After receiving their food rations, they returned to the educated youth settlement. Lin Jianhua told them that he would treat them to dinner that evening and hold a meeting there as well.

Since we don't need to cook, let's put the food next to the kang (heated brick bed) in the dormitory and see how they arrange it.

Zhuang Zhimeng packed her luggage, thinking that since someone had invited her to dinner, she shouldn't take advantage of them.

I took out a strip of cured pork, cut off a small piece, and gave each person two slices. I put the rest away. Of course, this was done in the warehouse; it was done with just a thought.

I took the sliced ​​cured meat into the kitchen. The kitchen was quite large; it didn't feel crowded even with more than a dozen people.

"How did you get in? Weren't we treating you to dinner today?" Wang Lihong and another female educated youth, Liu Xiaocao, were cooking.

"This is some cured meat I brought from home. It's not much, but it'll be just enough to add to our dishes and let us taste the meat." Zhuang Zhimeng handed over the cured meat in her hand.

"Okay! It's perfect, we haven't had meat in ages. Thank you, Comrade Zhuang." Wang Lihong didn't stand on ceremony; she really hadn't had meat in a long time, and she was craving it too.

The food was ready, so I called everyone to come to the kitchen to eat. There weren't enough chairs, so some people squatted and some stood.

The newly arrived educated youths didn't arrive empty-handed either; they all took something, more or less. In those days, no one would eat someone else's food for free.

Dinner was very simple: corn porridge, cornbread, and cured pork with cabbage provided by Zhuang Zhimeng. There was no shortage of Northeastern cabbage and radishes.

This food is quite good; usually, they only have porridge and flatbread.

"Welcome, new educated youth! From now on, we must help each other. We educated youth are a whole. We share the same fate. Wang Lihong and I have been working in Anyang Brigade for five years now. Feel free to ask us any questions you may have," Lin Jianhua said to everyone while they were eating.

"Captain, how are our meals arranged?" This was the question Shi Hongye was most concerned about.

“We female educated youth take turns cooking, two people a day, while the male educated youth are responsible for fetching water and chopping firewood. The grain is all labeled with our own names and placed in the kitchen. We only pay for the amount we eat, so no one takes advantage of anyone else,” Lin Jianhua replied.

Zhuang Zhimeng thought that this was a good idea; he could eat with them for two days, and then he could cook for himself once he had his own house.

Seeing that no one had any objections, Lin Jianhua continued, "Our brigade is pretty good. If we work hard, we can basically eat our fill, and we'll even have some extra money at the end of the year."

As long as we don't cause trouble, the brigade leader won't bother us. Our brigade leader and his wife are both good people; they don't dislike us educated youth. In some places, brigade leaders specifically target educated youth, so we're very lucky to have come to Anyang Brigade.”

"As is customary, you new educated youth will have a day off. You can take the team's oxcart to town. There is a supply and marketing cooperative in town. You can buy whatever you need yourself. There is also a post office and a state-run restaurant in town. You can go and have a look around."

The educated youth ate their first meal together in the countryside, and after the meal, everyone returned to their dormitory to rest.

Jiang Yanxia took Zhuang Zhimeng to the brigade leader's house, explained their purpose, and the brigade leader readily agreed.

It's not much trouble to approve one or two at the same time; both generate revenue for the village. After all, it would be foolish not to make money.

The two walked back hand in hand. "It's so great, we'll soon have our own house. I've always dreamed of having my own room. At home, I always share a room with my two older sisters!" Jiang Yanxia said to Zhuang Zhimeng with a look of emotion.

"Huh? You're building a house? Then I want to build one too!" Zhuang Zhimeng and Jiang Yanxia were startled by the sudden voice.

Su Mengmeng quickly repeated, "Wherever you build your houses, I'll be your neighbor!"

Zhuang Zhimeng and Jiang Yanxia exchanged a glance, both speechless.

"Are you really going to build a house? And live with us?" Zhuang Zhimeng asked Su Mengmeng.

"Of course! There's no doubt about it! I feel like following you is definitely the right thing to do," Su Mengmeng affirmed.

With no other option, the two had to take Su Mengmeng back to the brigade leader's house.

When the brigade leader learned their purpose, he didn't want to say anything and approved it anyway. After all, these children weren't spending his money, and they wanted to build houses, so he couldn't be the bad guy and refuse to approve it.

"In that case, we'll allocate a piece of land on the outskirts of the village for the three of you," the brigade leader said readily.

"Thank you, Uncle. We're sorry to have troubled you," the three quickly said.

"It's alright! Come to the brigade headquarters tomorrow, and I'll give you a signed receipt."

Everything was settled, and the three of them left the brigade leader's house.

“These kids clearly come from well-off families, and they just built houses without a second thought!” Tian Cuie muttered to the brigade leader.

"They're all people who can't handle hardship, so let's just not be the bad guys!" The captain couldn't say anything.