They waited at the three-way intersection outside the commune. There were people from the transport team that Sun Zhou had found. Around noon, the transport team would pass by the commune on their way back to the county town, and they could hitch a ride with them.
Xu Ningyan and Gu Zhiyuan didn't have to wait long before the transport team's convoy arrived and stopped when they saw them.
After verifying their identities, two people got off and helped load the items onto the vehicle quickly.
Since the front cab was full, they were allowed to climb into the back of the truck with the luggage.
The back of the truck was covered with an oilcloth, making it pitch black, and there seemed to be some things inside as well.
Both of them were very sensible people. They didn't even glance at the luggage, but simply put it in the back of the car and squeezed in there.
The road was bumpy, but thankfully I had two large packages in my luggage containing bedding and clothes.
They were pulled over, and the two people and the dog sat on it. Xu Ningyan gripped the side panel of the carriage tightly with both hands to avoid being thrown off.
Gu Zhiyuan held onto the barrier with one hand and held onto the dog's leg with the other, afraid that it would be thrown off.
It was hot, and the train carriage was stuffy and poorly ventilated. It was almost noon, and the sun was scorching the earth and the carriage.
The two people and the dog were in a steamer-like environment inside the carriage, and could only let in a little air by lifting a small piece of oilcloth.
Upon arriving in the county town, the car made a detour and took them directly to the entrance of the rented courtyard.
Sun Zhou was already waiting at the door, and he warmly greeted them, calling the transport team members brothers and busily lighting cigarettes and exchanging pleasantries.
After Gu Zhiyuan and Xu Ningyan unloaded their things, Sun Zhou wanted to invite the transport team to have lunch together.
They were rejected by the transport team, but they were also eager to go back to the transport team to report for duty. They had been away for a long time, and who wouldn't want to go home to their wife, children, and a warm bed as soon as possible?
Sun Zhou didn't insist they stay, only saying they could have a meal together when they were free. He gave each of them two packs of good cigarettes and saw them off.
Upon returning, the three carried their luggage into the yard.
Upon entering the courtyard, Xu Ningyan saw three main rooms and three side rooms.
Gu Zhiyuan had already explained the layout of the courtyard to Xu Ningyan yesterday, so she had a general idea of what it was like.
Once inside, I realized that although the yard looked a bit old, it was very well maintained, and it was clear that the landlord cherished the house.
The courtyard is about 100 to 200 square meters, with a loquat tree planted on one side and a magnolia tree on the other.
A narrow path paved with gravel and cinder runs through the middle, with vegetable gardens cultivated on both sides.
The elderly couple who owned the house cultivated their crops meticulously, growing cucumbers, cowpeas, tomatoes, and bitter gourd vines that grew abundantly along the courtyard wall.
White butterflies and bees occasionally buzz around the vegetable garden.
The lackey was so dizzy from the bumpy ride that his legs were weak when he got off the bus, and Gu Zhiyuan had to lift him off.
It landed on all fours and immediately lay motionless on the ground.
Having regained some energy, upon seeing the butterfly, I couldn't resist my instinct and started chasing it, wagging my tail.
Xu Ningyan was relieved to see that it had recovered.
There weren't many items; they were mostly Xu Ningyan's things and some food.
After helping to move the things into the room reserved for Xu Ningyan, Gu Zhiyuan and Sun Zhou left to avoid suspicion.
The two of them weren't idle either. They had to clean up the kitchen, and the coal briquettes that had been promised were finally delivered today. They also had to move them in and put them under the eaves, and then put a plastic sheet over them to keep them from getting wet in the rain.
The kitchen was piled high with firewood, some left by the landlord and some that Gu Zhiyuan later asked Sun Zhou to buy.
Xu Ningyan's room is on the left side of the main room. Inside, there is an old-fashioned wooden bed that looks old but is very sturdy.
There was also a desk, the kind with drawers on both sides, and a whole piece of glass covered the tabletop.
It is said that this is the most popular thing for city dwellers nowadays. Ordinary families will put newspapers or family photos under the glass.
It's just that such a large, intact piece of glass is completely unrelated, but we can't get our hands on it.
It's clearly Sun Zhou's work.
In addition, there was a tall wooden wardrobe with an oval glass mirror embedded in the door, which could reflect a person's entire body, a pleasant surprise.
Xu Ningyan touched it; the wardrobe, desk, and bed were all wiped clean, without any dust.
Put the clothes in the closet, hang up the mosquito net, and lay out the bedding before coming out.
Inside the main room was a square dining table, four benches, and six wooden chairs placed against the walls on both sides.
A portrait of a great man hangs on the wall directly above, and a long table is placed below it, which the locals call "Chuntai".
On the table sat a large enamel tea mug and a round tea tray with several glasses inside.
Two bunches of bright red artificial flowers were placed in glass vases on either side, adding a touch of color to the room.
A wooden washstand sits beside the terrace, with a brand-new printed towel hanging on it, and an enamel basin on each shelf.
Step outside and you'll find a slightly worn bicycle under the eaves, and a bamboo bed under a tree—perfect for relaxing in the shade.
The well is next to the loquat tree, with a round well platform and a pulley on top, making it convenient to get water.
There were three side rooms, the smallest of which was locked; it was probably used to store the landlord's belongings.
The kitchen is in the middle, and the storage room is on the side.
There are two stoves and two large pots in the kitchen, making cooking convenient.
There's also a tin coal stove by the door with a kettle on it. City dwellers have this; in winter, they never run out of hot water all day long. It's great for stir-frying and steaming rice.
Inside the cabinet against the wall, there was a brand new set of bowls and chopsticks, two aluminum lunch boxes, and two small rice containers with wooden lids on them.
Upon opening it, I found a full jar of rice and a full jar of noodles.
The bottles and jars of oil, salt, soy sauce, and vinegar on the stove are neatly arranged, ready to be used for cooking at any time.
After a quick look around, Xu Ningyan was very satisfied; everything she could think of and everything she hadn't thought of was prepared.
When they came out, Gu Zhiyuan was taking nails and planks and making a clattering sound as he built a small hut for his lackey.
Sun Zhou, who had been nowhere to be seen, pushed open the door and came in from outside, carrying several lunch boxes in his hand. As soon as he entered the courtyard, he greeted people with a smile: "Come on, this is the head chef's specialty dish from the state-run restaurant today!"
The food was laid out on the dining table in the main room: a braised pork belly with pickled vegetables underneath, a piece of bean curd skin sandwiched in the middle of the pork, a braised fish, a braised pork belly with cabbage, and a braised eggplant with cowpeas.
Xu Ningyan looked around, took a stroll in the vegetable garden, and came out with two cucumbers with flowers and thorns still on their tops and a few tomatoes. She busied herself in the kitchen for a while and brought out a smashed cucumber and a tomato salad with sugar.
The table was completely filled with food.
Sun Zhou pulled out a bottle of wine from somewhere and said that since it was a housewarming party, he had to have a couple of drinks.
Gu Zhiyuan only poured half a cup, and Sun Zhou drank the rest.
After taking a few sips of wine, Sun Zhou seemed to want to ask something, but before he could even finish his sentence, he said, "Comrade Xiao Xu, I never expected—"
Before he could finish speaking, Gu Zhiyuan glared at him and shut him up.
Sun Zhou could only reluctantly finish a bottle of wine by himself, and after clearing away all the food on the table, he was thrown onto the bamboo bed under the tree by Gu Zhiyuan while still dizzy. Soon after, he was snoring loudly.
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