Wang Dashan confirmed with her once more.
Shen Qingyu immediately replied with firm conviction, “I promise, I will cover all the expenses myself, and everything will be done according to the team’s requirements.”
“…Alright then.” Wang Dashan finally nodded.
“There’s an old house at the end of the village, near the foot of the mountain. Half of it has collapsed, but the land can be sold to you.”
“The team can help you arrange bricks, tiles, and lumber, but you’ll have to pay for them yourself. You’ll need to find your own workers for repairs. The team won’t allocate work points for this. Follow the village rules, and don’t exceed the allowed area.”
A sincere smile spread across Shen Qingyu’s face as she thanked him, “Thank you, Team Leader. Rest assured, I’ll follow all the village rules and won’t cause any trouble for you or anyone else.”
Jiang Muxue’s expression shifted slightly. She seemed to want to say something more, but since the team leader had already made the decision, she could only swallow her words. Her gaze toward Shen Qingyu carried a complex, unreadable emotion.
The other educated youths also reacted differently. Only Mu Yue’s eyes suddenly lit up, and she gave Shen Qingyu a thoughtful glance.
Lu Ye nudged Su Yixuan and whispered, “This sister’s got a sharp mind, huh.”
Su Yixuan adjusted his glasses but said nothing.
Gu Huainian had opened his eyes at some point, his gaze lingering on Shen Qingyu’s calm profile for a moment before he closed them again.
Wang Dashan waved his hand dismissively. “Alright, enough standing around. Those who need to clean up, get to it. Those who need to settle in, do so. Shen Qingyu, I’ll take you to the old house at the village end. Come find me tomorrow to handle the paperwork!”
Shen Qingyu responded, “Yes, Team Leader.”
After the team leader left, the other villagers also dispersed.
Shen Qingyu found a relatively clean and unobtrusive spot to place her luggage.
The women’s dormitory consisted of a large communal bed made of rough wooden planks, covered with a thin, yellowed straw mat.
Over a dozen people would have to squeeze into this space of less than twenty square meters. In the corner of the room, some worn-out farming tools were piled up, and layers of cobwebs clung to the rafters.
“How… how can anyone live here?”
A round-faced female educated youth wearing a pink checkered shirt and two braids spoke with a sob in her voice.
Her name was Li Aihua, also from Shanghai. Her father was a minor official at a textile factory.
After looking around, she felt even more distressed. “There isn’t even a proper bed.”
The expressions of the other female educated youths nearby weren’t much better. They pinched their noses, their eyes glistening with tears.
Jiang Muxue walked over to comfort them. “Comrades, these difficult conditions are precisely what will test us! If we work together to clean up, this will become our new home.”
Her voice was clear and her movements efficient as she took the lead in sweeping away the cobwebs in the corner.
Her actions immediately won the favor of a few less resolute female educated youths, who encouraged each other and joined in.
Although reluctant, Li Aihua pouted and went to fetch a rag to help.
Shen Qingyu didn’t immediately join the cleaning. Instead, she carefully surveyed the surroundings.
There were several gaps in the roof where light leaked through. The walls were mottled, the floor was packed earth, uneven and full of pits. There was only one window, and the newspaper pasted over it was torn and drafty.
“Comrade Shen, why aren’t you helping?”
Jiang Muxue noticed Shen Qingyu’s inactivity out of the corner of her eye and asked, seemingly casually. Her voice was soft but loud enough for those nearby to hear.
“Is it… that you’re not used to doing this kind of work?”
Here we go again, Shen Qingyu thought with a cold inner laugh, but her expression remained calm as she spoke: “I was observing which areas need priority cleaning. Comrade Jiang, look at that roof beam—it seems to be sagging a bit. And that patch of mold in the corner also needs special attention, or it could be harmful to our health.”
She pointed out several genuine issues, her tone professional: “We need to ensure the place we live in is safe and hygienic before we talk about cleanliness. Otherwise, even if we clean it up, if safety and hygiene aren’t addressed, what if someone gets sick or injured? Don’t you agree, Comrade Jiang?”
At her words, the female educated youths who had been following Jiang Muxue’s haphazard cleaning paused and looked in the directions she pointed. Indeed, that roof beam looked off, and the black mold in the corner was downright frightening.
Jiang Muxue was momentarily speechless but forced a smile. “Comrade Shen is indeed attentive. Let’s address these safety hazards first before cleaning.”
Shen Qingyu ignored her and instead thought for a moment before saying, “We’ll need tools. I noticed some discarded lumber outside the warehouse. We can ask the male educated youths for help to prop up the roof beam temporarily.”
“The mold also needs to be treated with quicklime. We’ll have to request some from the production team leader.”
Her explanation was clear and logical, focused entirely on solving problems rather than complaining or avoiding responsibility.
Mu Yue, who had been quietly tidying her own bed nearby, looked up and glanced at Shen Qingyu before speaking softly: “I brought some common medicines. If anyone feels unwell or has an allergic reaction to the mold, you can come to me.”
Her voice was gentle, carrying a reassuring quality.
Shen Qingyu smiled and nodded at her.
Just then, a louder commotion erupted from the male educated youths’ side.
It turned out that the male educated youths were assigned the other half of the warehouse, which had no wooden partitions—just one large communal sleeping area. Their conditions were even worse than the female educated youths’.
“Is this even a place for humans to live? A pigsty would be better than this!”
A tall, dark-skinned male educated youth couldn’t hold back his frustration. His name was Zhao Dagang, a local from the Northeast known for his fiery temper.
“What’s all the noise about!”
Wang Tiezhu, the militia captain in charge of accommodations and also the nephew of production team leader Wang Dashan, entered with a frown.
“Take it or leave it. Rural conditions are like this. If you’re not happy, you shouldn’t have come.”
His words were blunt, instantly tensing the atmosphere. Zhao Dagang instinctively wanted to retort but was held back by the male educated youths beside him.
Shen Qingyu saw this as an opportunity. She stepped out of the female educated youths’ partitioned area and walked to the center of the warehouse, her voice clear and composed: “Captain Wang, the comrades aren’t complaining about the conditions. They’re concerned that such an environment could affect their health.”
“If that happens, it’ll impact labor and production. Look at the problematic roof beam and the moldy walls. What if an accident occurs or everyone falls ill collectively? Wouldn’t that cause delays?”
Then, unhurriedly, she repeated her request.
“Personally, I’m willing to purchase an abandoned homestead plot and build my own house at my own expense, without using any collective resources.”
“This way, I can solve my practical difficulties, contribute some income to the production team, and give the other comrades a bit more space. After all, having one less person crowded in here is always better.”
Her words were cleverly phrased, tying her own needs to the collective interest and the benefits of the other educated youths.
The warehouse fell silent. All the educated youths looked at Shen Qingyu, their gazes complex—filled with surprise, envy, contemplation, and even disdain.
Jiang Muxue immediately stepped forward, wearing an expression of concern for the nation and its people, and said in a disapproving tone:
“Comrade Shen, your idea is too individualistic! We educated youth came to the countryside to eat, live, and labor together with the poor and lower-middle peasants. What would it look like if you lived separately?”