Chapter 84: Teacher Song Arrives

Chapter 84: Teacher Song Arrives

Ever since Lai Guochang interfered, Ye Qing hadn't spoken again.

She had clearly seen that the captain of Back Mountain Village was actually selfish and indifferent, with little concern or acknowledgment for the educated youth who had been sent down to the countryside.

Although Zheng Xin was brought in for emergency rescue in a cow cart by him, he did so only because he was afraid that a female educated youth might die under his jurisdiction, and if the educated youth office were to investigate, it could cause him trouble. It wasn’t because he genuinely wanted to stand up for Zheng Xin.

Otherwise, as the captain of the production team, when the rumors first started in Back Mountain Village, he should have stepped forward to uphold justice and nip those rumors in the bud, rather than allowing them to spiral out of control.

Comparing him to Wu Yongbing, the captain of Kaoshan Village, the difference was clear.

Whether it was the time when Zhao Ma Zi was caught having a clandestine meeting with Widow Zhang at the thatched cottage at the end of the village, or later when Liu Mei and Jian Ming were found disheveled in the haystack, both incidents were quite explosive scandals at the time.

Logically, such cases of illicit relationships being caught red-handed were considered solid evidence, and in this environment, the usual way to handle them would be public humiliation, being paraded with worn-out shoes, criticized, pelted with rotten vegetables and eggs, or even worse, various forms of humiliation. No matter how strictly they were punished, it wouldn’t be considered excessive.

But Wu Yongbing did not permit the villagers to resort to such measures. Instead, after realizing the situation was problematic, he acted decisively and immediately gave out the punishment on the spot.

He used a combination of tough and soft approaches, ensuring that the parties involved, especially the two female comrades, were severely punished and paid the necessary price, while still retaining a shred of decency and dignity.

Because of his firm and unyielding approach as the captain, no one in the village dared to object. Although people still gossiped in private, the incidents did not spread or intensify further, and they were mostly forgotten after a few days. No one would be foolish enough to keep harping on about the involved parties.

With an iron-fisted captain like Wu Yongbing in charge, even with numerous frictions, Kaoshan Village couldn’t descend into chaos. Thus, the overall spirit of the village remained upward-looking, and external influences hardly made their way into Kaoshan Village.

If those two scandals had occurred in Back Mountain Village, how could they have been handled as lightly as in Kaoshan Village? They would likely have caused an uproar!

Ye Qing wasn’t sure what fate would have awaited Zhao Ma Zi and Jian Ming, but she reckoned that in a village like Back Mountain Village, the entire village could have been incited, and the two female comrades, Widow Zhang and Liu Mei, would certainly have been beaten and humiliated by all the villagers, possibly even facing worse outcomes like being placed in a pig cage and drowned.

Thinking about this, Ye Qing couldn’t help but feel relieved.

If she hadn’t been assigned to Kaoshan Village and hadn’t encountered a reliable team of production team officials like Wu Yongbing and the old party secretary, she wouldn’t have been able to accomplish so much in just one month.

With a leader like Guan Zhicheng, it would be forget about becoming a village doctor or setting up a health station in the village. It would have been a challenge just to get Guan Zhicheng to overlook her gender and age and entrust her with important responsibilities.

It was fortunate that someone had stirred the pot this time, trying to drag Lai Guochang into the mess. Otherwise, if it had only been Zheng Xin being slandered and subjected to rumors, the captain of Back Mountain Village probably wouldn’t have seen it as a big deal. He might have just scolded those spreading rumors and brushed it off.

After all, Captain Guan Zhicheng naturally sided with the locals and wouldn’t take a stand for an outsider like Zheng Xin, an educated youth, against the entire village.

Moreover, Ye Qing estimated that even if Zheng Xin had been bullied like this, she wouldn’t dare to make a fuss.

As the saying goes, “A strong dragon doesn’t crush a local snake.” This girl, a female educated youth, was too insignificant and powerless to fight against an entire village.

And since Back Mountain Village was under Guan Zhicheng’s jurisdiction, nothing could bypass him as the production team leader. If Guan Zhicheng wasn’t willing to help investigate or even took sides with the villagers, Zheng Xin would be helpless.

