Chapter 10: The Young Wives All Come to Tianjia Village

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Sure, sure, let's go take a look! The young wife exclaimed excitedly, fully in favor. She rarely went out, and with such a spectacle to behold, coupled with the presence of many people giving her courage, how could she let such a great opportunity slip by

Hmm? A woman with the surname Luo? That must be Luo Jing'er

"Sister-in-law, are you heading to the market? Wait a moment, let me go back and get some coins. Let's go together, just the two of us." An elderly woman in her sixties stopped a young wife.

The women of Tianjiazhuang have been quite pleased these days, reaping countless feelings of envy and jealousy, and are particularly satisfied in their hearts. Women are inherently vain creatures; even if these households do not have much grain stored, they insist on taking some to the mill for processing, not for any other reason, but to enjoy the envy of others

Unfortunately, Han Yue did not come willingly; he was truly unable to stay at home and was driven out by two unpleasant women

On that morning, at the entrance of Tianzhuang Village, Han Yue lay lazily on top of a haystack, with a blade of wild grass in his mouth, squinting his eyes as he basked in the sun

He squinted his small eyes, basking in the sunlight, fantasizing about the exhilarating sensation of a giant snake striking. When he indulged in the delightful thoughts, he couldn't help but let out a low chuckle, and a few drops of saliva unconsciously dripped from the corner of his mouth

Men are quite envious of the fish that are brought up by the waterwheel while it is pumping water. If it weren't for the concern of losing face, they would probably have already joined the little kids in the canal to catch them. In the past, when fish were in the river, the current was fierce, and it was not easy to catch fish without a fishing net. Now, with the waterwheel bringing them up, even the little kids can easily catch them, let alone these adults.

The flow of people is constant and unceasing, and the reputation of Tianjiazhuang is spreading further and growing larger. The emergence of the waterwheel has finally attracted the attention of those with keen interest

As she spoke, she poured half a bag of chestnuts into the sheller, and with just a few crisp sounds, the finely shelled corn flowed out from the bottom of the machine. The onlooking young wives gasped in surprise, their envious eyes turning red.

Since the day the waterwheel was erected, Tianjia Village has never known tranquility again, with crowds gathering by the riverbank at all hours to watch

Oh dear, this is quite a loss. I really am a bit muddled; at that time, I was only thinking about saving money. If I had known, I would have bought more to keep! The old woman appeared very regretful, but she still went back to the house to get some copper coins and followed the young wife to the market.

The lifeblood of a nation lies in its water resources, and the emergence of the waterwheel is nothing short of a miraculous invention for the common people who depend on the heavens for their sustenance

"Is his surname Han? Then how could his family live in Tianjia Village?"

The young daughter-in-law, carrying a basket of eggs, was clearly going to sell them at the market. Upon hearing this, she smiled and said: "Aunt Wang, you haven't been out for many years, why do you suddenly want to go to the market?"

This is because the mosquito repellent at home has run out. Recently, someone came to the door in Tianjia Village to sell it. I, being somewhat skeptical, only bought three plates.

"You can just forget it!" The young wife pouted and continued, "I have long heard that the person who invented the mosquito coil and the waterwheel is not even surnamed Tian, but a young man with the surname Han, who was taught by a deity in his dreams..."

Among them, Aunt Wang is the oldest, and she exclaimed: "First there was the mosquito coil, then the waterwheel, truly remarkable. The Tianjiazhuang has produced a master indeed"

Tian Xiaohua is not an easy opponent either, retorting sarcastically: "Hmph, I know you are jealous. Did you see that? The water-powered mill, efficient and effective, and this here, this is called a water-powered husker, it removes the husk cleanly and thoroughly. Are you envious? It must be driving you little hoofed creatures crazy with envy"

For instance, in Wangjiazhuang to the east, there were people discussing matters related to Tianjiazhuang early in the morning

Seeing that this man has a robust physique and an angry expression, could he be the enemy of that woman? Ha ha, the heavens have truly opened their eyes, the opportunity to drive away that foul woman has finally arrived

Upon returning, it is only natural to boast a little to those who have not seen it, thus tomorrow morning, another wave of people will come.

It is said that in recent days, Tianjia Village has been quite lively. Ever since Han Yue seized the opportunity to take the waterwheel out from the system, the entire village was immediately stirred. All the labor force in the village was mobilized to join the effort, and within a day, the waterwheel was erected by the riverside

All the women are married, and they exchange lewd remarks one after another. A few young wives are playfully teasing each other, and the older women not only do not stop them but also chime in with a few comments. Goodness, when the older women get involved, the lewd talk becomes even more intense, leaving the young wives blushing and feeling weak all over. (The author is not exaggerating; in rural areas, married women can make even big men blush and stammer when they talk lewdly. I remember a young sister-in-law from across the street who would tease me every time I returned home from university during the holidays. Her lewd remarks would make my blood rush, and I would feel like stripping off my pants and confronting her right in the street. Ah, those youthful days are truly unforgettable.) (The author is not exaggerating; in rural areas, married women can make even big men blush and stammer when they talk lewdly. I remember a young sister-in-law from across the street who would tease me every time I returned home from university during the holidays. Her lewd remarks would make my blood rush, and I would feel like stripping off my pants and confronting her right in the street. Ah, those youthful days are truly unforgettable.)

Oh dear, what a pity that our village does not have such newcomers...

They are outsiders, perhaps fleeing from famine, perhaps seeking refuge with relatives, who knows

You brat, this is Tianjia Village. A few days ago, didn't a woman with the surname Luo move in here?

