CHAPTER 1640: CHAPTER 1462: EPILOGUE

However, a voice from the shore shattered the tranquility of the rice fields.

Tian Xiaobei had also arrived. He didn’t greet Xia Dabao first but instead greeted Nan Feng and Uncle Ye, "Aunt Nan Feng, Uncle Ye, good morning. I don’t have much to do today, so I thought I’d come over and give you a hand."

"Xiaobei, didn’t you help the village chief plant rice all day yesterday? Don’t wear yourself out," Nan Feng said. She thought that Tian Xiaobei had come for Xia Dabao, and so had Long Aixi. Both of them planting rice together would surely be awkward.

"No worries, Aunt Nan Feng, just planting for a couple of days, I won’t get that tired," Tian Xiaobei said as he began to roll up his pant legs.

Nan Feng had no choice but to look at Xia Dabao. Xia Dabao said nothing, just swapped places with Axian. She ended up working next to Long Aixi.

After all, when she was in Capital City, she used to hang out with Long Aixi whenever she was hurt, considering him part of the family already.

Perhaps feeling awkward, Tian Xiaobei joined Axian.

He had already been planting for a day and was extremely quick, not only doing his own share but also helping Axian. As a result, Axian became his assistant, specially tasked with moving the rice seedlings for him, an area where Long Aixi couldn’t compare.

Long Aixi felt a bit discouraged, but he was still carefully figuring out how to plant faster.

Seeing that everything was calm on her end, Nan Feng breathed a sigh of relief, but before long another person arrived.

This time it was actually Tao Shanding!

Nan Feng was a bit frustrated because Tao Shanding also greeted them while rolling up his pants to get into the field, "Aunt Nan Feng, my family finished planting the day before yesterday. I heard you were planting today, so I came over to help out."

"Shanding, we have plenty of people now, you might want to go back...," Nan Feng said, fearing a conflict. She was already feeling embarrassed for Xia Dabao.

"Don’t be polite, if there are a lot of you, then I’ll just start from the other end," Tao Shanding was a straightforward guy. He didn’t crowd Xia Dabao’s space, just took some seedlings and started planting on his own at the other end, completely ignoring Tian Xiaobei’s side.

Nan Feng felt quite bad about it and had to seek help from Uncle Ye, but Uncle Ye clearly didn’t want to get involved. The more such a situation arose, the more a person’s mettle could be seen.

Instead, it was Long Aixi who headed in Tao Shanding’s direction.

He had heard yesterday that Xia Dabao had a marriage prospect who was quite kind to Dabao. It seemed that it was this very Tao Shanding in front of him now.

"You’re doing a pretty good job there," Long Aixi’s first words were to compliment Tao Shanding.

Tao Shanding had also heard that a handsome young man had arrived at Xia Dabao’s house, and some said Dabao might end up leaving with this youth. So he was quite nervous now, knowing he had to come and compete no matter what.

Now that Long Aixi was walking towards him, he thought the young man might say something to mock him. To his surprise, he was actually praising him.

"I plant rice often, so I’ve got the hang of it," Tao Shanding replied.

"Could you teach me how to plant faster?"

"You hold the seedlings in one hand, make sure to pick three at a time, then plant them with just the right amount of force. Be steady on the first try, then quickly grab more, and move your feet accordingly. That’s how you can plant quickly."

"All right, I’ll give it a try."

Seeing that Long Aixi had no airs about him, Tao Shanding asked casually, "Are you Dabao’s relative?"

"No, like you, I’m here to ask for her hand in marriage," Long Aixi said with a smile.

Tao Shanding was quite shocked and struggled to speak, "I haven’t heard about you before?"

"I only turned fifteen at the beginning of this year. Besides, their family disappeared for two years. I couldn’t find her, and now that I’ve heard she’s back, I rushed over immediately. Shanding, Dabao has told me you’re a good person. If I hadn’t come back, she still thought about marrying you. You’re much more honest than Tian Xiaobei, but now that I’m here, you probably won’t have the chance."

"..."