*
Soon it will be the 28th day of the lunar year, the last day of the year when collective labor is required.
Moreover, five pigs were brought to the brigade square for slaughter today. These were the pigs left over after the state requisitioned them. All the pigs will be slaughtered today and then distributed to the brigade members according to their numbers.
Guoyou told her that the pig slaughtering in the brigade every year was particularly interesting, so she and Guoyou and his group of kids finished cutting pig feed early and squatted together in the square to watch the pig slaughter.
Nan Qing sat on her little stool as always, with a lollipop in her mouth. Oh, it should be said that the dozen or so children squatting nearby all had a lollipop in their mouths.
She watched as four or five men worked together to lift the pig onto the chopping board, and several of them held the large, fat pig down tightly. At that moment, a butcher holding a gleaming butcher knife muttered incantations.
However, due to the distance, Nanqing couldn't hear what he was saying clearly, but she could vaguely hear blessings such as "prosperity," "harvest," and "peace."
Immediately afterwards, the butcher's knife precisely pierced the pig's neck, and the blood gushed into the basin on the ground.
Meanwhile, the row of children squatting on Nanqing's side also excitedly exclaimed "Wow!" However, some of the timid ones covered their eyes with their hands, not daring to look over there.
Some of the bolder ones even moved closer to the center of the square to take a look. They carefully licked their lollipops while their eyes gleamed as they stared intently at the big, fat pig that was howling and struggling.
Of course, among the bolder ones was none other than the little goddess Nan Qing.
Nan Qing, who was intently watching the dismemberment of the large fat pig, suddenly felt someone standing next to her. She turned her head and saw that it was Lin Shuhao, the youngest son of Captain Lin.
It is said that he studied at a university in the city, so he only came back a few days ago. Nanqing has met him a few times. He seems to be a very refined person, quite different from the others in the brigade.
However, she wasn't familiar with him, so she just nodded to him and then turned back to look at the pig distribution.
But as soon as she turned her head, Jeremy Lin handed her an apple. Confused, she turned her head to look at him.
Jeremy Lin felt a little nervous when he saw Nan Qing's beautiful eyes looking at him so closely, and even his words were a little stuttered.
"This is for you, Sheng, the educated youth."
Apples were a rare commodity at this time, and they were generally not available at supply and marketing cooperatives. Although Nanqing enjoyed eating all kinds of delicious food, she wouldn't eat just anything that was given to her.
Moreover, this was an era of scarcity, and who knows how much the Lin family had spent to get that apple? She wasn't even familiar with them, so it was even less likely that she would accept it.
So Nan Qing smiled politely at Jeremy Lin and declined, saying:
"Thank you, Comrade Shuhao, but I can't accept this. Please take it back and give it to Uncle Lin and the others."
Nanqing's refusal made him a little anxious. He handed the apple to Nanqing again, suppressing his nervousness and embarrassment, and looked up into Nanqing's eyes before saying:
“We still have some at home. This one was specially saved for Sheng, the educated youth.”
After saying this, he immediately shoved the apple into Nan Qing's hand, then turned and walked away, walking faster and faster, completely ignoring Nan Qing calling his name from behind.
Nan Qing watched his departing figure, then looked at the apple in his hand, feeling somewhat lost. Wasn't it said that gay men in this era were very reserved?
She felt it wasn't quite subtle enough...
Before she could think any further, the apple in her hand was immediately taken away by another large hand. Nan Qing looked up at the owner of that hand.
"He Monian? Are you done with your work?" Seeing He Monian staring at the apple, she assumed he wanted to eat it and quickly explained:
"Jeremy Lin insisted on giving me this apple, and I was thinking of returning it to him later."
Upon hearing this, He Monian's tightly pursed lips finally relaxed slightly. His Adam's apple bobbed as he said:
"Okay, I'll go return it for you. If you want to eat apples, I'll get you some better ones."
Nan Qing quickly waved her hand and said no need. She had just received another package from her mother in Beijing a few days ago. It contained a lot of fruit. Although she had finished eating the apples, she still had a lot of tangerines and persimmon cakes, and even several frozen pears.
He Monian didn't say anything more after hearing Nan Qing's words. He just told her to wait for him there while he went to return the apple to Jeremy Lin. They would then pick up the pork and go home together.
After receiving Nan Qing's reply, He Monian carried the small apple and walked towards Captain Lin's house.
He was watching from not far away when Jeremy Lin gave Nan Qing the apple. After Jeremy Lin came back, he deliberately waited for Nan Qing to pass by near the team's scoring area several times. He had seen it several times. He didn't expect that today he would directly approach his Qingqing while he was not around.
Jeremy Lin was different from the other men in the team. He was good-looking, fair-skinned, and well-read. Many of the women in the team liked him.
So when Jeremy Lin and Nan Qing were talking just now, He Monian was genuinely afraid that Nan Qing would take the apple.
Fortunately, Nanqing didn't accept it; Lin Guohao forced it on her himself!
When He Monian arrived at Captain Lin's house, no one was home. The brigade leader and Aunt Lin had gone to the square, so he stood in the yard and called out Jeremy Lin's name.
Jeremy Lin immediately responded from inside the house, then pushed open the curtain and came out. Seeing that it was He Monian, he assumed he was there to see his father, and so he said:
"Brother Nian, you're here to see my dad, right? He's over there in the square. Go check over there."
He Monian didn't speak, but stepped forward and put the apple back into Jeremy Lin's hand. Then he turned to leave, but stopped after taking only two steps, tilted his head slightly, and said in a deep voice:
"Keep the apple for yourself. Don't go looking for Nanqing anymore. She's my girlfriend, and we've already met each other's parents. We'll be getting married soon."
After saying this, He Monian left Captain Lin's house, while Jeremy Lin stared in disbelief at his retreating figure.
Sheng, the educated youth... is Nian Ge's girlfriend? And they've even met each other's parents?? How come his dad never mentioned her?
Jeremy Lin belatedly looked at the apple in his hand, and he suddenly realized that Nian Ge had been watching his little antics these past few days...
Thinking of this, his face turned even redder than the apple in his hand.
After he first met Sheng Zhiqing, he asked his father about her. He genuinely didn't know that Sheng Zhiqing was Nian Ge's girlfriend!
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