Chapter 30: Rumors
The next morning, Ye Ling woke up and went to the small world to read medical books for a while.
Two hours later, Ye Ling came out from the small world and took out the small stove she had bought in town. She cooked herself a bowl of cornmeal soup.
After satisfying her hunger, Ye Ling hesitated whether to report to the production team and receive tasks or venture deeper into the mountains to search for more valuable herbs.
It wasn't that she wanted to slack off or avoid work, but no one from the production team had urged her yet.
The production team in Willow Village was surprisingly lenient towards her. She hadn't received such treatment in Stone Village before.
Could it be that the village chief had given prior instructions?
Well, when she next saw Li Bin, she could ask him indirectly. If Li Bin said there was no rush, then she didn't need to be overly proactive. As long as she still had some free time, it was better to gather more herbs, which was the real priority!
With these thoughts in mind, Ye Ling decided not to report to the production team. She picked up her bamboo basket and small hoe and set off to explore the mountains to the west of Willow Village.
...
At noon, the production team's canteen was bustling with people coming and going, creating a lively atmosphere.
Li Bin had just finished his meal and was searching for a seat when he overheard two young women nearby discussing something, mentioning a name he was familiar with.
"Hey, isn't the new educated youth named Ye Ling? Has she still not reported to the production team for work? This is outrageous! Does she think of herself as a princess?"
"I heard her reputation in Stone Village wasn't good. I guess she couldn't make it there, which is why she came to our village. I wonder if she's gotten involved with someone from the production team. She doesn't even have to do any work..."
"We don't lead such pampered lives. We don't rely on men, and we can't afford such luxury."
Their tone grew increasingly scornful, attracting the attention of several people nearby who also wanted to inquire about Ye Ling.
Li Bin's face immediately darkened. He walked over to the two women, forcefully placing his bowl down, and cast a stern gaze at them, causing them to fall silent.
Li Bin was well aware that rumors couldn't be easily quelled. He sighed inwardly, refrained from saying anything further, and began eating his meal.
Initially, it was his responsibility to notify Ye Ling about reporting to the production team, but ever since he learned about Ye Ling's special relationship with Min Nan, he hadn't rushed her. He thought it wouldn't be good to leave a negative impression on his future sister-in-law.
Moreover, during their previous conversation, Wan Feng mentioned that Ye Ling intended to run for the position of medical shop administrator and had been undergoing training in town every day. After hearing this, Li Bin decided not to pressure Ye Ling further. He silently supported his future sister-in-law's career.
However, he hadn't expected these people to come up with such repugnant speculations! It was Ye Ling's own business whether she earned production points or not. These people were unnecessarily meddling in her affairs.
Nevertheless, in a few days, he would still have to inform Ye Ling to report to the production team. Otherwise, the gossipmongers would only increase, and rumors could be quite dangerous.
At noon, Ye Ling came down from the mountain and sat under a tree at the foot of the mountain to rest. She took out the prepared coarse grain bread for lunch.
The bamboo basket beside her was empty, without a single herb.
She had stored all the herbs in the small world. If she carried a large basket of herbs back to the dormitory, it would attract the attention of others, so she decided to deal with this batch of herbs on the mountain.
She had indeed gained a lot of herbs from this trip up the mountain. She had found many highly valuable herbs, and her collection in the small world was now quite substantial. She could begin preparing some simple ointments.
After finishing the coarse grain bread, Ye Ling dusted off the crumbs on her hands and stood up. She placed the bamboo basket behind a rock and covered it with the leaves of a shrub.
She planned to go directly to find Dai Wei later and inquire about any progress in the investigation of Du Juan. When she returned, she would pick up the basket, saving herself an extra trip.
Dai Wei's police station was responsible for overseeing five or six villages to the north of Lan River, situated between Willow Village and Apricot Blossom Village. It wasn't too far away.
At two o'clock in the afternoon, it was the police station's lunch break.
Dai Wei's parents had moved to town several years ago. Since no one resided in the old house in Willow Village, Dai Wei chose to live at the police station. He only visited his parents in town during holidays.
After finishing his lunch, Dai Wei took a short nap. As soon as he rose from the narrow bamboo bed, he noticed someone sitting on the chair across from him. The person's dark and profound eyes were fixed on him.
Dai Wei screamed in fear and clutched his heart. "Min Nan! Are you trying to scare me to death?"
Min Nan cast a faint glance at Dai Wei but remained silent.
Dai Wei regained his composure, his gaze filled with suspicion as he looked at Min Nan. "Why are you staring at me like that? It's frightening."