Chapter 263 251: Getting Better

The Zhou family applied enough fertilizer to the sweet potatoes they planted, so the sweet potatoes they dug out were all very big. After only digging two acres of land, they piled up like a small mountain.

The big sweet potatoes are picked out and cut into small pieces. They are then ground, filtered, and precipitated in a stone mill to make sweet potato vermicelli and starch. The small ones are kept for family consumption, and the smaller ones are washed, dried, stored, and cooked to feed pigs.

After the sweet potato vines are brought back and dried, they have to be taken to the rice mill of Fangtian Brigade, where there is a special machine for grinding straw bran, which is used to grind the sweet potato vines into bran powder to feed the pigs.

The four sisters-in-law and their children were busy for two days before they finished digging up all the sweet potatoes. The next step was to pull up the bean stalks, pick pumpkins, and cut pumpkin vines.

The old pumpkins can be kept and eaten slowly, and the young pumpkins that cannot be eaten will be cut into thin slices and dried. People nowadays will never waste any food.

The next day was the 16th. After dinner, Zhou Huaian said to his father, "Old man, I will go to Ning'an to drive a tractor back early tomorrow morning."

"Also, Yiding said he wanted to buy some firecrackers to set off as a celebration. Do you think we should invite Huaigang and the others?"

Father Zhou thought for a moment and said, "Forget it. Let's not let them spend money. I'll invite them to drink when the car comes back."

"Yes!" Zhou Huaian looked at the old man, "Grandpa, you should come with me tomorrow and have your eyes checked."

The old man waved his hand cheerfully, "No need to go, my eyes have gotten much better these days!"

Father Zhou thought about how the old man had been helping to burn the kiln and how smoke and fire had been burning all day long, and he was worried, "Old man, just go with the youngest and take a look at his new tractor."

Zhou's mother also said, "Old man, you should go with Huai'an to have a look, so that we can feel more at ease."

"Grandpa, why don't you go and drive the new tractor back with the youngest brother? It will be so glorious!"

Seeing everyone say so, the old man nodded happily, "Okay, then I'll go with the youngest and drive the tractor back!"

After the discussion, they went back to their rooms. Yang Chunyan said, "Huaian, bring back some white fungus and brown sugar. I'll make white fungus jelly for Jiaming and the others."

Zhou Huaian smiled and walked over to her and hugged her, "I want to eat too!"

"Yours is not enough!"

"I'm not talking about ice powder!"

Yang Chunyan reached out and pinched him hard, "Go away~ Ugh... Ugh..."

The next morning, Zhou Huaian, feeling refreshed, took the old man and met up with Zhou Yiding who was waiting on the roadside. The three of them rode their bikes to Ning'an.

He went to the guesthouse to hand in the food first. When the old man saw the plump and white Huang Yongcai, he said gratefully, "Thank you, Mr. Huang! Thank you! Thanks to you, the things in the mountains have become money!"

"Grandpa, you're too polite! If the vegetables you sent were not good, I wouldn't dare to buy them! To be honest, your vegetables are much better than what I buy at the market.

Even the chef and the helpers in the institute said that the dishes were good and that they were clean, not only were they cleaned, but they were also washed clean!"

The old man responded repeatedly: "Of course, of course!"

After some pleasantries, Huang Yongcai took out two red firecrackers and said to Zhou Huaian with a smile, "The agricultural machinery station is not open yet. When we go to pick up the tractor later, let's set off firecrackers to celebrate."

"Thank you, Brother Huang." Zhou Huaian took it with a smile, "I'll hand over the herbs first and come back to see you."

"Yes! Just call me later."

The three of them pushed their bicycles to Deshengtang. Doctor Wang was already seeing patients. The old man went to the clinic to see his eyes, and Zhou Huaian and Zhou Yiding delivered herbs to the backyard.

The herbs sent this time were all dried herbs, including rejuvenating grass, clover, as well as plantain, dandelion and other herbs sent by villagers.

