Cheng You’s eyes turned cold. She would take back everything Cheng Tao had stolen from her. Even if she couldn’t get it back, she wouldn’t let Cheng Tao have it cheaply!
The next day, before Cheng You had even woken up, she heard Cheng Tao knocking on her door, telling her to come out and do laundry.
Cheng You acknowledged with a sound and got up to get dressed and wash up. She was wearing a plain cloth shirt and black pants today. In a crowd, this outfit would make her utterly unremarkable. However, her slender waist and perky hips, coupled with her well-developed bust, fair skin, and beautiful face, meant that whatever she wore couldn't hide her radiant beauty.
She carried a large wooden basin out, her slender fingers gripping the edge tightly.
Cheng Tao couldn’t help but ask, “Cheng You, why aren’t you washing at home?”
Cheng You usually washed clothes at home because she couldn't be bothered to move around. But Cheng Tao had her own little scheme; whenever she did laundry, she would always go to the river, so everyone could see how diligent she was.
Cheng You didn’t look back and said calmly, “It’s more convenient to wash clothes by the river.”
Cheng Tao gritted her teeth and followed her for a stretch, only feeling relieved when she saw Cheng You obediently washing clothes and no one else around. She then turned and left.
Cheng You flipped through the clothes in the basin, among which were the polyester shirt and half-skirt she had given to Cheng Tao. She curved her lips into a smile and set these two items aside. They were hers to begin with, and she expected her to wash them and give them back to Cheng Tao? Dream on!
Cheng You arrived early, so there were few people by the river. By the time she finished, others began to arrive one after another. Cheng You didn’t greet them, just picked up her basin and left. After she left, the others started chatting.
“It’s really strange, Cheng You actually came out to do laundry!”
“Probably just washing her own. Have you ever seen her wash clothes? It’s always Cheng Tao who does it!”
“Speaking of Cheng Tao, she’s such a good girl, not at all like Cheng You, who is lazy and greedy.”
“Last time she fell in the water, she was even held by the educated youth! I heard someone from Old Zhao’s family was going to break off an engagement earlier; I think it would be good to switch to Cheng Tao.”
“…”
Cheng You didn’t care what they were saying; she knew it wouldn’t be anything good anyway. She took the clothes back to hang them up. After hanging the clothes, she planned to check the kitchen.
The kitchen only had a cabinet, and it was locked. Cheng You curled her lips. She had asked why it was locked before, and Song Yulian had fobbed her off with excuses. Now she knew: it was locked because it contained good things, things that couldn't be given to her and Cheng Wenyu to eat.
She brought a stone in from outside and smashed the lock several times. It fell off after a while. “Tsk.” She wondered what brand the lock was; she wouldn’t buy this brand next time.
Cheng Tianhua was the production team leader, and he received a salary every month. Logically, their meals shouldn’t be too bad. But every day, Cheng You saw only wild vegetable buns and coarse grains on the table, which choked her. This cabinet contained eggs, flour, and even sugar; there were quite a few good things. And she had never eaten any of these. She guessed Song Yulian was giving Cheng Tao special treatment.
Cheng You counted, took five eggs, and went to find Qi Chengyan at the educated youth point. Thinking about the meeting to come, a familiar flutter rose in her heart. She couldn’t help but curse herself internally for being weak; it was just a man, after all.
“Is Qi Zhiqing in?” she knocked on the door.
A woman in the yard turned around, rinsing her mouth, and smiled at her. It was the woman who had spoken up for her before.
Cheng You smiled and said, “My name is Cheng You. What’s your name?”
The woman quickly rinsed her mouth and replied, “I know you. My name is Duan Liping.”
Everyone at the educated youth point knew that Qi Chengyan had saved Cheng You. Sun Xiaowan had accused her many times, saying Cheng You had deliberately fallen into the water to latch onto Qi Chengyan. But everyone thought it was impossible; after all, she had a fiancé.
“Qi Zhiqing, someone is looking for you.”
The door to the male educated youth dormitory opened, and several people came out. Qi Chengyan stood out among them like a crane among chickens. Besides his height, his appearance was the most striking. With sword-like eyebrows and starry eyes, and a ruggedness that exuded masculinity, he was very manly.
“Qi Zhiqing, I brought eggs to thank you for saving me.”
Cheng You, naturally beautiful, was a tender and fresh beauty standing at the door. A smile hung on her lips, and dimples appeared when she smiled, making her look very endearing.
Yet, Qi Chengyan was very indifferent. “No need.”
The male educated youth next to him nudged him and winked at him. “She brought them to you herself, don’t reject them.”
These were eggs, which were considered a luxury. They all ate from the same pot, so if Qi Chengyan had some, they’d get a bite too.
Qi Chengyan looked at Cheng You. Her eyes were bright, conveying a clear message: if you don’t accept them, I won’t leave. He subtly took the eggs. Cheng You clearly understood his gaze, as if he were saying: I’ve accepted them, you can leave now. Cheng You felt a little disappointed; he seemed to have absolutely no interest in her.
She turned and left, walking home slowly. Before she even entered the house, she heard Song Yulian shouting about a thief.
Cheng You walked in. “What thief are you looking for?”
Cheng Tao said anxiously, “Cheng You, our eggs are missing!”
“Eggs? I took them just now.”
Song Yulian’s crying stopped abruptly. She stared at her blankly. Someone next to her said, “Okay, okay, it’s not a thief. Cheng You took them. Stop crying.”
“Sixth Aunt, she… Cheng You, how could you steal eggs yourself? If you wanted eggs, couldn’t you have just asked? You took five eggs at once. If you ate them all, what about others?” She accused him fiercely, her eyes full of accusation that Cheng You was selfish.
Sixth Aunt also glanced at Cheng You with dissatisfaction but didn’t rashly blame her.
Cheng Tao followed up, “Cheng You, if you want eggs, you can say so. Mom won’t stop you from eating them.”
Cheng You chuckled lightly. “Sister, why would I suddenly want to eat eggs? I only found out yesterday that Qi Zhiqing saved me, and no one from our family went to thank him. So I had to go myself. But since he saved my life, I couldn’t go empty-handed, so I came to our kitchen. If I hadn’t opened the cabinet, I wouldn’t have known we had so many eggs, plus sugar and fine grains. I’ve never eaten them before.”
Song Yulian’s face stiffened, her hands clenched tightly. This darn girl, when did she become so sharp? She never used to speak so sarcastically before.
Looking at Sixth Aunt, she carefully considered Cheng You’s words. “Tianhua didn’t go to thank Qi Zhiqing? After all, he saved Cheng You, a thank you is appropriate.”
Song Yulian mumbled, “He told me about it, but I forgot.”
Sixth Aunt was the sister-in-law of Cheng You’s grandfather. The younger generation called her Sixth Grandma. Although her husband had passed away, she had never remarried and had raised three children in Wujing Village. She was also the director of the Women’s Federation of the production brigade and had great prestige in the village. Song Yulian always tried to curry favor with Sixth Aunt, hoping to get Cheng Tao a job in the Women’s Federation in the future.
Hearing her words, Sixth Aunt was displeased. “How could you forget something like this?” She couldn’t help but think to herself, she’s a stepmother after all, and not her own daughter, so she doesn’t care. Listen to this, Cheng You hasn’t eaten eggs at the dinner table, so where did those eggs go? Who ate all the fine grains? Sixth Aunt couldn’t help but re-examine the situation. Everyone in the village said Song Yulian treated Cheng You well, but if she really treated her well, would she let her reputation be ruined like this?