As they neared the foot of the mountain, they happened to run into Zhou Jin and Jiang Xu emerging from another trail.
A sheen of sweat glistened on Zhou Jin’s forehead, and her cheeks were flushed from the hike. Jiang Xu followed behind her, carrying a bundle of firewood that was noticeably larger than Zhou Jin’s.
The two exchanged a glance but said nothing about what they had done in the mountains. With an unspoken understanding, they headed back toward the educated youth residence together.
The five of them regrouped and walked back to the village.
As they passed a farmhouse with its gate standing open, they noticed a thriving vegetable patch. Pei Nian and Zhou Jin stopped at the same time.
“Auntie, your vegetables look wonderful. Would you be willing to trade some for eggs?” Pei Nian called out.
A middle-aged woman wearing an apron came out of the house. She looked over the unfamiliar young people, then spotted the eggs in Pei Nian’s hand. A warm smile spread across her face.
“Sure! It isn’t easy for you city kids. Wait a moment, I’ll pick you some fresh ones.”
In the end, Pei Nian traded two eggs for a bundle of fresh garlic shoots and several ripe tomatoes.
Zhou Jin also traded a few pieces of fruit candy with a child who had been following her around and received some eggplants and green beans in return.
By the time they returned to the educated youth residence, the senior educated youths were still out working.
Pei Nian went straight into the kitchen. She placed two of the tomatoes she had just traded for in a conspicuous spot on the stove. It wasn’t much, but it was enough to repay the “vegetable debt” from last night’s meal.
She also set down a small bundle of firewood beside the vegetables.
Seeing this, the others silently followed suit.
Not long after they finished, footsteps and cheerful chatter came from outside the courtyard. The senior educated youths had returned from work.
Zhao Xingguo, Zhang Aihua, and the others walked into the kitchen and immediately noticed the busy new faces, as well as the vegetables and firewood placed so prominently on the stove.
Li Xiao noticed the extra items too. She gave a displeased snort but said nothing and simply scooped up some water to wash her hands.
Just then, Brigade Leader Wang Fugen walked in with his hands clasped behind his back. He had come to inspect the dilapidated rooms in the backyard.
The rooms really were in terrible shape. More than half the roof tiles were missing, exposing crooked rafters. The brick walls were in slightly better condition, but every wall had missing sections and holes. Repairing them would indeed cost quite a bit.
Wang Fugen gestured here and there while taking mental notes before leaving.
Zhou Jin asked quietly, “What’s the brigade leader doing?”
Pei Nian didn’t hide it.
“I asked him if I could apply for one of the vacant rooms in the backyard. I’ll pay to renovate it myself and move out.”
She pointed at Gu Zheng and Shen An.
“They’re doing the same.”
Zhou Jin’s eyes immediately lit up with undisguised envy.
She had only been thinking about building a separate stove to cook on, but it had never occurred to her that she could move out entirely. The temptation of having a private space all to herself was simply too great.
Looking at Pei Nian, Zhou Jin quickly began calculating in her mind.
I’m definitely moving.
She still had some money left by the original owner’s parents, but that was meant for emergencies and couldn’t be touched lightly. She needed another way to earn money.
She glanced at the “Nostalgia Store” in her consciousness and made up her mind. Once she figured out the local situation, she’d sell a batch of high-demand goods on the black market. As soon as she earned enough money, she’d immediately apply to move out too.
Pei Nian had no idea that because she, Gu Zheng, and Shen An had all acted together, the heroine had also decided to move out.
In the original story, only Pei Nian had moved out. After much deliberation, Zhou Jin had ultimately decided that living alone as a woman was too dangerous and gave up on the idea.
But now, with Pei Nian taking the lead and both Gu Zheng and Shen An planning to move as well, Zhou Jin unconsciously felt much more confident. Suddenly, it didn’t seem nearly as risky.
The other educated youths all wore different expressions after hearing the conversation.
Gao Juan was so jealous she was practically bubbling with resentment.
Why should they get to move out and enjoy peace and quiet?
Her lips twitched as if she wanted to say something sarcastic, but the moment she looked at Pei Nian’s cool, indifferent face, she remembered how decisively Pei Nian had set down her grain bowl the previous night. In the end, she swallowed her words, afraid of provoking her and getting beaten up.
