This is the back mountain of Yangshu Village. The mountain is not high, but it stretches endlessly. In the distance, there are dense forests where you might find small animals. Here, you can only gather firewood and dig up some wild vegetables.
Xiao Li found several common herbs, such as plantain and houttuynia cordata, and dug them up. Summer is coming soon, so it would be good to soak them in water and drink them to cool off.
Xiao Li found a small patch of pine mushrooms under the pine tree. She used her remaining spiritual power to activate it and picked half a basketful before heading back down the mountain.
Work had already ended, and most of the educated youth had returned. They were preparing dinner when Xiaoli placed the pine mushrooms in the yard, suggesting they add an extra dish for the evening.
Everyone was pleasantly surprised. It was truly rare to find such fresh and tender pine mushrooms on a day when it wasn't raining.
That evening, Xiao Li enjoyed a delicious mushroom and egg soup, which she found quite tasty. Xiao Qingyu even gave her a friendly look and a smile, which was truly unsettling.
Despite traveling together for so long, Xiao Qingyu had always ignored her, only talking to Guan Miaomiao, and acting all high and mighty.
Xiao Li didn't care. As long as she didn't provoke her, they would live in peace.
"There are currently six female comrades and eight male comrades at the educated youth settlement. Oh, right, one male comrade is on leave and temporarily unavailable. It will be more time-saving and labor-saving for us to eat together. The female comrades will cook, and the male comrades will gather firewood and fetch water. Does anyone have any objections to this arrangement?"
No one objected. Xiang Yang assigned the work at the educated youth settlement. Today, Wen Li and Zhao Hongying, both veteran educated youth, were to cook. Xiao Li and Wang Fen, both veteran educated youth, formed a team and were scheduled to cook tomorrow. Guan Miaomiao and Xiao Qingyu formed a team for the day after tomorrow. The three teams would take turns cooking.
Back in the room, she saw Xiao Qingyu and Guan Miaomiao whispering to each other while glancing at Xiao Li. Guan Miaomiao looked a little embarrassed; was she eyeing Xiao Li's labor? Xiao Li's ears were sharp; she heard everything, whether she should or shouldn't have.
Sure enough, a little while later, Guan Miaomiao came over. "Xiaoli, can you cook? Neither of us can. If you cook for us, we'll pay you three yuan a month. Is that okay?"
Guan Miaomiao looked very sincere. Judging from Tang Xiaoli's clothes, she didn't seem like a rich person. She must be short of money. We are doing this to help her.
Xiao Li looked at Guan Miaomiao and didn't sense any malice. This kind of "for your own good" was really a bit of a headache. She thought for a moment and said, "You can go to the next room and ask if there's anyone who can help you. I probably can't help you."
Xiao Qingyu pouted, "What are you pretending for? Look at the patches on your clothes, they're all over your collar. We're just trying to help you out because we feel sorry for you, and you don't even appreciate it?"
Guan Miaomiao grabbed Xiao Qingyu and said to Xiao Li with a smile, "Xiao Li, don't mind her. Qingyu is just a soft-hearted person with a sharp tongue. She just speaks her mind."
Before Xiaoli could speak, the two of them went out, and Guan Miaomiao's voice could still be heard from the doorway.
"Qingyu, how could you say that? It's so hurtful. We can just ask someone else for help. We all live in the same house, so we should stick together."
"I know, Miaomiao, you're just too kind. We meant well."
★
Xiao Li looked at the patches on her clothes and also felt they were a bit of an eyesore. She took out her sewing kit, rummaged through the rest of her clothes, and started embroidering on the patches.
Before long, a variety of fancy patches were freshly made: five-pointed stars, daisies, cartoon animals, hearts, butterflies, grass, and all sorts of other designs...
The most amazing thing is that the patch on the hem of a garment is embroidered into a field of ripe wheat, which is so lifelike and vivid.
After finishing, Xiaoli went to sleep. She tried to circulate her cultivation technique, but the spiritual energy was too weak, so she didn't try again and went to sleep directly.
I slept without any dreams.
The air on the back mountain was particularly fresh in the morning. Xiao Li returned after meditating for an hour, just as Wang Fen got up. She went to the kitchen to cook together.
"Little Pear, you're up really early. Did you go for a walk?"
"Yes, I went for a run to exercise."
Xiao Li has a strong learning ability. She learned how to use the earthen stove after watching it once. Wang Fen is also very enthusiastic. She will teach you whenever you ask. The two of them worked together to quickly make breakfast.
It was basically corn porridge with some pickled vegetables. After eating, Xiaoli returned to her room, ate two eggs and a piece of mung bean cake, and then packed her things to go to work.
She was wearing a straw hat, and Xiao Qingyu was stunned when she saw it. The patches on her clothes looked so strange, yet so beautiful! Was that a little kitten? She really wanted to embroider one on her own clothes. What should she do?
Receiving Xiao Qingyu's envious and jealous gaze, Xiao Li felt secretly smug, hehe~
"Why didn't we think of buying a straw hat? The sun is so strong, what if we get sunburned?" Xiao Qingyu complained to Guan Miaomiao.
"We'll go buy it after work, let's just wait a bit," Guan Miaomiao comforted her.
We arrived at the threshing ground, which was spacious enough to accommodate many people.
"Work hard, don't be afraid of difficulties, rely on your own efforts, and have enough to eat and wear!"
The brigade leader said a few words of encouragement and then began to assign tasks. Xiaoli was assigned the task of weeding. She followed the squad leader to the assigned field. The squad leader was a woman in her thirties.
“My name is Sun Lihua. Actually, you and I share the same name by one character. You can call me Aunt Sun or Aunt Lihua, it’s fine either way.”
Xiao Li liked this kind of cheerful person, so she nodded and called out, "Aunt Lihua." Sun Lihua responded. She also liked this girl quite a bit; she was generous and had a sweet smile.
I demonstrated how to pull weeds, and specifically pointed out the corn seedlings to Xiaoli so she wouldn't pull the wrong ones.
"This part is all yours. Just finish it before you leave work today. Do a good job, and call me if you need anything. I'm going to get to work now."
Xiao Li only started pulling weeds after Sun Lihua left. This job looked simple, but it was actually very hard on the hands. The grass roots were difficult to pull, required a lot of force, and were easy to break. Bending over for a while made her back ache and hurt, but none of this could stop her.
She grasped the grass, channeled her spiritual power, and controlled the wood-type spiritual energy to enter the weed from her fingertips, absorbing its vitality. With a pull, it came out, but a section still broke off.
She thought for a moment, then placed her left hand on the ground. Earth-elemental spiritual energy surged out, and the soil near the weeds loosened. She then pulled the weeds with her right hand, and this time they came out easily with intact roots.
It's a bit slow, but it removes the buds quite cleanly.
Xiao Li wasn't in a hurry. She slowly pulled weeds in her plot of land, her pace quickening. She discovered that her spiritual energy maintained a strange balance, absorbing the vitality of the weeds, releasing earth-elemental spiritual energy, absorbing again, releasing again...
After a morning of practice, her spiritual energy had become more refined, which was an unexpected bonus.
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