, where did you get this? This is feudal superstition!”
Yu Jian’an took the talisman and examined it carefully, looking alarmed.
“Third Brother, don’t be afraid. This is a Good Luck Talisman. It’ll help you get whatever you wish for.”
“Even if someone discovers it, the talisman will immediately turn to ashes. There won’t be any evidence left.”
Yu Jian’an listened to his sister speaking so confidently, but he still couldn’t understand how someone like her, who had received an education and been exposed to modern ideas, could have fallen victim to feudal superstition.
“Little Sister, tell me where you got this! You’ve definitely been deceived. Let’s go report that person to the Revolutionary Committee right now and make sure they’re brought to justice!”
Yu Jian’an said angrily.
“Third Brother, are you really going to find someone to arrest me?”
“What do you mean?” Yu Jian’an didn’t understand.
“I mean, I drew this talisman myself.”
Yu Huan had no choice but to admit it. Otherwise, where was she supposed to find the person who had drawn it?
“Little Sister, did that person drug you? How can you cover for him?”
Yu Jian’an looked utterly incredulous.
He and his younger sister were close in age and had practically grown up together. Apart from the past two years when they had been away from each other because of school, he knew almost everything she did.
She must have been deceived by someone!
Thinking about it, everyone in the village knew one another well. The only possible suspects were her schoolmates or the newly arrived educated youths.
At that thought, Yu Jian’an’s expression turned fierce. If he found out who was responsible, he would never let that person get away with it.
Seeing her third brother’s expression grow increasingly vicious, Yu Huan had no idea what sort of wild scenario he had imagined. She quickly interrupted him.
“Third Brother, I’m really not lying to you!”
“If you don’t believe me, watch this.”
Seeing that her third brother simply wouldn’t believe her, Yu Huan had no choice but to use her trump card.
She pretended to take an Invisibility Talisman out of her pocket.
“Third Brother, watch carefully. Don’t get too scared!”
With a mischievous and playful expression, Yu Huan stuck the talisman onto herself.
In an instant, her figure disappeared from where she had been standing.
Yu Jian’an’s eyes widened. He couldn’t believe what he was seeing, so he frantically rubbed his eyes several times.
His room was tiny. Everything was clearly visible, and there was nowhere anyone could possibly hide.
“Little Sister, y-you… Come out quickly!”
Yu Jian’an was genuinely frightened. A perfectly living person had suddenly vanished into thin air. It completely overturned everything he had ever believed.
Seeing that she had really scared her brother, Yu Huan quickly tore off the talisman.
The talisman immediately turned to ashes, and Yu Huan reappeared in the same spot.
“Third Brother, do you believe me now?”
Yu Huan looked at him expectantly.
“I haven’t told anyone else. You’re the very first person to know that I can do this.”
“Third Brother, you’re not really going to report me, are you?”
Yu Huan spoke several sentences in succession, but her third brother was still frozen in shock.
“Third Brother! Snap out of it!”
Yu Huan slapped Yu Jian’an on the shoulder.
The slap finally brought him back to his senses, and his expression immediately changed.
“Little Sister, what kind of talisman was that? How did you suddenly disappear? That’s amazing!”
“Little Sister, do you have any more of those talismans? Give me a few!”
After getting over his initial shock, Yu Jian’an accepted the situation surprisingly well.
After all, the person with such extraordinary abilities was his own younger sister. Regardless of what kind of unusual encounter she had experienced, as long as the outcome was good, there was no need to dig too deeply into it.
“Third Brother, I can’t give you those. Every time I use one, I lose one. They’re extremely difficult to draw!”
At least, she still couldn’t draw them herself at the moment. If it hadn’t been for convincing her third brother, she wouldn’t have been willing to waste one.
“Then I won’t ask for many. Just give me one. Please?”
Yu Jian’an looked at his little sister with a pleading expression.
Yu Huan had no choice but to take out a talisman and give it to him.
“Don’t use it recklessly. If someone discovers it, they’ll really drag you away and lock you up for research!”
Yu Jian’an understood just how precious and extraordinary this thing was. Naturally, he would be extremely careful with it. If he ever used it, he would make absolutely sure no one saw him.
“When you stick this Invisibility Talisman onto your body, it’ll last for one day as long as you don’t tear it off.”
Yu Huan explained once again.
Overjoyed, Yu Jian’an carefully placed the two talismans in his inner pocket, making sure they wouldn’t fall out.
Yu Huan knew that although her third brother was a little impulsive and mischievous, he was still a reliable person. She wasn’t particularly worried about him.
Yu Jian’an was so excited that he couldn’t fall asleep until well past midnight.
As soon as daylight came, he immediately got up.
He rode his bicycle to the supply and marketing cooperative to look for his second older brother and told him about his job search.
Yu Jianming said, “Even if you hadn’t mentioned it, I’ve already been keeping an eye out for job opportunities for you. As soon as I hear anything, I’ll come home and let you know.”
“Second Brother, please keep asking around for me. I’ll go look on my own first.”
“Alright. Be careful out there. If you really can’t find anything, don’t rush. Just head home early.”
Yu Jianming gave him a few more reminders.
Yu Jian’an agreed verbally, then climbed onto his bicycle and rode away.
He visited the entrances of various factories and government offices, asking around at each place. However, none of them had any public recruitment announcements.
Yu Jian’an began to suspect that perhaps his little sister hadn’t drawn the Good Luck Talisman properly. It didn’t seem to have any effect at all!
His initial excitement quickly turned into disappointment.
He slowly pedaled his bicycle, preparing to head home.
As he passed a stretch of abandoned factory buildings, he suddenly noticed something strange.
Several dozen meters ahead, near a corner, a young woman suddenly disappeared.
He was so startled that he immediately slammed on the brakes.
After being frightened by his little sister the previous night, he was still suffering from the psychological shock. Now he had witnessed another person suddenly vanish right before his eyes. How could he not be terrified?
When he looked more carefully, however, he noticed that the young woman kept appearing and disappearing, as though she were struggling.
Only then did he realize that she was in danger!
He was just about to ride his bicycle over when two burly men suddenly appeared ahead.
When the two men were about to turn and look in his direction, he instinctively hid himself along with his bicycle.
Fortunately, there was a partially collapsed earthen wall nearby that was still standing.
Perhaps the noise he made while hiding had been too loud, or perhaps the two men were simply very cautious. Either way, Yu Jian’an could faintly hear footsteps approaching in his direction.
Sweat began forming on Yu Jian’an’s forehead, and his heart pounded violently.
Anyone capable of abducting a woman in broad daylight couldn’t possibly be a good person.
If they discovered him, he wouldn’t stand a chance against two men.
And if they really were ruthless criminals, he might not make it out alive!