Recaps

Bai Yao helped Kong Wu untangle his bedding, then took him to meet the veteran educated youths with Hu Yang, Jiang Rou, and the other new arrivals. The five arrived at the crowded compound and exchanged first impressions with the veterans.

• Bai Yao found Kong Wu struggling with a quilt cover and showed him how to fit it properly.
• Bai Yao and Kong Wu ate dinner, and Kong Wu washed the dishes while Bai Yao gave him dried fruit.
• Bai Yao brought Kong Wu to Hu Yang and the others, who had finished cleaning and quickly changed into fresh clothes.
• Bai Yao, Kong Wu, Hu Yang, Jiang Rou, and the other new educated youth went to the front courtyard to meet Dong Aiguo and the veteran educated youths.
• The newcomers noticed how crowded the compound was, while the veterans thought the five were good-looking.

Bai Yao and the other new educated youths visited the educated youth point, where Dong Aiguo kept the veterans’ designs in check and introduced everyone. After the newcomers faced a flurry of attention and rivalries, Bai Yao’s group left for their rented house, with tensions still simmering behind them.

• Two women tried to persuade the newcomers to live at the educated youth point, but Dong Aiguo shut down the veterans’ scheming and reminded them to work for their food.
• Dong Aiguo introduced the educated youths, including twins Xiang Qian and Xiang Hou, siblings Zhang Dashu and Zhang Xiaocao, and the new arrivals.
• Feng Ling pursued Hu Yang for his possessions, Fang Fang offered Gu Yang food, and several men crowded around Jiang Rou until she demonstrated her strength.
• Jiang Rou rescued Gu Yang from Fang Fang’s attention, while Bai Yao watched the rivalry develop.
• Bai Yao told Dong Aiguo that the newcomers were leaving, and Dong Aiguo saw them out after reminding them to rest and return on time.

Bai Yao and Kong Wu prepared to visit the commune, and Bai Yao relied on Kong Wu to carry him when the long walk wore him out. They left Hu Yang and his companions behind and discussed buying supplies and planting a garden, leaving them to plan a household together.

• Bai Yao and Kong Wu agreed to go to the commune and discussed what they needed to buy.
• Roosters woke Bai Yao early, and he made breakfast while Kong Wu gathered firewood and traded for eggs.
• Bai Yao and Kong Wu met Hu Yang and his two companions, and the five walked toward the commune together.
• Kong Wu carried Bai Yao during the latter part of the journey, while Hu Yang and Gu Yang continued on foot.
• Bai Yao and Kong Wu went ahead and planned to buy meat, make steamed buns, and trade with the village chief for vegetable seeds.

Bai Yao wandered through town while Kong Wu shopped separately, then followed Jiang Rou into the black market and accidentally caused her deal to collapse when Kong Wu recognized him through his disguise. Kong Wu took Bai Yao to safety, and they parted so Bai Yao could collect the goods he had bought.

• Kong Wu and Bai Yao agreed to split up and meet at the state-run restaurant at eleven thirty.
• Bai Yao went to the junk station, saw Gu Yang searching for a rumored gemstone, and chose not to go inside.
• Bai Yao followed Jiang Rou into the black market and overheard her arranging to sell large quantities of grain and other goods gradually.
• Kong Wu bought two axes, recognized Bai Yao despite his human-skin mask, and carried him away as the black market erupted in panic.
• Kong Wu said he recognized Bai Yao because their hearts were in sync, and Bai Yao changed the subject and told him to wait at the restaurant.
• Bai Yao left to collect the items he had bought while Kong Wu went to the state-run restaurant.

Bai Yao met Kong Wu at the state-run restaurant, where they ate an underwhelming meal before riding home together on Bai Yao’s new bicycle. They returned to the village with their supplies, and Bai Yao discovered Kong Wu urgently needed to use the toilet.

• Kong Wu waited outside the state-run restaurant until Bai Yao arrived on his new bicycle with baskets and a sack full of supplies.
• Bai Yao treated Kong Wu to braised pork, dumplings, hot and sour shredded potatoes, steamed buns, and soda at the restaurant.
• Bai Yao and Kong Wu finished their meal, then decided to head home and make wild vegetable buns for dinner.
• Bai Yao sat on the bicycle’s crossbar while Kong Wu pedaled them and their supplies back to the village.
• Kong Wu hurried toward home after the ride, and Bai Yao laughed when he realized Kong Wu genuinely needed to pee.

