Chapter 125: Late Night
Recently, the weather had been great, and within three days, their rice and wheat were dried.
Once they stored the crops in the granary, the autumn harvest was officially over.
Eager to taste the wheat from his own land, Xia Lu Nong grabbed Kong Zhi and some of their wheat and headed to the cafeteria to grind it into flour on the day of the harvest.
Grinding wheat involves more steps than milling rice.
They brought the wheat to the cafeteria at noon, and by the evening, they had finished grinding it all.
The freshly ground wheat flour had a yellowish-gray color and gave off a fresh, wheaty aroma.
Yan Xi Nian sauntered into the kitchen. “We’re having noodles tonight.”
“Yes!” Xia Lu Nong looked up excitedly. “We’re having wide noodles tonight!”
“Should we make some chili oil to go with it?”
Xia Lu Nong nodded. “We’ll pound some dried chili peppers in a bit.”
“I’ll take care of that.” Yan Xi Nian glanced around the room and asked, “Where’s your brother? I haven’t seen him.”
Xia Lu Nong gave him a knowing look and clicked his tongue. “I was wondering why you came in to help. So that’s your real motive!”
Yan Xi Nian lightly slapped him on the shoulder. “Quit stalling, just tell me.”
“My brother went to cut grass for the cows,” Xia Lu Nong replied. “He’ll probably be back late.”
“Where did he go? Is it safe for him to be alone?” Yan Xi Nian asked, unable to stop himself. “Why didn’t he wait for me to go with him?”
Xia Lu Nong said, “Just inside the base. If it wasn’t safe, I wouldn’t have let him go.”
Yan Xi Nian nodded and immediately turned to leave. “Alright, I’ll go pick him up.”
Xia Lu Nong called after him, “Brother Xi Nian, weren’t you going to help pound the chili peppers?”
Yan Xi Nian waved without turning around. “I’ll be right back.”
Xia Lu Nong shook his head.
Kong Zhi called out to him, pulling his attention back. “Is the soup in the pot almost ready?”
Xia Lu Nong immediately responded, “I’ll go check.”
Kong Zhi was kneading the dough, his hands covered in flour, so he couldn’t do much else.
Xia Lu Nong hurried over to check on their bone broth.
The soup had been simmering all afternoon and was now rich, smooth, and white, filling the entire kitchen with its delicious aroma, making everyone’s mouths water.
Xia Lu Nong took a deep breath, savoring the aroma, and grew even more excited about tonight’s noodle soup.
After pulling the noodles, the two of them pounded the chili peppers, shredded cucumbers, and diced and stir-fried some meat.
Nowadays, whenever Xia Lu Nong did these things, there was an effortless charm about him. Even in these everyday tasks, there was a certain grace that made him irresistible.
Kong Zhi couldn’t take his eyes off him.
When Xia Huo Qu and Yan Xi Nian returned, the entire courtyard was filled with a rich, fragrant aroma.
Yan Xi Nian hadn’t been hungry before, but as soon as he smelled that fragrance, his stomach began to rumble.
“Xiao Nong’s cooking is truly amazing,” Yan Xi Nian remarked. “This smell—this is what home feels like.”
Xia Huo Qu glanced around and said, “I’m going to take a shower first before we eat.”
As they were talking, Xia Lu Nong heard their voices and peeked out of the kitchen. “Brother, you’re back? Dinner’s almost ready. Once the noodles are cooked, we can eat.”
Xia Huo Qu asked, “Is there hot water? I’d like to take a shower first. I’m all sweaty and dusty.”
“There is!” Xia Lu Nong replied. “It’s in the pot out back. Go grab your clothes, and I’ll bring the bathwater for you.”
“I’ll take a shower too,” Yan Xi Nian chimed in. “Is there enough water for two people?”
Xia Lu Nong hurried back, lifted the pot lid, and tested the water temperature with his fingers. “It’s not very hot. It might be a bit tight for two people.”
Xia Huo Qu said, “It’s fine. It’s not too cold yet. We can make do.”
Xia Lu Nong ladled out the water. “You can add some hot water from the thermos, and it’ll be just enough.”
