A few days earlier, it had rained.
The weeds had grown taller than the crops.
Since Song Can and the other educated youths had already earned a reputation for being poor farm workers, they were assigned to weed the fields alongside the village children and elderly people.
The ground was soaked.
One step and your shoes sank straight into thick mud.
Walking was nearly impossible.
Weeding meant either bending over or squatting for hours.
The coarse grass roots cut painfully into Song Can’s hands.
At one point, someone accidentally bumped into her from behind.
She fell flat on her face.
Like a dog eating dirt.
She landed directly in the mud, instantly becoming a human mud statue.
Everyone around her burst into laughter.
Embarrassed beyond words…
Song Can nearly cried.
“It’s getting late.”
“Song Can, why don’t you head back first and start cooking?”
An older educated youth finally stepped in to rescue her.
Song Can washed the mud from her face and hands in an irrigation ditch.
On the walk home…
She casually gathered whatever edible wild vegetables she recognized.
They would become tonight’s dinner.
When the production brigade leader arrived…
Song Can was cutting sweet potatoes into chunks.
She planned to mix them into the rice while cooking.
There was no choice.
They were simply too poor.
Without stretching the food like this…
There wouldn’t be enough for everyone.
“Cooking already, Comrade Song?”
The brigade leader hadn’t expected anyone to be in the educated youth compound at this hour.
“I slipped and fell.”
“I came back to change clothes.”
“So I figured I’d cook while I was here.”
She wiped her hands.
Then stepped into the courtyard.
Immediately…
She spotted Yang Wenping standing outside.
“Fourth Brother Yang?”
“What are you doing here?”
Her voice rose an entire octave.
Seeing someone she knew…
More than a hundred li from home…
Was an enormous surprise.
Yang Wenping hadn’t expected Song Can to be assigned to this village either.
But after his initial surprise…
He relaxed considerably.
Song Can was sensible.
Reliable.
Thoughtful.
Lu Chen was leaving home for the first time and traveling this far alone.
With Song Can here…
He could finally stop worrying quite so much.
“This is my teacher’s son.”
“His name is Lu Chen.”
“He’s also an educated youth.”
“He wasn’t able to leave earlier because of health problems.”
“So I brought him here myself.”
“Xiao Chen is quiet.”
“He doesn’t talk much.”
“Can Can…”
“I’m asking you to help look after him.”
Yang Wenping immediately introduced the two of them.
Then he handed over the gifts he’d brought, splitting them between Song Can and the brigade leader.
Turning to the brigade leader, he explained,
“Can Can’s family lives right next door to ours.”
“She grew up with my younger sister.”
“I’ve always treated her like my own little sister.”
Then he gestured toward Lu Chen.
“And Xiao Chen is practically my own younger brother.”
“Brigade Leader…”
“Now both my younger brother and younger sister are in your brigade.”
“I’ll have to trouble you to take good care of them.”
He shook the brigade leader’s hand once more.
The cigarettes and liquor had already been presented.
The polite words had also been spoken.
The brigade leader understood perfectly.
Lu Chen silently glanced at Yang Wenping.
Brother Wenping…
He’s explaining everything in such detail.
You’d think I was seven years old instead of seventeen.
Every other sentence was,
“Please take care of him.”
“Please look after him.”
I’m a grown man.
It’s not as though I’m going to starve to death.
Then he remembered…
That very morning…
Mother Yang had fussed endlessly over Yang Yuan before they left.
Now Yang Wenping was doing exactly the same thing.
Perhaps…
That’s simply what families like theirs are like.
His expression gradually softened.
A warm feeling spread through his chest.
Only two months earlier…
His family had suffered a devastating disaster.
Relatives.
Old friends.
One after another…
They had all rushed to distance themselves.
In just two short months…
He felt he’d witnessed all the warmth and coldness human nature had to offer.
Yet…
People like Yang Wenping still existed.
A student of his grandfather’s…
Who had risked getting into trouble just to visit the old man.
Not only had Yang Wenping taken him home…
He’d personally escorted him to the countryside.
The entire Yang family—
Father Yang.
Mother Yang.
Yang Yuan.
All accepted him without prejudice.
Lu Chen silently made himself a promise.
I’ll never forget these people.
Perhaps I can’t repay them now.
But someday…
When I have the ability…
I’ll repay their kindness a thousandfold.
By the time they reached the village…
It was already close to noon.
Yang Wenping had first taken Lu Chen to the state-owned restaurant in town.
Each of them ate a huge plate of pork-and-chive dumplings made with white flour.
Both left completely full.
When the educated youths returned from the fields for lunch…
They exchanged greetings.
Neither Yang Wenping nor Lu Chen went outside again.
“These steamed buns won’t spoil for another day or two.”
“They’ll be enough to keep you fed.”
“The food here definitely won’t compare to the city.”
Yang Wenping pressed some money into Lu Chen’s hand.
“Take this.”
