CHAPTER 137: CHAPTER 137: MEETING THE FARMER

On top of that, they had never tasted such a beverage before, so they were still licking their lips and savoring the delicious flavor.

At this moment, Zhao Yue, still feeling unsatisfied, saw the bamboo tube in Zhao Zhitong’s hand. He ran over with a fawning grin, squatted beside Zhao Zhitong, and said in a rare, soft tone, "Zhao Zhitong, your family’s yogurt is really delicious."

After saying that, he blinked his eyes and looked at her, then glanced at the yogurt in her hand, waiting for Zhao Zhitong to give him more to drink.

However, Zhao Zhitong completely missed his intention and said with a smile, "Right? Right? I like it the most too."

With that, she handed the yogurt to Wei Shulan. Zhao Yue could only watch as Wei Shulan drank every last drop.

He smacked his lips, his head drooping, and sat back down.

After drinking the yogurt and resting for a short while, Zhao Zhitong felt her energy return.

Since Zhao Cheng had been carrying Zhao Zhitong the entire time, she wanted to let her big brother rest a bit longer and didn’t press them to resume their journey.

But Zhao Zhitong wasn’t one to sit still. After resting for a bit, she stood up, ran to the roadside, and squatted down to play.

Qiao Muchen, equally restless, soon ran over and squatted down with her. The two little ones put their heads together, rummaging in the grass.

Suddenly, they spotted a cricket hiding under a leaf. Zhao Zhitong exclaimed, "Look, it’s a cricket!"

Qiao Muchen was just as excited. "Wow, it really is a cricket!"

When Zhao Yue heard the word "cricket," he couldn’t resist running over. As soon as he reached them, he asked curiously, "The cricket? Where is it? Where?"

"Right here," Zhao Zhitong said, pointing.

After Zhao Zhitong pointed out the cricket to him, he excitedly rushed over to try to catch it.

But the cricket was very nimble. Just as Zhao Yue’s hands were about to close in, it leaped away.

Undeterred, he crept closer once more. When he was near enough, he pounced again. This time, Zhao Yue caught one and burst out laughing.

Zhao Yue was the most playful of the group. He was suddenly full of energy, feeling ready for anything. He excitedly suggested, "Let’s catch a few more! We can put them in a bamboo tube to have cricket fights. We can also put them in a cricket cage, and at night, they’ll CHIRP. It’ll be so lively!"

Zhao Zhitong and Qiao Muchen were both intrigued by his description and enthusiastically decided to catch many more to play with.

So, the three little ones began searching for crickets along the roadside. Before they knew it, they had wandered into the adjacent fields.

At this time of year, the farmland had just been sown with winter wheat, which had not yet sprouted. As far as the eye could see, the land was bare, making it possible to spot a few trees and some human figures at the far edge of the fields.

Therefore, Zhao Cheng and Zhao Yu felt comfortable letting them play. They sat under a tree, keeping an eye on the children as they explored on their own.

Wei Shulan was truly exhausted. Her head drooped as she sat with Zhao Cheng and Zhao Yu, watching Zhao Zhitong and the others catch crickets, occasionally calling out words of encouragement.

Just as Zhao Zhitong and the others were happily engrossed in their play, a man wearing a straw hat suddenly appeared in the field. He waved his hands at them and shouted, "Hey! Whose children are you? Get out of the field, quick! Are you looking to get killed?"

The three children froze, then their eyes lit up. They had been traveling for so long, and this was the first person they had encountered. How could they not be thrilled?

When the farmer appeared, Zhao Cheng quickly got to his feet and ran over, intending to pull Zhao Zhitong and the other two out of the field.

By then, the farmer had reached them. He looked at them in surprise and said, "You children are certainly brave! Do you even know whose field this is? To dare let your younger brother and sister play in here like this—you really don’t value your lives, do you!"

His last remark was addressed to Zhao Cheng.

Zhao Cheng looked deeply embarrassed and apologized profusely. "I’m sorry, I’m sorry. I wasn’t watching my younger brother and sister carefully enough. I’ll get them out immediately."

With that, he pulled Zhao Zhitong and the other two children to the side of the road.

Zhao Zhitong, however, blinked her eyes, not the least bit afraid. She even explained to the farmer, "Uncle, we were very careful, you know! We didn’t step on the soil where the winter wheat was planted."

Zhao Yue and Qiao Muchen also nodded vigorously in agreement.

After entering the field, Zhao Zhitong had specifically told them not to step on the cultivated soil where the wheat was sown, so they had all been very careful.

The farmer sighed and admonished them, "Sigh, what’s the use of apologizing or explaining to me? This field isn’t mine. If it were my field, I’d at most give you a scolding, but I certainly wouldn’t harm you."

Zhao Zhitong and Qiao Muchen exchanged a look; both sensed something unusual in the farmer’s words.

So, Zhao Zhitong asked in her sweet, childish voice, "Uncle, then whose field is this? And why would they want to harm us?"

Looking into the young girl’s innocent eyes, the farmer elaborated, "This road stretches quite a distance. All the fertile farmland alongside it, right to the very end, belongs to Landlord Qin’s household. You absolutely mustn’t play down there again. If any of the Qin Clan’s servants spot you, you’ll be in for a world of trouble!"

The farmer had assumed the children would be terrified at the mention of Landlord Qin, but contrary to his expectation, their eyes lit up.

Qiao Muchen asked with barely contained excitement, "Uncle, you know Landlord Qin?"

Although the farmer was intrigued by the children’s boldness, he sighed at the question. "It’s more than just knowing him," he said. "I work on Landlord Qin’s estate."

The little ones exchanged another look, their eyes shining even more brightly. They felt incredibly fortunate! They hadn’t even reached the county town and had already encountered someone connected to Landlord Qin.

So Zhao Zhitong immediately pressed on, "Uncle, Uncle, has Landlord Qin bullied you all?"

Her abrupt question startled the farmer. He instantly glanced around nervously, then said to them gravely, "Young girl, why are you asking such a thing? You should quickly take your younger brother and sister and go home!"

The last sentence was still directed at Zhao Cheng.

After saying that, he prepared to turn around and leave.

Having stumbled upon someone who might know about Landlord Qin’s vilest deeds, Zhao Zhitong and the others were certainly not going to let him walk away.

So, Zhao Zhitong scampered to stand before him and said in her earnest, childish voice, "Uncle, we’re not bad people! We’re people who have been bullied by Landlord Qin. My friends and I are deeply upset by how Landlord Qin oppresses the common folk. That’s why we’re preparing to write a formal complaint to the authorities about his tyranny. So, could you please tell us about the wicked things he has done?"

The farmer was even more astounded by her declaration. After a quick, anxious glance around, he lowered his voice significantly. "HUSH! You must speak very quietly; don’t let anyone overhear you! That Landlord Qin is an absolute despot in Anyang County; he holds all the power. Even the County Magistrate dares not challenge him. A formal complaint? You mustn’t even consider it! You’ll end up losing your lives without ever bringing him to justice. Now, all of you, hurry back home!"