USWHC -Chapter 103 Getting Beaten Up (Part 3)

On the winter field, three women were gathered together, holding hoes, though no one seemed quite sure what they were doing. Around them, for miles, not a single person was in sight.

Clearly, this wasn’t the best season for farming, but perhaps it was a good season for doing something else!

Zhu Jie stood on the field, holding a hoe innocently, casting a troubled glance at the two overseers beside her—Sister-in-law You and classmate Ji Mei.

“Sister-in-law, how am I supposed to hoe the field?” Zhu Jie asked sulkily, wearing a face full of shy embarrassment as she spoke.

Sister-in-law You immediately shot her a glare. “Don’t know how? Just lift the hoe, swing it down, then lift it back up! What, you’ve never farmed before?”

“No, I’ve only watched, never done it myself!” Zhu Jie said earnestly.

She raised the hoe high, attempting to swing it down, but as soon as it went above her head, it wobbled, and she wavered on her feet—was she about to fall over again?

Ji Mei, having learned from past experience, was prepared this time. With a quick swoop, she slipped behind Sister-in-law You, calmly taking cover.

Sister-in-law You looked at Zhu Jie’s stance and realized something was off—wobbling like that, she was practically aiming to hit someone’s head!

“Stop!” Sister-in-law You shouted, hastily grabbing the flashing hoe, panicking. “You’re trying to hit someone!”

At that, Zhu Jie immediately burst into tears, choking out, “Sister-in-law, I really want to learn, but I’m just too clumsy—I can’t get it right!”

Seeing her eyes brimming with tears, looking like a frightened little rabbit, Sister-in-law You grew even more smug, her confidence swelling. “Hoeing a field, what’s so hard about that?”

“Then could you teach me?” Zhu Jie asked humbly, quickly shoving the hoe into Sister-in-law You’s hands, her face the picture of eager obedience.

But as soon as Sister-in-law You took the hoe, regret hit her instantly. She’d been boasting without thinking—at this season, hoeing the ground would surely strain the wrists!

Yet seeing Zhu Jie’s expectant, admiring gaze, she was caught in a dilemma: hoe or not?

Sighing, she mustered her strength, putting on a solemn expression. “Alright, I’ll teach you once. The rest is up to you!”

She swung the hoe down with all her might, thinking it would at least break the surface. Unfortunately, she underestimated the frozen soil, hard as steel.

The hoe struck the ground, initially embedding almost the full blade three feet deep. But as she prepared to lift and toss the soil, disaster struck!

The hoe got stuck in the soil and wouldn’t budge. Sister-in-law You’s proud face immediately fell. She glanced at Zhu Jie, who looked on eagerly, seemingly unaware anything was wrong.

Clenching her teeth, Sister-in-law You pulled with all her strength—left, right, nothing. In the end, she resorted to using both hands and feet, but the hoe was as immovable as if it had grown into the earth.

This was a complete embarrassment.

Finally, Zhu Jie’s delayed comprehension hit her. Staring at Sister-in-law You, then down at the stuck hoe, she asked with concern, “Sister-in-law, do you need help?”

By now, Sister-in-law You was drenched in cold sweat but stubbornly insisted, “No need, it’s easy, nothing to worry about!”

Zhu Jie, however, appeared far more anxious than Sister-in-law You. She turned to Ji Mei. “Meizi, we should help Sister-in-law! We’re a family—whatever happens, we face it together. Even if we don’t know how to hoe, we can at least help!”

Ji Mei, seeing Sister-in-law You’s awkward predicament, felt a bit anxious herself. Weren’t they supposed to prank Zhu Jie? How did things end up making Sister-in-law You look so helpless?

Ji Mei stepped forward, but Zhu Jie went ahead first. Hands on her hips, fists clenched, she spoke with exaggerated seriousness and effort: “Come on! Use your legs! Keep your back straight! Pull back with your hands!”

Ji Mei stumbled, almost tripping over herself. This… counts as helping?

Yet Zhu Jie still turned to her earnestly. “This is all the experience I gained yesterday!”