Chapter 88
In winter, farmers have less to do, and the women and husbands often gather together, chatting while their hands are either spinning thread, weaving cloth, sewing winter clothes, or making shoes.
It's not cold when it snows, but it's cold when the snow melts. Hibiscus buried her head in the newly made, thick, indigo-blue quilt, with only her head peeking out.
Zhou Lin was in a bad mood, but when she held him, it wasn't as cold as in previous years.
The nights are long and the days are short; when the rooster crows, it is still pitch black outside.
Mu Jin pulled the blanket up higher; in this cold weather, she really didn't want to get up.
The quilt, made of freshly fluffed cotton, is so soft and warm that you wouldn't want a single finger to slip out when you lie inside.
When the rooster crowed for the third time, it got a little brighter outside.
Mu Jin yawned widely and reached out to take out the clothes that were sandwiched between two layers of bedding.
As soon as the warm clothes arrived, Mu Jin put them on.
I was afraid that the warmth on my clothes would disappear.
A thin layer of ice had formed on the water tank in the kitchen. Mu Jin gently tapped it with a wooden ladle and poured the water, along with the ice fragments, into the pot.
Wash two handfuls of millet, put them in a pot, stir them a couple of times, place a steamer rack on top, put the steamed buns on it, and steam them.
Hibiscus's nose tip is slightly red; of all the seasons, winter is the most difficult.
The chill seeped into my bones; I wished I could stay in bed all day long.
"Big brother."
Bai Qiqiu entered the kitchen with a hoarse voice and helped start the fire in the stove.
"Are you going fishing in the river again today?"
Mu Jin put the lid on the pot, took a handful of pickled vegetables from the pickle jar, rinsed them slightly, and chopped them on the cutting board. She would make millet porridge with them later.
Bai Qiqiu warmed his hands by the stove and said, "We should go. Mu Zhaoye said we should catch more while the ice is still thin and raise them so we can sell them in town closer to the New Year and earn more money than usual."
"Things are different now than in summer. Falling into the water is no laughing matter. You'd better be careful when you're fishing."
Bai Qi nodded, warming himself by the fire in the stove, which truly made him feel much warmer.
A plate of pickled vegetables and a small bowl of stir-fried cabbage were all the few people who had a simple breakfast.
After having breakfast, Zhou Lin went to the woodwork shop. There was a lot of work to be done. After finishing the work in town, he still had a bed and a cabinet to be made at his uncle's place.
Bai Qiqiu took the fishing net and went out. Now he cast two nets at a time, catching many more fish.
Wen Zhaoran is most afraid of the cold. When he was in the northern border region, there was a charcoal fire burning in the house, and he could stay in bed for a month or two without going out.
After breakfast, I went back inside. In winter, nothing is more comfortable than being in bed.
After putting away the washed dishes, Mu Jin cooked most of a pot of pig feed for the three pigs in the pen.
He carried a large bucket of steaming pig feed and poured it into the pig trough.
The fat and strong boars raised in the pigpen weigh about 150 or 160 pounds, and they look quite tempting.
With her eyes crinkled into crescents, Mu Jin returned to the kitchen and carried two more buckets to the other two pigs.
Hibiscus watched for a while and saw that they were eating happily and didn't seem to be frozen, so she took the empty bucket and went back to the kitchen.
After feeding the chickens and ducks at home, Mu Jin washed her hands, which were cold and red, and breathed on them to warm them.
Before the Lunar New Year, there are market days in the town on even-numbered days in the twelfth lunar month.
There were still quite a few sorghum stalks left at home. Taking advantage of the fact that there wasn't much work to do in the fields during winter, Mu Jin thought of weaving more items to sell at the market.
The residual heat from cooking pig feed in the kitchen hadn't dissipated yet. Mu Jin pulled over the small stool that Zhou Lin had specially made for her, brought in the sorghum stalks that had been soaked yesterday, and soaked them in hot water.
Once the sun rises, we move to the yard, bask in the sun, and do our chores—it's quite pleasant.
As the sun rose higher, the village gradually came to life.
If the first snowfall is this heavy, then when winter comes, there will probably be an even heavier snowfall.
Some villagers have roofs that haven't been repaired for years, and they can't help but worry that the heavy snow might collapse them.
In winter, food is scarce, and wild wolves and boars occasionally escape from the mountains. The gates and courtyard walls that are broken also need to be repaired.
Taking advantage of their free time, repairing houses and tidying up the home are essential tasks for villagers during the winter.
When the sun came out and it got a little warmer, Wen Zhaoran came out of the house to help Mu Jin tidy up the sorghum stalks.
“Brother, the kiln in Gujia Village can make pottery stoves. Let’s buy one, put an iron pot on it, and boil water in the kitchen to warm the food. It’s convenient and saves firewood. We also won’t need to use ice water to wash up in the morning. It’s freezing cold.”
Mu Jin continued weaving baskets, and upon hearing this, she thought for a moment and realized that with a ceramic stove, it would be more convenient for the family to get hot water.
“That works too. When your brother-in-law comes back, I’ll have him go to Gujia Village to order one.”
Wen Zhaoran was delighted, knowing that once the ceramic stove was bought, he could stay by it without moving an inch.
"Is Zhou Lin's wife home?"
As Mu Jin and Wen Zhaoran were chatting, they heard a woman's voice coming from the doorway.
The two exchanged a glance, and Mu Jin got up to open the door for the woman outside.
