In the golden autumn of August, the sun shines brightly.

On a vast expanse of land, the golden rice fields sway in the gentle breeze, creating waves upon waves.

In the swaying sea of golden rice, a child in a green tunic with messy hair closed his eyes, arms outstretched, immersed in this fragrant rice field with a look of pure contentment.

Rice flower ~

"Rice Flower ~"

All the crisp, carefree and joyful sounds that belong to childhood rang out from afar, spreading rapidly through the waves of rice with the gentle breeze.

The child, hearing the sound, opened his eyes at once. He turned his head and saw the young man, like the wind, running towards him from the field, waving his hand.

Seeing the year, the child's eyes lit up with a smile. He immediately raised his hand and waved at the year: "Third Brother, I'm here!"

Wen Tao saw the child, his spirits lifted. His long legs seemed to lengthen even more.

In the golden waves of rice, a green child stands with a faint smile. Their eyebrows are naturally verdant, their cheeks flushed without rouge, and their eyes resemble twinkling stars, like polished jade.

Even after nine years, Wentao still felt that he couldn't get enough of his older sister. She was like a jade sculpture by the side of a deity.

"Third Brother, how did you come here?"

As soon as the year comes around, the child's mouth breaks into a smile. Their fair and delicate cheeks are slightly flushed from the excitement, making them even more adorable to look at.

"You're still asking, with a complexion like that, what you'd do out here, not even afraid of getting sunburned?"

Wen Tao, as soon as he arrived, immediately took off the straw hat he was wearing and carefully put it on the child's head.

"Look, your face is all red. Your grandmother will definitely scold you when you get home."

The child stood obediently, allowing the elderly woman to put a hat on him. After it was done, he affectionately took hold of the old woman's arm and said, "If grandmother gets angry, elder brother must help me plead."

"You!," Wentao poked the child's forehead with his finger, his expression a mix of fondness and exasperation. "Come on, let's go back soon. Your great-uncle wrote a letter, and Grandmother is waiting for you to read it."

"Huh?"

The child was taken aback. “Why is a letter coming at this time?”

Wentao shook his head. "It's almost harvest season, I guess they're asking when we'll go to my uncle's county town."

The child nonchalantly shrugged their shoulders, indicating that they didn't care.

Seeing this, Wentao chuckled: "What? You don't want to see your uncle and aunt?"

When my elder sister was born, my uncle passed the imperial examination and became a seventh-rank county magistrate the following year. At that time, my elder sister was just a child, and our grandmother was also in poor health. My uncle did not bring both of them with him when he took office, so they remained at our family home.

This is how it stayed for eight years.

Looking at his elder sister, who was nine years old before she even saw her parents a few times, Wen Tao's eyes flashed with sympathy.

I miss you!

The child gave a very nonchalant reply.

Compared to being confined in a deep courtyard, I prefer the carefree life of the countryside. If possible, I would rather spend my whole life in the fields and be a simple, leisurely person.

At this point, the siblings had walked onto a country road, and suddenly there were more people around them.

"Oh, it's Daohua and Wentou!"

"Uncle Three!"

"Master Wu!"

"Aunt Six!"

"Fifth Uncle!"

The two siblings greeted everyone politely and cheerfully, causing the smiles on the faces of those around them to deepen.

"How did you all get out, with such a big one like this?"

"What else could it be? It must be Daohua coming to inspect their rice paddies again."

As soon as he said that, everyone burst into laughter.

The child laughed along too, saying: “You have to look! I only collected it because of this.”

"Dahlia, listen to your aunt. Your father is the county magistrate, a high official. You, as the precious daughter of this family, shouldn't be working so hard like us. Go back home and enjoy your fortune."

The child giggled back, "Auntie, even the County Magistrate has to eat!"

"Ha ha ha, look at our Dahua, so small and already knows how to help the family. No wonder Grandma dotes on her so much."

"Isn't that something to be proud of, old man? If I had a grandson like this, I would spoil him rotten."

Listening to the laughter and merriment of the crowd, the child's face was always beaming with a smile. Holding onto her older brother's hand with one, she weaved through the rice stalks in the field with the other, skipping and bouncing towards the most impressive courtyard in the village.

As soon as the two siblings walked away, discordant sounds arose from the crowd.

What use is it to be picky about hiring, isn't it just a bunch of girls!

"Lai Er, are you shitting here? Did Nanhua offend you?"

I just don't look up to you bunch of people for taking in such a young girl. If her county magistrate father cared even slightly, he wouldn't have left her at home like this, staying there for eight years.

"Don't talk nonsense if you don't know. Dahua is filial to her grandparents by helping her parents."

"Hmph, this is just a ghost story to fool outsiders. Do you believe it? I heard that the County Magistrate took a concubine from a scholarly family during his tenure. That concubine gave birth to twins, and the son was born beautiful as a flower. The County Magistrate loved him dearly. A village girl like Dahuahua, who grew up in the village, there's no way the County Magistrate would like her..."

The farmer's voice was particularly loud, and coupled with the open countryside, even after walking a distance, Wentao and his sister could still hear snatches of the conversation.

"Third Brother, what are you doing?"

A child grabbed Wen Tao, who was trying to argue his way back.

Wen Tao was born tall and strong. Even at just thirteen years old, he was almost as tall as an average man. The children could barely hold him back.

I'm going to teach that dog a lesson. It can't even spit out ivory like a real elephant.

Looking at Wen Tao, who was puffing and panting, the child immediately burst into laughter: "Wow, Third Brother, you're amazing! Now you can even stamp your name!"

Wentao was notorious for disliking reading. Hearing his sister's teasing, some of the anger in his heart dissipated.

The child took the opportunity to pull the person back: "It's just some outsiders' boring gossip, why take it so seriously?"

Wentao wanted to stroke the child's head, but the straw hat blocked him: "Dahua, don't listen to them. You are our legitimate eldest daughter, that concubine's children will never surpass you. Even... even..."

The kid tilted their head and looked at Wen Tao, whose face was beet red. Their round, bright eyes twinkled mischievously as they turned, and they grinned, "Even what?"

Wentao gritted his teeth: "Even if your uncle really likes that concubine's son, don't be afraid. You still have your grandmother and us, we definitely won't let you be bullied!"

The child grinned, flashing a dazzling set of white teeth. His right hand flipped through the rice stalks in the field, deepening his smile as he held up a green rice flower in his palm.

"Yes, everything is according to Grandmother's wishes. Father can grow even bigger if he obeys Grandmother. Why wouldn't he listen to Grandmother?" There was no worry in her tone at all.

"Dàohuā, you crazy girl! Get your behind back here right now, or I swear I'll turn you into charcoal!"

A powerful voice boomed from the courtyard over ten meters away. It was clear that the speaker was very good at what they did.

The little child shook, walked toward the door with a helpless expression, and while running shouted: "Grandma, your little rice blossom is back!"