Chapter 14 An Unsettling Sight

Thus, no one looked up to acknowledge Song Zhenyu. Song Zhenyu didn't seem to mind, but it was the youngest in his eldest brother's family, Song Xinghao, who suddenly lost his temper. He threw down the grass-cutting knife he was holding and, with a huff, called out to Song Zhenyu. “Uncle Zhenyu, why aren't you working anymore? Tianheng and Tianqi aren't working as well. Why can they play and I can't?” Over the past couple of days, both Song Tianqi and Song Tianheng had taken a break from work, spending their time leisurely at home. In Song Xinghao's perspective, cleaning the well and scooping out the mud was just like playing a game. Song Zhenming took a few strides over, slapped Song Xinghao, and said, “Quit your whining and get to work immediately. Don't you want to eat delicious, steaming rice anymore?” Song Xinghao had been slapped, and to say he felt wronged was an understatement. Unlike Song Tianqi and Song Tianheng, who were known for their patience and restraint, Song Xinghao was not one to swallow his pride. He was so upset that his face turned red. He wanted to cry, but another slap silenced him. Upon hearing the shout, Song Zhenyu paused momentarily. However, he soon continued on his way, not even bothering to look back. His heart had grown cold toward that home. Even his father and brother didn't want to engage in conversation with him, probably out of fear that he'd have the audacity to ask for food if he offered help. Without looking back, Song Zhenyu walked away. Song Xinghao, still sniffling, stubbornly questioned his grandfather, asking, “Grandpa, why did Dad hit me when I didn't do anything wrong? Uncle Zhenyu clearly isn't doing any work.” Song Shengdong sternly said, “Your Uncle Zhenyu's family has been separated from us. From now on, there's no such person in this house. Don't call him that anymore, and stay away from those two fools. Next year, I'm sending you and Xingzhi to an academy. Don't let those two idiots rub off on you. You and Xingzhi need to focus on your studies. In the future, strive for success and bring honor to the Song family.” Song Shengdong held high hopes for his two young grandsons and was resolved to send them off to the academy. Song Zhenxin tugged at his son, Song Xingzhi, who was standing next to him. “Xingzhi, make a promise to your grandpa.” Immediately, Song Xingzhi stood upright, looking seriously at Song Shengdong as he said, “Grandpa, I swear I will study hard and strive to achieve great things.” Song Zhenming didn't want to lose to his brother, so he turned to Song Xinghao, who was still sniffling. “Xinghao, you should also make a promise to your grandpa.” Song Xinghao was still fuming inside, but seeing his father's gloomy face, he knew he'd be in for a beating if he didn't speak up. So, he followed Song Xingzhi's lead and pledged. Song Shengdong nodded approvingly, grinning as he said, “All right. I trust you all. Now, get to work.” Without the burden of the third branch at home, work became even more exhausting. The results had been noticeably declining over the past couple of days, which led to only Wei Zhilan and Liu Chunhua being left to cook at home. Consequently, everyone had to work in the fields. Zhao Yuyan and Liu Chunhua took turns, with one person working each day. Last night, Wei Zhilan complained to Song Shengdong, wishing she had waited until after the fall harvest to cut out the third branch from the family. As she grumbled, she couldn't help but scold Zhang Yingyue again for choosing to give birth at such an inconvenient time. Song Shengdong also had a bitter taste in his heart. He had been keeping a close eye on the situation at Song Zhenyu's side these past few days. Watching Song Zhenyu repair the roof, demonstrating his ability to take charge, left him feeling uneasy. Regardless of his discomfort, life at home had to go on. By cutting out the third branch, he had managed to rid himself of burdens, figuring things at home would only get better. The incident of meeting his parents was quickly dismissed from Song Zhenyu's mind. His sole focus was on clearing the wild grass. Typically, after the fall harvest, many people would gather a portion to bring home, using the rice straw to mend things around the house like the cowshed. It was during this time each year that the wild grass was at its best, and Song Zhenyu had arrived just in time. He had cut a large swath when he saw Dr. Wang descending from the mountain. With