Yan Xi Nian came over to carry the water, felt the temperature, and sighed, “We should really think about getting a water heater.”
Xia Huo Qu casually replied, “Now that the harvest is over, we’ve got time during the winter. Tomorrow, when we go out, we can start looking for one.”
Xia Lu Nong was caught off guard by the news that they were going out tomorrow. “You’re going out tomorrow? For what?”
Xia Huo Qu answered, “With the increasing mutations in the plants and animals, it’s becoming unsafe nearby. We’re going out for a routine patrol.”
Last night, Xia Lu Nong had just used his brother being next door as an excuse to avoid Kong Zhi.
He hadn’t expected that today, his brother would be heading out, leaving him completely dumbfounded. He stared at his brother in disbelief.
Xia Huo Qu looked at him. “Hmm?”
“Nothing.” Xia Lu Nong quickly waved his hand, muttering, “Nothing at all.”
Xia Huo Qu nodded. “Alright, we’re off to shower.”
“Are you leaving in the morning and coming back by evening? I’ll get up early tomorrow to make breakfast,” Xia Lu Nong said, snapping back to reality. “There’s plenty of flour at home, so I can make some pancakes or steam buns. It’s pretty convenient.”
“No need,” Xia Huo Qu said. “We’ll just grab something quick. You can sleep in a bit longer. We’re going in beast form, so we’ll be gone for two or three days.”
Xia Lu Nong immediately grew worried. “Why don’t we come with you?”
“Our beast forms are fast, so it’s easier for us to move around,” Xia Huo Qu replied. “We’ll just take a quick look and come right back. You stay here and tend to the vegetable garden. Make sure the cows have enough feed; winter’s coming soon, so we need to prepare.”
Xia Lu Nong agreed.
Xia Huo Qu and Yan Xi Nian went to shower, and as Xia Lu Nong estimated how long they would take, he started cooking the noodles.
He also boiled a pot of plain water. Once it began bubbling, he tossed in all the wide noodles.
The fire underneath the pot was strong, and the water quickly came back to a boil, with the noodles rising and falling inside.
Once the noodles were cooked, Xia Lu Nong scooped them out with a slotted spoon and placed them into bowls filled with bone broth. Then he blanched some greens and fried some crispy eggs.
By the time Xia Huo Qu and the others finished their showers, the noodles were ready, with steam rising from four large bowls.
Xia Huo Qu came over, and when he saw the bowls, he was greeted by the sight of creamy white bone broth, slightly yellow noodles, brown minced meat, golden fried eggs, and vibrant green vegetables neatly arranged on top.
These bowls of noodles looked, smelled, and undoubtedly tasted amazing.
Xia Lu Nong called out, “Come on, hurry and eat!”
After speaking, he scooped a spoonful of chili oil onto his own bowl of noodles. The dark red oil pooled on top, slowly seeping into the noodles and making them even more mouthwatering.
“Help yourselves to the chili,” Xia Lu Nong added.
Everyone grabbed some chili oil and added it to their noodles.
Yan Xi Nian mixed his noodles, took a big bite, and as he lifted the noodles, they bounced lightly under his chopsticks, with the broth slowly dripping down.
He blew gently on the noodles and shoved the entire bite into his mouth.
After tasting the first bite, his eyes lit up, and he let out a satisfied breath. Searching for the right words to describe it, he finally settled on, “These noodles are just amazing!”
Xia Lu Nong, his cheeks stuffed full, couldn’t speak, so he just nodded in agreement. “Mmm!”
The noodles were truly delicious!
The wheat flavor was rich, and the wide, thick noodles had soaked up all the broth, making them chewy and flavorful, with a perfect texture.
What made it even better was the slight sweetness of the starch, adding another layer of flavor to the noodles.
The crispy egg, fresh greens, fragrant minced meat, and rich bone broth, topped off with the spicy chili oil, brought the entire bowl of noodles to life.
Xia Lu Nong couldn’t help but slurp up another big mouthful.
He had always thought noodles were just okay, but after eating tonight’s wide noodles, he realized that his previous indifference was because the cooking wasn’t good enough and the flour wasn’t right.
Now, these noodles were absolutely perfect!
