Chen Ruonan found her seat with luggage in tow, right next to Hu Mingliang.
Having witnessed the noon argument firsthand, Hu Mingliang was somewhat intimidated by this seemingly quiet and slender girl who actually possessed explosive combat prowess.
Seeing her trying to get in, he immediately stood up and moved aside, even eagerly helping her with her luggage.
Nan Mo and Lu Yuanyuan sat watching Hu Mingliang’s sycophantic behavior with amusement, while Chen Ruonan felt somewhat overwhelmed by the favor.
Lu Yuanyuan noticed Chen Ruonan’s embarrassment and said, “It’s fine, let him do it. He’s afraid you’ll scold him.”
Hu Mingliang wasn’t angered by his cousin’s teasing. Instead, he smiled at Chen Ruonan as if acknowledging Lu Yuanyuan’s words.
They shared their respective Down to the Countryside destinations and coincidentally discovered they were all assigned to the same place.
By dinner time, Nan Mo, Lu Yuanyuan and Hu Mingliang expressed interest in trying Chen Ruonan’s cornbread.
To exchange for her cornbread, they all brought out their own food to share among themselves.
None of them were particularly reserved people. Chen Ruonan knew she was getting the better deal compared to the other three, so when fetching water and washing bowls, she insisted they remain seated.
She decided she would do more chores for them in the future to make up for the advantage she’d gained – she couldn’t let them be shortchanged.
While harmony prevailed among these four, Wu Mingyue’s situation appeared calm on the surface but had actually reached a tense standoff.
After three days of travel, everyone showed signs of fatigue, except Nan Mo who had caught some rest in her Dimension space.
As arrival time approached, they queued for the toilet while waiting to disembark.
When it was finally Nan Mo’s turn, holding her breath she locked the door and quickly entered her Dimension space to take a speedy shower.
After bathing and drinking a cup of Spirit Spring Water, a refreshed Nan Mo retrieved her luggage and joined Lu Yuanyuan’s group at the train door.
This was Tang Yifan’s first proper look at Nan Mo. Her skin was pale as snow, her face small and exquisitely delicate, her eyes clear as lake water. Between her brows lingered an air of cool detachment, her demeanor noble and elegant – so beautiful it was hard to look away.
Noticing Tang Yifan’s captivated stare, Wu Mingyue followed his gaze and saw the radiant Nan Mo.
Damn that Nan Mo, she’s everywhere! Shooting a hateful glare, Wu Mingyue walked over to stand before Tang Yifan and said weakly, “Brother Tang, can I go with you later? I’m a bit scared alone.”
Interrupted, Tang Yifan looked at Wu Mingyue before him, somewhat impatient though he didn’t show it, and simply nodded in agreement.
After disembarking, the group arrived at the Zhiqing assembly point where various Brigade Leaders were already waiting.
Spotting the Xiangyang Brigade Leader among the crowd, Hu Mingliang waved to Nan Mo and the others, “Over here, over here!”
Hearing this, the group went over to greet the Brigade Leader.
Checking names against his list and finding some still missing, the Brigade Leader tapped his tobacco pipe twice against his shoe sole and told them, “Follow me.”
Leading the Zhiqing out of the station, they found the roadside filled with ox carts, donkey carts, and several tractors – all presumably there to pick up the Zhiqing.
The Brigade Leader directly brought them to a brand-new tractor where a man in his forties or fifties was seated.
“Let me introduce myself first. I’m Gu Baolin, Brigade Leader of Xiangyang Brigade.
This is our brigade’s tractor driver Gu Baogen, also my second elder brother.
If you’re tired, get on the vehicle first. If you’re hungry, the state-run restaurant is right nearby. You can leave your luggage on the vehicle – my second brother will keep watch.”
“There are still two educated youths who haven’t arrived, let’s wait a bit longer.” With that, he turned and left.
Seeing everyone standing frozen in place, Nan Mo walked over and placed her luggage on the tractor. She said to the old man sitting on it, “Uncle Gu, could you please watch our luggage for us?”
After Lu Yuanyuan and the other two had put down their luggage, Nan Mo told them to go wait for her at the state-run restaurant while she went to the post office to pick up her packages.
