CHAPTER 34: CHAPTER 34: QUOTA FOR RETURNING TO THE CITY

The educated youths aren’t fools; they understand what Lin Xiang means.

Let’s not mention that Yang Lihua was wronged by Wen Siyuan’s rumors; even if she wasn’t, they wouldn’t spread the matter around.

Yang Lihua is just a young girl; her innocence shouldn’t be ruined.

If they spread rumors, how different would they be from that scoundrel Wen Siyuan?

No, they’d be worse than Wen Siyuan!

With everyone’s assurance, Lin Xiang breathed a sigh of relief, walked straight to Wen Siyuan, and started rummaging through his pockets until she found the half-new, half-old Hero brand fountain pen.

"This fountain pen was stolen by you, and now it’s time to return it to its rightful owner."

After taking the pen, Lin Xiang spoke a few words to the educated youths about the city return quotas, then took Yang Lihua home.

The Lin family.

Lin An had already returned and was working on the sweet potato starch that Lin Xiang hadn’t finished.

"Bro, leave it there, I can do it myself later."

"It’s no trouble at all, you go play with your friends first, I’ll do it for you."

Lin Xiang still needed to soothe Yang Lihua’s emotions, so she didn’t insist, but took her to the room and closed the door.

Knowing Lin Yun was still around, Yang Lihua didn’t dare break down like before, so she just whimpered softly.

"How dare Wen Siyuan... say that I seduced him?"

If Lin Xiang hadn’t arrived in time, wouldn’t she have been shamed in public?

Lin Xiang patted Yang Lihua’s shoulder, "Luckily, you woke up just in time. But Wen Siyuan won’t be skipping around any longer. He won’t return to the city; he’ll have to stay with the Li Hua Team. From now on, we’ll have plenty of chances to make things difficult for him! Now, let’s talk about this fountain pen."

Lin Xiang placed the pen on the table, "When I said Wen Siyuan stole this pen, it wasn’t a false accusation!"

"But this fountain pen, Wen Siyuan bought it himself at the supply and marketing cooperatives, and I even accompanied him to buy it!"

Lin Xiang sneered, "He’s such a lazy guy who can’t even earn full labor points, where do you think he got the money to buy a pen?"

It’s not like the Wen family supported him; during the years Wen Siyuan served as an educated youth, the Wen family hardly sent him any letters, let alone money or coupons.

Wen Siyuan is naturally a scoundrel because he expertly offers emotional value, leading those young girls to be flattered by him, besides Lin Family’s girl, several other girls secretly provided him food, allowing him to save up his grain and money to buy the pen.

Although he bought this pen, the money for the pen came from many young girls in the Li Hua Team, including "Lin Xiang" and Yang Lihua.

The day Lin Xiang arrived, she exposed Wen Siyuan’s true nature and later reclaimed the things she had sponsored him over the years. After that, Lin Xiang stopped paying attention to him.

She didn’t want to waste time and effort on a scoundrel.

But today’s incident with Yang Lihua sounded an alarm for Lin Xiang. Wen Siyuan is rotten to the core, and if not properly disciplined, who knows what trouble he’ll cause in the future?

This could impact the Li Hua Team’s prospects as an exemplary collective; Lin Xiang’s concern is that other young girls might fall victim to him.

Not everyone can recognize Wen Siyuan’s true face like Yang Lihua, nor does everyone have the strength to resist him.

Wen Siyuan’s true nature must be thoroughly exposed!

"This fountain pen is probably the most valuable thing Wen Siyuan owns. Without money and without anyone providing him food, he’ll have to work earnestly to earn labor points. In that sense, we’re indirectly urging him to improve, so don’t carry any psychological burden."

"Mhm, mhm!" Yang Lihua nodded heavily, her mood visibly brighter.

"So what should we do with this pen?"

Lin Xiang thought for a moment and said, "I’ll find a way to exchange this pen for money and distribute some subsidies to everyone."

This was indeed a good idea, and Yang Lihua didn’t object, "Lin Xiang, thank you for today. If it weren’t for you, I..."

"I mean, we’re all girls, it’s only natural for girls to help each other out, isn’t it? If you truly feel uneasy about it, just don’t give me any trouble in the future."

Yang Lihua’s cheeks flushed, "I haven’t always given you trouble! I... I won’t do that anymore."

Lin Yun was still outside, working on the sweet potato starch diligently, aiming to win favor, but Lin Xiang issued a polite dismissal, "You’ve been wronged today, go home and rest well."

"Then... I’ll go first, I’ll come by another day to find you."

After seeing Yang Lihua out, Lin Xiang approached Lin Yun and took over from him.

"Bro, take a break, let me do it."

"It’s alright, I’ve got the strength, and I can do it faster."

Lin Xiang was squeezed to the side and helplessly returned to her room, found some paper and pens, and drew the image in her mind.

It was her concept for a simplified machine to make sweet potato starch.

She remembered Lin Yun knew some carpentry, so she took the diagram to him.

"Bro, help me check this out, can you draw it?"

Lin Yun finished his task and then reached out to take the paper, he studied it for a while and nodded, "As long as the tools are complete, I can make it."

"I’m going to town tomorrow, I’ll go to the hardware store and get these parts, and tomorrow, can you spare some time to chop some wood for me and help me make this machine?"

In his busyness, Lin Yun cast her a glance, "The sweet potato starch we made today is already enough for the family for a month, why do you need this machine? You and Mom don’t like sweet potato starch much, make less of it."

"I have my reasons; you’ll see in a few days!" Lin Xiang intentionally kept him guessing, "Bro, help me out, would you?"

Lin Yun nodded, "Alright, I’ll do it for you."

"Bro, you’re the best!"

Lin Xiang offered plenty of emotional support while she also helped Lin Yun and soon made more sweet potato starch, waiting for it to dry before taking it to the market.

Meanwhile, at the team headquarters.

Looking at the seventeen educated youths, the team leader felt a headache coming on.

"How did you find out about the city return quotas?"

The educated youths definitely couldn’t implicate Lin Xiang or Yang Lihua, so they unanimously mentioned Wen Siyuan.

The team leader blew his mustache and glared, "I knew it was him! He doesn’t have the qualifications to return, so he’s egging you on to come to me?"

The educated youths remained silent, but their eyes were determined, clearly indicating they were after the quota.

The team leader sighed, "The commune indeed gave our Li Hua Team one city return quota. But you educated youths are eighteen in total, and we only have one quota, so we haven’t yet decided who to give it to; haven’t made up our minds."

Not having decided means everyone still has a chance.