Chapter 145: Female Educated Youth 15

Before Ren Xin could even implement her plan to go into business, she was informed that the Sent-down Youth were to follow the production corps to harvest rubber. The word was that there was an urgent need to generate revenue, and the entire Qiong Province¹ was mobilizing to complete the mission.

Consequently, they were transported to a distant production corps base. After a unique and stirring pep talk, everyone was set to learn the art of rubber tapping.

What kind of hardship was a ginseng supposed to endure!

The moment everyone heard it was for the sake of the nation’s revenue, they acted as if they had been injected with chicken blood². They couldn’t wait to dive into the rubber forests and start working immediately, all to ensure they didn’t delay the country’s progress.

Even the fellow Sent-down Youth, regardless of gender, shed their usual delicate demeanors and became resolute, selfless devotees to the cause.

For a time, the atmosphere among everyone was one of harmonious joy.

Ren Xin felt completely out of place. Were these people fools?

The food was poor, the sleep was worse, and they had to work themselves to the bone. The usual temperatures in Qiong Province were hot enough, but it was even more stifling inside the rubber forests. Yet, everyone acted as if they felt nothing. Some girls wept as they learned to tap the rubber, but their hands never stopped moving. Even if they were slow, they refused to rest.

Ren Xin followed the crowd and worked. Since she was essentially carrying a “cheat code,” she unconsciously worked faster and better than the rest. She was praised by the leadership and subsequently named a Model Worker.

Ren Xin: “…”

Book Spirit Number One: “As long as a ginseng is willing to suffer, there will be an endless supply of suffering to eat~~”

“They’re all toxic, aren’t they? Look at me, I’ve been infected by their diligence. Me? A Model Worker?”

“Exactly, it’s a total joke!!”

Ren Xin: “…” You didn’t have to put it like that!

Rubber tapping was truly grueling work. One had to wake up incredibly early and labor in a sweltering environment. The food consisted of coarse grains that scratched the throat, though there was plenty of fruit. Eating fruit was fine for a few days, but using it as a meal replacement eventually triggered a physiological revulsion.

“I feel like a sugar-soaked ginseng right now. My sweetness index is off the charts~”

“You could always sneak off and cook something for yourself~”

Mentioning this made the ginseng want to cry. “I don’t know what I did to earn Fan Zili’s affection, but she follows me like a shadow. Even when I go to the bathroom, she stands guard at the door and asks if I’m still there every few minutes. She’s terrified I’ll fall into the latrine. I honestly don’t know whether to be touched or just afraid to move.”

Book Spirit Number One cried out in amazement, “Could she be the legendary woman with the double blades?”

Ren Xin: “???”

“The ones that go ‘yap-yap-yap, yap-yap-yap’…”

Ren Xin: “…” Do you think you’re being funny?

“I’m doing alright! Charming, aren’t I~”

On a sudden whim, Ren Xin decided to take out her ancestral glass jars and rock sugar, intending to make some canned fruit to eat.

And then, she was spotted.

“Did you make this canned lychee yourself? You didn’t buy it?” a middle-aged man asked solemnly.

Ren Xin rolled her eyes and countered, “Is there even a place around here that sells this?”

The middle-aged man nodded, then asked further, “Did you develop this recipe yourself?”

Not exactly; she had seen it in a video several lifetimes ago. But since there was no way to verify that, Ren Xin nodded shamelessly. “That’s right.”

The man’s eyes lit up. He asked hurriedly, “Then, may I have a taste?”

How shameless could this man’s mouth be? He actually wanted to taste a young girl’s canned fruit?

The man perhaps realized he was being a bit abrupt. He fished a few national grain coupons³ out of his pocket and said to Ren Xin with a chuckle, “Little girl, take these. We’ll consider this a trade. To be honest, I want to share this canned fruit with our leadership team. If it passes their inspection, we’ll hire you as a consultant for canned goods production. We’ll pay you a salary, and we might even be able to earn some foreign exchange⁴ for the country!”

From this unremarkable jar of fruit?

The middle-aged man didn’t say much else; he just amiably told Ren Xin to scram.

When Ren Xin stepped outside, Fan Zili was already waiting at the door. She asked with concern, “Are you okay? That man was basically our farm manager. He usually doesn’t get involved in daily affairs; why did he seek you out today?”

“Pack your things and get ready to follow your sister into a life of overwhelming wealth!”

Fan Zhili: “???” Has my friend finally lost her mind?

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Translator’s Notes

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1. Qiong Province: A historical/literary abbreviation for Hainan Province. Hainan is known for its tropical climate and was a major center for rubber production in China. ↩
2. injected with chicken blood: A Chinese idiom (打鸡血) meaning to be extremely hyper, agitated, or over-enthusiastic. It originates from a 1960s fad where people believed injecting fresh chicken blood would provide health and vitality. ↩
3. national grain coupons: Known as ‘liangpiao’ (粮票), these were government-issued coupons used during China’s planned economy era (1955–1993) to ration food and essential goods. They were often more valuable than cash. ↩
4. foreign exchange: Refers to earning hard currency (like USD) through exports. During this era, China had limited foreign reserves, making any industry capable of exporting goods highly prioritized by the state. ↩