Chapter 74: Loss

  After seeing off the Mao family, Sun couldn't help but burst into tears.

  Qī Zhēnér and the others came over while Máo Shì and Sūn Shì were talking, found a place to sit down and listen to their conversation. At this moment, Sūn Shì burst into tears, no one knew what was wrong, so they hurriedly comforted her.

  Sun cried for a long time before stopping, and then told them about what had happened in a sobbing tone.

  It turned out that there was a heavy rain last night, and everyone in the family heard the sound and worried about the wheat in the ground. During breakfast, Ye Shiwei and others mentioned that the wheat is almost ripe, and with this incident, it's estimated that the yield will be reduced. This is a natural disaster, not their fault, and everyone can understand, but Jiang said two unpleasant words, escalating the conflict.

  She said, "It's clear that the harvest is near, but instead of being busy with your own land, you're running around for someone else. Now that it's raining, you'll blame it on heaven's disaster, whose fault will it be if there's less wheat?"

  Everyone also knew that for nearly a year, Ye Shiyan had medical skills, but he was eager to return to the city and didn't treat illnesses or save people. Without income, they could only rely on their savings. However, no matter how much money they had saved before, it couldn't keep up with their family's extravagant spending, as well as the expenses from each trip to find a way back to the city. They probably were running out of money too, which is why they cared about the income from these wheat crops.

  Normally, Mao would not have bothered to argue with her, but at this moment she was also worried about the wheat in their own field and could not tolerate it. She directly retorted: "How about my family's?"

  Jiang initially thought she was making up for their family's shortcomings, nodding repeatedly, "I knew Sister-in-law was a reasonable person. Our household has many children and great expenses. If it weren't for the fact that our whole family relies on that small plot of land, I wouldn't mind these things."

  The Mao family heard a cold laugh, saying: "Since you think the wheat didn't mention it in advance to us, then I'll make things clear, so that no one will say our family took someone else's food in the future."

  Ye Shiwei originally wanted to stop, but didn't expect the Mao family to be so furious today, directly shaking off his hand that was holding hers. "You've been back since last June. The first crop of crops was helped by us, from sowing, fertilizing, weeding to harvesting, all were taken care of by our family. You neither paid labor nor hired people. It was my husband who led the short-term workers to take care of it for you, and the harvest and taxes were all transparent. We didn't take advantage of you at all, but handed everything over to you. Am I not telling the truth?"

  Yeshi Yan heard this and knew that today they had run into trouble. Ma Shi was going to settle the score with them. Hurriedly, she apologized: "Elder sister, please calm down, Xiumei misspoke, actually she didn't mean to blame you, we all know that elder brother and sister have done a lot for us, we all remember it in our hearts."

  Jiang also came to his senses at this time and hurriedly apologized and made amends.

  The Mao family didn't accept their apology and continued: "Planting wheat is the same, my family's land was going to be used to plant some rape for oil extraction. To rush and plant your land, we ended up planting wheat instead. This time if there isn't a reduction in production then that's it, but if there is a reduction, our own family can still make do."

  "We've worked so hard for your sake, not expecting you to be grateful, just as long as you don't stab us in the back, that's all we're asking for, isn't it?" Madam Mao said, her voice filled with sorrow, and she couldn't help but burst into tears.

  Ye Shiwei was going to blame Mao for being too calculating, but seeing her cry now, he thought about how she had been busy with not only their own land but also the extra 20 mu of land from his two brothers, and how she had worked herself to death during the harvest without complaining once. His heart ached with sympathy.

  Since they started making a ruckus, the old man narrowed his eyes and sat there silently, as if he was deep in thought.

  The Mao family's nature is strong, and she cried out the resentment. She wiped her eyes and said: "Since today's words have reached this point, I'm not afraid of others poking my spine. Today, I'll say it clearly. Our three families have long been separated."

  Everyone who heard her mention this had their hearts racing, how did Mao's family bring this up?

  The Mao family didn't notice the different expressions of the crowd and continued: "Since we've divided the house, I think it's better to live separately. Last year when you came back from the city, the house was lived in by our own family members who had split up at the time, because no one planned to stay long, so we said let's work together, with each household contributing grain according to their population, and as for vegetables, there was no need to discuss. I thought we were all family, and since I had planted a garden in my backyard which was enough for us to eat, I didn't bother to keep track of things clearly. And your land was also cultivated by us, to be honest, you might not even know where your own land is."

  What Mrs. Mao said was sarcastic, but it was also a fact, and no one dared to say she was being too harsh.

  "If you think the wheat yield is poor because of us, then we'll take responsibility for it." Madam Mao's words fell like a hammer.

  Sun wanted to speak, but Ye Shixian was not there. The couple sitting opposite her, Ye Shiyan and his wife, both had joyful expressions on their faces and didn't think this behavior was improper, so she couldn't open her mouth either.

