Chapter 100 Division of Labor

August passed quickly, and it started raining again in September, on and off for almost a month, sweeping away the last bit of the summer heat and leaving behind the cool frost and dew of late autumn.

The rain nourishes the earth and makes it full of vitality. In such weather, farmers are the happiest. The green crops in the fields grow more and more lush under the nourishment of the rain, which also indicates the arrival of a good harvest.

The autumn harvest is coming soon. In the countryside, when it is spring ploughing and autumn harvesting, except for the toothless elderly and children and pregnant women who are about to give birth, all the rest of the men, women, young and old have to go to the fields to work.

Xia Wanyang hadn't started to worry yet, but Zhang Shiye hadn't smiled for several days in a row.

"Husband, what's wrong with you? Are you unhappy? Why do you look so unhappy every day?" Xia Wanyang hugged his neck and said softly.

Zhang Shiye lifted her little butt and held her in his arms. Xia Wanyang hooked her long legs around his waist and rested her face on his shoulder.

Zhang Shiye kissed her earlobe lovingly, "What a nice thing to say, little darling. I'm fine. The autumn harvest is coming soon. I don't want you to work in the fields. Your thin arms and legs will be exhausted after working all day. But I can't ask Dad directly. I'm so worried!"

Xia Wanyang groaned twice, "I don't want to go to the fields either, but my father is the team leader. If I do something special, people will gossip about me. If I really can't do it, how about I just take advantage of the situation?"

Zhang Shiye sat on a chair, Xia Wanyang rode on him, the two sat facing each other, Zhang Shiye sighed and said: "How about this, when the time comes, tell dad to divide the land between us, you just stay aside, I'll do it alone."

Xia Wanyang shook her head. "No, you'll be exhausted, and I'll feel bad for you!"

Zhang Shiye habitually put his big hand under the hem of her clothes, found the position and stroked it skillfully, "Look, it's different to have a wife and not have a wife. It feels so good to have someone who loves you. But husband, I'm not tired. If you are tired, just give me a kiss!"

Xia Wanyang was used to his doing this anytime and anywhere. If she disapproved, Zhang Shiye would punish her in different ways. After doing it many times, she just followed his lead.

"Don't worry, husband. I will earn as many work points as I can. I will never show off. I will soak in the stream right after work. Make more food for the next two days and put it in the space. Don't make it during the autumn harvest if you can!"

Zhang Shiye: "We'll see when the time comes. I'll talk to dad first to see if I can pick the easiest job for you. The number of work points doesn't matter, as long as you don't get too tired. Look at your physical strength. You haven't been training for so long. Come on, let your husband take you to train again."

Xia Wanyang: ...

The next day, Zhang Shiye came to Zhang's house and found Zhang Heping. "Dad, the autumn harvest is coming soon. How are we going to do the work this year? Do we all have to go to work? Look at Yangyang's small body. He will be exhausted after working for a whole day. How about I do all the work for our family alone?"

Zhang Heping glared at him in dismay, "You are so capable? And you do it alone? Aren't you afraid of getting tired and vomiting blood?"

"That's impossible. I'm strong enough to do the work of two people. The most important thing is that I can't think of any easy work for the autumn harvest. None of them are suitable for my wife, right?"

Qiao Shuyun teased, "Then what is your wife suitable for?"

Zhang Shiye thought of the little girl's coquettish and shy look under him, and smiled gently, "My wife is not suitable for anything, I just want to support her, let her eat and drink well, dress beautifully, and just want her to be happy every day, and I'm happy when she's happy!"

"Old woman, please find me a piece of peppercorn to chew on. My teeth hurt when I hear your son talking." Zhang Heping covered his face after saying this.

Qiao Shuyun clicked her tongue a few times, "I'm also having a toothache. I've raised this son in vain. Do you know what this was called in the past? It's called a wife slave!"

Zhang Shiye didn't care. He thought, if she was a wife slave, then she was a wife slave. As long as she was Xia Wanyang, any slave would do!

"Mom and Dad, if you think about the job..."

Zhang Heping lowered his eyes and replied lazily, "Our family has not split up. As long as your eldest brother, second sister-in-law and third brother have no objection, I don't care how many people in your family go to work, just get the work done. This year, several of our team leaders have discussed and decided not to divide into teams as they do every year. This year, we will divide into families, one family as a unit, and those with fewer people will be grouped with their cousins ​​and aunts. The educated youth site will be divided into two groups, and they can form teams freely."

Aunt Qiao nodded, "It's good this way. Every autumn when there are disagreements, that small group of people get together and fight. You have to settle the case, which is tiring both physically and mentally. It's good to divide it this way. No matter what the family does, they can't blame you, the team leader. It's hard for an honest official to settle family disputes!"

Zhang Shiye hurried out, "Big brother, third brother, second sister-in-law, are you all here..."

Aunt Qiao shook her head. "Our fourth son has fallen into trouble because of his wife!"

Zhang Shiye didn't care about that. As long as Xia Wanyang didn't have to work in the fields, he didn't mind even if his brothers had to beg him shamelessly. So when he asked Xia Wanyang not to work, Zhang Shifeng and Zhang Shijing couldn't accept it as if they had seen a ghost, because Zhang Shiye used the word "beg". Over the years, their youngest brother had always lived the most carefree life, silently contributing to the family and never caring about anything.

When he got home, Zhang Shiye picked up Xia Wanyang and held her in his arms. "Wife, you only need to go to the warehouse during the autumn harvest. You don't have to go to the fields. This year is different from every year. You'll be with the eldest brother and the third brother. We can do your share. Let's buy more delicious food for the second sister-in-law this month. You can help her when she cooks. You don't have to do anything else."

Xia Wanyang was a little embarrassed. "This is not good. We haven't split up. The work points are all together. If one person is missing, there will be one less labor force."

Zhang Shiye kissed the corner of her mouth, "With your little arms and legs, how can you still work? Don't worry, there are many men in our family, why do we have to let you, the daughter-in-law, do it? It's true that our work points are shared, but we only go back to eat a few times a week, so it can't be considered taking advantage of everyone!"

So the matter was settled. On the first day of autumn harvest, when Zhang Heping announced this year's division of labor model, it really caused an uproar. Some were happy, while others were unhappy.

"Captain Zhang, there are only three of us in our family. How can we divide the land? We can't finish the work even if we die of exhaustion."

"Yes, and my family, isn't this bullying me for not having a son?"

Zhang Heping pressed his hand, signaling everyone to be quiet. "Those with a small population can team up with your cousins ​​and cousins. We will divide the land according to the number of people you have. You still have to do the same work, but you can stay with your own family to avoid conflicts and affect unity!"

After this explanation, those who were unhappy shut up. After all, accusing someone of undermining unity is no joke.

Excluding Xia Wanyang and Li Xiaofeng who got married, Li Wenzhuo and Fang Zhaodi who died, and Li Jing who was imprisoned, there were twenty-one educated youth left. Without waiting for any arrangements, they automatically divided into two groups, one team with ten people and the other team with eleven people.