Jiang Xiuying also came over. She squatted down next to Liu Yuan and carefully observed the seedlings.
"This...this was really planted three days ago?" Jiang Xiuying's voice was filled with surprise and disbelief. "It's growing so fast! It's even growing better than the crops in those fertile fields next door!"
Xu Kuo felt incredibly smug seeing the two women's shocked expressions.
He crossed his arms over his chest, a slight smile playing on his lips.
"So, Teacher Liu, are you convinced now?"
Liu Yuan stood up from the ground, his face turning red and then white.
She bit her lip tightly, her heart filled with a jumble of emotions.
"I...I..." Liu Yuan stammered for a long time, unable to utter a complete sentence.
Xu Kuo walked up to Liu Yuan and looked down at her.
"A bet's a bet, Mr. Liu, it's time to keep your promise."
Liu Yuan's face flushed red to the roots of her neck. She lowered her head, not daring to look Xu Kuo in the eye.
"I...I..."
"What, trying to renege?" Xu Kuo raised an eyebrow, his tone slightly mocking. "A man's word is his bond. Teacher Liu, you're a people's teacher; you can't go back on your word!"
Jiang Xiuying watched from the side, feeling both amused and anxious.
She knew that Liu Yuan was shy and would definitely be embarrassed to call Xu Kuo "father" in front of her.
"Oh, alright, alright, we're all family here, it was just a joke, don't take it seriously," Jiang Xiuying quickly stepped in to smooth things over.
Xu Kuo, however, persisted.
"No way! A real man keeps his word! Teacher Liu, you have to keep your promise today! I don't want you to do anything else, just call me Dad!"
Liu Yuan's face turned even redder, like a ripe apple. She raised her head and glared fiercely at Xu Kuo, but dared not retaliate.
She bit her lip, her voice barely audible: "I...I..."
"Speak louder, I can't hear you!" Xu Kuo deliberately brought his ear close to Liu Yuan's face, a mocking smile on his lips.
He knew Liu Yuan was a shy girl, so he deliberately teased her to see how embarrassed she would be.
Driven to desperation, Liu Yuan steeled his resolve, as if he were going to risk everything, and suddenly raised his head, shouting loudly, "Dad!"
After shouting, she seemed to have used up all her strength, her face burning as if countless eyes were staring at her.
She covered her face, turned and ran, disappearing at the village entrance.
Xu Kuo stood there, laughing heartily, his laughter echoing across the fields. He felt a sense of pride, thinking he had won against the young girl once again.
Jiang Xiuying walked over and gently punched Xu Kuo, her tone reproachful: "You, you just know how to bully young girls!"
Xu Kuo smiled and put his arm around Jiang Xiuying's waist, gently kissing her on the cheek. His tone was full of confidence: "Wife, look, is there anything your man can't do?"
Jiang Xiuying nestled shyly in Xu Kuo's arms, her face flushed, and whispered, "Ugh, we're still outside."
She looked up at the vibrant land before her, her heart filled with hope and anticipation.
She knew that as long as Xu Kuo was by her side, things would only get better.
The next day, as dawn broke, golden sunlight bathed the village, and the air was filled with the joy of a bountiful harvest.
The village gong sounded to signal the start of the annual autumn harvest.
The Xu family received a pitifully small amount of land, just a few lonely little plots scattered in a barren corner.
This means that the work points they can earn will be pitifully few, which is almost tantamount to sentencing the Xu family to "famine" in an era where food rations were determined by work points.
Xu's mother was as anxious as an ant on a hot pan, her mind in complete turmoil.
She kept muttering, "What are we going to do? What are we going to do? How many pounds of grain can we harvest from such a small plot of land? How are we going to feed our whole family? We can't just rely on Xu Kuo to go hunting."
Xu Kuo walked out of the house, his thick eyebrows furrowed and his eyes resolute.
He walked to his mother's side, gently patted her shoulder, and said in a steady tone, "Mom, don't worry, I'm here."
His voice was calm, but his heart was in turmoil.
He knew he had to stand up and fight for more opportunities for his family.
The open space in the village was bustling with people.
The villagers, carrying hoes and sickles, gathered in small groups, discussing amongst themselves.
Xu Kuo walked up to the village chief and got straight to the point: "Village chief, the land allocated to my family is too little! This is not fair!"
The village chief was a lean and capable old man. He squinted and looked Xu Kuo up and down, his tone indifferent: "Fair? This is all about distribution according to work. The village knows how many people are in your family and how much work they can do."
Everyone knows what kind of person you were before, Xu Kuo. You're a bit stronger now, but harvesting crops isn't just about strength; you also need skill. Giving your family this much is already quite a lot.
The surrounding villagers joined in the commotion, chiming in with the village chief's words.
Hearing these harsh words, Xu Kuo was filled with rage.
He clenched his fists tightly, suppressing his anger.
He knew he could no longer tolerate it and had to prove his worth through concrete actions.
"What a wonderful idea of distribution according to work! In that case, let's have a competition to see who deserves more work points!"
Xu Kuo's voice was powerful and resounding.
His eyes shone with a defiant spirit, and he secretly vowed to make these people look at him with new eyes.
The crowd fell silent instantly, everyone staring at Xu Kuo in astonishment.
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