Chapter 49: Chapter 49: Returning Home, New Clothes, Night Owl Visitors

Ling Chengyan cheerfully said, “Auntie, I’m not going to hide it from you. The county and commune leaders learned about the situation and arranged for vehicles to send you home. With the leaders’ arrangements, you don’t need to worry about missing the autumn planting.”

The old woman was somewhat incredulous, repeatedly asking to confirm it, and suddenly clasped her hands together and prayed, muttering, “Heaven bless, truly grateful to the Party and the leaders!”

Zhang Wanxiang and Wu Qingyun were standing at the entrance of the yard and couldn’t help but laugh out loud upon hearing this.

There were still two elderly people and three children inside the house. After the old woman finished explaining the situation, these people didn’t seem to have much of a problem. They immediately gathered their bedding, each person carrying one, and Ling Chengyan glanced around, not seeing the bag for dry food but didn’t ask further. He had Zhang Wanxiang and the others carry their luggage and escorted the elders and children out of the dilapidated temple, heading back to the village.

On the way, Ling Chengyan was still thinking that these elderly and children were struggling in the middle of the night, hungry and cold. If they could get some hot soup to warm them up, it would be nice.

Unexpectedly, the leaders were very considerate. Shortly after they arrived at the brigade headquarters, someone brought over a large basin of noodles with in-pourd oil and scallions, steaming and fragrant. The elderly and children ate a hot meal of noodles, and their tense expressions relaxed considerably.

Other brigades gradually brought back a dozen more elderly and young ones. Once everyone was gathered, they arranged for these people to sit in several mule carts and set off for the county town.

As for the vagrants, or more accurately bandits, they weren’t sent to the brigade headquarters. Zhang Wanxiang and Wu Qingyun inquired and said that all of them were caught, including the three from the afternoon, and sent to the county ahead of time.

Ling Chengyan returned home late at night. She originally planned not to disturb anyone and climb over the wall to get in, but she hadn’t climbed onto the courtyard wall when the dog barked once.

Xiaoyu quickly came out, “Who is it?”

“It’s me,” Ling Chengyan replied.

Xiaoyu came over to open the door and greeted Ling Chengyan inside.

“Sister, did you guys…” Xiaoyu vaguely heard what Wang Lianqi and Zhang Wanxiang said when they arrived, roughly guessing something.

Ling Chengyan took the kerosene lamp from her hand, smiled, and said, “The county arranged vehicles to send their family home so they wouldn’t have to travel a long distance to get there.”

Xiaoyu uttered an “oh,” silently fetching water for Ling Chengyan to wash up.

Ling Chengyan urged her, “Go to sleep, I’ll wash up and come.”

Xiaoyu leaned against the door frame of the inner room, without making a sound, and did not move.

After washing, Ling Chengyan invited her in, lay down in bed, and after a while, Xiaoyu asked softly, “Are they really being sent home and not being jailed?”

Ling Chengyan laughed and said, “It’s the elderly and children, just out seeking food due to difficulties at home, why would they be jailed? As for the others, you can rest assured.”

Xiaoyu replied softly and didn’t say anything more.

Ling Chengyan didn’t pay her any mind, turned to cover Xiao Xing and Shi Tou with their blankets, and went to sleep.

The night passed without words, and the next morning, Xiaoyu was already making breakfast. Ling Chengyan saw her complexion was good and her expression relaxed and lively, so she felt at ease.

Just after breakfast, the eldest sister-in-law came.

She smiled, handed over two pieces of coarse cloth, “How about these two pieces? If you like them, keep them; if not, I’ll find you something else.”

Ling Chengyan took a look, two pieces of coarse cloth: one dyed indigo, the other a fine cream-colored check, perfect for making pants and a blouse. She promptly kept them, asked the price, and paid the eldest sister-in-law.

