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The Green Lotus Peasant Girl

Chapters List

Chapter 23: Hu Family

In the kitchen, Zhou Wanwan, who was preparing the food, was surprised when she heard her mother's words. She glanced at Li Fu outside and looked at Li Qinghe for help. When she didn't receive any response, she lowered her head aggrievedly.

She pretended not to notice her and went out with the dishes to set the dinner table.

Who is willing to help her?

Except for Li Fu!

As she walked out of the kitchen, she heard Li Fu expressing displeasure, “Wanwan is about to get engaged. The Hu family will be visiting shortly. What will happen if her complexion darkens? Forget it. If you do not want to help, I will handle it myself.”

“Why don't you ask the one from the Zhou family to help you?” When Li Qinghe entered the kitchen to get the steamed buns, she heard Mrs. Qian's voice.

What nonsense are you talking about! [1]

Li Qinghe was instantly offended by her words. Even if Zhou Chengkang was willing to assist, it should be he himself who volunteered. How could they ask Zhou Chengkang to do the work?

She lifted the curtain and walked out of the kitchen, “I didn’t think Aunt Qian would be inconvenienced by working. There are so many women working at the farm, and even if it is inconvenient for others, how can they not work during the Harvest Season?”

Mrs. Qian's face turned pale when she heard her words, but she always portrayed the role of an innocent and weak woman before Li Fu, so she bowed her head and stopped talking.

“I will not ask him to lend me a hand.” Li Fu said while picking up a steamed bun. “Besides, why should I ask him? He might come himself if he has the heart to help us.”

His words implied that Zhou Chengkang should come and assist him in his work.

Li Qinghe stopped speaking further.

After a while, she sat down at the dinner table and asked, “Didn't you say that the Hu family would come to the house to propose marriage? Why didn't they come yet?”

After the marriage proposal, he should also come to work.

Li Fu was annoyed, “What are you urging? They'll come when they're supposed to.”

The next morning, the villagers had already begun the Autumn Harvest. It was noisy outside in the early hours of the morning.

When Li Qinghe went out to feed the fish, she encountered many people carrying bundles of wheat bales on her way.

She also saw Zhou Chengwu, but he was working for Li Qingmiao's house instead of his own.

The young girl was rushing to deliver water, but one could see that she was in a good mood. She went around greeting others,

“This year someone is there to help us. My father and I can relax a bit. You don’t know how hard it was for all these previous years….” Blahblahblah, anyway, she wasn’t interested in listening to her.

The Zhou family also has an autumn harvest today, but only Mrs. Zhou and Zhou Chengkang are working. His younger sister, who is also the eldest girl, stayed home to handle housework.

In the afternoon, Li Fu may have been affected by the excitement of the people as well, so he also went to the field carrying a sickle. Mrs. Qian didn’t go with him. Therefore, three people were preparing dinner at home, while Li Fu worked alone in the field under the sun.

In the afternoon, the temperature was so high that people were scorching under the sun. Mrs. Qian, who was brewing tea instructed Zhou Wanwan, “Wanwan, deliver this tea to your father.”

Zhao Wanwan looked at the scorching sun and said, “Mother, my clothes haven't been washed yet.”

Li Qinghe, who was folding clothes in the house, heard her words and said, “I’ll go.”

Ignoring the surprised Mrs. Qian and her daughter, Li Qinghe took the tea kettle and left.

Having exited the village, she walked for a quarter of an hour and found her plot of land. She saw Li Fu bend down alone to harvest wheat and walked towards him.

Li Fu raised his head when he saw her approaching, “Why are you here?”

Li Qinghe raised the tea kettle in her hand, “I’m here to bring you tea.” As she spoke, she poured a cup of tea, “Let’s rest for a while.”

Li Fu walked and sat under the shade of the tree on the side. He drank two cups and handed them back to her, “The sun is bright outside, go back earlier.”

Li Qinghe took the bowl and looked at the large wheat stalks.

With so much work, I don't know how long it will take for one person to finish it. Moreover, the weather is just right. This time of year is ideal for harvesting the grain and drying it under the sun, as in the rainy season it would not dry and become moldy. One wrong move and an entire year's work will be wasted.

She couldn't help but ask, “Why didn’t you let Aunt Qian help you here?”

“In the past years, she would always come to help out, though she did not contribute much. However, she said she wanted to accompany me.” Li Fu held his sickle and started working, “Perhaps this year she is truly unwell.”

Li Qinghe was dumbfounded. She didn’t want to be stuffed with dog food [2].

Li Fu urged her, “ Go back quickly.”

The sun is too bright and there is a sort of dryness in the ground, which makes it too hot for people to sit. So Li Qinghe also didn’t refuse his suggestion.

Although she was fired from her job in the town in her previous life, Li Qinghe married quickly and helped the Xu family to cut the grains once or twice. There are so many things to do for the Xu family at home, the amount of housework was more than enough to keep her busy all day. As a result, she hasn't done that much work in the fields.

On her way back home, she met Mrs. Zhou, who was resting on the roadside with a large bundle of wheat stalks.

Mrs. Zhou showed Li Qinghe great affection since the marriage had been decided. She asked with a smile, “Qinghe ah, what are you doing under such a hot sun?”

With a smile, Li Qinghe replied, “I delivered tea to my father and I am going home.”

Mrs. Zhou apologized, “Our family has a lot of work this year, and it may take two days for the fourth child to come to help.”

Usually, the Zhou family would finish harvesting the grains first, since they have a lot of manpower. However, this year she feared that wasn't going to be possible.

Li Qinghe smiled and refused to accept her apology.

When Li Qinghe returned home, she saw that Mrs. Qian was busy greeting a guest. When Li Qinghe entered, she told her, “Qinghe, you’ve returned. Go quickly and tell your father we have a guest and to come back soon.”

A guest?

Li Qinghe glimpsed the woman in a satin shirt standing in the living room, and beside her was a thin young boy. This must be the mother and child of the Hu family.

She didn’t see Mrs. Xi, who normally settles the marriage.

Li Qinghe agreed and ran outside to call her father. After informing Li Fu, she went to her pond to feed the fish.

When she returned from feeding the fish, she saw the dinner table was already set up and people were sitting around ready to eat.

She glanced at them but didn’t go there, instead returned to her room.

Then, she heard a soft voice, speaking in an unhurried manner, “My family's Yanxi's master frequently praises him for his excellent skills. He said he would be finished with his apprenticeship next year. Many people in town have recently requested a marriage proposal to come to our house. Those girls are better than Wanwan... If we hadn't previously agreed with you, maybe we wouldn't have come. After all, a scholar must pay attention to his integrity.”

As Li Qinghe continued to sew the clothes, she was surprised to hear this.

When two people tie the knot, it should be in good faith and with good intentions. If one party is unhappy, forget it and just don't come. Such a secret belittling seems to indicate a lack of sincerity in marriage.

“Wanwan is very good.” Mrs. Qian’s voice echoed, “I have taught her to wash and cook since she was a child. She is an excellent worker outside the house too and is not inferior to others.”

Though Li Qinghe was speechless, it was also true. While negotiating a marriage, it is advantageous to find a girl who can perform household chores well. But right now, she feels as if something is wrong.

It was then that she heard Mrs. Qian say, “It would be best if we set the marriage earlier. I only have one daughter, and seeing her have a home of her own will make me relieved.”


[1] 问个屁 - Ask/Talk nonsense. Usually, when someone says something like this, s/he generally means "mind your own business" or "back off" after being asked about something upset.

[2] Dog food - It is internet slang used to describe the public display of affection (term used by singles 单身狗 forced to "eat" it).

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