The morning dew still clung to the tips of the grass blades on the back hill, like scattered diamonds. Lin Wanqiu walked through the thin mist toward the chicken shed. Ever since Shen Tingzhou helped reinforce the chicken shed, she had been getting up half an hour earlier than usual these past few days, her mind preoccupied with those few free-range chickens—according to the "Elementary Chicken Farming Manual," these days should be the time for them to lay eggs.
Passing through the sparse poplar grove, Lin Wanqiu could hear "clucking" sounds coming from the shed in the distance. It wasn't the usual soft chirping when foraging for food, but a loud sound filled with excitement. Lin Wanqiu's heart tightened, and she quickened her pace, her canvas shoes leaving a trail of shallow footprints as they stepped through the dew-covered mud.
As I approached the shed entrance, I saw a dark brown free-range chicken standing proudly in its nest, with three light brown eggs beside it. The eggshells were still covered with a few fine downy feathers, gleaming warmly in the morning light. Several other chickens surrounded it, occasionally stretching their necks to peck at the grass, as if celebrating their companion's arrival.
"It really laid an egg!" Lin Wanqiu squatted down, her fingertips gently touching the eggshell. The warm touch spread from her fingertips to her heart, making her eyes slightly moist. All the busyness of these past few days—feeding in the morning, cleaning in the evening, patrolling in the rain—had now brought the most tangible reward. She carefully picked up the egg and placed it in her bamboo basket, the dry grass at the bottom gently supporting it, as if afraid of breaking this hard-won treasure.
On the way back, the sunlight had already pierced through the thin mist, shining on the hillside and turning the grass and trees a bright green. Lin Wanqiu looked at the eggs in the bamboo basket, and her steps became lighter. If Nian'an saw these eggs, she would definitely jump for joy—this child had hardly ever eaten a whole egg in her life, except for the occasional taste of steamed egg custard during the New Year.
As soon as they reached the courtyard gate, they saw Shen Nian'an, wearing a little jacket, standing on tiptoe and looking outside. Seeing Lin Wanqiu return, he ran over like a little sparrow, his small hands tightly gripping her clothes: "Mom, why are you so late? We've been waiting for you for ages!"
Lin Wanqiu squatted down, held the bamboo basket in front of him, and smiled as she lifted the cloth covering it: "Nian'an, look, what's this?"
Shen Nian'an's eyes lit up instantly, like two stars falling from the sky. He reached out his little hand, gently touched the egg, and then quickly withdrew it, afraid of breaking it: "Mom, it's an egg! So many eggs! Did our chickens lay these?"
“Yes,” Lin Wanqiu patted his head, feeling a warmth in her heart as she looked at his surprised expression. “From now on, our chickens will lay eggs every day, and Nian’an can eat a boiled egg every day, okay?”
"Really?" Shen Nian'an's eyes widened in disbelief, her little hand tightly gripping Lin Wanqiu's. "Mom, am I dreaming? I can eat eggs every day from now on?"
“Of course it’s true,” Lin Wanqiu picked him up and kissed him on the cheek. “When have I ever lied to you? Come on, let’s go boil some eggs now.”
Shen Nian'an nestled in Lin Wanqiu's arms, his little head resting on her shoulder, his eyes fixed on the eggs in the bamboo basket, a wide smile spreading across his face. Lin Wanqiu carried her son into the kitchen, placed the eggs on the stove, and started a fire. Shen Nian'an sat on a small stool nearby, his chin propped up by his little hand, his eyes glued to the water in the pot, as if watching over the eggs, afraid they might escape.
The water gradually boiled, and Lin Wanqiu put the eggs into the pot and covered it with the lid. Shen Nian'an couldn't help but ask, "Mom, when will the eggs be ready? I can already smell the aroma."
"It'll be ready soon, just a little longer," Lin Wanqiu said with a smile. Actually, there was no fragrance yet; it was just that the child was so excited that he thought he could smell it.
While waiting, Shen Nian'an kept asking questions: "Mom, will the chickens lay more eggs?" "Can the eggs hatch into chicks?" "Can I help Mom feed the chickens in the future?" Lin Wanqiu patiently answered them one by one. Looking at the curiosity and expectation in her son's eyes, she felt gratified. This child used to be timid and didn't like to talk because of long-term malnutrition. Now, under her care, he has finally become cheerful and his eyes have the light that a child should have.
After a while, the eggs were cooked. Lin Wanqiu took one out, put it in cold water to chill it, and then peeled off the shell—the snow-white egg white wrapped around the golden yolk, emitting a faint fragrance. She handed the peeled egg to Chen Nian'an: "Eat it quickly, it's still warm."
Shen Nian'an took the egg with both hands, carefully took a bite, and the aroma of the yolk spread in his mouth. His eyes lit up, and he took another big bite, saying indistinctly, "Mom, it's so delicious! It's even better than the eggs Grandma gave to my uncle's brother during the New Year!"
Lin Wanqiu watched him wolf down his food, feeling both heartache and joy. She knew that this egg was more than just food to her; it represented hope for her and Nian'an's new life. She picked up an egg herself and ate it slowly, calculating in her mind—besides giving Nian'an one a day, she could save the rest. Once she had enough, she could take them to the commune to exchange for grain coupons or cloth, or keep some to hatch chicks and expand their breeding operation.
In the days that followed, the chickens laid eggs every day, sometimes two or three, sometimes four or five. Lin Wanqiu would boil an egg for Nian'an every day, sometimes a hard-boiled egg, sometimes a steamed egg custard, and sometimes she would make egg pancakes with eggs and flour. Shen Nian'an's complexion improved, her little face became rosy, and she became much stronger than before. Before, she would be out of breath after running a few steps, but now she could run and play with the other children in the village.
That morning, Lin Wanqiu was boiling eggs for Nian'an in the kitchen when she heard Zhang Lan's voice coming from the courtyard gate: "Wanqiu, are you home? I've come to borrow something from you."
Lin Wanqiu's heart skipped a beat—Zhang Lan rarely came to see her, so her sudden visit today couldn't be anything good. She took the eggs out of the pot, put them in a bowl, and then walked out of the kitchen: "Sister-in-law, did you need something?"
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