CHAPTER 105: CHAPTER 90: WORKING THE FIELDS (TWO CHAPTERS IN ONE)

After the rooster crowed in the Zhang Family Village, every household soon began to have smoke rising from their stoves. When the radio emitted its piercing static sounds, the work reports broadcast was right on time.

The villagers, dressed in worn and patched clothes, gradually gathered from their homes to the fields at the west end of the village. Laughter and banter filled the air among the gathered crowd, while those with good relations took the opportunity to discuss matters in private. Elderly women evaluated their sons and grandsons, and young wives huddled together, whispering in secrecy. Unmarried girls, hearing the men talk dirty, kept their distance, which made some older women laugh heartily.

A few men who were closer formed a group, occasionally bursting into laughter. Not far away, children were running and rushing about everywhere.

Once Uncle Old Captain had arranged the tasks and distributed the farming tools, everyone began to slowly disperse and head to their respective assigned places.

Huang Cuilan absentmindedly walked with her sisters-in-law, Lin Juhua and the others, towards the wheat fields, hoeing weeds and pulling out roots. In the village’s collective labor, as long as people showed up, they earned their work points. From afar, some people were working sluggishly, while those who moved quickly had already begun. Over there, some were still meandering along, dragging their feet.

Fortunately, it was the farming off-season, so apart from cleaning up weeds in the fields, turning the soil, and fetching manure for fertilization in preparation for next spring’s farming, Uncle Captain didn’t say much, just urged everyone to stop dawdling.

If it were the busy farming season, Uncle Captain would be shouting slogans through a megaphone, encouraging the villagers. Whenever the weather was favorable, he’d rush around, busily managing everything. During the two busy farming seasons each year, his voice would be hoarse, and bubbles would form at the corners of his mouth.

Huang Cuilan occasionally glanced towards the village entrance. She knew it was still early and estimated her son would only return after noon, yet she couldn’t stop worrying and feeling anxious.

Lin Juhua hurriedly stepped closer to her, pulling weeds and glancing around, saying, "Big sister-in-law, you’re worried about Xi Zi, aren’t you? Don’t worry, his little uncle is with him. He certainly stayed with his little uncle last night and should be back this afternoon after lunch. Why not take the afternoon off and wait at home?"

"Oh, that’s not possible. I didn’t go to the fields all day yesterday, taking more leave is unreasonable. Plus, I can’t bear to lose these work points. This is much more relaxed than the busy farming season. I’m not worried, I just occasionally take a peek, haha."

Lin Juhua rolled her eyes, thinking how silly she was, then yanked out a wild weed fiercely, muttering, "I just don’t understand, look at the field that was just tidied a few days ago, now it’s being tidied again. The weather is about to freeze; why tidy it now? We keep fussing over this piece of land, and after a year, we still don’t have much grain to show for it, nor can we eat to our fill.

Look at those people, are they pulling weeds or playing? Uncle Captain is something else; if he assigned each family their own work, the pace would be quicker. This way, regardless of speed, everyone earns the same work points, so who wants to exert themselves."

Afraid she’d say too much and be overheard by someone who might tattletale and claim her family was unhappy with Uncle Captain, Huang Cuilan winked at her. She often hung out with her sister-in-law after work, worried about her outspokenness offending others. She herself was carefree, but others could be calculating.

Not far away, Ye Zi watched them enviously and slowly moved towards them, hoeing in their direction.

From a distance, she called out to Lin Juhua, "Juhua, has your guest left? I saw two cars drive away yesterday. What did your sister-in-law’s family bring over? Your house seemed lively yesterday, lots of people came by."

"Jiao Jiao’s mother hasn’t left yet; she’ll stay for a few days. Her grandpa had tasks, so he left first. Yesterday, Xi Zi went with them to the provincial city. That’s why my sister-in-law is worried and keeps looking toward the village entrance. I said they wouldn’t come back so soon. Her grandma would certainly take Xi Zi around the provincial city. Since she can drive herself and isn’t in a hurry, they’ll only be back in the afternoon." Lin Juhua quietly shifted closer to Ye Zibian. She was just thinking how she could use someone to chat with.

Ye Zi widened her eyes, "That old lady is really something, huh? Driving by herself. Capital City people are different, I hear she’s stunningly beautiful and young, and hasn’t found anyone else. Did Jiao Jiao’s grandpa and her mom come to settle scores with the Zhou Family?

Some scoundrel in my family village got removed from his position; every household in the village is overjoyed. Those who didn’t get along with him say his family found a ruinous daughter-in-law. I plan to go back and check on things these days. I don’t know if the new captain will still be harsh with my family’s work points or unfairly allocate tasks to my dad and brother?"