Chapter 334 - 334: Hurry Up and Return at Night
After the heavy rain of the afternoon, Ruyi began to worry about whether the weather would remain clear. He looked at the large golden rice field where the gold had not been harvested and calculated how many days it would take to collect all the rice back into the barn.
Ah Wei walked to Ruyi’s side and looked at him worriedly. “Brother Ruyi, I hope the next few days will be sunny and not rain heavily again.”
The short-term worker who knew how to read the weather walked to the two of them and said with a smile, “Manager Zhou, the heavy rain like in the afternoon will stop as quickly as it comes. We don’t have to worry about such rain. We’re just afraid of the continuous rain. If the rice is taken home and dried, it will germinate and rot. If we don’t take it home and leave it in the rice field, the rice stalks will fall and germinate in the field. It should be sunny in the next few days after this heavy rain. Let’s work harder and finish harvesting as soon as possible.”
Ruyi did not expect them to volunteer to work. He cupped her hands gratefully at him. “Uncle Yang, thank you! I’ll report to Madam and give you an additional salary for the extra hours you work.”
Uncle Yang thought to himself that the Zhou family treated people honestly.
Not only was the food good, but they have never been stingy with the salary . He heard that his master was still a high official in the government office. How could such a family not prosper?!
Uncle Yang thought to himself and nodded with a satisfied smile. “Your master doesn’t treat us like some people who scolds us as if we’re not human. We’re also willing to work for your family. Of course, it’s even better if we can receive additional money!”
Ruyi cupped his hands and smiled. “Uncle Yang, don’t worry. My master and
Madam won’t treat you badly.”
“Everyone is willing to rush the work. I’ll tell them now.” Uncle Yang happily told the other short-term workers about the processing money.
When the other short-term workers heard this, they all felt that the Zhou family was honest and put more effort into their work.
Everyone worked for another two hours until it was dark before they packed up the threshing machine and pulled it and the rice home.
When they returned to the inverted courtyard, they burned a few torches to brighten it up. Everyone washed their faces in exhaustion and sat at the long table to start eating. There was a large basin of braised trotters, a large basin of roasted duck with taro, a basin of cold peas, a basin of stir-fried eggplant with green beans, and a basin of egg soup. There were also a few large basins of vegetables in front of them.
Little Loach picked up a piece of duck meat and placed it in his mouth. He smiled at the wheat and said, “Brother Maizi, the yam roasted duck is indeed delicious. Also, this hoof is covered in oil.”
Maizi was looking at the roasted duck in the basin and feeling conflicted. Little Loach even came to tease him and rolled his eyes at him angrily. “Black Loach, even the big hooves can’t stop your mouth.”
Old Madam Yun looked at Maizi and smiled. “Don’t worry about it. I chose the male ducks to kill and the female ducks to keep.”
“That’s great!” Maizi beamed and put a piece of duck in his mouth. “Mmm! It’s delicious. I didn’t give them so much clam meat for nothing.”
Uncle Cai looked at the children at the table and smiled. “These brats are so energetic. Look, those little girls are even dozing off while eating.”
Old Zou glanced at the children. “How can we not be tired when we’re busy farming? We’ll only feel at ease after taking the food home. Hurry up and eat and rest. We still have to wake up an hour early tomorrow!”
“That’s true.” Everyone ate all the vegetables in the basin like a tornado. After going to the bathroom to take a shower, they lay on the bed and slept.
In the main courtyard, Ruyi told Li Yu and her husband about the fact that the short-term workers were willing to work. Zhou Jia nodded and said to him, “We’ll give them an additional 10% of the salary like you said. Get up early and sleep late and prescribe better food for them.”
Ruyi smiled and said, “These short-term workers have all come to work during the wasteland reclamation. They all say that we give food, do not scold and hence they were are willing to help us work.”
“It’s not easy for these people to earn money. They can’t bear to eat or use it even if they earn a little money.” Zhou Jia looked at Ruyi’s tanned face and stood up to pat his shoulder. He said gently, “Ruyi, you’ve been tired for a day. Go back and rest!”
Ruyi’s heart warmed. “Got it. Master and Madam, rest early too.”
After Ruyi left, Li Yu carried Yangyang into the room. Yangyang, who was dozing off on Li Yu’s shoulder, suddenly said, “Father, it’s so tiring to work! ”
Zhou Jia looked at his red face and patted his head with a smile. “You know how tired you are from work. How many rice ears did Yang’er pick up?”
Yangyang looked up at Li Yu. “I gave it to Mother. Mother said to make cakes for us.”
Li Yu also smiled and praised, “Not bad. Yang’er and Seven Pounds have been holding on these few days. They didn’t desert.”
“You’re a good boy.” Zhou Jia smiled and kissed him. Yangyang pounced into Zhou Jia’s arms. “Daddy, hug.” The family of three smiled and returned to their room.
The next day, everyone woke up an hour earlier than two days ago. Shui Sheng and a few older children rubbed their eyes and followed the adults to the rice field. They realized that there were already people in the rice field. Ah Wei took a closer look and realized that it was the Yang couple and the family with the surname Shi in the village at the foot of the mountain.
Madam Yang smiled brightly and said, “Granny asked us to help with the work for a few days.”
There were a total of 15 people from the Shi family. The white-haired Father Shi smiled honestly and said, “Steward Zhou, my family only has four acres of rice fields. The rest are all sorghum planted in the mountains. My three grandsons are all studying in school, so I brought the children to help.”
Ruyi cupped his hands at Father Shi and the Yang couple. “Thank you, thank you. I was worried that it would start raining before I could take it back. Uncle Shi and Brother Yang have helped a lot.”
Shi Laohan and Boss Yang cupped their hands and smiled. “Steward Zhou is too polite. We only know how to work a little hard. Master Zhou has really helped us a lot.”
Uncle Yang looked at the few people who were exchanging pleasantries and smiled. “Alright! We’re all loyal families. Don’t stand on ceremony!”
Father Shi laughed heartily. “Brother, you’re right. The crops are growing so well. They can’t rot in the fields. Let’s dry them!”
Seeing that more than ten strong laborers had arrived, everyone shrugged off their shoulders confidently and started working.
In the evening, Ji Xiang followed Granny Han’s mule cart back to Yunzhou. When she came out of the big cart shop and followed her into an alley, she arrived at a quiet place. Seeing that no one was around, she quickly put on the sack and carried it out to put it in the carriage. She left the city and drove towards the manor at the foot of the mountain. When it was almost dark, Ji Xiang looked up and saw that the villa that was still under construction had already begun to build a wall. The rice fields were crowded and everyone was still busy harvesting the rice.
Ji Xiang drove the cart to the entrance of the manor and met Ruyi, who was driving the ox cart out. Ruyi glanced at the travel-worn Ji Xiang. “You’re back! Did you bring the things back?”
Ji Xiang looked at Ruyi, who was much tanned, and nodded. “I brought it back.
Are Master and Madam in the main courtyard?”
Ruyi nodded. “Go! I just went back to the courtyard..”