Chapter 1 She's Finished

After sitting for the entire morning, He Xiaoli stood up from behind the counter and paced around the front hall. Suddenly, she saw Lin Qingqing and a young man in a green military uniform walking towards her from a distance. When they reached the door, the two stopped and said goodbye.

He Xiaoli walked to the door, leaned against the doorframe, and looked outside. She recognized the young man as Xie Wei, who had brought Lin Qingqing to check in for the first time. After Lin Qingqing parted ways with the man and came in, she jokingly asked, "Weren't you going to the police station? Why was this Comrade Xie bringing you back?"

“He came to the police station on business, and when he came back, he happened to be going to the commune, so they went together,” Lin Qingqing explained.

"What a coincidence?" He Xiaoli asked in surprise. "I thought he was interested in you."

"Don't talk nonsense!" Lin Qingqing said anxiously in a low voice, "Comrade Xie is a warm-hearted person, it's impossible for me and him...

Seeing her anxious, He Xiaoli quickly said, "Don't be angry. I'm only saying this to you, I promise I won't mention it to anyone else." She wasn't someone who didn't know her place, but thinking about how she had just seen the two of them walking side by side, a handsome man and a beautiful woman, she couldn't help but say, "Since you think Comrade Xie is a good person, why can't you two be together? It's the 1970s now, young people are free to fall in love. As long as you're willing, isn't that enough?"

Lin Qingqing thought that He Xiaoli usually seemed very experienced in her speech and actions, but at this moment she showed her childishness.

Regardless of the era, marriage is always about matching social status and background. Xie Wei became a regimental commander at such a young age; his future is undoubtedly bright. What kind of girl couldn't he marry?

As for her, she was an orphan who had lost both her parents, had never been to school, and didn't even have a job. How could she be a match for Xie Wei?

Furthermore, Lin Qingqing recalled her conversation with Xie Wei at the police station, during which he was extremely cold, leading her to believe that he felt nothing more than sympathy for her. Given this, it was even less likely that he would break free from the constraints of his family's social standing for her.

Lin Qingqing is a realistic person who never indulges in pointless dreams. Reality doesn't allow her to dream either; after all, for her right now, getting a job is the most important thing.

As for the handkerchief, Lin Qingqing put her hand into the pocket of her cotton-padded coat, thinking that she should wash it and return it to Xie Wei as soon as possible.

...

The weather has been nice these past few days, and the afternoon sun shines directly into Lin Qingqing's room. She takes advantage of the bright sunlight to wash her handkerchief and hang it inside the window to dry. The handkerchief is thin and light, and it dries completely by evening.

Back in her room that evening, Lin Qingqing took off her handkerchief, folded it neatly, and held it in her hand, but suddenly didn't know how to return it to Xie Wei.

Since checking into the guesthouse, she hadn't seen Xie Wei very often; this was the first time they'd met, and she didn't know when they'd see each other again. She did know where the Xie family lived, but going there specifically for a handkerchief would inevitably lead to speculation if people saw her.

In the end, Lin Qingqing put the handkerchief into the pocket of the cotton-padded jacket she would wear the next day, hoping to return it to him if they met again by chance.

Just as she had expected, the handkerchief was moved from one pocket to another, and she never encountered Xie Wei again. However, the case of Old Lady Lin was resolved.

"Lin Ying and her daughter both confessed to plotting to have a child through surrogacy." After receiving the news, Officer Sun rushed to the guesthouse to tell Lin Qingqing about it. "However, since the plan failed, it was considered an attempt, so Lin Ying and her daughter were assigned to a farm for labor reform."

This was the result Lin Qingqing had anticipated, so she showed neither joy nor sadness on her face after hearing it. She simply hummed in agreement and asked, "When are they going to the farm?"

"What about tomorrow?"

Lin Qingqing lowered her eyes and said, "I want to see them off."

Although Lin Qingqing's expression was indifferent, Officer Sun felt that she couldn't possibly be completely unaffected. Hearing her words, he wasn't surprised at all and nodded, saying, "It's fine to see them off, but don't be too sad. To put it bluntly, they brought this upon themselves."

Officer Sun had no sympathy for those who persecuted innocent girls, but after saying it, she felt that it was not appropriate. Although Lin Ying and her daughter had done many evil things, Old Lady Lin was, after all, the foster mother of the little girl in front of her. She didn't care about Old Lady Lin, but she had to consider Lin Qingqing's thoughts. After thinking for a while, she said, "Actually... it's good that they were sent to labor reform. As long as they accept ideological reform well and behave well, they may still be released."

