Yingying was unwilling, having caused Lu Daya to die young in her last life due to her thoughtlessness, she wanted to make amends in this life.
Moreover, a human life couldn't be repaid with just a few meals; the girl was indeed honest.
"Sister Daya, my life is only worth those few meals? You're looking down on me!" Yingying pretended to be angry.
Lu Daya immediately panicked, "No, that's not what I mean, oh dear, I really can't accept this."
She had already accepted too many good things from the captain's house and couldn't always keep doing so, thinking of her mother she cleverly said, "Yingying, if you give me these things now, my mother will snatch them away when I get home. How about I come over for a meal another time when I have a chance?"
Thinking of Mrs. Lu's character, Yingying nodded and said, "Alright, I'll give them to you next time I cook."
Lu Daya said goodbye to Yingying and hurried home.
As soon as she arrived, Mrs. Lu looked at Lu Daya returning and huffed, "You, this foolish girl, it's a blessing in disguise for you, being able to cozy up to the captain's house; you're somewhat capable.
But, Daya, don't forget that I'm your mother. When you went to the Xu family to eat good food, did you think of your father and me? You really can stomach it."
"What good food did you eat at the Xu's?" Mrs. Lu pressed.
Lu Daya, bright-eyed, answered directly, "Nothing much, the captain's wife made me a bowl of mixed grain noodles!"
"Just that?" Mrs. Lu raised an eyebrow and surmised that the Xu family's days weren't too good either.
She thought the captain's house had it better because of Xu Jian Country.
Having just had mixed grain noodles, Mrs. Lu lost interest in the conversation.
Seeing her mother's disinterest, Lu Daya breathed a sigh of relief and quickly went to the kitchen, "Mom, I'm going to wash dishes."
Mrs. Lu huffed and nodded her head.
Lu Daya hurried into the kitchen.
The captain and his wife were being kind, wanting her to replenish her body which is why they allowed her to eat at their house uninhibitedly; she couldn't tarnish the captain's household reputation.
Shitou hadn't forgotten what his great-grandfather said, and as soon as Lu Daya left, he relayed everything word-for-word to Mr. Xu.
Mr. Xu felt guilty upon hearing this; it was his fault for not disciplining his daughter properly, causing his father, at his old age, to worry.
Before Mr. Xu could speak, Yingying reassured, "Dad, Mom, don't worry, I won't associate with Dong Wenzhong and Chen Yanran anymore."
Mr. Xu listened, somewhat skeptical and disbelieving that she had seen the light all of a sudden.
"Mom, Dad, really, I've realized that Dong Wenzhong and Chen Yanran harbored an improper relationship." Yingying, wanting them to believe her, laid bare the affairs of those two.
Upon hearing this, Mr. Xu believed her. He had seen it earlier, but since his daughter was enthralled by Dong Wenzhong, he had not dared to speak.
He was afraid that speaking would make her not believe, and think that he was deliberately slandering them; originally, he thought of finding evidence to show his daughter directly, but it turned out she had clarified it herself.
"Yingying, I had said before that something was off about Dong Wenzhong and Chen Yanran, you didn't believe me then, but now that you know, it's good. Those two are no good; their intentions aren't pure." Eldest Sister-in-law Xu said angrily.
Yingying nodded repeatedly, "Don't worry, I definitely won't contact them in the future."
Mr. and Mrs. Xu were very happy, their daughter had finally seen Dong Wenzhong's true colors, and they could finally set their worried hearts at rest.
Having resolved the matter, Mr. Xu rested at home for a while before taking his family to work.
Mrs. Xu, taking advantage of the good sun that day, took all the quilts in the house out to dry after they left.
Shitou had to pick pigweed in the afternoon, and Yingying couldn't sit still, taking her carrying basket intending to go up the mountain to gather some firewood.
"Mom, I'm going up the mountain to see if I can find anything good again."
