Chapter 24

Chapter 24

Deadweight

Lu Yuan and Lu Ming exchanged glances, a bad feeling creeping in.

No one had expected Lin Nannan to be so obsessed with farming.

The Lu family had given Lin Nannan an excellent plot of land—close to water and with good annual yields.

However, after the last harvest, it hadn’t been properly tilled yet, so this task still fell to Lin Nannan and her group. Considering the Lus had other fields to take care of, this was already considerate of them.

The morning’s drama had everyone gossiping, so when the Lus came out, all eyes were on them. Soon, they noticed Lin Nannan and a few children working on the Lus’ two prime acres of land. Curiosity led to questions, and upon learning the land had been given to Lin Nannan, the villagers thought the Lus must be crazy—under Lin Nannan's spell.

"Those are two fine acres! Aren’t you afraid of wasting them by handing them to Lin Nannan?"

The question was both accusatory and concerned, but Grandma Lu wasn’t offended. She smiled and said, "If they're willing, let them try!"

"This isn’t just about trying. If those two acres yield nothing, what will your family do this year?" Knowing the Lus’ situation, some couldn’t help but worry.

Grandma Lu, aware of what they had saved up, replied vaguely, "The harvests have been good these past two years. This year should be fine too."

If it was fine, they wouldn’t lack food. If not… well, no one knew.

Her attitude shifted the villagers’ perception of Lin Nannan.

"Who gives land to a new bride? The Lus must feel guilty and are giving her this as compensation!" someone speculated.

"So what if they are? You'd want that 'blessing'?"

Any parent who cared for their child wouldn’t want such a "blessing."

Thus, the way people looked at Lin Nannan changed—now they saw the Lins as the ones at fault.

Lin Nannan paid no mind. Seeing the fertile land made her want to dive right in.

"A Yuan, start from this side. A Ming, you take that part," she directed before grabbing a hoe and jumping in with such energy that onlookers stared.

Lin Nannan’s strength, combined with the advice she’d sought before heading out, quickly made her proficient. Her speed and efficiency amazed many.

Lu Yuan and Lu Ming together didn’t match her work. She even surpassed a grown man's pace, drawing an ever-growing crowd.

Someone brought up the Lins.

"Lin Donglai used to complain that Lin Nannan only knew how to eat and never helped in the fields. Bet he had no idea she was this capable!" someone mused.

"Of course he didn’t! Otherwise, would they have let her marry?" A fool who could farm like this would bring in plenty. No matter how much the Lus gave, they’d know they were losing out.

Someone egging them on said, "Should someone tell the Lins?"

"It’s not like it’s some shameful secret. Why not?"

Many already disapproved of the Lins’ actions. Though life was hard for everyone and they couldn’t help Lin Nannan, they understood right from wrong and would enjoy seeing the Lins humbled.

The Lus overheard the chatter but couldn't be bothered to stop them—they owed the Lins nothing.

Meanwhile, Lin Nannan, completely absorbed in tilling, remained oblivious to the brewing drama. Right now, she was just annoyed by those slowing her down.