Chapter 16: Wait Until Your Leg Heals Before We Talk

Until she stepped inside, Song’s mother still didn’t feel much better.

She slammed the door shut with a bang and saw golden corn cobs scattered all over the floor.

For a moment, she was stunned, almost thinking her eyes were deceiving her.

“Auntie, you’re back!” Huan Ya came out from the kitchen, quickly wiping the water off her hands as she smiled. “All the corn from the field has been brought back. Since the weather’s still good, I thought we’d wait till later to shell them.”

Bringing the corn back wasn’t the end of the work; the kernels still had to be shelled and dried.

Song’s mother fell silent for a moment. She hadn’t looked closely on the way back; when she heard Aunt Sun say the field was cleared, she only assumed the cobs hadn’t been shelled yet or hadn’t all been brought home.

But now, spread out on coarse cloths on the ground, every cob had been fully stripped of its husks, none left behind.

Each kernel was plump and round, a truly heartening sight.

Suddenly, Song’s mother truly understood why Huan Ya had boasted about her skill in working.

A little over an acre might take a whole day to pick and another half day to bring in.

Yet this girl, in less than a day, not only finished picking, but also cleaned the field and even shelled the corn.

At this moment, Song’s mother felt that this girl reminded her somewhat of her younger self—both possessed a rare resilience.

Clearing her throat, she asked, “What about the corn stalks in the field...?”

Huan Ya quickly replied, “They’ve been cut already. Those burn fast and are a hassle to deal with, so I thought we’d wait a few days for them to dry and then burn them all, leaving the ashes in the field as fertilizer.”

Hearing this, Song’s mother completely relaxed.

She smiled contentedly. “Good, then you rest for a bit. I’ll go cook.”

Huan Ya waved her off. “Almost done. Auntie, you’ve been gone so long—rest first, I’ll get you a bowl of water.”

Without waiting for a response, she slipped back into the kitchen.

Seeing her so busy and unstoppable, Song’s mother shook her head, the irritation within her dissipating quietly.

She went to Song Tiancheng’s room and opened the door to find him sitting on the kang, reading.

“Mother,” Song Tiancheng greeted her with a smile upon seeing her enter.

Spotting the flatbread on the kang’s edge, Song’s mother frowned. “Chengzi, haven’t you eaten all day?”

Song Tiancheng was momentarily taken aback, then followed her gaze and shook his head. “No.”

He smiled and explained, “Huan Ya brought it over. I’ve already eaten the earlier batch.”

Worried he might be lying, Song’s mother reached out and touched the bread—it was indeed warm—and she smiled again. “She’s thoughtful.”

Song Tiancheng nodded, recalling how the girl always kept her head down, her voice as soft as a bee’s hum, making the smile at his lips deepen.

“By the way, Mother, did you settle everything in town?”

“Yes, it’s done. Now Huan Ya is truly part of our family,” Song’s mother said, laughing. “I really believe now I made the right choice yesterday. Thank goodness we brought her home! She works so swiftly!”

Hearing this, Song Tiancheng asked what she had done that day.

After a brief explanation, Song’s mother recalled what Aunt Sun and the onlookers at the village entrance had said, then snorted coldly. “Those jealous fools even tried to arrange a marriage for Huan Ya! Bah!”

Song Tiancheng frowned and shook his head. “The people in the village really aren’t worthy.”

Hearing this, Song’s mother knew he was thinking of past troubles. She patted his leg gently. “I know, don’t worry about these things. We’ll deal with them once your leg heals.”

She hadn’t brought Huan Ya home out of charity; no matter what, they had to wait until Tiancheng’s leg was well.