Chapter 6: Xia Lin's Secret

Translation:

That day, Lu Jingqiu was all ears to the villagers' gossip, hoping to catch if anyone went up to the mountains or if there was any news from other villages, but unfortunately, there was none.

At the Educated Youth Spot, there was a shower room built of stone by the previous educated youths. Lu Jingqiu had a habit, whether in winter or summer, she always took a hot bath.

In her two years in Ten-miles Village, she transformed from a girl who did not so much as touch spring water, into a comrade who was proficient in everything from starting fires to cooking.

Of course, now Lu Jingqiu needless to say, in her previous life, she had learned many skills besides cooking.

However, she still felt nostalgic for the old-fashioned bellows stove.

Once Lu Jingqiu had heated the water, the others gradually returned.

Carrying a basin, she walked towards the shower room, not forgetting to inform the others, "The bath water is ready, you can use it."

Yun Yuzhi said with a smile, "Got it." She skillfully added a few scoops of water to the pot and threw in some more firewood.

When Lu Jingqiu came out, Yun Yuzhi carried a basin in, followed by Li Yinger who continued to add water and stoke the fire.

Everyone took turns bathing, and of course, in the summer, some of the men couldn't wait and just carried their water behind the house to wash.

After cleaning herself up, Lu Jingqiu lay in bed feeling as if her whole body was falling apart.

"Ah, I'm exhausted, my back, my hands."

This room for the women had a big bunk bed, previously accommodating four of them, but now just the three, which left plenty of space.

Li Yinger had just come in when she heard Yun Yuzhi's voice and laughed, "It's still alright, it's not summer vacation yet, or else I'd be just like you."

Yun Yuzhi asked, "Hey, what did Xia Lin want with you just now?"

Li Yinger replied, "She wanted to borrow a book from me."

Yun Yuzhi remarked, "Borrow a book? An elementary school textbook? She couldn't be thinking of teaching at an elementary school, right? Your spot was originally reserved for her by her father. It's a pity she fell ill last time and missed it. Is the elementary school short of teachers this year?"

Li Yinger shook her head, "She asked to borrow a high school textbook. She had seen the high school Chinese textbook in my bag before."

Not having spoken up until now, Lu Jingqiu was startled by Li Yinger's words and interjected, "Wasn't she just a junior high graduate? Why is she borrowing high school books?"

Li Yinger was also puzzled, wiping her hair a few times before crouching in front of her locker, "Who knows? She just said there's a vacancy at the town's elementary school, and she wants to give it a try."

Yun Yuzhi said, "Town's elementary school? It wouldn't be bad to work there. Her junior high diploma is enough to teach elementary school."

Li Yinger pulled out a textbook from the bottom of her locker and added, "I told her that. She said she was envious of us who went to high school and wanted to see if she could understand the high school textbooks. Hey, do you think Xia Lin is doing this for Gao Shu? He did graduate from high school. Jingqiu, I've heard Gao Shu was a good student."

The moment Li Yinger finished speaking, she caught Yun Yuzhi's glance, realized her faux pas, and coughed lightly in embarrassment, hurrying to say, "Let's all get some rest, we're all tired tonight, I'll turn off the light."

Lu Jingqiu turned over to address her, "Hold on, Sister Yingzi, can I take a look at your book?"

Li Yinger got into bed and handed the book to her.

Lu Jingqiu lay on the bed, idly flipping through the pages.

Yun Yuzhi, looking at the textbook, said nostalgically, "It's been so many years, I truly miss the days when we were in school."

Lu Jingqiu didn't remember Xia Lin ever borrowing books. Maybe in her previous life she didn't get along well with Li Yinger and the others, plus she had her own problems back then.

But she didn't remember there being a teacher vacancy in the town's elementary school. After the college entrance exam was reinstated, Li Yinger went to college, leaving a vacancy in the village, but Xia Lin didn't take it up.

"Sister Yingzi, do you only have the Chinese textbook? Don't you have math or English?" Lu Jingqiu asked.

Li Yinger shook her head, "When I came here, I was afraid of getting bored, so I just grabbed a textbook at random."

Speaking of college entrance exams, Xia Lin also didn't pass this year.

She was originally a junior high school graduate, but when she received the notice, there was too little time to study properly.

Later, because she got pregnant, she had no time for exams.

Lu Jingqiu paused briefly, then delicately reminded, "My aunt wrote to me saying that there might be some changes at the top, and high school entrance exams might be restored."

"What?"

Lu Jingqiu whispered something, which made Yun Yuzhi jolt upright and exclaim excitedly.

This caused even the male comrade next door to hear; Zhang Shuo rolled into his blanket, grumbling, "What's gotten into the women comrades, making such a fuss in the middle of night, utterly exhausting."

Even Li Yinger looked at her with surprised eyes, "Really, is it really true?"

Lu Jingqiu hurriedly shushed, "Keep it down."

Both of them quickly patted their chests, their eyes filled with surprise and excitement, eagerly looking at Lu Jingqiu, waiting for her decision.

Lu Jingqiu hadn't expected them to be so excited, but she couldn't be too explicit, "My aunt heard it as a rumor, just a rumor. People are always coming and going where she works, and she sees and hears a lot of things. It's better to believe something is possible rather than not, so I think it's good to read more books when you have time."

Yun Yuzhi nodded, "I really hope this is true."

Li Yinger said, "Could it be that Xia Lin's father also heard the news from above, and that's why she secretly borrowed books?"

Lu Jingqiu hadn't thought of this, but as a village leader, it seemed unlikely he'd have such inside information, "I'll bring all my books over when I come back next time. I'm going to start reviewing them. I suggest you write home and have your books sent over as well."

Li Yinger nodded, "Mhm, I'll give my family a call tomorrow."

Yun Yuzhi said, "I don't know if my mom has sold my books as scrap or used them as toilet paper. I'll still write and ask."

Li Yinger took the book Lu Jingqiu handed her, struggling with the decision, "Do you think I should lend this book out or not?"

Lu Jingqiu asked, "Did you promise her?"

Li Yinger replied, "I only said I would look for it when I got back. What if I say I couldn't find it?"

Yun Yuzhi said, "That's not good. If Gao Shu sees you with it at the Educated Youth Spot, Xia Lin will find out."

Lu Jingqiu suggested, "Why don't you lend it to her for a few days and then ask for it back?"

Li Yinger thought that was a good idea, "Alright, I'll do that."

The next day, just as dawn was breaking, the village loudspeaker blared, urging everyone to start work.

Lu Jingqiu got up with everyone else, spending the day bent over in toil.

By five or six in the afternoon, a torrential downpour really did start, proving the former village chief's weather prediction quite accurate.

With the rain pouring down, the busy villagers could finally take a break.

Lu Jingqiu stood at the door, staring out at the muddy road that the rain had washed away, lost in thought.

Li Yinger slapped her on the shoulder from behind, "I'm about to go deliver the book to Xia Lin, do you want to come along?"

Lu Jingqiu quickly nodded, grabbing her things while saying, "I do."

Yun Yuzhi reminded them from the bed, "Put on your rubber shoes."

"Sure thing."

Lu Jingqiu grabbed a bucket of Malted Milk, a jin of brown sugar, and together with Li Yinger, clad in raincoats, they left the house.