The Siheyuan of the Young Educated Youth

At the foot of a lush mountain, a stream is rushing forward. The water is exceptionally clear, and the sand, rocks and small fish in the stream are clearly visible.

Qi Feifei sat on a big rock by the stream, picking mushrooms and singing. Her voice was clear, melodious, and her eyes were full of smiles. She would occasionally raise her arm to wipe her bangs.

Her hands were very quick. The elm yellow mushrooms turned over in her hands and she picked each one in a few strokes. Soon, the whole basket of elm yellow mushrooms was picked.

Qi Feifei got up again and moved a bundle of willow branches from the bushes. He began to peel the branches. He finished peeling one branch in a few strokes, and the emerald green willow branches became as white and smooth as peeled peanuts.

While working, she was calculating in her mind how many more willow branches she needed to weave a large backpack, a large wicker basket, and a basket for drying vegetables. She wanted to go into the mountains to pick mushrooms, and she couldn't do without the equipment.

At this time, an old lady came up to me and said in a loud voice: "Girl, are you a new educated youth? Are you sitting down and taking a rest?"

When Qi Feifei looked up, he saw a gray-haired lady carrying a large waist basket with a sickle head (a broken sickle) in it, the end of which was tightly wrapped with a dark blue cloth (this part was used to hold when working).

Isn’t this my mother-in-law Li Shuxian from my previous life?

It was hard to describe the feeling in her heart. The old lady had been so kind and warm to her in her previous life. She learned how to hike, weave baskets, and cook some Northeastern delicacies from her mother-in-law.

She married her previous life husband Liu Gui probably because of this mother-in-law, who gave her so much warmth. She thought that having a mother-in-law like her would bring her good luck in her life.

I didn't expect that this would lead me to a life of misery.

While she was in a daze and hadn't replied yet, the old lady came up to her, bent down, grabbed a handful of elm yellow mushrooms, and turned them over.

"Girl, you are a city kid, you know how to pick mushrooms?"

As he said this, he picked up the mushroom basket.

"You really picked a lot. This big basket is enough for you educated youth to have a meal."

The old man has a fair face and is smiling.

"It's only a few hours now, and you've already picked so many. Your hands are really quick. There aren't many people in the countryside who are as capable as you. Really good!"

The old lady gave a thumbs up as she spoke.

Qi Feifei felt a little embarrassed. When she first went to the countryside in her previous life, she couldn't even tell the difference between dog urine moss and mushrooms. She had to learn little by little from Aunt Liu.

When I picked them for the first time, I was excited when I found one, as if I had found a treasure. I didn't care about the size, age, or whether it had been eaten by insects, or if it was a mess or had some grass residue left.

It was also Aunt Liu who told her which kinds of mushrooms were edible and which were not. When picking mushrooms, she should remove the dry leaves and grass...

It was only after years of mountain running that I developed speed and quality.

She said in her heart, thank you.

He smiled and said, "I am used to doing housework at home."

Aunt Liu: "Why didn't you come with the other educated youth? It would be faster if there were more people. Besides, it would be very heavy to carry back so many."

Qi Feifei: "It's okay, I can go faster by myself. They are all afraid of snakes. I'm going to the willow meadow to cut willow branches and pick some mushrooms. They are trembling with fear, and I have to take care of them. If they are really bitten by a snake, it will be even more troublesome. I'll go earlier and come back earlier."

Aunt Liu: "She is a straightforward girl."

Not stingy at all, many people would rather not eat than work more and let others take advantage of them.

"I often pick wild vegetables and mushrooms. Come find me next time you're alone. It's not safe for a girl to go into the mountains alone."

Qi Feifei: "Okay."

Aunt Liu: "My husband's last name is Liu, everyone calls me Aunt Liu. I live in the first house at the east end of the village. Girl, what's your name?"

"Auntie, my name is Qi Feifei."

"Qi Feifei, this name is really nice. City people are just different. We all call our names Yan, Xia, Feng, etc. You city people are educated and your names are all different. I'm leaving first. I'll go pick mushrooms and call you later. You can come find me if you want."

Aunt Liu said this and walked away with the basket on her shoulder.

Qi Feifei smiled and waved her hand: "Aunt Liu, then it's settled. Goodbye."

Aunt Liu listened, turned around and waved: "Goodbye, young lady."

Qi Feifei quietly watched Aunt Liu walk away quickly. Reborn to see Aunt Liu, my heart was filled with joy, happiness, joy, and warmth...

that's nice!

He smiled, shook his head, and hurried to work.

If you don't peel the willow branches quickly, it will be difficult to peel them. His hands moved quickly and the peeling was done in no time.

He tied up the willow branches, carried them up, held the bundle in one hand and picked up the mushroom basket in the other, and walked towards the educated youth site.

As I walked, I thought, I have to hurry up to make money. Now that "speculation" is prohibited, what should I do? I can pick mushrooms and herbs, but it is far from the town. It takes more than four hours to walk there. Taking a bullock cart is not much faster. The road goes up and down hills, turns east and west.

This is in the mountains, and it is very easy to pick mushrooms. Mushrooms in the town cannot be sold at a good price. If you go to the county, it will take six or seven hours by car.

How about going to the factory in the mountains? It's closer, about two hours' walk. People there are making money for the government, and they are all from other places. Most people won't go into the mountains, and don't have time to go up there. Maybe we can sell them for a good price.

No matter what, I have to buy cotton-padded jackets, cotton-padded trousers, cotton-padded shoes and cotton-padded hats before the autumn harvest. I can't freeze myself like in the last life.

Having made up his mind, he shook the bundle of wicker on his shoulder and quickened his pace to hurry back.

Along the way, many men, women, old and young stopped to look back and talk quietly.

"Is this girl the young educated youth who just came here the day before yesterday?"

"Tsk tsk, this kid is really capable!"

"This city kid knows how to pick mushrooms? This is the first time I've seen this."

"That's right, sister-in-law. You said that those who have been here for a few years have never seen them pick such a big basket of mushrooms."

“Isn’t this child a rural child?”

"He is also a heartless person, doing it foolishly. Look at those educated youths, who did it?"

"I just got here and I don't know much yet! Just wait, I'll get used to it and stop doing it."

"He's skinny and strong, but pretty strong."

"Any young man who marries this girl will be blessed and very capable."

……

Qi Feifei didn't need to hear what they said, she knew what they were thinking and what they were saying. She had lived here for decades in her previous life and knew these people too well.

She didn't look around, since she didn't know them yet, there was no need to say hello. She entered the collective household in a flash.

As soon as Qi Feifei entered the yard, all the educated youth at home swarmed out, their eyes fixed on her large basket of mushrooms.

Seeing Qi Feifei picking so many, I was excited and happy.

Baisha put an arm around Qi Feifei's shoulders and raised his thumb in front of Qi Feifei: "Qi Feifei, good job! You are this!"

Zhu Li: "Qi Feifei, you are amazing, how come you picked so many!"

Pan Xiaowen gave a thumbs up: "Sister, sister, you are awesome, I will call you sister from now on!"

Liu Yumei: "We can make as many mushrooms as we want for dinner tonight, hahaha."

……

There were many people praising and praising it, and some even asked what kind of mushroom it was.

Someone asked her why she was not afraid of snakes.

……