It wasn't that there wasn't enough food, or that the older educated youth were bullying the new ones, or that one of the educated youth had taken a liking to a girl or boy in the production team.

It could be said that this caused the villagers to keep their distance from the educated youth in the educated youth compound, for fear of getting tainted by them.

But despite all the precautions, nothing could be prevented; something terrible happened.

"Have you heard? Fangfang, the youngest daughter of my third uncle, is on a hunger strike."

"What's going on? What's going on?"

"Yes! Yes! Tell us, tell us quickly!"

"I heard he's dating Cai, the educated youth from the same compound?"

"Will Third Uncle agree?"

"It's not that I disagree, that's why Fangfang is on a hunger strike."

"What did Cai, the educated youth in the educated youth compound, say?"

"That Cai educated youth is clearly not a man; he hasn't shown his face yet. He didn't even come out today when they were distributing grain."

"What did Uncle San's family say?"

"My third uncle said that Fangfang either has to die or get married quickly, but she absolutely cannot marry a sent-down youth."

"This is not a good matter!"

"Who can argue with that? How can a father possibly win against a child?"

"Sigh! The key issue is that this educated youth, Cai, has absolutely no sense of responsibility."

"Who says otherwise! Not only does he lack responsibility, but look at him. Since we came here, how many work points has he earned? Is that enough to eat? If it weren't for the fact that our food supply is relatively good, he would have starved to death long ago."

"That's really true."

"No, when I get back, I have to get the kids together for a meal. I can't bring back a daughter-in-law and son-in-law who's a sent-down youth. That would just be adding to the family's burden."

"Who says it isn't?"

I never expected that this educated youth, Cai, would be like this. But I can only figure this out myself, otherwise I'll be the one who suffers after we get married.

However, she secretly told the team leader's aunt, "Auntie, if my third uncle's family agrees to Fangfang marrying Cai Zhiqing, one of the conditions is that they must register their marriage. Otherwise, if Cai Zhiqing leaves one day, even if you find him, he might not acknowledge it."

"No way, Li Zhiqing, everyone knows you had a banquet in the countryside!"

"That was in the countryside, but in the city, everyone only recognizes marriage certificates. Without a marriage certificate, it's considered promiscuity and you'll be executed."

"Okay, I'll talk to the old man later and have him talk to Third Uncle about it."

When it was time to slaughter the pig for the New Year, the eldest son's sister-in-law came to chat with him and learned that Uncle Zhou's daughter had married Cai, the educated youth.

However, according to my sister-in-law, Uncle Zhou said that from now on, they should pretend that this daughter never existed.

The specific reasons were not mentioned. It was only said that Cai, a educated youth, chose to register his marriage with Zhou Fangfang, moved out of the educated youth compound, found an empty courtyard in the brigade that no one lived in, renovated it, and then got married.

But I still heard from other people that there was a big fight going on at Uncle Zhou's house, especially among his daughters-in-law, who were always complaining that Aunt Zhou was secretly subsidizing her youngest daughter. They were now arguing about dividing the family property.

I also heard that since the last grain distribution, Uncle Zhou's sons not only moved their share of grain from their own rooms to their own rooms, but also distributed the rest of the grain according to their work points.

The old lady was worried that she would use the money to subsidize her youngest daughter, who used to be the youngest daughter of Uncle Zhou's family and didn't work. She just stayed at home doing housework, cooking, and taking care of the children.

Now that she's married, and with a man who earns less work points than the women, her sisters-in-law are all on guard.

Not only that, when Uncle Zhou got married, he didn't give his youngest daughter any dowry. He only let her take her share of food. Now Aunt Zhou secretly sheds tears at home every day.

As for Cai, the educated youth who caused all this, he never showed up. Everyone in the brigade looked down on him, but Zhou Fangfang liked him just the way he was.

I don't know anything else. After the brigade slaughtered the New Year's pig, distributed the last grain before the New Year, and distributed the New Year's bonus, they started slaughtering their own family's New Year's pig.

Since my third brother is still in the army and hasn't returned, I'm still troubling the captain's family. They're giving me five catties of pork, just like before, and I'll wait for my third brother to come back to take care of the rest.

Although Mantou is over a year old now, he's still wearing too many clothes and can't walk very well yet. Whatever I do, I either put him on the kang (heated brick bed) or a larger bed and let him play by himself. As long as I'm within his sight, he's well-behaved and doesn't cry.

However, if you call out "Mommy, Mommy" honestly, he will also say "Mantou, Mantou" when you chat with him.

When he was six months old, after he was able to eat complementary foods, I fed him rice cereal during the day while I was at work, and he still drank milk at night.

The rice used to make the rice porridge is not the rice from my previous space, but rice produced in my space. The rice is peeled, ground into rice flour, and then made into rice porridge. Although it is troublesome, there are no additives in it.

Another thing is the fruit he eats. It's mostly strawberries and the like from the space. But now that he can talk, I don't give him strawberries and blueberries anymore. He only eats fruits that are available outside and also available in the space.

I'm worried that he might remember things and start talking, and then one day he might blurt it out, which would be a real problem.

Other things, like eggs, we've given him plenty to eat. Ever since he could eat solid food, he's consumed several every day. But when his third brother came back, he didn't ask much. He said they had two dogs in their yard, and they could get some more in the village.

However, ever since the autumn harvest, after filling the small jar with eggs, I've only been cooking one egg for him every day.

Now, I basically feed him whatever I eat, the only thing is that the vegetables have to be stewed until very soft, or I soak cornbread or steamed buns in the vegetable broth for him.

As for meat, he wasn't lacking in food. There was plenty of lean meat in the space, which I chopped into minced meat and steamed for him.

When it gets cold, I make soup with bones for him to drink, and I can also secretly send some to my parents in the cowshed.

Not only that, sometimes when Dad was gathering firewood or doing something else on the mountain, he would secretly bring over any pheasants or other wild animals he caught, just in case the children didn't have enough to eat in this place.

How could there be a shortage? Although we weaned him from breast milk, he still drinks the formula from the space.

However, I never gave him any outside to drink; he only drank it once in the morning and once before going to bed at night.

Not only that, but the walnuts, pine nuts, peanuts, sesame seeds, etc. that used to be stored in the empty shelves are roasted in a pot, ground into powder, and then a little bit of sugar is added to make a paste for him to drink, which he loves.

However, once Mantou could walk a little, he didn't want to stay at home anymore. But it was too cold outside, and I was afraid he would catch a cold. So I went to the carpenter uncle and had him make some toys. As long as he could sit and play and didn't fuss about going outside, that would be fine.