Chapter 3: Going to Work

Ye Xin also finished her sweet potato porridge, making sure not to waste any. Although she felt a little full, she knew that she needed to eat more in order to grow taller and gain strength.

After the meal, while it was still not dark, Ye Xin quickly fetched water to bathe.

Though the kitchen in Shen Zhuo’s house was quite simple, it still had two stoves and two pots, with the stove pits connected. Normally, the pot on the right would hold water, and when they cooked on the left stove, the water would be boiled at the same time.

However, Shen Zhuo’s house didn’t have a bathroom. Previously, when only the father and son lived there, they would just wash up in the yard. Now, Ye Xin had to fetch water in a basin and wash in her room, which was inconvenient and easily left the room damp.

After washing off the sweat, she finally felt much more comfortable.

She also washed her clothes and hung them up. By the time she was done, it was almost dark, and the temperature had cooled down.

After returning to her room, Shen Zhuo went to wash up, deliberately avoiding her.

Ye Xin listened to the sound of water in the yard, using the faint light to tidy up her room. Perhaps because she was full, she now felt much more energetic. Once she finished cleaning, she quietly entered the space.

Inside the space, it was still daylight. It seemed there was no night, or perhaps it just hadn’t become night yet—she would need to confirm that later.

She had only briefly looked around in the afternoon and hadn’t explored thoroughly because she felt dizzy. Now, Ye Xin planned to continue exploring.

She first walked to the tree and looked at the spring. The water was crystal clear and free of impurities, and a cool mist greeted her face. The spring bubbled and flowed, winding its way through several plots of land before eventually flowing towards the edge of the space, into an unknown direction.

Ye Xin reached out and scooped up some water, drinking a bold sip. After tasting it carefully, she found it wasn’t anything special, just refreshingly cool.

She then stood up and looked up at the tall, leafy tree. She wasn’t sure what type of tree it was—definitely not a common urban ornamental tree, but it looked strong and lush, elegant in its own way.

Ye Xin turned and walked towards the house.

It was a two-story wooden house, not particularly ornate or delicate, unlike the carved beams and painted columns of some modern tourist attractions. However, it was sturdy, with a rural charm and an ancient, natural feel.

She pushed open the door to the wooden house, filled with a sense of adventure and treasure-seeking excitement as she walked inside.

The interior was quite spacious, with wooden furniture that was well-preserved. The first floor had a living room and kitchen area, with a storage room in the back. In the corner of the storage room, there were some farming tools, like hoes. The second floor had a bedroom with a bed and a wardrobe, and a study with a desk and chairs. A few books were placed on the desk.

Ye Xin’s gaze fell on the few books. The information about the space might be hidden inside them.

She opened the traditional Chinese books and then realized they were written in traditional characters… Well, that wasn’t too surprising, given the books had thread-bound covers, and the entire wooden house exuded an ancient vibe.

Ye Xin sat down in the chair and carefully began reading, but it was quite difficult. After some guessing and making sense of the context, she finally managed to finish a page. Suddenly, she heard a sound from outside and quickly exited the space.

Shen Zhuo knocked on her door. “If you’re working tomorrow, remember to wake up early.”

Ye Xin quickly responded, “I know.”

Thinking about how she didn’t have a phone or alarm clock, and fearing she might not wake up in time, she politely asked, “If I don’t wake up on time, could you call me?”

Shen Zhuo paused for a moment. “I’ll only call once.”

Ye Xin: “Okay, thank you!”

She heard footsteps heading east as Shen Zhuo returned to his room.

Ye Xin sighed in relief.

That was a close call when she was in the space just now. However, the good thing was that in the space, she could still hear sounds from the outside. This was reassuring because it meant she could come out in time if something happened.

This was also the reason she wanted to stay at Shen Zhuo’s house. If she were in the youth dormitory, she wouldn’t be able to access the space at all.

Thinking about how she had to wake up early tomorrow, she decided not to explore further and to go to bed early. After all, those books weren’t something she could understand in a short time—it would be a long-term endeavor.

Ye Xin lay down on the wooden plank bed in the dark. It was hard and uncomfortable.

She turned over, reflecting on the era she was living in now, trying to recall the history in her mind.

However, after work, she usually just watched TV shows to relax her mind and didn’t particularly enjoy studying history. The only time she had been exposed to this period of history was in her middle school history class, but the textbook only skimmed over that era without going into much detail. The history teacher, however, did mention that the educated youth sent to the countryside had difficulty returning to the cities. The teacher also emphasized the later restoration of the college entrance exam, which Ye Xin remembered somewhat. So, it seemed that as long as she managed to get through these tough times, she could still return to the city…

She had thought she would have trouble falling asleep, but as she thought about it, she unknowingly drifted off.

Perhaps because she had gone to bed early, she woke up before dawn.

Looking at the dated ceiling, she felt a bit disoriented. She instinctively reached over to the side of the pillow to feel for her phone, but instead of a phone, she touched the cold, hard bamboo mat, which made her fully wake up. She had traveled to a strange time, without a phone, and didn’t have to go to work anymore.

