Splendid peasant girl busy farming

Chapter 11969

Liu's eyes lit up. "Qing'er, did you hear that? You'll give it to me once you get this money back?"

Yang Ruoqing remained noncommittal. She was certain that the money had to be returned. It would be better to use it to buy snacks for Liu Shi than to give it to Mai Lao Er and the others. Why should she spend money on people like Mai Lao Er and Tie Shi? The more Yang Ruoqing thought about it, the angrier she became.

With Yang Ruoqing's tacit approval, Liu was overjoyed and eager to get her revenge immediately.

But she held back, because she wanted to hear what Yang Ruoqing and the others were going to say next.

As a result, Yang Ruoqing stood up and said, "Dad, my idea is that you should only concern yourself with this part and help him find a doctor. Don't interfere in the rest!"

"The Lunar New Year is just over ten days away. If you have some free time, please organize the able-bodied men in the village to shovel snow and ice around the village!"

"Those snowdrifts piled up on the road, and when the sun shone on them, they became wet and made it very easy to slip and fall."

"If any of our elderly relatives slip and fall, causing serious injury, it will only add to the chaos during the holidays!"

Yang Huazhong felt ashamed, realizing that he, as the village head, was doing useless work.

"Okay, I'll get the people organized and do something practical as soon as possible."

Wang Hongtao said, "Third brother, I'll be your assistant!"

"Okay, thank you so much, Brother Hongtao!"

Wang Hongtao is a few years older than Yang Huazhong, which can be inferred from the fact that Yang Ruoqing calls his youngest son, Wang Liang, "Baozi Brother".

If the two families were to be ranked according to seniority, Yang Huamei would call Wang Hongtao her uncle, and Yang Huazhong would also have to call him uncle.

However, Yang Huazhong and Wang Hongtao had always addressed each other as "brother" before, so later they each called each other by their own names. If Yang Huamei were here, and she and Yang Huazhong, the brother and sister, were to call Wang Hongtao together, there would be two titles: "Brother Hongtao" and "Uncle Hongtao"...

Everyone dispersed, and Liu also ran off in a hurry; she had now transformed into a debt collector.

In the main room of the third house, only Yang Ruoqing and her father Yang Huazhong sat facing each other. Yang Ruoqing suppressed her smile and looked at Yang Huazhong with a serious expression.

Yang Huazhong suddenly became hesitant to look up at Yang Ruoqing, and the air inexplicably became somewhat awkward and tense.

“Father, I left you some leeway in front of them before, but now that they’re not here, I really have to tell you seriously that I won’t say a single unnecessary word about your kindness and magnanimity to people who are equally grateful.”

"For scum like Mai Lao Er and Tie Shi, next time even if they faint at your feet, can you just ignore them?"

Yang Huazhong had been listening attentively to Yang Ruoqing, but when he heard the last sentence, the corner of his mouth twitched slightly.

“If someone really faints right next to me, I… I should at least react a little…” Yang Huazhong stammered. “Although I know that my ability and courage are not enough to be a qualified village head, as an ordinary villager in Changping Village, I can’t just stand by and watch someone faint at my feet without helping them up. That would be refusing to help someone in distress, and people would talk behind my back.”

Yang Ruoqing rolled her eyes twice in her mind.

Well, Yang Huazhong, this cheapskate father, may not have learned anything else, but he certainly learned how to argue shrewdly.

"Dad, I was just using an analogy," Yang Ruoqing felt a deep sense of powerlessness. Let alone the Mai couple, even if you encountered a stranger struggling to die on the street, people with a sound moral compass would usually stop and look at the latter with concern and try to help, right?

“Hey, just using an analogy is fine. Although most of what you said is correct, and Dad won’t argue with you, we can’t be too cold-blooded,” Yang Huazhong continued. “Whether it’s you or myself, the principles we’ve learned from our elders since childhood are that we must first and foremost be kind, upright, open-minded, and righteous. When dealing with others, we should adhere to the principle that suffering a loss is a blessing, and try not to hold grudges if possible. No matter what the other person does, at least we can have a clear conscience…”

Yang Ruoqing had been rolling her eyes inwardly, but now she couldn't help but roll them onto her eyelids.

"Dad, I don't deny your point, but I want to tell you that if a person always plays the role of the one who believes that taking a loss is a blessing when dealing with others, then over time, the people around him will automatically leave the position of taking a loss to him. Because you can take a loss, you will have an endless number of losses to suffer. Frying, steaming, boiling, stewing, you will find different ways to suffer losses!"

