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Farming for Three Meals a Day [Farming Life] 16


Chapter 16

Liu Xiufeng was scattering wheat bran in the courtyard to feed the chickens and ducks when she saw her son rushing back from outside, his clothes stained with grass, his eyes red like a rabbit’s, and his face veil missing.

“Xi-ge’er?” she called out.

Ye Xi’s nose was red, his face full of grievance, as if he had been bullied outside. Alarmed, she quickly put down the food basin and followed him into the house.

“My child, who upset you outside? Did someone bully you? Tell Mother, and Mother will ask your brother and father to seek justice for you!”

Ye Xi rolled over and lay on the bed, covering himself with the quilt, silent.

Liu Xiufeng was anxious and sat by the bed, trying to soothe him. “You’re a strong child, with a calm temperament. You’ve rarely been upset in the village. Even when the Lin family caused trouble for you, you immediately retorted. Why are you so upset today? It breaks Mother’s heart to see you like this!”

Ye Xi covered his head and remained silent. The image of Lin Jiangshan’s furrowed brow kept replaying in his mind. He must think I’m ugly!

Unable to coax him, Liu Xiufeng stood up. “I’ll go find your father and brother and ask them to find out who bullied my Xi-ge’er!”

Just as she was about to leave, Ye Xi sat up on the bed, his eyes red-rimmed, and whispered, “Mother, am I very ugly?”

Liu Xiufeng’s heart softened at his appearance. She hugged Ye Xi and said with distress, “My Xi-ge’er is the most handsome young man in the whole village, who dares to say you’re ugly! When Mother gave birth to you, you were so fair and soft, like a little rabbit. You’ve always been the most well-behaved, and you’re one of the most handsome young men in the area. So many people inquired about you before.”

Ye Xi’s lips trembled, his voice filled with sadness. “Mother also said ‘before.’ Now I have a burn scar on my face, not even as good-looking as other young men. I’m an ugly freak.”

Liu Xiufeng’s heart ached as she hugged Ye Xi and cried. “It’s Mother’s fault, I didn’t take good care of you, and now my son is suffering. You’re not ugly. In Mother, Father, and your brother’s eyes, you’ll always be the handsome and beautiful Xi-ge’er. After we sell the grain, Mother will ask your brother to take you to find a doctor outside, there must be a skilled doctor who can cure you!”

Ye Xi huddled in Liu Xiufeng’s arms, tears streaming down his face. “No more doctors, let it be.” He thinks I’m ugly, I just won’t see him again.

I still have to live on.

The Ye family didn’t know about this incident. When Lin Jiangshan came to visit three days later, Ye Xi hid in his room and refused to come out.

Lin Jiangshan entered the house carrying pheasants, looking around but not seeing Ye Xi.

Ye Shan limped out and put his arm around Lin Jiangshan’s shoulder, saying happily, “Brother Lin, you’re here! It’s thanks to the Sanqi you found that my leg is healing. It feels much better after just a few days. I’m grateful for your help.”

Lin Jiangshan responded absentmindedly. Even at dinner, Ye Xi didn’t appear. He was preoccupied and couldn’t sit still. He finally forced himself to ask politely, “This pheasant stew is delicious, why isn’t Xi-ge’er here to eat?”

Liu Xiufeng chuckled. “He’s been in a bad mood these past few days, so I took his food to his room. Don’t worry about him, lad, just eat.”

Lin Jiangshan couldn’t ask any further and could only eat and drink with Ye Shan.

After dinner, it was time for Lin Jiangshan to leave. Ye Xi still hadn’t come out of his room. Lin Jiangshan stood in the courtyard, looking at the lit window of Ye Xi’s room for a moment before leaving.

After Lin Jiangshan left, Ye Xi quietly opened a crack in the window and watched the tall figure walk further and further away.

For a while after that, Lin Jiangshan visited several times, bringing fish or helping the Ye family with farm work, but he never saw Ye Xi.


