Shen Nanchu was so exhausted from digging that she nearly dozed off.
A series of "+1+1+1…" echoed in her mind.
She looked around in confusion.
What had she done this time?
As far as she could tell, she hadn’t done anything!
Shen Nanchu scanned her surroundings, her gaze settling on Song Qingyang, who was surrounded by villagers.
Several villagers shouted at her at the top of their lungs.
"Educated Youth Shen, don’t even think about fooling us this time!"
"We’ve seen through your tricks!"
"We’re reporting you to the village chief!"
…
What had she fooled them about?
Shen Nanchu was utterly baffled.
But when she caught sight of Song Qingyang’s guilty expression in the crowd, she finally began to understand.
So this guy had nothing better to do than stir up resentment against her again?
Shen Nanchu mentally thanked his ancestors eighteen generations over.
Great job. Keep it up.
Wang Jianguo had been busy planting corn with his wife and was nearly done when the villagers dragged him away.
After hearing the full story, he could barely contain his exasperation.
He fixed Song Qingyang with a stern look.
"Educated Youth Song, can you swear everything you said is true?"
Song Qingyang was in a tight spot. He’d read it in a book—surely books wouldn’t lie to him?
In the end, he nodded.
"I swear it’s true."
"Fine. Then let’s go confirm with Educated Youth Shen."
Wang Jianguo had complete faith in Shen Nanchu.
The group marched down from the mountaintop to the foot of the hill, surrounding Shen Nanchu.
The sight before her was now visible to everyone.
Within a one-meter radius around Shen Nanchu, the ground had been dug ten centimeters deeper, revealing yellowish-brown soil.
Nothing but dirt. No artifacts in sight.
Wang Jianguo felt uneasy but kept his composure.
"Educated Youth Shen, these folks think you’re slacking off and that your excavation methods are unprofessional."
"Oh?"
Shen Nanchu remained leisurely, her beautiful eyes sweeping over the nosy villagers.
She interlaced her fingers and cracked her knuckles.
The previously loudmouthed villagers immediately shut up, remembering Wang Ergou’s miserable fate that one night.
Better to let others suffer than themselves.
"Educated Youth Shen, that wasn’t me!"
"Wasn’t me either!"
"Not me—it was Educated Youth Song!"
Song Qingyang cursed inwardly.
These damn villagers—they came to stir trouble together, but at the first sign of resistance, they threw him under the bus.
"Educated Youth Song, seems you have doubts about my expertise?"
Shen Nanchu’s voice carried an unspoken threat.
"Mind telling me what qualifies you to judge?"
"An amateur lecturing a professional? Where’d you get the confidence?"
"You can’t even understand what I’m doing, yet you dare to criticize?"
"If stupidity could generate electricity, you’d light up the whole village."
Wow.
This girl’s tongue was as sharp as ever!
Wang Jianguo lowered his head, suppressing a smirk.
These educated youths were always gossiping like old hens—someone needed to put them in their place.
And Educated Youth Shen was just the one to do it.
Song Qingyang’s fair face turned as red as a ripe apple.
Hard to tell if it was from shame or the sun.
"Shen Nanchu, watch your mouth!"
Li Mei, Song Qingyang’s number one fan, jumped to his defense.
"My Yang-ge’s dad is a longtime employee at the Cultural Relics Bureau! He’s been there to see the excavations with his own eyes!"
She emphasized the last part.
The fickle villagers, swayed by Li Mei’s words, leaned even more toward Song Qingyang’s side.
Fang Jie nodded.
"Exactly! Qingyang-ge’s dad has worked there for over twenty years. How could he not know about his own father’s job?"
A flicker of guilt flashed in Song Qingyang’s eyes.
Truth was, he knew nothing about his dad’s work.
The old man was tight-lipped, never discussing work at home.
Pfft—
Shen Nanchu scoffed.
Arguing with fools was worse than playing the lute for a cow—at least cows produced milk.
Actions spoke louder than words.
Ignoring the human-shaped idiots before her, Shen Nanchu picked up her digging stick again.
Time to teach them a lesson in absolute dominance.
In this little patch of earth, I dig and dig and dig,
Unearthing something big, making them scream like pigs.
ᕕ༼•̀︿•́༽ᕗ
Some villagers tried to speak up, but Wang Jianguo waved them silent.
Under Shen Nanchu’s hands, the flat soil gradually took shape.
What the heck was that?
Everyone held their breath, eyes glued to her movements.
Shen Nanchu admired the perfect raised outline before her.
The villagers scratched their heads in confusion.
What was Educated Youth Shen drawing?
Round and bulging—looked like a burial mound!
Shen Nanchu tossed aside her stick and plucked some shrub leaves to use as a makeshift broom.
Time to make these fools witness a miracle.
The leafy broom gently swept over the "burial mound," again and again.
As the soil was brushed away, what lay beneath was revealed.
Gleaming white. Impossible to miss.
The crowd fell dead silent.
Even Li Mei and Fang Jie, who had staunchly defended Song Qingyang, shut their mouths.
Song Qingyang wanted to slap himself twice over.
Why had he opened his big mouth?
The humiliation couldn’t have been louder.
Shen Nanchu had unearthed a complete skeleton—except for the skull, which was already at her house.
Facts spoke for themselves.
Yu Lanhua had no intention of humiliating these ignorant villagers and educated youths, but they’d brought it upon themselves.
"Well? Any more objections?"
"If you don’t trust our girl Nanchu, at least trust my husband!"
"Bunch of blockheads."
Shen Nanchu nodded.
"Auntie’s right."
"You think the village chief is easily fooled? That the Cultural Relics Bureau director’s identity is so easily faked? That I’d dig without real skill?"
No one dared to act all high and mighty without actual ability.
(҂⌣̀_⌣́)
The crowd stood frozen, their earlier arrogance replaced by sheer awkwardness.
Shen Nanchu turned to Song Qingyang.
Weren’t you so smug earlier?
Where’s that energy now?
Oh, but the best was yet to come.
"Educated Youth Song, what exactly does your dad do at the Cultural Relics Bureau?"
"I’m about to call Director Guo—mind if I ask him about it?"
Song Qingyang clearly didn’t want to answer.
But Shen Nanchu wasn’t letting him off the hook.
Avoidance solved nothing.
"Someone surnamed Song who’s worked there for over a decade? Director Guo will definitely remember."
"I’ll have a nice chat with him."
"Don’t!" Song Qingyang panicked.
This level of guilt? Definitely hiding something.
Shen Nanchu pressed harder.
"Why not? If your dad didn’t teach you properly, he ought to know."
If this call ruined his father’s job, Song Qingyang would never make it back to the city.
Gritting his teeth, he blurted out:
"My dad… he’s just a driver for the bureau."
…
