Chapter 11: Worries

In contrast to the hen’s indifference, the young black pig was much more enthusiastic, coming over with a series of grunts when it saw her.

“Wow, still with a pink nose!” In the past, she had only seen cold pig faces at the market, rarely getting the chance to see a live pig up close. Not minding the dirt on its body, she stretched her finger through the wooden gate and curiously poked the pig’s nose.

“Hmm~ Hmm~”

The little black pig happily interacted with her, and Song Xiaoxiao, filled with childlike joy, played without a care.

After she played for a while, she turned to Song Zhaodi, who was chopping grass, and said, “Sister, do you know which part of the pig’s meat is the tastiest?”

Without thinking, Song Zhaodi responded, “All of it is good.”

Continuing to poke the pig’s nose, Song Xiaoxiao said, “The pig’s nose is the tastiest. Look, our pig’s nose is still pink.”

She felt safe saying this because the pig couldn’t understand her words; otherwise, it would surely give her a big kick.

Song Zhaodi thoughtfully considered her question but stood by her answer. “I still think everything is tasty.”

Not wanting to dwell on this topic, after saying goodbye to the little black pig, she strolled over to the vegetable garden. In her previous life, it had been quite hard to eat naturally grown vegetables like these.

The thing she did most with her parents was go up the mountains to find medicinal herbs, and on the way back, they would buy vegetables grown by local farmers along the roadside or in the village.

They would buy a lot every time, and when they returned, her mother would share some with good friends.

Now, looking at the bountiful produce in the garden filled her with joy.

Wrapped in Song Liangzuo’s body, even her spirit felt liberated, and she playfully pointed at the eggplants and cucumbers in the field.

One by one, she silently counted them.

Finally, she went over to Song Zhaodi.

“You don’t need to help; just play by yourself.” Song Zhaodi stopped her.

Song Xiaoxiao thought she was being dismissed for being too young to help. But things were different now; after all, she had the mind of an adult. “I’m not that little; I can help!”

Song Zhaodi gave her younger brother a curious glance, feeling that he had suddenly become a bit more mature.

But she still said, “If Grandma sees you, she’ll have something to say about it.”

Song Liangzuo was taken aback; it was as if the elderly woman wasn’t nurturing a precious grandson but rather indulging in a waste of potential. It was almost more delicate than a sheltered young lady in a novel.

What kind of family raises their children like this?

In the past, it was none of Song Xiaoxiao’s business, but now that she had the soul of a 23-year-old, she couldn’t just sit back and let the under-seven Song Zhaodi work alone.

Song Liangzuo shook his head. “If Grandma scolds you, I’ll say it was my idea; she won’t blame me.”

With that, she stuck her little bottom out and picked up the chopped pig grass that Song Zhaodi had prepared. When she tried to drop it into the pot, she realized she wasn’t quite an adult; this body was indeed a bit small, and she couldn’t directly reach the pot.

Just as she was preparing to place the grass on the ground and then grab handfuls to put into the pot, Song Zhaodi was already by her side, taking the chopped grass from her arms with a simple, “I’ll do it,” and tossed it into the pot.

Seeing someone help her, Song Liangzuo felt a bit shy and said, “Sister, I’ll take less next time.”

“I can handle it myself,” Song Zhaodi replied.

“Why are you home alone? Where are Mother and Grandma?” Song Liangzuo asked as she effortlessly tossed the chopped grass into the pot using both hands.

“Mother and Grandma took Ban Di to the field to weed; Grandma asked me to stay home and watch you while also feeding the pigs and chickens.”

“Did Grandma not go to deliver grain to the hunter today?” Song Xiaoxiao remembered that matter well, as the hunter had helped her a lot yesterday.

Song Zhaodi laughed. “She did; Grandma dug up half a bushel of wheat early this morning to take over.”

Song Xiaoxiao was a bit surprised; they had originally discussed trading sorghum for fish, and now Grandma had sent wheat. After thinking about it, she understood Grandma must have included the deer pen in her deliveries. Since the favor was returned, she felt relieved.

After finishing feeding the pigs and chickens, Song Liangzuo, unable to stay still, asked, “Sister, what should we do next?”

