The rain washed away the summer heat and brought back humidity. Most of the houses in Tianshui Village were bungalows with sewage ditches behind them, and mosquitoes became more rampant.

The educated youth were particularly miserable. They stayed in villagers' houses in dark and narrow side rooms. At night, it was particularly hot and humid, and the big mosquitoes with flower wings buzzed in their ears. They had to hide under the quilt and sweat all over. If they accidentally exposed their mouths, noses, hands and feet, they would be bitten by mosquitoes and a big itchy and painful lump would appear.

The educated youths could not sleep well at night, and had to get up before dawn to go to work. The clothes that were soaked yesterday were only half dried, and they felt wet and heavy when they wore them. They stuffed their feet into the wet Liberation shoes, and they made a creaking sound with every step, and mud and water came out of the soles of their shoes. Whether they were male educated youths or female educated youths who loved to be clean, they all became numb in the end. After washing, they still had to step into the mud and water. Every day after work, they were so tired that they wanted to lie down on the bed and sleep until the day and night fell. Who had the energy to wash clothes and shoes?

The fields in Tianshui Village are all paddy fields. People roll up their trousers and step into the knee-high paddy fields in the rain to harvest. No one talks, only mechanical and numb labor. It is not until the whistle sounds that people breathe a sigh of relief, temporarily relieved from this torturous labor, and take the time to eat and rest.

The educated youths gathered in a circle and ate on a field ridge with less water. They had been in the village for quite some time, but they still looked out of place. Shen Yan was surrounded by several new female educated youths, some of whom were bold enough to stuff a spoonful of salted vegetables fried with pork fat into Shen Yan's lunch box.

Cheng Nuonuo glanced at Shen Yan dimly, and continued to chew the rice cake in her hand. Now that the educated youths ignored her, there was a circle of empty space around her, and she was isolated invisibly.

The old educated youth were all busy eating, only a few new educated youth were complaining: "When will this rain stop? It's killing me."

"It's not the team leader who insists on making us work in the rain. The educated youth in Taoan Village don't have to work, saying that everyone in their village is resting now!"

"The work points in Taoan Village are so high. The educated youth in Taoan Village can earn 80 cents a day."

Some people sighed: "They are all educated youth, why do they have such a good life?"

"Yes, we work hard every day, but Yaoyao doesn't have to work. He is much luckier than us." A faint voice sounded.

Hearing Cheng Yaoyao's name, Shen Yan's face changed, and the other male educated youths also became excited: "Yaoyao? Yes, Yaoyao hasn't been working with us these days."

When the new female educated youth first arrived, they were all arrogant and thought that they were city girls and would naturally be treated preferentially. But after arriving, they found that this was not the case. At this time, they were unbalanced and said, "We are all educated youth, so why doesn't she have to work?"

It was Liu Minxia who brought up the topic. She was originally aloof and gloomy person, and her presence became even less noticeable after she was assigned to a dormitory, and people often forgot her existence. At this time, she smiled and said in her usual cautious tone: "Yaoyao is not used to doing these dirty jobs."

A female educated youth named Wei Rong said indignantly: "We all came from the city. Who is used to doing such dirty and tiring work? Why does Cheng Yaoyao deserve to be treated specially?!"

Han Yin angrily asked, "Does her business have anything to do with you? Liu Minxia, ​​you feel uncomfortable if you don't do something bad for a day, right?"

Liu Minxia shuddered, and behind her greasy bangs she didn't dare look Han Yin in the eye, as if she was frightened: "I... I didn't say anything."

Wei Rong said: "She is telling the truth! We have been in Tianshui Village for so long, but we have never seen Cheng Yaoyao working with us! Why is she not allowed to speak?"

Han Yin was speechless for a moment.

The other female educated youth also started to complain. Cheng Nuonuo raised her head and chewed slowly, hiding her sneer. She had done a lot of work these days, and these female educated youth had long been full of complaints about Cheng Yaoyao.

Shen Yan frowned and said, "Can I help Yaoyao with her job? Do you think it's fun to be so fussy?"

