Chapter 48: Even when you're right, you're still full of bravado when you're hitting a snake with a stick.

Zhong Ying is not ashamed to admit her desires. As a normal heterosexual young woman in her twenties, when she is so tired from working overtime that she feels like she is going to die, she also wants to go home and "recharge" with a man's abs. But when she thinks about the "marriage" and "childbearing" that might be required for this kind of "recharging", she immediately "wilts".

Sometimes, Zhong Ying reflects on herself and realizes that perhaps she is essentially a scumbag woman who only wants to enjoy herself and doesn't want to take responsibility.

Now, a male ghost whose appearance matches her taste and whose physique matches her aesthetic standards is constantly hovering in front of Zhong Ying, like a dish that is visible, smells, and looks delicious. Zhong Ying thought, isn't it normal for her to crave it a little?

Zhong Ying was both in the wrong and arrogant. She was just a 21-year-old young girl. What was wrong with wanting to play around with men?

Women are often ashamed to be associated with "sex," as if it is something that can only be enjoyed by men.

Zhong Ying ate her meal absentmindedly, recalling Li Linshi's appearance in a black tight-fitting top and black trousers. She felt a renewed urge to tease him. Various character illustrations she had drawn for Yi You flashed through her mind, and she longed to try them out on Li Linshi again…

On the other side of the dining table, Li Ming was talking to his eldest son, Li Gang. Although the patriarch advocated that studying was the most important thing, there was no rule in the family that "one should not talk while eating or sleeping," nor did they have the feudal and backward idea that "women cannot sit at the table."

Li Ming and Liu Hongyan love the lively atmosphere of their large family. Even after their second son moved out and lived separately, he would still bring his wife and children back for meals. Adults and children would sit around the table, chatting about the day's events, creating small moments of happiness in their ordinary lives, along with the steaming hot food.

However, when the men talked about serious matters, the women mostly remained silent, keeping quiet and looking down to watch their children eat.

Now Li Ming is talking about serious matters, "...I heard that at the end of last year, the newspaper introduced the practice of other communes implementing the cooperative medical system, which was promoted nationwide as a successful case. So our commune also wants to learn from it and is preparing to establish a cooperative medical training class. Each production team will recommend people to go to the commune health center to learn. Anyone who is willing to go will be encouraged to learn. You wait and tell Jinlong. I'm going to put his name on the list so that he can learn well in the training class."

Li Gangshi nodded happily, "Okay, I'll talk to him when I get to the field. He needs to really learn the half-baked skills he learned from his wife."

Zhong Ying's thoughts drifted to the deceased, but her ears were still there. She overheard the conversation between the father and son. She looked up and couldn't help but ask curiously, "Isn't Sister-in-law Nie going?"

Everyone in the Tonggan production team knew that Nie Jinlong was a typical example of someone who "married a good wife," and his mother, Hu Dating, was a professional matchmaker. She found a good match for her son, Yao Dongxiu, who was not only from the wealthy Panpokou production team but also had ancestral medical skills. Even though she was a girl, she knew a little bit of medicine. Nie Jinlong became the health worker of the Tonggan production team entirely because his wife, Yao Dongxiu, "led him in" from her.

In Zhong Ying's view, this is a very typical example of a gigolo who uses a woman to learn skills and resources to develop himself, which is why she couldn't help but ask another question.

Recalling Fan Dani's childbirth a few days ago, Zhong Ying said, "If there were female barefoot doctors, the women in the production team would have more security when giving birth in the future."

Upon hearing this, Nie Jinfeng and Li Rongshi, who were still keeping the good news of their pregnancy a secret, couldn't help but exchange a glance.

Li Gang's face showed surprise. He obviously didn't expect Zhong Ying to speak up at this time, nor did he expect her to ask such a question. After he realized what was happening, he just smiled and said, "Women should stay at home and take care of the children. How can they find the time to study?"

His words carried a hint of condescension and disdain.

