The next day, the weather was fine, and the sun shone on the desk in front of the window. In a small sweet white glazed jar, a branch of peach blossoms was kept in water, and it was in full bloom.
Cheng Yaoyao was woken up early. Zhang Xiaofeng and Han Yin had developed the habit of going to bed early and getting up early, so Cheng Yaoyao had no choice but to get up with them. Han Yin and Zhang Xiaofeng got dressed, took their towels and toothbrushes and went out to wash up, and asked Cheng Yaoyao to check whether Xie Zhao had left.
When Han Yin and Zhang Xiaofeng came to stay overnight, Xie Zhao would consciously avoid them. In the mornings, Xie Zhao would deliberately leave early in the morning to avoid the inconvenience of running into the two girls.
Cheng Yaoyao once laughed at Xie Zhao for being so shy. Xie Zhao corrected him with a straight face: This is called avoiding suspicion. Cheng Yaoyao was surprised: Then why don't you avoid suspicion with me? Xie Zhao stopped talking, with a smile in his narrow eyes, a little bit of a scoundrel.
Cheng Yaoyao secretly opened the door and looked out.
Xie Zhao was brushing his teeth in the yard wearing a vest, stretching his strong back muscles and shoulder blades as he moved. He held the toothbrush holder in his left hand, with his index finger slightly raised, without a bandage.
Cheng Yaoyao wrinkled her nose. Xie Zhao suddenly turned his head to the side, and Cheng Yaoyao shrank back, her heart pounding. No, why should she be afraid of Xie Zhao? !
Han Yin asked, "How is it? Is Xie Zhao here?"
Cheng Yaoyao said: "He hasn't left yet."
Han Yin was surprised and said, "He was up quite late today. He used to go out before dawn."
Because Xie Zhao was on vacation, he promised to accompany her. But now they were arguing... Cheng Yaoyao went to the door again and saw that Xie Zhao had already put on his coat and changed into his Liberation shoes, and opened the gate and went out.
When he turned around to close the door, he suddenly raised his eyes and looked straight at her. Cheng Yaoyao was caught by him and panicked immediately. He didn't know whether to smile at him or continue to stare at him. The expression on his little face was both funny and pitiful.
Xie Zhao's eyes kept turning away and fell to his feet. Stubborn Cat followed him stealthily and tried to slip out. Xie Zhao raised his foot to stop the ball of meat and threw a piece of dried chicken into the yard. Stubborn Cat immediately chased after him, and Xie Zhao took the opportunity to close the door.
Cheng Yaoyao felt inexplicably disappointed and said, "He's gone."
The three of them went out to the yard to wash up. Cheng Yaoyao went to the kitchen to take a look. There was rice porridge cooking in the pot, and Grandma Xie was nowhere to be found.
The vegetable garden and the Chinese toon tree were watered, and the bluestone floor of the courtyard was washed clean. The water gradually evaporated in the sun, and it shone like a mirror. Cheng Yaoyao picked up a small basket and went to pick up eggs.
The Xie family now has a rooster, thirteen hens, and twelve chicks, all of which are taken care of by Cheng Yaoyao. The chicken coop needs to be cleaned of straw and chicken feces every day, and chicken food and water need to be added. However, Xie Zhao gets up early every day to do it for her, and Cheng Yaoyao is only responsible for happily picking up eggs.
Today the chicken coop has been cleaned and filled with chicken feed. The hens are all busy eating at the trough. The big rooster is standing on the wooden post with his head held high, his feathers fluttering and his tail feathers shining.
Cheng Yaoyao opened the wooden fence of the chicken coop and walked in, quickly closing the door to prevent Zhijian from following him in and causing trouble. He saw eggs lying here and there in the dry straw. Some were red, some were white, and some had white spots. They were smaller than the ones in later generations, and they were still warm in the hand. These hens were raised with spiritual springs and insects. Sometimes they could lay two eggs a day, and the chance of laying double yolk eggs was also high. Grandma Xie would pick out the double yolk eggs to make salted eggs, and the two salted yolks tasted particularly happy.
