That noon, the brigade leader brought a middle-aged man to the educated youth compound.

This man is named Zhao Jiefang. He is a well-known construction expert in the village. Everyone who needs to build a house or install a kang (heated brick bed) comes to him.

Xie Yuyao quickly ushered them to the table, and Yang Shumei opened the thermos to make tea for them.

The captain stopped him, saying, "I just finished eating and I'm not thirsty. Let your Uncle Jiefang hear your thoughts first."

Yang Shumei deftly poured tea for the two of them, while Xie Yuyao went back into the room and took out the blueprints that the two had already discussed, handing them to Zhao Jiefang.

"Uncle Jiefang, take a look at these blueprints. We want two 20-square-meter bedrooms and a 30-square-meter main room including a stove. Could you please take a look and see if any adjustments are needed?"

At first, Xie Yuyao only wanted to build a 10-square-meter house, but later, after she got along better with the brigade leader and no longer had to worry about him letting people in, she wanted to live in a more spacious and comfortable house.

After reviewing the blueprints, Zhao Jiefang said he would go to the backyard to conduct a survey first.

The group moved to the backyard. Zhao Jiefang looked around and measured the dimensions. "Building according to the blueprints is no problem. I see you have quite a few blue bricks, so we can widen the main room and separate the kitchen. We can also build a thatched shed on the left side for storing firewood."

Xie Yuyao and Yang Shumei exchanged a glance and said with delight, "Then we'll do as you say. Please take care of it."

"no problem."

Xie Yuyao then asked, "When would you like to start construction? We want to finish it as soon as possible."

Zhao Jiefang: "Tomorrow, I'll go back and call someone later."

After the location of the house was measured, Xie Yuyao and Yang Shumei saw the brigade leader and Zhao Jiefang out of the educated youth compound.

Turning around, they saw Jiang Yan glaring at them both, while Bei Xiao, standing beside her, also looked at them with complicated expressions.

To be fair, Bei Xiao's conditions were not bad, but before Xie Yuyao came, she had Jiang Yan's flattery and didn't feel that living there was inconvenient, so she didn't think about building her own house.

Now that she sees that they all have their own rooms, her mind starts to wander.

She received her father's order a few days ago and only needs to deliver the goods to receive her commission. Combined with the orders she brought back from her trip a few days ago, she can build a house on her own.

Unlike those two, who could only rely on their families to send money, it shows that she is still more capable than them!

Thinking of this, Bei Xiao felt proud again.

*

After finishing work in the evening, Xie Yuyao and Yang Shumei went to the team leader's house to discuss their wages.

The captain, holding a pipe, said readily, "Your Uncle Jiefang will bring two helpers. I'll calculate their work points, so you don't need to pay them extra. Just take care of their lunch and dinner."

The brigade leader categorized the house-building project as an official matter of the production team.

Judging from the order volume of dried fruit, the villagers of Qingshantun will all have a considerable increase in income this year. Given this, what's so special about helping Xie Yuyao build a house?

Xie Yuyao and the other woman thanked her repeatedly. In return, Xie Yuyao told Aunt Tian about selling the astragalus from the mountain.

The captain then realized that they had actually made a lot of money leading the grass-cutting team.

He, who was wholeheartedly devoted to the people, nodded at the two of them, but ultimately said nothing.

There's only so much land near the mountain, how much Astragalus could there be? Not enough for all the villagers in the brigade to dig up. Didn't you see the children hiding it from their elders?

Xie Wazi is now telling his wife that he intends to increase their family's income, so what else can he say?

Aunt Tian thanked them repeatedly and packed them a lot of eggs, fruits and vegetables.

Back at the educated youth compound, Xie Yuyao and Yang Shumei discussed it and decided to cut grass early the next morning, then go to town to buy some ingredients to cook better meals for Uncle Jiefang and the others.

Building a house is hard work, so since we don't have to pay wages, we absolutely can't skimp on the food.

It has to be said that this is the only advantage of cutting pig feed: as long as you cut enough, you can finish work early and do whatever you want.

The night passed, and Xie Yuyao and her companion got up early to cut grass. Unbeknownst to them, a rare and significant event had occurred by the stream at the village entrance.

After finishing breakfast, Zhao Honghui rode his bicycle to work at the transport team as usual. When he passed the downstream riverbank at the entrance of the village, he heard a scream.

His military discipline made him instinctively drop his bicycle and run over to check; a woman had fallen into the river.

Without a second thought, he took off his coat and shoes and leaped into the water to save the person.

As soon as the woman who had fallen into the water saw him approaching, she thrashed her arms and clung tightly to him, as if she were grasping at a straw.

Zhao Honghui's movements were restricted, and it took him a lot of effort to drag the woman to the shore.

But when they reached the shore, the woman still clung tightly to him, seemingly terrified.

His left leg felt like it was being gnawed and crawled by ants, and the pain was getting stronger and stronger, with his old injury flaring up again.

Other villagers who heard the cries for help arrived and quickly pulled the two people ashore.

An older woman asked, "Honghui, what happened?"

Zhao Honghui wiped the water off his face, suppressing his pain, and said in a deep voice, "I heard the scream and ran over, and saw her in the water."

The woman lowered her head, crossed her arms, and curled up into a ball behind Zhao Honghui, clinging tightly to him.

She cried, trembling, "I was trying to see if there were any fish, and I twisted my ankle and accidentally fell in."

Several aunties gathered around to comfort her.

"Poor thing, you'd better be careful in the future."

"The banks are high and the water is deep here, so even if there are fish, you won't be able to catch them."

"Luckily, Honghui happened to be passing by, otherwise you would have been in danger."

"Go back and change your clothes quickly, don't catch a cold."

......

The woman who had fallen into the water choked back tears, saying, "My clothes are soaked, how can I face anyone?"

Upon hearing her words, everyone noticed that her soaked shirt clung tightly to her body, outlining her graceful curves.

Some male villagers turned their heads away consciously, while others brazenly stared at her.

Zhao Honghui frowned upon hearing this, his fierce gaze fixed on the frivolous individuals, forcing them to avert their attention.

He glanced at the woman behind him, who seemed to be blocking his view, and asked someone to hand him a coat from the ground, which he then draped over her shoulders.

The woman thanked him, pulled her coat tighter around herself, and looked up, revealing a pitiful expression.

"Isn't this Jiang, the educated youth?"

"The educated youth settlement is quite far from here, why would they come here to fish?"

"You can't be so greedy in the future."

......

Jiang Yan was so delicate and charming that she evoked a protective instinct in anyone who saw her.

Seeing that the matter was settled, Zhao Honghui planned to go home to change his clothes. "I'll leave now, thank you aunties for taking her home."

"Okay, Honghui, you should go home now."

Jiang Yan didn't expect him to leave like that, and hurriedly said, "Thank you for saving me, Brother Zhao. I'll bring the clothes back to you after I've washed them."

Seeing Zhao Honghui nod and leave, her expression turned grim. This wasn't what she expected; why didn't he take her home?

Could it be that he still can't let go of Xie Yuyao? But they've already broken up. In what way is she worse than Xie Yuyao? Why doesn't he even glance at her?