Farm Girl's Manor
Chapter 1204 - 380 Teaching the Girl, A Great Harvest_3

Chapter 1204: Chapter 380 Teaching the Girl, A Great Harvest_3

Zhenzhen was quite delighted, and immediately went back to the study to write the letter. Being quite clever, though, at the signature, she wrote her own father’s name. Even though the handwriting didn’t resemble his and looked childish, easily recognisable at first glance, the message was clear.

Not to mention how Cui Qingrou felt upon receiving this "special" letter, Old Lady Cui was more than happy to see it. That very afternoon, she called the embroidery room to measure her daughter for new clothes, and even summoned the Shopkeeper from Treasure Pavilion to personally select a headpiece design, commissioning its completion within a month.

Cui Qingrou had plenty of clothes and initially didn’t want to go through the hassle, lest people thought her frivolous, but she was persuaded by Old Lady Cui’s words, "You are not dressing up for your future husband, but to show those children how much you value their invitation. In other words, you are keeping them in your heart."

Cui Qingrou indeed had not considered this and, upon hearing her mother’s words, expressed her gratefulness with a relieved face, "Mother has thought of everything, thank you!"

Old Lady Cui gently patted her daughter’s hand and said with a smile, "You’ve had little contact with those children, and unfamiliarity is inevitable between you. You must grasp the subtleties in these little matters. Once you’re more familiar, don’t try too hard in front of them; just treat them as if they were your own children, and let them know that you are all one family..."

Cui Qingrou listened attentively, nodding from time to time. If it weren’t for Old Lady Cui’s frequent guidance, she really wouldn’t know how to interact with her stepchildren in the future. These tips were too important for her.

Old Lady Cui, looking at her daughter who was still young, talked non-stop, wishing she could impart all the knowledge she possessed. She had only this one daughter and, regretting not being able to find an ideal husband for her the first time, all she hoped for was that after her daughter remarried, she would lead a comfortable life.

However, being a stepmother is difficult, and she had to prevent problems before they arose, wanting her daughter to understand as much as possible about how to interact with stepchildren, fearing that any misstep would ruin the hard-won marriage.

...

The intolerable heat of July had just passed when the weather gradually began to cool down. Even though it was still hot at noon, the mornings and evenings were quite pleasant, finally bringing relief to people who had suffered the heat for more than two months.

August was the harvest season, and the green fields were gradually covered with vast expanses of golden fruits. Liu Yang Village was filled with the sweet fragrance of the grains, silently urging people to sharpen their knives and scythes, getting ready for the autumn harvest early on.

Amidst the joy of the bountiful harvest, the most eye-catching sight was the Mo Family’s orchard stretching for miles. The branches of the fruit trees were laden with heavy produce: the bright red of the crabapples, the grapes turning black with ripeness, the golden oranges ... The fragrant aroma of various fruits attracted thousands of birds.

They circled endlessly around the treetops, emitting sharp cries yet never daring to swoop down to steal a bite, all because every five trees harbored either a large bird or a large snake. With these guardians watching over, small birds such as sparrows and finches dared not come near.

These large birds guarding the fruits had been lured by Mo Yan using Spirit Spring Water, whereas the Red Python, true to its thieving nature, was coerced into service but willingly coiled around the trees each day to guard the orchard for the Mo Family after receiving a drop of Spirit Spring Water.

Zhao Mu and his companions had been ready to guard the orchard for 24 hours a day, driving off bird thieves. They hadn’t expected it to be so easy and had no worries at all.

But every time they saw Mo Yan standing among the highly venomous snakes and the fiercely large birds, feeding them fresh cuts of meat, Zhao Mu and the others felt uneasy, always fearing for her safety lest she accidentally stepped on one of the snakes and got bitten.

These snakes and birds not only kept thieving birds and other small animals at bay, but also some villagers who loved to take advantage and aimed to steal fruits or sell them.

Liu Yang Village had strict village rules, with theft being an important one. Even if some villagers harbored the thought of stealing fruits, they did not dare to act on it. Moreover, they had been warned by the village head early on and knew that poisonous snakes and birds guarded the orchard. They wouldn’t dare to approach even if they had a hundred times the courage.

Therefore, the snakes and birds mainly defended against villagers from other villages who refused to believe the warnings. To prevent the unwelcome trouble of someone actually getting bitten, Zhao Mu and others took precautions around the perimeter of the orchard to discourage any would-be intruders.