Chapter 84: The Strategist Never Step On The Battlefield

This translation was originally posted on

https://love4baihe.blogspot.com

The guests in the shed rested early last night and got up early the next day.

A few people quickly finished breakfast in the courtyard before leisurely strolling to the fields to start the day's work.

This morning's task was to loosen the soil on three acres of land, and after completion, they could exchange rewards with the production team.

Huang Yuanxi and the others scouted the location of the field last night. It was just two kilometers from the small cottage. Walking there together now was considered a post-breakfast exercise.

The field originally belonged to nearby residents but had been barren for some time due to poor soil conditions.

Now, the production team plans to rent the area and cultivate some simple vegetables.

Three acres of land, a moderate size, was just the right amount of work for five people.

They borrowed hoes from nearby residents and started with great enthusiasm, but…

One hour later

Yu Kexin was leaning on the hoe and almost couldn't stand straight, gasping unevenly for breath.

Shen Qingzhi was usually the most active worker. During the break, she tried to wipe the sweat from her palms with a tissue but ended up yelping in pain. Upon closer inspection, she realized both of her palms had scraped skin.

Wen Qi, on the other hand, hadn't uttered much from beginning to end, but a careful look revealed her face had turned extremely pale.

The only two standing strong were Huang Yuanxi and Gu Jinrong.

Although Huang Yuanxi was over fifty, she consistently exercised, maintaining her health much better than those young people who busied themselves day and night.

Having grown up in the countryside, this kind of work was nothing for her.

The production team had misjudged the current artists' physical endurance because of their constant presence. They impulsively planned to engage everyone in heavy work, but it was about to backfire.

"You guys probably don't do much work at home, huh? How come you young folks are not as good as this old bone?" 

Huang Yuanxi teased but still insisted that the other three rest aside. She didn't want the recording to result in the guests getting injured.

Though the three forced to rest knew this might attract ridicule when aired, it wasn't a time for showing off.

Yu Kexin stood by the field, watching the two busy figures in the center, feeling somewhat emotional.

"Sure enough, experience matters. I know about Teacher Huang; she's famous on this show for being skilled in manual work. But why is Queen Gu also so capable?"

Gu Jinrong wore a pair of khaki casual clothes today. To prevent mud and dirt, the jacket was a uniform long hooded one.

Now, to make it easier to work, she pulled her sleeves back to her elbows, revealing her slender and powerful forearms.

Even while holding the most ordinary hoe in her hands, her posture remained graceful, like a figure in a painting.

"Normal." Shen Qingzhi, with the best mental resilience among the three at the moment, not only didn't feel ashamed but even spoke somewhat proudly.

"She's always been versatile."

Yu Kexin turned her head in disbelief when she heard this: Wait, you've been relegated to the audience seats, what are you still mumbling about?

Wen Qi, who had been silent before, suddenly hit the nail on the head, "What used to be five people's work is now done by two people. Are we just going to watch like this?"

Continuing like this wouldn't work. Even if the production team later adjusted the tasks, it would appear as if they lacked teamwork spirit.

But considering the current physical condition of the three, rushing to help wouldn't be of much use.

Shen Qingzhi glanced at the three acres of land in front of her and then at the house not far away before saying, "You two keep cheering them here; I'll be right back."

What? We need to cheer them on for plowing the land?

Yu Kexin found it absurd, but with nothing else to do, she actually found a megaphone and stood by the field, cheering on the two working in the field.

Wen Qi was left alone to look at her looking like a fool.

Yu Kexin felt extremely awkward, but stopping abruptly at that moment would have made it even more awkward. Luckily, Shen Qingzhi didn't stay away for too long.

This translation was originally posted on

https://love4baihe.blogspot.com

Before Shen Qingzhi's arrival, her voice echoed first.

The rumbling sound of machinery not only interrupted Yu Kexin's cheering but also made the two working in the field temporarily halt their tasks and look back.

"Teacher Huang, Senior Gu, please stand on the slope first!"

Shen Qingzhi held a large megaphone in one hand and the steering wheel in the other, maneuvering a nearly two-meter-high tractor confidently toward the center of the field.

The two individuals working on loosening the soil quickly retreated. Shen Qingzhi skillfully parked the tractor at the edge of the field, and jumped down from it with a cool pose, almost asking directly, Come on, praise me.

Yu Kexin, being Shen Qingzhi's long-time friend, was the first to play along, “That's awesome, Qingzhi! Where did you get this tractor from?"

"I borrowed it from an aunt who lives here. Why should we still manually plow the land in this era? Technology is humanity's primary productive force."

Shen Qingzhi, who had just shown off, was speaking with confidence now as if she had just taken a break, not because of lack of physical strength, but to think of a solution to free up the entire group's hands.

As expected, the other four guests, three of them, looked at her with admiration, appreciation, or indulgence, except for one.

"If I remember correctly, you need a driver's license to operate this kind of tractor. Do you have one?"

Wen Qi hit the point with one sentence.

This statement reminded the others, leaving them puzzled.

"I... I have a driver's license for cars, and I've driven go-karts. Aren't they quite similar? I drove here without any trouble, and the aunt was willing to lend it to me."

Shen Qingzhi was exposed, feeling somewhat indignant yet trying to justify herself more forcefully as she spoke.

The discord between Wen Qi and Shen Qingzhi had been present for a while, but Huang Yuanxi, acting as the elder here, only just noticed the tension and quickly intervened.

"It's okay. This is the barren land the production team rented. There's no need to be so strict. Qingzhi, feel free to handle it, but you must pay attention to safety."

After receiving the approval from her elder, Shen Qingzhi's little tail almost rose to the sky. With full confidence, she propped up the tractor again and displayed another heroic jump back onto it.

