CHAPTER 154: CHAPTER 154: WILLFUL BLINDNESS

"We don’t need you to remind us of that."

After all, we’re not fools. You’d have to be pretty clueless to mess up your relationship with a doctor.

In this world, it’s wise to hold doctors in high regard since you can’t guarantee you’ll never fall ill.

After all, you never know when you might need their help.

But, "Is Aunt Yaozi staying in the village to be a doctor?"

"Not sure, wait until Uncle Yaozi returns and you can ask him."

Better not ask her, it’s not her place to say.

And with that, the topic ended.

Then, Yu Qingqing and the others started talking about Liu Xiaocao and Qian Ping’an.

They remarked how Xiaocao had landed in a bed of fortune.

"How is that a bed of fortune?"

"Her family’s Old Qian got a job with the transport team, did you know?"

"I know."

Not only did she know, but she also asked Mr. Qian to bring back some red sausages for her.

"A temporary worker, that doesn’t quite count as a bed of fortune."

As soon as this was said, Yu Qingqing and the others looked at her in surprise.

Yi Chichi felt a tingling in her scalp from their gaze, "What’s up?"

"How do you know that Xiaocao’s husband is a temporary worker?"

"Xiaocao herself said so."

Yi Chichi reminded them, "Don’t forget, the top Xiaocao wore on her wedding day was made by me."

Speaking of making clothes, Yu Qingqing remembered something.

"Chichi, do you know how to make dresses?"

"I do, but I’m not taking any orders right now."

"Why not?"

Why else?

Of course, it’s because the money is too little!

Her goal for the coming year is to focus on working on the Guanyin Statue.

Once she completes the task and receives the final payment, she could live comfortably for two years without needing to earn more money.

The prerequisite is being able to exchange it for tickets.

But no worries, in the worst-case scenario, she’ll just go straight to Liu Lan’s brother.

After all, with his connections in the black market, she wouldn’t need to risk buying necessities herself, as long as she’s willing to spend the money.

Thinking of this, she casually said, "I’m too busy, once the autumn harvest ends, the team leader and others will go to the mountains for the autumn hunt, so I have to prepare the medicine powder for them in advance."

"The herbs in the medicine fields are also almost ready to be harvested, and I still have to go to the mountains with Uncle Yaozi to gather herbs and stock up for the winter."

"And then..."

Only when calculating all this did she realize, not only Yu Qingqing and the others looked at her with pity, but she also began to pity herself.

She really was too busy.

"Oh, when will these days end?"

"Not anytime soon."

Yu Qingqing’s spiteful glee was palpable as she poured another bucket of cold water on her, "Don’t forget, during the autumn harvest, you and Uncle Yaozi also have to work in the fields."

That’s true.

The autumn harvest involves not only her and Uncle Yaozi but the entire village, young and old, banding together.

One more laborer means the grain gets into the warehouse faster.

Even students from the school are given a break to come back and help with the harvest, there’s no escaping it.

So, on the fourth day after Aunt Yaozi started her job in mid-September, the team leader announced that it was time to harvest the wheat.

The following day, right after breakfast, Yi Chichi and Bai Chen went to gather at the big drying field, waiting for the team leader’s task allocations.

Yan Wanwan and Ning Haitao had a brawl, both fighting fiercely, while Guan Mingyue egged them on from the sidelines.

Yi Chichi and the others watched the show, not really trying to mediate.

By the time the fight stopped, both were completely unrecognizable.

As a result, they appeared before everyone with faces swollen like pig heads.

Upon seeing their faces, the team leader gasped, eyes wide, "What happened to you two?"

They were so swollen, with bruises here and there, it was truly jarring to look at.

Yi Chichi and the others remained silent, while the unrecognizable pair made eye contact and said in unison, "We fell."

The team leader, "???"

They must think he’s a fool.

Who in the world falls and ends up looking like this?

But whatever, let the youth corps handle their own internal issues, as long as no one dies and it doesn’t escalate to him, he’s happy to play the part of the blind man.

"You two will follow Group One."

Yi Chichi’s expression visibly changed as she looked towards Group One, led by Big Mouth, she realized Yan Wanwan and Ning Haitao were in for a rough day.

Big Mouth might not excel in other areas, but when it comes to work, she’s top-notch.

Her group always earns full points.

She’s quick-handed herself and expects the same of others, leaving her very demanding of her group members.

Anyone slow ends up being berated harshly by her.

Wang Nan once had the misfortune of being in her group and ended up nearly retreating into a shell, as Ge Sujuan told them she cried in her pillow at night.

Sure enough, upon learning Yan Wanwan and Ning Haitao were assigned to her group, Big Mouth’s face fell, full of disdain.

"You two..."

She hesitated, probably at a loss for words, so she could only threaten them harshly, "Be quick with your hands and feet; if you slow down our group’s work, I’ll scold you."

Knowing her nature, the two nodded nervously, promising to put in their best effort.

They couldn’t rely on Guan Mingyue at all, nor could they depend on their families. To avoid starving, the only option they had was to work hard.

With a clear understanding of their own capabilities, they didn’t even dare to dream of a full meal, just not going hungry was all they hoped for.

One might say, it’s quite humble.

Yet, Yi Chichi confessed she was even humbler because she was placed in the group with Uncle Yaozi to tie up the wheat.

Upon realizing what her task involved, she immediately turned into a bitter gourd and tried to negotiate with the team leader, "Uncle, can we say I could have a different job?"

"Can’t handle it?"

"I don’t know how big to tie them, and I’m not sure if I can secure them tightly."

Currently, there are no ropes; we have to make ropes out of rice or wheat straw and then use those to tie them.

I’m not good at figuring out the stress points on the straw ropes.

If the bundles fall apart before reaching transport, what should I do?

"Have Yaozi teach you, and if it really doesn’t work out, I’ll find you something else."

That works for her.

So, Yi Chichi went to tie wheat.

Uncle Yaozi started by teaching her hands-on, and once she had the hang of it, he let her continue on her own.

Then, Yi Chichi became an emotionless wheat-tying machine.

After a day’s work, her arms were so sore she could barely lift them, her back ached so much she couldn’t stand straight, and her hands, even with gloves, were covered in blisters.

Back at the Youth Corps Courtyard after dinner, she dragged her exhausted body to take a shower, changed into clean clothes and sat on the kang, using a flashlight and candlelight to treat her blisters with a thick layer of whitening lotion.

Then, using clean socks as gloves, she fell asleep.

After a good night’s sleep, most of the fatigue had dissipated, and the lotion on her hands had been fully absorbed.

During breakfast, Zhou Qiuyu saw her hands, "Chichi, don’t your hands hurt?"

The way she’s using her chopsticks, it’s shocking; her arms tremble, and her palms ache terribly.

Yi Chichi turned her head to see Zhou Qiuyu holding her chopsticks in quite an awkward manner, and she had a sinking feeling.

Something’s wrong with her arm.

"Put down the chopsticks; let me take a look at your arm and hand."

"Huh?"

Zhou Qiuyu was momentarily stunned before putting down her chopsticks and offering her hand.

Bai Chen and the others forgot about eating as they focused intently.

"What’s wrong with Qiuyu’s arm?"