Chapter 89 This Year, No Fatherhood

Chapter 89 This Year, No Fatherhood

The field had been plowed and irrigated, but the soil had dried into clumps, with many stubbles remaining. Before sowing the seeds, Sui Yu needed to break up the clumps and spread them out with a wooden rake. She had spent all day yesterday sowing half an acre of wheat, and this morning, just as dawn broke, Sui Yu and Sui Liang were back in the fields.

When Tong Huaer arrived, Sui Liang was breaking up the soil with a stick, while Sui Yu was using a wooden rake to cover the wheat seeds with soil. She stood at the edge of the field for quite some time, but the hardworking siblings did not notice her presence.

"What can I do?" Tong Huaer spoke up.

Sui Yu looked bewildered, pulling at a stray hair in front of her forehead, and asked, "Why are you here?"

"To help you sow wheat." Tong Huaer picked up the machete left on the ridge and said, "Should I also chop the soil clumps?"

Sui Yu hesitated for a moment before agreeing; the work in the field was too heavy, and even if done slowly, it would still exhaust her greatly.

With an extra pair of hands, Sui Yu covered the seeds she had sown yesterday, then dragged the wooden rake to another empty ridge to loosen the soil. After flipping the loose soil and sowing the seeds, she covered them again to prevent wild birds from stealing them.

"Let me do it; you take a break." Tong Huaer took the wooden rake, tried it out, and said, "You really put in a lot of effort. You seem like someone who knows how to farm."

"I planted last year." Sui Yu shook her arms and asked, "Since you're here, is A'shui with her father at home?"

"Yes."

"Has she stopped breastfeeding?"

"She drinks rice porridge during the day and breastmilk at night. My milk supply isn't enough."

Hearing this, Sui Yu decided to bring half of their rice over when she returned at noon. In the evening, after coming back from the fields, she had Sui Liang deliver four eggs to Uncle Old Niu.

"You claim you don't know each other, yet she keeps coming to help you." The old woman across the street stared at Sui Yu with her triangular eyes, as if trying to find something incriminating.

"I hired her as a helper, four eggs a day." Sui Yu sat outside sorting vegetables and glanced at the old woman, jokingly saying, "Why do you insist that we know each other? Does it matter whether we do or not?"

"She's no good, always swaying around the alley to seduce men."

"Seducing your old man or your son?" Sui Yu asked with a smile.

The old woman glared at her, disgusted, "She tries to seduce any man she sees."

"Are the men in this alley all beasts? If a woman walks by, they think she's seducing them?" Sui Yu shouted.

"What are you talking about? Watch your words; I haven't provoked you." Qin Dashun's neighbor came out.

"Did this old lady say that when Old Niu's wife goes out with her child, you men think she's seducing you? Is that true?" Sui Yu looked over.

"Nonsense, we're already tired from working all day."

Sui Yu turned to the old woman, shrugged, and said, "Old Auntie, please stop spreading rumors. At your age, you should be more mindful of your words. The men in our alley are decent; don't ruin their reputations."

After saying this, Sui Yu saw Sui Liang return and went inside with her basket.

As twilight fell, Sui Liang closed the door and ran into the kitchen, asking quietly, "Sis, were you arguing just now?"

"Don't pry into adult matters."

"Oh, when I went there, A'shui was crying."

"Kids love to cry."

"Will your kid be like that too?"

Sui Yu paused, then said helplessly, "Maybe, kids are all the same."

Sui Liang sighed, feeling less fond of children again, with their tears and snot, so ugly.

"Come help me stoke the fire." Sui Yu interrupted his sighing.

A pot of dumpling soup, cooked in abundance, could be reheated for breakfast the next day.

Exhausted and hungry, Sui Yu ate two bowls before putting down her chopsticks. As she sat digesting, she peeled a boiled egg. Looking up at the stars, she muttered, "Your brother-in-law should have passed through Yumen Pass by now."

Sui Liang looked up and asked what Yumen Pass was like, "Is it full of jade? Are the gates made of jade?"

"It probably isn't..." Sui Yu didn't elaborate. Leaning against a stone, she used it to massage her sore arms and said slowly, "When your brother-in-law returns, we'll go out of town to see."

