Chapter 6 Potato Blanchs and Goji Berry Leaves: Can They Even Be Used to Fry Eggs? ...

Chen Mian picked up a few oval-shaped red fruits and put them in her mouth. They weren't as sour as she had imagined; instead, they had a light sweetness and a texture somewhat like berries.

“Our family farm has been running for many years. We mostly grow goji berries, and a small portion of it grows grains, vegetables and fruits, just enough for our own consumption.”

"Goji berries ripen two to three times a year. When we need someone to take care of them, we ask our neighbors to help us for a few days. Only during the harvest season do we need to hire a large number of people to harvest them."

As Ji Yu led Chen Mian along, she introduced the farm to her. When she saw a bamboo basket by the roadside, she bent down, picked it up, and held it in her hand.

"I'll take you to pick some more goji berries, and my mom will make you some soup tomorrow. You've definitely never had soup made with fresh goji berries before."

"I was hoping to offer you some stir-fried eggs with goji leaves, but the leaves are too old now, so we'll have to wait for next year's new shoots," Ji Yu said with a hint of regret.

Chen Mian asked in surprise, "You can actually stir-fry wolfberry leaves with eggs?"

"Of course you can. Most plant shoots can be used to make scrambled eggs."

"Let me do it, I've never picked goji berries before," Chen Mian said, taking the bamboo basket from Ji Yu's hand, eager to try.

“Okay.” Ji Yu didn’t argue with her, but instead taught her the picking techniques. The goji berry tree has small thorns, and it’s easy to get pricked if you’re not careful.

Moreover, goji berries are quite small, so picking them requires even more patience and a keen eye, ensuring both speed and quality.

Using bamboo baskets to pack the goji berries helps prevent them from bumping into each other and breaking. The goji berries picked each day are quickly placed in a cool, shaded room to dry until the skin wrinkles, and then sun-dried until the skin hardens.

After all the goji berries are dried to a qualified standard, they are purchased by buyers, packaged, and shipped nationwide.

Of course, farmers can also choose to package the produce themselves before selling it, which will fetch a much higher price than the purchase price, but they will also need to have the appropriate sales channels.

Although dried goji berries can be stored for several years without spoiling if stored properly, farmers are generally unwilling to take the risk of unsold stock.

In no time, the two of them had filled half a basket together. "This should be enough. I'll take you to the other side and pick some more vegetables while we're at it."

"If you walk any further past here, you'll see tents set up by pickers from out of town; there's nothing much to see there," Ji Yu explained.

“But…” Chen Mian hesitated for a long time before asking, “Is it really okay for me to stay at your house? Or should I go and pitch a tent with them?”

"It's okay, just stay at my house. My mom is usually home alone and no one keeps her company, so I won't charge you rent."

"Besides, you don't know those pickers, and it would be awkward for you to stay there. Your wages are the same as theirs, calculated by the weight of the fruit picked, five cents a pound, and you get paid once a week."

As Chen Mian listened to the wage, she silently calculated in her mind that if she could pick fifty catties a day, she could earn 25 yuan, which would amount to several hundred yuan a month.

However, the goji berry harvesting season isn't particularly long, so once this job is finished, I'll have to find another one.

Moreover, she couldn't stay at their house for free indefinitely, so Chen Mian decided to stay there for the time being and do extra chores for Aunt Yu every day to pay off the rent. She would move out once she found a stable job.

While lost in thought, Chen Mian had already followed Ji Yu to the back of the yard. On the left side were some common vegetables, such as cucumbers, eggplants, and pumpkins.

On the right side, fruit trees such as strawberries, apples, and peaches are planted. There is also a pavilion on one side, with lush green grapevines climbing all over its roof.

"How about it? Not bad, right? We have everything you could want here. Once you come, you won't want to leave," Ji Yu said to Chen Mian, raising his chin smugly.

“We have everything in our hometown too, including delicious apricots and pears.” The two of them suddenly started comparing themselves in a childish way, neither of them wanting to admit defeat.

"Ji Yu, really, you're such a grown man, yet you're still comparing yourself to a young girl. Don't you know how to give way to her?"

Yu Xiaoyue came rushing over from around the corner, her voice preceding her arrival.

"I asked you to show Kapok around, not to take her to work right now."

"It's alright, Auntie. I didn't do much work. It's just a good opportunity to digest after dinner," Chen Mian quickly smoothed things over.

