RYEY – Chapter 44 Acting Like a Rogue

“I’ll give you the same bride price that Erlizi gave to Comrade Cheng, not a penny less—you won’t suffer a loss.”

Xu Laidi’s eyes lit up. If that was true, she’d get two hundred yuan, plus rice, pork, and fabric. Most importantly, she’d also have a bicycle. Once she received the bride price, the first thing she’d do was eat a big meat meal.

“Laidi, can you tell me what’s going on between you and that educated youth, Chai Jianmin, from your educated youth spot?”

Xu Laidi, who had just been lost in her daydreams, was caught off guard by Chen Dazhu’s question. What was going on? They were just dating. But compared to Chen Dazhu, Chai Jianmin was clearly not as generous. So how was she supposed to answer?

“Laidi, I like you. Can I hug you again?”

Chen Dazhu didn’t really care for her answer. Instead, he suddenly pulled Xu Laidi tightly into his arms. Feeling the changes in his body, his eyes narrowed.

Xu Laidi guessed his intentions and grew anxious. She hadn’t gotten the bride price yet—how could she let him take advantage of her now?

She began to struggle, but the more she resisted, the hotter Chen Dazhu’s desire burned. In the push and pull, his rough hands slipped inside.

When he felt the softness in his palm, his breathing grew heavier. A frightening thought sprouted in his mind—why not just do it here, right now?

“Chen Dazhu, let go of me! You’re acting like a hooligan! If you don’t stop, I’ll go report you to the Public Security Bureau. Then you’ll be charged with the crime of hooliganism, and they’ll give you a bullet in the head…”

Xu Laidi, her body already burning from his touch, blurted out the words in panic. The moment Chen Dazhu heard this, his lust instantly died down.

He released Xu Laidi, his eyes turning sinister as he looked at her, but a faint smile tugged at the corners of his mouth. When Xu Laidi no longer dared to meet his gaze, he turned and walked out of the small grove.

He was going to find Li Huan to learn from him. Why was it that Li Huan, with such a bad reputation, could marry such a beautiful woman—one who even listened to him so obediently—while for himself it was so difficult?

When Li Huan saw Chen Dazhu enter, his brows furrowed slightly. What was this guy here for? But Chen Dazhu didn’t hide anything and directly asked his question.

“What’s the rush? First set up a home, otherwise who would marry you? As for that Xu Laidi, after the autumn harvest when there’s no food, she’ll naturally come looking for you. Don’t be stupid enough to keep sending her grain.”

Chen Dazhu froze for a moment. Could it be that giving grain was the wrong move? But he understood Li Huan’s point—don’t release the hawk before you see the rabbit. Fine, let’s see who gives in first.

Soon came the day to hand over the public grain. Before dawn fully broke, the entire village—old and young, men and women—were already pushing carts, driving ox-carts, or carrying loads on shoulder poles, all heading toward the county.

Li Huan rode a bicycle, taking Cheng Qiao along, arriving in the county ahead of the others. When Cheng Qiao saw Li Huan quietly slip a pack of cigarettes into the pocket of the man in charge at the grain station, she finally understood why Xiangyang Village had never once been given a hard time during public grain delivery.

“Comrade Cheng, are you Comrade Cheng?”

A female educated youth ran over. Cheng Qiao turned her head and, recognizing her, smiled—it was Qian Longxin, Qian Longkun’s younger sister. Back then, she had been the one leading the group to catch Chen Chunhua, insisting on sending her to the Public Security Bureau.

“I’m Cheng Qiao. Hello. I never got the chance to thank you for last time.”

“No need, no need. How are you doing now?”

Seeing that the large bandage was gone, but a small one still covered Cheng Qiao’s forehead, Qian Longxin couldn’t help but ask.

“Four stitches. The doctor said it left a scar, but once it heals completely, I’ll just grow out my bangs to cover it.”

“Escaping death means good fortune to come. Don’t worry.”

Qian Longxin didn’t know what else to say, so she leaned closer and whispered this slightly superstitious comfort in Cheng Qiao’s ear.

“Thank you. Here, this is for you—it’s a little thank-you gift I prepared.”

Cheng Qiao pulled out a bar of soap, two laundry soaps, and a bag of soft candy from her cloth bag. They might look small and cheap, but with the shortage of tickets and money, such things weren’t easy to buy even if you had one but not the other.

“Oh wow, Cheng Qiao, how did you know I needed these? I was just thinking of asking my brother for ration tickets, and here you are giving me this. How much? I’ll pay you. But I don’t have any tickets.”

Looking at this chirpy, straightforward girl, Cheng Qiao felt a warm fondness in her heart. After all, she too was just a girl—someone who needed friendship, love, and family affection.

“No money, no tickets. I’m eighteen by nominal age this year, and by next March, I’ll really be eighteen. What about you?”

“You can be my younger sister. I’ll be nineteen next February.”

Qian Longxin brightened. She was the youngest in her family and finally had someone younger to call her sister.

“Deal. I’ll call you Sister Longxin, and you can call me Younger Sister Cheng Qiao.”

Seeing how delighted Cheng Qiao was to find a friend, Li Huan couldn’t help but smile as well. Looking at the sky, he figured that Xiangyang Village wouldn’t finish handing over grain until at least the afternoon.

“We’re going to walk around the county. Do you want to come, or wait here for the grain delivery?”

Cheng Qiao’s main purpose in coming to the county today was to buy seeds. After harvesting the vegetables from her plot, she hadn’t been able to plant again because she had no seeds, and the field had been lying fallow for quite a while.

When Li Huan learned this, though he didn’t know her full plan, he told her that he knew someone at the agricultural station who could get seeds.

“I’ll wait here.”

Qian Longxin was tactful. She had already heard from her second brother about this Erlizi—on the surface a swindling rascal, but in reality very capable. Following him wasn’t a loss for Cheng Qiao.

The two of them rode to the agricultural machinery station. Li Huan handed the bicycle to Cheng Qiao, pointed to the second floor, and smiled.

“Wait here, I’ll be right back.”

“Li Huan, whatever seeds they have, make sure to get some—especially rice and wheat.”

“Got it, I’ll go up now.”

Half an hour later, Li Huan came downstairs, looking quite pleased, followed by a man slightly older than him, dressed in a Zhongshan suit, carrying an air of authority.

Cheng Qiao was a little puzzled, but Li Huan began to introduce him: this man was Sun Dawei, the director of the agricultural station. Once, he had been robbed by some thugs, and it was Li Huan who had stepped in to save him.

Naturally, those thugs got what they deserved, but from then on, Li Huan had been added to Sun Dawei’s list of trusted people. So asking for a few bags of seeds was an easy favor.

Sun Dawei told Cheng Qiao that seeds weren’t given out by the handful but by the bag. However, since it was daytime, he couldn’t hand them over directly; he’d have someone deliver them in the evening.

“Li Huan, your wife is a woman blessed with good fortune. Cherish her well, and luck will naturally follow you in the future.”

Sun Dawei suddenly spoke these words, leaving Li Huan a bit at a loss, while Cheng Qiao’s heart trembled.