These words did not comfort Lin Qingqing at all, but then she thought that even if the ideological reform was successful, it would take three to five years for Lin Ying and her daughter to get out, so she nodded and said, "I hope so."

...

The next day, more people came to see Lin Ying and her daughter off than Lin Qingqing had imagined. The crowd stretched from the police station all the way to the street corner, and Lin Qingqing suspected that the entire commune had come.

Seeing Lin Qingqing's puzzlement, Officer Sun explained, "Secretary Zhou said that this matter must be widely publicized so that the entire commune knows what Lin Ying and her daughter did and what consequences they will face, so that they can learn from it. That's why today each unit has organized worker representatives to come and see them off. Look, over there is the hardware factory, over there is the textile factory, over there is the brick kiln, over there is the credit union..."

Following Officer Sun's directions, Lin Qingqing noticed that the people were indeed wearing work uniforms, and the uniforms varied from unit to unit. She couldn't help but secretly marvel at how brilliantly Secretary Zhou had handled the situation!

Originally, she thought that once Lin Ying and her daughter were released, everyone would probably forget about the incident, and Lin Ying and her daughter could continue to live a peaceful life. But because of this grand event, Lin Qingqing felt that the people of Yutian Commune would probably never forget this day for the rest of their lives, and even after being released, Lin Ying and her daughter would often hear these voices.

Such pain is enough for them to remember for a lifetime.

During the introduction, Officer Sun pulled Lin Qingqing forward. When they arrived at the entrance of the police station courtyard, he said a few words to someone and then walked into the courtyard through the cleared path.

"They'll be out in a bit. You'll have a few minutes to talk to them," Officer Sun said in a low voice.

Lin Qingqing nodded in agreement and looked up at the police station gate.

After waiting for about seven or eight minutes, two young men in police uniforms came out, followed by Lin Ying and her daughter.

It had only been a few days since Lin Qingqing last saw Old Lady Lin, but she felt that Old Lady Lin had changed a lot. Her hair had turned white, her face had more wrinkles, and her whole demeanor had been worn down; her shoulders slumped. Lin Ying didn't look well either; her face was pale, and her eyes were badly swollen, no longer possessing their former luster.

Officer Sun led Lin Qingqing over and said to the two policemen, "Hello comrades, this is Comrade Lin Qingqing. She came here today to see them off. Could you let them have a word?"

The leader was Comrade Zhang. He knew the relationship between Lin Qingqing and her daughter Lin Ying. He glanced at her and said, "Okay, but only in the yard."

As he spoke, Lin Ying and her daughter behind him looked up, their eyes filled with hatred as they glared at Lin Qingqing. But Lin Qingqing didn't care and smiled, saying, "Thank you, Comrade Zhang."

The police officer and Officer Sun stepped aside, and Lin Qingqing approached Lin Ying and her daughter, calling out softly, "Mother, Third Sister."

"Don't call me mother!" Old Mrs. Lin said with a look of disgust.

Lin Ying sneered, "What are you doing here? To laugh at us? Are you satisfied now that you've seen us in such a sorry state?"

"Yes, I'm quite satisfied," Lin Qingqing nodded.

Her attitude enraged Lin Ying and her daughter. The old lady Lin said angrily, "If I had known you were an ingrate, I should have strangled you back then!"

Old Mrs. Lin had said this more than once, and Lin Qingqing was already immune to it. She smiled and said, "Yes, what a pity!"

Her expression showed not shame but pride. Old Mrs. Lin looked at Lin Qingqing with even more resentment. If it weren't for the fact that she was being sent to a farm for reform and had to behave well, she would have rushed up and beaten Lin Qingqing long ago.

Lin Ying was calmer, suppressing her anger as she asked, "What exactly are you doing here?"

"I'm seeing you off. Even though you don't treat me like a human being, I can't be as heartless as you. I knew you were going to the farm soon, so I had to come and see you off." Lin Qingqing said with a matter-of-fact expression. "Mom, okay, Comrade Zhao Chunhua, when you get to the farm, don't be as bad-tempered as before. Accept the ideological reform properly and try to get released as soon as possible."

