Chapter 51: Super Farm System (17)

This time, Xie Yang did not finish work early at noon, but worked diligently until the morning whistle blew.

But in the afternoon, she finished early.

For no other reason than that the Task assigned to her was complete!

Around four o'clock, the Brigade Leader was patrolling the southern slope of Banyue Mountain when he discovered that a patch of land on the southwestern slope had already been cleared; the weeds and shrubs that used to make it impossible to walk through were gone, and the dark soil had been turned over and exposed to the sun to dry.

He asked in surprise: "There's actually a cleared patch of land here? When was it cleared?"

An Educated Youth working nearby had a complex expression: "Xie Yang cleared it; it was finished just half an hour ago."

"..."

The Brigade Leader was truly astonished now: "Comrade Xiao Xie cleared it all by herself?"

The Educated Youth nodded.

Not only did she clear a patch of wasteland alone, but she was also at least two hours ahead of them, the men.

"Hey!" The Brigade Leader clapped his hands in delight, "Good, good, good! Our brigade's full-labor group has added another fierce warrior! By the way, where is she?"

The Educated Youth answered a bit cautiously, fearing the Brigade Leader might get angry: "She said she was done, and since there was nothing else, she went back first."

"..."

The Brigade Leader twitched the corner of his mouth, thinking to himself that while Comrade Xiao Xie was fierce, she was also truly bold! She just slipped away after finishing! Yet, he couldn't say anything to her. After all, she had already finished her work and earned her 10 work points.

As for the others...

He glanced at those few Educated Youths; their Tasks weren't finished yet, and they were already so tired that their steps were unsteady and their legs were shaking.

Just like yesterday, they were unable to increase the overall Task volume.

Sigh...

The Brigade Leader felt a bit regretful, thinking that if only Xie Yang were a boy; possessing such Great Strength, she could have been assigned to the group repairing the irrigation ditches.

Because repairing irrigation ditches required carrying very heavy thick stones, it was awarded an excess of 12 work points.

It could be said that the members repairing the irrigation ditches were the cream of the crop among the strong laborers of the Yuewan Brigade! Every one of them was sturdy and muscular, and they often worked with their upper bodies bare, fearing that the heavy stone slabs would tear their clothes.

If Xie Yang, a girl, were placed over there, it wouldn't be very appropriate after all.

The Brigade Leader thought about it, but in the end, he didn't transfer Xie Yang.

Just like that, Xie Yang remained in the male Educated Youth team, going to the southwestern slope of Banyue Mountain every day to clear wasteland with the male Educated Youths, and inevitably, she would finish work early before dusk to wander around in the mountains.

Earning 10 work points, she still had the time and energy to go into the mountains to collect wild vegetables and mushrooms.

During the consecutive sunny days, she had hoarded quite a lot of dried wild vegetables, mushrooms, dried bamboo shoots, and tea leaves, and had privately saved up a few Wild Ginseng and Gastrodia and other medicinal herbs.

Of course, she had also caught pheasants and wild rabbits. However, she would wrap the meat in large leaves on the spot in the mountains, coat them in mud, and roast them into beggar's chicken and beggar's rabbit to eat, then trade with the Main System for a few green-shelled eggs to pass off as pheasant eggs to bring back and supplement her meals.

Not to mention the Educated Youths, even the brigade members were envious of her.

Among them, the one who envied her the most was Zhao Wanqing.

She truly wished she possessed the same Great Strength as Xie Yang; that way, after finishing her assigned chores during the day, she could still cultivate the land in her Farm Space ahead of time.

Working without fatigue and with high efficiency—what kind of god-like power was this!

It was a pity she didn't have such luck; relying on her own meager strength, she really couldn't hold on much longer.

If only Xie Yang could come to her Farm Space to help! At worst, after the crops were harvested, she could share a little with her.

Such a thought suddenly flashed through Zhao Wanqing's mind.

But it was quickly dismissed by her own self.

Such a magical thing, she didn't want a second person to know about it.

Unless that person stayed in the Farm Space forever and never went out again...

Zhao Wanqing was startled by this thought of hers, secretly scolding herself for how she could have such an idea! This was wrong!

