The Leisurely Life of a Peasant Woman in the Tang Dynasty

The uneasiness in Tang Youyou's heart grew stronger and stronger. She closed the window and returned to her bed, but she still couldn't fall asleep peacefully. As expected, bean-sized raindrops hit the window frame fiercely, making a crackling sound, as if foreshadowing something.

The torrential rain continued all night long, and it didn't stop until the morning. The rain gathered into a stream, pouring down the eaves, as if it was going to drown the whole world. Tang Youyou's heart sank bit by bit with this heavy downpour.

After three days and three nights of rain, it finally stopped. The sky remained gloomy, as if a huge hole had been broken in it, and more rain was expected to pour down at any moment.

Tang Youyou could no longer sit still. She was worried about the rented farmland, and even more worried about the crops she had already planted. She packed up her things briefly and took her three children to the farmland in the rain.

The ridges of the fields were muddy, and Tang Youyou walked with one foot deep and one foot shallow. The rain flowed down her hair and onto her face, but she didn't bother to wipe it off. She had only one thought in her mind: How is the farmland?

From a distance, Tang Youyou saw that the originally flat farmland had turned into a vast ocean. The muddy flood overflowed the ridges and submerged the crops in the fields.

"Mom, our fields..." Tang Jin pointed ahead, his voice trembling, unable to believe what he saw.

Tang Youyou's heart was broken. The land she had rented with great effort was submerged by the sudden flood before she had time to cultivate it properly.

"Wow...my watermelon..." Tang Xiaoya couldn't help crying when she saw the scene in front of her.

Tang Youyou suppressed the grief in her heart and comforted the children: "Don't be afraid, don't be afraid, it will be fine. When the water recedes, we will replant."

Tang Wan looked at the flooded farmland in front of her, her brows furrowed. She pulled Tang Youyou's sleeve and whispered, "Mom, we..."

"Mom, we...how about not renting it?" Tang Youyou's heart skipped a beat at Tang Wan's words. She looked up at her eldest daughter, only to see that Tang Wan's brows were furrowed, her eyes full of worry.

"Sister, what are you talking about!" Before Tang Youyou could speak, Tang Jin was anxious, "Mom rented this land with great difficulty, how can you just give it up like that!"

Tang Wan sighed, took Tang Jin's hand, and patiently explained, "Look at how badly the fields have been flooded. Even if the water recedes, the land is ruined. What's there to grow? Mother has worked so hard to save some money. If it all goes to waste, how are we going to live in the future?"

Tang Jin opened his mouth to retort, but was silenced by Tang Wan's look. Although he was young, he understood how dire the situation was.

Tang Youyou looked at her sensible children, feeling a mixture of emotions. She knew Tang Wan was right. After the flood, it would take an incalculable amount of time and effort to restore the farmland. However, she was unwilling to give up just like that.

"Mother..." Tang Wan gently tugged at Tang Youyou's sleeve, her tone pleading, "Let's go back."

Tang Youyou took a deep breath and suppressed the bitterness in her heart. She squatted down and looked at the three children with a firm gaze. Her tone was gentle but unquestionable: "Wan'er, Jin'er, Xiaoya, mother knows you are worried, but we can't give up easily."

Tang Youyou stood up, her eyes sweeping across the devastated farmland in front of her. Her tone was filled with great strength, "Mom has rented this piece of land! When the water recedes, we'll replant it. Even if we don't harvest much this year, we still have next year, and the year after! As long as we work hard, one day, we will live a good life!"

The children looked at Tang Youyou's determined eyes, and a glimmer of hope ignited in their hearts. Yes, as long as you don't give up, there will be hope!

"Mom, we will help you!" Tang Jin clenched his fists, his eyes flashing with determination.

Tang Wan and Tang Xiaoya also nodded vigorously, expressing their support for Tang Youyou's decision.

Tang Youyou looked at her sensible children, and her heart was filled with strength. She knew that this natural disaster was a test, but also an opportunity. She had a golden finger, and she had three sensible children. She believed that they would be able to overcome difficulties and create a beautiful life for themselves!

