"Go away, don't get in our way. Go find somewhere cool to stay," a man in a brown short-sleeved shirt said with obvious annoyance.
Lu Dazhuang looked rather grim. He said, "Foreman, we worked at the dock yesterday too. Why don't you want us to work today?"
The foreman said with a disdainful look, "The crops have all frozen to death. Even the locals can't finish them all, so there's no room for you outsiders."
"Get out of here right now, or I'll have you thrown into the water!"
Upon seeing the burly foreman, Lu Changhu dared not linger any longer and quickly pulled his father, Lu Dazhuang, away from the dock.
Lu Dazhuang was dragged all the way to the West Market by Lu Changhu. He looked pale and said, "We've been looking for half a day and haven't found any work. Even half of what we got yesterday would be good enough!"
Who can argue with that? If they had earned half of what they did yesterday, their combined wages would have been sixty coins, and they wouldn't have gone home empty-handed.
Lu Changhu said, "Father, I don't think we can keep searching like this. We've been looking for a long time, but not a single foreman is willing to take us in."
"Let's go home first and then make plans!"
Lu Changhu really didn't want to see the foreman's face anymore; it looked like he was looking at a beggar on the street, begging him for a bowl of rice.
Lu Dazhuang and Lu Changhu returned to Heping Village early. Jin had just finished washing and hanging up the clothes when she saw the father and son return with sullen faces.
Jin asked in surprise, "Dad, why did you finish work so early today?"
Lu Dazhuang plopped down on the door frame and said, "I didn't find any work today. The foreman at the dock doesn't want people from out of town. He said he'll prioritize locals for work."
Upon hearing this, Jin began to curse loudly, "These damned bastards, all they know is how to bully us outsiders."
"They don't even consider that if it weren't for us outsiders coming to this poor, remote place to reclaim wasteland, would they have such a good life?"
Seeing that the father and son remained unmoved, Jin felt suffocated and turned her attention to Lu Dazhuang.
"The boss is right, if the foreman doesn't want you guys, can't you find other jobs?!"
"A waiter in a restaurant, a blacksmith, a bricklayer, or a tile setter—anything is fine!"
Lu Dazhuang's head was throbbing from Jin's nagging, and he yelled, "Alright! If you say another word, you'll be going to town to find work tomorrow!"
Jin was so startled that she trembled and dared not utter another sound. She could only flick her sleeves, pout, and go back to the inner room.
...
At this moment, Lu Qiqi took out a large bamboo basket of sweet potatoes from her spatial storage, intending to cook them and take them to Lu Dahai and the others for lunch.
The pancakes became hard and dry after being blown by the wind, so Lu Qiqi thought it would be better to eat some sweet, soft, and warm boiled sweet potatoes.
Lu Qiqi washed the mud off the sweet potatoes by the stream in the space before taking them out.
She loved the stream in the space so much; the stream outside was already freezing to the touch at this time of year.
The stream in the space was surprisingly warm and smooth, with no cold feeling at all.
Lu Qiqi put several large spoonfuls of water into the big pot, and then put the bamboo steamer into the pot.
The sweet potatoes are arranged neatly on the bamboo steamer, ensuring that the water does not soak them, so that the steamed sweet potatoes will be fragrant and soft.
Seeing that her sister was making new food again, Lu Yao volunteered to stay by the stove and tend the fire.
In order to earn more work points, Lu and Li also went up the mountain to help chop and gather firewood.
Now, only Lu Qiqi and Lu Yao are left at home, along with Xi Bao, who only knows how to eat, and Zeng Shi, who is pregnant and cannot do heavy work.
The noodle shop has been doing well lately, and Hu Jinfei has gone there to help Liu Tong out.
Lu Qiqi didn't say anything, only told Wednesday that Hu Jinfei's salary should be paid as usual when the end of the month is paid out.
Lu Qiqi estimated the time and lifted the bamboo pot lid. A sweet aroma instantly filled her nose and face.
Xi Bao sat on a small wooden stool in the corner of the kitchen, clapping her hands excitedly, "Sister Qi Qi, it smells so good!"
"Wait a minute, your sister will make you some sweet potatoes soon," Lu Qiqi said with a smile.
Then, Lu Qiqi took two bowls and two pairs of chopsticks from the bamboo basket.
Sweet potatoes will become very soft when they are steamed or boiled.
Lu Qiqi used chopsticks to break a sweet potato in half, giving one half to Lu Yao and the other half to Xibao.
The sweet potatoes that Lu Qiqi planted in the space were particularly large, almost as big as white radishes.
If she gave one to Lu Yao and one to Xi Bao each, she was afraid that the two little ones wouldn't know when they were full.
If she ruptures her own belly, she'll have to find something to help them digest.
Lu Qiqi also ate half a sweet potato. The sweetness touched her heart, and she felt that Lu Dahai and the others would definitely like it too.
After finishing the sweet potatoes, Lu Qiqi put the remaining sweet potatoes from the pot into a large porcelain basin and then covered it with a bamboo sieve.
Finally, wrap it in a dry cloth to prevent the sweet potato from cooling down too quickly, otherwise it won't taste as good.
Lu Qiqi put the diluted spiritual spring water into a water bag, then put the spiritual spring water and sweet potatoes into a bamboo basket and carried it on her back.
Before leaving, he told Lu Yao to watch the house, and then delivered lunch to Lu Dahai and the others.
The mountains behind them were still some distance from the wooden house that Lu Qiqi and the others had built, and even further from where the villagers lived.
Most of the time, the women would prepare lunch and bring it to the foot of the mountain for the men to eat, so that they wouldn't have to go back and forth and waste time working.
Lu Qiqi walked to the foot of the mountain, unloaded the basket on her back, and placed it on the ground.
Before long, people began carrying firewood down the mountain, including Lu Dahai and the Zhou brothers.
Lu Qiqi called out to them, "Third Uncle, over here."
When Lu Dahai saw Lu Qiqi bringing them lunch, he quickened his pace.
"Let me see what delicious food Seventh Sister brought us," Lu Dahai said with a smile.
"What else could it be? Making Seventh Sister bake pancakes for the whole family all by herself must be exhausting."
Li loosened the cloth, lifted the bamboo sieve, and saw a large sweet potato in a porcelain basin. She stood there stunned.
When Lu noticed the change in Li, she lowered her head and bent over to look into the bamboo basket.
"Oh, isn't this a sweet potato? Seventh girl, where did you get such a big sweet potato?" Madam Lu was both surprised and delighted. This sweet potato was much tastier than the dried cakes.
Just by smelling it, she knew this sweet potato must be sweet!
Lu Qiqi took out two sweet potatoes and handed them to Madam Lu and Madam Li, saying with a smile, "Auntie, don't worry about where these sweet potatoes came from."
"These sweet potatoes taste best when they're hot; they'll get cold if we keep talking."
Lu Qiqi divided the bowl of sweet potatoes up completely.
The whole family gathered together, eating sweet and soft sweet potatoes.
Everyone felt a warm glow inside, and the howling wind didn't seem so cold anymore.
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