Furthermore, Zheng Xin had consumed the pesticide by her own will, not because someone had poisoned her or forced her to drink it. Even in the 1970s, and even in a more legally sound era, it would be difficult to hold the rumor-mongers accountable for such matters.

In this era full of illiterate people, most couldn’t even read a basketful of words, let alone have any legal awareness.

No one thought that spreading a few dirty rumors was a big mistake, and if the victim continued to pursue accountability, they might be accused of making a mountain out of a molehill.

In short, no matter what Zheng Xin did, she would be wrong, and she was bound to suffer this silent loss.

But now that Lai Guochang was involved, the nature of the incident had changed. As the commune secretary, Lai Guochang was an ambitious grassroots cadre who aspired to advance to the township or even the county level. He cherished his reputation and wouldn’t tolerate anyone casually making up stories about him, especially regarding issues of conduct.

So even if Guan Zhicheng wanted to cover this up, it would be too late. Lai Guochang’s tolerance for sand in his eyes was nonexistent, and he demanded that Guan Zhicheng hand over the person responsible for immediate serious handling.

Seeing that Guan Zhicheng was frightened into tension by Lai Guochang’s few words and stated that he would immediately bring the person to the commune for Lai Guochang to handle, Ye Qing knew in her heart that at least Zheng Xin, who had suffered so much, would get a just resolution.

After inquiring about Zheng Xin's treatment, Lai Guochang was informed that although she had been rescued, the toxins had entered her body due to the delayed arrival, and it was unlikely that she would fully recover. Lai Guochang was momentarily stunned and showed an expression of regret.

After all, Zheng Xin's scores in the commune exams were clear evidence. A promising young girl who was about to go to college in the city had a limitless future ahead of her. No one expected her to encounter such a situation.

Lai Guochang sighed and patted Ye Qing on the shoulder.

"Let her relax and focus on her treatment. I will handle this matter seriously and ensure she gets justice!"

With that said, Lai Guochang took Guan Zhicheng and left.

Wu Yongbing didn't linger at the health station either. Although this incident hadn't happened in Kaoshan Village, it was enough to serve as a wake-up call. He needed to return immediately and call a meeting with the production team cadres. He had to remind the villagers about the lesson from Back Village and warn them sternly that if anyone dared to follow the bad practices from outside, he would not show any mercy.

When Ye Qing reopened the door and entered the room, Gu Wei'nan and Meng Jia were both sitting silently on the floor without speaking.

Meng Jia, in particular, was pale and trembling all over.

The truth behind Zheng Xin's pesticide ingestion sent chills down her spine. Just thinking about it made her heart shudder.

It was no wonder she reacted so strongly. A month ago, she was extremely determined to return to the city for college. She had almost lost her life and marriage over it.

If Ye Qing hadn't found her and persuaded her to stay in Kaoshan Village to study medicine, she might have never come around. With her grades, if she had registered for the commune exams, she might have been among the top performers this year.

If that were the case, would she also be slandered and dragged into this dark vortex like Zheng Xin?

Such thoughts were not to be dwelled upon. The more she thought about it, the more terrifying it became. Meng Jia was horrified by the thought that she could have ended up like Zheng Xin.

Seeing Meng Jia's state, Ye Qing knew she was scaring herself and felt helpless.

"What are you thinking? If something like this really happened in our village, the production team leader would definitely stand up for you. These cadres in our village do have their own little biases and tend to favor local villagers in daily life and labor, but they are clear-headed when it comes to major issues. They would never allow the educated youth to be bullied for no reason."

Meng Jia was taken aback as she recalled her years of rural reeducation. Whether it was Wu Yongbing or the old party secretary, they were indeed people who could not be faulted when it came to major issues. If she had been in this situation, it might not have escalated to this point.

Her tense nerves finally relaxed, and she managed a smile at Ye Qing, though it was a rather strained one.

Seeing her condition, Ye Qing knew she needed time to process everything. Ye Qing waved her off, suggesting she go back to rest and adjust her state.

Meng Jia refused to leave Zheng Xin's side. Although she and Zheng Xin had grown distant over the years, she still remembered the girl smiling and talking to her on the train during their rural reeducation. Every expression revealed her passion and enthusiasm for rural revolutionary construction.

Who would have thought that in just two years, everything would change? She had given up on returning to the city, and Zheng Xin, after this ordeal, would likely never be the innocent girl she once was.

