She sat alone in the room, rubbing her feet: "I'm exhausted, and I still have to cook. I'm not going to do it. It would be better to lie on the kang and rest for a while."

It was Luo Jingyan's first time eating coarse grain pancakes, and she found them a bit rough on her throat. However, she would persevere for now, and once she stopped eating with these people, she could improve her diet.

During the meal, Liu Huifang said, "There are only cabbages and radishes in the vegetable garden now, all planted by us old educated youth. Now that the new educated youth have arrived, I hope you can do your best to take care of the vegetable garden before the harvest."

Although she looked stern, the new educated youth had no objections, after all, they would still need to eat vegetables from that garden in the future.

Lin Shanshan had been keeping an eye on the large tea mugs used by Luo Jingyan and Luo Changtian. When it was her turn to cook, she would put the poison into her tableware.

That evening, Luo Jingyan gave Luo Changtian a lock and told him to put all his things in a box and lock it up.

On their first day here, the new educated youth were all exhausted and went to bed early.

The next morning, Jiang Manyue got up early and cooked with Shen Ruyi.

After Luo Jingyan got up and washed up, dinner was already prepared: steaming corn porridge and stir-fried cabbage.

Lin Shanshan also got up, leaving only Du Yinan still lying in bed in the female educated youth dormitory.

After dinner, Shen Ruyi called out to her, "Du Zhiqing, if you don't get up soon, we'll finish eating. We'll save some food for you, but it won't taste good if it gets cold. If you want something hot, just cook it yourself."

Du Yinan reluctantly got out of bed. At home, her mother often brought her meals to bed. If it weren't for her sister-in-law secretly reporting her this time, she wouldn't have had to go to the countryside.

She hated her sister-in-law to the core, but felt helpless. Fortunately, her mother said she would send her money and supplies every month, so she wouldn't be too miserable here.

By the time she finally got up and finished washing up, everyone else had already finished eating, and the rice in the pot had gone cold.

She angrily threw the spoon into the pot, "It's all cold, how can anyone eat this?"

With a clang, the hearts of the veteran educated youth trembled.

That was the only iron pot in their educated youth settlement. If Du Yinan smashed a hole in it, they wouldn't even have anything to cook with.

These days, iron pots are not only expensive, but also hard to buy. Smashing an iron pot hurts them more than hitting them a few times.

They quickly gathered around the stove to check the condition of the iron pot.

Fortunately, the iron pot was not smashed and punctured.

Shen Ruyi said, "Why are you angry? I already told you that if you get up late, you should heat up your own food. You didn't listen, so who can you blame?"

She quickly went over to check the pot, and thankfully the iron pot was still intact.

Then he walked up to Du Yinan and said, "This time we won't hold you responsible. If you broke the iron pot, you'll have to buy a new one for the educated youth settlement."

Du Yinan said, "I... I was a little angry just now. I didn't mean to."

"Whether it was intentional or not, you must be more careful next time."

Shen Ruyi spoke politely and her reprimand was quite proper, but Liu Huifang couldn't stand it and gave Du Yinan a thorough dressing-down.

"You're so spoiled! I've never seen a more difficult educated youth like you. You got up late and you're still angry? What are you angry about? What gives you the right to be angry? Let me tell you, you're an educated youth now, sent to the countryside to support construction. Do you think this is your home, or that you're still a spoiled princess? There's no father or mother here, no one will pamper you. Humph, how old are you? I think you're not even as good as the kids here. Do you still need someone to feed you?"

Liu Huifang's harsh words almost made Du Yinan cry.

Du Yinan pouted. She had been pampered by her parents since she was a child and had never suffered such grievances.

She retorted to Liu Huifang, "What right do you have to talk to me like that? You're not the boss here, what right do you have to lecture me? Mind your own business!"

Liu Huifang ignored her: "I can't stand your bad behavior, and I'm just saying it. I'm a veteran educated youth, your senior, and I have a share in that pot. What about you? Did you even pay for the pot? It's already very kind of you to let me use it, and you still don't appreciate it."

Unable to save face, Du Yinan squatted on the ground and cried pitifully.

The other educated youth remained silent, after all, Du Yinan's conduct was really bad.

Fang Zhiyuan leaned over and said, "Liu Zhiqing, look, she's a newcomer, can't you be a little more considerate of her? You've made her cry."

Liu Huifang glanced at her: "You feel sorry for her? You want me to speak well of her and coax her? She's so lazy, and she won't even let anyone remind her?"

Fang Zhiyuan was also a newcomer, and before he could figure out Liu Huifang's background, he could only be polite.

Then, he walked up to Du Yinan and said, "Du Zhiqing, don't be sad. I think Liu Zhiqing is just straightforward. Don't take it to heart."

Seeing how much he cared for Du Yinan, everyone immediately understood his intention.

Du Yinan was heartbroken, and Fang Zhiyuan's words seemed to comfort her.

"Thank you, Fang Zhiqing, for your concern."

She stole a glance at Tong Jianxin. She actually wanted Tong Jianxin to coax her, but he just looked at her coldly and didn't say a word.

"It's nothing, it's nothing. We were all sent-down youth together, it's only right that we take care of each other." Fang Zhiyuan said very gently.

"Fang Zhiqing, you are such a good person."

Fang Zhiyuan smiled and said, "I'm embarrassed by what you said. I'll go heat up your food for you. You wait here."

"Um."

Du Yinan wiped away her tears, found a stool and sat down. Soon after, Fang Zhiyuan heated up her food and told her to eat.

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