| TBBOTOF | 303
At the end of August and the beginning of September, the temperatures noticeably dropped in the mornings and evenings. The days were quite dry, and the crops in the fields were ready for harvest.
The Tang family owned a lot of land. Last time, Tang Xu and Wei Dong went to deliver some pickled vegetables, but Grandpa Tang, who usually joined in the fieldwork, didn’t help this time because he wasn’t feeling well and lacked energy lately.
Tang Xu was quite concerned and had his Grandpa’s pulse checked. The diagnosis showed nothing serious—likely just the dry weather causing some internal heat.
Even so, his grandfather was jokingly accused of being lazy, with comments like “The lazy donkey has lots of excuses when it’s time to grind.” Now that the busy harvest season was here, Grandpa fell ill.
Seeing that his grandmother looked like she was ready to grab a stick and chase after his grandfather in frustration, Tang Xu quickly suggested hiring help if they were worried about finishing the fieldwork. “We can’t let Grandpa go to the fields while he’s unwell. What if something serious happens?”
“Everyone’s busy harvesting their own crops right now. Where would we find anyone free to help?” Wu Guizhi sighed, already considering if she might need to go to the fields herself.
“If that’s the case, how about I and Ah Dong come over and help for a few days?” Tang Xu suggested. After all, their own household didn’t have much fieldwork to do, so lending a hand wouldn’t be a problem.
Wu Guizhi widened her eyes and said, “When have you ever done fieldwork? Don’t make things more complicated.”
Tang Xu scratched his head. “I grow vegetables at home, don’t I? Why wouldn’t I be able to do this? Don’t worry, Grandma, we’ll definitely get the crops harvested.”
And so, it was decided. In the Tang household, once Tang Xu made up his mind, no one could talk him out of it.
On the scheduled day, they all had breakfast early. Wei Dong drove the mule cart and brought everyone over to the old family residence.
Even the four children insisted on tagging along; they didn’t want to stay home.
Tang Xu thought it would be fine to bring the kids along to the old family residence since there were children there as well, and they could play together.
Before leaving, he reminded the elderly folks staying behind that they probably wouldn’t be back by noon. He told Old Fu to cook some dumplings from the freezer so they could have those for lunch.
Then, Tang Xu and Wei Dong took along Liu Yao, Tang Li, Wei Xi, Tang Yang, Xu Ze, and Liu Ge’er, plus the four little ones, making it a full family outing.
The mule pulled the cart along the village road, clip-clopping steadily. Occasionally, they passed villagers carrying hoes and sickles. Wei Dong would greet them as they went by.
“Are they going to help the old Tang family with their harvest?”
“They are bringing the little ones along too? Maybe they are just visiting.”
The mule cart moved quickly, leaving the villagers behind, but their chatter lingered in the air.
“How’s your land looking? It seems denser than last year.”
“Not bad. I used more fertilizer this year, so the crops are better than last year.”
“My fields are doing well too, but have you seen Wei Dong’s dozen-plus acres? His crops are fantastic—I have no idea how much fertilizer he used.”
“Wasn’t it that soybean residue fertilizer? I used it this year too.”
As the voices faded into the distance, Tang Xu turned to look at his husband and asked, “Shouldn’t we be harvesting our fields soon too?”
Wei Dong nodded. "It’ll be harvested within the next few days. If we wait much longer, it might start raining."
"Is this year’s yield more than last year’s?" Tang Xu asked, referring to the grain they would receive from the tenant farmers.
Wei Dong was silent for a moment before giving a slight nod. "I’ve heard the crops grew really well this year. I also reserved three acres of sorghum for you. Do you want to build a storage room for brewing?"
Tang Xu waved his hand. "That small shed at home is enough. We’ll just ferment it in large jars anyway—no need to build another storage room. Besides, I’m not planning to sell liquor long-term."
Liquor was too time-consuming to produce and came with risks. Transporting it could lead to breakages, and although it sold for a good price, Tang Xu wasn’t particularly keen on continuing the business.
Still, he thought that if Tang Li and the others moved to Yongcheng in the future, they could open a small winery there.
With that thought in mind, he turned to look at Liu Yao and Tang Li.
Tang Li was holding Xiao Bao, playing a game where she waved his tiny hands as if they were flying. Xiao Bao was laughing gleefully, a bright sound that filled the cart.
Just then, she glanced up and met her brother’s gaze. Smiling warmly, Tang Li asked, "What’s on your mind, big brother?"
"Have you and Liu Yao made up your minds?" Tang Xu asked, his gaze shifting to Liu Yao, who was seated across from him. "About going to Yongcheng?"
Liu Yao nodded. "We’ve discussed it. Next time Brother-in-law heads over, we’ll go with him to take a look."
As for whether they would stay there permanently, that would depend on what they see.
Starting fresh in a new place was daunting, and even though Liu Yao had the drive, he didn’t want to take a reckless leap without careful consideration.
"I talked to Dad about it too," Tang Li chimed in. "He said it’s up to us. If we want to go, we can, and if it doesn’t work out, we can always come back. But..."
She paused to adjust Xiao Bao in her arms, cradling him closer and squeezing his soft, tiny hands. "We’ve decided that if we go and we stay there, we’re going to make it work. No running back just because things get a little tough."
Tang Xu raised an eyebrow in approval, and Liu Yao nodded in agreement. "Exactly. You can’t just give up at the first sign of trouble."
Wei Dong glanced over his shoulder at them. "When Wu Hong gets back, we’ll ask him about the situation over there."