Due to Zheng Xin's sudden condition, Ye Qing, along with Meng Jia and Gu Wei'nan, hurried to set up the health station. They quickly assembled the beds, laid down straw mats and old mattresses, and transferred Zheng Xin to the bed for placement.

After Ye Qing helped induce vomiting to detoxify her, Zheng Xin had begun to regain consciousness. However, after drinking a bowl of herbal medicine prepared by Ye Qing, she fell into a deep sleep again.

About two hours later, Ye Qing retrieved the acupuncture needles and inserted them into several of Zheng Xin's acupoints.

The needles turned black, and as they were inserted, black blood began to flow from the acupoints.

Ye Qing calmly wiped away the blood and repeated the process several times until the blood from each acupoint returned to a healthy color.

As soon as she finished, Zheng Xin woke up and, upon seeing Meng Jia standing in front of her, was overwhelmed with grievance. Her tears flowed uncontrollably.

Meng Jia's eyes also reddened, but she comforted her:

"Don't cry and don't despair. Secretary Lai is handling this matter, and the commune will not let you suffer unjustly. Those who spread rumors will be held accountable! Don't worry about anything, just focus on getting better. As long as you're alive, there will be hope. Living is more important than anything!"

Zheng Xin tried to speak, but soon realized it was futile. She couldn't make a sound.

Ye Qing had already used her wood element abilities to examine her, so she wasn't surprised by this at all.

The toxins had caused considerable damage to Zheng Xin's body, affecting certain functions, such as her vocal cords, vision, and brain nerves.

Even though Ye Qing had done everything possible to detoxify the girl, some residual toxins could not be completely eliminated. These toxins could not be broken down by the body in a short time and would accumulate in various parts, causing almost irreversible damage.

Ye Qing couldn't help but let out an inward sigh.

Zheng Xin, like Meng Jia, was just in her early twenties, at the prime age of youth. Who wouldn't feel sad and frustrated seeing her like this?

Lai Guochang's investigation proceeded quickly, and within a day, the people behind the rumors were found.

There were three people in total, two of whom were sent-down youths from Back Village.

The reason for the rumors was quite simple: one of the male sent-down youths was interested in Zheng Xin and wanted to pursue her, but she rejected him. The man felt humiliated and harbored a grudge, wanting to get back at her.

Coincidentally, a female sent-down youth was jealous of Zheng Xin. Because Zheng Xin's parents were both workers, her family's financial situation was relatively better, and they sent her money every month, making Zheng Xin's life among the educated youth in Back Village more comfortable.

The female sent-down youth was envious and resentful, especially when Zheng Xin achieved the top score in the commune exam and was about to return to the city for university. The difference in their futures became a source of jealousy, leading her to join forces with the male sent-down youth to spread malicious rumors, attempting to ruin Zheng Xin's reputation.

However, they didn't expect a third person to exploit the situation. This person was the accountant from Back Village, who had been a cadre in the commune but was dismissed by Secretary Lai after being caught embezzling.

Resentful after being dismissed, the accountant had been like a venomous snake in the shadows, waiting for a chance to retaliate against Secretary Lai.

When the rumors about Zheng Xin escalated, the accountant saw an opportunity for revenge. He added his own malicious content to the rumors, linking Zheng Xin's top exam score with illicit relations with a commune cadre, subtly implying an inappropriate connection between Secretary Lai and Zheng Xin, trying to drag Lai down as well.

Fortunately, Lai Guochang's keen intuition allowed him to quickly realize the rumors were directed at him. Furious, he mobilized many commune cadres to investigate. After some investigations, the three culprits behind the rumors were soon exposed.

Once the individuals were found, Lai Guochang immediately involved the town police station and the revolutionary committee for handling. As a commune cadre, he couldn't use private punishment but had to rely on the organization for assistance.

Rumors about an educated youth were less significant, but slandering a national cadre was a serious offense. As a result, the three were arrested that evening and sentenced shortly thereafter, being sent to a labor reform farm.

When the resolution reached Kaoshan Village, Zheng Xin broke down in tears.

