Chapter 21: Get Lost! A Good Dog Doesn’t Block the Way

Su Xiaoyun’s words were icy cold, each syllable sharp as if laced with shards of ice. Her clear, shallow eyes swept over the crowd, and she noticed a few peasant women lowering their gaze guiltily. Clearly, they didn’t know the truth and had only blindly echoed the rumors.

Wu Guifen’s face darkened as she slammed her hoe into the ground. “So whatever you say goes? You only fetched two buckets of water after working all night?”

“Are you kidding me?”

“You’re a lazy woman with no discipline, full of lies—no one will believe you!”

Su Xiaoyun’s expression grew even colder. This old busybody was truly stubborn to the end! But since she wanted to make a fuss, she would do so thoroughly.

A little scuffle wouldn’t silence Wu Guifen. A faint curve appeared at the corner of Su Xiaoyun’s dust-speckled face as she lifted it slightly. “Auntie, you’d better have proof for your words, or else it’s slander, and you’ll be invited for a talk with the inspection team.”

“I admit I made mistakes before, but I’m actively correcting them.”

“Why do you always target me? You even asked me to help with the work, and I did it.”

“The farm work is too heavy, and I also have to assist Captain Huo with coordinating supplies. I really haven’t been able to help your family lately, and now you hold a grudge?”

She was about to apologize when Party Secretary Li Bingcheng, not far away, overheard everything clearly.

He stepped forward in his black cloth shoes, stamping off the dry mud. “What’s all this fuss about? Can’t you people ever settle down?”

“Wu Auntie, have you finished all the fieldwork? Your family still owes twenty jin of grain to the brigade—better make it up quickly!”

Wu Guifen’s throat tightened, her face flushing red as she stomped and cursed, “It’s all because of that little jade! She stayed out all night, and there was an uproar at the educated youth camp yesterday. She followed some man in the army!”

“She only came back at dawn—that’s a serious matter. As party secretary, don’t you care?”

Li Bingcheng folded his patched collar and looked on. His cloudy eyes fixed on Su Xiaoyun. “Educated youth Su, what really happened last night? You need to explain clearly.”

“Otherwise, there’s a problem, and you’ll be punished.”

Though her back was slender, Su Xiaoyun stood tall and firm like a poplar, speaking each word with conviction. “I went to Fengtanzi to fetch water yesterday. The second trip was with Captain Huo’s team, who were surveying the terrain.”

“To help lighten the village’s burden, I went along to fetch water.”

“But at the mountain ridge, a landslide suddenly occurred. The chaotic mud and debris are still there. Party secretary, if you don’t believe me, you can bring people to see.”

Before she finished, Wu Guifen screamed, “Lies! You only fetched two buckets of water and even dragged Captain Huo into this!”

“Shameless little jade!”

“After you messed with Zhou Xuejun and he rejected you, you turned to seduce Captain Huo!”

Su Xiaoyun stood calmly at the edge of the field, her eyes growing colder—amber pupils icy and chilling.

“Wu Auntie, you should speak with some conscience!”

“I have been straightforward with Captain Huo, and our relationship is pure! If you recklessly make baseless accusations, aren’t you afraid of being scolded by higher-ups?”

“The landslide yesterday injured Captain Huo, and the party secretary and village officials can verify this.”

“As for the water, the army brothers worried I might be frightened or exhausted, so they took several buckets to fill the pond first.”

“I want to ask seriously—what is your real intention in always targeting me and Captain Huo?”

Her words rang sharply, cutting through the tension.

The commotion drew many villagers’ attention—young women and wives especially, with a few elderly women too.

Voices buzzed with gossip and speculation, but more than anything, they were astonished by Su Xiaoyun’s transformation.

Why did she seem so different now?

So sharp and clever!

Wu Guifen was known as the village scold, and it was rare to see her silenced like this.

Li Bingcheng’s face darkened completely after listening. Wu Guifen, sensing the danger, tried to argue, “Party secretary, don’t believe this little jade, I—”

“Enough!”

“Wu Guifen, if you continue to sow discord between the army and civilians, I’ll have you taken to the commune!”

“Su Xiaoyun and Captain Huo work wholeheartedly for the village, but you—drinking their water and forgetting your roots!”

“Spreading lies and dragging the captain’s name into it—you’re docked two days’ work points!”

Li Bingcheng’s words were like nails driven home.

Wu Guifen panicked completely. With food already scarce, losing more work points meant going hungry for sure!

Flushed and pale, she hurriedly said, “I—I didn’t mean anything else. I just heard it from others!”

Su Xiaoyun’s eyes hardened. “Who exactly did you hear it from? If you can’t say, then it’s slander, and you’ll lose work points!”

Wu Guifen clenched her molars tightly, cursing Su Xiaoyun repeatedly in her mind.

“I—I was walking past the educated youth camp at dusk yesterday and overheard someone inside.”

“As to who it was, I didn’t hear clearly.”

At this, Su Xiaoyun had her answer.

Though many people lived in the camp, she got along fairly well with most of them.

As for spreading rumors, wasn’t that slacker man the prime suspect?

Well, it seemed this weakling had eaten too well and got bored enough to stir trouble.

Su Xiaoyun’s lips curled into a sly smile. She had her own methods.

“Cough, educated youth Su,” Li Bingcheng cleared his throat, “you’ve suffered unfairly, but everyone is worried about you.”

“Let’s not spread this to Captain Huo. I’ll credit you four extra work points as compensation.”

Su Xiaoyun smiled. “Party secretary understands. I have no grievances.”

“With a good cadre like you, I feel at ease no matter what.”

His words cheered him up, and he smiled broadly. “You’re like honey on your tongue, girl.”

“All right, after a night of hard work and worry, go rest.”

“Today, you’re responsible for weeding the western field.”

Su Xiaoyun flashed a broad smile, showing eight teeth. “Okay, thank you, party secretary!”

That western plot looked vast but was actually dry earth.

With little moisture, the grass hardly grew.

Weeding three acres required six work points, and if she worked diligently, she could finish in half a day.

The rest of the time would be free—for which she had plans.

Glancing at the sulking Wu Guifen, Su Xiaoyun shouldered her yoke and turned to leave.

She took a bucket of water back to the educated youth camp.

Returning from the drying yard, she met Zhou Xuejun, looking slick and well-groomed.

He lifted his foot, and their eyes met.

He sneered, “Oh, you’ve latched onto someone high up and still dare to come back? The camp can’t hold a big shot like you.”

Su Xiaoyun raised a delicate brow. “Captain Huo has ability and looks—every hair on his head is better than you, you weakling!”

“One’s in heaven, the other’s in hell. What’s there to compare?”

“Get lost. A good dog doesn’t block the road!”

Suddenly, laughter came from behind them—mocking and teasing.

Su Xiaoyun froze.

Why did that sound so familiar?