No more than two days later, the work in the fields slowed down, and Ye Qiu decided it was time to move.
Su Qing and Hu Kang volunteered to help them move their luggage.
Su Qing’s tone was full of reluctance. “Honestly, even though we’ve only known each other for a few days, it feels like we’ve known each other for years. With you moving out, I’m really not used to it.”
Hu Kang shifted the luggage on his shoulder and agreed. “Who says not? In the youth quarters, we were all in the same batch; we’re closer than the others.”
Counting them, there were six male educated youths in the Qingshan Brigade in total. There was a youth named Gao Yuan who had married a local villager less than two years after arriving; they only saw him a few times when working in the fields and had no opportunity to get to know him.
Li Jiajun and Yuan Chao were both good people and easy to get along with. The only exception was Chen Zhongshi; one didn’t know if there was something wrong with his head, but he was always looking for trouble, which was incredibly annoying.
Qu Tong nodded. “That’s right. Wang Lili in our room is particularly hateful. I’m so happy to be moving out!”
The four chatted idly all the way, and before long, they arrived at Zhao Lan’s house.
Zhao Lan knew the time they were moving and had already been waiting at the entrance. Grandma Zhao, who rarely went out to meet people, had boiled a pot of brown sugar water, and as soon as they entered the courtyard, she poured a cup for each of them.
“Thank you for your hard work; drink a cup of brown sugar water and take a rest.”
Hu Kang took the drink, scanned the courtyard, and said enviously, “This courtyard is really spacious.”
Zhao Lan pursed her lips into a smile, revealing two small dimples. “The house was built many years ago and is old; spaciousness is about all that’s left.”
Her house had been built early. Although it was made of brick and kept clean, the other rooms had been vacant for so long that they appeared somewhat dilapidated.
She had cleared out two empty rooms over the past few days and cleaned them inside and out, but there was still a bit of a musty smell that would take a few days of sunning to clear.
“That’s still better than the youth quarters,” Su Qing replied, trying to find merits in the house to praise. “And this courtyard is cleaned so cleanly. There’s a well, making it easy to fetch water. This is already better than many families in the brigade.”
Zhao Lan was modest. “It’s not as good as you say.”
Ye Qiu, who was drinking quietly on the side, raised an eyebrow.
She had known Su Qing since the train ride and understood him better than the others. Although he was usually helpful, he had never been this enthusiastic toward any other female.
Was there something going on here?
After chatting for a while, Su Qing and Hu Kang returned to the youth quarters, and Ye Qiu and Qu Tong began to unpack their luggage.
When they were in the youth quarters, the rooms were too small. They couldn’t put many of their things out and had to keep them in their luggage bags. Now, they could finally display their belongings.
Even the usually calm Ye Qiu couldn’t suppress her excitement, let alone Qu Tong, who had long detested the living conditions of the youth quarters.
The two were like industrious bees, busy packing and unpacking their room.
After explaining the ground rules, Zhao Lan told her grandmother and then strapped on her basket to go out and collect firewood.
Since Ye Qiu and Qu Tong were not just living here but also cooking with them, their original firewood supply wasn’t quite enough, so she planned to prepare a bit more.
Just as she stepped out of the gate, she heard someone call her. Looking up, she saw Chen Taohua walking over, asking, “Lan girl, how about that matter I discussed with you before? You know I have a large family. Your Brother Tiger is currently looking for a partner, and we plan to expand the house. He can’t get married without a place to live, right?”
The smile on Zhao Lan’s face vanished. She tightened her expression and said bluntly, “And what does that have to do with me?”
Chen Taohua put on a brazen face to build a connection. “I’m your own eldest aunt-in-law, after all. Who is your grandmother going to rely on for her old age if not my husband? We’re all one family; we’re just asking for help.”
Seeing Zhao Lan’s icy expression, she felt a bit intimidated.
Don’t be fooled by the little girl’s weak appearance; she was truly terrifying when she went crazy. When she was little, she had once threatened to set fire and burn the whole family to death, ensuring that no one would get this house.
