Although it was agreed that he would go, Lin Zhengde's words today were really spoken in a moment of anger. After all, it wasn't his own child. If it were Lin Dongfang's son, he could speak with confidence, but he had to be more careful about someone else's child.
Cheng Jin also felt it was a bit sudden, but since Jian Dan was willing to give it up and the child was also willing, he naturally wouldn't object.
Putting aside everything else, the atmosphere in the military camp is indeed different. Families like theirs have children who are raised in that kind of environment from a young age.
Young girls shouldn't follow the same path as Cheng Chao. As Jian Du said, they should have the ability to protect themselves, and their vision and perspective should not be confined to this one place.
Jian Dan couldn't quite describe her feelings. She packed two changes of clothes for the child, and Jian Xin took a few books for herself. She also specifically asked for the sand tray she usually used for writing. Before leaving, she insisted on taking the dogs with her. Jian Dan's lips were stiff. Did this child really think they were going out to play?
After sending the child away, the house suddenly became quiet. Jian Dan felt a little out of place for a while. Looking at the little clothes, toys, and snacks that were everywhere, she felt a little empty.
After sitting there for a while, I still sighed to myself, realizing that I was back to being alone, and I was still not used to it.
He rubbed his face vigorously and went out to work.
The sun wasn't too strong, and there was a slight breeze, so it wasn't too hot. Jian Dan, wearing a straw hat, was about to go and weed the grass by the garden when she heard voices coming from ahead. It was Li Yan and a few other female educated youths. Jian Dan paused for a moment, put the hoe down by the woodshed door, and decided to turn back and open the gate first.
"Huh? How did you know we were here?"
Li Yan led the way, followed by Tan Yajun, Lin Zhaodi, and then Su Hong and Wei Shujuan, all carrying baskets on their backs.
"Come in quickly, it's all thanks to my loud voice, Sister Yan, that we could hear you from far away."
"Haha, I knew you were back when I saw smoke coming from your chimney,"
Li Yan didn't hide it.
"Stop laughing at me. We're going up the mountain. Do you want to come?"
Jian Dan, who was just wondering what to do, immediately nodded.
"Go, go, go in first, I'll get something and lock the door."
The group was warmly welcomed by several dogs as they entered. They didn't go inside but stood in the yard, watching Jian Dan go into the woodshed.
Li Yan looked around.
"Where's Xin Xin? Did she go out to play? Xin Xin, Xin Xin!"
A simple sound came from the woodshed.
"Xinxin isn't home; she went to her uncle's."
"Huh? Not home?"
"Yes, her uncle happened to be visiting, so we took her to stay with us for a few days."
I didn't want to elaborate on that. I packed my tools for the mountain climb, slung my basket over my shoulder, locked the door, and...
Let's go!
The dog, who had been cooped up for two days, was running wild as soon as it stepped out the door. No one needed to do anything about it. Before the group had gone far, several agile figures disappeared into the mountains.
"You dog, you're really lively."
A simple smile.
"They must be so bored. They've been cooped up in the yard for the past few days, and they can't stand it anymore."
"That's true. It's an animal, after all, and it's wild."
"By the way, was the car that came this morning the one that brought you back?"
I heard the kids say a car came, and I guessed it was you.
Everyone knows she knows people in the military, so this guess is understandable.
"You could guess that?"
Then, simply and naturally, they changed the subject.
"By the way, Mingzhu had a baby, did you know?"
The female educated youths were all surprised.
"Did you give birth? When did that happen?"
"Ah, no wonder. I haven't seen Mingzhu taking a walk in the village these past two days, has that been it?"
"Oh yes, that day I wanted to ask her about teaching children, but no one was home."
"Um?"
Jian Dan then remembered there was still a teaching assistant position available, and looked directly at Wei Shujuan.
"You're the one I've chosen?"
Wei Shujuan pouted.
"We weren't so lucky; Du Xiuling was already booked."
Jian Dan didn't notice anything amiss with her, and even spoke in a half-joking manner.
"You didn't vote, did you?"
"Yes, how did you know?"
It's a job teaching children, and it's temporary. It doesn't even pay many work points, yet people are still vying for it?
"Is she that popular? Does she have more votes than you?"
According to her understanding, Wang Hongmei and her group seemed to be not very popular in the village. It's really too fast for the wind to change so quickly after they left in just a few days.
As soon as gossip was mentioned, Li Yan perked up again.
"Hey, to be honest, Wei Shujuan is really unlucky."
Several people were initially envious, but the village chief said that there were only a few children in their village, and the teaching was simple and not tiring, so the work points were naturally not many. They were all counting on these work points to exchange for food rations. Seeing that the work points were few, they went back reluctantly.
Only she and Du Xiuling remained.
Aren't you also wondering why Du Xiuling, who clearly doesn't have any money, is interested in these work points?
Seeing Li Yan's "Ask me quickly" expression, and the others' slightly helpless looks, Jian Dan curled the corners of his mouth and asked casually.
"Yes, why? This job is easy, but the work points are few. What can you do with just a few pitiful work points?"
Li Yan was excited.
"Hehe, you didn't know that? They have connections,"
"Someone here? She has relatives here? That can't be right, she's been here for so long and only just found out? Could it be like me, a long-lost relative who just reunited?"
The girls all wore enigmatic smiles, and Li Yan couldn't help but burst out laughing, clearly enjoying herself.
"Hahaha, you can't guess, can you? What's a lost relative?"
Let me tell you, that's real skill.
There was originally no connection, but they managed to develop it into something they could rely on. Can you do that?
I couldn't quite figure it out for a moment. What kind of relationship can you rely on? Don't you rely on yourself? What kind of logic is this?
Li Yan tilted her chin up, showing off to the girl behind her.
"See, I told you, she couldn't figure it out."
The others were even more speechless.
"Yes, yes, you're amazing."
It's so simple, I'm really curious.
"Sister Yan, Sister Yan, tell me, why? Whose connections did she use?"
"Whose relationship? Her own, her own relationship."
You didn't know that, did you?
He found himself a partner, Liu Guoqiang, who keeps track of work points in the village. They've been dating for over half a month now.
Look at this, isn't the relationship strong?
Do you understand?
Liu Guoqiang is the village's scorekeeper. If Du Xiuling really marries him, wouldn't she become one of Liujiatun's own?
This comparison—one a former educated youth, the other their future daughter-in-law from the village, someone from their own community—immediately reveals the difference in their closeness and distance.
"ah?"
Jian Dan suddenly realized that of all the educated youth who had come, two couples had gotten married, both of which were arranged internally. This was the first time she had started dating someone from the village. To be honest, she really hadn't expected it.
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