Chapter 3 - Chapter 3 ：Reclaiming Wasteland and Sowing Hope

 The sky was just beginning to pale, a faint whitish glow streaking the eastern horizon. Morning mist hung over the small village like a thin veil, the air filled with the dampness of earth and the fresh scent of plants, carrying a slight chill. Inside the thatched cottage, Lin Wanxing was already awake. She rose quietly, afraid of stirring her sleeping family, and by the faint morning light filtering through the window, she began to gather the tools needed for reclaiming the wasteland. The afternoon before, Lin Laoshi had gone to the village and borrowed a hoe. Though it was a little old, its wooden handle etched with the marks of time and its iron head worn, it was still sharp enough for turning the soil and breaking new ground. Besides this, the family had a tattered sickle, once used by Lin Laoshi for cutting firewood. Its blade was dull, but it would do for cutting weeds. Lin Wanxing fetched the two tools, wiped the dust and dirt off them carefully with a cloth, then found a whetstone and honed the sickle's blade gently until it grew a little sharper before she stopped. Her hands, worn raw from picking medicinal herbs and doing housework these past two days, were covered in tiny cuts—some scabbed over, others still oozing a faint trickle of blood. As she sharpened the sickle, her fingertip slipped and nicked the sharp blade; a small cut welled up with blood at once, making her frown. But she merely bit her lip, grabbed a small clean strip of cloth from the stove, bandaged the wound hastily, and went on with her work, not a hint of slack in her movements. She knew that reclaiming the wasteland today was crucial for her family. It was their first step out of adversity and toward a better life, and she could not afford to be the least bit careless. She needed to clear the wasteland behind the house as soon as possible, plant the vegetable seeds, and let her family eat fresh vegetables soon—laying the groundwork for planting corn and potatoes later. As Lin Wanxing bustled about, the rest of the family woke one by one. Mrs. Shen opened her eyes first; her spirits were much better than the day before, a faint flush returning to her cheeks, no longer as pale as death, and her cough had eased a great deal. Seeing Lin Wanxing's busy figure, she hastened to say, "Wanxing, why are you up so early? Rest a while, don't wear yourself out. Reclaiming the land can wait, we'll take it slow." Lin Wanxing turned and smiled at her, her voice soft, "Mother, I'm not tired. If we get the tools ready early, we can head out right after breakfast and try to clear the land and plant the seeds soon. Your body's not fully well yet, rest a little longer—don't worry about us." "I'm fine, Wanxing, I can help a little too." Mrs. Shen said, trying to sit up slowly, "I can bring you water, sort the seeds. I can't let the whole family toil while I sit here in comfort." "Mother, don't hurry." Lin Wanxing hurried over and pressed her gently back down, "Your top priority right now is to get well. Your recovery is the greatest help you can give us." Looking into Lin Wanxing's firm eyes, Mrs. Shen knew she would not win this argument. She nodded softly, "Very well, Mother will listen to you. I'll rest and get well, and when I'm better, I'll help you work, help you take care of this family." Lin Laoshi, Lin Wanzhou and Lin Wanyue woke too. The moment Lin Laoshi opened his eyes, he got up at once, walked to the corner, picked up the borrowed hoe, and tested its weight, a determined, energetic smile on his face, "Wanxing, are the tools all ready? After breakfast, we'll head to the wasteland behind the house. Today we'll try to clear a small patch, plant the seeds as soon as we can." "Father, the tools are all ready, and the sickle's sharpened." Lin Wanxing nodded, "Wash up first, I'll brew porridge. We'll head out right after we eat." Lin Wanzhou and Lin Wanyue scrambled up from the straw at once, patted the dust off their clothes, and ran to Lin Wanxing, chattering in unison, "Sister, we'll help too! We'll cut weeds, pick up stones—we won't let you toil alone." Watching the two sensible children, Lin Wanxing's heart warmed. She stroked their heads and smiled, "Good, thank you, Wanzhou and Yue'er. With your help, Sister will have it much easier. But you're still little, don't do