As Ye Qing had anticipated, Zheng Xin's vocal cords were damaged, rendering her unable to speak. The retina of her left eye had degenerated, greatly impairing her vision, and she was losing her hair in large amounts. Various organs in her body had suffered considerable damage, making it difficult for her to engage in heavy labor for the foreseeable future. She would need medication for the next few years to recuperate.

Although the rumormongers were punished, the damage to Zheng Xin's health could not be undone. The aftereffects of drinking pesticide had drastically altered her life, stripping her of her former cheerfulness and confidence.

With such a significant incident, Zheng Xin's chance to attend the worker-peasant-soldier university was gone. Moreover, after the accountant was apprehended, the villagers in Back Village became resentful towards her and no longer welcomed her back. Zheng Xin's situation became quite awkward.

Fortunately, Lai Guochang was reliable. He reported Zheng Xin's situation truthfully to the county educated youth office, hoping they could arrange for her to return to the city due to illness and have her parents take her to a hospital for proper care.

However, the application process would take time, so Zheng Xin had to stay in Kaoshan Village for the time being, with Ye Qing continuing to treat her.

As expected, news of Zheng Xin's incident soon spread throughout Kaoshan Village.

Perhaps out of empathy, the educated youths in the village spontaneously came to visit her at the health station.

Even though most of them didn't know Zheng Xin, they felt deep sympathy for her plight.

A few female educated youths even volunteered to take turns caring for Zheng Xin at the health station.

With the busy farming season over, there were only light tasks like harvesting sweet potatoes, potatoes, and autumn vegetables left in the fields. People no longer had to work from dawn till dusk, and many had more free time. The female educated youths could spare time to care for the patient.

Ye Qing had her hands full as well. She needed to prepare for next year's pig farming at the military farm, discuss cooperation details with Dean Gu after the health station's official opening, and, before the heavy snow blocked the mountain roads, take a few more trips into the mountains with Meng Jia and Gu Weinan to gather more medicinal herbs for processing. With the female educated youths willing to help as volunteers to care for Zheng Xin, Ye Qing was more than relieved.

A few days later, the autumn vegetable harvest in the village was completed. On the village leader's orders, families went to the threshing floor to settle their work points before the New Year and receive their share of grain and autumn vegetables.

Families joyfully went to the threshing floor, either pushing carts or carrying poles over their shoulders.

In addition to rice and corn, this year's autumn vegetables had a bumper harvest. Each family received several hundred jin of napa cabbages, radishes, carrots, potatoes, sweet potatoes, and soybeans, which would be their main food supply for the winter.

Ye Qing only arrived at Kaoshan Village at the end of September and the beginning of October, so she had accumulated limited work points. As a result, the grain and autumn vegetables she received were not much. Grandma Zou also received her share, but together, their grain and vegetables amounted to less than half of what other families got. With the help of Gu Weidong and Yang Dazhi, they managed to move everything in one trip with a cart.

This amount of grain and vegetables was clearly not enough for them to live on. Although Ye Qing had special abilities that made her worry-free about food supplies, if she didn't show any interest in the village's grain and vegetables, it might raise suspicions.

However, what Ye Qing didn't expect was that just as she was considering whether to pretend to buy more grain and vegetables from the villagers, Zhu Zhigang drove a military truck into the village.

The military farm had also completed its autumn harvest. Due to Ye Qing's significant contributions over the past month, Zhao Jinliang decided to send her a batch of grain and vegetables. Despite the truck bed not being very large, it was filled to the brim with an impressive amount of grain and vegetables.

When this truckload of grain and vegetables entered the village, it caused quite a stir. All the villagers came out to see what was happening. Without needing Ye Qing to ask, everyone volunteered to help, quickly unloading the truck and carrying the items to the cellar behind the kitchen.

Grandma Zou's cellar was originally quite small, suitable for storing the few items an elderly lady needed. A cellar of one or two square meters was more than enough for her.

But after Ye Qing moved in, she kept adding things to the cellar, and it soon became apparent that the space was insufficient.

So when the house was expanded, Ye Qing took the opportunity to have the cellar enlarged as well. She also had several wooden shelves installed inside to better organize the items.

Fortunately, she had prepared in advance, so all the grain and vegetables from the military farm fit perfectly into the cellar. Otherwise, Ye Qing would have been in a bind.

After storing the autumn vegetables, according to the tradition in Beidahuang, each household began making pickled cabbage, fermented vegetables, and sour soup.

