Daily Life in the Countryside After Being Reborn
Chapter 120 - 79: A Boy’s Heart Is Like a Needle at the Bottom of the Sea

Chapter 120: Chapter 79: A Boy’s Heart Is Like a Needle at the Bottom of the Sea

I have something to attend to early this morning, but I will not miss the updates. The third update will be rushed out in the evening when I return home, probably after six o’clock, so please look forward to the appearance of new characters~

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From the start of spring until the autumn harvest, more than half a year has passed.

The appearance of Ge Village has changed too, setting aside individual cases like Secretary Qian’s family, every household in Ge Village, with their families in tow, have gone down to the fields, usually with adults toiling in the fields and children running joyfully on the field ridges.

In the meantime, a few minor disturbances occurred, but under the mediation of the village chief, these were all resolved. In no time, the autumn harvest season arrived, and every household in Ge Village wrapped towels around their heads and tied up their trouser legs, busy in the fields.

After the harvest, the field ridge presented a different scene; the children, carrying baskets, picked up stray rice stalks left behind. The village chief stood at the entrance of the village, looking at the rice grains harvested by each household, grinning so much that he nearly lost his front teeth.

On the eve of August 15th, the village chief, holding a bottle of Erguotou and a few braised pig’s feet, came knocking: "What a bumper harvest, old man, each acre yielding a full 800 pounds. After setting aside some for consumption, each family in our village can sell thousands of pounds of rice." It had been many years since the village chief had felt so cheerful, thinking that once the rice was delivered to the Agricultural Grain Station, the money would flow like water from a tap.

"It’s nothing particularly worth celebrating. Compared to the three acres of land Xiao Xian and Sister-in-law Lian had last year, the yield has dropped nearly forty percent," Zhu Shijun had also seen the newly harvested rice crop, which was significantly inferior in both grain size and husked weight.

"Old man, we shouldn’t be too greedy. It’s the first year and the villagers are still getting used to it. Just wait until we irrigate the fields with water from White Dragon Pond again and raise some grass carp; the output will increase. Tonight, let’s not talk about these vexing matters. Where’s Xiao Xian? Come out quickly, your Uncle Jin has brought you some tasty pig’s feet," the village chief yelled into the house.

"No need to call. The child has recently been to see Master Li engraving silver; he won’t be back until it’s dark," Zhu Shijun watched as Xiao Xian gradually made some close friends, feeling as warm inside as if he had drunk half a liter of strong liquor.

Outside Ge Village, the setting sun had just passed the crown of the ancient locust tree at the village head, and the sun-dried rice grains on the ground gleamed in the sunlight.

In Dongnan Miao Village, Yezi and Xiao Xian watched unblinkingly at the movements of Li Quqi’s hands.

The silver making lamp emitted a long flame, and Li Quqi’s hand trembled slightly. The Silver Water that had not yet had time to cool and solidify was disturbed, and with another flick of his wrist, a chrysanthemum-shaped piece of silver was drawn out. The silver petals made by Li Quqi differed from others’; they were not hammered but intricately drawn with meticulous strokes.

About twenty minutes later, a dainty wild daisy-shaped silver flower emerged in his hand, "Incredible," Xiao Xian watched, her mouth agape.

"That’s nothing. The dragons my father carves are truly beautiful, lifelike, as if they were real," Yezi bragged, as if both the silver flower and some silver dragon had emerged directly from his own hands.

"What are you so proud of? A few days ago, in Master Shan Yin’s class, when we were asked to draw a chicken, you had no idea what it turned into; the whole class laughed at you," Xiao Xian stood on tiptoe and scratched Yezi’s nose. She hadn’t grown much taller over the year, but Yezi, like the wild grass on the field ridge, had shot up rapidly.

"I drew it based on the appearance of Little Pig. That’s just what a turkey looks like," Yezi was unyielding. In that classroom, he had secretly smuggled Little Pig into his arms, drawing each line true to form, yet when the drawing was finished, not one person, including Master Shan Yin, identified it as a chicken.

"Yezi, stop lazing around, go carve a magpie pattern. You’re always slacking off," earlier this year, Li Quqi had replaced the traditional bellows in the silver workshop with a foot-operated one, sparing Yezi the grueling task of pumping the bellows.

"Xiao Xian, why don’t you give it a try? Just carve something simple like a plum blossom. Just model it after the ’engraved plum’ on your bracelet," like Yezi’s mother, Li Quqi was very fond of the clever and articulate girl Xiao Xian.

As it grew darker, Li Quqi urged the two children to stop their work; it was time for dinner.

"Yezi, did you carve a magpie?" Li Quqi’s face stiffened, while Yezi laughed and darted out of the workshop.