After Zhao Guoshi tearfully explained the truth of the incident, the real story quickly spread throughout the entire First Production Brigade. Even so, there were still people who enjoyed embellishing it with scandalous gossip. By now, Jiang Lai no longer cared.
With the original owner’s affairs finally resolved, it was time for her to head to the provincial capital and save the Jiang family’s future.
Ever since learning the truth, Second Aunt had been consumed with guilt. She spent three full days diligently salting fish without a single complaint.
Since Jiang Lai probably wouldn’t have another chance to come back until the Lunar New Year, Zhao Guoshi busied herself preparing things for her to take back to the city, so busy she barely had time to sit down.
Now that the household responsibility system had been implemented, every family had surplus grain. Compared to previous years, everyone was much better off.
Eldest Uncle’s family packed freshly milled white flour along with ten jin of sweet potato flour.
Second Uncle’s family contributed not only the dried salted fish Zhao Guoshi had insisted they prepare, but also a small wicker basket filled with sweet potatoes and potatoes, plus an entire basket overflowing with fresh vegetables.
Watching Zhao Guoshi bustle around nonstop while muttering to herself about what else she should pack, Jiang Lai suddenly felt that getting back to the city was going to be quite a challenge.
She quickly interrupted.
“Grandma, this is already more than enough. If you pack any more, I won’t be able to carry it.”
“I’ll have your uncle take you.”
Zhao Guoshi sighed.
“I’ve raised you ever since you were just a month old, feeding you little by little until you grew up. Now you’re finally going back to your mother. I can’t stop worrying about whether you’ll eat well or take care of yourself. If I can send it with you, then I’m sending it.”
Separation anxiety was written all over her face.
After sitting quietly on a stool for a while, Zhao Guoshi clasped her hands behind her back and walked out.
No sooner had she left than Fenfen and Xiaoping—Second Uncle’s two daughters—arrived together with Meimei, the original Jiang Lai’s closest friend, to see her off.
The moment they entered the room, they saw clothes spread across the entire kang bed.
Xiaoping immediately picked up one outfit and held it against herself.
“Lailai, you have more clothes than our whole family put together!”
Jiang Lai’s parents worked at a textile factory.
They might have lacked many things, but cloth certainly wasn’t one of them.
Because Jiang Lai had grown up away from her parents, her mother, Ma Laihua, always felt guilty and regularly mailed high-quality fabric back home.
As a result, the original Jiang Lai had never worn patched clothing growing up.
Still, all the clothes piled on the bed looked nearly identical—plain long-sleeved shirts and long trousers.
As someone who had studied fashion design in her previous life, Jiang Lai found them terribly dull.
But to the three village girls, they were beautiful clothes.
Their eyes practically sparkled.
Jiang Lai hadn’t intended to bring them with her in the first place.
Unfortunately, Zhao Guoshi was far too thrifty and had insisted she pack every single piece.
As the girls chatted with her, their eyes kept drifting toward the clothes.
Jiang Lai waved her hand generously.
“If you like them, each of you pick out two outfits to take home.”
The other two girls still tried to be polite.
Only the youngest, Xiaoping, wasted no time.
She immediately reached for the two jackets she’d secretly admired for ages.
“Really? Can I have these two coats? I’ve wanted them forever!”
Afraid Jiang Lai might change her mind, she hurriedly put them on.
If Jiang Lai did regret it, she was fully prepared to run away wearing them.
The original Jiang Lai, Fenfen, and Meimei were all the same age.
However, Jiang Lai had always been a little chubbier, while Fenfen and Meimei were slimmer. With a little alteration, they could easily wear her clothes.
Jiang Lai rummaged through the pile and handed an outfit to Fenfen.
“I can’t accept it,” Fenfen said, quickly shaking her head.
“It’s still practically new. You should take it back and wear it yourself.”
Xiaoping stared longingly at the outfit.
She loved that one too.
She’d tried it on before, but it had been far too large.
She’d secretly planned to ask her cousin for it again in a couple of years.
Who would’ve thought Jiang Lai would hand it directly to her older sister now?
That meant she’d probably get to wear it herself next year.
Blinking her big round eyes, Xiaoping tried to persuade her sister.
“Come on, Sis. Didn’t you wear this outfit on your matchmaking date a few days ago? You’ll be visiting your future in-laws again soon. You can wear it then.”
“No.”
Fenfen gently pushed the clothes back.
“Lailai only had this made a couple of months ago.”
Fenfen’s personality was much like the original Jiang Lai’s.
