"Qingqing, are you ready yet? Your dad and I are about to go out. If you don't come out soon, we won't wait for you anymore," Zhang Hongyan knocked on her daughter's door, urging her impatiently.
"Coming right away, in 1 minute," Xia Qingqing replied while applying sunscreen.
She was going to work in the fields with her parents today, so after washing up in the morning, she went straight to her room to apply lotion without even having breakfast.
Although she's not afraid of getting a tan now, the sun can still burn her skin if it's too strong, so there are some precautions she absolutely can't skip.
Zhang Hongyan had finished her bowl of porridge, but her daughter still hadn't come out of her room, so she started to get anxious.
"Don't rush the child, there's no rush," Xia Heping said calmly, sitting on the stool waiting for his wife and daughter.
Zhang Hongyan was annoyed by Xia Qingqing's leisurely demeanor and was about to say something to her when Xia Qingqing opened the door and came out of the room.
"Mom, I'm all better now, let's go."
Xia Qingqing was wearing a blue floral long-sleeved shirt and black trousers. She also had a straw hat on her head and a cloth bag slung over her shoulder, which contained a water bottle and work gloves.
Zhang Hongyan glanced at her daughter speechlessly. This was hardly a trip to work; anyone who didn't know better would think she was on vacation.
"Drink the porridge on the table first, it's just cooled down now, then leave."
Xia Qingqing obediently picked up the porridge, gulped it down in a few mouthfuls, and then wiped her mouth with a bold gesture: "Alright, Mom, can you go now?"
"Let's go," Zhang Hongyan said, picking up her straw hat and following behind her daughter.
It was not yet 7 a.m. when the family of three went out together, leaving Gou Dan alone in bed fast asleep.
When they arrived at the field, the team leader, Zhang Yougen, had just rung the bell to signal the start of work. After all the team members had arrived, he briefly assigned the day's tasks.
Xia Qingqing was assigned a cornfield of about 2 acres. She can get 8 work points if she picks all the corn today. After she finishes, she can call the scorekeeper to check.
Of course, she was only responsible for picking the corn; the corn that was picked was transported to the threshing ground by a designated person.
The corn in the threshing ground would be piled together, and there would be people who would peel the corn, dry it, and grind the kernels into corn flour, while the corn husks and stalks could be kept to feed livestock.
Xia Qingqing took out work gloves from her bag and put them on. Standing in the blazing sun, she felt as if her hands were on fire as soon as she put on the gloves.
But you can't go without wearing one, because the fuzz and sharp blades can easily cut your hands. It's better to be a little warm than to have hands full of scratches and blisters.
It was Xia Qingqing's first time picking corn, and she was very excited. But after picking a whole basket of corn, she felt that it was not quite what she had imagined.
She thought that everyone would be able to chat together while working, but she was the only one on this large plot of land.
Xia Qingqing was busy picking one basket of corn after another when a pleasant female voice suddenly rang out beside her: "Hello."
She subconsciously turned her head and saw a quiet and pretty girl looking at her. She waved to the girl and said, "Hello."
The person who greeted Xia Qingqing was Liang Shuang. Her task for the day was right next to Xia Qingqing's, and the two of them were currently picking corn on the border.
Liang Shuang looked at Xia Qingqing with a faint scrutinizing gaze, then quickly smiled and said, "My name is Liang Shuang, and I'm an educated youth from the educated youth settlement."
"Ah, Liang Zhiqing, hello, my name is Xia Qingqing."
"I know you. You're the girl Song Zhiqing likes, right?" Liang Shuang's tone was tinged with a hint of sarcasm. She knew about Xia Qingqing because Qin Jiajia liked to talk to Liu Xiaoying in the dormitory about how Xia Qingqing seduced Song Ze.
When Qin Jiajia and Liu Xiaoying went to see Xia Qingqing last time, it was Liang Shuang who went to inform Song Ze.
She still remembered the anxious expression on Song Ze's face when he heard that Qin Jiajia was causing trouble for this girl. He would only be so worried when he really cared about someone.
"Liang Zhiqing, has anyone told you that you're very direct?" Xia Qingqing could tell that Liang Shuang meant her no harm, so she was happy to chat with her a bit more.
Liang Shuang exclaimed in surprise, "How did you know? My former classmates said the same thing about me."
Xia Qingqing smiled. How could she not know? Who would come up to someone and say, "You're so-and-so's favorite girl"? If it were a young girl in this day and age, she would be too embarrassed to show her face.
Liang Shuang blushed slightly as she looked at Xia Qingqing and said, "Qingqing, you have such a beautiful smile, and you look so delicate and charming. No wonder Song Ze likes you. If I were a boy, I would like you too."
Although Liang Shuang has a delicate appearance, her personality has been more like a boy's since childhood. She likes soft and gentle girls like Xia Qingqing.
Xia Qingqing was in a good mood after being complimented on her looks: "Thank you, Shuangshuang, you look beautiful too."
Girl friendships develop so quickly and wonderfully; in no time, the two were like best friends who had known each other for a long time, chatting about all sorts of gossip while working.
Suddenly, Liang Shuang leaned closer to Xia Qingqing mysteriously: "Qingqing, are you and Song Ze dating now? Or is he pursuing you?"
"I'll tell you, but don't tell anyone, okay? We just got together a couple of days ago," Xia Qingqing readily admitted, but still reminded Liang Shuang.
This is not the 21st century after all, and the social atmosphere is still relatively conservative.
Liang Shuang made a zipping motion over her mouth with her hand: "Don't worry, my mouth is very well sealed."
"Song Ze is so lucky to have such a good-looking partner like you," she said sourly, unable to understand how Song Ze, a guy with such a sharp tongue and no gentlemanly manners, managed to win over Xia Qingqing.
People are so easily startled; no sooner had Liang Shuang finished speaking than Song Ze's voice rang out behind them:
"Qingqing, are you tired from picking corn? Let me help you."
Xia Qingqing saw Song Ze carrying baskets and walking towards her, and shook her head: "Aren't you tired? Why did you come over?"
Song Ze pointed to the basket on his shoulder: "I'm in charge of carrying corn to the threshing ground."
After saying that, Song Ze immediately took off the carrying pole, pushed Xia Qingqing aside, and started picking corn himself: "Go and rest for a while, I'll do these chores."
Xia Qingqing obediently moved aside, and Liang Shuang looked at the way the two were interacting, rubbing her eyes in disbelief.
She wasn't seeing things, was she? Could Song Ze really be this considerate?
Now she understands a little why Song Ze was able to win over Xia Qingqing.
Liang Shuang suddenly felt a little smug, thinking that if Qin Jiajia saw Song Ze's attitude towards Xia Qingqing, would she be so angry that she would die?
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