heavy work. Just help cut the small weeds and pick up stones, and be very careful—don't let the weeds scratch your hands, and don't let stones hit your feet, understand?" "We understand, Sister! We'll be super careful!" Lin Wanzhou and Lin Wanyue nodded hard, their small faces earnest, as if they were already little grownups who could lend a real hand. Lin Wanxing smiled and turned to the stove to brew porridge. She had bought ten jin of coarse rice the day before—at last, they no longer had to make porridge full of wild vegetables. She washed a proper amount of coarse rice, added enough clear water, lit the firewood, and let it simmer slowly. The firewood crackled, warm steam curling up, and a rich aroma of rice filled the cottage, making mouths water. Before long, the porridge was ready. Thick and creamy, it wafted a faint rice fragrance. Though there were no side dishes, it was the most delicious breakfast the family had tasted in a long time. Lin Wanxing ladled a bowl of warm porridge for Mrs. Shen, then one each for Lin Laoshi and the two children. The whole family sat together, eating quietly, satisfied smiles on their faces. This was the first time in ages they had eaten a bowl of plain porridge, not filled with handfuls of wild vegetables. Every spoonful was sweet, brimming with hope. Lin Wanzhou and Lin Wanyue ate quickly, their small mouths stuffed full, rice grains sticking to their cheeks, utterly adorable. Lin Laoshi nodded as he ate, murmuring, "Delicious, so delicious—much better than the wild vegetable porridge. You've worked hard, Wanxing." "Father, it's no trouble." Lin Wanxing smiled, her eyes firm, "From now on, we'll eat porridge like this often. We'll eat white steamed buns, we'll eat meat—we'll live a good life." Watching her family's happy faces, Mrs. Shen's eyes filled with tears of relief. She picked up her spoon and sipped the porridge slowly, her heart warm. She knew that with Wanxing here, their family would surely break free from hardship, would surely live a life of plenty. After breakfast, Lin Wanxing cleaned up the bowls and chopsticks. Lin Laoshi picked up the hoe and sickle, and Lin Wanzhou and Lin Wanyue found two small bamboo baskets for the cut weeds and collected stones. When the whole family was ready, they headed for the wasteland behind the house. The wasteland, right behind the thatched cottage, was no small plot—about half an mu in size. But it had been untended for years, overgrown with all manner of weeds taller than a person, jumbled together haphazardly, mixed with dead branches, fallen leaves and stones of all sizes. It looked utterly desolate, and clearing it would be no easy task. Standing at the edge of the wasteland and staring at the barren plot before them, a look of hesitation crossed Lin Laoshi's face, "Wanxing, this land's been wild for so long, so many weeds and stones. Clearing it will take a lot of work." Lin Wanxing looked at the wasteland, no hesitation on her face—only a firm smile, "Father, it's all right. As long as our whole family works together and clears it bit by bit, we'll get it all clean someday. It'll be hard, but as long as we can plant crops and let the family live a good life, every bit of hard work is worth it." Lin Wanzhou and Lin Wanyue chimed in at once, "Father, we'll help too! We'll cut weeds and pick up stones with Sister—we're not afraid of hard work!" Seeing the children's sensible faces and hearing Lin Wanxing's firm words, Lin Laoshi's heart swelled with resolve. He nodded, "Good, well said! Our whole family, working together as one—we'll clear this land, we'll plant crops, we'll live a good life!" With that, Lin Laoshi grabbed the hoe and stepped into the wasteland first. He aimed at a thick clump of weeds, swung the hoe hard, and the blade bit into the earth, yanking the weeds out by the roots, soil and all. He tossed them to the side, his movements a little clumsy but full of strength. With every swing of the hoe, he put his whole body into it, and fine sweat soon beaded on his forehead. Lin Wanxing picked up the sickle and stepped in too. Unlike Lin Laoshi, she did not hack at the weeds with the hoe right away. Instead, she used the sickle to cut down the tall weeds first, then pulled up the remaining roots by hand. Her movements were skilled and gentle. Though the weeds scratched her hands and soaked her bandage