"Lin Qiao, you were sitting in the front perfectly fine, why did you switch?" The homeroom teacher was a little displeased.
In her eyes, a good student is someone like Gao Xiaolan, who even came in first in the grade last time and is her prized student.
If Lin Qiao hadn't been sitting next to her, she wouldn't have given her a second glance.
Lin Qiao didn't mind her unfriendly gaze and deliberately covered her nose, saying:
"Because there was a strange smell around me, it was so smelly."
As he spoke, he deliberately glanced at Gao Xiaolan.
Gao Xiaolan has pimples on her face and is taking Chinese medicine; she does indeed smell of Chinese medicine on her body.
The classroom erupted in laughter.
"Alright, since you want to change, then go to the last row."
The homeroom teacher gave the order in an annoyed tone.
Lin Qiao picked up her schoolbag and walked to the last row, only to find that there was only one empty seat. Her deskmate was a boy named Li Jianfeng.
In his first year of high school, this boy skipped classes, smoked, drank, fought, and committed all sorts of misdeeds. But this semester, he suddenly changed his ways, coming to class every day and never being late or leaving early.
"Hello." Lin Qiao sat down, and he actually took the initiative to greet her and even pulled out a chair for her.
Lin Qiao forced a smile and nodded, which was considered a greeting.
When her sister-in-law started school, she told her that studying is always her own responsibility and that she shouldn't expect the teacher to give her special guidance. She also said that it didn't matter if she sat in the back. She decided to study hard and try to get a good score today, so that she might have a chance to participate in the county's factory recruitment.
......
As the wedding day approached, the clothes Wang Xiufen had made were all finished one after another.
Some were couples, including the bride and groom, while others were just the couple themselves and Lin Qiao.
Jiang Ning said that she would take this opportunity to buy everyone a few sets of clothes.
Wang Xiufen put on her red silk blouse, buttoned it up, and tears welled up in her eyes.
"I never imagined I would ever wear such gorgeous clothes in my lifetime."
Aunt Luo looked on with envy: "Oh dear, back when Tie Gang got married, he used all the family's money to buy furniture and quilts. He didn't have any money to buy clothes for himself. His clothes were all patched on top of patched."
Wang Xiufen comforted her, "You still have a son, I'll make one for you too."
"I'm not that lucky!" Aunt Luo quickly waved her hand.
"Last time, I had to pay Captain Gao's family 500 yuan, which almost ripped me off. All the money I had saved for Guangming's wedding went into it."
I'm so worried, when will this kid ever get married!
"Mom, stop worrying about my marriage. I've said I won't consider it for the next few years!" A rough male voice suddenly rang out.
Luo Guangming suddenly appeared carrying two pheasants.
Aunt Luo's eyes lit up when she saw the pheasant: "Son, where did this come from?"
"Caught in the mountains."
After Luo Guangming finished speaking, Jiang Ning and Lin Chen returned through the bamboo grove behind the house.
Lin Chen carried even more: three pheasants and two gray rabbits, and his basket on his back was also full.
He emptied the contents of his basket; it was a rare type of mushroom found in the area: the fir fungus.
These fir mushrooms are delicious, but extremely rare, as they have very demanding growing requirements and are practically impossible to find.
Unexpectedly, Jiang Ning picked more than ten kilograms in one go.
There are also wood ear mushrooms. People occasionally pick a few from under rotten wood, but it is extremely rare to find a large clump like today, weighing at least three or four pounds.
Lin Chen set aside some of the pine mushrooms and wood ear fungus for Luo Guangming to take back.
Luo Guangming was embarrassed.
"Brother Chen, if it weren't for your wife, I probably wouldn't have been able to catch these two pheasants. I can't possibly accept so many."
"Just take it. You can't sell these things, you'll have to eat them anyway. Fresh pine mushrooms taste better, and wood ear mushrooms can't be kept overnight, otherwise they'll become poisonous. You should take them back now."
Lin Chen thought he was really slow, so he put the things in his hands and pushed him away.
Aunt Luo laughed as she looked at the food: "Your Ningning is such a lucky star. She's never seen so much wild game before. We're getting some good food too today."
After the items were divided, Aunt Luo and Luo Guangming went home.
Wang Xiufen put away the new clothes and started boiling water.
Jiang Ning told her to rest and offered to start the fire herself, but she pushed her away.
"The stove is full of ash, don't get your clothes dirty."
"Mom, people outside say that you do all the housework. I don't want to be remembered badly!" Jiang Ning said, tugging at her clothes and acting coquettishly.
Wang Xiufen feigned surprise:
"Who? Which shameless person is gossiping behind my back? I'll scratch him to death! Don't listen to them, they're just jealous. They're not lucky enough to marry such a good daughter-in-law, so they belittle others to find psychological balance!"
"How much chores can there be around the house? Ah Chen carried the water, you all washed your own clothes, and cooking isn't that tiring! If Ah Chen doesn't get married, does that mean I won't eat?"
Jiang Ning chimed in, "Yes, Mom is right. She's not the little wife who used to be bullied by Grandma anymore. Now she's the pillar of our family."
Lin Chen watched the water in the pot boil, then put a pheasant in to scald it, preparing to pluck its feathers.
"Mom, look at your face now, it's so smooth, there aren't any wrinkles at all. You're so young, shouldn't you consider finding a partner?"
By all accounts, Wang Xiufen has been a widow for more than ten years.
Wang Xiufen blushed and said, "What are you saying? I'm so old, what am I still looking for!"
He said that, but he was actually very happy.
Actually, there are other women in the village like her. Generally, when a man loses his wife, he will remarry after a few years. However, a widow who remarries has to endure more gossip. Some sons, afraid of being talked about, explicitly forbid their mothers from having such thoughts.
The main concern is that the daughter-in-law might complain behind his back, saying he doesn't help with childcare and is shameless.
Jiang Ning knew how much Wang Xiufen had suffered in her previous life, tormented by Lin Zhoushi. Although Lin Zhoushi took her away after returning to the city, Wang Xiufen stayed at home every day without any friends. In the end, after her first grandson died unexpectedly, she also went to the city.
When she lived in the city, there was an uncle next door who took good care of her. If they are destined to meet, they should be able to meet again in two years.
Soon, Lin Chen plucked all the pheasant's feathers, then took the pot off the stove and placed it directly on the fire to burn off the stray feathers, making it sizzle and ooze oil.
The pheasant was quite plump, weighing at least four or five pounds.
The group discussed it and decided to have pheasant stewed with matsutake mushrooms.
Just thinking about the taste made Lin Chen's mouth water. He remembered that the last time he ate this was more than ten years ago when his father was still alive.
Just as the group was working together to chop up the chicken, sprinkle it with pine mushrooms, and start stewing it, Tiger's shouts came from outside:
"Uncle Chen, hurry and see! A fight has broken out at the educated youth settlement."
"Tiger, what's going on?" Lin Chen asked while washing his hands.
Tiger's face was flushed red from running, and he was panting heavily.
"It's...it's Uncle Tao and Company Commander Gao who got into a fight. My uncle sent me to call you."
Lin Chen's face darkened. Gao Baoliang usually paid special attention to uniting the members, so why did he fight with Lin Tao?
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