Ji Junxiao was furious.
The villagers had spent the entire previous day gossiping about his wife behind her back.
And now they had started again first thing in the morning!
At this rate, wouldn’t they criticize her every single day right in front of him?
His wife was someone to be cherished.
How could he let these gossipmongers slander her?
He could no longer hold back.
“Everyone!”
Ji Junxiao’s voice rang across the fields like a bell.
“We’re new here, and we truly don’t know much about the local customs. If anyone ever needs help in the future, just let us know. Our family has plenty of men. If we can help, we certainly will.”
He paused, sweeping his gaze over the villagers whispering among themselves.
“My wife has been weak ever since she became pregnant, yet she still insists on cooking for us every day and taking care of the household. She’s already working very hard, and our entire family is deeply grateful to her. So from now on, I’d appreciate it if everyone would stop discussing our family’s affairs. They have nothing to do with developing agriculture, do they?”
Team Leader Yang also stepped forward with a stern expression.
“That’s right! From now on, spend less time gossiping about other people’s families and more time working. Wouldn’t earning more grain be better? Anyone caught spreading rumors about the Ji family again will be assigned the lowest-point jobs!”
The moment those words were spoken, everyone immediately fell silent.
Work points were their livelihood.
Deep down, however, many of them remained unconvinced.
Working in the fields was exhausting.
What was wrong with chatting about a little gossip during breaks?
But then they remembered that the Ji family had come from the capital.
Perhaps they might one day help improve everyone’s lives.
Reluctantly, they swallowed their complaints.
Gou Dan’s mother curled her lips and muttered under her breath,
“Hmph. So we can’t even talk anymore? I was only trying to help them. They really don’t know what’s good for them.”
The person beside her hurriedly tugged at her sleeve.
“Enough. Say less. Didn’t you see Team Leader Yang taking their side?”
Meanwhile, the Ji children were comforting Mother Ji.
Mother Ji sighed.
“Forget it. I won’t argue with them anymore. When Ranran comes later, don’t tell her about any of this.”
That day, the number of ticks in the fields was unusually high.
The villagers were bitten almost the moment they stopped paying attention.
Soon the fields echoed with scratching, curses, and cries of frustration.
Many people scratched themselves until their skin broke, leaving blood mixed with dirt—a painful sight.
Only the Ji family remained untouched for the time being.
That was because Lin Ranran had secretly added sulfur to the little cloth pouches she made for them.
Garlic alone wasn’t nearly enough to keep ticks away.
Around noon, a heart-wrenching scream shattered the calm.
Everyone looked toward the stream.
There sat Gou Sheng, collapsed on the ground, his face covered in tears.
His feet were covered with more than a dozen leeches.
Each one had swollen into a fat, bloated lump as it greedily sucked his blood.
No matter how hard he shook his legs, they wouldn’t come off.
Even worse…
More than a dozen ticks crawled across his body, slowly burrowing into his skin.
Normally, Gou Sheng occasionally got bitten by one or two insects while working.
Once they had their fill, they’d fall off on their own.
But this…
Even adults found the sight horrifying.
The ten-year-old boy cried uncontrollably from the pain and itching.
He stomped desperately, but the leeches clung stubbornly to his skin.
“Gou Sheng! What happened to you?”
Gou Dan’s mother ran over in panic.
Her youngest son had only come to the stream to drink some water because of the heat.
Hearing his screams nearly made her heart stop.
“Mom… so many leeches and ticks are biting me! It hurts so much!”
Gou Sheng sobbed hopelessly.
The moment she saw him, her face turned deathly pale.
“My goodness! Why are there so many? There are always lots of leeches by the stream. Let’s get back to the field first.”
She pulled him toward the edge of the field while trying to comfort him.
“Don’t cry. Mom will pull every one of them off.”
As she spoke, she grabbed one of the leeches and yanked hard.
The leech tore apart, but its mouthparts remained embedded in Gou Sheng’s skin.
The pain became even worse.
“Mom! It hurts!”
His cries grew louder.
“Don’t cry! I’ll get them all out!”
She was so anxious that tears welled in her eyes.
The more flustered she became, the worse things got.
Just then, Lin Ranran arrived carrying a basket of lunch for her family.
Hearing the crying from afar, she immediately quickened her pace.
The sight before her made her inhale sharply.
“Auntie, don’t pull anymore. You’re only making it hurt more.”
She hurriedly stopped Gou Dan’s mother.
“But my son is in pain!”
The woman cried helplessly.
“Don’t worry.”
Lin Ranran spoke firmly.
“I know how to remove them.”
“Really?”