As night fell, Tang Youyou and her family of four returned home. After Tang Youyou settled the children, she began to think about how to use the golden finger to drain the water and rescue the disaster as quickly as possible. She walked into the room, closed the door, and took out a...

Tang Youyou pulled out a small and exquisite purse from her bosom. This was the only thing she brought with her when she traveled through time. Inside the purse were a few seeds from the modern era, which she had put there accidentally. Unexpectedly, it would become her last hope.

For the next few days and nights, Tang Youyou and her family barely slept. Using wooden buckets, basins, and even pots and pans from their home, they scooped out the accumulated water from the fields bit by bit, then used hoes to clear the ditches and divert water for irrigation. Though young, the children also helped with whatever they could. Tang Wan boiled water, cooked meals, and took care of her younger sister; Tang Jin went to the fields with Tang Youyou, and despite his young age, he performed his work with remarkable skill.

A few days later, the accumulated water in the farmland was finally drained. Looking at the devastated scene before her, Tang Youyou's heart sank. The once lush green crops were now only withered and yellow, leaning here and there, devoid of any life.

"Mom, what should we do? All our crops are dead..." Tang Xiaoya looked at the scene in front of her and couldn't help crying.

Tang Jin's eyes were also red, and he lowered his head without saying a word.

"Don't cry, little girl." Tang Youyou hugged Tang Xiaoya into her arms, patted her back gently, and comforted her softly, "Although the crops have been damaged, we still have a chance to make amends. As long as we work hard, we will definitely reap a harvest."

Tang Wan also came over, held Tang Youyou's hand, and said firmly: "Mom, we believe you."

Tang Youyou looked at her sensible children, her heart filled with warmth and strength. She took a deep breath, forced back the tears in her eyes, and said firmly: "Okay, let's work together to make up for the losses!"

They began clearing the fields, removing any rotten crop debris, then turning the soil and applying fertilizer in preparation for reseeding.

"Mom, look, what is this?" Tang Jin suddenly shouted, pointing at a plant on the edge of the field.

Tang Youyou walked over and saw that it was a weed with strong vitality. Under the erosion of the flood, it still stood firm and even grew new buds.

"This is..." Tang Youyou's heart moved, and a thought suddenly flashed through his mind, "This is... hope!"

Just as they were about to re-sow the seeds, the village chief came hurriedly.

"Youyou, this is bad, someone from the county government is here..."

Chapter 32: Natural Disaster Test

"Youyou, it's bad, someone from the county government is here..." The village chief had a worried look on his face and hurried to Tang Youyou's house.

Tang Youyou's heart skipped a beat, and an ominous premonition came over her. "Village Chief, what happened?"

The village chief wiped the sweat from his forehead and said hurriedly, "The people from the county government said that the losses from this flood were severe, and the land value needs to be reassessed, so...so the lease contract has to be postponed."

Tang Youyou felt her vision go dark, and she almost lost her balance. Postponing the signing? Then when would it be? She had finally found the right land, and was about to lead a good life with her children. Was she going to fail again?

"How could this happen..." When Tang Wan heard the news, the wooden basin in her hand fell to the ground with a dull sound.

Tang Jin and Tang Xiaoya were still young, and although they didn't quite understand what was going on, they could feel the heavy atmosphere of the adults. They both shut their mouths obediently and looked at Tang Youyou anxiously.

Tang Youyou took a deep breath and tried to calm herself down. "Village Chief, did the county government say when the contract can be signed?"

The village chief shook his head, sighed, and said, "Who can say for sure? Right now, there are people suffering from the disaster everywhere. How can the county government have time to deal with such trivial matters as ours? I guess... I guess it won't take more than a month or two for this matter to be resolved."

One or two months? Tang Youyou's heart sank completely. The best time for spring plowing had already been missed. If they waited another month or two, even if they could rent land, they wouldn't be able to grow anything. How would their family survive then?

Tang Youyou clenched her fists tightly, her heart filled with resentment and anxiety. She had finally seen hope in life, was she going to watch it shatter? No, she would never give up!

"Village Chief," Tang Youyou raised her head and looked at him firmly, "Can I ask you for a favor?"