After dinner, Sister Ma used the excuse that she had something to discuss with Zheng Peizhen and took her away from the Educated Youths’ Residence.
In truth, they were not doing anything that needed to be hidden, nor was there any reason to avoid the others.
However, after what had happened that morning, Sister Ma found herself considering Zheng Peizhen’s situation more carefully.
She was still worried about whether Zheng Peizhen could successfully persuade the team leader. If she failed and others learned about it, life for Zheng Peizhen at the Educated Youths’ Residence would likely become even more difficult.
Having an excuse to conceal their intentions was better than nothing.
Even so, their somewhat unusual behavior did not escape the notice of the more observant residents.
At that moment, both Xu Guangyao and Xie Qingyuan were watching the two women disappear into the distance, each lost in thought.
Over the past few days, because Xie Qingyuan did not have to work in the fields, he had inevitably become the target of sarcastic remarks whenever everyone returned from work in the evening.
At first, he did not mind much. To him, it was merely childish provocation, so he pretended not to understand, though in reality he simply could not be bothered to respond.
Unfortunately, his indifference convinced some people that he was weak and easy to bully, and their comments gradually became more excessive.
But Xie Qingyuan was not someone who silently endured insults.
The previous day, when one person went too far, he immediately fired back.
The man froze on the spot.
After recovering from the shock, he pointed at Xie Qingyuan and opened his mouth to curse him, only to falter under Xie Qingyuan’s intimidating gaze and awkwardly close his mouth again.
Then Xie Qingyuan launched into a lengthy rebuttal.
The general message was:
You have lived so many years, yet did all the knowledge you learned in school end up in a dog’s stomach?
The way you speak, loud and unpleasant, must have been learned from dogs too.
You’re quite capable, aren’t you? Do your parents know that?
Can’t swallow your anger? So what?
Opening your mouth only to insult someone else’s family, don’t you have family members of your own?
Oh dear, your tongue doesn’t seem very nimble. I wonder what that mouth is good for besides eating…
And on and on.
His barrage of words left everyone nearby staring in stunned silence, while the man he targeted turned bright red.
Xie Qingyuan was eloquent and educated. His words were refined, not a single vulgarity slipped out, and every point was supported by logic and reason.
Even if the man wanted to complain that Xie Qingyuan had insulted him, it would be difficult to find any actual fault in what he said, especially since he had been the one who started the confrontation.
The man soon realized he could not even formulate a response. Feeling as though he had become a complete joke in Xie Qingyuan’s eyes, he wished the ground would swallow him whole.
After venting his frustration, Xie Qingyuan felt remarkably refreshed.
Seeing those troublemakers still standing there in a daze, he could not be bothered with them any longer.
With a cold laugh, he turned and left.
Trying to bully me with that level of skill? Truly, good people are easy targets…
Thanks to his display of “divine might” that day, life became much more comfortable afterward. At the very least, no one came looking for trouble again.
The downside was that he became the third person to be “isolated” at the Educated Youths’ Residence.
Though that was not entirely accurate.
It was mainly the male Educated Youths who had banded together to exclude him.
Still, Xie Qingyuan considered himself to have little connection with the female Educated Youths either, so being isolated was not an unfair description.
Originally, he had planned to keep a low profile while waiting for the opportunity to return to the city. Now that circumstances kept changing, he decided he might as well follow his own inclinations.
Besides, there was someone here who interested him.
Lin Baiyu’s elegant and beautiful face surfaced in his mind once again.
Strange. Why am I thinking about her again? Xie Qingyuan wondered to himself.
Pushing aside the chaotic thoughts in his head, he refocused on the matter at hand.
Over the past few days, he had noticed that Zheng Peizhen seemed to share the same desire to move out.
If he had not been mistaken, when Zheng Peizhen left with Sister Ma earlier, she had been carrying her small shoulder bag. The bag likely contained a gift intended for the team leader.
Now that Zheng Peizhen was taking the lead, he was quite curious whether her plan would succeed.
