Villainous Poor Student (2)
The rain outside grew heavier, darkening the world until it was pitch black. The majestic mountains loomed somberly over the village, and as soon as Song Xuyi stepped out the door, an involuntary shiver ran through her.
Fortunately, the two families lived not far from each other, and it wasn’t long before the pair made it back to the neighboring house.
Song Xuyi lit the kerosene lamp, preparing to pack swiftly, when the hesitant voice of the system in her mind spoke up again.
“Xuyi, do you really plan to take He Siyu with you?”
He Siyu?
The villagers had always called He Siyu names like “wild child” and “mongrel,” so the original owner had never known the girl’s name.
It was also at this moment that Song Xuyi noticed that the girl’s shoulder was soaked through.
The distance between the two houses was less than 30 meters; under normal circumstances, He Siyu’s shoulder shouldn’t have gotten this wet. But along the way, she had huddled in a corner of the raincoat, leaving most of it to cover Song Xuyi.
Song Xuyi lowered her gaze, and suddenly a memory flashed through her mind:
3 years ago, when the original owner had been caught escaping and He Siyu came to see her, the original owner, in her pain and despair, had lashed out with contempt at the whole village and maliciously turned on He Siyu as well. She had thrown away the mulberries that He Siyu brought, yelling angrily: “Who wants your stinking stuff! Get lost…”
He Siyu probably avoided physical contact with Song Xuyi out of fear of being scorned, which must be why she ended up getting soaked by the rain.
She must have been very sad at that time, right?
When Song Xuyi first entered He Biao’s home, she noticed that despite its bareness, it was spotlessly clean. Not a speck of dust on the windows or stools…
There’s no way that He Biao, who’s drunk to the gills every day, could have kept it this tidy.
The only one who could have been keeping house must be He Siyu.
Despite her love for cleanliness, she deliberately made herself smell foul…
As described in the plot summary, He Siyu is clever. Pretending to be something she’s not is indeed the best method of self-protection given her circumstances.
How can she live so difficultly?
“You go first to the fire and change into a jacket—”
Song Xuyi’s gaze fell on the threadbare, patched coat He Siyu was wearing, so blackened that its original color was indiscernible, tossed a thick jacket to He Siyu, and once again started to pack up the luggage.
“I want to take care of her,” Song Xuyi answered the system, “The current He Siyu isn’t the scheming, unscrupulous executive she becomes later on. She’s just a repressed, pitiful child, and I can’t just watch her continue to live in a den of evil…”
“Besides, one takes on the color of one’s company. I will try my best to cultivate her, to ensure she becomes kind and honest, not wasting her talent…”
Song Xuyi’s words convinced the system…
While the system couldn’t help Song Xuyi with physical tasks, it could use its scanning function to continually give her tips, “There are two pairs of rubber shoes in the woodshed at the back—they’re a bit large, but you can use them when walking on mountain roads…”
“There’s a sickle in the woodshed which you can take for self-defense…”
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“Ah! Xuyi! That’s great, the man of this house has hidden 30 bucks as his secret stash… Yes, right under the second brick from the left…”
30 bucks might not be a lot, but in those days, if spent carefully, it was enough for the two of them to have several good meals in a small county town.
With money in hand, Song Xuyi felt a bit more at ease.
In a daze, there was a sound at the door, and He Siyu seemed to have changed her clothes and slipped out the door wrapped in a raincoat.
The system informed Song Xuyi, “She has hidden something in the stone cave at her house’s doorway…”
Before long, He Siyu also came back, carrying a bundled up parcel.
Song Xuyi didn’t ask what He Siyu had taken; she handed over the rubber shoes to He Siyu, donned another oilskin raincoat, and with a frown, reached for the kerosene lamp on the table, preparing to leave—
If there was anything that Song Xuyi found unsatisfactory, it was this kerosene lamp. With such heavy rain and treacherous mountain roads, she couldn’t help but wonder if the lamp would provide enough light…
And just at that moment, the usually silent He Siyu suddenly reached out and pressed a hand over Song Xuyi’s.
She then unfolded her bundle.
Inside the bundle, two flashlights, neither new nor old, caught Song Xuyi’s eye…
To save battery life, the two used just one flashlight, supporting each other as they walked out.
