The scorekeeper also said sternly, "Comrade Jiang Changhai, you just went home to use the toilet an hour ago."
"Last time it was just a pee, this time I really need to poop," Jiang Changhai asserted, definitely planning to take a little break.
The scorekeeper, familiar with his antics, flatly said, "If you go this time, I'll deduct your morning work points."
"He's not going!"
"Then I have to go!"
Mother and son spoke at the same time, then turned to glare at each other.
Zhang Guihua was quick to grab her son's clothes, "Stop shirking work and get back to it!"
"I really need to go poop, if I don't go now, I'll have to do it right in the field," Jiang Changhai said with an anxious expression as if he was truly in discomfort.
Zhang Guihua was unyielding, "Then just poop in the field."
She couldn't believe she couldn't cure his laziness!
"You said it," Jiang Changhai replied, starting to unbuckle his belt without a care that there were young ladies and newlywed women around.
He had no shame, but the old lady did, and immediately let go, her face turning dark: "You shameless good-for-nothing, get lost, get lost, get lost!"
"Alright then." Jiang Changhai cheerfully rolled away.
Watching his joyous and cheerful departure, Zhang Guihua's face turned even darker.
The old lady next to her consoled, "Guihua, I think Changhai was genuinely in a rush and not just trying to avoid work."
Of course, that was against her better judgment since Jiang Changhai was known far and wide as a lazybones; everyone shook their heads at the mention of his name.
Zhang Guihua said grumpily, "The day he stops shirking work will be the day it rains red from the sky."
Just as she said this, she saw her eldest son, who had already stepped onto the field ridge, come back down: "I suddenly don't feel like pooping anymore."
Hearing this, Zhang Guihua was first dumbfounded, then looked up at the sky, "Is it really going to rain red?"
How could her eldest possibly volunteer to come back to work?! She couldn't believe he'd suddenly become diligent.
The next second, the village chief solved her mystery: "The water delivery is here, everyone have some tea and take a break before you continue working."
Collective breaks wouldn't deduct work points, so they intended to rest together before going home to rest.
Once Zhang Guihua realized this, she was almost beside herself with rage and raised her hand to slap him.
"Ah, Mom, why did you hit me?" Jiang Changhai looked completely baffled.
"You deserve it!"
Jiang Mianmian saw from a distance her dad being beaten by her grandma again, and felt not the slightest ripple inside; she was used to it.
Honestly, if she had such a nonsensical son, she'd beat him too.
But a child does not speak of their father's faults, and Jiang Mianmian very cleverly and tenderly handed her own designated cup to her dad, "Dad, drink some water."
This so-called exclusive cup was just a glass jar used for canning, as she didn't like sharing a cup with the whole family.
After Jiang Changhai took a sip, his face immediately relaxed with pleasure.
It was sweet, honey water, similar in color to tea, so nobody else could tell.
His daughter was really thoughtful!
But instead of continuing to drink, he asked, "Has your mom had some yet?"
Jiang Mianmian nodded, "Yes, I and Aunt Su went to the Sun-drying Field first."
Su Wanyu was doing the light task of flipping rice at the Sun-drying Field, where she could also rest in the shade of a tree, but that only earned five work points a day.
After hearing this, Jiang Changhai quickly gulped down the honey water until the jar was empty.
Everyone was sitting on the field ridge catching their breath, drinking tea, and chatting.
Suddenly an old man with a stern face asked, "Changhai, I heard your daughter is starting at the commune primary school this school year?"
The others also looked on with curious and gossipy expressions; this was a rare occurrence, knowing their village had only the village chief's family sending a daughter for schooling.
"Yes," Jiang Changhai casually replied, pouring the tea into a cup and swirling it around before continuing to drink.
The old man frowned and said, "Nonsense! How can you spend money to send a girl to school when you could save it for a boy in the family to get married instead?"
The old man was a highly respected elder in the Jiang Family, whom even Zhang Guihua and Jiang Dashan had to treat with courtesy.
But Jiang Changhai was a tough nut to crack and retorted, "Second Grandpa, my daughter going to school doesn't cost you a dime, so keep your nose out of it."
The old man was so angry that he blew his beard and stared, "Your Mianmian is dull-headed! Few years back, she was at the literacy class, and after two months she still couldn't do addition or subtraction within twenty. Sending her to school would just be wasting money!"
Jiang Changhai proudly boasted, "That's because Mianmian didn't want to learn. If she wanted to, I guarantee she'd do better than any kid in the village!"
When his daughter divided sunflower seeds and peanuts, he knew just how slick she was at counting; his wife never managed to trick her once.
Jiang Mianmian: ...
I didn't, I'm not, Dad, don't brag!
"Pfft~" everyone else laughed. Who in the village didn't know everyone else's business?
Someone who didn't like Jiang Changhai snickered, "Hahaha, Changhai, your daughter looks clever enough, but let's be honest, don't boast and exaggerate."
After that, the laughter grew even louder, making Jiang Changhe and his wife, who were thin-skinned, feel their faces burning—after all, they were a family, sharing in each other's honor and embarrassment.
Zhang Guihua also had a somber face, feeling uncomfortable inside.
She didn't want San Ya to go to school, but she didn't appreciate her son being ridiculed and teased either. Yet, she couldn't refute it because they were telling the truth.
However, Jiang Changhai touched his daughter's small head, saying firmly, "In my heart, our Mianmian is the most clever and quick-witted."
His big hand and his gaze were so gentle that Jiang Mianmian felt a warm sensation in her chest.
She couldn't stand seeing her dad being mocked like this!
So she puffed out her little chest and recited loudly, "At noon, hoeing in the fields, sweat drips down to the soil below. Who knows that each meal on the plate, every grain was hard-earned."
It's time for you all to know I am a champion!
Indeed, the laughter died away in an instant.
Jiang Mianmian continued, "In spring, one sleeps, unaware of dawn; the birds chirp everywhere. Come night, with the sound of wind and rain, how many flowers have fallen?"
...After she had recited ten poems in a row, everyone present was staring at her with dumbfounded expressions, even Jiang Changhai, who usually bragged about his daughter without a care, was shocked.
Even more exaggerated was her Aunt, who dropped the bowl from her hand.
Jiang Mianmian suddenly felt a satisfying and arrogant thrill of astonishing everyone and being awesomely enviable. She felt incredibly great about herself.
The System emerged to pour cold water on her, "Host, just a reminder, you have been to university. You're not really an eight-year-old child."
Jiang Mianmian: "No matter, let me bask in the glow of a child prodigy for a while."
"My girl, you're fantastic!" After Jiang Changhai came to his senses, he scooped up his daughter in a hug, grinning from ear to ear.
Jiang Mianmian jutted out her little chin proudly, "I also know the multiplication table by heart."
But it was too long, and she was too lazy to recite it.
"Impossible!" Sun Lixia immediately objected, knowing that even Zhiwen, who was in fifth grade, hadn't memorized it completely.
And someone eager for a show said, "If you know it, then recite it for us to hear."
Before Jiang Mianmian could refuse, her father protectively said, "Nice try, why should my daughter have to recite it for your amusement?"
Then, with a face full of affection, he said to Jiang Mianmian, "Here, have a drink. Your throat must be parched after reciting so many poems."
This time his daughter truly made him proud!
At that moment, Jiang Dashan asked, "San Ya, who did you learn all these poems from?"
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