Chapter 264

Golden wheat fields swayed in the breeze—it was the perfect time for harvest. If they didn’t act fast, a single rain could ruin the crop, causing the wheat to sprout.

At the crack of dawn, the villagers headed to the fields with sickles in hand. They worked until sunset, earning their full work points, with the strongest laborers even securing fifteen.

Emily Johnson stayed home to prepare meals for her two boys before hurrying to the kitchen. She brewed mung bean soup with rock sugar, then cooled it in a well bucket.

"Mom, we’re going to gather wheat ears!" David and Tommy called out as they finished washing the dishes, grabbing small baskets before dashing off to the fields.

Once the soup was chilled, Emily carried it to the workers. She made sure to share it not just with her own family but also with her brothers-in-law and their wives.

"Sis, this soup is delicious!" Daniel River gulped down half a bowl, wiping his mouth with a grin.

"I also made mint water—perfect for beating the heat." Emily pointed to the freshly washed mint leaves. "There’s plenty for everyone."

The other villagers watched enviously. Though Emily didn’t work in the fields, her family often sent supplies, her cooking was exceptional, and now she was generous enough to share homemade refreshments.

The moment the harvest ended, a downpour began.

"Good thing we finished in time," Michael Stone said, wiping sweat from his brow. "Tomorrow, I’ll go up the mountain to pick mushrooms for you."

Emily glanced at the two grapevines in their yard. Though they bore only a few clusters, Michael had carefully built trellises for them.

"Make sure they’re chicken mushrooms..."

"I remember."

The rain came fast, leaving the fields waterlogged. As soon as the skies cleared, Michael hiked up the mountain with a bamboo basket, returning with a full load of chicken mushrooms. They dried the excess and made a fragrant mushroom paste.

Soon, another busy farming season arrived—planting corn and transplanting rice seedlings left no time to rest.

"Your exams are coming up. Shouldn’t you take time off to study?" Emily asked as she watched her husband wolf down his meal.

"No need," Michael mumbled between bites. "I’ll work during the day and study at night."

As the heat intensified, Emily avoided trips to town for meat. Instead, she bought a free-range chicken and some eggs from Daisy Miller. Every day without fail, she prepared malt extract and powdered milk for the family.

Running into Amy Bright reminded Emily that the original abduction plot had been altered. Fate, it seemed, wasn’t set in stone.

While transplanting rice, Michael caught several loaches and eels. Too squeamish to handle them herself, Emily left the task to him. She invited her in-laws over for a special meal, though she couldn’t bring herself to take a single bite.

After delivering the agricultural tax, the team distributed the new grain.

"Are these sweet potato vines really edible?" Michael eyed the plants in their yard skeptically. With plenty of vegetables at home, he couldn’t understand why his wife insisted on growing them.

"You seemed to enjoy them last time," Emily teased, plucking a tender shoot. "Changed your mind?"