As soon as Shen Yan said this, the atmosphere suddenly became quite subtle. Everyone couldn't help but glance at Cheng Nuonuo on the side. Everyone knew that Shen Yan had recently abandoned Cheng Nuonuo, but they didn't expect Shen Yan to defend Cheng Yaoyao in public and even help Cheng Yaoyao with work. Was he trying to get back at her?

The moods of the new female educated youth were very different, especially Wei Rong. Wei Rong relied on her good looks to flirt with Shen Yan, thinking that she was different to Shen Yan. When she heard Shen Yan defending Cheng Yaoyao, her anger suddenly turned into anger, and she insisted: "This is Cheng Yaoyao's job, why should she ask others to do it for her! Besides, can you finish the job for two people?"

Shen Yan's face suddenly turned ugly. He had a hard time finishing his own work every day, and it was really impossible for him to help Cheng Yaoyao with his work. But being exposed by Wei Rong in person, the meaning was very different.

Shen Yan's face darkened as he picked up his lunch box and left.

Wei Rong thought she had suppressed Shen Yan, and she instigated others, "If Cheng Yaoyao doesn't come to work, we will have to do the work of one more person. Why?!"

Others were fine at first, but when they heard this, they immediately became angry. Yes, the educated youth were assigned fixed plots of land, and if Cheng Yaoyao couldn't come, her share would have to be borne by her. Why?!

Seeing everyone's excitement, Zhang Xiaofeng said, "Yaoyao has been assigned to do other work. If you don't believe me, go and look at her work record."

Zhang Xiaofeng usually enjoys prestige, and although Wei Rong and several other female educated youth were not convinced, they did not dare to say anything for a while.

Cheng Nonuo smiled and said, "Yes. Sister Yaoyao doesn't have to go to the fields with us. This is a unanimous decision made by the team leader and the party secretary. You can't be dissatisfied."

"Okay!" Wei Rong couldn't stand the provocation and got up suddenly: "I'll go find the team leader now! We are all educated youth, why does Cheng Yaoyao not have to work? All the dirty and tiring work is put on us!"

"You! Stop!" The voices of Han Yin and Zhang Xiaofeng were drowned out by the noisy sound of the rain. They looked at a group of educated youth going to look for Lin Dafu, and after looking at each other, they quickly followed.

A temporary tent was built on the shore, which was made of four bamboo poles with a piece of oilcloth on top, to keep out the rain. Lin Dafu took a teacup and drank a gulp of bitter tea, and his lips were covered with blisters. He was anxious, because they were fighting against God for food! He had been holding a loudspeaker to supervise the work on the shore these days, and his voice was hoarse. He finally had a break, but the educated youth were making noise again.

The educated youth were making a lot of noise and talking at the same time. Lin Dafu's head hurt so much that he realized that they were dissatisfied with Cheng Yaoyao for not going to work and came to complain.

Lin Dafu was annoyed and said to the accountant, "Let them see the attendance records!"

The accountant turned to Cheng Yaoyao's name in the register and showed it to the educated youths: "Look, it's full attendance!"

Cheng Yaoyao's name was indeed followed by full attendance every day. Wei Rong said decisively: "Impossible! You are faking it!"

The accountant angrily said, "Nonsense, who cheated? Captain, I never..."

The accountant is in charge of registering the centimeters these days. He is also in charge of all the accounting affairs of the brigade. Accusing him of cheating is more painful than taking his life.

Lin Dafu calmed down the emotional accountant and said to the educated youth: "I have been an accountant for so many years and have never made a mistake in an account! Since Cheng Yaoyao is very diligent, she must have finished her work!"

Wei Rong was unconvinced and said, "Cheng Yaoyao hasn't come to work for a single day, how can he be fully present? We educated youth work together every day, but we have never seen Cheng Yaoyao!"

"Yes, I haven't seen her either!"

"She never showed up!"

The educated youth responded one after another.

Lin Dafu frowned and was about to speak when he heard a deep voice: "I have finished her work."

A large bundle of sacks was thrown on the ground. The man was very tall, with broad shoulders and strong muscles. He unloaded the sacks in a few seconds. He wiped the rain off his face, and his narrow eyes under his protruding eyebrows were cold and calm.

