Chapter 50 Digging and Chopping Wood
Halfway through the first lunar month, the weather is getting warmer day by day. People who have been staying at home for the winter come out one after another. Men go to the fields to inspect the situation there, and women go into the vegetable gardens and start to renovate the vegetable fields that have been abandoned for the winter.
One evening, Sui Yu also walked into her own vegetable patch. The patch, cultivated before winter, had become solid again after the thaw. She walked to the east side of the fence and lifted the hay covering the leeks. As the hay was lifted, a warm, damp air, tinged with decaying grass residue, hit her face. Sui Yu turned away, waiting for the wind to carry away the stench before she returned. Beneath the hay were branches with splayed branches, leaving ample room for the leeks to grow.
"What's covering your vegetable patch?" Mrs. Du from the neighboring patch came over and said, "It's been covered all winter. Every time I come here, I want to lift it up and take a look."
"We dug up the leek roots in the fall, and Xiping brought some hay to cover them when it snowed." Sui Yu frowned. She grabbed a handful of rotten leek leaves and asked, "Auntie, why are my leeks rotten?"
"It's because of the cold. The leaves of leeks rot in winter, but start to grow leaves again in spring." Mrs. Du sighed. She thought to herself that Mr. Zhao had married such a wife, and she didn't know what kind of life he would live. She couldn't even grow vegetables, and I heard she couldn't even sew clothes.
"Chives are very resilient. They can survive even if their leaves are rotten. Remove all the grass and branches, and sweep away the rotten leaves. In February or March, they will sprout leaves." Mrs. Du had nothing to do for the time being, so she kindly taught Sui Yu the seasons for planting vegetables. "It doesn't matter if the leek roots freeze to death. If you don't mind the trouble, just sow the chive seeds and wait for them to sprout and take root. If you don't mind the trouble, go to the riverside and dig them up and plant them there. In mid-February, when the grass sprouts, you can buy some radish seeds and sow them in the fields. That's the same time to plant garlic sprouts."
"Older people are wiser. I don't understand anything, but you make perfect sense. I've taken note. From now on, I'll follow you in growing vegetables. I'll grow whatever you grow." Sui Yu complimented her kindly. She listened, put down her machete, and lifted the damp, rotten straw over the fence, dragging the branches out as well. She then walked over and said, "We ate two crops of leeks after the snow last year. Aunt, you can also use hay to build a leek patch this year. During the New Year, you can steam some buns stuffed with leeks and eggs for a fresh treat."
"Are you serious?" asked Mrs. Du.
Sui Yu nodded and added, "If you take good care of it, you can even set up a stall to sell leeks when it snows. They're sure to sell well."
Mrs. Du's expression changed. She nodded at Sui Yu and said, "Good girl, you are kind and generous."
"Auntie taught me how to farm and she's a kindhearted person." Sui Yu smiled. She covered her mouth with her hand and whispered, "I'll only tell Auntie."
Mrs. Du was even happier. She put down her hoe and walked around to Sui Yu's vegetable garden. She grabbed a handful of soil and rubbed it in her palm, saying, "If the soil is not fertile, the vegetables won't grow well. You have camels at home and accumulated manure. Ask Captain Zhao to carry two loads of manure to spread on the vegetable garden to fertilize it. If there is another spring rain in a few days, your vegetable garden will be fertile enough for insects to grow, and the vegetables will grow well. In February, when the weather warms up, you can plant spring radishes. In April, you can eat radish leaves, and in June, you can eat radishes. After harvesting the radishes, you can turn the soil and fertilize it. In July, you can plant autumn radishes. When frost and snow come, you can harvest them and keep them for the winter. You won't have to buy vegetables all year round."
Sui Yu thanked him again and said, "That's why they say that an old person in the family is like a treasure. My mother-in-law lives far away, and without the guidance of an old lady, we young couple have been living in a muddle."
Mrs. Du felt that the words spoken by Sui Yu were particularly pleasant to the ears. After chatting with her for a while, she felt relaxed from head to toe. On her way back, she made a special detour to talk to Sui Yu all the way.
"Let's put it this way. Tomorrow I'll go digging and call you. I'll teach you how to till the soil."
"Okay, Aunt Du, I'll wait for you at home tomorrow." Sui Yu took out the key and opened the door, saying, "Would you like to come in and have a drink of water?"
"I'm not thirsty. I'm going back to cook." Mrs. Du pointed eastward and said, "My home is in Shiqitun. If you have any questions, just ask me. Just say Dongzi's grandmother. Everyone in our alley knows me."
"Oh." Sui Yu agreed crisply.
The old woman next door heard the noise and came out to see what was happening. Sui Yu nodded at her and then closed the door. She hung the scimitar on the door, washed her hands, and went into the kitchen to cook.
"Meow——" The cat official came out from the stove hole, with black ash rubbed on its fur. It shook its fur, and the room was filled with dust.
"Go, go, go, go out and shake it." Sui Yu chased it away with a stick, and she followed him out to hide. "It's such a nice day, why are you hiding in the stove hole? Let's go up the mountain with Liang Ge'er to find a dead tree tomorrow."
The cat official ignored her and squatted on the stone with sleepy eyes to take care of himself. When the lid of the pot in the kitchen made a sound, he immediately became alert. Seeing two hens running in from the hole under the earthen wall, he flew over and pounced on the chickens.
"Cluck, cluck, cluck—" The hens flew all over the yard in fright.
"Cat Officer!" Sui Yu ran out clutching a watering can. "Do you want to be beaten?"
The cat official scurried up to the top of the wall and wagged his tail condescendingly.
Sui Yu glared at it, turned around and went into the woodshed to grab a handful of bean dregs, mixed them with the rice residue and vegetable leaves and roots left over from washing the pot at noon to feed the chickens.
The soybeans sprouted after being soaked. Sui Yu drained the water and poured the beans and millet into the pot to cook. She held the bean sprouts and picked them while soaking them and lighting the fire.
The sun set and the weather turned cold. Zhao Xiping carried dry firewood and took Sui Liang down the mountain. After the two camels had eaten their fill, they lay down at the foot of the mountain and waited. They did not move even when they saw people coming.
"Climb up by yourself." Zhao Xiping raised his chin. He tied two bundles of firewood to both sides of the camel's belly, patted the dust off his body, walked to the other camel, wrapped Sui Liang with wolf skin, tied a hemp rope, and then sat on it himself.
The people sat down, the camel stood up, and the camel carrying firewood also stood up. A whistle was blown, and the two camels ran towards home together.
…
The cat on the wall suddenly cried out, and Sui Yu looked over. She heard the sound of a camel's hooves, and when she saw the cat jump off the wall, she knew it was her camel that had returned. She put down the bucket in her hand and strode over to open the door.
"I'll know as soon as you get back." She smiled smugly.
Zhao Xiping glanced at the cat official, then looked at her, and led the camel into the house without saying a word.
The door was closed again. The yard felt warm and Zhao Xiping relaxed. He lifted Sui Liang down and took the bundle of firewood off the camel's back. The two camels grunted twice, walked straight into the pen and knelt in the sand pit.
Sui Yu peeled off the wolf skin and placed it on a stone to shake off the dust. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw a man washing his face with cold water. She hurriedly shouted, "I have hot water."
"I use cold water."
"There's hot water." Sui Yu ran in to scoop some hot water into the basin. She stood aside and asked, "Which is more comfortable, hot water or cold water?"
The man said nothing.
"Brother Liang, come wash up too. Once you're clean, you two can take a rest. The porridge is ready. I'll stir-fry some bean sprouts and we can eat."
Zhao Xiping wiped his face and went inside to light the fire. He sat in front of the stove and added wood. As the flames shot up, he stumbled and looked up to see Sui Yu peering into the steamer with an oil pan in hand. The firelight illuminated half of her face, her vivid eyes half-hidden by a flutter of eyelashes. This kitchen seemed to suddenly have a calming effect. Zhao Xiping lowered his eyes to watch the fire, feeling reassured.
"The leeks were frozen and rotten, so I didn't make soup noodles. We'll have bean porridge tonight. I cooked it thick, so you can eat more to keep yourself from getting hungry." Sui Yu said as he poured oil.
"good."
Add garlic sprouts to oil and stir-fry, then add bean sprouts. When the bean sprouts are cooked, stir-fry over high heat. Once a piece of firewood is burned out, remove from the pan and serve.
