TFRLTOP Chapter 30 Part 1

Chapter 30 – The Educated Youth’s Humble Wife 

◎ Using Knowledge to Get Rich in a Period Novel (Impossible) ◎

A week into the marriage, it was hard to say whether Yan Junsheng had caught on to Chen Chanjun’s malicious nature, but he was out early and back late every day. Even though they lived under the same roof, they barely crossed paths.

In the countryside, farm work lasted all year round. It was spring now, so Yan Junsheng and the other educated youths spent their days sowing seeds and weeding in the fields.

Xinli Village wasn’t in the worst condition. There was a separate compound for the educated youths, and meals weren’t so poor that they were forced to eat only husks and wild greens. On top of that, they still had grain rations supplied by the state, so Yan Junsheng’s life here wasn’t unbearable.

At first, to help the educated youths better understand the villagers’ lives and truly experience rural living, everyone took turns eating in villagers’ homes. Of course, it wasn’t for free—they’d exchange food coupons, money, or grain. When Yan Junsheng had first arrived, he too had spent a period of time eating these “shared family meals.”

During the slack season, most families got by with just two meals a day. But once the busy season started, people could be working in the fields from dawn till dusk. Usually, it was the women of the household who cooked and carried food out to the fields.

Meals for the educated youths were made by the production team at the youth compound and sent to the fields. But those who had married locally weren’t included—naturally, their wives were expected to cook and bring food.

Truth be told, the hardest work always fell to the women. Books and popular sayings always went on about “hardworking farmer uncles,” but anyone who had actually been to the countryside knew that women worked the fields just like men. After a long day, men went home to rest, but women still had to cook, wash clothes, and look after the children.

Unfortunately, people had long grown used to this and never thought it unfair.

At the Beginning of Spring, Yan Junsheng was out sowing seeds. By noon, other men’s wives had gone home to cook and then squatted in the fields with their husbands to eat before getting back to work.

And then there was his household—Chen Chanjun neither worked the fields nor brought him food. Since Yan Junsheng was now married, it wasn’t proper for him to mooch off meals from the youth compound anymore. He could only go hungry.

The next day, another young woman brought him food. Yan Junsheng hesitated, but in the end accepted—it was impossible to keep working on an empty stomach. Later, he went to her home to repay her with food coupons as thanks.

By the third day, he prepared his own steamed cornbread and pickled vegetables. When anyone offered him food again, he simply pulled out his little cloth bag to show he was covered and didn’t need help.

At night, when he returned home, the stove was still cold. Chen Chanjun came back even later than he did.

Yan Junsheng threw together some pickles, chili, and cornmeal dumplings for dinner.

That was when Ming Ming returned.

Their eyes met.

Ming Ming even let out a satisfied burp.

Yan Junsheng tossed his chopsticks onto the table and went straight into his room.

Ming Ming blinked. “What’s his problem?”

System: “Isn’t it obvious? You ticked him off.”

Ming Ming: “What did I even do? He gets upset way too easily. I don’t even have to lift a finger—just leave him be and he progresses all on his own… actually, that’s kind of great!”

System: “…That’s because you really aren’t doing anything.”

Where had Ming Ming been? At her father’s place.

Here was the very practical issue—Ming Ming didn’t know how to cook.

As it happened, spoiled Chen Chanjun didn’t either.

Quite the joke—Yan Junsheng was counting on her to cook, when in reality she was busy scheming about where to scrounge up her own meals.

These days, Ming Ming basically eats at her father’s every day. If her father was busy with farm work, he’d still leave her some leftovers she could reheat. There wasn’t much meat, but at least it filled her stomach. Ming Ming had grown up poor, so after a little adjustment, she was fine with it.

Cooking for Yan Junsheng? The thought never even crossed her mind.

That night, they both went to bed. Yan Junsheng quickly fell asleep after a long day’s work, and holding in his anger, rest was the only relief. Ming Ming, on the other hand, had a harder time. She’d been idle for days, not the least bit tired. So she lay in bed counting sheep, or else used her fingers to trace little animals on the wall by moonlight.

By now, she had already mastered six different shapes, and tonight she was working on a seventh.

Without modern entertainment, the long nights dragged on endlessly.

When she finally dozed off, it was already the middle of the night.

At dawn, the two were jolted awake by a terrible cry.

Ming Ming shot up. “What happened? What’s going on? Is Godzilla invading?”

System: “…Your ewe’s about to give birth.”

“Huh?”

Before she could process it, Yan Junsheng was already out of bed and rushing out. Ming Ming peeked outside—the weather was terrible, pouring rain.

It was still dark. The sheep pen had no light. Ming Ming realized the flashlight was still in the house, so she grabbed an umbrella and hurried out.

The pen was muddy from the rain. Ming Ming stepped carefully and asked, “How is it?”

Yan Junsheng, soaked through, answered simply, “It’s a difficult birth.”

“What do we do?”

He rolled up his sleeves, felt around the ewe’s belly, and said, “We’ll have to help deliver it.”

Ming Ming held the flashlight for him. Yan Junsheng tried to adjust the lamb’s position inside the womb, but it wasn’t working. In the end, he reached in, pulled out its legs, and slowly eased it out.

Despite his refined looks, graceful manners, and overseas education—he seemed every bit the pampered young master—Yan Junsheng was efficient and down-to-earth. Even covered in blood while helping a sheep give birth, his handsome features shone through. If the village girls had seen him like this, they’d probably be blushing and swooning.

Ming Ming wanted to applaud him, but in the end kept her hand over her nose instead.

The rain mixed with mud, blood, and manure made the air suffocating.