Xie Yang's parents were both employees at the Cotton Textile Factory; if she went missing for no reason, her family would definitely call the police. When the time came, the people at the Youth Hostel would be called in one by one by the public security officers for questioning—what would she do if she got nervous and gave herself away?

No, no! This absolutely wouldn't do!

"Wanqing, why are you shaking your head?" Yang Qingqing saw her sitting on the edge of the bed shaking her head desperately and asked with concern, "Do you have a headache? I'm not feeling well either; it's been too tiring these past few days. When will it rain? It's been sunny for half a month straight."

Zhao Wanqing was also hoping for rain.

Since coming to the countryside, except for the Mid-Autumn Festival, National Day, and the New Year, the only time they didn't have to work was on rainy days.

She was really so, so tired; ever since binding the Super Farm System, she hadn't had a single full night's sleep.

If only it rained every day... but that wouldn't work either! If it rained every day, everyone would be huddled in the dormitory, and she wouldn't have a chance to enter the Farm Space.

"Xie Yang picked up another nest of pheasant eggs; you tell me, what kind of dog-shit luck does this person have? She's only been here for how long, and she's already found pheasant eggs twice! I've been here for over half a year and haven't found a single one."

Yang Qingqing leaned against the window, watching Xie Yang wash the wild vegetables and mushrooms she had collected. In a newly woven rattan basket by her feet lay six or seven pheasant eggs; envy and jealousy were not enough to express her current mood.

Zhao Wanqing also stood up and walked to the window, seeing Xie Yang busy without a moment's rest, her expression envious and complex: "How does she have such endless strength?"

"Simple-minded and physically developed, that's all!" Yang Qingqing curled her lips in disdain, "I bet her grades in school definitely weren't great."

Xie Yang, whose five senses were sharp enough to rival Superman after taking the Physical Fitness Potion: "..."

Did being a poor student get in your way?

She listened calmly as Zhao Wanqing and Yang Qingqing discussed their plans to ask for leave, while continuing to busy herself with the work at hand.

However, spring plowing was still underway, and the Brigade Leader wouldn't approve leave for anyone, so Zhao Wanqing was also working honestly, and Xie Yang didn't pay her too much attention.

Every day after finishing work, she would still take a stroll in the back mountains under the guise of gathering firewood.

The Collection Illustrated Handbook not only helped her collect various wild vegetables and mushrooms but also helped her find several relatively hidden Wild Ginseng, all of which she had privately processed and hidden away.

Among them, one was quite old and was evaluated by the Collection Illustrated Handbook as "Bainian Laosanshen," while the rest were ten or twenty years old.

She planned to keep the century-old ginseng for herself, and later send two of the younger ones to her aunt to soak in medicinal wine, while planning to find an opportunity to sell the rest and buy a bicycle.

Everything about the Yuewan Brigade was good, except that it was too far from the County, and transportation was truly inconvenient.

In the blink of an eye, half a month passed, and the busy spring plowing finally came to an end amidst a light, drizzling rain.

On rainy days, there is no farm work to be done, so the commune members can weave rattan baskets and hampers at home to trade for oil, salt, sauce, and vinegar on market days; the Educated Youth have nothing to do, so they think about where to go for fun.

But what fun places could there be in the countryside? Going to the County is too far, so in the end, everyone unanimously decided to go stroll around the Commune.

"There are many of us, we can ask the production brigade to rent an ox cart. If we walk, our legs will break!"

"The ox cart is just a bit smelly."

"Be content that you have an ox cart to ride!"

"That's true... hey, I want to go to the Supply and Marketing Cooperative to buy some things."

"Is there a State-run Restaurant over at the Commune? I miss the white noodles and meat buns from the State-run Restaurant!"

"Do you still have Grain Coupons?"

"... I don't! Who among you will lend me a few?"

"I don't even have enough for myself!"

"I wonder if my family has sent me any letters or packages..."

"Oh, right! Since the New Year passed, I haven't been to the Post Office to check."

Everyone was chattering away, planning which places they wanted to visit at the Commune.

Xie Yang naturally planned to go as well.

For one, she needed to keep an eye on Zhao Wanqing, and for another, she wanted to mail a package to her aunt's house.