Lu Fangfang carried a shovel and walked around the family compound several times, but found that the soil in the ground was no good.

Finally, having no other choice, she went to the wasteland on the riverbank.

She bent down, grabbed a handful of soil, and squeezed it tightly.

As soon as she released her grip, the soil in her hand immediately crumbled.

Lu Fangfang shook her head. This kind of soil has no binding power and cannot be used for building earthen beds or making adobe bricks.

The soil on the grassland was different from that in her hometown, and there was nowhere to find clay, which stumped her.

"Hey girl, what are you doing? Didn't you want to take a day off?"

Wang Shufen is clearing land in the fields.

Seeing Lu Fangfang arrive, he walked over curiously.

"Sister Shufen, I want to find clay to build a heated kang (a traditional Chinese bed-stove). Do you know where I can find clay?"

"Clay?"

Wang Shufen shook her head. "I don't know. Maybe I should ask my husband tonight?"

"Okay, then I'll ask my brother-in-law tonight."

Lu Fangfang didn't want to blindly stumble upon things anymore. Many families in the residential compound had heated brick beds, and there must be clay nearby. It would be more reliable to ask Xiao Aiguo directly.

Walking to the riverbank, she looked at the newly planted rapeseed and potatoes, and then prepared to clear the land.

Since she was already there, Lu Fangfang decided to work for a while before going back.

Reaching the edge of the field, she gripped the shovel handle and stomped down hard, turning over a large clump of soil with grass roots.

The land she had turned over was previously cleared by her sister-in-law, and there weren't many weeds there.

This area has never been cultivated before; the ground is covered with grass. Every time you shovel down, you get half a shovelful of grass roots, along with all sorts of stones, which you have to throw away. It's tiring and slow to work here.

Lu Fangfang worked until dark, and only managed to turn over a small patch of land, but she found a huge pile of grass roots.

"It's perfect for building a kang (heated brick bed). These grass roots can be dried and used as firewood, so it won't be a waste of effort."

Lu Fangfang muttered to herself, that was the only way she could comfort herself.

It was getting late, so she picked up her shovel and went back to her home in the family compound with Sister Shufen.

Xiao Aiguo had not returned yet.

With nothing else to do, Lu Fangfang went to the inner room and used a flashlight to look at the hatching eggs on the kang (a heated brick bed) for a while.

These eggs have been incubating for a week, and there are already very obvious blood vessels inside, which looks quite amazing.

After a while, she heard the door to the outer room open, and then she went out.

Seeing that it was Xiao Aiguo who had returned, she quickly asked about the clay.

"Clay?"

Xiao Aiguo thought for a moment and then said, "There is a state-run ranch near our regiment. The soil there is very sticky. You are on good terms with Sun Manling, right? She works at the ranch. You can ask her to take you there tomorrow."

Is it far?

Lu Fangfang was a little worried, as she needed a lot of clay to build a heated kang (a traditional Chinese bed-stove).

In addition, she also wanted to make adobe bricks to build a small shed, which would require even more materials.

"It's less than a half-hour walk. How about I have one of the group's cars give you a full load?"

"No, no need."

Lu Fangfang hurriedly waved her hand.

She'd rather put in more effort now than trouble the troupe and cause more gossip.

Back at her home, Lu Fangfang stir-fried some cabbage with butter.

She had already finished frying the small fish earlier, and she was thinking that she would go upstream to catch some more when she had time.

Her current source of meat is nothing but small fish, and she can't afford to stop eating them so she can gain more weight.

After eating and drinking her fill, Lu Fangfang went to sleep.

She needs to get some rest early tomorrow as she's going to the ranch to collect clay.

...

In the west courtyard of the family compound, Zhu Haiming was in the inner room, counting the money she had earned that day.

She bought the tickets from the black market in the provincial capital and gave them all to her sisters-in-law, making a fortune in the process.

It's estimated that this will cover half of her expenses in the provincial capital, which is quite a lot, but Zhu Haiming is still not satisfied.

"It's just a small-scale operation. I wish it were in Shanghai."

Looking at the money in her hand, Zhu Haiming wrapped it in a handkerchief and put it into her small suitcase.

"Thump, thump, thump."

"who?"

Hearing the knocking, Zhu Haiming became very alert.

"It's me, Dajun."

Zhu Haiming's eyes flashed with impatience, but she still got up and opened the door to the inner room.

She glanced at Li Dajun outside the door; he looked utterly dejected, which made her even more displeased.

Zhu Haiming held the door open, not wanting him to come in. "Now you're finally willing to come back? Humph, at noon you were like a dog, following her around like a lapdog, I couldn't call you back no matter what..."

"Bang!"

"Ouch."

"Li Dajun, you dare kick down the door? Are you crazy?"

Zhu Haiming covered her left hand, somewhat incredulous.

"Zhu Haiming, have you gone mad! I told you not to buy so much stuff, not to be so high-profile, but you not only didn't listen to me, you even dared to offend the group leader. I'm being dragged down by you."

"Now look what's happened! I'm about to be suspended by the commander, and it's all your fault!"

Li Dajun glared at her fiercely, his eyes red.

"Pah! Didn't you have a great time buying things in the provincial capital? Now you're blaming me? It's all because you're incompetent. Zhuang Mingcheng bought a whole military truckload of stuff, and nothing happened to him."

"I...you..."

"Anyway, if I get suspended, it's all your fault, you capitalist's daughter."

Upon hearing Zhuang Mingcheng's name, Li Dajun completely lost his mind.

He tugged at his clothes and walked towards Zhu Haiming.

"What are you doing? Get out of my way, Li Dajun. I'm telling you, if you keep this up, I'll call the police."

Zhu Haiming retreated step by step, finally feeling afraid.

"Go ahead and yell, yell loudly! I want to sleep with my wife, what did I do wrong? Aren't you ashamed? Go ahead and yell!"

Zhu Haiming gritted her teeth and glared at Li Dajun with hatred.

Seeing that he was still walking forward, Zhu Haiming opened her mouth to shout.

"Zhu Haiming! If you dare to call me that, I'll divorce you. You can go back to Shanghai and be a capitalist's rich girl. I'm cutting ties with you completely!"

Zhu Haiming stared blankly at Li Dajun, her mouth agape.

Upon seeing this, Li Dajun immediately pounced on him.

"Ouch..."

"Pooh."

Zhu Haiming spat out a mouthful of blood.

Across from him, on Li Dajun's arm, there was a bloody tooth mark.

"I'll be yours after the wedding. If you keep pressuring me, I'd rather go back to Shanghai."

Li Dajun was now fully awake.

Looking down at the teeth marks on his arm, he said hatefully, "My life, Li Dajun's life, is ruined because of you."

After saying that, he turned and stormed off.

"Ha, I, Zhu Haiming, am ruined because of you."

...