Chapter 3: The Lazy Educated Youth (3)

Chapter 3: The Lazy Educated Youth (III)

Luo Dasheng was the village head of Shanbao Village. Years ago, the brigade leader had given him the job of ringing the bell to call the villagers to work and knock off, and he'd only come strolling back in the evening.

During the day, everyone usually ate at the commune canteen, and after eating, they would continue working. It was only in the evening that they could cook at home.

Luo Fang had sprained her foot, so Luo Chengxing did the cooking for the family. He steamed cornmeal cakes and made a pot of sweet potato porridge.

In the evening, Luo Dasheng and Wang Fengxia came back one after the other, and Luo Fang told her dad about the extra mouth to feed.

Luo Dasheng could put a name to just about everyone in Shanbao Village. The village was small, and nothing stayed secret for long. Of course, Luo Dasheng also knew what was going on with He Yubin at the educated youth compound.

Luo Dasheng first scooped water from the water vat with a gourd dipper and gulped it down, then headed into the kitchen and asked Luo Chengxing, "Big Head, why is He Yubin in our house?"

Luo Chengxing put the lid back on the pot, wiped his hands on a rag, and said, "Dad, at noon today, after I picked up Fang, I took a nap at the educated youth compound. When He Yubin came in, I was still half-asleep and didn't notice him, so I startled him and ended up scalding his hands and feet. He Yubin doesn't have any kin in Shanbao Village, and I felt bad about it, so I brought him home to look after him for a few days."

"Alright, a few days won't hurt." Luo Dasheng nodded. "I'll have your mother get the east room ready for him."

Luo Chengxing said, "...He can stay in the same room as me. It'll be easier to keep an eye on him."

Luo Dasheng nodded again, then strolled out into the yard with his hands clasped behind his back and sat down to rest.

After he left, Luo Chengxing pulled back the cloth curtain, took out a jar of pickled vegetables, fished a little out onto a plate with his chopsticks, then sealed the jar and put it away.

About twenty minutes later, the sweet potato porridge was done, and dinner was ready for the Luo family.

"Dad, Mom, Fang, come and eat." Luo Chengxing brought out a big bowl of cornmeal cakes.

He Yubin heard him too. He sat up and craned his neck to look out the window, watching the tall, sturdy man set down the cornmeal cakes, then go back and forth twice to set three bowls of porridge on the table in the yard.

He flopped back down.

From afternoon to evening, he hadn't stepped out of the room once, just sprawled out comfortably under a little floral quilt in Luo Chengxing's room.

"Creak—"

Soon after, Luo Chengxing quietly pushed the door open and walked in.

"Time to eat," He Yubin heard Luo Chengxing say.

He Yubin threw off the little quilt, stuck his head out, and said weakly, "I don't want to eat."

Ever since he'd come to Shanbao Village, he hadn't had a single decent meal—just dry cornmeal cakes that stuck in your throat, corn and sweet potato buns, pumpkin soup, sweet potato porridge, and wild vegetable dumplings.

He wanted the crispy fried dough twists and red bean cakes from the department store...

"Suit yourself." Luo Chengxing's face darkened.

He Yubin rolled over onto his side.

He heard the man push the door open and leave, then come back a little while later. From the little table on the kang came a rustling sound. He raised his head a little to look and saw Luo Chengxing set down a small packet of pickled vegetables.

Every household in Shanbao Village pickled vegetables. They would store them in jars and take some out to eat with rice—it was a treat, and they made it last. The people at the educated youth compound didn't know how to pickle vegetables, so they went without.

He Yubin caught the salty smell, and his stomach started growling. In the end, he couldn't fight his hunger, so he threw off the quilt and got up.

He didn't have a shred of shame. Seeing the pickled vegetables, he grabbed a fresh cornmeal cake, used his chopsticks to lay a strip of pickled vegetable on top, and took a bite.

"Too salty." He frowned after taking a bite.

The pickled vegetables smelled better than they tasted. There was hardly any oil in them, and all he could taste was salt. It was enough to choke him.

Luo Chengxing shoved a bowl of sweet potato porridge into his hands.

He Yubin snatched his hands back the moment he touched the bowl—too hot!

Luo Chengxing set the bowl in front of him and picked up his own bowl of sweet potato porridge. He Yubin watched him slurp down half a bowl in a few big gulps without seeming bothered by the heat at all.

Luo Chengxing didn't say anything, just quietly ate his cake, not touching the pickled vegetables.

He Yubin sat across from him, picking at his cornmeal cake.

Luo Chengxing was fuming inside. He figured he must have hit his head—why did everything He Yubin did and said get under his skin, and yet... the more he looked at him, the more he liked what he saw?

The room was so quiet you could hear a pin drop. He Yubin glanced at Luo Chengxing and noticed his expression was dark.

Which made sense, really. In a poor, out-of-the-way place like Shanbao Village, even pickled vegetables were a luxury. He'd just said they were too salty, and Luo Chengxing hadn't said anything, but he must have been annoyed.

He Yubin's eyes darted around the room. He needed to stay on Luo Datou's good side. A guy who'd offer to do his work for him and let him crash at the Luo house—that proved Luo Datou wasn't too bright.

After all, when you're under someone's roof, you have to bow your head. He reached out and patted Luo Chengxing's arm, smiling, "Brother Luo, don't worry. As soon as my foot heals, I'll go to the fields. I won't be any trouble."

Luo Chengxing glanced at He Yubin, then down at the hand on his arm.

A hand with no calluses, long slender fingers, resting on Luo Chengxing's arm.

At that moment, a crazy thought suddenly hit Luo Chengxing—

A hand like that was never meant for the kind of farm work guys like him did.

There were other city kids at the compound who were just as pale as He Yubin, but Luo Chengxing had never once thought that about them.

His gaze lingered on that hand on his arm, taking it in. He'd just downed a bowl of porridge, yet his mouth went dry again.

Seeing that he wasn't speaking, He Yubin got nervous and said cautiously, "Brother Luo, I... some things I said today, don't take them to heart. I've got a sharp tongue sometimes, but I don't mean anything by it."

His voice reached Luo Chengxing's ears, snapping him out of his disgusting thoughts. He grabbed He Yubin's hand and pulled it off his arm.

Was this how He Yubin had gotten his sister so hooked on him?

He stood up abruptly, carried the two bowls out, and didn't look back at He Yubin.

Luo Chengxing kept his head down and walked out, running into Luo Fang who was about to head back to her room.

Luo Fang was taken aback. "Brother, what's the matter?"

Luo Chengxing shook his head.

As Luo Fang was about to walk past, Luo Chengxing suddenly said in a low voice, "Fang."

"What's wrong, brother?" Luo Fang asked, looking worried.

Ever since her brother had brought that educated youth home today, she'd noticed he was acting weird, like he had something on his mind.

Luo Chengxing didn't look at her, staring at the old Chinese toon tree in the yard.

"...What do you think of He Yubin?" he asked in a low voice.

Luo Fang didn't catch it. "Huh?"

Luo Chengxing finally looked at her: "What do you think of He Yubin as a person?"

"What do I think?" Luo Fang said without hesitation. Ever since he got here today, He Yubin had been lying around in their house without a hint of shame. Sure, his foot was scalded, but that didn't mean he couldn't get up and move.

Besides, she'd heard about He Yubin from the other girls while she was out working. He was the best-looking guy among the educated youth in the compound, but he was also terribly lazy. Luo Fang didn't like that type.

After hearing Luo Fang's words, Luo Chengxing seemed to let out a sigh of relief.

"You go back to your room. I'll go wash the pots."

Luo Fang flipped her braid, staring at Luo Chengxing's back, confused.