Courtyard House: Drunk and tipsy, the whole courtyard exposed at the start.

Who is Zhang Dabiao?

Zhao Weiguo and his group knew only a limited amount of information.

He was originally a cadre and could have gone directly to the Ministry of Foreign Trade as a deputy section chief, but after graduating from vocational school last year, he went to the People's Fine Arts Publishing House. However, he has now been promoted to a cadre position.

He's rich. I don't know exactly how much, but this guy is incredibly rich. He's not some capitalist, landlord, or shady character; he earned his money himself, legally and legitimately.

He's a formidable fighter. Four years ago, he easily defeated 13 opponents, leaving the kids from the compound utterly humiliated. He's never lost a fight since. This story has been around for a while now, and even Zhang Mingyuan, Tian Yiming, and Yang Weihong have suffered at his hands. It's not shameful for Zhao Weiguo and the others to bring it up.

He's talented. He illustrated the comic books "Nezha Conquers the Dragon King" and "Heroes and Daughters," and wrote the lyrics for songs that educated youth often sang, such as "Going to Distant Places," "The Song of Changle," and "Ode to Heroes." I heard he even earned a lot of foreign exchange for the country...

Then, Zhang Dabiao became a legendary figure in Balasu Commune.

Mu Wanqing was arguably the most beautiful among the educated youth, but she was also a bit seductive, or to put it bluntly, like a vixen.

Therefore, the most beautiful woman on the surface is Yang Yibai, who conforms to the aesthetic standards of this era.

But Mu Wanqing is a hard worker who never complains about being tired or being pretentious, so the aunties all think she's a good person.

When news of Zhang Dabiao's background spread, it shocked the commune members and educated youth. Zhang Dabiao had a bright future in Beijing, but he insisted on chasing after his wife and coming here to suffer with her.

Based on his devoted and single-minded attitude, this guy is a real man!

This is what you call a perfect match!

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The next morning, just as the sky was beginning to lighten, the wooden door of the brigade headquarters office was banged on loudly.

Zhang Dabiao sat up with a start, the coat covering him slipped off, and a chill instantly seeped into his neck.

"Who is it?" he called out in a hoarse voice.

Can't people even get some sleep this early in the morning?

Zhang Dabiao has a terrible temper when he wakes up.

"I am Ma Erjin!" came the captain's deep and authoritative voice from outside the door.

Zhang Dabiao rubbed his eyes. Last night, with his journey and reunion, his emotions were in turmoil, and he hadn't slept soundly at all.

He put on his clothes and opened the door. A gust of cold wind mixed with sand rushed in, and Ma Erjin's dark face looked particularly serious in the morning light.

"Come on, go and call that girl, she's coming with me to the commune," Ma Erjin said without any emotion.

"What are we going to the commune for?" Zhang Dabiao yawned.

Ma Erjin's sharp eyes sized him up: "A letter of introduction is just a formality, but people are not. I need to call and verify personally whether you're a real cadre and whether you two are truly husband and wife!"

Zhang Dabiao looked helpless. Well, this guy is really serious.

He nodded: "Okay, no problem. But Captain Ma, food is the most important thing, no matter what. Everyone should have breakfast before leaving, right? Look how thin my wife has gotten from hunger."

Ma Erjin glanced at him, said nothing more, which was taken as tacit approval.

When Zhang Dabiao and Ma Erjin returned to the educated youth settlement one after the other, there was already some commotion in the courtyard.

Several early-rising educated youths were washing up in the yard, their necks hunched over. When they saw the brigade leader coming over in person, they were all a little reserved.

Mu Wanqing had just gotten up and was holding an enamel mug, preparing to fetch water, when she saw Zhang Dabiao return with Ma Erjin following behind him, and her heart skipped a beat.

"It's alright. Captain Ma said he's going to the commune to verify our situation," Zhang Dabiao said softly as he walked to her side. "He'll also let his family know we're safe."

