Over the past few evenings, Lu Zhiyao and He Lingyun had been going to the cowshed to bring food or daily necessities.
For some reason, the female lead hadn’t shown up there at all to make her presence known.
It was unclear what opportunity she was waiting for.
According to the book, the female lead once accidentally saved Yu Qin, and from then on, Yu Qin became her supporter.
She was probably waiting for a chance to “save someone.”
But now that Lu Zhiyao was here, Zhao Shijiao’s system could forget about absorbing the luck from those people.
Through her own system, she learned that anyone she had touched could directly block that inferior system from stealing their fortune.
During these days, Lu Zhiyao also got to know the elderly people there.
Geng Liping was the director of a military hospital in the capital. His wife, Wang Ting, was the head of the Foreign Languages Department at Huaqing University.
Shu Jingzhao was a physics professor at Peking University, and his wife, Shao Min, was a teacher at the Conservatory of Music.
Both Shu Jingzhao and Shao Min had been reported by their own students. Especially Shao Min—she was a music teacher and had many instruments at home, including several Western instruments.
Before they knew it, it was time for He Lingyun to return to his unit. Because of the engagement, he had extended his leave for a few days, but now he had to go back.
“Zhi Zhi, after I leave, if anything happens, go to my mother—she’ll definitely help you. Also, when you go to the cowshed, be sure to check if anyone is around. Don’t do anything dangerous…”
“Mm, mm, I know. Don’t worry. I’ll take good care of myself.”
As for He Lingyun’s suggestion to seek out Wu Guihua, Lu Zhiyao ignored it. It wasn’t that she looked down on Wu Guihua—it was just that Wu Guihua didn’t like her.
Lu Zhiyao felt helpless about it. The mess left behind by the previous “Lu Zhiyao” now had to be cleaned up by her—it was truly infuriating.
After returning home, He Lingyun spoke with Wu Guihua again.
“Mom, after I go back, take good care of your youngest daughter-in-law. Don’t let her be bullied.”
“That wife of yours? It’s already good enough if she doesn’t bully others.”
“Mom…”
“Alright, alright, I know! Now that you have a wife, you’ve forgotten your mother!”
“Zhi Zhi’s family background is such that her marrying me is already us reaching above our station. So Mom, please don’t bully her. Otherwise, your son might remain a bachelor for life.”
Thinking of He Lingyun’s injury, Wu Guihua swallowed the words she was about to say.
Forget it—children and grandchildren will have their own blessings. No matter what, she was the one her son chose.
Taking extra care of her was only natural.
At dawn, He Lingyun and Li Yunzhao set off to return. Lu Zhiyao made more than a dozen stuffed pancakes and several large steamed buns for them to eat on the way.
This gesture deeply moved Wu Guihua. All her previous prejudices disappeared, and she silently resolved that this was her true daughter-in-law—if anyone dared to bully her in the future, she would scold them fiercely.
He Lingyun left Qingshan Production Team.
Lu Zhiyao’s life seemed to have changed, yet also remained the same.
Because of Lu Zhiheng’s intervention, Lu Zhiyao worked in the fields every morning, and in the afternoons she went into the mountains to gather medicinal herbs or hunt for game.
She exchanged for a bag of rice seeds and planted them in her space. Now they had already grown ears of grain and would soon be ready for harvest.
Once they matured, she planned to sell them at the black market.
After all, she intended to become the richest woman—how could she do that without capital?
The black market was the perfect place.
That day, as usual, after finishing her morning work, Lu Zhiyao was about to leave when Zhao Shijiao confronted her with a righteous expression.
“Educated Youth Lu, everyone is working hard to earn work points. How can you be lazy?”
“Hm? What did you say? Say it again.”
“Isn’t it true? Just because you’re the sister of a major, you can slack off openly?”
“Am I eating your family’s grain?”
“No.”
“Then why do you care whether I work a full day or half a day? I haven’t borrowed grain from the production team, nor asked you for food. I can support myself. Even if I didn’t work at all, no one would say anything. So why can’t you stand it?”
“Exactly—if she can support herself, it doesn’t matter whether she works or not.”
“Yeah, she’s not eating your grain.”
“You’re just jealous, aren’t you?”
“If you don’t want to work, just have your family send food. Lu already has that.”
“Besides, she still works half a day—that’s five work points, enough to live on.”
“I… I…”
“Do you live by the sea? Why are you so nosy?”
Zhao Shijiao’s eyes turned red with anger. “You don’t appreciate kindness!”
Whether it was the plot pushing things forward or the female lead’s halo, Pei Feng actually stepped in to defend Zhao Shijiao.
“Zhiyao, Zhao is just being kind. Don’t be unreasonable.”
“Educated Youth Pei, please call me Educated Youth Lu—we’re not close.” Lu Zhiyao rolled her eyes. “And what position are you speaking from? Are you Zhao’s boyfriend?”
“And I’ve made it very clear—I manage myself. How much I work and earn is my business. I’m not afraid of going hungry, so why are you? Are you afraid I’ll borrow grain from you?”
“Don’t worry. Even if I starve to death or jump from here, I won’t ask you for food.”
“Honestly, you’re like a dog catching mice—meddling in things that aren’t your concern. If you’re jealous that I only work half a day, you can apply to the team leader too—as long as you think your grain will last till the end of the year.”
Looking at the stunned Pei Feng and dumbfounded Zhao Shijiao, Lu Zhiyao felt extremely pleased.
Zhao Shijiao wanted her to lose control and act crazy on the spot, becoming a contrast and a vicious supporting character. Dream on.
“Zhiyao, I didn’t—I was just advising you out of kindness. After all, your brother doesn’t have it easy either.”
“How do you know my brother doesn’t have it easy? Did he tell you?”
“No… no…” Her evasiveness made people imagine more.
“First, my brother has a wife and children. Second, my sister-in-law is ten times prettier than you. Third, my brother isn’t blind.”
“The way you’re trying to cover things up is disgusting. Don’t act like you’re close to my brother—you’ve only met once, and he already thinks you’re strange.”
“Lu Zhiyao, how can you say that about me? I didn’t say anything.”
“You know what you’re thinking. Don’t cross my bottom line. Otherwise, I’ll make you—and your… disappear.”
Lu Zhiyao leaned close to Zhao Shijiao’s ear and whispered the last part before leaving.
Only Zhao Shijiao saw the shape of her lips: system.
Zhao Shijiao was stunned. Her mind went blank. Why did Lu Zhiyao know about her system? How could she know such a thing?
Back at the educated youth residence, Zhao Shijiao kept calling for her system in her mind. Unfortunately, her inferior system had been disrupted and heavily damaged by Lu Zhiyao’s system earlier and had not yet recovered.
So it couldn’t respond at all.
She panicked, not knowing what to do.
“No, I have to go to those people in the cowshed. I have to absorb their luck.”
Zhao Shijiao made up her mind to go and absorb their fortune.
What she didn’t know was that Lu Zhiyao had already placed protective barriers on those people. That inferior system couldn’t absorb any luck at all.
If it tried forcefully, it might even cause a backlash—such as fortune reversing.