Chapter 220: 220 not adapted
So, when she got home, she immediately started a fire.
Once the water was warm, she let Zhou Yongbing wash up.
The other pot was used for cooking, making noodle soup with boiled water and biscuits. Beneath it, sauerkraut was being stewed with lard.
Zhou Yongbing looked around and thought the house was incredibly clean. Everything was placed especially neatly. This was actually due to Su Yuanyuan’s cleanliness and obsessive-compulsive disorder.
When he finished washing up, he sat by the side to tend the fire. Su Yuanyuan forced herself to endure the discomfort; she couldn’t go to bathe now and kept reminding herself to wait, otherwise, she would feel even more uncomfortable.
"Mr. Zhou, you can eat now."
Zhou Yongbing was not polite; he was hungry, and he had been muddling through for several days. Finally having a freshly cooked meal, he naturally ate a lot.
Su Yuanyuan just had a biscuit and a bowl of sauerkraut soup.
What made Zhou Yongbing happiest was the chili oil. The sour and spicy flavor truly whetted his appetite.
After they were full, Su Yuanyuan arranged for him to sleep in a room that still had Tan Shaoting’s bedding. It might as well be used by someone else since it’s unlikely he would return soon. Even if he did, there were new beddings in space.
"Mr. Zhou, you can get some sleep, I’m going to unload the truck."
"Shouldn’t I go with you?" After eating their food, he felt a bit embarrassed.
"No need, we unloaded two tons at the start, and there’s another ton to be given to them. With the five of them, I estimate they’ll almost be done. You can rest assured and get some rest; you’ve had a hard journey here."
After Su Yuanyuan stepped out of the house, she slipped into the yard, but she didn’t really go to unload the truck.
She entered the old house and into space. There, she hurriedly bathed and changed clothes, tossing the old ones out of space because she felt they smelled like fertilizer.
Once she had rested enough in space, she came out and couldn’t resist washing the outside clothes clean.
By the time she arrived, the Zhao siblings had finished unloading the truck.
Now, only the three sisters were left here.
"Xiao Li, would you stay with me tonight?"
"What’s wrong?"
"The truck driver is at home, and Tan Shaoting is away. It’s not appropriate for just the two of us."
"Sure." Zhao Yanli never really paid attention to Tan Shaoting.
However, Zhao Xiaojing was very sensitive to the mention of Tan Shaoting’s name.
"Yuanyuan, what do you mean Tan Shaoting is away?"
"He just went out for work. He probably won’t be back for years."
This surprised all three sisters. "What will you do, Yuanyuan?"
Su Yuanyuan looked at Zhao Yanli, speechless, "Isn’t life the same without him?"
"But weren’t you together?" She hesitated to say that they had been together for years. How could he just leave?
"He has his own matters. If there’s a good opportunity, of course, he would leave.
By the way, is Brother Zhao coming to pick you up?"
"My brother said he’ll come to get us later."
"Oh, then let’s wait here."
"Yuanyuan, will you be on your own from now on?"
"Yes, I don’t have much land left, so now I’m planting Tan Shaoting’s piece of land."
"You’re going to farm one hundred acres by yourself?"
Su Yuanyuan nodded, "Yes, but it should be doable, just take it slow."
"Yuanyuan, we’ll cultivate the sweet potato seedlings; you just wait to plant them."
"That works, thank you, Xiao Li."
"We have more people."
"Then wait until tomorrow when you can drive over to pull the sweet potatoes. I also have ground cover here. Take it back to deal with. I need quite a bit, you know."
"Don’t overwork yourself. Take it easy." Zhao Yanping consoled Su Yuanyuan.
Only Zhao Xiaojing kept her head down in silence; she was in a bad mood. Why would Tan Shaoting leave? Will he never return? After all, why would someone come back to this place?
The sisters finished working and got sweaty. Now in this cold place, they felt chilly.
"Yuanyuan, why don’t we start heading back? It’s too cold here. Moving around won’t feel as uncomfortable."
Su Yuanyuan thought it made sense. "Big sister, tell Brother Zhao, we’re short on fertilizer, and I still have quite a lot here."
"Alright, we know, Yuanyuan, as for the fertilizer money, we can’t pay you back right now."
Su Yuanyuan nodded, she left before the Zhao siblings arrived, knowing why.
"It’s okay."
The four girls locked the door and parted ways.
Zhao Xiaoli quietly trailed behind Su Yuanyuan.
"What’s up?"
"Yuanyuan, did Tan Shaoting abandon you?"
"Why would you think that?"
"If he wanted you, why would he leave?"
"As I said, he left for a good opportunity.
As for wanting or not wanting, that’s something for the future. We’re still young, it’s too soon to say anything.
Xiao Li, people change, so don’t overthink things. Just take care of yourself."
"But you’ve been together for so many years, and your relationship was so good; did you just part ways like that?"
Su Yuanyuan shrugged, unable to explain to this girl, "It’s nothing, I can manage just fine on my own."
When they got home, it was very quiet; the driver seemed to be sleeping soundly.
Su Yuanyuan gathered some firewood to start a fire, "Xiao Li, there are still biscuits and sauerkraut, I’ll heat them up for you to eat in a bit.
Also, this pot is water, do you want to bathe? My room’s stove is lit, so it’s not that cold."
"Yes, I’ve wanted to bathe for a long time. But it’s too cold at home. I’ll go get my clothes."
"I have them here, I can give you a set. They’re not new, but don’t mind that."
"Having something to wear is already great. What’s there to object to?"
"Then have your meal first."
The two girls spoke softly while keeping their hands busy with tasks.
Zhao Yanli entered the house, it was really warm inside. Bathing here wouldn’t be cold at all.
Zhao Yanli hadn’t had cornmeal biscuits for quite a while. The sauerkraut was fragrant, and there was chili oil; she just couldn’t stop and ate too much.
Once full, she tidied up the main room, and Su Yuanyuan prepared two buckets of hot water for her.
"If it’s not enough, there’s more hot water on the stove, if still not enough, call me and I’ll bring you more."
Zhao Yanli nodded, feeling the increasing itchiness of her scalp at the thought of the bath.
Su Yuanyuan found a bar of soap and gave it to Zhao Yanli, then tucked herself up in her quilt and sat by the fire in the main room.
After all, she hadn’t been home for several days. More fire was needed.
Zhao Yanli took an hour for her bath. Afterward, she slipped into bed.
Upon hearing the noise, Su Yuanyuan came in to tidy up.
"Yuanyuan, I can clean up myself."
"You just stay in bed. Just don’t catch a cold. I’ll tidy it up myself."
The two lay in bed chatting. Before long, Zhao Yanli was fast asleep.
This girl could fall asleep the moment her head hit the pillow. Truly enviable.
Previously, when she went to bed, Tan Shaoting would be cultivating by her side. Now, without him, she couldn’t fall asleep. Was it the lack of security?