Chapter 20
No longer needing to rack her brains to get close to Chen Jingbai, and no longer clinging to him, He He became carefree again. If she didn't want to work, she would push the work to Cheng Surin, give Cheng Surin a few cents as a kickback, and then lie on the dormitory's large communal bed, happily reading a novel all afternoon.
He He was holding Yang Mo's "Song of Youth". This was a book that was allowed to be read, and there was no need to find fault with it, so she took it out to read it openly.
She has read this book three times already. She can even recite some of the plots backwards, but every time she reads it, she is still captivated by the courage of the female protagonist, Lin Daojing.
Lin Daojing in the book is an extraordinary woman of her time. She dares to resist feudalism, does not rely on men, breaks free from constraints in adversity, and pursues her great ideals in life.
A few days ago, when she flipped through "Song of Youth" again, she saw Lin Daojing, which reminded her of herself.
Inspired by Lin Daojing, He He also decided not to rely on a man. She wanted to get out of her predicament of being stuck in the countryside on her own, and she also wanted to go to university when the college entrance examination was reinstated.
But she wasn't as capable as Lin Daojing, and she didn't live in a dangerous era. The current era is good; there's no feudal dregs forcing her, and she has a lot of love and a lot of money. She can use many things to get out of her predicament without having to suffer as much as the brave Lin Daojing.
When He He turned to the chapter about Lin Daojing embarking on the revolutionary path, Zheng Xinxin and the others returned from work. She immediately put down the book and jumped off the bed.
Looking at the half-dead Zheng Xinxin, He He asked with concern, "Are you very tired today?"
Zheng Xinxin nodded emphatically: "I'm exhausted. The plot of land the scorer assigned to us today was scorching hot, with no shade at all. The sun was blazing all afternoon, and I was sweating non-stop. My clothes were soaked through, then dried and soaked again. I was about to collapse."
"Then you should all take a rest, don't exhaust yourselves." He He was extremely glad that she hadn't gone today.
Li Baiyun was also not in good condition; her hair was stuck to her temples in clumps, making her look miserable.
He He glanced at Chen Jingyi again. Chen Jingyi was in much better condition. She looked more refreshed, and her posture was elegant with her back straight. She was indeed worthy of being the female lead.
Chen Jingyi acted as if nothing had happened, saying, "You all sit down. I'll go get some water to wash up together, and then I'll make dinner."
He He looked at Chen Jingyi with admiration. With such perseverance, Chen Jingyi would succeed in whatever she did.
He He felt a little embarrassed and took the initiative to say, "Jing Yi, you should rest too. I'll go get you some water."
Chen Jingyi was slightly taken aback, clearly not expecting He He to offer to help: "Ah... no need, I can go by myself. You guys rest, the water is too heavy for you to carry."
She hadn't forgotten that Cheng Surin always helped He He carry the dishes when she washed them. He He hadn't carried anything heavy at the educated youth settlement, so she knew that He He definitely wasn't strong enough.
Hearing Chen Jingyi say that, He He became even more embarrassed and didn't dare to look her in the eye. "I can do it. You should sit down and rest."
After saying that, He He didn't give Chen Jingyi any time to react. She immediately went out, closed the door behind her, and left the three of them staring at each other in bewilderment.
Zheng Xinxin was puzzled and said, "When did Hehe become so enthusiastic? Come to think of it, she seems to have changed a lot recently."
Li Baiyun nodded in agreement: "I think so too. She seems to have become more human."
Li Baiyun's words made Zheng Xinxin a little unhappy. She defended He He: "Don't say that. What kind of human touch is that? Why say such harsh things?"
Li Baiyun instantly realized that what she said was inappropriate and spat repeatedly, "What I mean is that she's become more humane. She doesn't just focus on herself anymore; she also pays attention to us and no longer isolates herself from us. How should I put it? It feels like Xiao He used to be detached, but now it's different. She cares about us and sometimes helps us. She never said a word of concern for us before. Am I wrong?"
Zheng Xinxin pondered. He He was indeed like that. Although she was He He's best friend at the educated youth settlement, and to outsiders it seemed that she and He He could talk about anything, she truly felt that she had never entered He He's heart.
In the past, there was always a very thin veil between her and He He. Although the veil was very thin, it was completely unbreakable. There was always this veil between them, and she could never truly touch He He.
He He was very kind to her, but she rarely heard He He express concern. Sometimes when she was sad and wanted He He to comfort her, He He didn't really know how to comfort her.
Seeing that no one was speaking, Li Baiyun became anxious and said, "Why aren't you all saying anything? Am I wrong?"
Zheng Xinxin looked at her and said, "No, I think you're right. But whatever kind of Xiaohe she is, as long as we treat her as a friend and she treats us as friends, that's enough."
Sometimes she would feel sad that He He wasn't as close to her as she had imagined, but sometimes she would think that this was just how He He interacted with her friends. Everyone was an independent individual, and she couldn't expect He He to change into the ideal best friend she envisioned.
She was happy that He He could become her friend.
Chen Jingyi wasn't a talkative person; she was better at listening. She somewhat agreed with Li Baiyun's words, but she didn't like to gossip about others behind their backs.
So he interrupted them, "Alright, let's stop talking about Xiao He. I'm going to go see her. You guys rest for a bit, I'll call you when dinner is ready."
Zheng Xinxin and Li Baiyun stopped talking and nodded.
When Chen Jingyi went out, she saw He He carrying a bucket of water and walking quickly toward her. She was somewhat shocked.
Xiao He... is she that strong? She seems to lift it more easily than she does.
