Shen An was the first to stand up with his cornbread bun in hand. Copying Pei Nian, he grabbed Brother Zheng’s share as well. “I’m full too. This cornbread bun is Brother Zheng’s. I’ll take it to him.”
After that chain reaction, Zhou Jin and Jiang Xu also put down their chopsticks and left the main hall.
After leaving the dining room, Pei Nian returned to the dormitory, picked up her small shoulder bag, and headed straight for Captain Wang Fugen’s house. She had no intention of squeezing around the communal stove with that group tomorrow. Building her own stove as soon as possible was the real priority.
“Going to see the captain?”
Seeing her approach, Gu Zheng naturally stepped forward, his voice calm.
Pei Nian nodded. “Mm. I have something I want to discuss.”
She didn’t ask how he had guessed. He looked like the kind of person who noticed everything.
The two walked side by side toward Wang Fugen’s house. Along the way, a few villagers cast curious glances at them.
At the entrance to the captain’s courtyard, Gu Zheng motioned for Pei Nian to go in first.
She didn’t stand on ceremony. Straightening her clothes, she stepped inside.
Wang Fugen was sitting on a small stool in the courtyard, puffing on his pipe while his wife bustled about inside the house. Seeing Pei Nian and Gu Zheng behind her, he looked surprised and set down his pipe.
“Comrade Pei? Comrade Gu? What brings you here?”
Pei Nian wore an expression of polite embarrassment mixed with sincerity.
“Captain, sorry to bother you. It’s about my living arrangements. There are too many people at the educated youth compound. I’m a light sleeper, and I’m afraid I’ll disturb everyone or not get enough rest myself, which would affect work the next day. I wanted to ask if I could apply to live alone in one of the vacant rooms in the back courtyard.”
Wang Fugen narrowed his eyes in thought. The back rooms had indeed been abandoned for years. The roofs leaked, and the walls were close to collapsing.
“Those houses are in terrible shape. It’ll take a lot of work—and money—to fix them.”
“I’ve already thought about that,” Pei Nian replied quickly. “I’ll pay for all the materials and labor myself. I just hope you can help me find a few skilled workers.”
After a brief pause, she added, “If there’s enough space, I’d also like to build a small kitchen, plus a simple shower room and toilet. That way I won’t have to compete for space in the front courtyard.”
Wang Fugen weighed the proposal.
The educated youth compound wasn’t particularly large, but it could still accommodate the current residents. The problem was that if more educated youths were assigned in the future, there wouldn’t be enough room, and new houses would have to be built.
Now someone was willing to spend her own money to live separately, which would conveniently free up another bed.
Still, he wanted to make the conditions clear.
“You can repair the house and live there, but let’s be clear—you’ll only have the right to live there. When you eventually return to the city, the house stays with the village. You can’t tear it down or sell it.”
“Of course. I understand the rules. Thank you, Captain!”
Pei Nian agreed immediately. Unless the entire village joined forces to bully her, why would she ever tear down a perfectly good house?
Only then did Gu Zheng speak.
“Captain, Shen An and I would also like to move out. Just like Comrade Pei, we’ll repair the vacant rooms in the back courtyard at our own expense.”
The corner of Wang Fugen’s eye twitched.
These new educated youths really came from wealthy families.
He nodded.
“Fine. I understand young people like their privacy. The vacant rooms back there are side by side. They’re run-down, but with some repairs to the walls and roof they’ll be livable. I’ll assign those rooms to the three of you.”
Even Wang Fugen felt a little embarrassed saying that.
Calling those houses “a little run-down” was being far too generous. Everything except the main beams and support pillars needed rebuilding.
“Captain, could you estimate how much it’ll cost?”
Wang Fugen somehow produced an abacus and rapidly worked the beads.
“Based on what Comrade Pei wants—a kitchen, shower room, pit toilet, a heated kang bed, roof tiles, mud bricks…” He bent down one thumb and held up four fingers.
“At least this much.”
Then he felt he might have estimated a bit high and revised it.
