Time Travel: Volume 1! Starting from a Small Mountain Village

After Hu Lili finished speaking, the group turned to leave. Xia Aiguo hurriedly tried to chase after them to explain further. But just then, Old Man Chen deftly placed the package on the oxcart, turned around, and strode back, landing right between Xia Aiguo and Long Lifan.

He was furious, glaring at her and yelling, "What are you doing! Young man, can't you see that the girl doesn't want to talk to you?"

Xia Aiguo was taken aback for a few seconds by Old Chen's sudden return and angry demeanor, a hint of fear rising in his heart. But he still mustered his courage and explained, "Grandpa, don't misunderstand, I really wanted to help. We were sent-down youth together, so we're friends..."

Upon hearing Xia Aiguo's attempt to force a connection, Hu Lili frowned, turned around, and said coldly, "Hey, Comrade Xia, don't talk nonsense like that. We're not acquainted..."

Upon hearing this, Old Chen became even more self-righteous and retorted, "Did you hear that? Hu Zhiqing already said you're not familiar with each other... so stop following us!" With that, the group left the post office.

"Hehe, Xia Zhiqing, you've really gotten a cold shoulder after trying to be friendly!" At this moment, the man who had been standing with Xia Aiguo earlier walked over with a teasing smile on his lips.

The man's name was Zhao Xiaodong, a sent-down youth who had just arrived in Qingmiao Brigade this year. He was tall and thin, wearing a clean blue shirt, which made him stand out from Xia Aiguo and the other older sent-down youth who had been in the countryside for a year.

Xia Aiguo touched the tip of his nose and smiled awkwardly: "What? We're friends. Maybe they wanted to avoid suspicion because there were outsiders around, so they were too embarrassed to admit it!" He knew in his heart that he wasn't familiar with Zhao Xiaodong. He had only heard that Zhao Xiaodong's family had good connections, so he wanted to curry favor with him and came to the commune with him.

Zhao Xiaodong chuckled inwardly at Xia Aiguo's expression, but didn't expose him. He then asked, "Were those women also educated youth?" His eyes held a hint of curiosity; he had casually glanced at them and noticed that the female educated youth were quite attractive.

Xia Aiguo nodded quickly: "Yes, we went to the countryside together last year. We were even in the same train carriage, and Hu Lili and I boarded the train together. We had such a great time chatting back then, I never imagined things would turn out like this..."

His words carried a hint of nostalgia and a touch of loss. Of course, he was also a little guilty, since they hadn't said much in the carriage, and Liu Pandi was the only one there at the time of the conversation.

"Hu Lili...you mean the person who spoke just now is called Hu Lili!" Zhao Xiaodong was a little excited. He had said that the person seemed somewhat familiar, and now that he heard the name, he was sure.

"Yeah, what's wrong!" Xia Aiguo stood there stunned, watching Zhao Xiaodong react so strongly to Hu Lili's name as if it were a gust of wind, and then he took off chasing after the oxcart.

Filled with doubt, he watched Zhao Xiaodong's figure grow smaller and smaller in the distance. Seeing this, he reluctantly followed after him.

"What are you up to, young man?"

Seeing this, Old Chen's face hardened, and he angrily blocked Zhao Xiaodong's path. He had clearly seen that this young man and Xia Aiguo were clearly in cahoots.

Zhao Xiaodong seemed not to hear Old Man Chen's question, and walked straight up to Hu Lili, his face full of joy: "Hu Lili, it really is you!"

Hu Lili was a little confused by this sudden situation. She frowned and asked with displeasure, "Who are you?" She had just managed to get rid of Xia Aiguo's entanglement, but she didn't expect another one to come along.

"Me?!" Zhao Xiaodong pointed to himself and said with a smile, "I'm Zhao Xiaodong!"

"Zhao Xiaodong?"

Hu Lili frowned and shook her head. "I don't remember." She was naturally oblivious and wouldn't pay special attention to things she didn't care about.

Zhao Xiaodong didn't mind at all and excitedly introduced himself: "Hu Lili, we were elementary school classmates, and we were even deskmates for a while!"

Hu Lili shook her head again, and Zhao Xiaodong, growing impatient, continued, "You forgot? One Spring Festival, my dad took me to visit Uncle Hu at your house!" Zhao Xiaodong's words were tinged with urgency, trying to evoke Hu Lili's memory.

Upon hearing this, Hu Lili frowned slightly, seemingly searching her memory for this distant event. Finally, she nodded as if in sudden realization: "Oh! I remember now, it seems like there was such a thing!"

She remembered that Spring Festival, Zhao Xiaodong's father, who was her father's subordinate, was demoted for making a mistake. Her father brought Zhao Xiaodong to her house, hoping her father could put in a good word for Zhao Xiaodong's father. However, her father refused on the spot and warned her that Zhao Xiaodong's father was too opportunistic and that such a person would eventually get into trouble. At the same time, her father also warned her not to get too close to Zhao Xiaodong.

It was because of her father's words that Hu Lili remembered this matter so vividly. She looked at Zhao Xiaodong in front of her and then asked calmly, "It's you. You've also come to the countryside to support rural development."

"Uh!" Zhao Xiaodong scratched his head awkwardly. Actually, he had made a mistake in Beijing, and his father had helped him apply for a rural relocation program, so he had come to the countryside to seek refuge. Hearing Hu Lili's question, he immediately nodded, "Yes!"

After a moment, he looked at Hu Lili and said with feigned emotion, "You don't know how hard life is until you go to the countryside! I've only been here for a few days and I can barely stand it. I don't know how you, a woman, can persevere. By the way, Lili, why don't you ask Uncle Hu to help you get back to the city?"

"If Uncle Hu can't intervene, my dad can help..."

Zhao Xiaodong thought that if he helped Hu Lili come up with a plan and got in touch with Hu Lili's father, wouldn't it be easy to smooth over the little things he had done in Beijing? Maybe he could return to the city sooner!

Little did he know that Hu Lili was sent to the countryside by herself, and now that she had a group of good sisters like Sister Fan, she didn't want to go back to the city.

"Comrade, where are you from?" Zhao Xiaodong's words had a hint of probing, and Long Lifan knew he had ill intentions, so she raised an eyebrow and asked in return.

"My home is in the capital, so what?"

Zhao Xiaodong was taken aback by the question, but he quickly regained his composure and proudly gave his home address, his eyes gleaming with pride.

"Oh, so this is the capital city!"

Long Lifan feigned surprise and responded, then changed the subject with a hint of sarcasm, "I thought your family lived by the sea. Why are you being so nosy?"

"Exactly, exactly!" Hu Lili quickly chimed in, a relieved smile on her face. She had indeed been momentarily speechless and unable to immediately refute him.

Hearing Long Lifan's sharp words, he seemed to have found a pillar of support and immediately retorted, "Do you live by the sea? Why are you meddling in other people's business... Even the Pacific police don't have as much influence as you!"