When He He saw Chen Jingyi coming over, she said excitedly, "Why are you here? Didn't I tell you to rest? I can manage on my own!"
Chen Jingyi was somewhat dazed when he saw her clear, bright amber eyes and the pure smile on her face, which revealed an innocent naiveté.
He He was not tall, half a head shorter than her, with delicate wrists and a fair complexion, much like the dolls displayed on the transparent glass shelf of the foreign trade store when she was very young.
When she saw it, she begged her mother to buy her the beautiful doll.
Chen Jingyi snapped out of her daze and quickly walked to He He's side. Seeing the bucket overflowing with water, she was deeply shocked. She simply couldn't imagine that He He, who looked like a doll, could lift such a large bucket of water.
And now it's not just imagination, but real, firsthand observation.
"Isn't it heavy? Why are you carrying so much water? You only need to fill it halfway." Chen Jingyi tried to take the bucket from He He's hand, but He He dodged her.
He He shook her head and then nodded. "It is heavy, but I am happy to be able to help you, so it is not very heavy for me."
Chen Jingyi's slightly lowered eyes widened. She hadn't expected He He to say that, just like she hadn't expected He He to help her carry water in the dormitory.
He He... seems really different now.
He He's words made Chen Jingyi feel like water about to overflow from He He's hands, ready to spill at any moment.
Chen Jingyi didn't know how to react. "Thank you. I'm also very happy that you could help me."
He He leaned close to Chen Jingyi's ear and said, "Jingyi, I have a secret to tell you, but don't tell anyone else."
Chen Jingyi slowly turned her head, looking into He He's bright eyes, "What secret? Tell me, I won't tell anyone else."
He He's trust made Chen Jingyi's heart swell with joy.
He He whispered, "Actually, I'm very strong, so you don't need to worry about me not being able to lift it."
Chen Jingyi thought it was some kind of secret, but even if He He didn't say it, she could tell by now.
He He carried such a large bucket of water so easily; anyone could see that He He was very strong. How come she hadn't noticed before? But Chen Jingyi was still very happy that He He could tell her.
Chen Jingyi said solemnly, "I won't tell anyone."
He He smiled and said, "I'm only telling you this, you must not tell anyone else, otherwise I won't be able to refuse when others ask me to help with chores."
Chen Jingyi was charmed by her words, and her lips unconsciously curved into a smile as she tried hard not to laugh out loud.
Even if others knew that He He was strong, no one would dare to order her around, but she still assured He He that she wouldn't tell.
The two walked to the educated youth settlement, first carried the water to the girls' dormitory, and then poured some water into everyone's basins so that they could wipe their sweat.
After wiping, He He took the initiative to help carry the other half of the water to the woodshed for Chen Jingyi to cook. Their relationship was brought closer without them realizing it, but He He became indifferent to Chen Jingbai.
Chen Jingbai didn't take the initiative to contact her, giving He He plenty of space. However, the biggest reason was that the rice planting was almost finished, and everyone was busy again. They were so tired that they didn't want to say a word. Back at the educated youth settlement, apart from meals, they basically didn't communicate.
Even He He, who often skips work, was so tired that she didn't want to eat dinner and just wanted to lie down on the bed and sleep as soon as she got home.
After the rice transplanting was completed, it was early August. The weather was still hot and humid. After the rice harvested earlier was threshed, dried, and hulled, the team leader organized people to deliver this year's quota of grain to the commune for distribution. After delivering the quota, the surplus grain had to be sold to supply rice to the city. The remaining grain was used for planting and then distributed to the team members as rations.
The whole process takes about the same amount of time as the team members finishing transplanting rice seedlings. So, as is customary, the brigade organizes the team members to gather at the threshing ground after transplanting the rice seedlings each year to distribute this year's rations.
The educated youth always arrived last each year, as they did not want to clash with the local members of the brigade over the issue of grain distribution.
However, the brigade leader was a good person, and the land of the Qianjin Brigade was fertile and abundant. There were no major disasters or droughts, and the harvests were always plentiful. Every year, the educated youth's food rations were never deducted. So even when the educated youth were the last to receive their food rations, the amount of food they received was the same as the work points they earned.
At this time of year, the educated youth would go happily and return happily carrying grain on their backs.
This year is no different.
After receiving her own rations, He He dragged her rice and stood to the side, waiting for everyone else to receive theirs.
The girls were responsible for standing in place and watching over the grain. After the male educated youth in front received their grain, they would carry it back first, and then bring it back to carry the girls' grain.
After watching Chen Jingbai carry two bags of grain away, Zheng Xinxin stood next to He He and chatted about this and that: "The rainfall this year was just right, and there is more grain than last year. That's great. I hope the harvest in the second half of the year will be just as plentiful as this one."
Farmers rely on the weather for their livelihood. Good weather means a bumper harvest and no one goes hungry, so everyone looks forward to good weather.
Although He He had no shortage of food, she still sighed, "Yes, I hope so too."
Zheng Xinxin thought of Chen Jingbai who had just left, nudged He He, and asked, "What's going on between you and Chen Jingbai lately? Did you have a fight? I haven't seen you ask him for help. Now you always call Cheng Sulin."
She knew that He He would always give Chen Jingbai food whenever she asked for his help, so there was no question of her bullying him. But recently, seeing that He He and Chen Jingbai weren't as close, she couldn't help but worry that the two of them might have been arguing behind her back again.
After all, this has happened before.
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Author's Note: I really, really want to start a story called "The Abandoned Original Wife of a Historical Fiction Master," please, my little darlings, visit my author page and add it to your favorites to help me start writing it! [hugs][pleading][please][please]
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