"Sister-in-law, please keep a few."

"Yes, sister-in-law, we are so grateful to the donkey cart for helping us get up here."

The soldiers were very enthusiastic; since there were still several large fish left on the donkey cart, they didn't take any more onto the cart.

"No need, no need, my sister-in-law has fish at home."

Lu Fangfang waved her hand, and Xiuxiu quickly moved the fish onto the Jiefang truck.

Looking at the truckload of fish, a smile appeared on her face. This large reservoir in the county must have been dry for a long time; the fish inside are really big.

I wonder if the county leaders regret having the troupe come to help.

"Xiuxiu, let's go. Xiaohua, Xiaohuanggou, come up."

Lu Fangfang boarded the donkey cart, happily preparing to return home.

Beside them, Little Flower and Little Tibetan Fox had also finished eating and were lying comfortably on the donkey cart.

"Xiuxiu, when we get back, wash the car; it smells fishy."

"Why."

Xiuxiu patted the little wild donkey and then looked into the waterway.

There were some small fish floating on the surface of the river, but they were too small, and there was ice on the surface, making them difficult to catch. She looked on with some regret.

The little wild donkey led the two of them northwards, but at the fork in the road it turned westwards.

After walking for a short while, Lu Fangfang spotted a familiar figure.

"This is?"

"Teacher Xu?"

Lu Fangfang turned her head and looked at Xiuxiu in surprise. The address "Teacher Xu" almost made her not react.

"Xiuxiu, when did you start calling Lao Xu 'Teacher Xu'?"

"He lent me his textbooks and even explained the problems to me; that's Teacher Xu."

Xiuxiu didn't think anything was wrong.

Lu Fangfang opened her mouth, thinking that what he said made sense; Old Xu was, after all, a teacher.

When the donkey cart reached Old Xu, she called for the little wild donkey to stop, and then curiously looked Old Xu over.

He was still dressed the same way, wearing a tattered sheepskin coat, with a scruffy beard, and carrying a small cloth bag.

"Old Xu, what have you been doing?"

"Comrade Lu? Comrade Xiuxiu?"

Xu Huayun was also surprised to see the two of them. He wiped the sweat from his forehead and then said with a smile, "I went to the county and bought some food at the grain store."

Why didn't you ask Uncle Guo to take you?

As Lu Fangfang spoke, she beckoned him to come up.

It's quite far from here to the sixth team; it would take most of the day to walk back.

"Uncle Guo has gone to attend to other matters."

Xu Huayun looked at the donkey, still somewhat hesitant.

"Teacher Xu, please come up."

"Yes, Lao Xu, hurry up and get on. The little wild donkey runs fast and we'll get to Team Six in no time. Otherwise, it'll take you most of the day to walk."

Xu Huayun scratched the back of her head, hesitated for a moment, and finally got on the donkey cart.

Once the little wild donkey started pulling the cart, he looked at the large fish on the cart with some surprise, "Comrade Lu, Comrade Xiuxiu, are you going to buy fish?"

"This wasn't bought; my brother-in-law led the soldiers and fired it with artillery."

Xiuxiu, in high spirits, began to recount what had just happened.

Xu Huayun then realized why he had heard a thunderous sound when he left the county town; it was artillery.

As they chatted, the donkey cart soon arrived at the sixth team.

Xu Huayun expressed her gratitude a few times, then got off the donkey cart with her grain sack on her back.

Lu Fangfang then asked Xiuxiu to take the small fish from the donkey cart to Old Xu and bring it into the yard.

After Xiuxiu returned, she drove the donkey cart to the family compound.

"Sister, Teacher Xu absolutely refuses to take that fish, and he even wants to give me money."

"So what did you do?"

“I threw the fish into his bowl and ran away, just like when he delivered eggs before. He’s really something, he’s gotten so thin since winter started, and he still… still acts all high and mighty.”

Lu Fangfang couldn't help but laugh. She corrected herself, saying, "That's called being polite, courteous, and grateful. Only people like that can make friends."

"By the way, Xiuxiu, don't call him Teacher Xu anymore. Just call him Old Xu. If the people at the farm hear you calling him Teacher Xu, they'll start accusing him again."

"oh."

Xiuxiu responded with a sound that seemed to understand but not quite.

The weather was nice today, the sun was shining and it felt very comfortable. We drove all the way, and the big fish in the car didn't freeze.

As they approached the family compound, Lu Fangfang picked up a burlap sack and used it to cover the large fish.

Soon, the little wild donkey pulled the donkey cart into the gate of the residential compound.

In front of the first row of houses, five or six women gathered for the first time since winter began. They were looking towards the family compound to the west and talking about something.

Seeing Lu Fangfang return in a donkey cart, Zhao Guilan waved excitedly and quickly stopped the cart.

"Whoa~"

"Sister-in-law Guilan, is something the matter?"

Following her sisters-in-law's gaze, Lu Fangfang glanced at the family compound to the west, but didn't see anyone, which was a bit strange.

"Something's happened, something big, Xiao Lu. I'm telling you, Zhu Haiming is back with a big belly. She's lost a lot of weight, and her clothes are all tattered."

Zhao Guilan said excitedly, "This is the biggest thing that has happened in the family compound since winter began."

"I wonder how much she, this capitalist's daughter, suffered in the labor camp. I heard that the political commissar brought her back."

Upon first hearing the name, Lu Fangfang seemed somewhat dazed.

It's been more than half a year since Zhu Haiming was taken away by the military region, and this is the first time she has heard any news about Zhu Haiming.

"Sister, who is this Zhu Haiming?"

Xiuxiu found her sister's reaction rather strange.

"Oh my, Xiuxiu, you have no idea. This Zhu Haiming is the daughter of a capitalist in Shanghai. When she first came here, she even brought a picture of Commander Zhuang and tried to compete with your sister for your brother-in-law..."

My dear reader, there's more to this chapter! Please click the next page to continue reading—even more exciting content awaits!