RKCFE -Chapter 2 Clearing Her Name

What she said was the truth.

Back then, because of Luo Yecheng, she and Jiang Xiaowan had argued by the riverside. The shouting escalated into pushing and shoving, and in the end, she stepped on a slippery rock and accidentally fell into the water.

Her voice was weak as she said, “Who’s been spreading all these rumors? The spot where I fell should still show what happened. The traces left by someone slipping into the water are completely different from someone deliberately jumping in.”

The aunties riding on the ox cart immediately widened their eyes.

“I remember Jiang Xiaowan was the one who ran to call for help. The first person to rush over was Old Madam Niu, wasn’t it? She was also the one yelling that Comrade Song had jumped into the river for Comrade Luo. That’s why everyone believed it.”

Liu Guifen immediately retorted, “Bullshit! My mother-in-law never said that!”

Old Madam Niu was the elderly woman who had clashed with the original Song Wei not long after she arrived in the countryside.

Liu Guifen was her daughter-in-law.

Song Wei sneered inwardly.

Looks like Granny Niu is still holding a grudge over what happened before. She’s deliberately slandering me just to ruin my reputation.

Everyone: “…”

Considering how she’d chased after Comrade Luo before, what reputation did she still have?

Song Wei forced a bitter smile.

“There was a reason I kept chasing after Comrade Luo.”

The people on the ox cart immediately perked up, ears practically standing on end.

Looking indignant, she said, “Comrade Luo and I grew up in the same courtyard. His family was much poorer than mine. Before he came to the countryside, he asked me for a lot of ration coupons, saying he’d treat me well in the future. Later, he kept writing letters saying how difficult life was here, so I mailed him more coupons and money over time. Tell me, after investing so many coupons in him, if I didn’t keep chasing after him, how was I ever supposed to get them back?”

Everyone’s eyes nearly popped out.

They never expected there to be such a story behind it.

Putting on a heartbroken expression, Song Wei continued, “If he didn’t like me, why did he take my money and coupons? There was even a bicycle coupon among them.”

“Hiss…”

In those days, ration coupons were precious, and a bicycle coupon was even more valuable.

In the entire county, you could count the people who owned one on one hand.

Most villagers had never even seen one.

In Ping’an Production Brigade, only the brigade leader’s family owned a bicycle, and even that one was second-hand.

“How could Comrade Luo do something like that?”

If it had been them, they’d be heartbroken too.

Their hearts ached just thinking about it.

And this girl was far too gullible.

She actually gave away a bicycle coupon just because he asked.

Li Juan’s mouth hung open.

“Comrade Luo… that’s… that’s way too much!”

Liu Guifen said sarcastically, “Who knows if what you’re saying is true? I don’t think Comrade Luo is that kind of person.”

It wasn’t that she particularly liked Luo Yecheng.

She simply couldn’t stand seeing Song Wei having an easy time.

The corners of Song Wei’s lips curled upward.

“Of course I have proof. He mentioned it in the letters he wrote me. As for the bicycle coupon, he even wrote me an IOU when he borrowed it.”

According to the original owner’s memories, when Luo Yecheng learned that her family had a bicycle coupon, he had sweet-talked her into lending it to him—and had even voluntarily written an IOU to reassure her.

The village aunties were experts when it came to gossip.

What she had said on the ox cart would spread throughout the village in no time.

Then, when she stopped chasing Luo Yecheng—or even openly turned against him—she would have a perfectly reasonable explanation.

The gossip-loving aunties had just been served an enormous piece of juicy gossip, and they immediately launched into animated discussion.

Meanwhile, Song Wei’s image in their hearts transformed completely.

She was no longer the silly girl who had supposedly tried to kill herself for love.

Now she was the pitiful victim.

Well… still a bit foolish.

After all, only a fool would hand over so many ration coupons—including a bicycle coupon!

Good heavens, most of them had never even seen what a bicycle coupon looked like.

The journey was fairly long.

Since Song Wei herself was present, the women felt awkward gossiping too much about her, so they soon changed the subject and began chatting about other village scandals instead.

The road was rough, and the ox cart bounced so violently that Song Wei felt like her backside was about to split apart.

Even so, after enjoying an entire trip’s worth of village gossip, she was thoroughly satisfied.

She absolutely loved this simple, down-to-earth atmosphere.

No schemes.

No life-and-death struggles.

She even slipped seamlessly into the aunties’ gossip circle, occasionally chiming in at just the right moment, encouraging them to chat even more enthusiastically.

Li Juan stared blankly at Song Wei.

Despite her pale, delicate appearance, Song Wei had somehow blended right into the group of village women.

Someone had even stuffed a handful of pumpkin seeds into her hands, and she was happily cracking them open while gossiping away.

…How was this the same Song Wei as before?

By the time the ox cart returned to the village, the aunties still hadn’t had enough.

Neither had Song Wei.

She grabbed Aunt Ma’s hand, her eyes sparkling.

“Aunties, I only just realized how well we get along! Next time you have a chat, you absolutely have to invite me!”

Aunt Ma’s heart softened at the sight.

“Don’t worry, girl. You’ve suffered enough. If you run into any trouble, come find Auntie. Leave those nasty rumors about you and Comrade Luo to me. I’ll make sure everyone knows exactly what really happened.”

Song Wei looked at her gratefully.

“Auntie, you’re practically my own aunt.”

Reluctantly watching the women leave, Song Wei turned and headed toward the educated youth residence with Li Juan, feeling much lighter.

Li Juan was still in a daze.

“Song Wei… how did you do that?”

The villagers were actually rather wary of outsiders.

To them, these sent-down educated youths were useless city people who couldn’t even support themselves.

Especially someone like Song Wei.

She looked frail and sickly.

No matter how pretty she was, the village aunties, uncles, and elders didn’t think much of her.

The educated youths, on the other hand, also tended to look down on country people because they came from the cities.

As a result, neither side thought much of the other.

Today’s events had truly opened Li Juan’s eyes.

Song Wei raised an eyebrow.

“We just kept chatting. Before long, everything clicked.”

After all…

Who didn’t enjoy a little gossip?

Most of the educated youths were still out working in the fields at this hour.

Only one remained behind at the residence to cook for everyone.

Seeing them return, the female educated youth looked surprised.

“Well, well. Song Wei, you’re finally back.”

Her tone dripped with sarcasm, and the gleam of schadenfreude in her eyes made it clear she wasn’t offering a sincere welcome.

Song Wei couldn’t be bothered with her.

Following the original owner’s memories, she returned to her room.

The educated youth residence consisted of adobe houses.

They had originally been the servants’ quarters of a former landlord—a row of connected mud-brick rooms.

Each room was tiny, only about seventeen square metres.

And the village didn’t provide them for free.

Anyone who wanted a private room had to pay ten yuan in rent.

Once paid, they could live there indefinitely.

Those unwilling to pay had to sleep in the communal dormitory.

Song Wei had her own little room.

She was quite satisfied with that.

Even if the original owner hadn’t had one, she would have found a way to earn enough money to get a private room herself.

After opening the door, Song Wei headed straight for the bundle beside the bed where her money was kept.

From the stack of loose bills, she took out one yuan and twenty cents, tucked the rest back away, and left the room.

“Thank you, Comrade Li. This is the money I owe you. The extra twenty cents is to thank you for taking care of me.”

Holding the 1.20 yuan she had received, Li Juan’s face lit up with delight.

“W-Well… we’re all educated youths. Helping each other is only natural. You should keep it.”

Song Wei shook her head.

“Nothing is simply ‘as it should be.'”

She would never take someone else’s kindness for granted.