The Country Maiden: Fields and Leisure
Chapter 373 - 374: Why Not Beautify Yourself to the Heavens?

Chapter 373: Chapter 374: Why Not Beautify Yourself to the Heavens?

Wang Laozhu was even worried that if he ate slowly, he wouldn’t be able to get a second helping soon, so he just kept his head down and slurped the noodles, fearing that speaking two more words would waste precious time.

He just nodded casually and grunted a few times in response.

The people planning to mooch a meal also felt awkward; at a peasant family’s dinner, it wouldn’t matter much if you took a steamed bun and returned a pancake later. That seemed fair.

But the Wang Family was eating chicken soup noodles, with actual pieces of chicken visible and the noodles made of white flour—clearly they had gone the extra mile.

After eating such a meal, what could you offer in return?

So, after a couple more compliments and with the scent of chicken soup filling their senses, they slowly returned to their own fields, eating the rice from their own bowls.

In no time at all, the two large basins of noodles were wiped clean.

After Song Chongjin finished his noodles, he washed his bowl clean in the ditch and scooped himself a bowl of mung bean soup. With a sip, he tasted its sweetness and a hint of coolness. Noticing beads of water on the exterior of the wooden barrel, he guessed it must have been chilled in well water.

On such a hot day, after a full meal, drinking a bowl of this chilling mung bean soup was just too satisfying.

Seeing Song Chongjin drink the mung bean soup, the other members of the Wang Family also went to rinse their bowls before serving themselves. However, someone like Wang Yonggui, who wasn’t particular, simply scooped it directly into his bowl and gulped it down in a few mouthfuls.

He smacked his lips and said, "Today’s noodles are delicious! Mom, who made them? They don’t seem like Xiao Lian’s handiwork. Could it be my sister-in-law’s?"

As he said this, he somewhat doubted his own words. Lady Lin was known among the Wang Family to be strong and good at heavy labor, but as for sewing, cooking, and the like, that really wasn’t her forte.

Yet, after decades of eating his own mother’s cooking, Wang Yonggui could tell this wasn’t her handy work either.

Old Granny Zhang was both smug and proud, "Pah! Her? It’s a good day if she can manage to cook the rice without burning it! This is your sister’s skill! Your sister follows my lead, picks up anything I teach her quickly. Hmph, weren’t you the ones yesterday, scared that Zhuzhu would smash the pot? And now, look how eagerly you all are eating, as if you haven’t eaten in eight lifetimes!"

Wang Yonggui was completely at a loss with his mother’s favoritism. Who was it that had opposed letting his sister into the kitchen the day before, fearing she would get overheated or smoked out?

How come it had now become his wife and eldest brother’s wife fault?

The little kids, especially the food-lover Jinguan, now looked at Wang Yongzhu with even more eagerness than they would their own parents, "Auntie, your cooking is so delicious! From now on, let’s have Auntie cook for us every day!"

Old Granny Zhang smacked him with a chopstick, "Stop talking nonsense! You should be grateful you have something to eat at all. And now you want your aunt to cook for you every day? Why don’t you wish for the moon, too? She’s supposed to earn money to support you, and on top of that, cook your meals? Might as well spoil you rotten! If I hear such talk again, you’ll get a couple of slaps on the ear from me!"

Jinguan stuck out his tongue and hid behind Wang Yongfu, relishing the memory of the chicken soup noodles and daring not to make another sound.

Although everyone felt the same inside, after Old Granny Zhang’s scolding, they knew it was impossible and were too embarrassed to say anything more.

Only Wang Yonggui, with a shameless expression, said, "Mom, I won’t say it anymore, but during the busy harvest season, can you let sister cook for us for a few days? That’s fair, isn’t it?"

Old Granny Zhang indeed thought that her daughter’s cooking was delicious, but she also felt deeply for her; after all, it was no easy task for a delicate young woman to cook three meals a day for over a dozen people.

Men always assume that kitchen work is easy, but only women understand how suffocatingly hot it can get in there during such weather.

Her daughter hadn’t endured this hardship in past years, and she most certainly shouldn’t this year either.

So, seeing Laosan give that greedy look, she got fired up and pummeled him right then and there.

Lady Sun sat far off to the side, only daring to sit on the edge of the shady area.

She had managed to snag a bowl of the chicken noodle soup earlier, and it was the tastiest meal she’d ever had at the Wang Family.

At the moment, looking into Wang Yongzhu’s eyes, she was filled with complex emotions.

Song Chongjin glanced over warily, prompting Lady Sun to quickly lower her head.

Wang Yongzhu persuaded Old Granny Zhang, who eventually agreed. She’d take responsibility for cooking lunch and dinner during the next few days of the autumn harvest, to which the Wang Family immediately responded.

After everyone had their fill and rested for a while, they waited for the stifling heat of midday to pass before heading back out to the fields.

Exhausted, they exchanged a few words of small talk and then each found a spot to lie down, seizing the opportunity for a brief rest.

This was the way of peasant households. A glance across the scene would reveal others already sprawled out on the ground, snoring away. Only the children had the energy to run around and play without minding the heat, chasing after butterflies and insects in the distance.

Old Granny Zhang couldn’t resist the pull of sleep either, and dozed off leaning against a tree.

Wang Yongzhu carefully gathered up the bowls and chopsticks, placing them in the bamboo basket to wash later.

Glancing over at the paddy fields, the harvested rice stalks were neatly bundled and standing in the center of the field, ready for transport back to their family’s grain drying ground.

Their own cart stood parked on the ridge of the paddy field.

Tethered to a small tree, the mule leisurely munched on some wild grass.

Wang Yongzhu quietly left the paddy field, but hadn’t taken more than a few steps when she heard a rustle behind her. She turned to see Song Chongjin, who’d been sitting with a feigned drowsiness, skillfully rise to his feet and follow her silently down from the field.

"Why have you come down to the field? Get back, the mud is full of leeches." Song Chongjin reached out to pull Wang Yongzhu back.

Dodging Song Chongjin’s outstretched hand, Wang Yongzhu replied, "I’m just sitting idle anyway. I’ll move the bound rice stalks to the cart, then when my Eldest Brother wakes up, we can transport them straight home." As she spoke, she glanced over at Lady Sun out of the corner of her eye.

Lady Sun seemed to be asleep, leaning against Wang Yonggui with her eyes closed.

"How has Lady Sun been behaving today?" Wang Yongzhu asked as she reached the paddy field and effortlessly lifted two bundles of rice stalks to carry them to the cart.

Song Chongjin shook his head and followed behind her. His energy was greatly depleted from bending over all morning. Seeing Wang Yongzhu able to carry two bundles of rice stalks, he hesitated and then grabbed one in each hand as well. But as soon as he exerted himself, he nearly sprained his back.

His first reflex was to glance at Wang Yongzhu to see if she’d noticed.

Song Chongjin discreetly let out a sigh of relief.

Deciding not to overdo it, he picked up a single bundle and followed behind Wang Yongzhu, saying, "I think Lady Sun is about to lose her patience. It’s just a matter of days now."

Wang Yongzhu nodded.

As the sun grew less intense and everyone had taken a short break, they revived a bit of energy and strength.

Gathering their sickles and tools, they were just about to return to the fields when Wang Yongfu got excited, "Look, our rice—"

Following the direction he pointed, they saw that all the bound rice in the Wang family’s field had already been moved to the cart and was neatly arranged.

No need to wonder, it was surely Wang Yongzhu’s doing.