Chapter 19

l go start the tractor."Hua Zi drove a tractor, pulling Ning Yuan along as they went "vroom vroom" to the county town. Villagers watched with some bewilderment, but didn't ask too many questions.Ningy...Rong Zhaonan then looked at Ning Yuan's slender back, lost in thought.

The look in her eyes just now, it was filled with a kind of almost mournful anger. Why was her reaction so intense

Before he could think more about it, Grandma Xia excitedly pulled him. “Boy, give me those fish you grilled, I saw you guys eating grilled fish the other day.”

Rong Zhaonan pressed his glasses on the bridge of his nose: " ......Grandma, don't push your luck."

Xia A-po licked her lips and snorted coldly: "I knew you were just putting on a show, so cheap."

Saying that, she turned and walked away with a huff. Rong Zhaonan followed her expressionlessly.

Xia A Po and her husband lived not far from the cowshed, in another half-collapsed earthen house at the foot of the mountain.

A thin, old man lay deep in the earthen house, sleeping on a straw-covered floor. Two broken bowls and a blackened aluminum pot sat beside him.

Ning Yuan was stunned. She thought Rong Zhaonan's barn-like hut was already dilapidated, but she didn't expect there to be something even worse and more rundown than a barn.

Before she arrived at Xia A-po's house, she had guessed that the couple might not be living well.

But she didn't expect their life to be so... hard.

Seeing someone come in, the old man who was coughing constantly struggled to his feet.

"Cough cough cough... Is that Xiaorong Has my wife bothered you again I'm so sorry."

The old man still had a pair of glasses on his nose, missing one leg and with only half a lens left. When he opened his mouth, it was pure Beijing dialect.

Ning Yuan, hearing his speech and mannerisms, immediately knew he was a cultured person, and was most likely sent down for re-education.

Xia A-po suddenly dashed from behind Ning Yuan to the old man's side, helping him up: "Hey, old man, there's food now, eel porridge, so fragrant and delicious!"

Ning Yuan was surprised by Xia A Po's agility. This old lady was incredibly nimble.

"What conger eel porridge... you went to find Xiao Rong to get it again, don't!" The old man stood up tremblingly.

The aroma of the remaining half pot of eel congee lingered in the room, he couldn't help but swallow, but still shook his head at Xia A-po: "Next time, please don't do this..."

Níngyuán, seeing this, sighed inwardly and walked over holding the pot. She placed it by the old man's bed and said, "The porridge is here, you guys eat."

This house doesn't even have chairs, so you have to eat your meals on the floor.

"Here's your dinner, you can take it back. Young people need to work in the fields and eat a full meal, we have sweet potatoes, but the elderly don't need much, they won't be hungry."

The old man pressed his glasses, trembled, and shook his head.

"Old man, you're so sick like this, how can you not eat You're just hungry!" Xia A Po angrily held the pot and shoved it into his arms.

Ning Yuan caught sight of two small sweet potatoes still in the blackened, dented pot. She felt a strange mix of emotions she couldn't quite describe.

The elderly man, who clearly needed to eat, politely refused the food snatched by his wife, which made Ning Yuan feel very sad.

Ning Yuan squatted down and proactively picked up the broken bowl by the bed, scooping up the porridge and offering it to him: "Grandpa Tang, you all have to work too. I did this myself for Grandma Xia."

She remembered the dung cart not far away and finally recognized who this elderly couple was.

They are the elderly couple responsible for handling manure and compost on the team.

This job is dirty, smelly and tiring. Everyone avoids it, barely even coming near each other in their normal lives, let alone talking.

She had only vaguely heard that the old man who defecates was surnamed Tang, but she didn't expect him to be such a refined and polite gentleman.

Tang Daye looked at Ning Yuan and smiled kindly: "Ahem, ahem... You are Xiaorong's partner, right... Ahem... You are both good people."

Ning Yuan smiled: "We still have three fish for dinner. This porridge is from Dr. Rong... it's Zhao Nan who asked me to bring it to you."

Seeing that her old man was willing to eat, Grandma Xia was overjoyed. She hurriedly took a spoon and fed Mr. Tang: "Here you go, I didn't lie to you, old man, eat quickly."

Only then did Tang Grandfather allow Xia Grandmother to feed him the eel congee.

Rong Zhao entered the room and didn't speak. He looked at Ning Yuan squatting there with her slender back, a slight curve appearing at the corner of his lips.

The aroma of fish congee wafted through the air, making Xia A-Po's mouth water. However, she remained silent.

Tang Da Ye pushed the pot towards Xia A Po: "You eat too. I'm sick and can't help you, but you have to go to work tomorrow."

Summer Grandma, however, suddenly turned around and grabbed another broken bowl. She shoved the two pieces of sweet potato into her mouth: "I don't like eating eel porridge, it's too fishy."

Tang Daye was taken aback and coughed. "Cough cough cough... Old woman, you really... If you don't eat, how can I eat"

Looking at the elderly couple who had been through thick and thin, pushing each other away while finding excuses to feed each other, Ning Yuan couldn't help but feel a little teary-eyed.

She suddenly stood up: "Since Xia APo doesn't like eel congee, and Zhao Nan and I still have grilled fish, anyway we two can't finish so much fish, I'll bring you two."

As she spoke, she walked toward the door.

Mr. Tang was taken aback and hurriedly said, "Wait a moment, there's no need to..."

Xia A Po quickly pressed down on Tang Da Ye's hand, and chuckled: "Working class people should help each other. Since the little girl is willing to get me some grilled fish, I'll eat it."

"You..." Grandpa Tang wanted to say something.

"Stop fussing, just finish your eel congee quickly so I can wash the pot and send it back to them. Don't delay the newlyweds from having a good night."

Xia A-po unceremoniously shoved a spoonful of porridge into Old Tang's mouth.

Xia A-po's blunt and rough words made Ning Yuan blush instantly, almost tripping over her own feet. She hurriedly reached out to steady herself against the wall.

How can this old woman still speak so boldly in this day and age, not afraid of being called a hooligan

The wall was unsupported, so she reached out and grasped the solid arm of Rong Zhaonan by the door.

Rong Zhaonan reached out to steady her, saying softly, "Be careful, it's dark in here."

Ning Yuan only felt the scent of soap and grass from the other person brush past her ear, and she suddenly felt her ears heat up: "I'm fine!"

After she finished speaking, she stood up flustered and hurried out.

Looking at Ning Yuan scurrying out of his arms like a startled little rabbit, Rong Zhaonan's long and profound eyes flashed with a strange light.

When Ningyuan brought back two grilled fish, Xia Laotai wolfed them down.

Of course, she also didn't forget to specially choose boneless fish meat and stuff it into Old Tang's mouth.

Finally, Ning Yuan and Rong Zhao nan returned to their cow shed hut carrying empty aluminum pots.

On a deep autumn night in the South, insects hummed their melodies and the air still held the fragrance of plants.

Ning Yuan sat by the makeshift earthen stove in the backyard, staring at the last remaining grilled small perch. Her expression was unreadable.

Oh, what a day! I was moved by other people's love stories... and then... I starved.

I wish I had saved the biggest fish when I caught them earlier!

So small, how could she possibly eat enough Not to mention there's a big man beside her waiting to feed her!

"Well then, aren't you going to eat" Rong Zhaonan looked at Ning Yuan's rich facial expressions, and he inexplicably felt like smiling.

This little spy only just remembered that one fish wasn't enough for them to share. Does he regret it nowhe was about to split her butt in half, but suddenly someone caught her steady.The heat from the man steamed up, a blend of vegetation and animal musk, too invasive, assaulting Ning Yuan's every pore...