"I need to fatten you up before Tian Tian and the other girl come back; they'll probably really like you."

The little fox nestled quietly in her arms, enjoying the fresh, natural scent of grass and trees emanating from her.

The system sullenly squatted in the corner, drawing circles. Why could everyone leave the space during the Spring Festival, but it could only stay obediently here and couldn't get out? It also wanted its host to kiss, hug, and lift it up high.

The coldest month of January has passed, the sky is clearing up, the heavy snow has stopped, and the temperature is starting to rise.

After being cooped up at home all winter, the older women and aunties, having been unable to go out, picked up their shoes and began to wander around, gossiping about this and that.

Surprisingly, the educated youth settlements that were previously ignored are now the most bustling, especially Gu Zuozuo's. Every day, familiar and unfamiliar aunties and uncles bring their wives and daughters-in-law to chat with Gu Zuozuo and play cards.

The room was too small to accommodate so many people, so they simply moved a small stool to sit under the eaves and basked in the sun. Because her pet fox had been discovered, some children also loved to come to her place to see the fox.

Gu Zuozuo was never stingy. She would treat people to candy, melon seeds, and peanuts when they came. Later, those people were afraid that she would suffer a loss, so they brought their own roasted pine nuts, hazelnuts, walnuts, and peanuts to visit her. Occasionally, they would also bring her some novelties brought back from visiting relatives.

"Of course it's true! Why would I lie to you!"

Liu Ximei slapped her thigh, startling the little fox sleeping in Gu Zuozuo's arms. Gu Zuozuo stroked its fur with a smile, soothing its frightened little heart.

The crowd munched on sunflower seeds, sewed clothes, and stitched shoe soles, listening with great interest as Liu Ximei gesticulated wildly and talked animatedly about the gossip from the surrounding villages.

Among them, the lively atmosphere of the neighboring Red Star Brigade is the most talked about.

"That educated youth was not someone to be trifled with. After a few cries and sobs, that man rushed over like a fool, without even glancing at his own fiancée lying on the ground. Tsk tsk, so men still prefer those gentle and weak ones. Ah! I'm not talking about you, Gu educated youth!"

Gu Zuozuo chuckled. Now, who in the entire Red Flag Brigade would still regard her as a frail person?

She wanted to know who the "educated youth" she mentioned were.

"So, women must be careful when they get married. You are better off now, with free love being encouraged. Unlike in our time, when marriages were arranged by parents and matchmakers, it was like being sold to your husband's family. Even if you were beaten to death, you couldn't mention divorce."

An older woman sighed deeply, stopped sewing shoe soles, and stared blankly as she spoke of a family she had met when she was young.

“Back when I was still a young woman, before Liberation, there was a family in our village where the man had a mistress outside, but didn’t want to give up his hardworking wife at home, so he ran between the two. Later, his wife found out and wanted a divorce, the kind you call divorce. As a result, he was almost beaten to death. His parents-in-law, who were being served so comfortably by her, fanned the flames from the side. In the end, the woman’s legs were broken.”

"And then? And then?"

The aunt drank a cup of sugar water, smacked her lips, and squinted her eyes happily.

"They died. I heard they jumped into a well and died. By then I was already married, so I didn't care about that family anymore."

The crowd sighed in dismay, and some hot-tempered individuals even cursed out loud, their tone filled with disappointment and frustration.

"Die? What do you mean 'die'? She should poison that whole family of heartless bastards first! And they call themselves men? They're just wasting their lives! Cowards who can't even stand up!"

Liu Ximei's lips twitched. There were still unmarried girls here, so why did she have to curse everything?

"Gu Zhiqing! Help!"

A stumbling figure rushed into the educated youth settlement, falling and tumbling all the way in.

"Huh? Daquan? What's wrong with you?"

Aunt Ma, who was closest to the door, exclaimed in surprise when she saw the disheveled man.

"Gu, you educated youth! The brigade leader said you can save lives! Please, please save my wife!"

Ma Quan knelt down with a thud and kowtowed repeatedly to Gu Zuozuo.

"Your wife? Isn't she pregnant and resting at home? What happened to her?"

Ma Quan, a grown man, had tears streaming down his rough, dark face. After Liu Ximei helped him up, he cried so hard he couldn't straighten up.

"My wife went to wash clothes in the river and fell into an ice hole..."

"What the hell? Going to the river to wash clothes? The river isn't even thawed yet, what kind of clothes can you wash there? Besides, isn't your wife eight months pregnant?"

Ma Quan lowered his head, his expression a mixture of frustration, regret, and annoyance.

"Is Aunt Cheng tormenting Sister-in-law Xiuhe again?"