Bai Yao went to the village chief’s home to get vegetable seeds and brought gifts, where he unexpectedly attracted the attention of the chief’s niece. He returned with seeds while the niece remained interested in him, despite his attempt to discourage her.

• Bai Yao took cigarettes, brown sugar, and red dates as gifts and met six-year-old Tie Zhu, who led him to the village chief’s house.
• Bai Yao learned the village chief’s daughter-in-law had recently given birth and added red dates to his gifts.
• Li Cuihua welcomed Bai Yao and offered him vegetable seeds after he explained that he and another educated youth wanted to plant a garden.
• The village chief’s niece arrived, mistook Bai Yao for a potential blind date, and asked whether he had a partner; Bai Yao claimed his partner had died for the country.
• Li Cuihua gave Bai Yao seeds and sent him away, then realized the cigarettes, brown sugar, and dates were his gifts and that her niece liked him.
• Bai Yao went home and resolved to strengthen the villagers’ impression that he was sickly so they would leave him alone.

Bai Yao and Kong Wu planted vegetables and prepared pork-and-wild-green steamed buns, which Kong Wu eagerly ate. After a night of sleep aided by the system, Bai Yao woke at dawn to the village roosters and heard Kong Wu cooking.

• Bai Yao returned with vegetable seeds, and Kong Wu repaired the garden area, planted seeds, and watered them.
• Bai Yao used the system to season the new woks and prepare pork-and-wild-green buns for dinner.
• Kong Wu praised the buns and ate five, while Bai Yao ate one and accepted Kong Wu's large appetite.
• Bai Yao stayed awake worrying about work in the fields, then used the system's sleep-aid incense to sleep until dawn.
• Bai Yao woke to the village roosters and heard Kong Wu cooking in the main room.

Bai Yao and Kong Wu began their first day of fieldwork, while Hu Yang recounted a breakfast dispute between the new and veteran educated youths. Bai Yao learned that Dongfang Dazhuang had gone on a blind date, then watched the woman from that date approach their group, leaving him surprised by the coincidence.

• Bai Yao prepared breakfast and gave Kong Wu protective gear and a water bottle for working in the heat.
• Bai Yao and Kong Wu arrived early at the brigade office, where villagers approved of their practical fieldwork clothes.
• Hu Yang told Bai Yao that Gu Yang had let two veteran educated youths cook in their courtyard, causing a dispute over mixed grain.
• Dongfang Dazhuang offered to teach Hu Yang and the others to cook, then revealed that a blind date had left him haggard.
• Bai Yao recognized the woman approaching their group as Dongfang Dazhuang's blind date from the previous day.

Zhou Lan approached Bai Yao, who pretended not to recognize her to avoid village gossip, then explained to his companions why her gifts to the village chief had been accepted while theirs were refused. The village chief and brigade leader arrived and assigned the educated youths their work in the fields.

• Zhou Lan greeted Bai Yao, but he claimed he was face-blind and left with Kong Wu and the others to avoid rumors.
• Bai Yao explained that he had visited the village chief to trade for vegetable seeds, and Dongfang Dazhuang confirmed Zhou Lan was his blind date from the next village.
• Hu Yang, Gu Yang, and Jiang Rou told Bai Yao their gifts to the village chief had been returned, and Bai Yao advised them to trade for vegetables or cooking lessons instead.
• Kong Wu noticed Village Chief Zhao Jianguo and brigade leader Zhao Jianshe arriving, and Zhao Jianguo assigned the educated youths their work and had Zhao Jianshe distribute tools.

Bai Yao, Kong Wu, and Jiang Rou chose to weed the village fields, where Bai Yao deliberately worked slowly and encouraged the others to rest so they would not attract jealousy. After registering their work points, Bai Yao invited Kong Wu home for noodles.

• Zhao Jianguo offered the educated youths a choice between cutting pig grass and weeding, and Bai Yao, Kong Wu, and Jiang Rou chose to weed.
• Bai Yao worked at a deliberately slow pace while Kong Wu and Jiang Rou covered their shares of the task.
• Bai Yao called Kong Wu and Jiang Rou to rest in the shade, explained why they should not finish too quickly, and shared buns with Kong Wu.
• The three finished weeding the two mu and registered their work points; Kong Wu gave one of his points to Bai Yao.
• Bai Yao invited Kong Wu to lunch and offered to make noodles with eggplant and minced-meat gravy.