“You find something to play with; I need to make shoe soles,” Song Zhaodi answered, pulling out a sewing kit from the house. She first wrapped a small piece of cloth around her finger, then put on a thimble that was a bit too big.

With her left hand holding the shoe sole and her right hand wielding an awl, her strength was limited, and sometimes when she pressed the awl against the cloth, it would just poke through. Then she’d push the needle through the holes with the thimble.

After watching for a while, Song Xiaoxiao finally felt bored. She wanted to find something to play with, but the house didn’t have anything she could entertain herself with.

She couldn’t have Song Liangzuo—who was 23 in spirit—squatting on the ground watching ants move, right?

“Sister, how about you take me to the field? We can help Mother work, and they can come back early if we finish.”

Song Zhaodi shook her head vigorously. “No, Grandma said not to let you go outside.”

“Why not?”

“I don’t know; Grandma didn’t say, just told me to watch you and not let you go outside.” Song Zhaodi replied.

Song Liangzuo pondered briefly and then figured out the reasoning. She leaned in closer to Song Zhaodi and said, “I know why.”

Now it was Song Zhaodi’s turn to be surprised; she paused her work and looked at him, asking, “You know?”

“Yes, I know. Grandma must be worried that if we go outside, someone might want to see my little thing.”

“So, it’s good not to go outside!”

“Sister, you’re wrong. We should be with Mother and Grandma. Only then can someone watch over me, and they can protect me. If it’s just you and me at home, we wouldn’t be able to handle anyone who shows up. Don’t you think?”

What Song Liangzuo said had a certain logic to it, and Song Zhaodi started to think her brother had a point.

This chapter isn’t finished yet; please click the next page to continue reading the exciting content!

Finally, after various analyses from Song Liangzuo, Song Zhaodi took him to the field.

When they reached the field, the sun was high in the sky. Everything here was novel to the outsider, Su Xiaoxiao, and she didn’t mind the sun, joyfully following along into the field.

After harvesting the winter wheat, they planted sorghum, with wheat stubble still remaining. Song Liangzuo was either scraping her left foot or poking the right one, her bottom continually bumping either the sorghum seedlings or getting pricked by the wheat stubble.

One misstep leads to an everlasting regret. A few days passed swiftly, and hiding under a tree by the field, Song Liangzuo endured the scorching sun, licked her dry lips, looked at her arms and legs, which had darkened to the color of charcoal, and gazed helplessly at the sky.

“When will these days of waking up to weed and sleeping to weed ever end?!”

As the novelty wore off, the real grind began to take shape.

If she had to describe her current life, it would be like a monumental grindstone, with each day starting with meals, feeding pigs, feeding chickens, going to the field to weed, and then dragging the wheat stubble back home.

Or collecting firewood, cutting pig grass, and foraging for wild vegetables.

Every day consisted of either millet soup, sorghum rice, or wild grass porridge mixed with bits of rice. It felt like pickled vegetables had been secured as a precious resource, demanding a prominent place on the dining table at every meal.

Song Liangzuo finally understood what it felt like to have nothing tasteful in her mouth.

The financial strain of life weighed heavily on her body, but standing at the pinnacle of being loved brought a deep elevation to her soul.

The head of the family was the elderly woman, who kept everything good for her favorite grandson—meaning her—essentially making her the apple of her grandmother’s eye.

No one could criticize her.

However, after these few days, she had begun to notice a problem: the elderly woman had overdone her PUA (a psychological manipulation tactic), and genuinely regarded Song Liangzuo as a grandson, while overlooking her feminine traits.

There was a difference between pretending to be a boy and being recognized as one.

She had become the hope and belief of the entire family.

Sigh! Song Xiaoxiao looked at the clouds in the sky and sighed.

She didn’t know how to farm, nor did she want to anymore; farming was just too hot and too difficult.

Raising a hand to touch her sunburned, painful face, an idea suddenly surged in her heart: she wanted to go to school. Once she educated herself, not only would she not have to farm, but she might even hold an official position. As long as she became an official, her whole family could stop farming.

Could this be considered a change in the family’s destiny?