Everyone looked at her strangely, but no one laughed.
One glance and you could tell—this was a pampered young master who had never done farm work at home.
At that moment, Zhang Weiping said, “Educated Youth Lan, why don’t you talk to Village Chief Liu and switch to weeding? I have to work too—I can’t help you.”
Lan Xingyu gave a soft “mm.”
She didn’t want to ask.
But she also didn’t want to carry manure.
Huo Nanting glanced at her.
How could someone be this delicate?
Was she even a man?
It was so frustrating to watch he almost had the urge to smack her.
Of course, hitting her was impossible.
He lifted his buckets and left.
Zhang Weiping also hoisted the shoulder pole onto his shoulder, preparing to stand.
“One, two, three—”
…It wouldn’t budge.
With a sudden burst of effort, the weight proved too much. His footing slipped—
Thump!
He crashed face-first to the ground, getting a full splash of manure water in the process.
Sigh.
That was embarrassing.
Zhang Weiping scratched his head awkwardly. City people like them had never carried manure before. Without practice, how could they possibly manage two full buckets?
“Educated Youth Zhang—”
An educated youth named Liu Hongbing hurried over to help him up.
Just as Zhang Weiping got to his feet, Village Chief Liu arrived, giving a dry cough.
He had known this would happen.
But if they didn’t get trained, how would they ever manage?
“Village Chief Liu, I’ll go back and wash up first, then come back,” Zhang Weiping said quickly.
Village Chief Liu waved his hand. “Go on.”
At least his attitude was decent.
Zhang Weiping endured the stench as he set the buckets aside, then glanced at Lan Xingyu before trudging back toward the educated youth courtyard.
“Your turn.”
Village Chief Liu looked at Lan Xingyu.
He wasn’t deliberately making things difficult for her. All the male educated youths were carrying manure today—he couldn’t give special treatment to just one person, or others would complain.
“Can’t lift it.”
Lan Xingyu’s small face was drawn tight.
“Just carry a little less.”
Village Chief Liu sighed helplessly. He went to help her scoop manure water, sized her up, and figured even half a bucket would be pushing it.
So he only filled one quarter.
Setting down the ladle, he said, “Come try.”
Lan Xingyu walked over and took a look. There really wasn’t much in the buckets.
Maybe I can try?
But the manure water smelled awful. Even with her nose plugged, she could still smell it.
“Bend down.”
Village Chief Liu pulled her in front of the buckets and pressed down on her shoulder. Lan Xingyu bent forward, and he placed the shoulder pole across her shoulders.
“Grab the rope.”
He guided her arm toward the bucket rope.
Lan Xingyu immediately pulled her hand back. “It’s so dirty. I don’t want to touch it.”
“If you don’t hold it, your center of gravity will be unstable!”
“But it’s filthy.”
“It’s not dirty at all!”
Village Chief Liu felt like he was about to lose his mind.
“I’m not carrying it. I don’t want to anymore.”
Lan Xingyu threw down the shoulder pole and ran off, her eyes already red.
Those who had already made a trip with manure all stared at her.
Good heavens—was the pampered young master from the city about to cry?
“If you won’t grab the rope, come try again.”
Village Chief Liu wasn’t trying to make things difficult. He just wanted to toughen her up.
What kind of young man was this?
Lan Xingyu’s voice trembled. “I really can’t lift it, Village Chief Liu.”
At home she had always been surrounded by servants—she had never done work like this. And by nature, she was soft and delicate, sometimes emotionally fragile, with a bit of princess syndrome.
Right now, it was on full display.
Village Chief Liu frowned. “How will we know if you don’t even try?”
Lan Xingyu forced her tears back. “Alright… I’ll try.”
If she didn’t attempt it once, Village Chief Liu definitely wouldn’t let her off.
“Come on.”
Oh my dear heavens…
Village Chief Liu’s heart was practically in his throat.
Lan Xingyu walked over and bent down again. Village Chief Liu glanced at her—
Was he supposed to place the pole on her himself?
If it came to that, did she also need someone to serve her every step of the way?
What a loss.
Forget it.
He lifted the shoulder pole and set it on her shoulders. “Stand up.”
The moment he finished speaking, he quickly jumped back.
He had a feeling that if he didn’t, the manure would splash onto him.
Sure enough—
Lan Xingyu stood up, instantly losing her balance. The two buckets tugged her body wildly—
Thump!
She crashed to the ground, manure splashing all over her.
“Ah—Daddy! Mommy! Help!”
Lan Xingyu completely broke down.
