Chapter 8: Going to Town

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Yu Lu didn’t know whether she was truly foolish or just pretending. Yang Hui had already spoken, and Zeng Yue had awkwardly left, yet Yu Lu remained standing there, seemingly unable to grasp what was meant.

“Didn't you say you were hosting a welcome banquet for the newcomers? Why do you still want me to bring something? My family is poor; I don’t have anything to offer you.”

Yang Hui, who usually loved to speak sarcastically, found herself unable to retort. After all, Yu Lu had plainly said her family was poor. Asking her to bring something now would be unreasonable.

With a snort, Yang Hui went off to work.

When Zeng Yue returned, she approached holding a salted fish tail. “This is from my home. Let’s eat it together tonight.”

He Xiangyun accepted it without a word. Tonight’s meal would be better than even during the New Year.

Dinner was soon ready: stir-fried greens, garlic-fried sausage, steamed salted pork, salted fish tofu soup, and steamed cornbread as the staple.

As head of the educated youth camp, Yang Guohua spoke first. “We have new members joining our camp. We’re one big family now, working together to contribute to the motherland’s development.”

“Let me introduce myself. I’m Yang Guohua, from Su Province.”

Then the veteran educated youths introduced themselves one by one.

“I’m He Xiangyun, from Haishi City.”

“Chen Xiuhua, from Chuan Province.”

“Yang Hui, from Xiang Province.”

“Zhu Yongqiang, from Haishi City.”

“Mu Xingjue, from Jing City.”

“Xu Xingyu, from Jing City.”

...

When it came to the newcomers, Tian Zhixue spoke first, “Tian Zhixue from Su City.”

“Zeng Yue, also from Su City.”

“My name is Yu Lu, also from Su City.”

“Su Yao, also from Su City.”

“Ye Simin, from Jing City.”

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After introductions, everyone began to eat. The veteran educated youths devoured their food ravenously, their chopsticks moving so fast they seemed to cast shadows.

This was understandable, but Yu Lu’s presence was truly perplexing. If Chen Xiuhua’s and Yang Hui’s glances could kill, Yu Lu would have died several times over.

Su Yao ate a few bites of vegetables before stopping; the food was truly bland and tasteless. She thought it better to eat from her own space back home.

After dinner, everyone rested early, as they had work the next day.

Before leaving, Yang Guohua reminded them, “Newcomers can rest tomorrow. If you want to go to town to buy things, you must be at the team gate early to catch the ox cart; otherwise, you’ll have to walk.”

Back behind, Xu Xingyu stopped a few people to discuss cooking.

“There are only four of us here now, but just one kitchen. I suggest we eat together. My cooking only guarantees you won’t starve.”

Ye Simin frankly admitted she couldn’t cook.

Mu Xingjue glanced around. “I can chop wood and carry water.”

Then all three looked at Su Yao. She was speechless—no one knew how to cook, yet they wanted to eat together.

Su Yao could cook, but she didn’t want to cook every day. However, Xu Xingyu was right: with only one kitchen, splitting cooking into multiple sessions wouldn’t work.

Though Ye Simin seemed friendly with her, Su Yao had grown up with the other two and would naturally group with them.

The veteran educated youths weren’t easy to deal with, and Su Yao knew she couldn’t have no friends. After some thought, she said, “I’ll take charge of cooking, but I don’t like washing dishes or cleaning up.”

“No problem, leave that to me,” Ye Simin said, linking arms with Su Yao.

“Okay then. Our grain is all in the kitchen. There’s a cellar in the northeast corner with some greens and radishes; just take whatever you need. Whatever you cook, we’ll eat—no complaints,” Xu Xingyu said, pointing to the kitchen.

Su Yao nodded and was about to return to her room when Liu and his son arrived, pushing a cart loaded with furniture.

Mu Xingjue and Xu Xingyu helped Ye Simin carry her things inside; Liu and his son helped Su Yao.

After settling in, Su Yao offered the Liu family a handful of candies.

“Oh, Young Educated Youth Su, you’re too polite. Keep them for yourself,” Liu and his son declined.

“Uncle Liu, please take them. It’s late, and you came all this way and even helped me move in,” Su Yao insisted, pushing the candies back.

After some refusal, they accepted. “If you need any help in the future, just come find me or my son, Zhuzi.”

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“All right, thank you, Uncle and Zhuzi. I’m new here and really don’t know much.”

After Liu and his son left, Su Yao washed several basins with clean water, then wiped down the delivered table, chairs, and cabinets.

She then boiled a kettle of hot water. There would be no proper bath tonight, but she could at least freshen up and wash her feet. For now, that would have to suffice.

Early the next morning, Su Yao got up to prepare breakfast. She checked the kitchen supplies and cooked some porridge, steamed a few sweet potatoes, and stir-fried some cabbage with chili to go with the porridge.

After cooking, she called Ye Simin. “Simin, get up quickly, or we’ll miss the ox cart.”

Ye Simin hurried out of bed, washed up, and came to the kitchen to eat.

When they finished, Su Yao added some twigs to the stove to keep the porridge and sweet potatoes warm for Mu Xingjue and Xu Xingyu.

The two arrived at the team gate, where Old Wu, the cart driver, was already waiting. After paying, Su Yao and Ye Simin found a relatively clean spot to sit.

After a while, several village women came over. Once seated, they began gossiping about village affairs: whose mother-in-law had beaten her daughter-in-law, whose wife was shirking work, whose daughter was getting married, and so on.

Soon after, the other educated youths from the camp arrived. As soon as they boarded the cart, it was packed to the brim. Su Yao felt cramped and decided to see if there were bicycles for sale in town. If there were, she planned to buy one—luckily, she had a ticket.

The journey was uneventful, and after about an hour, they reached town. Su Yao stepped off and stomped her feet; her toes had gone numb from curling up so long.

Ye Simin walked over. “Yao Yao, what are you planning to do now?”

“I’m going to the supply and marketing cooperative, then to the state-run restaurant for lunch. How about you?”

“I’m going too. After eating, I want to check the post office for a package. My family sent me one before I left. I wonder if it’s arrived.”

“Let’s go together.”

Ye Simin linked arms with Su Yao, but after a few steps, someone intercepted them. Yu Lu smiled and linked her arm with Ye Simin’s. “Young Educated Youth Ye, I’ll go with you.”

Ye Simin saw how well-to-do Yu Lu’s family was. Maybe at the cooperative, Yu Lu would pay for some things; at lunch, they could share a meal, saving her quite a bit of money.

Thinking this, Yu Lu couldn’t help but laugh softly.