The tractor quickly returned to Qingshan Brigade, and just like last year, it simply dropped everyone off at the brigade headquarters.
However, because the train of these new educated youth arrived at the station relatively early, they also returned relatively early, arriving at the brigade just as dusk was falling.
Chen Shuning had bought a lot of things, so even though he was really going to the brigade leader's house for dinner, he still had to go back to the educated youth settlement first to return the things.
Just then, the brigade leader was also taking the new educated youth to the educated youth settlement, so apart from Wang Wenzheng who went back to the brigade headquarters to deliver the tractor, everyone else carried large and small bags of things and headed towards the educated youth settlement.
Just like when Chen Shuning and his group came last year, the newly arrived educated youth still had to go through the same ordeal of the villagers who were resting under the big tree near the brigade headquarters after their meal, pointing and whispering among themselves.
However, perhaps because of last year's lesson, even notorious shrewish women like Liu Guihua and Hu Chunzhi only dared to whisper among themselves, and no one dared to talk loudly like the two of them did last year.
Shen Baogen carried Chen Shuning's bamboo basket and walked at the front, leading the chattering educated youth who complained about the lack of good houses in the village and the stench in the village as they walked towards the educated youth settlement.
However, to be fair, the food in the village doesn't taste very good this time of year.
With villagers raising chickens and ducks, having dry toilets in every household, and using farmyard manure in their private plots, it would be strange if the smell were pleasant.
Chen Shuning had already gotten used to the atmosphere of the village, and chatted with Shen Baogen about everyday things on the way back to the educated youth settlement.
At this moment, most of the houses in the educated youth settlement were steaming. The educated youth were different from the villagers, most of whom either had children or elderly people at home and did not work.
When the able-bodied members of the family are at work, the family members who stay at home prepare the meals so that the family can have a hot meal as soon as they finish work.
But the educated youth were different; they all came back to cook their own meals. So, while the villagers were already enjoying the cool shade under the big tree after their meals, the educated youth were still busy preparing dinner.
So when Shen Baogen led the new educated youth into the courtyard, he saw a lively and bustling scene.
Some of the educated youth sat under the eaves to cool off and chat, while others who were particular about cleanliness sat by the well washing their dirty clothes that day, laughing and talking, creating a lively atmosphere.
When Feng Baoguo, who was chopping wood, saw the brigade leader enter with so many people, he quickly put down his axe and came over to greet him.
He greeted her with a smile, "Uncle Captain, you've arrived. I've already lit the kang (heated brick bed) in the new house, but I didn't know how many people were coming, so I didn't make any for them this evening."
"Uncle Captain, do you think they'll eat dinner with us tonight, or will they cook for themselves, or will they eat with us?"
The brigade leader didn't care how the educated youth ate, but Shen Baogen understood Feng Baoguo's meaning. At this time of year, no family had enough food, let alone the educated youth.
So he turned to the new educated youth and asked, "You guys discuss how you want to eat first. If you're going to eat with the older educated youth, then quickly ask them to cook for you."
Let them pay for the grain first, and you can return it to them later when you come with me to the brigade to collect the grain.
If you cook for yourselves, you'll only have dry rations tonight, because you don't have a pot in your room. You'll have to wait until you buy a pot tomorrow to cook.
You two should discuss it quickly, and once you've reached an agreement, I'll take you to see the house.
This time, twelve new educated youths arrived at once, and we need to discuss it for a while to reach a consensus.
Seeing that there was nothing for him to do, Chen Shuning took the bamboo basket from the brigade leader, intending to first go back to the backyard to return the things, and then go to the brigade leader's house for a meal.
Of course, Chen Shuning wasn't the kind of person who would shamelessly freeload off others.
Over the past year, she has frequently gone to the homes of familiar brigade leaders or Old Yang to freeload meals.
However, Chen Shuning always brings his own food with him whenever he visits. Sometimes he also brings things like canned luncheon meat that villagers can't buy, or a dish he made himself.
In short, she never came empty-handed from any of the meals she ate, and her relationship with both families grew better and better through this give-and-take.
As for the new educated youth, it wasn't until Chen Shuning took the bamboo basket from the brigade leader and walked towards the backyard that everyone realized that this girl, who was so familiar with the brigade leader that she could freely go to the brigade leader's house for meals, was also an educated youth.
Chen Shuning took leave to go to town today. There wasn't much work to do in the fields at the moment, and the team was quite lenient about allowing team members and educated youth to take leave.
However, the work in the fields is light at this time, and the work points are also plentiful, so villagers are unwilling to take leave at this time unless there is something really important going on.
However, the educated youth, like Chen Shuning, had to take a day off every week to go to town.
Gu Xinyi is similar, but since both of them have secrets, they tacitly agree not to take leave on the same day.
Just like today, Chen Shuning took the day off, so Gu Xinyi went to work as usual. She had just finished work and was cooking in the kitchen.
With Tian Mi and Zhang Tingting, those two annoying people, no longer around, Gu Xinyi has been living a very comfortable life for the past six months.
She had just finished cooking when she looked up and saw Chen Shuning returning. She quickly handed the plate of food she had just served to Gao Hongyuan, who had just put out the fire.
He then came out to greet her, saying, "Shuning, why are you back so late today? Haven't eaten yet? Don't bother cooking anymore, I made a lot today, just come and have a bite."
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