Volume One, Chapter Nine: The Kingdom of Jiangjin Arrives

Why has Jiang Jinguo come here too? Shouldn't he still be detained at the Public Security Bureau? She slowly drew back the foot she had just stepped out, threw the hay to the ground, and decided to listen in on what he was saying.

"Don't you know your own status? You should be grateful just to have a place to stay!" It was the male educated youth who had brought him, snapping back loudly.

"I'm an educated youth too!"

"Tch—" The sound was dripping with sarcasm.

Jiang Jinguo, an educated youth now? Was there anyone left in Shanghai who would still be willing to help him? Or did someone see him as a promising bet and want to take a gamble?

"Either you stay here tonight, or you find your own place! There’s no room at the educated youth camp!"

Hearing this, Jiang Yingli stepped out. She had no intention of letting anyone take over her spot.

Jiang Jinguo caught sight of her emerging from the cowshed. Panic flickered in his eyes, then schadenfreude overtook him. So what if she’d come down to the countryside? She was staying in a cowshed just the same! Lucky he arrived just a bit later, otherwise he’d be the one enduring this.

The male educated youth quickly masked his earlier look of surprise, took two steps forward, and frowned at the cowshed.

He spoke to her with concern, “Comrade, you’re a new educated youth, right? Why are you staying here?”

“I prefer living alone. And him? Is he an educated youth too?”

The man glanced back at Jiang Jinguo, his disdain barely concealed. “You saw the papers a few days ago, right? That’s the adopted son of that Shanghai capitalist! Cold-hearted, ungrateful—stole family property, and just before sentencing, produced a document claiming he’d donated it. Who knows if it’s real.”

A document? It must be fake—the money was lying in her own space. But Jiang Jinguo had neither status nor money; who would risk issuing him such a document? Anyone implicated would doom their whole family! Either he was confident he wouldn’t be found out, or he didn’t care even if he was.

And if he’d already been bailed out, why not stay in the city and enjoy himself? Why come to this remote mountain place to suffer? And what a coincidence, to end up at her assignment.

This man was probably here for her!

Jiang Yingli lowered her head and smiled. “He really did raise an ingrate.”

Jiang Jinguo pointed at her and shouted, “Jiang Yingli! I watched you grow up, and this is how you slander me?”

The male educated youth’s eyes widened; he took two steps back, finally recognizing the woman at the center of the newspaper’s front-page photo—her figure was unmistakable.

A true daughter, upright and patriotic, donates money for the country only to find the family coffers empty; a fake young master, stealing from his own family… Good heavens! What a spectacle this was!

Jiang Yingli dusted the yellow clay from her hands. “Jiang Jinguo, I leave the house and you follow right after. Whoever’s behind you is truly skilled!”

The Jiang family had already been thoroughly investigated; who was still unwilling to let things rest? Could it be related to her grandfather’s charge of collusion?

Jiang Jinguo adjusted his glasses. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

“Whether you understand or not doesn’t matter. Just be careful not to reveal your tail and let me catch it,” Jiang Yingli replied, averting her gaze with impatience. She said to the male educated youth, “Comrade, this cowshed is my place. Please take him somewhere else.”

A cowshed worth fighting over? Jiang Jinguo let out a laugh. Jiang Yingli was only fit to live in a cowshed!

The male educated youth, disgusted by his attitude, replied, “Fine. Comrade Jiang, if you can’t stand it here, go back to the educated youth camp.”

Jiang Yingli didn’t mention that the female educated youths had brought her here. She nodded, watching the two leave.

Just before Jiang Jinguo left, he glanced back at her, eyes full of challenge. He could stay at the camp in dignity, while she had to fall asleep every night to the smell of cow dung! The reputation and status he’d lost—he’d make her pay back a hundredfold!

“This is where you’ll be staying,” the male educated youth said, pinching his nose and pointing to a small hut beside the public latrine in a muffled voice. Before Jiang Jinguo could react, he hurried away, feeling as if a weight had been lifted.

The stench from the latrine was overwhelming; yellow and white sludge oozed out, nearly reaching the hut.

“Ugh—” Jiang Jinguo recoiled with his belongings, frustration boiling within him. Why? Why? He was an educated youth too! Why couldn’t he stay at the camp? The Jiang family! Jiang Yingli! It was all their fault!

After a moment, the red haze in his eyes faded back to reason. That person had promised him: complete the mission, and he could start a new life in Hong Kong. This humiliation was nothing—he could endure it!

He closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and forced himself into the hut.

“Ugh—”

Back in the cowshed, breathing in the scent of flowers, Jiang Yingli sighed in appreciation. The system’s incense really was something special.

She had already cleaned the cowshed thoroughly. Now, there was a faint aroma of gardenia, subtle yet enough to overwhelm the powerful smell of cow dung. The floor was paved with stone slabs, so she didn’t have to worry about dampness when it rained.

Lacking a bed, she laid a thick layer of hay on the ground, used soft cotton as a sheet, and placed a kerosene lamp by her side. Lying on the rustling straw, she watched the golden glow of dusk spill in through the latticed walls, while the yellow cow lowed outside.

Peaceful, serene.

With a gentle smile, she closed her eyes, savoring the moment.

But before she could enjoy it for long, two voices drifted in.

“Captain, how should we arrange things for tomorrow?”

Zhou Mo?

Jiang Yingli turned over and sat up.

“Just as planned—the new male educated youth will follow Uncle Zhang, the female will go with Uncle Ding.”

“With Uncle Ding? Is that appropriate? She’s new—wait, why has all this hay been moved out?”

Hurried footsteps approached. Soon, a head poked in through the wall’s lattice.

Seeing Jiang Yingli, the intruder froze, then quickly drew back. “Ah! Sorry!”

“What’s wrong?” Yuan Yanzhou came in, his face darkening when he saw her inside, his tone harsh. “Why are you here?”

Jiang Yingli patted the dust from her clothes and stood up. “I like living alone—it’s quiet here.”

“No, you’re an educated youth—you should stay at the camp. This place isn’t safe.”

Was he worried about her safety, or just annoyed that she was occupying the cows’ feed storage?

She tilted her head. “Are there bad people in our brigade?”

“No, we have militia patrolling every night.”

Yuan Yanzhou shot a glare at the person who’d answered too quickly, then walked in. He only noticed the scent of flowers, which made his frown soften just a little. But when he saw her makeshift bed, his brow furrowed again. He rubbed his fingers together, then said to her,

“All right, if you prefer it here, stay. After the busy season, I’ll bring people to help you fix the place up.”

Jiang Yingli looked at him oddly. Was this man fighting with himself? One moment forbidding her, the next offering to repair the cowshed.

Under her gaze, he seemed a little uncomfortable. Yuan Yanzhou spoke in a low voice, “Fine, since you’re staying here, you’ll be in charge of the cows—just feed them hay every day.”

“Be at the drying field at seven tomorrow morning for the work assignment. Just go with the villager leading the cow.”

Jiang Yingli felt a twinge of resentment—how heartless! She’d just arrived, and he already wanted her to work.

After feeding the cows, Yuan Yanzhou left with his people.

Jiang Yingli went back inside and used bamboo fencing to make a simple door, blocking the entrance so people couldn’t come and go as they pleased.

“Captain Yuan, why are you back? Is there something wrong in the village?”