The Dashan Village production team was about an hour’s journey from Mentou Township.

After riding the ox cart for more than half an hour, Su Huazhu and Song Luoshu voluntarily got off to walk.

Neither of these two girls was delicate at home.

Especially after everything that had happened in their families, they were forced to grow up in an instant.

On the train, after learning about Lin Aiguo’s identity, Song Luoyun even took the initiative to ask him how to strengthen the body and health, and she specifically learned a few moves.

Su Huazhu and Song Luoshu were also inspired.

Being girls, learning a bit more could only do them good.

Lin Aiguo also thought that if their bodies were stronger and healthier in the countryside, they would suffer less and be able to earn more work points to support themselves.

So on the train, Lin Aiguo shared all the practical and simple tips he could think of and quietly taught them some techniques. Unfortunately, the time was too short.

If they had spent a few more days together, he could have taken them to practice in real situations.

After Su Huazhu and Song Luoshu got off to walk, Li Jin and Liu Wei took their places on the ox cart.

As for Shang Xiaoyun, who came along, she still sat motionless on the ox cart. Song Luoyun didn’t mind—he wanted to get more exercise, so he didn’t argue with her.

Bai Qingshan observed everything carefully and began to form an initial impression of these educated youth.

However, he wasn’t worried that these new educated youth would cause any trouble. Their production team was never lacking and had never relied on these city kids.

Half an hour later, the Dashan Village production team arrived.

Several elders stood at the village entrance, and upon seeing the group from afar, they excitedly came forward to greet them.

“Qingshan, have you picked up Old Qiao’s great-granddaughter?”
“Shanzi, did you get her?”
“Where is she?! Let the child stay at my house—we’ve already prepared the room.”

Several elders older than Bai Qingshan asked him while looking at the three girls he brought.

“Father, Sixth Uncle, Uncle Wang, Aunt Wu, we have picked her up. This is Old Qiao’s great-granddaughter, Su Huazhu.”

Bai Qingshan was not surprised to see these village elders.

After receiving the telegram, the middle-aged and elderly villagers had been waiting and looking forward to the arrival every day.

His father had even asked him to pick her up from the commune, afraid the child would be mistreated.

“Huazhu, this is my father, you can call him Uncle. This is Sixth Uncle, you can call him Sixth Great-Uncle. And this is Great-Uncle Wang and Aunt Wu—they all came personally to welcome you.”

Bai Qingshan introduced Su Huazhu to these respected elders of the Dashan Village production team.

Back in the day, they had the closest relationship with Old Qiao and his family and had received considerable help from them.

“Uncles and Aunt Wu, hello, I’m Su Huazhu.”

Seeing these elderly people personally come to greet her, Su Huazhu felt very touched and also felt a sense of closeness.

She respectfully greeted and bowed to them.

“Good child, now you’re home.”

Aunt Wu stepped forward to hold Su Huazhu’s hand, patting her shoulder with a kindly expression.

“Yes, the house has been prepared for you, and the meals are ready. Come with us to eat and rest well.”

Before anyone else could say anything, Bai Qingshan’s father Bai Changyuan was eager to take her home.

“Father, Huazhu said she doesn’t want to stay at anyone’s home; she wants to live at the educated youth site. She came with two distant cousins—they have already agreed to stick together and will live like the other educated youth.”

Just as Bai Changyuan finished speaking, Aunt Wu and Sixth Uncle were about to object, but Bai Qingshan quickly interrupted to relay what Su Huazhu had said, shutting down their arguments.

Su Huazhu didn’t refuse to stay at their homes because of any concern about inconvenience, but because she wouldn’t feel free or comfortable living in someone else’s house.

Moreover, before coming to the countryside, her mother had instructed her to live at the educated youth site.

If the site was uncomfortable, they would build a small house nearby for her.

“Well…”

“Living at the educated youth site is crowded, so many people sleep in one room. This is your hometown; how can you not have your own room?!”

When Sixth Uncle hesitated, Aunt Wu firmly disagreed.

A child was not hard to accommodate, and surely so many people could support one girl!

“Why don’t we free up a room in the house Old Qiao built back then for the child?”

After learning that the Qiao family descendants were coming to the countryside, Bai Changyuan had thought about the house Old Qiao had built.

But that house had originally been for the village’s elderly widows. Now, the house was occupied by Widow Ling and her three children.

“Uncles, my parents said I must live at the educated youth site to avoid causing unnecessary trouble for the village. They sent me here mainly to avoid me being bullied. If they find out I caused a fuss and made you all scramble on my behalf, I wouldn’t know how to get along with everyone.”

Her mother had said this and taught her how to decline politely.

Most importantly, her mother said their family had money, ration coupons, and grain.

If the site was uncomfortable, they would build a small place nearby.

If the food wasn’t enough, her mother would quietly send supplies.

As long as she wasn’t bullied and the production team didn’t make things difficult for her, that was enough.

Su Huazhu trusted her mother’s words very much.

Living in someone else’s home could never be as comfortable as living at the educated youth site!

Most importantly, living there was natural and right; no one dared to drive her away or pick on her, because she was also one of the hosts.

Bai Changyuan and the others, being experienced, naturally understood Su Huazhu’s meaning.

Sure enough, she was a descendant of the Qiao family.

“Child, since this is your parents’ wish, then we will follow it. No one in our production team will dare to bully you. If you have any difficulty, come find Uncle or your Uncle Qingshan.”

“Good child, if anyone dares to bully you, they’re messing with me, and I’m the first one to object.”

“That’s right. Tomorrow I’ll tell everyone that Huazhu is from our village.”

Unable to persuade Su Huazhu to accept their arrangements, the elders reluctantly accepted her decision but made their support clear.

Su Huazhu secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

Their enthusiasm was almost overwhelming.

The relaxed expression on the young girl’s face caught Bai Qingshan and the others’ eyes, and their fondness for her increased even more.