Who knew that after lying in bed and tossing and turning for quite a while, she still couldn’t fall asleep.

The past few days replayed in her mind like a slideshow, making it hard to tell whether it was all real or just a dream.

She began planning for the next day.

Wake up early and write a letter to Aunt Wang to let her know she was safe, and express her gratitude again. After some time, she could send some local mountain goods back.

Once the college entrance exam was reinstated, she would definitely return to the capital—so this relationship had to be maintained. That’s how people worked: mutual exchanges made relationships closer.

She also planned to buy a few newspapers to see what kind of articles were being published these days. Before coming here, she hadn’t achieved much, but she was, after all, a graduate of the Chinese Department at Jinghua University. Maybe she could earn some money with her writing.

She also had to visit the scrap collection station—something every novel heroine seemed to do.

Buy a lock.

And most importantly, buy more food.

Thinking and thinking…

When she opened her eyes again, it was already 6:40!

The tractor left at 7.

No time to write the letter!

Su Cen hurriedly got up, washed quickly, then ran to her storage space, grabbed a bun she had packed earlier from a state-run restaurant in the capital, stuffed it into her mouth, and gulped it down with some of the spiritual spring water.

After leaving the space, she grabbed her bag and rushed toward the village entrance. Halfway there, she ran into a few other educated youths heading the same way and slowed down to follow behind them.

Among the group, Gao Xiuqin, walking at the back, noticed her and greeted her with a smile:

“Good morning, Su Cen!”

Lin Jiajia also stopped and turned back with a bright smile. “Morning, Su!”

“Good morning!” Su Cen replied, slightly out of breath from rushing.

“There’s still time. You can walk slower,” Gao Xiuqin said, matching her pace. “The tractor driver usually waits a bit even after seven. It doesn’t leave exactly on time.”

“Whew… I almost overslept!” Su Cen, still groggy, looked a bit adorably clumsy—making her seem more approachable than usual.

Once Gao Xiuqin and Lin Jiajia caught up, the three walked side by side at a slower pace.

Having spent several days together on the train, Lin Jiajia felt closer to Su Cen than to the others.

“Su Cen, can I call you that?”

“Of course! And I’ll call you Jiajia,” Su Cen replied, then turned to Gao Xiuqin. “Sister Xiuqin.”

Gao Xiuqin smiled warmly. “Calling each other by name really does make us feel less distant.”

“Su Cen, is living alone nice?” Lin Jiajia asked softly.

After a pause, she added, “I’m thinking of building my own place too.”

“It’s very comfortable—you get your own private space,” Su Cen said. Hearing that, she guessed something unpleasant must have happened in the communal dorm. Otherwise, why would Lin Jiajia suddenly want to move out?

Lin Jiajia lowered her head in thought, then smiled. “I’ll write home later and ask my family for advice.”

When they reached the village entrance, some people were already sitting on the tractor—mostly village women.

After Su Cen, Lin Jiajia, and Gao Xiuqin found seats, one of the older women looked them over with a smile.

“You’re new educated youths, right? Wearing glasses, looking all refined. Where are you from? How many people in your family? Already promised to someone?”

Then she looked at Lin Jiajia. “You’re new too, right?”

Lin Jiajia shyly replied, “Hello, Auntie.”

Another cheerful, short-haired woman laughed and scolded lightly, “Alright, alright, Granny Qian, stop prying into everything. Don’t scare the young girls.”

Then she turned to Su Cen and Lin Jiajia. “Don’t mind her. She’s a matchmaker—can’t help herself when she sees new faces.”

Granny Qian wasn’t offended at all and became even more enthusiastic. “Oh come on, Xiuying, you know me. I just can’t help it when I see good girls!” She even pretended to slap her own mouth twice.

Looking at the two girls again, she smiled. “You two look educated—don’t let our rough countryside talk scare you!”

Another woman nudged her. “Stop trying to matchmake the educated youths! They’re city girls.”

Granny Qian waved her hand. “What’s wrong with that? We’ve got plenty of fine young men in the village. If you’re interested, come find me!”

Then she called out to the other youths, “Same goes for you! I only earn honest money—I’ll find you a good match!”

Su Cen forced a polite smile but didn’t respond.

She glanced at her watch—it was 7:00. Thinking the tractor was about to leave, she took out a dark blue cloth from her bag and wrapped it around her head.

Beside her, Lin Jiajia also pulled out the floral cloth she had worn the day before.

Several of the village women were dressed the same way. Among the educated youths, only the two of them did this.

Su Cen then took out another green cloth and turned to Gao Xiuqin. “Sister Xiuqin, want one? It helps keep the dust out.”

Gao Xiuqin smiled and accepted it. “Thanks, I’ll wash and return it later.”

The women nearby praised them:

“Look at these three girls—wrapped up like that, you can’t even tell who’s from the village and who’s an educated youth!”

“That’s the practical way to live! Better to cover up than eat a mouthful of dust!”

At that moment, a man’s voice came from the front:

“Alright, no more waiting! Hold on tight—we’re heading to the commune!”

“Put-put-put—”

The tractor was loud, but it didn’t stop the women from gathering together and chatting.

One woman lowered her voice, though her excitement was obvious:

“Hey, have you noticed? That boy from Changgen’s family—he’s really grown up these past two years. Doesn’t look like Changgen at all… looks more like… like the landlord’s second son!”

A chorus of sharp inhalations followed.

Even Su Cen, pretending to rest, perked up her ears.

“I noticed that long ago!” another slightly plump woman exclaimed, slapping her thigh.

“Changgen looks like that—flat nose, thick lips, simple face. His wife got pregnant not long after marrying in, said she gave birth a month early after a fall. But everyone said the baby didn’t look premature. Changgen insisted it was because she ate well during pregnancy.”

“Shh—keep your voice down! Don’t let him hear that!”

“It’s not just us talking! That kid’s getting fairer and more handsome by the day—nothing like Changgen.”

“Back then all the men envied him for marrying such a pretty wife. Let them keep envying now!”

The group of women burst into laughter.

Another quickly added:

“And there’s more—just a few days ago I saw Widow Zhang suddenly retching by the roadside. The way she looked…” She winked at the others.

“Oh my—if Old Lady Li finds out, she’ll kill her!”

One woman looked around to make sure no one from the accountant’s family was nearby. “I heard someone saw the accountant going to her house.”

“I know, I know—supposedly the accountant’s son can’t… you know…”

“So she’s having a child to give him a grandson?”

…

“Have you heard? Zhiguo’s youngest son is going to marry into another family. They’re fighting about it at home right now!”

“Would Zhiguo agree? The whole family scrimped to support his studies, and now that he’s got a job, he’s going to become a live-in son-in-law?”

…

“This morning I heard half a sack of cornmeal went missing from the team granary. They say Wang Laosan’s wife stole it and sent it back to her parents.”

“His wife’s practically emptying out their house!”

…

The more the women talked, the more excited they became, their eyes shining with gossip-fueled energy.

Su Cen and the others were “forced” to listen to quite a bit of gossip—and their eyes, too, gradually lit up.