At the thought of having to walk for more than four to five hours under the sun, Mu Yangling couldn't help but feel her eyes darken. She waved her hand and said, "Eldest Great-aunt, please spare me. It's no big deal walking in the mountains. Besides, if you walk me back via the main road now, it'll be dark by the time we arrive at my house. You definitely won't be able to make it back today. Wouldn't that leave only my two cousins at home?"
Even the bold and calm Ma Xiuhong couldn't help but lean against her grandmother's side and look at her worriedly and fearfully.
"Then… then don't go back tonight. I'll send you back tomorrow morning."
Mu Yangling pursed her lips. Seeing that Eldest Great-aunt was stubborn, she could only attempt to persuade her again later. She was not used to staying overnight in someone else's house.
Moreover, it was such a short journey. If she didn't go home, her father and mother would definitely be worried.
Mu Yangling's eyes rolled around and she said, "Eldest Great-aunt, I'm strong. How's your autumn harvest coming along? Do you need my help?"
Madam Ma-Liu smiled and replied, "There are still two to three days before we're done harvesting. Your family doesn't farm, so how can you do that kind of work? You'd better stay at home and play with your cousins."
"Even if I've never eaten pork, I've at least seen pigs run. I do know how to hold a scythe." Mu Yangling had seen people plant and harvest before, so she felt that it wasn't difficult.
Seeing that she was taller than her by more than a head, Ma Xiuhong felt that she was considered half a laborer. So she said, "Grandma, just bring Cousin along. Anyway, there's nothing fun at home. If Cousin doesn't know how to do it, she can just play in the fields. Sister can bring her along to play."
Madam Ma-Liu hesitated for a moment before agreeing.
At one or two o'clock in the afternoon, the sun was at its hottest. Mu Yangling did not expect them to go out at this time.
When they reached the field, she realized that no one was idle. Many people were busy in the field.
Mu Yangling's mouth was slightly agape. In her previous life, she had also gone to the countryside with her classmates from the countryside. At that time, it was also the autumn harvest. Her classmates' families would go out at around five in the morning and come back at 11 in the morning. Then, they would only go out at around three in the afternoon before returning home at seven…
However, looking at Eldest Great-aunt, it seemed like everyone was staying in the fields for an entire day, even when the sun was at its most vicious.
Although Nearhill Village folks also worked hard, everyone avoided the noon when the sun was most vicious and only went out after two o'clock. It seemed that West Mountain Village was even poorer than Nearhill Village.
The poorer the place, the harder its residents worked.
When they arrived at Eldest Great-aunt's land, she pointed at the three connected plots and a plot not far away. "These four plots were my family's fields."
The four plots of land were quite big. Now, there was only a small plot of land left. Mu Yangling asked curiously, "Eldest Great-aunt, why didn't you bring your grains to the threshing floor to dry? It's still a little wet in the fields. What if it rains?"
Eldest Great-aunt was dejected.
Ma Xiuhong looked at her grandmother and said in a low voice, "My family doesn't hire any laborers. If we drag the grains out first, we will have to delay the harvesting of the crops."
Mu Yangling's eyes lit up when she heard this. She had no experience in harvesting grain crops, but she had plenty of experience in carrying things.
When she looked at Eldest Great-aunt's hunched back and her skinny and petite cousins, she felt even worse. Considering these four plots of land were so big, how much effort would it take to transport the harvested grains out?
Mu Yangling threw down the scythe and said heroically, "It's just carrying things. That's simple. Eldest Great-aunt, let me help you."
Madam Ma-Liu didn't know whether to laugh or cry. She said, "How can I let you do heavy work when you're still so young? Just follow your cousin and learn how to cut the crops."
Seeing that she couldn't convince her, Mu Yangling ran to pile up the grains and went to the field to pull the thatch. She had seen farmers knead ropes from thatch to bundle the grains up. But after kneading for a while, the two handfuls of thatch were still thatch.
The corners of Ma Xiuhong's mouth twitched. No longer harboring any hopes of receiving help from her cousin, she went forward to help her knead the thatch into a rope and spread it on the ground. She said, "Just pile the grains on top and tie them up."
