The whistle blew — end of the work shift.

Hearing the whistle in the distance, Su Huaiyuan, Su Ze, and Zhou Wanwan all instinctively let out a sigh of relief.

Then, the team leader who was supervising them came over to check their work.

Only after inspection were they allowed to leave.

The team leader looked at the one mu (about one-sixth of an acre) of land the three of them had turned over, gave just a slight nod, and said, “Remember to return the tools to the warehouse after finishing,” before walking away.

They had passed inspection.

Not only were Su Ze and Zhou Wanwan excited, even Su Huaiyuan couldn’t help but smile.

It hadn’t been easy.

Farming was even harder and more exhausting than they had imagined.

Even though they had mentally prepared themselves and taken some precautions, it was still bitterly tough, both physically and mentally draining.

Thankfully, they made it through today.

The three of them dragged their tired bodies to return the tools first before heading toward their living quarters.

Tonight they were having dry food.

Qiao Jiuru not only cooked rice, but also steamed mantou (steamed buns), sliced cured meat to steam on top of the rice, steamed egg custard for Dabao and Xiaobao (the two little ones), and boiled a pot of cabbage.

When Su Ze and Zhou Wanwan got home, they quickly washed their hands and prepared to eat.

Seeing the meal, the young couple didn’t ask any questions — they just buried their heads and ate.

Dabao and Xiaobao had already started eating before they came back; Qiao Jiuru had fed them first and only began eating herself afterward.

After wolfing down three mantou each, Su Ze, Zhou Wanwan, and Su Huaiyuan finally slowed down.

All the twenty-odd mantou, two jin (about a kilogram) of cooked rice, and the big pot of cabbage were completely finished.

“After you wash up tonight, apply the ointment and go to bed early. I’ve just finished making two pairs of gloves — I’ll finish the remaining two pairs later. Dabao and Xiaobao will sleep with us tonight, so you two can get a good rest.”

Her eldest son and daughter-in-law had never worked the fields before, let alone done such dull and strenuous labor.

Qiao Jiuru could only make sure they got proper rest, or they wouldn’t be able to work tomorrow.

Now that they were fed and full, Su Ze and Zhou Wanwan were so exhausted they didn’t even want to move.

Hearing their mother’s and mother-in-law’s instructions, they both nodded.

She let the three of them sit and rest while she first washed Dabao’s and Xiaobao’s faces, hands, little bottoms, and feet before tucking them into bed.

Afterward, Zhou Wanwan, feeling somewhat recovered, carried half a bucket of hot water back to their room to wash up.

Next, Su Ze also brought half a bucket of water to clean himself in the kitchen.

“This ointment — apply it not just on your palms but also on your arms and shoulders, or you won’t even be able to lift the hoe tomorrow.”

Before the young couple went to bed, Qiao Jiuru went into their room, handed them a bottle of ointment, and also gave them two strengthening pills.

“Take these two strengthening pills as well — after a while, you’ll get used to it.”

Without needing any more explanation, Su Ze and Zhou Wanwan swallowed the pills without hesitation and immediately picked up the ointment to rub on their necks and arms.

When Qiao Jiuru returned to her room, she saw Su Huaiyuan sitting on the kang (heated brick bed) playing with the two grandsons.

“Old Su, this afternoon I think I saw Cai Qingwen’s wife out gathering firewood. She looked very thin and weak, probably not in good health — she was coughing constantly.”

Qiao Jiuru joined the two little ones to play and relayed what she had seen that afternoon.

“That must be her. After the afternoon work shift, Old Cai sneaked a few glances at me — I think it’s him.”

Su Huaiyuan had also secretly glanced at Cai Qingwen several times that afternoon, confirming it was indeed him.

His heart was filled with emotion — he hadn’t expected to run into him in a place like this.

“He once said his wife died in the third year after arriving here — that means it must be this year.”

Qiao Jiuru recalled the image from her previous life of a white-haired, haggard, and solitary Cai Qingwen, and also remembered how, before he left her house, he had given her those five thousand U.S. dollars.

At the same time, about a kilometer away at the cattle shed, Cai Qingwen and Zhou Meihua were also talking about Su Huaiyuan’s family.

“When I was out gathering firewood this afternoon, I saw Su Huaiyuan’s wife and their two grandsons. They looked pretty good.”

Zhou Meihua thought of the two adorable little ones.

Even from afar, she could hear their chirping voices, and she could picture them sitting on a rock, looking up at the mountain where their grandma was, their little faces so serious.

They were very cute.

“Who would’ve thought…”

Cai Qingwen was also full of emotion, feeling a swirl of complex feelings over old classmates now fallen into hardship together.

“Should we go see them?”

Zhou Meihua asked softly, looking at her husband, knowing the conflict and struggle in his heart.

Sure enough, Cai Qingwen didn’t answer right away.

“Let’s go. I trust Su Huaiyuan’s character, and I think his family seems good too — otherwise, they wouldn’t be here together.”

Zhou Meihua gently persuaded him, thinking that knowing more familiar people would make things less lonely.

Especially if she didn’t survive, at least someone could comfort him.

Under the dim light, Cai Qingwen looked at his wife’s gentle and encouraging smile for a long time before finally nodding.

Once he agreed, Zhou Meihua quickly dug out a small packet of biscuits from her bag and held it in her hand.

Soon, the two of them quietly slipped away from the cattle shed together.