Chapter Fifteen: The Monkey Who Killed the Chicken to Warn the Others

“Besides, our Lihua Brigade is still quite a distance from the commune. Any sensible person wouldn’t come to my house this early in the morning to confront me. Even if no one shows up by noon, it’s not too late to come then. Your behavior, tsk tsk...” Lin Xiang sighed and shook her head. “Surely that scoundrel Wen Siyuan must have said something to you right in front of you, Aunt Zhao. Not to offend you, but you’re the women’s director of our Lihua Brigade—how can you have no independent opinion of your own, just accepting everything Wen Siyuan says? Although a mother-in-law tends to like her son-in-law more and more, your daughter and he aren’t even together yet!”

“Lin Xiang!” Zhao Chunping shouted angrily. “If you keep talking nonsense, I’ll tear your mouth apart!”

“Whose mouth? If you have the guts, come and try!”

Suddenly, Lin’s mother appeared out of nowhere. Seeing Zhao Chunping targeting Lin Xiang, she grabbed a broomstick from the corner of the wall and charged forward.

Zhao Chunping, who always prided herself on being a leader and a civilized person, looked at the broomstick — now just the handle — and instinctively took a few steps back.

“I’m not going to stoop to your level! Wait until noon. If neither the commune nor the electricity bureau people come, let’s see what you’ll do then!”

With that, Zhao Chunping flicked her hand and stormed off.

Lin’s mother tossed the broomstick back into the corner. “Girl, Zhao Chunping came here just to pick a fight, didn’t she?”

Lin Xiang’s eyes suddenly rolled as if about to shed tears. Covering her eyes with her hand, she hiccupped as she said, “Director Zhao has always cared about our Lihua Brigade. I think she’s just worried the phone line project won’t be properly executed, which is why she’s so anxious.”

“But no matter how anxious she is, she wouldn’t come to my house so early to make trouble. I’m sure someone must have told her something. Ah, you know these educated youth, how can they do such things? What good does it do him to stir up trouble among our brigade members?”

“Exactly! I’ve always said none of those educated youths are good! They all look down on us and have rotten hearts!”

“It has to be that educated youth still holds a grudge because you exposed his improper behavior in front of the village. He must be trying to get revenge!”

After Lin Xiang openly exposed Wen Siyuan, Lin Yun fell seriously ill. Lin Xiang wanted to win Lin Yun’s favor and return to her own world, so she stopped paying attention to Wen Siyuan. Later, Lin Yun told her that Wen Siyuan had been reprimanded by the brigade leaders.

But the brigade chief wanted Lihua Brigade to win an advanced collective award. If Wen Siyuan’s matter blew up, it would damage the brigade’s reputation and ruin their chances. So Wen Siyuan was only criticized quietly, not publicly shamed in front of the whole village.

Still, for his proud and arrogant nature, it was a humiliating chapter he preferred not to recall. No wonder he hated Lin Xiang so much.

Yet Zhao Chunping and her daughter were foolish too. Any bit of common sense would have made things clear, so how could they be so easily manipulated?

Lin Xiang was about to shake her head in frustration when the village boy Ergou came running over, panting heavily. “Sister Niuzi! The brigade chief wants you to come to the brigade office. Someone from the town is here, and they specifically want to see you!”

“All right, I’m coming right away!”

Lin Xiang went back to her room to change clothes and freshen up before heading to the brigade office.

The crowd that had been watching at the Lin family had now gathered at the brigade office.

As soon as Lin Xiang entered, a middle-aged man with a slicked-back hairstyle stood up with a warm smile and extended his right hand. “You must be Comrade Lin Xiang of Lihua Brigade?”

“Hello, sir. Yes, I’m Lin Xiang.”

Lin Xiang shook hands confidently with Director Qian from the commune.

“Secretary Wang has already told me about your situation. Having a phone line will indeed be much more convenient. I’ve brought the comrades from the electricity bureau with me, and we’ll have them install the lines right away.”

Hearing these words from the leadership finally thrilled everyone at the brigade office, and they all jumped up and down on the spot.

Director Qian said a few more words to Lin Xiang and then went off to inspect the work.

The brigade chief leaned in close and whispered to Lin Xiang, “Niuzi, do you think we should invite the leaders and the electricity bureau folks to a meal later?”

“Yes,” Lin Xiang replied. “But it doesn’t need to be anything fancy. Just simple home-cooked dishes will do.”

If the meal was too extravagant, it would embarrass Director Qian, which wouldn’t be good for Lihua Brigade at all.

The brigade chief rubbed his hands together. “Well then, can you cook? You even know Western dishes, so making some simple home-style food should be no problem, right?”

Their own family members could cook simple dishes, but the taste was average. Since they were entertaining leaders, it couldn’t be too shabby, could it?

“Don’t worry, you won’t do this for nothing. I’ll make sure you get full work credits for this meal today!”

Lin Xiang tapped her nose. “Chief, if I can get full work credits just for cooking a meal, then for helping the commune install the phone line...”

“Of course! I’m not after the credits. I just believe clear rewards and punishments encourage members to serve the brigade better. I don’t mind being the scapegoat.”

The brigade chief felt Lin Xiang’s words were odd. She had done a good deed and was being rewarded—how could this relate to being a scapegoat?

He shrugged it off as Niuzi’s lack of schooling causing her to misuse expressions.

“Don’t worry, you won’t miss out on your reward. Once the phone line is installed, we’ll reward you.”

“All right, I’ll start preparing the meal then.”

Installing the phone line wouldn’t take long, so Lin Xiang kept the meal simple.

She looked around the brigade kitchen and saw only a few potatoes and some seasonal vegetables.

“Chief, I’m going to the back mountain to pick some mushrooms. I’ll be back soon.”

Humming a tune, Lin Xiang went to the back mountain and found plenty of mushrooms and wood ear fungus, which she eagerly collected into her basket.

Suddenly, a patched-up shoe stepped down just half an inch from her finger.

Lin Xiang looked up and met Wen Siyuan’s bloodshot eyes.

“Lin Xiang, you’re quite something!”

“Thanks for the compliment. I know I’m great.”

Ignoring the scoundrel, Lin Xiang moved to a different spot to continue gathering mushrooms.

It wasn’t that she was afraid of Wen Siyuan; seeing his face so early in the morning just spoiled her mood.

But Wen Siyuan stuck to her like a leech, following her wherever she went.

Unable to endure it any longer, Lin Xiang slapped him across the face. “Are you a dog or what, sticking to me like this?”

“You shameless woman! You’re completely unreasonable!” Wen Siyuan roared helplessly.

He couldn’t understand why someone who had liked him so much before seemed like a different person in such a short time.