As soon as they heard that it was sweeter than corn cobs, the three children happily went to wash their hands.

Children cannot resist sweet things.

After washing their hands, they each took a piece of sugarcane and sucked on it gently.

“Auntie San, it’s so sweet,” Hai Cai said happily. His eyes were about to squint.

His eyes were also big, but he was a bit dark, and his eyebrows were thick, giving him a simple look.

However, most of the Lin family members had thick eyebrows and big eyes, so even though they were cousins, they looked somewhat similar.

“Take your time to eat. Don’t bite your mouth or tongue while eating,” Ning Shu reminded them.

When she ate sugarcane, she often bit her tongue and poked her mouth corners.

One big and three small sat under the eaves happily eating sugarcane, unaware of the hustle and bustle in the field.

Lin Guodong was strong and had good physical strength, so he naturally worked fast.

He worked with the three children for a while, played for a while, and as long as he completed the work he was assigned, no one would say anything.

After all, everyone just had to do their own assigned work.

But there was only one person like him who could work with his children.

“Guodong’s wife is really lucky. Guodong not only works but also takes care of the children. Look at my husband. He wouldn’t even pick up a soy sauce bottle if it fell.”

“Yeah, look at my husband. Guodong’s wife is really lucky to marry Guodong.”

“Guodong’s wife is so beautiful, and the three children she raised are chubby, obedient, and well-behaved.” Someone who didn’t envy spoke up.

This made many people dissatisfied. “If my husband gave me money every month, I could also raise three children to be chubby.”

“If I didn’t have to work every day and just ate at home, I could also raise myself to be beautiful.”

“Ah, whether someone is good-looking or not is innate. With your foundation, you won’t look good even if you eat meat every day.”

“What did you say? Say it again.”

“I could say it a hundred times and it would still be the same. I’m a person who likes to tell the truth. What? Do you want me to lie and say you’re good-looking with my eyes open?”

Among the group of women, there were also some who quietly worked without speaking. But one of them, her eyes betrayed an unmistakable jealousy.

“Xiaoyue, what are you doing? You’re stripping the leaves off the plants.” A female comrade who was working with Jiang Xiaoyue spoke up.

Her name was Lin Caiyun, and she lived next door to the Jiang family.

“Oh? Sorry, sorry, I was lost in thought.” Jiang Xiaoyue apologized hurriedly.

“I know you’re not in a good mood, but you can’t take it out on the crops. Try to be more open-minded.” Lin Caiyun tried to persuade her.

She knew that Jiang Xiaoyue had just divorced her husband and was feeling down, so she didn’t say much more.

Jiang Xiaoyue was the daughter of Granny Jiang. Granny Jiang favored sons over daughters, but she also had some affection for her daughter, especially because Jiang Xiaoyue was exceptionally good-looking since she was young, so Granny Jiang also valued her daughter to some extent.

Five years ago, Jiang Xiaoyue was slender and beautiful, and she was at the age when people started to take notice.

Granny Jiang took a fancy to Lin Guodong. She thought that Lin Guodong was the most promising young man in the whole brigade, and her daughter was the most beautiful girl in the whole brigade.

They were a perfect match. Moreover, if her daughter married Lin Guodong, she could also help out at home.

So, when Lin Guodong happened to come back to visit relatives, she informed him and her daughter and then went to find Lin’s mother to discuss the matter.

Lin’s mother knew what kind of person Granny Jiang was. Even if Granny Jiang was good, Lin’s mother didn’t like Jiang Xiaoyue, let alone the kind of person Granny Jiang was. Of course, she refused.

Later, Lin Guodong married Ning Shu, and Jiang Xiaoyue was also married off, Granny Jiang because the neighboring village gave a larger betrothal gift. However, last month, Jiang Xiaoyue divorced her husband and came back looking disheartened.

As for the reason for the divorce, there were various rumors. Some said Jiang Xiaoyue couldn’t bear children, and some said her husband had an affair.

But no one knew for sure, as Jiang Xiaoyue didn’t say.

“Well, I know. I’ll be careful.” Jiang Xiaoyue didn’t get distracted again and focused on her work.

The days in winter were particularly short, so it was time to finish work soon.

San Bao sat on his father’s neck, urging him to hurry home because he missed his mother.

Among the crowd of people finishing work, Sanbao’s clear voice was the most distinctive.

There wasn’t a single baby among the villagers who were working. Everyone was attracted by his voice and looked at him. Someone even joked, “Brother Guodong, you just came back and you’re already working. Ning Qing hasn’t worked as much in these few years as you have in the past two days.” It was a delicate female voice.

Lin Guodong looked over in the direction of the voice, and it was Jiang Xiaoyue who was speaking.

Seeing him looking at her, Jiang Xiaoyue smiled at him.

She had a delicate appearance, and her smile looked pitiful, easily arousing a man’s protective instincts.

However… Lin Guodong was definitely not one of those men.

He had received rigorous training and could withstand swords and spears, as well as seduction.

