An 80s female translator was spoiled rotten by a rough and jealous man.

Chapter 322 A Blessing or a Curse? (Part 2)
The night sky over Jinsui Village seemed exceptionally clear, a pristine dark blue canopy dotted with a few scattered stars, creating a harmonious scene.

The moonlight spread across the grass like a thin veil, and a dozen olive-green tents stood in neat rows. The canvas occasionally rustled softly in the night breeze, and the dim light of the lanterns peeked through the gaps in the tent flaps, casting a small, warm, round patch on the ground.

Chu Yao squatted at the back of the truck bed, using the dim light to count the latest batch of medicines that had been delivered.

Her hands kept moving, her fingertips counting on the medicine box, her mouth muttering the accumulated numbers. The number of medicines she counted twice didn't match up, which made Chu Yao a little distressed.

Throughout the night, her thoughts were scattered, and she kept having these fleeting memories of the conversation that had taken place by the sorghum field that afternoon.

At the same time in her previous life, as someone also imprisoned, Chu Yao never considered becoming someone who would lend a helping hand to others, after all, she couldn't even protect herself. At that time, she coldly watched as Zhou Xiaobei was dragged back from the village entrance by her mother, coldly advising Meng Youyou, who was guarding the village entrance, to give up her illusions as soon as possible, and said with certainty, "She won't come."

But this time, when she learned that Zhou Xiaobei's teacher had been driven away by her mother, Chu Yao ran out without thinking, wanting to catch up with the teacher and try to salvage something for Xiaobei.

Before Chu Yao could even figure out what had made her do this, she was bombarded with questions like, "Are you sure you're helping her? How sure are you?" These questions struck her hardest, leaving her dizzy and confused.

"Don't blindly interfere in other people's life choices." Faced with such an impeccable viewpoint, Chu Yao could hardly find any compelling arguments to refute it.

At that time, Chu Yao did not realize that the reason she was racking her brains to find a point of support to refute was simply because she already had a clear direction in mind.

Imagine you're faced with a bottle of pure milk and a bottle of artificially colored beverage. Everyone advises you to drink the milk, saying it's nutritious and good for your health, while you secretly try to find the advantages of the artificially colored beverage, simply because you're drawn to it.

When the numbers called out on the third count didn't match the first two, Chu Yao let out a heavy sigh, then shook her head vigorously, trying to expel the chaos from her mind. She calmed herself down, squatted down beside the box, and began to count a fourth time with focused concentration.

After Chu Yao wrote down the confirmed numbers in the list, closed the medicine box lid, and was about to open the next box, the thought suddenly popped into her head: "Just consider me meddling in other people's business?"

After a brief moment of surprise, Chu Yao realized who had said those words.

"Chu Yao, I know you don't really like me?" The hotel double room was already dark when the girl suddenly broke the silence: "It's not because of Huo Qingshan, but because... you think I'm just talking without understanding the situation, right?"

Upon hearing the sound, Chu Yao immediately pulled her hand out from under the covers and wiped away a tear that had slipped from the corner of her eye.

"Or perhaps you think I'm oversimplifying the issue, taking things too lightly, and displaying an arrogant 'let them eat cake' mentality?" Meng Youyou gently pressed.

Yes, in her previous life, Chu Yao once thought Meng Youyou was an ethereal, wealthy young lady who seemed untouched by worldly affairs. She possessed an innocent naiveté and an untainted purity. This quality was too dazzling, too cruel; naive to the point of being foolish, innocent to the point of being laughable.

A person who has never truly experienced the hardships of life is not qualified to talk about the myriad aspects of the world.

But of course she wouldn't admit it, let alone admit it to him face to face—I really think you're incredibly arrogant!
Just then, a slight movement came from the other bed. The girl had probably turned over and was now lying on her side facing her. "I know I shouldn't judge other people's lifestyles and choices based on my own views, and I can't fully empathize with other people's situations."

"Just like last time in Jinsui Village, you told me that Xiaobei wouldn't come. You said you understood her. I think... you probably do understand her better than I do. You two may be carrying many things that I can't see."

Actually, I thought about it a lot later. If I just casually shouted slogans, saying that you shouldn't accept your fate, that you have to fight, that you have to resist, I was, to some extent, ignoring the suffering you were enduring.

“Those are things I haven’t personally experienced, so I don’t think I’m qualified to advise you. But Chu Yao…” Meng Youyou sat up in bed, raising her voice slightly, “The things that are weighing you down won’t just disappear one morning when you wake up and open your eyes, and the rules of society won’t change automatically.”

"Times will progress!" she emphasized, "but the prerequisite is that someone has to stand up and do something, even if it's just for themselves. If it can only change one person's fate, that's enough. That's already remarkable."

Only after the first person comes the second, and then many more. Huo Qingshan told me that after Nora left, she would either fall into depravity or come back, but I think if it were me, even if I tried my best and ended up falling into depravity, it would be better than just accepting my fate.

At least I know... oh, this road seems to be impassable, rather than not having even seen what the road looks like before.

