RSMFH 08

Chapter 08

Paying Up

The other educated youths who returned with Ma Huijuan looked at Jiang Ning with inquisitive expressions. Today, Jiang Ning wasn’t wearing her usual beige floral dress, but rather a simple collared shirt and black trousers, appearing much more modest. Unsure of what was going on, the group turned into onlookers.

Only Yang Lili, who lived next door and was close with Ma Huijuan, found Jiang Ning’s tone grating and spoke up coldly: “Jiang Ning, we’re all fellow educated youths who came here together; how can you just open your mouth and slander people?”

However, she was quickly slapped down by Ma Huijuan: “Ningning, I just borrowed your things to use; it’s not like I wasn’t going to return them. Why are you being so petty?”

Ma Huijuan didn’t know what had gotten into Jiang Ning today. Her style had changed, and the aura and demeanor on her face were completely different from before. She wasn’t speaking with her usual gentleness; she was acting like a total shrew. It’s just a few things. She used to let me take them all the time without a word—why is she making such a fuss now? Lin Chen must have found out and put her up to this. Marrying a peasant had clearly shrunk her worldview! She’ll probably be henpecked by that man for the rest of her life and will never get back to the city.

Yang Lili, having been slapped down by Ma Huijuan’s admission, had an embarrassed look on her face and tried to recover: “Even if you took them, just return them! Is it really necessary to make such a big scene and make everyone look bad?”

Jiang Ning sneered. Yang Lili was here playing the “sisterly love” card, even though she was the biggest gossip of them all. Because she also came from a steel mill background and knew some of Jiang Ning’s family situation, she was the one who had spread the news that Jiang Ning’s father was a deputy factory director. She had once tried to suck up to Jiang Ning, but after being rejected, she intentionally befriended Ma Huijuan to try and sow discord between the formerly close pair. Ma Huijuan, in turn, had badmouthed Jiang Ning plenty of times behind her back.

“Yang Lili, what business is this of yours? You’d better pray that the world-famous literature books you’ve hidden under your pillow don’t get discovered by anyone else,” Jiang Ning said with contempt.

Yang Lili was stunned, her hands trembling. “You… how do you know?”

“Of course, Ma Huijuan told me.”

Yang Lili glared at Ma Huijuan: “With character this bad, no wonder you steal from others!” She then ran into her room like a madwoman to deal with her books. In this era, world-famous literature was considered “poisonous weeds”; if the brigade found out, she would be publicly criticized.

The two male educated youths, Sun Wenjie and Yang Xu, exchanged glances and spoke with sour irony: “Jiang Ning, how did you turn into a village woman just after getting married? So petty and prone to gossiping. We told you a long time ago not to associate with those uneducated rural peasants!”

These two were “old” educated youths who had arrived before Jiang Ning. They looked down on the locals, and when the pretty new arrivals came, they had immediately set their sights on the most beautiful and wealthy one—Jiang Ning. Unfortunately, Jiang Ning hadn’t spared them a glance, only to end up marrying a rough rural guy. Jealousy makes people unrecognizable. They weren’t necessarily helping Ma Huijuan; they just wanted to disgust Jiang Ning.

Jiang Ning smirked inwardly. These two looked down on the locals, but eventually, they would both end up marrying village girls anyway. One would be schemed into staying by the brigade leader’s daughter, raising children and never returning to the city for the rest of his life. The other would be caught red-handed stealing and sent to a labor camp.

“You guys don’t know yet, do you? My husband is the commune’s militia company commander now. If you still want to return to the city, you’d better shut your mouths and get lost!” Jiang Ning said lightly. For an educated youth to return to the city, they needed approval from above; if the militia company commander put a spoke in their wheel, they’d be finished. The two men shivered, decided this was no place to linger, and scrambled away.