Chen Ruonan refused to go, saying she still had some dry rations, but the other three dragged her along anyway.
At the post office, Nan Mo gave her name and showed her identification to the staff for verification.
The staff remembered Nan Mo’s name vividly—mainly because the two packages were exceptionally large.
When the staff brought out the packages, even Nan Mo was startled. The postal worker asked,
“Newly arrived educated youth, right? You should find a few comrades to help you carry these. A young girl like you can’t manage them alone.”
Hearing this, Nan Mo headed to the state-run restaurant. The place was nearly filled with educated youths from the same bus.
Wu Mingyue, Tang Yifan, and Lü Zhihui were sitting together—an odd combination, to say the least.
The moment Nan Mo entered the restaurant, she caught everyone’s attention—including Gu Ran, who had been dragged into town by his cousin to eat and was sitting in a corner.
Gu Ran glanced at her indifferently, suppressing the sudden racing of his heart, then turned away and continued eating his noodles.
Lu Yuanyuan and the other two spotted Nan Mo and called out, “Xiao Mo, over here!”
“Where are the packages?”
“There were too many to carry alone. How about I treat you all to a meal, and you help me with the luggage in return?” Nan Mo said playfully to the three.
“Deal! I want braised pork!” After spending a few days together, they had already gotten a sense of Nan Mo’s personality.
If she didn’t want to give something, no amount of asking would get it. No matter how much you did for her, it wouldn’t earn you special favors. But if she wanted to give you something, all you had to do was accept it.
They understood the principle of mutual exchange—she would never let anyone come out at a loss.
After the meal, Nan Mo bought ten meat buns, and they all went together to retrieve the packages.
By the time they reached the tractor, not only were the others there, but even the latecomers Xu Mei and Chen Hongxia were waiting.
Those who had been at the restaurant knew these were Nan Mo’s packages, and they grew curious about her family background.
Had she moved her entire home here?!
Only Wu Mingyue knew Nan Mo well. Thinking of the 200 yuan she had stubbornly begged from her parents, she felt resentful again.
Why should Nan Mo, also a girl, be so fortunate as to have so many nice things?
Xu Mei stared at the enormous packages, her face full of envy. “With such huge packages on the tractor, how are the rest of us supposed to sit?”
Nan Mo glanced over at her. Xu Mei’s sallow skin, likely due to malnutrition, made her cheeks sunken and her cheekbones prominent.
“Is this big tractor not enough for you? If there’s really no room, you can always walk back,” Lu Yuanyuan shot back, refusing to indulge her. How dare she criticize her friend?
“Why should I? This tractor is here to pick up the educated youths. With two such large packages taking up space, where are we supposed to sit?”
Chen Ruonan stepped forward, ready to argue, but Nan Mo stopped her.
Nan Mo shot Xu Mei a disdainful look. “The packages are part of the educated youth’s belongings. If you don’t like us taking up space, why don’t you bring a few large packages yourself? No one’s stopping you.”
With that, she ignored Xu Mei, walked over to Gu Baogen, and handed him two meat buns.
“Uncle Gu, these are freshly steamed buns. Eat them while they’re hot. Sorry to have kept you waiting so long.”
Gu Baogen was taken aback for a moment but didn’t refuse. He accepted them with a smile, thinking to himself that this new educated youth certainly knew how to handle things.
Together with Lu Yuanyuan and the others, Nan Mo loaded the packages onto the tractor. Then they all waited on board for the Brigade Leader.
Seeing them all find good seats, the others quickly boarded the vehicle as well.
Xu Mei, finding no one responding to her, felt she had made an awkward fuss. She pursed her lips and followed them onto the vehicle.
Soon, the Brigade Leader completed the procedures and came over, and the group set off for the village.
Considering they all had luggage, the tractor drove directly to the entrance of Zhiqing Point.
Already exhausted from days and nights on the train, they were now jolted and tossed around by the tractor until they were utterly disoriented, their faces ashen.
The Brigade Leader felt a headache coming on as he looked at these city-bred “little cabbages” all wilted and worn out.
Fortunately, he had the bright idea that these educated youths might just bring some profit to the Dàduì, and his mood lifted considerably.