CH 29.2

Chapter 29: Harvest Wheat Part 1 (2) Original translation is from tenderflower's blog.

Shu Maoting glanced back. He deliberately slowed down, walked on his wife’s left, blocked the dazzling sunlight with his slightly thin shoulders, and looked at his wife’s eyes with subtle guilt. She was a spoiled eldest lady. However, she gave up her wealth and accompanied him to this village to live a hard life.

Feeling her husband’s consideration, Qin-shi’s beautiful face had a faint blush. Although she was already the mother of three children, years had not left many traces on her. In Shu Maoting’s eyes, even though his wife’s face was slightly darker and her once delicate hands were covered with thin calluses, she was still the bold girl who chased him to Qin’s door with a red face and asked him if he was married.

Perhaps, if he hadn’t left in a rage at that time, he could have given her wealth now.

No, in that case, he wouldn’t have met her at all.

Shu Maoting smiled gently, raised his hand, and pulled down the brim of the hat for his wife.

Xiao Lang, Shu Lan, and Shu Wan walked behind them. Except for the lazy girl who bowed her head and took a nap, the other two noticed the interaction between Shu Maoting and Qin-shi.

Shu Wan pursed her lips and smiled. She always felt like her father and mother were the happiest couples in the village. No matter how much medical fees her father brought home, her mother always greeted him with a smile. No matter how grumpy her mother was, her father would listen carefully until her mother was embarrassed and the fire was extinguished...

Xiao Lang lowered his eyes and glanced at Shu Lan who was walking in his shadow.

She was wearing a water-green shirt and skirt today. She held Shu Wan in one hand and carried the small basket that Qin-shi had specially bought for her in the other hand, which she kept for picking up wheat ears later. On her head was a new bright yellow straw hat because she lowered her head, revealing only a small smooth chin and a large snow-white neck. Xiao Lang could imagine her expression under the hat. She must be sleepy and dazed.

“Ah Lan, let me hold the basket for you.”

Xiao Lang said in a low voice. Without waiting for Shu Lan to answer, he reached for the basket in her hand and touched her small hand deliberately. It was dry and cool just as he thought. The lazy girl had always been afraid of cold and not heat. In winter, she couldn’t wait to stay in the warm bed all day long, and she wouldn’t come out without being beaten. It didn’t matter to her in summer. No matter how hot it was, she could sleep peacefully. She didn’t sweat like other people when she walked, and her body was cool, so he just wanted to hug her in the summer heat.

Unfortunately, now was not the time to take advantage of it. He rubbed the back of her white and tender hand with nostalgia and snatched the basket over.

It took a while for Shu Lan to react. She tilted her head and glanced at Xiao Lang. Her eyes were a little blank. She couldn’t figure out why Xiao Lang helped her. Fortunately, she had always been too lazy to think, so she quickly lowered her head and continued to sleep while walking.

There was a row of poplar trees on the field. Shu Wan spread a cloth and let her younger sister sit on it. She stood next to Xiao Lang and prepared to pluck the wheat. Although it was easier to cut with a sickle, the wheat stubble remained in the ground and it still needed to be turned over again to plant late-ripening corn. It was better to pull it by hand.

“Sister Wan, you can pick wheat ears with Ah Lan later. You don’t need to do this kind of work.” Xiao Lang stood in front of her. No matter what Shu Wan said, he would not let her do it.

Shu Wan reluctantly looked at Xiao Lang, who was as tall as her. She had no choice but to say: “Okay, I won’t pull it, but I’ll tie the wheat assembly for you, that doesn’t require strength!” She had a look of insisting on doing something.

Hearing the movement here, Qin-shi turned around and said to Xiao Lang: “Ah Lang, you can let your sister Wan help you. She didn’t want to be idle!” The two daughters were so different in temper. One of them took the initiative to work for her, and the other was willing to help pick wheat ears after coaxing her with apricots... If only they could be even!

Xiao Lang was also aware of Shu Wan’s temperament, so he nodded in agreement. He bent down and started to work. The speed was no slower than that of Shu Maoting, and with Shu Wan tied the wheat for him, the two of them were actually one step ahead.

When the six of Zhang-shi and others passed by, they could see Xiao Lang working hard from a distance.

Xiao Yongjiang pretended not to see and strode forward. Xiao Shouyun frowned but didn’t say anything. Cuihe led her younger brother silently follow behind them, only Zhang-shi and her youngest daughter Lianhua slowed down.

8-year-old Lianhua pouted in dissatisfaction, pulled Zhang-shi’s sleeve, and asked: “Mother, why is the brother working for others and not for us?”

She didn’t know Xiao Lang was her brother before, and she was simply jealous that Shu Lan had two boys to support her. Especially when she snatched Shu Lan of something, whether it was Xiao Lang or Shu Zhan, they would help Shu Lan. And once, when she was pushed down by Shu Zhan, her mother ran over from a distance and scolded Xiao Lang for having no conscience and letting others bully his family cousin. Only then did she know that Xiao Lang was her older brother.

From then on, Lianhua would sweetly be coquettish with Xiao Lang, hoping to snatch him back from Shu Lan. She hoped Xiao Lang would pamper her, braid her hair when her hair was messy and carried her when she was too lazy to walk. But, no matter how hard she tried, Xiao Lang would only look at her with disgust. Lianhua was so angry because she couldn’t do anything about Xiao Lang, so she spread all her grievances on Shu Lan, believing that Shu Lan stole what belonged to her.

Now that the Shu family had come out, the lazy girl must’ve come too.

She looked at the field, and sure enough, she found Shu Lan leaning against a tree and dozing off.

Such a lazy person, apart from being beautiful, what else could she compare to her?

The jealousy that did not match her age flashed in Lianhua’s eyes. Taking advantage of Zhang-shi’s inattentiveness, she quickly picked up an egg-sized stone on the side of the road. The surface of the stone was uneven and if it was hit, it would be very painful, right?

Looking at the busy people in the field with their heads lowered, after walking past the Shu family’s field, she used all her strength and threw the stone at Shu Lan’s head fiercely!