The fifth watch. The fifth watch.

“If I tell you not to go, will you just not go? Anyway, apart from you, no one else in our village goes up the mountain when it snows.”

I reckon it will be dark by the time you get to the pool.

"Let's go take a look. If it's really not feasible, we won't go up."

"Okay, go ahead."

"Third Uncle, don't worry, I'll go with you. I know what I'm doing."

"Okay, be careful, and remember to bring extra rope. Also, bring matches."

"Dad, I want to go too," Er Ya said hesitantly to Liu Maocai.

“Go, Hongmei, you will definitely go.”

"Dad, can I go?"

"No way. You'd better keep it with you." Stone's reply deflated.

"Stone, it's alright. Come to my house later to get a basin and go to the livestock shed to get some goat milk. I'll make you some goat milk steamed buns."

"Fine, I'll give you something good to eat even if you don't let me go. Dad, I'm almost ten years old." Stone was still making a last-ditch effort.

"Are you looking for a beating?"

The stone immediately lost its power, and everyone held back their laughter.

Li Cuihua didn't use Er Ya and Zhang Hongmei's weapons; she let them go play.

"Sister Erya, let's go make bean paste. Even if we can't get goat milk, we can still steam bean buns."

"Okay, I'll make the bean paste. I think I can make it better than you."

"Then you do it, and I'll save myself the trouble. I hope you can do everything better than me in the future, so I won't have to do anything."

"I'd love to, but I don't have the ability. I'd also like to go to university in the capital, even if it's not a university in the capital."

Zhang Hongmei remained silent. If, like in her previous life, she would have to drop out of school in less than a year, how would she possibly take the college entrance exam? She couldn't comfort her, nor could she lie to her friend or say anything hypocritical.

"Sister Er Ya, I believe in you. I believe that no matter what happens, you will never give up on your studies. Isn't that right, Sister Er Ya?"

"Yes, I wouldn't have picked up my books again if you weren't my role model."

Liu Jingze followed behind them, narrowing his eyes. What's wrong with this girl? What does she mean by that?

Before the three of them even got home, they saw the old headmaster being brought over by a village child.

"Grandpa, what brings you here?"

Liu Jingze walked ahead and said, "Hongmei, let's go home first."

"Okay, I came here to tell you that we're moving in the day after tomorrow."

"Is it done?"

"Yes, it's all taken care of."

"Let's go to the village chief's house together."

"Principal, you haven't eaten yet, have you? Hongmei, you guys go to the village chief's house, I'll go home and cook."

"No need, I came over after lunch. Let's get this done quickly."

The four arrived at Wang Hongxi's house. "Is the village chief home?"

"Hongmei, come in quickly! Jingze is here too? Erya, come in quickly. And this guest, come in and warm up." The village chief's wife warmly invited them into the house.

"Jingze, is there something you need?"

"Yes, Uncle Hongxi, this is the principal of our township primary school. He retired this year and wants to come and live in our village."

"Oh, I can't make the decision by myself. Er Ya, you go and tell your dad to go to your great-grandmother's house. Jing Ze, we'll go to your house too."

When the group arrived at Liu Jingze's house, Liu Maocai also came over. Only the three of them were inside discussing things, while Zhang Hongmei and the others were drinking water in Liu Changhe's room.

A short while later, Liu Maocai arrived and said, "Please come inside with me, sir."

After a while, the other three people, except for the old lady, came out, and the old principal had a smile on his face.

It seems this has worked out. Zhang Hongmei finally felt relieved.

“Uncle Village Chief, let the old principal stay at my Uncle Zhang’s house. It’s not good if no one lives in the house.”

"Okay, it's up to you to decide."

Zhang Hongmei led the former principal to the front door of Zhang Xingguo's house. "Principal, this is the house where you will live in the future."

"It's pretty good. I'll find some furniture to move over tomorrow."

"Okay, I'll clean the house in a bit, and we can move in tomorrow."

"Okay, thank you."

"Principal, let Zhuzi take you home on his bike."

"No need, let's walk back. The road is too slippery, it's not safe to ride a bike."

"Sister Erya, you go make the bean paste, I'll tidy up the house."

"Okay, when Stone comes back later, tell him to call Brother Zhu and have him do the work."

"No need, Er Ya, Hong Mei, the two of us can get it done in no time."

Zhang Hongmei opened the door, found some red beans for Er Ya, and then took the keys to the neighbor's.

When they arrived at Zhang Xingguo's house, there wasn't much to do. The yard was covered in snow, but Li Cuihua still managed to shovel a path through it. She also shoveled the snow off the roof. All that was left was to clean the house.

Zhang Hongmei went inside and packed up Zhang Xingguo and Zhang Shouyi's personal belongings, then had Liu Jingze move them into Zhang Aiguo and his wife's room in her own home.

"Hongmei, isn't it inappropriate for you to make decisions for others like this?"

"It's alright. The chances of them coming back to live at home are too slim. It's not good to leave the house empty. Besides, they entrusted everything to me when they left. Don't worry, Brother Jingze, everything will be fine."

Sweeping and wiping took quite a while.

When the two returned, Er Ya's bean paste was ready, and Shi Tou also came into the house with them.

"Is everything packed?"

"Yes, everything is cleaned up, you can move in now."

Zhang Hongmei washed her hands carefully, then went to find brown sugar. She first scooped out a large bowl of bean paste, mixed it with brown sugar, took a big bite, and squinted her eyes in satisfaction.

"Are you two going to eat or not?"

Er Ya shook her head. Liu Jingze took the bowl and spoon from Zhang Hongmei's hand, took a big bite, and thought it was just so-so. He really couldn't understand where Zhang Hongmei's sense of satisfaction came from.

Then I handed it to Shi Tou and gave it all to him.

"Hongmei, you should rest for a while. I'm going back now."

“Hongmei, we’re going home too. Are you coming for dinner later? If not, I’ll call you back.”

"Sister Erya, you can just send it back to Shitou to eat. I'm really tired, I'll just lock the door and go to sleep after you leave."

After Er Ya and the others left, Zhang Hongmei locked the door and went straight into the space.

I took a hot bath in the spring water and then lay comfortably in bed to sleep.

When I woke up, I left the space and quickly started kneading dough. I kneaded three large basins of dough, using goat milk.

I'm afraid it won't rise if I leave it by the stove. Even if I used yeast, it's too cold for that. I'll wait until tomorrow morning to put it in my space to rise.

The old headmaster is moving in tomorrow, so please remember to put extra food in the storeroom. There are too many people to eat here.

My plans to go up the mountain tomorrow are ruined; I have to stay home and help out. I'll have to go the day after tomorrow, and I absolutely can't afford to delay any longer.

Liu Jingze was chatting with the old lady while lying on the kang (a heated brick bed).

"Jingze, you've taken a liking to Hongmei? Are you sincere? Don't you have any other motives?"