act31side

Neither. She was just a dreamer.

Big—Buff—A—Lo—

Dumb—Buff—A—Lo—

Are you going to help me find Mianmian or not?

No.

You're so mean! Mianmian really likes you! He won't take treats from anyone else!

Are you talking about the time it nearly picked all the Banfenghe saplings in my garden clean?

Well, you should've put up a fence.

I wanted to make sure people could get it as needed, I didn't think I'd be feeding your stockbeasts.

Lucky it was just a few flowers. Did you already forget the time your stockbeasts ate up all the plants in Laoshi's experimental field? What did she say again?

(Grimaces)

Besides, don't your stockbeasts have positioning devices? The display says it's over in this area, can't you go looking yourself?

Hmm... You're right.

Then how about you help me pick some fruit from the orchard? I need the ones that aren't quite ripe yet, the ones that are still sour and bitter. Go quick, I've got something really important to do with them!

No.

I still need to gather some samples from the fields. The last reports before the summer harvest are absolutely crucial. I can't delay.

Bo-ring...

But you're right. Everyone's been in a bad mood lately, like they're not eating or sleeping enough.

Didn't you say you're able to talk with them? Why not give them a good lecture on healthy eating?

I did go for a talk. They told me some really nasty things have made their way into Dahuang!

Are you talking about the new nomadic plates?

Don't be stupid. The stockbeasts talk to me, but they're not as smart as people. How should they know what the things are?

I'm not that smart either. I just know the work being done in the fields right now is really important.

Why not take a break, give the new guy some of your work? Does it matter who gets the numbers out of the Sky Poles?

He doesn't know anything. When he first showed up, he couldn't tell the difference between wheat and sorghum. Everything he does, I end up having to do all over again to fix his mistakes. I have no idea why Laoshi asked me to teach him.

But he's a real fast runner, so maybe he can help me find Mianmian—

Right! I'll go ask him!

You wha-? He—Laoshi invited him here specifically to help with the farming, he can't—

*cough* Fine, I'll go with you, wait a sec—

Weiii! New guy! Drop your busywork, come help me find my stockbeast!

The summer sun shines brightly while cicadas chirp away happily. In the paddies, a youth clumsily harvests rice, drops of sweat big as beans streaking down his face.

The muscles in his arm are well-built, but without proper knowledge of how to use them, they are useless for reaping the slender stalks with his sickle. After slaving away for most of the day, he has only managed to harvest a single bundle of rice.

His mandarin coat hangs off a pillar, a few fowlbeasts who were hunting for stray grains instead decide to show great interest in this unfamiliar garment, pecking at the hanging belts with their beaks.

Phew—

It's midday already...

And there's still so much left to do...