Xia Lu Nong took a few more bites, the taste so good it nearly brought tears to his eyes.
The exhaustion from months of growing wheat melted away with every mouthful of noodles.
He buried his head in the bowl, devouring the noodles, slurping them down until the entire bowl was empty. He even drank several big gulps of broth, feeling a deep sense of satisfaction both physically and emotionally.
Xia Lu Nong took a deep breath, savoring the aroma, and grew even more excited about tonight’s noodle soup.
After pulling the noodles, the two of them pounded the chili peppers, shredded cucumbers, and diced and stir-fried some meat.
Nowadays, whenever Xia Lu Nong did these things, there was an effortless charm about him. Even in these everyday tasks, there was a certain grace that made him irresistible.
Kong Zhi couldn’t take his eyes off him.
When Xia Huo Qu and Yan Xi Nian returned, the entire courtyard was filled with a rich, fragrant aroma.
Yan Xi Nian hadn’t been hungry before, but as soon as he smelled that fragrance, his stomach began to rumble.
“Xiao Nong’s cooking is truly amazing,” Yan Xi Nian remarked. “This smell—this is what home feels like.”
Xia Huo Qu glanced around and said, “I’m going to take a shower first before we eat.”
As they were talking, Xia Lu Nong heard their voices and peeked out of the kitchen. “Brother, you’re back? Dinner’s almost ready. Once the noodles are cooked, we can eat.”
Xia Huo Qu asked, “Is there hot water? I’d like to take a shower first. I’m all sweaty and dusty.”
“There is!” Xia Lu Nong replied. “It’s in the pot out back. Go grab your clothes, and I’ll bring the bathwater for you.”
“I’ll take a shower too,” Yan Xi Nian chimed in. “Is there enough water for two people?”
Xia Lu Nong hurried back, lifted the pot lid, and tested the water temperature with his fingers. “It’s not very hot. It might be a bit tight for two people.”
Xia Huo Qu said, “It’s fine. It’s not too cold yet. We can make do.”
Xia Lu Nong ladled out the water. “You can add some hot water from the thermos, and it’ll be just enough.”
Yan Xi Nian came over to carry the water, felt the temperature, and sighed, “We should really think about getting a water heater.”
Xia Huo Qu casually replied, “Now that the harvest is over, we’ve got time during the winter. Tomorrow, when we go out, we can start looking for one.”
Xia Lu Nong was caught off guard by the news that they were going out tomorrow. “You’re going out tomorrow? For what?”
Xia Huo Qu answered, “With the increasing mutations in the plants and animals, it’s becoming unsafe nearby. We’re going out for a routine patrol.”
Last night, Xia Lu Nong had just used his brother being next door as an excuse to avoid Kong Zhi.
He hadn’t expected that today, his brother would be heading out, leaving him completely dumbfounded. He stared at his brother in disbelief.
Xia Huo Qu looked at him. “Hmm?”
“Nothing.” Xia Lu Nong quickly waved his hand, muttering, “Nothing at all.”
Xia Huo Qu nodded. “Alright, we’re off to shower.”
“Are you leaving in the morning and coming back by evening? I’ll get up early tomorrow to make breakfast,” Xia Lu Nong said, snapping back to reality. “There’s plenty of flour at home, so I can make some pancakes or steam buns. It’s pretty convenient.”
“No need,” Xia Huo Qu said. “We’ll just grab something quick. You can sleep in a bit longer. We’re going in beast form, so we’ll be gone for two or three days.”
Xia Lu Nong immediately grew worried. “Why don’t we come with you?”
“Our beast forms are fast, so it’s easier for us to move around,” Xia Huo Qu replied. “We’ll just take a quick look and come right back. You stay here and tend to the vegetable garden. Make sure the cows have enough feed; winter’s coming soon, so we need to prepare.”
Xia Lu Nong agreed.
Xia Huo Qu and Yan Xi Nian went to shower, and as Xia Lu Nong estimated how long they would take, he started cooking the noodles.
He also boiled a pot of plain water. Once it began bubbling, he tossed in all the wide noodles.