The summer sky faded, and the leaves rustled with the sound of autumn. Before they knew it, summer was over, and autumn had arrived.

In a blink of an eye, it was autumn. The leaves in the mountains started to turn golden, and the maple leaves turned red in the autumn wind, covering the mountains in a mix of yellow and red.

The green rice fields of Shanxiu Village turned into the golden red of sunset.

The corn in the fields ripened, and the sorghum turned red, hanging heavy on the stalks. Every household was busy harvesting corn and sorghum.

Busy figures filled the fields, children chasing each other among the crops. The carts were piled high with corn, and the women constantly called out to their children, “Slow down, if you fall into the ditch, you’ll be in trouble.”

Father Ye and Ye Shan returned, pushing a cart full of corn. Ye Xi sat on a low stool in the courtyard, peeling the corn husks, tearing them into strips and hanging them under the eaves to dry and store for winter.

Liu Xiufeng rolled the corn kernels with a stone roller, constantly sweeping the kernels into the roller’s opening with a broom.

“Mother, Brother Lin’s field is plowed. The soil is very fertile, black soil!” Ye Shan said with a smile as he unloaded the corn from the cart.

Ye Xi’s hand paused as he peeled the corn husks, his heart rippling like a lake disturbed by a thrown stone.

Liu Xiufeng smiled. “Oh, that piece of land is excellent, otherwise, you and your father wouldn’t have been thinking about it for so long. Now that Lin lad has bought it, as long as he cultivates it well, he’ll have a bright future.”

Father Ye said, “He’s diligent. He’s already cleared such a large piece of land and plowed it. He can plant winter wheat in time, and he won’t have to worry about food next year. I think he’s a very thoughtful person.”

Liu Xiufeng said, “He is, Lin lad is a good man.”

Ye Shan winked and said, “If Father and Mother like Brother Lin so much, don’t we still have an unmarried young man at home?”

Ye Xi’s back stiffened, and the corn cob in his hand fell to the ground.

Liu Xiufeng covered her mouth and laughed. “Don’t tease your brother, he’s shy. Last time Mother joked about this with him, he got upset.”

Ye Shan chuckled, carried a basket of corn under the eaves, and said, flashing a white smile, “What’s there to be shy about? Our family likes Brother Lin, and Xi-ge’er isn’t engaged anymore. If we become family, it would be a good thing.”

Father Ye chided Ye Shan. “Don’t talk nonsense. It depends on Xi-ge’er’s decision, he has to agree.”

Ye Xi’s nose tingled, and his heart felt a pang of inexplicable sadness. It wasn’t that he was unwilling, it was that Lin Jiangshan thought he was ugly!

“Father, Mother, you’re also teasing me with Brother. I’m going to find Li-ge’er.” After saying that, Ye Xi stood up and quickly left.

When he arrived at Li-ge’er’s house, Li-ge’er was drying pumpkin seeds under the eaves. Seeing Ye Xi, he said happily, “Oh, what a rare guest! It’s been a while since you came to chat with me.”

Ye Xi smiled faintly. “I’m feeling frustrated, I came to find you to relieve my boredom.”

Li-ge’er spread the pumpkin seeds with his hand and laughed. “You’re feeling frustrated? I think your heart is wider than the river!”

Ye Xi leaned back lazily in his chair. The autumn wind blew on his face, leaves swirled down from the tree above, and geese honked outside the courtyard. Looking at the clear blue sky, he murmured, “I think I’m in love.”

Li-ge’er’s hand paused, and he immediately put down his work, took a low stool, and sat next to Ye Xi, asking curiously, “How come you’re suddenly in love? Who is it? A man from our village? That’s not right, you were engaged to the Cao family before and were content to marry. You didn’t even look at other men. Tell me quickly.”

He kept shaking Ye Xi’s hand, anxious to know.

Ye Xi pursed his lips and said slowly, “The stranger from the mountainside.”

