Chapter 60: A Feast of Welcome and Farewell

"Servant pays her respects to the Mistress and wishes her well." Old Zhou, upon seeing the Mistress before him, dressed in a simple blue cotton robe with a brown fur collar and understated makeup that could not conceal her dignified bearing, felt all the more admiration, remembering Young Master Wang’s instructions. He hurriedly led the Zhou family to kneel and pay their respects.

"Quick, get up! From now on, we're all villagers together, no need for such formalities. Just call me Mistress when we meet, don’t bother with these empty courtesies," the Mistress said, motioning for someone to help Old Zhou stand.

"Our village isn’t large. There are five small, vacant courtyards on the west side, each with two or three bedrooms. Everyone can make do comfortably," she continued, then seemed to recall something and beckoned to Granny Zhang at her side.

In the next moment, Granny Zhang summoned another woman. "This is Granny Miao, who now manages the fields in our village. Old Zhou, from now on, you’ll work alongside Granny Miao to handle matters in the fields," the Mistress said, then turned and smiled at Granny Miao, "Granny Miao, you and your people should learn from Old Zhou. When it comes to farming, they’re seasoned hands."

"Yes, Mistress, don’t worry, I understand," Granny Miao replied cheerfully.

Since she’d taken over the fields, she’d felt uneasy. She’d been a farmer in her youth, but it had been decades since she’d touched crops. She feared wasting precious seeds through some careless mistake. Recently, the pressure had been overwhelming—she could barely eat or sleep.

Now things were looking up. With these veteran farmers’ help, she could finally breathe easier.

The Zhou family moved into their new home, hearts light and spirits high. Though the house was still shabby and lacked furniture, it was sturdy enough to keep out the wind and rain, warm against the cold, and spotlessly clean—the mark of careful preparation.

Old Zhou assigned rooms to each household. The sky was already dark, so, following custom, they went to the Mistress’s main courtyard to gather.

Even before entering, the aroma of food from every corner teased their hungry stomachs, making them rumble with anticipation.

Inside the courtyard, four tables laden with food awaited them, the smell irresistible. "Please, everyone, sit. Don’t be shy. This meal is to welcome you all and wash away the dust of your journey!" Granny Zhang called them to their seats.

The Zhou family filled three tables, while at the main table, Mistress Wang seated the Jiang woman, the stewardesses, Guard Captain Jin Yi, and Old Zhou as the family representative.

"Today, we’re one village. Don’t worry about the old rule separating men and women at the table. Rules are dead, people are alive. Eating together and living in peace matter most!" the Mistress reassured them, her simple words striking a chord with everyone present.

This meal was lavish by any standard: coarse grain cornbread and flour dumpling sauerkraut soup for the main course, hearty and filling. The stewed cabbage with noodles was so delicious, no one could stop eating. Each table even had a large bowl of smoked pork stir-fried with cabbage. It had been so long since anyone tasted meat—even if each could only have one slice, they felt completely satisfied!

What surprised everyone most was that every child of twelve received a bowl of steamed egg custard. The children, cradling their bowls in both hands, eyes shining like stars, let their mouths water, yet none could bring themselves to touch their spoons, unwilling to spoil the beauty before them.

Finally, the Mistress spoke: from now on, everyone would earn labor points, and labor points would provide supplies. She promised to strive so every child could have an egg each day.

This method of labor points was mentioned in Wang Keyue's letter, which the Mistress had read and discussed at length with Granny Zhang, Jin Yi, and others.

Following Wang Keyue’s suggestion, they would first divide and record labor, then later summarize and count everything. Every month, there would be a tally and distribution of supplies to ensure basic living.

Although the Mistress didn’t fully understand the system, she trusted her granddaughter and was willing to try.

Thus, life in Wang Village, with the arrival of the Zhou family, finally began to find its footing.

Meanwhile, Red One, Orange One, Old Zhang, Teacher Chen, and the others waiting halfway for Wang Keyue’s return had, after several days of medication and ample food, recovered visibly. They were vigorous again—their once sallow, shriveled faces now healthy and glowing.

Orange Three once again visited the tent where Wang Keyue had stayed. Apart from heaps of food, it was empty.

The young lady had mysteriously disappeared that night, promising to return in five or six days. Though her servants dared not question her affairs, Orange Three couldn’t help but worry for her safety. Four days had passed; she wondered if her mistress would return tomorrow.

At that moment, Wang Keyue was examining the recovery of the county magistrate Chen’s nephew’s injury. After a scan with 9538, she saw that the man's leg bones, after two days of treatment, had healed completely. However, the newly mended bone was fragile and needed careful protection. As for the minor damage to his internal organs, those had long since been restored.