Chapter 371: Rebirth in the Nineties: The Tyrant Flower, Chapter 372: Geniuses Are Just Her Threshold

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Protagonist:

Chai Mi

"Enough? Any more and the two of us can't carry it back." Song Qiushui looked at the pile of mugwort like a small mountain, a little worried.

"About right." Chai Mi hefted the weight, "Just these for now, come back for more when used up. If your mother feels better, we'll find a way to ask about that lama on Lama Mountain."

Only then did the two of them, one in front of the other, carrying heavy mugwort on their backs, walk back toward the village along the way they came.

The basket rope bit into her shoulders, Song Qiushui gritted her teeth in pain; this thing carrying water content looked like not much, but it was indeed too heavy.

Back in the village, the sun was still high.

The two of them together lifted the two big baskets of mugwort into the courtyard, spreading them out in the sunniest spot in the courtyard to dry.

Gray-white mugwort leaves covered the ground, and a rich, uniquely pungent fragrance quickly spread.

Meng Shi came out of the room supporting her waist, saw the courtyard full of mugwort, and was startled: "Aiyo, what are you two doing? Bringing back so much wormwood?"

"Mom! This isn't stinking wormwood, this is mugwort!" Song Qiushui hurried to explain, with a hint of showing off, "Chai Mi said, Second Uncle-in-law's folk remedy, dry this and apply heat to the waist, can relieve pain! We cut it at the edge of the forest, so fresh!"

Meng Shi was stunned: "This... this must take so much effort... Chai Mi, troubling you again..."

"Not troubling, Auntie. A matter of convenience. After it's dried, you try it, whether it works or not aside, fumigating the room to drive away bugs is also good." She finished speaking, patted the grass scraps off her body, "I'm going back first, there's still work at home."

"Hey, wait a bit before leaving!" Meng Shi hurriedly called out.

Chai Mi had no qualms; the dumpling filling at home wasn't finished yet, there was still work to do when she got back, so it wasn't convenient to idle chat here, and she went home.

By evening, Song Qiushui came excitedly.

"Chai Mi! Do you think I'm a genius? I figured drying mugwort was too slow, so I just put it in the pot to roast directly, and in a short while it was dry... then I applied some for my mom..."

Chai Mi was brushing the donkey's hair; the donkey's hair was a bit curly, and donkey hair itself needed brushing every now and then, which would make the donkey much more comfortable.

Sure enough, the blue-gray donkey was so comfortable it kept shaking its head.

"What's the rush, I've never heard of roasting that thing to dry it; what if the medicinal effect is gone, what then? Drying it for two more days to be thorough would be much better. How was your mom after applying it yesterday? Feeling better?"

"Oh, don't even mention it!" Song Qiushui pouted, "After applying it, she said the heat drilled into the bone seams, so comfortable! She was humming with joy! It made my dad so happy, saying Second Uncle-in-law finally did something human! It's just the smell is too strong, feels a bit overwhelming."

"As long as it works. A strong smell is nothing, better than screaming in pain." Chai Mi patted the donkey's neck, "Look at our new laborer, the frame is okay, right? Just wait until my dad's waist is a bit more flexible, then those twenty-plus mu of corn cobs will need harvesting."

Song Qiushui leaned close to look at the donkey's rear: "Hmm, the butt is indeed big, like you said, looks strong. Chai Mi, how do you plan to harvest the corn? Still hire people like harvesting grain?"

"Hire! Must hire!" Chai Mi said decisively, "Relying on us few, when would we finish harvesting? My dad can barely see Xiu'er off, can't count on him for work. That person of his, doing anything requires waist wages, I dare not use him; if he doesn't cause trouble for me, I'd be burning incense. I'm thinking, find a few hardworking women from other villages, pay by the day, give more money then, no need to provide noon meals. More people, faster harvesting."

"How are the wages calculated? Still look for Sun Baihe?" Song Qiushui pouted, "Last time harvesting grain she caused no end of trouble."

Chai Mi grunted: "Forget it, I dare not use that ancestor. Slacking off at work, and a sharp tongue. Harvesting corn is even more tiring; if she comes, who knows how she'll stir things up. I'm thinking of finding a few honest, capable women from outside villages."

"Fine, you decide." Song Qiushui nodded, "What about wages? Now strong laborers, without meals, won't it be over twenty-five a day?"

"About right." Chai Mi calculated, "We'll just do twenty-five a day. Seven or eight people, working five or six days, should be able to finish. Get it done early, avoid long nights and many dreams."

Just then, Chai Youqing shuffled out of the room with a hunched back, holding an old horse saddle in his hand. "What are you muttering about? Is the corn harvesting manpower settled?"

"Not yet, Dad, still thinking it over." Chai Mi didn't lift her head, continuing to brush the donkey hair.

