Chapter 16 – Chen Miaomiao’s Intentions
After finishing reporting the details, Fu Jingyou was ready to leave. Just as he turned around, Lu Miao called after him:
“Fu Xiaoliu, don’t rush off yet.”
Fu Jingyou turned back blankly, thinking there was still something she hadn’t understood. “What else?”
“Nothing. Just this hat…”
Lu Miao held the hat over her head for size, then took it off and handed it forward.
“Tell me, is your skill really only this level, or were you just brushing me off? Look, there are still two small holes here on the crown, and the brim isn’t even the kind I asked for.”
“The brim needs to be woven down to here, otherwise the sun will still hit my neck!”
Lu Miao pinched the edge of the brim with her small hand, gesturing. She didn’t want her face and neck to end up two different colors.
“…”
The hat was something Fu Jingyou had squeezed out time to weave during the afternoon’s farm work. He knew it was a bit rough, so this time he tactfully accepted the request for rework.
“I understand. Use this one for now… I’ll make you a new one, but it’ll take a few days.”
“I can wait.” Lu Miao was satisfied, tilting her head and flashing her little white teeth in a grin. “Then it’s settled. Once you make me happy with it, I’ll pay you!”
Fu Jingyou neither accepted nor refused. He only left behind: “I’m going now, you carry on,” and then strode quickly away.
Lu Miao stomped her foot in anger. “Why does he always run off so fast? Do I eat people?”
Fu Jingyou ran swiftly with his hoe on his shoulder, the wind whistling in his ears. His thin lips curved in a faint smile he didn’t even realize himself. He thought:
He didn’t know whether Lu Miao ate people.
But when she acted spoiled, it could definitely kill a man.
He ran fast until he had rounded a corner of the pond and could no longer see the educated youth station. Only then did Fu Jingyou slow down.
He was frowning, lost in thought, when suddenly a hand reached out in front of him, blocking his path.
“Comrade Fu!”
It was that female educated youth named Chen Miaomiao.
Fu Jingyou lowered his brow, his gaze distant and cold. “What is it?”
Chen Miaomiao clutched the handle of the hoe in her arms, feigning not to notice the impatience on his face. She deliberately spoke in a soft, coy tone:
“I heard the cotton fields are all under your responsibility… From the team leader’s look, it seems I’ll also be assigned to the cotton fields tomorrow.”
Chen Miaomiao looked at Fu Jingyou shyly. “I’ve just started doing farm work, I don’t know much yet. Comrade Fu, could you guide me tomorrow?”
Fu Jingyou’s expression darkened slightly.
Perhaps it was because he had just experienced Lu Miao’s straightforward arrogance, but facing this Chen Miaomiao now, he found it deeply uncomfortable.
Not only were her words grating to his ears, her voice even made the hairs on the back of his neck stand on end.
Fu Jingyou said coldly: “You’re mistaken. The cotton fields aren’t under my supervision.”
At least not tomorrow.
Not wanting to entangle with her, Fu Jingyou said this and immediately took long strides to leave.
“Comrade Fu! I know what you’re worried about!”
Chen Miaomiao quickly stepped aside to block him again. “I hope you won’t overthink it. I’m not like the others—I don’t mind.”
Chen Miaomiao’s flattery toward Lu Miao was because she could gain from her. Her repeated attempts to get close to Fu Jingyou, however, stemmed from her past life.
For now, Fu Jingyou’s name was clean. But in just a few years, once the reforms came, his identity would transform completely. At that time, it wouldn’t just be her—everyone in Dahe Village would want to curry favor with him!
But by then, it would already be too late!
For the sake of her future, she had to find a way to tie herself to Fu Jingyou now!
Once she learned that Fu Jingyou was in charge of the cotton fields, Chen Miaomiao had spent nearly two hours yesterday begging the team leader before she was finally allowed to work there.
With so many restrictions, such chances were rare. How could she easily let Fu Jingyou walk away?
Impossible.
Chen Miaomiao wanted to show Fu Jingyou her tolerance and understanding. But she forgot—his current situation wasn’t nearly that desperate yet.
At present, Fu Jingyou simply kept to himself. He hadn’t yet been singled out or openly condemned by the villagers.
So her inexplicable words only made him frown. “Comrade Chen, please don’t say such baffling things.”
“If you’re simply unfamiliar with the work, you can ask anyone in the production team.”
Considering that she was a young woman, Fu Jingyou tried to soften his tone slightly, to make it more polite. “And besides, as a woman, you should understand better than me the importance of boundaries between men and women.”
Chen Miaomiao’s forced smile had almost frozen. But upon hearing those last words, she picked up on what she thought was concern in his voice. At once she brightened, cheeks flushing as she coyly said:
“I—I understand! Comrade Fu, thank you for the reminder, I’ll be careful!”
“Then, Comrade Fu, see you tomorrow!”
Chen Miaomiao stepped aside, flashing him a sweet smile before trotting away.
To be fair, Chen Miaomiao wasn’t short. Aside from being thin, she was pretty, without much lacking in her appearance.
Of course, in this era, you didn’t see many plump women anyway.
But that said—if she had used her natural advantages, Chen Miaomiao could have come across as capable and strong. Instead, she insisted on acting coy.
Fu Jingyou found being around her unbearable, largely because every time she spoke, she twisted herself up like a pretzel.
Too awkward. It was impossible to feel any affection.
Chen Miaomiao, however, thought she had successfully made initial contact with Fu Jingyou. She was in an excellent mood.
She ran back to the educated youth station, humming with glee. After putting away her farm tools, she entered the house, only to see Lu Miao, Gu Ying, and Ren Bingxin all seated at the table.
Chen Miaomiao let out a cold snort, suddenly puffing herself up with pride.
Before, when she had tried to curry favor, they had treated her with indifference. Now that she had turned things around, she wouldn’t care for them either!
Chin raised high, she coldly huffed and strutted into the room, acting as if she were worth a fortune.
Startled by the abrupt attitude, Ren Bingxin frowned. “What’s gotten into her now?”
“What does it matter?”
Lu Miao didn’t care, biting into a tomato. Now that Chen Miaomiao wasn’t clinging to her, she almost respected her a little more.
“Have some tomatoes!”
The tomatoes Chen Guifen had given them looked half-ripe, half-unripe, but when eaten, they had a sandy texture, were juicy, and tasted sweet and sour—very delicious.
Lu Miao finished one and couldn’t help but wash another to eat.
Seeing that there were still several left in the gourd ladle, she handed one each to Gu Ying and Ren Bingxin.
“Is the educated youth station only ever going to eat potatoes and sweet potatoes? Are there really no vegetables?”
These past days, it had basically been nothing but potatoes and sweet potatoes mixed together, and Lu Miao was sick of them.
“Potatoes and sweet potatoes are the main rations.” Gu Ying nodded, then shook her head, explaining honestly: “The team previously gave the educated youth station a plot of land to grow our own food, but with the work hours so busy, we simply couldn’t keep up with it.”
(End of Chapter)