But no matter how afraid she was, thinking of the house she had been eyeing for so long, she had to find her.
Years ago, when the news of Zhao Lan’s father’s sacrifice came, his three brothers had wanted to occupy the house directly, not by living there under the guise of taking care of the child and the old mother.
But who would have thought that the old woman was so ruthless? No matter who came to talk, she insisted that the house was built with money sent back by Zhao Lan’s father and was meant entirely for Zhao Lan; no one else would get even the slightest advantage.
Fearing that her other sons would ruin the third son’s legacy, Grandma Zhao had even found several elderly, prestigious villagers and the former brigade leader to witness the family separation, driving everyone else out without any regard for the fact that those she was driving away were her own sons!
Thinking of this, Chen Taohua gritted her teeth in hatred.
But no matter the hatred, she had to squeeze out a smile. “Lan girl, don’t worry, Eldest Aunt absolutely won’t take advantage of you. I’ll give you a yuan a month for rent. We’ll stay for a while until our house is fixed and then move out. How about that?”
She wouldn’t be willing to give a penny, let alone a yuan.
In her eyes, that old hag would eventually have to rely on her husband, so the house belonged to her family in the first place!
However, her son was right—move in first, then butter up the old hag. Could she really be that heartless? Besides, once they moved in, no one would be able to make them move out again!
As for the rent, she would pay for a few months, and then drag it out. She didn’t believe she could be hounded for money forever.
Zhao Lan sneered: “Eldest Aunt, you’re late. My house is already rented out. There are no spare rooms, so you should go ask another family.”
The reason she had agreed to let the two female educated youths move in so quickly was specifically to prevent her eldest uncle’s family from succeeding in their scheme.
Chen Taohua was shocked; her voice turned sharp and unpleasant. “You rented it out? To whom?”
“The youth quarters are overcrowded, so I rented it to two new female educated youths.”
“You’re a fool!” Chen Taohua exploded in fury. “How can you rent the house to outsiders!”
“It can’t be helped; my family is poor, and I have to find a way to subsidize our livelihood.” Zhao Lan remained calm. “Besides, it’s my family’s house. I’ll rent it to whoever I want. I don’t think Eldest Aunt has the authority to intervene, does she?”
Chen Taohua suppressed her anger. “Those two educated youths are not good people. Aren’t you afraid they’ll occupy the house and refuse to leave?”
“Eldest Aunt is joking. They are both educated youths who came to the countryside; where would they get the ability to do that?” Zhao Lan gave a mocking smile and looked meaningfully at Chen Taohua. “The people who least want to see you do well might just be your so-called relatives, right?”
Ye Qiu and Qu Tong were both educated youths who had moved to the countryside and had no roots in the Qingshan Brigade, so there was no need to worry about them reneging on a debt.
But these so-called relatives—it was easy to invite them in but difficult to get them out. If she really opened the door to let the eldest uncle’s family move back in, the second uncle and the third uncle would not let it rest.
“What are you saying? We are one family!” Caught in her tracks, Chen Taohua became furious with embarrassment.
Zhao Lan raised her lips in a smile. “I didn’t say anything, Eldest Aunt. Please don’t misunderstand.”
“Lan, if you’re going to collect firewood, go quickly! Don’t waste time on irrelevant people.”
Hearing the voice from outside the courtyard, Grandma Zhao walked out. Seeing Chen Taohua pestering her granddaughter, she reprimanded her without mercy.
“Mom!” Chen Taohua cried out in grief and indignation. “I am your own daughter-in-law, and Tiger is your own grandson!”
“I know, you don’t need to emphasize it repeatedly.” Grandma Zhao was impatient. “If you have nothing to do, go home and serve your husband; I get annoyed just looking at you.”
Being spoken to like that by Grandma Zhao, Chen Taohua didn’t have the face to continue pestering them and left after giving Zhao Lan and her grandmother a hateful glare.
Ye Qiu and Qu Tong, like two “gossip-loving melons,” clung to the courtyard gate watching Grandma Zhao display her majesty.
Seeing Grandma Zhao turn her head, they greased their heels and slipped back into their room.