The fire underneath the pot was strong, and the water quickly came back to a boil, with the noodles rising and falling inside.
Once the noodles were cooked, Xia Lu Nong scooped them out with a slotted spoon and placed them into bowls filled with bone broth. Then he blanched some greens and fried some crispy eggs.
By the time Xia Huo Qu and the others finished their showers, the noodles were ready, with steam rising from four large bowls.
Xia Huo Qu came over, and when he saw the bowls, he was greeted by the sight of creamy white bone broth, slightly yellow noodles, brown minced meat, golden fried eggs, and vibrant green vegetables neatly arranged on top.
These bowls of noodles looked, smelled, and undoubtedly tasted amazing.
Xia Lu Nong called out, “Come on, hurry and eat!”
After speaking, he scooped a spoonful of chili oil onto his own bowl of noodles. The dark red oil pooled on top, slowly seeping into the noodles and making them even more mouthwatering.
“Help yourselves to the chili,” Xia Lu Nong added.
Everyone grabbed some chili oil and added it to their noodles.
Yan Xi Nian mixed his noodles, took a big bite, and as he lifted the noodles, they bounced lightly under his chopsticks, with the broth slowly dripping down.
He blew gently on the noodles and shoved the entire bite into his mouth.
After tasting the first bite, his eyes lit up, and he let out a satisfied breath. Searching for the right words to describe it, he finally settled on, “These noodles are just amazing!”
Xia Lu Nong, his cheeks stuffed full, couldn’t speak, so he just nodded in agreement. “Mmm!”
The noodles were truly delicious!
The wheat flavor was rich, and the wide, thick noodles had soaked up all the broth, making them chewy and flavorful, with a perfect texture.
What made it even better was the slight sweetness of the starch, adding another layer of flavor to the noodles.
The crispy egg, fresh greens, fragrant minced meat, and rich bone broth, topped off with the spicy chili oil, brought the entire bowl of noodles to life.
Xia Lu Nong couldn’t help but slurp up another big mouthful.
He had always thought noodles were just okay, but after eating tonight’s wide noodles, he realized that his previous indifference was because the cooking wasn’t good enough and the flour wasn’t right.
Now, these noodles were absolutely perfect!
Xia Lu Nong took a few more bites, the taste so good it nearly brought tears to his eyes.
The exhaustion from months of growing wheat melted away with every mouthful of noodles.
He buried his head in the bowl, devouring the noodles, slurping them down until the entire bowl was empty. He even drank several big gulps of broth, feeling a deep sense of satisfaction both physically and emotionally.
Xia Huo Qu turned around and served himself a second bowl of noodles. “Aren’t you eating anymore?”
“You guys go ahead, I’m really full,” Xia Lu Nong said, letting out a small burp. “So comfortable!”
After finishing the noodles, Yan Xi Nian went to wash the dishes. When he came back, he said, “Your brother and I are heading to bed. Get some rest tonight since we have to wake up early tomorrow. We won’t be coming by in the morning—we’ll leave as soon as we’re up. Take care of yourselves for the next couple of days.”
“Got it,” Xia Lu Nong said as he saw them out. Just before locking the door, he asked, “Are you sure you don’t want me to make something for you to take along?”
“No need. We’ll just take some chili sauce and seasonings. Whatever we catch, we’ll eat. It’s just the two of us, and we don’t want to carry too much. We’ll manage,” his brother said. “You’ve worked hard lately, so take it easy. We’ll take you with us next time.”
Xia Lu Nong nodded, reminding them, “Brother, be careful out there.”
After sending off his brother and Yan Xi Nian, Xia Lu Nong closed the door and turned around to see Kong Zhi carrying a bucket of water. “Are you going to shower first?”
“Yeah,” Kong Zhi replied. “I just put some wood in the stove. Keep an eye on it.”
“Got it,” Xia Lu Nong responded as he walked into the kitchen and noticed that both pots on the stove were full of water. Confused, he asked, “I’m the only one left who hasn’t showered. Why so much water?”
“It’s for you,” Kong Zhi said casually. “You should make sure to get extra clean.”
Xia Lu Nong didn’t quite get it at first, standing there dumbfounded. “Why do I need to get extra clean?”
