Chapter 143: Female Educated Youth 13

Ren Xin didn’t care one bit about the Ren Family’s affairs, because she was about to face her first day of work!

Ren Xin secretly applied sunscreen to herself and added a heat-insulating talisman for good measure. The entire ginseng felt refreshed and invigorated.

Book Spirit Number One started nitpicking. “Host, shouldn’t you be suffering along with everyone else? That’s the only way to show off your simplicity and kindness.”

Ren Xin begged to differ. “As long as a person is willing to endure hardship, they will have an endless supply of hardships to endure. Write that down; it’s one of this ginseng’s classic quotes.”

Book Spirit Number One: “…” You’ve got a lot of nerve; someone needs to water you and bring you down a peg!

Unlike Ren Xin, who was fully prepared for labor, Zhang Li, Feng Xue, and Jiang Ran were all showing off, wearing clothes that were beautiful but highly impractical for work.

They even mocked Ren Xin. “Today is our first day going beachcombing¹. What could they possibly have us do? This is the first time we Sent-down Youth are meeting the villagers, so we have to look clean and respectable. We need to show everyone the elegance of the Sent-down Youth!”

Ren Xin: “???” Are you guys okay?

Fan Zhili looked at Ren Xin’s outfit. Her animalistic intuition told her that following Ren Xin’s lead would be beneficial.

Sure enough, the Brigade Leader gave those “elegant” Sent-down Youth a frustrated roll of his eyes before assigning the work.

“Each of you take a basket. Once it’s full, go find Yan Liang—he’s the darkest one out there. He’ll record your Work Points. Alright, off you go!”

Ren Xin took her basket and strolled away leisurely.

“Little Spirit? Are you there?”

Book Spirit Number One shuddered. Who was she calling?

“Book Spirit Number One, come out.”

“Hey, I’m at your service. Just don’t use that cringe-worthy nickname again, okay?”

Ren Xin didn’t agree to his request. “Can you help me find seafood?”

Book Spirit Number One said reluctantly, “You have so many cheats; don’t you have one for finding seafood?”

“I don’t want to use them. I just want a free ride.”

Book Spirit Number One: “…” I’m very expensive; I don’t just act on a whim.

“Hurry it up!!”

“Right away!”

“There are some in the sand ahead, all big razor clams… and there are large conchs not far away.”

Ren Xin looked at a razor clam that wasn’t even as long as her pinky finger. “You call this big? You really haven’t seen much of the world, have you?”

Book Spirit Number One: “…” I’m reporting you for that suggestive comment!

Those “elegant” Sent-down Youth stood there with their baskets, looking around in total confusion. How could they just start working like this? Wasn’t there going to be a welcome meeting or something?

At the very least, they should have been allowed to give a speech or recite some inspirational quotes!!

The veteran Sent-down Youth watched this group of attention-seeking idiots with cold sneers.

It didn’t matter. They didn’t eat together anyway. If these newcomers didn’t work, they could just starve. After a few missed meals, they’d learn to put in the effort.

Ren Xin’s basket was already half-full of sea treasures. It was a messy mix of everything, none of it particularly valuable.

Then again, what valuable things could one really find from simple beachcombing?

An auntie nearby saw Ren Xin’s haul and immediately cried out in surprise, “This girl has such incredible luck! To get a harvest like this on her first time beachcombing.”

Curious, everyone crowded around to look. It was true. They all said enviously, “This is way too lucky!”

“Move aside, let me see.” An older woman pushed her way through with a “don’t mess with me” stride. She shoved people aside and looked down at Ren Xin’s harvest.

“Just this little bit? What’s there to show off?” The woman’s disdainful words slipped out instinctively.

But when she looked up and saw Ren Xin’s face, she froze mid-sentence. Wasn’t this that cursed girl from the train station?

“Hello, Auntie. We meet again. What were you saying about my harvest?”

The woman gave a forced laugh. “Good, good, good. Such a big harvest is wonderful…”

Then, the woman ran away as fast as if she were being chased by a dog.

The “chased by a dog” part was an added description from Book Spirit Number One.

Ren Xin: “…” You really just had to show off, didn’t you!

“No need to thank me. Insulting this ginseng is all in a day’s work!!”

Translator’s Notes