RYEY – Chapter 13 Frenzied Jealousy

“No!”

“What? How can your family not have any grain? I’m not asking for much, just give me ten or eight jin. I’ll use money and tickets to buy—no, to trade.”

It was only then that Xu Laidi noticed Chen Chunhua’s sudden change in behavior. She found it baffling. She hadn’t offended her, so what on earth had happened?

“How much money and how many tickets do you have?”

When Chen Chunhua heard that Xu Laidi would exchange with money and tickets, her heart stirred. She had been saving for who knows how long but had only managed to save up twenty cents—barely enough to buy a decent gift for that loafer of hers.

“I only want cornmeal. The grain station sells it for eight fen per jin, and of course, you need grain coupons. If you don’t want to use coupons, then I’ll give you twelve fen per jin.”

If Xu Laidi took the cornmeal Cheng Qiao had given her to the black market, she could sell it for eighteen fen per jin. At this time, cornmeal was considered fine grain.

“I don’t have cornmeal, only sorghum flour. With a ticket, it’s three fen per jin; without a ticket, five fen per jin. I can give you up to ten jin.”

“What? Sorghum flour is already three fen a jin without needing tickets!”

“Do you want it or not?”

“I want it, I want it! I’ll give you fifty cents.”

On the black market, sorghum flour cost six fen per jin. Buying from Chen Chunhua was much safer than going to the black market—and even cheaper by one fen per jin.

“Hand over the money.”

Chen Chunhua stretched out her hand. Xu Laidi quickly opened her handkerchief bundle and pulled out five ten-fen notes, passing them over along with her grain sack.

Chen Chunhua went into the kitchen, peeking around furtively. She hurriedly scooped out sorghum flour with a ladle—each scoop was about one jin. Though not precise, it was close enough.

She scooped ten ladlefuls into the bag, then carried it out. She tossed the bag to the ground and slammed the door shut. If not for Xu Laidi’s somewhat flat nose, she would’ve gotten hit right on the bridge.

“She’s crazy…”

Xu Laidi muttered under her breath, hoisted the grain sack, and dashed off toward the educated youth spot.

The next morning, the educated youths began chattering excitedly about going to the county to buy some meat to replenish themselves. After all, the autumn harvest was brutal, draining half a person’s life. Without proper nourishment, their bodies wouldn’t hold up.

“Who has meat coupons? I’ll pay cash!”

Zhang Yuefang was the first to shout. Xiao Fang immediately raised her hand—she still had a half-jin meat coupon. Cheng Qiao also raised hers; she had just gotten a one-jin meat coupon back from Xu Laidi.

Han Chunmei looked embarrassed. She had no money and no meat coupons. Xiao Qin smiled and looped her arm through Han Chunmei’s. “Sister Chunmei, you can just pay us back after the harvest with either money or grain.”

Han Chunmei looked at the others. Aside from Xu Laidi, everyone nodded with a smile. Her heart warmed. Ever since Cheng Qiao had taken charge, their girls’ dormitory had become more united.

The boys’ dormitory was the same. Jiang Guangrong handed over his last yuan to Qian Longkun—they also planned to buy some meat. But Chai Jianmin looked awkward. He had neither money nor coupons.

“And you? Want some meat?”

Qian Longkun nudged Zhao Xiaobao, who was still dozing at the edge of the kang. He was Qian Longkun’s childhood neighbor and had come down to the countryside with him. His family situation was similar too.

“Sure. The money and tickets are in my cabinet. Just take them. I’m not going. Let me sleep a bit longer.”

Zhao Xiaobao removed the key from around his neck and handed it to Qian Longkun before dozing off again. Qian Longkun shook his head. He was about to hang the key back on Zhao Xiaobao’s neck, but when he saw the way Chai Jianmin was staring at it, he became alert.

Instead, he hung Zhao Xiaobao’s key on his own neck, checked once more, then pulled Jiang Guangrong out of the dorm. They met up with the girls and walked together toward the village entrance.

The ox cart at the entrance was nearly full. When Auntie Wang spotted Cheng Qiao, she quickly patted the empty space beside her. “Cheng Qiao, sit here! I saved this spot for you.”

Cheng Qiao rushed over, hopped onto the cart, and affectionately hooked her arm through Auntie Wang’s. A hard-boiled egg slipped silently into Auntie Wang’s palm.

Feeling the warmth in her hand, Auntie Wang’s face bloomed with smiles. She knew it—helping Cheng Qiao with little things always came with benefits. Look, hadn’t an egg appeared? She’d take it home for her husband.

Once the cart was packed, Uncle Niu cracked his whip against the ground. The big yellow ox slowly began to move forward. The educated youths could only look enviously at Cheng Qiao while following on foot.

From Xiangyang Village to the county, fast walkers could make it in an hour. Qian Longkun pulled Jiang Guangrong to quicken their pace, soon vanishing from sight.

The girls exchanged looks and also sped up, quickly surpassing the cart. Within the time it took to drink a cup of tea, they too were out of sight.

The aunties on the ox cart shook their heads. “Such a long road, and they’re walking that fast. They’ll suffer when they come back.”

The cart wobbled along. As it reached the border with Xiangqian Village, another ox cart appeared. The two drivers greeted each other, and Uncle Niu’s cart went on ahead.

Just as the Xiangqian cart was catching up, Chen Chunhua—who had always been jealous of Cheng Qiao’s beauty—suddenly shoved her. Cheng Qiao, unprepared, fell straight off the cart.

“Ah—!”

She hadn’t expected to be pushed. By the time she reacted, she was already on the ground. Her forehead slammed into a stone, and blood gushed out instantly.

The driver of the cart behind, seeing someone fall, quickly yanked on the reins. Thankfully, the old ox was docile—when it saw someone on the ground, it stopped, avoiding trampling her underfoot.

“Cheng Qiao—!”

Auntie Wang’s heart lurched. She jumped off the cart to help, but someone beat her to it—rushing forward to scoop Cheng Qiao into his arms.

Everyone looked carefully. It was the loafer! They all felt anxious for Cheng Qiao. A decent girl being carried by that kind of man—how could that end well?

Chen Chunhua saw him holding Cheng Qiao and was so furious her chest heaved. She was about to curse, but when she met his fierce gaze, she shrank back.

The loafer had borrowed a bicycle from a friend in the county the day before. He had planned to give Cheng Qiao a ride to surprise her, but when he arrived, she had already left on the cart.

He could only follow behind quietly, planning to surprise her in town. But he ended up witnessing everything—he clearly saw Chen Chunhua push Cheng Qiao off the cart.

“It was this woman who pushed that educated youth girl! She wanted the ox to trample her to death—that’s attempted murder!”

“Yes, I saw it too. Report it to the Public Security Bureau!”

“That’s right, we all saw it! Everyone off the cart—we’re going to report this right now!”

“No, first get her to the hospital. Look at all the blood on the poor girl’s face!”

The Xiangqian Village cart also had educated youths on it. They had witnessed the scene as well and were filled with righteous anger. The villagers often bullied the educated youths, but this time, they had been caught red-handed.