The Stunningly Beautiful and Delicate Darling in the 1980s Military Compound - Chapter 62

At the end of the dirt road lay the entrance to the Red Flag Commune. Further ahead were vast fields planted with cotton, soybeans, and watermelons.

Pei Xiaoyu introduced the area to them: “These lands were partitioned later. They’re far from the river, so they grow crops that don’t need much water. On the other side of the commune, there are larger fields for rice and wheat. I recall more people growing watermelons here than in Red River. I wonder how it is now.”

“Look, there are quite a few patches here! Xiaoyu, your hunch was right!” Zhang Jingjing’s eyes lit up at the sight of the round, ripe watermelons. She could hardly wait to start picking them.

Pei Xiaoyu planned to visit a family her mother had been close with. They still kept in touch and would visit her mother during the off-season. The house was to the south; they just had to follow the road and turn at the bend.

Since it was rice seedling season, most villagers were busy in the paddies on the other side of the commune, so the road was relatively quiet. As they walked, a voice sneered from behind: “Oh, look who it is! Isn’t this our ‘capable’ little Xiaoyu? What happened? Didn’t you say you were so high-and-mighty that you’d never come back?”

Pei Xiaoyu turned around, showing no sign of backing down. “I wondered who had such a foul mouth. So it’s Second Aunt. Did your family lease the entire Red Flag Commune? If so, I wouldn’t set foot in here. But since it’s not yours, it’s best not to point fingers at others’ business.”

“You…!” The woman’s face turned red, sweat dripping from her forehead. She was speechless with rage. She hadn’t realized this girl’s tongue had become so sharp.

Zhao Xing, seeing the woman picking a fight, stepped forward and looked at her with disdain. She asked Xiaoyu loudly, “Xiaoyu, where did this raggedy relative come from? Dressed so filthily—is she a beggar?”

The woman was Cui Lü, Pei Xiaoyu’s second aunt. She had bullied Xiaoyu’s mother for years because of her mother’s gentle nature. Worse still, Cui Lü’s younger sister, Cui Hong, had fallen for Xiaoyu’s father and insisted on marrying him. Cui Lü had led the charge in driving Xiaoyu and her mother out of the house.

Looking at Xiaoyu’s fine features and fair skin, it was clear her father was handsome. He was also skilled at calligraphy—in this era, good handwriting represented a person’s character and status.

Cui Lü usually relied on her husband’s brute strength to bully others in the commune, but facing someone like Zhao Xing—who was dressed elegantly and looked like she wasn’t to be trifled with—she immediately wilted. She scurried away toward her home, muttering under her breath.

After hearing Xiaoyu’s brief explanation of the woman’s history, the group was indignant. “We shouldn’t have let her walk away so easily. You have to be even fiercer with people like that.”

“Xiaoyu, that’s all in the past,” Song Mingyue added. “From now on, we focus on making money and making them regret.”

However, Pei Xiaoyu remained remarkably rational. “I don’t entirely blame her. Primarily, it’s the man who fathered me; he failed to protect me and my mother.”

The Deal at Pei Xiangyang’s House

They arrived at the house of Xiaoyu’s acquaintance. Inside the fence, they saw an elderly woman—San Grandma—minding several children. San Grandma recognized Xiaoyu immediately and welcomed them warmly.

“San Grandma, is Uncle Pei home?”

“You’re looking for your uncle and aunt? They’re at the fields letting water into the paddies for the seedlings.”

The paddies would be crowded, and Xiaoyu didn’t want to risk a confrontation with the rest of the Pei family that might ruin their business. “San Grandma, I have some business with Uncle Pei. Could you help me call him home?”

The old woman looked curiously at Song Mingyue and the others. “And who are these ladies?”

“They are my friends. We’ve started a business and want to buy supplies from Uncle Pei.”

Hearing about a chance to make money, San Grandma perked up. She checked on the sleeping children and went to get him. About twenty minutes later, a man—Pei Xiangyang—arrived with a stern expression. “Xiaoyu, I heard you’re doing ‘business.’ You’re just a child; you should focus on your studies.”

“It’s not me, Uncle. My friends here want to purchase watermelons. We wanted to see if anyone in the brigade is selling.”

Song Mingyue stepped forward with a warm smile. “We come to your door to collect them. 6 cents per catty, and we’ll take as many as you have.”

“6 cents?” The man immediately balked. “In the city, they sell for much more. Don’t think you can come here and cheat us.”

Song Mingyue explained patiently, “Uncle, we aren’t cheating you. We save you the trouble of transport. Even if you have melons, you can’t afford to waste half a day going to the city right now, can you?”

Transport was a minor issue; the real problem was competition. This year, the streets were flooded with villagers selling melons, making it impossible for a casual seller to move their stock. Pei Xiangyang trusted Xiaoyu more than the strangers and pulled her aside to talk.

After a few minutes, he returned and asked, “How about 7 cents? At 6 cents, we might as well feed them to the pigs.”

Song Mingyue didn’t haggle. “7 cents it is then. Uncle, how many do you have? Please ask the neighbors too. If we can’t finish today, we’ll be back in a few days.”

The news spread fast. Within half an hour, many villagers arrived. They were shocked to see Pei Xiaoyu sitting there, holding the money Song Mingyue had entrusted to her. She smiled and counted the bills: “Auntie, how many catties is this? I’ll calculate the payment for you.”

The Confrontation

Pei Xiaoyu’s grandmother, Old Mrs. Pei, heard the news and rushed over with Cui Lü, bringing a cart of melons. “San Grandma, we’re here to sell melons too!”

San Grandma’s expression changed. “Oh no, your grandmother and second aunt are here. Xiaoyu, why don’t you hide in the room for a bit?”

“No need, San Grandma. I haven’t done anything wrong. I’m not afraid of them.”

Song Mingyue and the others realized what was happening. They were still annoyed that they hadn’t stood up for Xiaoyu earlier. Song Mingyue spoke first: “Xiaoyu doesn’t need to leave. She’s our leader. We all take our orders from her.”

Zhang Jingjing and Zhao Xing immediately caught on. This was their unspoken chemistry.

Old Mrs. Pei’s face turned from eager to furious the moment she saw Xiaoyu. “Pei Xiaoyu! What are you doing here? You debt-collector! Our Pei family has nothing to do with you anymore!”

“Old lady, who do you think you are, speaking to our leader like that?!” Zhao Xing lunged forward, blocking Xiaoyu. When Zhao Xing put on airs, her overbearing aura was enough to make anyone flinch.

However, Old Mrs. Pei was a family matriarch and snapped back, “Who are you? What business is it of yours if I discipline my granddaughter?”

“Pei Xiaoyu is my boss. You tell me if it’s my business!”

“She’s just a slip of a girl! What kind of ‘leader’ could she be? Stop playing tricks to bully an old woman!”

Song Mingyue couldn’t take it anymore. “Who’s bullying you? The three of us work for Xiaoyu. Try bullying her again and see what happens.”

Old Mrs. Pei was notorious for her victim complex. She had bullied Xiaoyu’s mother for years, even accusing her of stealing oil without a shred of evidence. Seeing people defend Xiaoyu now, she doubled down: “I’m the one being bullied! Her mother stole two buckets of oil from me!”

Song Mingyue stepped up and grabbed the old woman’s sleeve firmly. “Fine! Let’s go to the police station right now. If you can’t provide evidence, that’s defamation, and you can go to jail for it.”

The moment she heard the word “jail,” Old Mrs. Pei’s face turned pale with fear.