Since Zhou Muyan had only taken half a day off, the two of them hurried back to Zhoujia Village Production Brigade after buying what they needed.
“Yao Yao, next time we come to the county town, I’ll take you to eat at the State-Run Restaurant.” It was too rushed today, and there wasn’t enough time.
Shen Jingyao held onto the corner of his clothes, enjoying the gentle breeze, feeling very relaxed. “Sure.”
“By the way, A Yan, where did you get the money and coupons?” In this era, farmers hardly had any money at the end of the year. The money in his family should be in the hands of Father Zhou and Mother Zhou.
Zhou Muyan told her about his trips to the Black Market and mentioned that he already had one thousand yuan.
“A Yan, you’re amazing! You actually have one thousand yuan.” In this era, one thousand yuan was absolutely a huge sum of money. No one in the entire Zhoujia Village was wealthier than him.
“Yao Yao, don’t worry. I’ll make sure you live a good life.” No matter which era it was, he would never let Yao Yao suffer.
Shen Jingyao wrapped her arms around his waist and touched his abs. “A Yan, I’ve never doubted your abilities. Now that I have the Space, you don’t have to work so hard. There’s a lot of gold in my Space, and these things can serve as our future capital.”
Zhou Muyan felt warmth fill his heart. “Yao Yao, I’ll listen to you. I’ll try to go less often in the future.”
He knew that going to the Black Market was indeed risky. Right now, he was just an ordinary farmer with no background. If something went wrong, no one would be there to cover for him.
“Okay.”
Around one o’clock in the afternoon, the two returned to Zhoujia Village Production Brigade. As soon as they arrived in the village, Shen Jingyao got off the back of the bicycle.
Zhou Muyan said, “Yao Yao, you go back to the Educated Youth Point to rest first. I have to work this afternoon. Come find my father at my house tonight.”
“Okay, but don’t overexert yourself when working this afternoon, understand?”Shen Jingyao still felt quite heartbroken for him.” After all, A Yan had grown up in luxury.
Zhou Muyan smiled slightly. “Alright, I know. Hurry back.”
He would work within his limits. Although he had never done farm work before, he was good at adapting to his environment.
He could be a young master, and he could also be a farmer.
“Okay.” Shen Jingyao carried the things in her hands and returned to the Educated Youth Point.
Zhou Muyan waited until her figure disappeared from sight before leaving. He first went to the Dui Bu to return the bicycle, then headed home.
When Shen Jingyao returned to the Educated Youth Point, only Chen Weidong and Feng Tianzhu were sitting in the front yard.
“Educated Youth Shen, you’re back.” Chen Weidong stood up to greet her.
“Yeah, is no one else here?” The yard was unusually quiet, so she asked another question.
“It’s the busy harvest season now. They didn’t come back for lunch at noon. I heard they’re eating directly in the fields and will rest for a bit before continuing to work.” Chen Weidong explained, having heard this from Zhao Heping.
“Oh, I see.” Shen Jingyao directly carried her things back to her room.
Xu Aili was in the room tidying up her things. She hadn’t finished organizing everything yesterday.
Shen Jingyao handed the thermos to her. “Educated Youth Xu, your thermos.”
Xu Aili climbed down from the kang to take it. “Thank you, Educated Youth Shen.”
“By the way, Educated Youth Shen, have you eaten? We ate what we brought with us today.” They hadn’t gone to collect their rations yet and were eating the dry provisions they brought from home.
“I bought some food.” Shen Jingyao put the things Zhou Muyan had bought for her into her chest and stored them away.
Xu Aili also noticed the items in her hands—this Educated Youth Shen was clearly not short on money. “Alright, then let’s go to the Dui Bu to collect our rations this afternoon.”
“Okay.”
“Then, Educated Youth Shen, I’ll step out first.” Xu Aili also felt a bit awkward sharing a room with someone she wasn’t familiar with.
