Chapter 25 : Cleaning the House

“Thank you, Comrade Yun!” Lin Zikang said gratefully. Yun Siying’s appearance was undeniably striking, and he was no exception, he had a good impression of her.

Yun Siying started the tractor and drove out of the brigade headquarters. A few minutes later, the two finally arrived at the Courtyard. They stopped the vehicle, and she stood below to receive the furniture that Nangong Ruochen handed down, placing it on the ground.

A few minutes later, they had unloaded all the furniture and food from the tractor. Nangong Ruochen climbed into the driver’s seat, turned to Yun Siying, and said, “Take a break for a while. I’ll go return the tractor to the brigade headquarters and come back to help you clean the room.”

“Okay!” Yun Siying agreed cheerfully. She was more than happy to have help with the chores, so she sat leisurely on a clean stone to rest, gazing up at the white clouds drifting across the blue sky, as soft and fluffy as cotton.

—

The captain watched the tractor disappearing into the distance and asked in surprise, “Old Zhang, was that Yun Siying driving the tractor?”

Zhang Youliang also looked in the same direction, eyes shining. “Old Jiang, your eyes aren’t fooling you, it really was Yun Siying driving.”

“Hahaha! Looks like the autumn harvest will be much easier this year. We’ve got someone to drive the tractor,” Jiang Zhengguo said happily. The brigade had only just gotten the tractor this year, and luckily, Nangong Ruochen could operate it. He had even driven it back directly from the county town, saving them the cost of sending someone to learn how to drive or transport it back.

He had wanted Nangong Ruochen to teach a few village youths how to drive it, but Nangong Ruochen had declined, missing the training window in the county. The captain had been worried there’d be no one to operate the tractor during the harvest.

“Captain, I’m Lin Zikang, one of the newly arrived educated youths working in the production team. I came to the brigade to collect food. Can I also exchange for some furniture?” Lin Zikang asked right away.

“Sure, come get your food first, and then I’ll take you to choose some furniture,” Accountant Zhang replied. After giving Lin Zikang his food rations, he exchanged two mahogany boxes and a wardrobe with him.

When Lin Zikang moved the furniture out of the warehouse, he saw Nangong Ruochen driving the tractor back. Accountant Zhang, feeling pleased with the more than ten yuan he had earned, said cheerfully, “Nangong Ruochen, help Lin Zikang transport his furniture and food back to the Courtyard.”

“Alright,” Nangong Ruochen agreed. He figured since he had already helped Yun Siying, it wouldn’t look good to refuse Lin Zikang it might cause tension among the educated youths so he accepted the task.

Nangong Ruochen watched Lin Zikang carry the furniture and food steadily by himself and didn’t offer to help. After driving the tractor to the Courtyard, he stopped and glanced over toward his door.

Seeing Yun Siying still sitting there waiting for him, he quickly got out of the tractor, picked up a broom, and started helping her clean the room.

Once the room was clean, the two moved the furniture and food inside together. Following Nangong Ruochen’s advice, they placed the wardrobe and cupboard in the center of the room to act as a divider, creating two separate areas.

Then he went to his own room, brought out an enamel basin and a rag, fetched water from the yard, quickly wiped down the kang (heated brick bed) for Yun Siying, laid down a straw mat, and placed the kang cabinet on top.

Yun Siying went to Nangong Ruochen’s room to get her package, took out a mat, spread it on the straw mat, and placed the kang table on top.

Yun Siying looked at her hands by now it was already eleven in the morning. She took out eight meat buns and a bag of dried meat, placed them on the kang table, and said, “We’ve been busy all morning, we should eat something first and then continue cleaning up.”

“Wait for me,” Nangong Ruochen said as he went back to his room. After a while, he returned carrying two enamel jars filled with malted milk.

He took the meat jerky and steamed buns, opened them up, and the aroma hit his nose immediately. Unable to resist the temptation, he took a bite of a steamed bun, then picked up another one to taste. One bite led to another, he simply couldn’t stop eating.

“Your steamed buns and beef jerky are way too delicious,” Nangong Ruochen said, taking a sip of malted milk.

“If it tastes good, eat more. It’s easier to work when you’re full,” Yun Siying said, also eating with satisfaction.

After they were both full, they wiped down the newly purchased furniture and arranged it in the room. Nangong Ruochen looked around and said, “All done. The only thing left is a cooking stove. I’ll take you to find someone to build one.”

They drove the tractor back to the brigade headquarters and then walked along a narrow path through the village, passing scattered thatched huts. There were only three blue-brick tile houses in the entire village.

Every yard they passed had a few chickens strutting about. Dogs barked nonstop from the roadside when they saw the two of them. Children would scatter and run away as if fleeing from danger.

Yun Siying looked at Nangong Ruochen in surprise and asked, “Are we really that scary?”

“Hah! Maybe they’re afraid of me?” Nangong Ruochen said, clearly pleased with his intimidating reputation. Now, not only were the educated youths at their compound wary of him, but even the villagers seemed to be afraid.

Thinking about it, he couldn’t help but curl his lips into a small smile when he saw the children dodge away from him. But when he glanced at Yun Siying, a trace of concern crossed his face, he worried she might be afraid of him too. So when he was with her, he deliberately suppressed his usual cold demeanor.

“No way! With your looks, the village girls must be infatuated with you,” Yun Siying teased. Though they had grown up in the same residential compound, she hadn’t really known him well back then, they hadn’t played together.

But now, being around him, she felt inexplicably comfortable and at ease. She couldn’t explain the feeling, but she didn’t resist it either.

“You really think I’m handsome?” Nangong Ruochen asked seriously, looking directly at her. He had always disliked his appearance. When he was little, people would mistake him for a girl and tease him.

But now, hearing Yun Siying compliment him, he didn’t feel the usual irritation. Instead, an unexpected warmth filled him.

“Of course! You’re the most handsome person I’ve ever seen,” Yun Siying replied sincerely. She wasn’t exaggerating. In her previous life, she hadn’t seen many people. Most of her time was spent in kindergarten or school, and she hadn’t even finished junior high when the apocalypse began.

In that brutal world full of bloodshed, with barely any water or food, people spent every day fighting zombies or scavenging for survival. Who had time to care about looks or hygiene, let alone appearance? Seeing a handsome face in those times was nearly impossible.

As they walked, Nangong Ruochen felt his ears grow hot with embarrassment. Soon, they arrived at a fenced courtyard. He called out, “Uncle Fugui, are you home?”

“Who is it?” came a child’s voice from inside. A moment later, a boy of about seven or eight walked out of the yard. When he saw Nangong Ruochen, he tried to act calm, but his voice trembled a bit. “Na—Nangong Ruochen, what do you want to talk to my grandpa about?”

“This Yun Siying next to me wants to build a stove and hopes your grandpa can help. She’s willing to trade something for it,” Nangong Ruochen explained. Watching the kid’s nervous expression, he rubbed his forehead helplessly. Sure, he had hit people before but only bad ones, alright?