Chapter 74

Chapter 74

These past two days, the elderly in the village were making four or five trips to the fields daily.

Every autumn harvest, the date to start reaping was determined by a few seasoned farmers. They had ample experience and some ability to predict the weather. For such important matters, the villagers would defer to them. That's how it was in all the surrounding villages. The harvest timing varied slightly from village to village, usually no more than a couple of days earlier or later.

Every year at this time, the Village Head would personally travel between villages. As soon as he saw the crops in the fields were ripe for harvesting, he would press each village's chief to notify the villagers to prepare for the autumn harvest. This year was different, at least for Sunset Village. They didn't know about other villages, but from setting the date to actually heading out to the fields to cut rice, the Village Head had not shown his face once.

Spring sowing and autumn harvest were the two major events of the year, especially the autumn harvest. During this period, the weather was unpredictable. Heaven itself seemed to have it in for the common folk. It could be sunny one minute and pouring the next. The term "rush harvest" essentially meant racing against the whims of the weather.

The harvested rice had to be threshed, and the threshed grain had to be carried to the drying ground to be dried in the sun. The grain must not get wet by rain. Grain that gets wet will sprout or get moldy, and moldy grain becomes inedible. Toiling for an entire year only to end up with nothing—for peasants whose entire families depended on these few acres of land to survive, this was nothing short of a disaster that could break a family.

Therefore, during these few days of the harvest rush, not only did the adults have to go to the fields, but even the kids had jobs to do. They had to guard the drying ground. Once the weather turned bad, they had to gather the grain at the first possible moment.

Of course, when the weather was fine, they weren't idle either. They had to turn the grain over with bamboo rakes every now and then, chase away chickens and dogs, and guard against thieves trying to make off with their grain. They even had to keep watch at night. Before the grain was carried back to their own homes, they had to live at the drying ground, never leaving it unattended for a moment.

Thus, scrambling for space on the drying ground was also a major event. Which family dried first and which dried later all concerned their own interests.

At times like this, it depended on a family's status in the village. In previous years, usually the village chief's family would occupy the best spots on the drying ground. Next came families who had a say in the village, such as the Clan Elders. After that came families with many sons, like Zhao Xiaobao's family. Their house was full of sons. Even if other villagers were dissatisfied, they had to swallow their resentment. At such times, no one bothered with reasoning; it was about which family had more able-bodied laborers, whose fists were harder, whose arms were stronger. If you weren't convinced, you could just start a fight.

This was also why country folk wanted to have sons. Besides sons being able to work, at times like this, sons could also fight. Sons didn't just uphold the family name; they were its bedrock.

Arguments and fights over the drying ground during the autumn harvest happened every year. In previous years, Old Man Zhao and his family would also roll up their sleeves and fight with other villagers. But this year was different. It was almost tacitly agreed that the best spots on the drying ground were all reserved for the few families who had gone down the mountain to kill the refugees. Even Widow Lü was included; her family also occupied a good spot right next to the Zhao family.

On this day, at the crack of dawn, the village started bustling with activity.

The women got up early to prepare breakfast. Unlike usual, when breakfast was a pot of thin porridge, the autumn harvest required great effort. Even poor families would take down the cured meat that had been hanging on the kitchen wall for two years—meat they couldn't bear to eat even during New Year—and would definitely cut a couple of slices during these two days of harvest to give the men working in the fields some extra sustenance.

Mrs. Zhu got up early and cooked a pot of rice made from the grain harvested from the three acres of the "immortal land." The strained rice water was a thick, milky white. Drinking a bowl of it made one feel their entire body relax, their stomach warm and comfortable, bringing a deep sense of satisfaction.

The dishes were simple: a plate of cured meat stir-fried with cabbage, and a plate of cold dressed wild greens. Though the variety wasn't much, the quantity was ample and filling.

"This year, you all don't need to go to the fields. Just tidy up at home and prepare the meals."

At breakfast, the family didn't like to sit at the table. Instead, they would hold their bowls and sit under the eaves, or stroll around the yard while eating.

It was the same today. Old Man Zhao sat under the eaves, eating his rice while speaking to Mrs. Wang, who was pouring dog food for Xiao Heizi. "The work in the fields, us men can manage. Xiao Wu and Gu Zi can also pull their weight as half a grown man already. And those three boys, it's time they started training too. This year, you and the three daughters-in-law don't need to work too hard. Just keep the house in order. Prepare the meals well, and when you have time, come to the fields a few more times to bring us water."

Mrs. Wang thought about her three daughters-in-law's menstrual cycles, especially the third daughter-in-law's, which seemed to be due in a day or two. That one was the type who had to lie in bed unable to get up when her time came. She didn't play favorites; if they worked, they worked together; if they rested, they rested together. So she nodded. "I'll listen to you. Let the five boys go help in the fields. The daughters-in-law could handle the lighter chores around the house. After the hardship of giving birth to so many sons, if they can't lend a hand at all, it would have been better not to have them."

