Seeing him leave, Lin Peiru had no time to be angry anymore and hurried after him.
She followed closely beside him, like a little tail.
“Hey, actually, husking corn isn’t that difficult,” she said, tilting her little face up and chattering away, trying to salvage some of her dignity. “I was really good today. Even the team leader praised me!”
“He said a lot of the female educated youths cried and wanted to go home on their first day, but I was the only one who stuck it out!”
As she spoke, she secretly watched Huo Yunshen’s expression. Her bright, sparkling eyes were filled with anticipation, practically screaming, “Praise me, praise me!”
Huo Yunshen did not slow down. He merely turned his head and glanced at her indifferently.
His gaze landed precisely on her palm, which she could not clench because of the pain and could only leave spread open.
Then he let out a very soft snort of laughter through his nose. “If you were really that capable, would your hand have ended up like this?”
The smile on Lin Peiru’s face instantly froze.
She opened her mouth, but not a single word came out. She was completely dumbfounded.
This Huo Yunshen! He was simply impossible!
How could he rub salt in her wounds right to her face?
He was infuriating!
Lin Peiru was so thoroughly silenced that the frustration became stuck in her chest, leaving her unable to swallow it or spit it out. Her little face flushed bright red.
She glared fiercely at Huo Yunshen’s tall, straight back and stomped her feet angrily.
This man was simply a block of wood—a cold, hard lump of ice!
She wouldn’t stoop to arguing with him!
Lin Peiru consoled herself silently. Puffing out her cheeks, she lowered her head and followed behind him all the way back to the Huo family home.
The moment she entered the courtyard, Lin Peiru did not even have time to drink a sip of water before she immediately shouted, “Yunqiao, Yunqiao! Come out and look at me!”
Her voice was tinged with tears, full of grievance.
Huo Yunqiao, who had been busy in the kitchen, heard the commotion, quickly wiped her hands, and ran out.
“Sister Peiru, what happened?”
When she saw Lin Peiru’s bloodied, battered hands, she immediately drew in a sharp breath, and her almond-shaped eyes instantly reddened.
“Oh my goodness! How did your hands get hurt this badly?”
Huo Yunqiao’s heart clenched with pain. She felt terribly sorry for her.
She took Lin Peiru’s hand and gently blew on it, tears almost welling up in her eyes.
“Quick, quick, quick! Go sit inside. Don’t move!”
Without giving her a chance to refuse, she pressed Lin Peiru down onto a stool in the courtyard and then rushed into the kitchen.
Soon, Huo Yunqiao came back carrying a basin of warm water and a clean cloth.
“Bear with the pain for a little while. I’ll wash the dirt off your hands first. Otherwise, the wounds might get infected.”
As she spoke, she gently cleaned Lin Peiru’s palms.
The warm water flowed over the wounds, causing waves of stinging pain. Lin Peiru winced repeatedly, and tears nearly spilled from her eyes.
“After washing your hands, make sure you apply the ointment from this morning again. It helps improve blood circulation and reduce bruising, so your hands will heal faster.”
Huo Yunqiao reminded her worriedly.
Lin Peiru sniffed, her voice soft and sweet, filled with dependence.
“You’re still the best to me, Yunqiao.”
After saying that, she deliberately raised her watery eyes and cast a sideways glance at Huo Yunshen, who had been standing silently beneath the eaves from beginning to end.
That look clearly said, “See how she treats me? Now look at yourself.”
It was filled with accusation.
Huo Yunshen acted as though he had not seen it and expressionlessly turned his gaze away. Yet those deep eyes could not help drifting toward her glaringly injured hands again and again.
Just then, the curtain to the main room was lifted, and Mu Xinyao walked out.
When she saw the commotion in the courtyard and then noticed Lin Peiru’s badly mangled hands, her expression changed as well.
“Peiru, how did you get hurt like this?”
Mu Xinyao quickly walked over and crouched down beside her. Looking at the torn and raw flesh, she knitted her brows tightly.
“These injuries are far too serious. You absolutely cannot go back to work this afternoon!”
She raised her head and looked at Huo Yunshen, her tone firm and leaving no room for argument.
“Yunshen, go talk to the team leader and ask for leave for Peiru. If she doesn’t take proper care of these hands, she could end up with lasting problems!”
At those words, the little grievance in Lin Peiru’s heart instantly vanished, replaced by a surge of smugness.
She immediately lifted her chin like a proud little peacock and spoke in a crisp voice.
“No need to ask for leave!”
“Our team leader is really nice. He only assigned me three work points’ worth of labor today. I finished the entire day’s work this morning!”
The moment she said that, both Mu Xinyao and Huo Yunqiao froze.
Mu Xinyao was even more exasperated and amused. She reached out and tapped Lin Peiru lightly on the forehead.
“You silly girl!”
“No wonder your hands ended up like this!”
She sighed, her voice full of helplessness and concern.
“You never did this kind of hard labor back in the city. Suddenly doing so much work at once—how could your hands possibly withstand it?”
“You’re staying home and resting properly this afternoon. And tomorrow, you are absolutely not allowed to push yourself like this again. Understand?”
After being scolded like that, Lin Peiru sheepishly stuck out her tongue and lowered her voice.
“I just… I just didn’t have any experience since it was my first time working.”
“I won’t do it again.”
Mu Xinyao shook her head and turned to Huo Yunshen, a hint of reproach in her eyes, as if she wanted to say something.
But she opened her mouth and ultimately swallowed her words, saying nothing.
She withdrew her gaze and looked back at Lin Peiru, her tone softening.
“All right. Bring me the ointment.”
“I’ll apply it for you.”
Lin Peiru immediately looked at Huo Yunqiao.
“Yunqiao, could you go get the ointment from my room? It’s right there on the cabinet!”
“Sure! I’ll get it right away!”
Huo Yunqiao immediately sprang up and ran out. A short while later, she returned with the jar of ointment.
Mu Xinyao took the herbal ointment from Huo Yunqiao and carefully scooped up a small amount with her fingertip, gently spreading it over Lin Peiru’s torn flesh.
The cooling ointment soothed the hot, painful wounds, and Lin Peiru let out a long, comfortable sigh.
“Ah… Thank you, Auntie!”
As she applied the medicine, Mu Xinyao continued lecturing her gently.
“You’re just too honest, child.”
“Who works like this? You have to take it gradually. Do a little today, a little more tomorrow, and let your hands slowly get used to it.”
“Besides, we came to the countryside to help build up the rural areas, not to risk our lives.”
Mu Xinyao lowered her voice as though she were passing down some secret wisdom.
“The team leader only assigns so much work every day. As long as you finish your own share, that’s enough. There’s no need to work so hard.”
“Sometimes, you can slow down a little, or even sneak a little break and rest for a while. No one is going to say anything.”
“Look at you. You’ve gotten yourself hurt this badly. Who suffers in the end? You do!”
Lin Peiru nodded repeatedly as she listened, her heart warming.
She lifted her little face and looked sincerely at Mu Xinyao with her watery eyes, her voice sweet and soft.
“Auntie, you’re so nice.”
“You’re just like my mom. You both know how to take care of me.”
Those words went straight to Mu Xinyao’s heart.
Her hand paused, and the smile on her face immediately blossomed. She could not stop grinning.
“Oh, you really know how to sweet-talk people!”
“Auntie just loves having a daughter like you!”
Mu Xinyao happily finished applying the ointment for her, then carefully wrapped the wound with a clean strip of cloth and tied it into a neat little knot.