Chapter 233: Eating and Taking
After being away for nearly a month, the Educated Youth Courtyard had changed a bit.
Because it was the New Year season, the courtyard was decorated with red lanterns and couplets pasted on the doors.
Judging from the handwriting, they were written by Chen Ye Chu. With those simple decorations, the place now had a cheerful holiday air.
When Ning Xiyue returned, everyone in the courtyard was sitting around a candlelight, working intently on something.
“Xiyue, you’re back!”
Chen Ye Chu was the first to notice her pushing the bicycle in. He set down the bamboo pole in his hand and came over with a smile.
The other male educated youths also looked up, greeting her warmly.
“I’m back. Happy New Year, everyone,” Ning Xiyue replied with a cheerful smile, nodding all around.
Liu Yao and Wang Mengmeng put down what they were doing and walked over too. Both were dressed in bright red, looking extra festive.
“Xiyue, it’s been a whole month! I missed you so much,” Liu Yao said, looping her arm through Xiyue’s affectionately.
“I missed you all too. What are you making?”
Curious, Ning Xiyue glanced at the tools scattered around the courtyard—it looked like they were making fishing rods.
Zhao Jianshe, weaving a fishing net with thick hemp rope, explained, “We’re making fishing gear—nets and rods. Once we finish, we’ll go to the river outside the team to catch some fish.”
“Xiyue, you don’t know,” Liu Yao chimed in excitedly, gesturing with her hands to show the size, “that big river out there has frozen over. Lots of people have been cutting holes in the ice to fish—huge, fat ones!”
“We thought we’d try it too. If we catch a lot, we’ll dry and salt them—make some fish jerky to keep for later.”
Chen Ye Chu picked up the fishing rod he was working on and tied a new line to it, then looked up at her.
“Xiyue, why don’t you join us? Let’s go fishing tomorrow. There’ll be plenty of people by the river—it’ll be lively.”
As soon as Ning Xiyue heard the word lively, she agreed without hesitation.
“Sure! If we can actually catch something, that’ll be a nice treat. I’ve never gone winter fishing before—I hope I can catch one.”
Crowded, bustling places always drew her in—she liked the liveliness.
And after being away from the team for so long, the best way to catch up on all the recent happenings was to mingle where everyone gathered.
Of course, she totally wasn’t trying to catch up on a month’s worth of gossip.
She just wanted to blend in with the collective again.
And, well, she missed all the aunties—that’s all.
“Brother, want to come along?” she asked, turning to her second brother behind her.
He was actually quite good at fishing—back when they were kids, he often went to the river outside the city to bring home fish.
“Sure, why not,” Ning Qingyuan said casually. “Nothing else to do anyway. Fishing sounds good.”
Then he added, “But, little sister, wear more layers tomorrow. It’s cold out there by the river.”
Liu Yao clapped her hands happily.
“Perfect! Xiyue, put your things down and come help us make rods!”
But Ning Qingyuan cut in first, “No need. I still have two rods and a net from last year. I’ll bring them tomorrow.”
“Then Xiyue doesn’t have to make one,” Liu Yao said, then suddenly remembered hers wasn’t done yet. She hurriedly turned around and picked up her bamboo pole to trim the branches.
“I’d better finish mine before it’s too late.”
Just then, a delicious smell wafted from the kitchen.
Following her nose, Ning Xiyue saw Comrades Yu Zhiyu and Zhao Jianshe carrying trays of food toward the dining hall.
“Dinner’s ready! Everyone, tidy up and come eat!” Wu Guifang called out loudly as she came out of the kitchen.
Then, spotting Ning Xiyue, she waved joyfully, “Oh, Xiyue’s back! Come eat with us!”
Before Ning Xiyue could answer, a familiar voice came from behind—polite yet cheerful.
“She won’t be eating here. Xiyue’s coming to my house for dinner. No need to trouble yourselves.”
Turning toward the voice, Ning Xiyue saw the familiar face by candlelight.
“Aunt Huaihua? You’re here?”
Aunt Huaihua’s face glowed with happiness now that her son had been found.
“Xiyue, you and your brother put your things away and come to my house for dinner. I’ll wait right here. You mustn’t refuse—this meal, you have to eat!”
Afraid they might still decline, Aunt Huaihua even brought out her secret weapon—Gou Dan.
“Gou Dan’s been tending the fire, saying he’s cooking for his Sister Xiyue and Brother Qingyuan. He’s been waiting at home for you!”
Hearing that, Ning Xiyue exchanged a look with her brother and smiled. There was no refusing after that.
