Chapter 175 Brick House and Chicken Coop
When the gauze was cut open, the wound inside had stopped festering, and the surrounding redness and swelling had subsided considerably.
It seems that the oral medication and the topical ointment are quite effective, and all my efforts in making "Shengji Yuhong Ointment" were worthwhile.
Clean the wound with iodine solution, reapply the ointment, and then gently cover it with a layer of gauze.
Seeing that I had finished tending to my wound, Brother Liu asked, "Little sister, what shall we do today?"
"Could you help me build another one next to the pigsty to use as a chicken coop?"
Actually, I've wanted to do this for a long time, but I'm always worried that the chickens will freeze to death in the low winter temperatures.
Especially on snowy or windy days, chicken coops are not very stable. If a chicken coop could be built next to a sturdy pigsty, there would be no need to worry about the chicken coop during the winter.
Without a second thought, Brother Liu readily agreed: "Sure, no problem. Have you used up the bricks from last time?"
"We didn't use it all; it should be enough to cover a chicken coop."
After saying that, Brother Liu and Taozi went out with me to see how many red bricks were left and to observe the terrain of the pigsty.
"I want to extend a room here to raise chickens. The wall in the middle needs to be knocked down. The pigsty will have a stove in winter, so the chickens can also keep warm."
I stood by the pigsty wall and gestured, hoping to build a chicken coop here as well.
"We can cover it, but your threshing ground will become smaller. If you think it's okay, we'll cover it for you."
"It's alright. It's fine if the threshing ground is a little small. If we really need to dry grain, we can use the yard too."
When Brother Liu heard me say that, he readily joined Taozi in moving bricks to build a chicken coop.
We've run out of cement at home, and after asking Brother Liu for his opinion, he said that clay can serve a similar purpose to cement.
They dug up a large amount of clay from the hillside by the pond, diluted it with water, added some chopped straw, and used it like cement.
Since the pigsty had already been measured, the chicken coop only needed to be strung up with a few lines and bricks could be laid to build it. The basic structure was already in place in just one morning.
After lunch and a short rest, Brother Liu and Taozi continued working.
The wall was already built before it got dark, and only the roof was left. I instructed Brother Liu to lay the top properly. We worked until after 8 p.m. and the chicken coop was completely covered.
Enter through the pigpen entrance, pass the rabbit pen, and further in is the newly built chicken coop.
The chicken coop is half the size of the pigsty, which is about the same size as the rabbit pen.
This chicken coop is different from the simple chicken coops I usually build myself. It's a normal, sturdy building, just like a pigsty, and it even has a stove inside.
From then on, no matter if there was a strong wind, heavy snow, or heavy rain, the chicks could stay safely inside, making it a true haven. I no longer had to brave the wind and rain to rescue them.
Looking at the row of old and new pigsties and chicken coops in front of me, I feel incredibly safe. My livestock will never have to suffer again.
To reward the two heroes, we killed a rabbit that evening and stewed it with potatoes and autumn mushrooms in a big pot.
I brought out a case of expired beer from the basement. I opened a bottle and tasted it; it seemed fine. I took the whole case to the east room, ready to let Brother Liu and Taozi have a good drink.
Today's rabbit stew with potatoes was a great success. The sauce was rich and flavorful, the rabbit meat was tender and juicy, and the potatoes were very well-seasoned.
Brother Liu praised the rabbit meat and drank half a bottle of beer in one go, while Taozi also ate quite a bit with a grin.
Five adults finished a large bowl of rabbit stew with potatoes, and even the meat juices soaked the rice.
In the evening, the dogs could only eat rabbit bones and dry rice, which was a bit of a disappointment.
Even after everyone had eaten and drunk their fill, Sister-in-law Gao still took the initiative to clear away the dishes and wash them.
Brother Liu, who can get drunk even from drinking expired beer, was chatting with Xiao Gua. Although Xiao Gua sat obediently, its occasional glances at the dogs gnawing on bones betrayed it.
Little Gua must be longing for those rabbit bones on the ground right now.
As the night deepened, I persuaded Brother Liu to go to bed early, citing the patient's need for rest, which finally relieved the worried-looking Xiao Gua.
After everyone had gone to sleep, he picked up Little Iron Egg, locked the door of the breeding room, and went back to the dark room to sleep.
I thought Tiedan was a friendly cat, but it turns out it's just more affectionate towards me. These past few days, whether it's Brother Liu, Taozi, or the Gao couple, whenever they try to get close and pet it, it walks away impatiently.
But now she's nestled in my arms, sleeping soundly with soft snores.
I slept very well that night, probably because I haven't had to do any work lately, and I felt relaxed both physically and mentally.
After breakfast, I checked Brother Gao's wound. The redness and swelling had almost subsided. He will take the herbal medicine for another day and be observed for another day. If nothing unexpected happens, he can go home tomorrow.
In the morning, Brother Liu helped me harvest the buckwheat and taught me how to process it in the future.
There was nothing to do in the afternoon, and I should go back tomorrow, so I figured everyone should take a break too.
But Brother Liu, unable to stay idle, asked me what other work I could do.
Since Brother Liu can't stay idle, I naturally want them to help me with more tasks.
It's really strange, though. Usually I have a ton of work waiting for me to do, but now that two free laborers are standing next to me, I can't think of anything else I can do.
The autumn harvest is over, and the pigsties, chicken coops, and rabbit pens that needed to be built have all been completed.
After standing in the yard for a long time, I realized that the only thing I could do right now was chop firewood.
Although there is still plenty of firewood in the yard and vegetable garden, firewood is needed for cooking all year round in the countryside, and more firewood is always better in winter.
Take out a saw and a cart, and ask Brother Liu and Taozi to go up the mountain to pick up dry trees and cut them down. Tell them to do as much as they can and not to overwork themselves.
The two of them took their tools and headed up the mountain. I stayed home and carefully checked on Brother Gao's health again. If there were no problems, it would be good to let them go home as soon as possible.
The patient's body temperature and blood pressure are normal, and the redness and swelling at the wound site have almost disappeared and are healing.
The diagnosis is complete. I'll be fully recovered soon. I'm a miracle doctor.
He went to the small west room in advance to get three doses of Chinese medicine, put them on the coffee table in the east room, and gave Sister-in-law Gao various instructions.
Prepare everything today, so you won't be too busy when you leave tomorrow.
After finishing discussing the illness, feeling somewhat awkward staying in the house with Sister-in-law Gao, he took a rope and saw, and led a few dogs up the mountain.
Following the wheel tracks, we found Brother Liu and Taozi. By then, a lot of firewood had been piled up on the ground.
When he saw me arrive, Taozi waved his hands frantically: "Here! We're right here!"
When Brother Liu heard Taozi shout loudly, he stood up, pounded his waist with his fist, and said to me, "You don't need to come, sister. We can take care of everything for you."
While helping to break off the small branches from the tree, I carefully watched how Brother Liu and Taozi sawed the tree and collected firewood.
It's definitely different from how I work; it seems to be faster and less strenuous.
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