  Who would have thought that the tone of Mrs. Mao's words changed, saying: "Since we've suffered this loss, I won't be happy to suffer again next time. After harvesting the wheat, I'll return the land to you. Each family will cultivate their own land, and don't come looking for our help in the future. Otherwise, if we help with cultivation, not only will it not go well, but we'll also have to take responsibility for natural disasters and human calamities. Furthermore, from now on, meals will be divided by stove. Recently, during the busy farming season, no one comes to the big stove, and once this period passes, we won't care about your meals anymore. Whether you build another stove or move back to the city to live, we don't care."

  Ye Shiyuan and his wife did not expect that Mao's family would take things to such an extreme, not giving them land to farm, and not even taking care of their meals. What made them move back to the city? Wasn't it just to humiliate them? If they could go back, wouldn't they still be holed up in this mountain valley for another year?

  Ye Shiyuan was really flustered, making bows and offering tea to apologize to the Mao family, but they just ignored him. In the end, he begged for Old Master's help, and after a moment of deliberation, Old Master's words completely shattered Ye Shiyuan's beautiful dream.

  "Since you will be farming on your own from now on, come down to the fields when it's time to harvest wheat." The old man said and went to the clinic.

  Mr. Mao was too lazy to bother with this couple and urged Ye Shiwen to hurry down and take a look at the wheat.

  She herself came to Sun's house and said the above words.

  Ye Baiji's face turned pale, "So, from now on, our uncle and aunt won't care about us anymore?"

  Sun nodded and began to sob silently again.

  Ye Baiji was furious, lifted the curtain and was about to go find Sanfang to settle the score. It's really a case of not being able to accomplish anything but causing trouble instead. Others poured their hearts out for them, yet they still blamed others for being too good to them.

  Qī Zhēnér swiftly pulled her back, and Sūn Shì also dared not cry anymore, hurriedly helping to pull Yè Bái Jí back.

  "Zhi'er, don't be so hot-tempered. Now go find your Third Uncle and Third Aunt, what's the use?" Sun Shi advised.

  Ye Baiji felt disheartened, she also knew it was useless. After today's commotion, who would still dare to be good to them? Since Eldest Aunt said they should live separately, that meant she had made up her mind. Eldest Uncle had always taken care of these two brothers, and although Eldest Aunt had grievances in her heart, she endured them. Today she erupted, so how could Eldest Uncle possibly lose face to her?

  "This matter, I think your aunt did nothing wrong." Ye Baiju was shocked to look at her mother, how could she say such a thing?

  Mrs. Mao felt embarrassed by her gaze, but continued: "Your eldest aunt was right, for more than a year we have taken advantage of them. Your father doesn't care about anything, and your third uncle runs to the city every day. If it weren't for your eldest aunt's family helping us take care of the land for a year, what would my mother and I eat and drink? Now that they're not happy, can we still learn from those unreasonable people and force them to give us land?"

  What Sun said was reasonable, and Ye Baiji also agreed in her heart. However, thinking of the deserted land in the future and her gambler father, she felt as if the sky had fallen.

  "Zhi Er, although your mother is not capable, she cannot teach you to be ungrateful. Your aunt has been kind to us, don't learn from those who are shallow and bear grudges against her just because she stopped helping us with the farm work. Others have no obligation to support our whole family."

  What Sun said completely subverted her usual image, Qizhen thought to herself, really broadened one's horizons.

  Ye Baiji nodded and said, "Mother, don't worry, I haven't held a grudge against my aunt. They really have been good to us, we heard what you just said, even if they didn't help our family with the farm work, they still helped us find laborers, in the future when it's time to pay wages, it will be the same."

  Madam Sun felt relieved after hearing her say that. She didn't want her daughter to repay kindness with resentment and confuse right and wrong.

  Before long, a commotion was heard outside the door, and Ye Shiwei and Ye Sumu came in wearing raincoats and carrying umbrellas.

  The Ma family and others were getting impatient, thinking that if they didn't come, they would go to the field to take a look. Just then, they entered the gate.

  "How is it? How is it? How much of the wheat has been blown down by the wind?" asked Mrs. Mao, taking over the bamboo hat and asking repeatedly.

  Ye Sumu cried and laughed as she said: "Mother, let me have a drink with Father first."

  Mrs. Mao poured two cups of water for them.

  After drinking water, Ye Su Mu saw Ye Bai Ji and Qi Zhen Er supporting Sun Shi coming up to the house. Ye Shi Yan and his wife also entered the door, saying: "Not many wheat fell down. Our family has a lot of land, so we planted a few days late, just in time for some green ones, this rain didn't cause much loss, it's just that our own two pieces of land in front and Second Uncle's one piece of land turned yellow earlier, and some wheat was blown down by the wind in between. However, we took a look, the wheat ears are still there, not much loss." Turning to Ye Shi Yan and his wife, he said: "Third Uncle and Third Aunt don't need to worry at all, your family's land has even better wheat, just now some passersby said that your family will definitely have a big harvest this year."

  Their faces turned pale at his words, and it was quite a sight.

  It's true that you can't make an omelette without breaking eggs.