Chapter 103

·

·

·

Protagonist:

Chai Mi

When Chai Mi woke up in the morning, the night rain had long stopped, and the temperature had dropped considerably; she could even feel a hint of coolness.

The leaves outside the window were fresher than usual, looking tenderly green, making one feel comfortable.

Chai Mi had been to the south in her previous life and always felt the green of the south differed from that of the north, probably due to the amount of rain. After the rain, the leaves would be tenderly green; with constant drought, those leaves would turn dark green.

Tenderly green was better; it made one feel refreshed and invigorated.

After last night's tossing and turning, she had slept a bit late, but when she woke up, it was already fast.

Liaoxi was originally a place of nine years of drought out of ten, its climate more like the grassland climate of Neimeng, with little rain. If a thorough rain could fall, those old farmers who lived off the sky would be overjoyed.

Not long after, Chai Xiu had just woken up, folded the quilt, and finished washing up, when she saw her father Chai Youqing return from outside, both hands covered in mud.

"This rain soaked through. Four fingers deep." Chai Youqing also had a smile on his face.

Four fingers deep, as the name suggests, meant the soil soaked by rainwater was as deep as four fingers held together. Locals generally described the amount of rain this way: one finger brushed away dust, two fingers meant drizzle, three fingers meant half a hoe, four fingers meant it had basically soaked through.

If the rain were any heavier, it would be described with an iron hoe. A rain as big as half an iron hoe or a whole iron hoe.

"Mm, those twenty-plus mu of land you two helped my grandparents plant are looking at a good harvest." Chai Mi said disdainfully. "As for those few sunflower seedlings you planted the day before yesterday, don't let the Niuhe River flood and wash away your seeds, leaving nothing at all."

Chai Youqing went to wash his hands with an embarrassed face.

Chai Mi carried some firewood to cook and told Chai Youqing to stay away from the stove. This was not because Chai Mi was considerate of her father Chai Youqing, but because Chai Youqing's cooking was truly terrible, terrible to the point of perfection, the kind that made even dogs shake their heads.

"Dad, buy some urea in half a day; you should fertilize the corn." Chai Mi said: "If you have no money, go buy some urea on credit. After finishing our own family's work, go work for others, earn some money, and pay back the cost of those few bags of urea."

You can also help my grandparents plow their land when you have nothing to do. But plowing land is only a few days' work; if you don't earn money, you can't even afford fertilizer. This money, no one will pay back for you.

Chai Youqing had no reaction in the room.

Chai Mi said again: "Don't say I didn't mention this matter. During the busy farming season, if you go out to plow land, one mu of land will always bring in twenty yuan; doing ten-plus mu a day can bring in some income. Although they are fellow villagers and neighbors, you shouldn't do the work of helping others. My sister also has no money for school and no money for fertilizer, yet you keep nagging about giving birth to sons. You can't even afford to raise a daughter now, let alone pay for schooling; I think you should forget about the dream of having sons. My mother is too lazy to tell you, and if I don't tell you, you'll keep thinking well of yourself. You go to the fields every day pretending to weed, all in a mess, and in the end, you only get a harvest from those few mu. Eighty percent of your energy is spent working for my grandparents; you must change this. With that energy, sell some strength, earn some money. You have four people in your wife and children, and you've offended everyone, so you've become a bare-bones commander. Think it over yourself... Also, don't put on that wronged look for me? I'm not my mother... If there are another ten days or so, my little sister's full-moon banquet will be here, and you won't have money to hold it."

My mother can't be bothered to tell you off, and if I don't say anything, you'll keep thinking too highly of yourself. You go to the fields every day pretending to weed, making a chaos of it, and in the end you only harvest those few muwu of land. Eighty percent of your energy goes to working for my Gu Gu Nai Nai—that has to change. With that energy, sell some labor and earn some money. You've offended all four of your wife and children, so you've become a bare pole commander. Think it over yourself… Also, don't put on that wronged look for me? I'm not my mother… In another ten days or so, my little sister's full-moon feast will be here, and you won't have any money to hold it.

Chai Mi, however, would not let up: "Why are you glaring at me? What's wrong? Do you still want to borrow money to hold a wedding feast?"

Chai Mi refused to let up: "What are you glaring at me for? What's wrong? You want to borrow money to hold a wedding feast or something?"