Sweat trickled down her cheeks.
Dong Huiying had found a small stick somewhere, and she squatted on the ground, digging the hard, sandy soil near the cactus.
This cactus was relatively small, merely reaching her waist. The ones far in the distance, several meters tall, thick and robust, were the real challenge.
She was working so hard that she was grunt, and Hong Xiangjun, equally filthy and drenched in sweat, came over to her, "Take a break, it's scorching at midday, and if we keep this up, we'll dry out like jerky."
The young girl rolled up her sleeves and wiped the sweat from her face, "It's okay, you rest first. I just counted; there are eighty-one cacti around here, big and small. The sooner we finish the work, the sooner we can ask her the proper questions."
Hong Xiangjun pulled the stopper from her water flask, wanting to moisten her throat, only to find the flask was empty.
