Chapter 61: Sixty-Era Farm System (27) (Extra Chapter~ Thanks to 'Yan Tuodi'~)

On the way back to the brigade, Zhao Wanqing tilted her head to look at Xie Yang a few times, and couldn't help but ask: "How did you know Zhao Sande bullied Fu Rongrong? Did you see it?"

Xie Yang gave a casual "Mm."

"..."

Although she was not very satisfied with her perfunctory answer, Zhao Wanqing did not dare to continue asking.

The force with which Xie Yang kicked people was truly too great, making her feel a bit fearful inside.

"Aren't you afraid that that man surnamed Zhao will find people to retaliate against you? He is a local; it wouldn't be too easy for him to deal with us outsiders, the Educated Youth."

Xie Yang sneered: "He can try."

"..."

Zhao Wanqing twitched the corner of her mouth.

That's true! No matter how fierce the people Zhao Sande finds are, can they be fiercer than a super-large wild boar?

Xie Yang is a heroine who could beat a thousand-jin super-large wild boar to the ground!

Thinking of this, she once again envied Xie Yang's Great Strength.

With this kind of strength, one wouldn't fear going anywhere. Those few plots of land in the Farm Space would be even less of a problem!

Thinking of the Farm Space, Zhao Wanqing always felt that something had left her in the dark, and also vaguely felt that she seemed to have forgotten a very important matter.

What matter was it?

She shook her head, but for the life of her, she couldn't remember what she had forgotten.

When they returned to the Youth Hostel, it was already past nine o'clock in the evening.

Lai Zhaodi hadn't slept yet; she walked to the courtyard gate from time to time to take a look.

Not until a dim flashlight beam was cast from afar did she happily greet them: "Xie Yang, you're finally back! You must have walked for a long time on the road, right? I heard Zhou Dashen say the returning ox cart didn't see you, so I guessed you missed the cart and had to walk back. Your feet must be sore, right? Come into the room quickly, I'm keeping porridge warm for you in the pot, and I've also boiled hot water."

Xie Yang was pulled into the kitchen by Lai Zhaodi to drink porridge and soak her feet.

Zhao Wanqing peered at the pitch-black dormitory and the long, steady breathing sounds coming from inside, and suddenly felt an indescribable discomfort in her heart.

How long had Lai Zhaodi and Xie Yang known each other? At most, only a month or so. Knowing Xie Yang hadn't caught the ox cart, she not only saved her dinner but also boiled hot water for her, letting her drink warm porridge and soak her feet in hot water as soon as she returned.

And what about herself? She had been with Yang Qingqing for over half a year, always calling each other sisters.

Before, when nothing happened, she didn't feel anything, but today, she missed the ox cart and fell into a creek ditch; how she wished someone could comfort her. But her best sister, let alone keeping warm porridge and boiled foot-soaking water for her like Lai Zhaodi did, was already asleep...

Zhao Wanqing took out the white flour vegetable bun she had saved for Yang Qingqing from her basket, walked into the kitchen with a blank expression and long strides, and shoved it into Lai Zhaodi's hand: "Eat this!"

"..."

Zhao Wanqing and Yang Qingqing had fallen out.

Previously, they were inseparable, more than sisters; now, you ignore me and I ignore you, seemingly both waiting for the other to soften, yet both having personalities that refused to bow their heads. When passing each other, they would quickly turn their heads away; you don't talk to me, and I don't talk to you—the scene was indescribably awkward.

But this had nothing to do with Xie Yang.

She remained the same as before, going to work on time every day, finishing her own share of work, then finishing early, and then going into the mountains to scavenge; her days were regular and fulfilling.

With the Collection Illustrated Handbook in hand, besides making it much easier to dig wild vegetables and pick mushrooms, she could also find precious medicinal herbs that others found extremely difficult to discover, and could also notice wild berries that others easily overlooked.

In the mountains during spring, besides the abundance of mushrooms, there were also many wild berries.