Zhong Ying glanced at him across the dining table. They were brothers from the same father and mother. Li Gangshi's features were seven or eight parts similar, and he always had a smile on his face. Zhong Ying had never seen Li Linshi smile. That deadbeat was either expressionless or had a droopy face all day long, but she still thought Li Linshi was more pleasing to the eye.

Like father, like son. Although Li Linshi had never told Zhong Ying about the side of his elder brother, she could roughly tell that Li Gangshi was similar to his son Li Guangzong, both being "Yaozu" (meaning "brilliant ancestors").

Before Zhong Ying could say anything more, a noisy commotion came from outside the door.

"Captain Li! We educated youth came to the countryside to support construction, not to be bullied!"

As soon as the words were spoken, a young man wearing glasses barked straight in, only to be frightened into stopping in the yard by the fierce barking of the big black dog.

The whole family put down their bowls and came out of the house. Zhong Ying beckoned Hongtang to come to her side and told her to stop calling out to people.

Upon seeing Li Ming, Qiu Yucai stiffened his neck again and said angrily, "Captain Li, you have to take care of this matter. That little scoundrel from the Liu family came to our educated youth settlement early in the morning to harass Chen, saying those filthy things. How can a proper young lady like her live like that!"

Hearing the commotion, the neighbors quietly gathered outside their doors, exchanged glances, and chuckled, "The production team is up to something again."

As Li Ming listened to the accusations, his face darkened. The relationship between the educated youth and the local people was indeed a problem that needed to be handled carefully. He knew that many team members were actually somewhat dissatisfied behind the scenes, feeling that the educated youth had not contributed anything after coming to the countryside, but instead appeared to be unfamiliar with the work and worked slowly. However, at least these conflicts were not brought to the forefront.

But now a contradiction has been presented to him.

Li Ming hesitated for a moment, then glanced back and said, "Yingni'er, go and adjust things."

Zhong Ying was surprised, like being suddenly called on by the teacher to do an assignment during a large lecture. She couldn't help but point to herself and ask, "Me? Is it appropriate for me to go?"

Li Ming intended to use this opportunity to test her, so he nodded and said, "The one who caused the trouble must be that kid Fengshou. You are his fourth cousin-in-law, so why isn't it appropriate for you to teach him a lesson?"

Zhong Ying was shocked by the title "Fourth Cousin-in-law." Now that she was a married woman, she seemed to have more say than unmarried girls.

“Dad,” Li Gangshi spoke up, drawing everyone’s attention to himself, adopting the demeanor of a considerate older brother, “Why don’t I go? Fengshou isn’t a bad person, and he’s still young. Chen Zhiqing is three or four years older than him, and I’ve noticed she’s always so affectionate with men…”

Zhong Ying couldn't help but glance at "Da Yaozu". He was indeed annoying. He didn't even know the situation before he started to humiliate her.

“I’ll go.” Zhong Ying wasn’t one to meddle in other people’s business, but she still stepped forward.

Qiu Yucai glanced at Zhong Ying, then at Li Ming, his gaze hesitant.

Li Ming simply nodded calmly, "Don't worry, my daughter-in-law can handle it."

Qiu Yucai could only lead Zhong Ying toward the educated youth settlement with some doubt. His impression of the young woman behind him was still based on her several subtle attempts to win over Cheng Bin in the past, and that she was a shrewish girl with a not-so-good reputation in the production team. If he took her there, would she really not side with her fellow villagers and join forces to bully Chen Lina?

This deep-seated doubt vanished in an instant.

The development of events exceeded Qiu Yucai's imagination and the expectations of all the onlookers.

Tonggan Production Team was not very developed and its geographical location was remote. Over the years, some people have gone to Fu Brigade for a better life. The educated youth settlement was in such a tidy-up abandoned house.

When Zhong Ying walked over, Liu Fengshou was standing in the courtyard with his back to the door, talking to another female educated youth who was hiding behind him.

"Why are you turning your back on me just because we've taken a hand in hand? I've been helping you with chores for so many days now. It would be perfectly reasonable for me to ask my mother to send a matchmaker to propose marriage now," Liu Fengshou said without any hesitation.

