Chapter 14 - 14

Chapter 14 Starting WorkThe next day, the work bell rang early in the morning. Yun Ting groggily opened her eyes, glanced at her watch, and saw that it was only 4:30. Wasn't that too early?Although I was still a little sleepy, I got up anyway. It was my first day on the job, and I couldn't leave a bad impression on the Brigade Leader.When they went out to the yard to wash up, everyone except Yin Jiao got up.After washing up, Yun Ting returned to her room, ate two sponge cakes, drank some malted milk extract, and then set off fully equipped. Just as she arrived at the door, she encountered Li Hongxia and her group."I was just about to call you! Perfect timing, let's all come together!" Li Hongxia said with a smile."OK!"——Not long after we walked, we saw a group of people gathered together, chatting away. They were probably waiting for the team leader to assign them farm work.When they arrived, the villagers who were chatting looked at them curiously."Wow... this new female educated youth is really pretty! Her skin is so white, like a steamed bun..."Yun Ting: "...Go to hell with your white steamed buns.""She's really good-looking.""That's right! These city kids are just different.""Those two male educated youths are quite good-looking too. I wonder if they have girlfriends. My Cuier doesn't have one yet!""Tch, Li Big Mouth, give me a break! With yourCuier's big, burly frame, do you think any maleeducated youth would be interested in him?""Yuan Yinghua, shut your stinking mouth! What's wrong with my Cuier? He's strong and fertile, hmph..."The two women started arguing, which diverted everyone's attention, and no one was focused ondiscussing the new Educated Youth anymore.Yun Ting watched the two middle-aged women bickering with great interest. She didn't take their discussion to heart; she knew they would stop once the novelty wore off."What are you doing? What's all the noise about? You have nowhere to use your strength, huh? Want to go pick up some manure?" The Brigade Leader yelled, and the two aunties immediately seemed to be put on pause.Who wants to carry manure? It's tiring and dirty."Where are two of the newly arrived Educated Youth? Where are they?""We're here, we're here," came Li Zhaodi's voice.Looking in the direction of the sound, I saw Li Zhaodi pulling Yin Jiao towards me. Yin Jiao was still wearing a light blue dress. I was speechless. He opened the door for me. I was speechless."Get up earlier next time, or you'll lose work points."Once everyone had arrived, the Brigade Leaderbegan assigning farm work."The original people will continue with yesterday's allocation; those who are supposed to collect their farm tools should go and collect them."Those who need farm tools can automatically go to the tool shed to get them, and they must return them after work in the evening.If it gets damaged, you'll have to pay compensation.No farm tools are needed; just go directly to the fields."Newly arrived Educational Youth, femaleEducational Youth, go weed the cornfield, and male Educational Youth, go till the soil! I'll have someone take you there."The Brigade Leader summoned Aunt Meihua, who led several female Educated Youths, whileZhang Wei led the male Educated Youths.Aunt Meihua smiled at Yun Ting and led them to the field."Little Educated Youth Yun, you'll be working on my plot of land later! Each Educated Youth will be assigned a plot of land and led by an Auntiefrom the village. If you don't understand something, just ask. Don't mess around.""Okay! Then Aunt Meihua, you have to teach me well," Yun Ting replied sweetly." Xiuzhi, the young educated youth Yun is assigned to our area. You can teach her for now, and I'll take the other female educated youths to their assigned fields," Aunt Meihua called out to Auntie, who was busy working."Okay, sure."Yun Ting was wearing a hat and originally planned to cover her face with a scarf, but it was still early, so she would put it on when the sun got stronger. She put on her gloves, squatted down, and started working." Hello, Aunties. I'm Yun Ting, a new member ofthe Educated Youth.""Oh, good, good, Educated Youth Yun, you've never done housework before, have you?" Aunt Xiuzhi, wearing a straw hat, skillfully squatted down to the side to pull weeds, watching Yun Ting as she pulled.On the other side, there was a woman who was working hard. When she heard Yun Ting speak, she looked up and smiled at her. Yun Tingreturned the smile."I did it." Does that count as her helping the orphanage director weed the vegetable garden?" Auntie can tell just by looking at you that you can even tell which plant is a seedling and which is a weed."Yun Ting was both amused and exasperated. "Auntie, are you praising me?""Of course I'm praising you. You don't know, some of the newly arrived educated youthcouldn't even tell the difference between grass and seedlings, and they pulled up the seedlings thinking they were grass.""Hehe…" Yun Ting was speechless."Oh my, what are you two talking about?" Aunt Meihua asked with a smile as she returned."They're praising Educated Youth Yun! Haha..."Xiuzhi Auntie laughed heartily."Little Educated Youth Yun is indeed quite good.""My two aunties, please stop praising me, or I'll get cocky.""Ha ha…""Little Educated Youth Yun, that's Aunt Fu Zhenover there. She can't speak, but she's a nice person," Aunt Meihua whispered to Yun Ting.Yun Ting nodded to indicate that she understood; no wonder she hadn't heard her speak."It's alright to work in the morning, it's not too hot, but by noon it's unbearably hot.""Hey! Who says it isn't true! We farmers just work ourselves to the bone.""Little Educated Youth Yun, you have such delicate skin, you'd better cover your face later, otherwise it would be a pity if you got sunburned!"" Auntie, I'll wear it in a bit."Yun Ting chatted with the aunties while working. Although it was hot and she had backaches, time passed by without her noticing.Luckily, she had prepared gloves; otherwise, she would have lost her hand.The others weren't as lucky as her. Yang Qingqing had also prepared gloves, but Lin Xueand Yin Jiao... Li Zhaodi didn't have any of that; her hands are red and scratched now.Yin Jiao was sitting on the ground, wailing! She wanted Li Zhaodi to come and help her, but Li Zhaodi had his own work to do!" Educated Youth Yin, you can't do this! If you don't hurry up and work, you'll hold us back and we'll lose work points. You'll have to compensate us," an old woman said, pointing atYin Jiao with dissatisfaction."Why should I compensate you? I'm not doing it.""Then why did you come to the countryside? What kind of thinking is that? I need to find the Brigade Leader and have him replace you."When the Brigade Leader was summoned, he had a dark expression on his face. ThisEducational Youth Yin was really annoying. Not only was he spoiled, but he also caused a lot of trouble." Educated Youth Yin, if you continue like this, I'll send you back to the Educated Youth office and have them reassign you. We can't accommodate a big shot like you here." The Brigade Leaderlooked at her sternly, and Yin Jiao immediately fell silent and obediently went back to work.She wanted to go back, but her father told her that their family was being watched and she couldn't go back. Yin Jiao became more and more heartbroken, wiping away tears as she worked.The Brigade Leader watched for a while, sighed, and turned to leave. He could understand that these pampered girls, suddenly leaving home to come to the countryside and do farm work they had never done before, would be sad and unable to adapt. He sympathized with them, but what could he do? Everyone had to work here; it was the same for everyone.