Chapter 123 'The Fool' is really here! (1/2)

Time flew by, and the weather turned completely cold.

Jixiang Brigade welcomed its first heavy snowfall of the year.

Snowflakes fell heavily, and soon the whole village was covered in white.

There was a cool, sweet scent in the air; taking a breath made my lungs feel clear and refreshed.

Ruan Tang loves this kind of weather the most.

She was wearing a cotton-padded coat made by Yan Yuxin, wrapped up in it, and leaning against the warm windowsill.

She exhaled a puff of white breath towards the glass, then stretched out her delicate fingertips and drew irregular little circles on it.

Yan Yu was simmering mutton soup in the kitchen.

The milky white broth bubbled and boiled in the pot, and a handful of bright green scallions were sprinkled on top. The fresh and fragrant aroma filled the entire room, making everyone's stomach rumble.

Just then, the sound of a familiar tractor came from the village entrance.

Thump thump thump—

Ruan Tang's ears immediately perked up, and her "watching the show" radar instantly activated.

She turned her little head and shouted into the kitchen, "Brother, someone's here!"

Yan Yu carried out a bowl of piping hot mutton soup, his steps steady, paying no attention to the commotion outside.

He placed the bowl on the kang table and walked straight to Ruan Tang's side.

Without even glancing out the window, he reached out his large hand and took her small hand, which was still drawing on the glass.

He lowered his eyes and used a clean cloth to carefully wrap each of her cold, breath-dampened fingertips, warming and drying them.

His movements were so focused, as if he were handling a rare treasure.

"Drink the soup."

His voice was deep.

No matter how lively the outside world was, in his eyes, nothing was more important than feeding his little girl.

The tractor stopped at the village entrance, and the loud voice of the brigade leader, Chen Fengshan, pierced through the snow.

"Everyone, get down! Take your luggage!"

Three people jumped out of the truck bed.

The one at the very front was tall and thin, wearing a worn-out military overcoat with his chest open. He walked with a swagger, a faint smile playing on his lips, exuding an air of roguish fearlessness.

Behind him followed a fair-skinned, refined young man wearing glasses, who looked bewildered and clutched the hem of the person in front of him, like a frightened chick.

The last man was so thin he was unrecognizable, his face was sallow, his eyes were sunken, and he exuded a deathly stillness.

His name is An Sanchuan, and he came from the countryside in Huizhou.

As soon as he regained his footing, he swayed and his face turned even more pale.

Chen Fengshan frowned: "What's wrong?"

An Sanchuan's lips trembled, and he couldn't utter a word before his body went limp and he collapsed.

The roguish young man next to him, Yu Hao, reacted quickly, grabbing him and frowning as he said, "Hey, buddy, hey hey hey..."

But the moment you touch them, you feel like they're so hot you could fry a pancake on them.

"Captain, he has a high fever!"

Upon hearing this, Chen Fengshan disregarded everything else and shouted at Chen Aiguo, who was driving the tractor, "Aiguo! Turn around! Take him to the clinic!"

After a period of chaos, the tractor sputtered away again.

Only Yu Hao and Yu Siyuan, the two cousins, remained, carrying their luggage and standing dumbfounded in the snow.

Yu Hao didn't care. His sharp eyes scanned the crowd, searching for something.

He quickly identified Duan Zhou, who had run out from the educated youth settlement to watch the commotion.

Duan Zhou has a fiery temper, and seeing Yu Hao's behavior, he inexplicably felt a connection with him.

"Hey buddy, new here?" Duan Zhou took the initiative to strike up a conversation.

"Of course." Yu Hao put his arm around his cousin and leaned in familiarly. "Can I ask you something? Where does Yan Yu live?"

Duan Zhou laughed: "You're looking for Yan, the educated youth? He doesn't live in the educated youth settlement."

Yu Hao was taken aback: "If you don't stay here, where do you stay?"

Duan Zhou assumed he was from Beijing and was on the same side as Gu Jinzhou and the others, so he waved his hand generously and said, "Come on, I'll take you to the old educated youth's courtyard to ask!"

So, Yu Hao and Yu Siyuan were led by the enthusiastic Duan Zhou, walking unsteadily towards Zhao Weiguo's courtyard.