Chapter 7: No More Working in the Fields

He Jingshu neither knew nor wanted to know about the Zhang family’s drama. She looked gently at little Zhong Ling, who was washing the dishes. Once the little girl finished and ran over happily:

“My Lingling is amazing. Mama will reward you with some milk candy.” He Jingshu pulled out a piece of candy, watching her daughter carefully licking it, her heart melting with affection.

She then took out scissors to fix Zhong Ling’s hair, which looked like a wild patch of weeds. After carefully trimming it into a mushroom cut, she finally felt satisfied.

Little Zhong Ling touched her new haircut and grinned like a cat who stole cream, making He Jingshu’s heart burst with love.

With the busy farming season approaching, she packed a few milk candies and headed to the village leader’s house. Little Zhong Ling waddled along behind her.

“Leader, are you home?” He Jingshu called out loudly.

After a moment, the village leader’s wife opened the door. She was surprised to see He Jingshu, clearly having heard about what happened that morning.

“Lingling’s here, come on in!” The leader’s wife liked Zhong Ling a lot. Although the girl was small and thin, she looked like He Jingshu—and no other child in the village was as pretty. A beauty-loving woman like her couldn’t resist being enthusiastic.

After He Jingshu explained that she wouldn’t be joining the work groups anymore, neither the leader nor his wife approved. In this era of earning labor points, no work meant no share of food—how could that be okay?

“Leader, we have enough food and a monthly stipend that’s enough for the two of us. Lingling is so skinny—I want to take good care of her,” He Jingshu said, using Zhong Ling as her key argument.

Seeing how tiny and thin Zhong Ling was made the leader soften a little. But there were plenty of kids like that in the village, and no one else quit working for it. Still, He Jingshu was so persistent and determined that he finally relented. She left some candy and took Zhong Ling back home happily.

“This candy…” The leader’s wife looked hesitantly at her husband.

“Just take it. Let’s try to help her out more,” the leader sighed.

Only then did the wife gleefully accept the candy, planning to share it with the grandkids.

“Mom, look—it’s my big brothers.” Little Zhong Ling spotted her cousins and looked up hopefully, wanting to play with them.

He Jingshu recognized the kids as her brother-in-law Zhong Youliang’s sons. From memory, they had always cared for Zhong Ling, so she smiled and nodded for her to go play. She herself needed to tidy up the house—it was a mess. Zhong Ling cheerfully ran off to join the boys.

“Lingling, we had meat for lunch! Did you?” they asked her excitedly. They really loved meat.

“I did! I had meat and even soup,” Zhong Ling chirped. Now that she had her mother’s love, she talked a lot more.

Remembering her milk candy wasn’t finished yet, she generously pulled it out to share.

The boys hadn’t had candy in ages. They swallowed hard but still refused, telling her to keep it since she was too skinny.

Zhong Ling, seeing they wouldn’t eat it, tucked the candy away again—she could finish it tomorrow.

The older boy, Da Dan, played with the kids for a long while. When cooking smells began to drift out from homes, he walked Zhong Ling home himself, worried her aunt might scold her.

When He Jingshu finished cleaning, she was met with the sight of six little kids looking at her pitifully.

“Auntie, I brought Lingling to play. Please don’t be mad at her, okay?” Da Dan said nervously, afraid she’d get angry.

“It’s fine—just bring her out to play more often.” He Jingshu smiled and handed each of the kids a piece of candy.

“Auntie, we don’t need it. Give it all to Lingling,” Da Dan said, reluctantly looking at the candy in his hand.

“She already has some. You guys take it too.” He Jingshu was moved by how well-mannered the children were.

The kids exchanged looks before finally accepting the candy. Thanking He Jingshu, they ran back home before dinner.

Her impression of the Zhong family improved even more—any family who raised kids this good had to have strong values.

“Mom, you’re amazing! I tried giving the candy to my brothers but they wouldn’t take it.” Zhong Ling looked up with big admiring eyes.

He Jingshu rubbed her forehead—was it that same candy she’d already licked?

“Lingling, you should finish that candy quickly. We’ve got mice, and if you don’t eat it soon, they might steal it.” He Jingshu really thought it was unsanitary the way she nibbled it bit by bit.

Zhong Ling gasped—mice eat kids’ candy?! Startled, she immediately pulled the candy from her pocket and, heart aching, popped it in her mouth. The sweet taste quickly cheered her up again.