Chu Jingqiu smiled and said, "Let's raise it! This way we can pick up an egg to eat every day."
I'll build a simple chicken coop for it, and you two can stew the big fish that Jin Fengniang sent over! We'll have the stewed fish in an iron pot for lunch, and stick a circle of pancakes on the edge of the pot."
Chu Jingqiu found some bamboo poles and built a chicken coop for the hens next to the backyard wall, and covered it with a straw mat to keep it warm.
Then he stuffed some straw into an unused broken backpack and put the hen in it.
She cut some cabbage for the hen and mixed it with some corn paste left over from her breakfast and poured it into the hen's bowl.
The supplies are not complete now. After a few days, she will secretly take some things from the space and fix the chicken coop. Then the three of them can raise two more chickens, and they won’t have to buy eggs to eat.
Shi Aihong was kneading dough, planning to make pancakes later, while Lin Zishan started skinning a ten-pound fish.
When she was about to wash the fish, she found that there was not much water in the tank, so she picked up the bucket and went to the well in the front yard to fetch water.
After a while, Qiao Rucheng came over carrying a bucket of water.
Lin Zishan followed closely behind Qiao Rucheng, shouting anxiously, "Qiao Zhiqing, I can do it myself. I really don't need you to help me carry water. Please put it down quickly. I can do it myself."
Qiao Rucheng didn't say anything and poured the water directly into the water tank in the kitchen in the backyard.
Shi Aihong looked at Qiao Rucheng in surprise, "Qiao Zhiqing, are you helping us fetch water? Thank you so much, the three of us can do it ourselves, no need to trouble you."
Qiao Rucheng glanced at Chu Jingqiu, who was building a chicken coop, and said expressionlessly, "How can you girls do such heavy physical labor? From now on, let me handle the water-carrying work! I'll take care of it for you."
Lin Zishan smiled awkwardly, "Qiao Zhiqing, we're all used to this, there's really no need to trouble you, just give me the bucket!"
Qiao Rucheng didn't say anything, but just picked up the bucket and went to fetch water again.
Lin Zishan walked up to Chu Jingqiu, spread her hands helplessly, and whispered, "Jingqiu, I think he's crazy. I just went to fetch water, and he walked straight towards me. Before I could react, he grabbed the bucket and brought it over."
Chu Jingqiu frowned, "We are girls, it's a bit inappropriate to directly grab the bucket from him.
If you do this, let Aihong call Zhou Weidong over and let Zhou Weidong take the bucket and do it for him. This will also make their relationship public.
Even if someone asks about it, we can just explain that Zhou Weidong is helping his girlfriend, so as to avoid rumors that would have a bad impact on us.
Let's cook the fish later and give one bowl to Zhou Weidong, and then have him give one to Qiao Rucheng. We won't take advantage of him."
Shi Aihong went to the front yard to call Zhou Weidong out and briefly explained the situation to him.
Qiao Rucheng was cranking the windlass vigorously. Zhou Weidong walked to the well with a smile and said, "Rucheng, are you fetching water for the girls in the backyard? Let me do it!"
If I don't help carry water, Aihong will definitely be unhappy and blame me for being an unqualified partner and asking you to help carry water."
After saying that, he planned to take the bucket from Qiao Rucheng, but he found that Qiao Rucheng was very strong and he couldn't snatch it from him at all.
There was no other way, he could only follow Qiao Rucheng to fetch water one trip at a time, and Qiao Rucheng did not leave until the water tank in the backyard was full.
Qin Yilan and Wu Shuangshuang were basking in the sun. They were a little confused as they watched the two male educated youth helping to fetch water from the backyard.
Wu Shuangshuang asked curiously, "Aihong, why did Qiao Zhiqing and Zhou Zhiqing start helping you fetch water? What's going on?"
Shi Aihong explained with a smile, "You don't know! Zhou Weidong is my boyfriend, and we're getting engaged soon. It's his unshirkable responsibility to fetch water for me, and Qiao Zhiqing is helping him along."
Wu Shuangshuang said in surprise: "Really? You and Zhou Zhiqing are about to get engaged! You two kept it a secret so well that we didn't even notice. But you two are a perfect match. I wish you all the best!"
As they were talking, the meal was ready. Shi Aihong took out the pancakes first. The pancakes were crispy and golden after being baked at high temperature.
The golden soup in the pot is bubbling. As the saying goes, "boil tofu a thousand times and fish ten thousand times", the fish and tofu soaked in the soup look very appetizing.
Chu Jingqiu picked up a piece of fish and tasted it. The fish meat soaked in soup was particularly firm and tasted so delicious that it even had the texture of crab meat.
Shi Aihong served Zhou Weidong two large bowls of rice and gave him a few pancakes, asking him to give one to Qiao Rucheng as a thank you for his help.
In the evening, Chu Jingqiu took Jiang Jiang out for a walk. She also took the opportunity to send Jin Fengniang's basket to Da Laba's house, asking Da Laba to return the basket when he returned to her parents' home.
After leaving Da Laba's house, Chu Jingqiu and Jiang Jiang strolled back slowly along the river.
She was almost at the educated youth station when two people suddenly emerged from the shadows and blocked her path. Jiang Jiang immediately ran to the front, baring her teeth in a defensive posture.
Chu Jingqiu looked closely and saw that it was Diao Lijun and Qiao Rucheng.
In the darkness, Diao Lijun's expression could not be seen, but from his voice one could hear that he was trying hard to please.
"Chu Zhiqing, we've been waiting for you for a long time. Rucheng has something to say to you. Can we spare some of your time?"
Chu Jingqiu said without hesitation: "If you have anything to say, let's go back to the educated youth camp and talk about it! This is not the place to talk."
After saying that, she was about to walk back with Jiang Jiang, but the two men opened their arms to stop her, preventing her from going forward.
Chu Jingqiu said angrily, "What are you two doing? You're blocking me in the middle of the night and not letting others see you. How disgraceful!
Please get out of the way quickly. We are all educated youth from the same courtyard. I don’t want to say anything too harsh. If you continue like this, I will be really angry.”
Qiao Rucheng said calmly, "Chu Zhiqing, I'll just say a few words and leave. I won't keep you too long."
Chu Jingqiu said in a cold tone: "Qiao Zhiqing, I don't think there is anything we can talk about privately. If you have something to say, you can talk about it openly during the day. There is no need to chat privately at night.
Besides, I'm engaged, I have to be aware of the impact, and I don't want to have a private chat with a gay man in the middle of the night.
I'm afraid it will cause unnecessary misunderstandings. You're a reasonable person, so I don't think you'll make things difficult for me, right?"
Qiao Rucheng was so jealous after hearing this that his teeth chattered. "Chu Zhiqing, I haven't even said anything yet, and you're refusing to talk to me. Do you think I'm that annoying to you?"
Chu Jingqiu was too lazy to argue with him, so she walked around him and ran towards the educated youth point. However, Diao Lijun jumped up and blocked her way again.
"Chu Zhiqing, we've been waiting for you in this cold wind for such a long time, and you didn't even give us a chance to say a few words.
Isn't it a bit too inhumane for you to do this? Rucheng, just say a few words. It won't waste your time. Please do me a favor!"
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