Cheng Bin stood at the front and confronted him, saying, "It's wrong of you to lay a hand on me!"

Yang Meijuan, who was standing nearby, also shouted angrily, "What do you mean by reasonable? I've never heard of expecting someone to repay a favor with their body!"

"It aligns with the sentiments of our shared production team, and it aligns with the principles of our shared production team..."

Hearing Liu Fengshou's words, which sounded like those of a local tyrant, Zhong Ying couldn't stand it anymore and kicked him in the butt. This bastard should shut up! Stop spouting nonsense and ruining the reputation of their Tonggan Production Team. People who don't know any better would think that troublemakers come from poor mountains.

Liu Fengshou was caught off guard and suddenly fell forward, kneeling on the ground, giving the three educated youth in front of him the highest New Year's greeting.

The surroundings fell silent.

Qiu Yucai's eyes widened in shock.

The three educated youths who had just witnessed everything were also stunned.

The onlookers unconsciously held their breath.

Li Linshi mingled in the crowd. He looked at his cousin Liu Fengshou, who had been kicked in the buttocks and was lying on the ground. He also remembered his cousin Liu Fushun, who had been kicked in the front between his legs. Suddenly, he felt calm. Although Zhong Ying always teased him, she had never laid a hand on him like this before.

Everyone seemed frozen in place, except for Zhong Ying, who moved and withdrew her foot.

It has to be said that physical labor really does train people, Zhong Ying thought to herself, she felt that she had exerted a lot more strength.

Liu Fengshou snapped out of his daze, his face flushing red from his neck to his head. He scrambled to his feet, glaring angrily at Zhong Ying. Unlike his usual playful "sister," he no longer addressed her with a sarcastic "sister," but instead gritted his teeth and called her by her full name, "Zhong Ying! What are you doing meddling in my business?!"

Zhong Ying raised her chin slightly, looked at him, and said indifferently, "Call me Fourth Cousin-in-law. You have no manners."

Liu Fengshou choked.

“Captain Li, your uncle, you’ve entrusted this matter to me. Tell me, what’s going on?” Zhong Ying said.

Liu Fengshou muttered, "Why isn't it my older cousin who came? It's you..."

Zhong Ying glanced at him calmly, "Oh, so it's fine if your older cousin can interfere, but I can't?"

Liu Fengshou was quick-witted and immediately changed his tune, saying, "Fourth Cousin-in-law, you're being nosy. I'm younger than you, after all."

Hearing the two address each other as if they were related, several educated youths nearby couldn't help but feel a sense of wariness in their eyes.

Zhong Ying raised her hand, signaling the two parties involved to explain the situation.

“When I was working in the fields, I asked this Comrade Liu for help a few times, and I thanked him. It was just a normal favor…” Chen Lina said softly, her delicate eyebrows furrowed.

"What else could a man be thinking if he's helping a woman? If I didn't want you to be my wife, I wouldn't have gone to all that trouble!" Liu Fengshou said, beaming with pride, like a delinquent youth.

Zhong Ying was appointed as the judge. She first glanced at Chen Lina. Although she did not agree with the way the female educated youth acted, Zhong Ying did not want to criticize her.

Everything in this world has its own way of surviving, and women are no exception. Some are as fiery and unapproachable as her mother, Deng Xia, while others are as traditional and gentle as Liu Hongyan, Li Linshi's mother. Even the only two female educated youths in the settlement are different: Yang Meijuan is stubborn and clumsy but still insists on working hard, while Chen Lina is like a dodder, wanting to rely on men's strength...

Everyone has their own way of living; no one is more noble than anyone else.

Zhong Ying tried her best to handle the matter fairly and objectively, asking a few questions such as, "How many times did you specifically help?" and "What did you do?", and then she had a clear understanding of the situation.

"After all, Liu Fengshou really did help..."

As soon as Zhong Ying finished speaking, Liu Fengshou's face lit up with joy, while Chen Lina's face turned pale. The other educated youths were about to speak.