Ma Huijuan’s expression changed drastically, and she immediately switched to a flattering tone: “Ningning, it’s my fault. I shouldn’t have taken your things while you were away. I ate those eggs, and the beef sauce and White Rabbit candy were shared with everyone. As for the clam oil, I only used a little, and there’s plenty left to return to you… we’re good sisters, can’t you just be the bigger person and forgive me this once?” She reached out to grab Jiang Ning’s arm.

Jiang Ning dodged, looking at her with cold eyes: “You took my things to buy social favor? And how are you going to return the things you’ve already eaten? You want to throw them back up? Unless you apologize to me in front of the entire village!”

“What?” Ma Huijuan looked at her, stunned. The person who used to be wrapped around her finger—why had she suddenly become so aggressive? To apologize publicly meant losing all face as an educated youth; she would definitely be pointed at and mocked forever. Tears streamed down her face instantly.

Brigade Leader Gao Qiang happened to be passing by and saw this. He walked over with a dark face. “What is going on here? Educated Youth Jiang, did you make Educated Youth Ma cry?”

Ma Huijuan sobbed as she explained: “Brigade Leader Gao, it’s my fault. I shouldn’t have borrowed Ningning’s things without returning them. Now she’s calling me a thief and insisting I apologize publicly…”

Gao Qiang had been humiliated at the Lin house that morning, and his temper hadn’t cooled down. He spoke from a position of authority, looking down on her: “Educated Youth Jiang, it’s not that I’m criticizing you, but as an educated youth, you were already lazy and unproductive before; how can you treat your fellow revolutionary comrades this way?”

Great, another one looking to be slapped down.

She replied calmly: “So, Brigade Leader Gao’s suggestion is to let it slide? That’s fine, too. Give me twenty yuan, and I’ll treat everything as if I sold it to her. Otherwise, I’m going to report this to the police and have them conduct a thorough search to find exactly where my belongings went!”

Gao Qiang was shocked. This girl had to be crazy, wanting to report this to the police. If the matter blew up and the commune launched an investigation, their chances for the “Advanced Brigade” title this year—which came with a tractor as a prize—would vanish. He absolutely could not let this escalate.

His tone shifted, and he looked sternly at Ma Huijuan: “Educated Youth Ma, you’ve gone too far. Taking things without asking is considered theft; this warrants a disciplinary review. Since Educated Youth Jiang is so magnanimous, just pay her the twenty yuan!”

Ma Huijuan: “…” Gao Qiang, to hell with you and your whole family! If I had money, would I be looking to take advantage of others? Twenty yuan was more than half of her total savings! There was no choice; under the weight of power, someone without status like her could only struggle to survive. Spending money to avoid disaster—paying a bit was better than being publicly criticized!

In front of Gao Qiang, she reluctantly handed over a stack of money to Jiang Ning—one-yuan notes, five-jiao notes, all tattered and worn. After handing it over, her heart bled. She turned and ran into her room, throwing herself onto the bed, her shoulders heaving as she sobbed in grievance. Who does she think she is! Just because her husband is a militia commander, just because she has a little filthy money—I will never talk to her again!

After Gao Qiang left, Jiang Ning continued packing. Meng Jiao, who lived in the same room as Yang Lili, had finished her shift and gone straight into the kitchen to make lunch, avoiding the spectacle. At this moment, she brought over a piece of hemp rope and helped Jiang Ning bundle her winter quilt and summer blanket together for easy transport.

Jiang Ning felt a warmth in her heart. The people she had ignored before were the ones she truly should have befriended. Meng Jiao had a cold personality, didn’t care for much, kept to herself, and spent her time reading when alone. After the college entrance exams were restored, she had gotten into Peking University and eventually became a scholar. When Jiang Ning had lost her child and couldn’t find a way out of her grief, Meng Jiao had been the one to provide psychological counseling.

Once everything was packed, Meng Jiao offered to help carry the heavy items home, but Jiang Ning declined with a smile: “No need, but you are very welcome to come visit my house.”

As she stepped out carrying her belongings, she saw Lin Chen’s long, athletic frame walking toward her against the sunlight…