Shen Jingyao nodded. Watching Xu Aili leave, she retrieved a steamed bun from her Space and poured half a cup of milk.
Eating the cold steamed bun and drinking milk, she thought how inconvenient this was—she craved rice and stir-fried dishes.
Meanwhile, Zhou Muyan returned home to find only his second sister-in-law, Gu Yunzhi, there. As her pregnancy was advanced, Mother Zhou had excused her from work duties.
“Third Brother, you’re back. The meal is kept warm on the stove—you can eat directly.” Since she wasn’t working, she was responsible for preparing and delivering their lunches.
“Alright.” Zhou Muyan went straight into the kitchen. Two wotou, a bowl of thin porridge, and a small plate of vegetables were placed on a bamboo steamer inside the pot.
He didn’t bother taking them out, simply standing by the stove to finish the meal in a few quick bites.
After eating and drinking some water, he headed directly to the fields.
After lunch, Shen Jingyao went to the kitchen to boil a pot of water. She wanted a proper bath, feeling uncomfortable from the stickiness on her skin.
Seeing this, Xu Aili tugged at her clothes hem and said sheepishly, “Educated Youth Shen, let me help with the boiling. I’d like to take a bath too.”
“Sure.” Shen Jingyao didn’t mind. Xu Aili carried water in while Shen Jingyao tended the fire—she knew how to do it from the original host’s memories.
Once the water was ready, she let Xu Aili bathe first. Beside the Educated Youth Point outhouse stood a dilapidated small partition, specially built by former educated youths for bathing.
After Xu Aili finished washing, she said, “Educated Youth Shen, your turn. I’ll keep watch outside for you.”
Shen Jingyao twitched her lips slightly. “Thank you.”
This meant she couldn’t sneak into her Space—the complete silence inside would be too suspicious.
Fine, she’d just have to make do with a simple wash.
Even with just plain water, she felt much refreshed and clean all over.
“Educated Youth Shen, Educated Youth Xu, let’s go to the Dui Bu to collect our rations.”
Chen Weiguo and Feng Tianzhu had been waiting for them. These city girls certainly lived more delicately than them rough fellows.
They decided to wash up in the evening too—they shouldn’t be too slovenly.
“Alright, let’s go together.” Shen Jingyao didn’t know the way to the Dui Bu, but the others had scouted the area that morning and knew the route.
The four arrived at the Dui Bu. With everyone working in the fields, only an elderly man was present.
The old man was Zhou Mancang’s father, the village party secretary. His clouded eyes examined them. “New educated youths? Here for rations?”
Their fair, tender skin and clean clothes marked them as yesterday’s arrivals—though they’d all darken soon enough, just like everyone else.
Chen Weiguo stepped forward to reply, “Yes, Grandpa.”
The old man pointed to bags in the corner. “Take those bags and follow me.”
Bent and with hands behind his back, he led the way.
Arriving at the brigade warehouse, he said, “Each of you weigh out twenty jin of corn flour, twenty jin of buckwheat flour, and ten jin of corn grits. You’ll repay it with Work Points later.”
“Remember to return the bags.”
The four quickly weighed their grains and carried everything back to the Educated Youth Point.
In the afternoon, Shen Jingyao prepared to wash the dirty clothes she’d changed out of yesterday.
Xu Aili saw her preparing to do laundry and recalled what Zhang Zhiqing had said yesterday: “Shen Jingyao, Zhang Zhiqing mentioned yesterday that they all wash clothes by the river. The water at the Educated Youth Point shouldn’t be used for laundry.”
Shen Jingyao thought it made sense—this water had been carried back by the male educated youths, and it was indeed hard work.
“Alright, I’ll do it next time then. I still don’t know where the riverside laundry spot in the village is,” she said, carrying the dirty clothes back inside.
She needed to repair the house immediately. In the future, she could use the washing machine in her Space, only occasionally going to the riverbank to keep up appearances.