Volume 1, Chapter 10: Hello, My Name is Lin Zhi

Fortunately, the night passed without incident.

Early in the morning, Yu Nian'an locked her door securely and, after double-checking that everything was in order, left home. Security was poor these days, and knowing that Uncle Jianping and the others would be around during the day, she carried only a portion of her money with her, leaving the rest tucked away in her secret hiding spot.

The Yu Family Brigade had always been at the forefront of productivity, which is why the commune had allocated them a tractor. It was typically used as a means of transport on market days. Taking the tractor saved over an hour of travel time, and most importantly, it was a prestigious way to arrive.

When Yu Nian'an reached the road outside the village, she found a crowd already gathering. Everyone wanted to arrive early to secure a cleaner spot. She walked over, exchanged greetings with people she knew, and stood by listening to their chatter. It was mostly about what they planned to buy at the market, who had brought in new goods, or those delivering vegetables to their children living in the county.

Just as she was zoning out, she heard someone calling her name. Yu Nian'an turned to see Auntie Chunxing, who was carrying a vegetable basket.

"Nian'an, thank goodness you haven't left yet."

Auntie Chunxing caught her breath and handed the basket to her. "I was supposed to deliver these vegetables to my son today, but something came up and I can't get away. It’s perfect—could you do me a favor and deliver them for me?"

She didn't explain why she couldn't leave, and Yu Nian'an understood, so she took the basket without a word. It contained nothing but ordinary leafy greens, still damp with dew, clearly picked from the fields just that morning.

"Don't worry, Auntie, I’ll be sure to get them there," Yu Nian'an promised with a smile, then asked, "Once I get to the county, where should I look for him?"

"The tractor will stop outside the county town. Once you get off, walk straight down the street to the left. You’ll see a sign for the food factory; just leave the basket at the entrance of the security office."

"Got it, the food factory. I'll remember," Yu Nian'an said with a wave.

Just then, the sound of the tractor approached from the distance. The crowd stopped chatting and began to stir, everyone eager to scramble for the best spot. As soon as the tractor came to a halt, Yu Nian'an protected her basket and moved forward with the crowd. Before she knew it, she felt a strong shove from behind, which boosted her right into a prime, unobstructed seat.

Only after she had steadied her feet did she realize it was Auntie Chunxing who had given her that extra push. *I didn't know you could do that,* she thought. Seeing that she was safely on board, Auntie Chunxing waved and turned back toward the village. By then, most of the seats on the tractor were taken, leaving only the spots by the iron railings on the sides. Because those areas kicked up so much dust, almost no one wanted to sit there.

Once the tractor was mostly full, the driver prepared to depart.

"Wait! There are more people!"

A familiar voice made Yu Nian'an turn around. It was Gu Shen, accompanied by his two fellow educated youths.

"Almost didn't make it," Ye Xiao panted, arriving first. He scanned the area and his brow furrowed as his gaze landed on the iron railings. The two men would be fine, but he felt it was inappropriate for Lin Zhi to sit in such a spot. However, this wasn't the time to be picky. If they didn't take this ride, they would have to walk two hours to the county, and no one wanted to suffer through that. Besides, there were so many villagers waiting on the tractor.

Without time to deliberate, he decided they would just have to make do and try to be earlier next time. Just as he turned to help Lin Zhi up, he saw Yu Nian'an shift inward. "Let her squeeze in with me. We’re both girls; we’ll fit."

The three of them froze in surprise.

The tractor had already started, emitting a loud, rumbling roar. "Hurry up and get on!" Yu Nian'an urged.

While Lin Zhi hesitated, Ye Xiao helped her up, then sat by the side railing with Gu Shen. They leaned back-to-back, which helped them stay steady. Once everyone was settled, the tractor pulled away.

As they bumped along the road, Yu Nian'an kept glancing over at Gu Shen’s group. Only when she saw they were fine did she turn her focus back to the road ahead. This was her first time leaving the village since arriving, and even a common dirt road felt incredibly fresh to her.

Suddenly, a gust of wind blew, kicking up a cloud of dust. Yu Nian'an turned her head to shield herself, ending up face-to-face with Lin Zhi, who was sitting next to her.

"Thank you, just now."

The soft voice was nearly drowned out by the roar of the tractor. Once she understood what the other girl had said, Yu Nian'an waved it off dismissively. "It’s nothing."

In truth, she didn't know why she had suddenly acted on impulse to invite her to sit. Perhaps it was because she had imagined the two men with a girl in the middle, and given how much the railings shook, physical contact would have been inevitable. The villagers loved to gossip about the educated youths, and she knew all too well—from the fate of the original owner in the book—how dangerous rumors could be.

The tractor continued its slow progress. Lin Zhi had been present when Yu Nian'an stood up to that auntie in the fields earlier and had assumed she was as sharp-tongued as the rest of the villagers. But after this gesture, she realized this person didn't seem as unapproachable as she appeared on the surface, so she decided to strike up a conversation.

"Comrade, my name is Lin Zhi. What about you?"

Yu Nian'an was startled by the name. *How could it be the female lead?*

In the original book, wasn't it said that she and her childhood sweetheart were inseparable? But this group of three didn't match the setting at all, which was why she hadn't suspected they were the main characters.

Seeing her silence, Lin Zhi thought she hadn't heard and repeated herself, louder this time.

Yu Nian'an regained her composure, met the other girl's gentle gaze, and, as if under a spell, spoke. "Yu Nian'an."

In this rural area, girls' names were usually based on flowers, plants, or fruits—the simpler, the better. A name like hers was quite unique.

Lin Zhi gave her a sincere compliment: "Your name is truly beautiful."

Lin Zhi smiled as she spoke, and looking at her, Yu Nian'an found herself involuntarily pushing her "Plan B for Survival" to the back of her mind.

After nearly an hour of jolting along, the tractor finally arrived at its destination. It was still early, but the county town was already bustling. The surroundings were filled with rows of single-story houses, interspersed with one or two low buildings.

Yu Nian'an didn't forget Auntie Chunxing's request. After getting off the tractor, she prepared to head toward the street on the left, only to be stopped by Lin Zhi.

"Comrade Yu, there are so many people here. Won't it be inconvenient for a girl like you to go alone? Why don't we go together?"

"No, thank you. I still have things to do." Yu Nian'an gestured to the basket and shook her head. The earlier situation had been a necessity, but now that they had arrived, she wanted to avoid getting involved. It wasn't that she disliked Lin Zhi; it was just that as the female lead of the book, many complicated events would inevitably revolve around her. She simply didn't want to get tangled up in that trouble.

"I see. Well, see you later then?" Lin Zhi didn't press the matter.

After she left, Ye Xiao walked over. He had witnessed their conversation and remarked, "That comrade is quite warm-hearted."

Lin Zhi nodded with a smile. Indeed, perhaps they had been narrow-minded in their previous judgment of Yu Nian'an.