CHAPTER 107: 107 HAS ARRIVED

The northwest wind howled as she stood at the doorway, watching the people driving over.

"I’ve come to bring you water. Do you know how to use this water pump?"

"I know."

"These are two ice buckets. Let me help you put them in the pot. Once the water boils, you must find a way to open the well.

Forget it, I’ll get the water out for you. My family’s water isn’t plentiful either."

"Mr. Tan, even if we open it now, it will freeze again by tomorrow."

"Just store the water and heat it again tomorrow."

Yuanyuan didn’t dare refuse Tan Shaoting’s help.

There were lots of corn stalks outside. And corn cobs. No need to worry about firewood for burning.

"Mr. Tan, can’t we just directly burn firewood under the pump?"

"We can, but it might break. You start the fire, I’ll manage the fire." The Su Family had been gone too long. I’m afraid boiling water won’t unfreeze this well.

The two of them fumbled around for more than an hour in the dark before they finally got the water running.

Yuanyuan was quite excited. She hadn’t expected the groundwater here to be so abundant. This was the best outcome. Hopefully, the drought won’t affect this area.

Tan Shaoting drew two buckets of water, then left with his cart.

Yuanyuan felt a bit embarrassed. "Mr. Tan, why don’t you come over for dinner tonight?"

Tan Shaoting, noticing the girl’s predicament, shook his head and refused. "Let’s wait until you’re settled."

"Wait a moment, Mr. Tan." Yuanyuan ran back into the house and brought out two sausages for Tan Shaoting.

Tan Shaoting accepted with a smile, thanked her, and drove away. The water in the bucket had already formed a thin layer of ice.

Yuanyuan went inside and filled the stove with corn cobs.

Only then did she start tidying up the house. There was a kang mat in the space.

So, she removed the ones used by the Su Family and swept the floor before laying her kang mat. It felt much better afterward.

The walls of the houses here were double-layered. This provided insulation, so it took some time to warm up initially.

Yuanyuan cleaned inside and out, wiping everything down. She also filled the water tank.

From her luggage, she found an old cotton cover, wrapped it around the water pump, and added a snakeskin bag on top. This way, even if it freezes tomorrow, it should be easier to unfreeze.

Once everything was in order, she felt the bed was warm. She covered the bed with her quilt.

She put logs in the stove, shut the hall door, and let the ewe lie by the stove, treating it like a dog. Only then did she enter the space.

Inside, she got goosebumps. She took a bath and had a meal.

She didn’t want to leave the space, but after almost two hours, she did.

There was plenty of water in the space. When Yuanyuan was at home, her family had stored water in all the big jars, which came from the well, and they had bought large water tanks filled with water.

Luckily, she had prepared earlier. It seems being prepared is always useful. If possible, starting tomorrow, she’ll prepare ice cubes, which won’t melt in the space.

Yuanyuan found a task for herself. This needed many water buckets. There were plastic ones in the space, but they might break. Wooden buckets were better, but there were only four in the space and two here, which was too few. She had no choice but to accumulate them gradually.

Once the quilt was warm, she got up to add firewood. Boiling water in a big pot was too wasteful. Yuanyuan decided to steam some winter melon and sweet potatoes.

Tomorrow, she’ll use winter melon mixed with flour to make cornbread and deliver some to Tan Shaoting. She planned to visit Group Leader Ma’s place too, with the help of Tan Shaoting.

Lying in bed, her head tucked under. Exposed parts got chilled.

The next day, she steamed the cornbread with the red bean filling she had made before, making it even more fragrant.

Packing it in a lunch box, she headed to Tan Shaoting’s house.

By then, Tan Shaoting had finished his training, disciplined as always, training every day.

Seeing Yuanyuan approach, he said, "So early?"

"I made cornbread with winter melon and red bean filling and brought it for you."

Tan Shaoting smiled, "Thank you. I have breakfast sorted.

Please sit down. Is your house warm now?"

Yuanyuan nodded, "I didn’t stop burning the fire all night, and now it’s warm."

Tan Shaoting fetched malted milk and grabbed two bowls, but Yuanyuan quickly refused, "I won’t drink; I’m already full. You have it."

Without formality, Tan Shaoting made himself a bowl of malted milk.

Taking a bite of the cornbread, he said, "Delicious, really delicious, and sweet."

"Winter melon is sweet."

"Did you also bring winter melon?"

"Yes, I plan to plant more this year."

Today’s breakfast was the most satisfying for Tan Shaoting. In his previous life, he didn’t need to eat. In the second life, being an orphan, not cooking would mean starving. So he learned to cook, not wanting to upset his aunt and uncle.

In this life, though he could cook, it never tasted as good. Today’s meal prepared by Yuanyuan truly tasted like heaven.

As he ate, Tan Shaoting pondered, wondering how wonderful life would be with Yuanyuan? No, he had to ask her.

After finishing, Tan Shaoting hitched his cart, "Let’s head over now."

"Is the nearest post office in the city?"

"No need to go to the city; Jinshan Town is closer.

What do you need to do?"

"Tian Xiaohua and Su Liangliang’s household registrations are still here. They need to get a migration permit for their family of three, and I need to send it back promptly so there are no entanglements later."

"Then I’ll go with you."

Yuanyuan nodded, relieved she could ride the donkey cart, especially now that they were in the vast wilderness, where she couldn’t navigate alone.

Along the way, Tan Shaoting introduced Group Leader Ma to Yuanyuan.

"His name is Ma Changshun. He’s a capable person. You needn’t worry about being bullied; he’s quite fair."

Previously, Yuanyuan hadn’t had much of an impression of Group Leader Ma. She thought since he took money from Tian Xiaohua and Da Qiang, he must be money-minded. She hadn’t expected Tan Shaoting to describe him this way.

"Are you curious why Da Qiang could pay to leave?"

Yuanyuan nodded, realizing Tan Shaoting seemed to know a lot.

"That’s because Da Qiang and his wife were the laziest at the Second Farm and the worst workers. Ma Changshun was afraid they’d influence others."

Yuanyuan raised an eyebrow. Was that a reason?

Ma Changshun’s house was quite far from here, but thankfully it was in the same direction as Jinshan Town.

Group Leader Ma’s home was better than theirs: a courtyard with several houses, including auxiliary rooms. The courtyard itself was quite large. Yuanyuan thought if she had time, she’d like a courtyard as well. It would be much warmer—at least it wouldn’t open directly to the ground when the door was opened.