"You’re using modern standards; these things aren’t worth much now, and maybe they were his personal collection," Shitou said.
Xia Xiao thought about it and agreed, "It’s also possible that if these were He Dato’s personal treasures, he wouldn’t share them with his brothers."
Soon, Xia Xiao learned the answer. He Dato used to be from a wealthy family; his ancestors were very rich until their property was confiscated in the late Qing Dynasty. But, as the saying goes, ’a sly rabbit has three burrows’, so He Dato’s ancestor was smart enough not to put all his wealth in one place.
In the end, He Dato and his fellow thieves were sentenced, and the Guangming Production Team became quite famous. It was a battle that brought them to prominence, and the entire Guangming Production Team, as well as the Gao family father and son, several young men, and Xia Xiao, were all given special commendations by the county.
Xia Xiao was speechless but asked Gao Jiaxing, "Brother Gao, why did you have to mention me?"
"Well, the gun was from you to begin with, and you saved the female educated youth. If it weren’t for the guns you provided, we might not have been victorious. The team was just telling the truth. Why, don’t you like the limelight?" Gao Jiaxing raised an eyebrow.
"It’s not that, being granted significant merit is, of course, good," Xia Xiao chuckled. Although she had received many scholarships, awards, and certificates before, this time being commended by the county left her somewhat flabbergasted.
However, Liu Haihua of the Red Star Production Team was very dissatisfied. If the thief had targeted the Red Star Production Team, she was sure she would’ve outshone Xia Xiao and taken the spotlight.
Other thieves absolutely refused to acknowledge the Guangming Production Team’s reputation, just thinking He Dato and his thieves were too incompetent, bringing shame to all thieves.
Regardless, nobody dared to mess with the Guangming Production Team lightly now; even if they did, they had to think twice.
"Xia Xiao, let’s compete." Liu Haihua would always find time to come to the Guangming Production Team to challenge Xia Xiao.
"I won’t compete," Xia Xiao was quite speechless toward Liu Haihua, just feeling like her brain had a hole in it.
"You’re just scared, right? Your merit must be fake," Liu Haihua asserted.
"Say whatever you want, I won’t compete with you. I’m not a man; why should I act like one? I want to be a lady, to be pretty. If you’re capable, compete with me in being a lady, in beauty," Xia Xiao gave Liu Haihua a sideway glance, truly annoyed by her.
"Are you calling me a man?" Liu Haihua glared at Xia Xiao, as if ready for a fight.
"I didn’t say that," Xia Xiao replied, "Stay away from me, we’re not even close, don’t keep trying to get near me."
"You’re afraid of me, huh? Hmph, someone short like you, I can toss you around with one hand just like a small chicken," Liu Haihua continued with a waving gesture.
Sick of it, Xia Xiao ignored Liu Haihua, utterly speechless at her behavior.
"You’re a coward, Xia Xiao; you don’t deserve the merit," Liu Haihua added.
"Liu Haihua, calm down a bit. This is the Guangming Production Team, not your Red Star Production Team. This isn’t your place to throw your weight around. If you think you’re impressive, go fight the thieves. Whether Xia Xiao is impressive or not is her own business, it’s got nothing to do with you."
Wang Aihua was also very dissatisfied with Liu Haihua. They had been minding their own business before, being outsiders and educated youths, but Liu Haihua, even though not a member of the Guangming Production Team, was still the daughter of the Red Star Production Team leader and a local. They weren’t foolish enough to offend a local.
But now, Liu Haihua was seriously troubling them, and it was bothersome.
Yang Xuehua added, "Please leave, we don’t welcome you here. You’re disturbing us."
"I just want to compete with Xia Xiao. If she won’t, it proves her merit is fake," Liu Haihua insisted.
Xia Xiao was so agitated by Liu Haihua’s words she almost wanted to slap her with a brick: "Who do you think you are? All brawn and no brains. Do you really think you can outfight a thief with brute strength? You need wits, understand?"
Liu Haihua was furious, face red with rage. "Just you wait, Liu Yue’s dad holds a high position. He’ll get your merit revoked."
Xia Xiao shrugged, "Suit yourself. Don’t let the door hit you on your way out."
Fuming, Liu Haihua left.
"What’s Liu Yue got to do with this now?" asked Yang Xuehua.
"Forget about them; so annoying," said Xia Xiao.
"You should be cautious, Xia Xiao. Liu Haihua looks like trouble, and Liu Yue’s the vengeful type," Yang Xuehua warned.
"Don’t worry, Sister Xuehua. I’ll stay honest in the production team. They can’t give me any trouble." And if they truly did, she wouldn’t make it easy for them.
Xia Xiao had been here for over a year now and had grown increasingly familiar with the place, adapting to its way of life. Maybe it was the experience of fighting off the thief, but her courage was growing.
She received another letter from home, which said everything was well and told her not to worry.
Nowadays, Xia Xiao communicated with her family through letters. In the latest one, her brother also asked if she would return home for the New Year.
That year, Xia Xiao didn’t go back for the New Year either. She had changed a lot from the original host, and at this point, she didn’t know how to face the original host’s family.
Though she had come to see the original host’s family as her own, she still felt a bit uneasy inside, afraid of being recognized or exposed.
Others might not notice, but her family who lived with her since she was a child, the parents who raised the original host, the brothers and sisters who grew up together... Xia Xiao still didn’t want to take the risk.
Xia Xiao had grown taller, but her period still hadn’t come; the year was almost over, and she would be fifteen next year. She was still somewhat worried about her own health.
One day, Xia Xiao found two pheasants in a trap, so she went to find Gao Jiaxing. After selling them, she shared some money with him. The first time she kept two ten-yuan notes for herself, but the second and third times, sometimes it was one pheasant, sometimes two, and occasionally Gao Jiaxing would set traps, Xia Xiao would place a pheasant in his trap.
That place had been deemed a treasure spot by Gao Jiaxing and had become their secret.
Every time Gao Jiaxing went into the mountains to check the traps and caught something like pheasants or rabbits, he would leave the mountains directly.
They often split money in secret, and Xia Xiao’s personal savings had grown from just over twenty yuan to nearly seventy-eighty yuan now.