Li-ge’er finally stopped shaking his hand, grabbed a handful of pumpkin seeds from the bamboo tray under the eaves, and slowly cracked them open. “That’s not surprising. I told you before, that outsider is handsome and tall. I heard he also bought a few acres of good land and isn’t lazy, always working in the fields or chopping wood in the mountains. My mother mentioned him a few times, saying he’s a good man.”

Ye Xi said slowly, “He is a good man, otherwise, I wouldn’t have fallen for him.”

Li-ge’er spat out a mouthful of pumpkin seed shells and smiled. “Then ask your brother to inquire about it. You’re not engaged anymore, and neither is he. Your family is quite close to him, so it should be easier.”

Ye Xi hesitated. “He must think I’m ugly, it’s better not to make it clear.”

Li-ge’er’s hand paused as he cracked the seeds. “Hey, we can’t just judge people by their looks. You’re virtuous, capable, gentle, and family-oriented. He would be lucky to marry you.”

Ye Xi knew Li-ge’er was comforting him, but judging from Lin Jiangshan’s reaction that day, he must have been disgusted by his face.

Seeing his worry, Li-ge’er gathered the pumpkin seed shells on the table, stood up, and said, “Don’t worry, let’s go dig some wild rice stems. Autumn is almost here, and soon we won’t be able to eat them anymore.”

Ye Xi was feeling lazy and didn’t want to move, but Li-ge’er pulled him along.

It was late summer, and the reeds by the river were fluffy, swaying in the wind, a pleasant sight. An old man was harvesting reeds, planning to take them home to weave mats.

Wild rice stems grew in the shallows by the reeds, a large patch of them. The people of Shanxiu Village liked to dig some up and stir-fry them. They were also sold in town, but the price wasn’t high, only one or two wen per catty.

Thinking that there wouldn’t be any tender wild rice stems to eat after autumn, Ye Xi also took a small hoe, preparing to dig a basketful to take home, to pickle or dry for stir-frying with meat in winter.

Li-ge’er chatted with him as he rolled up his pants and waded into the ditch to dig wild rice stems, peeling off the muddy outer layer and keeping the white tender stems.

Ye Xi had dug half a basket when he saw a more promising patch of wild rice stems by the reeds. He said to Li-ge’er, “I’ll go dig over there. If I find a lot, I’ll share half a basket with you.”

After saying that, Ye Xi waded over.

The reeds were tall, like a natural curtain. Ye Xi bent down and dug for a while when he vaguely heard some movement in the reeds. He straightened up and listened carefully.

Unexpectedly, the sound grew closer. Ye Xi’s heart pounded. The reeds were secluded and hidden; if he encountered some villain, he wouldn’t be able to escape.

He quickly picked up the basket and prepared to leave. He had only taken two steps in the water when a figure emerged from the reeds and blocked his way.


Farming for Three Meals a Day [Farming Life]

Farming for Three Meals a Day [Farming Life]

農野三餐[種田]
Status: Completed Author: Native Language: Chinese
Ye Xi, a young man from Shanxiu Village, scalded his face with boiling water. The wealthy family from the neighboring village, who had arranged a marriage with him since childhood, broke off the engagement overnight. The villagers all laughed at Ye Xi. Even the young men who were once uglier than him mocked him, whispering behind his back that he would never be able to marry. After a while, a stranger came to Shanxiu Village. This man was tall and strong, with dark skin. He only carried a tattered bundle, bought a dilapidated thatched hut at the edge of the mountain, and settled down there. The villagers didn't dare approach him, fearing he was engaged in shady business. Ye Xi had encountered him at the foot of the mountain and by the river. He knew that the man not only farmed well but also hunted and fished, and didn't engage in gambling, drinking, or other vices. He felt that this man was a truly good and dependable man. One day, with half his face scarred from the burn, he pushed open the man's door and, standing at the entrance, blushed and asked, "Will you marry me?" The man finished the rice in his bowl, lifted his eyes to gaze at him, looked intently for a long moment, and...

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