After my stepmother was shot, I took my brothers to the countryside

Chapter 142: 8 Gossips 3-Person Group 1

Shen Nian unloaded the things from the bicycle and moved them into the house. He didn't stay at home for too long and went to the chicken farm.

"Shen Zhiqing, you're back."

Chun Tao Niang saw Shen Nian and greeted her happily.

Shen Nian smiled and nodded in response: "Yes, sister-in-law, I just got back. Is everything okay at the chicken farm?"

"Everything is fine." Chun Tao's mother said cheerfully, "Now that you're here, I can go help Chun Tao's grandmother with some work without any worries. I'll leave this place to you!"

Shen Nian readily agreed: "Okay, sister-in-law, you go ahead, I'll be watching over here."

After Chun Taoniang left, Shen Nian began to walk around the chicken farm, observing the situation of the chickens.

Seeing that everything was normal, Shen Nian carried a bucket to the river to fetch water. After fetching the water, Shen Nian entered the chicken coop and came out with two bowls of water in his hands.

She would add a bowl of spiritual spring water from the space into the bucket every morning and evening. Shen Nian didn't dare to add too much, for she was afraid that the chickens would grow too fast and arouse suspicion from others.

After all, in this countryside, every household raises chickens. If the chickens in this chicken farm grow faster and better than those in other households, it will inevitably arouse other people's curiosity and suspicion.

Shen Nian thought it would be better to be cautious and avoid unnecessary trouble.

Shen Nian used a float to pour water into the trough, watching the chickens scramble to drink water, and thought to herself that in a few months, she would be able to carry a basket and look for eggs in the forest.

"Sister Nian, you're back!"

Ye Jiaojiao's voice brought Shen Nian back from her reverie. She turned around and saw Ye Jiaojiao carrying a basket of grass and Aunt Zhang San walking in after opening the gate.

"Yes Jiaojiao, Third Aunt, you are here."

Shen Nian walked over with a smile and helped take the straw basket from Ye Jiaojiao's back.

"Sister Nian, are you here just now?"

Ye Jiaojiao asked curiously, wiping the sweat from her forehead with her sleeve.

"Yes, I just brought back some water for the chickens." Shen Nian replied with a smile.

Aunt Zhang looked at Shen Nian with admiration in her eyes. "Shen Zhiqing, you are really capable. You have managed this chicken farm in perfect order, and everyone in the brigade has noticed it."

Shen Nian smiled modestly: "Aunt, this is the result of everyone's efforts, not just my own credit."

The three of them started to get busy while chatting.

Shen Nian was responsible for chopping the grass, while Ye Jiaojiao and Aunt Zhang began to put the chopped grass in the feed trough for the chickens to peck.

"Aunt San, I heard that the educated youth sprained his ankle today?" Shen Nian asked casually while chopping grass.

Aunt Zhang stopped what she was doing and squatted next to Shen Nian. Seeing this, Ye Jiaojiao quickly squatted over. Aunt Zhang moved some space aside for her before speaking.

"Shi Zhiqing was indeed frightened by a snake today and sprained her ankle. The Zhou family boy took her to the hospital. Judging from her condition, she will probably need to recuperate for a while."

"Scared by a snake?" Ye Jiaojiao asked fearfully, "Are there snakes in this weather?"

Aunt Zhang nodded. "When the weather gets hot, snakes start to become active. But in previous years, snakes haven't come out at this time. They usually don't come out until early May to look for food."

Shen Nian frowned slightly when he heard this, and after thinking for a moment, he asked, "Aunt San, who was closest to Shi Zhiqing at that time?"

"Who else could it be, the Zhou family...boy..."

Aunt Zhang paused, exchanged glances with Shen Nian, and then continued, "Maybe the snakes came out earlier this year."

After hearing this, Ye Jiaojiao's expression changed slightly, and she asked cautiously, "Then, isn't it dangerous for us to work in the fields? It's easy to step on snakes."

Strangely enough, they came here in July last year, but Ye Jiaojiao didn't encounter any snakes during the time she was here.

But she once saw a member of the team carrying a dead snake as thick as her wrist, which left an indelible shadow on Ye Jiaojiao.

Ye Jiaojiao felt horrified at the thought that she might step on a snake.

Seeing her like this, Shen Nian couldn't help but smile and asked, "Jiaojiao, did you touch the long rope on the first day of the Lunar New Year?"

Ye Jiaojiao looked at Shen Nian in confusion, obviously not understanding why she suddenly asked this.

"A long rope? Why should I touch a long rope on New Year's Day?" she asked puzzledly.

Shen Nian smiled and explained, "We have a custom where you don't touch anything with a long rope on the first day of the Lunar New Year. Then you won't encounter snakes in the new year."

After hearing this, Ye Jiaojiao showed an expression of sudden enlightenment, but then became a little annoyed, "Ah, then did I touch the rope on New Year's Day? I don't think I did anything that day. I ate and slept at your house, and slept and ate."

Aunt Zhang patted the back of her hand and comforted her, "Don't worry, Jiaojiao. As long as you are careful, nothing will happen."

Looking at Ye Jiaojiao who was still trying to recall whether she had touched the rope on New Year's Day, Shen Nian also comforted her.

"Yes, Jiaojiao. Just be careful. Snakes are afraid of people and generally won't attack. As long as we don't provoke them and keep our distance, it will be fine."

Ye Jiaojiao felt a little relieved after hearing what Aunt Zhang and Shen Nian said. She took a deep breath and nodded.

Although she was still scared, Ye Jiaojiao knew that if she wanted to live here, she had to learn to face these things.

"Oh, there's one more thing." Aunt Zhang San suddenly said as if she remembered something.

"As soon as Shi Zhiqing and the Zhou family kid left, the two new female educated youths at the Youth Farm claimed they were also injured. They were unwilling to work, dropped their belongings, and left."

"You two didn't know it because you weren't here. The captain's face turned dark. I saw that he wanted to lose his temper, but in the end he held it in."

In order to divert Ye Jiaojiao's attention, Aunt Zhang deliberately brought up this matter. Sure enough, Ye Jiaojiao's attention was successfully diverted.

"Just Hu Tingting and her little follower?" Ye Jiaojiao asked.

She lived in the Youth League Home and knew some of the new educated youth. The female educated youth Hu Tingting was the most active one among them, and the other one was her little follower.

She would follow Hu Tingting in everything she did. If Hu Tingting found an excuse to slack off, she would slack off too. If Hu Tingting ate an egg in the Youth Farm, she would eat one too, even if it was Hu Tingting's egg.

Aunt Zhang nodded. "It was those two, especially Hu Zhiqing. She was the loudest, saying she twisted her ankle and couldn't walk. She even asked Lin Zhiqing to carry her back to the Youth House. But guess what, Lin Zhiqing ignored her."

Ye Jiaojiao snorted coldly upon hearing this, "I think they just saw that Shi Zhiqing sprained his ankle and didn't have to work, so they found an excuse to be lazy."

Aunt Zhang laughed. "You're right. In the end, she limped back home, supported by another female educated youth. It looked like she really had twisted her ankle."

Shen Nian also smiled: "It seems that her 'injury' is not very serious."

"Isn't it just pretending? The captain probably knows it in his heart, but he just doesn't say it."

Aunt Zhang then sighed, "The Youth League compound in the field is in chaos. The new educated youths are not very well behaved. The team leader has been having a headache lately.