A bunch of energetic teenagers joined the autumn harvest, and Shen Miaomiao finally dusted off her hands after appreciating her achievements.
Just as she turned, one of her little radish soldiers appeared, and she caught the unwavering gaze of the frail, weak-waisted educated youth fixed intently on her.
Compared to yesterday, a faint blush now warmed his once-pale skin, and his face glowed with the freshness after a night of rest. His clothes were crisp, spotless, and without a single patch. Gracefully and quietly, he stood with a refined air and understated elegance.
He truly looked every bit of a beautiful young master: a touch aloof, a hint distant, yet surrounded by a gentle aura that softened his presence.
Before she could discern the emotions on that delicate face, he shifted his eyes down, breaking their eye contact.
"Sister," called a little radish, followed by a few calls of 'Little aunt'.
"How is it?"
One of the children tugged at her pants and whispered, 'He gave me candies. This much!' while introducing Shen Zhiqing to her. "We are taking him to Aunt Dongmei!"
Gesturing with their hands, this pack of little humans tries hard to 'subtly' hint at the fruits of their labour.
"He wants cotton!"
"Two sisters went to the commune! Also a brother."
"We took them to the old carpenter."
"And the blind grandma!"
"The new sisters and brothers need a lot."
"Also gives a lot!"
"Me too. Me too."
"Also me."
"This brother, he's, he's… generous!"
"Right! Generous!"
They fluttered their eyes, blinking and trying to wink with an expression of, 'you get it? Right? Right?'
Shen Miaomiao laughed.
"Ok. Good work. Be careful." She touched their heads one by one and then nodded as a greeting to Shen Zhiqing.
Staring at the back of the person walking further away, Shen Miaomiao curled her lips.
She wonders how long such a young master can withstand the endless toiling in fields before he starts looking for a way out. Hopefully, he won't be as timid as he looks. It would be a disappointment if he did not even dare to think about crooked ways.
Around noon, she helped her sisters-in-law deliver food to the fields, taking her time to admire her 'captives' as they bowed, bent, and sweated. She grinned with delight whenever those second-rate rascals shot her a glare.
This, of course, earned them a sounding smack on the arm, courtesy of the ever-watchful aunts and uncles supervising everyone in line.
As elders, they could only sigh in confusion. How can these little bastards do this every year and still not grow any wiser? Don't they see that Shen Miaomiao treats the harvest season as a special event, openly hunting them down for a reasonable beating?
If Shen Miaomiao knew what they were confused about, she would shrug that the rebellious spirit of teenagers was an inextinguishable fire since time immemorial.
As soon as the work in the field wrapped up, Shen Miaomiao darted after her elder brother, who, rather than heading home for a break, made a beeline for the old carpenter's house.
The newly arrived educated youths ordered some ready-made furniture in the morning, which will be delivered today.
Not wanting her brother to collapse from exhaustion, Shen Miaomiao rallied her army of little radishes. Although these kids also went to work in the fields, the Cadres and leaders wouldn't really treat them as mature laborers and only assigned them light tasks.
On the other hand, their boss was the real black hearted one.
Since they still have energy to squish after the field work, Shen Miaomiao saw this as an opportunity: more part-time jobs for them! After all, she, Shen Miaomiao, would never waste the available and ready-made helpers.
The work in the village simply never ends.
At this time, these little radishes also exchange the intelligence they gathered about the newly arrived educated youth after the whole morning of accompanying them.
"Four of them rented the rooms."
"Four rooms?"
"No. No. Three rooms. The two big brothers live together."
"They can fit?!"
"My brother kicked me off the kang and I'm only this big!"
Some shrugged off the issue of two grown men squeezed into one room, brushing the matter aside without a second thought, and tried to grab the conversation by talking louder.
"The big sister with long braids has this many candies!"
"She's rich–!" The brat was slapped and changed his wording. "---generous!"
"The other sister, that one with short hair. She gave me coins! One cent!"
"Oooohhhh!!!"
"That! That glasses big brother, I took him around the village and he brought a lot!"
"Is he one of the two big guys in one room?"
"Yeah. Yeah."
"Did he pay? He didn't borrow, right? No, they can't borrow. Grandpa said they are not allowed to borrow!"
"Nonono. Grandpa said we can't let them borrow!"
"It's not to give them anything or it won't return."
"That's the same thing."
"You remember wrong!"
"Not me! It's Erniu who remembers wrong!"
"What did I say wrong?!"
Then a bunch of kids wrestle after failing to battle it out with words.
The older ones are a lot more stable, busy with their hands and feet.
"I heard the other calling him cousin."
"The other guy was just smiling the whole way. Oh, he also talks a lot."
"He doesn't pay, he doesn't help, he's cheap!"
Shen Miaomiao let them chatter and draw their own conclusions, stepping in only when she sensed some tricks. That cousin fellow, for instance, might be all talk and no work, but who knows how fast his brain can run. She warned them not to be sweet-talked into trouble!
If they are sold, she won't help pay!
Before they reached the educated youth spot, Shen Miaomiao gestured for them to shut up.
The instant the old educated youths spotted Shen Miaomiao swaggering in, they stiffened in alarm, and the young men looked almost ready to bolt at any moment.
Over the past few days, this little ancestor of the Shen family had been lingering around their doorstep, growing bolder and more conspicuous with each passing day.
Adding the latest rumor in the brigade, it seems like she has finally set her sights on a target among their educated youth!