through, she paid no heed, working steadily, a firm smile always on her face. Lin Wanzhou and Lin Wanyue followed them in. Clutching their small sickles, they mimicked Lin Wanxing, cutting the small weeds by the edge. Their little arms had no strength, their movements clumsy. They could cut only a few weeds before they were out of breath, their small faces flushed red, sweat beading on their foreheads—but they did not stop. They kept cutting, murmuring softly to themselves, "Come on, come on. We'll help Sister and Father cut all the weeds." The morning mist lifted slowly, the sun rising gradually, its golden rays spilling over the wasteland and the family's busy figures, gilding them with a warm glow. Sweat trickled down their cheeks and dropped into the earth, nourishing the barren land, sowing seeds of hope along with it. Mrs. Shen sat on a low stool at the cottage door, watching her family toil, her eyes full of heartache and relief. She held a bowl of warm water, calling out to them now and then, "Wanxing, husband, Wanzhou, Yue'er—slow down, don't wear yourselves out. Come drink some water, rest a while." "We hear you, Mother!" Lin Wanxing looked up and smiled at her, "We're not tired. We'll come drink water and rest after we finish this patch." Lin Laoshi stopped too, wiped the sweat from his forehead, and called back, "Wife, don't worry about us. We're fine. Sit and rest, don't catch a chill." Lin Wanzhou and Lin Wanyue looked up and waved at her, chattering in unison, "Mother, we're not tired! We'll keep working!" Watching them, Mrs. Shen smiled softly, tears glistening in her eyes. She knew her children had all grown up, had become sensible and resilient. Her family would surely break free from adversity, would surely live a good life. Time slipped by, the sun climbing higher, its rays growing warmer, wrapping around them in a gentle heat that carried a faint swelter. The family toiled on in the wasteland, cutting weeds, pulling roots, picking up stones, each with their task, working as one. Bit by bit, the barren land was cleared, a small patch of bare earth emerging. Lin Wanxing's hands were scratched raw in several more places, her bandage soaked through with blood, her fingertips numb with pain—but she did not slow down, still cutting weeds and pulling roots. Her clothes were soaked through with sweat, clinging uncomfortably to her body. Beads of sweat rolled down her forehead and into the earth, vanishing at once into the soil. Lin Laoshi was out of breath too, his back hunched slightly, his forehead covered in sweat, his clothes drenched. Blisters had sprouted on his hands, small and tender—but he still swung the hoe steadily, clearing weeds and stones bit by bit, his face set with resolve. Lin Wanzhou and Lin Wanyue were so tired they could barely walk. They sat on the ground, gasping for air, their small faces flushed, sweat dripping down their cheeks to the earth. Their little hands were scratched by the weeds, small cuts oozing blood, making them frown—but they did not cry. They bit their lips, rested for a moment, then stood up again and went on cutting weeds and picking up stones. "Sister, I'm a little tired, but I can keep working." Lin Wanyue walked to Lin Wanxing, tugged at her clothes, and said in a small voice. Her tiny face was set with determination, her breath coming in gasps, but there was not an ounce of retreat in her eyes. Lin Wanxing bent down, stroked her head gently, wiped the sweat from her forehead, and spoke softly, "Good girl, Yue'er. Rest if you're tired, don't push yourself. With Father and me here, we'll clear this land for sure." "I don't want to rest, Sister." Lin Wanyue shook her head, grabbed her small sickle again, and went on cutting weeds, "I want to help you work. I want us to plant the seeds soon, to eat fresh vegetables soon." Lin Wanzhou walked over too, "Sister, I'm not tired either. I can keep working too. Let's work hard together and cut all the weeds." Watching the two sensible, resilient children, Lin Wanxing's heart warmed, her eyes growing moist again. She knew these children, who should have been carefree and spoiled, were forced to endure hardship with her because the family was poor. Yet they did not complain, did not retreat—they kept trying to help. Their thoughtfulness filled her with both heartache and relief. "Good. Let's work hard