That night, Chu Yao lay in bed quietly listening to the girl spout a bunch of seemingly plausible but ultimately meaningless platitudes, interspersed with a few supposed inspirational stories she had heard. Chu Yao suspected that most of them were made up by the girl herself to fool people. In short, it was all rambling and had no end in sight.

Although the girl had little interaction with her and didn't understand what she was going through, and although she didn't say a word or even respond with a perfunctory "hmm," most people would have stopped talking as soon as they realized the conversation was getting boring.

But Meng Youyou was full of energy, chattering away without getting tired. Even when no one paid attention to her, she didn't feel like she was making a fool of herself. It was as if she wanted to tell her everything she could think of, as if she was afraid of missing anything.

"She" has never been "most people," Chu Yao thought.

Some of the things that came out of "her" mouth sounded childish and unrealistic to Chu Yao at first glance. But when she suddenly recalled them after a long time, she realized that she had memorized them all.

Before falling asleep, Meng Youyou asked her one last question: "Chu Yao, I don't think anyone has told you what I'm saying tonight before, right?"

“It’s precisely because you know Beckham so well that you see the same things, and naturally your thoughts are also similar. But I don’t know her well enough, so I see different things. I just want to tell her what I see.”

I'm just afraid that no one will tell you these things. What if? What if it's useful? Meng Youyou muttered to herself.

Before she could answer, or more likely because the girl didn't expect her to reply, Meng Youyou immediately said, "Goodnight."

Chu Yao slowly put down the pen and booklet she was using to register medicines, sat on the box, and began to think seriously: If it were "her", what would "she" do?

In truth, Chu Yao couldn't pinpoint a specific reason, but she felt that "she" would definitely not give up, would not stop there, and would not stand idly by.

The myriad and diverse life circumstances are like invisible craftsmen, sculpting individuals into completely different forms, and imprinting distinct underlying thoughts.

Some people are thoughtful and have a deep respect for objective reality and rules; they act with their own opinions but not rashly, and they are moderate in their actions; they are kind-hearted but not excessive, they adhere to principles, and they act within their capabilities.

Some people are unrealistic "idealistic warriors" who, knowing the road ahead is difficult, still charge ahead recklessly, overestimating their abilities to try, yet you inexplicably believe they can create miracles.

If you know that there is a 99% chance of failure in something, most people would rationally choose to give up. But there will always be a few people who keep their eyes on that 1% tiny hope and continue to work hard in silence.

Chu Yao couldn't stand from the perspective of a mere spectator to judge which of the two was better or worse, right or wrong. But in fact, she vaguely sensed that, without realizing it, the scales in her heart were gradually tilting towards the latter.

...

Amidst the constant croaking of frogs in the background, Chu Yao first heard a sudden engine sound approaching from afar, rolling along the ground. Then, two straight white beams of light swept across the truck's body, flashing briefly across her face, making her squint. When she opened her eyes again, the outline of a jeep appeared, just a few meters away, its wheels rolling over gravel and coming to a steady stop on the right side of the truck.

During that brief moment of blindness, Chu Yao hadn't clearly seen the man in the driver's seat. A few seconds later, she heard the sound of a car door slamming shut from her right, followed by the man's words: "You need something from me?"

The response came from a woman's voice: "Deputy Commander Huo."

Unlike Meng Youyou's self-serving antics in her previous life, Huo Qingshan was promoted to deputy regimental commander as scheduled this time.

The translator's voice was very distinctive, and Chu Yao recognized it immediately. "Do you have time? I went to Xiao Bei's house today, and I'd like to talk to you about Xiao Feng."

"Okay," the man replied curtly, his tone devoid of emotion.

Meng Youyou calmly and thoroughly recounted her entire experience of visiting Zhou Xiaobei's home today, in a clear and organized manner, and added her personal advice at the end: "I think there is a lot of resistance from Xiaobei's mother, and this path is unlikely to be successful."

After speaking, Meng Youyou looked at the man, whose expression was blank, showing neither agreement nor disagreement, his lips tightly closed.

Seeing that he had no intention of expressing his opinion, Meng Youyou had no choice but to continue the conversation on her own: "I remember you mentioned to me last time that there are two solutions for the missing crucial link in Xiaofeng's father's 'Application Form for Pension'. As for the other key witness, do you have any relevant information?"

At this point, the man finally spoke: "Thank you for your hard work today, Meng. I've already contacted the barefoot doctor. I'll handle Xiaofeng's matter later and keep you updated on the progress." Huo Qingshan was never one to put all his eggs in one basket.

Upon hearing this, Meng Youyou nodded, then smiled and said goodbye: "That's good. If you need anything else, just let me know. I'll be going now."

Huo Qingshan nodded slightly, standing still and watching the person walk further and further away until they disappeared into the depths of the night.

He turned around and reopened the driver's side door, reaching into the center console to retrieve a package—the outer kraft paper seal had already been removed, vaguely revealing a corner of a flat, rectangular item inside. He had driven to the county post office two hours earlier to pick it up.

The man gripped the car door with his left hand, about to push it closed, when a figure silently emerged from the shadows to his right. The person paused briefly as they passed him. Chu Yao's voice was soft, yet like a thin frost mingling with the night wind: "She's not her."

