Chapter 14: Living in the homes of fellow villagers and competing for educated youth
Wu Guangqian didn't think much about it: "The house of educated youth Zhao and educated youth He."
Li Chunfen nodded and said nothing, thinking in her heart: If Chu Zhiqing's house is leaking, she might as well let him live in her own house.
The little girl was pretty, gentle and quiet, and didn't look like someone who would cause trouble.
As for the other two female educated youth, Li Chunfen still needs to think carefully about it.
No matter how Zhao Jiayun collapsed in the house, Chu Sangning cooked by herself. Today they ate instant noodle dumplings that they had pulled out from the space. Almost anyone with hands could make it.
Chu Sangning never treated himself badly, so he put some ham and two beaten eggs in the pot, poured some seasoning on it, and opened the lid. The aroma spread out, and even Zhao Jiayun, who was screaming in the room, could smell it.
He Yueyang hugged his quilt and said softly, "Jiayun, the smell comes from Chu Sangning's room."
"Do I need you to tell me? I don't know it myself." Zhao Jiayun was furious and didn't even bother to look at He Yueyang. He spoke in a very aggressive tone.
When Jiang Zongzheng brought the others over, they heard Zhao Jiayun's loud voice at the door. He walked in with a serious expression, his eyes and brows revealing a stern look.
"What are you talking about? I want to hear it too."
Zhao Jiayun walked out despite the pain in her feet, and burst into tears the moment she saw Jiang Zongzheng, "Captain, why is the room leaking?"
Her tone was so harsh that people who didn't know might have thought she was questioning the captain. Jiang Zongzhen's face also looked unhappy.
"Don't cry, I'll arrange a place for you to stay while the rain is still low."
There were many people who came with Jiang Zongzhen. Some of them came to watch the fun, but when they heard that some educated youth were going to live in other people's homes, they rolled their eyes and wanted to sneak away.
These days, when one can barely get enough food at home, how can one have the leisure to support another educated youth?
Seeing that everyone behind him had left, Jiang Zongzheng clenched his fist, put it to his mouth and coughed twice, "If anyone lets an educated youth live here, they will be given an extra 50 work points, and the village will give them an extra 10 kilograms of miscellaneous grains."
Fifty work points! Ten kilograms of food! The villagers were immediately attracted and wanted to scramble to have the educated youth live in their homes.
"Captain, my house is fine. I have room for you."
"My house is fine too. I'll let Pan Di and Zhao Di live in the pig pen. I have room at my house too."
"As for the location, my home is definitely the best, Captain. My children are still young, and it is most convenient for the female educated youth to live in my home."
The villagers raised their hands excitedly, scrambling to get in front of Jiang Zongzheng. There were so many people and so many mouths, it was a mess and Jiang Zongzheng couldn't hear a word.
Seeing the crowd getting more agitated, he shouted loudly: "Don't say anything, don't say anything."
"It won't do if the house doesn't have a room, and it won't do if the boy in the house doesn't get married when he reaches the age." As the captain, Jiang Zongzhen must have thought carefully.
It doesn't matter for male educated youth, but female educated youth still need a reputation, and it certainly can't be allowed if there are teenage boys at home.
Jiang Zongzhen's words eliminated a large number of people, naturally including Luo Yiping's family.
Luo Yiping's mother was indignant and grumbled in the crowd: "Why can't we live with a man in our family? Our Yiping is a good boy, and he is a good match even if he lives with the educated youth."
She did not dare to speak loudly due to the captain's authority, but the sharp-eared people in the crowd could not help clapping their hands and laughing wildly when they heard her words.
"How can you be so shameless to say that your son is the perfect match for an educated youth? You are just bragging about yourself."
"Why are they not a good match? Yiping is the only one in our area who is honest and hardworking. He is a down-to-earth child."
Seeing that the crowd was about to start quarreling again, Jiang Zongzheng was shouting until his throat was broken, but no one listened. Fortunately, a few young and strong guys shouted a few times and calmed the situation down.
Jiang Zongzheng looked at the dilapidated house of the educated youth and after thinking for a moment, he decided to have everyone move out. In addition, Wu Guangqian told him that someone was climbing the wall in the middle of the night.
It was only done by a few hooligans in the village who couldn't get married. If anything went wrong, it wouldn't be good for anyone, so they might as well just stay at their fellow villagers' homes.
The male educated youth were easier to deal with, as they were strong laborers after all, and they were quickly snatched away by several families. Only Zhao Jiayun, He Yueyang and Chu Sangning were left.
Luo Yiping's mother looked Chu Sangning up and down, then suddenly raised her hand and shouted, "Captain, that, that Chu Zhiqing, please follow me. My house is big."
"Hey, how come you were chosen? I wanted Chu Zhiqing to follow me."
The two women refused to give in to each other and started tearing each other's hair. Jiang Zongzheng was well aware of what they were thinking and the more they did this, the more he dared not let the female educated youth pass.
He waved his hand to signal the three female educated youth to come forward, and pointed out a few people with similar family conditions and simple minds to them, "You can choose for yourselves."
Zhao Jiayun became anxious when she saw this. She had to go to Luo Yiping's house, otherwise...how else could she cultivate their relationship?
"Captain, I'm going to Aunt Luo's house." Zhao Jiayun pretended to be hesitant and said with a chuckle.
"Yes, yes, come to my house, Chu Zhiqing can come too." Luo Yiping's mother waved happily, as if she had picked up a great bargain.
How could it not be a great bargain? Zhao Jiayun had sent him food before, and Chu Zhiqing's clothes, food and drinks were all the best. It was like inviting two gods of wealth home.
Chu Sangning was unwilling, and neither was Zhao Jiayun. When they heard what Luo Yiping's mother said, their faces changed, as if they were angry out of shame, and they silently cursed: "You old woman, you are so greedy."
"No, Chu Zhiqing, which house are you going to?" Jiang Zongzheng wisely rejected Luo Yiping's mother's request.
Chu Sangning's eyes slightly lifted, a smile appeared in her eyes. Before she could say anything, a child's voice suddenly came from below: "Sister, come to our house."
Jiang Panan was like a little cat in the crowd, standing on tiptoe trying hard to let Chu Sangning see him.
Following behind him was Lin Xiuzhi, who also said, "Yes, come to our house."
Chu Sangning had a faint smile on her face. The sunlight shining on her porcelain-like skin made her look like she had walked out of a painting.
"Captain, I'll go to Aunt Jiang's house."
"No, what should I do?" He Yueyang stopped Chu Sangning and interrupted their conversation in a hurry.
Zhao Jiayun went to the Luo family. The Jiang family invited Chu Sangning to come over. Don’t think He Yueyang doesn’t know. The Jiang family is the family that the captain introduced that day. Their house is better than others in the village.
Why did Chu Sangning take all the good things? He Yueyang asked the captain with red eyes: "What about me? Whose house should I go to?"
"Where do you want to go?" Jiang Zongzheng's voice was cold, mixed with a hint of helplessness.
"I'm going to the Jiang family." He Yueyang said calmly.
"Captain, I was the one who chose first, right? And it was also me that Aunt Jiang invited." As soon as Chu Sangning finished speaking, Lin Xiuzhi nodded in response.