When Chunxiao arrived at the edge of the field, Dashan and Dahe were hoeing the land, and the old couple of the Yan family were sitting at the edge of the field talking. They didn't notice her coming. "Dad, Mom!" she called from a distance.
Only then did Zhou see her, "You came back so soon, what's wrong with the hoe in your hand?" The old couple stood up and looked at her.
"I bought it. It didn't fall from the sky."
Chunxiao looked happy, but Zhou was not happy. Seeing her approaching, she hurriedly pulled her back and said, "You only have so little money. I told you to keep it for self-defense. Why did you buy a hoe? Are you trying to piss me off to death?"
Dashan and Dahe dropped their hoes and walked over. "Our little sister has made it big. She even bought these tools."
"Mom, don't be angry." Seeing Yan Bingfa looking at her hoe, she quickly handed it to him. "I thought about it and realized that this hoe is indispensable for my life. Today, the iron shop happened to have one ready-made and they didn't raise the price, so I bought it. I'm in need of tools for housework."
"Just buy it," Yan Bingfa said as he dug two hoes. "New ones are better."
Zhou was also helpless. Just like Yan Bingfa said, it was already bought, what else could she do?
"Mom, I'll lend you my hoe. I won't be helping you today. I need to go up the mountain to cut some wood."
"What are you using to cut wood? The axe has been returned. What are you cutting all that wood for?"
"Mom, this is a secret. I have a way. I'm leaving now."
Mrs. Zhou looked at her and said, "This girl has been acting so secretive ever since she moved in. I don't know what she's doing. Without an axe, is she chopping with her hands?"
"Why do you always control what she does? Let her live the way she wants. As long as she lives a comfortable life, that's more important than anything else. This hoe is good. With it, we can hoe half an acre of land today." Yan Bingfa was very happy to get the new tool.
Chunxiao returned home and first set the iron pot in the stove, put the kitchen knife in the kitchen, then took a bucket to the river to fetch water. The village was not far from the river, but not too close either. Fetching water was a hassle. She needed at least four buckets to fill the half-tank of water. When she had the conditions, she would definitely dig a well in the yard. Four trips back and forth exhausted her. When the water was ready, she carried the basket on her back and went to her eldest brother's house.
Tian was sifting soybeans, and her three children were helping. "Are you back from town?"
"Yes, I left early so I came back early." She took out the pound of meat from the basket and said, "Sister-in-law, I weighed a pound of meat in town today. Let's make some for the children at noon and give some to my second sister-in-law and the others as well."
Tian was surprised when she saw the hanging meat. Just as she was about to say something, several children gathered around her.
"Great, we have meat for lunch."
"Mom, let's eat big chunks of meat for lunch instead of chopping it up."
"Aunt, did you buy it specially for us? You knew we wanted to eat meat."
Chunxiao smiled and said, "Yes, I bought it especially for you. When auntie has more money in the future, I will buy you meat every day and make you fat."
"Little sister, you spend too much money. You should spend it sparingly." Tian looked at her worriedly.
"Sister-in-law, I know my limits. Don't worry, just listen to me. I'll make lunch for them. Oh, and I'm going up the mountain to chop wood. I won't be back for lunch. Please make me two coarse pancakes to take with me."
"You don't come back to cook meat at noon. That won't work. Mom will scold me if she finds out."
"I'm not a child, I don't owe you a piece of meat. If mother says anything to you, just say it was me. She can't do anything to me." Chun Xiao said with a smile, "Sister-in-law, hurry up, I'm in a hurry to go up the mountain. I won't come over to eat tomorrow when I start working, but I still need some vegetables from home."
Seeing that she was anxious, Tian hurried back to the kitchen, put the meat in a basin, and started to make pancakes. Not long after, the pancakes were done. Tian put the pancakes in a bowl and handed it to her, "Are you in such a hurry? Do you want to find someone to go with you after lunch?"
"No, I can do it alone. Thank you, sister-in-law." She put the bowl into the backpack, said goodbye to the little ones and left in a hurry.
"Aunt is so nice. She buys us meat every time she goes to town, but grandma never buys anything when she goes back."
"Don't say anything careless, or your grandma might be unhappy if she hears it." Tian was not very happy in her heart. Chunxiao was in this condition now and she would have to depend on them for her life in the future. She spent the money so lavishly, what would happen to her in the future? She was silently worried in her heart.
Chunxiao was completely oblivious to all this. She went up the mountain with her backpack, intent on finding her wood. The new axe she had bought was very powerful, and she could chop wood faster than before. She had to chop more wood today so that she could dry it all out tomorrow.
For convenience, she climbed up the mountain near the end of the village. According to the previous method, she cut a few pieces of wood, dragged them down, and let them roll down the slope. She would meet people cutting wood on the mountain from time to time, but not as many as in the past two days. When they met, they would just say hello and then go their separate ways.
Chunxiao would take a break from work, and when she felt hungry, she would take out the pancakes that Tian had fried for her. She didn't know why time passed so quickly, and while she was working, it was getting dark, and she realized it was getting late.
She hurried down the mountain and returned to the village. Before she reached the door, she saw Zhou looking out the door. She ran a few steps and called out, "Mom."
Seeing her worried heart, Zhou finally let go. "You just chop wood. Don't you even look at the time? Look at what time it is now."
"Mom, I didn't pay attention for a moment and forgot. I'll start the fire myself tomorrow and you don't have to worry about it."
The mother and son entered the yard. "We don't know when you'll be back, so we'll eat first since it's getting dark. Your sister-in-law is heating up your meal in the pot."
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