Wei Rong's heart skipped a beat for some reason, and her sharp voice softened: "You, who are you?"

Xie Zhao looked at Lin Dafu and said, "I have finished Cheng Yaoyao's work for today. Sign up." The latter sentence was said to Accountant Chong.

The accountant hurriedly made a note in the work points book and deliberately said loudly: "Not bad, you can do the work of two people every day so quickly, which is much better than some people who slack off!"

Isn't this a revelation to the educated youth? Especially the female educated youth, who were slow to work and complained a lot. After hearing this, they could only be angry but dared not say anything.

Wei Rong said to Xie Zhao, "This is Cheng Yaoyao's job. How can it count if you did it?"

Xie Zhao said coldly: "Is there a rule that forbids working for others?"

"You!" Wei Rong was speechless for a moment.

Liu Minxia asked: "What is your relationship with Yaoyao? Why do you want to help her?"

This immediately woke up Wei Rong, and she said to everyone: "I've heard that Cheng Yaoyao's style is not decent. She doesn't live in the homes of working people but in the homes of landlords. Now she lets men do her work for her. Could it be..."

"Say another word!" Xie Zhao glared at her fiercely, and the brutality emanating from his body frightened Wei Rong so much that she trembled violently.

Wei Rong stared at Xie Zhao in a daze, her mind was blank, she couldn't say a word. Liu Minxia lowered her head and said nothing. Cheng Nonuo stood behind the crowd, sneering at these idiots. The momentum was overwhelming, and she was so scared by someone's words that she dared not breathe.

Lin Dafu patted Xie Zhao on the shoulder and said, "Okay, we all know that Cheng Zhiqing has a good relationship with your sister, so it's okay for you to help out a little! Go ahead!"

Everyone knows that Lin Dafu's words are just to ease the atmosphere and give him a chance to step down. Cheng Yaoyao has a good relationship with Xie Fei, so Xie Zhao helps her with work? There are so many men in the village, and the number of men who can carry a daughter-in-law's weight is too many to count on one hand!

After hearing this, Xie Zhao glanced at everyone's faces coldly and said word by word: "I will take care of all Cheng Yaoyao's work. If you have any opinions, come to me!"

After saying this, Xie Zhao rolled up the rope that tied the sack, nodded to Lin Dafu, and turned away. Wei Rong only saw his deep-lined profile, and he didn't even glance at her. Wei Rong's face flushed, and she felt angry and annoyed.

Lin Dafu was also dumbfounded. Did Xie Zhao take the wrong medicine?

Lin Dafu coughed and said sternly: "Did you see that? Our team has always been fair and just in its work. There will never be any false reporting!"

The accountant snorted coldly and raised the registration book to Wei Rong's face: "Did you see that? Cheng Zhiqing works very hard every day, and you are not convinced and let others do the work for you? Look at what kind of moral character you have!"

Wei Rong's lips were trembling and she was so angry that she couldn't speak. The other educated youth dragged her away in shame.

Only Cheng Nonuo was left standing there.

Ever since the last time she slandered someone for having an affair, Lin Dafu had a headache whenever he saw her. He coughed and said, "Little Cheng, what's wrong with you?"

Cheng Nuonuo said in a slow and soft voice: "Captain, my sister Yaoyao is now living in the Xie family, and Xie Zhao is working for her. Is this bad for my sister's reputation... People in the village always say that my sister and Xie Zhao..."

Lin Dafu frowned: "Cheng Zhiqing is your biological sister after all, you should scold her back when you hear this!"

Cheng Nonuo said, "I am also doing this for Sister Yaoyao's good reputation! Although Sister Yaoyao can't work in the fields, we can let her do something else. Xie Zhao always helps her with work, which will inevitably cause misunderstandings among the group."

Lin Dafu said, "Just tell me what you want to say."

Cheng Nonuo rolled his eyes and said, "We can ask Sister Yaoyao to help in the cafeteria! Sister Yaoyao's cooking skills are much better than mine."