After saying that, Lin Qingqing ignored the old lady's eyes that were about to spit fire and looked at Lin Ying and said, "And you, Comrade Lin Ying, although the farm conditions are harsh and you still live in a cowshed, you have never suffered since you were a child and you will definitely not be able to stand it when you first go there. But you must persevere, work hard, and try your best to get out as soon as possible. Otherwise, if you drag it out too long, Zhao Liye may have already had his second child by the time you get out."

Upon hearing Zhao Liye's name, Lin Ying couldn't take it anymore: "Lin Qingqing!"

But Lin Qingqing ignored her and said, "Also, although it was your mother who raised you, you must never, ever blame her. She's old and her health isn't very good. When she got to the farm..."

"You're talking nonsense!" Old Mrs. Lin interrupted Lin Qingqing angrily. "It was Yingzi who confessed that made me say it!"

Lin Ying couldn't hold back any longer: "When did I confess?"

As Lin Ying spoke, a hint of hatred crept into her eyes as she looked at Old Madam Lin. Her mother had assured her that nothing would go wrong with Lin Qingqing! But not only did such a huge blunder occur, but she was also implicated! Her mother had ruined her life!

"Didn't you say it first? But..." Old Mrs. Lin pointed at Lin Qingqing, but when she saw the look of amusement in her eyes, she suddenly realized the reason and widened her eyes, saying, "It was you!"

She said that her daughter was so confused as to confess on her own, and that it must be that bitch Lin Qingqing who lied to her!

Thinking that her confession had led to her daughter being sent to a farm, and just as Lin Qingqing had said, Zhao Liye might already have a child by the time they returned, Old Mrs. Lin hated Lin Qingqing to the core. She could no longer restrain herself, no longer care about behaving properly, and rushed forward to hit Lin Qingqing, shouting, "It's all your fault! It's all your fault!"

When the police officers who were waiting nearby saw Old Lady Lin assaulting someone, they rushed over and arrested her. Officer Sun helped Lin Qingqing up and asked with concern, "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine." Lin Qingqing looked up, smiled helplessly at Officer Sun, and then lowered her head to cover her face.

Although Old Lady Lin was under police control, she continued to verbally abuse Lin Qingqing with vicious and hurtful words. Officer Sun was so angry that he was on the verge of exploding. He said to the police, "Officers, when you get to the farm, you must have a good talk with the farm director. This kind of person must be severely disciplined. Otherwise, if she is released without correcting her ways, she will become a cancer!"

Comrade Zhang nodded and said, "I will definitely tell the farm director about this."

After saying that, the two policemen pulled Lin Ying and her daughter, who were still shouting, away. After they left, Officer Sun patted Lin Qingqing on the shoulder and said, "You saw it too, they're not worth your time."

Lin Qingqing wiped her face and said, feigning helplessness, "Maybe you're right. From now on, I'll pretend I have nothing to do with the Lin family."

"That's right."

As Lin Qingqing was talking to Officer Sun, the shouting of the old lady Lin, who had just walked out of the police station, gradually subsided. She saw a dense crowd of people standing by the roadside, all looking at her with disdain and pointing at her.

Although Old Mrs. Lin was domineering in front of her own family, this was the first time in all her years that she had been pointed at and talked about like this, and she felt her face burning with shame. She could no longer utter any more resentful words, and amidst the murmurs of the crowd, she involuntarily lowered her head.

Like Grandma Lin, Lin Ying lowered her head and hunched her shoulders.

If Lin Ying could still manage to comfort herself before, believing that everything would be alright once things passed, at this moment, she knew clearly—

She's finished!

...

As soon as Lin Qingqing returned to the guesthouse, He Xiaoli pulled her aside and asked her about the situation: "I heard that a lot of people went?"

“Yes, many units in the commune prevented worker representatives from going to see it,” Lin Qingqing nodded.

"Oh my, the Lin mother and daughter have really made a name for themselves!" Aunt Wang said gleefully, then, remembering something, asked, "You've managed to speak with them?"

Lin Qingqing replied, "We exchanged a few words, but it wasn't very pleasant."

"Of course it won't be pleasant. You used to treat them so well, but they didn't even treat you like family. Now that they've been sent to the farm, they must hate you to death." Aunt Wang snorted and said, "You should be more ruthless in the future, don't care about them, and just live your own life in peace."

"People who are not meant to be together will still not be together even if they live under the same roof for more than ten years." Lin Qingqing also wanted to take this opportunity to completely sever ties with the Lin family and avoid any more clinginess. She said, "I have figured it out. From now on, I will treat myself as a lone wolf. The Lin family will have nothing to do with me anymore."

