Chapter 13 – It’s Not Your Turn to Fawn
Lu Miao sat at the table in the main hall, eyes closed, chin lifted, letting Ren Bingxin hold a small cloth to her face.
Hearing those words, she lazily lifted one eyelid and glanced sideways at Yang Xiaojing.
Yang Xiaojing had only meant to give a reminder, but Lu Miao’s sidelong look gave her a sense of lofty contempt, as if she were being looked down upon. She couldn’t help but scowl and sharply reprimand:
“This water has to be carried back by someone too!”
Ren Bingxin froze for a moment.
She truly hadn’t thought of that before. Now that she realized it, whether the water should be used sparingly was one matter, but the chore of fetching water certainly had to be shared in turns.
Ren Bingxin drew back the cloth, intending to say something, but Lu Miao was quicker:
“It’s just a bit of water. Is that really worth making such a fuss over?”
Ren Bingxin gently tugged at her. “Miaomiao…”
Lu Miao shook off Ren Bingxin’s hand.
She’d been out in the fields all morning under the blazing sun, her face was still stinging, the blisters on her hands hadn’t even been pricked yet—she was already annoyed enough.
And no one had clearly explained this matter to her when she first arrived.
Now that she’d already used the water, couldn’t they speak properly? Did anyone really think she’d deliberately wasted it? Why act like she had violated some heavenly law, scolding her the moment they opened their mouths?
Lu Miao’s fine curved brows knitted, and she unhappily pressed Yang Xiaojing:
“I’m asking you—was it really necessary?”
Yang Xiaojing opened her mouth. She had never seen someone so self-righteous even after making a mistake!
“How is it not necessary? You don’t help fetch water, yet you use it without thinking, and we’re not even allowed to mention it?”
Lu Miao snorted with laughter, her retort sharp:
“I didn’t fetch water—was that because I deliberately refused? If you wanted to point that out, why didn’t you say it earlier? The production team leader told the old educated youths to guide the new ones. So by that logic, shouldn’t I be able to hold you responsible?”
“You—!”
Yang Xiaojing’s cheeks flushed red, her finger trembling with anger as she pointed at Lu Miao.
Ren Bingxin, caught between them, feared it would turn into a real conflict. She hurriedly stood up to shield Lu Miao.
But Chen Miaomiao was faster than Ren Bingxin, quickly rushing in front to block Yang Xiaojing:
“Come on, it’s nothing! Just a small matter!”
Chen Miaomiao would have loved for Lu Miao to be hated by everyone. But since she hadn’t yet hooked Fu Xiaoliu, she couldn’t afford to lose Lu Miao—the “patron” for now.
And this was the perfect chance! She’d been fretting about how to perform well in front of Lu Miao and gain favor—now here was her opportunity!
“Educated Youth Yang, Lu Miao just has a bit of a temper, she didn’t mean anything by it. The water she used—I’ll go fetch more to make up for it, okay?”
Chen Miaomiao played the mediator, speaking smoothly, then turned back to Lu Miao with a smile that looked like appeasement but was actually an attempt to ingratiate herself.
Lu Miao found her disgusting.
“What does this have to do with you? If someone’s going to fawn, it’s not your turn.”
Chen Miaomiao was briefly stunned.
Seeing Lu Miao’s arrogance, Yang Xiaojing’s anger, which Chen Miaomiao had just soothed, flared up again. She pushed against Chen Miaomiao, about to rush over and grab Lu Miao.
The main hall was in chaos when suddenly, the sound of a hoe dropping came from outside—the return of Geng Xiaoyun.
“Oh my, what’s going on here? What are you all fussing about?”
Lu Miao gave a small “hmph,” tossing her braid back over her shoulder. She walked over to Geng Xiaoyun’s side.
“Geng Xiaoyun!”
Geng Xiaoyun glanced at her. “What is it?”
Lu Miao pursed her lips, her coquettish, spoiled tone completely at odds with her earlier arrogance. “At the educated youth station, we have to take turns fetching water. I can’t carry it. Would you be willing to help me?”
Lu Miao stretched out two pale, delicate fingers. “I won’t let you work for nothing—I’ll give you two cents a month.”
Lu Miao disdained taking advantage of others. She had never lacked people eager to curry favor, but now was different. The environment was poor, and everyone was impoverished.
If she had to ask for help, she would always offer payment. And rather than giving it to someone she disliked, why not give it to someone she got along with, or someone who truly needed it?
“What money? It’s just fetching some water—I’ll do it for you!”
