The Romance of a Young Painter

Most of the houses in the village were built by the water, and a few others lived by the mountains. Zhou Nianjiu's group almost circled the village. Halfway through, Zhou Nianjiu had already taken over Chen Yi's big suitcase, which made Xiao The girl's complexion improved a bit, but she was still out of breath after hurriedly walking for a long time, let alone Zhou Nianjiu who was dragging two suitcases.On the other hand, Meng Xing walked in front with a small luggage bag on his back, like a leisurely tourist, looking around aimlessly, with no intention of coming over to help, he didn't deliberately wait for Zhou Nianjiu and Chen Yi, but she didn't leave them behind.

Finally, they found Room [-] in an inconspicuous place at the foot of the mountain.

Zhou Nianjiu was a little confused. The house in front of him was built with mud bricks, the roof was covered with thatch, and the yard was surrounded by a fence with thick branches. The builders obviously didn't put much effort into it. At the same time, a smell of animal excrement floated over.

"Can people live here?" Chen Yi pinched her nose, her delicate face wrinkled.

Meng Xing went straight up and knocked on the door.

It took a long time before a middle-aged woman came out of the house quickly, her hair was disheveled, and her clothes were so dirty that she couldn't see the color. She said impatiently as she walked, "Here, who is it? The gate of the courtyard It’s not closed, you can come in directly, why knock on the door.”

Chen Yi's face became more wrinkled. She had never been in the countryside before, and it was the first time she saw such a careless person.

Zhou Nianjiu went to the countryside with Wenmingyuan every year, and he was relatively calm. He said, "Hello, big sister, we are students who came to the winter camp here today. My name is Zhou Nianjiu. This is Meng Xing and Chen Yi who are in my group. The three of us will trouble you these few days."

The middle-aged woman looked at the three of them loudly, and when she saw Chen Yi, she said very rudely: "Why is there a girl who doesn't have any flesh on her body, so she can't do the work just by looking at it."

Chen Yi was very disappointed when she arrived here, and now she was looked down upon by a vulgar village woman, and she vented all her dissatisfaction in her heart: "I don't care about coming to such a poor place!" rushed away.

The middle-aged woman clicked her tongue twice and said, "It's better to leave if you are so hot-tempered." Then she said to Zhou Nianjiu and Meng Xing, "This place is no different from other people's houses, it's all clumsy work running all over the mountain, you two are fine If you have tender skin, you may not be able to do it, and now you have to go back and let your team leader be reassigned to someone else's house."

Seeing that the two of them had no intention of leaving, the middle-aged woman said: "If you don't leave, stay and work. The ugly words will come first. If you don't do well, don't blame the low rating."

Zhou Nianjiu said: "Understood, big sister, what do we need to do?"

The middle-aged woman saw that he had a good attitude, so she stepped aside and said, "Come in first, don't be a big sister, my surname is Li, just call me Aunt Li."

Zhou Nianjiu followed Aunt Li into the yard, the smell of animal feces became stronger, and even Meng Xing, who was walking at the back, frowned.The house is not big. There are two main rooms on the left and right of the hall, and a hut is built on the left and right sides. The door on the left is open, and there is an earthen stove inside, which looks like a kitchen.Aunt Li asked them to put their luggage in the cabin on the right. Except for a simple wooden bed, a set of tables and chairs, and a wooden shelf with buckets and washbasins, there was no other furniture.

Zhou Nianjiu began to regret taking out the things that Wenmingyuan packed for him.

Meng Xing, who had been silent all this time, suddenly asked: "We originally had three people, and there is only one bed here, how do we divide them?"

Aunt Li said: "This place is backed by mountains, and there is nothing else at home. The benches and wooden planks are ready-made, and a few beds are enough."

Zhou Nianjiu knew that Meng Xing didn't like to be close to people, so he said, "Aunt Li, please tell me where the things are, and I'll make another one."

Aunt Li looked at him like a monster, and said, "As long as you have a lot of problems in the city, why are you all men?"

Zhou Nianjiu glanced at Meng Xing in embarrassment, only to hear Meng Xing say, "Enough is enough."

Only then did Aunt Li say with satisfaction: "You guys pack up and look for me at the back of the house."

The two of them had nothing to tidy up, so they put their luggage away and went straight to the back of the house.

Aunt Li had already prepared a basket and an axe, and said: "The firewood at home is almost used up. You go to the mountains to collect some firewood and come back. You don't need too much work for the first time, just fill the basket full."

Zhou Nianjiu carried the basket, which was quite heavy.

Meng Xing was carrying the pannier on his back, that unfamiliar movement seemed like he hadn't done this before.

"Wait for me." Zhou Nianjiu put the tools aside, and then went back to the house to get things. He usually pays attention to protecting his hands. He always wears gloves when he goes out in winter, because he doesn't know if the winter camp will go outdoors this time, so He brought an extra pair of outdoor gloves than usual.He handed the gloves to Meng Xing and said, "This is for you."

Meng Xing took a look at it and said, "Change it, you wear this."

The weather in the past few days during Chinese New Year was good, and the mountain road was very dry. The two climbed up the mountain all the way. There were various shrubs and big trees on the side of the mountain road. The winter in the south did not let all the leaves fall, and the eyes were still full of greenery.

"Meng Xing, do you know what kind to pick?" Zhou Nianjiu looked at the nearby trees in confusion.

