Chapter 129: Martin Reed Hurried to the Village Committee Office

Martin Reed hurried to the village committee office, preoccupied with urgent matters and unable to exchange pleasantries with Elena and the others.

Elena walked arm-in-arm with Rose Jackson back home when they heard a commotion in the distance. Villagers had gathered in small clusters, craning their necks toward Calvin Ward's house. Aunt Elizabeth Ward happened to pass by and immediately sidled up to them with a hushed tone. "Oh, you're finally back. Your grandmother's chasing your aunt around the yard with a broom, claiming she spat in her food. Tsk tsk..."

Elena and Rose Jackson exchanged knowing glances. They were all too familiar with Agnes Ward's tormenting ways, and the aunt in question was no pushover either. Calvin's household was bound to be chaotic from now on.

The two chose not to involve themselves in the drama—there was still the pigpen waiting to be cleaned at home.

But as they approached their doorstep, the sound of splashing water came from the pigpen. Peering inside, they saw Luke and Aaron Jackson sweating profusely as they scrubbed the enclosure. Two baskets of fresh pigweed were neatly stacked in the corner, clearly gathered by the boys before dawn.

Elena's heart ached at the sight of their calloused hands—boys their age should be in school. Yet they stubbornly refused, claiming they "weren't cut out for studying." Everyone knew the truth: they couldn't bear to see their mother struggling alone to raise them.

"Sis, look!" Rose Jackson suddenly tugged her sleeve.

Helen Reed was approaching briskly with Aunt Margaret in tow. The older woman carried a bamboo basket, its lid lifted to reveal a huddle of fluffy yellow chicks, like little balls of animated cotton.

"Elena, pick more hens—they lay eggs well. Keep a few roosters too; you can slaughter them for meat during the holidays," Aunt Margaret advised while deftly selecting twenty-five hens and ten roosters.

Rose Jackson hastily brought out sugar water as refreshment. Accepting the bowl, Aunt Margaret launched into a detailed lecture on poultry care. "You'll need a bulb for warmth in the first few days, and watch out for rats at night—"

Just then, the creak of a wheelbarrow interrupted her. Nolan Brooks arrived, pushing a cart with five plump piglets snuffling inside their cage.

His eyes immediately landed on the bulb in Rose Jackson's hand. Without a word, he rolled up his sleeves. "Is the power off? Get me some electrical tape."

Elena watched as Nolan efficiently wired the bulb while Rose Jackson handed him tools, their movements perfectly synchronized. She couldn't help but smile. Since when had this usually taciturn man become so helpful?

As soon as the light flickered on, the chicks huddled beneath its warmth. Nolan then helped herd the piglets into the pen, pausing before leaving to remind them, "Call me if you need anything. Piglets are the hardest to raise..."

After everyone had left, Elena Ward knelt by the basket of chicks, her fingers lightly brushing each one. Unnoticed by others, a faint glow emanated from her fingertips—she was using her healing force to enhance the little creatures' vitality.

Later, the villagers would marvel at how none of Rose Jackson's chicks died, growing unusually fast. Aunt Margaret boasted to everyone about the quality of her chicks, unaware it was all due to Elena Ward's power.

Meanwhile, the five piglets happily rooted in their new trough, completely oblivious to the miracles they were about to bring.