Mrs. Xu, thinking of her daughter's good luck, speculated she might find something good on the mountain; if they ended up with a surplus, she planned to have the younger son secretly exchange some for money in town.
"Don't go deep into the mountains, just wander around nearby."
"Okay, Mom," Xu Ying smiled and agreed before taking her two nephews out.
The trio had barely reached the mountain's pass when they encountered Dong Wenzhong.
Dong Wenzhong, disheveled, stood under a large tree. Upon seeing Xu Ying, he became visibly excited, apparently forgetting the last time Xu Ying had scolded him.
"Yingying, where are you going?"
Xu Ying gave him a cold glance. If it hadn't been broad daylight with many villagers around, she would have liked to put a sack over Dong Wenzhong and beat him up to vent her anger, "Does Dong Zhiqing need something?"
"Yingying, what's wrong? What did I do wrong for you to change like this?" Dong Wenzhong forced a smile and asked.
He had thought that by ignoring Xu Ying for a few days, she would definitely come looking for him.
But it had only been two days and Dong Wenzhong couldn't stand it anymore. Without Xu Ying cooking for him separately, his days had become unbearable.
He was hungry every day, eating only wild vegetable buns and coarse porridge, meal after meal, to the point of vomiting.
Moreover, this food didn't stave off hunger, and he felt dizzy and blurred while working.
Yanran had also been hungry these days, and it pained him to see her suffer.
"Dong Zhiqing, you haven't done anything wrong, I just simply don't like you anymore. Also, don't bother me again," Xu Ying said, looking at Dong Wenzhong with a proud lift of her head.
After saying that, she continued walking, pulling Hu Zi along.
Dong Wenzhong was left standing there, stupefied.
Xu Ying used to like him, how could she just stop liking him?
Could there be some misunderstanding?
Dong Wenzhong was a bit anxious, and just as he thought to go and explain to Xu Ying, Deputy Team Leader Xu Jiangmin came running out.
Upon seeing Dong Zhiqing, Xu Jiangmin showed a face full of disdain. Of all the people from the Youth Corps, one lazier than the other, the laziest had to be Chen Zhiqing and Dong Zhiqing.
Whenever it was time to work, there was always something, "Dong Zhiqing, it's time to work, what are you hiding here for!"
"I'm feeling unwell, dizzy and blurred," Dong Wenzhong said loudly, rubbing his head in pain, sneaking glances at Xu Ying's departing figure, hoping she would feel pity for him.
Upon hearing this, Xu Jiangmin immediately laughed, "Dong Zhiqing, every time it's time to work, you feel dizzy and blurred. In a few months, it will be winter and New Year.
Do you know how many work points you have earned? How much grain will you get during New Year's distribution? Can you even continue living like this?"
After finishing, Xu Jiangmin saw Xu Ying in the distance, and with a mocking face said, "Oh! I forgot, you still have the captain's daughter to take care of you. But I heard you two have fallen out recently, is that true?
If it's true, then it seems this year will be tough for you!"
Dong Wenzhong's face turned red, thinking of Xu Ying's attitude towards him these days, his heart was in a panic.
Previously, his claim of feeling dizzy and blurred was false, just to be lazy, but now it was different.
Without Xu Ying's support these days, he was constantly hungry, lacking the strength to work. He truly started feeling dizzy and blurred as soon as he picked up the hoe.
Xu Jiangmin couldn't care less about Dong Wenzhong; anyway, the lack of work points meant starvation for him, "When you feel better, get back to work quickly."
Dong Wenzhong promptly agreed and then slumped, dispirited, against the big tree.
Xu Ying led Shitou and Hu Zi up the mountain, Shitou as usual went to cut grass for the pigs.
She started gathering firewood with Hu Zi, preparing for the winter, collecting more to avoid being caught without firewood under the snow.
Hu Zi also picked up sticks on the ground, claiming to gather firewood but actually just meandering behind Xu Ying.
"Xu Ying." Huo Chen called out to her and quickly walked over.