Xie Yang picked them one by one, eating the ones that were edible, and boiling jam or pickling sour plums with the ones that were too sour. Occasionally, she shared some with Gouwa and the others.

That group of children now had a very good relationship with her and often brought her roasted bird eggs.

As for rare medicinal materials like Wild Ginseng, she would quietly process and hoard them, selling a few to exchange for money when she had the chance to go to the city.

She was not short of supplies now; instead, she was short of money.

The Lulu Beast that she owed was still waiting for her to use money to top up points to pay off the debt!

This noon, before it was time to go to work, Xie Yang was in the courtyard turning and drying the mushrooms, wild vegetables, and sour berries she had recently collected.

Looking at the baskets of dried mountain goods, she felt as if it were an empire she had conquered, feeling a special sense of accomplishment.

At this time, the Brigade Leader's wife led a few people inside.

"Educated Youth Xie, did you help a girl from the Qianjin Brigade a lot a while ago? Her family has come specifically to thank you!"

"Xie Yang!"

Fu Rongrong had originally been walking behind her mother and two sisters-in-law, but as soon as she saw Xie Yang, she excitedly trotted a few steps and darted to the front of everyone.

"I've come to see you! I wanted to come the day before yesterday, but my mother..."

"You child!"

Fu Mu was worried that her daughter would blurt out everything due to being naive, so she quickly interrupted her, stepped forward a few steps, and said to Xie Yang with enthusiasm:

"Educated Youth Xie, Rongrong told us after she got back that it was all thanks to your help that day; our whole Fu family is very grateful to you. I heard you are from Pingcheng and have only been here for a month or so. The climate in Pingcheng is quite different from ours; it rains a lot here in spring, raining at the drop of a hat. This raincoat was sent by Rongrong's aunt from the army; it's lighter and more breathable than ordinary rubberized rain ponchos, so please accept it. This Malt Extract was also sent by her aunt to help you supplement your nutrition, these two cans of Canned Food were exchanged by her eldest brother in the city, and these eggs were laid by the chickens we raise ourselves..."

Fu Mu had spent three days preparing these thank-you gifts.

Of course, compared to her daughter's purity, these gifts could not be considered very heavy.

But for an ordinary farming family, this was already the highest standard and most decent thank-you gift they could produce.

This was still because there was a younger uncle in the family who had joined the army, and he could get some good things in the army that couldn't be obtained in the countryside.

Xie Yang refused to accept them, but Fu Mu, along with her two daughters-in-law, insisted on sending them to the room where she lived, and additionally wanted to invite her to their home for a simple meal.

Fu Rongrong winked at her and pulled her to the side to whisper:

"About what happened last time, it's all thanks to your foresight. A lot of nasty things really spread around Majia Gully, as if those people had witnessed it with their own eyes... But I heard from my aunt that that Zhao Sande slapped those gossiping women's faces until they were swollen in front of many people, scolding them for talking nonsense and spouting rubbish, saying they wanted to harm him! He even said that if he had done it, he would have admitted it and could have married a wife, but to slander him when he clearly hadn't done it—what was that if not intentionally harming him? After Zhao Sande's mother heard about it, she rushed over and had a fight with those gossiping women... It's a pity my mother is keeping me under watch and won't let me go out these days, otherwise I really would have liked to see them dog-eat-dog with my own eyes..."

Xie Yang looked at her teasingly: "Not afraid anymore at this moment?"

Fu Rongrong's face turned red instantly, and her voice, though small, was firm: "Not afraid anymore! Actually, that night when I went back, I lay on the bed and recalled the things you said to me over and over again, and suddenly I wasn't afraid anymore. Xie Yang, can I still come find you to play when I have time in the future? I think you are so cultured; I haven't even seen the things you said in books."

Xie Yang: "..."

If she wanted to find her to play, that was naturally fine.

"Next time you come when you're on break, I'll take you into the mountains to play."

"What's so fun about the mountains? Let's go to the Commune together to watch a movie!"

"..."