Chapter 3 – You Can Eat Random Things, But You Can’t Speak Random Words
What Chen Miaomiao was trying to convey was an insinuation: that Lu Miao did not look like a child of the revolution sent down to the countryside to build, but rather like someone with bourgeois airs—not someone cut out for work.
If they had to cover for someone like that, the troubles in the future would be endless.
Ren Bingxin, bored, propped her chin with one hand:
“Isn’t it a bit inappropriate to put it that way? Anyone can have a clumsy moment. And besides, she fell down—wanting to change her clothes is only normal, isn’t it?”
After saying this, she looked around at the others:
“When I came into this room, I immediately felt a chill. Didn’t you feel it too?”
“I felt it.”
“Now that you mention it, I did work up a sweat walking earlier, and I really do feel a little cold. I’ve even got goosebumps.”
Ren Bingxin laughed. “See, right!”
“Yes, if even we men feel cold, then all the more so for Comrade Lu, whose clothes are still wet…”
Male educated youth Yu Hao nodded and looked at Xie Fei:
“Xie Fei, you and Comrade Lu came from the same place. Even if you don’t look out for each other, at the very least, as a fellow man, there’s no need to keep picking on her, right?”
Perhaps Lu Miao’s looks didn’t fit the older generation’s standards of beauty in this era, but her beauty was still impossible to ignore. Ever since they had assembled at the station, most of the male educated youths’ attention had been on her.
Along the way, Xie Fei had scolded Lu Miao several times, and mocked her several times more. These male educated youths were even clearer about it than Lu Miao herself.
After Yu Hao finished, he turned to Chen Miaomiao:
“And Comrade Chen, you can eat whatever you like, but you can’t say whatever you like.”
Chen Miaomiao widened her eyes and opened her mouth, but in the end she lowered her head and softly said, “I’m sorry.”
Seeing her like that, Yu Hao actually felt embarrassed.
Scratching the back of his head, he was just about to say something to smooth things over when Xie Fei sneered coldly:
“You should mind your own business. If I were you, I’d take care of myself first.”
“How can you talk like that?”
Yu Hao, who had already had enough of Xie Fei’s attitude along the way, lost his temper at once and lunged at him. “Is mocking others all you know how to do?”
“What are you two doing!”
Gu Ying came out holding a washbasin and walked right into this tense standoff. Her voice sharpened as she quickly stepped forward to separate them. “What did you come here for? On your very first day, you already want to stir up trouble and drag everyone into punishment with you?!”
Xie Fei’s face darkened, and he said nothing.
Yu Hao snorted coldly and sat off to the side.
“We’re all educated youths. Even if our household registrations are placed here, in the eyes of the commune members, the production team is one family, and the educated youth station is another. We’re outsiders! Life in the countryside is hard enough. If we can’t even stick together among ourselves, then how will we ever survive?”
“I hope you can help each other! Banter is fine, but don’t take it too far! Hurting our unity won’t do anyone any good.”
Gu Ying’s expression was stern as she swept her gaze over the newly arrived educated youths, her voice sharp:
“A grown man shouldn’t bicker like an old woman, and neither should you girls. Times have changed—women hold up half the sky! I expect you to show real ability and real drive! Don’t waste your days wagging your tongues!”
After all, as an older educated youth, Gu Ying’s words carried weight.
The group of educated youths, chastised into shame, all fell silent.
Seeing this, Gu Ying softened her tone:
“The men’s dorm is next door. The layout is the same as here. Go take a look—any empty bed is yours to use.”
After the male educated youths left, Gu Ying turned to the three remaining girls and pointed to the rooms on either side:
“These two side rooms have also been tidied up. The beds in the left room are all empty. The right room still has one open spot—Comrade Lu is changing clothes there. You should take a look at the left room first.”
Geng Xiaoyun nodded.
