The two women, sister-in-law and aunt, kept their heads down and continued cutting pig feed. Their sickles grazed the ground, and the grass blades snapped off with a snap, piling up at their feet in a small, lush green heap.
They worked together seamlessly and with practiced skill, like two sisters who had been working side by side for many years.
Every now and then, Shen Jinhe would look up and steal a glance at Su Yueyue, who was wielding a hoe in the field.
The girl stood in the middle of the field, her movements stiff like a toddler just learning to walk. Her limbs were uncoordinated, her shoulders were too tense, and her back was straight but not properly held.
The hoe was swung erratically in her hands, veering left and right like an uncontrollable iron rod.
Several times, the hoe blade nearly grazed her ankle and struck her, startling the people working nearby who shouted "Watch out!" but she was completely oblivious.
He had only been out of the ground for a short time when he looked like a clay sculpture, his face and clothes covered in mud.
Sweat mixed with dirt left streaks on his cheeks, and his hair was a mess, sticking to his forehead, making him look like a little beggar who had just crawled out of a ditch.
The people around her laughed so hard they almost fell over. Some squatted on the ground clutching their stomachs, while others pointed at her and said, "Oh my, this is really something!"
He kept saying things like, "That's hilarious!" and "How can this person even do the work?"
His teasing was laced with sarcasm, and every word he uttered was laced with hostility.
There was not a trace of goodwill in that laughter; it was all just the morbid curiosity of watching a spectacle, like a flock of crows surrounding a thrashing chicken, waiting to see it make a fool of itself, fall down, and become utterly pathetic.
Su Yueyue's face was ashen, her lips were pressed into a thin line, and her nails were almost digging into her palms.
But she has a stubborn streak; the more people laugh at her, the less she wants to admit defeat.
Some people couldn't stand by and watch, so they kindly reminded her how to hold the hoe and how to exert force, and even demonstrated it for her themselves.
Not only did she ignore him, she also swung her arm violently.
The hoe drew an arc in the air, avoiding hitting him, but he slipped and fell face-first into the mud.
She gritted her teeth, got up, wiped the mud off her face, and continued working.
Less than three minutes later, he fell again, got up, and did it again, repeatedly, falling a total of three times.
The last time, his mouth hit the ground, and his mouth was full of mud, his teeth were stained a yellowish-brown.
But she remained silent, stood up without a word, brushed the mud off her pants, picked up the hoe again, her eyes as stubborn as a calf driven to the brink of despair.
"Sister-in-law, how can there be such a person in the world?"
Shen Jinhe shook her head, her brows furrowed, her tone full of disbelief. "I first picked up a hoe when I was seven. I watched my parents do it once and I learned how. Back then, I did everything myself in our vegetable garden. Planting vegetables, watering, weeding—I did it all myself."
Looking at Su Yueyue, let alone farming, she'll probably ruin herself sooner or later.
He's quite strong, but his sense of direction is abysmal. His movements are completely disorganized, like he's dancing, but off-beat.
At first, Zhu Xiuqin and Su Yicen accompanied her to the fields to help her adapt.
As they watched, the two of them stood further and further apart, and finally simply went to cool off under a big tree by the edge of the field.
They didn't dare get close, fearing they might accidentally get caught in the flying hoes and end up with a bloody head.
Stop staring at her and get back to work.
Su Qingzhi spoke softly, her tone calm, her gaze fixed on the pig feed in her hands, carefully sorting each piece.
"Um!"
Shen Jinhe responded readily, like a puppy that had just received a command, immediately lowering its head and returning to its work.
The sickle swung, grass blades flew, the rhythm clear and crisp.
The two of them didn't look back and focused on cutting the grass in their hands.
Su Qingzhi lowered her head, holding a sickle in her right hand, cutting the dense weeds at her feet one stroke at a time.
The sharp blades of grass stung her fingers slightly as they brushed against them, but she paid no heed, her gaze occasionally drifting toward the foot of the mountain not far away.
Her movements appeared calm, but in reality, she was calculating her next move.
While Shen Jinhe was focused on cutting grass, she quietly moved two steps toward the hillside.
She walked slowly, afraid of disturbing those around her.
The sunlight slanted across the grass, casting long shadows of the two people.
Once she was sure Shen Jinhe hadn't noticed, she quickly pulled her finger out from her sleeve and lightly swiped it through the air, as if peeling back an invisible barrier.
Immediately afterwards, she took out a cup of clear spiritual spring water from her personal storage space.
The water was as clear as a mirror, faintly glowing with a bluish light, and you could feel a cool, refreshing aura when you held it in your hand.
She moved extremely quickly, almost immediately bending down and silently sprinkling the water onto a pile of weeds as soon as she took it out.
Water droplets rolled down among the grass blades, instantly absorbed by the soil, leaving only a damp trace.
She dared not linger too long, fearing that someone would notice something amiss. She quickly put the cup into her spatial storage and clapped her hands vigorously, as if dusting off some dirt, to cover up her actions.
As she continued bending over to cut the grass, she silently recalled her days at the military hospital.
Back then, she would make soup every morning using spiritual spring water taken from her spatial dimension.
The soup had an exceptionally rich flavor and a strong aroma that could be smelled even by people at the end of the corridor.
Especially the bone broth stewed for Shen Xingye, every time it was served, several stray cats and dogs would gather around the door, squatting there eagerly. As soon as the bowl was empty, they would scramble to lick the bottom of the bowl, not letting go of even a drop of oil.
She noticed then that the animals had an almost instinctive desire for this sacred spring.
So, she had this idea today—since the spring water can attract animals, why not try to lure out some wild game?
Even if it's just a pheasant or a rabbit, that would be fine.
We haven't had any meat at home for a long time. If we could bring one back, we could make a pot of hot meat soup, which would be good for my parents-in-law and my parents to nourish themselves.
When she came home last night, she could see clearly that her in-laws' faces had become thinner, their cheekbones were slightly protruding, and their eyes were not as bright as before. Although her parents greeted her with smiles, the wrinkles at the corners of their eyes were much deeper than before, and there were a few more strands of white hair at their temples.
She felt a pang of heartache.
Lately, besides dealing with Su Yueyue's matter, what she was most concerned about was secretly helping her parents improve their health.
She knew that if they were in poor health when she left with the army, she wouldn't be able to rest easy while they were away.
Only by quietly paving the way now can we walk with peace of mind.
She raised her hand to wipe the sweat from her forehead; the sun was making her cheeks hot, and fine beads of sweat appeared on the tip of her nose.
She casually stuffed the empty cup back into the storage space, then clapped her hands vigorously, making a "clap clap" sound, as if encouraging herself.
"Sister-in-law! Where have you been? I looked up and didn't see you. My heart almost stopped!"
Shen Jinhe suddenly rushed out of the bushes on the other side, her face full of anxiety and sweat beading on her forehead.
She called out as she looked around, her voice trembling.
When he finally saw Su Qingzhi, he felt a huge sense of relief, his legs went weak, and he almost squatted down.
She patted her chest, breathing heavily, "I was so scared! I was really scared!"
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