Chapter Ten: Who Are You Trying to Disgust with This Performance?

After drinking the soup, feeling warmth spreading through his body, Li Xiangyang carefully prepared the venison, dividing it into large pieces to marinate. He pondered his next course of action.

Indeed, many valuable parts could be taken from the deer, but in this era, selling them privately in town was risky—he might end up being publicly criticized.

At this thought, Li Xiangyang recalled Captain Zhou of the forestry team.

“Mother, I need to go to the forestry team tomorrow,” Li Xiangyang said, tidying up the cutting board as he spoke.

“Going to the forestry team again?” His mother looked worried. “You child, be careful not to go too often; it might annoy people.”

“It’s fine. I’m quite familiar with Captain Zhou there. I plan to exchange these items with him for some supplies—that’s the safest way,” Li Xiangyang said, already calculating in his mind.

In this day and age, the forestry team received a fair amount of goods.

Perhaps Captain Zhou could trade some cotton cloth or other scarce materials.

“Be careful on the road,” his mother sighed.

Since his father’s death, she always harbored an indescribable worry whenever her son ventured into the mountains.

“Don’t worry, mother,” Li Xiangyang smiled reassuringly. “I’m not the same as before.”

Early the next morning, Li Xiangyang packed the deer antlers, testicles, tendons, heart, and some prime cuts of venison, wrapping them carefully in oil paper before placing them in his satchel.

“Brother, you’re going to the forestry team so early?” His younger sister, Li Xiaohua, was about to leave for school and stood in the yard asking.

“Yeah, I’ll be back soon,” Li Xiangyang ruffled her hair. “You be good at school, and I’ll bring you some nice things when I return.”

“What nice things?”

“You’ll see when the time comes,” he said with a doting smile.

The rare good weather greeted the early sun.

At the threshing ground in Xiaoliang Village, a group of educated youth were drying mountain produce.

Pieces of black fungus and matsutake mushrooms glistened in the sunlight.

With no snow today and such brilliant sunshine, it was the perfect time to dry them thoroughly.

“Turn over the black fungus on that side. These mountain goods are precious,” someone called out.

Li Xiangyang, carrying his satchel, was leaving the village when he heard laughter coming from the threshing ground.

---

“Li Xiangyang!” Zhang Li called, holding a bamboo rake as she turned over the drying black fungus, greeting him from afar. “Such a fine day—aren’t you going hunting?”

“No, I have some matters to attend to today,” Li Xiangyang waved in greeting, smiling.

As they spoke, a group of educated youth approached from the dormitory area.

Leading them were Su Yan and Wang Ming, followed by several others carrying buckets, likely heading to the well to break ice and fetch water.

The sunlight reflected off the snow, dazzling and bright.

Squinting, Li Xiangyang was about to move on when Su Yan suddenly flung down her bucket and pointed at Wang Ming sharply.

“Comrade Wang Ming, you’ve caused a rift between me and Comrade Li Xiangyang. Please stay away from me in the future. I’m afraid Xiangyang will misunderstand.”

The surrounding educated youth immediately stopped their tasks and turned to watch.

Zhang Li froze mid-motion, bamboo rake suspended, her face full of surprise.

Li Xiangyang sneered inwardly.

“Afraid Xiangyang will misunderstand,” as if they had any relationship at all!

In these times, ambiguous relationships between men and women were no trivial matter.

Originally planning to ignore it, Li Xiangyang stopped and quietly observed their performance.

“Comrade Su Yan, why must you do this? I have no improper thoughts about you. It’s only out of mutual assistance...” Wang Ming stepped toward Li Xiangyang, his tone growing more earnest. “Comrade Li Xiangyang, please hear me out. There’s really nothing between Su Yan and me.”

“That’s right, Xiangyang,” Su Yan wiped away nonexistent tears at the corner of her eye. “I was wrong before, neglecting you. You know how women have those difficult days each month...”

Li Xiangyang weighed his satchel in his hand and said coldly, “Finished? Now let me speak. I don’t care what kind of relationship you have with Wang Ming. I reiterate, there is no relationship between us. There never was, and there never will be.”

His resolute declaration stunned everyone present.

Even the young women drying black fungus stopped their work.

Su Yan’s expression stiffened but she quickly forced a smile. “Xiangyang, don’t be upset. I know you still care about me. Look, I even brought something for you...”

She reached for Li Xiangyang’s satchel.

Li Xiangyang stepped back coldly. “Comrade Su Yan, please show some respect. I repeat, we are no longer involved. Whether you and Wang Ming want to date or put on this double act to distance yourselves, please do not drag me into it.”

“You...” Su Yan’s face paled, clearly not expecting such bluntness.

Li Xiangyang turned and left. Humiliated in public, Su Yan’s face darkened with fury.

---

After waiting for a while and seeing no one paying attention, Wang Ming leaned close to Su Yan and whispered, “This approach isn’t working. We need another plan.”

“Shut up!” Su Yan glared fiercely at Wang Ming.

Li Xiangyang had been a reliable source of support, and losing him so abruptly made her anxious.

But now was not the time to quarrel with Wang Ming, so she stiffly said, “I’m tired,” and walked away with her bucket.

“Those two are shameless. Why not just openly declare their relationship? What’s the point of this charade? Li Xiangyang has clearly said to stay away. If Zhang Li hadn’t stopped me, I’d report them...” someone muttered, unable to restrain their indignation.

The voice was just loud enough for those around to hear.

Several young women drying fungus nodded in agreement.

In these times, everyone pursued progress and upheld ideological awareness.

Free love was tolerated, but someone like Su Yan, playing both sides and toying with feelings, was truly despicable.

“What kind of people are these? The great Comrade said men and women are equal. Tell me, who relies on flattering men to get by?” a young woman with a red headband said angrily.

Glancing at Wang Ming and Su Yan’s retreating figures, she sneered, “These two have really disgraced us educated youth.”

“Exactly,” another woman chimed in. “Have you noticed? Whenever someone has something good, Su Yan flocks to them. Last month, when the youth center distributed pork, she even went out of her way to curry favor with Master Liu who handed out the meat.”

“Ah, it’s fortunate Li Xiangyang is so magnanimous,” Zhang Li sighed, continuing to turn the black fungus. “If you ask me, we should avoid people like that in the future.”

A few young men nearby listened silently, their faces full of disdain.

One couldn’t help but say, “Those two are a perfect match. You don’t know, Wang Ming is even worse. Always sucking up to others. When his father was imprisoned, he wrote a letter to cut ties—someone who would even abandon his own father...”

“Exactly. In terms of ideological standing, Wang Ming and Li Xiangyang are worlds apart. Li Xiangyang, though born in the countryside and not well-educated, agreed not to report others for our sake!”

“Right, he’s capable, generous, and supportive of his family. That’s the example we young people should follow.”

...