Transmigration: Flirted with My Childhood Sweetheart
Chapter 608 - 607: The Difference Between Wolves and Humans

Chapter 608: Chapter 607: The Difference Between Wolves and Humans

In the battalion, educated youths who were married could build their own homes to live in.

The houses were not large, with the front room being the kitchen, and the inner room being the bedroom. These houses were also neatly arranged in rows, stretching as far as the eye could see, clearly many people had gotten married here.

Sister Manling’s home was very clean, several birch bark photo frames sat on the table, delicate and pretty. The central photo was probably taken on their wedding day, with red flowers pinned on their chests.

However, there wasn’t much food at her place. Sister Manling explained: "We don’t have any private plots here, and it’s particularly bothersome to cook for ourselves, so Old Wu and I both eat at the cafeteria."

Nianhe kept nodding her head, saying against her better judgment, "The cafeteria food is quite good, and it’s convenient too."

"Working on the farm all day long, who has the energy to cook?" Sister Manling said, inviting the two of them to sit on the kang and pouring some water. She then took out the last half bag of sunflower seeds she had and invited them to eat.

Sun Yafei probably came here often and was already familiar with the place. She slipped onto the kang beside Lin Nianhe and asked, "Is the team leader doing well? How about Aunt Wang? Aunt Li? Uncle..."

She asked about almost everyone one by one, then waited eagerly for Lin Nianhe to update her on how everyone was doing.

Lin Nianhe didn’t really have any serious business here and told Sun Yafei everything about everyone from the Ten Miles Team.

Sun Yafei listened to the changes in the Ten Miles Team and wiped away tears saying "so good, so good."

Watching her, Sister Manling silently sighed.

Everyone here had a reason to stay, for dreams, for well-fed lives, and for others.

Only Sun Yafei had none; she didn’t want to earn wages, she wanted to earn work points.

But she was the one who couldn’t leave no matter what.

Lin Nianhe was a very good storyteller, occasionally making Sun Yafei laugh.

Sun Yafei had slimmed down a lot since her time at the Ten Miles Team, her skin had darkened, her hair had been cut short, and calluses had formed on the palms of her hands.

Lin Nianhe did not ask why she had cut her hair, nor how she was getting by.

She felt uncomfortable in her stomach just from eating sorghum rice; clearly, Sun Yafei, the daughter of a capitalist, wouldn’t adapt well to the food and intense labor here.

"Nianhe, are you here for some work?" Sister Manling finally asked after Lin Nianhe had talked quite a bit.

"Uh, I came to gather inspiration," Lin Nianhe said thick-skinned, "I want to write a piece about the Great Northern Wilderness."

"Then let’s go out and take a walk. I’ll show you the Great Northern Wilderness," Sister Manling said with a smile. "You can’t just stay indoors if you’re gathering inspiration, right?"

Lin Nianhe briefly recalled Su Yuncheng’s instructions and tentatively said: "Won’t that cause you trouble?"

"Don’t worry, I’ll take care of you, nothing will happen," Sister Manling said as she got down from the kang, casually fastening a sickle to her back waist.

Lin Nianhe’s pupils contracted: "What do you need the sickle for?"

It was only then she noticed that Sun Yafei was also carrying a sickle.

"Ah? This," Sister Manling laughed, "one of the rules of the Great Northern Wilderness, you must carry a sickle when you go out."

"Why, why do you have to?"

"Sickles are useful," Sister Manling said, "if you get lost, you can chop some grass to start a fire, which both keeps you warm and sends a signal to comrades; if you encounter danger, you can also use it for self-defense."

Lin Nianhe: "What kind of danger? Are there thugs? No, that’s not right, why would you get lost?"

"This place is so vast, and all the fields look similar, it’s not strange to get lost. As for danger... Nianhe, even though you’re only staying for a few days in the Great Northern Wilderness, you must remember, here, people are the least of your worries."

Sister Manling’s voice got lower towards the end, as if to intentionally frighten Lin Nianhe.

Lin Nianhe was indeed a bit nervous after hearing this, her eyebrows knitted as she asked, "What exactly are you talking about?"

"There are wolves, and bears too," Sister Manling said, offering another sickle to Lin Nianhe, "This is for you to use."

Lin Nianhe: "Are you suggesting that I carry a sickle to give myself a quick end if I encounter a wolf or a bear?"

"Jeez, why are you suddenly getting cold feet?"

"Because wolves are different from people, aren’t they?"

"Hmm?"

"If I run into an intimidating person, I still have to ponder whether they were born with a fierce face or if they truly harbor ill will. But with wolves, it’s different. The moment I see one, I know it genuinely wants to eat me."

As she spoke, Lin Nianhe refused the sickle and took out the dagger Su Yuncheng had given her, saying, "I don’t need it. I have this. It’s quicker to end things with this."

Guan Manling: "..."

Amidst a sea of army green, Lin Nianhe’s white dress, no matter how simple, was still quite eye-catching.

Yet, she had to carry on acting because she had told a lie.

Thankfully, this act wasn’t too difficult to perform.

She held the camera, snapping a photo here and there, and even took some pictures for Sun Yafei and Guan Manling "under the guise of public service."

"Nianhe, don’t you wander off on your own if no one is with you. There are many swamps and puddles here that might look shallow but are actually very deep," Guan Manling softly cautioned, "Especially at night, you must never wander around."

Lin Nianhe paused mid-step: "Is there perhaps..."

Guan Manling’s expression turned solemn as she nodded, "It happens almost every year."

Lin Nianhe silently mourned and then summarized, "Do not wander in the daytime, and stay indoors at night—age-old advice for staying safe."

"Hahaha... yes, exactly that!" Sun Yafei nodded and laughed, "When I first arrived, Sister Manling always accompanied me wherever I went, otherwise, I would have died hundreds of times over by now."

Lin Nianhe gazed out at the endless wheat fields with a long sigh, "Last autumn, I thought the cornfield was boundless. Now, seeing your place, I realize how inexperienced I was."

Guan Manling looked at her and said, "After we’re done harvesting the wheat, we still have to gather the soybeans."

Lin Nianhe: "..."

Sun Yafei continued, "And in winter, we have to make bricks."

Lin Nianhe: "..."

Guan Manling added, "Then it’ll be spring again."

Lin Nianhe: "..."

Compared to this, their work seemed to be so much more relaxing; at least during the winter downtime, they could rest for several months!

Lin Nianhe touched her nose, changing the subject, "So do you guys have days off usually?"

"It depends, during busy farming periods, certainly not. But during quieter times, we might take a day off occasionally. There are leaves to visit relatives, though not everyone gets them approved. I couldn’t go home last New Year."

Lin Nianhe nodded nonchalantly, "Yeah, I know."

"Huh?" Guan Manling looked at her in surprise, "How do you know?"

"Uh..." Lin Nianhe said, "I went to your house to find you, and your grandmother told me you hadn’t come back."

Guan Manling smiled silently, clearly understanding that Lin Nianhe hadn’t gone alone.

She didn’t spell it out, nor did she inquire further about Sie Yufei.

Perhaps in Lin Nianhe’s view, Xiao Wu was no match for Sie Yufei, but in Guan Manling’s eyes, Xiao Wu was her ideal man.

After all, matters of the heart are best understood by those involved.