She was dressed simply, carrying a small bamboo basket on her shoulder, walking lightly with a gentle smile on her face, which was in stark contrast to the hustle and bustle around her.
Xiang Qin exchanged a few simple greetings with the old educated youth, and her natural friendliness made people feel at ease.
Her destination was clear, but it did not arouse too much suspicion. After all, in this small circle, Xiang Qin's good reputation was obvious to all.
When Xiang Qin mentioned that she wanted to send Xu Qinghe her own pickled vegetables, her tone was full of sincerity and concern, which forced those who originally wanted to dissuade her to give up.
After all, there might be deeper meanings behind Xiang Qin's decision that they don't understand.
Zhao Fangcao looked at Xiang Qin's receding back, and the jealousy and unwillingness in her heart grew like weeds. She felt that her world was collapsing bit by bit, and everyone was leaving her and throwing themselves into Xu Qinghe's arms.
Xiang Qin arrived at Xu Qinghe's house and found the door closed, which made her feel uneasy.
However, when Xu Qinghe heard the familiar footsteps, he immediately came out of the house. The smile on his face was like the warm spring sun, instantly dispelling the haze in Xiang Qin's heart.
Xu Qinghe's warm invitation, without any courtesy or hesitation, and the natural closeness made Xiang Qin feel the warmth of home.
Inside the house, Xu Qinghe's busy figure looked even warmer under the dim light.
While she was skillfully packing the fermented bean curd, she was chatting with Xiang Qin. Her calmness and trust made this simple gift extremely meaningful.
When Xiangqin was handed the milk powder, it was not just a material exchange, but also a proof that the two hearts were close to each other.
In this small space, friendship and understanding are like hard-earned milk powder, precious and warm, enough to withstand all the storms from the outside world.
The milk powder of that era was famous for its excellent quality. It was pure and flawless, without any artificial additives. It was carefully made purely from fresh milk and was a truly natural nutritional product.
However, in that era of relative scarcity of supplies, such milk powder became almost a rare treasure in the supply and marketing cooperatives, and it was difficult to find its trace.
Xu Qinghe couldn't help but feel a surge of unexpected surprise in her heart. Although she still had some stock on hand, it was not appropriate to enjoy it ostentatiously. At this moment, this sudden gift just gave her a reasonable reason.
"That's fantastic! This is a great opportunity to compare it and see exactly how it differs from malted milk!"
Xu Qinghe took the milk powder, his eyes sparkling with curiosity and anticipation.
Then, she took out an exquisite little bowl from the cupboard, filled with homemade pickled fermented bean curd. It was golden in color and fragrant, obviously a top-quality product.
Then, Xu Qinghe took out a can of beautifully packaged malted milk from the depths of the cabinet and handed it to Xiang Qin.
In her opinion, milk powder is far more valuable than malted milk, and it is even more rare in such an environment. Therefore, she did not think that her return gift was excessive.
However, Xiang Qin refused to accept the generous gift. She smiled and declined, "I really don't need this. I'm already very satisfied with this delicious fermented bean curd. The aroma of this fermented bean curd is so tempting. I'll ask for another bowl after I finish it."
Seeing this, Xu Qinghe persuaded him even more enthusiastically, "Well, just take it. You can come get the fermented bean curd anytime. We have it in abundance at home. The vegetarian fermented bean curd should be ready soon, and I'll send it over to you then."
She didn't intend to take back the malted milk. Instead, she added with concern, "You work so hard and consume so much energy. You need to supplement your nutrition."
Changing the subject, Xu Qinghe suddenly mentioned something important: "By the way, I remember you said you wanted to participate in setting up a tofu workshop. Are you interested in joining? I'll go to the village chief tomorrow morning to submit a list. Do you want me to add your name?"
Xu Qinghe's eyes were sincere and eager. She looked at Xiang Qin, her heart full of admiration for this girl who was full of passion and wanted to contribute to the country as soon as she arrived.
She knew very well that life in the countryside was far more complicated and difficult than Xiang Qin had imagined. Now that there was such an opportunity, even if Xiang Qin did not ask, Xu Qinghe was willing to lend a hand and help her gain a foothold in this land.
Xiang Qin obviously hadn't expected Xu Qinghe to bring this up. She was a little surprised for a moment and quickly explained, "I didn't come to you for this..."
"I understand."
Xu Qinghe gently interrupted her, his tone firm but gentle: "I just want to know if you are willing."
Xiang Qin was silent for a moment, and finally shook her head.
This was not a pretense on her part, but rather she had deeper considerations in her heart.
"I know you're doing this for my own good. The tofu workshop is indeed a good choice. The work is easy and I can earn enough work points. However, you hope to find someone to inherit Grandma's skills so that this tradition can continue. I'm not the most suitable candidate. After all, I don't belong here. If I have the chance, I will choose to leave. I won't stay here making tofu for long. So, I don't want to take up this precious opportunity."
Since setting foot on this land, Xiang Qin has been working hard in the fields every day, which is far from her original dream of building a beautiful countryside.
She clearly realized that only by taking deep roots in this land like Xu Qinghe could she truly change the face of the countryside.
However, she herself currently lacks such ability and influence, and she feels as if she is wasting her time here.
Therefore, deep down in her heart, she longed to find a suitable opportunity to embark on the journey of returning.
Since she will leave sooner or later, it doesn't make much sense for her to occupy a position that doesn't belong to her.
Xu Qinghe was slightly shocked when she heard this. She was surprised to find that her ideas coincided with Xiang Qin's.
In fact, Xiang Qin could have accepted the position first and then given it up when she left in the future. The result would not have been any different.
It has to be admitted that Xu Qinghe sincerely admired Xiang Qin's advanced and rational ideas.
She admired this sincere and straightforward girl from the bottom of her heart, and her love for her grew deeper and deeper.
Xu Qinghe nodded gently, showing his understanding. "Okay, I understand. Let me ask the village chief to arrange some easy work for you. Don't exhaust yourself."
Hearing this, Xiang Qin's face showed sincere gratitude: "Thank you so much!"
Then, she heard Xu Qinghe lower his voice and whisper, "However, in this situation, it may not be so easy to go home. If you trust me, you can find some high school textbooks to read privately. It's always a good idea."
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