Chapter Eighteen: Demanding Accountability

Yang Xingwen supported his younger brother as he lay on the kang bed, feeding him a bowl of brown sugar water. Only then did Yang Xingwu feel somewhat better.

Wang Zhaodi looked at Yang Xingwu lying on the kang with deep concern.

“Son! What’s wrong with you? Should we get Da and Da Ge to take you to the town clinic for a checkup?”

“Mother, it’s nothing! I just need to rest a bit. It’s probably because I ate too much meat and got an upset stomach.”

“That’s nonsense. How can eating too much meat cause an upset stomach?”

Wang Zhaodi didn’t believe her son, thinking he was just trying to fool her.

“Mother, really! Think about it—how many times in a year do we get to eat meat? I had it twice these past two days! Last night, Grandma and Second Aunt put a lot of meat in my bowl again. I ate too much, and my body just couldn’t handle it. You and Father should be careful too from now on.”

“Is that true? So we shouldn’t eat meat anymore?”

Wang Zhaodi felt a little disheartened hearing this.

“We can eat it when we’re feeling better. But not every day—that’s for sure!”

“Who can eat meat every day anyway?”

Hearing this, Wang Zhaodi finally felt relieved and reminded the eldest son to keep an eye on Yang Xingwu through the night.

Yang Xingwen nodded repeatedly at his mother’s instructions.

After much fuss, as night deepened, the whole family finally went to sleep on the kang.

The next morning, Wang Zhaodi got up early and saw that Yang Xingwu was still sound asleep. Confirming that her son was all right, she breathed a sigh of relief. She also advised Yang Xingwen to be quieter when getting up.

The family quietly left the house, leaving Yang Xiaohong behind to watch over Yang Xingwu and to catch a bit more sleep herself.

Yang Chunsheng pulled his cart and on the way met neighbors heading to the fields, who greeted him warmly.

“Chunsheng, where are you harvesting wheat ears today?”

“Not harvesting anymore. I’m weeding the wheat. After harvesting the ears, the remaining stalks are still in the field, wasting fertilizer. We need to weed them out quickly, turn the soil, and plant the next crop!”

Many neighbors found this hard to believe. Such a good opportunity, and Chunsheng just gave up?

“You really gave up?”

“Yeah! I even lent my oxen to my Second and Fourth Uncles!”

Upon hearing this, the neighbors exchanged astonished glances. Chunsheng exchanged a few words, then with his family went to a field where the wheat ears had already been harvested and began weeding the stalks.

Seeing this, the neighbors finally believed Chunsheng was serious about quitting.

Immediately, they started to discuss among themselves.

“What now? Should we keep working?”

“Let’s do it! Just harvest less today and see how things go!”

“Alright, less today then!”

Hearing this, many neighbors agreed, though some braver ones filled their carts with wheat ears and headed straight to the city.

Yang Chunsheng and his family worked until noon, finishing weeding a whole acre of green wheat stalks.

After harvesting the ears, the roots of the wheat still supply nutrients to the stalks. Only by timely clearing can the soil’s fertility be maintained to provide ample nutrients for the next crop.

Chunsheng estimated it would take two to three more days to clear the stalks from three acres. Then, after tilling and drying the soil, they could plant the next season’s crops.

Under the high sun, Chunsheng pulled the green stalks home. These green stalks made excellent fodder for cattle and sheep—unfortunately, he had none at home yet. He planned to buy a calf at the next market day, and this fodder was meant for it.

Back at home, they found Yang Xingwu reading, while Yang Xiaohong carefully sipped something from a bowl.

Entering, Chunsheng immediately smelled a milky fragrance.

“What’s this?”

“Tata, it’s malted milk powder! I’ll make some for all of us to try!”

“This is for your recovery. Why should we drink it?”

“There are two cans! One can has 800 grams, which we won’t finish in two months. It would be a shame if it spoiled. Let’s all try some. Xiaolan, boil the water. Xiaohong, bring the bowls!”

At Yang Xingwu’s command, the two quickly got to work.

Soon after the water boiled, Yang Xiaolan took the can from Yang Xingwu. Each bowl got a small spoonful of malted milk powder, mixed with hot water using a soup ladle, filling the kitchen with a sweet, fragrant aroma.

Yang Xingwen caught the scent and involuntarily swallowed.

When his sister called for help, he hurried to the kitchen to get a bowl.

Yang Xingwen distributed four bowls of malted milk powder to his parents and sister. After a morning’s hard work, the sweet aroma was irresistible.

Taking a sip, Yang Xingwen found the malted milk powder delicious—both fragrant and sweet.

The whole family was enchanted by the malted milk powder. After finishing, Wang Zhaodi took her daughter to prepare the noon meal.

After lunch, the family rested on the kang, then headed back to the fields to work again in the mid-afternoon.

As the sun began to dip westward, Wang Zhaodi and her daughter returned home to cook, while Yang Chunsheng and his son continued working in the fields.

They labored until sunset before returning home.

On the way back, many neighbors expressed regret for Yang Chunsheng.

“Chunsheng, you really lost out! The wheat ears sold well today. Many people felt they harvested too little this morning.”

“Exactly! Otherwise, we wouldn’t be home so early, just watching others make money!”

Yang Chunsheng smiled shyly but said nothing.

At dinner, he mentioned this to his family. Hearing it, Yang Xingwu was taken aback. Had he misjudged? Was the market actually quite big?

After some thought, Yang Xingwu decided not to dwell on it. They had sold half their twelve acres of wheat ears, which was enough. Greed could backfire and cause loss.

Two days later, Yang Chunsheng and his family finished clearing all the wheat stalks in their fields and tilled the land.

Yang Xingwu’s health improved greatly; his complexion grew rosy.

The hottest topic in the village these days was undoubtedly the wheat ears. Many called Yang Chunsheng foolish for letting money slip away. But he ignored the rumors.

Looking at the sky, Yang Xingwu wondered what the neighbors would stir up tonight.

With little entertainment in the village, every family’s affairs could be gossip fodder for weeks. Besides studying at home, Yang Xingwu mostly strolled around the courtyard, rarely venturing out.

Mostly, he wanted to avoid witnessing the smug faces of certain petty people.

He wandered the small courtyard, plucked a tomato from the garden, rinsed it, and took a bite. “Phew!” It was really sour!

Sitting in the courtyard eating the tomato, he suddenly heard a commotion outside. Annoyed by the noise, he got up and went into the main room.

But as he entered, the noise grew louder, so loud that curses could be heard even through the courtyard.

“Yang Xingwu, come out! You said it was a sure thing with no losses. What now that it won’t sell?”

“Yeah, come out quick! If you don’t, we’ll smash your place!”

“You shameless scoundrel, cheating the neighbors! You’re going to college, but what for if you’re like this?”