Reborn in the 80s: The Smart Wife with a Secret Space Chapter 286

When they arrived at Upper River Village, the place was in chaos, mud everywhere. Initially, they intended to help out at a classmate’s house, but they couldn’t even get into the village. Since they were already there, it wouldn’t be right to go back, so they decided to help with cleaning the mud at the village entrance.

The class president of Class One, Zhang Wenqiang, was quite clever. It didn’t take long for the villagers to learn that they were classmates of a few high school students from the village. Naturally, the villagers appreciated their help.

The parents of those high school students were proud and couldn’t help but exchange a few polite words with them, even inviting them to visit their homes later.

But after the disaster, everyone wasn’t really in a cheerful mood.

Zhang Wenqiang was a smooth talker, much better at socializing than Qi Minghai, the class president of Class Two. It didn’t take him long to find enough tools and lead his classmates to join the mud-clearing efforts in Upper River Village.

He even had a knack for organizing, pairing two boys with one girl, with the beautiful phrase: "Working together, men and women aren’t so tired."

Xinyan was fine, being naturally strong due to some space-related reason, didn’t find the work too difficult. Although Zhao Jianlan was a girl, her outgoing personality made her good at physical work, similar to a tomboy.

However, Duan Ruilian was pampered at home, hardly did any work, let alone heavy labor like mud-clearing. She couldn’t handle it after a short time.

The two boys in her group suggested she take a break, making Duan Ruilian feel a bit embarrassed. But being perceptive, she quickly had an idea after glancing around.

She turned and went home, where she sweetly persuaded her mother to make a big pot of mint water. She then cajoled her father into borrowing a large stainless steel bucket and a small cart from the cafeteria, cooled the water, loaded the buckets onto the cart, and grabbed a dozen bowls. She woke her Second Brother, who was napping after a night shift, to help push the water to Upper River Village.

Everyone was working energetically. After days of rain, the sudden glaring sun with its humidity was unbearable. Duan Ruilian’s mint water was very timely.

The villagers knew these school kids had been studying all along, and this heavy labor might be too much for them. A villager said, "You’ve been at it for quite a while. Come take a break under the tree."

Zhang Wenqiang liked to show off, but he knew his limits too. He clapped his hands and shouted to everyone, "Let’s take a break under the tree. Just now, classmate Duan Ruilian brought us water. Let’s go under the tree, have some water, rest a bit, and then continue."

Song Limin, who came along to help, sneered lightly, "You came to help but just acted like a lazy drone, pretending to be doing something."

Hearing this, Xinyan scorned Song Min and bluntly retorted, "Is that how you talk? Then you better not drink the water she brought."

Song Limin, hearing she was not allowed to drink the water, snapped back, "It’s not like you brought it. Whether I drink or not is none of your business. Mind your own business."

A classmate nearby couldn’t take it anymore, "Song Limin, we’re all classmates. Do you think it’s fun to talk like that?"

Seeing everyone looking at her, Song Limin said, "We’re all classmates. So why are you only picking on me?"

Zhao Jianlan happened to walk over to Xinyan, "Isn’t it because of your own behavior? What are you complaining about? You’re just a drama queen."

After speaking, she pulled Xinyan over to walk under the tree, "Hurry up, it’s really too hot. I’ve been thirsty for a while."

When they approached, Duan Ruilian directly handed them a bowl of water, "Quick, drink up. It’s warm boiled water with mint."

The two accepted with a smile, not forgetting to thank Duan Ruilian and her Second Brother before moving aside with their bowls to make space for the classmates behind them.

Zhang Wenqiang smiled and said, "Duan Ruilian, we’re really grateful to you, this water came just in time."

Song Limin spoiled the mood directly, "Isn’t it the least she could do? Surely she couldn’t do nothing?"

As soon as the words left her mouth, Duan Ruilian’s Second Brother, Duan Rulun, retorted, "My sister knows she’s not cut out for heavy work, felt bad about it, and went through a lot of trouble to bring water for everyone. What do you mean by saying she did nothing?

Besides, even if she didn’t do anything, so what? Who are you to care? Apparently, you aren’t fond of the mint water she prepared."

Duan Rulun showed no concern for her feelings. His sister, cherished by the Duan Family, couldn’t be bullied like that. He handed the water directly to the classmate behind Song Limin.

Song Limin’s eyes reddened; she ran and sat sulkily under a large tree at a distance.

But at this time, no one spoke up for her. Everyone felt she brought it on herself.

Everyone carried their water under the big tree. After one person drank a bowl, they exclaimed, "It’s refreshing, really thanks to classmate Duan Ruilian."

Duan Ruilian, a bit embarrassed, said, "Please don’t say that. I’m genuinely not cut out for heavy work. I just did what I could."

At this moment, someone said, "Hey, look, aren’t those our factory people?"

Everyone looked in the direction the classmate pointed, and sure enough, it was the security department people.

Xinyan immediately spotted He Jinxuan among the crowd.

Having inspected the back mountain of the Mechanical Factory and finding no issues, He Jinxuan descended the hill from the Upper River Village with his colleagues. From a distance, he saw Xinyan walking toward the tree.

After finally getting close, seeing her drenched in sweat and her face reddened by the sun, his heart ached.

A classmate greeted them, "Director He, how come you came down this way?"

Even as He Jinxuan chatted with the classmate, his eyes were on Xinyan, his pace unbroken, "We went to check the situation on the back mountain of our Mechanical Factory and informed the village chief about it, so we took this route."

He didn’t stop until he reached near Xinyan, "Why did you come too? The sun’s so strong today; the steam could easily give you heatstroke."

Xinyan, seeing them covered in mud, knew how tough the journey must have been, "Someone suggested helping classmates’ families, so I came along. Didn’t expect I couldn’t even enter the village, so I’m helping here instead."

Hearing this, He Jinxuan didn’t say more, simply took off his straw hat and placed it on Xinyan’s head, "Don’t take it off. You’re not used to this weather; wear it to protect yourself from the sun. Sunburns can cause peeling."

Xinyan had just finished drinking water, holding an empty bowl, "Classmate Duan Ruilian brought water over. Do you want a bowl?"

This interaction piqued everyone’s curiosity. The two stood confidently, not afraid of being watched. After all, He Jinxuan hoped someone would ask, and Xinyan felt since they were officially together, there was no need to be concerned. If people ask, they’d just answer openly.

She also understood that once their relationship was out in the open, some people might say unnecessary things, but so what?