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Zhao Sulan had no pillow, so she placed her clothes under her head as a cushion.
It was the end of April, and the nights in Kaoshan Village were still somewhat chilly.
Zhao Sulan felt a bit cold and couldn’t help but feel a little wronged. This damned place—she could only hope her family would soon find someone to pull some strings and get her sent back.
At the back mountain of Kaoshan Village, a tall man with a face as luminous as the moon, dressed in coarse cloth garments, was setting up traps.
His eyes were bright and sharp, his vision excellent as he searched for prey under the moonlight.
The night passed quickly.
At the break of dawn, Gu Nan was already making his way down the mountain with a bamboo basket on his back.
Inside the bamboo basket lay a wild pheasant and two hares, all lifeless.
Upon returning home, Gu Nan boiled water, cleaned the pheasant and hares, then took a bath and changed into fresh clothes.
Though he had not slept all night, the cold bath in this weather left him feeling refreshed and alert.
By the time he finished, the sound of a rooster crowing from the neighbor’s yard echoed through the air.
It was around four or five in the morning. Gu Nan lay on his bed for a short while before hearing the sounds of Gu Shi getting up to start the fire and prepare breakfast.
Gu Nan got up and walked to the kitchen.
“You didn’t sleep all night again… If you keep this up, won’t it ruin your health?” Gu Shi had already noticed the cleaned hares and pheasant placed in the wooden basin.
She knew that Gu Nan was burdened by this family. If not for his frequent hunting, bringing back wild pheasants and hares to supplement their food, the few members of this household might have starved long ago.
She also knew that Gu Nan occasionally hunted roe deer and wild boars. Afraid of being reported by outsiders, he would take them to the county overnight to sell.
Otherwise, how could she afford medicine? How could her youngest daughter drink have malted milk and other nutritional supplements?
“I won’t,” Gu Nan said calmly.
But Gu Shi noticed the dark circles under his eyes and couldn’t help but feel a pang of heartache.
That morning, she made cornmeal steamed buns. Gu Nan first took two to his eldest brother’s room.
Then, he grabbed one for himself, stuffing it into his mouth in just a few bites, took a sip of water, and headed out to work.
In the east wing, Gu Zhendong stared at the two steamed buns in front of him, overcome with a sense of uselessness.
If only he had been more careful back, then.
If his legs weren’t crippled, he could be earning work points alongside Gu Nan.
Then, their family wouldn’t be in such a dire situation.
But there was no “if.”
“Useless! I’m just a useless cripple!” Gu Zhendong pushed the bowl of steamed buns aside, his hands pounding furiously against his lifeless legs.
His nose stung, and a deep sorrow welled up inside him.
He hated himself for being a useless cripple—not only unable to help the family but also bringing them so much hardship.
Out in the courtyard, Gu Shi and Gu Ningning, who were eating breakfast, heard the commotion from the east wing.
Gu Shi let out a sigh.
Gu Ningning didn’t even have time to put down her steamed bun before she hurried into her eldest brother’s room.
“Big Brother,” she called softly, sitting on the edge of Gu Zhendong’s heated brick bed.
“I’m sorry… it’s because I’m useless,” Gu Zhendong murmured.
Gu Ningning shook her head.
“Big Brother, Second Brother went hunting last night and brought back a wild chicken and some rabbits,” she said softly.
“He never resents us. He silently takes care of us, so we can’t just give up on ourselves.”
Her voice was soft and childlike, yet there was a hint of maturity in her words.
“But I…” Gu Zhendong looked helplessly at his lifeless legs, devoid of any sensation.
“Big Brother, Mother said that you will never be a burden. You are our family, connected by blood,” Gu Ningning said softly.
“If we can’t support each other in times of hardship, then that would be the saddest thing of all.”
“You have to keep going, we all have to keep going. When I grow up, I’ll stay by your side too,” she continued, taking a bite of the cornbread in her hand. Then, she picked up another cornbread from the bowl on the bedside and handed it to her brother.
Gu Zhendong hesitated for a moment but eventually took it.
He didn’t say anything, but he took a bite.
This family owed Gu Nan too much.
At the Educated Youth station, the young intellectuals were gradually waking up.
Su Niannian freshened up and couldn’t help but feel a little excited.
Although she had seen Gu Nan yesterday, she hadn’t really had a chance to interact with him.
She thought that if she could work in the same place as Gu Nan today, it would be wonderful.
With anticipation filling her heart, a constant smile graced her face.
And with that smile, she looked even more radiant and charming.
Last night, when the new educated youths arrived, the sky had already darkened.
Even though they had kerosene lamps and flashlights, it was difficult to see people clearly.
Now, in the daylight, the male educated youths couldn’t take their eyes off Su Niannian.
At the dining table, the older educated youths had already prepared breakfast.
They made black bread and corn porridge, similar to last night’s meal, but with a bit more pickled vegetables.
“This afternoon, four more new educated youths will be arriving. Once they’re here, this year’s group will be complete.”
“When everyone has arrived, we’ll reorganize the cooking rotation,” Liu Yang said.
“For today, we’ll just keep track of the collective grain. Once everyone is here, you all can go to the brigade to borrow food. If you plan to eat together, the grain will be pooled.”
“If you choose not to eat together, then you’ll just need to return the grain for these few meals.”
He addressed the six newly arrived educated youths.
They all nodded in agreement.
“When can we go to the county’s supply and marketing cooperative?” Zhao Sulan asked. She truly couldn’t stomach this coarse, scratchy food.
Compared to last night’s meal, this breakfast was even harsher on the throat.
They had even mixed in black flour… Black flour was just bran! In Zhao Sulan’s mind, that was something fed to pigs.
“The time has already passed for today. If you want to go, go tomorrow,” Liu Yang replied, barely bothering to acknowledge her.
He found her insufferable—born with the attitude of a noble lady but the fate of a servant.
She had already been sent to the countryside, yet she still refused to endure even a little hardship.
If her family’s conditions were truly as good as she made them out to be, they surely would have found a way to keep her from being sent to the countryside.
Since she couldn’t go today, Zhao Sulan had no choice but to wait until tomorrow.
After the educated youths finished their meal, a few of the girls who had cooked went to wash the dishes, while some of the boys fetched water.
These tasks had already been clearly assigned—everyone took turns.
When the time came, the educated youths all headed toward the drying field.
When Su Niannian arrived at the drying field to receive her labor assignment, her gaze was immediately drawn to a striking figure.
Standing tall at 1.87 meters, Gu Nan stood out effortlessly in the crowd.
Unlike yesterday, when he had worn a white shirt and gray trousers, today he was dressed in coarse cloth clothing.
Yet, even in the morning sunlight, that simple outfit seemed to glow with an undeniable presence.
Though some areas of his clothes were worn and faded, he still exuded a sense of refreshing cleanliness that was impossible to overlook.
Gu Nan sensed a gaze fixed on him from behind and couldn’t help but turn his head.