Gentle, soft-spoken, hardworking, and devoted to her family.
She was like a little wildflower growing by the roadside.
No matter where she was planted, she’d quietly bloom in that spot without ever drawing much attention.
In the novel, the man Fenfen was matched with was actually a decent person.
The problem was his rather domineering mother.
Because she’d been influenced by the rumors surrounding the original Jiang Lai, Fenfen’s marriage negotiations hadn’t gone smoothly.
Jiang Lai firmly stuffed the clothes back into Fenfen’s arms.
“We’re about the same size. Pick out a few more.”
“When I get back, I’ll be earning a salary.”
“Then I’ll buy even better clothes.”
She deliberately emphasized the words ‘earning a salary.’
Xiaoping had loved dressing up ever since she was little.
Even if she made herself a simple straw hat, she’d decorate it with wildflowers until it was completely covered.
She didn’t particularly care about food.
What she cared about was enjoying life.
The moment she heard Jiang Lai mention shopping at the department store, her eyes lit up.
“Lailai, whenever you stop wearing your clothes, remember to save them for me!”
“I’ll grow taller very soon.”
In other words:
I’ll be able to wear all your hand-me-downs before long.
Jiang Lai laughed.
“Don’t worry.”
“I’ll save them all for you.”
“Take whatever you like.”
“I don’t know how many times I’ll be able to come back after this. Consider them keepsakes.”
At the mention of parting, the girls’ excitement about picking clothes faded considerably.
Meimei looked up at Jiang Lai.
“I’m really going to miss you.”
“My mom says it’s right for you to go back to your parents.”
“But everyone in the brigade is still talking about what happened.”
“Sometimes I can’t even stand listening anymore.”
“Educated Youth Song and Educated Youth Qin are just awful,” Xiaoping said while continuing to rummage through the clothes.
“I heard Song Tian was only sentenced to four months of labor reform?”
The brigade captain had come by the previous day to explain the results.
Since Song Tian had been an accomplice and was pregnant, she received four months of labor reform and a major disciplinary mark on her record.
Qin Chengyuan, as the principal offender, was sentenced to two years in prison and also received a major demerit.
In the original novel, Song Tian had been an indispensable character.
Now that Jiang Lai had completely changed Song Tian’s fate, she couldn’t help wondering whether Song Tian would ever make it back to the city.
Aside from Xiaoping, both Fenfen and Meimei mostly chose trousers, taking only one or two tops each.
Xiaoping, meanwhile, happily packed an entire bundle of clothes and hummed cheerfully to herself.
When Zhao Guoshi returned, she happened to see the three girls leaving with bundles in their hands.
Her heart ached.
“Why did you give away so many perfectly good clothes?”
As she spoke, she tossed the large goose she’d been carrying into the corner of the courtyard.
Jiang Lai had absolutely no desire to continue packing.
Resting her chin on the windowsill, she looked out at Zhao Guoshi in the yard.
“Grandma, I’ll be earning a salary soon.”
“I can buy better clothes later.”
“You haven’t even started working yet, and you’re already planning how to spend your wages.”
Jiang Lai grinned.
“Grandma, having goals gives people motivation.”
“When I start making money, I’ll buy a big house.”
“Then I’ll bring you to the city to retire.”
“You can stroll through the parks every day and watch the old men play chess.”
Zhao Guoshi burst into laughter.
She didn’t shatter Jiang Lai’s dreams.
“I’m not cut out for that kind of life.”
“Seeing a bunch of old folks sitting around doing nothing all day would only make me angry.”
For Jiang Lai’s farewell dinner, Zhao Guoshi specially slaughtered a chicken.
She invited both her eldest and second sons’ families over so everyone could share one last meal together.
Early the next morning, before dawn had even broken, Zhao Guoshi got up at three o’clock.
The first thing she did was shake Jiang Minghai awake so he could help wrap dumplings.
By the time Jiang Lai got out of bed, her uncle shot her a resentful look while obediently following Zhao Guoshi’s endless instructions.
“Put this in the sack.”
“That goes into the basket.”
To reach the provincial capital, they would have to transfer buses twice.
The trip would take at least half a day.
Worried that thieves might steal their belongings along the way, Zhao Guoshi carefully covered everything with old clothing, then stitched the covers tightly in place with needle and thread.
She demonstrated the technique for Jiang Lai.
“When you get home, cut this loose thread.”
“Then pull gently, and the whole seam will come apart.”
“And don’t throw the thread away.”
“You can still use it again later.”