Chapter 156: Is Your Bottom Bigger, or Is Your Face?

"No rush, there's still time. Let me think about it," she sighed.

She really couldn't bear to leave this fellow behind.

After playing with Gray for a while in the mountains, Lin Jingyue carried her basket down, the wild rabbit hidden among the pigweed. She also took half a chicken out of her spatial storage.

Passing by the cowshed, she saw the old man cleaning it. She walked over without a word, placed the half chicken on a nearby rock, and turned to leave. Old Man Huang looked at the meat on the rock and smiled at Old Man Lu, who had just stepped out of the hut. Neither man spoke. Ever since that wolf had taken up residence in the cowshed, Lin Jingyue would occasionally leave them things. Not much—sometimes two catties of coarse grain, sometimes ordinary medicine—but this was the first time she had brought meat.

After Lin Jingyue finished her work tasks and was on her way back to the educated youth dormitory, she ran into Li Cuihua. The path was narrow, and Li Cuihua spotted her immediately; her expression shifted instantly. She hated Lin Jingyue, but knowing she was no match for her—having been put in her place a few times already—she swallowed her resentment and stepped aside to let her pass.

Lin Jingyue had no desire to speak to her either. She gave her a cool, indifferent glance and kept walking. Feeling the glare of hatred on her back, she rolled her eyes. Suddenly, she turned around, catching Li Cuihua off guard and flashing a wicked smile that made the other woman jump.

"!!"

Honestly, the moment she turned around, Li Cuihua felt as if her breath had hitched; she had the illusion of facing a formidable enemy. By the time Li Cuihua recovered, Lin Jingyue had already entered the dormitory. She clenched her fists tightly, cursing Lin Jingyue several times in her heart.

Inside the dormitory, Lin Jingyue saw Zhao Hua in the yard and raised an eyebrow. As expected, people would do anything for the sake of their future. Zhao Hua noticed her gaze and felt a bit uneasy, but seeing Lin Jingyue turn and walk into her room, his feelings were complicated.

The next day, Zhao Hua moved out. When the others found out, they all curled their lips in disdain.

"Spineless thing," Chen Chunlan remarked with a scoff.

"He's going to be the production team leader's son-in-law, so be careful what you say," Xie Wenjuan sighed. Ever since both of their men had left, their relationship had grown closer.

"To think he’d settle for someone like Li Cuihua just for a teaching position," Chen Chunlan remained unimpressed. Aside from Lin Xinsou, Li Cuihua had the worst reputation among the girls. She was a divorcee, a "second-hand good," yet Zhao Hua was willing to take her.

After Li Cuihua suddenly married Zhao Hua, people in the production team made jokes behind their backs. The girls whispered sourly, calling Li Cuihua a "second-hand good" and secretly labeling her a "damaged shoe." Some of the young men teased Zhao Hua about becoming the son-in-law of the team leader. In short, the production team had a new topic of gossip.

After Zhao Hua moved out, the dormitory felt even emptier. There were only three men left—Jiang Xun, Zhou Yan, and Yang Ming—with the rest being women. But it didn't change much; everyone just went on with their lives.

...

On this day off, the production team's ox cart was heading into town. Having received news that Zhou Mingxue was pregnant, Lin Jingyue decided to go visit her.

"Jingyue, let's go together." Feng Wanjia and Zhang Shuting had changed into their outfits—corduroy jackets paired with blouses, black trousers, and leather shoes. They were the most fashionable people in the entire production team. Lin Jingyue was wearing a knit cardigan over a blouse, also with black trousers and leather shoes.

"Jingyue, could you bring me half a catty of brown sugar? Here is the sugar coupon and the money. Sorry for the trouble," Xia Nan said, rushing out when she heard Lin Jingyue was going to town, though she wasn't going herself.

"Sure." Lin Jingyue never refused these kinds of requests to bring things for others. Of course, it depended on who asked. For instance, when Chen Chunlan appeared, Lin Jingyue didn't wait for her to speak; she grabbed Feng Wanjia and the other girl and slipped away in a flash.

"..." Truly lacking in morals. Chen Chunlan rolled her eyes and turned to Xie Wenjuan. "I'm going to town, too. Are you coming?"

"No, I don't need to buy anything." Her life was tight, and she tried not to spend money if she didn't have to.

"Alright, I'm off then."

At the village entrance, three or four older women were already sitting on the ox cart. "Auntie Hua, Auntie Liu, you're heading to town too!" Lin Jingyue waved with a grin.

When Auntie Hua saw her, her eyes nearly popped out of her head. She urged Old Man Li, "Hurry up and go! Don't let her on the cart!" After riding with this girl so many times, she felt like she was going to have a short life.

"Auntie Hua, not everyone is here yet. Why the rush?" Lin Jingyue climbed onto the cart and sat down. She didn't want to take the ox cart either, but Xie Yunzheng had ridden off with her bicycle. Feng Wanjia and Zhang Shuting were quick to follow, grabbing spots just like her.

The older women who were a few steps behind: "..."

"Educated Youth Lin, we have old bones and limbs. How about giving up a seat?" one woman asked, her eyes darting around.

"Can't do it. I'm pampered and can't walk," Lin Jingyue said, her eyes crinkling. "Sisters-in-law, there's still room for someone with a small behind. Who's coming up?"

Chen Cuicui, the production team leader's daughter-in-law, swung herself up. "I'll go, I have a small behind."

Great, the ox cart was now full. The woman who had spoken earlier put her hands on her hips. "You two little hussies, who are you calling big-bottomed?!"

"No, no, no, nobody said anything. Auntie, your bottom isn't big..." Lin Jingyue paused with a mischievous smile, "...it's your face that's big!"

"Lin Jingyue! You little hussy!" The woman was furious, hands on her hips. If the cart hadn't started moving, she would have lunged at Lin Jingyue to scold her to death.

The other older women on the cart twitched their mouths as they watched the smiling Lin Jingyue. Auntie Liu pulled Auntie Hua aside, signaling her to drop the sour expression, and whispered in her ear, "That educated youth is just rude and immoral. Why provoke her?"

Auntie Hua replied, "I'm just so angry that Lin Xinjian snatched my Er-ya away!"

"Then you can't take it out on her. She and Lin Xinjian don't get along either. If you take it out on her and get beaten up, I won't be able to help you." Her own son was working under Jiang Xun; she wasn't crazy.

Lin Jingyue looked speechless. "Aunties, my ears aren't deaf."

The two women looked like they’d been caught red-handed and immediately sat up straight.

"..."

"Pfft." Feng Wanjia and Zhang Shuting couldn't help but burst into laughter. As expected, Lin Jingyue was the stabilizing force of the educated youth dormitory.

The ox cart was very quiet with Lin Jingyue present. Old Man Li was used to it; as long as they didn't fall into a ditch, it was fine.

Once in town, Lin Jingyue waved goodbye and went her own way, not sticking with Feng Wanjia and the others. She first went to the supply and marketing cooperative to buy brown sugar for Xia Nan and another catty for herself. She already had rice crackers and pastries in her space, so she didn't need to buy those. With the sugar, some pastries, and crackers in hand, she was set.

She headed to the post office first. Sure enough, Zhou Mingxue was working. "I bought some things for you. How is the baby doing?"