Chapter 127: I Know Who’s Behind This

Perhaps Lin Xiaodou’s intimidation had the desired effect. On the way back, Zhu Qingqing did not dare to hover around and invite more humiliation.

Sister Chen, on the other hand, was deeply moved after learning about Lin Xiaodou’s family situation. Although they had only known each other for a month, they got along as well as old friends. Sister Chen decided to treat Lin Xiaodou even better in the future, hoping to provide her with some warmth.

Back at their living quarters, after washing up, Zhu Qingqing went to bed in a foul mood. Since she was the last to arrive, her bed was positioned against the wall on one side and next to Lin Xiaodou on the other. That night, seeing Lin Xiaodou climb into bed, she quickly turned to face the other side. She stretched out her hand toward the wall and began drawing countless circles, cursing Lin Xiaodou under her breath.

"Become ugly, become dark, and be loved by no one!"

A night passed. Everyone else slept well, except for Zhu Qingqing. When she got up with two dark circles under her eyes, everyone was startled.

"Comrade Zhu Qingqing, what happened to you? Did you have a nightmare?"

Zhu Qingqing shot a resentful look at Lin Xiaodou. "Yes, a nightmare, and a terrifying one at that."

Damn it all—she had only cursed Lin Xiaodou before going to bed, yet she had actually dreamed of her. In the dream, Lin Xiaodou had transformed into a creature with infinite strength, chasing her down to beat her up. It forced her to spend the entire night hiding frantically in her dream, leaving her completely unrested.

Lin Xiaodou remained oblivious to Zhu Qingqing’s resentment. She had far too much to do to waste time on irrelevant people. After a quick wash, she headed to the cafeteria alone. Before leaving, she spoke to Sister Chen:

"Sister Chen, you should focus on guiding Comrade Zhu Qingqing for the time being. We don't get along, and to avoid friction, I won't be accompanying you these next few days."

As she said this, Lin Xiaodou made no effort to hide her dislike. Sister Chen could not force the issue; if she had to choose, she would naturally choose Lin Xiaodou. However, having already promised Dr. Zhang that she would take the new recruit under her wing, she had to fulfill that responsibility.

Sister Chen replied, "Alright. I'll come find you once I'm finished with these next few days. Take care of yourself, and if anything comes up, reach out to me immediately."

"Understood," Lin Xiaodou said.

She had assumed that by going separate ways, she wouldn't have any contact with Zhu Qingqing during work hours. However, after only half a day, Director Hu brought Zhu Qingqing over.

"Little Lin, Sister Chen is too busy on her end. From now on, she will handle the mornings, and Comrade Zhu Qingqing will come to you in the afternoons. You have a great capacity for learning and are very capable; I trust you can guide the newcomer well."

With the director having spoken, Lin Xiaodou could not refuse and had to take the person in. Throughout Director Hu’s speech, Zhu Qingqing kept her eyes down in a submissive posture. Watching her, Lin Xiaodou thought to herself that she was quite the actress.

Sure enough, as soon as Director Hu left, Zhu Qingqing lifted her head and said arrogantly, "Lin Xiaodou, you don't like me, and I don't like you either. Since that’s the case, let’s keep to our own business. I’ll just follow you around to keep up appearances, and you don’t need to worry about anything else."

Lin Xiaodou raised an eyebrow. "Fine, as long as you don't cause trouble on my turf, anything goes."

Zhu Qingqing scoffed. "What kind of trouble could I possibly cause? Don't look down on me!"

The karmic slap to the face arrived as swiftly as a tornado. Just one hour after she made that statement, she caused an incident. The reason was tied to the male lead. Lin Xiaodou hadn't expected it to happen so quickly. The moment the heroine appeared, the hero immediately surfaced.

Half an hour earlier, a new group of reform-through-labor prisoners had arrived at the pig farm. Two men were assigned to Lin Xiaodou’s sector. One was named Xu Mo, 19 years old—the male lead of this story. He had delicate features, skin as pale as paper, and a faint sense of sorrow lingering between his brows. He radiated a somber air, like a decadent, beautiful youth stepped right out of a manga.

Back in the modern era, Zhu Qingqing had been a huge fan of manga and loved these melancholic, beautiful types. The moment she saw the male lead, stars appeared in her eyes, and she became utterly infatuated.

The other man was in his twenties, a tall, crude-looking simpleton known as "Silly Niu." He grinned at everyone he met and had a habit of picking his nose and eating it.

As soon as they arrived, the overseer arranged for them to haul pig manure. Zhu Qingqing, still lost in the male lead’s glorious appearance, immediately jumped out.

"No! How can Xu Mo haul pig manure? He’s so frail, he doesn't have the strength for it!"

There was another thought she was too embarrassed to voice: Xu Mo was so handsome, how could he deal with pig manure? It ruined his aura.

The overseer looked at the woman who had suddenly popped up, completely bewildered. Who was this idiot? Even seventy or eighty-year-old men were hauling manure; why couldn't this young man do it? Besides, it had nothing to do with her—why was she sticking her nose into it?

The overseer was just about to scold her for not knowing the rules when he suddenly remembered she had been brought by Lin Xiaodou. The previous overseer had been ousted by that very girl. He dared not mess with her people, so he decided to consult her first. He found Lin Xiaodou working in the pigsty and spoke cautiously.

"Dr. Lin, ahem... I have something to tell you..."

After hearing the whole story, Lin Xiaodou was speechless. "Don't worry about her. Do what you have to do. She was shoved onto me by Director Hu; she has nothing to do with me."

The implication was clear: Zhu Qingqing was not one of her people. The overseer, a smart man, understood immediately.

"Understood, Dr. Lin. You go back to your work; I'll come to you if there's anything else."

The overseer left with a smile. Upon returning, he waved his hand and immediately ordered Xu Mo to haul the manure. Zhu Qingqing, having found a basin of water from somewhere, was in the middle of wiping Xu Mo’s face. Hearing this, she immediately exploded.

"Overseer, why are you going back on your word? You just agreed not to make Xu Mo haul manure, and now you’re reneging!"

"When did I ever agree to that? I only said 'wait' earlier—you must have heard me wrong!" The overseer frowned, looking impatient. "I am in charge of this sector. You have no right to interfere with my arrangements. Please stop meddling in matters that don't concern you!"

He left out even harsher words, not wanting to be too rough with a young girl.

"You!..." Zhu Qingqing’s face flushed with anger.

"Big sister, it's alright. I'll go. Even if I work myself to death, I don't want to see you being bullied because of me." Xu Mo bit his lip, his face full of grievance.

He was a year younger than Zhu Qingqing, so calling her "big sister" was technically correct. But they had only known each other for half an hour; this speed of kinship was comparable to a rocket. Zhu Qingqing had felt a bit in the wrong, but upon hearing Xu Mo say that, her protective instincts flared up instantly.

Zhu Qingqing declared, "Don't be afraid. I know who is behind this—I'm going to have a word with her!"