Early in the morning, Lin Sanshui and Mrs. Jiang went to the fields to work.
Weeding the fields, catching pests for crops, there were no pesticides at the time, everything had to be solved manually.
Gu Nian was getting dressed when Little Hu anxiously urged outside, "Third Brother, Little Sister, hurry up, or all the good wild vegetables will be dug up by others!"
"Coming, I’m already getting dressed, don’t rush me, Little Brother." Gu Nian hastily put on clothes, then shoes, and headed outside.
Adults were busy, and children didn’t get to relax either.
During this time, Sanhu and Little Hu’s tasks were to take Gu Nian up the mountain to dig vegetables, down the river to catch fish, gather bugs to feed the chickens and ducks at home, and sometimes help gather pig grass.
As soon as Gu Nian stepped out, she asked, "Third Brother, Little Brother, where are we going to dig wild vegetables today?"
"We’ve almost dug up everything around the fields, today we’re going to the hillside behind the mountain."
Sanhu skillfully slung a basket on his back, took Gu Nian’s hand, and led the way, while Little Hu also carried a basket and followed behind, heading towards the back mountain.
On the hillside, there were scattered children, mostly girls, some carrying baskets digging for wild vegetables, some cutting pig grass.
Summer days were much easier than winter, at least there were various wild vegetables and fruits in the mountains, as long as one was diligent, they could supplement the household, unlike winter when one had to scrape by on meager rations.
"Little Hu, you’re following your third brother to dig wild vegetables again, that’s girls’ work, shame shame shame..." As he spoke, he stuck his tongue out at Gu Nian and the others, "Blah blah blah..."
Little Hu had a fiery temperament, wanting to push him, but Sanhu stopped him, only then did he reluctantly stop.
Gu Nian recognized this troublemaker, whom Little Hu referred to as Little Niu, a year older than Little Hu, skinny and small, looking even less robust.
"Little Niu, behave yourself, don’t cause trouble." Just as Little Niu was about to say something, his elder sister came over to pull him, apologetically smiling at Sanhu, said, "Sanhu, Little Hu, Little Niu isn’t careful with his words, don’t mind him."
Sanhu kept a steady face, speaking to Little Hu and Gu Nian, "Let’s go, we’ll head inside."
Once they reached a place without people, Little Hu unhappily pouted, "Third Brother, why did you stop me just now? If you hadn’t stopped me, I would have knocked him down today, showing him my fists, so he won’t dare provoke me again!"
"Even Zhaodi was there, if you hit Little Niu, Auntie Sixth would inevitably blame them for not watching Little Niu well."
In Sanhu’s words, Auntie Sixth’s family seriously favored boys over girls, and after having five daughters, finally had this treasured son, Little Niu, who was the apple of their eye, causing a fuss even over minor incidents.
"So we just let it go?" Little Hu pouted unhappily.
Sanhu smiled, and although he didn’t speak, Gu Nian had a feeling that her usually quiet third brother might be planning something crafty!
Sanhu took a sickle and walked to a spot where the grass was green and tender, bending down to slowly cut grass, "Stop talking, I’ll cut pig grass, you take your sister to dig wild vegetables, stay nearby, don’t stray too far, once I’ve gathered enough pig grass, I’ll join you in digging."
During this era, gender bias was a common phenomenon.
In other families, such scattered chores were done by girls, while boys idled around and caused mischief all day. ᴛʜɪs ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ ɪs ᴜᴘᴅᴀᴛᴇ ʙʏ NovᴇlFɪre.nᴇt
But their family didn’t have girls before, and Mrs. Jiang was always busy with fieldwork, so from Lin Dahu to Lin Xiaohu, the four brothers followed adults doing chores even before they had the ability, and once they were able, they took on the work themselves.