Yang Huazhong fell silent after Yang Ruoqing's words, because he recalled that he had always been at a disadvantage in his dealings with others over the years.

Although he himself never cared, if this kind of loss was met with others' 'taken-for-granted' attitude, then he would feel uncomfortable.

Seeing Yang Huazhong's expression, Yang Ruoqing realized that she had probably gone too far with her words earlier, and she didn't want to continue arguing about principles of conduct.

Because everyone has their own way of dealing with the world, and if you couldn't change it when you were young, by this age, in your early fifties, after living most of your life, these concepts of how to conduct yourself will inevitably become more and more deeply rooted, so there is even less need to change them.

Yang Ruoqing had lost the will to change their minds early on, and this was just a matter of discussing the matter at hand, which involved Mai Lao Er, so she said a few more words.

"Dad, let's leave the matter of the second son of the Mai family here. Let's focus our attention elsewhere."

"For example, during the Spring Festival, or when the village is shoveling snow."

"Furthermore, now that the snow has stopped, Da'an, his wife, and their children should be preparing to return to the village."

With the topic shifted, a look of relief appeared on Yang Huazhong's face.

Yang Huazhong's face lit up with anticipation when he heard that Da'an and the others were preparing to return to the village for the Spring Festival.

“It’s good that you’re back, but I’m worried that the road from Changhuaizhou is covered in ice and snow, and the carriage won’t work properly, just like the year before last, when our carriage got stuck near Wanghai County…”

Despite Yang Huazhong's concerns, Yang Ruoqing was completely unconcerned this year.

"Don't worry, Father. Not only are there people specifically responsible for shoveling the snow on the official roads, but even those official roads far from the post station will be cleared in time. This year's return to the village by Da'an is different from previous years."

Different?

Yang Huazhong was completely confused. How could it be different? Wasn't it still just Da'an and Xiaohua, a married couple, with three children?
Seeing Yang Huazhong's incredibly slow reaction time, Yang Ruoqing felt utterly helpless.

My dad's brain works way too slowly. She has to break everything down into tiny, intricate details before he can understand.

“Father, although Da’an was the top scholar in the imperial examination in previous years, he was just an editor in the Hanlin Academy and had no real power.”

"This year is different. The governor of Changhuai Prefecture is returning to his hometown with his family for the New Year. Just think about it, all the officials along the way are more cunning than monkeys. They have already figured out the governor's route home. They will definitely clear the official road that the carriage will take and leave no obstacles!"

……

Yang Ruoqing did not continue to dwell on the previous topic with Yang Huazhong, because Yang Huazhong was already preparing to do two things.

The first thing to do is to go to the village and call Wang Hongtao, so that he can gather the people to shovel snow, count how many people there are, and then assign the snow shoveling tasks.

While Wang Hongtao was gathering people, Yang Huazhong went to the grassland to pick up Sun Shi.

Yang Ruoqing also returned to the Luo family.

As noon approached, the kitchen in the Luo family's backyard was already burning firewood to cook, the aroma filling the air and attracting stray cats and dogs from the neighborhood. At these times, the two children were always the most excited. They would take out the leftover food they had prepared beforehand and put it in a large iron basin at the base of the backyard wall to feed the stray cats and dogs.

Furthermore, fearing that they might freeze to death in such frigid weather, the two children even found wooden boxes, tiles, and planks, and had Luo the blacksmith and Ping An make temporary cat and dog kennels in a sheltered spot under the outer wall of the Luo family's backyard.

At this moment, the aroma of food wafted out, and a grand feast was about to unfold at the foot of the backyard wall.

Yang Ruoqing went over and took a look, but didn't get closer, afraid that she would disturb the furry children if she went near.

With Tuan Tuan and Yuan Yuan both present, the two little ones especially enjoy the pleasure of feeding the furry friends.

But today's feeding included not only Tuan Tuan Yuan Yuan, but also Mai Li Er.

Mai Li'er is now inseparable from the two little ones, not only taking care of their safety but also teaching them things anytime, anywhere.

Teaching them subtly through play and companionship is a better approach than Yang Ruoqing's serious lecturing, as it is less likely to provoke resistance or resentment.

Of course, Yang Ruoqing and Luo Fengtang could not completely entrust the education of their child to others. They would fulfill their responsibilities and obligations as parents, if not more.

……

Yang Ruoqing exchanged a glance with Mai Li'er from a distance, then turned and went to the kitchen.

The cooking in the kitchen was in full swing; today's lunch consisted of steamed white rice, and three or four pots were filled.

