Chapter 20

At this moment, Sun Linglong was relaxed and at ease, while Wen Ruocheng, over in the paddy field, was nearing his breaking point. Sweat trickled from his forehead, down his face, and into the water; he looked as though he had just crawled out of the mire. After swinging the hoe dozens of times, his arms grew sore, and the tool in his grip felt increasingly heavy. With each additional swing, his entire body began to ache, and the skin on his palms felt as if it were being torn apart—the friction mixed with sweat caused a piercing, heart-wrenching pain. The small stones scattered throughout the paddy had lacerated his legs, and the sting of the water soaking into the wounds was like an infestation of ants biting into his flesh. Wen Ruocheng’s eyes were bloodshot as he exhaled hot, ragged breaths, swinging the hoe with all his might to vent the bitterness within him. He Jiawang was also reaching his limit. He stopped to catch his breath.