The heavy sound of the hand-pushed rice harvester echoed in the paddy fields under the blue sky. It was difficult to push it forward.
"Pengbin, do you want to take a break?"
"It's okay. I can still hold on …"
Guo Pengbin pushed the old machine. His arms were hurting from the vibration, and his legs were stuck in the field.
He was not the same as when he was young. For many years, he sat in the office facing the computer all day. His body was completely rusty. After pushing for a whole day yesterday, his back was already sore. After pushing for a while, he felt like he was going to collapse in the field.
Under the scorching summer sun, the straw hat he was wearing couldn't block the harsh sunlight at all. His face was completely red.
"Don't be stubborn." Uncle Quan, who was beside him, looked at him. He had been working in the field for so many years. He knew when he needed to take a break. "Don't get heatstroke."
Guo Pengbin knew that. After pushing for a few more meters, he had to stop. He handed the harvester to Uncle Quan. "Let me take a break …"
Although Uncle Quan was in his 50s, short, and had a big belly, he worked quickly. He held the handle of the harvester and continued to push it forward.
Although there were many paddy fields in the village, there was only one automatic rice harvester that belonged to the village. It was the busy farming season. Everyone was fighting to use it. They could only queue up to get it. Everyone did not wait for the machine. They used the cheap hand-pushed harvester to cut the crops on the narrow plots.
"Phew …" Guo Pengbin took a deep breath. He rubbed his arms and walked to the side of the field to ask for some water.
The side of the field was very lively. Harvesting rice was not a task that could be done by one or two people. His mother was also helping. His wife and Auntie Quan cooked some mung bean soup for them to eat. Li Rongqin's family was also harvesting in the adjacent field. The weather forecast said that it would rain continuously in a few days. Everyone was taking advantage of the good weather these few days.
"Aiyo, look at how sweaty you are." Yu Qi handed a sweat towel to her husband, who walked up to her. Guo Pengbin smiled. He took off his shirt and went shirtless. He took the sweat towel and wiped his sweat. "My arms and legs are old. I have to admit that I am old. More than 10 years ago, I could push for a week without getting tired."
"Keep bragging." Of course, Yu Qi did not believe him. Of course, Guo Pengbin was bragging. Anyone at any age would be tired after pushing for a week.
He finished half a bowl of soup in one go and looked around. "Where are the children and the rest?"
Previously, they were all playing by the fields. There was also Li Rongqin's Xuan Xuan, as well as a few other children who had moved back. The group of children were already playing very well, and they all seized the opportunity to play wild. These children used to live in towns and cities. Other than the nurseries, kindergartens, and schools, they were sent to and from school by their parents. They didn't walk much and rarely had the chance to play outside. At most, they would play on the swing in the small park in their neighborhood.
"My parents are taking care of them." Yu Qi said, "It's too hot here, so they and the other uncles and aunties took their children back to the village."
Guo Pengbin nodded his head and looked at Uncle Quan, who was working in the distance. Rows of straws had fallen to the ground. Perhaps it was because the weather was too hot and stuffy that he felt a little dizzy. In a moment of daze, he saw double images of everything. When he dazed again, everything returned to normal.
"Honey, this mung bean soup is so delicious." Probably due to his exhaustion and thirst, he really enjoyed the soup.
"Auntie Quan made it." Yu Qi said with a smile, "I just helped out a little."
"Perhaps it was that little help that played a key role." Guo Pengbin's words became sweeter as he enjoyed the food. "Honey …"
Yu Qi rolled her eyes at him. She could hear that he wanted to thank her for going through the hardship with him. "Don't say such mushy things." They were once a couple, but now that they were an old couple, she couldn't stand it anymore. Furthermore, looking at her husband's sweaty body, she couldn't complain.
"You know what I'm going to say?" Guo Pengbin chuckled.
"Staying here is better than staying at Eastern State," Yu Qi said. They had been paying attention to the news. The situation at Eastern State was not looking good. There were more and more conflicts between Phecda members and the Inhumans and the situation was getting more chaotic. "If we were still at Eastern State, we would be dead already."
It was because of this that this abandoned village suddenly became lively. Other than them and Li Rongqin's family, a few other families had moved back.
"I've made a deal with Rongqin. After these few days of farm work." Guo Pengbin said with hope, "Let's go to town and buy some cement, bricks, and other materials. We'll help each other build a bathroom for the house." He knew what his wife cared about, and she really did need it.
"After these few days, I hope you can still walk." Yu Qi noticed the pain in his legs. "Don't worry, you won't be able to stand up when the time comes."
"I can stand up, I'm not that old yet." Guo Pengbin said with a smile.
While they were talking by the fields, there were people working in the fields everywhere. In the distance, the villages made up of yellow mud houses were livelier than before. The laughter of children returned to the small village, and a few small dogs chased after their running and frolicking figures.
"Let's go!" The little tiger ran down the village road. He was holding a stalk of wild flower that he had just plucked from the paddy field. The flower swayed in the wind.
"Big Brother, wait for me!" Little Vegetable ran behind him. Xuan Xuan, Xiao Bao, and the other children were also shouting. In the beginning, they were not used to living here, but in less than two days, they were enjoying themselves. They ran in the fields, caught insects, and played with the puppies. Now, they were unwilling to go back to the city.
A few elders following behind them shouted at them to slow down and be careful not to fall. There were not many cars in the village, and the road was too narrow for them to drive in. Even motorcycles were rare. That was why they let the children run freely. Seeing the children playing happily, they were happy.
The little tiger ran towards the village entrance to look at the cars. Their family's cars were all parked there.
At this time, Little Vegetable and Xuan Xuan saw the little tiger running in front suddenly stop …
"Big Brother?" Little Vegetable called out. Then, she also slowed down. She saw a person standing at the entrance of the village. Xuan Xuan and the others also stopped. The puppies retracted their tails and whimpered uneasily …
The person in front … was very strange …
They saw that the person was bent over. He looked like a hunchback, but not really. He looked very strange. His mouth was protruding, his face was tattered, and his skin was covered with plaque. The person's eyes were bloodshot, and there were blood-red sharp teeth in his protruding mouth.
The strange man was looking in their direction, looking at them.
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