Chai Youqing tossed the saddle onto the donkey's back: "Think what? There's a ready-made person you won't use? My waist is almost fine, I can lend a hand! At worst, I can drive the cart and haul sticks, that's fine too! Save a wage!"

Chai Mi stopped, turned to look at him: "Dad, forget it. You know your own waist condition; harvesting corn requires bending over and sticking out your butt all day, can you take it? If you strain it again, lying on the kang groaning, who will serve you? Wages are fixed, if you collapse from exhaustion, what then?"

"I... I can work slowly, can't I? Better than wasting money!" Chai Youqing stubbornly lifted his chin.

"Don't!" Song Qiushui hurriedly interjected, "Uncle, your little skills, everyone understands. Chai Mi is too lazy to say it, don't you know yourself? This corn harvesting work is too exhausting, really not suitable for you. Your work isn't even worth the medicine cost, and you cause so much trouble, your mouth never rests. If we hire people, you'll chat with them, delaying their work. You just quit it, stop meddling in everything, acting like you can do anything. If you think you can do everything, stop jabbering, just go do it yourself, who's stopping you? You won't just go harvest corn yourself, then haul it back yourself? You can't do it after all, and your mouth still won't rest. I'm not saying this to be mean, Chai Mi doesn't like to say it, but you need to know your own limits, don't annoy others."

"And don't say just because others can do it, you can't. Actually, you just can't. Can't is can't." Song Qiushui always spoke like this, not giving Chai Youqing any face: "If it weren't for Chai Mi holding up your family, forget me speaking harshly, relying on you, your whole family would have starved to death long ago. You're over forty, your days have never been good, shouldn't you think about your own problems? Don't think you're capable just because someone says something. If you were capable, other families have built new houses, why haven't you? Why don't you say, 'Oh Chai Mi, I'll go buy some cement and bricks, we'll build a new house tomorrow, my old man has money, earned a lot, this time the wife and kids will have a hot kang'... So, don't, whenever we say something, you immediately spout those crazy opinions. Chai Mi hiring people to harvest fast, can't our stall business be delayed? Take care of both ends, spend money to buy peace of mind!"

Chai Youqing, snubbed by both, couldn't save face, muttered: "Fine, fine, fine, you decide... I was asking for nothing..."

He sullenly fiddled with the saddle straps, no longer making a sound.

Chai Mi threw the brush into the bucket: "Dad, if you really want to move around, come with me to the cornfield this afternoon, try if this donkey has the strength to pull an empty cart. By the way, check if the corn in the field has been stolen by badgers or something."

Chai Youqing's eyes lit up at the mention of driving the cart: "Fine! I can do that!"

In the afternoon, Chai Youqing drove the newly bought blue-gray donkey, pulling an old board cart, Chai Mi and Song Qiushui sat at the back. The donkey cart squeaked and creaked onto the village road.

"Giddy-up! Go steady!" Chai Youqing sat on the cart shaft, the whip waving in the air, quite imposing. The blue-gray donkey was obedient, stepping steadily.

Song Qiushui nudged Chai Mi: "Hey, don't say it, your dad driving the cart really looks the part."

Chai Mi looked ahead: "Hmm, this is the only thing he can do. Slow is slow, better than staying cooped up at home."

After walking a big circle, the donkey was fairly steady, except a bit fast and disobedient, still okay.

"Hmm, okay, no mice nibbling." He pointed to the largest stack, "This plot needs harvesting, if not harvested soon it will rot. Find people tomorrow?"

"Fine, I'll go look for people early tomorrow morning." Chai Mi jumped off the cart, walked to the donkey and patted its neck, "This donkey is okay, pulling an empty cart is quite steady. Tomorrow pull a cart to try, see how many corn cobs it can carry."

"Carrying one or two thousand jin is definitely no problem!" Chai Youqing patted his chest, "This beast has strength!"

Chai Mi didn't take his cue, turned to ask Song Qiushui: "Qiushui, is the filling for tomorrow's stall mixed?"

"Mixed! Pickled pork, leek and egg, all ready. Wang Da Qing's calf has settled down, our business can pick up again!" Song Qiushui was quite happy.

"Good. These few days of harvesting corn, the stall can't stop, money needs to be earned." Chai Mi clapped her hands, "Let's go back, drive the cart steadily."

The donkey cart squeaked and creaked back again. As they were about to enter the village, they met Su Wan holding Chai Xin, looking out at the door.

"Mom, what are you looking at?" Chai Mi jumped off the cart.

Su Wan smiled: "Waiting for you! Just now Teacher An sent a message, saying the county is holding some elementary school competition, letting Xiu'er go! Both essay and arithmetic are fine! In the next couple of days there will be extra classes, she'll come back later. Teacher An said Xiu'er is sure to win a place!"

