Chapter 77: Hold On and Don’t Let Go

Chapter 77: Hold On and Don’t Let Go

In recent days, the wheat in the fields had ripened fully. The strong laborers of the Yu family stopped going to work and took advantage of the good weather to harvest all the wheat in one go.

The wheat in the Yu family's fields this year was particularly good. During these few days of harvesting, the strong laborers seemed to feel no fatigue at all; they were full of energy!

They knew that without even considering other factors, just looking at the yield from their fields, they would certainly not go hungry next year!

No one in the Yu family could have imagined that just a few months ago, they were still struggling with food shortages. In just a short time, not only did they become financially well-off, but their crops also had a bountiful harvest!

The feeling of no longer worrying about food was truly wonderful!

The entire Nanduo Village was bustling with activity as everyone began harvesting wheat.

Over the past few years, due to famine, everyone had been very cautious with their grain. After cutting the wheat, there were still some scattered stalks left in the fields, so children from each household ran around picking them up.

They aimed to waste not a single grain of wheat.

The adults at home were busy drying the wheat, removing the husks, and dehusking it, while Xingxing and Ju Geer came to the fields to help.

Xingxing wore a small cloth bag around her neck that Bai Xiaofeng had made for her. Together with Ju Geer, she bent down to pick the wheat stalks in the field.

After picking a few stalks, Ju Geer became a bit arrogant. He turned his head to show off to Xingxing but found that she had already filled her bag and was struggling to stuff another large stalk into it.

Ju Geer’s eyes widened in shock: "!!"

Xingxing, unaware of Ju Geer's silent competition, sighed regretfully when she realized her bag was full.

That's all it can hold!

"Ju Geer, shall we go back?" Xingxing asked, turning to look at him.

Ju Geer also wore a cloth bag around his neck that Bai Xiaofeng had made, but it was empty except for a few stalks.

Xingxing’s eyes widened.

Ju Geer: "..."

Xingxing happily exclaimed, "Ju Geer, your bag can still hold many more stalks! Let’s switch!"

She took off her bag and offered to exchange it with Ju Geer: "Xingxing will go pick more!"

"...” Ju Geer felt deeply insulted!

He gritted his teeth and glared at Xingxing.

Does this little sister look down on him?

Xingxing looked at Ju Geer, confused and innocent.

"...Fine, let's switch." Ju Geer lowered his head, handed his bag to Xingxing, and felt he was enduring great humiliation for the sake of the family.

Yes, he used another idiom!

Ju Geer cheered up again.

Xingxing swapped her heavy bag with Ju Geer’s light one and happily said, "Great! Xingxing can pick more now!"

Ju Geer turned away, saying nothing.

Xingxing bent down again to pick more wheat stalks.

Ju Geer couldn't help but sigh to the sky. He had sacrificed so much for the family.

Within a quarter of an hour, Xingxing had almost filled her new bag again. Ju Geer watched her pick one stalk after another, dumbfounded.

Ju Geer remembered how whenever they went out to gather wild vegetables, Xingxing always picked quickly and efficiently.

He couldn't help but wonder.

Could Xingxing have a natural talent for picking things?

Ju Geer was lost in thought while Xingxing focused on picking wheat stalks. Neither of them noticed that several children from another village had entered their field.

Each child dragged a long sack, clearly scavenging for any leftover grains in others' fields.

—In reality, over the past few years, people had searched every inch of their land for food, leaving little behind.

However, this year, rain during the critical period of grain filling and the nearby streams flowing again significantly alleviated the drought. The yield was at least 30% higher than in previous years—so even if others had picked through the fields, there might still be a few grains left.

Farmers understood the hardships of life and usually turned a blind eye when others picked the scattered grains from fields they had already gone through once or twice.

It was important to leave some room for those truly in need.

However, some families, even if they weren't struggling, still sent their children to pick others' grains in different villages.

They usually didn't do this in their own village, so sending their children to other villages was less embarrassing.

Others, seeing it was just children, wouldn't say anything.

The children who appeared in Xingxing's field were from another village.

They had picked quite a lot, making substantial gains as they moved from Beimanggou, and their sacks were already quite full.

However, the area they were searching in the Yu family's field was where Xingxing had already picked—despite her young age, she was meticulous and dedicated to helping her family, picking thoroughly.

These children from another village searched half an acre of the Yu family's field but found no leftover stalks.

One of them glanced at Xingxing and Ju Geer, who had collected two full bags, and his eyes lit up.

He pointed it out to his accomplices.

They exchanged glances and quickly made a decision.

The oldest one was around eleven or twelve years old, tall and burly. He dragged a sack toward Xingxing and Ju Geer.

It wasn't until he approached that Xingxing and Ju Geer realized there were strangers in their field.

"Kid! Give me that pouch around your neck!" the person demanded harshly, asking Xingxing for the small pouch hanging around her neck.

Xingxing instinctively turned away and refused.

She opened her eyes wide. "This is Xingxing's wheat. Why should I give it to you?"

The person’s face turned menacing. "I advise you to be smart! This way, we might leave you some!"

With that, he reached for the pouch around Xingxing's neck.

Xingxing froze with fear, allowing him to pull at it.

Only then did Ju Geer react, lunging at the person with a cry. "How dare you bully my sister?!"

—Though Ju Geer was brave, he was just a little over four years old, no match for an eleven- or twelve-year-old half-grown boy.

Ju Geer was shoved to the ground by the person, crying out in pain.

The person turned back to tug at the pouch around Xingxing's neck again. Seeing Ju Geer in pain, Xingxing began to resist fiercely, refusing to let him take her pouch.

Xingxing, her eyes red, shouted, "You're bullying Ju Geer! You’re a bad person! Go away!"

"Smack!"

The person slapped Xingxing's back and twisted her arm hard, yelling impatiently, "Behave!"

It was midsummer, and Xingxing wore short sleeves made by Bai Xiaofeng, leaving her arms exposed like white lotus stalks. The harsh twist left her arm immediately red.

Tears welled up instantly in Xingxing's eyes, and she burst into tears, indicating how much pain she was in.

Seeing Xingxing cry, Ju Geer's heart leaped. When he saw her sun-proof white arm now red from the twist, Ju Geer flew into a rage, as if all his pain vanished! He didn’t know where he found the strength, but he quickly got up from the wheat field and pounced on the person, biting down hard with his sharp little teeth!

How dare you twist my sister’s arm! I’ll bite you to death!

That was the only thought in Ju Geer’s mind.

The person screamed in pain!

His accomplices rushed over to pry Ju Geer off.

But no matter how they tried, Ju Geer wouldn’t let go, clamping down hard on the person’s arm!