"That's more like it," Aunt Wang said with a smile. "Let me tell you, these things may make you feel bad now, but when you grow up, settle down, and start your own family, you won't think much of them anymore. By the way, you're not young anymore, are you? There are a few nice young men in our neighborhood. How about I help you find one?"

Upon hearing this, Aunt Liu chimed in, "Qingqing must be twenty by now, right? It's time to start thinking about it. Tell me what kind of girl you like, and I'll ask her for you another day."

Lin Qingqing was caught off guard when the conversation suddenly turned to her marriage, and she was immediately embarrassed: "I'm not stable yet, and I don't want to think about these things for the time being."

"Won't you be settled once you get married?" Aunt Wang said dismissively.

Seeing Lin Qingqing's extreme embarrassment, He Xiaoli tried to smooth things over, saying, "Auntie, if you know any good young men, please introduce them to me first. I'm in a bit of a hurry."

Upon hearing this, Aunt Wang teased He Xiaoli again, then said seriously, "I do have a candidate in mind, but I'll go back and ask around, and I'll let you know once I've gathered the information." She then asked Lin Qingqing, "Now that this case is over, are you going back to Linjiazui or somewhere else?"

When the topic of Lin Qingqing's whereabouts came up, everyone felt a little reluctant to see her go, and He Xiaoli even held Lin Qingqing's hand tightly. Lin Qingqing herself was quite calm, smiled, and said, "Xingfeng Brigade is willing to accept my household registration, and I plan to register there."

"Xingfeng Brigade? Isn't it not far from Linjiazu Brigade?" Aunt Wang was also very familiar with the brigades below.

Lin Qingqing nodded and said, "It's right next to the Linjiazui Brigade."

"Will you keep running into the Lin family in the future?" He Xiaoli asked worriedly, feeling that Lin Qingqing had made enemies with the Lin family and fearing that she would be retaliated against.

But Lin Qingqing just smiled faintly: "Although the two brigades are adjacent, we shouldn't run into each other every few days. Besides, I have a clear conscience about this matter, so I'm not afraid of them."

“That’s right! If they dare to do anything, you should tell the brigade leaders,” Aunt Liu suggested to Lin Qingqing.

Aunt Wang then asked, "So, how do you live after you register your household in Xingfeng Brigade?"

“Officer Sun said that if I wanted, I could live alone or stay at the educated youth settlement. I thought it wasn’t very safe to live alone, and I would be able to look after the female educated youth if I stayed with her, so I said I would stay at the educated youth settlement first.”

“Living in the educated youth settlement is better,” said Aunt Liu. The others also felt that the educated youth settlement was better and asked her when she would move.

"Tomorrow morning, Officer Sun said that the brigade will arrange for someone to pick me up."

"So fast?" He Xiaoli exclaimed.

Aunt Wang frowned and said, "Why so suddenly? You didn't give me any time to react. Besides, I still have so many dishes I haven't taught you yet."

Lin Qingqing was also reluctant to leave the people at the guesthouse, but she was staying there under the commune's name, and every extra day she stayed meant another day's expenses for the commune. Although no one from the commune was asking her to leave, she couldn't stubbornly continue to stay, so she told Secretary Sun that she would move out the next day.

She patted He Xiaoli on the shoulder and said with a smile, "Although I don't live in the commune anymore, I can still come to see you in the future. I'm just afraid that if I come too often, you'll get annoyed with me."

Everyone laughed when they heard this, and the sadness of parting lessened a bit.

...

Because Lin Qingqing was leaving, Aunt Wang specially prepared a table of delicious dishes that evening, and even opened a pot of local liquor.

As the main character, Lin Qingqing was toasted by everyone in turn. In her previous life, she had a high alcohol tolerance and could drink half a jin of baijiu without getting drunk. She became complacent and drank three cups of baijiu in a row, then fell into a deep sleep and slept until dawn, when she was woken up by a knock on the door.

Lin Qingqing rubbed her head, which was throbbing from a hangover, as she went to open the door. She saw He Xiaoli standing there, her eyes shining, and said, "Comrade Xie is here!"

"Which Comrade Xie?" Lin Qingqing didn't react immediately.

"Xie Wei! He's here to take you to Xingfeng Brigade!"

Author's Note: First update, there will be red envelopes dropping in the comments.