Moreover, Jiang Xiaoyue was no different from a stranger in his eyes.

However, he also didn’t like it when others spoke ill of Ning Shu. “Who are you?” he asked in a flat tone.

What was the point of criticizing his wife in front of him?

Upon hearing his question, Jiang Xiaoyue’s expression stiffened.

The people around burst into laughter.

Lin Guodong’s question was not intentional; he really didn’t recognize Jiang Xiaoyue.

“Brother Guodong, I’m Xiaoyue. My mother once talked to your mother about our marriage. Don’t you remember? Later, Ning Qing came along, and we didn’t get married.” Jiang Xiaoyue said sadly.

“You’re talking nonsense.” Lin’s mother’s voice came from behind, “When did I talk to your mother about your marriage to Guodong? My son is a university student. Even if my daughter-in-law is not a university student, she has to be a high school student. How could I have considered you? Your mother did mention you to me once, and I rejected it outright. Don’t pretend to be confused and deliberately say these things to mislead others.”

If it were a good female comrade, Lin’s mother wouldn’t have spoken so harshly, but she started talking nonsense as soon as she opened her mouth, making people misunderstand.

Lin’s mother wouldn’t give her face in this situation.

Moreover, she and Granny Jiang had been at odds over this matter for five years, so she was even less likely to consider her feelings.

“So, Granny Jiang and Guodong’s mother also had this matter. No wonder Granny Jiang has been speaking ill of Guodong’s mother everywhere for these years. The reason is this.”

Ah.” Someone suddenly realized. Over the years, Granny Jiang and Lin’s mother had quarreled many times, and everyone didn’t know the reason.

Now they finally understood.

“Of course. Guodong is a college student and an officer. He should be matched with a high school or college student. Jiang Xiaoyue, you haven’t even finished elementary school. How could Guodong’s mother look favorably on you?”

“Exactly. Even if Jiang Zhiqing doesn’t mention anything else, she was a high school student. If the college entrance examination hadn’t been canceled, she might have been able to get into college.”

Everyone started talking.

“Auntie, I was just joking.” Jiang Xiaoyue quickly defended herself when she saw the situation.

Then she turned to Lin Guodong and said, “Guodong, you’re a person who deals with important matters. You can take a joke, right?”

Lin’s mother had seen shameless people before, but she had never seen someone as shameless as Jiang Xiaoyue.

She even said it was a joke. Her skin was thicker than her mother.

No wonder she was Jiang Pozi’s daughter.

Lin Guodong looked at her, his resolute face devoid of a smile.

Seeing Lin Guodong looking at her, Jiang Xiaoyue’s heart beat faster.

Couldn’t help but wonder, did he fancy her?

Just as Jiang Xiaoyue was indulging in wishful thinking, Lin Guodong’s calm voice rang out, “I am a soldier. Any slander against me would constitute defamation. So, there is no such thing as joking. Slandering a soldier can lead to imprisonment, or even…” Lin Guodong didn’t finish his sentence.

Jiang Xiaoyue’s face turned pale.

She had just been talking nonsense, trying to provoke Ning Shu in front of Lin Guodong, but she hadn’t expected Lin Guodong to take it so seriously.

She quickly said, “I’m sorry, I’m sorry. I won’t joke like that again.”

Lin Guodong withdrew his gaze and didn’t say anything else to her.

Of course, he could take a joke, but not all words could be joked about.

Moreover, if he didn’t take it seriously, it would be his wife and son who would be gossiped about.

Lin Guodong carried San Bao back home and saw his two brothers playing with a rope.

“Dad…” San Bao wobbled his short legs, wanting to get down.

He hadn’t seen his brothers all afternoon and wanted to play with them.

Lin Guodong put him down.

“Dad…” Er Bao’s big eyes stared at him.

Lin Guodong raised an eyebrow. “What’s wrong?”

This son always stared at him.

He hadn’t offended him today.

“Dad, can you twist grass ropes?” Er Bao asked.

Lin Guodong: “Yes, why?”

He had a vague feeling that what his silly son was going to say next wouldn’t be good, but teasing him was also fine.

Er Bao naturally assigned tasks: “Then you’ll twist grass ropes with us tomorrow. Haicai said that you can exchange this grass rope for money at the supply and marketing cooperative. Grandma used to take grass ropes to the supply and marketing cooperative to exchange for money.”

Lin Guodong firmly refused: “I’m busy tomorrow, I have to go to work.”

With that, he went to wash his hands in the stream.

“That won’t do. You didn’t give Mom a lot of money to buy meat. The money you gave her today was used to buy ribs. It’s all gone. We need to earn money to buy more meat.” Er Bao chased after him, chattering behind him.

Lin Guodong washed his hands and then washed Er Bao’s hands as well: “I have money. Enough for you and your mother to eat lots of meat. Don’t worry.”

Why did this little head have so many worries?

“I don’t believe you.” Er Bao held out his hand. “Where’s the money? Give me the money, I’ll give it to Mom.”