The eldest sister-in-law said softly, “I knew you guys had a task last night, so I didn’t come over. Your big brother only came home after midnight. What big event was it this time? Even asking your big brother, he wouldn’t say.”

Ling Chengyan smiled and said, “It was just that each village had chickens stolen, fearing wild creatures might harm people so we did a sweep at night. Catching or not wasn’t important, just sweeping once to scare away any wild creatures.”

“Oh, is that so,” the eldest sister-in-law responded. “It really is true, some families lost chickens the other day. Everyone said it was a yellow weasel, some said it was a raccoon.”

She asked again, “Have you seen a raccoon? Heard it’s like a dog and specializes in stealing chickens.”

Ling Chengyan smiled as she sent the guest to the door, reminded the eldest sister-in-law to buy a few more pieces of fine cloth, and gave the two pieces to Xiaoyu after returning. “Can you sew clothes yourself? If you can’t, I’ll have someone help you sew them.”

Xiaoyu hesitated to take them, dithering a bit and said, “I can sew, just afraid I might not cut them well. Previously my grandma did the cutting…”

Ling Chengyan said, “No need to worry, when Hongling comes, you can let her recommend a skilled tailor to you.”

After a few words, Ling Chengyan heard the bell for starting work, so she instructed Xiaoyu and Xiao Xing at home to look after Shi Tou, while she joined the production team in the field.

Having participated in training these days, spring plowing and sowing were mostly completed. The day before yesterday, green-returning water was watered once in the wheat field, and today they organized manpower to loosen soil in the wheat field, clearing just sprouting weeds and wild vegetables.

Hoeing the field was a skilled job. Ling Chengyan silently followed her sister-in-law to learn for a while, barely keeping up.

Early spring, with pleasant weather, neither cold nor hot, working in the field wasn’t particularly hard to endure.

A group of young girls and wives gathered together, working while joking, raising waves of laughter that spread far.

After learning to use a hoe, Ling Chengyan joined the crowd, listening to jokes around her, feeling a bit happy. As for the eye daggers thrown by a few women from the Wang Family, she ignored them.

These people were still somewhat sensible, not running to her door to assert themselves after the separation, so she was satisfied. With small matters and etiquette, she decided not to make a fuss with them.

After hoeing a ridge, her palms felt a bit hot and sore. Initially, she didn’t know how to use force when hoeing, making her palms abrasive and painful. She worried it might cause blisters if she continued.

While pondering this, she heard someone calling her. Ling Chengyan looked up to see it was a seven or eight-year-old child.

“Auntie, the Party secretary sent me to call you; he wants you to go to the brigade headquarters.”

The squad leader heard this and waved directly, “Alright, go quickly, there’ll be no pay deduction for brigade tasks.”

Ling Chengyan thanked the squad leader and headed to the brigade headquarters, but didn’t figure out anything from the child.

Not knowing why she was there, she arrived at the brigade headquarters, and upon entering, saw Zhang Wanxiang and Wu Qingyun standing at the office door. Ling Chengyan had a feeling she might have guessed something.

Sure enough, Zhang Wanxiang greeted her as soon as he saw her, “Sister Yan, what brings the Longsheng Brigade Party Secretary here? Do they want us to let those people go?”

Ling Chengyan shook her head, “I just arrived too.”

Zhang Wanxiang said angrily, “They are like night owls invading the house, never come without reason.”

“How do we respond when we go in?” Wu Qingyun, being more composed, asked.

Ling Chengyan approved and said, “We’re the ones being robbed; what can we say? The country has laws, families have rules, didn’t they violate national law with their robbery?”

Zhang Wanxiang excitedly punched his palm, “Yes, exactly, speak according to the law, handle things as they should be handled, let who needs to go to jail do so!”

Ling Chengyan said no more and stepped into the room.

Wu Qingyun grinned and punched his buddy, Zhang Wanxiang kicked in return, the two made a bit of a ruckus, tidied their expressions, and walked into the brigade headquarters properly.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep