By daybreak, the temperature had dropped by about ten degrees. The sun was still hanging in the sky, but the light it emitted was not as glaring as before. The temperature of thirty degrees Celsius was a rare cool breeze for the three siblings.
"Sister Xia Xia, it's drizzling outside." Lin Yi ran back to the house from the yard with excitement on his face, announcing the good news loudly.
Ningxia curved her eyebrows and said, "Come on, let's move the vegetables out of the bathroom and let them get some fresh air."
The gentle drizzle hitting the withered leaves seemed to bring them back to life. The onions, peppers, and ginger planted in Ningxia had practically stopped growing for the past three months, but miraculously, they were still alive. Once the scorching sun month had passed, the next three months would be the perfect climate for growing vegetables.
Ningxia had no time to think about sowing. The weather was getting cooler, and although Sangsang felt much better, her appetite was still weak. This trip was imperative. She racked her brains to think about what supplies she could bring with her, ideally enough to treat Sangsang and still have some left over to exchange for food.
Ningxia looked toward the river, and a part of her heart finally relaxed. Fortunately, the river hadn't completely dried up yet, and the scorching sun month had passed. By the time they returned from their trip, the water level would have risen, and they wouldn't have to worry about the water supply.
"Sister Xia Xia, let me help you."
Ningxia had reactivated the earthen stove in the yard. They'd been so busy on the road, she'd definitely had no time to cook. She had to stock up on dry food. The journey from home to the trading post would take at least two days, and there were also the allied troops at the outposts. Although they didn't have to come along, Ningxia still stocked up.
The few dried Ningxia meats at home were soaked and torn into shreds. The few remaining chilies at home were ground and stir-fried with shredded ginger and minced garlic. The palm-sized jar was filled with spicy shredded pork.
Ningxia also soaked three pounds of dried bamboo shoots, cut them into dices, added a little lard and a large bowl of chopped chives, fried them until fragrant, put them into a bowl and sealed it. When you want to eat them, just scoop some out and heat them up. It is fragrant and convenient.
Ningxia made about thirty multi-grain steamed buns for the main course, each one filled with solid ingredients. After finishing the pot, there was almost no multi-grain flour left in the house.
There were less than 220 kilograms of whole grains left at home. They ate less fine grains, but it wasn't much anyway. Ningxia had originally planned to exchange her food for a year's supply at the trading post, but she never skimped on food at home; she always ate as much as she could. Furthermore, when Li Gang and his friends helped out at home, Ningxia wasn't stingy either. Besides the food they brought with them, she also contributed whatever she could. For five or six men in their prime, that was no joke.
Now all that was left at home was food. The vegetables were all wilting in the basins. The dried bamboo shoots and mushrooms had been packed up and taken away, and the meat was even worse. The dried fish and meat combined had less than ten pounds left. If they didn't bring any food back from this trip, they would have to roam the mountains and fields non-stop for the next three months to scrape together enough food for the cold months.
Ningxia was worried but did not hesitate. Sangsang's body was seriously injured and needed treatment. She didn't believe that he would starve to death while guarding these mountains by himself.
Ningxia spent a whole day slaving over the stove, finally preparing the meals for their outing. Lin Yi also busied himself packing two exquisite furs from the wall of the small house next door and placing them in his luggage bag. As for the exquisite embroidery, Ningxia left it alone, waiting to find out more about it this time. Maomao couldn't carry so much stuff.
It wasn't until dusk fell that the siblings finally had some free time. By then, the temperature had dropped to around 25 degrees Celsius, a mere day. Ningxia fetched most of the remaining water from the house, washed the two children thoroughly, and changed them into clean clothes before finally settling back into the large bed in the bedroom. As for the dirty clothes? We'll deal with them when we get back.
After sleeping on the carpet for three months in a row, Ningxia felt so comfortable returning to the mattress that her bones, which had become hardened from sleeping, became soft again.
"How much did Sangsang eat today?" Ningxia asked Lin Yi softly.
"I drank half a bowl of porridge in the morning and half a bowl of porridge in the afternoon."
Ningxia frowned and said nothing more. The little girl had become particularly sleepy since she fell ill, and she had already fallen asleep, completely unaware of her older siblings' worries.
After a busy day, Lin Yi and Ning Xia fell into a deep sleep filled with worry. The three siblings had easily adjusted to their reversed day and night schedule. Outside the courtyard, the cicadas' chirping, which had been absent for three months, returned, bringing a touch of life to the quiet courtyard.
It was still late at night when Ningxia got out of bed in the dark. She hadn't slept in such a comfortable temperature for a long time. She almost couldn't get up. Even Lin Yi, who was always alert, just turned over and slept even more deeply.
Ningxia was cooking white rice porridge over a low fire. She chopped up the last bit of lard and set it aside for later use. She also pulled out several stalks of the bok choy that she and Lin Yi had been reluctant to eat.
This porridge was made for the siblings. Sangsang's appetite had always been poor, and after being sick, she couldn't eat much of whole grains. As for Lin Yi, he was far too sensible. Although only thirteen, he shouldered almost half the burden of the family. Ningxia could imagine him stubbornly pursing his lips, refusing to eat the porridge. Her eyebrows curved, her eyes filled with heartache. The journey was a long one, and Sangsang could still have Maomao carry her, but Lin Yi couldn't. Traveling was no different than staying at home, and she just wanted her brother to eat better when possible.
When the hot oil residue and cabbage porridge was ready, Ningxia put it all into the big thermos bucket. Now everyone had enough food.
Ningxia checked the pots of vegetables that had drunk enough rain water and were moved back to the bathroom. She couldn't help but sigh at their lush vitality. In just one day, they had returned to their vibrant state as they were before the scorching sun month.
Ningxia placed the candles, squatted down, and began to pull out the vegetables. Yes, pull out the vegetables. There wasn't much cabbage at home, and it was more than enough for three people, so she didn't touch it. However, the leeks, except for the few that were planted later, were not growing well. The first three leeks had already become large round disks.
Except for a circle around the edges that were a little burnt yellow, the rest of the roots took a day to recover and turned back to their lush green appearance.
Ningxia carefully cut off the roots at the bottom, leaving only a small stump in the soil. The leeks, with mud on them and distinct roots, had an extremely strong smell.
Ningxia squatted until his waist almost broke, and harvested five bunches of leeks weighing about one kilogram. Although the quantity was small, Ningxia knew how expensive fresh vegetables would be in the first few days after the scorching sun month.
She happily put the bundled leeks roots facing downwards into a bucket filled with a little water, sealed the bucket with a plastic bag and placed it under the eaves, just waiting to put the leeks on Maomao.
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