Chapter 28: The Beginning of the Busy Farming Season

The crowd in front of the brigade headquarters slowly dispersed. Several girls who had competed against Yun Shu for the position came over one by one to offer their congratulations.

Even Xie Minmin, who had been considered a strong favorite, showed no signs of resentment. Yun Shu could tell that she was being entirely sincere.

Knowing that it was the unexpected banner and certificate of merit that had given her such a significant advantage over Xie Minmin—who might not have been inferior in terms of pure ability—Yun Shu felt a complex mix of emotions as she looked at her.

Seeming to sense Yun Shu’s inner turmoil, Xie Minmin responded with even greater grace, offering words of encouragement. She told Yun Shu that the banner and certificate were not empty honors; they were proof of Yun Shu’s excellence. While their abilities as broadcasters were comparable, she truly admired Yun Shu’s courage. Therefore, she insisted, Yun Shu was thoroughly deserving of the role.

These words left Yun Shu blushing, and she found herself viewing Xie Minmin with increasing admiration. Xie Minmin kept inviting her to come over and play whenever she had free time, and Yun Shu, nodding blankly, found herself momentarily mesmerized by the sight of Xie Minmin, whose smile was more radiant than the mountain flowers.

After a few more moments of casual conversation, Xie Minmin took her cousin, Xie Cuicui, and left. Beside her, Lin Jingshu, feeling a bit jealous, nudged Yun Shu’s arm and stared at her with wide, expectant eyes, as if to confirm her status as Yun Shu’s "primary best friend."

Startled by her best friend’s aggrieved expression, Yun Shu broke out in a cold sweat. Oh no, she had almost committed a mistake common to all women—wanting to get close to someone else right in front of her domestic "primary best friend."

Fortunately, her momentary infatuation hadn't led to any actual action. After a deep breath, she calmed herself down. *Note to self: next time, wait until Jingjing isn't around to get close to other beauties.*

...

The group returned to the educated youth dormitory and began to discuss the logistics of meals during the autumn harvest. As Chen Ming had noted, the harvest would begin tomorrow. The team members, who relied on earning work points, would be laboring in the fields from dawn until dusk.

In every household, almost everyone—except for the elderly who could no longer get off their beds or infants who couldn't yet walk—bore a heavy burden during this time. People who lived at the mercy of the elements had to work overtime; the busy season would only be considered successfully concluded once the grain was harvested, dried, threshed, bagged, and stored in the granary.

They had to race against the whims of the sky to ensure a year of hard work did not go to waste. The Fengsheng Brigade, in particular, was well-situated and a major contributor of public grain to the commune, with corn and soybeans as the primary crops. In this era, grain was vital and allowed for no errors, so everyone was kept on edge during this period.

In other families, meals were usually prepared and brought to the fields, or someone would return home early at noon to cook and deliver them. But in their group, it turned out that only Lin Jingshu had the flexibility to return early.

Yun Shu had to stay in the broadcast room to support the workers, boost morale, and read official documents. The male educated youths, Jiang Xiucheng and the others, were strong laborers; even if they didn't rely on work points to survive, the brigade leader wouldn't assign them to light tasks like gathering pigweed, as he had for Lin Jingshu. Heading to the fields was inevitable for them.

This meant they couldn't return to help, leaving the entire cooking task to Lin Jingshu.

Fortunately, Lin Jingshu didn't shy away from the responsibility. She patted her chest and promised that during the autumn harvest, she would ensure her friends were well-fed and full of energy.

Yun Shu was amused by her best friend’s antics, but she quickly said, "Then I'll bring over the meat we bought in the county last time, along with the canned goods left in my bag."

"And the rice, flour, and oil. It’s already hard enough for you to cook for us; we can't let you provide all the supplies, too."

Yun Shu’s words served as a reminder to the three male youths. They were unlikely to have the chance to purchase supplies in the county during the harvest, and if they wanted to eat well, they would have to dip into their own reserves. Yun Shu knew her best friend had a "golden finger" and would inevitably use it to provide them with extra treats, but knowing that wasn't an excuse for her to sit back and just enjoy the benefits.

The three men echoed Yun Shu’s sentiments and, with great enthusiasm, brought their own shares of meat, eggs, canned goods, and rations to Lin Jingshu.

Seeing this, Lin Jingshu accepted them graciously without any hesitation. She then made an even grander promise that she wouldn't let Yun Shu or the others lose any weight during the harvest.

Yun Shu nodded in agreement. "I don't think I'll get thin; I'll probably be fed fat by my dear Jingjing."

"Even better if you get fat! You'll be even tastier for the New Year, *hehehe*!"

Hearing this, Lin Jingshu started acting silly. She let out a classic villainous laugh and lunged at Yun Shu, tickling her until she nearly fell off her stool. The three male youths watching the two girls play laughed along, and the good-natured Chen Ming even looked like he wanted to join in.

...

After the excitement died down, the group had lunch and returned to their rooms to rest. As Chen Ming had said, today was the last day before the harvest, and they needed to conserve their strength.

Yun Shu slept soundly on the heated brick bed. The late-autumn mosquitoes kept buzzing, but they couldn't get through her thick mosquito net; one eventually died of sheer frustration, hitting the edge of the bed and expiring with its eyes wide open.

She slept until three in the afternoon. When she woke up, the educated youth dormitory was bustling with activity. Experienced youths were busy preparing for tomorrow. Chen Ming had ditched his childhood friend again and disappeared somewhere with Pei Wenyuan, while Jiang Xiucheng sat at the entrance, tinkering with something in his hands.

Yun Shu stretched, having no interest in what Jiang Xiucheng was busy with every day. Instead, she went to the small private plot behind the house and took a look at what others had planted.

Cabbage, potatoes, cucumbers, and eggplants. There were also scattered tomatoes, chili peppers, and green beans.

Very good, very practical—mostly crops that could be used as staple vegetables.

Yun Shu recalled how she had originally considered planting sweet stalks, ground cherries, or strawberries for snacks. Looking at the others' plots, she wondered... would she seem out of place if she did that? Would people think she was someone who only cared about indulgence?

*Hmm...* She would have to see. In any case, it was too late to plant anything this year, and their plots had only just been cleared. Perhaps she could trade for some seeds with her neighbors or a helpful team member. Otherwise, when spring came next year, she would find herself in the position of a clever housewife unable to cook without rice.

After squatting by the plot for a while, pondering the layout of her small patch of land, a figure squatting down beside her, munching on an apple, appeared. It was her best friend, Lin Jingshu.

Taking a crisp, red apple from her friend, Yun Shu took a bite, and her mood brightened significantly.