This was the best time to escape—no one would expect them to flee in such terrible weather. The heavy rain would wash away all traces, and the hunting dogs kept in the village would no longer be able to track their scent.
However, it was also the most dangerous time. The downpour brought multiple obstacles; the mountain paths were soft and treacherous, and landslides were a grave risk. A single misstep could lead to a fate like that of the people who had bought the original owner: buried under a mudslide…
Yet neither of the girls hesitated, step by step they made their way along the river, heading out of the mountains.
The body’s original owner had once heard the villagers say that it took about 3 days to get over the mountains, and that the whole way was along treacherous, narrow paths, with snakes and insects aplenty. Those unfamiliar with the terrain could easily get lost in the dense woods or die on the way out of the village.
Song Xuyi wasn’t sure if the villagers had been trying to scare the original owner into staying put, but she took all the portable food she could carry. Rationed carefully, it should last 5 or 6 days. Besides, her knowledge of medicine from her first life was still in her mind. Coupled with the memories of the original owner, she knew that there were many useful herbs in these deep mountains. Even if it wasn’t winter when the snakes and insects were fewer, Song Xuyi felt confident in her ability to cope should they encounter any…
Leaving the village behind, the barking of the hunting dogs at the head of the village gradually became inaudible in the rainy night…
The heavy rain obscured their vision, and the flashlight beam penetrated less than two meters ahead. The raincoats couldn’t keep out all of the rain. Water streamed down their faces into their collars, leaving their bodies cold and stiff. The only thing they could feel clearly was each other’s hands, tightly clasped together…
As the latter half of the night approached, the torrential rain that had poured the whole night finally began to slow, yet the temperature seemed to drop even more…
Unspoken, the two quickened their pace.
— They had to cover a sufficient distance, so come the next day, those familiar with the terrain in the village wouldn’t be able to catch up with them.
Fortunately, the night’s rain had felled many trees along the road, which would slow the villagers’ pursuit.
The river flowed from the south, and to leave the mountains, they had to head south. Nightfall precluded the use of shadows for direction, and the rainy weather obscured the stars, but Song Xuyi knew another way—
Whenever the direction seemed uncertain, Song Xuyi would pause to observe the surrounding scenery. With the system’s help, Song Xuyi could swiftly locate landmarks that would point the way forward, and then they would continue on…
He Siyu remained silent, following behind Song Xuyi like a shadow.
Gradually, the sky began to lighten.
Yet the horizon was still shrouded in darkness, and the temperature seemed to be dropping…
Before long, something fell from the sky, landing on Song Xuyi’s eyelashes—
—It was snowing!
The snow fell heavier, piling up thicker on the ground.
It’s a village rule not to head into the mountains when it’s snowing like this.
The mountain paths are treacherous, and with the snow blanketing the ground, it’s easy to encounter danger while walking through the woods…
Song Xuyi doesn’t think that the other villagers would risk their lives to chase after her and He Siyu.
But this also means that if the two of them were to proceed, it would be extremely dangerous.
“We must stop now,” Song Xuyi insisted, glancing toward a wind-sheltered cave nearby, pulling at He Siyu who was still marching forward. “It’s too dangerous to continue!”
He Siyu turned her head around.
The rain had washed her face clean, and even though her skin was chapped from the cold, He Siyu’s features were exceptionally beautiful. Her eyes, in particular, were strikingly lovely, especially with a red mole under one eye, adding a touch of chilling allure to her demeanor. It’s hard to imagine such a beautiful girl hailing from these deep mountains…
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No wonder she hides her face…
He Siyu’s lips had turned white from the cold, but her cheeks were unnaturally flushed. She looked around briefly and then shook her head: “He Biao will catch up with us—”
This was the first time He Siyu had spoken, her voice coming out hoarse, as if she hadn’t spoken in a very long time.
After speaking, He Siyu turned her head and continued to trudge forward, with one foot deep and the other shallow in the mud…
Song Xuyi was momentarily stunned: She hadn’t expected He Siyu’s fear of He Biao to have reached such a state…
She didn’t know if He Biao would catch up, but He Siyu’s appearance was clearly feverish, and continuing to walk could very well endanger her life…
However, judging by He Siyu’s demeanor, conventional methods wouldn’t make her stop…
“Wait!”
