The educated youth was reborn and wanted to disappear, but he was locked into a military marriage.

Zhu Xiaomin also knew that of the ten yuan she gave her every month in the past two years, she sent it all away without leaving a single cent, giving eight yuan to Jiang Xiaochen and two yuan to Niu Niu.

After Mrs. Jiang joined the army, Jiang Xiaochen and Niu Niu's household registration was also transferred to the army. Jiang Xiaochen was supplied with food, and with eight yuan, it was enough for his food and clothing. He just lacked his mother to take care of him.

Zhu Xiaomin patted her on the back, silently comforting her.

At that time, Mrs. Jiang stayed in the army. Apart from the food supply, she had no other source of income. She relied on delivering vegetables to the troops and could only earn two or three yuan a month, which was not enough to cover the expenses of three people, mother and son. She could only watch the little pension slowly decrease.

Although the army took care of the families of martyrs, they could only do so within the regulations and could not take care of them everywhere. Mrs. Jiang had no choice but to accept Lu Mingzheng's suggestion and left her children to go to Pingcheng.

Miao Shiwen came over and also advised softly: "Mrs. Jiang, you haven't seen your child for more than two years. This place is completely different from the army. He won't be able to adapt all of a sudden. We just need to wait for him to slowly adapt."

Mrs. Jiang had no choice but to nod and slowly wipe away her tears.

Lu Mingzheng and Jiang Xiaochen had been gone for an hour and had not returned yet. However, Xing Qingsheng, Song Zhian and others arrived first. When they entered the door, they saw an extra row of tables and went over to sit down in surprise.

Zhu Xiaomin brought out a kettle and poured water for several people, saying with a smile: "You came at the right time. After drinking the water, you can get back to work."

"What kind of work?" Xing Qingsheng was surprised.

Zhu Xiaomin pointed at the bricks piled at the door and said, "Aren't you going to build a big stove? Mingzheng has prepared the materials."

Song Zhian's eyes lit up and he nodded immediately: "Build a few big stoves, it will look more like a place for educated youth." Then he became annoyed, "I asked them to bring the big pot, but they wouldn't let me. Now we have to buy one."

Xing Qingsheng laughed: "We had so many packages along the way, have you forgotten how we brought them down the mountain? How are we going to carry those extra big pots?"

Song Zhian scratched his head, pretending not to hear, and went to the wall to observe, trying to figure out how to build a stove.

After a few more words, Chen Xudong, Yang Aijun and a team from Peking University came in chatting and laughing. When they saw the people from Tsinghua University who had arrived earlier, they all came over happily to say hello. It was clearly only a week since they last saw each other, but it felt like several years.

Just as the educated youth came over one after another, Lu Mingzheng and Jiang Xiaochen also came back carrying meat and other things.

When Song Zhian saw it, he exclaimed, his eyes brightened up three degrees, and he shouted excitedly, "Xiaomin, Xiaomin, what are we eating? Let me help." Then he rolled up his sleeves and rushed to the kitchen to find a knife.

Lu Mingzheng hurriedly picked him up and said with a smile, "You don't need to do this. Just finish the work first."

Song Zhian was dissatisfied: "I will just help clean up the meat, it won't take long."

Lu Mingzheng ignored him, dragged him back, and pointed to the southwest corner: "Build the stove there, two will do."

When everyone heard this, they all took off their clothes or rolled up their sleeves.

Miao Shiwen helped everyone bring their clothes into the house. Seeing that most of them had changed into new jackets made last year, she said, "Bring your coats here later and mend any torn places."

Xie Chengzhi was helpless: "Now they have living allowances, so they don't have to spend much money. The money distributed by the village last year can buy them a new one."

"The old ones can still be worn. It would be a waste to throw them away." Du Guoan thought with a bit of pain.

Knowing that everyone was used to being frugal, Miao Shiwen said, "Why not take a few feet of cloth, refill it with cotton, make two thinner ones to alternate, and buy another thicker one."

This is acceptable!

Everyone nodded.

Yang Aijun smiled: "It seems that Zhian was right to insist on bringing the cotton-fluffing tool."

Song Zhian said proudly: "Of course."

It made everyone laugh.

Seeing that the male educated youths were starting to move, Zhu Xiaomin instructed Jiang Xiaochen: "Xiaochen, help pour water for the uncles."

Jiang Xiaochen originally had a somewhat dazed look on his face, but when he saw groups of young and old men coming in, he looked a little surprised. At this time, he listened to her instructions without any resistance, and when he saw her handing over the thermos, he took it naturally.

Zhu Xiaomin took out a few cups and saw Yang Aijun not far away. She called out and instructed him, "There's dirt all over there. Bring a table over and put the cups here."

Yang Aijun ran over and moved a table over. Seeing a child beside her, he was surprised and asked, "Where did the child come from?"

Zhu Xiaomin smiled: "This is Jiang Xiaochen, Jiang Sao's son. He just arrived yesterday."

Yang Aijun nodded, reached out and touched Jiang Xiaochen's head, and said with a smile: "He looks about the same size as Luo Ye, but a little smaller, right?"

Jiang Xiaochen was unexpectedly rubbed on the head, and before he could react, the hand was taken down again, and he was stunned for a moment without moving.

Zhu Xiaomin smiled: "Xiaochen grew up in the army. He is the same age as Luo Ye when he first came to us, but he is taller than him then."

Ten years old?

Yang Aijun gestured: "Well, Xiaochen is taller and much stronger." He patted him on the shoulder and said, "Not bad, not bad." After saying a few words, he went back to work.

After a while, the educated youth arrived one after another. The later groups saw everyone working when they came in, and they chatted casually. They naturally took off their coats, rolled up their sleeves and joined in.

At this time, Song Zhian and others had mixed cement and started to build the stove, a few had put up a scaffold and started to raise the wall over there, Lu Mingzheng and Wu Xulin and others pulled a rope to draw a straight line to circle the area covered by the ceiling, and then selected a few points on the straight line to drive piles to make pillars.

Jiang Xiaochen saw a whole row of people, all young men, getting along harmoniously and naturally, and Lu Mingzheng and Zhu Xiaomin could order them around at will, and his eyes became bright.

Zhu Xiaomin turned around and saw that he looked eager to try. She unconsciously moved closer to him. Her heart moved a little and she whispered a few words to Lu Mingzheng.

Lu Mingzheng looked back and waved, "Xiaochen, come and help." Pointing at the door of the warehouse, "The tools are in the warehouse, go get some shovels."

Jiang Xiaochen agreed and quickly ran to the warehouse.

Mrs. Jiang hurriedly said, "How would he know where it is?" and was about to follow him in.

Zhu Xiaomin grabbed her and laughed softly, "Mrs. Jiang, don't worry about it." She dragged her back to the kitchen and said, "Let's clean up the meat. I just don't know what kind of dishes Xiaochen likes."

Mrs. Jiang was worried: "There are so many things in the storeroom, it will be messy."

"If it gets messed up, clean it up again." Zhu Xiaomin pulled her back and said softly, "You haven't seen it. Xiaochen likes it very much."

Mrs. Jiang was stunned, and recalled how Jiang Xiaochen looked just now. Her expression changed slightly, and she nodded, but she was a little confused.

Zhu Xiaomin said: "He grew up in the army and should have been with the soldiers often. Although we are not soldiers, there are many of us and our ages are not much different."

Mrs. Jiang nodded repeatedly after hearing this and went into the kitchen. She then looked outside worriedly, but she didn't see her son. However, she resisted the urge to go in.