Du Jiang nodded and followed Qian Meili up the mountain. The two walked up the mountain road. The space below had almost been occupied by the villagers. After walking for a while, they found a lush place. Du Jiang cut grass for pigs while picking herbs nearby.

Qian Meili, who was standing by, watched Du Jiang's actions and smiled. "The price of this cocklebur is average. I picked some last time and couldn't sell them for much money. But I have two eggs."

"Yes, to fill in a little bit," Du Jiang just smiled without further explanation and continued working.

"Du Jiang, do you know? I heard that Brother Huo is going to work at the plastic factory in town." Qian Meili's sudden revelation of the big news shocked Du Jiang, who was a little confused.

"Plastic factory, who told you that?"

"My son Jiefang. Grandma Huo used to work in a pharmacy. My son Jiefang was just about to go find out which herbs were more expensive, and then he heard that Brother Huo was going to work in town." Qian Meili stood up and pounded her waist. "I don't know where Brother Huo got his connections, but if he goes to town, he won't have to work anymore. I guess those women in the village will keep a closer eye on him now."

"I'm keeping a close eye on you, what do you mean?" Du Jiang usually either lives in the dormitory or reads in the house. He is simply devoted to reading the books of sages and doesn't pay attention to what is happening outside the window. Now, after hearing Qian Meili's words, he couldn't help but feel curious.

Qian Meili knew Du Jiang's melancholy, so she immediately told him everything she had heard from the village. She concluded, "Brother Huo is tall and strong, handsome, and efficient at work. It's no wonder that the aunties in the village like him and want to introduce their daughters to him."

"That's true." Du Jiang had heard a little about the villagers' standards for choosing a son-in-law. "By the way, Sister Qian, how are things going with Brother Xu and Sister Yingying?" Du Jiang hadn't seen Du Yingying much since they were surrounded last time, and couldn't help but ask tentatively.

Who knew that just as she finished asking, Qian Meili came over with her backpack. She looked around furtively and then whispered, "I heard they're together, but Aunt Cui isn't satisfied. Besides, the village primary school is being built recently. I heard from the villagers that Du Yingying has a high school diploma, so she will definitely take up one of the teacher's spots. That way, one of the three teachers will be gone, leaving two. I don't know how the village chief will arrange it."

"Three places, isn't that a bit too few?" Du Jiang said uncertainly.

Qian Meili shook her head, as if to say, "You don't know how expensive firewood and rice are until you manage the household." "It's not a small number. Besides, it's just an elementary school. We only learn Chinese and math, and the rest are politics and physical education. Three teachers are from our village, which is not a small number. After all, this school is jointly run with other villages, and we can't have all the teachers from our village."

Thinking that the primary school was located in the open space outside the village entrance, Du Jiang immediately understood. "No wonder they chose that place. It's where the nearby villages meet. I was wondering about that at first, but now I understand."

"My brothers Jiefang and Xu are going to try, and Bai Yongjun will probably go too. As for you, Du Jiang, are you going to take the exam? I see you've been reading textbooks, so I think you can do it."

Unexpectedly, Du Jiang shook his head and refused. "No, the competition is too fierce. Besides, raising pigs is enough for me now. Besides, I go up the mountain to pick herbs from time to time. As for the teacher's question, forget it. I'm afraid I can't do it."

"Why can't you do this?" Qian Meili was puzzled. "Isn't it just teaching? What can't you do? Are you really going to work in the fields all the time? Besides, the smell of raising pigs is so strong. It's not so bad in winter, but the smell in summer is indescribable. You can't always raise pigs in the village, right?"

"Let's raise pigs first," Du Jiang smiled and said nothing more. Qian Meili wanted to say a few words of comfort, but when she thought that if Du Jiang went, He Jiefang would have another competitor, she immediately shut up and said, "Whatever you want."

Seeing the confusion on Qian Meili's face, Du Jiang didn't take it seriously. He continued to cut grass for the pigs and picked some nearby cockleburs and cockleburs from time to time. When the pig grass was almost cut, Du Jiang stopped and followed Qian Meili down the mountain.

After returning to the pigsty and looking at the few people sitting in the house to rest, Du Jiang didn't care. He and Qian Meili immediately put down their backpacks and started to fetch water from the educated youth site. After several trips, they stopped when they saw the water tank was filled.

"Du Jiang, Meili, it's almost done. You should sit down and rest for a while." Aunt Du, the person in charge of the pig house, looked at the two people who were panting and hurriedly stretched out her hand to greet them.

Du Jiang didn't hesitate, and neither did Qian Meili. They both immediately moved the long bench by the wall and sat down.

"Du Jiang, remember to come to Auntie's house for dinner tonight. It's all thanks to you that my sweet girl came to me," Auntie Du invited Du Jiang with a happy face.

Hearing this, Du Jiang didn't hesitate and said, "Okay, Auntie, I met Tianniu on the riverbank this morning, and she told me about it."

"I thought she didn't say that. It's okay. She said it doesn't matter what I said. Auntie will make you something delicious in the evening."

"Okay, then I won't be polite."

Du Jiang and Aunt Du were chatting with each other in a lively atmosphere. The others didn't know what was going on and looked at each other and couldn't help asking Qian Meili.

When Aunt Du heard this, she didn't hide anything and told them how Du Jiang had helped to convey the message to facilitate Li Hongjun's marriage. After she finished speaking, the four people had different expressions, but Du Jiang didn't care. She turned her head and looked at the sun through the window. After saying something to Aunt Du, she got up and left.

"Auntie Du, I'm going to dry the cockleburs."

"Okay, go ahead. The morning is almost over. In the afternoon, you and Meili will clean the pig house, and the others can go to the mountain to cut grass for the pigs."

No one present had any objection to Aunt Du's arrangement. After all, everyone had been doing this since moving from the pig house.

After returning home, Du Jiang spread out the picked cockleburs and Xanthium strumariums under the eaves to dry in the sun, then walked into the afternoon. Because of the cold weather, many vegetables did not grow well, but the carrots he found last time had sprouted a few new shoots.

After walking around the vegetable garden, Du Jiang picked a small cabbage and went back to the house. As soon as he entered the house, he couldn't wait to see the several tattered earthenware jars piled against the wall at the door. There was lush greenery inside, very festive, with green onions, leeks, lettuce and even a small tomato. After pouring water into each earthenware jar, Du Jiang got up and brought the wooden basin next to the stove. The small potatoes inside had already sprouted. Du Jiang didn't care about the planting month. He immediately went to the back of the house to dig some soil and buried the sprouted potatoes underneath. Then he watered it to moisten it. After everything was done, he put the wooden basin back next to the stove.