Song Xuyi called out again to He Siyu; this time, her voice softened a bit: “Sister, I really can’t walk anymore! So tired and hungry, can we rest for a bit, please…”
As she spoke, Song Xuyi took out a sweet potato from her bag and handed it over: “Eat something first, then we can walk faster later…”
Perhaps the words “walk faster” struck a chord with He Siyu. He Siyu took a deep breath and eventually stopped walking, taking the sweet potato and biting into it voraciously…
But the little girl who complained of exhaustion didn’t stop at all to rest. Instead, she ran around the vicinity, pulling several unnamed wild herbs from the field, and presented them to He Siyu like treasures: “This is a herb that wards off the cold, chew on this?”
The son of the couple who purchased the original owner was mentally challenged, with a frail body. The couple spent years taking their son to seek medical advice and treatments, which also led them to learn some basic knowledge of medicine. The villagers would often seek them out for minor ailments like headaches and fevers, and the original owner was frequently sent to the mountains to gather herbs… Naturally, she recognized some basic medicinal plants.
He Siyu didn’t move, her dark eyes fixed on the herbs in Song Xuyi’s hands.
“You don’t trust me!”
With a huff, Song Xuyi pouted as if taking offense, then confidently took a plant and started chewing on it herself.
After a while, He Siyu hesitantly picked up another herb and put it to her mouth—
The medicinal herb had a spicy taste that warmed her body as soon as it hit her throat. He Siyu was stunned for a moment, wordlessly chewing on the piece of herbage…
Regaining a bit of strength, He Siyu stood up, ready to move forward, when suddenly, she was hit by a wave of dizziness…
He Siyu’s eyes widened in shock—she belatedly realized: the leaves of the two herbs didn’t look the same at all!
But by then it was too late. The last thing He Siyu saw before her vision blurred was the young girl across from her tilting her head, smiling slyly and infuriatingly charming…
Once the maintained strength was released, it became impossible to summon it again. He Siyu, having been abused for years, was now utterly overwhelmed by sickness; so much so that she couldn’t even muster the energy to stand, let alone make it out of the mountains…
For the next 3 days, He Siyu spent her time in a cave.
Song Xuyi used matches to light a fire and foraged for medicinal herbs to brew a remedy for He Siyu, bowl after bowl of bitter concoction. After 3 days, He Siyu’s fever finally subsided, and the snow outside began to melt…
Song Xuyi felt tremendous sympathy for He Siyu. She added some sleep-inducing herbs to He Siyu’s medicine, but even in slumber, He Siyu remained tense, her brows furrowed, her body trembling at the slightest touch…
Song Xuyi understood that this was a stress response formed from years of living under threat, not something that could be alleviated overnight…
Perhaps angry at Song Xuyi for medicating her, these past few days He Siyu had been ignoring Song Xuyi.
Song Xuyi didn’t take offense, continuing to greet He Siyu with a smile each day…
By the afternoon of the third day, the snow had almost completely melted.
Even though He Siyu didn’t bring it up, Song Xuyi packed her things, and together with He Siyu, they set off on the road out of the mountains…
After the snow, it became easier to recognize directions: the south side where the snow melted fast, and generally, the north side retained some snow…
After another two days of traveling, they finally saw in the distance a road 3 to 4 meters wide. On the road, tractors passed by now and then, and along the side, there was a row of shops selling fruits, joss paper, and other items. An old, dusty bus covered in grime was parked on the roadside, loading passengers at that moment…
Even Song Xuyi, normally so composed, couldn’t help but smile at the sight, while beside her, a faint glimmer of light appeared in He Siyu’s otherwise vacant eyes as she looked at the bus…
“3 yuan per person, hurry up, hurry up, the bus is leaving in 10 minutes…”
The loudspeaker’s call could be heard from a distance…
“Xuyi, stop right there!” Suddenly the system interjected, “He Biao is sitting right in front of the store, watching the bus closely—”
Song Xuyi paused her steps and looked carefully: Indeed, He Biao was sitting at the store entrance, his gaze fixed unflinchingly on the passengers boarding the bus.