“Use it to trade with villagers for a few eggs.”
“Build up your strength.”
It was ten yuan.
For the Yang family…
That was already a generous amount.
In the countryside…
A family might not spend ten yuan over an entire year.
Mother Yang had agreed to give that much…
Only because she felt sorry for her own son.
She wanted Yang Wenping to feel better.
Later…
Since they weren’t relatives…
It wouldn’t be appropriate to keep mailing supplies forever.
The Yang family had already done more than enough.
Lu Chen understood that clearly.
Brother Wenping…
The Yang family…
They were all good people.
Their kindness was already a tremendous favor.
“I can’t accept this.”
“I still have money.”
“My father and grandfather both left me some.”
“You’ve already helped me so much.”
“I really can’t take yours.”
Yang Wenping ignored the refusal.
He stuffed the money directly into Lu Chen’s pocket.
“Take it.”
“My mother asked me to give it to you.”
“She really does think of you as family.”
“If we hadn’t been in such a hurry…”
“She would’ve prepared even more.”
“The conditions here are rough.”
“If you’re missing anything…”
“Buy it yourself.”
Then he handed Lu Chen a slip of paper.
“This is the phone number for my younger sister’s factory.”
“Keep it safe.”
“If something urgent happens…”
“And letters or telegrams won’t arrive in time…”
“Call this number.”
“My sister’s name is Yang Yuan.”
“Just ask for her.”
Yang Wenping continued giving instructions for quite some time.
Eventually…
The educated youths had to return to work.
It was getting late.
If he delayed any longer…
He’d miss the last bus back.
So he hurried toward town.
Song Can quickly caught up with him.
She wanted to ask about her younger brother.
Yang Wenping fell silent for a moment.
Looking apologetic, he said,
“I haven’t been home much during the past month.”
“I’m sorry.”
“I haven’t seen Song Qi.”
“But shortly after you left…”
“I did run into him once in town.”
“He looked well.”
“He even greeted me.”
“It’s not terribly far from home.”
“You can always write to him.”
Song Can finally smiled.
“Thank you, Fourth Brother Yang.”
“I’ve already written him several letters.”
“But…”
“It’s the first time we’ve ever been apart.”
“I still worry.”
“If you’re home in the future…”
“Please keep an eye on him for me.”
Song Can and Lu Chen accompanied Yang Wenping all the way to the edge of the village.
Only after watching him disappear into the distance did they turn back.
Walking side by side…
They nearly bumped into each other.
“Comrade Lu.”
“I’m going this way.”
Song Can pointed in one direction.
Lu Chen gave a cool nod.
Then…
Walked in exactly the direction she’d pointed.
The two crossed paths and continued on.
Song Can hurried toward the fields.
She had slipped away secretly.
If she stayed away much longer…
The others would start complaining.
After only a few steps…
She heard footsteps behind her.
Turning around…
She saw Lu Chen.
“Comrade Lu?”
“The brigade leader gave you the afternoon to settle in, didn’t he?”
“I’m finished.”
“I’ll go work too.”
When Yang Wenping later told Yang Yuan about the whole incident…
He casually remarked,
“What a coincidence.”
Yang Yuan froze.
Her enamel mug remained suspended in midair.
Wait…
Lu Chen and the heroine were assigned to the same village?
Then memories exploded inside her head.
Lu Chen…
His family is from Beijing…
The Lu family was denounced…
His father and grandfather were sent away for labor reform…
His mother divorced and left with his younger sister…
Lu Chen…
Lu Chen…
He’s the male lead!
Song Can’s destined love interest!
“Oh my God…”
“The world is really this small?!”
She covered her mouth in shock.
The original Yang Yuan had barely appeared in the novel.
There had been almost no information to reference.
After Song Can left for the countryside…
Yang Yuan had gradually forgotten that this entire world was actually the setting of a novel.
Which explained why…
When Lu Chen first appeared…
Her only thought had been:
Wow.
What a handsome guy.
She’d never connected him to the story.
And honestly…
She couldn’t even blame herself.
Everyone around her felt so real.
They laughed.
Cried.
Lived.
Loved.
Day after day…
She moved among them like anyone else.
Who could constantly remind themselves,
“This world isn’t real.”
“These people are fictional.”
That would only drive a person crazy.
Thinking back now…
Lu Chen’s appearance…
Song Can’s beauty…
No wonder they were the male and female leads.
They looked perfect together.
But…
There was one thing Yang Yuan couldn’t understand.
Since Lu Chen knew Yang Wenping…
Why, years later…
When Song Can returned home before starting university…
Was there not a single mention of the Yang family?
Yang Wenping had personally escorted Lu Chen all the way to his assigned village.
He had cared for him so thoughtfully.
As the novel’s upright and grateful male lead…
Wouldn’t it have been perfectly natural for Lu Chen to visit the Yang family later?
Even a simple word of thanks would have made sense.
So why…
Didn’t the original novel mention them even once?