Chapter 4, Female Supporting Character in Historical Fiction
The captain sighed deeply, his brow furrowing into a deep frown.
"I'm having the same problem!"
Even though the situation of scholars has improved, in villages like theirs, being able to eat one's fill is already a blessing.
No family would specifically send their child to school to learn to read and write.
Moreover, recording work points isn't something you can do just by knowing a few words.
The captain sighed and wanted to smoke again.
But looking at his daughter sitting next to him, she still didn't smoke.
"Alright, alright, you've been worrying about this all morning!"
Mrs. Yang came out of the kitchen carrying several plates of food and gave him a disdainful look.
"Are all those educated youths in the village just for show? These educated youths are all educated people, how hard could it be for them to get work points?"
"That's true, but who knows how long these educated youth will stay? What if they can't be relied on?"
Yu Wanwan took the initiative to step forward, took the dishes, and placed them on the dining table.
Yang's mother naturally handed her the dishes and turned to go to the kitchen to get the others.
“Our Huihui is so sensible, she knows how to care for me, unlike some old man who just stands there all day without moving!”
The captain choked up, somewhat unconvinced.
"What are you saying? I didn't chop the firewood in the kitchen, and I didn't fetch the water from the water tank first thing this morning! Daughter, don't listen to your mother's nonsense!"
Yu Wanwan simply smiled and didn't interrupt.
This is the mundane daily routine of the Yang couple, which unfolds almost every day.
Despite their constant bickering, it didn't affect their relationship.
She neither liked nor disliked this feeling.
In this day and age, life isn't exactly easy.
Even though her father was the brigade leader and had some extra subsidies, she wasn't much better off than other families.
The dishes on the table were simple: two dishes and a soup, with no meat.
Yu Wanwan didn't mind at all and ate with relish.
After the meal, she volunteered to wash the dishes.
These are things Yang Jiahui does regularly.
The brigade leader and his wife doted on her, but they didn't spoil her. They would still let her do some simple housework.
Yu Wanwan didn't mind doing these things, and she did them very skillfully.
Daoguo wasn't surprised that she would do these things, and even swallowed hard.
Wanwan, I want to eat your roast chicken...
"sure."
Yu Wanwan's eyes curved into a smile.
"But Guoguo, can you transform into human form now?"
【……】cannot.
It is connected to Yu Wanwan's soul, and they complement each other.
Her soul was damaged, and it was also severely injured, able to transform into a ghost.
Daoguo was hit hard.
【Wanwan, you're so mean!】
Yu Wanwan radiated joy, her tone gentle.
"I think so too."
Daoguo grumbled a few times and decided not to argue with her.
【Wanwan, I suggest you take on the job of recording work points.】
"Why?"
She's just here to make a cameo appearance; she'll only cooperate when the male lead needs her.
Why would you actively create trouble for yourself?
[You've probably noticed, haven't you? You only feel comfortable when you're near the male lead.]
Don't be fooled by her gentle and nonchalant demeanor; who could know that she is constantly enduring excruciating pain in her soul?
Yu Wanwan remained silent.
Daoguo didn't care either.
[However, the male lead has to work during the day, so you two won't have much time to spend together. But if you go to record your work points, you can use that as an opportunity to get closer to him.]
Yu Wanwan pressed her brow and exhaled a breath of stale air.
"I see."
Yu Wanwan was not a hesitant or indecisive person. Once she made up her mind, she quickly went to tell the captain.
The brigade leader, being a minor leader in the village, certainly couldn't be illiterate.
He knew better than anyone else in the village that knowledge wasn't as useless as they thought.
Although the village school had long been abandoned, he still insisted on teaching his daughter what he knew.
When she was little, she was sent to study with her second grandfather, who was a junior high school graduate.
Yang Jiahui is not illiterate; on the contrary, she learns things very quickly, and she has learned everything she is exposed to very well.
Such a smart girl, when she met a scumbag educated youth, only suffered because she lacked vision and experience, and was blinded by appearances.
Therefore, it wasn't surprising that Yu Wanwan offered to help keep track of work points.
The brigade leader didn't hesitate for long. He took some things and went to his second grandfather's house next door. When he came back, he agreed.
Yu Wanwan took office just like that.
Recording work points isn't difficult, it's just a bit tedious and requires patience and attention to detail.
What Yu Wanwan has in abundance is patience.
After walking around with the team leader twice and getting a general idea of the process, I started operating it myself.
Yu Wanwan didn't rush to find Xu Qingzhou. Instead, she took a small notebook and started observing them from the outermost edge as she walked in.
It's summer now, and the sun is high in the sky, so hot it's almost melting you.
Many men in the fields had taken off their shirts and were working shirtless.
Even those sent-down youth were no exception.
Among such a group of naked people, Xu Qingzhou, dressed neatly, stood out conspicuously.
"Qingzhou, aren't you hot?"
Xu Qingzhou pressed down on the brim of his hat and exhaled a puff of hot air.
"hot."
He's dying of heat.
I miss air conditioning, fans, and ice cream.
"Then aren't you going to take off your clothes?"
Xu Qingzhou smiled awkwardly and didn't reply.