Sister-in-law, please stop keeping us in suspense; everyone knows you are knowledgeable. Hurry up and tell us, what is the story behind that waterwheel? Not having to draw water for irrigation is truly a treasure

Peh peh peh, you little rascal, you cannot be satisfied and only know how to speak nonsense

It is Luo Jing'er

Madam, have you heard? The Tianjiazhuang has created something new again. I heard it is two large waterwheels that can draw water from the river to irrigate the dry fields. In the future, the villagers will no longer need to carry water to irrigate their land... The young woman is clearly an active participant; as she notices more and more people gathering for the market, she cannot help but start to show off her knowledge.

Ah, everyone, look, the second sister-in-law is blushing, it seems I have hit the nail on the head. Hehe, second sister-in-law, tell the truth, is it really itchy down there, do you want that young prodigy to give you a poke?

Carrying water in rural areas is considered a labor-intensive task. During dry seasons, the entire family, young and old, must participate in fetching water. Even a strong man finds it somewhat exhausting to carry a load of water from the riverbank to the field. Naturally, the young wives and older women are even more apprehensive about this. At this time, upon hearing that the fields in Tianjiazhuang do not require jumping into the water for irrigation, they immediately become very interested and begin to inquire about it.

A group of young wives and mothers were discussing animatedly, expressing their envy towards the current situation in Tianjiazhuang. Suddenly, someone suggested, "This waterwheel is so impressive; why don't we all go together to take a look after we finish at the market instead of heading home?"

"Look, look, isn't that Tian Xiaohua? She has a face full of freckles and looks particularly unattractive, yet she actually has the privilege to use such good water ground. Heaven must be blind..." The jealousy of women can kill a cow. In fact, Tian Xiaohua is not ugly; she just has a few more freckles. However, in the mouths of the women around her who envy her, it has turned into a face full of freckles.

There is also Dou Dou, the dead girl with her elbows turned outward, betraying and defecting to the enemy. I will eventually give you fifty lashes to vent my anger... Speaking of which, the loli has three virtues, hehe... In the end, being a hoodlum, the moment of ferocity is quickly forgotten, and the thoughts and intentions fall back into the lowly ways.

Indeed, I must say that this is because the ancestors of the Tian family were buried in a good place, blessed with good feng shui! This is why they have bestowed fortune upon their descendants, resulting in extraordinary talents

The atmosphere has become lively, and Tianjiazhuang is completely bustling. It seems that overnight, the reputation of the small Tianjiazhuang has suddenly spread, quickly taking the top spot in the gossip topics of the surrounding villages.

Women are not particularly concerned with fish; they are more interested in the enormous mill beside the waterwheel. Especially those young brides, whose most frequent household chore is shelling and pounding rice, a task that is both laborious and monotonous, with nine out of ten feeling it is arduous. At this moment, seeing the mill powered by water, which not only effortlessly shells and pounds rice but also finely grinds grain into flour, is simply astonishing

Along the way, the two women inevitably engaged in casual conversation, discussing family matters and daily life, with nine out of ten sentences revolving around the Tianjia Village. During this time, they intermittently encountered a few young wives or older sisters, who were evidently also heading to the market. Since everyone in the village knew each other, they decided to travel together.

Impressive, impressive! A group of women were shouting and exclaiming, all feeling utterly astonished

"What are you saying? Stinky... stinky...?" The man's expression changed slightly, appearing somewhat unfriendly

"You have no idea," the young wife said proudly, noticing that everyone was looking at her, and she became even more showy. "I heard that waterwheel is tall and big, even taller than the hundred-year-old tree in our village. That waterwheel makes a sound, rumbling as it turns, just like thunder, and in one hour, it can draw out several thousand loads of water from the river. The several hundred acres of land in Tianjia Village can be irrigated in just half a day's work.

In addition to Xiaodou Dou, another woman has appeared in the house. (Long-time readers might guess it is Aunt Tian? Don't be ridiculous, that is Uncle Tian's wife)

He was completely unaware that a middle-aged man was standing there beneath the haystack, staring at him for quite some time

This wretched woman, occupying another's nest, I will eventually strip you bare! Damn it... Han Dage recalled the days he had been through recently and felt indignant, vowing to make Luo Jing'er pay.

Look at me tear your mouth apart

Having seen the waterwheel and the mill, whether it is the man envious of the fish or the woman admiring the water mill, all feel that the journey was worthwhile. It is only when the sun sets behind the mountains that they leave with a strong sense of satisfaction and lingering envy.

Han Yue was overjoyed and hurriedly slid down from the haystack, pulling the old man and speaking incoherently: "Report to the government, you have finally arrived, Luo Jing'er that foul woman is right here."

Hehe, it would be great to meet the genius who created the mosquito repellent vehicle. I heard he is still a young man

Whenever the waterwheel turns and easily draws water from the river, the onlooking crowd erupts in applause. The riverbank is densely packed with both men and women, creating a lively scene.

Oh dear madam, I am not criticizing you, but with such a useful item as mosquito coils, why didn't you buy more at that time! This summer, with all the mosquito bites, it would be unbearable without any mosquito coils. Let me tell you, the price of mosquito coils in Tianjiazhuang has gone up; now it costs one and a half wen to buy a plate...

Several local dogs ran along the flowing water in the irrigation ditch, eager to catch the startled little fish. Behind the dogs followed a group of bare-bottomed children, who excitedly shouted and jumped into the ditch from time to time to catch a few fish, then scampered back to their parents to present their catch before returning to the water again.

The sun rises, and the sunlight is not scorching; it is at a pleasantly comfortable temperature. If such a scene were to fall under the gaze of a poet, it would surely be a warm and inviting picture, imbued with a strong sense of local flavor, rich in freshness and tranquility

Oh dear, you little minx, could it be that the men at home cannot satisfy you? The moment you hear about a young prodigy, you start to get all flustered...