Chapter 18: Why Go to the County?

“You’re still too young, wait until you’re older to do laundry.”

Xu Jiaojiao didn’t let go, looking like she was going to protect her.

Even though she knew that children working was normal in these times.

But going to the river to wash clothes was indeed too dangerous.

Knowing it was so dangerous, yet letting her go, she couldn’t do it.

“I say, sister-in-law, what’s wrong with you today? Usually you’re the one washing clothes, right? Your Erni is shorter than my Xiao Ni, you really have the heart to do this.”

Ding Xiujing couldn’t stand it anymore.

Her Xiao Ni was only four and a half years old, she was taller than Erni.

Such a small child, could she even carry two buckets of clothes? Wasn’t this tormenting her?

Facing the accusatory gazes of these two, Liu Zhaodi’s face turned pale, looking awful.

“Alright, those clothes can be scrubbed and hung up at night, who has such a small child go to the river to wash clothes?”

Wang Fengmei just came out of the kitchen, seeing her daughters-in-law facing off again, she couldn’t help but glare at them.

“Hurry up, you’re going to be late for work, don’t eat dinner tonight!”

“Dani, Erni, and Dahu, go up the mountain to collect firewood today, don’t just play around all day.”

Being scolded, the children all drooped.

Erni, however, didn’t have to wash clothes, a smile involuntarily appeared on her face.

She followed closely behind her third aunt.

Watching her brush her teeth and wash her face.

She felt that her third aunt was really beautiful, and she smelled nice.

Xu Jiaojiao had just hung up her towel when she saw the little tail behind her.

“Come, third aunt will braid your hair.”

Xu Jiaojiao said, taking out her comb and rubber band.

Hearing that her third aunt was going to braid her hair, Erni’s eyes lit up even brighter.

Xu Jiaojiao worked quickly, and in a short while, a French braid was done.

A head of straw-like yellow hair, braided like this, was actually quite pretty.

After braiding her hair, Xu Jiaojiao realized that the little girl actually looked quite good.

An oval face, big eyes, a delicate nose, and lips that weren’t thin or thick.

With this hairstyle, she looked like a Taobao children’s clothing model.

Erni held the mirror and looked left and right, her eyes curved, obviously she liked it very much.

Not far away, by the wall, an eight or nine-year-old girl was also staring at Erni.

Her eyes were full of longing.

“Dani, come, third aunt will braid yours too.”

Hearing this, the little girls in the yard all gathered around.

Xu Jiaojiao: …

Facing her mother-in-law Wang Fengmei’s reproachful gaze.

Jiaojiao quickly and efficiently braided a different hairstyle for each of them.

The little girls chattered happily.

“Xu Jiaojiao, hurry up, you’re late.” Ding Xiujing urged.

“Coming, coming.”

Xu Jiaojiao picked up her tools and followed, with two little tails behind her.

Perhaps having her sister as company, Erni became more talkative.

All the way, there was a constant chatter.

“Third aunt, can this cure illness?” Dani asked, her eyes full of surprise.

This was clearly the most unremarkable wild grass on the mountain, how could it cure illness?

“This is white angelica, combined with other herbs, it can treat dampness and heat.”

Xu Jiaojiao didn’t show any impatience, she pulled a white angelica and put it in her hand.

“Third aunt, you know so much.”

Dani couldn’t help but admire, she was full of admiration for this third aunt.

She was completely different from before.

Dahu didn’t follow his third aunt, instead he followed behind his third uncle at a distance.

His eyes held the same admiration as Dani.

His third uncle was a soldier! The super powerful kind!

Ever since he scared Erni crying that day, Qin Shuo now dared not get close to the children in the house.

But when the footsteps behind him lagged, he would slow down accordingly.

And his gaze unconsciously fell on that slender figure.

As soon as they reached the mountain, the three children went to collect firewood as they knew the place well.

Ding Xiujing told them not to go near the pond, and the adults went into the tea garden to pick tea.

In the distance, Li Wenxiu had suffered a big loss a few days ago, and now seeing Xu Jiaojiao, her face was very unpleasant.

But she didn’t dare to go forward.

What if she asked for another ten yuan, she couldn’t afford that now.

“So this woman has been pretending all along.” Ye Shui was also angry.

She didn’t expect that the meek woman suddenly became so fierce.

Suffering two losses, she now hated Xu Jiaojiao.

“I treated her as a sister, but she…” Li Wenxiu’s voice choked with sobs.

She was already slow at work, and now she was even slower, like she was embroidering.

The female educated youths across from her immediately turned black.

What was wrong with these two?

They didn’t work properly every day, just causing trouble.

Yesterday’s scene, they were embarrassed to even look at, they lost face for the educated youth point.

“I say Li Wenxiu, you earn so little work points every day, how can you have the nerve to freeload?”

Chen Qiaolian had long disliked this woman, like a Lin Daiyu.

She would drop golden tears every day.

If you didn’t know any better, you would think they had done something to her.

“You’re so heartless, Wenxiu is so heartbroken.”

Hearing Chen Qiaolian’s words, Ye Shui couldn’t help but retort.

“Yes, I’m heartless, so please eat the food you earn, okay?”

Hitting the nail on the head, Chen Qiaolian’s words directly hit the mark.

The two women’s faces turned pale!

In the past, with Xu Jiaojiao helping with the work, the other educated youths at the point turned a blind eye.

But now she wasn’t here anymore, their work points combined only equaled one person’s.

They couldn’t even feed themselves, who would be willing to share their food just to support two lazybones?

“How can you be like this?” Ye Shui was so angry that her face turned red.

But she couldn’t refute.

Because she couldn’t say with a straight face that the two of them would split and eat separately.

Those few work points, how could they support two people?

“I’m sorry, we were wrong…” Li Wenxiu wiped her eyes, looking wronged.

But unexpectedly, the male educated youths at the point didn’t buy it either.

“Comrade Chen is right, we came to the countryside to support rural construction, your two minds are not positive enough.”

Zhang Hua was the oldest brother at the educated youth point, he was also disappointed with their performance.

Being labeled as not having a positive enough mindset, Li Wenxiu’s face turned white, she didn’t dare to act up anymore.

Her two hands sped up.

But her hatred for Xu Jiaojiao grew stronger.

If it wasn’t for her, how would she be suffering like this?

And Xu Jiaojiao, who was being hated, was currently thinking about when to go to the county.

“Why are you going to the county?” Ding Xiujing asked curiously.

Hearing this, Xu Jiaojiao’s face became a little embarrassed.

Finally, she leaned close to her ear and whispered.

“Hey, why waste that money? Just let me sew it for you.”

Xu Jiaojiao: …

That wouldn’t be right, would it?