The person who spoke to him was a fellow educated youth from the same cohort as him.
His name is Zhao Guangnian, and he's a decent person.
Before seeing the true nature of the original owner, they had a pretty good relationship, and he was the original owner's only friend in the educated youth compound.
Later, the original owner was admitted to university, and his behavior of abandoning his wife and children angered Zhao Guangnian. He talked to him and tried to persuade him.
The two parted on bad terms and never contacted each other again.
Over time, the original owner had long forgotten about this former friend, a former educated youth, and naturally stopped paying attention to what happened to him later.
Zhao Guangnian looked Xu Qingzhou up and down, then suddenly let out a short laugh.
"Qingzhou, are you feeling embarrassed?"
Xu Qingzhou remained silent.
Zhao Guangnian laughed even more heartily.
"No, we're all grown men, what are you embarrassed about!"
Xu Qingzhou glanced at him indifferently, too lazy to bother with his boring topic.
He silently lowered his head and planted the rice seedlings in his hands, his movements somewhat clumsy.
Fortunately, the other educated youth working here weren't much better off than him, so his clumsy performance didn't arouse any suspicion.
He didn't respond, and Zhao Guangnian, feeling awkward, stopped talking about it and changed the subject.
Xu Qingzhou listened quietly, gleaning information from his words that was not present in the plot or the original owner's memories, and organizing it in his mind.
Suddenly, Zhao Guangnian came over and bumped his shoulder.
Look over there!
The rice seedling in Xu Qingzhou's hand was knocked askew by his bump.
Looking at the rice seedling that had clearly deviated from its intended path, Xu Qingzhou suppressed the urge to hit someone, pulled the seedling out, and carefully replanted it in its original place before his expression calmed down.
"What?"
I don't know where he gets so much energy every day.
Even doing such strenuous work couldn't shut him up. I haven't seen such an energetic idiot in years.
Zhao Guangnian was unaware that Xu Qingzhou had already labeled him a fool in his mind, and was still gesturing with his chin and winking at him to turn around.
"Over there! Over there!"
Xu Qingzhou had no choice but to turn back.
At the same time, Zhao Guangnian's voice rang in my ears.
"Is that the brigade leader's daughter?"
Xu Qingzhou looked at the figure walking against the light, and the events of last night flashed into his mind, making him feel somewhat dazed.
It took him a while to come to his senses, and he subtly withdrew his gaze to continue his work.
"Um."
But his mind had already wandered off, and he was somewhat absent-minded.
What is she doing here?
Only Yang Qiang, who lives with him, knows about their relationship now.
Before succeeding, the original owner, fearing the captain's opposition, deceived Yang Jiahui and kept their relationship a complete secret.
Otherwise, the captain wouldn't have been so shocked and furious after that incident.
Did Yang Jiahui ever come to the field in the story?
Xu Qingzhou didn't know.
He only received a story outline; he knew nothing about the details.
In the original owner's memory, apart from when he was flirting with other girls, he never paid any attention to that girl.
That's the epitome of scum.
"You know what, the brigade leader's precious daughter is really beautiful. Even though they're all wearing similar clothes, she stands out like a flower!"
Xu Qingzhou strongly agreed with Zhao Guangnian's statement.
It's because it's beautiful, otherwise why would that beast of a person have targeted it?
If she weren't good-looking, even if she were the captain's daughter, the original owner wouldn't have chosen to use her in that way.
"What's her name again?"
Xu Qingzhou glanced at Zhao Guangnian, whose eyes were shining, and remained silent for a few seconds.
"Don't ask girls their names so casually."
Zhao Guangnian touched his nose and chuckled awkwardly.
"That's true."
Seeing that he stopped staring at Yu Wanwan and talking nonsense, Xu Qingzhou breathed a sigh of relief and silently straightened the rice seedlings that had been planted crookedly.
Not long after things quieted down, Zhao Guangnian started making a ruckus again, grabbing at his arm.
Xu Qingzhou took a breath and maintained her smile.
"What's wrong now?"
Zhao Guangnian pointed behind him, his tone somewhat detached.
"Look...she...is she looking at me?"
"..."
Xu Qingzhou paused, then turned to look back.
Yu Wanwan had somehow arrived at the ridge behind them.
She was wearing a long-sleeved floral dress, her hair was neatly tied into two braids hanging down in front of her chest, and she was smiling at this side. She looked so sweet and gentle, she was like a little fairy.
No wonder she bewitched Zhao Guangnian, that idiot, to the point that he couldn't even speak properly.
Xu Qingzhou narrowed his eyes and turned his head away nonchalantly.
"no."
"Xu Qingzhou".
Xu Qingzhou's and Yu Wanwan's voices rang out simultaneously, one near and one far.
Zhao Guangnian looked incredulously at the little fairy on the ridge, then at Xu Qingzhou beside him, feeling utterly devastated.
"..."
Xu Qingzhou really couldn't stand the way Zhao Guangnian looked at her like she was a heartless man.
After thinking for a moment, he placed the remaining seedlings in Zhao Guangnian's hand and gently said what he hadn't said before.
She was looking at me.
A note from the author:
Xu Qingzhou: Of course my wife looks at me! (Proudly)
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