Only then did Gou Dan’s mother recognize her.
Isn’t this the Ji family’s supposedly lazy daughter-in-law?
She had laughed at her garlic pouches just that morning.
Could she really handle this?
“Of course.”
Lin Ranran nodded.
“You absolutely can’t keep pulling them off. Leeches won’t detach until they’re full. Look at the wounds where you’ve torn them apart—they’re already swollen.”
But Gou Sheng cried even harder.
“Mom! It hurts even more!”
By then, everyone nearby had put down their work and gathered around.
Seeing the child crying so miserably, they knew something serious had happened.
Gou Dan’s mother had completely lost her composure.
She had no choice but to trust Lin Ranran.
“Alright. You do it. But promise me you won’t hurt my son.”
Lin Ranran crouched down.
She first gently tapped the skin around the leeches, using the vibration to loosen their grip.
For those that still refused to let go, she took out a bottle of salt water she had prepared beforehand and carefully applied it to their bodies.
She had carried these supplies specifically in case the Ji family encountered ticks or leeches.
A miraculous thing happened.
One after another, every leech released its grip and fell off Gou Sheng’s feet.
The boy’s pain eased noticeably, though he was still sobbing.
Furious, Gou Dan’s mother grabbed a stone and smashed the fallen leeches to pieces.
“You dared bite my son!”
“Mom! What happened to Little Brother?”
Gou Dan rushed over first, nearly frantic at the sight of his younger brother.
“He got attacked by a whole bunch of leeches and ticks! Those cursed things!”
she gritted through clenched teeth.
The Ji family also hurried over.
Seeing his wife applying alcohol to the ticks on Gou Sheng’s body, Ji Junxiao’s heart tightened.
“Wife, it’s dangerous. Let me do it.”
He reached for the bottle.
“I’m fine.”
Lin Ranran refused.
This kind of delicate work was better left to her than to a rough-handed man.
Seeing the blazing sun overhead, Ji Junxiao silently removed his jacket and held it above her head to shield her from the sunlight.
Nearby, Mother Ji nervously clenched her fingers.
She felt conflicted.
This was the same Gou Dan’s mother who had argued with her earlier.
She honestly didn’t want Ranran helping her.
But seeing the child suffer…
She couldn’t bear it.
Nor did she want Ranran to find out about their earlier quarrel.
Ji Junyao squeezed her mother’s hand.
“Mom, we should trust Big Sister-in-law.”
“Of course I trust Ranran.”
Mother Ji muttered quietly.
“I’m just afraid that some people will repay kindness with resentment.”
“Mom, keep your voice down. What if Sister-in-law hears you?”
Ji Junyao whispered.
Not long afterward, every tick on Gou Sheng’s body had also detached.
Only then did everyone finally breathe a sigh of relief.
Looking at Lin Ranran, they couldn’t help feeling impressed.
The Ji family’s daughter-in-law really knew what she was doing.
She didn’t stop there.
Using a sterilized needle, she carefully removed the broken leech mouthparts left inside the wounds.
She then rinsed them thoroughly with saline, disinfected them with iodine, sprinkled Yunnan Baiyao powder over the injuries, and finally wrapped them neatly with gauze.
Every movement was smooth and practiced.
It was obvious she knew exactly what she was doing.
By the time she finished bandaging him, Gou Sheng had stopped crying.
Looking up with tear-filled eyes, he said,
“Thank you, pretty sister.”
Smiling, Lin Ranran handed him a small cloth pouch.
“Wear this with you. The leeches and ticks won’t bother you anymore.”
“Thank you, Sister!”
Gou Sheng happily hugged the pouch to his chest.
“Wife, you’ve worked hard.”
Ji Junxiao proudly wiped the sweat from her forehead.
“Big Sister-in-law, you’re amazing!”
Ji Junyao ran over and grabbed her hand, her eyes filled with admiration.
“Ranran, are you tired?”
Mother Ji also came over, holding her hand lovingly.
“Big Sister-in-law, you’re incredible!”
“Big Sister-in-law, you’re amazing!”
“Way to go, Ji family’s daughter-in-law!”
“Wonderful job!”
Praise erupted from every direction.
Lin Ranran smiled at everyone.
“I’ve been bitten by these things before too. My grandmother taught me these old remedies. If everyone thinks they’re useful, I’ll teach you how to make them later.”
The fields immediately erupted in enthusiastic applause.
Gou Dan’s mother walked over awkwardly, her face slightly flushed.
“Ji family’s daughter-in-law… thank you. If it weren’t for you today, who knows how long my Gou Sheng would’ve kept crying.”
