In the Yue Family, it had always been Lin Chunju who called the shots. When she fell silent, no one else dared to speak up, and all they could do was anxiously fret in private.
In that instant, Lin Chunju thought through a lot, replaying everything that had happened since Yue Qingqing arrived home in her mind.
She finally made up her mind.
"Then we won't go."
"Mother!" Zhang Ying cried out in alarm, afraid her mother-in-law had lost her senses.
"Don't be angry, I'll coax her again, she'll be fine with some more coaxing."
Zhang Ying's voice was tinged with tears, nearly begging as she reached out to Yue Qingqing, "Baby, be good, come down."
Yue Qingqing pouted, her eyes misty with tears.
It wasn't that she was disobedient, but she simply couldn't make this trip.
When her grandfather held her, she wanted to change his fortunes, but she realized she couldn't.
It proved that the matter involved more than just Yue Jiandong alone; after all, her cultivation base was too weak to harness much spiritual energy.
With no other choice, she could only resort to this method.
Besides, she had taken a considerable risk. If the Yue Family sensed anything unusual about her, who knew if they would cast her aside, deeming her a demon.
Fortunately, Lin Chunju had no such intention and instead repeated her decision to everyone.
"Let's not go. Eldest brother can rest at home today."
Seeing Yue Jianxi and Yue Jiannan wanting to say something, she said sternly, "You two are not permitted to go either, stay put at home."
Yue Jianxi was always obedient and didn't ask for a reason; if Mother said they weren't going, then they weren't going.
Yue Jiannan, of course, was reluctant to give up the day's wages; after all, it was an opportunity provided by Chief Zhang in consideration of the Yue Family.
But with his small frame, even if he snuck out, he couldn't handle the work.
"Jiandong, go and say a word to Chief Zhang, I really am sorry."
Lin Chunju asked him to take a bag of eggs as an apology, after all, they had broken a promise.
In the midst of speaking, Lin Chunju purposely glanced sideways.
Sure enough, she noticed that this time when Yue Jiandong left the house, it wasn't to dig ditches, and naturally, Yue Qingqing loosened her grip on her grandfather's collar, retracting her hand back into Zhang Ying's embrace.
Zhang Ying was overjoyed, "Mother, look!"
Lin Chunju waved her hand dismissively, "Forget it, you'd better just stay home and keep the child company."
Yue Jiandong went to apologize to Chief Zhang with the eggs, without clearly explaining the reasons, ambiguously mentioning only that something came up at home.
Although Chief Zhang found it strange, he was preoccupied with organizing the work and didn't probe further.
He took two eggs as a symbolic gesture, refusing to accept more.
In the end, he sighed, feeling regret for the Yue Family.
"Ah, the government is paying quite a lot for labor this year."
Yue Jiandong looked embarrassed as he prepared to leave, and following behind him, Er Gou's wife showed up before Chief Zhang with her husband in tow.
"Chief, since the Eldest Yue won't go, aren't you short one man? Look, how about my husband? Tough skin, strong muscles, he's good for the job."
Zhou Ergou thumped his chest loudly to prove the point.
Although Chief Zhang felt the Zhou household was prone to skimping and might not work wholeheartedly, since they needed an extra hand, he nodded in agreement.
"Go register your name, and come along."
Er Gou's wife burst into loud laughter, delightfully yelling towards Yue Jiandong's retreating figure.
"No wonder the Yue family is poor, they even let a money loser get away with it."
Yue Jiandong turned and looked at her coldly, causing Er Gou's wife's scalp to tingle, but she mustered up the courage to snort back.
"What are you looking at? I'm not wrong."
The bystanders were curious about the reason, and Er Gou's wife exaggerated the story she had witnessed.
The villagers couldn't help exclaiming.
"Really? All because of a baby."
"The Yue Family is really foolish, to go through with such a thing when they are already short of money."
"From the city, who knows what kind of wealthy diseases she's caught."
Once Chief Zhang knew the reason, he was somewhat displeased as well, but after all, he was a decent person.
"Stop gossiping, everyone, come to the clearing for roll call."
Yue Jiandong clenched his fists as he walked back, feeling in his heart as though a jar of spices had been overturned, both bitter and astringent.