Xu Ning let the two women sit on the heated brick bed and said, “Auntie, it’s really nothing difficult. Growing bean sprouts is very simple. I’ll explain how to do it in a bit. When you feel like eating them, you can just soak some beans, and you’ll have another dish on the table.”

Aunt Xiangyun noticed the sweater lying on the bed and said, “Xu Zhiqing, you can knit sweaters too? This one looks really nice.”

Xu Ning modestly replied, “Auntie, don’t flatter me. I can’t knit any fancy patterns, just some plain stitches.”

Aunt Xiangyun insisted, “I’m not flattering you; it truly looks beautiful. Your plain stitches are even better than patterns. Sister Shuan, don’t you think so?” She handed the sweater to Aunt Dashuan for her to see.

Aunt Dashuan agreed, “Xu Zhiqing really is skillful. I may not know how to knit, but I can tell that this one is very well-made.”

Even with a thick skin, Xu Ning couldn’t handle the two women praising her like that, so she quickly changed the subject and began teaching them how to grow bean sprouts.

“Auntie, you can grow sprouts from more than just soybeans. Mung beans actually have a more delicate texture when sprouted, and the process is the same. If you have any mung beans at home, you should give it a try,” Xu Ning said as she demonstrated the process with the beans.

After the two women learned how to grow bean sprouts, they left happily. Later, Xu Ning heard that now every household in Yushu Village was sprouting beans.

Soon, the nearby villages and the entire production team caught on to this trend of sprouting beans.

When Wei Lanlan and Yang Xiaomei came to Xu Ning to learn how to grow bean sprouts, Xia Qing and Liu Fang from the youth camp also tagged along. Xu Ning demonstrated the process for them with some beans. It was a simple task, and since Xu Ning taught them attentively, all of them said they had learned it.

Xia Qing and Liu Fang decided to go back and give it a try after they learned, but Wei Lanlan and Yang Xiaomei stayed.

Xu Ning invited them to sit on the brick bed and chat. She placed a plate of pine nuts on the table for them to snack on while she picked up her knitting and continued working on the sweater.

While nibbling on the pine nuts, Wei Lanlan made a face and said, “Lin Miao and Gu Wenjing had a falling out. Gu Wenjing didn’t want to stay in the camp anymore and asked to move in with Lin Miao. Lin Miao didn’t agree, and now they don’t even speak to each other.”

“Now, Yang Wenli helps Lin Miao fetch water every day. Li Fengjiao even asked Lin Miao in front of Gu Wenping if she was dating Yang Wenli. Gu Wenping’s face turned black immediately, and Lin Miao almost went to tear Li Fengjiao’s mouth apart.”

“Li Fengjiao said, ‘If you two aren’t dating, then why does Yang Wenli fetch water for you every day and take such good care of you? If he really cared about helping women, there are plenty of other female Zhiqing around. Gu Wenjing is from the same city as him, yet he’s never fetched water for her!”

At that moment, the expressions on Yang Wenli and Lin Miao’s faces were quite entertaining. Now, Gu Wenping and Lin Miao were also fighting, ignoring Yang Wenli in the process. “It looks like their little group is about to fall apart,” Wei Lanlan said with a chuckle.

Xu Ning listened to her gossip while knitting, thinking that a breakup was unlikely. With entanglements like this, they would have a few more years of drama ahead of them. She could only wait to see how it all played out.

Yang Xiaomei looked at the sweater Xu Ning was knitting and asked, “Xu Zhiqing, your sweater looks really nice. It doesn’t look like plain stitches. How did you make it?” She leaned in closer to watch Xu Ning knit.

Noticing her interest, Xu Ning slowed down and explained, “I’m not sure if this counts as plain stitches. I figured it out while knitting a sweater for my brother last time. I think it makes the sweater look smoother this way.”

Wei Lanlan chimed in, “Who is this for? It’s so big.”

“For my cousin. He sent me some yarn tickets a few days ago and asked me to help him knit it.”

As soon as Wei Lanlan heard “cousin,” she scooted closer and asked, “Hey, does your cousin have a girlfriend? Is he coming to visit you this year?”

