Chapter 151: Daughter, Get Me a Couple of Flashlights

The Wang brothers, Wang Yuan and Wang Yong, proved well-worthy of Madam Luo’s trust. From the moment they reached the fields that first day, they set up a thatched shed and worked without pause. Whether it was weeding or hauling water with Wen Xiuzhu and Wen Xiuqing, they were tireless, meticulously inquiring about the land and ensuring they understood exactly how everything needed to be handled.

That evening, Wen Xiuzhu and Wen Xiuqing returned home to report their progress to Madam Luo and Old Man Wen.

Madam Luo nodded in approval. "Understood. You two should go over often during the day to see if there’s anything you can help with. We cannot simply dump all the work on them and ignore it."

"Yes, Mother, don't worry. We’ll keep that in mind," the brothers replied.

Satisfied, Madam Luo turned her attention to her two daughters-in-law to discuss the ducklings.

"Thanks to Madam Xie’s help, we’ve secured two hundred ducklings. Once the duck shed is finished, she’ll have them delivered. In the coming days, you two should visit Mother Tieniu often to learn about the ducks' habits, how to care for them, and what to watch out for during feeding and grazing. Make sure you take careful note of everything," Madam Luo instructed.

The two women nodded repeatedly. "Don’t worry, Mother. We’ll be very careful with something that brings in money."

"Good." Madam Luo was confident in her daughters-in-law’s diligence. After a moment of thought, she added, "If Mother Tieniu is willing, let her raise some extra ducks as well. When the time comes to sell, she can sell hers alongside ours."

Madam Luo was not the type to forget a kindness.

Over the next few days, Old Man Wen checked the progress at the pond daily. The duck shed beside it gradually took shape, and it would be ready by the time the pond was fully irrigated.

However, at the crack of dawn on the fourth day, Wang Yong came knocking at the door.

Old Man Wen and Madam Luo were light sleepers; hearing the commotion, they rose immediately. As Old Man Wen threw on a robe and stepped outside to see Wang Yong, his heart sank.

"What happened? Is there trouble in the fields? Did someone steal anything?" Old Man Wen asked urgently.

Wang Yong, still panting, nodded and then shook his head. "Well, no, Uncle Wen. Someone came to steal the seedlings, but my brother and I caught them in the act. They didn't succeed, but we couldn't track them down. I'm sorry, Uncle Wen."

Old Man Wen’s heart had been racing at the thought of a theft, but he let out a sigh of relief upon hearing nothing was taken. After all, they couldn't be blamed for losing the thief.

"It’s alright. That area is so vast that it’s impossible to catch someone in the dark. Did you see who it was? Could you recognize them?"

Wang Yong shook his head. "It was too dark. I only saw a shadow running toward the small hill. By the time my brother and I gave chase, they had vanished."

Old Man Wen and Madam Luo exchanged a glance. Running toward the hill meant crossing over it led directly back to the village. It seemed the culprit was indeed a fellow villager.

Old Man Wen started to press for more details, but Madam Luo stopped him.

"We know now. Go back and get some rest. There are plenty of people working during the day, so no one will dare try anything. You and your brother should head home and see if your father needs your help; don't neglect your own family's chores just for our sake," she said.

Wang Yong gave an honest, simple smile. "Don’t worry, Auntie, my wife and the others are taking care of things at home. I’ll head back to the fields; there are still a few acres that need watering."

Madam Luo’s mouth twitched. She had been right—the brothers were incredibly hardworking.

"Wait a moment." She walked into the kitchen, retrieved a slab of meat weighing about a pound from the rafters, and shoved it into Wang Yong’s hand. "Take this home to your father and the children. They need the nutrition."

"No, Auntie, I can't take this!" Wang Yong tried to push it back, but Madam Luo sidestepped him and glared. "If I tell you to take it, you take it! Hurry off now. Making such a racket at the crack of dawn—you’ll wake everyone else up."

Wang Yong’s eyes turned red. He accepted the meat, but just as he was about to leave, Madam Luo added, "Don't speak of this matter to anyone else. Regardless of who it was, if we didn't catch them, there's no point in gossiping. You and your brother have worked hard; when the harvest comes, I’ll set aside some seeds for you."

The promise of seeds was worth far more than the meat in his hand. Tears welled in Wang Yong’s eyes as he nodded heavily. "Auntie, don't worry, my brother and I will keep a close watch."

"Alright, enough of that. Why are you grown men blubbering all the time? Get out of here!" She shooed him away and slammed the door shut.

The rest of the household was still asleep. Old Man Wen sighed helplessly. "You know, you’re clearly kind-hearted, so why must you put on such a fierce face?"

Madam Luo shot him a sideways glance. "Are you bored? If you’re so bored, come help me start the fire." With that, she disappeared into the kitchen.

Old Man Wen simply chuckled and followed her in.

By the time the others rose, the couple had already prepared breakfast—a large steamer of buns, fragrant and piping hot.

"Take these to your older brother and the others. These are for little Jun and his siblings to eat on the road. Make sure you pack them well. Big Yellow is fed, so hitch the cart and go; the three children will be late for school otherwise." She thrust the buns into Wen Xiuzhu’s hands and walked away.

Wen Xiuzhu could only munch on his own bun while carrying the rest, driving the ox cart with Big Yellow to pick up the others at the new house.

As for the attempted theft, Old Man Wen and Madam Luo kept it quiet, only mentioning it to Wen Yao and Wen Xiuyi.

"It must be someone from the village. Since Wang Yong couldn't see who it was in the dark, Oldest, you decide. If we want to pursue it, we can go to the village chief. We’ll find them eventually," Old Man Wen said.

Wen Xiuyi frowned. *Great,* he thought. No streetlights, no security cameras—this was a real headache.

"Forget it. Since nothing was stolen, if we go to the village chief now, we won't catch anyone, but we’ll make everyone think there’s some kind of treasure buried in our fields. Then even more people will be eyeing it. Father, Mother, let’s leave it for now. I’ll think of another way. Don’t you worry about it."

Since Wen Xiuyi had made up his mind, the old couple said no more. As he said, if they made a scene, everyone in the village would be convinced they were growing something precious, which would only attract more thieves.

Once the old couple left, Wen Xiuyi pulled Wen Yao into a corner. "Daughter, do you think you can get me a couple of flashlights?"

Otherwise, in this pitch-black darkness, it wasn't just about the thieves—if they tripped or fell into a ditch, that would be one thing, but if the Wang brothers fell into a pit or a canal because of the dark, he would feel terrible.

Wen Yao looked at him. "Father, are you serious?" Two flashlights? Those were high-tech products. To pull them out now? Was Professor Wen not afraid of the consequences?