Bai Yao traded with a village family for a large assortment of vegetables and chives, then used the system to prepare noodles with diced eggplant and minced pork gravy. Kong Wu enjoyed the meal, and the pair had plenty of vegetables left to cook with.

• Bai Yao found a household with a lush vegetable garden and asked the middle-aged woman there to trade vegetables.
• Bai Yao and Kong Wu picked tomatoes, cucumbers, yardlong beans, eggplants, and chives, then paid the woman five mao for twenty-five jin of vegetables.
• The woman planned to use the money to buy meat and treat her family to a good meal.
• Back at their courtyard, Kong Wu went out to draw water while Bai Yao prepared noodles with diced eggplant and minced pork gravy using the system.
• Bai Yao served Kong Wu a large bowl of noodles, and Kong Wu called the food delicious.

Bai Yao prepared buns and noodles while Kong Wu stayed home until the afternoon to gather firewood. When Kong Wu returned, he eagerly helped with the steaming buns and sucked Bai Yao’s scalded finger, leaving Bai Yao flustered.

• Bai Yao agreed to make Kong Wu chive-and-egg buns and planned a separate serving of braised noodles for himself.
• Bai Yao persuaded Kong Wu to wait until two o’clock before gathering firewood, then fell asleep while Kong Wu kept watch over him.
• Bai Yao made chive-and-egg buns and green-bean-and-pork-rib buns, pickled cucumbers, and secretly ate five cream ice creams to beat the heat.
• Kong Wu returned carrying two thick dead trees, smelled the buns, and hurried to help Bai Yao take them from the steamer.
• Bai Yao scalded his finger, and Kong Wu sucked it, claiming he was disinfecting it and teasing that it tasted like cream.

Bai Yao visited the injured Hu Yang after confronting the educated youths arguing over who should care for him. Hu Yang had already been treated by the village doctor, and Bai Yao cheered him up with buns while Dongfang Dazhuang and Kong Wu returned with witnesses.

• Bai Yao struggled with distracting memories of Kong Wu tending to his finger, then learned Hu Yang had sprained his ankle and decided to visit him.
• Bai Yao and Kong Wu brought two buns to Hu Yang’s home and overheard Feng Ling and Tang Yuanyuan arguing with Dongfang Dazhuang about taking care of Hu Yang.
• Bai Yao challenged Tang Yuanyuan to compensate Hu Yang with her work points and pushed Sun Chunmei to take charge of settling the dispute.
• Bai Yao found Hu Yang crying from pain and homesickness, learned he had already seen the village doctor, and gave him the buns to eat.
• Dongfang Dazhuang and Kong Wu returned with the village chief and Educated Youth Dong as witnesses.

Bai Yao helped settle the dispute over Hu Yang’s injury, then used the village chief’s family’s need for baby formula to offer help and build goodwill. He returned home with Kong Wu, who remained jealous about missing out on the buns Bai Yao had made.

• Bai Yao, Hu Yang, and Dongfang Dazhuang told Zhao Jianguo how Tang Yuanyuan’s actions had led to Hu Yang’s injury, and Zhao approved Bai Yao’s plan to dock her work points.
• Zhao Jianguo excused Hu Yang from work for several days and accepted Bai Yao’s cigarettes, promising to send vegetables in return.
• Bai Yao and Kong Wu left Hu Yang with Dongfang Dazhuang, and Kong Wu complained that he had not been the first to eat a green bean and pork rib bun.
• Li Cuihua arrived with vegetables, explaining that her daughter-in-law was ill and could not feed the baby; Bai Yao suggested they ask Gu Yang to trade milk powder.
• Bai Yao gave Li Cuihua pickles and wild vegetable buns to take home, then reassured Kong Wu about the buns before Kong Wu hugged him.

Bai Yao and Kong Wu flirt awkwardly while taking turns using a makeshift bathing stall, and Bai Yao accidentally sees Kong Wu changing with his Mental Power. They both blush when they meet again, and Bai Yao avoids going out for the rest of the day.

