Chapter 334: Chapter 334: Someone from the Work Group
"Raise them? Don’t be ridiculous. It’s against policy. You’re not allowed to," Phoenix Golding chided.
"But Tang Xiaonan’s family is raising some, and nothing’s happened to them."
"That’s because the work group doesn’t know. Hmph, if they found out, that family would be in for it..."
Phoenix Golding’s eyes suddenly lit up. Wasn’t she just hoping for the Thorne family to run into some bad luck? This was a godsend. ’It’s like even Heaven can’t stand the Thorne family anymore.’
"You’re not to raise those rabbits. Now, get out!"
Phoenix Golding’s mood brightened. She even found the sight of Jacqueline Spann more pleasant, and a smile appeared on her face. She waved her hand dismissively, already plotting how to deal with the Thorne family. Team Leader Lowell from the work group and Deputy District Chief Jacobs were as close as brothers. She’d just have Old Jacobs put in a word with Team Leader Lowell.
’First, I’ll give the Thorne family a small punishment. Then, in a few more months, their real bad luck will begin!’
Phoenix Golding smiled smugly, her eyes glinting with a terrifying malice. ’Oh, Frederick Thorne, Frederick Thorne, when you rejected me back then, did you ever imagine you’d face this comeuppance today? Hmph!’
Another day passed. Since Tang Xiaonan didn’t have school, she slept in until the sun was high in the sky. Felix Thorne had gone to butcher pigs again, Phoebe Huxley was out at work, and Jim Thorne had left for school. She was the only one home.
After eating the egg-fried rice that had been kept warm in the pot, Tang Xiaonan went to find Amanda Chapman to cut grass together. The rabbits were growing bigger by the day and already weighed four or five pounds. ’In another two months, they’ll be ready to eat.’
Amanda Chapman was in the courtyard chopping fodder. Nearby, Phoebe Thorne was stitching shoe soles while sunbathing. Raina, of course, wasn’t idle either. She had moved a table outside to assemble shoe uppers, using a paste made from boiled flour. The table was covered in small scraps of fabric. She would brush on a layer of paste and then stick on a layer of cloth, almost like putting together a jigsaw puzzle.
Tang Xiaonan went to the backyard to check on the rabbits. There were six in total, and every one of them was plump and well-fed, which was mostly thanks to Amanda Chapman. As Tang Xiaonan teased the rabbits with some vegetable leaves, a sense of unease washed over her. She felt like something was about to happen. ’But what could it be?’
"Come on, Tang Xiaonan, let’s go cut grass on the mountain!"
Amanda Chapman finished chopping the fodder and shouldered a large basket, ready to head up the mountain. The girl could never stay idle for a moment.
"Be careful while you’re cutting grass. There are a lot of snakes out now," Phoebe Thorne warned.
A chill went down Tang Xiaonan’s spine. The mere thought of those slithery creatures made her legs feel weak, and she no longer wanted to go up the mountain. Amanda Chapman, however, wasn’t afraid in the slightest. "If I see a snake, I’ll just catch it and bring it back for dinner," she declared with bravado.
Tang Xiaonan gave her a silent look of admiration. ’My cousin is a true heroine. She’s definitely going to be a total badass when she grows up!’
After they finished cutting the grass, Tang Xiaonan dragged Amanda Chapman over to Old Master Tate’s place for their lessons. She was learning a foreign language, and Amanda Chapman was learning along with her. The old master also taught them literacy. Before they knew it, it was nearly noon, and smoke was already rising from the chimneys of some houses.
"Go home and finish your homework. I’ll be checking it tomorrow," the old master said with a kindly smile. "Amanda, you should practice your pronunciation more with Tang Xiaonan."
Amanda Chapman scratched her head. ’Truthfully, I really don’t want to learn that foreign bird-talk. My tongue feels so stiff and clumsy. When Tang Xiaonan speaks it, it sounds as beautiful as a song. When I try, it sounds like I’m wailing at a funeral. Even I can’t stand to hear it.’
Tang Xiaonan and Amanda Chapman headed down the mountain with the grass on their backs. At the foot of the mountain, they saw the village chief’s wife digging in a potato patch. The potatoes this time of year were still tiny, about the size of pigeon eggs, and most farmers would be reluctant to dig them up so soon.
"Fourth Grandma, the potatoes aren’t big yet!"
Tang Xiaonan walked over to greet her. Fourth Grandma was just about as frugal as Raina, so Tang Xiaonan wondered, ’Why would she be willing to eat such small potatoes today?’
"We have guests. The work group from town is here on business, so I have to make some decent dishes."
Fourth Grandma looked displeased, grumbling as she dug, "It’s not a holiday or festival, so what business could they possibly have? They’re just here for a free meal. This one comes for a free meal today, that one comes tomorrow... They’re eating us out of house and home..."
