Can You Cook?

When Li Ye, in front of Teacher Luo, called out to several classmates to leave and stated that he would no longer be attending self-study sessions in the classroom, Xia Yue and the others thought they had misheard.

After all, given Li Ye's fierce demeanor just now, he didn't seem like someone who would let things go.

[Did we… win?]

Looking at the retreating backs of Li Ye and the others, Xia Yue couldn't help but feel the joy of "raising her eyebrows and exhaling."

Actually, Xia Yue was also a diligent and good student before. Girls these days knew the preciousness of educational opportunities. To escape their monotonous destinies, they studied with all their might.

But whenever she saw Li Ye, anger would surge within her, uncontainable no matter how hard she tried.

Was it because of Lu Jingyao?

Xia Yue herself couldn't be sure.

"Finally, we've gotten rid of these black sheep."

"Exactly, at least our ears can finally be clean. Ever since Li Ye joined our class, there's been no peace."

"They shouldn't be in Class One; they should be sent to Class Two and Three."

"..."

Jin Shengli and the others were also very happy. In their eyes, the entire class, under the leadership centered around him and Xia Yue, had defeated a small group of heretical elements who disrupted class unity and thwarted Li Ye's group's sinister attempt to drag down Class One's collective academic performance.

So, shortly after Li Ye and the others had walked a little further away, Jin Shengli led a few classmates in excitedly clapping their hands and waving their fists in a symbol of victory.

As Li Ye led seven people across the sports field, faint applause could be heard from behind them.

He didn't mind, but several of his classmates who were walking with him were already uneasy, and hearing the applause made them even more unsettled.

"Li Ye, is this okay for us?"

The one speaking was Han Xia, a girl who, along with Hu Man and Li Ye, had been transferred from Class Two to Class One. She was also one of the people who had firmly defended Li Ye during the conflict with Xia Yue and the others some time ago.

Li Ye smiled and asked, "What do you think is not okay?"

Han Xia hesitated for a moment and said, "We didn't do anything wrong, so why should we run away? If we keep doing this, others will laugh at us, and we'll truly become people who don't unite with our classmates."

Li Ye glanced at Han Xia and said seriously, "Han Xia, remember one thing: we only unite with people worth uniting with."

"People worth uniting with?" Han Xia seemed a bit stunned and whispered, "Just us few? Isn't that too few?"

"Seven people is not few," Li Ye stated confidently. "You might feel now that we are a minority, detached from the organization and the masses, but you will realize in the future how luxurious and happy it is to have seven close friends in one's life."

"Haha, Li Ye, what you're saying... sigh..."

Han Xia and the others felt their unease diminish significantly after hearing Li Ye's words, and their hesitant steps became lighter.

However, there was still one female classmate who followed silently at the back, her head down, more than ten meters behind Li Ye.

Han Xia looked back and called out, "Jiang Xiaoyan, hurry up, don't dawdle."

The girl looked up at Li Ye, softly said "Oh," and slightly quickened her pace.

Jiang Xiaoyan, like Li Dayong and Fu Yingjie, was originally a "top student" in Retake Class One, but she had always been an outsider in the class.

After Hu Man became the new Class Monitor, she noticed this transparent girl and successfully "hooked" her over with just a few test papers.

Then, as they helped each other with problems and explanations, they gradually found they got along well.

Especially after the last mock exam, Jiang Xiaoyan firmly believed that Li Ye was not a Huang Shiren at all, but a capable and kind good student.

When Xia Yue badmouthed Li Ye one time, Jiang Xiaoyan, who was as weak as dough, actually argued with Xia Yue and the others. Although she was scolded and cried by Xia Yue in the end, she still cried and argued.

Therefore, she was chosen by Li Ye as one of the seven.

However, Jiang Xiaoyan was naturally timid. When Li Ye called her to leave the classroom today to find another place for self-study, she was very hesitant and very panicked. In the end, perhaps knowing that she would be targeted by Xia Yue and the others if she stayed in the classroom, she lowered her head and followed Li Ye.

It's natural for a dull and honest student to panic when suddenly leaving school.

Fu Yingjie, Hu Man, Han Xia, and others also felt some panic and hesitation.

Perhaps only Wen Leyu followed Li Ye without a second thought.

She didn't ask anything at the time. As soon as Li Ye said he wanted to find a place for self-study, she immediately started packing her schoolbag and was the first to rush out of the classroom, moving faster and more decisively than Li Ye.

That little girl was very smart!

[You bunch of idiots, how can you not know how good Li Ye is?]

In the 1980s, the grain system was definitely a very prestigious unit. Various grain and oil stores and grain depots supported countless state-owned employees who looked down on others.

The Second Grain Store was such a grain and oil supply point. It wasn't very busy usually, but when the monthly plan came down, nearly half the urban population of the county would come with their "supply books" to buy rice, flour, oil, and salt at low prices, and then go to the vegetable company to buy vegetables, purchasing daily necessities along the way.