“Hmm… it should definitely be under thirty yuan.”
Thirty yuan was roughly a worker’s monthly wage.
But with three years remaining before the college entrance examination was reinstated, it was worth spending the money to live comfortably.
Pei Nian made the decision immediately. While the iron was hot, she took a pack of Daqianmen cigarettes and half a jin of brown sugar from her cloth bag and handed them over.
“Captain, I’ll have to trouble you with this matter. I’ll leave obtaining the materials and arranging the workers entirely to the production team. Sorry for causing you extra work.”
Gu Zheng also took out two packs of Zhonghua cigarettes from his pocket and offered them over.
“This is a small token from Shen An and me. We’ll be troubling you as well.”
Pei Nian glanced at the Daqianmen cigarettes she’d prepared, then at Gu Zheng’s Zhonghua cigarettes, and shot him a sideways glare.
He did that on purpose, didn’t he?
In reality, half a jin of brown sugar plus a pack of Daqianmen cigarettes was worth about the same as a pack of Zhonghua. Gu Zheng had already carefully considered the value of the gift.
Looking at the cigarettes and brown sugar, Wang Fugen inwardly praised the two of them for knowing how to handle people.
He accepted the gifts cheerfully.
“Done. Since you’ve made up your minds, the production team will support you. Tomorrow we’ll measure the site and work out the layout. I’ll head to the commune to arrange the roof tiles. That should only take a few days.”
With the matter settled, Pei Nian finally relaxed.
Then she remembered something else.
“Captain, there’s one more thing. Before the house is finished, I’d like to cook separately. Could we build a temporary stove for now?”
“That’s easy.”
Wang Fugen waved his hand.
“I’ll send Old Wang tomorrow morning to build one for you. It’ll work just fine.”
With the housing issue resolved, Pei Nian felt much lighter on the walk back.
Dusk had already fallen.
As they walked side by side toward the educated youth compound, Gu Zheng suddenly spoke, his voice especially clear in the evening air.
“The repairs will take more than a day or two. Until then, why don’t we cook together? We can also prepare dinner for the workers helping with the construction.”
Pei Nian had been thinking about exactly that. She turned toward him with an inquisitive smile.
“Can you cook?”
Gu Zheng fell silent for a moment.
For the briefest instant, a trace of embarrassment crossed his usually composed face.
When he finally answered, his voice remained steady.
“Shen An can.”
What a coincidence, Pei Nian thought.
She could cook too, though only passably. In her previous life she hadn’t known how to cook at all. In this life she had learned a little, but her grandfather rarely let her into the kitchen, so she had never really developed her skills.
After thinking it over, she nodded readily.
“Sure. But my cooking is only average. Just don’t complain when the time comes.”
Having a clear-headed, reliable partner was ideal. During the repairs, she would have far less to worry about.
Not much farther ahead, Pei Nian suddenly spotted Zhou Jin and Jiang Xu leaving the educated youth compound one after the other.
Zhou Jin’s expression was calm, but her steps were light. Jiang Xu followed about one pace behind her—not too close, not too far. They barely exchanged a word, yet the atmosphere between them…
Hmm.
Pei Nian paused.
The male and female leads are already developing feelings for each other?
Back on the train, Jiang Xu had still been a taciturn, expressionless man.
She watched them with interest.
Just then, Zhou Jin looked up, and their eyes met.
In that instant, they shared a silent understanding.
As fellow members of the “independent cooking club,” anyone heading to the captain’s house at this hour was obviously there to discuss cooking separately.
Since they’d run into each other, it would have been awkward not to greet one another. After all, they’d be living under the same roof for the next four years.
Pei Nian smiled.
“Comrade Zhou.”
As for Jiang Xu walking behind her, Pei Nian ignored him completely.
Just the female lead’s tagalong male lead.
Zhou Jin nodded.
“Comrade Pei.”
After that, no one had anything more to say.
The atmosphere turned awkward, so the four of them simply passed one another in silence and continued on their separate ways.