As soon as Wang Zhen saw Zhou Huaian, he smiled and said, "I've bought all the things you asked me to buy. Do you want to take them back today or when will you pick them up?"

Zhou Yiding glanced at him and wondered what this guy was buying now?

Zhou Huaian was overjoyed when he heard this, "I came here to pick up the tractor today, and I took it back by the way."

Zhou Yiding and Chao Tianjiao got engaged in the eighth month of the lunar calendar and planned to hold their wedding in the second half of the year. He discussed with Yang Chunyan and decided to give Zhou Yiding a sewing machine as a gift.

Wang Zhen laughed and said, "Oh, so you picked up the tractor today! I have to buy you two firecrackers to celebrate!"

"You should come with me to my house and play!"

"Next time, when you open up the barren hills and plant herbs, I'll come to your house to take a look."

Zhou Huaian thought it would be a good idea to go there when the herbs are grown. By then, the new house will be completed and there will be a place to live. "Then it's a deal! You must come to my house to take a look when the time comes!"

"Keep your word."

At this point, Zhou Huaian thought of something else, "Doctor Xiao Wang, I don't have much money with me. I can only bring you the money you paid for me to buy things next time."

Wang Zhen smiled and waved his hands, "It's okay, I'm not afraid that you'll run away!"

"That's right!" Zhou Huaian said with a smile, "My brothers know that you help me carry things, and they are clamoring for it!"

"Okay! Most of the trucks they come to get the herbs are empty. Ask them to give me a list of what I need, and it's just a matter of taking a few things along the way."

After hearing this, Zhou Huaian looked at Zhou Yiding and said, "Did you hear that? Think about what else you need? Make a list and ask Doctor Wang to buy it for you from the provincial capital."

Zhou Yiding's eyes lit up after hearing this, and he looked at Wang Zhen, "Doctor Wang, I want to buy a tape recorder! And two fully automatic watches, can I buy them too?"

Wang Zhen smiled and nodded, "We need tickets to buy these things here, but in the provincial capital, there are private shops that sell them without tickets!"

"Great!" Zhou Yiding looked at him happily, "Then please bring me a tape recorder and two Seiko automatic watches."

Wang Zhen said, "Do you need it urgently? You may not get it until next month!"

Zhou Yiding: "It's okay, it's only needed during the National Day."

Wang Zhen: "Okay, I'll give him the order after the master finishes loading the truck."

Zhou Huaian smiled and said, "Doctor Xiao Wang, I think it's a pity that the shop next to your house is closed. You should also go and get some things to sell, so that people like us who don't have industrial tickets won't be unable to buy anything."

Wang Zhen thought for a moment and said, "You're right. I'll think about it."

Zhou Huaian and another person carried the herbs to the scale and weighed them. Wang Zhen went in, opened the door to the main room for him, and moved the sewing machine.

Zhou Huaian bought a radio for the old man, watches for Zhou's father and mother, and an automatic watch for Yang Chunyan. They were all Shanghai brands, and the sewing machine was a Bee brand.

After seeing the sewing machine, Zhou Yiding slapped his head and said, "Oh! How could I have forgotten to buy Little Bees? Doctor Xiao Wang..."

"Ding Ding Cat!" Zhou Huaian interrupted him, "You don't have to buy it. Your sister-in-law and I bought this one for you!"

"You gave me a sewing machine?" Zhou Yiding scratched his ears. "Dude, did I hear you right? Why did you give me such an expensive thing?"

"Your sister-in-law and I will give you a gift for your wedding!" Zhou Huaian said while looking at him with a smile.

Zhou Yiding thought about the last time he got married, he just gave him a pair of thermoses and a pair of enamel pots. He scratched his head and looked at him, "Brother, your gift is too..."

"You are so young, why do you have so much nonsense? I tell you, if you dare not accept it, I will break up with you!"

(End of this chapter)