As a southerner, Ye Qing naturally didn't know how to prepare these dishes. Fortunately, Wang Chunhua had finished her postpartum confinement and, being a local, was skilled in making these traditional dishes. With the additional help of Aunt Gu, Meng Jia, and Gu Weinan, Ye Qing didn't need to get involved. The autumn vegetables and grain in the cellar were quickly processed and properly arranged.

Watching the jars of pickled vegetables being sealed and the yard drying sweet potato and potato starch, Ye Qing started craving iron pot stew.

Taking advantage of the fact that Duck River hadn't frozen yet, Ye Qing decided to go fishing for some big fish to eat. Just as she reached the village entrance, she saw Qin Xingzhi leading a middle-aged woman into the village in a hurry.

Ye Qing subconsciously glanced at the middle-aged woman and greeted Qin Xingzhi.

Upon seeing Ye Qing, Qin Xingzhi's expression turned slightly awkward. Without much conversation, she nodded hastily and led the woman away.

Ye Qing found it a bit strange, but she didn’t dwell on it and continued to head towards Duck River with her fishing gear.

As soon as the children playing at the village entrance saw her fishing rod, they knew that she was going fishing. Immediately, they swarmed around her and followed her to the riverbank to watch her go fishing.

Recently, Ye Qing had been quite busy and hadn’t had time to write the next part of *The Adventures of the Wisdom Family*. The children had been bugging her about it every day, and even bugging her every day to finish the story. In fact, to urge her to finish it, some of them had taken the initiative to help out with chores at Ye Qing’s house. They no longer required the temptation of malt candy. A group of them would head into the mountains with baskets to pick wild mushrooms and berries for Ye Qing, completely tuning out their parents' calls.

Faced with these children’s various ways of pressuring her, Ye Qing could hardly handle it. As long as she saw them from afar in the village, she would quickly try to avoid them, afraid they would catch her.

However, the village was small, and no matter how quick she was, there were always times when they caught up with her. Sure enough, just as she left the village, she was intercepted.

With no other choice, Ye Qing had to tell the kids another story to satisfy them for the time being. After thinking it over, she decided to bring out the mighty Monkey King to take the spotlight, because no matter the era, children were always fascinated by the powerful and unruly Qi Tian Dasheng.

While telling the children *Journey to the West* to keep them entertained, she also maneuvered the water grass by the river, fishing for big fish. Ye Qing was engrossed in what she was doing and didn’t notice someone quietly walking down the riverbank path and approaching her side.

It wasn’t until she heard a familiar voice, laughing:

“Ye Qing!”

Ye Qing was startled and quickly looked up to the side.

Only a few steps away from her on the riverbank stood Song Chunhua, wearing a long woolen coat and carrying a leather suitcase. Song Chunhua looked at her with a gentle smile.

“Teacher Song?!”

Ye Qing couldn’t help but cry out, rushing over to Song Chunhua.

The two embraced by the river, and Ye Qing hugged Song Chunhua tightly, her eyes tearing up with excitement.

The moment Song Chunhua hugged Ye Qing, she couldn’t help but laugh:

"Not only have you grown taller and put on some weight, but your complexion also looks much rosier compared to before you went to the countryside. It seems you really weren't exaggerating in your letters. Life in Kaoshan Village seems to be treating you well."

Ye Qing immediately laughed and then proudly puffed out her chest:

"Of course! Just look at who my teacher is. No matter where I go, I can fit in like a fish in water, and I'll never embarrass you!"

Song Chunhua's eyes almost curved into crescents. After not seeing her for over a month, Ye Qing appeared much more lively and cheerful. The melancholic and gloomy air she had before going to the countryside had almost entirely vanished. Her eyes were shining brightly, and it looked like she had found what she wanted in this place.

The autumn wind on the riverbank was bleak, disheveling Song Chunhua's hair. Ye Qing quickly took Song Chunhua's suitcase and led her into the village. Remembering that Kaoshan Village was quite far from Qingshan Town, she asked somewhat anxiously:

"Teacher, how did you get here?"

Song Chunhua smiled.

"I got off the bus and inquired about the way to Kaoshan Village. As it turned out, I ran into someone from the village. That comrade gave me a lift, so I came here on his bicycle."

