Li Long and Gu Xiaoxia took their things back to the Big Courtyard, then began setting up the room she would be staying in.
Li Long had put the room's old bedding away in a pile in the side room, intending to take it apart and wash it when he had time. After they spread the new bedding on the bed, Gu Xiaoxia fetched water and began wiping things down, while Li Long cleared away some things they would not need.
Once he finished putting things away, he saw that Gu Xiaoxia was still hard at work, so he went to the kitchen to make something to eat.
They had eaten their fill at noon, so Li Long planned to make a soup and a stir-fry for a simple supper.
After supper, seeing that it was getting late, Gu Xiaoxia wanted to return to her dormitory-by her account, she had not moved out yet, and people at school would talk if she did not go back for the night.
Respecting her wishes, Li Long took her back to school on his bicycle.
After dropping Gu Xiaoxia off at school, Li Long cycled back to the village. Meanwhile, as Gu Xiaoxia began packing her things in the dormitory, Teacher Wang came to the doorway and asked:
"Did you go to the County Seat?"
There was envy in her voice.
She had originally thought Gu Xiaoxia was a new colleague, a younger sister who needed her care. Yet less than a semester after arriving, Gu Xiaoxia had caught the attention of the Education Bureau's leaders and been seconded straight over.
Anyone with eyes could see that she probably would not return from this secondment. As long as there was an established post available there, seconded staff like Gu Xiaoxia would surely have