The ox cart slowly made its way back to the production team. By the time it returned to the village, everyone had already finished work and gone back to the Sent-down Youth point.
Li Lezhi hoisted her things onto her back and hurried toward the Sent-down Youth point as well.
As soon as she reached the entrance, she heard another fierce argument coming from inside.
“Shen Yueyue, don’t go too far!” Shen Ruoruo’s voice rang out, laced with suppressed anger.
“Ruoruo, how can you say that about me?” The voice carried a sobbing tone, pitiful and aggrieved. There was no need to guess; it was clearly the Female Lead. “I was only trying to help you…”
“Help me?” Shen Ruoruo let out a cold laugh. “How exactly did you help me? You spend all day pretending to be a good person in front of everyone, then go around speaking badly about me behind my back! I asked you to bring me some food, and you wouldn’t even do that. Don’t forget, we’re still sisters. If anything happens to me at the Sent-down Youth point, I’ll be the first to report you!”
The others immediately began speaking up in Shen Yueyue’s defense.
Shen Ruoruo became even more furious.
“Fine! All of you are siding with that little bitch against me. Don’t forget, I’m part of this Sent-down Youth point too. If none of you will give me food, then just let me starve to death!”
The more she spoke, the more wronged she felt.
She had not eaten all day. Starving and desperate, she had only wanted Shen Yueyue to show some sisterly concern and help her get a meal. She had never expected Shen Yueyue to be so vicious as to leave her to starve.
Li Lezhi stood at the doorway, caught between advancing and retreating. After hesitating for a moment, she decided to go in. There was no reason for her to keep avoiding them as though she feared the Female Lead.
Just as she was about to step inside, Shen Yueyue came rushing out with reddened eyes and nearly collided with her. Shen Yueyue froze for a moment before a trace of viciousness flashed through her gaze.
“Sent-down Youth Li! How long have you been standing here eavesdropping?” Shen Yueyue demanded sharply, though her voice still carried its usual weak and delicate tone.
“I just got back,” Li Lezhi replied calmly, completely unfazed by Shen Yueyue’s scrutinizing stare.
“You sure bought a lot of things on your trip to town. Sigh, people really do have different fates.” Shen Yueyue deliberately raised her voice, speaking with obvious sarcasm.
Hearing her, everyone came outside and immediately turned their attention toward the basket on Li Lezhi’s back.
Li Lezhi was not afraid of being examined.
“In a few days, I’ll be moving out of the Sent-down Youth point and living on my own. When the time comes, I’ll be treating everyone to a meal. I’m just buying some things in preparation. If any of you want to come, you’re welcome to.”
Zhao Guoqiang smiled when he heard that.
“Of course! We’re all part of the same collective. Sent-down Youth Li’s affairs are also the affairs of everyone at the Sent-down Youth point.”
The moment Ruan Zhaodi heard there would be food, she eagerly agreed.
“That’s right, that’s right. When the time comes, we’ll all go and help support Sent-down Youth Li.”
Zhou Junling also chimed in with his agreement.
“I’ll head inside first. I won’t disturb you all any longer.”
After politely saying goodbye, Li Lezhi walked into the dormitory.
As soon as she entered, she heard Shen Ruoruo crying so hard that it sounded as though her heart were breaking.
Upon seeing Li Lezhi, Shen Ruoruo froze briefly.
“Uh… uh…” Her eyes brimmed with tears as she looked at her.
Li Lezhi simply nodded and returned to her own spot.
“Sent-down Youth Li, could you lend me some grain? Just enough for one meal.” Shen Ruoruo looked so pitiful that even Li Lezhi felt a little soft-hearted.
Truthfully speaking, Shen Ruoruo was simply a spoiled girl who had been overly pampered by her family. She was foolish, but not particularly malicious.
“I’ll lend you some grain. Have them cook it for you. I’ll help you this once, but there won’t be a next time.”
Li Lezhi could not simply stand by and watch someone starve to death.
Even though human life was treated cheaply in this era, she still could not bring herself to ignore someone in need.
She kindly added, “Tell them to return whatever grain was taken while you were away. If they refuse, report it to Captain Xu and the Public Security Bureau tomorrow. Once it becomes a formal matter, they’ll naturally stop ignoring you.”
After hearing this, Shen Ruoruo forced out a smile that looked even uglier than crying.
“Alright… thank you.”
When she had first returned, she discovered that almost all of her remaining grain was gone. She had originally hoped Shen Yueyue would show a little sisterly affection and take care of her. Instead, Shen Yueyue had been utterly heartless.
Now she has finally accepted reality. That cruel woman would never care about family ties.
Li Lezhi took three sweet potatoes from the grain she had recently received and placed them beside Shen Ruoruo.
Everyone then began preparing dinner, each busy with their own tasks.
When Ruan Zhaodi saw Shen Ruoruo suddenly produce food, she immediately spoke up.
“See? I knew she was lying to everyone. Doesn’t she have food now?”
“At home she was always like this. Whenever there was something good to eat, she’d hide it away in her own room. I’m already used to it,” Shen Yueyue said helplessly.
“You’re just too kind. That’s why she keeps bullying you. Someone like her ending up like this is simply karma,” Ruan Zhaodi remarked as she and the Female Lead discussed the matter as though no one else were present.
“These sweet potatoes were borrowed from someone else,” Shen Ruoruo said stiffly. “I’m telling all of you right now. If my grain isn’t returned, then tomorrow I’ll drag my injured body to the production team and report it. I’ll even take it to the Public Security Bureau. If you don’t want trouble, then don’t keep ignoring me.”
“Ruoruo, we’re all one big family. There’s no need to make things so ugly for the Sent-down Youth point. We’re supposed to be one collective,” the Female Lead reproached her.
“I don’t care. If I can’t live peacefully, neither will any of you. If you don’t want this matter to blow up, return my grain.”
This time, Shen Ruoruo had truly made up her mind. She looked ready to drag everyone down with her if necessary.
At that moment, Zhao Guoqiang’s voice sounded from the doorway.
“Alright, ladies. Whoever took her grain should return it. We’re all educated youths here. Don’t make things difficult for me.”
“We all go out to work together every day. Who would have time to sneak back to the room alone?” Shen Yueyue said meaningfully, as though she had suddenly realized something. “If you ask me, the most suspicious person is the one who rarely acts together with the rest of us.”
Ruan Zhaodi immediately caught on.
“That’s right, that’s right. We’re all together most of the time, so how could we have come back? The only person who acts alone all the time had the best opportunity.”
As she spoke, her gaze landed squarely on Li Lezhi.
“What exactly are you implying? What’s wrong with me working by myself?” Li Lezhi demanded.
“Who knows what you’re up to?” Ruan Zhaodi replied sharply.
“Team Leader Zhao, why don’t we call the police?” Li Lezhi suggested. “I’m sure the Public Security Bureau can find out who took so much of Sent-down Youth Shen’s grain. Grain is a matter of life and death these days. Stealing that much grain is a crime. The culprit could even be sent to a labor reform farm.”
Zhao Guoqiang naturally wanted to avoid involving either the Public Security Bureau or the production team leadership. However, if the culprit could not be identified, there would be no alternative.
He could only issue a stern warning.
“You all heard her. If this matter reaches the Public Security Bureau and they investigate, the guilty party could be sent to a labor farm. The work there won’t be nearly as easy as being a Sent-down Youth here.”