"You already told me, it's the same." Zhi Xia was very satisfied with his awareness, and also felt fortunate that her luck was so good that she could run into such a perfect man even with her eyes closed. "By the way, did something happen to Meng Meng in the countryside?"
This sudden decision to bring her back, Zhi Xia believed he would not make this decision for no reason.
Pei Jing nodded and told her about Pei Meng's situation when she was staying with that family.
After listening, Zhi Xia panicked, "Fortunately you brought her back, that family didn't sound good, and that man had ill intentions too. It's really fortunate you went there and Meng Meng is fine."
In her previous life, she had heard that some educated youth sent to the countryside were bullied, and even some outstanding male educated youth were schemed against.
Everyone, in consideration of their reputation, could only choose to swallow their grievances, and forcibly suffer this silent loss.
Of course Zhi Xia didn't want these things to happen to her own family. Even for strangers, people with a little heart would be willing to offer up some goodwill.
Moreover, Pei Meng was originally arranged here because Pei Jing was also here, and because of her boyfriend in the army.
While they were talking, the noodles were already cooked.
Pei Jing took the bowl and said, "The roads outside are slippery, be careful when you walk, don't go out if you don't need to."
"I know," Zhi Xia said.
Inside the house, Pei Meng ate the hot, fragrant noodles, feeling extremely happy.
"Auntie, your cooking is so delicious. You don't know, since I went to the countryside, I've had nothing but tasteless cornmeal mush and mixed veggie slop every day. These past few months I've barely been able to eat or sleep well, I feel like I've lost a whole circle."
The cornmeal Pei Meng was referring to was not the refined corn flour of later generations, but cornmeal mixed with some corn germ that scraped your throat when you ate it. This was what most ordinary families here ate.
So she only felt that she didn't eat well, but didn't say the family did it on purpose, after all they ate the same things themselves at home.
There was also the issue of different lifestyles.
She would hurry to grab a little food into her bowl before every meal, and didn't dare take too much, for fear of being called a food hoarder, but she really couldn't stand eating from the same dish as others.
The family she was staying with had a lot of people, and every meal they would crowd around the table, eating very noisily, stirring their chopsticks around in the serving dishes. She really couldn't eat like that.
There were simply too many things like this.
People from different living environments living together was simply a disaster.
People who cook like it when others praise their cooking skills. Zhi Xia smiled and said, "Eat up if you like it, there's still more in the pot, you can go back for seconds after you finish."
"Mm-hmm," Pei Meng nodded. She really felt like she could eat another bowl. It had been so long since she had felt the satisfaction of eating her fill, moreover such delicious food.
She guessed that since they had carried so much stuff and walked all this way, they must be starving, which was why Zhi Xia had made so much.
Pei Jing's eating manners were a bit more refined. He said to Zhi Xia, "You go rest first, I'll clean up after we finish eating."
Pei Meng cut in, "I'll do it, I'll do it. Auntie already cooked, although I don't cook well, at least I can wash the bowls clean. Leave the dishwashing to me from now on."
Zhi Xia didn't fight them for it. "Alright, I put hot water on the stove, use that to wash later."
When Zhi Xia returned to the room, she was still thinking about how they should sleep at night. Although the house had two rooms, there was only one bed. There were enough quilts, but making pallets on the floor was clearly unrealistic in this weather.
Just as she was thinking about this, Pei Jing came in.
"That was fast, are you done eating?" Zhi Xia asked.
Perhaps also afraid that Zhi Xia would be unhappy, Pei Jing's usually candid face also showed some apprehensive expression. "There's only one bed in the house. I wanted to discuss with you, let Meng Meng sleep with you for now, and I'll squeeze by in the dorm for a few days. What do you think?"
"What else can I think? If I didn't agree, could you drive her out?" Zhi Xia deliberately asked him.
Seeing her smile, Pei Jing finally breathed a sigh of relief. "Don't joke like that, it wouldn't be good for Meng Meng to overhear. If you feel uncomfortable, I'll get another bed when the snow stops."
"No discomfort at all. Let's do as you said. Meng Meng is around the same age as me, the two of us together, we might even have more to chat about." If you calculated closely, Pei Meng was actually a year older than Zhi Xia.
Mentioning age, Pei Jing felt even more awkward.
Indeed, he wasn't that old, but there was still some difference between 18 and 26.
Outside the door, after Pei Jing clearly explained to Pei Meng the sleeping arrangements for the night, he thought for a moment, then added: "Although you're a junior now, if you calculate closely, your auntie is actually younger than you. So you need to take good care of her, understand?"
"I get it, I'm not stupid. Don't worry Uncle, I'll get on Auntie's good side, and try to hog your bed for as long as I can. Don't blame me!" Pei Meng joked.
Pei Jing laughed at her teasing. "You little rascal, it's getting late, I'm going to the dorm to sleep. Those things in the net bag were originally for you, for eating and using. Don't worry, your auntie isn't petty. The yarn inside and two bottles of facial oil were things she told me to bring for you."
"Facial oil, that's so great!" Pei Meng immediately looked through the bag excitedly, while complaining, "Uncle, you don't know, the weather here is so dry. The facial oil I brought was used up long ago. These days without it my face is always tight, and my hands are chapped too. I feel like I've become ugly..."
Pei Jing had carried the coal stove inside earlier, and took it out again before leaving. Fortunately after burning, the room was much warmer.
It was still early to sleep, Zhi Xia sat on the bed knitting a sweater. Pei Meng opened the door a crack and asked her, "Auntie, do you want malted milk? Let me make you a cup?"
"Sure, thanks for the trouble." Zhi Xia thought she wanted to drink it herself but was too embarrassed to indulge alone, which was why she had offered.
But unexpectedly, she only made one cup, and didn't drink any herself.
"What about yours?" Zhi Xia asked in surprise.
Pei Meng waved her hand. "I just had two bowls of rice, I'm stuffed. I won't drink any."
"Alright then, make some more yourself whenever you want to drink it. Treat this like your own home, don't stand on ceremony." Zhi Xia said.
Pei Meng nodded. She came over to watch Zhi Xia knit, seeing the novel knitting techniques and different flower patterns, she wanted to learn too. She brought the yarn from the net bag outside, and the two sat together on the bed chatting and laughing late into the night.
That night, Pei Meng finally slept soundly again, once more feeling the comforts of home.
Not having to be on guard against others at every moment, not even feeling apprehensive about using the toilet. Although the bedding was not as warm as the brick fireplace beds in the country, her heart felt warm and at ease.
