Cai Meina looked up at the starry lights not far away, "Have we arrived?"
All along the way, Zhao Gang kept saying that we were almost there, but it had already been so long and still, they hadn't arrived.
Zhao Gang took a sip of hot water. Actually, the hot water they had previously filled had long run out, fortunately, Zhao Gang brought a small pot, and boiled some hot water on the way.
Gong Ruini knew the Northeast was cold, but didn't expect it to be this cold in October. Thankfully, there was a hot water bottle, otherwise, she wouldn't know what to do.
"Don't worry, we're almost there. Knowing you were coming, I've already heated the kang (a heated bed), but since you informed us late, this winter we can only share one room. We'll build more houses when spring comes." Before, it was just Zhao Gang's family living there, so there was no thought of building another house. But now with Gong Tao's family arriving, it was a bit cramped.
What, share one room? Gong Ruini was dumbfounded in the back. You mean she, a girl, would have to sleep with strangers? How would that work?
Even though she was just a child now, with nothing to avoid in most people's eyes, deep down she was an adult. What to do, Gong Ruini was frantically pacing around.
Cai Meina was even more anxious, "Isn't there anywhere else in the village to stay? Even with a good relationship with Zhao Gang, we can't stay in the same room, right?"
Besides, sharing a room would inevitably lead to some disputes, and then could they still be friends?
"Don't worry, there are two rooms, and at that time, we can each have one room for our family." Only then did Zhao Gang realize he hadn't explained clearly earlier, "Don't worry, the kang is big, it can sleep four people, but bathing might not be very convenient."
Thank goodness, Cai Meina breathed a sigh of relief. As long as it wasn't one room, it was fine. Along the way, there was no way to wash properly, and she didn't know if she could even wipe down when they arrived.
Although Zhao Gang said they were almost there, Gong Ruini and the others only saw the tiny lights of the village after about half an hour more of walking, Zhao Gang sarcastically noted that Uncle Zhao's words ran like a runaway train, but still, it indeed appeared near yet was quite far.
After entering the village, Zhao Gang slowed down, moving the cart through and out of the village.
Gong Tao watched the village recede behind them, "Isn't it this village?"
"It is the village, but my status was a bit sensitive before, and I had a little plan to live at the village's edge, a bit distant from the village." Zhao Gang understood Gong Tao's concern.
"Don't worry about the distance, there's a small hill nearby. It will be convenient for us to hunt rabbits on the hill and later grow some crops and vegetables there." Zhao Gang whispered lightly to Gong Tao.
Isn't this a private operation? What if they were caught? Gong Tao was startled by Zhao Gang's boldness. If ordinary people did this, at most they would receive a warning. Especially if you were a local, they would raise the issue lightly and let it drop. But for them, who were to receive more education, the stakes were higher, being exposed could be serious trouble.
Gong Tao didn't want to bring trouble upon his family, especially with small children.
Even if Zhao Gang was speaking quietly, the observant Gong Ruini overheard bits and pieces, but she had caught the key parts. Initially assuming people of this time might be conservative, she hadn't expected such bold thinking. Clearly, this was what Zhao Gang meant by going all out.
Gong Ruini felt relieved too, at least the days of full meals and eating meat were not far from her. If she could dig up a couple of ginseng plants, it would be great. Sell them after a few years, and who knows, it could be a fortune, too bad her small build.
Gong Ruini lamented why the heavens had to send her back in time as a small child, why couldn't she have come as an adult instead. That way, she could truly make a big impact, now being a baby, what use is it.
Especially since this baby's body wasn't in great condition, Gong Ruini touched her thin arms and legs, which were really not up to the task, but it was better than being chubby, otherwise in the future, she'd have to worry about losing weight.
Wait, Gong Ruini realized in the current circumstances, getting fat would be as challenging as losing weight was in later times.
Gong Ruini thought she really was silly, why did she keep comparing now and then? Regardless of how good now is or better the future was, she couldn't change any of it, so just face everything head-on.
For example, the air now was unpolluted, there wasn't so-called smog, the sky was blue, yes, enjoy the current beauty.
"Sister, what are you smiling about?" Gong Ruwen sensed his sister was in a good mood, curiously asked. Truthfully, he was already a bit fed up with it here, and it's only early October, it's already this cold, what to do when winter arrived.
And here's so remote, what if sister gets sick, Gong Ruwen felt quite worried.
"I'm thinking there's meat to eat here, my body will get much better." Gong Ruini wasn't sure if this body was seriously ill, but she guessed it might be related to malnutrition.
Gong Ruini believed as long as she had enough nutrition and exercised regularly, her body would get really strong. Moreover, children shouldn't have too many big problems, otherwise, Gong Tao and the others might not have brought a sick child all the way from the South to the Northeast.
"Yes, it will get better, I'll go fishing then." Gong Ruwen felt guilty that his little sister was imagining such a scenario that she would be healthy and not get sick, and as her brother, how could he think of her getting sick?
"Great, Ni Zi will cheer for brother from the shore." Going downriver fishing, Gong Ruini looked forward to it too, but she knew her fate was cheering from the shore, watching clothes. Even if her body got better, given how protective Gong Tao and his wife were, they wouldn't allow her to go down the river.
Sister cheering for him was great, Gong Ruwen said he would definitely try hard to fish more for mom to cook for his sister, so her health would get better.
"Brother and sister have a close bond, huh." Zhao Gang listened to the siblings' conversation, finding it quite amusing, "Say, Ruwen, do you know how to fish?"
"No, but I can learn." For his sister, no matter how difficult the task, Gong Ruwen declared he could accomplish it.
Moreover, it didn't matter if he couldn't, Gong Ruwen recalled dad had mentioned he knew how to fish, "I can ask dad to teach me."
Gong Tao knows how to fish? Zhao Gang looked doubtfully at his friend, could it be that from not being with his friend for some time, his friend had actually completed this impossible mission?
Ignoring his friend's suspicious gaze, Gong Tao quipped back, "Dad's fishing skills are not as good as Uncle Zhao's, Ruwen, you should learn well from Uncle Zhao."
Blowing a trumpet wasn't an issue; the key was to promptly turn it back around.
His friend's shamelessness hadn't changed, Zhao Gang didn't understand how a person with such thick skin couldn't muster a 'no' to his own parents.