Ma Xiuhong thought about it. Her cousin had never cut grain crops before, so she probably didn't know how to do that either. She might as well let her and her sister tie up the grains. It would be faster for her and her grandmother to carry them out.
Ma Xiuhong said, "I'll help you knead the rope. Bring the grains over."
On the other side, Madam Ma-Liu left them be when she saw that they were having fun. She took the scythe and went to cut the crops herself.
Seeing that Ma Xiuhong was struggling to pull the thatch, Mu Yangling went forward to help her pull it out. With her great strength, she grabbed the thatch, rubbed it, and managed to pull it up with a gentle pull. Her movements were fast, and in no time, she finished pulling up the thatch on the side of the field.
Ma Xiuhong wiped the sweat off her forehead and said, "Enough, enough. This is enough to knead more than 20 ropes."
Only then did Mu Yangling stop and turn around to carry the grains. Ma Xiulan also carried it over.
Ma Xiuhong was weak, so she naturally couldn't tie up the grains. However, the strong Mu Yangling easily tied up the grains with all the ropes. When Ma Xiuhong looked over, she saw a few tall piles of grains. She hurriedly shouted, "The piles are too big! Grandma and I can't carry them out. You have to make the pile smaller."
Mu Yangling had already tied up six bundles. When she heard this, she smiled and said, "I already said I'd help you carry them out."
Ma Xiuhong felt even more helpless, and the scorching sun only added to her frustration and anger. She asked, "How can you carry it?"
Mu Yangling used her actions to tell her that she could handle it.
She raised the bundle of grains with one hand and placed it on her left shoulder. Under the dumbfounded stares of her two cousins, she raised another bundle of grains with her right arm and placed it on her right shoulder. Mu Yangling's petite figure was instantly buried.
Mu Yangling realized that this would affect her vision, so she could only tuck the bundle of grains on her right shoulder under her arm. If not for the fact that she was still too short, she would have preferred to carry it with her hand.
But she was too short. If she carried it with her hands, the grains would drag on the ground.
Mu Yangling said to Ma Xiuhong, "Cousin, lead the way and tell me where to place it."
"Ah—" Ma Xiuhong screamed. "Grandma, Grandma, come and take a look at Cousin."
Mu Yangling: "…"
Was there a need to be so shocked? When they were at Nearhill Village, everyone was only surprised to see that she was strong.
Little did she know that the villagers of Nearhill Village were simply just used to it.
Madam Ma-Liu didn't expect Mu Yangling to be so strong. She ran over and shouted, "Put it down, put it down. What if you hurt your waist?"
Mu Yangling grabbed a bundle of grains and tossed it into the sky. Then, she gently caught it and said, "Eldest Great-aunt, don't worry. I can even carry a wild boar. It's just two bundles of grains—not even 200 catties."
Eldest Great-aunt looked at the bundle of 70 to 80 catties of grains that was like a brick in her hand and immediately understood why Mu Shi was at ease letting his daughter climb over the mountain by herself.
The corners of her lips twitched. "Alright, alright. I know how strong you are now. Stop throwing it." Madam Ma-Liu thought for a moment and said, "Xiuhong, bring your cousin to the threshing floor. Our family's site is still there."
Ma Xiuhong's eyes lit up as she said happily, "Alright, I'll bring Cousin over. Grandma, you can stay here and tie up the grains with Sister. While Cousin is here, we can move more to the threshing floor."
Madam Ma-Liu hesitated. Mu Yangling was a child after all. Even if she was strong, she could not tire herself out.
Hearing Ma Xiuhong's words, Mu Yangling said generously, "No problem. You guys just focus on tying up the grains. I just need to get home before the sun sets. It takes me just 35 minutes to cross the mountain."
Ma Xiuhong's eyes sparkled even more brightly as she gazed eagerly at Madam Ma-Liu.
Madam Ma-Liu nodded and said, "Alright, but you can't carry it like this. I'll go to the threshing floor with you and borrow someone's rice fork to help you conserve energy."