Chapter 100: Disrupting Again
Outside, all was silent—it was still early.
After a good sleep, Xu Huazhang felt refreshed, and a certain longing stirred within him once again…
It was nearly three hours before the two of them got up.
Xu Huazhang wanted Mu Lantu to stay in bed a little longer, but Mu Lantu didn’t want to lie around—he wanted to see what it looked like outside.
They didn’t rush out immediately. Instead, they stood by the window in the main room, lifting the curtain to peek outside.
Snow was still falling, gently fluttering down. The snow on the ground and rooftops had already accumulated over ten centimeters, smooth as cream.
Mu Lantu marveled, “What heavy snow!”
“Mm,” Xu Huazhang put his arm around Mu Lantu’s waist. “You watch from here, I’ll clean up the kitchen.”
After enjoying the snow scene for a bit, Mu Lantu went to wash up.
He poured the mouthwash and face-washing water into a basin designated for wastewater, then emptied it via the drain in the bathroom.
After washing up, he put on cotton clothes and pants and went to the backyard to use the toilet.
Wangcai followed him—it knew how to open the back door and use the bathroom on its own. It had likely just been lazy before.
When he came back from the toilet, Mu Lantu washed his hands and opened the main room’s door.
Xu Huazhang walked out of the kitchen, holding an unwashed bowl. “Don’t stay outside too long.”
“I just want to take a look. Should we clear the snow off the roof?” Mu Lantu stood in the courtyard, looking up.
Xu Huazhang replied, “After breakfast.”
They definitely had to clear it off—they didn’t know how long the snow would continue. If it built up too much, the roof might collapse.
From his position, Mu Lantu could see that the snow on the neighbor’s roof was thinner than theirs. It had probably already been cleared once.
“Brother Mu, who are you talking to? Is Brother Xu back?” Miao Jiaze shouted from next door.
Mu Lantu shouted back, “He’s back—he returned just before dark yesterday!”
“Good to hear! It’s too cold, and we’re busy shoveling snow, so we won’t come over to greet him. Just let Brother Xu know for us!”
“Okay!”
“Remember to sweep the snow off your roof too! Or it might collapse!” That was Xu Jincheng shouting.
“Got it!”
When Mu Lantu returned indoors, Xu Huazhang smiled at him. “It’s not raining—why are you all yelling?”
“I was influenced by Miao Jiaze.” Mu Lantu chuckled too.
Xu Huazhang had finished washing the dishes and prepping the ingredients.
Mu Lantu made a hotpot of pickled fish. Too lazy to cook rice, he just took some out from the space.
After eating, the two prepared to clear the rooftop but remembered they didn’t have a ladder.
Xu Huazhang went next door to borrow one and saw two figures trudging toward them in the snow.
“Lantu, the brigade leader and secretary are coming.”
“They must be worried about our house,” Mu Lantu guessed.
Xu Huazhang said, “You stay home. I’ll go meet them and bring them next door.”
“Okay,” Mu Lantu whispered, “Bring our team leader too.”
Xu Huazhang understood and called Xu Jincheng to help bring the brigade leader and secretary to the educated youth housing.
Once inside, the brigade leader and secretary had to rest a while before catching their breath.
It was so hard to walk through the snow.
“Are your houses all okay?” the secretary asked with concern. “Although we previously reminded everyone to inspect their homes, two families’ roofs still collapsed last night.”
Xu Huazhang and Xu Jincheng both said their houses were fine.
Their houses were newly built and tiled. The ones that collapsed were likely thatched roofs.
The brigade leader and secretary exchanged a look.
Xu Huazhang and Xu Jincheng suddenly had a bad feeling.
“Well,” the brigade leader began reluctantly, “those two households can’t stay in their homes, and the village doesn’t have spare housing. We were wondering… could you let them stay here for a few days? Once the snow stops, we’ll arrange for repairs.”
The educated youths’ faces all changed. It wasn’t easy to decline without offending the village, but accepting was just as hard. They had finally settled into a routine—bringing in a bunch of outsiders would disrupt everything.
Plus, what about food? Firewood? Safety? What if conflicts arose?
It was a mess!
Everyone looked at Xu Jincheng and Lu Manman, the big brother and sister figures.
Xu Huazhang was silently frustrated—if he had known this would happen, he wouldn’t have come over to borrow the ladder.
The brigade leader said gently, “Team Leader Xu, when we built these dorms, we planned for ten people on each side. I remember the male dorm only has six people, and the female dorm only five?”
“Uh…” Xu Jincheng broke into a cold sweat. Refuse, and they’d offend the leadership; accept, and they’d offend the other educated youth.
Xu Huazhang figured it must be all the gifts he and Mu Lantu had delivered that softened the leadership—they weren’t targeting him and Lantu directly.
He was about to excuse himself to leave.
Xie Xiaojun, clearly exasperated with Xu Jincheng, suddenly said loudly, “Brigade Leader! I think it makes more sense to house the two families at Youths Xu’s place. Youths Xu and Mu Youths can squeeze into one room, freeing up another. Their main room has a heated brick bed too—plenty of space.”
