Rebirth of Wu Tong

Chapter VII

Wu Tong had made up her mind to secretly return to her hometown, but she knew that this matter couldn't be rushed. She had just arrived a few days ago and taking leave so soon might attract unwanted attention. It was better to wait for the right moment. After all, those items were extremely secretive, even when distant relatives claiming connections to the Wu family searched, they never found them. Considering the current situation, nobody had the time or resources to spare. Everyone was busy with their own lives, and even if they longed for those items, they didn't dare to make a move. Of course, they also didn't have the energy for such actions.

Wu Tong, seeing the first batch of seeds she planted successfully sprout, was convinced that the space was a treasure. It could not only cultivate living things but also serve as her vegetable garden, orchard, and backyard. It was indeed a remarkable treasure! Wu Tong decided to plant all the unidentified seeds in the jar, smiling foolishly as she imagined how beautiful flowers and delicious fruits would grow from them. It wasn't that she was greedy, but life now was too difficult. There were no greenhouse vegetables or off-season vegetables, and even if there were, she couldn't afford them. The massive inheritance her parents left was still lying quietly in a Swiss bank. Eating pickles, thin porridge, and sorghum flatbread every day, without a taste of meat or fish, Wu Tong felt her stomach reaching its limit. If one hadn't experienced a luxurious life, there wouldn't be a comparison, right? In this life, before going to the countryside, she hadn't endured any hardships. Even in her previous life, she enjoyed good meals every day. How could she endure the current torment? Perhaps the chronic stomach ailment from her previous life was related to the poor diet in the countryside. She still remembered the unbearable pain, and in this life, she wanted to live happily and avoid such suffering.

In the afternoon, Wu Tong and Chu Qing arrived promptly at the designated work location. Although there wasn't much to do at this time of the year, it was essential to organize symbolic activities to remind students of the greatness of the working people. Today's theme was grass cutting. Even though it was a challenging time for crops, there were still some wild grasses on the mountain. Over the years, the farmers had endured hardships, but often returned home with empty hands. The village was not affluent, but the livestock in the state-owned ranch needed food. Therefore, the village occasionally sent people to cut grass on the mountain.

Wu Tong was not unfamiliar with this task, having spent many years in her past life cutting grass, digging wild vegetables, and gathering wild fruits on this now protected mountain. However, it had been a long time since she personally participated, and she couldn't help but appear clumsy and awkward. This was reasonable in the eyes of others, considering she had just come from the big city, and her lack of proficiency was understandable. After almost cutting her hand with a sickle several times, a dry, chapped hand suddenly snatched the sickle away. Without saying a word, the person went on to work, leaving behind a cold and indifferent remark, "If you're clumsy, don't embarrass yourself!"

Wu Tong, looking surprised, turned to see that it was Wan Qing. Despite the embarrassment of being scolded, Wu Tong felt a warm glow inside. She knew that this child, with a mean exterior, simply didn't know how to communicate with people. He must have taken her sickle away because he saw her nearly cut herself. Wu Tong had already decided to take care of this child who had helped her in her previous life, treating him like a real younger brother. Both of them were orphans without parents or siblings, and the shared experiences and past kindness made Wu Tong feel a stronger connection with him. Living alone in this world was inevitably lonely, and having someone who cared for you wholeheartedly made life a bit warmer.

"Wan Qing, your home is in the east of the village, right? It's very close to the teacher's house. Today, as a thank you for your help, the teacher wants to invite you to have dinner at our place. Will you come?" Wu Tong asked with anticipation. She had visited Wan Qing's home before; it was even more dilapidated than their small house. A boy without parents or guidance, his home was even messier. If it weren't for the kind old lady from the neighboring house occasionally helping this poor child, who knows if he would have survived to grow up.

Wan Qing initially wanted to refuse directly, but seeing the wet, big eyes full of anticipation from Wu Tong, he suddenly felt a bit reluctant. "Um..." Though barely audible, it made Wu Tong break into a bright smile. Wan Qing didn't know what was happening to him. Since meeting this girl, who had a beautiful appearance but lacked intelligence, he found himself inexplicably paying attention to her. It confused him, surprised him, and even brought a hint of secret joy that he was reluctant to admit. Perhaps it was because of the purity and care in the girl's eyes? She was the first person not to disdain his unsociable personality and shabby appearance, and the first to unconditionally care for him. Wan Qing stole a glance at the girl, who was a head taller than him and smiling foolishly. In his heart, a warm current flowed through, and he didn't feel the bone-chilling cold even though he was wearing thin clothes in the cold wind.

Back at home, Chu Qing, who had returned earlier, warmly welcomed Wan Qing. She always thought of this poor child whenever she saw him, associating him with her two younger brothers who loved to bully her but were also the ones who treated her the best. After offering hot tea to the silent guest and a smiling Wu Tong, Chu Qing busied herself in the kitchen to prepare dinner. Since witnessing Wu Tong's destructive power in the kitchen, she strictly prohibited her from entering, not wanting to come home one day to find the kitchen in ruins.

"Quickly, have some warm tea to warm your body. Our place is really cold, even though it's already the beginning of spring. But these days, the weather has been good, with clear skies. The sun has warmed the blankets, making them cozy to sleep in at night. Wan Qing, did you sunbathe your blanket? I heard that sunlight kills germs, and it's good for your health..." Wu Tong, noticing that Wan Qing seemed uncomfortable sharing a room with her, assumed it was shyness and quickly spoke in a cheerful and friendly tone.

"Um..." Wan Qing sipped his tea in small sips, giving an indistinct response. Without a doubt, Wu Tong knew that he probably hadn't remembered to sunbathe his blanket and was likely sleeping under a damp and cold one every night.

"You can't continue like this; it will lead to health issues over time. You should pay more attention from now on. Oh, by the way, just sit there. I have a gift I want to give you. Let me fetch it..." In fact, this was a spontaneous decision by Wu Tong. She couldn't bear to see this child living such a hard life. In today's China, clothing for both genders was simple and monotonous, with minimal differences between men and women. Wu Tong remembered bringing a slightly small thick

cotton coat to cover her legs to protect against the cold. Now, thinking of giving it to Wan Qing, it seemed fitting. She also had a few elementary and high school textbooks, brought along as leisure reading for the potentially boring rural life. It might be helpful for Wan Qing, whose foundation was weak, to read them. Maybe he could even go on to a good university in the future!