together." Lin Wanxing smiled, picked up her sickle again, and went back to work, "We'll clear this land together, plant the seeds together, live a good life together." Seeing them worn to the bone, Mrs. Shen hurried over with the water, stepping into the wasteland and handing it to them, "Wanxing, husband, Wanzhou, Yue'er—come drink some water, rest a while. Don't wear yourselves out. Health is the most important thing. We'll take it slow, no hurry." The family stopped working, gathered around, and took the water from Mrs. Shen, drinking deeply. The warm water slid down their throats, chasing away the swelter and weariness, making them feel refreshed at once. "Thank you, Mother." Lin Wanxing took a sip and smiled softly at her, "Your body's not fully well yet, don't run back and forth. Sit and rest. We'll come drink water by ourselves." "I'm fine, Wanxing." Mrs. Shen smiled, pulled a small piece of brown sugar from her bosom, and handed it to Lin Wanzhou and Lin Wanyue, "Wanzhou, Yue'er, you've worked hard. Eat this brown sugar, regain your strength." Lin Wanzhou and Lin Wanyue took the brown sugar, their faces lighting up with joy. They peeled off the wrapper carefully and popped it into their mouths. The sweet taste chased away their weariness and the pain in their hands at once. They closed their eyes, savoring it, satisfied smiles on their faces. After a short rest, the family threw themselves back into reclaiming the wasteland. This time, their resolve was even stronger. Though they were still exhausted, their hearts were full of hope, full of longing for the future. They knew that every weed cut, every root pulled, every stone picked up brought them one step closer to a better life, one step closer to planting crops and achieving self-sufficiency. As Lin Wanxing cut the weeds, she planned in her heart. She would clear the entire wasteland first, then divide it into two parts: one for the green vegetable and radish seeds she had bought, the other to be plowed and left to dry, to plant corn and potato seeds when she could buy them later. Corn and potatoes were drought-tolerant and high-yield, perfect for this land. When harvest came, they would have enough to feed the family, and the surplus could be sold in the town for silver to improve their lives. She also thought that after planting this plot, she would reclaim more wasteland on the back mountain, plant more crops and vegetables, pick more medicinal herbs to sell in the town for silver. She would buy better farm tools and cloth to make new clothes for the family, buy more snacks for her brother and sister, provide for her parents in their old age, and let them live a peaceful, happy life. Before they knew it, it was noon. The sun hung directly overhead, its rays harsh, the swelter growing unbearable. Sweat poured down their cheeks, their clothes soaked through and clinging to their bodies, uncomfortable beyond words. The whole family was out of breath, their hands and feet aching—but they did not stop, their movements only slowing a little. "Father, Sister! We've cleared a small patch of land! Look!" Lin Wanzhou pointed to a bare plot not far away, exclaiming in excitement. His small face was alight with joy, his eyes shining despite his exhaustion. Lin Wanxing and Lin Laoshi stopped working and looked in the direction he pointed. There, the once-barren land was cleared into a small patch—about a few fen in size. The weeds and stones were all gone, revealing the damp, fertile earth beneath, dark and rich. "Wonderful! Simply wonderful!" Lin Laoshi's face broke into a delighted smile, his voice filled with excitement, "We've finally cleared a patch! If we keep working hard, we'll clear the whole plot soon, plant the seeds soon!" "Yes, Father." Lin Wanxing smiled too, a look of relief on her face. All her weariness seemed to melt away in that moment, "We'll plant the seeds soon, eat fresh vegetables soon." Lin Wanyue hopped up and down with joy, "Wonderful, wonderful! We can plant the seeds! We'll eat fresh vegetables from now on, no more wild vegetables!" Watching the cleared plot and her family's happy faces, Mrs. Shen's eyes filled with tears of relief. She smiled and said, "Good, good, wonderful! Our Wanxing is so capable, and Wanzhou and Yue'er too. Our family will surely live a good life." "Mother, we will." Lin Wanxing smiled, then