Kong Zhi glanced at him. “What do you think? Maybe it’s time we continued that conversation from a few days ago.”
Xia Lu Nong suddenly realized what he meant, and his ears turned red. “But my brother is still next door!”
“We can close the windows,” Kong Zhi suggested.
“Maybe we should wait a couple more days?” Xia Lu Nong hesitated.
Kong Zhi replied, “If you keep putting things off, how many tomorrows are you going to wait for?”
Xia Lu Nong took a deep breath, trying to negotiate further.
Kong Zhi said, “We can do it tonight, and it won’t stop us from doing it again in a couple of days.”
He carried the water into the bathroom. “You can take this time to reflect on the teasing you did the other day.”
Xia Lu Nong finally understood what it meant to dig your own grave. “I was just joking that day.”
“You were joking, but I took it seriously. Nothing wrong with that,” Kong Zhi said, pointing at him. “I’ll be done in ten minutes. You can use that time to mentally prepare yourself.”
The more Kong Zhi talked, the more nervous Xia Lu Nong became. His thoughts were now entirely focused on what was about to happen, and he almost started biting his nails.
A few days ago, when they were in Yacheng town, they had downloaded some new films. Among them was that kind of film. The educational kind.
Xia Lu Nong had secretly watched it and realized that there seemed to be a lot of room for maneuver. It didn’t seem that difficult when it came down to it.
The only issue was that his partner would be Kong Zhi.
Even though Xia Lu Nong would mostly be in a passive role, the mere thought of having to take action made his stomach tense up.
Click.
The bathroom door opened with a soft sound.
Xia Lu Nong, tense with nerves, turned his head toward the bathroom door, his neck stiff.
Kong Zhi walked out, towel in hand, smelling faintly of body wash. After testing the water temperature, he said, “It’s ready. You can go shower now. I’ll bring you some water.”
“No, no, I’ll do it myself!” Xia Lu Nong was so nervous he jumped up, taking the bucket from Kong Zhi. “I can handle it on my own.”
As he reached for the bucket, Kong Zhi wrapped an arm around his shoulder, pulled him close, and kissed him lightly on the neck, his voice low and raspy. “Go get your clothes.”
Xia Lu Nong, flustered, felt his body react instantly, his breath quickening. “Has it already started?”
“What do you think?” Kong Zhi chuckled as he squeezed Xia Lu Nong’s neck gently. “Or you could skip the clothes—I’ll just close the curtains.”
Flustered, Xia Lu Nong dashed into the room as if his feet were on fire, grabbed his clothes, and opened the wardrobe.
Kong Zhi laughed again and brought the water into the bathroom for him.
And then, it was time to wait.
The sound of water splashing filled the bathroom like a melody, accompanied by subtle noises that Kong Zhi could pick out by ear. He gently patted his thigh, tapping out a rhythm.
More than ten minutes passed.
When Xia Lu Nong opened the bathroom door, steam and the faint scent of body wash billowed out.
The scent was the same as the one on Kong Zhi, but somehow, it now carried a hint of something more enticing.
Xia Lu Nong emerged from the bathroom, wearing a white T-shirt and jeans.
The white T-shirt made him look like a slender young sapling, and the jeans fit him perfectly, making his long, straight legs seem endless.
Seeing him like this, Kong Zhi’s eyes darkened with intensity.
Kong Zhi walked over and murmured, “You look amazing.”
Xia Lu Nong gave a nervous smile. His hair was still damp, black and glossy, and his lips had a soft, tender red hue that made him look irresistibly fresh.
Kong Zhi gently grasped the back of Xia Lu Nong’s neck and leaned in for a kiss.
It was a tentative kiss.
Xia Lu Nong responded well.
They stood at the bathroom door, sharing a slow, moist kiss.
Xia Lu Nong felt himself enveloped by Kong Zhi’s presence, his breath growing uneven as they kissed.
When the kiss finally broke, Xia Lu Nong, now breathless, was leaning into Kong Zhi, supported by his arms.
That night felt incredibly long.
It lasted until dawn broke on the horizon.