"Pick some fruit to eat, and we can pick more vegetables when we cook them tomorrow," Yu Xiaoyue instructed.

After saying that, she took Chen Mian's hand and led her back to the front yard. "Let him pick them himself. You can also see if there are any fruits you want to eat and let him pick them too. I'll take you to see the room first."

"Thank you, Auntie, you're so kind!" Chen Mian said with a sweet smile, her dimples appearing and disappearing at the corners of her mouth.

Ji Yu, standing to the side: I'm the one doing all the work, but nobody cares, ha...

"Auntie just wanted a pretty and cute daughter, but unfortunately she gave birth to a naughty boy. Now that you're here, I have company." Yu Xiaoyue was already smiling as she took Chen Mian's arm and led her back to the front yard.

This is the first girl his son has brought home. Although they don't seem to be dating yet, who knows, they might actually end up together in the future.

Besides, she liked this girl at first sight; she had big eyes, an oval face, a sweet tongue, and always smiling—much better than those stinky men. Even if they didn't end up together, it would be nice to be friends with her despite the age gap.

“You don’t need to worry so much. My farm is big, and there are many rooms in the yard. His father went to the capital for training recently, so I’m all alone here.”

"I didn't prepare anything special for you, so just relax and stay here. I won't charge you rent," Yu Xiaoyue said, trying to reassure Chen Mian, who seemed a little reserved.

He also told her to get some rest early tonight, and to go picking the fruit early the next morning before the sun gets too strong. That's how it is with farm work; even during the peak harvest season, we try to avoid working at midday, because if something happens, it could be a huge problem.

Therefore, they usually work in the morning and afternoon.

Chen Mian nodded silently, then turned to look at the furnishings inside. The room wasn't very big, but it had all the necessary furniture, and the sheets and duvet cover were even decorated with a fresh floral pattern. The policeman's mother is such a warm person; that's wonderful.

The next day.

Chen Mian got up early to wash up, but when she got to the kitchen, she found that Ji's mother was already inside preparing to cook.

She quickly replied, "Let me do it, Auntie, so you can try my cooking too."

“Okay, then I’ll help you out,” Yu Xiaoyue said with a smile.

Chen Mian looked at the potatoes placed in the corner of the kitchen, and then thought of the green beans she saw growing in the backyard yesterday. She decided to make a Northwest specialty snack, "Potato Blah".

This dish only requires two ingredients: potatoes and green beans. She first picked up the potatoes to wash them, and then asked her mother to help her pick some green beans.

Peel the potatoes and cut them into even, thin strips. Cut the green beans into diagonal sections and put them in a bowl. Add a little cooking oil, salt, and seasoning powder to taste.

Next, pour in flour, allowing it to coat the shredded potatoes and green beans evenly. Finally, steam them in a pot until cooked.

While waiting, prepare the dipping sauce. Pour hot oil over minced garlic and chili powder to release a strong aroma, then add balsamic vinegar and other seasonings.

Chen Mian: "This dish can actually be eaten in several ways. After steaming, you can eat it with dipping sauce, or you can stir-fry it with other side dishes."

"And if you want more vegetables, you can add less flour, which will make the taste lighter. More flour will make the texture chewier," Chen Mian explained carefully.

Yu Xiaoyue asked, "Can the potatoes and green beans be replaced with other vegetables?"

Chen Mian: "Of course, we replace potatoes with seasonal wild vegetables in the spring, and they taste great too."

Yu Xiaoyue looked at Chen Mian with gentle eyes, as if she were looking at someone else's child, and watched her cook with satisfaction. She asked curiously, "You don't look very old, how come you cook so well?"

Chen Mian: "I have many children in my family. When I was a child, I often helped my family cook when my parents were busy with farm work. I became skilled at it over time."

Yu Xiaoyue: "You're so young, aren't you afraid of getting hurt while cooking?"

Chen Mian said frankly, "Being afraid is useless. My brother has to go and gather pig feed, and I feel sorry for them working so hard, so I can only learn to do it with my sister."

“Children in the countryside mature early. My life is actually quite good. I have an older brother who can help share the burden, and my younger sister is the same age as me, so we don’t drag each other down.”

Chen Mian thought of her good friend Li Cuiping, who had come out to work with her, and sighed, "My friend's life is really tough. She's the eldest child in her family, and her younger brother is spoiled and doesn't know any better. She has to work in the fields and cook for her family..."

