The rice bags were plump and round, the golden rice grains shimmered through the gaps in the burlap with an enticing luster, as if heralding a hopeful harvest for the coming year.
Lady Zhao followed close behind, her eyes revealing extreme reluctance to part with those two pieces of land and over a hundred kilograms of rice, a heartache so deep it seemed to bleed.
She clasped her hands over her chest, tears falling like pearls off a broken string, crying exceedingly sorrowfully.
"Oh, my Youfu, my son, where are you? People see you're not here and they bully us right to our doorstep. Please come back soon!"
The wailing of Lady Zhao was so mournful and plaintive that her cries echoed through the air, touching the hearts of all who heard them.
"If you don't come back soon, our entire family fortune will be plundered!"
She continued to cry and speak, her words filled with a deep longing for Youfu's return.
Su Yu, hearing Lady Zhao's heart-wrenching sobs, secretly laughed to herself: Where is he? Isn't he still tied up in the tree? That usually arrogant Jiang Youfu was now hanging naked between the trees in the forest, the breeze rustling the leaves as if mocking his plight.
Su Yu imagined the scene when Jiang Youfu would be discovered and rescued, surely it would be quite the spectacle, and she couldn't help but look forward to it eagerly.
While she thought this, from a distance came the sound of children's clear, delightful laughter, along with a catchy rhyme: "Ha ha, golden butt, silver butt, Jiang's third son baring his butt..."
The youthful voices pierced the air, straight to the heart, compelling people to listen intently.
Sure enough, as Su Yu had predicted, Jiang Youfu walked into the courtyard brashly, holding just a lotus leaf to cover his lower body, a sight so glaring it was hard to watch.
"Oh, this, this..."
The onlookers were dumbstruck, exclaiming in shock with bulging eyes, some covering their faces to giggle, others shaking their heads in disbelief, a mixture of expressions creating a lively rural tableau.
Jiang Youfu was clearly unprepared for such a large crowd at his home and stood frozen on the spot, his embarrassment and helplessness evoking sympathy.
The children's little heads peeked over the yard wall, continuing to sing, "Jiang's third son knows no shame, naked from head to toe!"
The innocent singing drifted through the air, prompting laughter from everyone.
After listening, Su Yu couldn't help but admire: The kids are truly remarkable, crafting words that are both vivid and rhyming, a true folk art treasure.
Upon seeing this, Lady Zhao immediately stopped crying, quickly stepped forward, hands on hips and waving the other, she scolded loudly, "Oh, you scoundrel, what on earth is this all about?"
Anger flickered in her eyes, but more than that, there was concern and care for her son.
"What are you standing there for, go back to your room!"
She urgently urged him, fearing more people would see Jiang Youfu's embarrassing state.
At that moment, the crowd roared with laughter, some covered their faces in disgust, others cursed offensively... and Su Yu, naturally, was among those laughing heartily.
Her laughter, like silver bells, pierced through the noisy crowd like a string of cheerful notes, adding a touch of ease and humor to the drama.
It wasn't until Jiang Ziling came over to take her basket that Su Yu realized she had been back for so long and had not yet taken off her backpack.
It was filled with the dry branches and leaves she had cut down on the mountain, heavy, weighing slightly on her shoulders.
Jiang Ziling looked at her tenderly and said softly, "Tired, aren't you? Go back to the room and rest for a while, I'll go make lunch."
Su Yu returned to the room and drank several cups of cool boiled water. The cool water slid down her throat, moistening her dry mouth. Her smile did not diminish due to fatigue; instead, it became even more brilliant, "This time your third brother really embarrassed himself; let's see if he dares to provoke me again!"
Her tone carried a mix of pride and provocation, clearly very satisfied with the lesson given to Jiang Youfu.
Seeing her so happy, Jiang Ziling too smiled along, his eyes full of indulgence, "Of course!"
He gently stroked Su Yu's hair, his tender action like a spring breeze over a lake, stirring ripples.
Su Yu set down her water cup and said mysteriously to Jiang Ziling, "Guess what I found in the mountains today?"
Her eyes twinkled with a cunning light, as if she were hiding some treasure.
"What?"
Jiang Ziling pretended to be very curious, knowingly asking.
Su Yu excitedly uncovered the firewood in her basket, revealing a few large fresh sweet potatoes hidden underneath.
The sweet potatoes were brightly colored and plump, giving off a faint fresh earth aroma, clearly freshly-dug quality goods.
Jiang Ziling also looked surprised and picked up a sweet potato, examining it closely, "Where did you dig these up from?"
His eyes were full of admiration and curiosity.
Su Yu candidly boasted, quite proud, "Look how lucky I am, just as we ran out of food at home, I found these sweet potatoes in the mountains. It's as if heaven itself is helping us."
Her words overflowed with a love for life and satisfaction, that optimism and resilience deeply moved Jiang Ziling.
He knew that this seemingly delicate woman actually had an incredibly strong heart. No matter how many difficulties and challenges life threw her way, she would face them with a smile, infusing their life with endless hope and vitality with her wisdom and courage.
Jiang Ziling stood rooted to the spot, caught up in a mix of emotions, both joy and sorrow intertwining.
The painful part was that the sweet potatoes, painstakingly and secretly cultivated by his family, had been mistaken by someone else as wild fruits bestowed by nature, joyously collected, and the person still remained oblivious to the truth, reveling in the unexpected joy of a bountiful harvest.
This misaligned joy, like a funhouse mirror, reflected the wry smile of resignation in Jiang Ziling's heart.
However, what was amusing was that Su Yu's smile seemed to have a magical power, like the warm and bright sunshine of spring. It effortlessly dispelled the gloom in Jiang Ziling's heart.
Her laughter was crisp and melodious, like the tinkling of a mountain spring, easily unlocking Jiang Ziling's tightly closed heart, making his heavy mood uncontrollably lift with her joy.
Su Yu keenly caught the subtle changes in Jiang Ziling's mood, a mixture of concern and confusion in her eyes prompted her to pause her work and ask with concern.
Under her gentle yet firm gaze, Jiang Ziling finally gathered the courage to reveal the truth about the "wild" sweet potatoes.
"What did you say? Those supposed wild sweet potatoes were actually planted by you?"
Su Yu's eyes widened, her face full of surprise, as if she could hardly believe her ears.
Jiang Ziling bowed his head slightly, silently nodding, admitting the truth, a trace of subtle sadness swirling in his eyes, yet he forcibly suppressed it.