The dog days of summer are unbearably hot.
Farmers in the production brigade would not go out to work during the hottest time of day. They would usually leave early in the morning, come back to rest at noon, and then go out to work again around four or five in the afternoon until dark.
The newly arrived educated youth only worked early morning and late afternoon shifts.
However, the morning sun was very strong, and everyone's skin peeled from the sun.
Ma Chaoyang squatted at the entrance of the cave dwelling, looking in the mirror, touching his face and wailing, "I'm disfigured now—"
Zhang Kangmei, who was sweeping the courtyard with a broom, heard this and turned to look at him in disbelief. "Why are you, a man, so concerned about your appearance? Do you want to be a gigolo?" Looking at the mirror in Ma Chaoyang's hand, she was even more shocked. "You actually brought a mirror!"
They could only bring so much personal luggage, and the educated youth didn't bring anything that wasn't essential.
Even many women have stopped wearing mirrors.
Ma Chaoyang glanced at Zhang Kangmei and said, "Everyone loves beauty. Don't you feel bad when you see your face peeling from the sun?"
"I don't mind!" Zhang Kangmei raised her chin. "This is the glorious mark of the working people!"
Ma Chaoyang: "......"
To be honest, Zhang Kangmei's steely and unwavering proletarian worldview actually made him quite ideologically conscious.
Ma Chaoyang decided that he should stay away from Zhang Kangmei in the future and communicate more with other comrades.
Immediately, Ma Chaoyang went to find Qin Hanshu.
He felt that among so many educated youth, only Qin Hanshu spent money to build a cave dwelling for him to live in, so they must be the same kind of people - unable to endure hardship.
Regardless of whether this conclusion is correct or not, since the incident at the kiln, Ma Chaoyang has indeed felt that Qin Hanshu is more approachable than others, and he is willing to ask her for help when he needs something.
Finding Qin Hanshu in the kitchen, Ma Chaoyang stated his purpose directly, "Hanshu, can I borrow your face cream to apply?"
Qin Hanshu, who was learning how to start a fire: "..."
Zhang Yao, who was teaching Qin Hanshu how to start a fire, was speechless.
Ma Chaoyang explained, "My face was burning from the sun, so I applied some face cream to moisturize it."
Then he said to Qin Hanshu, "Can I borrow this to apply? I'll buy you a new one when we go to town."
At this moment, Zhao Ru said, "You can use mine, you don't need to pay me back."
As she spoke, Zhao Ru tried to go back to the cave dwelling to get it, but Ma Chaoyang stopped her.
He chuckled and said, "No need to trouble you, I'll just use Han Shu's."
Actually, Ma Chaoyang didn't mean anything by it; he just felt he was more familiar with Qin Hanshu and genuinely didn't want to trouble Zhao Ru.
Zhao Ru felt awkward, as if she had been given the cold shoulder. She smiled as if nothing was wrong, but turned away and bit her lip in grievance.
Qin Hanshu got up from the stove and said, "I'll go get it for you."
Ma Chaoyang grinned, "Thank you!"
In the humid summer air, Qin Hanshu doesn't apply anything to her face; the face cream and almond honey she prepared are for winter use.
"Do you want face cream or almond honey?"
Ma Chaoyang thought for a moment and said, "Almond honey, it smells better."
Qin Hanshu said she had too much luggage and needed to look for it, so she told Ma Chaoyang to go back first and she would deliver it to him later.
Ma Chaoyang thanked him again.
Then, Qin Hanshu closed the door of the cave dwelling and entered the space.
She's been eating and sleeping with other people these past few days, and hasn't had a single chance to use her personal space.
After entering the space, she washed her face with spring water and then picked a few plums to eat.
The only fruit trees in the space were peaches, plums, apricots, and cherries. She found a watermelon seed that she had hidden in the corner of the cave when she ate watermelon earlier and scattered it in the space.
Then, Qin Hanshu took a bottle of almond honey and left the space, which took about seven or eight minutes.
"You can take this whole bottle and use it," Qin Hanshu said, handing the almond honey to Ma Chaoyang.
Ma Chaoyang took it and emphasized again, "I'll buy a bottle and return it to you when I go to the county town."
Qin Hanshu said, "Speaking of going to the county town, I think we should make a trip before the autumn harvest. Once the new cave dwelling is finished, we'll definitely need to buy a lot of things."
“That’s right, you’re right!” Ma Chaoyang grinned. “We’re thinking the same thing again!”
"Hmph." A cold laugh rang out as Lin Zhiheng emerged from behind Ma Chaoyang. "If she hadn't told you, are you sure you could remember?"
Then, Lin Zhiheng said calmly, "Excuse me."
Qin Hanshu and Ma Chaoyang, who were blocking the doorway while talking, quickly moved aside.
By the time Ma Chaoyang wanted to refute Lin Zhiheng's words, the other party had already walked away.
Ma Chaoyang muttered resentfully, "I've thought of that too, I just haven't realized it yet..."
Qin Hanshu was speechless for a moment, then continued the previous topic.
"I asked the kiln builder today, and he said that the plastering will be done the day after tomorrow."
Once the plaster is applied, the cave dwelling is basically complete.
Ma Chaoyang said, "Then shall we go to the county tomorrow or the day after?"
Qin Hanshu thought for a moment and said, "Let's go the day after tomorrow. I'll ask the Party Secretary for leave tomorrow."
Ma Chaoyang nodded, "Okay!"
It was quite a coincidence. Before they could even ask for leave, the next day after work, Zhou Chang'an came to tell the new educated youth that they were given a day off to go to the county town.
Zhou Chang'an: "...You've come all this way from your hometown, you need to get some things and make your home decent...Tomorrow I'll have Erdan drive the tractor to take you there."
The educated youth were filled with mixed feelings of surprise and delight.
After Zhou Chang'an left, everyone couldn't help but praise him, saying, "Secretary Zhou is such a good person; he has considered everything for us."
Qin Hanshu asked Zhang Yao, "Are you going?"
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