Cheng Yaoyao picked up the eggs one by one and put them in the small basket. She picked up 17 or 18 eggs in total and felt very happy. She put the eggs one by one into her big basket. As the number of eggs increased, Xie Zhao made another big basket for her.
Han Yin was extremely envious: "It would be great if I had my own yard. I could raise a few chickens and have them lay eggs every day. I could save a lot of money!"
Cheng Yaoyao grabbed a few eggs and said to Han Yin with a smile: "I'll make you something delicious!"
There is rice soup cooking in the pot.
Cheng Yaoyao took a few bowls and cracked the eggs into them. He then took out a can of milk powder and scooped a little milk powder and sugar into each bowl.
Han Yin asked, "You want to make steamed egg custard?"
Cheng Yaoyao smiled and said, "No, just watch!"
Cheng Yaoyao scooped up the boiling rice soup with a black iron spoon, lifted it high and poured it into the egg. The rice soup swirled and gradually emerged with flocculent egg flowers. Then he gently stirred it with the spoon, and the white rice soup turned light yellow like magic.
Han Yin was surprised and asked, "Can this be drunk?"
"Why not? This rice soup with eggs must be drunk while it's hot." Cheng Yaoyao strongly recommended it to Han Yin and Zhang Xiaofeng: "This can only be made with fresh eggs, you should try it."
Han Yin took a sip from the bowl, her eyes lit up: "It's smooth, fragrant and sweet, it's really delicious!"
Cheng Yaoyao said proudly: "Rice soup mixed with eggs is very nourishing. You should drink more to replenish your body."
After drinking this mouthful of rice soup with egg, one feels warm all over and the stomach feels particularly comfortable. Zhang Xiaofeng and Han Yin both praise it highly.
Cheng Yaoyao said, "You guys go sit in the yard and drink. I'll prepare the rice first."
Cheng Yaoyao picked up the colander and began to scoop out the rice. He scooped the white rice out of the rice soup and then steamed it in the rice steamer. The remaining rice soup was snow-white and fragrant. It was poured into a black pottery jar and left to dry. It could be used to soak rice or cook soup.
There were footsteps behind him, and Cheng Yaoyao said, "I can do it alone, you guys go out."
No one answered, Cheng Yaoyao turned around and saw that it was Xie Zhao. His shoes were clean, and it was obvious that he had just gone out for a walk to make room for them.
Cheng Yaoyao's peach blossom eyes widened slightly and he looked at Xie Zhao somewhat awkwardly.
Unexpectedly, Xie Zhao didn't even look at her, but just took the bowl and drank the rice soup.
Cheng Yaoyao was immediately furious. She held the handle of the spoon and said fiercely: "I cooked this. If you want to drink it, make it yourself!"
Xie Zhao looked at her with long eyes, put down the spoon, and opened the lid of the teacup. The teacup was empty. Grandma Xie had gotten up early and had no time to boil water for tea.
Cheng Yaoyao hummed and looked at Xie Zhao with great pride. His little look was really tempting.
Xie Zhao glanced at the stove, picked up the bowl of rice soup and poured it over the eggs.
Cheng Yaoyao said angrily: "Give it back to me, I didn't do it to you."
Xie Zhao said, "Then I'll drink rice soup."
"No!" Cheng Yaoyao childishly stopped Mi Tang.
Xie Zhao said: "Then I will drink this."
Cheng Yaoyao stretched out her hand to grab it, but as soon as Xie Zhao raised his hand, she couldn't reach it anymore. She jumped up and down in anger: "I... I drank this before!"
Xie Zhao looked at her deeply with his narrow eyes, put the edge of the bowl to his lips, and drank it all in a few gulps as if to deliberately annoy her. I don't know if it was a coincidence or something else, but his lips were just on the place where Cheng Yaoyao had just touched. The rice wine and eggs were fragrant and delicious. After drinking it, the whole body was warm, and there was a faint peach blossom fragrance between the lips and tongue.
