However, Meng Yingying had just stepped out of her house when she almost collided with Song Nianchu, who had turned back.
"Song... Comrade Song? Why have you come back?" Meng Yingying's heart nearly leapt out of her chest.
She had thought someone else had noticed something amiss and returned to investigate.
"Did you get the item out?" Song Nianchu asked.
"Yes." Meng Yingying gestured toward her pocket.
"To the back hill." Song Nianchu said, leading the way.
Meng Yingying followed without hesitation.
The two climbed halfway up the mountain, where Song Nianchu found a secluded spot.
"Take out the bottle."
Meng Yingying carefully retrieved the bottle from her pocket.
Unwrapping the newspaper, Song Nianchu saw there was still liquid inside.
"You didn't use it all?" Song Nianchu frowned.
"Right, I didn't want Third Wu to die too quickly, so I used it sparingly." Meng Yingying nodded.
"Pour the liquid inside into this small hole." Song Nianchu indicated a spot behind her.
There were many rocks there, and where they met, there were natural crevices.
These crevices were very small, too small for a person to fall into, only small animals could squeeze through.
Paraquat, being a pesticide, couldn't be disposed of carelessly either; pouring it here was the safest method available.
Meng Yingying didn't hesitate either, following Song Nianchu's instruction to pour the remaining half-bottle of paraquat into a tiny rock crevice.
"Put the bottle on the ground." As she spoke, Song Nianchu took out a box of matches from her pocket.
"You're going to burn the bottle?" Meng Yingying asked.
"Yes, we must destroy all evidence. Otherwise, if someone finds this bottle and accidentally ingests from it, innocent people could be harmed." Song Nianchu used the newspaper to start a fire.
Forensic technology in this era wasn't very advanced, but just in case, it was better to be more cautious.
Song Nianchu watched until the newspaper and the bottle had burned to ashes, then dug up some soil to bury them.
After finishing all this, she finally looked up at Meng Yingying before her.
"I've handled the bottle for you, but remember, you absolutely must not let the Wu family send Third Wu to the hospital."
"Don't worry, the Wu family isn't that kind-hearted. As long as I mention that going to the hospital costs money, they won't send him." Meng Yingying wasn't worried about this.
"That's good. But you must also handle Third Wu's clothes properly. Best to burn them, to eliminate any future trouble." Song Nianchu said firmly.
Meng Yingying nodded.
"Alright, let's head back quickly. If we're gone too long, people might get suspicious." Song Nianchu turned to go down the mountain.
Meng Yingying followed behind her, watching her slender back. After holding back for a long time, she finally asked,
"Why are you helping me?" Meng Yingying's voice was soft and hoarse.
"I know you're saving yourself. I couldn't help you last time, so consider this compensation." Song Nianchu sighed softly.
After all, she was the victim.
"Are you also..." Meng Yingying wanted to ask if Song Nianchu was also reborn, but the words stopped at her lips.
The idea of rebirth was simply too absurd, yet it had truly happened to her.
Such a low-probability event couldn't possibly involve two people in one village, could it?
But Song Nianchu was different from how she remembered in her previous life. In that life, she hadn't led the villagers in making canned goods, nor had she married Mu Shi'an.
She left the village after the reform and opening-up, still alone at that time, and never returned after leaving.
But now, she was married and leading the villagers in making money together.
If it wasn't rebirth, then could it be that her own rebirth caused a deviation in the world?
Or perhaps, this simply wasn't her original world?
"What about me?" Song Nianchu, having not heard the rest of Meng Yingying's sentence, turned her head to ask.
"Nothing." Meng Yingying collected her thoughts and shook her head.
Whatever the situation, at least Song Nianchu was on her side.
That was enough. As for the rest, she didn't want to investigate, nor did she dare.
After coming down from the mountain, Song Nianchu parted ways with Meng Yingying.
"Hurry back. Remember what I said, be careful." Song Nianchu urged.
"Mm." Meng Yingying nodded.
Song Nianchu turned and walked towards the village office. Meng Yingying remained standing in place, watching her retreating figure.
Only after she had completely disappeared from sight did Meng Yingying finally turn and leave.
"......"
When Song Nianchu returned to the village office, Aunt Wu and the others were already busy.
"Did you tend to Comrade Meng's injuries?" Aunt Wu asked.
"Yes." Song Nianchu nodded.
"That Third Wu is truly inhuman. How could he beat his own wife so severely? There was hardly a patch of unbruised skin on her body." Sister Ahua also came over.
"Absolutely. Comrade Meng isn't much of a talker, but she's very diligent in her work. There's not a single task assigned to her that she doesn't complete well." Aunt Wu shook her head with a sigh.
"Thank goodness Third Wu is getting his comeuppance now. Otherwise, who knows how long Comrade Meng would have suffered. I just hope he dies quickly and stops dragging her down." Sister Ahua said indignantly.
"Keep your voice down." Aunt Wu, worried others might hear and it would reach the Wu family's ears, quietly cautioned her.
"I just can't swallow my anger. You saw it too, what kind of life has Comrade Meng been living this past year?" The resentment in Ahua's heart wouldn't subside one bit.
"Alright, he's already in that state. Seems even Heaven couldn't stand it. Let's focus on our work now." Afraid Ahua and the others would work themselves into a state, Song Nianchu smiled and changed the subject.
"Right, work first." Although Aunt Wu lamented Meng Yingying's plight, she couldn't neglect the work at hand.
Ahua also joined in the work.
Seeing the two finally calm down, Song Nianchu quietly breathed a sigh of relief.
Everyone had thought Wu's mother would deliberate for a few days before deciding whether to send him to the hospital or let him die at home.
However, on the very next day, Third Wu died.
The news came so suddenly that no one had time to process it.
Song Nianchu was also somewhat surprised and went to Third Wu's house with Wu Zhenggui.
Wu's mother was slumped on the ground in the courtyard, wailing and beating the earth. The others wore varied expressions, but they shared a unified look in their eyes—not much grief, but rather a hint of grim satisfaction.
It seemed they were relieved the troublemaker was finally dead.
It appeared even his own family didn't care much for Third Wu.
Song Nianchu scanned the crowd but didn't see Meng Yingying. She quietly made her way toward the house.
