“This…”
Su Yun wasn’t sure if that was appropriate, so she turned to Wu Jiangtao.
Wu Jiangtao smiled.
“Sister-in-law, just follow what Brother Li said and register it. That’s enough.”
The carpenter Li also chimed in.
“That’s right. We’re all from the same team now. Do you think we’d cheat you or something?”
He chuckled and urged Su Yun to go back quickly. He would deliver the bed and stools later.
“The table might take a bit longer, but at the latest, I’ll have it sent over tomorrow.”
Su Yun thanked him again.
The people from Team One were much better than those from Team Two.
She left the carpenter’s house.
Wu Jiangtao accompanied her to the team leader.
In the original novel, there wasn’t much description of Wu Jianguo, the leader of Team One—only a brief mention that he died during a disaster relief operation.
People who were willing to help others, Su Yun would not ignore.
Wu Jianguo was leading people to dig a drainage ditch when he heard his nephew call him. He climbed out of the ditch and walked over with a smile.
“You must be Xiao Su, right? I’ve heard about you and Xiao Yuan. Just stay here and settle down.”
“If you have any difficulties, just speak up.”
“As for grain and other supplies, you can borrow from the team first and repay next year with work points.”
Compared to Qin Aiguo, Wu Jianguo was much, much better.
Not only did he not exploit the villagers, he often helped them instead.
That was why the entire First Team had such a good atmosphere.
Su Yun asked, “Team leader, do we have a barefoot doctor in our team?”
“A barefoot doctor? Only the commune has one.”
Then he asked, “Are you unwell? Or is Xiao Yuan injured?”
He had already heard about the fire at their house last night and assumed they were injured.
Su Yun shook her head.
“Team leader, I may not be able to go to the fields and earn work points anymore. I need to treat Brother Yuan’s leg.”
She said it directly without beating around the bush.
“If you trust me—and if everyone in the team trusts me—anyone who feels unwell can come to me. I can treat illnesses.”
Wu Jianguo let out a stunned “Ah?”
“You can treat illnesses?”
“Yes.”
As she spoke, her gaze fell on him, noticing his slightly hunched waist.
“Team leader, if you’re willing, I can relieve your back pain right now.”
“Right now? How?” he asked in confusion.
Su Yun stepped behind him and placed her hands on his spine.
With steady, moderate pressure, she massaged along his spine for about five minutes.
Wu Jianguo only felt a warm sensation flowing from his back downward, slowly spreading through his body.
Especially in his lower back—it felt warm and soothing.
When she stopped, his originally stiff and painful waist could actually straighten.
And the pain had eased significantly.
“This… this…”
He was so shocked he couldn’t find words.
Su Yun said calmly, “Team leader, this is just a small technique. It only provides temporary relief.”
Once her tools arrived, she could truly cure it.
Wu Jianguo was stunned.
This… was only a “small technique”?
Even in a big city hospital, this would be considered impressive!
He had thought this family was a burden to the team—but now it looked like they had picked up a treasure.
Delighted, he urged her to go home and rest. As for her work arrangements, he would figure something out.
“Thank you, team leader.”
“No need for thanks. Go on back—your home still needs settling.”
“Yes.”
Su Yun had come specifically to greet Wu Jianguo. After that, she returned home.
Wu Jiangtao also went back with her to the small courtyard.
Xiao Yuan was not in the yard.
But Su Yun heard sounds from the kitchen and went inside.
The originally damaged stove had been repaired with stones.
The broken iron pot they had brought with them was now properly placed on the stove.
There was also some firewood beside it.
He had gone to collect it while she was out.
For an able-bodied man, this would have been a simple task.
But Xiao Yuan was not able-bodied.
His legs were injured; he relied entirely on crutches to move.
Uneven ground was extremely unfriendly to someone on crutches.
Let alone doing physical labor.
Yet even in such a condition, he had repaired the stove, set the pot, and gathered firewood…
Standing at the kitchen doorway, Su Yun watched his slowly moving figure, feeling something complicated in her heart.
Sensing her gaze, Xiao Yuan slowly looked up.
Seeing her, he wiped his sweat and gave a faint smile.
“You’re back.”
She softly responded, “Mm.”
Then she stepped forward and held his arm.
“These things, I can do when I come back.”
“It’s fine. Even though I can’t do much now, I still want to help in any way I can…”
With her support, he sat down on a nearby stone and asked softly whether she had found the carpenter, and if they had made things difficult for her.
“No.”
Su Yun replied softly.
“The people in this team are very good. I also met the team leader before coming back.”
While speaking, she prepared to fetch water to wash the pot.
This courtyard had been prepared for educated youth. Although there was no well inside, the village well Wu Jiangtao’s family used was only about twenty meters away.
However, she searched and realized there was no bucket.
No bucket meant no water…
That was a bit awkward.
Xiao Yuan held her hand.
“Don’t worry. The bucket will be delivered later.”
“Hm?”
“Did you borrow one?” she asked.
“I asked Xiao Zhao to buy one from the commune.”
Xiao Zhao was one of the men who helped them move—around 22 or 23, dark-skinned, and honest-looking.
Su Yun nodded.
She didn’t ask where he got the money from.
She noticed that this man seemed to have secrets.
And since they were only temporary living partners, she had no right to pry.
Knowing the bucket would arrive later, she went to tidy other things instead.
The yard had already been briefly cleaned by helpers from Team One.
It wasn’t dirty.
Just empty.
A quick cleanup was enough.
She decided to gather firewood for dinner and left with her basket.
Watching her busy figure, Xiao Yuan’s eyes flashed with guilt and heartache.
His legs… were dragging her down.
Their new home was very close to the mountain—only about fifty meters away.
She went to the forest at the foot of the mountain to pick up dry branches.
While casually gathering firewood, she was also thinking about how to “return the gift” Qin Aiguo had given her last night.
Meanwhile, in the mountains behind the Second Team…
Qin Aiguo’s eyes were already bloodshot.
He was going insane.
Like a madman, he was digging through his parents’ graves.
“How is this possible? How is it gone?!”
“I clearly hid it here… I clearly hid it here—how could it be gone?!”