What lies west of Dunhuang? What lies beyond Yumen Pass? Sui Yu wanted to find out.

After the night's rest, people headed out with their tools at dawn to work in the fields. Sui Yu opened the door, and a black-skinned pig taller than her knee led three little sheep out, followed closely by three camels of different sizes.

The livestock grazed in the wilderness while Sui Yu and Sui Liang went to the wheat field. As they approached, they heard the calls of wild chickens. Running a few steps faster, Sui Yu saw two long-tailed wild chickens flying over from someone else's field. She picked up a clump of hard soil and threw it, missing, and the wild chickens flew away.

A black dog with its tongue out chased after the wild chickens, running north.

"Tomorrow, no, this afternoon, I'll bring my bow and arrows," Sui Yu said.

Sui Liang's attention was on the dog. While breaking up the soil clumps, he kept an eye on the surroundings, but the black dog did not pass by again.

As the sun rose, Tong Huaer's family arrived. A man working nearby yelled, "Old Niu, why aren't you tending to your own field? Why are you helping others?"

Uncle Old Niu ignored him, holding A'shui without going into the field. He took her to watch grasshoppers on the ridges, chased butterflies with her on his back, and when he heard wild chickens calling, he followed the sound with A'shui.

"Uncle Old Niu is good with kids," Sui Yu said.

Tong Huaer did not contradict her.

Sui Yu walked ahead, sowing the seeds, while Tong Huaer followed behind, using the wooden rake to loosen the soil. They worked in tandem, moving at almost the same pace.

After planting one ridge of wheat, Sui Yu and Tong Huaer sat at the edge of the field to catch their breath. Suddenly, they heard a child's cry. Sui Yu turned and said, "Is that A'shui's voice? Go check."

Tong Huaer did not look up, staring at the insects underfoot, and said, "It's fine. With her father there, nothing will happen."

Sui Yu let out an "oh" and picked up her water pouch to take a drink. She listened as the crying grew closer, and before long, Uncle Old Niu came over with the child in his arms.

"A'shui is hungry; you should feed her."

"Where would I have any milk left? She's already sucked me dry." Tong Huaer's tone was unpleasant, but she still took the child reaching out to her and sat down by the edge of the field to breastfeed.

The crying stopped, and Uncle Old Niu breathed a sigh of relief.

Sui Yu secured her water pouch tightly and picked up her machete to break up clumps of soil in the field. By the time she reached the end of the row, Tong Huaer had come down, and the child was back in Uncle Old Niu's arms.

"Old Niu, why aren't you helping out in the fields? Letting a woman work while you, a big man, babysit is worse than my fourteen-year-old grandson." An old man leading a camel passed by and grumbled loudly, clearly looking down on this old fellow.

Uncle Old Niu wasn't fazed by this. Provocation didn't work on him. He said shamelessly, "Then have your grandson do more work. I'm old, and every bit of extra effort means one less day for me. I can't afford to farm anymore."

"You might as well die and stop wasting food."

"I'll still be alive even if you die. I plan to live another sixteen or seventeen years to see my daughter get married." Uncle Old Niu laughed heartily, then picked up the yawning child and said, "The sun is too bright; we're going back."

With both old men leaving the field, it became quiet again.

After ten days, five acres of wheat and two acres of millet were planted. On that day, just before heading to the fields, Sui Yu felt a sudden warmth below. She went back into the house, took out her menstrual belt, filled it with ash, and went to the outhouse. Looking at her soiled pants, she thought to herself that Zhao Xiping wasn't capable enough; he wouldn't become a father this year.

"Sui Liang, go to Uncle Old Niu's house and tell him I'm not feeling well and won't be working in the fields for a few days," Sui Yu instructed.

Sui Liang ran the errand and returned with Tong Huaer, who had learned that Sui Yu was menstruating. She sighed, "Those who should have children don't, and those who shouldn't do."

"There's no such thing as 'should' or 'shouldn't'; everyone has their own fate," Sui Yu said, glancing at her.

"Tong Hui gave birth, and it's a boy."

"How do you know? I didn't hear about it," Sui Yu said, taking a sip of hot water, having initially thought Tong Huaer was referring to herself.