Becoming neither man nor woman was bad enough—but now she had to be drenched in manure water?
She truly couldn’t take it anymore.
Did this mean the twenty years of life I enjoyed—life that never belonged to me—were now being repaid?
She struggled miserably in the filth while the onlookers wore complicated expressions.
Just what kind of family could raise such a delicate young master?
If they knew it was a five-trillion-yuan family… they probably couldn’t even count the zeros.
At this moment, Village Chief Liu felt like a villain of the deepest kind.
In Lan Xingyu’s eyes, he was basically the evil nanny holding needles.
Fortunately, she finally scrambled to her feet—then those long legs took off at full speed.
Village Chief Liu thought to himself: If she could run that fast while carrying manure, that’d be perfect.
Everyone exchanged looks—speechless, yet slightly sympathetic.
Well… Lan Xingyu’s first morning of work had ended in complete failure.
They’d have to see how Village Chief Liu arranged things in the afternoon.
Lan Xingyu ran back to the room, locked the door, and entered her space. She plunged straight into the river, tearing at her clothes as she cried in distress.
After Zhang Weiping finished washing up in the toilet, he found the door shut. He guessed Lan Xingyu had returned. He knocked a few times with no response, then set down his toiletries and headed back out.
After his earlier failure, this time he only carried half a bucket. Fortunately, he didn’t fall—but it was still incredibly heavy.
He could only grit his teeth and endure.
Lan Xingyu came out after washing, tossed the clothes into the courtyard—
She didn’t want them anymore.
Then she returned to the room, lit a cigarette, and took a drag.
She was starting to regret it.
Earlier, she had been way too dramatic.
What she didn’t know was… she would have another episode that afternoon.
But that was a story for later.
She checked the time—it was only eight in the morning. (Summer work started early.)
Village Chief Liu hadn’t come to call her back to work either.
They’d talk about it in the afternoon.
So she lay on the bed reading.
By ten-thirty, everyone returned from the fields.
Zhang Weiping came over holding the clothes she had thrown away.
“Educated Youth Lan, I’ll help you wash these. One yuan—how about it?”
Right now he was desperate to make money by any means.
But Lan Xingyu said she didn’t want them.
He froze, staring at the clothes in his hands.
“These are top-quality fabric—and practically new. You really don’t want them?”
“Don’t want them.”
“Then I’ll take them.”
“Whatever.”
“Thanks!”
Grinning from ear to ear, Zhang Weiping stuffed the clothes into his basin. He’d wash them after lunch. It was just a bit of manure—easy to clean.
Huo Nanting finished washing and returned to the room, fanning himself.
The weather was too hot.
But he couldn’t bear to buy a fan.
His family circumstances weren’t good. There was still a sickly person at home. After selling wild rabbits, he would send money back.
The rabbit he caught yesterday had already been sold to Xiao Heng for four yuan.
In a few days, he planned to mail fifty yuan home again.
His younger sister had congenital heart disease and needed medication regularly.
The room was quiet as everyone waited for Zhang Weiping to cook.
Lunch was simple—sweet potato soup and stir-fried cucumbers.
Soon, a big basin of sweet potato soup and a plate of cucumbers were ready.
Zhang Weiping even served Lan Xingyu a bowl himself.
He knew this person was delicate—and more importantly, his long-term meal ticket.
He had to serve her well.
Lan Xingyu glanced at the slightly darkened chopsticks, then went back to her bed and pulled out a brand-new pair.
She handed one pair to Zhang Weiping.
“Wash the chopsticks. Two cents.”
“Right away!”
Zhang Weiping dashed off eagerly.
Huo Nanting glanced at the person across from him, his expression complicated.
Lan Xingyu lowered her eyes and ignored him.
Soon Zhang Weiping returned with the cleaned chopsticks, and Lan Xingyu began eating her sweet potato.
This time, she didn’t pick at the food.
She ate gracefully.
Because food in this era was genuinely fragrant.
She actually liked it.
“Educated Youth Lan, try the cucumbers. How’s my cooking? Oh right—we used Educated Youth Huo’s cooking oil. We should pool money to reimburse him.”
Huo Nanting had mentioned the oil, soy sauce, and salt that morning.
Lan Xingyu said calmly, “I’ll pay later. How much?”
“Two yuan.”
“Got it.”
After eating, Lan Xingyu went to get two yuan and placed it on the table.
Then she gave Zhang Weiping one yuan and two cents.
Zhang Weiping was so happy he could barely close his mouth.
This was way more profitable than fieldwork.
He’d better take excellent care of this young master from now on.