By the end of it, Xia Lu Nong was completely exhausted. He didn’t even want to move a finger, his eyes barely able to stay open, though he was annoyed by how damp the bed felt.
His face scrunched up, eyes shut tight, his forehead damp with sweat. His flushed complexion and red lips stood out starkly against his pale, jade-like skin.
Kong Zhi looked at him, feeling his heart soften, then kissed him lightly. He went to the bathroom to get a warm cloth, gently wiped Xia Lu Nong down, and then carried him back to his room, tucking him into bed. In a low voice, he whispered, “Go to sleep.”
Xia Lu Nong let out a dissatisfied grunt from his throat, but he was too tired and sleepy to even know what he was mumbling about, and soon, he drifted off.
In the distance, the faint sound of roosters crowing could be heard from the base.
Next door, subtle noises began—Yan Xi Nian and his brother were waking up.
Xia Lu Nong was oblivious to all this. Wrapped in his dry blanket, finally free from the intensity of the previous night’s feelings, he sank into a deep sleep.
Kong Zhi tidied up his own messy bed and went over to Xia Lu Nong’s room, lying down beside him and wrapping his arms around him as they both drifted off to sleep.
That day, Xia Lu Nong slept until 2 p.m. When he finally got up, his body ached all over.
He hobbled to get some lunch, stubbornly refusing Kong Zhi’s offer of help, and definitely rejecting any suggestion of being carried.
Xia Lu Nong, as weak as he was, didn’t need to be carried by the culprit of his soreness.
After finishing his porridge with difficulty, Xia Lu Nong pushed the bowl aside, letting Kong Zhi take care of the cleanup. As he glanced around the house, something struck him as odd. “Did you wash your bedsheets?”
“Yeah. They’re hanging on the roof.”
Xia Lu Nong’s face turned slightly green. “Isn’t that a bit… obvious? Like waving a flag?”
“It’s not that noticeable. Besides, it’s fall, the season for washing sheets and blankets. Who’s going to think anything weird?” Kong Zhi walked over and gave him another kiss. “How about going back to bed for a bit more rest?”
“No, if I sleep any more, I’ll be up all night.” Xia Lu Nong dragged himself to the sofa and lay down. “I’ll just play on my phone here.”
“Alright. You relax at home. I’m going to the fields to pull some weeds.”
Hearing about work, Xia Lu Nong asked, “How are the vegetables growing?”
“The tomatoes have mostly died, and the eggplants and peppers are aging too. I doubt they’ll bear more fruit. We should pull them up soon and think about planting something else.”
Lying on the sofa, Xia Lu Nong tucked a pillow behind his neck. “Time to plant fall crops. Things like cabbage, napa cabbage, mustard greens… We should check with Brother Liu and see what seeds we can trade for.”
“I’ll start by preparing the land,” Kong Zhi said. “The wheat’s already been harvested, so the field is empty now. Should we plow it for another crop?”
“We originally talked about planting fodder grass, but we haven’t been able to find seeds for that yet. We’ll need to come up with another plan.”
After thinking for a moment, Xia Lu Nong added, “The wheat grew really well this year, so it probably took most of the nutrients from the soil. We should plant something like soybeans to help fertilize the land.”
Kong Zhi nodded. “Whatever you say. You rest up here at home, and I’ll head out. Anything you’re craving? I can pick something up on the way back.”
Xia Lu Nong thought for a bit. “I feel like having jelly.”
It was hard to come by jelly these days.
“I’ll check the market for some chilled jelly,” Kong Zhi said. “If not, I’ll bring back some jello or canned fruit.”
“Alright,” Xia Lu Nong said, counting on his fingers. “And maybe some sesame pancakes or fried chicken? Something oily?”
“You can have that once you’re feeling better.” Kong Zhi dodged his glare and changed the subject. “When you’re better, I’ll take you out to catch some crayfish.”
Xia Lu Nong had been craving crayfish for a while but hadn’t been able to find any.
They had a chance last time in the lotus pond, but after running into that giant snake and getting injured, the thought of crayfish had quickly been forgotten.
His eyes lit up. “You know where to find crayfish?”