said, "Father, Mother, Wanzhou, Yue'er—let's go home for lunch first, rest a while. We'll come back this afternoon and keep working, clear the whole plot soon and plant the seeds." "Good, good, we'll listen to you." Lin Laoshi nodded, utterly exhausted. His hands and feet ached so much he could barely lift the hoe, "We'll go home for lunch, rest a while." The family gathered their tools and headed home. Their steps were heavy, their faces drawn with weariness, but their eyes were full of joy and hope. Their clothes were soaked through with sweat, their bodies covered in dirt, looking utterly disheveled—but their hearts were full of a solid sense of accomplishment. They knew their hard work had not been in vain; they were closer to a better life than ever before. Back home, Lin Wanxing poured water for everyone to drink and rest, then turned to the stove to make lunch. For noon, she cooked a pot of thick coarse rice porridge with the rice she had bought, and stir-fried a plate of dried wild vegetables. Though simple, the whole family ate it with great relish—for it was a meal earned with their own hard work, every spoonful sweet, brimming with hope. After lunch, the family rested for a while. Lin Wanxing brewed another bowl of medicinal herbs for Mrs. Shen and watched her drink it, then led Lin Laoshi, Lin Wanzhou and Lin Wanyue back to the wasteland behind the house. The afternoon sun was a little milder than at noon, but still sweltering. The family toiled on, cutting weeds, pulling roots, picking up stones, clearing the wasteland bit by bit, stepping toward hope with every move. Lin Wanxing's hands were covered in cuts, her bandages soaked through with blood time and again. She changed the cloth several times, her fingertips still numb with pain—but she did not give up, still working steadily. She knew that as long as she persisted, as long as the whole family worked together, they would clear this wasteland, plant their crops, lead the family out of adversity, and live a good life. Blisters had grown big on Lin Laoshi's hands, bursting and oozing pus, making him frown with pain—but he still swung the hoe steadily, turning the soil bit by bit, clearing weeds and stones, his face set with unwavering resolve. He swore to himself he would work hard, reclaim the land and farm with Wanxing, make sure the family never went hungry again, make sure Wanxing never suffered any more wrongs. Though Lin Wanzhou and Lin Wanyue were exhausted, they did not give up either. They kept cutting weeds and picking up stones, their small figures darting back and forth across the wasteland, their faces earnest. They had a small wish in their hearts: to clear the wasteland soon, plant the seeds, eat fresh vegetables soon, let the family live a good life soon, and never let Sister and their parents toil so hard again. Mrs. Shen still sat at the cottage door, watching her family toil, bringing them water and snacks now and then, her eyes full of heartache and relief. She knew her family was striving hard for this home, for a better life. She too would rest well and get better soon, to share their burden, to guard this home with them. Time slipped by, the sun sinking slowly to the west, its golden rays spilling over the wasteland and the family's busy figures, gilding them with a warm glow. After a full day of hard work, more than half of the wasteland behind the house was cleared. The weeds and stones were all gone, revealing the fertile, dark earth beneath, smooth and ready for planting. "Father, Sister! We cleared so much land today—we're amazing!" Lin Wanzhou stared at the cleared plot, exclaiming in excitement. His small face was alight with joy, his weariness fading away. "Yes, we are!" Lin Wanyue chirped, her eyes shining, "If we work hard one more day tomorrow, we'll clear the whole plot and plant the seeds!" Lin Laoshi looked at the cleared land, a relieved smile on his face, "Yes, wonderful! This is what we can do when the whole family works together. If we keep going, we'll clear the rest tomorrow, plant the seeds, harvest vegetables soon, and live a good life soon!" Lin Wanxing looked at the cleared land, at her family's happy faces, her heart warm, a relieved smile on her lips. She knew their hard work this day had not been in vain; they were one step closer to their goal. Though exhausted, her heart was full of hope, full of longing