Therefore, although the street-facing facade of the Second Grain Store was not large, the courtyard behind it was quite spacious, containing not only large warehouses for storing grain but also small warehouses for stocking scarce commodities.

Li Ye led Wen Leyu, Hu Man, and the others out of the school gate and walked about a hundred meters, circling around to the back door of the Second Grain Store. Before they could even knock, they heard a "woof woof woof" of dog barking.

A golden-haired local dog was lying at the crack of the gate, issuing a vigilant threat to Li Ye and the others, making the timid girls afraid to approach.

However, the gate soon opened, and a middle-aged man in his forties kicked the yellow dog aside with one foot and then smiled at Li Ye.

"Little Ye, why are you here today? Didn't you say tomorrow?"

"It's fine, Uncle Huang. The room's been tidied up anyway, so it doesn't matter if it's a day early or late."

Li Ye led his classmates inside. He didn't know this man well, only that his surname was Huang and he was the person in charge of the Second Grain Store.

After Li Zhongfa learned about Li Ye helping people with exam questions that day, he had instructed his subordinates to tidy up a small warehouse near the Second Grain Store for Li Ye to use as a study room.

Old Huang was very enthusiastic towards Li Ye, leading him towards a door covered with a cotton curtain.

"Director Li made the arrangements, and we got it ready quickly. However, the plaster on the newly built wall is still a bit damp. I've lit the stove, and it should be completely dry by tomorrow."

Lifting the curtain, pushing the door open, they entered the room.

In the middle of the small warehouse, a new wall had been built, dividing it into two sections, one large and one small. Two stoves had been installed, and the crackling charcoal fire was burning strongly.

A thick warmth immediately enveloped Hu Man and the others, who had been shivering.

"Oh my~, this is so comfortable."

Li Dayong was the first to exclaim. After enduring so many days in the cold classrooms and dormitories, arriving at a place like this was incredibly pleasant.

The girls were also very happy.

No matter how poor a girl was, she loved beauty. In the middle of winter, her delicate hands had become like carrots, even cracking open in several places. Who would want that!

Li Ye was also quite pleased. This Old Huang was a smart man. A small sleeping platform had been built in the partitioned smaller room. Li Ye immediately decided to stay here for the night.

"Thank you so much for the trouble, Uncle Huang. But some friends will be coming to deliver things later, so please tie up the dog for now."

"Alright, alright, I'll go tie it up right away. Our unit's nature is different; it's really not good to have no one listening for sounds at night. Please understand."

Just as Old Huang was about to go tie up the dog, he heard the dog barking again outside.

Jin Peng and Hao Jian entered the courtyard, pulling a flatbed cart.

"Come, come, everyone help unload the cart!"

Li Ye called out to Li Dayong and the others to help unload the cart, which was laden with pots, pans, tables, and chairs.

Hu Man asked curiously, "Li Ye, are you planning to cook here?"

Li Ye replied, "Yes, our learning progress needs to accelerate from now on. We have to queue at the school cafeteria, so any time saved is good. One meal costs one cent, eat as much as you want."

"Great! You rich guy are still charging money! We thought we were following you to freeload."

Han Xia, with her lively personality, teased Li Ye.

Of course, everyone would pay. In those days, people would scramble to pick up a single cent dropped on the road; who would deliberately take advantage of others?

However, Li Ye noticed Jiang Xiaoyan lowering her head, fiddling with the corner of her clothes with both hands, clearly a little uncomfortable.

Li Ye knew why.

Speaking of Jiang Xiaoyan, Li Ye felt she was comparable to Sun Shaoping.

Every month, she would carry grain from home to exchange for meal tickets at the school cafeteria. When eating, she always waited until no one else was around and went last.

She would buy a steamed bun with three cents worth of meal tickets and eat it with pickles and boiled water brought from home.

Moreover, by the end of the month, the pickles might be gone, and if she went too late, even the boiled water would be gone, leaving her to swallow dryly.

She was poor and stubborn, but her heart was in the right place. Li Ye thought she was a very good girl.

"Clang~"

"There are pork ribs to eat!"

Half a rack of pork ribs was carried down from the cart by Jin Peng and placed on the platform by the stove, drawing the saliva of a group of students.

"Uh, normally we need someone to cook, which takes time and effort. We won't pay wages, but meals will definitely be free."

Li Ye pointed at Jiang Xiaoyan and asked, "Can you cook pork ribs stewed with radish, Jiang Xiaoyan?"

"Ah, I can."

Jiang Xiaoyan looked up, her eyes sparkling with joy, which was very beautiful.

Thanks to book friends "20211029110351113", "Righteous", and "1686560818040958976" for their rewards. Thank you all, Thanks (ω)!

There will be another chapter in the afternoon or evening.