Clean the pot and add soy sauce, light soy sauce, balsamic vinegar, oyster sauce, and sugar. Add a handful of Sichuan peppercorns and fennel seeds, bring to a boil, turn off the heat, and let cool.

Drain the water that comes out of the cucumber strips, wash them with water to remove the salt, and drain them. Layer the cucumber strips, chili segments, ginger slices, and garlic slices in a glass jar. Pour the cooled brine into the glass jar, add white wine, seal the jar, put the lid on, and pour a bowl of water into the sealing compartment to seal it. The pickled cucumbers are now ready to eat in three days!

Seeing that there was still time, and that I could pickle another batch of green beans, I found another jar, washed it clean and drained it. I took a basket to the backyard and picked two large baskets of green beans, removed the heads and stems, washed them clean and drained them.

Press the green beans into clumps in a jar, weigh them down with a clean, large stone, add boiled and cooled water (enough to cover the beans), cover the jar, and let them ferment naturally. You can eat the pickled green beans in a week at most.

While there was nothing else to do, I found the fishing nets in the storeroom, patched up the broken parts, checked the crab traps, fixed the broken parts, checked all the frequently used tools, and repaired those that needed fixing. Then I put on my basket, locked the gate, and went to the orchard.

I haven't been back since I finished picking the pears. After a day of scorching sun, the field is now open to people. I carefully gathered up the dead branches and fallen leaves under the trees, put them in my basket, carried them out of the field, and dumped them by the roadside.

Find the pear tree whose roots are sprouting new shoots. Leave only five or six strong branches on each large tree and remove all the smaller ones. Lay the strong branches flat on the ground, dig a trench 3 cm deep and 30 cm long, bury the middle of the branch in the trench, cover it with a thick layer of soil and tamp it down firmly, and let it take root naturally.

I pressed down on more than a dozen trees and over 70 branches. If they all take root, I can transplant 70 trees next year.

It was almost seven o'clock when Chen Hong finished her work. She carried the basket on her back and ran home quickly. After changing her clothes and shoes and washing her hands, she took a bass to the old house to pick up her child.

She left the sea bass with her father, took her son home, and first helped him wash and change his clothes. His clothes were filthy from playing with his friends all day. While the child watched cartoons in the living room, Chen Hong quickly started making dinner.

I steamed some rice, stir-fried some hot and sour shredded potatoes, steamed a grouper, and made a loofah and egg soup. Half an hour later, the mother and daughter were eating dinner.

"Mom, this fish is delicious! Did you catch it at sea?"

"Yes, son, this is what Mom caught. Look how fresh and delicious it is. Eat more, it's nutritious and will help you grow taller."

"Mom, are you tired from going out to sea by yourself? How many fish did you catch?" The son was also concerned about his mother's fishing trip.

"Mom isn't tired. If I feel tired, I'll row back. I won't go far; I'll stay very close to the shore. Don't worry, son. I did go home for lunch, but I got back a little late. I knew you had already eaten at Grandpa's, so I didn't pick you up at noon. In the afternoon, Mom did some work in the orchard. Are you upset that I went to pick you up too late?"

"No, Mom, I won't get thirsty or hungry at Grandpa's house, and I'll have other children to play with. You can go to work and earn money without worry. Mom needs to earn money to send you to college."

"Mom needs to earn more money to support her son's college education. We also want to buy a big house and a big car. If you study hard, Mom will support you to go abroad in the future. As long as you are successful, Mom will support you."

Chen Hong chatted with her son, "When we have money in the future, Mom will take you traveling all over the country. When you go to university and learn English, Japanese, French, and other languages, we'll go to America, England, Japan, and France. We'll stay wherever you like for a while, okay?"

"Okay, of course! I haven't been anywhere else except to my grandma's house!"

Do you miss your grandma?

"I didn't think about it. If I did, I would have called. I've memorized my grandma's phone number."

“My son is so smart. We can go to Grandma’s house for Chinese New Year. If the weather is good, we’ll go to Grandma’s house for Chinese New Year this year. Do you like that?” Chen Hong asked her son.

"If Mom likes me, then I like you too. If Mom wants to go, then we'll go to Grandma's house for Chinese New Year."

"Okay, we'll listen to our son then. Wherever he wants to spend the New Year, that's where we'll spend it, okay, honey?" The son smiled happily. Mom is the best; she listens to everything he says.

"Oh dear, Mom, I forgot something today."

"What's wrong? I don't remember." "We forgot to collect the eggs." Chen Hong was stunned. Indeed, they had been so busy today that they had forgotten to collect the eggs.

"We'll clean up when we get back. Let's go collect the eggs first. You take the flashlight and I'll carry the basket."

The mother and daughter went to the chicken coop in the backyard with flashlights. They collected 11 chicken eggs and 5 duck eggs today, which is not bad. These chickens and ducks are quite diligent. They won't eat them for a while and will let them lay eggs!