Ye Qing asked curiously, "Someone from the village? Who was it?"

Song Chunhua shook her head. "I didn't ask. He was a young man, around twenty years old, very tall. Probably about 1.9 meters. Wow, I couldn't even reach his shoulders."

Clearly, it had to be Gu Weidong from next door.

It was quite by chance that her teacher had bumped into him just as she arrived. Otherwise, the journey from the town to Kaoshan Village was quite far, and Song Chunhua, being new to the area, might not have managed.

By the time she led her to the end of the village, Ye Qing had briefly recounted what had happened in Kaoshan Village over the past month.

Upon entering the small yard, Song Chunhua couldn't help but look about. When she saw the chickens and rabbits Ye Qing was raising, and the two little ones, Ye Liming and Ye Shuguang, who rushed out from the corner of the yard, she exclaimed in surprise:

"Why do you have small animals here? With the meager food rations you earn, will it be enough to feed everyone?"

Saying this, Song Chunhua crouched down and reached out to pat Ye Liming and Ye Shuguang on the head.

These two little wolf cubs had been handled by the village children so often that they were almost worn out. At first, the wolf cubs were reluctant to cooperate, but their weak displays of ferocity had no deterrent effect on the children. The more they resisted, the more boisterous the kids became.

Gradually, the two wolf cubs became resigned. Now, whoever came to pet them would be met with their listless, submissive behavior. They would even roll over on their backs, revealing their soft white undersides.

Song Chunhua was surprised and delighted by their adorable behavior:

"My goodness, where did you get these pups? They're so cute!"

Ye Qing couldn't help but rub her nose awkwardly.

"Well, Teacher, those aren't puppies. They're wolf cubs."

Ye Qing nodded. "Yes, I saved their parents, so they gave me the cubs to raise. They help with guarding the house."

Song Chunhua's gentle demeanor faltered, and she quickly stepped back a few paces, putting some distance between herself and the cubs.

After leading her into the house, and with everyone at home present, Ye Qing introduced Murong Ah Po and Zou Yun to Song Chunhua. Only then did she curiously inquire about Song Chunhua's countryside assignment.

"I quit my job at the school and signed up to support the Northern Wilderness through the revolutionary committee. As it happened, an old classmate of mine is currently working at the aid office in Shen City, so I asked him for some help, and he arranged for me to come to Jiaotan County."

At this point, Song Chunhua smiled,

"There's a military farm nearby that happens to be in need of volunteer teachers, and I just happen to meet the requirements."

Ye Qing was taken aback: "A military farm?"

While Ye Qing wasn't sure about the military farms in Jiaotan County, she knew there was one in Qingshan Town. Could it really be this coincidental?

Unable to resist, Ye Qing asked, "What's the name of this military farm?"

Song Chunhua smiled and said, "It's called Qingshan Farm. I already inquired with the comrade who gave me a ride here. This military farm is right next to your Kaoshan Village."

At this, Ye Qing's eyes nearly popped out of her head, and she immediately clapped her thighs in delight:

"That's fantastic! I'm quite familiar with Field Leader Zhao from the neighboring Qingshan Farm, and I have frequent work interactions with them. If you're going to work at the military farm, we'll be able to see each other often!"

At this point, Ye Qing lowered her voice, leaned closer to Song Chunhua, and whispered,

"Do you know Professor Qiao Youqing, Dr. Han's university teacher? This professor is currently leading a project team at Qingshan Farm."

Sure enough, as soon as Qiao Youqing was mentioned, Song Chunhua nodded vigorously:

"I know him, I know him. When Lao Han and I got married, we specially visited this teacher in Jicheng. Why isn't he teaching in Jicheng anymore?"

Ye Qing shrugged, "I only know that this professor now works at the provincial agricultural research institute. As for why he's here, I'm not quite sure."

Regardless of the specific reasons, meeting an old acquaintance of her husband in this unfamiliar place was definitely a good thing for Song Chunhua.

At over thirty years old, she had never thought of leaving Shencheng to live elsewhere. If not for Ye Qing's letter, she wouldn't have made such a bold and impulsive decision. The determination she had shown to the old principal seemed to waver as she boarded the train and traveled for several days to reach this strange land, feeling nervous and uncertain.