Somehow, Cheng Yaoyao's face suddenly turned red. She turned around and fiddled with the spoon to cover it up, and Xie Zhao's chest covered her from behind.
Cheng Yaoyao was so scared that he stuck to the stove, looking at the door in panic and whispering, "Didn't you say you didn't want to talk to me? Why are you being a hooligan again? Let Han Yin and Zhang Xiaofeng see you...!!!"
Xie Zhao reached out and took out the wowotou from the basin behind her, looking at her calmly, as if to say "you're overthinking it".
Cheng Yaoyao's cheeks immediately turned red, and he kicked him in anger: "You are deliberately playing tricks on me!"
Xie Zhao grabbed her ankle with one hand, and Cheng Yaoyao stood on one foot on the ground, dumbfounded: "You...you let go, you're dead!"
As soon as she got angry, Xie Zhao gently pulled her ankle back. Cheng Yaoyao had to hold on to the stove behind her with both hands to stand firmly. She was so angry that she wanted to cry: "You, you, you... let go!"
Cheng Yaoyao was even more beautiful when she was angry. Her snow-white face turned slightly red, her eyes were drunken, and she glared at people thinking she was very fierce, completely unaware that her appearance would only make people want to bully her even more.
Xie Zhao said calmly: "Are you still kicking people?"
Cheng Yaoyao was so angry that he tried to think of a sentence: "Who kicked you? Stop flattering yourself!"
Xie Zhao narrowed his eyes, frightening Cheng Yaoyao so much that he felt a chill on his back. However, he spoke in a calm tone, revealing an unnoticeable sense of helplessness and joy: "Aren't you ignoring me? You're acting like a spoiled child again."
"Who was acting coquettishly with you!" Cheng Yaoyao blushed and jumped on one foot.
Xie Zhao asked, "What do you want to do?"
"I want you to stay away from me!" Cheng Yaoyao glanced to the side. She didn't know what she wanted to do, but she was very unhappy with Xie Zhao's cold attitude.
Han Yin's laughter echoed in the yard: "Yaoyao, you haven't finished yet?"
"Coming, coming!" Cheng Yaoyao said hurriedly.
Xie Zhao released her ankles, and Cheng Yaoyao landed on tiptoe and staggered forward into his arms.
The strong and warm chest vibrated slightly. Cheng Yaoyao wanted to cry but had no tears. He just asked him to stay away from her, and she threw herself into his arms. Look how proud he was!
Cheng Yaoyao ate the next breakfast without any regrets. Xie Zhao, on the other hand, took two steamed buns and left, leaving Cheng Yaoyao to endure Han Yin's smirk and frowns. Even Zhang Xiaofeng couldn't help laughing: "I think you should just get married quickly. It's boring to have breakfast!"
The educated youth of this generation were actually very open-minded. They had watched many Soviet films and novels, experienced the Great Link-up Movement, and went to the countryside to work. They had many beautiful imaginations about love and were not so feudal about the relationship between men and women. Unless it was like Cheng Nuonuo and Shen Yan, who had an affair in the woods and everyone knew about it, normal love would not be criticized.
Cheng Yaoyao was angry and pouted, "I won't get married. I hate him the most!"
Han Yin said, "Don't be ungrateful for what you have. Just because someone likes you, you can do whatever you want."
Zhang Xiaofeng also said: "Based on my long-term contact and observation, Xie Zhao is a very good and upright young man. The most valuable thing is that he loves you and cherishes you. Your marriage will be very happy."
Han Yin was more realistic: "Their family treats you so well that you don't have to do any work. It's such a nice house, and you can eat eggs every day. Do you know how long it takes for me to eat eggs?"
Cheng Yaoyao said, "You like eggs? Bring some back later."
"No, no, that's not what I meant." Han Yin said hurriedly, "Even if I take it back, I have no place to cook it! It's not nice to light a stove in someone else's house. If their children see it, I can't refuse to give it to them."