"Really? What competition?" Song Qiushui became interested.

"It's called 'Mengya Cup'... I don't understand either." Su Wan laughed happily, "Anyway it's a good thing! Teacher An said let Xiu'er prepare well."

Chai Mi also smiled: "Good, Xiu'er, promising. Tell her when you go back, prepare well, bring back a certificate to put on the wall!"

Chai Youqing sat on the cart shaft, listening to them praise Chai Xiu, the corners of his mouth couldn't help but turn up, he lightly flicked the whip: "Giddy-up! Go home!"

Chai Youqing went home first, and Chai Mi and Song Qiushui came down to chat with Su Wan.

"Teacher Xiu'an is actually relieved to let Xiu'er go; Xiu'er has only been in school for more than half a month and was already selected." Chai Mi was quite happy about this.

When Chai Mi was studying, she actually participated in some competitions organized by the county, just Chinese and mathematics. But generally, the township first organized competitions among various primary schools, and only those who won could go to the county.

Generally, for a township, only about ten or so students would be selected. Due to the special nature of the primary school Chai Xiu attends, the students of Ganzhu'er Primary School are designated to have some advantage over children from other villages.

There will be a recommendation quota.

Unexpectedly, this quota for taking the exam through recommendation was given to Chai Xiu.

One can imagine how much An Baoyu values Chai Xiu.

Back home, Chai Mi had nothing much to do today; seeing the time, it was already five-thirty, an hour later than usual when Chai Xiu gets out of school, so Chai Mi also went to pick up Chai Xiu.

Arriving at the Ganzhu'er Primary School side, Chai Mi found Chai Xiu's class, and there were still four or five students inside attending class.

It seems they are all people who stayed behind to make up lessons after going to the competition.

Chai Mi felt embarrassed to disturb the teacher, so she patiently waited.

A few parents who came to pick up their children also arrived nearby, and there was one person Chai Mi also knew.

Chai Mi walked over and politely said, "Teacher Hou, your child is also in primary school, huh."

Hou Shenyuan was Chai Mi's English teacher in junior high school, just over forty years old, clean and neat in appearance, not like those farmers with dark skin. Being just over forty is a good age, and he vaguely still looks a bit handsome.

Hou Shenyuan looked at Chai Mi and thought for a few seconds before remembering: "Chai Mi... oh my, it's been two or three years since I last saw you. What have you been doing lately?"

Chai Mi hehed and smiled: "Nothing much... farming at home and such."

Chai Mi said while feeling a bit embarrassed: "I feel a bit like I've let down your teachings from back then."

Hou Shenyuan also felt quite emotional: "Back then your English grades were not good, and I was your English teacher... speaking of it is shameful. Otherwise, you definitely could have gotten into high school."

As an English teacher, the result was that Chai Mi's other subjects were all very good, only English often fluctuated between zero and ten points.

Naturally, Hou Shenyuan had no way to deal with it, and even privately tutored Chai Mi without charging money, but Chai Mi just couldn't learn it.

"I didn't teach well back then, I delayed you."

Chai Mi quickly said: "Oh Teacher Hou, this isn't your fault. I truly can't get into it, the others are fine... sigh..."

Chai Mi thought of English and her head hurt.

That broken thing is truly hard to learn.

It's mainly because she wasn't exposed to it from a young age, but when she first encountered English in junior high at over ten years old, it caused her to completely fall behind.

"English should still be learned well from a young age."

Speaking of this, Chai Mi suddenly remembered that Chai Xiu is exactly at the right time to learn English...

"Mm-hmm." Hou Shenyuan nodded, agreeing with Chai Mi's view: "Indeed, for us English, one is that we learned it too late, and two is that the duration is not enough. Primary school basically only learns Chinese and mathematics; by junior high, English, politics, history, geography, and geometry appear. Originally two subjects, suddenly six or seven. Students can't keep up; the others are fine, but English requires memorizing words, and for students like us here, it's truly too difficult."

Hou Shenyuan also knows that for junior high schools like Ganzhu'er Town, the difference in getting into high school is basically English.

Compared to junior high schools in the county town, the others can compete, but English is generally not good.

"By the way... I heard there's a child prodigy in this primary school."

"Ah... prodigy, what prodigy?" Chai Mi frowned and asked.

"It's said there's a child with a photographic memory. That child only needs to read a book once to basically remember it; doing math problems, as long as they read the textbook once, they can do it all themselves. I heard this from others... that child somehow got a first-year junior high English book, and in less than a day, memorized over a thousand words. Truly a child prodigy... if I have the honor to teach her in the future, I... this life would be enough."

Chai Mi asked blankly: "Teacher Hou, what is that child's name?"

"Chai Xiu..."