"Brother Huo, let me do it myself," Du Jiang stretched out his hand again but the other party still dodged it.

"This is too heavy, you can't twist it through." While speaking, Huo Yang had already rolled up his sleeves and started twisting the quilt cover.

It has to be said that the soaked quilt cover is really heavy and bulging. Du Jiang has to admit that he really can't lift it with his small body. Looking at Huo Yang's skillful movements, Du Jiang envied him for a while and then reached out to continue wringing the dry end, making it easier for Huo Yang to wring out the remaining half.

With the sound of dripping water, the expanded quilt returned to its original shape. Looking at the quilt twisted into a knot, Du Jiang nodded with satisfaction, "Brother Huo, I'm really sorry to bother you."

"It's okay. I just wanted to check the net bag." After handing the quilt to Du Jiang, Huo Yang walked along the riverbank to a place with abundant aquatic plants. Then he bent down and pulled a net bag from the water. Looking at the several fish jumping happily in the net bag, Du Jiang's eyes widened, "There are still fish here."

"Yes, but not many." Huo Yang picked through the net bag and threw the two thumb-sized ones mixed in back into the river. He then walked towards Du Jiang and asked, "Do you want me to help you carry the basin?"

"No need, Brother Huo, I can do it myself," Du Jiang quickly refused. Seeing this, Huo Yang did not force him. He just nodded slightly and walked back.

Huo Yang was tall and had long legs, but he took small steps. Du Jiang knew at a glance that he was waiting for her, but she didn't think much about it. She just thought that they were taking the same route back and Huo Yang was embarrassed to leave him behind.

There are several courtyards in a row, and Huo Yang's house is on the outermost one.

Looking at the bright sky, Du Jiang nodded at Huo Yang and prepared to go to the educated youth point. Unexpectedly, Huo Yang called out to Du Jiang again.

"Du Jiang, now that we who came here with you have almost settled down, what are your plans?"

"Me?" Du Jiang turned around and pointed at himself uncertainly with one free hand.

"Yes, Du Jiang, what are your plans? I'm afraid the work points in winter are getting less and less. Do you... do you want to find a partner?" Huo Yang hesitated for a while and finally asked.

Unexpectedly, Du Jiang just shook his head after hearing this and said, "I don't have any plans in this regard, Brother Huo, at least not now."

Hearing this, Huo Yang was not disappointed, but nodded calmly, "Is that so, Du Jiang, if you want to get married one day, please consider me first. I'm looking for a job recently, and my family is also easy to get along with."

Huo Yang's eyes were dark and bright at this moment, and they were filled with Du Jiang's shadow, as if he wanted to imprint Du Jiang in them. Unfortunately, Du Jiang was already past the age of being moved. "Brother Huo, I'm sorry."

"It's nothing, Du Jiang, you are fine, I will wait."

Du Jiang smiled again, then turned and left.

When Du Jiang walked to the door of her house and pushed it open, she inadvertently glanced in the direction of the Huo family. Huo Yang was still standing tall at the door. The rising sun was very dazzling, shining on Huo Yang's body as if he had been coated with a layer of armor, magnificent and dazzling.

It really looks like Du Que, Du Jiang thought truthfully before entering the door, and then shook her head the next second. Maybe it was because the sun was too bright that gave her an illusion.

After Du Jiang entered the yard and hung up the sheets and quilt covers, Qian Meili and the others got up and started to wash up. A dozen people squatting under the eaves with basins in their hands to wash up has become a common sight in the educated youth site today.

Some people are washing up, some are cooking. The huge yard is very lively and full of the breath of life. Du Jiang likes this atmosphere very much. Although everyone has their own little tricks and calculations, it is harmless. After all, they are all living for the sake of survival.

When the first clapper sounded, the pot in Du Jiang's house boiled. Du Jiang poured the chopped tomatoes and diced mushrooms into it, and stirred them into the paste after boiling again. White mist rose and filled the whole room. The fresh fragrance of the mushrooms and the sour and sweet taste of the tomatoes made Du Jiang's stomach stir. After making sure it was cooked, Du Jiang extinguished the fire in the stove and drank it in small sips from the small pot.

The tomato and mushroom soup, mouthful by mouthful, slid down the throat to the esophagus and then into the stomach, bringing warmth. The warm feeling spread throughout the body, and even my hands, which had been cold and red from washing the sheets and quilt covers in the morning, warmed up.

Because she was alone, Du Jiang didn't cook much, and she cherished every sip. Although she had enough money to survive, Du Jiang was used to being frugal. She had experienced the feeling of being extremely hungry and wanting to devour everything, and she had also experienced the pain of the stomach cramping and the whole body curling up because of hunger. The feeling was too uncomfortable, so uncomfortable that it was engraved in her bones and melted into her blood. Du Jiang could not forget it even if she wanted to.

"Du Jiang, go to the pigsty."

Qian Meili's voice was heard outside the door. Du Jiang finished the last sip and answered loudly, "I'll be right there." Then he quickly cleaned the pot and put it on the shelf. After all, the small milk pot was no longer needed. Although he lived alone, Du Jiang couldn't guarantee that no one would break in when he was away.

After Du Jiang walked out, Qian Meili and the other four female educated youth had also cleaned up. As for the male educated youth, they followed the villagers to the riverbank to clean up the silt and river channel, and even had to smash stones. So although raising pigs smelled unpleasant to the female educated youth, it was acceptable.

Perhaps because they saw that Qian Meili and Du Jiang had no objections and were just working peacefully, the few people who came later, although they had some complaints, were all law-abiding.

When Du Jiang and the others arrived at the pigsty, Aunt Du had already opened the door. There were already ten pigs in the pigsty. Of course, half of them would be handed over to the pig farm during the New Year, but being able to keep five was enough to make the villagers happy.

In order to serve these ten pigs, everyone worked together. After all, the lard and meat throughout the year depended on these pigs.

Du Jiang and Qian Meili each carried a backpack and went up the mountain to collect grass for the pigs as usual. As for the others, they followed Aunt Du to clean the pig house and cook pig food. In the afternoon, the two groups exchanged positions.

It's frost season now, but there are still a lot of green plants on the mountain, so everyone works in two shifts to prepare enough pig feed before winter comes, otherwise it will be troublesome if the pigs become hungry and thin when they have nothing to eat.

In addition, all the open space in the yard of the pig house is used, and cabbage, pumpkin, etc. are planted there to provide pig food in winter.

"Let's go," Qian Meili glanced at the people sweeping with brooms, and hurriedly pulled Du Jiang up the mountain. Thanks to the relocation of the pig house, it is now much more convenient to go up the mountain. Once you go out, you can reach the foot of the mountain in just a few minutes.