"The content on the note was pieced together from words cut out of newspapers."
Hearing Zhou Yanchen say this, Zhou Shiwei's eyes widened in surprise: "This...this is too cunning!"
By piecing together the required content using words cut from newspapers, it would be difficult for anyone to find out who is behind it all.
"Is the man who rescued Xiaoya completely unaware of anything?"
This was Li Yao's voice. She looked at Zhou Yanchen, her brows furrowed slightly: "Xiaoya was tricked into going to the river by the village children. How could he not know who pushed Xiaoya into the river?"
“The officers at the police station questioned him, and he said he really didn’t see it. The note said that he should stay away so that Xiaoya wouldn’t find out anything.”
Zhou Yanchen said calmly, "In order for the contents of the note to become reality, the man really didn't hide near the river where Xiaoya had the accident. Therefore, Xiaoya was pushed into the river."
He didn't know exactly who did it; he only heard a "plop" sound from the river and pretended to be passing by to run and rescue the person.
"It seems impossible to find the real mastermind!"
Zhou Shiwei shifted her gaze to Yuan Xiaoya: "Since the police officers have intervened, and the man who saved you has been detained, in other words, you no longer need to worry about marrying him. So why did you come to my house with my dad?"
Upon hearing this, Yuan Xiaoya didn't respond at all; she just sobbed softly.
The neighbor's yard.
Qin Boyan and the twins sat on bamboo chairs under the eaves, watching the scene unfolding in the Zhou family's courtyard.
Qin Yaxin and Song Lan were cooking dinner in the kitchen. Since the yard was relatively quiet, they naturally overheard the conversation between Zhou Yanchen and his wife, as well as Zhou Shiwei and Yuan Xiaoya.
"Sister-in-law, aren't all educated youths cultured and well-mannered? How could they be so calculating?"
Qin Yaxin felt very uneasy and said, "If I can't find a job after graduating from high school, I'll definitely have to go to the countryside. Will I end up like Yuan Xiaoya and be schemed against by the other educated youth in the same educated youth compound?"
Why are you worried about those things now?
Song Lan smiled and reassured her, "You still have two and a half years until you graduate from high school, so we have plenty of time to prepare."
"But what if... what if I don't get into high school, and I have to go to the countryside after graduating from junior high next year..."
The thought of this possibility made Qin Yaxin increasingly uneasy.
"So lacking in self-confidence?"
Song Lan asked with a smile.
"Sister-in-law, it's not that I lack confidence in myself, it's just that I'm afraid of the worst-case scenario. What if I really can't escape being sent to the countryside? What will I do when I get there?!"
Qin Yaqing, that brainless older sister of hers who ran off to the countryside for a man, hasn't sent a single letter home since she arrived. Could it be... could it be that she was tricked by the other educated youth in the same compound and has already... already married someone in the countryside, or... or already lost her life?
To be honest, Qin Yaxin didn't believe that the male classmate who seduced Qin Yaqing during her rural trip genuinely liked her brainless older sister, or that they would actually get married in the countryside and become a real couple.
After all, her brainless older sister, while not exactly spoiled, had never done any heavy work at home. As far as she knew, the educated youth in the countryside were simply farming to earn work points, which they then used to exchange for food rations.
In this situation, how many work points could her brainless older sister earn in a year?
It wasn't that Qin Yaxin looked down on her older sister, Qin Yaqing. In her opinion, Qin Yaqing could barely support herself, let alone bring any benefits to the object of her affections... As for useless sycophants, what awaited her brainless older sister was only disdain and shunning.
With her thoughts wandering to this point, Qin Yaxin casually said, "Sister-in-law, Qin Yaqing has been in the countryside for several years now, and we haven't heard from her at all. I'm afraid she's been tricked by the other educated youth in their institute and has already married a local man. Or... or maybe she's already gone?"
"Don't worry, if something really happens to your older sister, the local educated youth office will definitely contact us family members. As for whether your older sister will be tricked into marrying a local young man, it's hard to say, but don't worry."
I've discussed it with your eldest brother. Once you, your second brother, and the fifth and sixth children are on winter break, I'll go to where your eldest sister is working in the countryside and bring her back.
"What if she gets married locally? Are you planning to bring her whole family back to our home, sister-in-law?"
Qin Yaxin frowned.
“If you get married locally and the man’s family treats your older sister well, we can help her out in the future; if the man’s family doesn’t treat your older sister well, I will advise her to get a divorce and bring her back.”
Song Lan spoke softly, then paused, steer the conversation back to what Qin Yaxin had mentioned earlier—Qin Yaxin's own concerns. She said:
"Second sister, if you don't get into high school after graduating from junior high next year and have to go to the countryside, what your sister-in-law can tell you is that you shouldn't make enemies in the educated youth compound, it's best not to go out alone, and you should also be careful of the people around you. As long as you are careful enough, nothing will happen."
"But I'm still afraid of going to the countryside."
Even if someone is deliberately outmaneuvering you, and you can dodge their attacks once or twice, there will always be a time when you get outmaneuvered. It's not that Qin Yaxin is trying to boost the morale of others and diminish her own, it's just that she feels deep down that she's not very smart.
Her second brother has mentioned this quite a bit.
"Alright, your sister-in-law will try to find a way to keep you from going to the countryside, but you must work hard to get into high school next year, so that I can have more time to help you find a solution."
One member of their family has already been sent to the countryside, leaving only the second younger brother and sister. Next autumn, the second younger brother can graduate early and enlist in the army through conscription, thus avoiding having to participate in rural construction as an educated youth.
This chapter is not finished, please click the next page to continue reading!
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