She first walked to the tree and looked at the spring. The water was crystal clear, with no impurities, and a cool mist greeted her face. The spring flowed steadily, winding through several plots of land before eventually flowing to the edge of the space, heading into the unknown.

Ye Xin reached down to scoop some water and boldly took a sip. After tasting it carefully, she found it nothing special—just refreshingly cool.

She then stood up and looked up at the lush, towering tree. She didn’t know what kind of tree it was, but it wasn’t a typical urban landscaping tree. It appeared tall and vibrant, with a graceful form.

Ye Xin turned and walked toward the house.

It was a two-story wooden house. It didn’t look particularly refined, not like the ornate buildings in modern tourist spots, but it was sturdy and had a rustic, natural charm.

She pushed open the door to the wooden house, filled with a sense of adventure and treasure hunting, and walked inside.

The inside was quite spacious, with wooden furniture that was well-preserved. The first floor had a living room and kitchen area, and at the back, there was a storage room. In one corner of the storage room, there were some farming tools like hoes. The second floor had a bedroom with a bed and wardrobe, and also a study room, furnished with a desk and chairs, and a few books placed on the desk.

Ye Xin’s gaze fell on the books. The information about the space might be hidden within them.

She opened one of the books, which was a traditional Chinese binding, and found that the text was in traditional Chinese characters… well, not surprising, given the old-fashioned binding and the ancient atmosphere of the entire wooden house.

Ye Xin sat down on a chair and began to read carefully, but it was quite difficult. After some guessing and struggling, she finally managed to finish a page. Suddenly, she heard a sound from outside and quickly exited the space.

Shen Zhuo knocked on her door. “If you’re going to work tomorrow, remember to wake up early.”

Ye Xin quickly responded, “I know.”

Thinking about how she had no phone or alarm clock now, she was worried about not waking up on time. She politely asked, “If I don’t wake up in time, could you call me?”

Shen Zhuo paused for a moment. “I’ll only call you once.”

Ye Xin: “Okay, thank you!”

Footsteps moved towards the east as Shen Zhuo returned to his room.

Ye Xin let out a sigh of relief.

It had been a close call earlier when she was in the space. However, it was good that she could still hear sounds from the outside while in the space. This way, she could come out in time if something happened.

This was also the reason why she wanted to stay at Shen Zhuo’s house. If she were at the youth dormitory, she wouldn’t be able to enter the space.

Thinking about having to wake up early tomorrow, she decided not to explore further for now and go to sleep instead. After all, the books wouldn’t be something she could understand right away—it would take time.

Ye Xin groped in the dark and lay down on the wooden plank bed, which was quite hard.

She turned over, thinking about the era she was living in now, trying to recall the history in her mind.

However, after work, she usually relaxed by watching shows to unwind her mind, and didn’t really enjoy reading about history. The only time she had encountered this period of history was during her middle school history class, but even in the textbooks, it was only briefly touched upon without much detail. The history teacher did mention that it was difficult for the educated youth sent to the countryside to return to the cities, and she specifically recalled the later restoration of the college entrance exams. Ye Xin remembered some of that. This meant that as long as she could get through these tough times, she could still return to the city…

She had thought that she wouldn’t be able to sleep, but as she kept thinking, she gradually fell asleep without realizing it.

Perhaps because she went to bed early, Ye Xin woke up before dawn.

She looked at the old-fashioned ceiling, feeling a bit dazed. Instinctively, she reached for her pillow, but instead of her phone, she touched the cold and hard bamboo mat, which made her fully awake. She had traveled to a strange era—without a phone and without needing to go to work anymore.

But she had to farm.

Just as she thought of this, the door was knocked, and Shen Zhuo’s voice sounded: “Ye Xin, get up.”

Ye Xin immediately responded: “I’m already awake!”

Shen Zhuo then turned to the kitchen, started the fire, and began cooking. While the food was boiling, he took care of his personal hygiene.

Ye Xin got dressed, grabbed her basin, towel, and toothbrush, and went outside to wash up. She shamelessly used the water he had brought in and, like him, stood by the wall of the yard brushing her teeth. Shen Zhuo glanced at her, seeming a bit awkward, but didn’t say anything.

Breakfast was still porridge with chunks of sweet potato, and it was even worse this time—there wasn’t even any vegetables.

Ye Xin silently finished a bowl, thinking to herself that she needed to prepare something better to nourish her body soon, or it would be hard to grow taller after this.

After eating, the sun hadn’t risen yet, and it was time to start working.

It was June, and the weather was hot. People actually preferred to work early and late when it was cooler. But now, it was the busy farming season, with heavy tasks, and they even had to work during the midday heat, which was very difficult. During this time, Ye Xin wasn’t the only one suffering from heatstroke.

Ye Xin followed behind Shen Zhuo, taking deep breaths again and again.

She was about to go out and meet people. She didn’t know if she would be mocked because of what happened before, and she felt nervous inside.

—But it was something she had to face.

