Now that I've finished what I needed to do here, I'm not in a rush to go back. I just need to return within the timeframe specified in the letter of introduction.
Cheng Chao wasn't in a hurry, and his pace slowed down completely. He ate and slept on time, and Jian Dan didn't insist on doing it himself.
When I returned to Northeast China, the first heavy snowfall covered the land, and I could clearly feel the change in temperature.
When Jian Dan and Cheng Chao came out, it was already early winter and snow was about to fall. They were both wearing thin cotton clothes, but after being away for a few days, they felt no discomfort.
However, Cheng Zhuo and Tang Sumei felt somewhat uncomfortable.
Although I am a northerner, I have lived in the Northwest for more than ten years and my lifestyle has been completely assimilated. I am fully adapted to the dry, cold climate with large temperature differences there. My cotton-padded clothes do not block the wind. As soon as I got off the car, I felt a chill penetrate my bones.
Tang Sumei is doing well; she seems to be in relatively good spirits.
The two children have only lost a little weight these past few days because of poorer food, but they have fully recovered and are already full of energy in the car.
Cheng Zhuo felt that he should be very adaptable after traveling all over the country, but he was still a little unaccustomed to it and immediately started sneezing.
After getting back on the bus, he developed a high fever and his face turned bright red.
This left Jian Dan and Cheng Chao somewhat at a loss.
Is this due to acclimatization issues?
Will I be able to adapt to this in the future?
Could it be that we made a mistake?
Cheng Chao didn't know what to say for a moment. Logically speaking, his second uncle hadn't missed any training sessions every day, so this shouldn't be the case.
Looking up at the road, I realized we had already passed the county town and were heading towards the commune.
"It must be from the stress of the past few days, not eating or sleeping well, having something weighing on your mind, and then that gust of wind just now..."
We've passed the county town and are not far from the army base. I'll drive faster.
"OK,"
He turned briefly and directed Cheng Rui, who was near the window.
"Xiao Rui, give your dad more water and wipe his face with a damp towel. He'll be there soon."
On the surface, she appeared out of nowhere, without any medicine on her. Cheng Chao was more familiar with her than she was in the car, so this lie was best kept under wraps unless absolutely necessary.
Cheng Rui and Cheng An were obedient and served Tang Sumei perfectly before she could even react.
Even Tang Sumei was given a lot of water, leaving her both amused and exasperated.
"I'm fine. Drinking more water will reduce the fever. I don't have a fever, so I don't need to."
As he spoke, he reached out and touched Cheng Zhuo's forehead, the back of his neck, and his palm, and then he breathed a sigh of relief.
"It's nothing. These past few days have been so stressful, I'm just feeling a bit down. Just drink some hot water and get a good night's sleep, and you'll feel better."
These are professionals in the car; once they hear that, Jian Dan automatically shuts up.
She doesn't know how to do that; all she knows is first aid, mainly for external injuries, wounds from various common weapons, which is purely based on experience accumulated in her previous life.
I haven't even had a chance to use this skill in my life yet.
"Little sister, come back to the army base with me? I'll take you back tomorrow after I've settled Uncle and the others in."
I glanced at the sky; it was still morning. Even if I went to the military base, I'd be free anyway.
"Forget it, just drop me off near the commune. I'll go check out the supply and marketing cooperative; I'll probably run into some educated youth there, and the village's oxcart. I can take the oxcart back."
I haven't been back for several days. I'll go back and renovate the house, then you can come over.
Cheng Chao didn't stand on ceremony either.
"That's fine. Go back and check on them. You haven't been home for several days. Have those dogs gone wild again? Are they still playing with that little wolf cub all the time?"
Cheng Chao hadn't been there for quite a while, and he was really missing it.
When the topic of those dogs came up, Cheng Rui and Cheng An perked up.
"Sister, is that Jixiang and the others? Have they grown up?"
"Yes, you've grown up. You should come with your older brother first, get ready, rest well, and once you're settled, your older brother will take you there. Don't rush, understand?"
Kids, when something's on their mind, they start to get restless and eager.
"Really, sister? Does Jixiang still recognize us?"
The two brothers started talking about their funny experiences in Liujiatun from the back seat, while Cheng Zhuo and Tang Sumei listened quietly.
If you should keep quiet about it, then when you're in the Northwest, you're listening to stories.
Now that we're so close, it actually feels like we're actually there.
Upon reaching the intersection, I simply got off the bus, waved goodbye to a few people, and headed straight for the supply and marketing cooperative.
It wasn't an excuse; she genuinely wanted to go to the supply and marketing cooperative. With the weather getting colder, she didn't want to go through the hassle of making a trip. She thought she'd check what she was missing at home and replenish it while she was there. If she really had that much free time, she'd rather just lie on the warm kang (heated brick bed).
She hadn't gone far past the intersection when she saw the bustling crowd in front of the supply and marketing cooperative. She slapped her forehead; she'd forgotten.
This period, leading up to the Lunar New Year, is the busiest time for the supply and marketing cooperative. Villagers and educated youth have received their grain and have no farm work to do, making it the time of year with the most free time.
Whether you're preparing for hibernation or visiting relatives and friends, this is a good time.
This time of year is peak season for visiting one's maternal home.
After thinking for a moment, Jian Dan slowed down. Although she did want to replenish her supplies, she wasn't in a particular hurry.
It's mainly external stuff, not much. If the children come over in a few days, it'll be hard to say what she'll take from inside the space.
However, seeing this situation, she quickly backed down and decided not to join in the fun.
Thinking it over, she turned and headed to the state-run restaurant next door. She had been eating all the way here, so she wasn't hungry. But since she had come all this way, there was no reason for her to go back empty-handed.
Thinking about it, I turned back to the supply and marketing cooperative, avoided the peak counter, squeezed to the counter next to it, asked for several lunch boxes, and then squeezed out with my head down and hunched over.
There was no mirror, but she could clearly feel that her head had been squeezed into a messy, unkempt state.
"Emma, we have to come when there aren't many people around, it's too scary."
"Jian Zhiqing?"
A hesitant shout came from behind. After a brief pause, he turned around to look.
Uh, it seems to be a former educated youth from the same compound. She didn't know her well, so she just nodded casually, picked up her things, and prepared to leave.
"Jian Zhiqing,"
Fang Xiaotong mustered her courage,
"Jian Zhiqing, are you here to see Ling Zhiqing?"
Ling Zhiqing?
"Ling Weidong? What happened to him?"
There was only one educated youth with the surname Ling, Ling Weidong, so there was no need to guess.
"Ling Zhiqing drank alcohol, then was helped into a room, then angrily overturned the table, and then took a knife and injured himself, leaving blood all over the floor."
They brought him to the hospital by Lin, Chen, and Yuan, all educated youths.
A simple frown—what kind of logic is this?
But now is clearly not the time to talk about that.
Where are they?
"Up ahead, in the commune's hospital, there are several educated youths."
He looked at her briefly and seriously, but didn't ask why he told her that they were close, and almost the whole village knew about it.
"Okay, I'll go find them. Thank you for letting me know."
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