Harvesting wheat under the scorching sun was grueling, so the wages were higher than during rice planting, thirty copper coins per day. For a day and a half, the men were paid forty-five copper coins each. As for Chen Dongdong, though he worked slower than the men, he didn’t slack off at all. The Shen family noticed this and didn’t shortchange him, paying him twenty coins for a day and thirty coins for a day and a half.
Lin Jinhu and Lin Jinlong took their wages and left first. When He Zhi saw how much he was give, twice what he had expected, he was at a loss for words, his tongue tied in gratitude.
“You deserve it. If there’s more work in the future, feel free to come if you’re available,” Shen Yaoqing said with a smile.
“Alright.” He Zhi nodded. He wasn’t one to put on airs, so he tucked the money into his pocket and left with Chen Dongdong.
After the meal, Ji Qiuyue went to wash the dishes while the others sat in the main hall to rest. Wei Lanxiang fanned herself with a palm-leaf fan, her face beaming as she talked about how much grain the thirteen mu of land would yield this year. No matter how hot it was, she felt it was worth it.
Lu Gu sat nearby drinking water. The wheat awns stuck to his sleeves pricked his arms, so he bent his head to carefully pick them out one by one.
His wrists, face, and neck were dotted with small red marks from the wheat awns. Sitting and resting now was a relief compared to the fields, where he had been drenched in sweat and constantly pricked by the awns, the discomfort magnified by the heat.
“The sun’s been good lately. It shouldn’t take more than a few days to dry the wheat. Once your third uncle’s family finishes threshing, we’ll borrow their ox,” Wei Lanxiang said.
“Mm.” Shen Yaoqing agreed, adding, “When it cools down in the afternoon, I’ll move the stone roller over.”
“This year’s good. Drying the wheat in the new yard means we don’t have to worry even if it rains.” Wei Lanxiang’s smile didn’t fade. The days under the sun had darkened her skin, and the wrinkles on her face made her look older.
People who did heavy labor often aged faster.
“That’s true.” Shen Yaoqing nodded beside her.
Rain was the biggest fear after harvesting wheat. Wet wheat grains could easily sprout, making them worthless. That’s why every family had to leave someone to watch the threshing ground. When the wheat ears ripened, they were spread out on the ground, and flocks of birds would come to peck at them. During the day, someone had to stay to chase the birds away, and at night, men would bring bedding to sleep there, fearing unexpected rain.
Now that they were drying the wheat in their own yard, if it rained, they could use long forks to roll the wheat into the spacious main hall, saving them from running too far.
As Lu Gu pulled out a few wheat awns, Shen Xuanqing who was sitting beside him, turned and noticed the redness on his wrists and arms. “It’s so red.”
“It’s fine. It’ll fade in a couple of days.” Lu Gu’s voice was soft. Back in the Lu family, he had also gone to cut wheat, so he was used to the red marks left by the awns. They didn’t even count as wounds.
Shen Yaoqing took a sip of water and said with a smile, “We’re too tired today. Tomorrow’s not busy, so let’s go to town and eat at a restaurant.”
He glanced at Ji Qiuyue, who had just finished washing the dishes, and suddenly felt conflicted. The town was far, and with his wife’s growing belly and the heat, the trip might be too much for her.
Having been married for so long, Ji Qiuyue could read his husband's thoughts. She smiled and said, “You all go ahead. I’ll stay home and watch the house. It’s so hot, I don’t have much of an appetite anyway. Just bring me back a jar of sweet Qionglu when you return.”
No matter how light the plum wine was, it was still wine, and she couldn’t drink it now that she was pregnant. But she had heard that the Fulai Tavern in town sold a drink called Qionglu, which was sweet and refreshing. Since Shen Yaoqing was going to town anyway, she thought it would be nice to try it.
“Alright, I’ll definitely bring it back for you.” Shen Yaoqing said, fanning her with the palm-leaf fan as she sat down.
Eating at a restaurant was a rare treat for country folk. They might only go once or twice a year, so it was something to look forward to. The next day, everyone changed into clean clothes.
The weather was scorching, so besides the usual braised beef and pork head, they also ordered two cold vegetable dishes. The wine in town was better than what villagers brewed themselves, so they ordered two pots of good wine and enjoyed a hearty meal.
The Fulai Tavern was expensive, so Shen Yaoqing only went there after the meal to buy a bamboo tube of Qionglu. It was quite pricey,thirty copper coins for a tube. But since Ji Qiuyue couldn’t come to the restaurant, nd she wanted to try it. Even if it cost eighty copper coins, he would have bought it for her.
——
After three solid days of exhausting work in the fields, even the toughest person needed a break. By midday, when the heat was at its peak, the Shen family, who had been napping in their rooms, gradually woke up.
The wheat had been drying for two days since it was brought back, and the top layer was mostly dry. In the afternoon, when the sun wasn’t as intense, Lu Gu followed Shen Xuanqing to the new house to turn the wheat, flipping the lower layers to dry for another two days. Once fully dry, it would be ready for threshing.
The other five family members were busy, and Ji Qiuyue had also come over, lighting a clay stove in the shade to boil water and prepare tea.
Dust flew as they turned the wheat, and even Guai Zi stayed away, lying at Ji Qiuyue’s feet to rest in the cool shade, panting.
After turning the wheat, Lu Gu and the others drank water and rested. Wei Lanxiang, unable to sit still, grabbed a bundle of wheat from the edge. Her rough hands patted the wheat ears, and grains began to fall.
The wheat at the edges was spread thinner and dried faster. She wrapped her headscarf tighter and sat on a low stool, using a wooden mallet to pound the wheat ears on the ground. Every grain she could knock loose now would mean less work when they used the stone roller later.
“Mother, take a break,” Shen Xuanqing said.
Wei Lanxiang chuckled as she pounded. “Sitting like this isn’t tiring. You all rest.”
“In about ten days, Yu Ping will be getting married. We’ll have to see what your third aunt says and go help.”
Having spent most of her life working the land, the current workload was nothing to her. She chatted as she worked, her hands never idle.
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