Because of Meng Zikang's delay, the two of them didn't get home until after lunchtime.

"Can you cook?" Qi Chang asked Xu Keke, and was somewhat surprised to see her shake her head. "You can't cook?"

"I can do it, but I don't do it very well," Xu Keke replied confidently.

"Then you divide and stack the coal properly, I'll do the cooking." Qi Chang resignedly went to start the fire and cook.

Since the cart couldn't enter the yard, Qi Chang dumped all the coal at the yard gate. According to Meng Dong's memory, the coal had to be divided into different sizes first, then shoveled into a broken basin, and then poured into the coal storage pit.

This method works because there are too many people and too few tools, especially since children can't help carry the coal. However, the coal can be separated beforehand, and the larger pieces can be carried directly inside. Now, Xu Keke, working alone, skipped the first step and simply picked up the larger pieces and put them in a broken basin. Once the basin was full, she carried it inside to empty it.

While she was working, Gao Jiale returned, leading Meng Jia with one hand and Gao Jiaqing by the other.

“Well, your sister kept crying and wanted to come back to you, saying she wouldn’t stay any longer. So I brought her back to you first.”

Xu Keke looked up and saw that Meng Jia's face was clean; she really couldn't tell she had been crying. Xu Keke got up to greet her, but her hands were dirty, so she didn't dare to actually hug her. She could only loosely pull Meng Jia into her arms. "What's wrong? Did you cry?"

Because Gao Jiaqing's cousins ​​called her a "little crybaby," Xiao Mengjia felt that crying was shameful. She hugged Xu Keke's neck and whispered, "I... I only cried for a little while. Brother Jiale said that the coal was ready and he wanted to come back to help you stack it. That's why I told them I missed home and that he brought me back. I didn't cry the whole time."

Gao Jiale? Xu Keke turned to look at him and saw that Gao Jiale had already sat down on the small stool she had just been sitting on. The fifteen-year-old boy's body hadn't fully developed yet, making him appear somewhat immature. He knew Xu Keke was watching him, so he deliberately stared at the coal pile, pretending not to notice. However, his posture was somewhat deliberate and stiff, making it obvious at a glance.

Jiaqing took a coal basket out. Gao Jiale was faster and more skilled than Xu Keke, and filled it up in no time. This basket was much fuller than Xu Keke's basin.

He gripped both sides, pulled hard, and lifted it up to go inside. As he passed the two sisters, he glanced at Xu Keke. His gaze was somewhat complicated, but Xu Keke couldn't understand it.

"Dinner's ready! Hey, Jiale's back! Have you eaten? I didn't make any noodles for you." Qi Chang was about to come out to call Xu Keke when he saw Gao Jiale in the yard and teased him.

Gao Jiale, “…”, then what are you asking?

"We've already eaten, why haven't you eaten yet? Have you been starving?"

As Gao Jiale poured the coal into the pool, he looked back and saw that Xu Keke had just entered the yard.

"We ran into some trouble on the way and were delayed." Xu Keke didn't want to say more and went to wash her hands at the tap in the yard. Turning around, she saw Qi Chang and Gao Jiale standing one after the other, with Xiao Jiaqing trailing behind. They looked like a set of nesting dolls. Big, medium, and small, even their skin tones were three shades, progressing from black to white.

"What are you looking at?" Qi Chang called to her. "Come and eat quickly, it'll get cold. Ask your sister if she wants to eat, maybe we can share some."

Meng Jia didn't eat; she went outside with Jia Qing to collect coal.

Xu Keke followed Qi Chang into his room.

Gao Jiale stared in disbelief. Why wasn't Meng Dong afraid of Uncle Qi anymore? The two seemed to have a good relationship. She'd been different since yesterday; just now, his grandmother had said that children don't grow as fast as their mothers. He didn't know if she'd really grown up overnight. But he didn't see how sad she was. His mother, however, said that was what made the child so pitiful. She couldn't rely on anyone now; she had to depend on herself.

His grandmother also said that this person was too sad to cry.

Only her aunts and the others, upon hearing that she wanted to take the college entrance exam, all said she was being delusional. They said she was oversimplifying things. Even those from well-off families might not be able to get in; how could she, with her mother deceased, her father neglecting her, and a younger sister to raise, possibly succeed?

They also said that she should come down to work now and find a man to marry. Then she and her sister would both have someone to rely on.

Gao Jiale thought about what she had heard today, and about Xu Keke saying this morning that she wanted to take the college entrance exam. She didn't seem to be joking. Lost in thought, Gao Jiale picked up her basket and went outside.

Qi Chang made the stir-fried noodles, served with some pickled radish given to him by Aunt Gao.

Xu Keke eats quickly to begin with, and when she heard that the coal outside hadn't stopped and Gao Jiale was still helping her move it, she ate even faster.

Qi Chang didn't urge her to slow down and ate with her. Xu Keke was quite experienced in helping with the dishes after eating at other people's homes.

She put the empty bowl into the noodle pot, carried the pot to the tap outside, and then turned to Qi Chang and said, "Leave it here for now, I'll wash it later."

Seeing that Qi Chang wanted to go out with her, she said, "No, it's just a small job of moving things in. Jiale can help me. You should go back and get some sleep. Your eyes are bloodshot."

Qi Chang couldn't see, nor did he know if his eyes were truly red. He only saw a faint reflection of himself in the little girl's large eyes.

"Uncle Qi, go back inside and sleep. There's not much left outside. Just four more baskets and we'll be done." Gao Jiale was carrying baskets in and, following Xu Keke's advice, persuaded Qi Chang.

"Okay, you guys go ahead and do your work. I'm going to go in and take a nap. Once you've washed the pots and pans, just put them in the kitchenette for me."

After Qi Chang returned to the house, Gao Jiale finished emptying the coal and followed Xu Keke out of the courtyard gate.

“Mengdong, are you really going to take the college entrance exam? My aunt said that it’s not easy to get into college. Last year, fifteen students from our school got in, but six of them didn’t go because of their families.”

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