She glanced at the slender back of the young man in front of her, feeling a bit more at ease. It was alright; she would just follow Shen Zhuo…

In the early morning, the white mist had not yet dissipated, the mountains were faint and ethereal, and the air was cool.

The village they were in was called Liangshuitang, a name given by the locals because it had many ponds. The official name now was the third small team of the seventh brigade of Hongze Commune.

The seventh brigade was also called the Fengshui Brigade, and since Liangshuitang was the largest village in the area, the young intellectuals (sent to the countryside for reeducation) assigned to the Fengshui Brigade were all concentrated in Liangshuitang, where dormitories were built for them.

The original person arrived here in March of this year to join the rural team. It was now June, so it had only been a little over three months.

This was a mountainous and hilly area, with land scattered in patches. The farmland was spread out in the low and flat areas between the mountains, where rice and wheat were grown together. During the summer, there was more rain, and rice was planted in the fields; during the winter, wheat was planted. Higher ground was used for crops like corn, sweet potatoes, soybeans, and rapeseed. The lowest areas had two large ponds, which were used for fish farming.

The wheat had already been harvested and stored, and the fields were being plowed and prepared for water conservation, as they were rushing to plant rice.

Ye Xin tried her best to ignore the gazes of others, following Shen Zhuo as they first went to the production team’s warehouse to collect tools or receive tasks.

The team leader, Li Jianbang, was the nephew of the brigade leader, Li Xingguo. When he saw Ye Xin arrive, he just glanced at her without saying anything and directly assigned her the task of transplanting rice seedlings.

Shen Zhuo was also assigned to transplant rice.

In fact, most people were tasked with transplanting rice. The rice seedlings were grown in advance, and the planting method was still very primitive, relying entirely on manual labor. Some people would pull the seedlings from the nursery and place them in baskets, while a few strong and steady individuals were responsible for carrying the seedlings, navigating the winding ridges between the fields to deliver them to the rice paddies, where others would plant them.

Ye Xin continued to follow Shen Zhuo as they walked toward the wide, flat rice fields.

On the way, they passed several female young intellectuals. When they saw Ye Xin, they seemed a bit curious and whispered among themselves, though they didn’t come in her direction. Instead, they purposefully avoided her, walking away at a distance.

e Xin thought it was quite good—don’t come over, let’s not disturb each other, thank you.

When they reached the field ridge, looking at the muddy, churned-up earth, Ye Xin hesitated for a moment.

Nearby, a woman had already swiftly removed her shoes and stepped into the field. Seeing Ye Xin looking over, she loudly called out, “Take advantage of the cool morning and get to work quickly. Don’t wait until it gets hot at noon and end up getting heatstroke, delaying your work!”

Ye Xin: …

People who try to slack off aren’t well-regarded in front of hardworking farmers.

She sighed quietly and looked at Shen Zhuo.

Shen Zhuo stood at the edge of the field, without hesitation, and without even looking at her, he bent down and rolled up his pants, revealing his thin calves, which were almost nothing but skin and bones.

Ye Xin couldn’t help but quietly ask him, “Will there be leeches in the field…?”

Shen Zhuo paused for a moment and replied, “Haven’t noticed any.”

Then he stepped into the field, and the murky, soft mud instantly covered his ankles.

At this point, the seedlings had already been brought over, and it was time to start working.

Ye Xin knew she could no longer hesitate, so she quickly rolled up her sleeves and pants and stepped into the rice field.

She couldn’t help but let out a small “hiss.” The cold, slippery mud instantly filled the gaps between her toes, and the overwhelming sensation made her shiver with goosebumps. She really wanted to step back to the ridge.

But she could only hold it in, stepping carefully, following Shen Zhuo’s pace until she reached his side.

Shen Zhuo picked up a bundle of green rice seedlings, and she did the same.

Shen Zhuo bent down to plant the seedlings, and she bent down to do the same.

Shen Zhuo glanced at her sideways, and she gave him a friendly smile.

…

Shen Zhuo didn’t say anything, and returned his focus to his work.

Ye Xin let out a small sigh of relief.

There was no choice; she had grown up in the city and had no farming experience. The original owner rarely worked in the fields, leaving no memories of farming. Now, she could only follow someone and learn on the spot.

Shen Zhuo seemed young, but he was a master at farming. His rice planting was perfectly straight, with equal spacing, as if measured with a ruler. Every bundle of seedlings was about the same size. For someone with OCD, it was very satisfying to watch.

Ye Xin, on the other hand, was struggling. Not only was she slow, but her planting was crooked. At first, she couldn’t get the depth right, and some of the seedlings even fell over, forcing her to go back and redo them.

Before long, she had fallen behind.

Then she noticed that the woman on the other side was planting faster, though not as neatly as Shen Zhuo.

The people on both the left and right were moving quickly.

Ye Xin was in the middle, moving slowly, creating a noticeable dip in the line, which was becoming more and more pronounced…

“Ye Zhiqing, hurry up!” the woman on the right shouted.

Ye Xin’s face flushed with embarrassment.

Farming really was a skillful task.