They've all separated, so what does it matter to me if they get poorer and poorer?

Chapter 49 Hiring the Spring Equinox

Just thinking about working in the fields under the scorching sun, facing the loess soil with her back to the sky, makes her scalp tingle.

She can integrate well into this era, but she just can't live like a native farmer.

Doing it yourself will be exhausting; it's time to hire someone.

The scale is still small, so hiring the Spring Equinox is the perfect solution.

She was a woman, which firstly prevented any gossip about her family. She was also capable, so she didn't need to worry about anything. Hiring just one person wouldn't attract attention.
The more Xu Zhichun thought about it, the more perfect it seemed. She immediately agreed: "I was thinking of hiring someone anyway. Spring Equinox is the perfect time. Auntie, you've really brought me a pillow when I was sleepy."

"Really? That's wonderful! Thank you, thank you so much, Zhichun!"

Chunfen's mother was so happy that she smiled broadly, and Liang Chunfen also grinned from ear to ear.

Xu Zhichun added, "If it's a day's work, meals will be provided, and wages will also be paid."

"No, no, no!" Chunfen's mother was startled and hurriedly shook her head, saying firmly, "We absolutely cannot accept the wages! Zhichun, listen to your aunt, just do as your aunt says."

How could Chunfen's mother dare to ask for wages? She wouldn't even dare to ask for a full meal.

Zhichun had no idea just how much her daughter could eat.

What if she regrets it and doesn't want to hire her anymore?
There's not much farm work at home. The children's father and eldest son and his wife do it, and she sometimes lends a hand, which is enough. Being able to make a living outside during the Spring Equinox is already a great relief for the family.

Zhichun was overjoyed to agree to hire this simple-minded girl. But what if she regretted it later because she thought the girl ate too much and wanted more money?
After much discussion, Xu Zhichun had no choice but to agree to give it a try, promising to provide meals first and discuss other matters later.

Even on the Spring Equinox, my mother was still very anxious and repeatedly assured me that I didn't need to be fed a full meal, just half full would be fine, really.

Xu Zhichun was both amused and curious: Can someone really eat that much?
The work of planting sweet potatoes and potatoes could not be delayed, so Xu Zhichun made an agreement with Chunfen's mother that they would start planting the next day after the matter of selling them to the villagers was settled, and that Chunfen would come directly over at that time.

Chunfen's mother patted her chest and assured that she would definitely arrive early in the morning and would not delay her business!
When Chunfen's mother returned home and told her family about it, everyone was happy.

Especially the daughter-in-law, Xiao Mao. Although my sister-in-law is very good at housework, she also eats a lot. The few of us in the family can do the work. It doesn't matter whether she's here or not. She eats so much, it's better if she's not here at all.

It's good to go out and work and earn enough to make a living.

The thought of not getting paid made Xiao Mao a little resentful. She chuckled lightly, half-jokingly, "Look at the youngest son and daughter-in-law of the Zheng family over there, and Aunt Zhu'er and the others working with Zhichun. They must be earning quite a bit. Our Chunfen is so hardworking, yet we don't get a single penny. Thinking about it, it seems like we're losing out."

Chunfen's mother couldn't stand these words. "I shamelessly begged Zhichun for this job. If it gets ruined, there's nothing I can do."

She has been trying her best to ease the burden on the family, but if someone takes advantage of her and ends up losing everything, then she will have no complaints.

Little Mao was so frightened that she dared not say another word.

On the first day Liang Chunfen came to work, Xu Zhichun took her to farm. As expected, she worked quickly and well. Xu Zhichun planned to plant more than six acres of potatoes on the dozen or so acres of land, and plant the rest of them with sweet potatoes.

One mu of potatoes requires about two hundred jin of potatoes as seed. Besides selling them to the villagers, she can easily get another two or three hundred jin from the harbor warehouse.

More than six acres, all of them are of excellent varieties, and the harvest is already quite considerable.

She can also get dozens of kilograms of sweet potatoes, start seedlings, and then plant them. Not only can they be planted in the remaining land, but they can also be planted in the konjac fields, vegetable gardens, peanut and soybean fields, and other corners and edges.