Xu Ning chuckled and replied, “Still thinking about my cousin, huh? Aren’t you afraid Chen Xiangdong will get jealous? I heard he wants to date you.”

Hearing Chen Xiangdong’s name, Wei Lanlan’s face turned red, and she huffed, “Who wants to date him? I haven’t agreed to anything!”

After saying that, she reached out to pinch Yang Xiaomei. “Was it you who told her? You big mouth!”

Yang Xiaomei laughed as she rolled around on the kang, nearly pushing Xu Mo off. Little Mo quietly got down, put on his shoes, and said to Xu Ning, “Sister Xu, you and Sisters Wei and Yang can talk. I’m going to the cattle shed.” As he walked out, he shook his head.

Seeing him like that made Xu Ning smile. She put on her shoes and walked him to the small door, waiting until he entered the cattle shed before returning.

Wei Lanlan and Yang Xiaomei, feeling a bit shy, said to Xu Ning, “Did we make too much noise? Did we scare him?”

Xu Ning thought to herself, Girls, he’s not scared of you; he thinks you’re immature.

However, she didn’t say that aloud. Instead, she reassured them, “It’s fine. Kids can’t sit still here. He went back to play with Grandpa Qi.” After that, she sat back on the kang, knitting a sweater while chatting with the two.

Watching her small frame, with both hands quickly moving the knitting needles, Wei Lanlan asked, “Xu Zhiqing, we’ve been here for over a year. Why do I feel like you haven’t grown at all?”

Xu Ning paused her knitting and rolled her eyes at her. “How come you’re so good at stabbing others in the back? Does Chen Xiangdong know about this?”

Before Wei could respond, Xu Ning added, “Besides, I’m still young. I can’t compare to you older girls; you developed early.” She even glanced at her chest as she said this.

Wei Lanlan blushed and covered her chest with both hands, while Yang Xiaomei laughed and lay back on the kang. The three of them spent an entire afternoon laughing and joking at Xu Ning’s place. When Xu An returned from school, the two girls said they had to leave.

Xu Ning thought of the specialty snacks that Wei Lanlan and Yang Xiaomei had brought her a few days ago, claiming they were sent from home for her to try.

“Don’t go yet,” she said. “You should stay for dinner. A few days ago, I bought some pig offal in town and marinated it yesterday. There’s still plenty left. I’ll stew it with some sauerkraut and make some flatbreads.”

Xu An chimed in, “Wei Zhiqing, Yang Zhiqing, just stay here for dinner! My sister’s marinated pig offal is really delicious. Stewed with sauerkraut, the flavor is amazing!”

Seeing how sincere the siblings were in inviting them, Wei Lanlan and Yang Xiaomei agreed.

Wei Lanlan helped with the fire while Yang Xiaomei chopped the sauerkraut. Xu Ning prepared the dough for the flatbreads. In no time, the three of them had everything ready.

Xu Ning served the dishes and also brought out a plate of pickled cucumbers for later, to cut through the richness of the meal. The four of them gathered around the table to eat.

Once they started, Wei Lanlan and Yang Xiaomei couldn’t stop eating, and they both left the table holding their bellies. As Wei Lanlan got up, she reluctantly stared at the remaining food in the bowl.

Xu Ning teased, “Look at you, so excited over just a bit of pig offal. Is it really that big of a deal?”

Wei Lanlan replied, “I thought the wild chicken and chestnut soup was the best thing I’d ever eaten, but I didn’t expect the pig offal stewed with sauerkraut could taste this good!” She smacked her lips, savoring the flavor.

Yang Xiaomei nodded in agreement, adding, “The wild chicken soup was delicious, but the pig offal is even better!”

Xu Ning ladled out the last bowl of leftovers from the pot and said to them, “If you like it so much, just take this bowl home. You can heat it up for lunch tomorrow.”

Wei Lanlan and Yang Xiaomei’s eyes brightened, but they felt a bit shy as they said, “Sister Xu, we’ve already eaten. It feels a bit awkward to take more.”

Xu Ning pushed the bowl into their hands. “Come on, don’t be polite! Just take it home! You two brought me so many specialties last time, and I haven’t even thanked you yet.”

Not wanting to be rude any longer, the two happily took the bowl and headed back.