Mu Wanqing was relieved and nodded.

As for breakfast, Zhang Dabiao waved his hand generously—he, Young Master Zhang, would pay for everything this morning!

The best way to help your wife integrate into the group is to invite her classmates and colleagues to dinner!

Zhang Dabiao brought a bag of grain. Since he said he was going to treat everyone to a meal, Mu Wanqing no longer had any reservations about giving it away.

Mu Wanqing couldn't bear to part with those precious items, so she only took out the flour and a small bag of rice that Zhang Dabiao had brought, and also found some dried wild vegetables, some cured meat, and two eggs from the corner.

Soon, the long-lost aroma of rice porridge—wild vegetable, cured meat, and egg porridge—was wafting from the simple kitchen of the educated youth settlement.

The twenty or thirty people in the entire educated youth settlement were almost going crazy!

Zhao Weiguo and the others came over as soon as they smelled the aroma. Their eyes practically popped out of their sockets as they looked at the white rice grains bubbling in the pot.

"My God, white rice porridge!" Liu Yuanchao exaggeratedly sucked in his saliva. "Brother Biao, you're a living Buddha!"

Mu Wanqing quickly kneaded the dough again and baked several golden-brown pancakes on the scorching hot iron pan—scallion pancakes with a little soybean paste.

Although the pancakes didn't contain much oil, the aroma of pure white flour was enough to drive these long-starved young people crazy.

Ma Erjin was also invited to have breakfast together. He looked at the steaming rice porridge and white flour pancakes on the table, and then at the educated youth wolfing down their food—was Zhang, the writer, really not living a normal life?

I was going to criticize him, but looking at the porridge... he just silently drank the porridge without saying a word.

The breakfast left everyone at the educated youth settlement feeling warm and cozy, and their gazes towards Zhang Dabiao became increasingly different.

After eating and drinking our fill, it was time to go to the commune.

From Balasu Brigade to the commune, it's a dozen or so miles, all on a bumpy dirt road, taking almost half a day to walk there.

Zhang Dabiao patted his chest: "This is easy to handle."

He took Ma Erjin back to the brigade headquarters, locked all the large canvas bags he had brought into the office, and also locked the big white goose and speckled chicken inside. The hunting dog Erhei lay majestically at the door, making low whimpering sounds in its throat, and looked around warily.

"This dog...doesn't bite, does it?" Ma Erjin looked at Erhei's sharp teeth and felt a little scared.

"Don't worry, it won't budge its mouth unless I bite it." Zhang Dabiao chuckled and patted Erhei's head.

He then unveiled his beloved sidecar motorcycle.

"Get on, Captain Ma." Zhang Dabiao straddled the motorcycle, patted the back seat, and pointed to the sidecar next to him.

Mu Wanqing smiled and skillfully sat down behind Zhang Dabiao, gently wrapping her arms around his waist.

Ma Erjin hesitated for a moment, but finally sat down in the wobbly sidecar.

"Hold on tight!"

Zhang Dabiao shouted, twisted the throttle, and the motorcycle roared loudly, kicking up a cloud of yellow dust with its rear wheels. Like a steel beast, it carried the three men and sped away towards the commune.

The wind whistled past my ears, and the swirling sand stung my face.

Ma Erjin huddled in the sidecar, covering his face with his hands, but his mind was in turmoil.

These cadres from Beijing are quite extraordinary, coming with motorcycles and treating people to meals with rice and flour!

Zhang Dabiao faced the wind, controlling the handlebars with one hand. Through the rearview mirror, he could see Mu Wanqing's pale but smiling face.

My gaze swept across both sides of the road, where there was only endless yellow sand, occasionally dotted with a few low and dilapidated mud houses. When the wind blew, not a single patch of green could be seen.

The barrenness and desolation of this land far exceeded his imagination.

He couldn't imagine how a delicate girl like Mu Wanqing had managed to endure these days here.

The hands around his waist tightened even more.