“Childish!”
He Shiyi climbed out of the water.
She stared at Luo Lingfeng with a puzzled expression.
In the memories of her previous life, she had never seen Luo Lingfeng’s parents.
Since childhood, Luo Lingfeng had lived only with his grandfather.
When he was ten, his grandfather died of illness.
At such a young age, Luo Lingfeng had to live all alone.
In 1961, the communal canteens of the People’s Commune were dissolved.
Villagers had to cook at home again.
In those years of food shortages, life was hard for everyone.
To earn something to eat, ten-year-old Luo Lingfeng had to work alongside the women, doing whatever farm work he could manage.
After a full day of labor, he could only earn two work points, and at the end of the year, he didn’t receive much grain.
But he was clever—catching cicadas, grasshoppers, and fishing shrimp and fish in the river.
In her previous life, seven-year-old He Shiyi had a sharp nose and a greedy little appetite.
When she smelled roasted cicadas and grasshoppers from Luo Lingfeng’s house, she went over shamelessly, wearing ragged little shorts, belly exposed.
Luo Lingfeng never hoarded food.
He generously shared the food he himself didn’t even have enough of, with the pitiful-looking little girl with a dirty, smudged face.
You owe someone when you eat their food.
So in her previous life, she would occasionally steal corn cobs, sweet potatoes, or beans from home and bring them to Luo Lingfeng to roast.
When she was fourteen in her previous life, seventeen-year-old Luo Lingfeng was specially recommended to join the army.
He left for five years.
When he returned, he heard that He Shiyi, who had grown up playing with him, was engaged to a local delinquent named Wu Fengshou.
He changed.
Became serious and reserved, never smiling in front of others, always wearing a cold, emotionless expression.
Because Luo Lingfeng had been in the army and had a naturally intimidating, cool face, before retiring, the old village Party secretary strongly recommended Luo Lingfeng to become both the brigade leader and Party secretary of Nanfeng Village.
…
In the quiet night, moonlight covered the river.
He Shiyi and Luo Lingfeng both seemed to have found their childhood again.
Splashing water back and forth, playing without restraint.
“I wanna have a water fight too! I wanna have a water fight too! Let me play, let me play!”
Shadan shouted noisily, like a missile lit by a lighter.
He leapt from the village road into the shallow water with a “whoosh.”
He yanked off his shorts and waded into the water.
Grinning widely, he jumped between He Shiyi and Luo Lingfeng.
“From now on, don’t run around naked again. If you don’t listen, I’ll cut that thing of yours off.”
Luo Lingfeng lifted his foot and kicked Shadan into the water.
Then waved at He Shiyi.
The two hurriedly climbed onto the shore, standing more than ten meters apart.
Luo Lingfeng hurriedly put on his Liberation shoes.
Grabbed the clothes he had thrown on the shore.
Didn’t put them on, just draped them over his broad, muscular shoulders.
In a low voice, he ordered, “Let’s go.”
He didn’t even check whether He Shiyi followed.
With long strides, he walked down the village road toward the village.
Just as they reached the village entrance, Luo Lingfeng suddenly stopped.
And abruptly turned around.
The village road was rough and uneven.
He Shiyi stumbled, her body tipping forward.
And fell straight into Luo Lingfeng’s arms.
Her face instantly pressed against his bare chest.
Under the warmth of the contact,
He Shiyi suddenly felt as if her heart had been flicked by Luo Lingfeng’s finger.
A strange, indescribable feeling arose.
Luo Lingfeng’s body also trembled like he’d been shocked by electricity.
His heart rate shot up, breathing quickened, cheeks burning red.
He held He Shiyi with both hands, flustered.
“Are… are you okay?”
He Shiyi straightened up and quickly left his chest.
Her face flushed red, half shy, half annoyed. “Why didn’t you walk properly? Why did you suddenly turn around? You hurt me. Compensate me!”
The corners of Luo Lingfeng’s lips curved slightly into a faint smile.
His eyes showed endless fondness.
Seriously, he said, “How should I compensate you?”
He Shiyi calculated in her heart.
What did she urgently lack after coming to the material-scarce 1970s?