Before coming, she had also doubted herself, unsure if her decision to travel far to Beidahuang was right. But now, seeing her student, getting news related to her husband, and knowing she would meet her husband's mentor, Song Chunhua felt a sudden sense of calm. She felt like she had been struggling aimlessly for years, but this time, she had finally found the right direction and come to the right place.

Song Chunhua's arrival made Ye Qing particularly delighted. She couldn't wait to show her teacher how well she was living in the village. Not only did she personally cook a large table of dishes for lunch, but she also invited her two young apprentices and the Gu family over to drink and eat with Song Chunhua, celebrating heartily.

In the afternoon, Ye Qing rode her lady's bicycle, taking Song Chunhua to report at the neighboring farm.

During this period, Ye Qing had been frequently visiting the military farm, whether for business or not, and had become quite familiar with the guards at the gate. Whenever she came, they would salute her respectfully. After verifying Song Chunhua's personal information, a young soldier even offered to guide Ye Qing if she needed help.

Usually, Ye Qing spent most of her time at the livestock farm and was not very familiar with the volunteer dormitory area or the dependents' area of the military farm. The young soldier's offer to guide her was exactly what she needed.

However, just as Ye Qing and Song Chunhua were about to have the young soldier lead them to the farm school, they heard someone calling out, "Ye Qing?"

Ye Qing looked up and saw a young man wearing glasses waving to her from a distance.

Xia Hangyi, who was the male lead in the original novel paired with the now-disconnected main female character Yin Shuang, was currently working as a researcher under Professor Qiao. During the recent visits to the military farm to assist with the calving of cows, Ye Qing had occasionally run into him. They weren't particularly close, more like nodding acquaintances. Ye Qing didn't understand why he would suddenly greet her today.

But Ye Qing still smiled and nodded in response, saying:

"Comrade Xia Hangyi, are you here at the farm again for crop research today? Why haven't I seen Professor Qiao?"

Xia Hangyi glanced at Song Chunhua standing beside her and smiled, saying:

"Professor Qiao is busy at the institute. The maternal crops planted in the research project this year have already been harvested, but there were some issues with a few data points. The professor asked me to come down to check and re-collect those data."

Ye Qing nodded, without any intention of introducing Song Chunhua to Xia Hangyi. After a brief, dry conversation, she prepared to take her leave.

For some reason, although she hadn't interacted much with Xia Hangyi, perhaps due to Yin Shuang, she felt indifferent towards this male lead from the original novel, and even harbored a slight sense of caution.

She always felt that if the male and female leads could end up together, it meant they must share some commonalities, whether in character, knowledge, or values.

But the stark contrast between the Yin Shuang in the book and the real-life Yin Shuang left Ye Qing skeptical about the novel's portrayal and characterization of the main characters. With Yin Shuang's character already shattered, could this original male lead really be as noble and upright as described in the novel? Or was he another hypocrite, seeking fame and glory?

No matter what kind of person Xia Hangyi was, Ye Qing decided to keep her distance from this person and avoid interacting as much as possible, so she wouldn’t unknowingly get entangled in the original novel’s plot again.

Ye Qing took Song Chunhua to the staff children's elementary school to register. Since Song Chunhua was from Shen City and had a clean background, along with more than a decade of teaching experience, her credentials were impeccable. As soon as she arrived at the school, she was warmly welcomed by the principal.

The principal not only personally assisted Song Chunhua with the entry procedures but also arranged a single dormitory for her.

The dormitory measured only about ten square meters, a cramped space. It contained just a simple bunk bed and a desk with a chair; nothing else was present. However, Song Chunhua didn’t mind and began organizing the room immediately upon entering.

Ye Qing helped with the cleaning but was far from satisfied with the room’s spartan conditions.

In the south, it might have been bearable, but this was the Northern Wilderness. Snow could fall at any moment, and without heating, the room would soon turn icy cold.

So, Ye Qing decided to seek Zhao Yuliang’s help to see if they could set up a stove in the room. It would not only provide warmth in winter but also make boiling water or cooking more convenient.

Ye Qing told Song Chunhua about her plan and headed to the office area to seek Zhao Yuliang’s assistance. But just as she reached the farm office building’s entrance, she nearly ran into someone.

Ye Qing looked up and was momentarily startled by the person’s appearance.