Yu Xiaoyue felt a pang of sadness as she listened, recalling how she used to do farm work with her older siblings when she was little, even something as simple as picking fruit in the fall to sweeten the mouths of her family.

Chen Mian reached out and tucked a stray hair behind her ear, smiling faintly. "I don't have any grand ambitions. As long as I have enough to eat and wear, and can take good care of my parents, that's enough for me."

Chen Mian: "I think Xinjiang is in a good period of development right now. If I can make money here, I'll bring my parents to live with me..."

When Ji Yu got up, breakfast was already prepared. He looked at the food on the table with curiosity and asked, "What is this?"

"Yangyubula, you can also call it steamed vegetable. Remember to eat it with the dipping sauce," Chen Mian introduced.

"Vegetables can actually be steamed?" Ji Yu asked skeptically, picking up a bite with her chopsticks. She was immediately amazed by the texture of the potato fritters—the warmth of noodles combined with the freshness of vegetables. Paired with the perfect dipping sauce, it was simply irresistible.

"It's so delicious! I want to eat this again tomorrow." Ji Yu looked at Chen Mian and smiled shyly.

He doesn't have many other hobbies, except for enjoying good food. Back in the army, the meals were all from the same pot, and after a while, they got boring.

Unexpectedly, after being transferred to civilian work, he still ate in the company canteen every day and could only go home for a treat every weekend, which made him feel very frustrated.

Chen Mian smiled and looked at Ji Yu. She usually liked to think about making some new dishes when she had nothing to do at home, and she loved to meet people who ate with such gusto.

Yu Xiaoyue noticed this scene at the dinner table. She felt that the two children were a good match in every way, but she would not interfere and let the young people get along on their own.

After the three finished eating, they went to the farm together. Some of the workers were already working.

Most of the workers present were women, each with a headscarf wrapped around their head and a bamboo basket slung over their arm, picking the fruit with lightning speed.

Once a basket is full, they turn around and dump the fruit into a large basket by the roadside, which is then transported away by designated personnel.

Chen Mian picked up her small basket and joined in, while Ji Yu and Yu Xiaoyue went to their respective posts.

Ji Yu was strong and was in charge of carrying things, while Yu Xiaoyue was in charge of recording everyone's workload.

Chen Mian looked at the endless goji berry farm in front of her and thought that since it was her first day of picking, she would definitely not be as fast as others. She should focus on ensuring the quality first.

She'd gradually increase the speed once she got more skilled; after all, it's a job where the more you work, the more you earn. She was engrossed in her work when a woman next to her suddenly struck up a conversation.

"Are you new here, young lady?"

“Yes, it’s the first day.” Chen Mian nodded silently.

"I knew you didn't look familiar, but why did you come with Sister Yu and her son? Didn't you have a foreman with you?" Liu Juan asked curiously.

"Yes, I just happened to run into them," Chen Mian replied casually.

There are quite a few female workers here, and judging from this person's tone, everyone seems to be in small teams. Since I'm new here, I should be careful.

If they found out that he was not only introduced by Ji Yu, but also living directly in Yu Xiaoyue's house, who knows what kind of trouble would arise.

"Hey, did you know that Sister Yu's son is going on blind dates again?" Liu Juan whispered to Chen Mian, gossiping.

"You know, her son is tall and handsome, and has a good job, so why can't he find a girlfriend?"

Chen Mian kept grunting "uh-huh" as she worked, showing no interest in other people's gossip, while Liu Juan kept chattering on and on.

Liu Juan didn't care whether the other party's reply was perfunctory or not. She just kept talking while working, which was probably her way of passing the time.

Liu Juan: "I heard he was going on a blind date today, but I don't know why he's still working on the farm right now."

Today? Chen Mian couldn't help but look up in the direction where Ji Yu was...

A note from the author:

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1. Crucian carp: My family has the most variety of dishes, and it's the most delicious!

Little Cotton: Mine is the best!

Ji's mother: Smiling as she ships the couple

2. Crucian carp: Your cooking is so delicious, I want to eat it again tomorrow.

Little Cotton: People who love to cook like people who love to eat.

Ji's mother smiled and said, "You two are such a perfect match, aren't you going to ship you two?"

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The author tries to include a short skit in each chapter. PS, the female lead's name actually comes from the kapok flower, but calling her Little Cotton Flower is cuter!