[You can lack anything, but you can’t lack money!]
“Pay me!”
“How much?”
Without thinking, He Shiyi blurted out, “I won’t ask for much. Just give me one hundred.”
Luo Lingfeng lowered his gaze at her.
In a deep voice, he said, “You’re extorting that much—why don’t you just rob a bank?”
“Is one hundred a lot?”
Her peach-blossom-like charming face showed innocence mixed with confusion.
She stretched out both hands, counting on her fingers.
Calculating in her heart how much 100 yuan in the 1970s would equal in the 21st century.
After calculating, she was shocked.
[Oh my god! That’s over ten thousand yuan!]
She quickly gave Luo Lingfeng an apologetic smile.
“Brother, sorry, I asked for too much. But I’m easy to talk to. Just give me ten yuan and we’ll call it even.”
Luo Lingfeng was extremely straightforward.
From the pocket of the white shirt draped over his shoulder, he pulled out a ten-yuan “Great Unity” note.
Without even blinking.
He lived alone and had his five years of army discharge pay.
He had money and didn’t care.
He Shiyi’s eyes widened.
[Wow! Ten yuan in the 1970s is a huge sum.]
[Equivalent to over a thousand yuan in the 21st century—enough for me to live on for a while in the 1970s.]
[He’s so generous. He must have deeply loved me in my previous life.]
[Hmm… I’ll extort him this time and next time too. Keep doing it until 1978 when reform and opening begins.]
[Then I can make big money and live a carefree, wealthy life.]
[1975 to 1978 isn’t far—three years will pass in a blink.]
[Hmph! Stupid system, trash system, useless system. Even without you, I can thrive in the 1970s.]
Just thinking about it made her happy, her face blooming into a smile.
She reached to take the ten yuan.
But Luo Lingfeng tightly held onto one corner.
“I can give you the ten yuan, but you can only spend it yourself. You can’t give it to your family.”
He Shiyi snatched the note and bent down, stuffing it into her shoe.
“Wouldn’t it be nicer to spend money on myself? Why would I give it to them? I’m not stupid.”
After getting the ten yuan, He Shiyi searched her previous life’s memories.
Planning to go to Qingfeng Town’s market early tomorrow.
To taste all the pollution-free, chemical-free, additive-free foods of the 1970s.
[Did towns in the 1970s even have big markets? Probably not.]
[Seems like there was only the supply and marketing cooperative. And you needed ration tickets to buy things.]
[Damn it! I have money but no tickets. I can’t buy anything.]
He Shiyi stood there, lips pursed, head tilted, calculating in her heart.
Her cute, charming look made Luo Lingfeng’s heart flutter.
Not only was he not angry at being extorted— he was actually very happy.
Smiling uncontrollably, he said, “Do you really like money that much?”
He Shiyi’s ultimate goal after traveling to the 1970s:
Be beautiful, sweet-talking, pretty—and rich.
Not for anyone else.
Only for herself.
To achieve her life goal, getting close to Luo Lingfeng, the top authority of Nanfeng Village, was absolutely necessary.
She wanted to get closer and closer to him.
“I do like it! In this world, the one I most want to get close to—besides you—is money.”
Her flattery was like a warm spring breeze.
Making Luo Lingfeng’s heart bloom with joy.
His spirit lifted, eyes shining.
He placed both hands on her thin shoulders.
“Really? You’re not lying to me?”
“Really. I won’t lie to you. If I do, I’m a puppy.”
Tenderness filled Luo Lingfeng’s eyes as he slowly lowered his head.
The moment their eyes met, He Shiyi widened her eyes in shock.
She suddenly pushed him away and stepped back repeatedly.
She had never expected something like this to happen.
Her mind went blank.
After a moment, she regained her senses.
And stammered, “Bro… brother… husband—”
Luo Lingfeng’s heart skipped. “Husband!?”
“N-no, not husband. Bro, you misunderstood me! When I said getting closer, I meant I hope we can be like when we were kids—no reservations, able to talk about anything. Let’s always have each other, always keep that innocent closeness. Bro, it’s not what you think. Don’t get it wrong. Please don’t get it wrong.”