Chapter 1641 - 1586: The Group Favorite’s Counterpart 16
Chapter 1641: Chapter 1586: The Group Favorite’s Counterpart 16
Not long after Anning and the other three left, it was time for the summer harvest.
The weather was decent this year, the wheat grew well, and by lunar May, families were busy cutting wheat.
While others started harvesting, Pei Laoshi was worried.
He had twelve acres of wheat to harvest, a daunting task.
In past years, harvesting was exhausting, and this year, with three people gone, there was An Xian who was so lazy. She didn’t even cook, let alone help with work.
Zhao Chuan was diligent, but this time, his factory had a lot of work, and he had to work overtime daily and couldn’t take leave to help with fieldwork.
It seems only Pei Laoshi and Liu Dalian could work.
But two people harvesting twelve acres was really too much for them.
During dinner, Pei Laoshi said to An Xian, "You sort yourself and join the field work tomorrow."
"I’m not going," An Xian said angrily while eating, "Third and Fourth are too cunning, knowing it’s harvest time they ran away deliberately to avoid the work."
"Do you want to wear me and your father out?" Liu Dalian was also angry, "If we can’t harvest the wheat and it rains one day, everything will be ruined, and don’t expect to have good food afterward."
An Xian turned her face, "Well, I’m not going. I’d rather not eat, and you want me to bake under the sun? It’s like killing me."
Zhao Chuan quickly laughed, "Dad, why don’t we hire someone to help?"
"Who to hire?" Pei Laoshi smoked, "Who isn’t busy? Can you tell who has time to help us?"
Pei Anxian suddenly thought of something, "Dad, aren’t there harvesters now? We could pay for a harvester and save ourselves the trouble."
She got more excited, "In past years, we harvested wheat and had to plant corn, but we don’t have to this time. Once the wheat is harvested, we just level the field, saving so much effort."
Pei Laoshi sighed helplessly, "Alright then, I’ll inquire if we can rent one."
That night, Pei Laoshi found a harvester and arranged to go to the field the next day for the summer harvest.
The next day, Pei Anxian performed reasonably, and while Pei Laoshi and Liu Dalian watched the machine harvest the wheat, Pei Anxian cooked some food, and carried a jug of water to deliver it.
Her diligence this time became the talk of Xiaxi Village.
Someone said, "Ah, it’s rare to see An Xian out."
Another said, "An Xian, how come you’re out? Are you delivering food? Can you cook?"
The Yangs and the Peis lived opposite each other, and their fields were close.
They didn’t rent a harvester; they had many strong young men to harvest themselves.
Tired from work, they sat down at the edge of the field to rest.
Yang Baolin kept peering over to the Peis’ side.
Sun Jinhua glared at him, "What are you looking at? The Pei’s daughters are precious, do you think they would work the fields? Just watching is pointless."
Yang Baolin was a bit unhappy, "Mom, Anning isn’t lazy. She used to work in the fields in past years."
Fan Zhili overheard and whispered to Sun Jinhua, "Mom, have you heard? Anning’s suitor came, and Uncle Pei wasn’t happy. Her suitor was formidable and eloped with Anning. Not only did he take Anning, but he also took An Yi and Pei Yu with him. How capable is he?"
"Really?" Sun Jinhua was intrigued, "Why didn’t I know?"
"Family shame," Fan Zhili lowered her voice, "Would anyone shout about it? They are trying to hide it as fast as possible. I heard from a relative that Anning coaxed Uncle Pei into lending a lot of money. She tricked Uncle Pei into giving her money, and then ran away with it. Think about it, Uncle Pei must be devastated, lost both people and money, and in debt, how would he owe the state money?"
"Elder sister-in-law, don’t talk nonsense."
Yang Baolin didn’t believe it at all.
Fan Zhili rolled her eyes, "I’m not making it up. Think about it, have you seen Anning these days? Have you seen Pei Yu?"
It was true; everyone realized they hadn’t seen her.
"Anning seemed good, but who knew she’d be like this, just like her aunt, can’t move when seeing a man." Sun Jinhua said disdainfully, "Our Treasure Bead is much better, so decent and reserved."
Right then, Yang Baozhu came to deliver food.
She heard this and asked Sun Jinhua, "Mom, what are you talking about?"
Sun Jinhua told Yang Baozhu about Anning running away.
Yang Baozhu was stunned, "Who is that capable to abduct three Pei daughters?"
Fan Zhili chuckled, "Just Third from Xiao Family in town."
Yang Baozhu frowned, "It’s him."
Her expression was a bit unnatural.
"What’s wrong?" Sun Jinhua asked concernedly.
Yang Baozhu forced a smile, "I got sunburned on the way, feeling a bit dizzy."
Sun Jinhua got anxious, "Why did you come if you’re unwell? Really! Let your third brother take you home quickly."
Yang Baolin got up to escort Yang Baozhu home.
Yang Baozhu didn’t refuse, and followed Yang Baolin back.
The siblings chatted as they walked.
Yang Baozhu asked Yang Baolin, "Third brother, do you know about Anning’s relationship?"
Yang Baolin nodded, "Heard a bit, but didn’t expect her, just started dating and eloped."
Yang Baolin was quite sad and angry, "I didn’t think she’d be like this, I’ve been so good to her over the years, and she broke up with me and started dating immediately, really as mom said, not a good daughter from the Peis."
Yang Baozhu waited a while to say, "Third brother, don’t be sad, you should be glad you broke up early, otherwise how could someone like her be a wife? If she entered our home, wouldn’t she cause chaos?"
Yang Baolin lowered his head, "I know, you don’t need to comfort me."
Back home, Yang Baolin drank some water, rested briefly, and returned to work in the field.
Yang Baozhu lay in bed thinking.
In her memory, Anning hadn’t eloped.
In her dream, Anning became her Third Sister-in-law. After Anning married into the Yang family, she was not good at all, called her lazy, didn’t work, thought her parents favored her, always picked faults.
After marriage, when her mother served during confinement, Anning started causing trouble, afterwards, insulted Yang Baolin, and insisted on moving to the county, later forced Yang Baolin into construction work. Although wealth came from construction, Yang Baolin was killed by falling bricks in an accident, and Anning took the money and ran away.
Because of this, the family was chaotic.
Yang Baozhu hated Anning because of this dream.
She had this dream when she was about ten.
Due to decades of dream experience, she was more mature, thoughtful than other children.
She particularly hated Anning, naturally didn’t want Anning to marry Yang Baolin, and in the dream after Yang Baolin’s death, the Pei Family didn’t help the Yang Family, instead rubbed salt in the wound, Anning took the money, they asked Pei Family for her, and the Peis concealed her whereabouts.
Because of this, Yang Baozhu also hated the Pei Family.
She thought of ways to ruin the Pei Family’s reputation.
Pei Anyi was pretty and knew how to use her advantages to get some benefits, Yang Baozhu taught Pei Anyi to flirt with boys deliberately and spread the word.
Pei Yu developed early, tall and busty at fourteen or fifteen with glamorous beauty, during school both schoolboys and society guys couldn’t stop staring at Pei Yu.
To tarnish Pei Yu’s reputation, Yang Baozhu arranged for her to be lured into a small grove and raped.
An Xian’s laziness, Pei Anjing’s competitiveness, these were rumors Yang Baozhu spread discreetly.
She was shrewd, didn’t need to spread them directly, just led others to gossip.
Anyway, she spent years ruining the Pei Family’s reputation and led Pei daughters astray, thinking this way, Anning couldn’t marry Yang Baolin.
Not only couldn’t marry Yang Baolin, but estimating nobody would dare marry Pei daughters.