Early the next morning, Meng Zhongyi brought three chicks and a chicken coop.
"Xiao Li, the policy only allows you to raise two chickens, but we're worried they won't survive, so we're allowed to raise more to keep on hand."
If you develop this habit, you'd better keep it a secret.
He lowered his voice and whispered, "This chicken coop is quite sturdy. You can just leave it in the yard, but you must bring it inside at night to prevent it from being damaged by weasels."
Xiao Li nodded in agreement to each one.
Meng Zhongyi also brought the pancakes that Li Meiling had made that morning, so Xiao Li didn't have to cook.
After finishing her meal, Xiaoli gave Wang Hongguang instructions.
“Every day you cut some tender grass and catch some insects for the chickens to eat. You must raise the chickens well. Once they start laying eggs, you can eat eggs every day.”
Wang Hongguang was a little reluctant, as he was also very tired from work, but when he heard that there would be eggs to eat, he hesitated again.
"Okay then, I'll catch bugs when I have time."
He watched as Xiaoli crushed the rice, soaked it in water, and fed it to the chickens, and his heart ached.
"You're so wasteful! This is such good rice, how can you feed it to chickens?"
Xiao Li ignored him and said, "These last few days, Dad said the chicks need to be fed well for the first few days, and they can eat bran when they get bigger."
Wang Hongguang tugged at his hair, "This is too much trouble."
Xiao Li glared at him. "Do you still want to eat eggs?"
Wang Hongguang then shut up.
Xiao Li took her tools and went to work; her job today was to weed.
The soybeans have just been planted, and the weeds are growing very fast. It rained yesterday, so we have to pull them out by hand today. Only by pulling them out by the roots can the weeds be completely killed by the sun.
She squatted on the ground, feeling a strong sense of familiarity, as if she had done this before.
She smiled wryly. She had been doing this job since she was a child, so why would she think that way?
She shook her head and then buried herself in pulling weeds.
"Xiao Li."
A voice came from the side. Xiao Li looked up and saw that it was Xie Meili.
She was wearing a slightly worn shirt and was weeding in the field next door.
Xiao Li was taken aback. "You just got back and you're already working in the fields?"
Xie Meili was a little embarrassed. She didn't want to do any work either, but her mother-in-law woke her up early in the morning, saying she wasn't feeling well.
Xie Meili had no choice. Li Xiu had also come out to work, so she couldn't stay home to rest and had to go to the fields.
"My mother-in-law isn't feeling well, so I came out to earn some work points."
Xiao Li nodded and continued weeding.
Seeing that she didn't intend to talk to her, Xie Meili buried herself in her work.
It was almost noon, and Xiaoli got up to go home. She had already finished most of her work that morning, about one-fifth of it.
Xiao Li looked at Xie Meili's field. Xie Meili had only harvested less than a quarter of the field this morning, and she was still resting on the edge of the field.
"Xiao Li, you're pulling really fast. If you pull for another hour this afternoon, you'll be done. Unlike me, I've only pulled this little bit."
Xiao Li frowned. She always said the same thing before, and then she would foolishly help her with the work.
"Yes, that's right. I can leave work earlier this afternoon."
Xiao Li was also surprised to find that she was much stronger and could pull weeds more easily.
Xie Meili bit her lip. This country girl, she'd made it so obvious, yet she still didn't know how to help her.
Seeing that Xiao was about to leave, she spoke up directly.
"Xiao Li, my hands are all blistered. Could you help me remove them this afternoon? I'll go get some medicine then."
Xiao Li turned around and looked at Xie Meili's matter-of-fact attitude. She used to help Xie Meili with chores a lot, but she wasn't going to do it anymore.
"Beautiful, my hand hurts so much too, it's bleeding, look."
Xiao Li waved her hand at Xie Meili, then withdrew it before Xie could see it clearly.
“I used to help you with chores when your hands hurt. You can help me with chores this time. It’s not much. I’ll go get some medicine this afternoon. Thank you for your help.”
Xie Meili stared in disbelief at the scene. She was the one who asked her to help with the work, so how come she was the one being asked to help her with the work instead?
But Xiao Li wouldn't let her back out. Just then, the scorekeeper came over, and Xiao Li told him that Xie Meili would help her finish the rest of the work and asked him to give her eight work points.
The scorekeeper glanced at Xiaoli's work area and indicated that he understood. The two of them used to work together, which was normal.
Xiao Li then swaggered home. Xie Meili watched the scorekeeper leave before her face turned red with anger. She had actually been tricked by a country girl.
She wasn't going to pull up the soil; why should she help others with their work? She'd forgotten that she was the one who asked others to do the work for her first.
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