The sun slowly rose to the center of the sky, and the temperature reached its highest point of the day. Most of the villagers' steps slowed down. In the group, only the sound of footsteps and heavy breathing could be heard, but no voices were heard.
Yun Yiyi wiped the sweat from her face and continued walking. Her clothes were soaked with sweat and stuck to her. Her feet slammed into the scorching ground, aching and sore. Fortunately, after a few days of walking, her feet had calluses and no longer blisters, which would have been fatal. Yun Yiyi exercised every night, and her physical fitness had improved significantly. She figured she would have no problem making it to lunchtime today.
She looked at the donkey cart. Third and Second Brother Yun were taking turns driving. One would drive while the other would walk, lightening the load on the donkey. Eldest Brother Yun was walking, while Butcher Yun and Zhang were pushing the cart. Yun Yiyi walked over to Zhang and stood on tiptoe to wipe her sweat.
Zhang's face flushed red from the heat. Seeing Yiyi wiping her sweat, she smiled at her. Yun Yiyi also wiped Yun the butcher's sweat. They figured they wouldn't have much longer to walk before they needed to rest. They had already walked about twenty miles.
"Okay, everyone push the car to the woods beside the official road and rest for two hours, then we will set off again. However, everyone must watch the children and don't run around. Uncle Wu will make some medicine to relieve the heat in a while, and one person from each family can take it back and give it to the children. In addition, Uncle Wu doesn't charge for the medicinal materials, but he doesn't have much water left after making the medicine, so when you go to get the medicine, remember to bring some water for Uncle Wu. The amount is up to everyone's preference." The village chief said to everyone while standing by the roadside.
"Okay, Village Chief." A weak voice sounded. The Village Chief waved his hand and went to rest.
Butcher Yun found a large tree with ample shade, enough for his cart and donkey. He and his children pulled the weeds and picked up the small stones beneath the tree. They tied a broom from the weeds and gave the ground a quick sweep. They spread out a mat and prepared to sleep for a while.
Zhang gathered some rocks nearby, built a stove, and placed a large iron pot on it. Butcher Yun and the three Yun brothers had gathered plenty of firewood, just enough for cooking. It was too hot, and although everyone was hungry, they had no appetite. Zhang put a spoonful of lard in the pot and waited for it to melt, releasing its aroma. She then cut a plate of pickled radish and sauerkraut from the previous soaking and added them to the pot, stir-frying. Once the sauerkraut was fragrant, she added water and brought it to a boil.
Hot weather makes sour food a good appetite. Besides, there were very few edible vegetables to eat during this famine. Even wild vegetables were hard to find. After the water boiled, Zhang broke up the pancakes and added them to the pot, adding a spoonful of salt before serving. This way, she had both soup and vegetables, which was filling and delicious. After the soup cooled, each of them grabbed a bowl and began to eat.
"Mom, it tastes better with lard."
"Mom, do we have enough lard?"
"Mom, how long can we last with our lard?"
"Mom, can you fry eggs with lard tonight and make soup with it? It will definitely taste good that way."
Yun Yiyi and the three brothers of the Yun family asked one by one.
"There is still one jar, enough for one meal. Okay, keep your voices down. It's because there are no other refugees where we are staying today. Otherwise, we wouldn't dare put lard in it. It's too fragrant and can be easily snatched away." Zhang whispered to the child.
"Yes, yes. Mother, we won't talk anymore." The children were delighted to hear there was still a jar of lard. Yun Yiyi's family usually ate peanut oil. Sometimes, butcher Wu would bring back some fat, and Zhang would refine the fat, cool it, and store it in a jar, which would last for a long time.
Usually, when stir-frying vegetables or making soup, adding a spoonful of this oil is so fragrant. Zhang would chop the oil residue from the oil, add chives, and make dumplings for the children, or make it into a vegetable box. No matter how it was prepared, it was very fragrant.
Normally, Yun the Butcher's family never had to worry about meat. He would sell meat in town and bring back some every day, sometimes it was hard-to-sell pig offal, sometimes it was lean meat. Unlike before the apocalypse, the lower-class people here loved fat meat; it was fragrant and juicy, and they could refine the oil, and the fat residue was delicious, so it wasn't wasted.
Yun Yiyi remembered that people before the apocalypse didn't like fatty meat. Fatty meat was slow to sell at butcher shops; lean meat was the fastest seller. They said eating fatty meat would make you fat, and you should eat more lean meat. Yun Yiyi remembered eating braised pork belly back then, and they wouldn't eat the fatty meat, just the lean meat. Now, if she could go back in time, Yun Yiyi felt like she could eat six pieces of braised pork belly in one sitting, and she'd want the fatty kind that melted in her mouth. She couldn't think about it anymore; her mouth was watering.
"We should be able to reach the provincial capital this afternoon. If we can enter the city, I will go there to buy things. You can calculate what our family still needs, and I will buy it back then." Yun the Butcher and Zhang said.
"Boss, if the price of grain isn't too high, buy more. Wheat, corn, sweet potatoes, soybeans, potatoes are all fine, as long as it's edible. Last year's grain is fine too. We don't care, we can eat anything.
Also, buy some extra salt and oil. Add some seasonings for cooking, and if you see ginger, buy more. Ginger will be very useful later when the weather gets cold. Also, go to the fabric store and if they have cotton, buy 40 kilograms of it. We're running low on winter quilts, so we need to make another one. Everyone should also stock up on cotton clothes."
"As for the rest, you can buy whatever you see that we need."
"Okay, I've got that. When the time comes, you take the child with you, keep an eye on our car, and stay with the village team. Don't leave alone. I estimate that there are a large number of refugees at the gate of the city, and they can be dispersed if they are not careful. So many refugees gathered together, and if they get separated, it will not be easy to find them." Butcher Yun then instructed Zhang and the child.
"Dad, I want to go to the provincial capital with you to take a look. I haven't been there yet, and I want to see what the provincial capital looks like." Yun Yiyi said coquettishly while shaking Yun the Butcher's arm.
"Yiyi, good girl, don't go. If you go with us, what if you get lost accidentally? Let's not go. Let's wait for your father outside." Zhang coaxed Yun Yiyi.
"Mom, Mom, please let me go. I'm strong and can help my dad get things. Also, I can run fast and help my dad keep watch."
"Okay, then Yiyi and I will go to the city. She's smart and can help me a lot. You three, forget it. Stay home with your mother. You're grown up, and you're still thinking about going out to play." Butcher Yun interrupted the three Yun brothers before they could finish their words. He glared at them again. Three ignorant brats. Haha, today was another day when Butcher Yun couldn't resist Yun Yiyi's coquettishness.
The three Yun brothers exchanged glances and fell silent. In the Yun family, Zhang had the final say on minor matters, but Yun the Butcher had the final say on major matters. Zhang also took care of the children. However, Zhang didn't spank the children; it was usually Yun the Butcher who did. The three Yun brothers had been spanked since childhood. Yun Yiyi was the only one in the Yun family who hadn't been spanked. Yun Yiyi was also the most favored.
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