"Then you can give him five jin of grain coupons as a thank you gift," Zhong Ying said, finishing the sentence.

Everyone was stunned again.

Seeing that they were all stunned, Zhong Ying thought for a moment and said, "Is it too much or too little? We can discuss the number further."

Of course it's too little! Five jin of grain is nothing; what Liu Fengshou wants is a wife!

Liu Fengshou immediately started shouting, "I'm not helping her with chores for food coupons! No way, she has to marry me and become my wife!"

Chen Lina snapped out of her daze and nodded repeatedly, "I have food coupons, I'll go back to the house and get them right away! Five jin isn't much, it's nothing!"

She rushed into the house as if she would be forced to marry someone else if she was too slow.

Liu Fengshou tried to rush over and grab her, but Zhong Ying stopped him.

"Know when to stop," Zhong Ying said. "The little bit of work you did for others wouldn't even take a whole day. I'm already favoring you by giving you five catties of grain based on ten work points a day."

The onlookers, who had been wondering why Zhong Ying was helping outsiders, realized after hearing her words that Liu Fengshou was the one who actually benefited.

Liu Fengshou was furious. What kind of bias was this?!

"Zhong Ying, if you really want to help me, you should let Chen Zhiqing marry me!" Liu Fengshou stomped his foot.

After Liu Fengshou's third brother and Zhong Ni's marriage was arranged, it was his turn as the fourth son. After much thought, he realized that he had never been a good son and wanted to prove himself in marriage. What could be more admirable than marrying an educated woman? Liu Fengshou wanted to marry a former educated youth!

Zhong Ying's feet were itching to move, but she managed to restrain herself. She couldn't just resort to violence all the time; that would make her seem like a violent maniac.

"You..." She wanted to curse again, her lips moved as if she were cooking a dish, but in the end she swallowed the curse. In the end, Zhong Ying only said one sentence with restraint, "The educated youth who went to the countryside did not come to be your wives. Don't even think about it. Do you deserve it?"

Liu Fengshou felt his pride had been trampled on, and angrily raised his hand, "Zhong Ying, I always gave in to you when we were little, do you really think I couldn't do anything with you—"

Zhong Ying remembered that Liu Fengshou had an older brother with a history of domestic violence, and immediately wanted to take a step back, but then she saw a tall figure suddenly appear behind him, and she stopped instantly.

"You want to hit me?" As if it were a passive skill, Zhong Ying was fearless, revealing a smile that was three parts contempt, three parts mockery, and four parts nonchalance. "Guess whether your slap will fall first, or your fourth cousin will come looking for you first?"

Everyone has some awe and fear towards the dead, and Liu Fengshou was no exception. Although he knew that Zhong Ying was just trying to scare him, he still felt a chill on the back of his neck, and his hand remained frozen in mid-air.

"Liu Fengshou!"

With a sharp shout, Deng Xia pushed her way through the crowd, yelling, "If you dare touch my daughter today, I'll slap your face until it's swollen!!"

Liu Fengshou swallowed hard, then used the opportunity to back down, saying, "Auntie, how could I dare..."

He finally slipped away with a grain coupon. Deng Xia grabbed her daughter's arm and followed the dispersing crowd away from the educated youth settlement, but her face was still not good. "Why did your father-in-law ask you to get involved in this? Fengshou is a young and strong man after all. If I hadn't come here after being told what to do, what if he had really hit you!"

"Then I can just stand there and let him hit me, and..." Zhong Ying glanced at the figure standing in the shade of a tree, avoiding the crowd. Just by how quickly Li Linshi appeared, she felt that the slap wouldn't land on her.

Zhong Ying suddenly felt a pang of conscience.

The ghost is a good ghost.

She has taken his house and money, and now she's lusting after his body.

Zhong Ying sighed, then gave Li Linshi another deep look. Oh well, she wasn't really that bad after all, so she decided not to cause any more trouble.

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Author's Note: Li Linshi: Why do you look at me like that? (Confused)

(Voiceover: Because she gave up on you! Did you hear that? She... gave up... on... you—)