Chapter 6: A Change in Nature
Everyone should do what they can and bear their due responsibilities, which is Su Mulan’s principle in work and management.
The four little radishes also obediently started to get busy.
With many hands, trivial matters after meals were quickly settled. Taking advantage of the clouds not yet dispersing and a bit of cool breeze, Su Mulan led the four people with shovels and bamboo baskets to the corn fields.
Because the Bai family earned money by escorting outside, they didn’t pay much attention to cultivating wasteland. At home, the calculation was that there were only six mu of land, two of which were on a slope. Not only did they not retain water, but the soil was also somewhat sandy, suitable only for planting sweet potatoes. Concerned that planting only one crop of sweet potatoes on this newly opened wasteland would be wasteful, they planted sweet potatoes in both spring and autumn seasons. However, as a result, the soil fertility was insufficient, and the sweet potatoes did not grow large enough.
However, sweet potatoes require minimal management as a crop and are not prone to pests. As long as there is no severe drought, they can yield some harvest. Moreover, sweet potato sprouts grow on their own, almost at zero cost. Even if the land lies fallow, whatever can be harvested counts as gain.
Because of this, most of their energy is usually focused on the remaining four mu of land.
With a large family at home requiring plenty of food, aside from winter wheat, the four mu of land are planted with relatively high-yielding corn grains. This year, due to favorable weather conditions, the corn grain seedlings are growing vigorously.
Su Mulan didn’t rest once in the fields, diligently weeding the lush grass between rows of corn grains.
The four people from Bai family also one by one entered the corn grain fields to begin their work.
The weather was cool, and quite a few people came out to work. The fields were adjacent, and neighbors from nearby streets naturally noticed Su Mulan leading the four from Bai family.
“Is that… from the Bai Shitang family?” someone exclaimed in surprise, rubbing their eyes.
The person beside them looked up and also glanced over, “Indeed it is. This is quite rare. Su usually lazes around at home, leaving the field work to Shuiliu. But now she’s out here working. I wonder if the sun rose from the west today or if she’s had a change of heart.”
“It’s hard to say. Around noon when I went to call my husband back for lunch, I passed by her house. I saw her leading the children eating noodles in the courtyard, and even the bowls of noodles were full of grains.”
“Hey, back when those four kids never had enough to eat, they’d call it rice soup, but it was just soup without a single grain of rice visible. Now Su is so generous. Could it be what my sister-in-law said, a change of heart?”
“A change of heart? Like how a dog can’t stop eating shit. Do you really expect her to become a good person?” came a sharp, and disdainful voice.
The two gossiping women turned to look at Zhang and replied in an indifferent tone, “Sister-in-law, we shouldn’t put it that way. People can change, and if she really does change for the better, it would be a good thing.”
If Su Mulan is disliked for her harsh treatment, then Zhang, who likes to gossip in the village, is similarly unpopular.
Ignoring the coldness between them, Zhang sneered, “This hypocrite is just putting on a show here. If you don’t believe me, just open your eyes and see.”
With that, Zhang marched over to Su Mulan’s field, hands on hips, and shouted, “Bai family, what are you doing here?”