The girls around the fire were immediately drawn in by the aroma, their eyes widening as they sniffed hard.
"This smells amazing!"
"Oh my god, my stomach is starting to switch."
Li Yan and Lin Zhaodi, who had almost never tasted anything so delicious, could hardly control themselves and were desperately trying to keep their hands in order to prevent any incident from happening on the spot.
Chen Jianguo by the river and Lin Dongfang in the water were so aroused by the smell that they involuntarily straightened up, almost forgetting why they were there.
With their noses twitching, the girls had no interest in doing anything else and simply huddled around the fire, not wanting to move an inch.
"Little Dandan, you really know how to do this? Why does it smell so good?"
"Yeah, my stomach is practically bursting with cravings! Oh my god, what did they add this time? It smells even better!"
Even with all their noses, they couldn't stop the aroma from spreading through the mountains and forests. Jian Dan finally put down the two fish she was holding.
"Would you like to try some? These two are ready. Oh!"
Anyone who looks up and is met with six menacing eyes would be startled.
"What's going on here? Why are you all crowding around me?"
Between the two fires, Lin Zhaodi from the other fire simply stretched out her two fish, whose skin she had just roasted until dry.
"The aroma of your food is so enticing that I almost burned it, let alone worked."
Several people stared wide-eyed at the two fish that had just been taken down, their mouths watering uncontrollably.
"Can we eat now?"
The four little ones also came over and wagged their tails around them.
Jian Dan knew that his only culinary skill was grilled fish. Although he hadn't cooked it in a long time and was a bit rusty, he was sure that with the perfect ratio of seasonings from his later life, the taste would be good. He guessed that they would be pleasantly surprised, but he didn't expect their reaction to be so strong.
"Yes, you can eat it. Why don't you try some first?"
As soon as he finished speaking, several people pounced on him.
Two fish, no matter how big, would weigh at most ten pounds, which is certainly not enough for these people.
Fortunately, there were only two male educated youths. When faced with the girls' wolfish gazes, they remembered their unique status and, despite the pain, maintained their composure. Each of them broke off a piece of the fish tail and watched helplessly as the girls devoured the two fish in a matter of seconds.
Jian Dan was holding Lin Zhaodi's two fish, which were already half-cooked. Seeing their preparations, she felt that her own two fish weren't much of a threat. Then, out of the blue, a large piece of deboned fish meat with a crispy skin was stuffed into her mouth, accompanied by perfectly seasoned barbecue sauce.
"Hmm, not bad."
Just as I was feeling a slight ache in my arm and secretly wanted to shake it a couple of times, Mingzhu smiled and reached out to take over the task of flipping the food.
"I'll do it. You take a break. You can come and spread the feed later."
The few people who had just tried it immediately jumped up and grabbed branches to spear the fish.
"Yes, yes, let's do it! Xiao Jian, can you guide us from the side? Just wait to eat. But don't be stingy with your seasonings later."
"Yes, yes, Xiao Dandan, your seasoning is really delicious. We're really benefiting from your help today."
She was settled aside by a few people and had a completely relaxed time. Watching them busy themselves, she couldn't help but smile. Actually, she quite liked this kind of interaction.
The atmosphere was relaxed and unpretentious. People understood her. They knew her seasonings were good, but no one asked for them. What were they saying?
Afraid of tiring her out, I gave her instructions, like jokingly telling her not to be stingy with the ingredients. These are small details, but they make Jian Dan feel very comfortable, full of respect and understanding.
Actually, it's pretty good to meet a friend like this.
I simply baked the first batch of yogurt, and then I was forced to become someone who ate what was already prepared, receiving the same treatment as the four little ones.
They came to collect firewood, but while they did collect some, they used it all. When they were cleaning up the mess, they all looked at their empty baskets and burst into laughter.
Finally, the group, whose bellies were already round from eating, couldn't resist and went to catch a few more fish. They agreed to stew another pot that night, and gathered some firewood from the surrounding area to cover the fish before finally leaving their newly-made secret base.
Lin Dongfang and Mingzhu had no longer maintained a facade of intimacy, constantly displaying their relationship to outsiders. Simple words quickly distanced them from the situation. Li Yan, supporting her pregnant belly, remained curious, frequently glancing over in their direction.
Do you think they're about to have a happy marriage?
Both of these new educated youths were quite troublesome, causing a ruckus every day. There was Wang Hongmei, who was gossipy and loved to flirt; Tang Cui, who was sarcastic and loved to stir up trouble; Chen Hongli, the little green tea; Du Xiuling; and a few others whose personalities were still unclear. The educated youth compound was quite lively.
Given their close relationship and constant companionship, it's likely that some sour remarks are inevitable. Someone as intelligent as Lin Dongfang couldn't possibly be unaware of this, so the outcome will probably be just as Li Yan predicted: good news is on the horizon.
Back at the educated youth compound, Lin Dongfang carried a basket on his back and went out. The people in the next room looked at him with different expressions, but he didn't pay any attention. Chen Jianguo went to gather firewood in a generous manner, while several female educated youths used the basket to take the cleaned fish back to the kitchen.
Wang Hongmei didn't see anything good, so she pouted and started muttering to herself again.
"Tch, you've been up the mountain for so long and only gathered this little bit of firewood. You act like you're more capable than us, but in reality, it's just a little bit."
The doors to the other rooms were open, and when they saw Chen Jianguo, the newcomer Ling Weidong even came out to lend a hand.
"Chen, did you gather this firewood on the mountain?"
If others are nice, Chen Jianguo won't be sour; he'll just nod.
"Yes, the winters here are long and extremely cold. After the autumn harvest, when the temperature drops, the kang (heated brick bed) has to be lit. You have to be responsible for the firewood yourself, otherwise, you can really freeze to death in the winter."
Wang Jiancheng had said these words on the very first day, but given the lively atmosphere at the time, it was clear that almost no one took them to heart.
Ling Weidong wasn't one to ignore advice; besides, it wasn't for anyone else—it was for his own use, whether good or bad—so he immediately expressed his gratitude.
"When are you going next time? Can you take me with you? I don't know this place well, so I want to go and familiarize myself with the area first. I can also collect some firewood whenever I have a spare moment. Every little bit helps. It would be so embarrassing if something happened because we ran out of firewood and it got frozen."
Chen Jianguo nodded.
"That's what I mean. When you come here, you basically have your own home. Aside from sharing meals, you have to take care of everything else on your own. If you work hard now, you'll benefit in the future."
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
