Xiao Chenye left, and Bao Wenxuan rubbed her hands, sighing, "He's actually quite nice."
"Yeah!" Wen Ran had a smile on her lips, "Don't you think he's really handsome?"
"He's okay."
Obviously, Xiao Chenye didn't strike a chord in Bao Wenxuan's heart.
"Let's go, we shouldn't just sit here," they needed to get busy, just in case Xiao Chenye brought back some game and they didn't even have a place to cook it, that would be a real joke.
Wen Ran calmly opened her backpack and took out an iron pot, a ladle, and two sets of bowls and chopsticks.
Bao Wenxuan: "..."
Still very shocked.
She gave an awkward smile, "You go ahead and get started, I'll gather some firewood."
"Alright!"
Everyone looked at the two of them, very surprised, but not knowing what to do, they gathered in small groups, watching as the two of them bustled about like busy bees.
Xiao Chenye came back, carrying a wild chicken and striding over to Wen Ran.
Wen Ran sensed someone in front of her and looked up to see it was Xiao Chenye.
"Back so fast?"
She thought she would've finished cooking this pot of porridge before Xiao Chenye returned.
"Yeah," he said, still holding the wild chicken, looking at the pot of boiling white rice porridge with some suspicion, "You, you brought raw rice on this trip?"
Wen Ran was calm, "Anyway, no one eats it at home, so I figured I'd bring it along."
Before Xiao Chenye could say anything, the dispersed commune members gathered around, the sound of gulping echoing one after another.
Xiao Chenye instinctively frowned, looking at everyone, puzzled, "Why are you all staring at me?"
Hunger had occupied their minds, and everyone stared at that wild chicken, their eyes almost unable to move.
"No, what are you standing there for?" said a young man with glasses, "You caught a wild chicken, don't you know to cook it?
We barely survived, you can't expect us to cook it, right? Don't you have any common sense?"
Wen Ran: "?"
She was stunned, my goodness!
Does this person have no shame?
Who knew, this remark opened the floodgates, and voices rung out one after another, "Yeah, plus, I've never seen a feathered thing like this, I have no idea how to handle it."
"We don't need to handle it, let's just wait to eat."
"Come on, hurry up, we're really hungry."
Xiao Chenye was silent for a moment, then said, "Have you all had too much to drink?"
Otherwise, how could you be so shameless?
The group seemed confused, "What's up? We haven't been drinking."
"If you haven't been drinking, then figure out a way to fend for yourselves!" Xiao Chenye sat down on the ground, took out a knife, and started to gut the wild chicken, "I'm not your nanny. Being able to bring you back here was already going above and beyond.
This is my wild chicken, why should I share it with you?"
Wen Ran raised an eyebrow, casually stirring the porridge in the pot, "Wow, you live long enough, you'll see everything. With so many birds in the forest, you get all sorts."
They didn't dare to clash with Xiao Chenye, but they had no qualms with Wen Ran.
"What's it got to do with you? Also, as a commune member, how come you don't understand solidarity? And this pot of porridge, you aren't planning to keep it all to yourself, are you?"
The female commune member who had previously caused trouble pointed at Wen Ran's nose and scolded, sneering at her, "Don't be so selfish!"
"Of course not," Wen Ran laughed, "This pot, this rice, this water, it's all mine, why should I share it with you? Just because you're shameless?"
"You're just selfish!"
The female commune member wanted to say more, but the young girl with the doll-like face stopped her.
"You're not all selfish, I didn't see you sharing your biscuits with me just now."
The female commune member, reflexively, "Have you no shame? That was my stuff, why should I share it with you?"
As soon as she spoke, she realized something was off.
The doll-faced girl rolled her eyes, "Zhang Sisi, you really have no shame!"
She stepped forward, "Wen Ran, Gaolian and I aren't like them, we do have a sense of shame. Could we trade some porridge for soap?"
"Sure!"
Wen Ran didn't want to make enemies of everyone, and besides, they did just stand up for her!
Trading some porridge was no problem at all.
Wen Ran stirred the porridge, "Do you have anything to hold the porridge in?"
"Yes, yes, yes," the doll-faced girl quickly motioned for Li Gaolian to get an enamel cup and soap from her bag, while she looked on eagerly.
If it were before, she wouldn't have craved porridge so much.
But after more than two days of sitting on a train, gnawing on dry food every day, and then the shock of the evening's events, she desperately needed something to soothe her anxious heart.
Li Gaolian looked eagerly at Wen Ran, "Could we get a little more soup?"
"Of course," Wen Ran smiled gently. This Li Gaolian, though she had thick eyebrows and big eyes, looked reliable, but in fact, she seemed a bit cute, like a child.
The doll-faced girl looked at the grainy layer below, sincerely offering thanks, "Thank you, I'm Zuo Xinyue. Let's look out for each other from now on."
"Alright."
After the precedent set by Zuo Xinyue and Li Gaolian, the other commune members watching on took things out to trade with Wen Ran for porridge.
Most of them were just onlookers.
Until…
"Hey, I'll trade you a biscuit for a full scoop, load it up with more rice grains."
Recognizing the familiar voice, Wen Ran chuckled, "Scram."
"You..." Zhang Sisi stared wide-eyed in disbelief, "You're insulting me?"
"Insulting a dog," Wen Ran replied curtly, "Good dogs stay out of the way, move along."
Zhang Sisi was so angry she stomped her feet, turning to Xiao Chenye, "Brother Xiao, look at her, she's not the least bit cooperative. I just wanted to trade some porridge with her, she won't agree.
I told you she was no good, but you didn't believe me. Now do you believe it?"
Xiao Chenye suddenly became alert, "I'm no good either, don't get any ideas about my wild chicken."
Zhang Sisi: "..."
She gaped, wanting to say something, but not knowing where to start.
Wen Ran laughed until she nearly cried. She realized the ruddy-faced, straightforward fellow in front of her just didn't think like most people.
"Shall we eat?"
"Eat!"
Just moments ago, Xiao Chenye had been wary, not wanting Zhang Sisi to have any of his chicken, but now he calmly handed a drumstick to Wen Ran, "Eat."
"Thanks a lot."
...
After resting and tidying up everything, Xiao Chenye cleaned his items, "We should get back on the road. We won't make it to the commune tonight, can you manage a night at the guesthouse?"
"Yes."
At someone else's house, no matter what they did, they felt restrained. At least at a guesthouse they could feel a bit freer.
Wen Ran smiled, "You've been such a help."
"You're welcome."
Xiao Chenye looked away, pretending to stay calm, but inside he was cursing.
For heaven's sake, do this young commune member's eyes have hooks?
Why did just one look make his heart race and his face flush?!