Wu Min’s gaze wandered between Gu Zheng and Shen An. Upon hearing that they were moving out as well, her eyes flickered before settling mostly on Gu Zheng, whose refined appearance and outstanding temperament made him even more attractive.
After spending the whole morning busy with various tasks, Pei Nian felt exhausted. When Zhou Jin invited everyone to go to the commune, she politely declined.
She wanted a nap.
Gu Zheng and Shen An, however, were going to the commune.
They had traveled light when they came to the countryside, planning to buy what they needed locally, so they still lacked many necessities.
When Pei Nian woke up, it was already late afternoon.
The other four had already returned from the commune.
Seeing that it was getting late, they discussed it briefly and decided to cook dinner together one last time. Ideally, they’d finish eating before the senior educated youths returned from work. Starting the next day, after they began working in the fields, everyone would cook separately.
Pei Nian returned to her room and took out an iron wok, a spatula, a kitchen knife, a cutting board, and several bowls and plates from her conspicuous pile of luggage.
Looking at her complete set of kitchenware, Zhou Jin couldn’t help exclaiming,
“You really came fully prepared.”
Her Nostalgia Store mostly stocked food and large items. As for pots and kitchen utensils, the original owner had only possessed a small iron pot for personal use, nowhere near as complete.
She had gone to the commune that day mainly to bring out her own pot legitimately and buy a few necessities. The original owner’s parents hadn’t packed many belongings for her, instead giving her money and ration coupons to purchase them herself.
Pei Nian secretly thought, This is nothing. If I weren’t worried about attracting attention, I wouldn’t even need to buy furniture.
In the end, they didn’t use Pei Nian’s cookware.
Gu Zheng and Shen An had already placed the pot they bought on the stove.
Shen An volunteered to be the head chef, while Zhou Jin offered to help.
The others assisted by washing and chopping ingredients.
Pei Nian naturally picked up the vegetables to wash them, but before she could, a long, well-defined hand reached over and took them from her.
“I’ll do it.”
Gu Zheng’s deep voice left no room for refusal.
Pei Nian paused for a moment. Seeing him already carrying the vegetables toward the water bucket, she simply picked up the water ladle instead.
“Then I’ll fetch the water.”
While heating the wok, Shen An watched his brother Zheng’s unusually attentive behavior and couldn’t help grinning.
“Well, well, Brother Zheng. Did the sun rise in the west today? Since when did you become so hardworking?”
Gu Zheng turned and gave Shen An a calm glance filled with silent warning.
Shen An immediately shrank his neck and pretended to zip his lips shut, though the smile on his face never disappeared.
He had noticed it yesterday.
Brother Zheng’s eyes practically followed Comrade Pei wherever she went. If that wasn’t love at first sight, then he’d write his own name backward.
Watching their little exchange, Pei Nian found it amusing but said nothing, simply handing water to Gu Zheng.
After Gu Zheng finished washing the vegetables, Pei Nian took out a section of glossy cured pork and handed it to Shen An.
“Comrade Shen An, add this to the garlic shoots.”
“Got it!”
Shen An’s eyes lit up as he accepted the cured meat.
Next, Gu Zheng contributed two cans of luncheon meat, while Jiang Xu silently added five cans of yellow peaches.
Pei Nian stared at Jiang Xu in astonishment.
As expected of the male lead—a rich guy through and through.
Shen An and Zhou Jin also intended to contribute something, but the others stopped them.
The chef’s cooking alone was worth the treat.
With cured pork, canned meat, smashed cucumber salad, tomato soup, and canned peaches for dessert, it was an exceptionally lavish meal by the standards of the time.
The mouthwatering aroma drifted into the women’s dormitory.
Gao Juan lay alone on the kang bed, breathing in the rich scent of meat while listening to the faint laughter coming from the kitchen. Deliberately, she slammed her enamel mug onto the kang table with a loud clang.
None of the people eating paid her any attention.
Zhou Jin even rolled her eyes.
Who is she making all that noise for? Does she seriously think we’re going to invite her over to eat? Dream on.