Song Wei took the fish to find Li Juan. She wasn't very good at cooking herself, so she naturally needed someone who could cook to prepare it.
Li Juan was overjoyed; so many people would gladly do something like this – cooking meat without lifting a finger!
"Do you know how to make mushroom sauce?"
"Yes!" Li Juan answered decisively.
"I learned from an auntie in the village two years ago. I still have a jar; do you want to try it?"
Song Wei nodded vigorously; she absolutely had to try it.
"Can you make mushroom sauce from all those mushrooms in two days?"
"You can make mushroom sauce from all that! As long as you have enough ingredients, it can be done in a day. But you'll have to wait for it to cool completely before you can put it in a container."
Song Wei nodded: "Then I'll leave my mushrooms to you."
While Li Juan cooked, Song Wei took a stick and went to knock down the pine cones.
She knocked out all the pine nuts, and also chestnuts; the pine nuts would be even more fragrant if roasted.
Song Wei planned to fill two large jars with the mushroom sauce and some other mountain produce, then find time in the next couple of days to go to the post office and mail it to her older brother in this body.
In her memory, although she rarely saw her older brother who was in the army, he had sent home most of his allowance to ensure his younger sister's well-being, and often bought her things she liked.
Unfortunately, those things were all taken by her ungrateful father and stepmother, given to the daughter her stepmother brought home.
Song Wei planned to write a letter explaining her situation in the countryside and her ungrateful father's family, so that her brother wouldn't be unaware and continue sending money home.
In her previous life, Song Wei was an orphan. In this life, she suddenly had an older brother. Although she had taken advantage of the original owner of this body, she still greedily wanted to maintain this family bond.
Actually, she also had an uncle who was a researcher; her brother's enlistment was also through his connections.
However, due to the political climate, her uncle was reported for having spent time abroad and was sent to the countryside two years ago.
Song Wei didn't know where he was sent, nor did she know if there was any news from her brother.
"Song, it's time to eat."
After knocking down all the pine nuts, Li Juan called to her.
They probably scolded those people badly yesterday, because they didn't bother Song Wei and Li Juan today. The fish was brought into the room as soon as it was cooked, so the smell wasn't strong.
Therefore, the two were able to enjoy their delicious stewed fish in peace.
Li Juan was full after eating only a small portion of the large fish, while Song Wei practically devoured the rest, and even ate a few sweet potato buns.
She ate with gusto, her movements neither clumsy nor rough, and she ate very cleanly.
To be honest, Song Wei was pretty, and watching her eat was quite pleasing to the eye, but she ate far too much.
Li Juan felt full just watching her.
"Song Wei, do you have enough food?"
When they first arrived in the countryside, each educated youth received a subsidy of twenty jin of coarse grains and thirty jin of sweet potatoes, which was enough for about a month.
But at Song Wei's rate, she'd gone in less than ten days, let alone a month.
Li Juan was worried for her.
But Song Wei herself wasn't worried at all: "My brother will send me some food."
She was lying; Song Wei planned to go to the county town in a couple of days, send the things to her brother, and then look for the black market.
Li Juan believed her and stopped worrying; instead, she envied her for having a brother who still cared about her.
After dinner, the two started washing mushrooms. After washing about half a basin, the brigade leader arrived.
Song Wei and Li Juan both remembered what they had discussed with the brigade leader yesterday, and their eyes lit up.
The two immediately went to greet him, looking at him expectantly like lapdogs.
The brigade leader felt his scalp tingle from their stares and shook his pipe, saying irritably,
"Alright, I've discussed what you two said with the other squad leaders. It's feasible, but we also need to ask the other educated youth for their opinions."
Song Wei almost blurted out that they had no objections.
But under the captain's gaze, she still called everyone else over to gather together.
There were twelve educated youths in the educated youth compound, seven men and five women. The four newcomers were herself, Bai Yunjiao, Gao Le, and Zhao Su, and the rest were veteran educated youths.
After the captain briefly explained the situation, everyone's eyes turned to Li Juan and Song Wei.
Xu Laidi was even more indignant: "Some people really think their vegetables are treasures, guarding them like thieves. Who cares!"
Song Wei rolled her eyes: "If you don't care, then don't eat them."
The captain, with a serious, square face, said: "I'm here to ask for your opinions, not to argue with you."
Gao Le: "I don't care. Actually, it's fine this way."
Zhao Su nodded: "I'm fine with anything."
Anyway, he would never grow his own vegetables; it's too tiring and boring.
He was frowning, lost in thought. Today's meals were to be prepared separately, and he and Gao Le had eaten two meals of porridge, their faces turning green.
They needed to find someone to cook with; he really couldn't keep going like this.
Luo Yecheng said, "Isn't this bad? It's not good for the unity of the educated youth."
Song Wei retorted, "Do you think what happened yesterday was good for the unity of the educated youth?"
Luo Yecheng: …………
"That was only temporary."
"Can you guarantee that Xu Laidi or anyone else won't pick the vegetables Li Juan planted in the future? Or can you guarantee that they can grow their own vegetables?"
He couldn't guarantee anything.
Except for Luo Yecheng and Bai Yunjiao's sycophant, the other three male educated youths also agreed.
Mainly, they were really scared of being scolded yesterday, and it would be good to have their own small vegetable garden. Anyway, it wouldn't take much effort, and no one could pick their vegetables in the future.
Now, the majority agreed, and the matter was settled.
The brigade leader also explained the rules.
"You can only have a small plot of land right next to the back door of your room, no more. Whether you enclose it or not is up to you."
"Okay, thank you, Captain!"
Song Wei and Li Juan happily agreed.
Only Luo Yecheng and Xu Laidi's expressions weren't so good.
But the matter was already settled, and after seeing the captain off with forced smiles, their expressions immediately fell.
Xu Laidi glared at Song Wei and Li Juan with hatred.
Song Wei glanced at them sideways: "What? Want to fight?"
Xu Laidi: …………
Damn it, why is Song Wei, who looks so weak, so strong!
Because she was too excited, Li Juan followed Song Wei directly to her room, constantly talking about how to plan out that small plot of land.
"Song Wei, what vegetables are you planning to plant? Let's go find the village aunties and exchange some radish and cabbage seeds. Those are the only two vegetables we can eat in winter."
"Not necessarily,"
Song Wei suddenly said, a thought flashing through her mind. "Besides those two, let's exchange some other vegetable seeds."
Li Juan gave her a knowing look: "You have to listen to me. Winter comes early here; other vegetables simply won't grow."
Song Wei didn't explain further; after all, they had to try and see if it worked.
"I'll exchange them first, and plant them in the spring."