“Alright, Auntie, please wait just a moment—we’ll drop our things off and come right away.”
“Good, good, take your time. Auntie will wait here.”
Aunt Huaihua found a chair by the gate and sat down to wait.
Ning Xiyue and her brother quickly pushed their bicycles to the kitchen in the back, stored their luggage there, locked the door, and followed Aunt Huaihua home.
Her yard was full of people—mostly commune members who had helped search for Gou Dan.
Aunt Huaihua had invited them all over for dinner to thank them.
As soon as she entered the yard, she shouted toward the kitchen, “Gou Dan! Your Sister Xiyue and Brother Qingyuan are here—come out!”
“Coming!”
Gou Dan came running out, holding a slice of glossy, marbled cured pork belly in each hand.
He dashed up to them, beaming with pride, holding the slices up like treasures—one to Ning Xiyue, one to Ning Qingyuan.
“Sister Xiyue, Brother Qingyuan, eat meat!”
“Thank you, Gou Dan,” Ning Xiyue said, bending down with a smile so he could reach her.
She took the piece straight from his little hand and ate it.
“Mmm, so fragrant,” she praised, patting his head.
Gou Dan giggled with delight and turned to Ning Qingyuan expectantly.
The brother couldn’t resist either—he liked the child immediately.
He squatted down to meet Gou Dan’s eyes and said warmly, “Thank you, Gou Dan. This is the tastiest meat I’ve ever had.”
Gou Dan’s smile widened—he clearly thought they were praising him.
Without another word, he spun around and bolted back into the kitchen.
Ning Xiyue and her brother looked at each other, puzzled—Only for Gou Dan to come running back out a moment later, this time carrying an entire plate of cured pork, grinning from ear to ear.
He held it out proudly toward them.
Aunt Huaihua followed him out, saw where he’d taken the plate, and, relieved that it was in front of Xiyue, went back inside.
Ning Xiyue: “…”
Ning Qingyuan: (blush jpg.)
This kid was too sincere.
Trying not to laugh, Ning Xiyue hurried to stop him from shoving the whole plate into her hands.
They had only meant to praise, not to “earn” meat!
Apparently, Gou Dan really didn’t see them as outsiders—he even brought the whole dish over!
“Gou Dan, that’s enough. Sister and Brother aren’t eating anymore. Go put the meat back with your mom, then we’ll play in the yard for a bit, okay?”
Gou Dan hesitated, insisting for a moment, but finally listened after much coaxing and carried the plate back inside.
Only when they saw him hand it safely to Aunt Huaihua did they relax.
At dinner, Aunt Huaihua purposely placed that very plate of cured pork right in front of the siblings, urging them to eat more. Uncle Anguo went even further—he personally pushed several bowls of meat and other rich dishes toward them, worried they might not get enough.
When they were leaving after dinner, Aunt Huaihua suddenly rushed out of the kitchen, calling,
“Xiyue, wait!”
She shoved something into Ning Xiyue’s arms—a hard, heavy bundle wrapped in several layers of old newspaper.
“Auntie, what’s this?”
Ning Xiyue looked down, confused, glancing between Aunt Huaihua and Uncle Anguo, who had come to see them off.
Aunt Huaihua waved her hand casually, refusing to explain.
“Just something I wrapped up for you. Take it and see later.”
As Ning Xiyue adjusted the newspaper in her hands, a faint smoky aroma reached her nose.
She instantly guessed what it was—cured smoked pork.
She quickly tried to hand it back.
“Auntie, really, there’s no need. We’re all from the same team—you don’t have to be so polite.”
“Exactly,” Uncle Anguo said, nodding along but pushing it right back into her hands, pretending to be serious.
“No need to be polite—if you refuse, I’ll be upset!”
After a few rounds of polite back-and-forth, Ning Xiyue had no choice but to accept it. She said her goodbyes quickly, pulling her brother away before they could stuff anything else into her hands.
That dinner—they didn’t just eat, they ate and took home gifts.
Back at the Educated Youth Courtyard, Ning Xiyue unwrapped the bundle layer by layer. Sure enough, inside was a slab of beautifully smoked cured meat.
Ning Qingyuan stared at it, stunned.
“Uh… maybe we shouldn’t have praised the meat so much?”
“So overly generous,” Ning Xiyue sighed, covering her face.
The cut edges were fresh, and judging by the grain of the meat, she could tell Aunt Huaihua had given them nearly half of what she had left. During New Year, meat was precious—and Aunt Huaihua had shared it so freely.
