Meng Yan's Transformation

Zhan Yingying drove a donkey cart to the cornfield.

The scorching sun, the clouds and the green are the first impression of the cornfield in summer. In this cornfield of hope, the corn seedlings are growing well, almost as tall as a person, and the rows of corn are green and neatly arranged. When the breeze blows, the corn leaves rise and fall like waves in the sea, and the leaves flutter in the wind, as if showing people their vitality. Someone is carrying a sprayer in the cornfield, spraying pesticides, and shuttling back and forth.

Cornfields surround the village, cornfields surround the road, corn forms a forest, hiding the daily clarity, covering the village, trees and roads. The boundless spring has become a strict barrier in summer. You can't see another village from one village, you can't find another road from one road, and you can't see another field from one field. The green grass on the roadside, the insects, flying birds, pheasants in the field, and the people mowing the grass and herding are all blocked by corn... Walking into the cornfield, people will be surrounded by darkness and mystery. If you are alone, you will feel uneasy and hesitant.

Zhan Yu looked at the corn and said, "Alas, it's really a bit high, and a bit late. We need to fertilize today and seal the ridges tomorrow. Large animals won't work, so we can only use donkeys or smaller horses to plow the fields."

Zhan Yingying poured the urea fertilizer into small plastic buckets and gave one bucket to Zhan Mengyan and Zhan Zixun. She and Zhan Yu took pickaxes to dig holes next to the corn seedlings. Zhan Mengyan and Zhan Zixun were responsible for throwing urea fertilizer into the pits, and then kicking the soil to cover the urea fertilizer, so that the fertilizer could seep into the soil and be absorbed by the corn roots, so as to prevent the urea fertilizer from evaporating into the air and being wasted.

The dense corn leaves blocked the scorching sun, but they did not reduce the burning sensation. Although Zhan Mengyan was wearing the cool hat that Yunqing made for her, she was sweating profusely after working for a while. The corn leaves accidentally scratched her face, leaving a blood-red mark. The sweat flowed down, and it was like salt being sprinkled on the wound. Zhan Mengyan was left far behind. Zhan Yingying's ethereal voice came from a distance: "Mengyan, don't worry, do as much as you can, and your sister will come back to pick you up after digging at the end of the field..."

Just when Zhan Mengyan was about to faint from exhaustion, Zhang Xincheng's voice came from behind her: "Mengyan, I finally found you. Take a rest first. I'll help you."

"Why are you here?" Zhan Mengyan asked weakly.

Zhang Xincheng helped Zhan Mengyan sit down with a look of heartache, and said, "I wanted to take you out to play with Zhan Zixun today. I went to your house to look for you. Aunt Yunqing said you were here to fertilize the corn. I thought about your allergy to ultraviolet rays and you haven't done much farm work, so I was worried and came to look for you. I saw the donkey tied to the edge of the field and knew you must be in this field. I looked for two ridges before I found you. You can rest for a while and go out for some fresh air. You wait for us under the shade of the tree."

"I'll throw fertilizer into the pit and you cover it with soil. Let's go out together and get some fresh air. I feel a little scared being alone in this cornfield." Zhan Mengyan said.

"I don't need you to work anymore. If you are afraid to get out of the cornfield alone, just follow me." Zhang Xincheng said as he threw fertilizer with one hand and buried the soil with his foot. He was much more efficient than Zhan Mengyan. They caught up with Zhan Zixun in a short while.

"Xincheng, when did you come?" Zhan Zixun asked in surprise.

"Why didn't Zixun and Mengyan tell me the sound of the ground when they came to the cornfield to apply fertilizer? I had to go through two ridges of your cornfield before I found Mengyan." Zhang Xincheng complained.

"This job is so hard, how can I let you know about it. This job is more tiring and uncomfortable than helping your father with ironwork, right?" Zhan Zixun said.

"We are farmers' sons. We have to work no matter how hard it is. We are good friends. We should share the hardships and difficulties. Drilling and applying fertilizer in the corn field is not more tiring than forging iron, but it is much hotter and stuffier. Neither is easy. That's why we have to study hard, hoping to make a name for ourselves in the future so that we don't have to do farm work for the rest of our lives." Zhang Xincheng said as he worked. Soon he was almost at the end of the field. A breeze blew, reducing the stuffiness.

Several people reached the end of the field and emerged from the cornfield at almost the same time. Everyone was sweating profusely and panting.

"Xincheng, thank you for coming to help. In the evening, let your aunt Yunqing cook a few more dishes to reward you. It's too hot today, Xincheng, have a drink first." Zhan Yu took out a kettle and handed it to Zhang Xincheng.

With Zhang Xincheng's participation, the speed of fertilizing the corn increased a lot. By noon, the corn fertilization was completed.

"With more people there is more power. If it's just Zhan Yingying and I, we'll probably need a day to fertilize all the land. The weather forecast says it'll rain tomorrow or the day after tomorrow. I'll plow the ridges this afternoon, and if it rains tomorrow or the day after tomorrow, the fertilizer will be absorbed by the corn seedlings, and we'll have a good harvest this autumn." Zhan Yu said as he packed his things and put them on the donkey.

Suddenly, a shout came from not far away: "Xiao Ming, Xiao Ming, wake up, wake up! Is there anyone? Is there anyone? Help! Help!"

Several people went to look for the sound and saw Zhang Ming's wife crying and shaking Zhang Ming. There was a sprayer next to Zhang Ming, and his back was soaked with pesticide. A pungent smell of pesticide hit him in the face. Zhang Ming was lying on the ground with foam at the mouth, unconscious.

"Zhang Ming has been poisoned by pesticides. Stop crying, Zhang Ming's wife. Hurry up and load Zhang Ming onto the donkey cart and take him to the hospital for emergency treatment."