“That seat’s taken. Don’t sit there.”
Zhou Yinghuai’s words were calm but firm. Without waiting for her reaction, he turned his gaze toward Zhao Zhigao. “Aren’t you going to eat?”
“Huh?”
Zhao Zhigao found himself stuck in the worst possible position—he couldn’t afford to offend Shen Xilian, but he also couldn’t disobey Zhou Yinghuai. He was so anxious that he was on the verge of tears.
Fortunately, after a moment of awkwardness, Shen Xilian stood up on her own and gave up the seat to Zhao Zhigao. The situation was thus resolved.
“Xiao Lian, there’s an empty chair here. You can sit here.”
Someone dragged a chair over from near the stove, sparing Shen Xilian the embarrassment of standing. She let out a breath of relief and was about to express her thanks when, out of the corner of her eye, she caught sight of a slender silhouette.
The moment she saw the woman’s face clearly, her smile froze.
All her life, Shen Xilian had considered herself a pretty girl. But today, she finally understood the meaning of “there’s always someone better.”
Even in simple, modest clothing, the other woman still stood out like a shining gem. Her long black hair and red lips, combined with her tall and elegant figure, made every movement exude an effortless grace and charm—enough to captivate anyone.
“Xiao Lian?”
Someone’s voice barely managed to snap Shen Xilian out of her daze. Just as she was about to avert her gaze, she found that the woman had already turned her way, their eyes meeting mid-air.
Her heartbeat stuttered for a second.
Shen Xilian’s eyelashes trembled. Seeing the other woman smile faintly at her, she instinctively returned a polite smile, acknowledging the silent greeting.
This brief interaction momentarily distracted her from Zhou Yinghuai, and instead, she turned to the person beside her to ask about the woman’s identity.
When she learned that this was a village girl assigned by the brigade leader to cook for them, she felt an inexplicable sense of relief. Even her posture straightened slightly.
A villager…
Although she didn’t want to admit it, Shen Xilian couldn’t help but feel a sense of superiority. Curling her lips, she lost interest in paying further attention to Cheng Fangqiu.
Little did she know, Cheng Fangqiu had absolutely no clue about her internal thoughts.
She was currently focused on listening to He Shenghui whisper gossip beside her: “That female comrade clearly likes Comrade Zhou.”
Cheng Fangqiu didn’t reply but silently agreed—Shen Xilian’s affection for Zhou Yinghuai was written all over her face. She wasn’t even trying to hide it. If anything, she was even more straightforward than Cheng Fangqiu herself.
But judging by Zhou Yinghuai’s attitude, he didn’t seem to be interested in her. In fact, he looked rather impatient.
So it seemed that even when expressing the same feelings, the effect varied depending on who was doing it.
That said, no matter what, the arrival of a romantic rival still made her feel a sense of urgency.
Especially when this wasn’t just any woman—Shen Xilian was a canon character in the novel. A cadre’s daughter, from a privileged background, and someone who, according to the original book, had caused no end of trouble for the protagonist after she married Zhou Yinghuai and moved to the provincial capital. The two had clashed many times, constantly scheming against each other.
This woman was not simple—she was a tough opponent!
Cheng Fangqiu narrowed her eyes.
It looked like she needed to hurry up and claim Zhou Yinghuai before someone else did.
Her instincts were correct.
Ever since Shen Xilian’s arrival, she had attached herself to Zhou Yinghuai like a shadow.
No matter if it was at the educated youth point or the construction site, she could always be seen following closely behind him, dressed in bright colors, acting as his personal little tail.
It had reached the point where Cheng Fangqiu couldn’t even find a chance to talk to Zhou Yinghuai alone.
Many people in the village had also noticed this.
Some felt that they were a talented man and a beautiful woman, a perfect match.
There were even those who believed that since a woman chasing a man was only separated by a thin veil, Shen Xilian would soon win him over, and the two of them would return to the provincial capital to register their marriage.