She was open-minded and didn't have the notion that sons and grandsons were family while daughters-in-law were outsiders. Only women understood the hardships of women. Giving birth was like having one foot in the grave. What was there to fuss over about boys doing some work? Indulgent mothers often spoil their sons. Children who turn out well aren't raised with excessive pampering. They should develop a sense of responsibility from a young age, learn to understand their mother's difficulties. Only then will they grow up to be good men who care for their wives and love their daughters.

A good man might not necessarily live a life of ease, but a man without responsibility will surely bring ruin to the family.

"Grandma, I can lend a hand!" A Deng, hearing this, immediately chimed in. "I'll go cut rice! I won't let my mother have given birth to me for nothing!"

"I can cut too!" Xi'er followed, shouting. "My mother only has me, one son. Let her rest at home. I'll go work in the fields."

Mrs. Sun was somewhat moved upon hearing this and was about to speak when her son added, "My mother can't work these two days either. Every month she has to lie in the room, moaning and groaning as if she's giving birth. But I haven't seen her pregnant!"

Mrs. Sun's face flushed crimson with embarrassment. Although the family knew what was going on, as long as no one said it out loud, they could pretend not to know. But this brat actually shouted it out loud in front of the whole family! She forgot all about her meal. She got up, grabbed the broom from under the eaves, and chased her son to give him a beating.

"I'll teach you to talk! I'll teach you to talk!"

"Mom, why are you hitting me? I'm going to help you cut rice in the fields! Ouch, ouch, Mom, stop hitting..."

The morning was off to a chaotic start.

After breakfast, Old Man Zhao led his sons and grandsons, a whole troop of them, down to the fields.

Some villagers who saw them were secretly green with envy. With so many laborers working together, not just five or six acres, even twenty acres could be harvested.

The old Zhao family had a dozen or so acres of land in total, but only six and a half acres were paddy fields. The rest were mostly useless sandy land and dry land. Even though they had sons, and the court had a land distribution policy, due to Sunset Village's terrain, what they got allocated was also sandy land and dry land. Of these six and a half acres of paddy fields, two acres were obtained back when his father died and the family divided the property. His mother had threatened and pressured his already married brothers, risking her life to get them.

The result was that as soon as his brothers relented, his mother couldn't hold on and passed away.

Naturally, there was no further discussion about those two acres. With no parents, Old Man Zhao could only rely on scraps of food from this family and that, growing up suffering all kinds of hardships inflicted by his elder brothers, sisters-in-law, and nephews. The first thing he did after growing up was to take a machete and threaten all his elder brothers' families, especially the second and fifth branches. Their nephews had once ganged up on him when they were young and almost beat him to death. Having nothing to lose, Old Man Zhao, who wasn't married yet at the time, declared that if the families of his elder brothers didn't satisfy him, he would kill his elder brothers and sisters-in-law, and they could all go underground to see their parents.

This incident caused quite a stir in the village back then, and the older generation all knew about it. In the end, each family gave up one acre of paddy field. The second and fifth branches, feeling guilty, gave a bit more. Finally, it added up to these six and a half acres.

This was the foundation of their large family and their most important asset.

This was also why Old Man Zhao couldn't bear to see the crops in the fields ruined by refugees and was willing to risk his life going down the mountain for a chance. Because these six and a half acres of land were what he had exchanged for over a decade of suffering and struggle. Later, marrying a wife, raising sons, grandsons, and a daughter—they all depended on this land.

These six and a half acres of fields were also his lifeline.

Figures carrying threshing buckets walked through the fields. Men, women, children—anyone who could work had to go to the fields. The Zhao family's fields were right next to Zhou Chunya's family's. By the time Zhao Xiaobao finished breakfast and slowly walked from home to their field ridge, carrying a basket, she saw that her father, brothers, and nephews had already harvested half a field. The Zhou family, whose field was about the same size, had only cut out a small notch.

Bent over in the field cutting rice weren't Da Tou and San Tou, but the two sisters, Chun Ya and Chun Miao, whose stature was almost shorter than the rice plants.

"Chun Ya, Chun Miao, have you had breakfast?" Zhao Xiaobao squatted on the field ridge, watching Chun Ya, who was gripping a worn-out sickle and cutting with great effort.

"Not yet. We'll go back to eat when the sun gets harsher. Now we need to take advantage of the sun not being up yet to cut as much as possible." Chun Ya didn't dare look up. Her grandmother was watching her from the other end. She grabbed a handful of rice stalks and, with great effort, cut one bunch, carefully placing it aside. She wiped the sweat from her forehead with her hand, quickly turned her head to give Zhao Xiaobao a smile, didn't dare slack off, and immediately bent down again. "Xiaobao, don't come down into the field. There are leeches in the field. Just play on the ridge."

"Okay." Zhao Xiaobao nodded obediently. She had unusually gotten up early today and had wanted to go into the field to pick up fallen rice ears. Hearing Chun Ya say this, she didn't want to go into the field anymore. Leeches were especially scary; they sucked blood, clung to legs and wriggled around, and were hard to kill. She hated leeches the most.

