It wasn't until Yun Yiyi was almost three that the three Yun brothers finally started taking her out to play. This was mainly because the eldest brother was older and could either help Zhang work in the fields or help the butcher Yun in town tend the meat stall. He could act like a little adult.
Therefore, it was Brother Yun who took Yun Yiyi out to play the least, while Brothers Yun II and Yun III usually took her out to play the most. Yun Yiyi was very chubby when she was little, but later, after running around the mountains and plains with the Yun brothers, she lost a lot of weight. Her temperament also became more lively, and she no longer cried easily or complained to Zhang so often.
Moreover, Yun Yiyi was strong and wouldn't cry even when she lost a fight with other children. She usually called her two brothers to fight for her. With the two Yun brothers keeping her in check, no other boys would bully her. However, after spending every day in the sun, Yun Yiyi had become a dark, chubby little girl. Zhang was also busy every day, so by the time she realized what had happened, it was a bit too late.
Zhang made a beautiful little straw hat for Yun Yiyi. She also sewed a border of beautiful floral fabric on the edge, making it look particularly pretty. Yun Yiyi initially didn't want to wear a hat, but after seeing the beautiful little hat, she started wearing it every day without her parents nagging her.
Every morning and night, Zhang smeared Yun Yiyi with facial oil she'd bought in town. Plus, with less sun exposure in the winter, her face gradually became whiter. However, she still got a tan in the summer. There was really no other way. The child was older, unwilling to stay home, eager to go out and play every day. Zhang figured she was still young, so she'd take her time raising her.
Yun Yiyi spent the summer soaking in the creek with her brother, learning to swim and scoop up small crabs and shrimp from under the rocks in the ditch. When they got home, Zhang would wash the crabs, coat them in batter, and fry them until they were perfectly crispy. The whole crab was fragrant and crunchy, and delicious.
Small shrimp are usually fried or scrambled with chili peppers, chives, and eggs, then rolled in pancakes and eaten with rice. When Zhang catches a lot of shrimp, she dries them and saves them for the winter when vegetables are scarce. Small fish are the least likely to be caught, mainly because the river is small and shallow, and only in summer does it swell. The rest of the year, it's either dry or low-water, leaving few fish.
In autumn, Yun Yiyi loved to follow her brothers on adventures into the mountains. Whether it was searching for sweet and sour wild fruits, climbing trees to get bird eggs, or shooting birds with a slingshot, it was all so enjoyable. There were so many wild fruits in the mountains, and after eating, they could bring some home for their parents. They could also occasionally get a few bird eggs.
Yun Yiyi was a skilled bird hunter. Her strength and accuracy meant she could almost always find her target. If Zhang had time, she'd fry the sparrows for them. If not, she'd pluck them and roast them. They were delicious no matter how they were cooked. Zhang doted on her children, cooking any wild game they brought home.
Later, when Yun Yiyi caught more sparrows, the two Yun brothers would wrap them in mud and roast them over a fire. Once the feathers were burned clean, they would roast them again, sprinkle them with salt when they were almost done, and they were delicious. Every time this happened, the children would eat together. Some would even bring some sweet potatoes and potatoes, which they would roast and share.
The children were still too young, and their parents wouldn't let them go deep into the mountains, saying there were wolves there that would eat children. Usually, the children would hang out halfway up the mountain, where the adults, working in the fields, could see them. When they saw smoke rising from the mountain, they knew the children had secretly burned something to eat. Everyone would instruct the children to put out the fire after eating and cover it with dirt to prevent a fire. The children knew the dangers and followed through.
In the mountains, the children also enjoyed finding rabbit holes. Once they found one hole, they knew the other two were nearby. They divided the work among themselves: two people would stuff firewood into one hole and light it. Another two would use a sack to block one hole, and then the children would use the sack to block the last hole. After a while, the hole blocked by the sack would begin to make noises.
"Hold on tight! Don't let go!" everyone shouted nervously. After a moment of complete silence, everyone worked together to lift the sack. On a good day, they could catch two large rabbits weighing three or four pounds, plus a few smaller ones. On a bad day, they could only catch small rabbits. As long as they could catch something, big or small, the children were happy.
Next, it was time to distribute the rabbits. The children usually took turns: today you take the big rabbit, I take the small one; tomorrow I take the big rabbit, the next time you take the small one. This was fair, and no one complained. Rabbits were plentiful in the mountains, and they reproduced quickly, so the children often caught a good catch. The parents would continue to raise the big rabbits they brought home that were pregnant. Those that weren't would be killed and cooked for meat.
Zhang usually braised the large rabbits Yun Yiyi and her friends brought home. She generously used oil, spices, and homemade soybean paste, resulting in a fragrant aroma. During this meal, Zhang and Yun the Butcher would often tuck into the meat while praising the children for their skills. The children would puff out their chests with pride, their mouths stretched wide.
Parents raise the little rabbits they bring home. As long as the rabbits have not just opened their eyes, they can generally be raised. They only need to be fed grass every day and occasionally some carrots. The little rabbits will grow up quickly and can be eaten meat when they grow up.
If a family raised rabbits, the children would bring a small basket with them and cut grass in the mountains to feed the rabbits. Once they left home, they wouldn't return unless they were hungry. If they grilled something for lunch, they would stay there all day. Only in the evening, when every household was cooking and smoke rose from the village, would the children return home.
The two Yun brothers also discovered that whenever they took Yun Yiyi out, even if her clothes got torn, she got into fights with other children, or she came home late, Zhang and Yun the Butcher wouldn't beat them. If they got into trouble on their own, they'd just get bamboo shoots and pork stir-fry when they got home. So, they loved taking Yun Yiyi out even more. Yun Yiyi was strong, could run fast, and didn't complain. She was simply the most adorable little sister in the world.
Yun Yiyi sometimes went out with her eldest brother, but he was always in the fields, which was boring, with no children to play with. Even when they went to town, he didn't dare take her with him, fearing they might get lost. Gradually, Yun Yiyi started following behind her second and third brothers. They ran everywhere, visited many places, and played with many people. It was a lot of fun.
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