Jiayin was overjoyed. She rolled around on the big bed a few times, then ran straight outside, looking here and touching there, like a crazy rabbit, jumping up and down.
This startled the real rabbits in the cage, who all huddled in the corner, their red eyes darting around and making noises.
The chickens, ducks, geese, and even the four fat pigs in the pen stretched their necks, looking very curious.
Who is this chubby little girl who suddenly appeared?
But Jiayin had no time to pay attention to scolding them. She nimbly scurried off on her short legs to the vegetable garden and farmland behind the house.
I just picked a cucumber and was taking a bite when I remembered my baby teeth weren't working properly, so I had to pick an apple instead and savor its taste.
The long-awaited sweetness of the fruit made her squint her eyes with joy.
This head injury was definitely worth all the blood loss; after the space had been closed for so long, they actually took pity on her and let her in completely.
From now on, I can come in anytime to steal food, and if there's danger, I can hide inside.
Oh my god, I'm so happy!
Jiayin sat on the steps, so happy she wanted to dance with joy.
When she looked up, she suddenly noticed that the right edge of the vegetable garden seemed to have changed.
Originally, this space was somewhat shaped like a gourd.
The small courtyard and vegetable garden are the head of the gourd, small in area, while the five acres behind it are the belly of the gourd.
But now the gray fog on the right side of the vegetable garden seems to have retreated, giving up an area of about five rows.
Jiayin, out of curiosity, leaned closer to examine it closely.
This extra patch of soil looks much darker than the vegetable garden. If you grab a handful, the soil is dark black, slightly damp and clumped together, as if it had just been rained on in spring.
As you can see, this land is very fertile; anything planted here will grow very well.
But the space was finally upgraded, surely they wouldn't be so stingy as to only give a small vegetable garden?
Jiayin frowned slightly, wanting to explore further, when she suddenly heard someone speaking. Startled, she dropped the half-eaten fruit in her hand and darted away.
Sure enough, Grandma Li was worried about her granddaughter, so she came back and stayed with her while she slept.
Jiayin almost gave herself away, her heart pounding in fright. She rolled over and knelt beside her grandmother's legs, grinning.
The old lady ruffled her granddaughter's hair and suddenly smelled a faint fruity aroma. She guessed that her granddaughter had secretly eaten some, so she tapped her little nose.
"The village has already discussed building houses. Once we have our own home, you and Grandma can share a room and eat whatever you want. But with so many people around, we still need to be careful, okay?"
Jiayin nodded vigorously, climbed onto her grandmother's lap, and quickly stuffed a piece of candy into the old lady's mouth.
The old lady glared at her granddaughter reproachfully, but dared not open her mouth, afraid that the sweetness would escape and be discovered.
The grandfather and grandson leaned against each other, gazing at the empty valley outside and the busy villagers, feeling extremely at ease without saying a word.
Difficulties are just the present moment; as long as we are safe, healthy, and reunited with our families, we have nothing to fear.
After lunch, Li Lao Er took out paper and pen, and everyone gathered together to write down the tasks that needed to be done, prioritizing them.
The first thing to build is not houses, but latrines.
If the waste disposal of about a hundred people isn't properly handled, this valley will soon become so dirty that it's impossible to walk through it.
Besides, manure and urine are the best farmyard manure; if you accumulate them, you can use them to fertilize the land later.
The outhouse should be located downwind, and men's and women's toilets should be separated, preferably with some distance between them. Otherwise, it would be too awkward if men, women, young and old always bumped into each other at the door.
Following the latrines was the burning of stubble, a dangerous and technically demanding task.
Spring winds are strong, and a single mishap could cause a wildfire. If that happens, clearing land won't be possible, and you might even end up in jail…
The village chief advocated for a steady approach, suggesting that they first dig up the short pine trees and then burn the weeds.
Moreover, dried dwarf pines can be used to cover sheds or as a substitute for firewood.
Of course, digging up dwarf pines and burning wasteland require tools. Without a good pickaxe and shovel, you could work yourself to death and still not clear a few acres of land.
However, since everyone is new to the area, buying iron farm tools is not easy, so they can only wait. They will wait for Madam Cui and Mr. Wen, or Young Master Ye, to return and ask them for help.
Then came the construction of houses. There were many elderly people and children in the village, and they couldn't always live in shacks.
The house must be built before the rainy season, otherwise, with continuous rain and no dry, warm place to live, the elderly and children will easily fall ill.
Finally, there's the matter of food supplies and improved seeds.
Before Young Master Ye left in a hurry, he sent more than thirty bags of grain, enough to feed everyone for two months, but with half a year left until autumn, it was simply not enough.
Especially with high-quality seeds, if you don't buy the right ones, it will further delay the autumn harvest...
In the afternoon, the men found a suitable spot and began digging pits to make latrines.
The children are mischievous, running around helping to move stones. They're just joining in the fun, as long as they don't make things worse.
The tools were not suitable, and by nightfall, only a small part of the latrine had been dug.
After a long day, everyone went to bed early.
As usual, Jiayin was protected by her family at the innermost part of the shed, covered tightly with quilts, and then covered with a gauze cover.
It was in the afternoon when Li Laosan took some time to find thin vines to tie his niece up.
The gauze cover is similar to the kind used on dining tables in later generations to prevent flies from landing.
However, while other people protect food, here we are protecting Jiayin, this little baby, to prevent insects or snakes from crawling into the bed.
Jiayin endured her sleepiness until midnight, and only after confirming that everyone in the house was sound asleep did she secretly enter the space.
That evening, she secretly fed the steamed egg custard to her two older brothers, who were now quite hungry. Although she hadn't dared to come in earlier, she had cooked some porridge in the kitchen beforehand, and it was just the right temperature for them to drink now.
After filling her stomach, she went to the back garden to pick some fruit and study how to grow fruit seedlings.
As a result, the space gave her a huge surprise.
On that extra patch of black soil, a sapling as thick as a thumb stands proudly.
Jiayin practically lunged forward, reached out and hugged Xiao Miao, wishing she could give her a big kiss.
She just casually tossed a fruit pit aside, and after half a day outside, the pit had turned into a fruit seedling.
So, planting fruit trees after clearing the land doesn't have to wait until next year!
Just to be on the safe side, she decided to wait another day, and went to the front yard to find some cabbage seeds and sowed them down, as a double test…
Early in the morning, the Li family quickly got dressed, fetched water, and started a fire. Seeing Jiayin sleeping soundly with her blankets in her arms, everyone moved quietly, not wanting to disturb her sweet dreams.
Jiayin was not picked up until breakfast was ready. Her face was washed with warm water, her hair was braided, and then she was fed half a bowl of porridge.
Jiayin was preoccupied with the little experiment in the space, so she kept yawning, looking like she still wanted to sleep.
Tao Hongying was worried, so she took advantage of the moment when Doctor Zhang came to take the old lady's pulse to ask her a few questions.
Doctor Zhang examined Jiayin's head and reassured everyone.
"It's alright, this girl will be fully recovered soon. Let her sleep if she wants; children need to sleep more to grow taller."
The family was relieved. Seeing that Jiayin was sleeping peacefully, even Grandma Li went to the outhouse to watch the commotion.
Jiayin nimbly slipped back into the space, then jumped and shouted at the apple sapling that had grown half a head taller and a patch of fresh green bok choy.
This extra piece of land is no ordinary land; it is the best nursery in the world.
With this growth rate, cultivating hundreds of seedlings is incredibly easy!
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