Chapter 132: Female Educated Youth 2

The investigators looked at Ren Lili as if she were a fool. Father Ren and Mother Ren trembled, questioning for the first time if they had spoiled her too much.

Ren Lili remained stubborn, firmly believing she had done nothing wrong.

Consequently, the entire family was taken back for interrogation.

Even if they survived this, they would certainly lose a layer of skin in the process.

The person interrogating Ren Xin was an older woman. She wasn’t particularly harsh, speaking to Ren Xin as if they were just chatting.

This was a true old fox¹. Ren Xin put on a naive front, blurting out everything—both what should and shouldn’t be said.

The woman smiled meaningfully and said kindly to Ren Xin, “It’s alright, don’t be afraid. Just wait here for a bit, and you’ll be allowed to go home soon. But I’ll be honest with you: as for this Sent-down Youth² business, you definitely have to go to the countryside. As for that job…”

Ren Xin looked at her with trusting eyes and asked, “Do you have any good ideas, Auntie?”

The woman lowered her voice. “Actually, I feel a connection with you, which is why I’m speaking up. Your family is clearly biased, so you need to look out for yourself. It would be better to sell that job for some cash to keep on you. It’ll give you some security in the countryside, don’t you think?”

Ren Xin looked incredibly moved. “Auntie, you’re like a real aunt to me. But I don’t know anyone. Who would I sell it to?”

The woman looked confident. “Leave it to me. How does three hundred and fifty sound? It’s not a high price, but you have to understand that since you’re selling in a hurry, there aren’t many families who can produce that much cash at once.”

Ren Xin gave a shy smile. “I heard from a classmate that her family asked around. For a job like mine, where you start as an office administrator, a thousand is the minimum price.”

The woman’s expression shifted. she had hoped to snag a bargain, but who knew this girl was actually a little fox?

“That’s too expensive. That price is impossible!”

Ren Xin continued her act. “I know, but my bottom line is eight hundred. However, since you’re helping me out, Auntie, I’ll give you fifty. I can’t let you work for nothing.”

Seven hundred and fifty was a negotiable price.

“Fine, I’ll go back and ask.”

“Then thank you, Auntie!”

Ren Xin remained inside for about six more hours. During that time, the woman enthusiastically told her that the job situation was settled, but the price was a bit high, so the buyer wanted another fifty off just for peace of mind.

Hmph. If you’re at peace, then I’m annoyed.

“Auntie, then I won’t sell it. I’ll ask my classmates again; I’m sure their families would be interested. Maybe I can get even more.”

The woman’s face darkened. “Little girl, you need to understand the situation. If something goes wrong with your family now, forget going to the countryside—you’ll likely end up in a labor shed³. While things can still be managed, sell it for some money, go to the countryside quietly, and cut ties with your family. That’s how you protect yourself.”

Ren Xin ignored the threat, asking curiously instead, “What happened to my family? Is my younger sister going to the countryside too?”

The woman snorted, seemingly thinking her intimidation had worked. She said smugly, “Your sister is going to the Northwest with your parents. She’ll be a Sent-down Youth there, and your parents are going there to ‘support’ the region. It’s all the same. But considering your good attitude during the confession and the fact that you’re an aspiring youth who supports going to the countryside, the organization is making an exception to let you go to your original destination.”

Ren Xin understood. Her scheme of taking someone’s place to go to the countryside had actually saved her.

Originally, her plan was to ruin this family and then sneak off to Hong Kong. The world was vast, and she could have wandered wherever she pleased until the Reform and Opening-up⁴, at which point the mission would have completed itself.

But since her plans were disrupted, she might as well check out the countryside! She would worry about the future later.

She couldn’t cut ties just yet, or she would miss out on all the drama to come.

---

Translator’s Notes

---

1. old fox: A common Chinese metaphor (lao hu li) for someone who is exceptionally cunning, sly, and experienced in manipulation. ↩
2. Sent-down Youth: Refers to the ‘Up to the Mountains and Down to the Countryside Movement’ (c. 1950s–1970s), where urban youth (Zhiqing) were sent to rural areas to be re-educated by the peasantry. ↩
3. labor shed: Likely referring to ‘cow sheds’ (niupeng), makeshift detention centers or labor camps used during the Cultural Revolution to detain and ‘re-educate’ those labeled as class enemies. ↩
4. Reform and Opening-up: Refers to the program of economic reforms (Gaige Kaifang) initiated in 1978, which shifted China from a planned economy to a more market-oriented one and opened the country to foreign investment. ↩