There were also those who disagreed, saying that if she could have won him over, she would have done so already. This was clearly a case of “the falling flower longs for love, but the flowing water is indifferent.”
But no matter what others said, Shen Xilian remained as bold and persistent as ever, showing no intention of restraining herself.
—
“I think that girl with the surname Shen is fair-skinned and clean-looking, plus she’s the factory director’s daughter. Why doesn’t Comrade Zhou feel anything for her?”
“Attraction is all about fate. If there’s no chemistry, it’s all pointless.”
The next day was a rest day. After finishing work in the evening, Aunt Chang Chunlan came over with a bundle of clothes to visit Ding Ximei for a chat. The two sisters-in-law had a good relationship and enjoyed gossiping from time to time, so naturally, they started discussing the latest happenings in the village.
Cheng Fangqiu was sitting beside them, helping pick green beans. When she heard their conversation, her hands paused for a moment before she continued as if nothing had happened, placing the picked beans into a wooden basin.
“Xiaohua is holding her wedding banquet early next month—you both must come.” Chang Chunlan reminded them with a smile. It was only a few days away.
Ding Ximei rolled her eyes playfully. “Even if I forget everything else, I wouldn’t forget this.”
After speaking, she turned to look at Cheng Xiaohua, who was sitting beside Cheng Fangqiu, and sighed with emotion, “Time flies so fast. In the blink of an eye, Xiaohua is about to get married.”
At the mention of this topic, the usually lively and mischievous girl blushed and was momentarily at a loss for words.
It was Chang Chunlan who laughed heartily, saying, “That’s right! And the groom’s family is quite generous too. They even said they’d give us a sewing machine as part of the dowry.”
At that, joy lit up Chang Chunlan’s face. Life in the countryside was tough, and they were just an ordinary family. To own even one of the ‘three-turns-and-one-sound‘1“Three-turns-and-one-sound” (三转一响): A term referring to popular dowry items in China during the 1950s–1970s. The “three-turns” were a bicycle, a sewing machine, and a wristwatch, while the “one sound” referred to a radio. Owning any of these was a symbol of wealth. was already a great privilege. They hadn’t expected anything, yet the groom’s family took the initiative to offer a sewing machine, which showed how much they valued Xiaohua. It was a huge blessing.
“That’s wonderful! Now you won’t have to stitch clothes by hand anymore.” Ding Ximei was genuinely happy for them, her eyes lighting up.
But beyond that, the real significance was status. Sewing machines were rare in rural villages—only a handful of families in ten miles had one. Owning one was a major symbol of wealth and prestige.
Hearing that, Chang Chunlan felt a little shy about dwelling on the topic too much. Her gaze shifted to Cheng Fangqiu, who was quietly picking beans, and she suddenly spoke up.
“Qiuqiu, it’s about time you started thinking about marriage too. Your Xiaohua sister is two years younger than you, and she’s already getting married. If there’s no one you like in the village, I can help find someone for you from my hometown.”
Cheng Fangqiu was caught off guard. She had been thinking about Zhou Yinghuai and wasn’t prepared for the sudden matchmaking talk. The shock was so great that the bean she was holding slipped from her fingers and fell to the ground.
Why was everyone so eager to introduce her to someone?!
“Thank you, Aunt Chunlan, but there’s no need. I’m not in a hurry.” Cheng Fangqiu forced a dry laugh, then discreetly nudged Ding Ximei’s shoe with the tip of her foot. When Ding Ximei turned to look at her, she frantically signaled with her eyes, pleading for rescue.
Seeing her daughter’s obvious reluctance, Ding Ximei couldn’t help but smile helplessly. She quickly steered the conversation away. “Forget about her. Oh, right—wasn’t Xiaohua going to the county town tomorrow to pick out fabric?”
“Yes, we’ll be heading out early in the morning.” Chang Chunlan’s focus successfully shifted.