Lin Ranran smiled warmly.
“Auntie, we’re all neighbors. Helping each other is only natural. If I ever run into trouble someday, I’m sure everyone here would lend me a hand too.”
Those words made Gou Dan’s mother feel even more ashamed.
She remembered all the nasty things she’d said behind Lin Ranran’s back that very morning.
Yet Lin Ranran had still helped her without holding a grudge.
Filled with regret, she quietly thanked her again before hurrying away with Gou Sheng.
Mother Ji shot her a sharp glare.
Embarrassed, Gou Dan’s mother lowered her head and walked even faster.
“The Ji family’s daughter-in-law is really kind.”
“Not only is she beautiful, she even knows how to handle things like this.”
“Who was it that called her lazy?”
“She’s only staying home because she isn’t feeling well.”
“Those people were obviously just jealous that she didn’t have to work.”
…
Some villagers felt ashamed.
Others suddenly realized they had misunderstood her all along.
Among the crowd, however, Xia Zhiyuan’s face had turned green with anger.
Watching everyone praise Lin Ranran filled her with jealousy.
She had only dealt with a few bugs.
Why was everyone making such a fuss?
Meanwhile, Ji Junxiao looked at Lin Ranran with concern.
“Wife, there are too many leeches and ticks here. Don’t bring us meals anymore.”
“It’s alright.”
She winked playfully.
“I’ve got my secret weapon. None of you got bitten today, right?”
Ji Junyao nodded excitedly.
“No! Big Sister-in-law, your garlic—”
“Ahem.”
Mother Ji coughed loudly, cutting her off.
Lin Ranran immediately understood.
“So… people laughed at you for wearing these?”
Ji Junyao lowered her head and quietly continued eating.
Mother Ji quickly smiled.
“They were only joking.”
Lin Ranran didn’t press further.
Instead, she changed the subject.
“I’ve noticed lots of children working in the fields. Don’t they go to school?”
Father Ji sighed, his expression growing gloomy.
“The families are poor. Without enough workers, the children have no choice but to leave school. They only do lighter jobs and earn about one-third of the normal work points because they’re still children.”
Lin Ranran frowned.
“If children don’t study and can’t even read or write, they’ll never escape these mountains.”
Father Ji shook his head helplessly.
“What can we do? Even Team Leader Yang’s youngest daughter can’t attend school. She cried the entire night yesterday. It broke my heart.”
“Team Leader Yang’s youngest daughter?”
Lin Ranran suddenly remembered this part of the novel.
Elementary school tuition was only one yuan and fifty cents.
Yang Sisi desperately wanted to study.
But Team Leader Yang had still refused.
After all, he already had three sons attending school.
The family could barely afford food.
Someone had to be sacrificed.
And that someone was his daughter.
Yang Sisi was very intelligent.
Later, unwilling to marry her off far away, Team Leader Yang found a live-in son-in-law for her instead.
Years later, when the village elected a Women’s Director, she won by a landslide because of her kindness and dedication.
But when it came time to sign the official documents…
She couldn’t even write her own name.
In tears, she had no choice but to give up the position.
Even so, she eventually became a proud Party member.
“Father,” Lin Ranran said anxiously, “can’t you persuade Team Leader Yang to let her attend school? If it’s only because of the tuition, our family can sponsor her.”
The Ji family looked at her with admiration.
Just look at her vision.
Ordinary people simply didn’t think that way.
Compared to the selfish Lin Ranran of the past…
She truly seemed like an entirely different person.
Father Ji shook his head.
“Paying her tuition isn’t the problem. Team Leader Yang’s family simply doesn’t have enough laborers. His three sons are all in school, and the two elderly grandparents are too old to work.”
Lin Ranran knitted her brows.
“But she’s still just a child. This can’t go on forever.”
Father Ji sighed.
“In this village, which little girl hasn’t been forced to shoulder life’s burdens? Carrying manure, working in the fields… it’s heartbreaking to watch. Some are even stunted from carrying shoulder poles that are too heavy. But no one has any way to change it.”
His words left everyone silent.
After a long pause, Ji Junxiao gently took Lin Ranran’s hand.
“Wife, don’t worry. We can make a list. If these children truly want to study, they can come to the educated youth compound. I’ll tutor them.”
Ji Junyong immediately spoke up.
“Big Sister-in-law, I’ll help too.”
“I can help as well,” Ji Junshan added.
Ji Junyao eagerly raised her hand.
“Count me in!”
But Lin Ranran shook her head.
“That won’t work. If everyone comes to us for free tutoring, people might stop sending their children to school altogether. Then what happens if the school ends up closing?”