Su He covered her mouth and laughed when she heard this.

"It hurts your butt, doesn't it? You're not used to it the first time. People like us who have been using it since we were kids don't feel the pain anymore."

Lin Jingyan listened with a helpless expression, and then couldn't help but ask, "Actually, I understand that people in the countryside might be reluctant to use toilet paper because they want to save money, but I don't understand why they have to use corncobs? Can't they use corn husks?"

"Corn leaves?" Su He asked, puzzled. Those things have prickles; wouldn't they hurt even more?

"I mean the husks inside the corn, the white ones that wrap around the corn."

Lin Jingyan explained it to her, and Su He immediately understood.

"Oh, you mean that? That's corn husks, that's a rare and valuable thing! How can we waste it on wiping our bottoms?"

Seeing that Lin Jingyan still didn't understand, Su He thought for a moment and asked, "We raise a few cows in our village. In the summer, it's fine because they have fresh grass to eat, but in the winter, when it snows outside, what do you think they eat?"

"What should we eat?" Lin Jingyan asked, puzzled. He hadn't really thought about this question.

“Cattle are easy to raise; they can eat both wet and dry grass. But they get tired of eating the same thing all the time, so we need to change things up occasionally. The corn husks serve that purpose; they are a rare delicacy for cattle.”

Lin Jingyan listened thoughtfully, "I understand, so you're reluctant to use the corn husks inside to wipe...that, you're saving them for the cows?"

"That's not all. Corn husks have other uses too. You'll find out tomorrow. Alright, go to sleep now. Aren't you going to work with Grandpa and the others tomorrow? You have to get up early."

Seeing that Su He lay down halfway through her speech, Lin Jingyan had no choice but to lie down as well.

However, the next morning, he learned what the other use Su He had mentioned was.

Lin Jingyan was stunned when he saw the cornmeal rations wrapped in wet corn husks.

Su He, standing to the side, covered her mouth and laughed, "Hurry up and eat it! This cornmeal is mixed with wheat flour, so it tastes better than cornmeal that's all cornmeal. We usually don't eat like this at home. We only eat something good to improve our health during the autumn harvest when we're too tired."

Lin Jingyan reached out and took one. Seeing that the other members of the Su family were eating with great relish, and remembering that he had actually wanted to use the corn husks for *that* last night, he felt a little reluctant to eat it.

Seeing his expression, Su He knew what he was thinking and explained to him, "The dry food steamed on corn husks won't stick to the pot, it won't stick to your hands, and it's easier to eat. Of course, in the city, people usually use gauze, but in the countryside, they can't afford to use cloth for this. They even have to use corn husks sparingly, since the majority of the money has to be saved for the cattle, and each household can only get a little bit."

Hearing her say that, Lin Jingyan finally understood the importance of the corn husk.

Seeing that everyone was enjoying their meal, he opened his mouth and ate as well.

The taste was so-so; he couldn't taste the flour. But at least it wasn't hard and was filling. Eating it would give him the energy to work and he wouldn't get tired so easily.

After breakfast, Suhe stayed home to look after the children and cook, while everyone else, adults and children alike, went to the fields.

Su He originally wanted to go too, but Grandma Su wouldn't allow it. She was already a city dweller and her household registration wasn't here, so she couldn't remember her work points.

Lin Jingyan was in the same boat, but he was helping other family members with their work.

Su He's refusal was ineffective, so she had no choice but to stay.