Chapter Eighteen: The Private Car

“What do you mean by that?”

“Comrade Wen Qing!” The team leader stormed over, furiously berating Wen Siyuan. “Reporting in front of the commune director? Do you really want our Lihua Team to fail? Do you realize how much you’re jeopardizing our chance to be recognized as an advanced collective next year? Can you bear that responsibility?”

“Team leader, I was only speaking the truth. After all, if others find out that Lin Xiang can cook Western food…”

“Who has the time to expose something like that? Don’t you know that it was Lin Xiang’s hard work that got our Lihua Team the phone line for the commune? The town leaders themselves called to inform us! If they minded, she would have been punished long ago. And here you are embarrassing yourself!”

The team leader was visibly furious.

Luckily, Director Qian understood the situation; otherwise, Wen Siyuan’s outburst today would have caused serious harm to the reputation of Lihua Team.

“I think you’re just looking for trouble. From now on, you’ll be responsible for cleaning the pigsty!”

“No, team leader, I’m really acting with good intentions, I…”

Before Wen Siyuan could finish, the team leader stormed off in anger.

Lin Xiang stood nearby, watching Wen Siyuan’s misfortune with a smirk. “You had some schooling, yet you’re so foolish. It’s not your fault if your mind doesn’t bend, but if it affects the collective honor, that’s your problem. Wen Siyuan, I advise you to be kind.”

With that, Lin Xiang hummed a tune and went home.

Yang Lihua stood at the entrance of the team headquarters, having witnessed the entire scene, her feelings conflicted.

Seeing Yang Lihua, Wen Siyuan hurried over. “Lihua, please ask Auntie to plead for me! Cleaning the pigsty is backbreaking and filthy work, and on top of that, the work points are so low. If I’m assigned that, I’ll owe the team food by the end of the year! Lihua, I know you’re the best to me. Please help.”

Yang Lihua watched Wen Siyuan’s desperate pleas silently, speechless for a long moment.

Suddenly, she realized that Lin Xiang’s words to her today weren’t meant to lecture from on high, but to warn her from experience that Wen Siyuan, that worthless bastard, was truly unworthy!

“What do you mean cleaning the pigsty isn’t for humans? If you can’t handle the hardship, just say so. Why step on others? If you hadn’t complained in front of the commune leaders, the team leader wouldn’t have punished you!”

“Do you know how much effort Lihua Team has put into earning the advanced collective title? Your reckless actions have seriously endangered that. Wen Siyuan, I’m so disappointed in you!”

“Lihua, you…”

“Lin Xiang’s right — you’re a parasite! A bloodsucking parasite!” Yang Lihua cursed Wen Siyuan and stormed off.

The day after the phone line was installed, Lin Xiang received a call from Secretary Wang.

“Comrade Lin, the foreign guests have decided to visit the textile factory again tomorrow. If you have time, come to town to serve as the translator for the day.”

“No problem. I’ll be there on time tomorrow.”

After hanging up, Lin Xiang began planning what Western dishes to prepare, but noticed the team leaders staring at her intently.

Their looks made her uneasy, as if she were some precious commodity.

“Team leader, why are you looking at me like that?”

“Nothing, nothing,” the team leader chuckled. “Girl, bright and early tomorrow, I’ll have Old Sun waiting at your door to take you to town. Won’t delay anything!”

Old Sun’s ox cart belonged to the collective, so the team leader’s arrangement was no trouble.

Lin Xiang didn’t refuse—who would want to squeeze in with others when there was a private cart, even if it was just an ox cart?

Back home, Lin Xiang set about considering the menu for tomorrow.

After last time’s brief encounter, she was certain the foreign guests preferred Italian-style Western cuisine.

Aside from the steak served last time, it was best not to repeat dishes. Unique cuisine was the true way to honor guests.

But the state-run restaurant’s ingredients and seasonings were limited, and Lin Xiang’s head ached thinking about the menu.

That afternoon, Lin Yun had just returned from work when Lin Xiang rushed over.

“Brother, can you do me a favor?”

Lin Yun set down his hoe by the wall and used a tattered rag hanging on the clothesline to wipe the sweat from his face. Without pausing, he said, “Go ahead.”

“I got a call from town telling me to accompany the foreign guests again tomorrow. I’ve drafted a menu that needs shrimp—can you catch some from the river?”

Feelings grow stronger when one is repeatedly sought after and needed.

Of course, the kind of “trouble” from the past self didn’t count here.

Lin Xiang could catch shrimp herself, but she wanted to give Lin Yun a chance to be a good big brother.

“All right.” Lin Yun replied and headed to the kitchen to fetch a wooden bucket, then walked toward the river.

Though it was late autumn and the river hadn’t frozen, the water was icy cold. Lin Yun rolled up his pants and waded in barefoot, seemingly unaffected by the chill.

There were plenty of shrimp in the river, though all were small freshwater shrimp. Lin Yun was skilled, and with the bucket submerged and scooped up again, he filled almost half a bucket.

Lin Xiang walked more slowly and hadn’t reached the riverbank before she heard Liu Pei’s sharp cry.

“Lin Yun! How can you go into the water in such cold weather? Get out of there right now!”

Into the water?

Lin Xiang’s heart sank, and she dashed toward the riverbank.

Sure enough, Lin Yun was bent over in the river, scooping shrimp.

“Brother, come out! We have enough shrimp; no need for more!”

“All right.”

Lin Yun agreed, lifted the bucket, and stepped out of the water, his steps steady as if the icy river hadn’t affected him.

Liu Pei quickly took out her handkerchief to dry his wet legs, but Lin Yun dodged her.

“No need, Comrade Liu. It’ll dry soon.”

“If it were summer, that’d be one thing, but winter’s coming. You’re still recovering from your last illness. If you catch a chill again, what will happen?”

Faced with Liu Pei’s concern, Lin Yun felt somewhat uncomfortable.

“I’m fine.”

Liu Pei then turned to Lin Xiang, who had hurried over, frowning slightly with a hint of reproach.

“Comrade Lin, you know Lin Yun hasn’t fully recovered. How could you let him wade into the river for shrimp? If he relapses, it could affect him for life!”

Lin Xiang touched her nose sheepishly, accepting Liu Pei’s rebuke.

She hadn’t expected Lin Yun to be so earnest, actually getting into the water to catch shrimp.