Anyway, there will definitely be enough sweet potato vines. Planting them is like making a profit. Having some is better than having none.

With Liang Chunfen's help, Xu Zhichun felt much more relaxed. At noon, Zeng Xiaoyan and the others returned and bought meat, pork bones, and fresh pig liver for Xu Zhichun, which she wanted to eat.

After dividing the money, Zeng Xiaoyan and the others happily went home to rest for a while before going to dig for konjac. Xu Zhichun started making lunch.

Remembering what Chunfen's mother had repeatedly said about how much appetite Chunfen had, Xu Zhichun put in twice the usual amount of rice when cooking. She was full of confidence: "That should be enough, right?"

It's okay if we can't finish it all. Mingxuan and I will just have fried rice together tonight. We'll make soup with pork bones, then fry rice with shredded pork, pork liver, eggs, green peppers, a few soaked wood ear mushrooms, and chopped vegetables. Add some soy sauce, and it'll definitely be delicious.

For lunch, I'll make stir-fried liver tips, green beans with sliced ​​pork, and a soup with two eggs and chives.

Liang Chunfen assisted her, and as the aroma of stir-fried vegetables filled the wok, the simple-minded girl couldn't help but keep swallowing her saliva.

Her mother must have taught her, because she seemed to be trying very hard to control herself, her eyes not looking at the pot. But the aroma from the pot was too tempting; even without looking, it smelled so good and she really wanted to eat it.

Xu Zhichun was both amused and exasperated, and told her to turn up the fire and quickly stir-fry it.

When it was time to eat, Xu Zhichun specially served her a large bowl of rice in a large bowl.

"Come on, sit down and let's eat."

Upon seeing a large bowl of steaming white rice, Liang Chunfen's eyes widened, feeling a dizzying sense of unreality. She stammered, "Sister-in-law Zhichun, this...this is...for me?"

Xu Zhichun smiled and nodded: "Eat slowly, and don't force yourself if you can't finish."

Liang Chunfen held onto the bowl tightly, shaking it like a rattle drum, excitedly guarding her food: "I can finish it, I can finish it, Sister Zhichun, don't worry, I can finish it."

Xu Zhichun smiled and gestured for her to pick up her chopsticks and start eating.

Liang Chunfen held the bowl, head down, chopsticks constantly shoveling food into his mouth, as if driving a school of fish into a bottomless pit. Under Xu Zhichun's dumbfounded gaze, the large bowl of rice disappeared at a visible speed.

Xu Zhichun opened her mouth slightly in surprise, as if she were watching a magic trick.

Xu Zhichun seemed to wake from a dream and hurriedly called out to her, "Don't just focus on eating, eat some vegetables too."

Liang Chunfen raised her head with a satisfied look; the aroma of meat alone was enough to make her eat a whole bowl of rice.

I wonder what this meat tastes like.

But she didn't dare to eat it.

Her mother said that she had a big appetite and needed to be sensible, otherwise she would be disliked. She naturally assumed that meat was too expensive, and since she had already eaten so much rice, how could she eat meat? That was wrong.

Liang Chunfen swallowed hard and shook her head: "No need, no need, I can eat!" It's much better than being at home.

Xu Zhichun felt helpless and reluctant, so she simply picked up the plate and put half a plate of stir-fried green beans and pork into her bowl, saying, "Listen to your sister-in-law, eat quickly." She then picked up a piece of pork liver for her: "Try this and see if you like it?"

After all, some people don't like the taste of various offal.

Liang Chunfen didn't eat, her eyes were red, "Can I really eat this? Will Sister-in-law Zhichun still ask me to do chores in the future?"

"Of course! I'll definitely look for you!"

"Really?"

"Yes, really, I won't mind if you eat too much."

That hit the nail on the head, and Liang Chunfen finally cheered up. She nodded vigorously and shoveled food into her mouth, then nodded excitedly at Xu Zhichun, "Delicious! Delicious, delicious!"

Xu Zhichun chuckled, "Then eat quickly."

Even before she could say "eat quickly," Liang Chunfen had already finished the entire bowl of food before she had even taken two bites.

Xu Zhichun was worried that she was overeating, but also worried that she hadn't eaten enough, so he tentatively asked her.

(End of this chapter)