If she managed it, then he would no longer have to continue making do at the Educated Youths’ Residence.
In that case, all the effort he had spent subtly guiding Zheng Peizhen toward learning that some Educated Youths had previously moved out to live independently would not have been wasted.
Just then—
Xie Qingyuan turned and saw Xu Guangyao still staring in the direction where the two women had disappeared, clearly lost in thought.
He raised an eyebrow.
Who knows what scheme this man is plotting now?
Still, Xu Guangyao had better not interfere with his plan to move out.
Otherwise, when the time came, old scores and new scores would be settled together.
After all, Xie Qingyuan knew perfectly well why those people had suddenly begun targeting him.
It was nothing more than Xu Guangyao stirring things up behind the scenes.
Meanwhile, on the other side, Sister Ma and Zheng Peizhen had already arrived at the team leader’s house.
The team leader was somewhat surprised by their visit.
After so many years, he understood Sister Ma’s character well. She would never come knocking at this hour unless it was something important.
Still, looking at Zheng Peizhen standing beside her with a smile that had not left her face since she entered, his instincts told him that this was probably not good news.
With a sigh, he sent his grandchildren outside to play and led the two women into the sitting room.
“As they say, people don’t visit the temple without a reason. Sit down and tell me what this mysterious matter is,” the team leader said, tapping the table with his tobacco pipe.
The two women stopped standing during the ceremony and each took a seat.
“Team Leader, we really do have an important matter today that requires your decision,” Sister Ma said.
Judging from her serious tone, it truly was no small matter.
“Then say it directly. There’s no need to beat around the bush.”
“In that case, I’ll get straight to the point. This concerns Zheng Peizhen and, more importantly, the unity of our Educated Youths’ Residence…”
Sister Ma carefully explained the entire situation.
Then she continued, “Under your leadership, the reputation of the Educated Youths’ Residences here has always been among the best of the surrounding villages. However, recently things have become somewhat excessive. Furthermore, Comrade Zheng genuinely wishes to preserve unity among the Educated Youths and has actively proposed a solution.”
“That’s why I’ve taken the liberty of bringing her here today. We would like to ask whether it would be possible for her to move out of the Educated Youths’ Residence and live independently.”
When she finished speaking, Sister Ma looked at the team leader expectantly.
The team leader took a pull from his pipe and pondered for a moment.
“You want to move out?” he finally asked. “Then you’ll need money not only to purchase land from the village, but also to build a new house and furnish it afterward. That won’t be cheap…”
At last, he had spoken.
Understanding his meaning, Zheng Peizhen hurriedly replied, afraid he might reject her request.
“That isn’t a problem. Before I came here, my parents already told me that I probably wouldn’t be returning to the city anytime soon. Since that’s the case, having a house here isn’t bad at all. Besides, once it’s built, it’ll belong to me.”
Both Sister Ma and the team leader were momentarily speechless at her blunt honesty.
The team leader thought to himself that she certainly did not look short of money. With that concern eased, he felt more reassured.
Meanwhile, Zheng Peizhen interpreted their silence as a sign that she had said something wrong.
She was just about to continue demonstrating her financial capability and, if necessary, even reveal details about her family background.
Before she could speak again, Sister Ma gently patted the back of her hand, signaling her not to rush.
Sure enough, the team leader spoke again the next moment.
“Good! Since you can afford it, then the biggest problem is already solved.”
“Still, this matter is neither entirely big nor entirely small. I need some time to think it over. It’s getting late, so you should head back first…”
In the end, he never explicitly said whether he approved or disapproved before moving to see them out.
Zheng Peizhen wanted to press the matter further, but Sister Ma stopped her.
Instead, Sister Ma gestured for her to take out the candy she had prepared.
“This is a small token of Zheng Peizhen’s appreciation,” Sister Ma said. “She thought your grandchildren were adorable and wanted to give them something sweet.”
Then she bid farewell.
“We still hope you’ll give it careful consideration. We’ll be leaving now.”
What none of them noticed, however, was that someone had been listening to their conversation from the shadows for quite some time.