Chapter 118: The Breakdown of Gu Dalin

Chapter 118: Chapter 118: The Breakdown of Gu Dalin

Gu Qingli took her pulse. The baby was normal, though Ms. Wu’s heart rate was a little high; she should recover once she woke up.

Gu Dalin looked somewhat dazed. When Gu Qingli finished taking the pulse, he asked, “Li’er, your mother is fine now, right?”

“Yes, Mom is very well. You watch over her here, and we’ll go cook.”

“Li’er, thank you for today.” Gu Dalin choked, attempting to kneel before her with the twins.

“Dad, Dashuang, Xiaoshuang, what are you doing?” Gu Qingli was shocked. After the day’s overwhelming events, this adoptive father of hers was greatly affected. She quickly grabbed the twins, while Xiao Yunjing held Gu Dalin back.

Gu Qingli sighed. “Dad, you’re treating me like an outsider.”

“No, no, it’s not that. I just don’t know how to repay you.” Gu Dalin felt helpless. Today, his wife had been held hostage, and Li’er had taken her place. Then, Gu Dahe had ruthlessly revealed his true, cruel nature. As a man and a father, he felt powerless and deeply wounded.

Gu Qingli led the twins to a stool and sat them down in front of Gu Dalin before saying, “But not like this. You’re overwhelming me. There’s no reason for a father to kneel to his daughter. That’s my mom; I couldn’t just stand by and watch her die.”

“Ultimately, Gu Dahe hates Yunjing and me the most. Dad, there’s no reason for you to blame yourself.”

“’But…’” Gu Dalin sighed deeply.

“There are no ’buts’ about it. I know what you’re thinking. Even if I’m not your biological daughter, she’s still the nursing mother who raised me.” Gu Qingli decided to speak her mind today to prevent any lingering misunderstandings.

“Yes, Dad, don’t overthink it. Sister is our real sister,” Xiaoshuang also consoled him.

Xiaoshuang understood his dad’s feelings. His father had wholeheartedly devoted himself to the old Gu Family, only for it to be completely unappreciated. Gu Dalin was also blaming himself for being unable to protect his own wife and children, needing his adopted daughter to rescue them. But at the time, even his brother-in-law, Xiao Yunjing, had been helpless.

Now that the events were over and both his mother and sister were safe, there was no use in self-blame.

Xiaoshuang looked at his dejected father and made a silent vow.

He would become stronger to prevent their family from being hurt again, to ensure evil people never had such an opportunity again.

Gu Dalin just nodded without saying anything. He silently sat down beside Ms. Wu’s bed, watching her with furrowed brows.

Gu Qingli sighed inwardly.

She knew what was troubling Gu Dalin. Today’s events were enough to make him crumble. Even the strongest minds would struggle to cope. This was especially true for Gu Dalin, who had devoted everything to the old Gu Family, hoping for a brighter future where everyone could eat and drink well. But instead, they had treated him like a beast of burden. Actions were one thing, but Gu Dahe speaking so bluntly in front of everyone had shattered his defenses. Words can be more wounding than any weapon. Killing a person is over in an instant, but Gu Dahe was methodically destroying Gu Dalin’s spirit.

Gu Qingli guessed that Gu Dalin still harbored some feelings for the old Gu Family.

After all, people aren’t unfeeling plants, and Gu Dalin was a simple, honest man. Could he bear such a blow? If the roles were reversed, she knew she couldn’t. However, while today’s incident had caused Gu Dalin to crumble temporarily, it might also be a blessing in disguise. Master Gu’s family was still around. They might come begging for help one day. Given the softheartedness of Gu Dalin and Ms. Wu, who knew what unexpected things they might do? Today’s harsh lesson was painful, but it would allow them to let go completely. In any case, time is a great healer; it would mend Gu Dalin’s heart.

That evening, Gu Qingli cooked dinner while Xiao Yunjing chatted with Gu Dalin for a long time. By the end of the meal, Gu Dalin’s mood had improved significantly.

Gu Qingli silently gave her man a thumbs-up.

Even a gruff man like him knew how to comfort people.

During dinner, even the twins looked at him with star-filled eyes, full of admiration.

After dinner, she cleaned up and returned to the Xiao Family residence with Xiao Yunjing.

Exhausted from the day’s turmoil, they washed up quickly and went to bed.

「The long, hot July finally passed, and the five children returned to their private school.」

The rice in the fields was also ready for harvest.

Just yesterday, Gu Qingli and Xiao Yunjing had inspected the fields. The sight of the golden, plump rice grains was truly delightful. They were thrilled to see their labor bear such fruit, a truly gratifying reward.

As Gu Qingli had previously thought, the rice ears were longer, and the grains were larger and fuller—yielding at least two-thirds more than the densely planted rice. She estimated a yield of at least 800 catties per mu.

For the villagers of Qinghe Village, this number was astronomical, a miracle.

“Tie Zhu, when will your family harvest your rice?” Gu Chang’an asked, arriving with a smile after lunch.

Mr. Xiao brought out two stools, and they sat down.

He replied, “In the next few days. Our Third’s wife is tinkering with some new tools for the rice harvest.”

“Oh? What has Xiaoli invented this time?” Gu Chang’an’s eyes lit up. Whenever he heard Gu Qingli had created something new, he was eager to see it immediately.

What wonderful new thing could it be?

Mr. Xiao shook his head.

He didn’t know himself. When it came to crops and farm tools, he was completely clueless. He just didn’t understand them!

Gu Chang’an wasn’t worried.

He knew Xiaoli would tell him if she developed anything beneficial for the villagers. He had an inexplicable confidence in Gu Qingli.

「Meanwhile, Gu Qingli was at the home of Gu Dayou, the village carpenter.」

The villagers usually harvested rice by cutting off the top half of the stalks and then threshing the grains by beating them on the ground. This method was not only troublesome, but many grains were also lost during transportation.

Although she couldn’t build a modern threshing machine, she remembered a simpler threshing tub.

Gu Dayou was just finishing up.

By late afternoon, a set of threshing tools was completed. It consisted of the threshing tub, a grain rack, and a woven bamboo shield to prevent the grains from scattering.

“Xiaoli, how are you so clever?” Gu Dayou exclaimed, full of admiration for the tools. “Not only will these keep the harvested grain clean, but they’ll also reduce waste! The best part is the convenience—you can harvest and thresh at the same time!”

Gu Qingli smiled.

Such things were long obsolete in her time, replaced by combine harvesters.

“Uncle Dayou, how much for this set?” Gu Qingli asked, taking out her silver.

Gu Dayou hadn’t made anything like it before, so they hadn’t discussed a price.

Embarrassed, Gu Dayou scratched his head, stuttering, “Xiaoli, this… this set of threshing tools… could Uncle make a set for my own use? And, um, also make them for others? I… I won’t charge you for this one. Would that be alright?”

Once he finished speaking, Gu Dayou’s face turned red.

This was Xiaoli’s invention, after all. He knew he shouldn’t be thinking of profiting from it like this, but these tools were just too useful for farming families!

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