Siheyuan: Banggeng and I are classmates

Seeing that the person coming was Zhou Ru, Li Muhua felt a headache. He knew what Zhou Ru was thinking, but she was different from the female student who had been pestering him in high school.

He can speak directly and coldly to female classmates without any scruples.

But they still have to live under the same roof for the next five years. Zhou Ru has never said anything direct, and Li Muhua doesn't want to embarrass her. It would be even more awkward for them to see each other every day.

Feeling confused, Li Muhua stood up and said, "I can do such a small thing as cooking by myself. You don't have to get up so early."

Zhou Ru smiled lightly, revealing two dimples, and said, "Didn't we agree on this a long time ago?"

"The youth educated camps should ensure equality between men and women. Some should cook, some should light the fire, some should chop wood, and some should wash dishes."

This was the rule Li Muhua had set when he first arrived. Li Muhua had no way to refute it, so he could only make way and mutter, "I've only seen you come to light the fire, and I've never seen Shu Wan or Han Lu come to light the fire."

"Shu Wan, Shu Wan, you're so affectionate when you call her that. It seems like you just want her to come and cook with you, right?"

Zhou Ru turned around and said, "Why didn't you tell me earlier? I'll help you wake her up, okay?"

At this moment, Li Muhua really wanted to let her shout, but she thought that dragging Dong Shuwan into it would only make things more chaotic.

"No, you should light the fire. After all, we have been working together for such a long time. It's so intimate."

Zhou Ru stopped walking, turned around and said with a smile: "That's almost right!"

Li Muhua walked to the stove angrily, and Zhou Ru approached.

He took out a few bills from his pocket, handed them over and said, "You said three or four dollars yesterday, so I'll give you four!"

"Thank you! You still thought of me when you went back home for the New Year."

Li Muhua took the money and put it in his pocket, but did not respond.

Zhou Ru asked with a smile: "What are you cooking today?"

"A porridge made from a mixture of large and small rice, lotus seeds, peanuts and red dates!" Li Muhua answered randomly.

"Oh, that sounds good."

Zhou Ru nodded and sat down in front of the fire cave.

The two fell silent again, just like when they were in school.

After a moment of silence, Li Muhua came up with a plan and said, "Guess what happened when I went back this time? My second brother suddenly brought me a sister-in-law, and I didn't even know about it before!"

Zhou Ru raised her head, looked at Li Muhua and said.

"This sister-in-law is from the countryside in Yinchuan. My second brother was afraid that my parents would not agree, so he acted first and asked for my consent later. When the letter came, they were already on the train. You didn't see how angry my parents were. My sister and I went to pick them up on the train."

"Then what?" Zhou Ru asked curiously.

Li Muhua replied: "Of course there was nothing we could do. My parents had no choice but to accept their daughter-in-law and provide her with good food and drink until the sixth day of the Lunar New Year before sending her away."

As soon as Li Muhua finished speaking, Zhou Ru said with a smile: "It's no wonder that your parents are angry about this. Your second brother should marry an educated youth. At least an educated youth has a city hukou."

"If it was in the old city again, I'm sure your parents would not only not be angry, but would be very happy." Zhou Ru said meaningfully.

"Who says it's not?"

Li Muhua nodded to confirm her words, and then said: "I think so too. You didn't see it. After my second brother left, they started to interrogate me."

"Ask me if I have any crush on any girl in the village, or any other educated youth in the same group, etc. Don't let them do this when the time comes."

After saying that, Li Muhua looked at Zhou Ru and said, "Fortunately, there are only three female comrades in our educated youth camp, you, Shu Wan, Han Lu, etc., so I can pat my chest and promise to my parents--"

"Don't worry, I will never be like my second brother, who suddenly brought a daughter-in-law back to you to make my parents happy, and only said that I would go back to give her to me later-"

Before Li Muhua could finish speaking, Zhou Ru stood up, glared at Li Muhua fiercely with tears in her eyes, and then rushed out the door.

Li Muhua chased her to the door and saw that she had returned to the house. Then he felt relieved and went back to the cupboard, grabbed a handful of peanuts and threw them into the fire hole.

With the flames flickering on his face, Li Muhua kept stirring the peanuts to ensure that they were roasted more evenly.

Soon the aroma of porridge filled the air and everyone got up.

Li Muhua also returned to the house and went to the river to brush her teeth with a toothbrush.

Because of this incident, the villagers laughed at them and said they were foaming at the mouth.

After brushing her teeth, Dong Shuwan pushed Li Muhua to a secluded place without waiting for Li Muhua to walk back to the yard.

"Li Muhua, did you say anything to Zhou Ru this morning?"

Seeing Dong Shuwan questioning him, Li Muhua said in confusion: "No, I told Comrade Zhou Ru some interesting things about my family's New Year's celebration this morning."

"Then she suddenly said she felt sick to her stomach and went back to rest."

"Are you really feeling stomachache?" Dong Shuwan was a little suspicious.

The three of them had been good friends in high school and now lived in the same room, so they naturally knew each other's situation.

Li Muhua nodded vigorously and said, "Really? That's what she told me anyway."

Dong Shuwan still looked at Li Muhua with some suspicion, but seeing that she couldn't get anything out of her, she had to give up. Li Muhua looked at Dong Shuwan's back and sighed.

By the time they got to the dinner table, Zhou Ru's eyes were still a little red and swollen, as if she had been crying.

But everyone tacitly agreed not to mention this matter.

While cooking at noon, Dong Shuwan walked into the hall and asked directly: "What did you say to Zhou Ru this morning? She was in the room and asked me to light the fire for you."

Seeing Dong Shuwan's wary look, Li Muhua said unhappily, "I didn't mention you anyway, so why are you looking at me like that?"

"It's like looking at an old bachelor in the village."

"Pooh!"

Dong Shuwan heaved a sigh of relief when she saw Li Muhua's expression. She walked to the fire hole, sat down and said, "Then tell me, what did you say to her this morning?"

"I'm telling you, don't try to fool me with that trick you used this morning. I don't believe you!"

Li Muhua thought about it and decided to tell the story from that morning again.

"No wonder, no wonder!"

Dong Shuwan finally understood the reason at this moment, and asked again: "I don't believe you didn't see that Zhou Ru was interested in you. Don't you think it's too hurtful to say this when you just came back?"

Li Muhua shook his head in disagreement.

"The affectionate are always annoyed by the heartless. Although the word is heartless, it is affectionate. It may be hurtful for me to say this, but it is also for her own good, so that she won't waste her time on me."

Although Dong Shuwan agreed with Li Muhua's approach, she still asked in disbelief, "Zhou Ru is such a beautiful girl, are you really not interested in her?"

Li Muhua still shook his head and said, "Don't get involved in this matter. In a few days, when Zhou Ru figures it out, it will be as if this matter never happened."

"From now on, just come and light the fire every day, and don't have any thoughts about me like she did, and I'll be thankful!"

"Pooh!"

Dong Shuwan spat and said disdainfully: "Just put your heart in your stomach. Even if I, Dong Shuwan, fall in love with the bachelor Wang in the village, I can't fall in love with you."

"I hope so." Li Muhua nodded and said, "I hope you can fall in love with Old Man Wang."

"Li Muhua, fuck you, you..."

Li Muhua covered his ears and listened to Dong Shuwan's crazy rant to him, feeling much more at ease.