Chapter 47: Welcomed by the Veteran Educated Youth

Although the wooden splinter had been removed from the old ox’s forehoof, the injury remained tender. The brigade leader, worried it might worsen under strain, decided the ox cart would carry only luggage, and everyone else would walk to the village. The young intellectuals grumbled about his decision, but didn’t dare protest. After all, the brigade leader held the highest position in the village. They would be living here for years to come—it wouldn’t do to offend him.

The ox cart moved swiftly, and Old Li prepared to drive it ahead. Yet, for reasons unknown, the old ox refused to move, turning its head repeatedly to look back. This time, Old Li was quick to catch on. “Brigade Leader, the old ox wants to walk with Lin, the young intellectual.” “That’s easily solved,” the brigade leader said, waving his hand. “Lin, you get on the cart. You go ahead first.”

Hearing this, the other female intellectuals’ eyes flashed with envy. Zhang Lian, unable to restrain herself, protested, “Brigade Leader, this isn’t fair. We all agreed no one could ride the ox cart. Why let Comrade Lin ride alone?” The brigade leader shot her a glance and replied dryly, “Because she helped the old ox. If you had that ability, you could ride too!”

That was why he disliked these city girls—they were too delicate, always seeking to outdo others, yet blind to their own place. Seeing the brigade leader’s blunt retort, Zhang Lian’s eyes reddened, ready to start her act again, but the brigade leader, a rough country man, was immune to such tricks. “Enough! Get moving, all of you. It’s already afternoon; if you dawdle any longer, you'll be walking in the dark. Mountain roads at night aren’t easy, and if a wolf suddenly appears, you’ll be in real trouble!”

In truth, there were no wolves in the woods; he said it merely to scare them into moving—otherwise, their fuss would be endless. “Let’s hurry, then!” Zhang Lian, afraid of wolves, dared not make another scene.

“Moo, moo, moo—” The old ox at the front kept urging them on.

“Lin, get on the cart. We’re about to set off,” said the brigade leader.

Lin Xiaodou nodded. “Alright.” She usually avoided special treatment to prevent resentment, but sometimes, one must accept kindness.

...

A summer afternoon in the mountains was tranquil. Lin Xiaodou sat on the swaying ox cart, eyes half-closed, quietly enjoying the scenery. A cool breeze brushed her cheek; the scent of green leaves lingered at her nose. Ah—everything was so fresh and beautiful.

Unable to resist, Lin Xiaodou stood, spreading her arms to embrace it all. The mountain wind slipped through her fingers—

Bang!

The cart wheel struck a rough stone. Lin Xiaodou lost her balance and nearly fell forward. She hurriedly sat down. Well, so much for the artistic pose. Better to sit honestly. How embarrassing.

...

After nearly two hours on the bumpy ox cart, she finally reached the village. Fortunately, Lin Xiaodou wasn’t prone to motion sickness, for otherwise, the jolting ride would have made her nauseous more than once.

Usually, villagers boarded and unloaded at the flat ground at the village entrance, but this time Old Li drove the cart right to the gate of the Young Intellectuals' Courtyard.

“Lin, you’ve arrived. Rest a moment, I’ll help unload your luggage,” Old Li said.

“I’ll help you, so we finish sooner and you and the ox can rest,” Lin Xiaodou replied, jumping off the cart to move the luggage.

Old Li’s eyes glimmered with admiration. This girl was much better than those delicate city girls.

Together, they quickly unloaded more than ten pieces of luggage, stacking them in the courtyard. Old Li said farewell and left with the cart.

Lin Xiaodou wandered around the Young Intellectuals' Courtyard. Despite the name, it was just a large wooden bungalow, as were the other villagers’ homes. Situated in the mountains, bricks and tiles were hard to transport; chopping timber for houses was quickest.

The bungalow was divided into several sections: on the left, a large room, clearly the men's quarters, cluttered with belongings. On the right, another large room, clean and tidy—obviously for the female intellectuals. Both rooms had communal sleeping platforms; Lin Xiaodou didn’t enter, just glanced from the doorway. Since the others hadn’t returned yet, it was best not to intrude.

In the center was a hall connecting the front and back courtyards. The front courtyard had a tree and a well; behind the well, a shed, likely the kitchen. The back courtyard grew vegetables, and beside it stood a shabby outhouse. Lin Xiaodou dared not approach; even from afar, the smell was overpowering.

Having explored the entire courtyard, Lin Xiaodou checked her watch. It was already five in the afternoon—about an hour until the end of the workday. Seizing the moment, she entered her space.

After a day’s journey, exhausted and famished, Lin Xiaodou first bathed, then opened two packets of instant river snail noodles. Eating heartily, she sprawled on the comfortable sofa, finally feeling revived. She set an alarm and rested for half an hour.

...

Hearing movement in the front yard, Lin Xiaodou quickly exited her space, walking from the back toward the hall. She had just reached the hall when she encountered a group of young intellectuals returning from work.

“Comrade, who are you?” asked the courtyard manager, Lin Yang, perplexed by the unfamiliar face.

The others, too, eyed the pretty girl with curiosity.

Lin Xiaodou smiled and greeted them, “Hello, everyone. I’m the new young intellectual, Lin Xiaodou.”

“You’re new? Welcome, welcome!” The group broke into smiles, eyes filled with excitement. They crowded around her, enthusiastically introducing the courtyard and work routines.

Lin Xiaodou was somewhat bewildered. Weren’t they supposed to be less welcoming? In the stories she’d read, the veteran intellectuals usually disliked newcomers—not only worried about sharing food, but also about extra burdens in the workload. Why were these people so different?

Her confusion was soon resolved. Someone asked, “Are you the only new intellectual coming to Blackstone Village this time?”

Lin Xiaodou replied, “No, I came ahead on the ox cart. The others are still on the road; they should arrive soon.” She explained the matter with the old ox to prevent misunderstandings.

They nodded, smiling, and continued, “How many in your group?”

“Eleven—five girls, six boys,” she answered.

“Ah, that’s wonderful!” An energetic girl even clapped her hands in delight.

Lin Xiaodou couldn’t understand her excitement until someone explained, laughing, “You don’t know—opening up fields and farming in the mountains is exhausting. We often fail to earn full work points.”

Full work points were ten per day; strong young villagers earned ten, while women and elders earned eight. As for the intellectuals, being city folk, their work efficiency was lacking. Male intellectuals at best earned eight, while females ranged from three to six.

With such low efficiency, the courtyard’s squad leader often vented his frustration, scolding those with fewer points mercilessly.

“Now that you’re here—newcomers, likely even less skilled—the squad leader will focus his ire on you instead. He won’t scold us anymore, haha.”

“Don’t worry, he’s only harsh with words but soft-hearted. Endure it and it’ll pass. When the next batch of newcomers arrives, he’ll shift his focus again. We all went through this.”

Lin Xiaodou: ... Is this how things work here? Incredible!