“Yes,” Kong Zhi replied. “I scouted the area before. It’s safe, and there shouldn’t be any snakes.”
“That’s perfect!”
“We’ll wait until Brother Huo Qu and the others get back in a couple of days, then we can report our plans and head out, just the two of us. I’ll carry you on my back in my beast form.”
“You better keep your word!”
“I always keep my word,” Kong Zhi said, his gaze briefly sweeping over Xia Lu Nong’s lower back. “I never break a promise.”
Xia Lu Nong, noticing his gaze, suddenly remembered the conversation they’d had over drinks a few days ago. He cleared his throat awkwardly. “Some promises don’t have to be kept too strictly.”
“A gentleman’s word is like four horses that can’t be taken back,” Kong Zhi replied, lifting his chin slightly, clearly implying something. “Especially when it comes to important matters. How could I not keep my word?”
The next day, Xia Lu Nong felt much better. Energized, he strapped on a basket and headed to the fields with Kong Zhi.
The crops were growing well, but the weeds were thriving even more.
Xia Lu Nong still couldn’t precisely distinguish crops from weeds using his powers, so he had to resort to manually pulling them.
Kong Zhi had already cleared part of the field the day before, so today they only needed to take care of the rest.
Kong Zhi suggested, “Why don’t you sit in the shade and rest? I’ll handle the weeding.”
“No need, it’s not tiring to pull weeds.”
Seeing his determination, Kong Zhi didn’t insist further.
After a while of weeding, Xia Lu Nong’s back started to ache again, and all he wanted to do was sit down.
He rubbed his lower back. “We should’ve brought a small stool. It would be so much easier to weed while sitting.”
“Go sit on the ridge of the field for a bit.”
The soil in the field was quite damp, so if he sat directly on the ground, his clothes would get wet.
Unless absolutely necessary, they avoided sitting in the field.
Xia Lu Nong glanced at the ridge.
They had planted soybeans there, and now the pods had turned from green to yellow. In the autumn sunlight, the pods swayed in the breeze, almost ready to be harvested.
Kong Zhi took off his jacket, helped Xia Lu Nong up, and handed it to him. “Go ahead, take a break.”
As Kong Zhi nudged him toward the ridge, Xia Lu Nong said, “It’s actually not that bad.”
“Just sit for a bit and enjoy the view of the mountains and fields.”
Hearing this, Xia Lu Nong couldn’t help but smile and turned to gaze at the mountains.
The mountains surrounding their base were all man-made, covered in bamboo forests.
The bamboo remained lush and vibrant, unaffected by the autumn wind.
Below the midsection of the mountains lay terraced fields, most of which were privately owned.
Xia Lu Nong’s family was one of the better-off ones in the base. Compared to them, most families in the base still lived quite difficult lives.
Therefore, during the autumn and winter, the fields wouldn’t be left empty. Everyone would start planting greens and radishes to be eaten in the winter and spring.
At the foot of the mountains were mostly public fields managed by the base.
Since it was a slow farming season, there weren’t many people working in the fields, but they weren’t entirely empty. Many people had let their chickens and ducks roam the public fields, pecking at weeds and bugs, as well as leftover grain from the harvest.
With so many people in the base and word spreading fast, there was no real worry about theft.
These chickens and ducks would spend the day in the fields and be brought back to their coops at night, which meant there was no need to feed them, saving a lot on grain.
As Xia Lu Nong looked around, he could see several hens and roosters strutting in the field, while the ducks splashed and played in the water, creating a peaceful pastoral scene.
Scanning the horizon, Xia Lu Nong suddenly spotted a group of calves.
He nudged Kong Zhi. “Kong Zhi, look over there. Are those our cows?”
Kong Zhi looked up. “Yeah, I see He Shu Hui over there.”
He Shu Hui was the young man who helped herd their cattle.
Xia Lu Nong remarked, “Didn’t expect him to bring the cows out today. Let’s finish pulling the weeds, and then we can take some grass over to check on them.”
“Now that the fields have been mostly harvested, it’s easier to let the cows graze than to cut grass for them,” Kong Zhi replied. “It’s been a few days since we last checked on the cows. Let’s head over and see how they’re doing after this.”
