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"Well, my mother-in-law asked us to pack up some clothes we don't wear anymore to send back home," Yao Feixue explained.
Ye Fangfei nodded in understanding. Life in the countryside was tough these days. Clothes were often passed down from the eldest to the second child, then patched up for the third. If someone could give away a few old garments, it meant they were particularly close.
As for being picky, that was out of the question.
"Do you know? Gao Xiangchun is back. She arrived home last night," Yao Feixue revealed another shocking piece of news.
"Really? She came back to visit? Didn't she go to Beidahuang?" Ye Fangfei asked in surprise.
Although Ye Fangfei's family lived in the same large courtyard, they were somewhat isolated, so news from the courtyard always reached them a bit late.
"Yes, she went to Beidahuang. Gao Xiangchun has been writing letters and sending things back over the past two years. She says it's vast and sparsely populated, with each person having over ten acres of land. It's tiring work, but as long as you're diligent, you won't go hungry."
"But when she came back yesterday, I saw her—she's changed a lot since she was at home," Yao Feixue continued. "How should I put it? She's become dark and haggard."
It was easy to imagine that tending to over ten acres of land wouldn't be easy. Yao Feixue had a good impression of Gao Xiangchun, at least more so than her sister, Gao Huaihua.
Gao Huaihua had married a petty thug years ago, and life had been tough for her these past two years. She often returned to her maternal home to beg for support, but because of her past choices, Gao Dazhu and his wife didn't treat her well.
Moreover, during these hard times, every family was struggling; the Gao family couldn't afford to support her regularly. Every time she visited, it caused a commotion, making Gao Dazhu and his wife wish they could sever ties with her.
"It's definitely not easy for a girl to farm so much land. I've heard that female educated youth have it tough," Ye Fangfei remarked.
"Why is it particularly hard for female educated youth? Aren't they all facing difficulties?" Yao Feixue didn't understand why Ye Fangfei singled out female educated youth.
Ye Fangfei shot her a disdainful look: "Are you silly? In some remote mountain areas, there are men who don't even marry."
In villages where there were many bachelors, female educated youth would go there without any support. Ye Fangfei didn't elaborate further, but the implication was clear to Yao Feixue.
"Is it really like this? This is too terrifying! What they are doing is illegal. Isn't anyone doing anything about it?" Yao Feixue exclaimed in surprise.
It was no wonder Yao Feixue was shocked; after all, she had never experienced such things. It had only been a few years since the educated youth were sent to the countryside, and news of these events had not spread widely yet.
However, Ye Fangfei had come from a later time. Although she hadn't lived through it herself, she was well aware of the countless television shows, movies, and novels centered around the experiences of educated youth in her era.
Even if she didn't know every detail, just having a superficial understanding was enough. Otherwise, she wouldn't have rushed to get married as soon as she arrived, hoping to avoid being sent to the countryside.
Well, in places like this, the higher-ups are distant and the locals tend to stick together. Besides, people have a strong sense of local identity. Even if something were to happen, how could they side with an outsider against their own?
It's impossible. In rural areas, they band together; they can fight among themselves all they want, but when it comes to outsiders, it's typical for them to support their own rather than seek justice.
If you’re an outsider and get bullied and want to complain, you might not even make it out of the village before being stopped. Don't forget that going out requires a letter of introduction. Ye Fangfei explained this to her.
Yao Feixue listened in shock, truly not expecting that going to the countryside could be so frightening.
Going to the countryside is really terrifying; I'm so glad I don't have to go! Just hearing about it made Yao Feixue feel scared.
Well, it's not that every place is like this; it's just more common. However, it's true that it's harder for girls than for boys when it comes to going to the countryside, Ye Fangfei said.
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