Liu Yao and Tang Li both nodded. Their emotions were a mix of anticipation, uncertainty, and a touch of fear about the path ahead, but it didn’t stop them from taking the first step.
When they had started their braised food shop in town, they’d felt the same way. At the time, it had been a leap of faith, but it proved that they could adapt and succeed when they set their minds to it.
In the end, if the business didn’t work out, they could always return. Tang Xu and Wei Dong weren’t the type to be overly critical. The fact that they were willing to entrust the shop to them showed they had faith in the couple’s abilities.
As they chatted, the mule cart arrived at the gate of the old family home. The courtyard gate was open, and Luo Pingping was feeding the chickens in the yard. Hearing the noise, she looked out and, surprised, said, "Why are you all here early?"
“We left right after breakfast,” Tang Xu said as he helped the four children down from the cart.
The little ones ran up to Luo Pingping, grabbing her legs and chirping excitedly.
“Grandma~”
“Auntie~”
“Auntie~”
Each greeting was sweeter than the last.
Luo Pingping laughed so hard her eyes narrowed into slits. She bent down and gathered them into her arms. “Alright, alright, let’s go inside, and I will give you some candy.”
“What about Uncle? Is he out in the fields?” Tang Xu asked as he followed her into the house.
“No, he’s in the backyard sharpening the sickles.” Luo Pingping pointed toward the backyard and then waved at Wei Xi and Tang Yang. “You two came along too? What about your studies?”
“Moderate exercise is good for your health,” Tang Yang joked with a grin as he approached her.
He had grown tall, and Luo Pingping had to tilt her head to look at him. “Auntie, you stay home and watch the kids. We’ll help with the fieldwork.”
“What would you two know about farm work?” Luo Pingping teased, giving him a playful look before turning to glance at Wei Xi. “Xiao Xi shouldn’t go to the fields—there’s too much dust, and it might aggravate your cough again.”
Wei Xi nodded with a slightly sheepish smile. “I’m here to help watch the kids. I definitely won’t be heading to the fields.”
Although his health had improved over the years, fieldwork was still out of the question. If he overexerted himself and started coughing uncontrollably again, not only would it be uncomfortable for him, but the Tang family would also feel uneasy.
It would turn a well-meaning gesture into a troublesome one, so it made more sense to stick to tasks he could manage.
As they chatted, the old lady heard the commotion and came out of her room.
Seeing the whole family gathered, her face lit up with a smile that deepened the wrinkles on her face. She exclaimed, “Why did everyone come over? What about things at home?”
“Everything’s taken care of, Grandma. You’d better stew some meat for us this noon,” Tang Xu teased, linking his arm through hers. “If there’s no meat, we won’t have the energy to work!”
The old lady laughed and scolded, “You greedy rascal! When have I ever let you go without meat?”
Tang Dahu, who had just finished sharpening the sickles in the backyard, came over and was surprised to see them all. “What’s this? The whole family’s here?”
"They insisted on coming, so someone had to come along to watch the kids," Tang Xu explained, gesturing to Wei Xi. "Otherwise, they’d be running wild, and no one could keep them in check. We’ll head to the fields with Uncle—me, Wei Dong, Liu Yao, Tang Li, Tang Yang, and Liu Ge’er. Xu Ze will help Grandma cook, and Wei Xi will look after the kids."
"Alright, then let’s get moving now while the sun isn’t too strong," Tang Dahu nodded without further comment.
The Tang family’s fields weren’t far—about a fifteen-minute walk. Still, Wei Dong hitched the mule cart to make transporting the bundled stalks easier once they were cut. With the cart ready, they all set off.
Wei Dong, Liu Yao, and Liu Ge’er were experienced with harvesting; they’d all worked the fields before. Their sickles moved swiftly and cleanly, cutting through rows of stalks with practiced ease.
The swish swish swish sound of their sickles filled the air as they quickly cleared the rows.
In contrast, Tang Xu and his siblings were clearly amateurs. Every swing of their sickles was hesitant, as if they were worried about slicing their own ankles.
Tang Xu himself had worked the fields in the past, but it had been years since he’d last done it, and his skills had grown rusty.
Tang Li and Tang Yang, on the other hand, had never really done fieldwork. When Liu Xiangxiang had been alive, she’d never let them near the fields for fear they’d end up doing more harm than good. This was their first real attempt at helping with a harvest.
Tang Yang was slightly better off, having worked the fields a few times with Tang Erhu in the past. Though his movements were clumsy, they were effective. With each swing, he managed to cut a decent handful of stalks, slowly finding his rhythm.
Tang Xu, however, was struggling. The wheat stalks scratched his face and arms, making his skin itch unbearably.
The heat was oppressive, and sweat dripped down his forehead in no time. When he glanced at the meager pile of stalks he’d managed to cut, he couldn’t help but click his tongue in frustration—it was pitiful compared to the bundle an elderly lady in the neighboring field had already gathered.
After some thought, Tang Xu decisively tossed his sickle into the basket and called out to Tang Li, who wasn’t making much progress either. “Ah Li, let’s tie up the wheat stalks and load them onto the cart.”
Work was work—helping out in any capacity was still a contribution.
Initially, Tang Dahu hadn’t expected much from the group. He figured they’d make more of a show of helping than actually get much done. But by noon, the three-acre field was completely harvested without a hitch.
As they returned home for lunch, Tang Dahu clapped Wei Dong on the shoulder and showered him with praise.
Tang Xu puffed out his chest as if the compliments were meant for him, his pride practically glowing. He felt a swell of pride and satisfaction—it was his man, after all, who had earned such high praise.
His man was truly amazing!
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