• Kong Wu built a crude bathing stall and teased Bai Yao before using it first.
• Bai Yao went to bathe after Kong Wu, then accidentally saw him changing by extending his Mental Power into Kong Wu's room.
• Bai Yao hurriedly rinsed off and returned to the house, where he and Kong Wu blushed and exchanged excuses as they passed each other.
• Bai Yao noticed he had left most of his shirt unbuttoned, blamed Kong Wu, and decided to stay inside until the next day.

Bai Yao worked with Kong Wu pulling weeds and sorting wild greens before a middle-aged woman questioned him about Jiang Rou. He learned that the woman’s youngest son was interested in Jiang Rou, but he revealed little about her family.

• Bai Yao and Kong Wu pulled weeds, then took a short break while Bai Yao sorted the wild greens they had collected.
• A middle-aged woman joined Bai Yao and asked about Jiang Rou’s new bicycle and family background.
• Bai Yao said he knew little about Jiang Rou except that she was from West City and had plenty of money.
• The woman admitted her youngest son had taken a fancy to Jiang Rou, and Bai Yao praised Jiang Rou’s looks, money, and ability.

Bai Yao outwitted Cao Granny when she tried to arrange a match between her youngest son and Jiang Rou, then rode to town alone to escape Kong Wu’s persistent company. After lunch, he spotted Jiang Rou cycling past and secretly followed her.

• Bai Yao talked Cao Granny into preparing wild vegetables before telling her Jiang Rou would not marry her youngest son, and the onlookers laughed at Cao Granny when she cursed him.
• Li Cuihua and the villagers praised Bai Yao and spread the story throughout the village.
• Kong Wu asked to accompany Bai Yao to town, but Bai Yao refused and promised to bring him watermelon.
• Bai Yao rode to town, ate cold noodles and drank soda at the state-run restaurant.
• Bai Yao saw Jiang Rou ride past on a bicycle and secretly followed her.

Bai Yao followed Jiang Rou and discovered that she was running a black market, then learned Brother Dong planned to attack her operation. He knocked out Brother Dong’s men, took their goods, and left Jiang Rou a warning and a captured follower to see how she would respond.

• Bai Yao followed Jiang Rou to a secluded courtyard and discovered that she was the black market’s boss.
• Jiang Rou agreed to meet Brother Dong in a week and told her subordinates to stay alert.
• Bai Yao followed a messenger to Brother Dong’s hideout and overheard plans to report Jiang Rou’s black market and attack it that night.
• Bai Yao used knockout incense on Brother Dong and his men, then took their goods and valuables.
• Bai Yao captured the man following the messenger, sent him and a warning letter to Jiang Rou, and watched from the System Space.

Jiang Rou learned that Brother Dong had tried to take over her territory, so she seized his operation and its people. Afterward, Bai Yao encountered two educated-youth twins secretly selling venison and tried to buy their remaining meat.

• Jiang Rou read a warning letter, learned Brother Dong had sent someone to track her, and broke the spy’s leg until he revealed the plan.
• Jiang Rou and her underlings tied up Brother Dong and his men, then took over their operation, but found its supplies and money gone.
• Bai Yao followed Jiang Rou in secret and concluded that her fighting style did not match the soldier or mercenary backgrounds he had considered.
• Jiang Rou’s underlings reported that the courtyard was empty, and the group discussed what to do next.
• Bai Yao found the twin educated youths selling venison, bought their remaining ten jin, and asked them to include their carrying basket.

Bai Yao traded cloth coupons to the twins in exchange for a promise of pheasant and rabbit meat, then paid them another coupon to hear gossip. The twins revealed that Dong Aiguo had tricked the male educated youth Zhang Dashu, leaving Bai Yao eager to hear the details.

• Bai Yao sold venison to the twins, then later spotted them trading a pheasant for coupons.
• Bai Yao offered the twins cloth coupons at the black-market price, and they agreed to repay him with pheasants and wild rabbits instead of money.
• The twins told Bai Yao that Zhang Dashu had been tricked by someone, and Bai Yao gave them a cloth coupon to learn who was responsible.
• The twins named Dong Aiguo, and Bai Yao shared melon seeds as he urged them to tell him what had happened.

Bai Yao heard how Dong Aiguo exploited Zhang Dashu, then bought pastries and arranged to sell flawed fabric to Xiang Qian and Xiang Hou. As the twins offered to repay him with their bodies, they revealed shocking gossip about Dong Aiguo.

