Chapter 7: The First Morning at the Educated Youth Center

Jingzhi, this little Tang educated youth, she’s willing to take care of you, it’s her heart.” At this moment, Song’s father walked in. “Tomorrow, I’ll have your aunt spread the word in the village about how you saved her. When she’s at home, don’t close your door.”

“Father.”

Song’s father waved his hand. “When it comes to being a person, don’t always care about what others think. We don’t cause trouble, and we’re not afraid of trouble.”

“I don’t mind, but she’s a girl after all.” If her reputation is ruined, her whole life will be ruined.

“Look at that little Tang educated youth. She was able to find her way here. She’s determined. Are you really going to make her leave and ruin her reputation?” Song’s father looked at his son.

Song Jingzhi remained silent for a moment. “Father, then please tell your aunt tomorrow.”

“Good, you’ve come to your senses.” Song’s father nodded.

The next day, when Tang Xiaoxiao woke up, the other educated youths were still asleep. They were going to the city to buy things today, but they didn’t even have a carrying basket.

Yesterday, when she arrived, she saw a house at the village entrance with many bamboo products. She planned to ask them.

There was a well in front of the educated youth center, which was convenient to use. She drew water, washed up, and locked the door before going out.

“Is anyone home?” She wondered if she was too early. It was just getting light, maybe they were still asleep.

“Someone’s here, someone’s here.” An old lady came out of the house.

“Auntie, I’m a new educated youth. I’m going to the city to buy things today, but I don’t have a carrying basket. I wonder if you have any to exchange?”

“Yes, we do. Take a look and see which one you want.” The old lady smiled.

“Auntie, please give me two of these carrying baskets and one of these bamboo baskets.” She chose two carrying baskets suitable for her and He Xiaoqian, and then a bamboo basket, which would be convenient for her to send Song Jingzhi soup or something.

“Okay, girl, you can pay or exchange things, whatever you want.”

“Auntie, I’ll pay you.”

“Okay, the carrying basket is 1 yuan each, and the bamboo basket is 50 cents, a total of 2.5 yuan.”

Tang Xiaoxiao paid 2.5 yuan.

“Girl, my surname is Cui. Just call me Auntie Cui. Come back if you need anything else. My husband is a carpenter. He made a lot of furniture in the village.”

“Okay, Auntie Cui, my surname is Tang. I’ll come back if I need anything.”

“Okay, okay, Comrade Tang.”

After saying goodbye to Auntie Cui, Tang Xiaoxiao went to Liu Po and bought ten eggs for 50 cents. She didn’t buy too many because she had plenty in her space. This was just for show.

She had been away from this era for too long, and she was a little unaccustomed to the low prices.

When she returned to the educated youth center, the other educated youths were already up.

“Xiaoxiao, why are you up so early?” Liu Fengjuan was brushing her teeth in front of the center.

“We’re going to the city by ox cart later, so I went to buy carrying baskets.”

“Well, you can use ours first.”

She smiled and said nothing, taking her things and walking into the room. Just then, He Xiaoqian opened the door.

“Here you go. I’m going to boil eggs. We’ll have eggs for breakfast.” She handed He Xiaoqian a carrying basket.

“Okay.”

“Use my firewood first. Just return it to me when you have time to collect some.” Liu Fengjuan called out from behind.

“Thank you, Sister Fengjuan.”

“You’re welcome. It’s just some firewood.”

Tang Xiaoxiao put her things back in the room. He Xiaoqian followed her in, holding some change.

“I’m here to pay you for the carrying basket and the eggs for breakfast.”

“You really can’t wait a moment.” This was the first time she had seen someone pay in advance.

“Brothers settle accounts clearly. I have a bad memory, I’ll forget later, so I have to pay now.” She said with a smile.

“Okay, okay, I’ll take the money for the carrying basket. The eggs are on me.” She took a yuan from He Xiaoqian.

“No, I have to pay for the eggs too.”

“You can treat me next time.”

He Xiaoqian thought about it and agreed.

“Go wash up. I’ll boil the eggs.” Tang Xiaoxiao took four eggs.

“Ah, I haven’t washed up yet. Oh my god, I’ve been walking around with a dirty face for several rounds.” He Xiaoqian shouted and ran out.

“Pfft.” Tang Xiaoxiao shook her head with a smile and took the eggs out of the room.

In the kitchen, Liu Dong and Xu Zeming were cooking together. Liu Fengjuan was cooking for herself, and she had left a pot for Tang Xiaoxiao, as they had agreed.

“Xiaoxiao, you’re here. Do you need me to help you with the fire?” Liu Fengjuan asked when she saw her come in.

She saw that Liu Fengjuan was almost done and the fire was still strong. “No, Sister Fengjuan, I’m just boiling a few eggs. I can use the remaining fire.”

“Okay, I’ll be done soon.” Liu Fengjuan said with a smile.

“It’s okay, no rush.”

Tang Xiaoxiao looked at Xu Zeming, who hadn’t said anything. “Comrade Xu, are you going back today?”

“Yeah, I’ll take the ox cart with you guys later.”

“Comrade Xu, you…” Tang Xiaoxiao didn’t know what to say to comfort him. After all, no one could have predicted such a disaster.

“Comrade Tang, it’s okay. I actually guessed it already. Thank you for bringing me the news.” Otherwise, he would still be waiting, still holding onto hope.

“The nearest temporary rest stop is in the west of the city, near the flour mill. You can stay there. Also, be careful of aftershocks.”

“Thank you.” Xu Zeming looked up at her and gave her a smile.

Tang Xiaoxiao shook her head with a smile. She hadn’t really helped him.

Liu Fengjuan patted her shoulder with a smile and changed the subject.

“In our educated youth center, Liu Dong and Xu Zeming cook together, Cao Hui and I cook separately, and Wang Erxi eats at the villagers’ homes.”

At that moment, Cao Hui walked into the kitchen with two sweet potatoes, seeing the eggs Tang Xiaoxiao had placed on the stove.

“Hey, whose eggs are these? So many?”

Liu Fengjuan, who had already ladled out the white rice porridge and was about to go to the hall to eat, directly put all the eggs into the pot of water and covered it.

“Xiaoxiao and Xiaoqian’s, two each.”

“Cao Hui, use the pot that no one is using. Tang is using Fengjuan’s pot.” Liu Dong spoke up.

“I’ll just put my sweet potatoes in your fire. I’ll eat roasted sweet potatoes.” Cao Hui took his sweet potatoes and walked to Liu Dong’s stove.

“We’re almost done here, there’s not much fire left. You can figure it out yourself.”

“Oh, I’ll come back later to cook then.” He took his sweet potatoes and left.

“Sister Fengjuan?” After he left, Tang Xiaoxiao looked at Liu Fengjuan. Why did she seem to dislike Cao Hui?

“He’s been taking advantage of your things. He eats all the fine grain when it’s distributed, and then he has to mooch off others later, even firewood.” Liu Fengjuan said softly.

“Fengjuan.” Liu Dong called out.

“I’m not wrong. You and Zeming have been mooched off so many times before, don’t you remember?”

“…”

“But didn’t we just get our grain?” They had just harvested early rice in July.

“But you can’t eat white rice every meal.” Liu Fengjuan took a bite of white rice porridge. She ate white rice every morning and coarse grain for lunch and dinner.

“He has all the coarse grain left.” Xu Zeming also spoke up.