The next day, three o'clock in the morning.

At dawn, Zhao Feng secretly left home, walked a few miles to the woods, picked up an armful of dry firewood, bundled it up, and hid it.

Then he walked to the river, picked a basket of willow buds, carried dry firewood on his back, and headed back.

At half past six, smoke started to rise from every house in the village.

The educated youth spot was in the southeast corner of the village. Zhao Feng was coming around from the outside of the village. When he saw Zhuang Lan carrying a pole and two empty buckets to go out, he hurriedly walked over.

"Don't move, I'll do it." Zhao Feng put down the firewood and wild vegetable baskets and was about to pick them up.

Zhuang Lan avoided his hand and refused: "No."

Zhao Feng insisted, "The heavy work must be done by men. How can women do this work?"

"Your brother has to take over at home, how can my daughter do it?"

Zhuang Lan seemed to hear what her parents often said before going to the countryside again. She clenched her hands stubbornly, "I can do any job that a man can do. I choose it myself."

"Anyway, I'm here, so I have to do the heavy work of carrying water." Zhao Feng forcefully grabbed the pole and bucket, and strode away without waiting for her to speak.

Zhao Feng had long legs, so Zhuang Lan chased him two steps, but the distance got further and further away, so he had no choice but to stop.

Zhao Feng then turned around, pointed to the firewood on the ground and said, "This is for you. You are a female educated youth. Don't go alone outside the village to collect firewood. It's not safe."

"I……"

Zhuang Lan was about to refuse, but he had already walked away and held back his words.

She looked at the bundle of firewood, still unwilling to accept it.

However, Zhao Feng's basket and firewood were a little conspicuous in the middle of the courtyard, so Zhuang Lan planned to carry them outside so that other educated youths would not see them.

She had just squatted down, her hand still touching the firewood, when Zhao Feng's voice suddenly sounded again, "Don't move, I'll come back after I've picked up the water."

Zhuang Lan was startled, his eyes full of doubts: Didn't you leave?

Zhao Feng scratched his head, he really left this time.

The public well was in the team committee compound. Zhao Feng remembered his second sister's words and went around the village to fetch water from his home well.

One round trip takes about ten minutes.

Zhao Feng went back and forth three times, and finally poured out the two buckets of water to fill the water tank. Then he looked at Zhuang Lan eagerly, "Is there any other work?"

At this time, there was already news of other educated youth rising up.

Zhuang Lan didn't want to be seen, so she said anxiously and awkwardly: "No, today was an accident. Actually, it was because another female educated youth and I ran out of water yesterday. Usually the male educated youth carries water."

Yesterday, Su Limei wanted to boil water for a bath, but she also took a bath, so all the water in the tank was used up.

Su Limei took it for granted that she was looking for a male educated youth, but Zhuang Lan couldn't feel at ease.

Besides... there are currently four male educated youths in the educated youth spot. She doesn't like the attentiveness of the old educated youth. Among the new educated youth, Fu Hang looks like an intellectual from a well-off family. She can't even open her mouth in front of him, let alone find a job with him.

, she couldn’t do anything like always finding another male educated youth to work for.

There was also noise in the house of the female educated youth, and Zhuang Lan hurriedly urged: "You go first, I really don't need you to do anything."

Zhao Feng glanced sideways, a little disappointed, but said nothing.

His basket and firewood were placed outside the courtyard gate. Zhao Feng did not look at the firewood, but grabbed half of the willow buds from the basket, placed them on the ground, turned around and left.

Zhuang Lan saw it, bit his lip, and called him: "Wait a minute."

Zhao Feng turned back quickly, and there seemed to be light shining in his eyes.

Zhuang Lan choked and asked him to go and talk behind the willow tree.

Zhao Feng followed her happily.

When he reached a place where he would not be seen, Zhuang Lan stopped, tugged at the seam of his trousers with his fingers, took a few deep breaths, and said, "I misunderstood you before, I'm sorry."

Zhao Feng giggled, "It's okay."

After Zhuang Lan spoke, he felt much more relaxed, "I also heard that your second sister transferred her job to your eldest sister. Anyway, it's wrong for me to be biased without knowing anything. I have to apologize to you.

.”

