Chapter 103: Chapter 103
The five siblings worked enthusiastically for a while, each panting heavily. Once the sun rose, the weather turned warm, and they were all wearing new cotton clothes and pants, sweating slightly.
"Let’s rest for a bit, I’m exhausted!" Bai Ruxue waved her hand broadly, even though she was accustomed to this kind of work, she was tired enough to want to sleep right then and there.
"Big sister, I’ve gotten unused to resting this winter! I’m wiped out!" Bai Ruxia heard her sister call for a break and plopped down on the cold ground.
Bai Ruxue stopped shaking the dirt loose and straightened up, but her face was still not looking good; she stood without sitting down.
In the past, when Grandma Bai caused a ruckus in the house, Bai Ruyun would be pale with fear, as she hated arguments, let alone fights.
"Big sister, you rest, Little Chuan and I will do more work!" Bai Rushan showed no intention of stopping, and although Bai Ruchuan was noisy at times, he was diligent when it came to work, and the two brothers coordinated seamlessly.
"Big sister, I’ll help my brother dig out the roots, and then the three of you can shake off the dirt and fill the sacks!" Bai Ruchuan spoke up.
"You two come and rest too; big sister brought some snacks, let’s eat together!" Bai Ruxue took out a packet of candied peanuts, concealed by her clothing.
"Wow, big sister, you still have those candied peanuts? I love them! I thought they were all gone!" Bai Ruxia quickly stood up and ran over to Bai Ruxue.
"Come on, Xiao Yun, you have some too!" Bai Ruxue had noticed Bai Ruyun’s pale face earlier but hadn’t mentioned it. She wanted Bai Ruyun to face her fears rather than avoid them, hoping for her siblings to become independent.
"Alright, I’m coming, big sister!" Bai Ruyun said softly and gently, moving over.
The two brothers were initially motivated to work, but hearing about snacks got them to drop their shovels and rush over.
"Big sister, these candied peanuts taste better than candy; they’re sweet and fragrant!" Bai Ruchuan exclaimed, munching on the candied peanuts from Bai Ruxue’s hand.
"I love them too, but candy is better; you can savor it longer, keeping sweetness in your mouth!" Bai Ruxia added.
Every time they ate, these amusing duo would talk non-stop, even debating over whether pork or chicken bones tasted better, leaving Bai Ruxue half amused and half exasperated.
They’re not dogs, so why are they so keen on eating bones, savoring them as if they were delicacies?
Meanwhile, Bai Rushan looked deep in thought and introspective, while Bai Ruyun simply laughed softly, watching her siblings entertain each other.
The scene repeated itself as Bai Ruxia and Bai Ruchuan intensely debated whether candy or candied peanuts were tastier.
While the five revelled in their snacks, Bai Ruyu approached quietly, with Bai Ruying trailing behind.
"Big sister, what are you eating?" Bai Ruyu gingerly observed for a while; Bai Ruxue knew she was there but pretended not to notice.
There were many people in the field, and she had no intention of hiding the snacks; after all, candied peanuts were not that rare and could be bought if you had money.
However, Bai Ruxue’s indifference got the better of Bai Ruyu; seeing half the pack of candied peanuts gone, she couldn’t help but salivate.
"Why does it matter to you what we’re eating?" Bai Ruxia noticed the voices and realized Bai Ruyu and her brother had arrived.
Since Bai Rusheng was only six, he was not expected to work, so only the two of them came.
"I... I’m just here to take a look!" Bai Ruyu stammered, somewhat wary since the last reprimand.
"You won’t give us any snacks; I’ll tell Grandma!" Bai Ruying, forgetful as ever, got frustrated at not getting any treats.
"Go ahead! By the time you tell her and she comes to take them, we’ll have eaten everything already!" Bai Ruxue said lightly, tossing another candied peanut into her mouth, crunching happily.
The sight nearly had Bai Ruyu and her brother drooling.
"Big... big sister, can you give me one to try? Just one!" Bai Ruyu eagerly approached, pleading.
Their faces soured; the siblings particularly disliked their uncle’s children, so their expressions were never friendly upon seeing them.
Bai Ruxue gave a mischievous smile, "It’s not impossible to give you some, but..."
She drew out her words, keeping them in suspense.
"But what, big sister?" Bai Ruyu asked impatiently, not waiting for Bai Ruxue to finish.
Bai Ruying refrained from mentioning telling Grandma, waiting eagerly nearby!
"But! You’ll have to work to earn them! See? You’ll each clear a row of land, and once finished, I’ll give you five peanuts each!" Bai Ruxue pointed to the field ahead.
A row of land was quite a bit. They had three hundred meters per row.
It would take them half an hour to clear a row without resting.
"Big sister, isn’t that too much? What if you finish eating by the time we’re done?" Bai Ruyu, ever crafty, worried about this possibility.
"Worried? Then just go back! We can eat and work on our own!" Bai Ruchuan said from behind. This content belongs to ɴovelfire.net
"I’ll dig!" Bai Ruying grabbed the shovel and went to dig out the corn stalk roots.
Seeing this, Bai Ruyu quickly followed, afraid she’d miss the sweets if she were a moment later.
"Big sister, if they’re working here and Grandma sees, we’ll be in trouble again..." Bai Rushan cautioned his elder sister.
"No worries; our uncle’s assigned land is far from here. These two probably made an excuse to sneak away and spotted us on their way!" Bai Ruxue had already scanned the area, making sure none of their uncle’s family was nearby.
Combining Bai Ruyun and Bai Ruying’s personalities, she deduced they must have fled for some reason or were sent back by their grandmother, fussing over them.
Grandma needn’t worry about being discovered, as it was early to finish, despite it being self-organized work; one couldn’t leave early without sacrificing their work points.
"What’s to fear? They volunteered to work for us, and we’re giving them candied peanuts in return! Even if Grandma fusses, she can’t take that away!" Bai Ruchuan, sometimes frustrated by his brother’s over-analysis of risks and benefits, interjected.
Every time something happened, his brother meticulously dissected it—do this and it’d go one way, do that and it’d go another, weighing pros and cons, unlike him who would just straightforwardly do what he wanted! Fear not?
"Alright, let them do theirs, and let’s get back to work! We can’t end the day with less than ten work points, that would be embarrassing!" Bai Ruxue stood up.
Together with the four youngsters, she resumed digging roots and shaking dirt to fill the sacks.
It was like an old ox pulling a plow, willing but lacking strength!
In no time, she was so exhausted she wanted to curse; farming was truly toil.
Her younger siblings need only wait until March 1st to be freed, going off to school without having to work, but she was stuck working, facing the dirt.
Thinking about the sweltering summer ahead, drenched in sweat, made her anxious.
She needed to think of a way to avoid fieldwork.
Eventually, Bai Ruyu and her brother spent forty minutes clearing two rows of land; Bai Ruxue rewarded them generously with a handful of candied peanuts. They went home satisfied, promising to help again in the afternoon.