The fields were bustling with activity. People stood in small groups, chatting excitedly and awaiting the team leader's instructions. Sunlight dappled their bodies, casting dappled shadows. Lin Qian stood quietly in the group, her gaze calmly fixed ahead, her mind racing with thoughts of the work to come. She was secretly glad she had consumed the energy potion beforehand; she felt confident she could handle the farm work that was about to begin.
The battalion commander stood on a high point, a notebook in his hand, his serious gaze sweeping over the crowd below. He loudly read out names and assigned tasks, his voice echoing across the open fields.
When Lin Qian's name was called, she took a step forward, her posture upright, her eyes fixed firmly on the captain's instructions. The captain glanced at her, a barely perceptible hint of approval flashing in his eyes, then pointed to a robust woman and said, "Lin Qian, you'll work with Sister Li. She's experienced and will teach you well." Lin Qian followed the captain's finger and saw Sister Li smiling at her. Lin Qian nodded and walked towards Sister Li.
Next, the captain continued to assign tasks.
"Zhao Yu, Liu Hao, you two follow Li Hua. He's an old educated youth with a lot of experience in farm work. You should learn from him," the brigade leader said.
Zhao Yu responded and walked to Li Hua's side. Having grown up in a compound since childhood, Zhao Yu had never done farm work before. He gripped the hoe with difficulty, unsure how to apply force correctly. Each strike only dug up a tiny bit of soil, and soon he was panting heavily, his forehead covered in sweat. The sweat stung his eyes, and because he wasn't wearing gloves, his palms were red and sore from the rubbing.
"Su Yao, Liu Cui, you two follow Aunt Wang. She's a real expert at work, so you'd better learn from her," the team leader continued, assigning tasks.
Su Yao and Liu Cui nodded and walked over to Aunt Wang. Su Yao had no interest in farm work to begin with, and she worked listlessly, soon becoming drenched in sweat. She also developed several blisters on her hands from not controlling her strength, causing her to wince in pain. Liu Cui, on the other hand, was strong, but she worked carelessly, and soon her hands were covered in mud, and her clothes were soaked with sweat.
Zhao Xiaoxuan followed Wang Qin to another piece of land.
In this way, the brigade leader made reasonable arrangements for instructors based on the situation of the educated youth, hoping that they could adapt to rural life and work as soon as possible.
Aunt Li was a warm and cheerful person. Years of hard labor had tanned her skin, but her smile was as bright as the sun. Seeing Lin Qian approach, she smiled kindly, patted Lin Qian's shoulder generously, and said, "Lin Qian, don't be afraid. Work hard with me, and you'll get the hang of it soon." Lin Qian looked at Aunt Li gratefully, her eyes filled with determination, and said, "Thank you, Aunt Li. I will try my best."
After the tasks were assigned, everyone picked up their tools and headed to the fields. Lin Qian followed Aunt Li to her assigned area, a lush green wheat field. A gentle breeze blew, causing the wheat to ripple softly and rustle, as if telling the story of this land.
Aunt Li first demonstrated to Lin Qian how to weed. Her movements were skilled and swift, the hoe seemingly an extension of her body, moving effortlessly across the field. In no time, she had cleared a large patch of weeds, her clean and efficient movements leaving Lin Qian deeply impressed. Lin Qian watched attentively, discovering that these planting methods weren't actually difficult, and with the added benefit of the energy potion, learning them was even easier. However, she didn't try to stand out; she simply followed Aunt Li's pace silently, diligently working in the fields.
Liu Cui and Su Yao were assigned to adjacent areas. Seeing Lin Qian working so diligently, their jealousy burned even brighter. Su Yao deliberately slowed down her work, but her eyes kept sneaking glances at Lin Qian, secretly hoping to see her make a fool of herself. Liu Cui, meanwhile, said sarcastically, "Some people just love to show off, thinking they're so capable." Although her voice wasn't loud, it clearly reached Lin Qian's ears.
Lin Qian heard what they said, but she ignored it and focused on doing her work.
Lin Qian worked diligently in the fields alongside Aunt Li, wearing white gloves to protect her hands. Just as she was concentrating on her work, a greedy widow named Liu, who lived in the neighboring field, noticed her gloves.
Widow Liu's eyes lit up, and she moved closer to Lin Qian, saying with a grin, "Oh, Lin Qian, your gloves look really nice! Look at my hands, they're so rough from farm work. Could I borrow your gloves?"
Lin Qian frowned and said, "Widow Liu, I need these gloves for my own work, so I can't give them to you."
Widow Liu persisted, saying, "Oh dear, Lin, how can you be so inconsiderate? I'm just a widow, and life is so hard for me. Please have pity on me and give me the gloves."
At this moment, Su Yao overheard this. She already harbored resentment towards Lin Qian, and now she felt that this was a good opportunity to embarrass Lin Qian.
Su Yao said sarcastically, "Lin Qian, just give the gloves to Widow Liu. She's really having a hard time all by herself. We educated youth should show some magnanimity."
Lin Qian glanced at Su Yao and said, "These gloves are my own, and I need to use them for work. Why should I give them to her?"
Seeing that Lin Qian was unwilling, Widow Liu began to throw a tantrum: "Oh dear, you educated youth from the city have no compassion at all! I don't want to live anymore!"
This commotion attracted the attention of many villagers in the surrounding area. Everyone gathered around to watch the excitement and discovered the discord between Su Yao and Lin Qian.
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