Huo Qingshan's body froze instantly, as if he had experienced a severe frost. His neck turned slowly and haltingly, like a rusty gear, segment by segment, with difficulty and sluggishness. When he was fully turned to her, Chu Yao clearly saw a moisture, almost like tears, in the man's eyes.

The last time she remembered seeing this man display similar emotions was in a hotel in Ximing City. This time, Chu Yao no longer doubted whether it was her imagination; the situation before her was clearly obvious.

When the man spoke, his throat tightened: "I know, but... thank you."

At this point, a strong intuition told Chu Yao that the other person probably desperately needed some alone time, and that she should leave, so she did just that.

After Chu Yao left, the man's body seemed to lose its balance instantly, falling diagonally forward. He staggered and leaned against the car door before finally regaining his footing. Slowly, Huo Qingshan tilted his head back, placed his hand heavily on his eyelids, and remained motionless for a long time.

He was in such a sorry state—not because Chu Yao told Huo Qingshan something he already believed, but because someone finally talked to him about "her," telling him that he was not the only one who knew "her," had seen "her," and remembered "her."

Having grown accustomed to performing a solo act, Huo Qingshan forced himself to learn to adapt to solitude. However, one day, he was pleasantly surprised to find an audience member suddenly appearing in the audience. The impact on Huo Qingshan was no less than that of a stranded person on a deserted island surrounded by the sea, who had long missed seeing his fellow human beings.

No one could understand why Huo Qingshan could feel such immense satisfaction simply because someone had mentioned "her," something so simple and ordinary that it didn't even require mentioning her name or discussing the details.

At that moment, he was overwhelmed with excitement, beyond words.

They worked and lived together every day, day after day. People around them would talk about many people and things: whoever was in the next camp, the cook in the canteen, the border residents they met on patrol, letters sent from their families, whose spouse had recently moved into the family visitation building, and the anecdote about two military wives arguing in the family compound and being separated by their husbands... But no one ever mentioned her, and nothing was related to her.

There was no news at all. From the moment he stepped into the ward and looked over, Huo Qingshan was sentenced to "life imprisonment" on the spot. The rest of his life would be nothing but unbearable torment. No matter what, he could not find even the slightest trace of her.

Thank you for telling me about her!

Although I have never forgotten her, not even for a moment, I am still very happy to hear you mention her and talk about my lover in front of me.

...

After handing the registration book to Zhang Yong, Chu Yao headed straight for the edge of the campsite, her pace much faster than usual. Just as she was about to cross the grass, Meng Youyou lifted the curtain and crouched down from the outermost tent, immediately calling out to her, "Medic Chu, where are you going so late?"

Chu Yao stopped and turned around to look at the source of the sound. She shouted to the people in front of the tent, "This isn't fair!" Even through the darkness a few meters away, Chu Yao's eyes shone brightly. "Translator Meng, this isn't fair to them!"

All she knew were the women trapped in this small village for generations, and the girls who had ventured out into the world only to return defeated and disappointed. This was the entire world Zhou Xiaobei could access. Perhaps... no one had ever told her that there were other paths and possibilities.

They all lectured her in an absolute and unwavering tone: "Zhou Xiaobei, this is how your life is, and it can only be this way! There is no other way to go!"

Stop being silly, stop dreaming! We country folk can't live without this land! Look, aren't we all like that?

For the past seventeen long years, in the world that Zhou Xiaobei has lived in, there may only ever be one voice, which is remarkably consistent and without exception.

Thoughts confine people, restricting their migration and progress.

Chu Yao walked towards the other person and stopped in front of the tent. "Xiao Bei is still young. She hasn't developed a mature and stable worldview and understanding yet, so she probably doesn't know what this decision will mean for her, what it will change, what she will miss, or what she will face next."

“So, I have to tell her!” Chu Yao looked directly into the translator Meng’s eyes and said firmly. “I have to make it clear to her, the clearer the better, and then give her the choice, instead of just watching her miss out in a daze and then saying something like, ‘It was her own choice,’ without any real feeling.”

“That’s not fair at all! Because she probably doesn’t even realize what that letter of introduction really represents right now.” After saying that, Chu Yao walked out of the camp area without looking back.

A moment later, he started running again, heading towards the road he had walked along that afternoon.

The girl who always upheld idealism only talked about light and struggle because her current upbringing dictated that these were the only things she could see, not because she was deliberately hiding anything. Since I can see more, I will tell her more—tell her about the light and the darkness, tell her the meaning of hard work and the power of reality, tell her about success and failure, tell her that "breaking through" is difficult, but life will never have only one path.

I have to tell her! I have to let different voices exist in her world, even if it's useless or meaningless, I have to tell her everything I've seen.

Knowing that the road ahead will be fraught with risks and difficulties, does that mean we should give up? Should we then compromise and obediently retreat to the small village of Jinsui, content to spend our days with the crops in the fields, until one day our minds become completely numb, accepting that this is the life we ​​are destined to live, the only way out?
Even though the road ahead is long and fraught with obstacles, it is not a reason to sit idly by and wait for death.