Chapter 15 Luan Stuff

When Xie Shen heard her say this, a dreamy expression appeared on his face, which made Xie Yun laugh and feel sad.

This era is so hard that children don’t even dare to have such a simple dream.

She patted Xie Shen on the head and said, "Life will always get better and better. You study hard and work hard. Mom and I will also work hard, and our dream of eating dumplings every day will come true. By then, I'm worried that you'll get tired of them and won't want to eat them anymore."

Xie Shen shook his head like a rattle. "That's impossible, sister. How can someone be so ungrateful? Even being fed up with dumplings is too much."

Xie Yun argued with him, "Just like you'd get bored if you ate pancakes every day, you'd also get bored if you could eat dumplings every day."

Xie Shen said, "I don't get tired of eating pancakes every day. Pancakes keep me from going hungry, so why would I get tired of them? Besides, the pancakes you and mom make are delicious."

I can't even sleep when I'm hungry, and pancakes are my lifesaver. Who would bother with their own life-saving food? It's made by my mom and sister with great effort.

His sister only knows how to coax him!

Xie Yun said, "Just wait and see. This day will come."

"Okay, I'll wait."

Xie Shen ran to get a bowl of dumpling soup. As the saying goes, "original soup turns original food into original food", they don't eat dumplings dry here, they eat dumplings with soup, a bit like wontons and wontons, but there is no seasoning in the soup, it is just pure white soup.

He continued to chatter while drinking his soup, "Last time, Xu Cheng had dumplings stuffed with melon residue and boasted about it to us for a long time. He said his mother was willing to use a big spoonful of oil, and it was so delicious. Everyone said he was bragging. We've seen Aunt Xu cook before. She just dips the oil skimmer in the oil can, then puts it in the pot and dips it. You can't tell if the bottom of the pot is stained by oil."

Zhang Ruifeng asked him, "You also said he was bragging?"

Xie Shen quickly shook his head. "I didn't say anything. I knew in my heart that he was bragging, but I didn't say anything. Xu Cheng and I are good friends who catch sparrows together. I wouldn't laugh at him. Besides, everyone brags about what delicious food they've made at home."

Zhang Ruifeng smiled and said, "You're right. Some things are better left unsaid. A kind word can warm you through the coldest months of winter, but harsh words can sting like a scalding summer. When you criticize someone, they may act as if they don't care, but they might remember it and take it to heart. Don't do anything that harms others and yourself."

Xie Shen nodded vigorously.

Xie Yun asked him curiously, "Have you ever boasted about something like this?"

Xie Shen chuckled, "I boasted that I caught a house sparrow, and it was as big as the chicken we raise at home."

Xie Yun and Zhang Ruifeng both laughed. This boast was too outrageous.

Others say it is bragging, but that is also what the children really want. Even a cow doesn't dare to brag too much; it's just a spoonful of oil.

Only her brother is bragging without any proof!

Xie Shen continued, "They all said I was bragging, but later, Xu Cheng quietly asked me, 'When did you catch such a big house sparrow? How come I didn't know?' He also told me to take him with me next time I catch one. When my friends boasted, everyone else called them boasting, but secretly I felt that maybe what they said was true and was very envious."

Xie Yun: “…”

This is knowing it is not true, but hoping it is true.

She told Xie Shen, "Mom and I have discussed raising a few more rabbits next year. We'll buy three again in the spring, but this time we'll buy both male and female rabbits so they can have babies. We can sell them for more money so we can eat better. Mom said we're almost paying off our debts, so we can relax a little. You're still young, so there's no rush to find a wife for you."

Xie Shen smiled and said, "Mom, sister, I won't marry a wife. Let's eat more good food."

Zhang Ruifeng scoffed. "You only say that now. When you grow up, you'll definitely be nagging me all day long, asking me to find you a wife as soon as possible."

"impossible!"

Xie Shen said it loudly! Marrying a wife is not as important as eating.

Xie Yun was so happy beside him.

The fields after the autumn harvest are the children's battlefield.

Children like Xie Shen's age, especially those from families with poor conditions, would carry a small basket and a small rake and go out to look for things and pick up leftovers whenever they had free time. The local dialect here in Liushutun calls it "luan". Luan sweet potatoes, luan peanuts, luan cotton, and anything left in the fields would be picked up by these children and taken home. Even a sweet potato as thick as a little finger could not escape their sharp eyes.

This kind of small sweet potato only has shreds, and people will not eat it unless they are very hungry, but it can be fed to pigs.

After Xie Shen had eaten and drunk his fill, he slung his basket over his shoulder and headed out. He could still work a bit before school in the afternoon. By this time, Xie Shen's job of collecting grass for pigs was over, so when he had some free time, he would run around, picking things and sometimes picking some wild jujubes to eat.

Xie Yun also carried a basket on his back and walked out with him. "I'm taking a break today and won't be working in the team. I'll go with you to get some things."

She said to Zhang Ruifeng, "Mom, let's go."

"Let's go, Mumu, don't miss your afternoon classes. You'll be back soon. You finally have a day off. You need to rest, otherwise your body won't be able to take it."

"I know, Mom. I'll be back in a minute."

Xie Yun and Xie Shen went out together and headed straight for the foot of the mountain. The only place where things could be moved was the hillside.

Xie Shen's legs moved rapidly, "Sister, you have to walk faster. If you go too late, you won't be able to move."

Xie Yun said, "Don't you have cramps every day?"

"It's getting less each time."

Xie Yun grabbed him and said, "Don't walk too fast. You just ate. If you walk too fast, your stomach will be upset."

Xie Shen glanced at her, sighed helplessly, slowed down his pace, and said, "Sister, I won't go with you next time. You walk too slowly and delay things."

Xie Yun flicked his head, "You're outrageous! How dare you look down on your sister?"

"hey-hey."

Xie Shen touched his forehead and smiled.

The two first came to the sweet potato field at the foot of the hill. Looking around, they could see several children carrying baskets and bending over, trying hard to search, but there were not too many people.

"Sister, you look here and I'll go over there. Let's move separately. I'll call you when we need to change places."

Xie Shen felt that he was better than his sister in this regard, and he spoke as if this was his home turf.

"Okay, go ahead."

Xie Yun stared at the land, raking wherever she saw something. Sometimes she'd find a damaged sweet potato head, sometimes a small one. She raked here and there, adhering to the principle of "no work in vain." With each raking stroke, she placed something in the basket. Some were real, some were smuggled in from space.

When the production team harvested sweet potatoes, she was in charge of digging the ground and secretly put some of the very small sweet potatoes, the kind that people wouldn't eat, into the space. Now she would take them out and take them back to feed the pigs.