Song Xuyi quickly pulled He Siyu into a corner to hide!
From a distance, He Siyu also spotted He Biao, and her face turned deathly pale, her body beginning to shake violently—
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“There’s a way out—” Song Xuyi said, holding He Siyu’s chilly hand for comfort. She glanced around and noticed two boys playing with marbles on the ground nearby…
“Brother, is that uncle over there looking for his lost daughter?” Song Xuyi asked one of the boys, gesturing towards He Biao in the distance.
The boy looked in the direction Song Xuyi was pointing and nodded, “He came here yesterday, said the foster daughter he raised for 13 years ran away, probably wants to head to the city to find her birth father. If you want to get to the city, you have to take a bus from here, so he’s been keeping watch here…”
Side by side with He Siyu, whose face turned pale, clutched Song Xuyi’s hand tightly.
Song Xuyi winced in pain but did not let go of He Siyu’s hand. Instead, she patted He Siyu’s hand reassuringly and took out a dead flashlight from her bag, handing it to the little boy…
“I actually know his daughter; she ran off that way just now,” Song Xuyi casually pointed in a direction, “I’m busy buying stuff to go find my aunt in the city right now, I don’t have time to run up there and tell him—”
As she spoke, Song Xuyi, wincing at the thought of parting with her money, took out a coin from her bag and handed it to the little boy with a squeezed out smile, “It’s hard on you, big bro, this coin is for you to buy some candy…”
Seeing the chance to get some money, the little boy didn’t care about his marbles anymore. He immediately took the flashlight and ran to find He Biao!
Recognizing the flashlight, He Biao immediately chased in the direction pointed out by the little boy.
Seizing the opportunity, Song Xuyi quickly pulled He Siyu onto the bus—
“Auntie, my uncle is sick, and my aunt is too busy to take us, I need to get home because I haven’t finished my holiday homework, please stop at Dahua Food Market bus stop, my mom is selling chicken inside…”
Upon boarding, Song Xuyi switched to the local Mandarin used in this world, gave the conductor 6 yuan, and pulled He Siyu to the back of the bus…
The original owner once heard that couple mentioning borrowing money from an aunt at the Dahua Food Market to treat their dimwitted son’s illness, so Song Xuyi cleverly used this location name.
The ticket conductor eyed Song Xuyi’s tattered clothes with suspicion, originally doubting if she had run away from some village. Very few village girls could speak Mandarin, let alone know what holiday homework was. But since Song Xuyi had provided the location of her mother, the conductor’s doubts dissipated. With an ambiguous ‘hmm,’ she turned her attention to the other passengers boarding the bus…
Perhaps it was divine providence that right after, several farmers boarding the bus to sell their local products crammed the vehicle to the brim. Bags made of nylon filled every space, leaving no room to even plant one’s feet. Since the farmers had given the conductor a bit extra for their fares, following the unwritten rules of rural generosity, the conductor didn’t show any displeasure. Realizing that there was no more room for additional passengers, she urged the driver to leave a minute earlier than scheduled.
Finally, the bus doors closed, and with a full load of passengers, it started moving forward…
Song Xuyi kept a vigilant watch on the rear window. Sure enough, after the bus had traveled a 100 meters, a dark figure emerged at an angle from behind—He Biao had realized something was amiss and started chasing them!
However, by then, it was impossible to cram another person on the bus, and the driver, noticing the pursuer but pretending not to, sped up even more…
Gradually, He Biao’s figure could no longer be seen.
There’s only one bus into town each day; having missed this one, He Biao won’t be able to chase them down today.
Song Xuyi finally breathed a sigh of relief, collapsing onto the seat and grasping He Siyu’s icy hand: “It’s okay now! Don’t be scared…”
He Siyu looked out the window without speaking. Amidst the noisy chatter filling the bus, even the system failed to notice the faint “clang” that sounded nearby—
A stabbing awl with an exceedingly sharp tip had slid down the wide sleeve of He Siyu’s other hand, resting now beneath the seat…
The author has something to say:
Knowledge about identifying directions in the wild came from Baidu.
Goodnight, muah~
LP: Re-translated on February 20, 2024
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