• Xiang Qian and Xiang Hou told Bai Yao that Dong Aiguo had sex with Zhang Dashu but still did not lend him grain.
• Bai Yao gave the twins his remaining sunflower seeds and left, while they planned to repay him with wild game.
• Bai Yao bought pastries at the supply and marketing cooperative, then collected his bicycle, venison, watermelons, and soda from his System Space.
• Xiang Qian and Xiang Hou asked Bai Yao for fabric, and he offered to sell them flawed pieces without coupons.
• Bai Yao invited the twins to take turns riding his bicycle, and they offered to repay him with their bodies while sharing gossip about Dong Aiguo.

Bai Yao learned why Xiang Qian and Xiang Hou were desperate for money and agreed to let both brothers follow his lead, provided they repaid the meat they owed him. The brothers eagerly accepted, while Xiang Qian kept joking about paying Bai Yao back with his body.

• Xiang Qian explained that he and Xiang Hou had been neglected by their impoverished family, lost much of their resettlement money, and struggled to survive in the countryside.
• Bai Yao decided the brothers seemed decent enough to consider taking on as underlings and asked why they had chosen him over the other educated youths.
• Xiang Qian and Xiang Hou said the other educated youths were troublesome and that they refused to use blackmail, even though they knew potentially damaging information about them.
• Xiang Qian said he hoped Xiang Hou would live long enough to marry, and Bai Yao teased the brothers about their offers to repay him with their bodies.
• Bai Yao agreed to help both brothers make money after they repaid him with chickens and rabbits, and Xiang Qian again joked about offering his body.

Bai Yao returned to the village with Xiang Qian and Xiang Hou, then went home with Kong Wu, who cooked braised meat for him. The chapter ended with Bai Yao waking late and discovering Kong Wu had waited without eating so they could share the meal.

• On the way back, Xiang Qian and Xiang Hou shared village gossip with Bai Yao, who asked them to report anything entertaining from the educated youth residence and gave them soda.
• At the village entrance, Bai Yao met Kong Wu, explained that the twins had helped him ride back, and asked Kong Wu to pedal them home.
• Bai Yao instructed Kong Wu to put away their purchases and chill a watermelon in the well, then suffered stomach trouble after drinking iced soda too quickly.
• Kong Wu began braising the meat they had bought, and Bai Yao thanked him before falling asleep.
• Bai Yao woke at eight thirty and found Kong Wu had waited to eat with him until the braised meat was ready.

After Kong Wu ate a large meal of venison, he rushed out to burn off the extra energy, while Bai Yao suffered a brief bout of diarrhea and later realized Kong Wu was bathing and taking care of himself. They slept well and returned to their usual work the next day, with Bai Yao remembering the watermelon chilling in the well.

• Bai Yao served Kong Wu two steamed buns and ten jin of braised venison, and Kong Wu paid him 500 yuan for meals.
• Kong Wu learned the meat was venison, said he did not like it, and ran out over the courtyard wall to work off the energy.
• Bai Yao prepared six chi of good cloth for Xiang Qian and Xiang Hou, then got diarrhea after eating fatty meat.
• Bai Yao used his Mental Power to check on Kong Wu and realized he was bathing and taking care of himself, then lit sleep incense and fell asleep.
• Bai Yao and Kong Wu woke refreshed, worked their usual mu of land, and Bai Yao suggested going home to eat the watermelon in the well.

Bai Yao gave Xiang Qian and Xiang Hou defective cloth and coupons to resell, setting cautious limits so they could earn money safely. After the brothers sold their first goods almost immediately, Bai Yao gave them a forty-meter bolt to sell within a week.

• Bai Yao welcomed Xiang Qian and Xiang Hou, who brought him two hens as repayment.
• Bai Yao gave the brothers six chi of nearly flawless defective cloth to keep and another piece of defective cloth and coupons to sell, explaining that he would take twenty percent of future profits.
• Bai Yao told the brothers to keep their trading small and safe, and said their payment also covered watching the educated youth settlement.
• Xiang Qian and Xiang Hou returned after lunch and told Bai Yao they had sold everything to villagers.
• Bai Yao had Kong Wu bring out a forty-meter bolt of defective cloth and told the brothers to sell it within a week.