Siheyuan: Struggle in the Red Era

After the Chinese New Year, the weather seemed to have returned to order from chaos, and the four seasons began to flow in order again, with good weather and favorable harvests. Under this change, the crops in the fields were the most affected.

Not far from Lin Baoyan's school is a large tract of farmland. At this time, the farmland is green everywhere, and the crops are growing vigorously.

Cao Shuiyun squatted on the edge of the field and dug dandelions. As he dug, he said with a smile: "The weather has really improved this year. There have been several spring rains. Look, all the crops have recovered. As long as there is enough rain in the future, the harvest will definitely come in time."

Tao Xiaomei was also digging, and her speed was not slow: "Yes, if nothing unexpected happens, this year's harvest can return to the level of three years ago."

After three years, they finally made it through.

Over the past year, many people who knew their family background and wanted to continue their studies came to ask them who they borrowed money from to pay for their studies.

In order not to cause trouble for Lin Baoyan, they both said they were just friends and refused to reveal anything no matter how they were pressed.

Those people also asked their parents and family members, but the two had anticipated this and told their parents clearly from the beginning that they would not tell them who this person was.

Some people also suspected their classmates. There were many guesses, but no one guessed it was Lin Baoyan.

It was really because Lin Baoyan kept too much distance from other people, and there was no difference in her attitude towards Cao Shuiyun and the other two.

Cao Shuiyun dug up another shepherd's purse, shook off the dirt on the roots, and said with a smile: "Fortunately, we persevered. The college entrance examination will be held in more than three months. After the exam, we will really turn things around."

Tao Xiaomei's eyes were full of reverie: "Yes, once I get into college, we will really turn our lives around. From now on, my grandma can no longer use me as an excuse to ask my parents for money."

The two looked at each other and said in unison: "We have to thank Li Xiang for this!"

They smiled at each other and Tao Xiaomei said, "Let's take this year's first season shepherd's purse back to Li Xiang. She seems to like it very much."

Cao Shuiyun smacked his lips and said, "Why does she like wild vegetables? I still like meat."

Tao Xiaomei rolled her eyes and said, "Who doesn't like to eat meat? We don't have any meat. In the past three years, a large area of ​​the surrounding mountains has become bald. There are not even rabbits to be seen. Otherwise, I would have caught a few for Li Xiang a long time ago. She would definitely like them."

Cao Shuiyun said awkwardly: "I also want to get some meat, but the problem is that we haven't seen the smell of meat in our village for a year."

Then she became happy again: "This year our village is going to raise a few more pigs. They said that a batch of soybean meal was allocated from above. Feeding pigs with this stuff can help them grow meat."

Tao Xiaomei hummed and said, "Our village also wants to raise more soybeans, but if everyone raises soybeans, will there be enough soybean meal?"

The two chatted, and soon each dug a large basket of wild vegetables, stood up, packed up and went back.

Today is the weekend, and Lin Baoyan rarely left, so Cao Shuiyun and the others thought of digging some wild vegetables to show their appreciation.

For more than a year, Lin Baoyan's attitude towards them has never changed, just like the previous year and a half, polite but with a hint of alienation.

It was Lin Baoyan's unchanging aloof attitude that not only saved the two of them from feeling inferior after borrowing money, but also prevented many people who suspected who Cao Shuiyun and the other borrowed money from from not suspecting her at all, thus allowing her to avoid the danger of being harassed by others.

When I returned to the dormitory, Lin Baoyan was indeed doing her homework in the dormitory.

The other two students went home, and the three of them started talking more casually.

"Li Xiang, look, we just went to dig up so many wild vegetables. Wash them later and you can take them back, blanch them, and mix them with sesame oil. They will taste great."

Cao Shuiyun picked up the basket in his hand and said, "Look, most of them are shepherd's purse, and there are also some dandelions, all very tender."

Tao Xiaomei also put the basket on the table, smiling and saying nothing.

Lin Baoyan was helpless: "I did say that I like to eat shepherd's purse, but I didn't ask you two to dig it for me. There are so many. How long did it take you to dig? It's hard and tiring."

Tao Xiaomei said: "We are a little tired from studying every day, so we want to combine work and rest and go out to enjoy the spring and relax. We saw wild vegetables on the road and we were itching to pick some."

Cao Shuiyun continued, "Right, right, right. You don't know. When the weather is good outside, wild vegetables grow wildly. You can dig up three or four by walking two steps. Don't be fooled by the size of the basket. Each wild vegetable is very big. There aren't many of them. Just enough for one meal or to taste."

Knowing the intentions of the two people, Lin Baoyan accepted the wild vegetables, but stated: "This is the last time. The college entrance examination is coming soon. Let's not think about anything, don't do anything, just finish the college entrance examination first, understand?"

Seeing Lin Baoyan picking up the wild vegetables, Cao Shuiyun and the others smiled and agreed: "I understand. The college entrance examination is the most important thing now. Everything else has to be put aside first."

The weather had gotten warmer, and there was no need to light the stove in the dormitory. There was no place to cook the two baskets of wild vegetables, so Lin Baoyan simply carried the baskets back to the courtyard.

When he came back in the evening, he gave Cao Shuiyun and his partner a lunch box each: "I made something to eat at home, and I'll share some with you. Try my cooking and see if it's any good."

There were only three of them in the dormitory. Cao Shuiyun took the lunch box with a happy face and said, "Is it really for us? How can I feel embarrassed about this?"

As he spoke, he couldn't wait to open the lunch box, and the aroma of meat filled the small space.

Half of the lunch box was filled with blanched shepherd's purse mixed with seasonings, and the other half was filled with thinly sliced ​​bacon and sausages.

Tao Xiaomei also quickly opened the lunch box, her eyes glowing green as she looked at the meat in the lunch box. She swallowed hard and said, "Li Xiang, this, this is too expensive. We can't accept it."

Cao Shuiyun also swallowed his saliva and said, "So much meat, Li Xiang, you really gave too much, we can't accept it."

Seeing the two of them saying that they couldn't stop and their eyes were unable to be pulled away, Lin Baoyan didn't laugh at them.

Anyone who hasn't tasted meat for a year or two will be like this. At least these two knew not to put it away, instead of just eating it without caring about the consequences.

"Eat it with confidence. If I give it to you, it means I have already eaten it."

The two swallowed their saliva again, looked at Lin Baoyan and said again to confirm: "Are you really giving it to us? We really ate it!"

Seeing Lin Baoyan nod in confirmation again, the two of them ignored hygiene and started eating the bacon.

Lin Baoyan sighed inwardly. After three years of disasters, everyone was really short of meat.

Even she, if she hadn't received subsidies from above, wouldn't have had much meat to eat throughout the year. What the two of them ate today was the last of her stock.

Sometimes, she even had doubts as to whether her distrust of the space was a bit too much. Perhaps, the well water in the space was really a good thing, beneficial to health, and could be used.

If that were the case, not to mention others, just talking about herself, how comfortable her life would be.

However, the experiment on the well water will soon be three years old, and she will know the results, and she can finally put her mind at ease.