"I heard about it." Tong Huaer recounted the story, adding sarcastically, "I live like a rat in a gutter, and she doesn't even recognize me."

Sui Yu took another sip of water, not commenting since it wasn't her concern.

Seeing this, Tong Huaer didn't say anything more. She carried away the wooden rake and called Sui Liang to help in the fields.

On the first day of her period, Sui Yu felt the most uncomfortable. That day, she did nothing except eat three meals. Taking advantage of the downtime, she slept for most of the day.

Feeling better, Sui Yu cleaned the pigsty, sheep pen, and camel enclosure at home. She planned to ask Qin Dashun for help when he had free time to carry the manure to the vegetable garden.

On the fourth day of her period, Sui Yu caught a chicken and slaughtered it. She stewed it for half a day, and at noon, she divided the pot into two portions. Tong Huaer took one bowl, and Sui Yu and Sui Liang ate the rest.

"Sis, why did you kill a chicken? Our chickens taste better than wild ones," Sui Liang said, savoring his meal.

"Eat slowly; don't bite off your teeth again." Sui Yu gave him a chicken leg and said, "You've been working hard; this is to nourish your body."

Sui Liang smiled sweetly. "Did you kill the chicken for me?"

"Yes, I don't want you to grow up short."

"I want to be as tall as my brother-in-law."

Sui Yu didn't have the heart to discourage him. They weren't from the same parents, and he probably wouldn't grow as tall as Zhao Xiping, who was a purebred Northerner with a large frame and height.

"Second Brother, is this the right house? I smell meat."

"It is."

Hearing the voices, Sui Yu quickly stepped outside. Seeing people standing there, she exclaimed joyfully, "Second Brother, it really is you! No wonder your voice sounded familiar. My goodness, Fourth Sister, you've grown taller than me."

Zhao Xiaomi stared in amazement, then barged in with her bag, slapping Sui Yu's shoulder. "Didn't I say your marriage to Third Brother would be a good deal for him? Third Sister-in-Law, you're truly beautiful. How come I don't look like this?"

Sui Yu covered her mouth and laughed.

"Even more beautiful when you laugh," Zhao Xiaomi exclaimed.

"I remember you saying that."

"I remember too." Zhao Xiaomi chuckled.

"Come inside, don't stand outside talking. Second Brother, have you and Xiaomi eaten yet? We're eating now; put down your bags and wash your hands," Sui Yu said, pulling Zhao Xiaomi towards the kitchen. "Your Third Brother is away on a trip, so you'll stay here with me for a year or so."

"Third Brother said something about selling buns..." Zhao Xiaomi had stubbornly stayed at home for half a month, insisting her Second Brother bring her here.

"We'll start once the fieldwork is done," Sui Yu assured her.

Zhao Xiaomi laughed. "Forget a year or so; I won't mind staying even longer."

Her Second Brother coughed.

Zhao Xiaomi glanced at him. "Got a sore throat? Have a chicken claw to scratch it."

Her Second Brother ignored her and took the bowl of food Sui Yu offered. "This much? Do you have enough?"

"There's plenty; we cooked extra today. Don't worry, Second Brother, just eat," Sui Yu said, handing another bowl to Zhao Xiaomi.

"Is the fieldwork not finished yet?" Her Second Brother asked.

Seeing him only picking at the radishes and not the meat, Sui Yu scooped half a bowl of chicken into his dish. "We finished planting the wheat and five acres of millet. There are still ten acres left. In a couple of days, some families in the village might be free, and the village head will arrange for help. Is the spring planting done at home?"

"It's done; Mother wouldn't let me come otherwise," Zhao Xiaomi pouted.

Her Second Brother glared at her and turned to Sui Yu. "I'll help finish the planting before I leave."

Sui Yu didn't refuse. "Thank you, Second Brother."

That afternoon, Sui Yu also went to the fields, along with Zhao Xiaomi and Tong Huaer. With four people working together, progress was much faster.

The next day, Qin Dashun went over to help.

On the third day, the head of the settlement assigned two more people to go over.

The remaining ten acres were planted in just two or three days.