Early in the morning, the brigade leader, Song Aidang, was already worried: new educated youth had arrived in Songjia Village, and he had to drive his beloved old ox to pick them up.
Just two months ago, six or seven people were transferred here, and now, not long after, four more have arrived.
Sigh, I hope they don't send people who can't work but like to cause trouble to their village. He thought they already had enough educated youth, but a few more have come. Is their village really that good? Everyone wants to come.
Although the brigade leader complained a lot, there was nothing he could do but drive the old oxcart to town with a bitter face to bring them back.
"Brother Zhang Shang, what kind of place is this? It's so poor and dilapidated, there aren't even many houses. Look at that road, it's broken and difficult to walk on."
Why did you come to this godforsaken place to work in the countryside? Wouldn't it be better to stay in Beijing? Why did you choose this hardship?
Zhou Man, who had just gotten off the bus in Qinzhou Town, complained to a man whose face looked tired, looking unhappy.
“I told you not to come along, but you wouldn’t listen. What are you doing here?” Zhang Shang said impatiently.
He was already very tired after taking the train for so long, then transferring to a bus, and then sitting for so long again. Zhou Man's voice kept chattering in his ear.
"Do you think I wanted to come? I only came because I saw you were here."
I can't stand it anymore, this place is so hot and sunny, why hasn't the person who's supposed to pick us up arrived yet?
Do you have an umbrella? Hurry up and take it out and use it, have some sense!
Hearing Zhang Man's domineering attitude, Liu Hongying dared not say a word and did whatever she was told.
Ever since she entered junior high school, her father has told her to follow Zhou Man closely and do whatever she is told.
She followed Zhou Man for two days, and was constantly being made to run around by her. Even the emperor was not as difficult to serve as she was.
She ran home and told her dad that she didn't want to follow Zhou Man around anymore, saying that Zhou Man treated her like a dog. Her dad slapped her across the face.
She watched with wide eyes as her father beat her for the sake of an outsider. If she found out that Zhou Man was unhappy, her father would beat her.
If Zhou Man does anything even slightly wrong, her father will take his anger out on her.
He once suspected that Zhou Man was her father's illegitimate daughter, but how could such a noble princess be born to a bully like her father?
Her mother would just stand by and silently shed tears, quietly watching her get beaten.
Later, she discovered that her father had been promoted and received a raise, and that she should make Zhou Man happy. She then realized that she was just a stepping stone for her father's promotion and official position.
She felt a deep resentment, but there was nothing she could do. She could only silently endure it.
She didn't have to go to the countryside; she was in high school.
But when her father found out that Zhou Man had been sent to the countryside, he signed her up for school overnight, and even registered her for the same place as Zhou Man.
They knew how tough it was to go to the countryside, but they still signed her up because of outsiders.
None of her other sisters were ignored by her father like this, and were treated as a path to promotion and wealth.
"It's so hot! Hold the umbrella a little closer, or do you have a fan? Come here and fan me."
"No, I'll just use a book to fan you," Liu Hongying replied meekly.
She opened her package, which contained only a few clothes and books. She took one out and fanned Zhou Man with it.
Liu Hongying was so hot that she couldn't even free her hands to wipe the sweat from her face. She could only take good care of this spoiled and willful princess who was disliked by everyone and even dogs.
Standing a meter away, Lu Xiao saw this scene and said disdainfully, "Pretentious."
Unfortunately, Zhou Man didn't hear it, otherwise the two would have had another argument.
After waiting for ages, Song Aidang finally drove the oxcart to the place where he was picking up the educated youth.
Seeing that there were four tall, thin people who looked like little chicks, he could only sigh and give up hope.
These guys are probably not good at their jobs. They're pretty and fair-skinned, and I heard they're from Beijing. What are they doing coming all this way to this remote mountain place?
"You've all come to Songjia Village in Sanhe Brigade for rural work, right? Come on, put your luggage on the oxcart, and the four of you can walk back with our oxcart."
"Have you bought your daily necessities yet? If not, there's a supply and marketing cooperative across the street. We can go back together after you've bought them. I'll wait for you here. Hurry up, I need to get back to work."
"Oh, why didn't you come to pick us up by car? This rickety and dirty oxcart, wouldn't it just make our luggage dirty if we put it on it?"
"We still have to walk back, it's so hot and sunny, how far is it?"
When the captain saw Zhou Man say that, he ignored her and looked down on his old oxcart.
Believe it or not, she'll be begging him to let her ride in the oxcart before she's even halfway there! Ugly people are always up to no good; he probably doesn't even want to come back with his old oxcart to pick her up.
"Stop fooling around, let's hurry up and buy some things so we can go back. Let's go to the state-run store first and buy some meat buns," Zhang Shang said to Zhou Man.
Zhang Shang held back his anger towards Zhou Man. If it weren't for the fact that the two families had a good relationship since childhood, he would have gotten rid of this leech long ago for the sake of both families' reputation.
"You stay here and guard the luggage. I'm going with Brother Zhang Shang," Zhou Man said spoiledly.
"I...I need to buy some too," Liu Hongying said softly.
"You don't need to go. I'll buy it for you. You just need to watch over your luggage."
"Zhang Shangge, wait for me! Don't walk so fast!"
Zhou Man, wearing little leather shoes, jogged after him.
Lu Xiao didn't wait for them; he went to the state-run restaurant and bought five meat buns, eating them as he hurried to the supply and marketing cooperative.
He bought what he needed and immediately carried it to the waiting area.
"Come on, Captain, have a steamed bun to fill your stomach. You must be tired from picking us up all this way," Lu Xiao said earnestly.
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