Chapter 22: Zhao Hu Treats Everyone to a Meal

Wang Shuning sat on a brick during her break, sucking on a milk candy.

Eating fruit in public was too conspicuous and easily attracted attention from others who might ask for some, so Wang Shuning often ate candy to stave off hunger. Keeping it in her mouth meant others wouldn’t say anything even if they saw it.

Zhao Hu, who had come to compete for housing like Liu Sicun and the others, went to Lü Beichu and spoke to him for a few words. Then Wang Shuning saw Lü Beichu glance at Guo Jingyi. Seeing her nod, he nodded at Zhao Hu.

Zhao Hu was the most senior among the educated youth, and since their last unsuccessful meeting, he only nodded in greeting if they happened to meet. Judging from what just happened, it seemed he had specifically sought them out.

Wang Shuning had just lowered her head when she heard someone calling her, “Wang Shuning and Zhang Meili, is it?”

Zhang Meili stopped rubbing her arm and looked at Zhao Hu with a puzzled expression. “I’m Zhang Meili.”

Wang Shuning, with a milk candy still in her mouth, mumbled, “I’m Wang Shuning.”

So many days had passed, he probably couldn’t match names and faces.

“I’ve been too busy these days to welcome you properly. The fifteenth is a few days away; that night, come to the educated youth center for dinner. Let’s all get together.” This was something Liu Sicun had casually mentioned at noon today. They were all educated youth from all over the country. Although they didn’t live together, getting together for a meal would build connections, making it easier to cooperate on things in the future.

Zhao Hu’s thought was, among the five of Wang Shuning’s group, except for Zhang Meili and Zhao Heping, the other three came from relatively well-off families. Lü Beichu, needless to say, he and Wang Shuning were both from Beijing, and there might be a chance to return to the city. If they got along well, he might be able to help.

Wang Shuning spoke tactfully, “I need to go to town to buy things on my rest day and will be back late. I don’t think I can help with dinner.”

There were fifteen people at the educated youth center, plus the five of them, making twenty people. That would be a lot of food to prepare. She only had one day off, and she didn’t want to spend the whole afternoon in the kitchen.

Zhang Meili was hesitant. If Wang Shuning didn’t go, she would ask Guo Jingyi. She couldn’t be the only female educated youth going to dinner, and she didn’t know the others, so sitting at the same table would be somewhat uncomfortable.

Zhao Hu’s gaze wasn’t forceful, but his words were firm. “You don’t need to help. I heard Guo Jingyi is a good cook, and she agreed to cook. There will be people at the educated youth center to help her. You just need to bring the grain beforehand, and it would be best if you could bring some vegetables.”

Zhang Meili’s jaw dropped slightly. Bring grain and vegetables? It wasn’t a treat; it was going to cost them.

“I’m a bit tired after working so hard for so many days and want to rest at home. Maybe I won’t go.” Zhang Meili wanted to refuse. She didn’t want to take advantage of others, nor did she want others to take advantage of her.

Zhao Hu frowned. “Lü Beichu, Guo Jingyi, and Zhao Heping have all agreed to go. It wouldn’t look good if only you two were missing. You don’t need to bring meat dishes; I’ll prepare those. Just bring some vegetables and coarse grains to show your intention.”

Zhao Hu wanted to treat these five people to dinner separately, but there were others at the educated youth center, and he couldn’t ask them to bring things. If he only invited Lü Beichu and the others, and others found out, they might think badly of him.

So, after careful consideration, he decided to let Lü Beichu and the others bring their own food. He would buy a chicken and half a pound of meat from a villager’s house. He would cover the meat dishes, and the favor would be on him.

Zhang Meili, hearing that there would be meat, immediately agreed. “Then I’ll bring some sweet potatoes and white radishes.”

Zhao Hu’s eyebrows twitched. Zhao Heping said he would bring two ounces of corn kernels and a few green vegetables. Unexpectedly, another one came along. “Okay, what about you?” He looked at Wang Shuning.

“I’ll go.” Wang Shuning agreed. She didn’t have to cook; she could eat ready-made food. Guo Jingyi was a good cook; it was a chance to taste the culinary skills of a seven-star hotel chef.

At He Zhuzhu’s house, Aunt Zhu held an earthenware pot containing eight raw eggs. In the past, she would save up dozens before secretly selling them in town. Now, all her eggs were bought by Wang Shuning. Sometimes it wasn’t enough; she ate one egg a day, and if she had egg fried rice, she could eat three eggs a day. Aunt Zhu’s hens couldn’t lay eggs fast enough to keep up with Wang Shuning’s consumption.

“If it’s not enough, I’ll go to the village to buy some more for you.” He Zhuzhu put the eggs from the earthenware pot into a large porcelain bowl in Wang Shuning’s kitchen.

Wang Shuning shook her head. “I’m not making tea eggs this time; these are enough.”

The native eggs from the village were smaller. Two were needed for a bowl of fried rice. She had been eating them frequently lately and wanted a change.

On the evening of the fourteenth, Wang Shuning carried a basket to find Zhang Meili. She was going to town early the next morning and planned to deliver the things in advance.

Zhang Meili, seeing Wang Shuning come, quickly carried her basket out.

“Isn’t Guo Jingyi coming?”

Zhang Meili shook her head. “Zhao Hu said she’s in charge of cooking and is busier than others, so she doesn’t need to bring anything. What did you bring?”

Wang Shuning lifted the gray cloth covering the basket. “An egg, two cucumbers, and two sweet potatoes.”

Zhang Meili nodded. It was only one more egg than hers; the difference wasn’t too big to be looked down upon.

Zhao Leyi, who was cooking in the kitchen, saw the two of them come and pointed to a table. “Put the things on that table.”

Looking at the four large sweet potatoes, Zhao Leyi grumbled inwardly. Everyone had sweet potatoes. The new educated youth must have been given wheat flour and rice, and they didn’t even bring any decent food to the dinner.

Although she was unhappy, she still smiled. “Come a little earlier tomorrow. Zhao Hu is going to town to buy meat. There aren’t many days in the village when we can eat meat.”

Wang Shuning smiled and nodded. She ate meat every day and didn’t really care about that meal. With twenty people eating, she would probably only get a slice.

Zhang Meili said, “She hasn’t worked for three days, and the captain of the third production team actually let her have time off. She looks fine; maybe she was never really sick.”

They had been working so hard these days, and she had avoided getting sick. If she had really been bedridden, that would have been fine, but Zhao Leyi’s complexion was clearly fine, which made people unhappy.

Thinking of the villagers’ casual chat at the dinner table that day, Wang Shuning said, “I heard that Zhao Leyi is dating the youngest son of He Liangliang, the captain of the third production team, He Weiyuan. Her future father-in-law is her superior, so he’ll definitely protect her.”

Zhang Meili responded indifferently, “Oh.” So she had a powerful backer.

After returning home, He Zhuzhu came to find Wang Shuning. “Shuning, are you going to town tomorrow? Can you bring me a bag of salt? I’ll pay you.”

Wang Shuning put away the dried clothes. “Okay, I’ll probably be back in the afternoon.”

He Zhuzhu handed her the money. “It’s okay. We’ll be eating sweet potatoes for lunch; we won’t need salt.”

In the space, looking at the six bags of rice, three bags of wheat flour, and the brown sugar wrapped in newspaper in the corner of the wooden house, she had solidified it and cut it into small cubes of three square centimeters, making it easier to sell.

Wang Shuning had also wanted to sell rapeseed oil and soybean oil in town, but unfortunately, she didn’t have any containers for oil at home, so she would have to buy some tomorrow.