Chapter 386 A Different Choice
The sun rises from the horizon.
Lotus Village was bathed in the soft light of dawn.
Wan Qiqi set off with the sun and officially met everyone in the wasteland.
At this moment, dozens of people had gathered in the wasteland, including the old and the young, men and women, and even some children squatting to the side playing in the mud.
The people were scattered around, chatting amongst themselves, not like they were here to reclaim wasteland, but more like they were on a picnic.
Wan Qiqi was the teacher leading the group, with a bustling crowd in tow.
Wan Qiqi sighed, worried about these laborers, but most of the labor force in Lianhua Village was probably here.
As for the elderly, weak, women, and children who come to collect money from Su, she must make it clear that she cannot give away money casually.
Seeing that Wan Qiqi was about to speak, Chen Yongxing immediately shouted, "Everyone, quiet down! Quiet down!"
His voice was loud, but it couldn't drown out the chatter of the others.
Seeing that these people didn't come down quickly, Wan Qiqi pretended to be nonchalant and said to Chen Yongxing, "No rush, don't waste your voice. The wages will be paid according to the amount of work done. If the work doesn't meet the requirements, the wages will be deducted."
Those standing in the front row heard Wan Qiqi's words clearly and quickly relayed them to the people behind her.
Soon, the people standing in the wasteland quieted down.
Wan Qiqi glanced at the crowd and only spoke after they had completely quieted down: "Hello everyone, I am Wan Qiqi. I don't need to introduce myself, you should all know me. Now I'll tell you the requirements for the job."
"First, we need 12 people to dig the ground. We require young and strong men who can complete eight cubic meters of earth in one day. I will be the construction manager."
"Secondly, I need three people to crush the piled-up fertilizer, regardless of gender, but the handover must be clear so that others can't be waiting for fertilizer and you haven't finished making it, thus delaying the work."
"Finally, I need several people to mix the loosened soil with fertilizer, leaving a one-foot-wide passageway for each plot and a three-foot-wide passageway for every three plots of vegetable garden."
"The men who dig the ground will get 35 coins a day, while everyone else gets 25 coins. I don't want children!"
As soon as Wan Qiqi finished speaking, a commotion erupted below, and a barrage of questions followed.
“I’m strong, can I dig?” a woman asked.
“Sure, but you must guarantee both quality and quantity. If the people following you don’t have any objections to the soil you’re digging, then your wages will be deducted.” Wan Qiqi said seriously, while glancing at the other women who were eager to try.
Once the discussions subsided, Wan Qiqi instructed everyone to begin construction.
Watching everyone busy at work, Wan Qiqi felt a sense of accomplishment, as if she had been a foreman in ancient times.
The sun quickly climbed from the hillside into the sky.
Wan Qiqi spotted a familiar figure in the crowd.
From a distance, the hunched figure looked like an elderly person in their fifties or sixties, but upon closer inspection, it turned out to be a young woman.
Compared to the last time Wan Qiqi saw her, Yunniang was even thinner this time! It was as if her skin covered her bones, with not an ounce of flesh, and she looked like she would fall over with a gust of wind.
She stood in the sunlight, rolled up her sleeves, and brandished the hoe in her hand.
Wan Qiqi looked at her and had a strange feeling, as if the other person would break right there if she made any bigger movements.
She stared at it for a long time before stepping forward. "Sister-in-law, you've come!" Her smile turned into contemplation after she saw the injury on Yunniang's arm.
Yunniang seemed to notice Wan Qiqi staring at her arm, and quickly pulled her sleeve down.
Then she looked up, gave a pale smile, and called out, "Qiqi!"
Wan Qiqi frowned slightly, her expression unchanged by Yunniang's smile; in fact, her gaze darkened further.
Old Mrs. Chen had just come over and had a fight with us the day before, so how could she possibly let Yunniang come to the wasteland to help?
She paused for a moment, then asked, "Sister-in-law, how have you been lately?"
Yunniang paused for a moment, not expecting her to ask that question, and remained silent for a long time.
Silence is the best answer.
The fact that she can force a smile and pretend to be doing well indicates that she can continue to suffer.
This moment of hesitation made Wan Qiqi realize that Yunniang might not even have the courage to say "It's fine".
After leaving Aunt Zhang, Chen Ergou went from being a mama's boy to a domestic abuser.
Wan Qiqi's eyes darkened as she asked, "Have you ever thought about leaving?"
Yunniang's eyes trembled, a glimmer of light flashed in her disappointed eyes, but it vanished in an instant, replaced by a self-deprecating smile.
A slight smile played on her lips as she looked at Wan Qiqi, her eyes glistening with tears. "If I leave, what will happen to the child?"
“The old lady won’t abandon the child.” Wan Qiqi met those eyes and saw no hope, but still wanted to give the other person a glimmer of hope, “You’re still young, you still have a chance to start over.”
“There’s already a precedent of someone leaving in the village…” Yunniang smiled faintly, but the disappointment in her eyes deepened. “Not everyone can be like you…”
Wan Qiqi was stunned, as if someone had pricked a thorn in her heart.
In the end, she said nothing, turned and left without saying another word.
Busy people saw Wan Qiqi wandering in the wasteland and started chatting with her.
"Sister-in-law Chen, I heard you opened a restaurant in town. Is it expensive? I'd like to take my wife to try it next time!" A man digging in the ground stopped and laughed, wiping the sweat from his forehead.
Wan Qiqi also stopped and said, "Okay, the prices will vary, depending on what you want to eat."
Upon hearing her reply, someone immediately chimed in, "Yongnian's wife, we're all from the same village. If we go to a restaurant, could you give us a discount?"
“We’re all from the same village. You helped me clear the land today, could you pay me a little less for the work?” Wan Qiqi smiled and tilted her head.
The man immediately understood Wan Qiqi's meaning and chose to keep quiet.
This chapter is not finished yet. Please click on the next page to continue reading the exciting content!
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