"You guys should have a good rest first, and leave the rest to me!"

As she said this, she went to step on the clutch but saw an extra hand next to the machine.

"Mind if I take the passenger seat?" Gu Jinrong spoke while climbing onto the tractor.

The machine was designed for single-person operation, and the "passenger seat" was actually a square iron support next to the actual seat. When an adult sat on it, it felt a bit precarious.

Shen Qingzhi, originally overflowing with confidence, suddenly became nervous with someone beside her. She was worried that Gu Jinrong might fall off.

"Why are you sitting here? It's dangerous."

Gu Jinrong was now sitting on the iron support, holding onto the machine with both hands, wearing a calm expression. "I'm applying for a VIP audience seat. You can drive without worry; everything's fine."

Seeing Gu Jinrong sitting so steadily, Shen Qingzhi dismissed some of her worries.

She lowered the plow into the soil at the back of the machine, gripped the steering wheel with both hands and engaged the clutch.

The machine started, and the two impressive women, on a two-meter-high tractor, slowly traversed the vast field, creating a strange yet harmonious scene.

Gu Jinrong supported the machine, always wearing a gentle smile on her face. Occasionally, she praised the driver, boosting the driver's confidence.

Huang Yuanxi, watching from nearby, suddenly remarked, "Have you noticed, they actually look quite good together? It gives off that so-called... 'CP Feeling' as they say online."

Indeed, as an experienced senior, she boldly took the lead to kowtow on CP.

Yu Kexin calmly agreed on the surface but thought to herself: They not only give off a 'CP Feeling,' they're already a couple.

With the situation seemingly better resolved and everyone seemingly happy, Wen Qi remained consistently indifferent, perfectly in line with her aloof and talented persona.

"Teacher Huang, since they can handle things here, shall we head back and prepare to cook?"

Huang Yuanxi observed for a while longer, ensuring everything was fine with them, and accepted Wen Qi's proposal.

The other three guests left, and the buff on Shen Qingzhi seemed to disappear with them.

From the time she borrowed the tractor until she officially started plowing, she had always drove in a long straight line, plowing the soil along one side of the three acres of land. Now she had to make a turn.

The problem arose at this turn. Previously, although she held onto the steering wheel, she hadn't made significant turns.

Not on this scale.

Turning a tractor was different; she lacked the understanding of how to manage the weight of the machine during a turn, unlike the cars and go-karts she had driven before. Suddenly, the entire tractor sank into the mud.

Trapped in place, Shen Qingzhi kept pressing the clutch with sweat all over his face, only to get a few dull sounds of exhaust from the machine.

"Need my help?" Gu Jinrong pulled out a tissue and wiped the fine sweat from Shen Qingzhi's forehead, remaining calm and composed even in this predicament.

"Do you have a solution?" Shen Qingzhi tilted her head, somewhat skeptical.

"It depends on people, but if I help you solve this big trouble, how are you going to thank me?"

Is this a problem for me alone and not for you?

Shen Qingzhi complained in her heart, but she still waited for Gu Jinrong to continue. Anyway, she was still recording a variety show at the moment. The other party will not make any excessive demands.

"If I plow the remaining part of these three acres with the tractor, would you agree to one request of mine?" 

Gu Jinrong didn't directly make a demand but sought a promise instead.

"Okay, it's just what you said. All three acres of land should be plowed."

Shen Qingzhi agreed straightforwardly, seizing the opportunity to confirm the conditions. By now, any pretense of politeness she had initially considered was completely forgotten.

Though unaware of Gu Jinrong's intentions, Shen Qingzhi knew she had created the trouble and had to find a solution.

"Of course," Gu Jinrong said and then sat in the driver's seat, extending her hand to stop Shen Qingzhi, who was about to sit on the iron support.

"It's better to squeeze in when you're up there."

Though designed for one person, the seat was large enough to accommodate a burly man. However, for the two slender women, squeezing in was possible.

Just... wouldn't it be indecent if it was broadcast like this?

Shen Qingzhi's hesitation lasted only a second. Considering their recent conversation, it didn't seem decent anyway.

Someone who tried to show off but ended up in a mess had given up the pretense altogether.

During her brief attempt at driving the tractor, Shen Qingzhi realized how difficult it was for a novice to handle this thing.

Even though she gave up the driver's seat, she couldn't help feeling somewhat uneasy.

“Hit the clutch, press the clutch.”

"Turn the steering wheel to the right and use a little force."

….

With the belief that many hands make light work, Shen Qingzhi's hands were free now, but her mouth couldn't stay idle, embodying the classic strategist not stepping onto the battlefield.

As a little sparrow chirped beside her, Gu Jinrong remained unruffled, calmly operating the tractor.

Not long after, the tractor got up from the mud pit, made a steady turn, and drove back.

Before Shen Qingzhi could finish directing, she witnessed everything returning to normalcy, surprising herself to the extent that her mouth seemed capable of holding a goose egg.

"You're quite professional in handling this tractor. it seems like you learned well just now." Shen Qingzhi praised, always quick to insert a compliment to herself even while praising others.

Gu Jinrong, managing the machine while cultivating the land, still found time for conversation. "Actually, I got my tractor-driving license about three years ago.”

God, what else can’t this woman do? Why such a gap between individuals?!

Shen Qingzhi marveled but then wondered, "Since you know how to drive this, why didn't you go find someone to borrow a tractor before?

"Because I'm not as smart as you."

Gu Jinrong's words made Shen Qingzhi feel comfortable physically and mentally, switching from doubtful about life to complacent in one second.

"You know, that makes a lot of sense."