But the whole family was busy, and she wanted to help too.

Old Lady Zhou coughed twice from the other end of the field. Chun Ya, who had been about to speak again, immediately didn't dare say more. Zhao Xiaobao saw a bloody scratch on the back of Chun Miao's hand from the rice leaves. She slowly moved over to Old Lady Zhou's side, squatted next to her watching her cut rice, and chattered on her own. "Old Lady Zhou, why aren't Da Tou and San Tou down in the field cutting rice? Xiaobao's nephews are all working in the field."

In the past, Old Lady Zhou wouldn't have bothered with her. But now the old Zhao family held a somewhat special position in the village. Even though she felt very uncomfortable inside, she still replied in a muffled voice, "My Da Tou and San Tou's health can't compare to your nephews. Just look at their size... Earlier when they fought, my Da Tou got hit on the head by Xiao Wu. He still complains of pain now and then. Your family never gave an explanation for that matter. And now you ask why my Da Tou isn't working in the field." She complained covertly, seemingly speaking to Zhao Xiaobao, but actually aiming her words at Old Man Zhao and the others working further up.

"My family's Xi'er too, alas." Zhao Xiaobao sighed in a grown-up manner, propping her chubby little face. "Da Tou kicked Xi'er in the side. Xi'er complains of back pain all the time. He might not be able to get a wife in the future."

"..."

"Old Lady Zhou, what should we do if my family's Xi'er ends up a bachelor? You're Da Tou's grandmother. You have to find a wife for my family's Xi'er."

"..."

She couldn't continue complaining. Old Lady Zhou stood up, wiped the sweat from her forehead, and used the excuse of needing to move the threshing bucket to stop engaging with this Zhao family girl who was young but acted like an adult. If she kept talking, she was afraid the girl would open her mouth and demand she compensate with a daughter-in-law for her nephew. Although she did have two granddaughters, she didn't like the old Zhao family. She planned to find marriages for her granddaughters with families that could help their brothers. The Zhao family's boys didn't get along with Da Tou and San Tou. If she married a granddaughter to them, it would probably be like throwing silver into a river—you'd hear a splash and then it'd be gone.

That wouldn't do.

As soon as she left, Zhao Xiaobao immediately turned her head and grinned at the two sisters, Chun Ya and Chun Miao. Chun Ya and Chun Miao also grinned back foolishly.

Chun Ya couldn't help but whisper, "Xiaobao, was Xi'er really kicked in the side?" Can he really not get a wife?

"Third sister-in-law said it was kicked until it turned blue." Zhao Xiaobao covered her mouth with her small hand, afraid Xi'er up above might hear. "But he can get a wife. Hehe."

Chun Ya also laughed quietly. "Da Tou is fine too. Don't listen to my grandma's nonsense. He's just being lazy and doesn't want to work in the fields. He's perfectly healthy."

"Mhm, mhm."

Returning to her own family's field ridge, Zhao Xiaobao looked and saw only a small half of the field left to cut. Her father, her brothers, her nephews—they were simply too amazing!

Other families were just starting, but her family was almost done with one field.

Seeing her wandering around, having nothing to do but wanting to do something, Old Man Zhao simply said, "Xiaobao, Dad has a task for you. These two days, can you go to the drying ground and help the family guard the grain?" Knowing his daughter wanted to help with work—really just wanting to join in the autumn harvest excitement—Old Man Zhao didn't want her loitering on the field ridge. There was no shelter here, and when the sun rose, it would be scorching. The drying ground had a shack built; you could spread a mat and sleep there. There were also many kids there; it would be lively and comfortable.

Zhao Xiaobao's eyes lit up at the words, and she nodded eagerly, "Okay, okay! Xiaobao will go guard the grain!" Her parents had assigned tasks to everyone in the family except her, and she had been feeling quite left out.

"Then go to the threshing ground now and secure the flattest spot right in the middle. Later, when your mother comes over, I'll have her bring you a straw mat. For the next couple of days, you'll stay at the threshing ground and keep an eye on our grain." Old Man Zhao deliberately spoke in a very serious tone, "Xiaobao, this task is crucial—it concerns our family's food supply for the coming year. You must do it well."

Zhao Xiaobao immediately felt a bit nervous, clenching her little hands as she nodded, "Daddy, X-Xiaobao will watch our grain carefully. I'll also call Xiao Heizi over to help me keep an eye on things, so no one will dare steal our grain!"

"Good!" Old Man Zhao gave an approving nod. Seeing his eldest son and daughter-in-law carrying the newly made threshing bucket [a bucket for threshing rice] from a distance, he quickly added, "Then hurry and grab the spot. Your eldest brother and sister-in-law are coming. Once the threshing is done, I'll carry the grain over. Go quickly, don't let someone else take it first."

The spots at the threshing ground had been arranged in advance—at least among their families—but Zhao Xiaobao didn't know that. Her father's words flustered her, putting her under time pressure. Without even bothering to pick up her basket, she went scampering off to the threshing ground on her short little legs.