Chapter 176: Planting Vegetables

That night, Yan Huaiwen and Liang Manshan returned very late.

“Third Master brought back a group of disaster victims from Gufeng,” Yan Huaiwen said.

There were quite a lot of them, and arranging their resettlement would be a complicated process.

These people were in terrible condition—each one of them weak and on the verge of collapse, staggering into Hujü as if they might fall at any moment and never get up again.

Liang Manshan deeply empathized with them.

If not for Yan Xiucai and his group, they would have been in an even worse state than these people.

Losing luggage, losing household registration, even losing their children…

Separated from family members, with some relatives dying along the way…

Each story was a human tragedy.

Their tears had long dried up—they couldn’t even cry anymore. When they opened their mouths, their voices were hoarse, like stones rubbing against each other.

Their eyes were dull, their speech incoherent…

Every word that described shock and despair could be used on them.

Yan Lao’er asked, “How will they be resettled?”

“They’ll likely be dispersed across various towns and villages,” Yan Huaiwen replied.

These people couldn’t build houses on their own, nor could they cultivate land in the short term. They needed help to rebuild their lives.

“Will any be placed near us?” Yan Lao’er asked again.

Liang Manshan shook his head. “Unlikely. We’ve only just settled down ourselves.”

But Yan Huaiwen had a different opinion. “Not necessarily. Our esteemed lord is meticulous and kind-hearted. If placing them near us benefits the disaster victims more—helping them recover faster and find stability—he might just do it.”

Yan Yu nodded solemnly.

In other words, they could serve as a beacon of hope, showing these people a brighter future and rekindling their passion for life.

Ultimately, though, it depended on Master Tian’s decision.

“Starting tomorrow, Manshan and I will stay at the county office until all the disaster victims are registered,” Yan Huaiwen said. “The Liang family only has elderly, women, and children left at home—you should keep an eye on them.”

“Don’t worry, Brother.”

Yan Lao’er turned to Liang Manshan. “Our houses face each other with only an empty lot between us. The courtyards aren’t built yet, so we can see each other clearly. Manshan, if anything happens, tell the old man not to be polite—just call out, and I’ll be there in a few steps.”

That night, after everyone had gone to bed, Yan Lao’er worked under the firelight, cutting a horse’s tail hair with scissors.

Since it was his first time, he was worried he’d mess it up.

He cut off a bundle about the length of a finger, carefully tied it up—one end neatly trimmed, while he adjusted the other little by little to find the right length and shape.

His eyes were wide with concentration, and after much effort, he finally shaped it into something resembling an ordinary brush.

But when he tried inserting the bundle into the brush handle, he ran into a problem—there was too much hair, and it wouldn’t fit.

After thinking for a moment, he didn’t untie it.

Instead, he took a longer strand of horsehair and tied it even tighter, slimming it down.

With some effort, he finally managed to stuff it into the brush handle.

Yan Lao’er grinned in satisfaction but suppressed his laughter, acting like a silent-movie character—quite eerie to watch at night.

He swished the brush in water and found it acceptable.

Then he tested it with his fingers. He had no idea what a “good” brush was supposed to feel like, but by his standards, as long as it didn’t shed hair, it was perfect.

Secretly, he slipped the brush into Old Yan’s writing pouch.

Having done his good deed without leaving a name, Yan Lao’er yawned widely and fell asleep instantly.

—

Before dawn, among the four young roosters the Yan family had recently bought, one tentatively crowed twice but didn’t dare continue.

Yan Huaiwen was the first to rise. After washing up, he checked the things he needed to take with him.

It was a habit he had developed over the years—he disliked being unprepared when the time came.

Unexpectedly, he found a new brush in his writing pouch.

To be precise, it was a newly made brush.

It used his old brush handle, and the moment he picked it up, he recognized that it was made from horsehair…

A slow smile spread across Yan Huaiwen’s face, making his whole expression gentle and lively.

—

Today, the plot of land by the Yan family’s river was ready for planting.

Yan Lao’er wasn’t in a hurry at all.

Last night, he had secretly instructed Sanbao to water the field.

Having a cow that could absorb and spray water was incredibly convenient.

To avoid suspicion, he assigned his eldest nephew and niece to work on the two plots closer to the village.

Then he took his wife, daughter, and Sanbao to meet Aunt Rong at the field.

When they arrived, Aunt Rong was already making furrows.

Yan Lao’er grabbed a handful of soil, clenched his fist, and then opened it.

He chuckled. “Look at this—perfect moisture control! Sanbao really is a master at plowing and farming.”

Sanbao mooed in response, as if acknowledging the praise.

Yan Yu reached out, and Sanbao lowered its head so the little boy could pat it.

“Good job, Sanbao!” Yan Yu praised loudly.

Sanbao let out another moo, drawing out the sound slightly.

Li Xuemei called out to Aunt Rong.

Aunt Rong immediately put down her work and walked over.

“Do our seeds need soaking?” Li Xuemei asked.

Aunt Rong nodded, took the vegetable seeds from Yan Lao’er’s hands, and examined them carefully.

Her fingers sifted through them rapidly.

Yan Lao’er quickly stopped her. “Hey, hey, don’t sort them out—just mix them all together. Everyone else plants mixed crops. If we separate them, it’ll look strange.”

Aunt Rong stopped and re-mixed the seeds.

The three of them followed her lead in making furrows. Their rows weren’t perfectly straight, but it was good enough.

Aunt Rong soaked the seeds in water. When she placed her fingers in the bowl, the water rippled slightly…

Yan Yu stared, wide-eyed.

Was she… heating the water?

After draining the excess water, the seeds were left to bask in the morning sun.

Then, Aunt Rong took a handful of soil, ground it finely in her hands, and mixed it with the seeds.

Without relying on anyone else, she spread the seeds skillfully.

She gently covered them with soil.

The vegetable seeds were sown.

The three onlookers had witnessed the entire process.

It wasn’t that they didn’t want to help—it was just that they were afraid of doing it wrong.

Look at Aunt Rong—her movements were fluid, her soil-covering technique was light and even. She made it look effortless yet perfectly precise.

Compared to her, they seemed only fit for “rough labor”…

Ahem. Mainly, they cared a lot about this vegetable field, and the more they cared, the less they dared to mess with it for fear of mistakes.

As for the five acres under Aunt Rong’s name, there was no need to worry—she had taken care of everything well in advance. She was extremely dedicated to her designated “vegetable garden” plots.

Besides vegetables, there were also the family’s sheep and chickens to tend to.

While the Yan family completely forgot about feeding the sheep, Aunt Rong didn’t.

She carefully gathered a basket of grass and carried it back.

After feeding the sheep, she glanced at the four young roosters.

She picked one, grabbed it firmly, and tied it near the four old hens.

Yan Lao’er: …

Li Xuemei: …

Yan Yu: …

They understood exactly what she was doing, which made it all the more amazing.

This was for… breeding…

Eggs to chicks… a self-sustaining cycle.

Aunt Rong was truly impressive. No wonder she was a household service robot—she managed everything flawlessly.

Her service was impeccable!