She had obviously softened her attitude towards him. How could Zhao Feng blame her? He was bubbling with happiness in his heart.

"Gululu——"

Zhuang Lan looked at his belly in surprise, "You..."

Zhao Feng blushed instantly and took a big step back, "Well, Zhuang Zhiqing, if you have anything to do next time, you can call me, I, I..."

His mind was buzzing, and he rolled up his sleeves uncontrollably, revealing his strong arms, and patted the hard muscles on his head, "I'm very energetic, I can do anything."

Zhuang Lan opened his mouth slightly, felt hot behind his ears, and did not dare to look.

When Zhao Feng realized what he had done, he was too embarrassed to even say hello. He grabbed the basket and ran away in a hurry as if he was being chased by a beast.

Zhuang Lan was influenced by him, and for no apparent reason, he turned around and left the place like a thief.

·

Zhao Ke doesn't have to go to school or work on time, and his rhythm is several degrees slower than usual.

Breakfast was still hot in the pot - the fish soup left over from the day before to soak the corn tortillas, and the wild vegetables she dug for dipping sauce.

Zhao Ke was greedy and kept eating, thinking about the braised pork made by his elder sister, the braised pork in the factory cafeteria, the cumin mutton in the state-owned restaurant...

If there is anything bad about coming back to the village, it is that the food is not good.

She didn't resent Comrade Yu Xiulan's poor cooking skills, and the food she made herself was even worse. She just complained that her mother was too frugal and that everything she cooked was tasteless.

Not only Zhao Feng misses his eldest sister, but Zhao Ke also misses her. While missing her, he wonders if he should go into the mountains to find something to satisfy his cravings...

"Zhao Ke! Are you at home?"

It's Zhao Yunyun's voice.

"Here, come in."

After throwing the bowl and chopsticks into the basin, Zhao Ke showed his head from the kitchen door. When Zhao Yunyun walked in, he went back to wash the dishes.

"Do you know who I just saw?" Zhao Yunyun looked eager to share.

Zhao Ke asked without raising his head: "Who?"

"Zhao Feng!" Zhao Yunyun said excitedly, "Guess where I saw it?"

Need to guess...

Zhao Ke: "Educated youth point?"

Zhao Yunyun's excitement cooled down instantly, and she lost the desire to continue talking.

Zhao Ke can't do anything to his stupid brother at the moment. He can only provoke him without leaving any trace, and then wait and see. If the relationship between the male and female protagonists develops to a certain level, and Zhao Feng still has signs of doing bad things, he will give him a real beating.

However, "Why did you see Zhao Feng?"

Zhao Yunyun was evasive, "Well... that's it... that..."

"Have you gone to attract butterflies? Have you finished reading the book?"

I only read four pages.

Zhao Yunyun's mind was spinning rapidly, thinking of how to perfectly divert her from this disappointing question.

"Crunch——"

The sound of the door opening.

There are also footsteps.

Zhao Yunyun breathed a sigh of relief and said as she walked out: "Is Zhao Feng back?"

"Sister Yun?" The blush on Zhao Feng's face has not gone away, and he pretends to be nonchalant, "Are you looking for my second sister?"

Zhao Ke came out of the kitchen and looked from his face to his hands.

Zhao Feng nervously raised the basket under her gaze and gave a stiff smile, "Second sister, I went to pick it specially for you."

Zhao Ke and Zhao Yunyun's expressions were almost synchronized, and they all said: Look at how he messed up.

Zhao Feng couldn't bear it anymore and fled back to the house in a hurry.

Zhao Yunyun said "tsk, tsk" twice, and muttered to Zhao Ke, "You can't help your elder brother," to counter the embarrassment she just made.

Zhao Ke didn't respond, so he wiped the water off his hands and went back to the house.

Zhao Yunyun grabbed her and said, "Follow me."

Zhao Ke didn't struggle and walked along with her strength, "Where are you going?"

"Just follow me."

A few minutes later——

Zhao Ke glanced at the words "Zhaocun Production Team Primary School" on the wooden door sign next to him, turned around and walked back.

"No." Zhao Yunyun grabbed her arm and pulled her in, "Know yourself and your enemy, and you will win every battle. Let's go in and see how Hu is teaching her."
To be continued...