He was so engrossed in his thoughts that he didn't even notice the extra person beside him.

Yao Qingqing's shout startled him.

He shook himself, looked up, and immediately smiled, "It's Qingqing. Are you tired?"

He regretted asking the question as soon as he did, fearing that his family would be ruined.

I regretted asking afterward.

He said, "Qingqing, is something wrong?"

Yao Qingqing smiled sweetly and said, "Second Uncle, I want to go back and cook. Look at my hands, they've all blistered. But my eldest uncle won't let me go back. He told me to leave when it's time."

Huo Changgen instinctively thought to himself, "You go back, I'll go tell my older brother."

But he didn't say the words he was about to say.

He smiled and comforted her, "Qingqing, that's how it is. You can only go back after you finish your assigned work. You can't go back until you finish yours."

Yao Qingqing blurted out, "Then Yun Ningyan went back; she just left."

Huo Changgen scratched his head: "Then I can't control her. The third son's family has already separated from us, so I can't control her."

Yao Qingqing!

She grabbed Huo Changgen's arm and shook it: "Second Uncle! I'm too tired, I don't want to do it anymore, why don't you finish the rest for me?"

Huo Changgen!

They've all schemed against him.

He glanced at Li Xiangyun's location.

She's still working like crazy!

He shook his head: "I still have a lot left. If I work ten centimeters a day and then go and work on yours, I'm afraid I won't be able to finish even after I finish work."

After he finished speaking, he lowered his head and got back to work, ignoring Yao Qingqing.

Yao Qingqing stomped her foot and left.

Unable to leave and with no one to help her with the work, she had no choice but to continue.

But my hand hurts so much!

She glanced at her mother and Yao Tingting, both of whom were working. Huo Changlan saw her resting there and called out, "Qingqing, what are you doing? Hurry up and get back to work!"

Yao Qingqing endured the pain in her hands to get to work; she was so angry she wanted to pull up the wheat.

But seeing her uncle staring intently at the field, she dared not.

I had no choice but to obediently start working.

How come Yun Ningyan is so lucky? She's been sent down to be an educated youth and she still doesn't have to work.

They are really lucky.

I wonder when that friend of the third brother from last time will come again.

Third Brother didn't even say what his name was.

If she could marry that person, she wouldn't have to work anymore, just like Yun Ningyan.

When Huo Changgen returned home after work, Li Xiangyun had already left.

When he returned, he saw Li Xiangyun cooking, so he hurriedly followed her into the kitchen to start a fire.

Unexpectedly, Wang Cuihong was chatting with her mother in the kitchen: "Mom, look, this is what my second brother's wife and I made together. My second brother's wife lit the fire, and I cooked. Is it alright?"

Li Xiangyun nodded in satisfaction and said, "Okay, it looks delicious. Let's eat."

As Li Xiangyun spoke, she began serving rice. Turning her head, she saw Huo Changgen standing at the door and said irritably, "It's one thing to not know how to work, but now you're acting as a doorman!"

Huo Changgen quickly made way for him and told him to leave, then chuckled twice.

After everyone finished eating, Li Xiangyun went inside to rest for a while, as she was a little tired after hoeing the ground all morning.

Just as he lay down on the kang (a heated brick bed), Huo Changgen followed him in.

She ignored her and went to sleep.

Huo Changgen chuckled, "Xiangyun, are you still angry? I won't take anything from Changlan anymore."

Li Xiangyun waved her hand: "I can't control that. Your sister is so much closer to you! I'd rather divorce you and let you support your sister. That way I won't get in the way."

Seeing that she was still angry and brought up divorce again, Huo Changgen waved his hand repeatedly, closed the door, and left.

Li Xiangyun burst out laughing.

Huo Changgen really wasn't intimidated.

However, we'll really have to see how he behaves in the future; it's not too late to get a divorce if he doesn't behave well.

Yun Ningyan cooked rice for lunch, stewed spicy rabbit meat, stir-fried some green vegetables, and also made stir-fried shredded pork with green peppers.

Huo Junshan has a big appetite, so she usually cooks a lot.

When Huo Junshan returned and smelled the delicious aroma filling the courtyard, his appetite was whetted.

He had been doing heavy labor all morning and was very hungry.

He washed his hands and went into the kitchen. He hugged Yun Ningyan's waist from behind and whispered in her ear, "Yanyan, thank you for your hard work."

Yun Ningyan smiled quietly: "You've been cooking all winter, and I've only been cooking for a few days now."

Are you tired from work today?

Huo Junshan shook his head: "I'm not tired. The foundation hasn't even been dug yet this morning."

Yun Ningyan served the rice and placed it on the table: "Eat your meal and then rest for a while."

Huo Junshan said, "Yanyan, you shouldn't go to work anymore. It's too hard for you to work every day and then come back to cook. It breaks my heart."

Yun Ningyan: "I only earn two work points a day, which isn't even enough for my own food. And you won't let me work. I'll get annoyed if I stay home all day."

Seeing her insistence, Huo Junshan stopped talking. Fortunately, the grass in the field wasn't there every day; it would be almost gone after working there for a while.

After they finished eating, they rested in the bedroom for a while and then left separately.

Yun Ningyan had nothing to do at home in the afternoon, and she didn't want to play by herself, so she decided to go out in the afternoon as well.

At worst, I'll just do one work point.

I wonder when the brigade will be able to bring the piglets back.

Then she can cut pig feed again, and in her spare time she can sneak off to the commune.

After finishing work in the afternoon, before it got dark, Lin Mengmeng asked me to go to the foot of her mountain to see if there were any wild vegetables.

Spring is the perfect time to enjoy wild vegetables, especially shepherd's purse, which is delicious in dumplings and steamed buns.

Neither of them went home; they went straight to the mountain.

My dear reader, there's more to this chapter! Please click the next page to continue reading—even more exciting content awaits!