When Xie Yuyao returned to the educated youth compound, she saw a scene that seemed familiar:
Wu Lihong and Yang Shumei were preparing lunch. The large pot on the stove emitted an enticing aroma of braised pork, causing the other educated youth waiting nearby to swallow their saliva.
When Wu Lihong, who was picking vegetables, saw her, she was overjoyed: "Yuyao, you're back! The brigade leader gave you an extra 2 jin of wild boar meat, it's on the table."
Xie Yuyao saw a large piece of raw meat on a plate on the table. "How much did the educated youth team get?"
"Three catties! We'll braise it all, and we can have a big meat feast at noon!" Wu Lihong exclaimed excitedly. They rarely cooked so much pork at once; in the past, they would carefully consider how much to cook after slaughtering a pig so they could have several meals.
Now that they had this unexpected windfall, everyone gritted their teeth and decided to cook it all.
"You can decide what to do with the meat on the table. Should we cook it tonight, or make it into smoked bacon? Don't leave it until tomorrow, or it might spoil."
Wu Lihong beamed: "Then let's make smoked bacon. We can add a few slices when stir-frying dishes so it lasts longer."
The educated youth present had been secretly guessing whether Xie Yuyao would share the meat with everyone, and now that they had the answer, they were all very happy.
Although everyone was eating together, these two pounds of meat were Xie Yuyao's sole responsibility. If she really cooked for herself and ate it all by herself, no one could say anything.
But this means I owe her even more favors.
"Thank you, educated youth. I'll help you cut the grass from now on!" The honest Chen Kai expressed his gratitude with his actions.
The male educated youth, He Wenyao, secretly regretted that he was a step too slow and interrupted, "You've already helped Xie fetch water, so let me do it. I'm strong, it won't be a problem."
He discovered that Xie Yuyao was not only beautiful, but also generous and kind. Crucially, her family was very supportive; if he married her, all the good things would be his.
In her past life, Xie Yuyao had seen all sorts of suitors with different motives. She saw through his intentions at a glance and her expression calmed down. "No need, I can do it myself."
She nodded to Chen Kai, then turned and went inside.
Ignoring the stares of others, He Wenyao's expression was dark and unreadable: "Even a strong woman can be won over by a persistent husband. One day you will be mine."
*
After Xie Yuyao returned to her room, she took advantage of the fact that no one was inside to open the box and organize her belongings.
She put all her money and tickets into the box, along with a bag of rice and a bottle of spiritual spring water.
The small gold bars should not be exposed to light; otherwise, it would be even better to add a few more.
With the original owner's belongings, plus money, tickets, and emergency rations, along with the most magical spiritual spring water, she wouldn't be afraid even if her personal space disappeared.
If I gain it, I am fortunate; if I lose it, it is my fate.
With this golden finger in hand, the most urgent task is to seize the time to learn a skill so that one can make a living without relying on space.
As she was pondering, Yang Hongmei walked in. "Yuyao, you don't look well. Were you frightened by the wild boar?"
"I'm fine." Xie Yuyao just couldn't understand why Zhao Honghui, after reconstructing the truth about the wild boar's coma, didn't confront her.
Zhao Honghui should have known she possessed a tranquilizer gun, so wasn't he afraid she would use it to injure someone?
Xie Yuyao's heart was in turmoil throughout the journey. If he showed up and questioned her, she would deny it outright. The tranquilizer gun was a controlled device. Although she could hand it over, she couldn't fabricate its origin.
As long as there is no evidence, she can continue to live a life of hiding.
He's currently hiding in the shadows, perhaps to gather evidence, or perhaps he's treating her like a spy, planning to use a long-term strategy to catch a bigger fish.
No matter which one it is, she can still survive.
As long as she maintains her integrity and avoids revealing any flaws, she will be in no danger.
But no one would be happy to be secretly watched.
But these things could not be told to anyone; she had to bear them alone in silence.
"Are you homesick?" Yang Shumei asked, noticing her preoccupied expression. Most people would miss home after surviving a dangerous situation.
"No." Xie Yuyao smiled and locked the box.
Her parents had an arranged marriage, and after having a son and a daughter, they considered their mission complete and went their separate ways, leaving the family in name only. Her brother was taken to the ancestral home at a young age to be groomed as the heir, and the two siblings saw each other only a few times a year, so there was no real sibling affection between them.
As for the original owner's parents and family, they were no different from strangers to her. She occupied the original owner's body, and out of gratitude for being born, she could at most contribute to her parents' retirement expenses, but nothing more.
Regarding the original owner's forced relocation to the countryside, from a modern perspective, the position belonged to her mother, and her mother could choose whoever she wanted to replace her.
However, if they hadn't given the original owner hope, she wouldn't have felt so heartbroken later. They were the ones who went back on their word; why should the original owner understand their preference for sons over daughters?
*
When the food was served, she wolfed it down, her chopsticks flying everywhere. Unlike the first night she arrived in Qingshan Village, He Wenyao was there to remind Xie Yuyao to hurry up and eat the meat.
"I don't need you to tell me what to do, just mind your own business!" Xie Yuyao said with a dark face, somewhat annoyed. This person looks honest, but he has no sense of propriety at all, and you never know what kind of person he is inside.
Wild boar meat has a stronger gamey smell than white pork, so she didn't eat much of it, instead just chewing on the dry, hard flatbread and drinking water.
He Wenyao mistakenly thought that she was particular about dining etiquette and couldn't bring herself to compete with everyone for meat, so he simply put a piece of braised pork into her bowl.
"What are you doing!" Xie Yuyao was stunned, and the question burst out.
The other educated youth looked up at her and He Wenyao in surprise, not understanding what had happened.
Xie Yuyao was extremely angry, and her sharp eyes shot towards He Wenyao.
People in this era express their feelings very subtly. If someone is a complete stranger and accepts a piece of meat, they are essentially locked into the position of his/her partner!
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