Chapter 24 The Deceived Girl in the 1970s: Fake vs. Real Daughter Story (24)

Zhang Jiabei was feeling anxious about everything happening at the educated youth compound—especially when she saw Lu Chuan still circling around Feng Qingqing like a headless fly.

What was it about Feng Qingqing that was so charming?

She couldn’t help but recall how, in her previous life, her husband had married Feng Qingqing and practically worshipped her. Even when Feng Qingqing showed no appreciation and clearly had feelings for someone else, he never got angry.

Even after marriage, Feng Qingqing continued to cling to Lu Ze, and yet Lu Chuan still held her like a treasure. He didn’t complain and simply took her with him when he was transferred to a military unit.

The next she heard, Feng Qingqing had run off, the Widow Wang had died of anger, and Wang Jianjun had returned home for the funeral.

After that, Zhang Jiabei didn’t know what happened because she had died during childbirth. When she woke up again, it was right after she had been sent to the countryside.

To change her fate, she’d seized the chance and married Wang Jianjun.

But now things were changing. First Ye Xiaoxiao moved out of the educated youth compound, and then Zhang Yumei followed. Although neither woman had much to do with her, so she wasn’t bothered by it.

The only person she truly cared about from beginning to end was Feng Qingqing.

This wouldn’t do. Too many variables were popping up.

This year, she decided to write Wang Jianjun and ask him to delay his home visit, at least long enough to avoid the point in time from her past life—when he had saved the drowning Feng Qingqing.

Whether or not Feng Qingqing would fall into the water again, Zhang Jiabei didn’t know. But if she did and no one saved her, then she’d find someone to do it.

—

Zhang Yumei turned to Ye Xiaoxiao and asked, “Do you think Lu Ze has really come to his senses this time? Is he really going to stop caring about his brother?”

Without waiting for a response, she continued, “If you ask me, he should’ve done this a long time ago. That brother of his is how old already? And their whole family still treats him like a child. No wonder he’s spoiled rotten.”

Ye Xiaoxiao: … You’ve said everything already. Why even bother asking me? Don’t think I can’t tell—you’re just bitter you lost to Lu Chuan.

But Zhang Yumei went on, “Though I think it’s just a temporary thing. He’s said this before, you know—got mad, swore he wouldn’t take care of Lu Chuan anymore, and then next time went right back to doing it. Maybe this time will last longer, though, since it’s more serious. He even said he was cutting ties as brothers. So maybe this time he’ll stay mad for a while?”

Ye Xiaoxiao: “I’m home. I’m going to rest.”

Zhang Yumei: “Already? Let’s chat a bit more.”

Ye Xiaoxiao: “Aren’t you tired? Don’t forget we’re working in the fields tomorrow.”

Zhang Yumei sighed. “Sigh… The north really is better. I heard that in the winter they don’t have to go to the fields at all—they just hibernate at home.”

Ye Xiaoxiao: “Yeah, it’s nice, but it gets like minus thirty or forty degrees up there. You could freeze to death.”

Zhang Yumei: “Still better than working in the fields every day.”

Ye Xiaoxiao: Yeah, I know that too. But we’re already here. What are we going to do—change the script?

“Go back and rest. Digging tomorrow will be tough.”

They were now prepping the fields for winter wheat, which was no easy job. The actual sowing was done by the experienced village folk; the educated youth either turned over the soil, dug holes, or spread manure.

And since they didn’t have proper fertilizer, it was all homemade. Even if it wasn’t heavy work, she couldn’t take it anymore, so she stuck with digging.

Luckily, she’d trained for a few months now. According to the team leader, she was finally starting to resemble someone who could actually work.

Even if there wasn’t fieldwork, the village would just organize people to reclaim wasteland. Basically—no such thing as free time.

Very different from her past life, where winter in the countryside meant planting some vegetables and relaxing the rest of the time.

—

Back at the educated youth compound, Lu Ze was packing up his things. Lu Chuan nervously approached him.

“Brother, are you really moving out? Are you really not going to take care of me anymore? I didn’t mean it that way. I just saw Li Wenli hugging you and was curious. I said the wrong thing without thinking.”

Lu Ze didn’t respond, just kept packing.

Lu Chuan continued, “Brother, I’ve never been smart. I always say the wrong things. I really wasn’t thinking straight at the time. When I said you were dating Li Wenli, I was just joking! You used to never get mad when I joked like that.”

Lu Ze didn’t even want to look at him.

Was it the same as before?

Back then, they were all friends, and everyone knew what was a joke and what wasn’t—even the girls. No one would take it seriously.

But today? Today Li Wenli clearly wanted to latch onto him, and his idiot brother actually backed her up.

He didn’t know anymore—was Lu Chuan just stupid, or had he always been too clever?

Had a decade of brotherhood really fallen apart just because Feng Qingqing liked him and not Lu Chuan? Was this how Lu Chuan repaid the big brother who had protected him since childhood?

The truth was, Lu Ze had never liked Feng Qingqing, not even a little. He’d told them both that many times.

Before, when she hadn’t confessed, it would’ve been strange to walk up and say, “Hey, I don’t like you. Please don’t like me.” That would’ve made him sound insane.

But after they came to the countryside and she said she liked him, he flat-out rejected her. He even went out of his way to keep his distance and give Lu Chuan a chance with her. Was that not enough?

Lu Ze was starting to think maybe they’d never truly understood each other. Lu Chuan had grown up and developed his own mind, but he and their family kept treating him like a child. No wonder he resented it.

He just didn’t want to deal with Lu Chuan anymore. He needed some peace and quiet.

And honestly, he was scared to stay at the educated youth compound.

The three of them were acting totally insane. He was afraid that one of these nights, someone might drug him or crawl into his bed. By then, he wouldn’t be able to clear his name even if he jumped into the Yellow River.

If Li Wenli had just claimed they were dating, or if she wasn’t a virgin anymore and wasn’t afraid of a medical check, he might’ve been forced to admit to the relationship.

Even if he managed to escape later, the whole ordeal would’ve left a nasty scar.

Lu Ze grabbed his things and left.

The place he’d rented was barely livable tonight—just cleaned up enough to sleep in. Technically, he should’ve waited until it was ready, but he just couldn’t spend another night here.

What if one of those girls lost her mind in the middle of the night and drugged him or tried something while he was sleeping? No way. He wasn’t giving them a chance.

He’d write home tomorrow. Even if he couldn’t return to the city, he needed to get transferred somewhere else.

As he stepped out, Feng Qingqing rushed up. “Brother Ze, are you really moving out? If you hate Li Wenli so much, just have her move out! That house is so run-down—how can anyone live in it?”

She had passed by the place before—it was covered in weeds and looked completely abandoned.