There are three kinds of hot pot: meatballs, meat patties, quail eggs and mushrooms; spicy hot pot: crucian carp and radish; and a side dish of salted duck leg, lettuce and tofu skin.

There's a wide variety of stir-fried vegetables available, including cabbage, lotus root, and potatoes.

"Excellent! These dishes are perfect for this kind of weather; they'll give me energy!"

"Everyone has worked hard! Is there anything I can do to help?" Yang Ruoqing asked again, while rolling up her sleeves, ready to step in at any time.

Rong Gu shook her head: "It will be time to eat in the time it takes for an incense stick to burn. Everything is almost done, so there's no need to dirty Madam's hands."

Yang Ruoqing thought for a moment and said, "Okay, I'll go and call them over for dinner."

She first went to call Wang Cuilian and Luo the blacksmith; the elderly couple were in their own side room, not in the main room.

The two talked inside with the doors and windows closed. When Yang Ruoqing walked to the door, she slowed down and made her steps lighter.

Because from their deliberately hushed conversation, she could tell that the two elders seemed to be arguing about something.

It's normal for couples to disagree; even teeth and tongue can clash. Even married couples are still separate individuals.

Therefore, it is normal for ideas to clash, even between Yang Ruoqing and Luo Fengtang; neither is simply echoing the other.

Yang Ruoqing didn't want to eavesdrop on the conversation, because it was a private matter between the elderly couple.

However, just as she turned to leave, Wang Cuilian's voice suddenly rose a notch inside the room, allowing Yang Ruoqing to overhear the contents of the conversation.

"What's wrong with you, old man? Are you senile? I've already told you that the day after tomorrow is the day your second wife's daughter is getting married. Why do you have to pick this day to go to Zhoujia Village?"

Outside, Yang Ruoqing raised an eyebrow. So, it turned out that her uncle and aunt were arguing about her uncle's trip to Zhoujia Village to visit Aunt Da'e.
Yang Ruoqing stopped and listened intently.

Then Luo the blacksmith explained, "Why are you in such a hurry, old woman? What are you yelling about? If the children hear this, they'll think something's wrong with us!"

The room fell silent for a short while. After about seven or eight breaths, Wang Cuilian's voice rang out again. She was no longer shouting as before, but the irritation in her tone was very obvious.

"Old man, I'm not stopping you from going to Zhoujia Village. I know that even though you're at home these days, your heart is with your sister!"

"What I mean is that Yongjin's family will marry off two daughters the day after tomorrow!"

"I know they have important business to attend to. I haven't forgotten. I won't delay my own business. I'm going to Zhoujia Village tomorrow!"

"You're going tomorrow, but what if you don't come back? Their banquet is the day after tomorrow morning! Will you make it in time?"

"Don't worry, I'll be back by tomorrow evening. I promise I won't interfere with the second wife's affairs!"

The elderly couple argued about the matter, each sticking to their own opinion, and for a moment they were evenly matched.

Yang Ruoqing stood at the door waiting and listening, but it didn't seem right. It was too cold, and she had to call out to them.

Just then, Luo Fengtang came up from behind and asked, "Qing'er, why are you standing at the door?"

He had just gone to the kitchen in the backyard to look for her, but couldn't find her, so he guessed that she had come here to call for the two elders, so he came over as well.

When they arrived, they found Yang Ruoqing standing at the door, neither going in nor backing out.

Yang Ruoqing made a 'shh' gesture at him and quickly walked towards him.

Luo Fengtang stood there, blinking, his eyes full of confusion.

Yang Ruoqing tiptoed close to his ear and whispered a few words, and Luo Fengtang's face showed a look of realization.

“It’s nothing serious,” Luo Fengtang said. “Come on, I’ll go talk to them.”

After saying that, he took Yang Ruoqing's hand and led her to Luo the blacksmith's room, while calling out, "Uncle, Aunt, dinner is ready."

The argument in the side room stopped abruptly; clearly, both elders were scrambling to compose themselves.

At the same time, Wang Cuilian whispered a reminder to Luo the blacksmith: "Let's not talk about this for now. Let's talk about it after the important matter in the second wife's house is settled. Don't cause trouble for the children!"

Luo the blacksmith hummed in agreement.

Soon, the door to the side room opened, and Wang Cuilian came out first, her expression as usual.

"Okay, coming right now." After saying that, she turned around and called out to the house behind her, "Old man, come out when you've changed your shoes. Qing'er and Tang Yazi came to call us for dinner."

(End of this chapter)