Chapter 84: So Bright It Blinds the Dog’s Eyes
“Comrade Guifang, don’t be so anxious. These things will happen sooner or later. You can’t eat hot tofu in a hurry — let’s take things slowly,” Aunt Yangliu laughed, dodging the question without giving a straight answer.
“You’re right, Auntie. I’m just being impatient. It’s not like a moment will change anything.”
Seeing that Aunt Yangliu was unyielding and not answering her directly, Wu Guifang decided to drop the subject. All the cadre families in the brigade were the same — they would never tell you the truth. Asking further was meaningless.
Ning Xiyue patted Wu Guifang’s shoulder comfortingly. “Sister Guifang, don’t be discouraged. Something different happens every day. Maybe good news is just around the corner.”
That was as much as Ning Xiyue could say. Whether Wu Guifang could figure things out on her own wasn’t something she could control. She certainly didn’t want to get involved in such matters — she was better suited to silently munching melon seeds and watching the drama unfold from the sidelines. That was the most comfortable and most “her” way.
“Mm.”
Being anxious wouldn’t change anything.
Zhao Jianshe, who had been paying attention to their conversation, sighed internally when he saw nothing came of it.
He had been too impatient lately. After all, he had been in the brigade for so many years and managed to stick it out. It wasn’t a big deal. How could he let his emotions be swayed by a vague rumor? He needed to calm down and think clearly.
As the atmosphere cooled, the team leader approached with an empty basket on his shoulders, beaming with a rosy face. “Let’s go! Back to the brigade.”
After hitching up the ox cart, Aunt Yangliu called out to Ning Xiyue, “Xiyue, come sit behind Uncle Dawei. There’s less dust there.”
The team leader smiled helplessly. Apparently, in his wife’s eyes, he wasn’t as important as Yuewa — he was just a human dust shield.
“Okay, thank you, Auntie. Thank you, Uncle Dawei.” Ning Xiyue hurriedly climbed onto the cart and sat down, feeling a bit embarrassed — Aunt Yangliu truly didn’t treat her as an outsider.
But having a leader sitting in front of her blocking the dust? That felt pretty great.
Other than Uncle Dawei driving the ox, the cart carried only Ning Xiyue, Aunt Yangliu, Wu Guifang, and Zhao Jianshe.
Sure enough, once they left the township, it was just as Aunt Yangliu had said — dust everywhere.
With no obstacles along the road, Uncle Dawei urged the ox forward at a quick trot. The dirt and dust kicked up by its hooves filled the air. If not for Aunt Yangliu’s advice to wear a scarf, Ning Xiyue doubted she’d still be able to breathe through her nose by the time they got back.
And the village road was bumpy too. The cart jolted up and down, forcing Ning Xiyue to grip the wooden planks tightly with one hand and hold onto her backpack with the other to keep herself and her things from tumbling off.
Aunt Yangliu squinted against the blowing sand and tilted her head to ask, “How is it? Getting used to riding an ox cart?”
Ning Xiyue nodded. “It’s a new feeling — quite fun.”
The team leader chuckled. “We’re not far now. I’ll slow down a bit. It’s actually pretty comfortable when we go slower — you’ll see.”
As promised, he slowed the ox’s pace, and the cart rocked gently.
Sure enough, the slower pace felt like sitting in a cradle — comfortable and relaxing. She could leisurely watch the clouds drift across the sky. It was a stark contrast to the dusty chaos of earlier.
The team leader hummed a little tune. “Well? Isn’t this nice?”
“So comfy I could fall asleep. Captain, your ox-driving skills are amazing — I’m impressed.” Ning Xiyue looked at him with admiration.
Aunt Yangliu beamed with pride. “Your uncle’s ox-driving skills are second to none. He’s been doing it since he was a boy — no one in our brigade is better than him.”
“Captain, you’re incredible,” Zhao Jianshe and Wu Guifang added at just the right time.
The praise made the captain feel wonderful — especially hearing his wife compliment him. He grinned from ear to ear. “I’ll drive slowly for the rest of the way so you can all enjoy the ride.”
That pleased everyone — no one wanted to eat dust, after all.
Ning Xiyue felt more at ease now. Compliments really did work wonders.
They swayed lazily all the way back to the brigade. After getting off, Ning Xiyue bid farewell to Aunt Yangliu and the captain with her backpack on her back.
Then she followed Wu Guifang and the others toward the educated youth dormitory.
Now that the pot was back, Ning Xiyue and Chen Yechu were officially split. Today’s lunch would be the first meal cooked in her very own little kitchen.
The joy of eating delicious food — and eating it all by herself — had finally arrived.
Ning Xiyue closed the kitchen door and placed the large iron pot on the biggest stove. She had asked the carpenter to build the stove to fit the pot’s size exactly — and it was a perfect fit.
She noticed the kitchen was still missing quite a few items and remembered the kitchen starter pack she had drawn at the Supply Station earlier.
When she opened the package and looked inside, Ning Xiyue’s eyes widened in shock. What was this?
The first item: a stibium pot.
That empty hole in the rear stove now had a purpose. Ning Xiyue placed the stibium pot into the back stove opening.
Now, when cooking rice in the big iron pot at the front, she could simultaneously heat bathwater in the back pot — convenient and efficient.
Next, she pulled out the second item: a full set of seasoning jars, already filled with spices.
Oil, salt, soy sauce, vinegar, dried Sichuan peppercorns, dried chilies, various aromatics — all neatly stored in glass jars, enough to last her a while. The loose spices she had collected from sign-ins back home could wait for later use.
Ning Xiyue arranged all the seasonings into the custom-made cupboard from Carpenter Chen.
Of course, with a pot, she’d also need bowls, chopsticks, spoons, plates, spatulas, ladles — all the essential kitchen utensils.
That was the last part of the kitchen package.
And the system had been thoughtful — the package included five sets of bowls and chopsticks, enough for a whole family. Even if relatives came to visit, she’d have enough tableware.
After putting everything away, plus the items she’d previously bought from the old carpenter and Aunt Qiuju, the little kitchen was no longer empty. It finally felt warm, lively, and real.
Her stomach growled. Ning Xiyue took out premium white rice and lit the stove.
Finally — pure white rice.
When the rice was done steaming, she didn’t bother stir-frying any dishes. Instead, she took out the braised pork she had gotten from signing in at the state-owned restaurant back home.
She placed a steaming piece of braised pork on the equally steaming white rice — the combination was irresistibly mouthwatering.
A bite of meat, a bite of rice — Ning Xiyue closed her eyes in bliss as she savored it slowly.
“Mmm… so satisfying.”
With the braised pork, she ate three big bowls of rice before slumping contentedly in her chair.
Then, she decided to examine the last two items she had signed in today: The super gift pack from the former landlord’s courtyard-turned-revolutionary committee office; The mystery box from the scrap station.
She was especially excited about the super gift pack.
Before opening it, she asked, “System, how ‘super’ are we talking here?”
“The kind that’ll hit you over the head,” it replied.
Ning Xiyue raised an eyebrow and opened the pack — and the instant she did, her inexperienced eyes practically turned into golden money symbols. The contents inside were so dazzling they nearly blinded her dog’s eyes.
Just how super was this gift pack? The “hit you over the head” kind — with gold.
Inside were 50 small gold ingots, 20 large gold ingots, a jewelry box filled with luxurious gold and silver jewelry, and an antique vase.
“Wow… System-daddy, you’re so generous! Please hit me with more things like this!”
