All was quiet, save for the twinkling stars in the night sky, their light reflecting off the moon and silently illuminating the earth. Only the mountain breeze provided companionship, playing a gentle melody to lull one to sleep.
Shen Mu Ning cultivated until midnight, and this peaceful scene greeted her. The fatigue from not getting enough rest for more than half a month was now evident, and the gentle breeze and bright moon accompanied her to sleep.
She slept soundly through the night, and it wasn't until dawn was breaking that Wei Sheng and Zhuang Xue, who were getting up to wash and cook, woke Shen Mu Ning up.
Hearing the sounds of the other educated youth washing up outside, Shen Mu Ning decided not to stay in bed any longer. Her eyes, now open, shone brightly, the fatigue from the long journey completely gone.
Shen Mu Ning greeted the educated youth and then went about washing up and exercising on her own.
Everyone watched as Shen Mu Ning ran five laps around the educated youth compound and then practiced physical skills in front of her own door.
The older educated youths all ate quickly to avoid being late for work, and Zhang Jiayang, Lin Siqi, and He Xiaolan also ate much faster.
However, among these people, a few were still glancing at Shen Mu Ning out of the corner of their eyes, wanting to know just how powerful her physical techniques were, and where she had learned them.
Shen Mu Ning ignored the curious or gloomy looks from those people. She was now practicing physical skills so that her abilities would have a legitimate origin. As long as everyone knew that she had martial arts skills, it would be reasonable for her to do anything in the future.
As for whether the people here have bad intentions towards her, there's no need to worry too much; she'll just deal with whatever comes her way.
The former educated youth hurriedly finished their meals and went to work. Summer was hot, especially with the midday sun. Therefore, for the sake of their health, they usually started work an hour early in the morning and rested longer at noon to avoid the sun. Thus, they now start work at six in the morning.
When Shen Mu Ning heard the veteran educated youth explaining the work hours to them, she felt that the brigade leader and secretary of Xinshan Brigade were indeed good officials who cared about the people.
After finishing her physical training, Shen Mu Ning quickly returned to her space to clean herself up and then ate the steamed buns she had packed from the state-run restaurant in Chun City.
She doesn't have any cooking utensils right now, so it's hard for her to cook. Even if she borrows the kitchen at the educated youth settlement, it's still difficult to prepare meat. She might as well make do with whatever she can eat for now, and she'll be able to eat better once she gets her cooking utensils back today.
"Knock knock knock." The knocking sounded at the door. It was Lin Siqi and the other two outside. The three of them had discussed going to the commune together during their meal. They all wanted to send letters home and also wanted to buy some small trinkets for daily use.
Lin Siqi thought Shen Mu Ning would probably go too, so she wanted to ask her, "Mu Ning, the three of us are planning to go to the commune, do you want to come along?"
"Yes, I'll go. I didn't know that I could live and cook alone in the countryside, so I didn't prepare any kitchen utensils. I need to go and buy some." Shen Mu Ning heard Lin Si Qi's question as soon as she opened the door. Of course, she was going; otherwise, how would she get her kitchen utensils out?
Zhang Jiayang couldn't help but sigh, "Yeah, that's true. I feel like the Xinshan Brigade is pretty good. We can even live alone."
Before going to the countryside, he had heard about the hardships of rural life. The educated youth were basically lazy and ignorant of farming, and the living conditions were very poor. They all wanted to return to the city. He didn't expect that the conditions in Xinshan Brigade were relatively good.
Shen Mu Ning nodded, but inwardly she thought: Of course, as a shrewd character created by the author, the brigade leader and secretary of Xinshan Brigade were incredibly well-coordinated in generating revenue for the brigade. With these educated youths, these suckers, around thirty yuan could buy a house, which could be rented to the educated youths for ten yuan a year. After the educated youths left, these houses would still belong to the brigade. How cost-effective!
However, it must be said that the Xinshan Brigade described in the book was indeed a place that many educated youth longed for. At least the brigade leader was fair in his dealings and did not show favoritism towards the locals. Therefore, as long as the educated youth worked hard, they could live a good life.
"Hey, Mu Ning, we only have the stove for heating the kang (a traditional heated bed) in our house. How are you going to cook in the middle of summer? The kang will get hot as soon as you burn firewood." It's no wonder Lin Siqi only remembered this now. In her previous life, she had always eaten communal meals and was tricked into getting married in the early spring of her second year in the countryside. So she had never considered cooking for herself.
Shen Mu Ning replied, "I know that the stove is very hot in the summer, so I plan to buy a coal stove to cook in the summer."
"Yes, that's a good idea. Most city dwellers use it for cooking. If you find it too hot to put inside, you can put it outside. It's quite convenient."
Lin Siqi and Zhang Jiayang nodded in agreement, saying that the coal stove was convenient to use.
Shen Mu Ning and the other three chatted and laughed as they walked toward the commune. Perhaps because they had rested well yesterday and He Xiao Lan hadn't caused any trouble today, the four of them arrived at the commune in just one hour and forty minutes.
"Mu Ning, we're going to mail a letter first, then go to the supply and marketing cooperative. Do you want to come?" Lin Siqi, Zhang Jiayang, and He Xiaolan had already planned to mail the letter first, and they didn't know what Shen Mu Ning's arrangements were.
"You guys go ahead, I'll go see if the supply and marketing cooperative sells coal stoves. If they do, I'll wait for you there. If not, I'll have to go to the county town to buy some as soon as possible. If you don't see me at the supply and marketing cooperative, go back home after you've bought your things."
Shen Mu Ning has no one to send letters to anymore. Just like in her previous life, she now lives alone and doesn't need any emotional support.
"Comrade Shen, your family must be very worried about you coming to the countryside. Aren't you going to write to your family?" He Xiaolan asked Shen Muling tentatively. If she wasn't going to write home, how could she be so confident in buying furniture and kitchenware?
"No, you guys go and mail the letter." All she had were relatives, Shen Guoliang. She had no contact with any of the other cousins or uncles in the Shen family, so who could she mail the letter to?
"Then we'll be going now. Mu Ning, be careful when you go to the county town." Lin Siqi is now fifty years old at heart, and she can't help but worry when she looks at Shen Mu Ning's fair and tender face, even though she knows that Shen Mu Ning is a cautious person.
Shen Mu Ning smiled leisurely: "Okay, I understand. I'll be careful. I'll be back after I buy the kitchenware, so don't worry."
She had noticed before that Lin Siqi always treated her like a child when they were together, perhaps because she was older in her previous life. However, Shen Mu Ning remembered that Lin Siqi didn't seem to exhibit this behavior in the novel.
Shen Mu Ning was also surprised. Given her timid and cowardly demeanor in the novel, Lin Si Qi hadn't taken her seriously in either her past or present life. It was only because she became Shen Mu Ning that she had any interaction with the female lead.
After parting ways with Lin Siqi and the others, Shen Mu Ning walked quickly toward the supply and marketing cooperative. After just a quick glance, Shen Mu Ning knew that there was nothing she wanted there.
If she hadn't come to the supply and marketing cooperative with Lin Siqi and the others today, she could have simply taken those things out at the commune and made up an excuse to get away with it.
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