for the future. "Yes, Father." Lin Wanxing smiled, "One more day of hard work tomorrow, and we'll clear the whole plot and plant the seeds. If we plant them and tend to them well, we'll eat fresh vegetables before long. From now on, we'll never go hungry again, never eat wild vegetables again." "Wonderful, wonderful!" Lin Wanzhou and Lin Wanyue hopped up and down with joy, their faces full of delight and anticipation. Mrs. Shen walked over too, staring at the cleared land, a soft smile on her face, "Good, good, wonderful. Our family finally has hope. You've worked hard, Wanxing. You've worked hard, husband. And you too, Wanzhou, Yue'er." "Mother, it's not hard." Lin Wanxing smiled, "As long as it lets you and the family live a good life, every bit of hard work is worth it." "Yes, wife." Lin Laoshi smiled too, "It's not hard. It's what we ought to do." The sun sank lower, the last golden rays gliding over the wasteland and fading quietly into the distant mountain forest. Dusk descended like a thin veil, slowly shrouding the entire village. The family gathered their tools and headed home, their steps still heavy, their faces still worn with weariness—but their eyes were full of joy and hope, full of longing for the future. Back home, Lin Wanxing poured water for everyone to rest, then turned to the stove to make dinner. It was still thick coarse rice porridge and dried wild vegetables, but the whole family ate it with great relish. For they knew it was a meal earned with their own hard work, every spoonful sweet, brimming with hope. After dinner, Lin Wanxing cleaned up the bowls and chopsticks, brewed another bowl of medicinal herbs for Mrs. Shen and watched her drink it, then sat down with Lin Laoshi to plan. They would head out early tomorrow to finish clearing the remaining wasteland, then plant the green vegetable and radish seeds they had bought, hoping they would germinate and bear fruit soon. Lin Wanzhou and Lin Wanyue, worn out from the day's work, fell asleep early, sweet smiles on their faces. Perhaps in their dreams, they already saw the lush green vegetables, already saw their family living a good life. Mrs. Shen was tired too. She leaned against the kang and fell asleep slowly, a relieved smile on her face, her eyes peaceful—clearly, she was full of hope for the future. Lin Wanxing and Lin Laoshi sat in the corner of the room, talking by the faint light of the oil lamp, planning the days ahead. They spoke of selling the vegetables at the town market when they harvest, buying corn and potato seeds with the silver, reclaiming more wasteland and planting more crops. They spoke of making new clothes for the family when life got better, buying more snacks for the children, tending to Mrs. Shen's health and helping her recover fully. They spoke of building a new brick house when they had the means, so the family would never have to live in this tattered thatched cottage again. The oil lamp's flame flickered with a faint glow, casting warm shadows of the two of them. Though the cottage was still dilapidated and life still hard, their hearts were full of hope, full of longing for the future. That small oil lamp did not only light up the darkness of the room—it lit up the family's road to turning their fate around, lit up the hope in their hearts. Lin Wanxing looked at Lin Laoshi beside her, at Mrs. Shen and her younger siblings sleeping soundly on the kang, her heart warm and firm. She knew this day's hard work was only the beginning. The road ahead was still long, and many difficulties awaited them—but she was fearless. For she had her family, the people she wanted to guard, and a heart willing to toil down-to-earth. She believed that as long as she and her family worked together as one, did things down-to-earth, and took one steady step after another, they would overcome all difficulties. They would turn this barren land into a fertile home of plenty, and she would lead her whole family to cultivate a mortal prosperous age of their own. The night grew darker, the village falling silent gradually, leaving only the occasional bark of a dog and the rustle of wind blowing over the thatched roof. Inside the cottage, the oil lamp's flame still flickered, warming the whole room, warming the family's hearts, sowing seeds of hope—seeds waiting to break through the soil and bloom into the brightest light.