Having gotten her period, Ning Xuan was suffering from stomach cramps again. Fortunately, she also had painkillers, all acquired through subsequent trades via the Trading System. After taking one pill and wiping off the cold sweat from the pain, she slowly fell asleep.
The next day, Ning Xuan used the excuse of still feeling weak after her fever had subsided to ask for another day off.
When the Educated Youth returned from work, everyone was smiling, which made Ning Xuan quite curious.
Before she could even ask, Liang Qingqing volunteered the information, "Ning Xuan, the film screening team is coming to our brigade to show a movie tonight. We can go watch it after dinner. Are you feeling better? Can you go out now?"
Ning Xuan understood—it was a movie screening, no wonder. In these times, the villagers had few entertainment options. After a day of labor, their evenings were either spent chatting or making babies…
No need to worry about the birth rate at all~
With such a rare chance to watch a movie, everyone was particularly excited, and even the afternoon work felt more energizing.
Although Ning Xuan had watched many movies in modern times—everything from IMAX 3D to 4D—she was still quite looking forward to this era’s open-air black-and-white film, mostly out of curiosity.
Moreover, having been here for so long, if it weren’t for the Trading System and occasional chats with her two "online friends," she would have been even more bored, given her previous habit of killing time by scrolling through her phone.
Before, when work was exhausting, she hadn’t had time to think about entertainment. But these past couple of days, with more free time, Ning Xuan had indeed started feeling a bit stifled.
Sure enough, just as work was about to end, the Commune’s projectionist arrived at the brigade with the equipment. Children who didn’t have to work gathered around the projectionist to watch.
After work ended, even though the movie hadn’t officially started, many people were already carrying their rice bowls and small stools, heading toward the threshing ground.
The noise from the threshing ground was incredibly lively—even their Educated Youth Compound, which wasn’t particularly close, could hear it.
The Educated Youth were relatively reserved; they all finished their meals before carrying their small stools to the threshing ground.
By then, most of the good spots closer to the screen were already taken. Ning Xuan and the others quickly found a place and sat down.
Ning Xuan looked at the bustling scene and sighed, "So many people~"
Huang Xiaomei chimed in, "It’s not just our brigade. People from nearby brigades heard we’re showing a movie today, and many came to watch. There’ll be even more later."
No wonder, thought Ning Xuan. It felt like there were more people than usual in the brigade.
During work hours, everyone was spread out, gathered only in small groups. Plus, the Educated Youth Compound was situated slightly on the outskirts of the brigade, so returning to it didn’t require passing by many households. As a result, Ning Xuan hadn’t interacted much with the villagers before.
Tonight’s film was "Tunnel Warfare," an old movie that everyone had already seen several times. But that didn’t dampen their enthusiasm—every screening was met with the same excitement.
Even after the movie started, people continued to arrive. The front areas were already packed, so people squeezed behind the screen. Although the image was reversed, they still watched with great interest.
Some people held sunflower seeds, while others had homemade roasted pumpkin seeds, peanuts, corn, or soybeans. However, Ning Xuan noticed that even those with snacks didn’t have much, and everyone ate slowly.
Ning Xuan felt that the scene was truly vibrant. Although material and entertainment options were scarce, everyone’s spirits were full of vitality.
Before going to the movie, Liu Jun and others had already reminded everyone not to sit in remote corners or wander alone during the evening screening. Both male and female Educated Youth were advised to move in groups.
This warning wasn't without reason. Just two years earlier, during a movie screening when crowds were large and visibility poor, two consecutive "harassment incidents" had occurred.
In one case, a female Educated Youth was grabbed and kissed by a local man while returning to her dormitory after the movie, witnessed by many people. Though the woman didn't know the man, he threatened to accuse her of harassment if she didn't admit they were courting. Given the severity of such charges and the number of witnesses, plus the man being local, almost no one sided with the female Educated Youth. She ultimately had to grit her teeth and accept the situation, later marrying the man.
The other incident involved a male Educated Youth accused by a local girl of touching her inappropriately. He was forced to take responsibility, resulting in the same outcome – marriage to the girl.
Both harassment cases occurred in other brigades, but coincidentally, Liu Jun and other veteran Educated Youth had attended that same screening and witnessed the accusations firsthand.
Since then, whenever other brigades showed movies, Educated Youth from their compound avoided going. They only attended screenings within their own brigade, always emphasizing the importance of group movement.
Ning Xuan completely understood this caution. Though she hadn't witnessed the incidents herself, just hearing about them made her feel the victims' despair.
She also finally understood why Educated Youth in their compound never went out alone, even during daytime. Like when she needed to go out yesterday, Zhao Yulian had voluntarily accompanied her. When visiting brigade members' homes, they never went alone either. If only two female comrades were available, they wouldn't even enter members' houses. Ning Xuan had always thought their compound's Educated Youth were particularly cautious.
Actually, it wasn't just their compound – Educated Youth in nearby brigades had all become less naive compared to the first two years, significantly improving safety awareness.
However, even with heightened vigilance, such incidents couldn't be completely eliminated – they could only try to be more careful.
Looking at her own slender arms and legs, Ning Xuan quietly reminded herself to stay alert.
While Ning Xuan was enjoying the lively movie screening, Lin Yuhan was encountering trouble elsewhere.
To save money after graduation, she had been renting in an urban village for three years, always thinking her landlady was quite nice and soft-spoken. During two previous rent increases, Lin Yuhan had considered the landlady reasonable and feared finding worse alternatives elsewhere. Plus, as her stay lengthened, her belongings kept accumulating.
Despite the urban village's inconveniences, she couldn't be bothered to move.
The rent had already risen from her initial 300 per month to 500.
But today, the landlady suddenly demanded another 200 increase.
Lin Yuhan laughed in disbelief – a simple-decorated single room under 30 square meters in an urban village, now costing 700 per month?
Including utilities, the monthly rent and bills would amount to 1,000 yuan. With that money, she could even rent an apartment in a residential complex. Although the rent there might be slightly higher, utilities are cheaper, and the environment is much better than in the urban village.
Lin Yuhan originally thought that since she now had the System, if she worked hard and saved up, she might be able to buy a house soon, so she was too lazy to move for the time being.
But when the landlord tried to raise the rent again, Lin Yuhan refused to accept it. She wasn’t going to be taken for a fool.
Then the landlord demanded that she move out by tonight. If she hadn’t moved out by tomorrow, it would be considered trespassing.