"Brother Liang, eat."
The cat official rushed in first, and Sui Yu took the opportunity to hold it down and pat it twice, "I told you not to pounce on the chickens and make trouble."
Zhao Xiping stood up to serve the rice.
With half a pot of bean porridge and a plate of bean sprouts, a family of three sat in front of the warm stove, eating and chatting. No matter how strong the cold wind was at night, it could not blow into this dimly lit little house.
Work at sunrise and rest at sunset.
At dawn, Zhao Xiping took Sui Liang and Mao Guan to the mountains to chop firewood. Sui Yu stayed at home with Mrs. Du to dig the vegetable garden. Sometimes Zhao Xiping came back early, he would put down the firewood and go to the vegetable garden to dig. Sometimes Sui Yu got tired of digging and would spend half a day learning needlework with Sister Lamei. When she was bored, she would go up the mountain with her husband.
But every five days, she would disappear for one day.
After the first month of the year, the family's woodshed was filled with firewood, and Sui Yu's vegetable garden was also ready. She urged Zhao Xiping to take out the manure from the toilet and pour it into the vegetable garden while she was not at home.
"Aunt Du said it's going to rain in a few days, so you should go fertilize the fields while the weather is fine." Sui Yu was chopping stuffing and making dumplings again. She instructed, "Remember to boil water and take a bath after the manure is done, and wash your clothes before I come back."
Zhao Xiping looked at her coldly, thinking she was just being picky.
"What are you looking at? Because I'm beautiful?" Sui Yu smiled coquettishly.
Zhao Xiping sneered and said, "I'll go out for a walk."
"Where are you going?"
"I heard from Uncle Niu that someone's sheep gave birth. I'm going to go and ask around."
Sui Yu pointed at Sui Liang and said, "Take Brother Liang with you."
Zhao Xiping stopped outside the door and Sui Liang ran out quickly.
Sui Yu took a look and continued to make dumplings. After the dumplings were put into the pot, she went to close the door.
The fire was burning in the stove. Sui Yu scooped a bowl of pickled radish from the jar of pickled cabbage. She planned to cook a few bowls of sour soup in the evening instead of porridge.
As the sky darkened, Zhao Xiping pushed the door open and came in. He said as soon as he entered, "Sui Yu, Uncle Niu is here. He wants to have dinner at our house tonight so that he doesn't have to cook alone when he goes back."
Sui Yu came out of the kitchen and said, "Uncle Lao Niu hasn't been here for a long time. Come in and sit down. The buns are ready and the sour soup is ready."
"I'm sorry to trouble my niece-in-law." Uncle Niu handed over the bowl of millet in his hand.
"Just come, why bring rice?" Sui Yu looked at Zhao Xiping. Seeing him nod, she took the bowl and said, "You and Xiping are good friends, and we are not strangers. Don't bring food next time you come."
"You have a big family and it's not easy for you. I'm alone and can't finish all the food I'm given." Uncle Niu waved his hand and said, "Don't look at me because I'm old. I'm not a stingy person. I won't take advantage of anyone."
Sui Yu scooped up some hot water for them to wash their hands. She brought out two plates of buns and said with a smile, "Your life will be very carefree then. One person can feed the whole family."
Uncle Niu chuckled twice. He watched Sui Liang roll up his sleeves to wash his hands. He looked so cute, and the little boy was even prettier than a girl. He joked, "If you're willing to give me this child as a son, I'd be happy even if I went hungry."
Sui Liang looked at Sui Yu, and Sui Yu squinted at Zhao Xiping. Zhao Xiping immediately expressed his opinion: "You are dreaming before it gets dark. I will raise my brother-in-law by myself."
"You can recognize me as your godfather. I will send you a stone of grain every month." Uncle Niu looked at Sui Yu and said.
Sui Yu smiled and shook her head. She waved at Sui Liang, and when he came over, she put her arm around her brother's shoulders and said, "He's young and stupid. He can't even support himself, so he can't take care of you until the end of your life."
Zhao Xiping picked up a plate of buns and stuffed them into Uncle Niu's pocket. He pushed him out the door and said, "You old man, why are you so enthusiastic today? Go back to your own home."
Uncle Niu laughed loudly, weighed the plate, and said, "I'll bring it to you when I'm free."
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