In Daju's large enamel basin, there was a pile of lamb bones with tender meat hanging on them. It buried the entire tiger head in it and gnawed on it with a "crunch" sound.
After finishing the meal, the puppet grandmother quickly and efficiently cleared away the dishes.
Yan Yu didn't let Ruan Tang get off the ground; he carried her directly back to the bedroom.
The heated kang (a traditional heated brick bed) in the house was always running, making the room warm and cozy enough to wear only a single layer of clothing.
The two lay side by side on the sweltering kang (a heated brick bed), chatting idly.
Outside the window, the wind and snow howled, and snowflakes pelted against the window paper.
The floor inside was covered with a thick, soft mat. Little White, being agile, was chasing after Big Orange's fluffy tail. When it got tired, it would jump onto Big Orange's back and roll around.
The orange cat wasn't annoyed and let it fuss. Every now and then, it would rub its big head against the orange cat and make a satisfied "purring" sound in its throat.
On the soft couch in the west room, Puppet Granny sat upright, holding a knitting needle in her hand, knitting a beautiful sweater for Ruan Tang, the needle and thread making a soft clattering sound.
The whole house was warm and cozy.
………………………………
In contrast, the atmosphere at the educated youth settlement was absolutely chaotic.
Especially the female educated youth.
Since being sent to the countryside, Jin Yuhong has either followed Gu Jinzhou around like a shadow or slacked off at work, earning so few work points that she can't even fill her own stomach.
She didn't do any work at the educated youth settlement; cooking and boiling water were all left to her long-suffering older sister, Jin Zhihong.
Jin Zhihong collected firewood by herself, but it wasn't enough to power the stove and cook for two people.
Today, the kang (heated brick bed) is cold again.
Jin Yuhong shivered from the cold, wrapped in a blanket, and cursed this godforsaken place a thousand times in her heart.
Finally, she rolled her eyes and, taking advantage of the darkness, sneaked to the male educated youth's woodpile and carried back a large bundle.
This has stirred up a hornet's nest.
"Who the hell stole my firewood?!"
A loud shout rang out in the courtyard; it was Lü Hongwei's voice.
He had gathered extra firewood today, intending to make it warmer tonight, but when he went outside, he found that the woodpile was much shorter.
Duan Zhou, Tao Yuming, and Yu Siyuan all rushed out at once.
Jin Yuhong was caught red-handed, clutching the stolen firewood in her arms, but her face showed no remorse whatsoever. Instead, she shouted defiantly:
"What's all the fuss about! It's just a few pieces of firewood."
"Our kang (heated brick bed) is frozen solid, what's wrong with borrowing a little? You're so stingy!"
"borrow?"
Yu Hao had just come out of the kitchen when he heard this and felt nauseous.
He looked at Jin Yuhong's shameless behavior, his voice so cold it could shatter ice.
"You call this a loan?"
Whom did you ask?
"I..." Jin Yuhong choked on her words, her eyes instantly reddening. Tears welled up as she looked at Lü Hongwei with a wronged expression, "Brother Hongwei, we're really freezing to death, please have pity on us..."
Jin Zhihong stood to the side, her face burning red, wishing she could disappear into the ground.
She stepped forward, head bowed, her voice barely audible, "I'm sorry, it's our fault. We'll return the firewood tomorrow."
"Return it? What are you going to use to return it?" Duan Zhou's temper flared up instantly, and he retorted irritably, "The two of you, always acting like pampered princesses, how many pieces of firewood can you possibly gather up from the mountain? Now that it's snowing, if something happens on the mountain, isn't that our men's problem?!"
The noise grew louder and louder, alarming the entire educated youth settlement.
This also attracted the attention of the brigade leader from the neighboring courtyard. (This chapter has been completed. Please click to continue reading the next chapter!)
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