Although they live near a mountain, the area at the foot of the mountain is low-lying. More than ten years ago, when he was a child, there was a major flood that submerged his home. It took half a month for the water to recede. Everyone lost a lot of property and many people drowned.
Xu Zi rubbed his temples and then led his men to check the water level on the riverbank. He had been busy in the wind and rain, running around like crazy, until noon when he could finally catch his breath.
"Oh no, I forgot to bring lunch to the young educated youth!"
When it was time to eat, he suddenly remembered that he hadn't even brought breakfast to Yu Jiu. Although she was an adult and certainly wouldn't go hungry, Xu Zijiang still felt that he had broken his promise and that it wasn't right. So he quickly ran back to the educated youth settlement to find Yu Jiu.
It was already noon, and the sky had brightened considerably. Although the horizon was still pitch black, with thick clouds and flashes of lightning and thunder, the claps of thunder sounding like lightning bolts striking people, it was still brighter than at night, and visibility was somewhat improved.
Yu Jiu slept until she naturally woke up in the morning. When she woke up, it was already past eight o'clock. Xu Zijiang hadn't come to bring her food. She also heard from other educated youths at the educated youth settlement that someone's house had collapsed and the fate of the people inside was unknown. Yu Jiu knew that Xu Zijiang must have been busy with the team's affairs. Let alone bringing her food, he himself might not even remember to eat.
So Yu Jiu simply boiled two sweet potatoes for herself for breakfast, and then started making lunch. However, she didn't have many ingredients. Although she had meat in her space, it wasn't convenient to take it out at the educated youth settlement, so she traded some coarse grains with the other educated youth for some vegetables.
Finally, she steamed some rice, cracked a few eggs, chopped some carrots and corn kernels, and made a small pot of fried rice. She added a lot of oil, and it smelled delicious as soon as she started frying, overpowering the earthy smell brought by the rainy day. The aroma even wafted into the male educated youth's dormitory.
Zhao En twitched his nose and inhaled deeply, thoroughly enjoying the scent.
"As expected of Yu, the educated youth, she's beautiful and cooks so well, it smells amazing!"
Zhao En seized the opportunity to come out, hoping to buy with money or exchange with grain, in short, he wanted to get a free meal and also have a chance to have lunch with Yu Jiu. Anyway, the captain was very busy, so when was a better time to poach him?
He was eager to try, and came over with his hair slicked back and polished.
In the kitchen, Yu Caihong swallowed hard, looking at the food in the pot with a mixture of longing and heartache.
"Xiao Jiu, can you really eat this much? Why did you steam so much rice? You've already eaten half a bag of rice! What will you eat next time? And this oil, you poured in way too much! And so many eggs! Tsk tsk tsk, so extravagant!"
While inhaling the aroma in the air, Yu Caihong felt a pang of heartache and reproach. This huge pot of fried rice would normally take forever to eat!
"I made the team leader's portion. He didn't bring me lunch this morning, I guess he was too busy to do it. He'll probably come to me at noon, so I'll cook the food first and give him a portion, so he doesn't have to go back and start the fire."
Yu Jiu calmly poured in some soy sauce, stir-fried it a few more times, and then scooped it out, coating the round white rice grains evenly with egg and soy sauce. The corn and carrots were added first and stir-fried until almost cooked before being taken out and set aside. Now, they were stir-fried with the rice and egg mixture, and they would cook quickly.
She clumsily scooped up the golden, fragrant fried rice and put it into a lunchbox to keep it warm. Just as she finished doing all this, Zhao En came over, rubbing her little hands together and trying to please her.
"Yu Zhiqing, your cooking is so delicious! I'd like some fried rice too. Could you share some with me? I also have some cured meat that my mom sent me, but I haven't eaten it yet. Can I trade it with you?"
He chuckled, his flat face showing a hint of shyness.
Zhao En wasn't ugly, just average-looking with average height and features. Standing next to Yu Jiu, it was like comparing a servant to a young lady; they weren't compatible. Xu Zijiang was also rough around the edges, but his superior looks gave them a handsome, rugged farmhand and a beautiful young lady vibe—they had undeniable chemistry.
"I'm sorry, I didn't make any extra, just enough for me and the team leader. If you want some, you can make some yourself, it's not difficult. If you don't have eggs, you can borrow one from Sister Liu. Qiao Zhiqing has carrots, you can ask him for some."
Yu Jiu, carrying her lunchbox, coldly refused. Her delicate and beautiful eyes held a serious sense of detachment when she looked at people, especially her rosy lips, which, when they opened and closed, uttered words that were sure to break one's heart.
Zhao En had already heard it outside the door, but he still wouldn't give up. He shamelessly asked again, thinking that Yu Jiu would be too embarrassed to refuse him. He awkwardly scratched his head, still unwilling to give up, and asked ingratiatingly.
"What does Yu Zhiqing want to eat tonight? Do you still want fried rice with eggs? I can make it for you. Oh no, I mean, could you taste it for me? I don't know if mine is as good as yours. My cooking skills are always up and down."
"No need, she won't eat fried rice with eggs tonight, she'll eat meat!"
Xu Zi, emanating black smoke, stepped between Zhao En and Yu Jiu, glaring at Zhao En with murderous eyes. "You little brat, you're still not giving up, aren't you? I've warned you so many times, and you still want to steal my man!"
"You're here. Are you hungry? I made some fried rice with eggs. It's still hot."
Yu Jiu, too lazy to pay attention to their bickering, rather like showing off a treasure, handed him the fried rice and gestured for him to take a look. This was her first time making fried rice, and she hadn't expected it to smell so good! She had just tasted a little, and it was quite delicious!
She raised her eyebrows triumphantly, her previously aloof and cold expression softening. She stood very close to Xu Zijiang when she spoke to him, her voice as soft and sweet as a kitten's, with a coquettish tone at the end.
Her whole demeanor was completely different; she was radiant, and anyone could tell that she was treating people differently.
Zhao En's heart was broken. "Yu Zhiqing, the team leader looks so fierce, don't be fooled by him, he's not a good match for you!"
But no one cared about his feelings. Xu Zijiang snorted at him, and when he turned to look at Yu Jiu, he couldn't help but smile indulgently.
"Then I'll try it, it must be delicious. I was too busy this morning and forgot to bring you food. Are you alright? The stoves in the countryside are different from those in the city. Do you know how to light a fire? Don't burn your hands. It's raining today, and the water is cold. Did your hands get cold when you were washing the rice and vegetables?"
He lowered his voice and asked gently, taking the opportunity to touch Yu Jiu's smooth, delicate hand. Zhao En and Yu Caihong, who were standing to the side, watched with their pupils constricted: What an arrogant man! He actually dared to flirt with Yu Zhiqing/Xiao Jiu right in front of them!
Slap him across the face, Yu Zhiqing! He's being a pervert towards you!
Zhao En clenched his fists and screamed wildly in his heart. He stared intently at Yu Jiu's pretty little face. Yu Jiu did indeed frown and reach out her hand, but she didn't hit him. Instead, she pursed her lips, lowered the corners of her beautiful eyes, and said with a slightly aggrieved expression.
"It's a little hot."
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