Chapter 132: If This Doesn’t Count as Getting Tripped Up in the Gutter

Zhou Yan stepped out upon hearing the commotion. "I'll go with you to pick them up."

"Alright," Lin Jingyue replied, not refusing.

Just as the two were about to set off, Xie Wenjuan returned, looking utterly devastated. Her face was deathly pale.

"Didn't someone call her to the phone earlier? Something must have happened," Zhou Yan remarked.

Everyone was well aware of the situation between Xie Wenjuan and Luo Jianhua. The fact that Luo Jianhua, who had gone home for the Lunar New Year, still hadn't returned was proof enough of the trouble. Today's call must have been from him.

"Forget it, it's none of our business," Lin Jingyue said, looking away. Neither of them was the type to meddle in others' affairs.

They planned to use the brigade's ox cart, intending to offer some candy or similar items as a small token, since the packages wouldn't fit on their bicycles. Uncle Li, the driver, felt uneasy the moment he saw Lin Jingyue. This girl always managed to do things that left people completely dumbfounded, and he just wanted a peaceful day.

He gave his son a look, signaling him to go instead.

Li Tongchui felt a chill. He was even more afraid of Lin Jingyue! The hoodlums he used to hang out with were either in jail or being strictly disciplined at home; he hadn't dared to stir up trouble for a long time.

"Tongchui, take the ox cart and drive the educated youths there," Uncle Li commanded with a glare at his son.

The matter was settled just like that. Li Tongchui headed out, feeling like crying—no, wait, he was just driving the cart.

On the way, Lin Jingyue’s eyes, the only part of her face visible, crinkled into crescents. "Li Tongchui, are you afraid of me?" She looked at me like a mouse seeing a cat.

"I... I am not afraid!" Li Tongchui took a deep breath, his voice raised significantly.

"If you aren't afraid, why are you shouting so loudly?"

"I... I was afraid you wouldn't hear me."

"Are you saying I'm deaf?"

"That's not what I meant!" Li Tongchui panicked, and his voice grew even louder. Oh heavens, would this terrifying woman crack his skull open halfway through the trip? Li Tongchui shivered, and in his nervousness, he accidentally steered the ox cart off course.

"What the—!" Lin Jingyue cried out in alarm. Seeing the ditch beside them, she jumped off immediately, and Zhou Yan was just as quick. Only Li Tongchui went tumbling into the ditch along with the ox cart.

However, Lin Jingyue and Zhou Yan didn't fare much better. They had misjudged the situation; the snow where they landed was incredibly deep. Lin Jingyue was buried instantly, her head completely out of sight.

"Damn it, Lin Jingyue!" Zhou Yan, whose head was still visible, felt his mind race through every possible torture method as he saw her submerged in the snow. He even imagined the different ways he might have died.

Li Tongchui climbed out of the ditch, grimacing, and looked over when he heard Zhou Yan's voice. Not seeing Lin Jingyue, he felt a brief moment of anxiety, but then he saw the ox struggling... He decisively went to tend to the animal. People say the wicked live for a thousand years; Lin Jingyue was so terrifying that surely even heaven wouldn't dare take her.

Lin Jingyue was unaware of their thoughts. She was busy digging in the snow, and after a long while, she finally spat out the snow from her mouth. Her scarf had been blown away the moment she jumped.

"Lin Jingyue..."

"I'm fine, stop howling," Lin Jingyue said, still buried in the snow.

Hearing her voice, Zhou Yan let out a sigh of relief and began the arduous task of digging through the snow to rescue her.

"Ah!"

"What is it? What's wrong?" Hearing her sudden scream, Zhou Yan was startled again.

"A... a hibernating snake!" Lin Jingyue stared at the creature in her hand, goosebumps erupting all over her body. Honestly, if this didn't count as capsizing in a gutter or bringing it upon herself, what did? Suppressing her fear, she shoved the snake back into the snow and continued digging in the other direction.

With a Herculean effort, Zhou Yan finally pulled her out. Lin Jingyue was covered in snow, much of which had fallen down her collar, and she was frozen to the bone. She stood by the roadside, shivering the snow off with a look of misery.

Catching a gaze, she looked up and locked eyes with Li Tongchui. Li Tongchui looked as if he were about to beg for mercy.

Lin Jingyue said curtly, "Wait for me to catch my breath, then help me get the cart back up."

Huh? Li Tongchui thought he had misheard.

Lin Jingyue ignored him, rubbing her hands vigorously and stomping her feet until she felt a bit warmer. She retrieved her scarf and took a sip of water from her canteen.

Zhou Yan and Li Tongchui had already straightened the ox cart, but the ditch was deep, and getting it out would be a struggle. Lin Jingyue put on her scarf and jumped down. "Move aside."

The two men stepped back silently. Then, they watched as she reached out and—literally—hoisted the ox cart up, flipping it right back onto the road.

"!!" It was solid wood. They knew she was strong, but they hadn't realized she was *that* strong. Zhou Yan’s mouth twitched, and he hurried to help; while she was strong, letting her handle the cart alone... Li Tongchui joined in as well.

The three of them pulled the cart up, and the old ox stood to the side, snorting. Lin Jingyue couldn't help but feel that the ox was looking at her with disdain.

"Let's go," she said, sitting on the cart and tucking her hands into her sleeves.

Zhou Yan, seeing her look of utter defeat and recalling the scene from moments ago, couldn't help but laugh. Li Tongchui glanced at Lin Jingyue and continued driving.

"Laugh if you want," Lin Jingyue rolled her eyes.

Almost as soon as the words left her mouth, Li Tongchui burst into gleeful laughter. "Hahaha..."

Zhou Yan had been trying to hold it back, but he was set off by Li Tongchui's foolishness. "Hahaha..."

Lin Jingyue was furious, but she didn't know what to say. "Freeze to death, then," she huffed, pulling her scarf tighter. She didn't say another word for the rest of the journey.

When they arrived in town, she checked, but Elder Huo hadn't returned, and Song Shiwen was nowhere to be seen either. She picked up her packages from the post office, promised Zhou Mingxue she would come over for dinner next time, and headed back.

The return trip was smooth. When they reached the educated youth dormitory, Li Tongchui helped carry the items inside before preparing to leave. Lin Jingyue handed him half a jin of brown sugar. "Half for the brigade, half for you."

In this freezing weather, she had to pay the man for his labor. Half a jin of brown sugar was a rare commodity—not only was it expensive, but it was hard to find even with ration coupons.

Li Tongchui broke into a beaming smile. "Thank you! Educated Youth Lin, call me if you need anything else next time."

Sun Jiabao, who was walking over with a bag of frozen pears, heard this and immediately shot Li Tongchui a glare, his face twisted in annoyance.