“Could you help me bring back a pound of meat?” Ding Ximei asked. “Comrade Zhou helped my daughter last time, and I said I’d invite him over for a meal, but I never got the chance.”
This was something she had planned to ask Chang Chunlan about anyway. Since she had come over today, it was the perfect opportunity to mention it.
Chang Chunlan waved a hand casually. “I thought it was something big—don’t worry, leave it to us.”
Before she could say anything else, Cheng Xiaohua suddenly chimed in. “Why don’t we have Sister Qiuqiu come with me? She has a good eye. I’d like her to help me choose.”
“Oh? So you don’t trust your mother’s taste anymore?” Chang Chunlan feigned an exasperated look at her daughter. But despite her words, she turned to Ding Ximei and asked, “What do you think, sister-in-law?”
Ding Ximei had no objections, so she looked at Cheng Fangqiu and asked, “Qiuqiu, do you want to go?”
Go to the county town?
Ever since arriving in this world, she hadn’t been to the county town yet.
And tomorrow was a rest day. With Shen Xilian around, she’d definitely be clinging to Zhou Yinghuai even more. If there was little chance of talking to him, then staying at home would be boring.
Might as well go out for a trip!
Thinking of this, Cheng Fangqiu smiled slightly and nodded. “I’ll go!”
“Then you two girls can go together. You both know the way, so there’s no need for anyone else to accompany you. I have to tend to the private plot tomorrow.” Chang Chunlan made the final decision.
—
Early the next morning, Cheng Fangqiu woke up, carefully washed up, and dressed properly. Once Cheng Xiaohua arrived, the two set off together.
Traveling from the village to the county town was no easy task.
First, they had to walk to the waiting station at the commune before taking a bus ride that lasted one to two hours to reach the county bus station.
The distance from the village to the bus stop was not short. Last time, sitting on the back of Zhou Yinghuai’s bicycle, she hadn’t felt anything special. But now that she was walking herself, she finally understood what true foot torture felt like.
She was wearing the common cloth shoes of rural areas, with thin soles—if she accidentally stepped on a sharp stone, the pain was worse than walking on an acupressure board.
The only thing that comforted her was that, since it was still early in the morning, it wasn’t too hot, and she wasn’t sweating much. Otherwise, she might have just turned around and gone back home.
The two of them chatted and laughed along the way, helping to pass the time. Before they knew it, they had reached their destination.
The bus stop was shared by several villages under the commune, and on rest days, it was always packed with people. But there were only a few buses. If they missed one, they’d have to wait for the next—but who knew when that would be?
Sometimes it was half an hour, sometimes an hour, sometimes even two hours.
Luckily, their luck was good today. A bus had just pulled in when they arrived.
Clearly, Cheng Xiaohua had been to the county town many times recently and had gained experience. Instead of waiting in line like a fool, she grabbed the still-dazed Cheng Fangqiu and squeezed through a gap in the crowd to get onto the bus.
Good thing they were both slender—otherwise, they wouldn’t have been able to squeeze in.
There were still a few empty seats left. Cheng Xiaohua, quick on her feet, pushed Cheng Fangqiu into one, while she took another seat further back.
The entire time, Cheng Fangqiu was in a state of confusion.
By the time she finally regained her senses, she realized Cheng Xiaohua had miscalculated her strength—half of her seat was actually on the lap of the passenger next to her!
“Sorry!” Embarrassed and flustered, she lowered her head, too mortified to look up, and quickly apologized. She was about to stand up when—
The driver suddenly shut the doors and started the bus.
The force of inertia caught her off guard, and she stumbled forward—only to fall right back down onto that person’s lap.
At the same time, her forehead slammed hard into the seat in front of her.
A sharp white flash filled her vision.
The pain was so intense that she let out a soft cry, clutching her forehead, unable to recover for a long while.
In her dazed state, she heard a deep groan of pain from behind her.
Forgetting her own pain for a moment, she hurriedly grabbed onto the seat in front of her for support, sitting up properly before turning back, her voice full of guilt.