Zuo Xinyue and Zhang Sisi almost rushed in together, and by then, the three girls' bunks were all taken. He Aiqin anxiously stood outside with her bag.
But on second thought, the three who got the spots first—Zhang Sisi was the unreasonable type, and Zuo Xinyue and Li Gaolian huddled together—
She couldn't compete with Zhang Sisi, nor with the duo, so she simply waited outside with a numb look on her face.
Anyway, there would still be two others accompanying her.
The battle that was expected to erupt dissolved into nothingness.
The team leader chuckled awkwardly, "Haha, look at the fuss this caused."
Wen Ran sighed and resigned herself to fate.
Her original plan was to find a temporary spot at the educated youth point, then take the time to inquire about any secluded vacant houses in the brigade where she could directly rent a place to stay.
Even if there wasn't one, she could negotiate with the brigade to build a house—it's not impossible.
But...
The problem now was there was no place to stay.
"Uncle," Wen Ran said woefully, "Are we expected to use the sky as our blanket and the ground as our bed tonight?"
The team leader wiped sweat furiously, using the tattered little towel around his neck to wipe his face, and then his scalp.
Hmm, a matter of convenience.
"Ha, you child, of course not!"
"Then where are we staying now?"
Bao Wenxuan was on the verge of collapsing, having been jostled around all the way, nearly dying halfway, and finding no place to stay in the rural spot, about to sleep on the street.
How tragic can you get!
"Here's the thing," the team leader quickly came up with two solutions, "either you temporarily share with the brigade members, giving a little something to show appreciation,
or we clean out the firewood shed for you to stay in temporarily while we hurry to repair a few other rooms."
There were many houses at the educated youth point, but since the educated youths got married and moved out one after another over the past three years, the place gradually declined.
Houses not lived in are prone to damage, and thus only two large dormitories remain usable at the educated youth point.
They had the attitude to solve the issue, and Wen Ran felt the timing was just right, so she asked, "Uncle, what if I don't want to stay at the educated youth point?"
She thought for a moment and added, "That is, if I want to rent a house in the brigade and live alone?"
"You want to live alone?"
There were also plenty of vacant houses in the brigade, and the team leader's eyes lit up, "Alright."
Bao Wenxuan raised her hand, eager to try, "Me! I want to too."
The team leader saw a bit of intimacy between the two and was uncertain for a moment, "So you plan to...?"
Wen Ran was the first to speak, "Each of us lives separately, it's more convenient that way."
Bao Wenxuan was a bit disappointed but understood, nodding and agreeing, "Live alone."
"Uh," He Aiqin raised her hand timidly, "Why not discuss those things later, right now what's urgent is finding a place to stay."
Wen Ran carried her belongings and strolled over, inspecting the firewood shed the team leader mentioned.
The tiles on the roof were somewhat damaged, and it would be troublesome when it rains.
But overall, it wasn't a big issue; the earthen brick bed was intact, and once cleaned, with some bedding laid, it could accommodate people.
"Let's stay here."
Staying at the educated youth point, everyone was a stranger, and if she stayed at someone else's house, surrounded by their whole family, she'd feel more isolated.
If lucky and assigned to a kind-hearted family, that's fair, but if unlucky...
Every day would be like a palace intrigue scene.
Bao Wenxuan wanted to stick with Wen Ran, and He Aiqin followed suit, the three of them huddling together.
It's just that Wen Ran, in a rush to go to the countryside, brought pots and pans but forgot to bring bedding. The team leader, seeing her pitiful state, offered to bring one from his house.
Wen Ran expressed her utmost gratitude, and she had already started contemplating giving the team leader some gifts to establish a good relationship.
No one blames gifts poorly; being in someone else's territory, unclear about the survival rules, she decided to behave and play along.
Until...
She touched a round, smooth object.
Her brain hadn't quite caught up, but her eyes had already seen—an egg, like white jade, oval-shaped.
The shape seemed a bit odd.
A wild chicken had trouble laying eggs?
Half laid and it got stuck, leaving the egg elongated.
Wen Ran noticed, among the pile of firewood on the kang, there seemed to be more shadows.
She looked down, "Huh?"
Bao Wenxuan, covered in dust, glanced over, "What?"
Wen Ran raised an egg, "There's a wild chicken egg on the kang."
Gazing at the egg in her hand, Bao Wenxuan let out a scream, followed by He Aiqin with the second.
"Ahhh~"
As the screams escalated, Wen Ran turned pale, because she seemed to see a snake, risen and poised, flicking its tongue, ready to strike.
So, what she was holding was not a wild chicken egg with laying issues, but an authentic snake egg.
Wen Ran, having lived nearly twenty years, feared nothing but creatures with many legs and those with none.
Couple that with a snake's pitch-black pupils, scale fragments shimmering coldly, all danced on Wen Ran's triggers.
Wen Ran could hardly move, her face turning pallid, until a strong arm wrapped around her waist, and she bumped into a broad chest.
She was protected.
A sickle flew overhead at the snake before it even attacked, slicing it in two.
The touch was polite, and once safety was ensured, Xiao Chenye stepped back, letting Wen Ran stand on her own.
"It's okay now, don't be afraid," Xiao Chenye recalled the scene just now, feeling a bit creeped out himself, soothing the petrified Wen Ran, "I've taken care of the snake."
Only then did Wen Ran remember to breathe, gasping, her trembling hand landing on Xiao Chenye's arm, "Let me... lean a bit, my legs are a little weak."
An aunt came rushing in, unafraid of such things, and collected the snake, now in two limp sections.
She hefted them up and, satisfied, nodded.
Weighty, full of meat indeed.
Wen Ran's face turned pale again.
Xiao Chenye noticed and obstructed Wen Ran's view, complaining, "Ma, could you not be so gross? Take it farther away."
The aunt, not tall, rolled her eyes and spoke rapidly, "You find it disgusting now, but once it's cooked into meat, if you dare taste a bit, I'll twist your ears off."
Despite her words, the aunt seemed aware of Wen Ran's pale face and kept the snake away from her sight.
Wen Ran caught her breath, whispering her thanks, "Brother Xiao, I really need to thank you this time, otherwise I'd be in trouble."
Xiao Chenye's ears reddened, "Don't, don't be so polite. I'd do the same for someone else. Are you okay now?"
Wen Ran nodded, "I'm okay, just frightened."
The aunt glanced at Xiao Chenye, then at the pretty Wen Ran, her eyes shifting as she nudged her son three meters away.
Humph!
Xiao Chenye, that little rascal, she birthed him; she knew exactly what he was up to at a glance.
From his concerned demeanor, it was apparent he had a crush; it'd be nonsense to say otherwise.
"Girl~"
She reached out to take Wen Ran's hand, but Wen Ran evaded swiftly.
Wen Ran knew her reaction was rude, but she couldn't help it.
It was her who dodged, and, apologizing swiftly, "Auntie, I can't, I'm a bit spooked by you now."
Just imagining the aunt wanting to touch her with hands that handled snakes...
Wen Ran: "."
I want to die.