A group of educated youths entered the house. After taking a quick look around, they began pulling their friends along to pick beds.
“Chunwen, how about we take the beds by the window?”
Liu Chunwen observed the area. The light by the window was good—it was bright, but the sunlight didn’t directly hit it.
She smiled and agreed happily.
“Sure! Let’s take these two beds then!”
Beside them, Tao Xinyue lifted her chin and rolled her eyes dramatically.
She tugged at the bundle in her hands and flung her packed quilt right onto the two beds Liu Chunwen and her friend had chosen.
“Oh, sorry about that,” she said, her tone anything but apologetic.
Liu Chunwen gave an awkward smile. “It’s okay, just move your things back.”
But Tao Xinyue didn’t move at all. She walked leisurely to the beds, and instead of picking up her quilt, she started placing her belongings—clothes and such—neatly by the bedhead.
Chen Pingping hesitated for a moment, but eventually spoke up.
“Comrade, what are you doing?”
Tao Xinyue looked at her, then down at the bed. “Can’t you see? I’m folding my quilt.”
But it was obvious to the other two that she was doing no such thing.
“Comrade Xinyue,” Chen Pingping said patiently, “could you hurry up a little? We still need to arrange the beds.”
Tao Xinyue threw the quilt down and straightened up, her eyes full of provocation and hostility—like a rooster about to fight.
Her tone suddenly rose. “Who are you ordering around?”
The other female youths in the room froze, turning their gazes toward the three of them.
“I’m telling you, I chose this bed first. What—are you trying to take it by force now?”
Chen Pingping hurriedly explained, “Comrade Xinyue, that’s not what we mean. We saw these beds first.”
Tao Xinyue let out a cold laugh. “Oh yeah? Did you put your quilts on them first?”
Liu Chunwen and Chen Pingping’s expressions darkened. They looked at each other and both shook their heads. “No.”
Tao Xinyue folded her arms, a smug smile curling at her lips.
“Hmph. Just because you stood next to the beds doesn’t mean they’re yours! A dog marking everywhere doesn’t mean all the land belongs to it, right?”
Liu Chunwen couldn’t hold back anymore. Her eyes reddened slightly.
“Comrade, please don’t speak so harshly! Everyone picks their beds freely—we’re not thieves trying to snatch someone else’s spot.”
Seeing her friend speak up, Chen Pingping added, “We chose those two beds first, and you came over afterward to take them on purpose.”
While she spoke, Tao Xinyue shook her head dismissively, clearly not taking her seriously.
“Oh really? Then did anyone else see it?”
Liu Chunwen and Chen Pingping looked around the room, hoping someone would back them up.
But everyone stayed silent.
Chen Pingping couldn’t believe it. “Didn’t anyone see?”
Jin Huiyun, a girl who had come with Tao Xinyue from Haishi, spread her hands innocently. “We didn’t see anything.”
Liu Chunwen turned to everyone. “Really? None of you saw?”
Tao Xinyue toyed with her fingernails. “Stop making excuses. No one saw, so just admit you were wrong. Otherwise, be careful not to go astray!”
A few of the slightly older educated youths stepped forward and said,
“It’s just a bed. Why make such a fuss? There are plenty of others.”
“Yeah, you two shouldn’t gang up on one person either.”
Chen Pingping quickly protested, “We didn’t!”
But Liu Chunwen nudged her with her elbow. “Enough. We understand. It won’t happen again.”
“That’s better,” one of the older girls said. “We all came here answering the country’s call—let’s put our energy into our work instead of quarreling over trivial things.”
The two girls nodded heavily, showing they’d learned their lesson.
After that, Chen Pingping and Liu Chunwen deflated like eggplants hit by frost.
They couldn’t do anything else—when the others first entered, everyone’s attention had been scattered, either unpacking their luggage or chatting with friends.
No one had really noticed what had happened at the beds.
So the two could only swallow the unfairness quietly.
In their hearts, though, they made a note: Stay far away from Tao Xinyue.
Who knew when she might pull another dirty trick?
A little later, the village women’s director came by to check on the female educated youths.
With a kind smile, the director asked, “How are things? Is everything alright? If you’re short of anything, just tell us—we’ll try our best to help.”
The girls blushed, rubbing their hands nervously against their knees.
“Thank you, Director. We’re fine for now. Everyone brought what they need.”
“Good. Then you should all write a letter home to let your families know you’re safe.”
“Director, can we send it out tomorrow?” a few younger girls asked eagerly—they didn’t look very old, and it was clear they already missed home.
“Of course,” the director said. “Once you’ve written them, hand them over to… hmm…”
She paused, muttering, “Who should collect them?”
Just then, a cheerful voice spoke up. “Director, why don’t I collect them?”
It was Qi Mengning, introducing herself confidently. The women’s director found her dependable and nodded.
“Alright then, everyone give your letters to Comrade Mengning. Any objections?”
“No!” everyone answered in unison.
After the lively chatter settled down, the room grew quiet again.
The dark ink of night spread across the sky.
Su Jin sat outside, absentmindedly counting the stars.
What’s going on?
She clenched her fists and lightly hit her thighs.
That damn man—he’s still not home this late!
She cursed him again silently.
Creak—the wooden gate of the courtyard opened.
Su Jin shot up with a “whoosh,” a big smile spreading across her face.
But then she stopped herself.
No way. Where has that dog of a man been?
They had only been married a few days, and he was already acting like this? What would it be like in the future?
She sat back down, humming a little tune, pretending to be calm and carefree.
Jiang Heng came in, washing his hands. “Have you eaten?”
That only made Su Jin angrier. He sounded just as indifferent as ever, showing no sign of concern or affection.
“Yeah,” she replied curtly.
“Then why aren’t you asleep? It’s late.”
Su Jin pouted a little. “I was waiting for you to come back.”
Jiang Heng’s expression stayed serious. “That won’t do. From now on, go to bed on time.”
Su Jin walked up to him and said playfully, “No way. I can’t sleep unless you hold me.”
Jiang Heng looked at her for a moment, then gently pushed her hands away from his chest. “Nonsense. Go to bed.”
Su Jin stuck out her chin. “Fine, I’ll go.”
That night, after Jiang Heng washed up and got into bed, he found his wife curled up in a corner, sound asleep.
Her sleeping posture was all over the place—her quilt kicked aside, her clothes rolled up, belly half exposed.
He gently patted her, but she didn’t respond.
When he tried to pull the quilt over her so she wouldn’t catch a cold, she instinctively rolled away.
“Mm~ don’t touch me,” she mumbled in her sleep, smacking her lips as if in a dream.
That night, Jiang Heng felt an inexplicable emptiness in his arms.
He couldn’t sleep soundly at all.