a smile, he greeted him, “Dr. Wang, have you been out gathering herbs?” Dr. Wang glanced at Song Zhenyu, recognizing him. He made his way over and simply sat down beside the latter, taking a moment to rest. He then asked, “How's your wife doing?” With gratitude, Song Zhenyu said, “She's much better now. She's been taking her medicine these past few days and her complexion has improved.” Dr. Wang watched as Song Zhenyu cut the grass, commenting, “I heard you've been renovating the old house these past few days. Seems like all this wild grass is going to be gone because of you.” Feeling a bit embarrassed, Song Zhenyu scratched his head. “Yes, but I don't have a choice either.” Dr. Wang chuckled. “Why the embarrassment? This place is ownerless, to begin with. Anyone can claim it, and anyone who wants it can take it. I was just joking.” When Song Zhenyu was cutting grass, the villagers indeed felt a bit sour. This signified that after a while, they would have to go even further afield. Song Zhenyu ran his fingers through his hair, at a loss for words. Dr. Wang, having rested well, hoisted his basket onto his back and suggested, “Come to my place tonight. I'll give you some medicinal herb insect repellents. Crush them and sprinkle them moderately when laying the thatch. This way, your thatched roof can last for many years without getting infested.” Song Zhenyu was instantly overjoyed. “T-That's wonderful. Thank you, Dr. Wang.” After expressing his gratitude, Song Zhenyu found himself in a bit of a pickle. “But, I-I don't have any money to give—” Dr. Wang snorted coldly, walking away without so much as a backward glance. His haughty voice reached Song Zhenyu's ears. “Who asked you for money? I couldn't care less about that small amount of coins.” Though Dr. Wang was of advanced age, he walked with a brisk, steady pace, covering ground quickly. Song Zhenyu was both elated and touched. He called out to the retreating figure of Dr. Wang, saying, “Dr. Wang, thank you.” With the insect-repellent medicinal herb in place, he no longer needed to repair his roof annually. This was the second person who had come to his aid in a time of crisis. After Dr. Wang left, Song Zhenyu immediately resumed cutting the grass. Once he had finished, he made two trips to carry the grass back home. At home, the well had been thoroughly cleaned by the three children. All the foul muck had been removed. Now, one could see the sediment at the bottom, and the water that flowed out had changed from black to yellow. With a bit more effort and some cleaning, the water would become clear. When Song Zhenyu was cooking, he sent Song Ruying to fetch medicine from Dr. Wang. Upon retrieving it, Song Zhenyu discovered that the medicine was all ground up. He mentally noted the kindness shown by Dr. Wang. After a simple binding process, Song Zhenyu climbed onto the roof. He scattered a circle of medicinal herbs and then enlisted the help of Song Ruying and her brothers to layer additional thatch onto the roof, effectively thickening it by two layers. At that point, he felt at ease. The renovation of the roof could finally come to an end. After ensuring the three children had washed up and gone to bed, Song Zhenyu also retired to his room for a peaceful night's sleep. The fifteenth of August was a bright, sunny day, which also marked the celebration of Thanksgiving. In the village, the aroma of meat wafted from every household. Thanksgiving, a day of celebration, was upon them. After a long period of toil during the fall harvest, a rare moment of leisure was finally at hand. Song Zhenyu had also sliced an extra piece of meat for his meal. The food at home still consisted of ground corn and rice. The meat was diced and used to make a soup dish. They had eaten a portion of the leafy greens they obtained when separating from their family while the rest had been dried and stored for future meals. What worried Song Zhenyu the most, which was the renovation of the roof, was already done. Now, he could start digging in the ground to plant vegetables. In the morning, Song Zhenyu took the three children to clean the well. With him around, the well was quickly cleaned, and the water became clear. Song Zhenyu glanced at the mud that had been cleaned out, much of which had dried up. The surrounding area, including the weeds, had also been thoroughly cleaned. “Daddy, come quick and take a look.” At that moment, a startled cry from Song Ruying echoed from the chicken coop.