Meng Xing took a rough look around and said, "These are too damp, we can't use them, keep going up."

It seems that the other party understands very well, Zhou Nianjiu has the bottom line in his heart, and follows closely.

Meng Xing walked briskly, Zhou Nianjiu usually insisted on running, so his movements were not slow, and when he got halfway up the mountain, Meng Xiang said, "Just here, find some dry branches."

Zhou Nianjiu picked the basket and put it aside, and followed what Meng Xing said to look for the dry branches.

There are many trees on the mountain, and there are many broken branches. The two soon returned with a full load.

Aunt Li poured the firewood into the yard, put most of it aside, and said loudly, "What are you picking up? This kind of branch smokes so much when it burns, you can't use it at all."

Zhou Nianjiu was very embarrassed by the words.

Meng Xing's expression was not very good either.

Aunt Li continued to scold them: "City people are city people, and they can't even do the simplest job well."

Zhou Nianjiu had a fever on his face, picked up the basket and said, "I'll go pick it up again."

Meng Xing also took the other and followed.

It was past three o'clock in the afternoon when the two went down the mountain again, and this time the firewood was finally qualified. Aunt Li poured a bowl of hot water for each of them, and said, "Take a break and drink some water."

The water was a little hot, and Zhou Nianjiu sipped it. The water was filled with a very old-fashioned blue and white porcelain bowl. It looked like it was fired in an earthen kiln. There were many impurities in the porcelain part, and the color of the glazed part was uneven. Soon, the houses in the village have been refurbished for one or two rounds. He hasn't seen this kind of porcelain bowl for some years, and he misses it quite a bit.

Before they could rest enough, Aunt Li assigned them another job: "There are [-] chickens on the back mountain. It's getting late, you go and drive the chickens back. The chicken coop is behind the house."

The two went up the mountain again in the direction Aunt Li pointed, and after walking not far, they saw a group of chickens walking leisurely in the woods.

"The troops are divided into two groups. I will go this way and you will go there. Let's drive them down together." Zhou Nianjiu thought that it would be easier for the two to cooperate with each other.

Meng Xing didn't object, he just said, "Let's try."

The two walked around behind the flock of chickens, one left and one right, and walked towards the flock with a bluff with branches.

The flock of chickens was flying and jumping, turning into a mess all of a sudden. Zhou Nianjiu waved the branches in vain. He looked at some chickens flying up the trees helplessly. It was the first time in his life that he felt so powerless. The side is also a mess, but he has good skills, every time he swings a branch, he can block the chicken's path just right, his movements are very clean and neat, and he doesn't look as embarrassed as Zhou Nianjiu at all.

In the end, Zhou Nianjiu could only obediently wait at the door of the chicken shed to respond, waiting for Meng Xing to catch the scattered chickens back one by one.

After No.30 chickens entered the shed, Zhou Nianjiu breathed a sigh of relief and said to Meng Xing: "Thank you for your hard work. Fortunately, you are here, otherwise you will be stuck at the second level. I hope Aunt Li's next task Can be simpler."

Meng Xing was obviously not as optimistic as he was. He glanced at the room in front of him and said, "This is just the beginning, and the next mission is probably even more wonderful. Zhou Nianjiu, you still have time to turn around now."

Zhou Nianjiu said: "Although it's a bit difficult, I think it's quite interesting. How about you, should you go or stay?"

Meng Xing said: "Since I'm here, I don't intend to leave, and this level is nothing to me, but you, take care of yourself, don't hold me back."

Zhou Nianjiu was used to Meng Xing's ruthless words, and his ability to deal with this situation was not as good as Meng Xing's, so he said, "I will work hard."

The two returned to the front to hand in the task, and it was already dark.

Aunt Li set out a meal in the hall, a bacon and dried beans, a fried egg, a taro, an unnamed green vegetable, and an egg soup. The rice was cooked with firewood, and it smelled delicious. .

Zhou Nianjiu had been doing physical work for half a day, and was already hungry. Looking at the four rice bowls on the table, he asked, "Aunt Li, is there anyone else who wants to eat?"

"My father-in-law is in the back room. He has bad legs and he doesn't come out very often." Aunt Li looked between him and Meng Xing, and finally said to Meng Xing, "Go and call him."

Before Meng Xing entered the room, he heard a bang inside, something fell on the door, and then an old voice said: "I don't eat anything."

Meng Xing turned to look at Aunt Li.

Aunt Li was obviously used to the old man's temper, so she said to Meng Xing and the others, "You guys eat first, and I'll make some vegetable porridge for the old man."

Zhou Nianjiu looked at the table full of food, but the owner was not present, so he was really embarrassed to eat first.

The winter meals quickly became cold, and finally the three guests of honor ate cold rice, and the only bowl of hot porridge went into the stomach of the old man who didn't show up.

After dinner, it was completely dark, the temperature here was very low, and there were no activities at night. The only TV in this house was in Aunt Li's room, and she could vaguely hear that she was watching a soap opera.Zhou Nianjiu and Meng Xing took a casual shower and stared at the room. Their mobile phones and other communication products were confiscated from the beginning, and now they feel like they are trapped in an isolated island.

Zhou Nianjiu thought for a while and asked, "I have an e-book here, do you want to read it?"

Meng Xing shook his head and said, "I'm going out for a walk."

It was too dark and cold outside, Zhou Nianjiu didn't plan to go out, so he stayed in the room to draw.