Han Yin suddenly sighed: "You are the best. What's the use of marrying a country boy? You may not be able to live such a comfortable life in the city."
Cheng Yaoyao smiled wickedly and said, "Since you said so, just marry in the village. We can still be companions in the future. I heard that many families have come to inquire about you. Pick one!"
Han Yin said, "Don't provoke me. I'll pick one for you tomorrow."
Cheng Yaoyao was surprised and asked, "Are you serious? Aren't you looking forward to returning to the city?"
Han Yin said nothing. Zhang Xiaofeng explained, "It's all about her brother's escape to Hong Kong. Don't say such sad words. Let's go to college together. When we return to the city, they may not hold you back during the political review."
Han Yin became more and more pessimistic: "There's no chance of getting into college. I've been exhausted since spring. When I finish the tea work, I'll have to go back to the fields to work. I'm scared just thinking about it."
Zhang Xiaofeng was also silenced by what he said. Spring ploughing, summer planting, and autumn harvest, going to the fields every day was like shedding a layer of skin, and the day-to-day labor could wear out the iron will. Many female educated youth from the city couldn't stand this life and married local farmers casually, and some male educated youth married local girls.
Especially after Cheng Yaoyao moved into the Xie family, she was like falling into a honey pot, and was spoiled by the Xie family and became even more spoiled. Some female educated youth who could not endure hardship saw this and became even more shaken. With the help of the matchmaker's coaxing and deception, several of them were married to villagers one after another. Unfortunately, those men were not Xie Zhao. The female educated youth found out after they got married, but it was too late to regret. However, after getting married, they no longer had to work hard in the fields to earn work points, and there was someone to share the work, which was much better than before.
Cheng Yaoyao hurriedly said: "A marriage without love is an immoral marriage! Don't be impulsive!"
You have to know that getting married in the countryside is equivalent to settling down. When the educated youth return to the city in the future, they must get divorced and cannot take their children with them. In order to return to the city, the educated youth almost overwhelmed the divorce office. The office simply hung the divorce seal on the door, and those people rushed to stamp the divorce certificates, rolled up the seal and left, never looking back, leaving behind many heartbroken wives and poor children.
With the college entrance examination about to be resumed and the educated youth returning to the city just around the corner, Han Yin must not lose her integrity in her later years.
Cheng Yaoyao couldn't say these words, so he had to quote quotations from the collection to encourage them. He secretly decided to invite them to his home more often in the future and bring them some delicious food so that they could survive this darkness before dawn.
Han Yin finally smiled: "Don't worry, I'm just complaining. I couldn't stand it anymore, but after seeing what you did yesterday... I would rather go back to the city and become a drifter than stay here!"
As they were talking, Grandma Xie came back with a bowl in her hand and asked with a smile, "What are you mumbling about so early in the morning?"
Zhang Xiaofeng and Han Yin both stood up to greet Grandma Xie. Cheng Yaoyao went over to her and asked, "Grandma, where have you been so early in the morning? Such fresh raspberries! Where did you get them?"
Grandma Xie said cheerfully, "I went to deliver Qingtuan to some neighbors this morning. This is from your sister-in-law Hongxia. Take it and eat it. Then go back to work."
"Okay." Cheng Yaoyao held the bowl of fresh raspberries with dew on them, and waited until Grandma Xie entered the kitchen before he secretly breathed a sigh of relief.
Grandma Xie went out to visit neighbors early in the morning, but didn't bring back any news. It seemed that the villagers hadn't noticed anything unusual.
Cheng Yaoyao and the other two shared the raspberries and went out with their lunch boxes.
As he walked out of Xie's courtyard, Cheng Yaoyao couldn't help but look around, but he didn't see Xie Zhao, and his heart couldn't help but get nervous.
Zhang Xiaofeng and Han Yin held her on both sides and whispered, "Don't be afraid. Just be like usual. Don't let anyone see that something is wrong!"
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