Read Novel Full Chapter 857: Autumn Harvest
Chapter 857: Chapter 857: Autumn Harvest
"Grandpa, it’s just this autumn that’s so exhausting, I’m heading back, need to haul the corn.
I hope you two don’t overwork yourselves, you’ve hired help."
The old couple felt quite relieved, hearing their granddaughter’s words, their hearts more at ease.
The two sisters still went to the field together, having their meal along the way, today they each had a meat-filled bun.
"Sis, the meat is still delicious."
"There’s more meat, we’ll eat it tomorrow." It’s so tiring now, not being full really won’t work.
When the two girls arrived at the field, they started turning the cart, letting the younger sister sit in it. There’s no other way, leaving her below wasn’t safe, so they had to let her sit in the basket tied to the wagon, this way was safer.
They hauled cart after cart back, this time directly unloading at the threshing ground, things dry faster here.
It was just a donkey cart, naturally it’s not very fast, but it’s already pretty good, the two little girls became laborers.
For lunch, they still brought winter melon buns and two sugar buns for each person to their parents. They did the same for the old couple.
In the afternoon, Li Shaoguang delivered a large fish caught at the reservoir.
In the evening, it was vermicelli stew with fish, along with leftover potatoes from noon. Still steamed cornbread.
Sun Yun ate the fish while watching her two daughters just eating vermicelli and potatoes, unprecedentedly adding a piece for each of them.
Zhao Xiaoling felt somewhat pampered, but Zhao Xiaole didn’t think so, she felt her mom must be up to something. Hence, she was a bit apprehensive.
In fact, Sun Yun was really feeling a bit sorry for her two girls.
Despite looking down on them, after all, they were her flesh and blood. Seeing the two girls working so hard, she suddenly recalled how at their age she was just helping cook at home and already felt very tired.
Zhao Qingxiang liked this, he truly cherished his daughters for being filial and sensible.
Now two-thirds of the corn is about to be harvested. However, there really is a lot of work left. The corn stalks in the field need to be knocked down, otherwise when it freezes there’s no way, by next spring it would delay the sowing.
Also, a lot of corn has accumulated at home and the threshing ground, it needs peeling and then drying. The last step is still rubbing off the corn kernels.
Additionally, there’s the cotton in the field, and sweet potatoes, winter melons planted at the field edge. Plus, there are several acres of soybeans yet to be harvested.
The two kids still need to work for around a month to get it done.
The two girls have become quite thin, though this is normal, but as the father of the children, how could he not feel heartache?
"Don’t be frugal, add more meat and oil when stewing dishes."
Zhao Xiaoling nodded. "Got it, Dad."
After dinner, Zhao Qingxiang still went to sleep in the field, after all, some corn cobs haven’t been brought back yet.
In the morning, it’s still the same routine. Zhao Qingxiang instructed Zhao Xiaoling to give each family member an egg every day, also for fear of truly damaging the children.
Actually, this year they are much faster than outside, in past years they hired five workers, this year it’s ten, you can really see the speed difference.
This routine went on for ten days, all the corn in the field was collected, and the corn stalks were also brought back, this was hauled by hired workers, hence so quick.
In two days, all the cotton in the field was picked, and in three days the cotton stalks were dug up. Next is the soybeans. The price for soybeans is generally good every year, so even if tedious, Zhao Qingxiang plants some every year.
Five days were spent on sweet potatoes. There’s no other way, they’ve calculated and planting sweet potatoes doesn’t earn much less than corn. Both brothers-in-law helped cart them away.
Now whenever the two girls have time, they peel corn. The corn in the yard is already packed into corn baskets. Next is the corn at the threshing ground, and there’s still the time to open up cotton bolls, until it’s time to card cotton.
Everything from the field has pretty much arrived at home.
"I was thinking of letting these ten people work a few more days to pile the corn into baskets."
"That would require quite a bit more money." Sun Yun now always felt a toothache at the mention of spending money.
"But it’s better than us having no free time at all, look you’ve lost so much weight, the two kids as well. I don’t want you to overwork."
Sun Yun liked hearing these words, so she didn’t oppose.
Because there were more people peeling corn, Zhao Qingxiang placed more corn baskets in the yard, making it easier to rub corn in winter.
This year their family worked the fastest, everything at home was sorted, Zhao Qingxiang went to help his parents with their work.
Can’t be helped with old age, even trying to act strong doesn’t work, can’t defy aging.
"Qingxiang, Xiaoling and Xiaole, those two kids are really capable." An Lixia expressed her admiration again to her son.
"Yes, the two girls really helped a lot with this autumn harvest."
"Indeed, Sun Yun shouldn’t stop the two kids from going to school, kids like them will have bright futures but won’t forget you, won’t neglect you.
Years ago when Xiao Li came back, she told me that only those educated truly understand reason, are sensible, and filial."
"Mom, I understand, don’t worry, when Xiaobing and National Day come over, I’ll take the kids there."
"School starts next year, you’ll send them after the New Year, maybe first sort things yourself." Zhao Tian also spoke up.
"Alright, I’ll go ahead myself."
Zhao Qingxiang worked with ten people, the speed was even quicker.
"Qing Jie came over yesterday to deliver food, said they have five more days before finishing.
Qingxiang, you say your son is not as capable as your daughters."
"Mom, I know, even without a son, I still have three daughters. In the future, there’ll be someone to care for me."
Actually, Zhao Tian and his wife no longer absolutely think they must have a grandson. As long as they’re filial, daughters are no worse than sons.
This year everything from the Li Family is done, all the grains from the field have arrived home.
Now they’re peeling corn, still rubbing corn, after all, the task has to be handed over first.
Now it’s already quite cool in the morning and evening. The three generations of the Li Family are busy, hoping to finish soon, so they can go find Su Yuanyuan.
The Xu Family still needs about four or five days, this year they’re quite anxious too, if brother-in-law comes over, and the grains aren’t ready, they won’t sell for more money.
Situated next to the Li Family, seeing that their neighbor’s field is already all sorted, they’re really envious, but they’re slower because their land is larger.
Another week passed, these families all finished the autumn harvest, and both Zhao Qingxiang and the Li Family’s corn were already peeled, placed into corn baskets, working fast. They were at least ten days ahead of other families.