Miao Jiaze looked at him with pity. Xie Xiaojun was done for. Totally done. He had completely offended Brother Xu—how could he expect anything good now?
Xu Huazhang showed no expression but gave Xie Xiaojun a deep, chilling look.
The brigade leader and secretary exchanged another glance. They thought Youths Xu had just shown up at the wrong time, but even if he hadn’t, someone probably would’ve brought up his and Youths Mu’s house eventually.
The brigade leader hesitated. “Youths Xu, what do you think?”
He hoped Youths Xu could find a way out of this.
Lin Shuzhen said, “We’ve all been to Youths Xu and Mu Youths’s home, haven’t we? The rooms are small—it’s impossible to fit that many people.”
No one knew why Lin Shuzhen was speaking up for Xu Huazhang and Mu Youths, but that didn’t stop Miao Jiaze and Du Xuewen from also taking their side.
Miao Jiaze shifted the focus. “Brigade Leader, is there really no other family in the village who can take them in? They’re more familiar with villagers—it’d be more comfortable for them.”
Others echoed him.
The brigade leader gave a bitter smile. “It’s not that I want to make things hard. But every household in the village has seven or eight people—some over ten. Where could they squeeze in?”
“Brigade Leader, Secretary—what are the specific situations of the two families?” Du Xuewen tried to buy time, giving Xu Huazhang a chance to come up with something.
Zhang Jingxian quietly slipped out.
She was always low-profile—no one noticed her leave.
Mu Lantu waited and waited for Xu Huazhang to return. Just as he opened the main room’s door to go check, he heard knocking.
If it were Xu Huazhang, he’d come in directly.
Mu Lantu quickly walked over and was surprised to see Zhang Jingxian.
“Zhang—”
“Youths Mu, I’ll keep it short. Two village houses collapsed. Xie Xiaojun wants the brigade leader and secretary to assign them to live in your house.”
She turned to leave after that.
Xie Xiaojun!
Mu Lantu remembered the name and quickly called out to her. “Thank you.”
Zhang Jingxian shook her head. “Don’t mention it. I should go.”
It wasn’t appropriate for a man and woman alone. Mu Lantu didn’t invite her in, watching her enter the next courtyard before heading back to continue shoveling snow in the yard.
There was no need for him to go—Huazhang would have a solution.
Zhang Jingxian didn’t return to the main room—she went to the women’s dormitory.
Inside, the brigade leader and secretary were still explaining the two families’ situations.
Each had elderly members and young children who couldn’t walk—sympathetic and pitiful, yes, but also problematic. The kids were bound to cry when upset. If they really moved in, peace would be out of the question.
Xie Xiaojun’s eyes sparkled with malicious glee. Let Xu Huazhang and Mu Lantu be so arrogant! Let’s see how long that lasts!
“Youths Xu, for the sake of the elderly and children…”
Disgust flashed across several of the educated youths’ faces.
The brigade leader and secretary’s expressions were also frosty. A man like this—good thing he wasn’t a battlefield comrade.
Xu Huazhang said slowly and calmly, “Brigade Leader, Secretary—I recall the brigade office has heated beds?”
Everyone’s eyes lit up.
The brigade office had two big heated beds! Plus, it was a tiled brick house—the best in the entire village besides the educated youth housing and Youths Xu’s home.
Xie Xiaojun bowed his head, gritting his teeth. Xu Huazhang had clearly planned this all along and deliberately waited to drop the solution at the last second!
The brigade leader smacked his forehead. “You’re right! Getting old—I forgot such a good place! Let’s house those two families in the brigade office—it’s warm and spacious!”
The educated youths all chimed in support, listing even more benefits: it’s closer to villagers, they’ll feel more secure, they can help watch the storage, they know each other, the kids will have playmates…
The brigade leader and secretary fully understood their reluctance to let strangers in—and smiled knowingly. If the roles were reversed, they wouldn’t want strangers living with them either.
“Alright, it’s settled.”
Xu Jincheng added, “Brigade Leader, Secretary, moving in this heavy snow won’t be easy. Let us help carry their things and hold the kids.”
Everyone agreed—pitching in was no big deal.
The secretary waved it off. “No need. It’s too far, and we don’t want you catching cold. We’ll get a few local members to help.”
Xu Huazhang said, “We’d feel guilty doing nothing after hearing about it. How about this—Brother Xu, you send some firewood, and I’ll contribute a tin of malted milk to share between the families, so the elderly and children can stay nourished.”
The others nodded firmly.
Xu Huazhang went home and returned a while later with a cloth bundle. As he handed it to the brigade leader, he discreetly squeezed his hand.
The brigade leader sighed inwardly—this kid probably slipped them gifts again. Such thoughtfulness.
Several male educated youths carried firewood and accompanied the brigade leader and secretary.
Xu Huazhang told Lu Manman, “If your firewood runs low, just say so. Lantu and I can bring over some more.”
Lu Manman had been worrying about that. “Okay.”
Yue Xiaoying and Lin Shuzhen brought over the ladder.
“Youths Xu—”
