The Tian family, Old Man Tian gathered everyone for a meeting, including the three-year-old Tian Yicheng.
"The Li family in Kushan Mountain has moved into a large tile-roofed house with blue bricks and red tiles. All these changes were brought about by Jing'er," Old Man Tian said, looking at the envy and disdain on his children and grandchildren's faces. He regretted it deeply. Regardless of the reasons behind Tian Jing's transformation, the Tian family had treated her poorly.
If they had treated her well, wouldn't she have helped her family after her transformation? But his children and grandchildren hadn't realized their mistakes and were still thinking of exploiting her. Was the transformed Tian Jing someone his foolish descendants could exploit?
"I know you often hear provocations from people with ulterior motives, but are you blind to Jing'er's changes? Think back to how you treated her before."
"Outsiders don't know Jing'er's identity, but you do, don't you? She herself knows she's not a true member of the Tian family. Why should she be good to the Tian family who treated her harshly? And by what right do you demand anything from her?"
"Do you forget the agreement to sever ties? The two items unearthed by Lü Jianjun were foster care fees from her relatives."
"Those foster care fees were enough for her to grow up carefree and live a prosperous life. Think about the life she lived from childhood to now, and compare the two. Don't you feel regret?"
"Instead of mending relations, you went with the intention of taking advantage. Is that possible? Who gave you the confidence to try again and again?"
"Those who provoke you think she is a member of the Tian family, thinking we can bind her by blood."
"If it were you, would you help your own brothers after becoming successful? Perhaps not. If even your own brothers can't be helped, you expect Jing'er to help you ungrateful wretches? Dream on."
Everyone in the Tian family lowered their heads. It wasn't out of guilt, but because they had to. If they didn't, their dissatisfaction would be evident in their eyes and faces.
Didn't the current head of the family tacitly approve of the hardships Jing'er endured since childhood?
Wasn't it the second head of the family who orchestrated it?
If it hadn't been for the educated youth Lü trying to steal gold bars, who would have known about the family's wealth? Who would have known it was given by Jing'er's relatives?
The head of the family embezzled the money and treated another person's child harshly, yet now he was lecturing them?
Did the head of the family really not know about the two trips to Kushan Mountain? Who was he fooling?
Wasn't he just watching to see if they could succeed?
Old Man Tian looked with satisfaction at the rows of bowed heads of his children and grandchildren.
"Alright, don't provoke her for now. After some time, when Jing'er's resentment has lessened, we will proceed slowly."
Ugh...
Everyone in the Tian family felt like vomiting internally. They were too shameless.
...
The Li family transplanted seedlings overnight, and even Grandpa Chen came to help.
Mother Li didn't want him to work, and he was unhappy. "I'm better now and feel restless if I don't work. When your health improves, you'll go back to farming, won't you?"
"It's stuffy in this greenhouse." Su Dan Novel Network.
"It's fine, I'll plant a row, then go out for a walk, and come back in."
Chen Suozhu also agreed to his grandfather helping. "My grandpa used to grow vegetables in our yard. The seedlings I took back were all planted by him. He's happy when he can work, so let him do it."
Unable to dissuade him, Grandpa Chen happily squatted by the edge to plant. He would regret not planting such robust seedlings himself.
The greenhouse was lit by kerosene lamps for half the night.
The next day, the Li family transplanted cotton seedlings in the barren land.
The barren land was surrounded by villagers.
Because the Li family was intercropping cotton and corn in the barren land.
Intercropping was something the villagers had heard of, but no one had tried it. The team hadn't assigned any tasks, so villagers planted according to the old methods, unwilling to be the first to try something new.
Now, with the emergence of the land adoption responsibility system and pioneers like the Li family, everyone wanted to witness it.
Accountant Li, Uncle Li, and Second Uncle Li also came. Their pride was less important than increased yields.
Two rows of cotton and one row of corn, with cotton rows spaced one meter apart and plants forty centimeters apart, and corn rows spaced two meters apart and plants thirty centimeters apart.
It didn't seem like much of a science, but could it truly increase yield?
Tian Jing replied: Yes, it can.
On one mu and four fen of barren land, they planted 2,450 cotton seedlings and 1,630 corn seedlings.
The neat rows of green seedlings filled everyone with hope.
For safety, Tian Jing went into the mountains again to bring down thorny roses. Li Zhengguo and Chen Suozhu erected bamboo fences in front, and Tian Jing planted the roses behind.
Sister-in-law Niu approached Tian Jing casually. "Tian Jing, your rose fence is very good, beautiful and safe. I'm being bold, but could I have some?"
"I'll bring some to you this evening."
"Okay, thank you, sister-in-law."
"You're welcome. You and Brother Niu withstood pressure to help me for over half a month, and I appreciate it."
Tian Jing's voice was not quiet, and the villagers who heard her smiled with unspoken meaning.
In the evening, Tian Jing carried two loads of branches with leaves and flower buds to Sister-in-law Niu's plot.
Brother Niu and Sister-in-law Niu were already waiting. Tian Jing offered to help plant, but Sister-in-law Niu stopped her. "You just watch from the side. Your Brother Niu will set up the fence, and I'll do the planting."
After planting two plants, Sister-in-law Niu spoke again. "By the way, my sister-in-law gave birth. It's been ten days."
"A girl?"
"Yes." Sister-in-law Niu's movements stopped. "Tian Jing, you're too smart. Not only are you skilled in martial arts, but you're also amazing at growing vegetables and seedlings, and you guess gender with such accuracy."
"Hahaha," Tian Jing laughed heartily. "I was guessing people's hearts."
"People's hearts? How did you guess?"
"I haven't met her, but you described her as someone who is overly ambitious and sensitive. You already have two sons. If she had given birth to a boy after acting so difficult during her pregnancy, wouldn't she have become unbearable? Since it's been ten days and she's still so quiet, what else is there to say?"
"Amazing." Sister-in-law Niu had to admit it. "I just like being around you; you understand other people's feelings so well."
"Huh? Shouldn't you be avoiding me because I understand people's hearts too well?"
"That won't do. My fiery, straightforward personality can communicate with you, and I like interacting with you."
"Haha, I also like interacting with straightforward people like you, Sister-in-law Niu."
Tian Jing actually enjoyed talking with Sister-in-law Niu. Sister-in-law Niu couldn't keep secrets, so she just wouldn't tell her any.
Moreover, after interacting with Sister-in-law Niu for so long, nothing she had said had been spread outside.
Sister-in-law Niu might not necessarily be unable to keep secrets, but rather she knew what to keep, what not to say, and who not to tell.
"By the way, Zhang Fangcao's family has been quiet lately. Everyone says the baby in her womb is blessed, and ever since she got pregnant, her family hasn't been causing trouble."
Tian Jing smiled but said nothing.
No matter how malicious she was, she wouldn't harm an unborn child. She had observed for two days, and Zhang Fangcao was indeed pregnant, nearly three months along.
As for whether the baby in her womb was blessed or not, it had nothing to do with her.
She wouldn't go so far as to ruin a child's future.
The idea of blessings was likely something Zhang Fangcao herself orchestrated, but it didn't matter. Sometimes, inappropriate words and actions could ruin a child's future.