"Aunt Wang, what brings you here at this hour? Is something the matter?"
Mu Jin looked at the woman in front of her with a smile and led her into the courtyard.
"Oh my, this yard is so tidy! Jin-ge'er is really diligent. Lin boy is so lucky to have married you."
Villagers speak in a way that is roundabout and circuitous.
Mu Jin got a stool for Aunt Wang and listened to her talk, occasionally chiming in with a few words. After she had woven more than half of a basket, Aunt Wang finally revealed the purpose of her visit.
"I heard that Zhao Ye opened a carpentry shop in town?"
Mu Jin nodded. "That's true."
Aunt Wang hesitated for a moment, then quickly forced a smile.
"If you ask me, Zhao Ye is one of the most capable men in our Mu Family Village. Brother Mu treated him so badly, and now that his least favorite son has made something of himself, he'll have to regret it."
Mu Jin smiled but remained silent. Such words were something Aunt Wang could say, but he, a junior, could not.
Aunt Wang smiled again, "Is everyone at Zhaoye's shop ready? When hiring people, you have to be careful. You can only trust someone you know well."
Mu Jin began tidying up the edges of the basket, and upon hearing this, she smiled and said, "Aunt Wang, I really don't know how Brother Zhaoye's shop is doing these days."
Upon hearing this, Aunt Wang raised her voice a bit, "How could you not know? Not to mention that Zhao Ye's fiancé is the closest to you, I heard that Lin boy also works in his shop."
Mu Jin suppressed her smile slightly. "My husband is just working under Brother Zhaoye to earn a living. He's a laborer, so why would he ask about the manager's business?"
Aunt Wang realized she had been a bit hasty, so she quickly gave a smile in apology.
“Don’t be angry, Jin’er. I was a little anxious. Your Song’er, who is my second son, learned to read by following the old scholar in the village. He can’t compare to your brother, who can pass the imperial examinations, but he’s not like his father and me, who are blind.”
Mu Jin nodded but didn't speak.
Aunt Wang smiled and said, "Zhaoye's place is still short of an accountant."
Mu Jin smiled and said, "Aunt Wang, so that's what it is. But you've really come looking for me from far and wide. Brother Zhaoye and the others are fishing over there in the river. You should go and take a look. You're sure to find them. Just ask him. We're all from the same village. If they really need people, I think Brother Zhaoye will definitely ask our villagers for help."
Aunt Wang smiled awkwardly upon hearing this.
If she dared to go directly to Mu Zhaoye, why would she bother going through the trouble of finding Mu Jin?
"Sigh, I didn't mean to think that since you're familiar with him, you could put in a good word for me."
Mu Jin sighed and laughed, "Where did you hear that, Aunt? I've only spoken to him a handful of times since we were little. Where did this talk of being familiar with each other come from? It's just baseless gossip."
Wen Zhaoran nodded in agreement, "If Auntie is really in a hurry, she should go to the riverbank and ask if they need any help. Mu Zhaoye knows best about his own shop."
Aunt Wang's smile faded a little. Although it's a favor if someone helps you, it's their right not to, and there's nothing to criticize.
But deep down I was still very disappointed.
"Alright, I'll go ask there. I won't bother you here anymore."
As Aunt Wang spoke, she stood up, and it was unclear whether she was going home or to the river to look for Mu Zhaoye.
"Aunt Wang is busy. Brother Song is a capable man. There are only a handful of literate men in the village. He can find good jobs just by beckoning him."
Mu Jin got up and saw her out.
These words made Aunt Wang feel much better.
After everyone has gone far away, gently close the courtyard gate.
Wen Zhaoran sighed, "This aunt should talk to Brother Qi Qiu if she wants a job. What good will it do to talk to your elder brother?"
"She didn't know Qi Qiu, so she naturally picked the person she was most familiar with to speak to."
Mu Jin smiled gently, sat down softly, and carefully tidied the edges of the basket.
The sun was high in the sky, and its rays felt warm and comforting on my skin.
In the afternoon, Zhou Lin returned home carrying a bamboo basket of red dates.
"The master harvested these a while ago; they were just dried, and he gave me a basket of them."
The dried red dates are big and red, each one a perfect specimen.
Mu Jin smiled and took it. As soon as the millet was put into the pot, he quickly picked out six or seven grains, washed them clean, and threw them into the pot.
“These dates are good. I’ll steam some date cakes tomorrow. Take some to Uncle Mu and the others to try.”
Zhou Lin nodded. In the past year, he had been well-fed and warmly dressed, and the man had not only become much stronger, but he was also no longer as self-deprecating as before.
I've become much more at ease when interacting with people.
"Stewed fish?"
As soon as Zhou Lin entered the kitchen, he smelled the aroma of fish cooking from another stove.
Mu Jin smiled and said, "The nose is very sensitive. Qi Qiu caught it. I knew you like to eat it, so I bought two pieces of tofu, and I just started stewing it."
"Thanks to Qi Qiu, we can have a fish and meat feast from time to time."
Bai Qiqiu, who was tending the fire, waved his hand and laughed, "It's just a fish."
The aroma of fish filled the kitchen, and Zhou Lin's stomach began to rumble softly.
Mu Jin handed him a piece of pastry, saying, "Have something to eat first."
Zhou Lin didn't stand on ceremony. He had been busy for more than three hours, and his stomach was already empty from the breakfast he had eaten that morning.
After a couple of bites and a piece of pastry, I finally felt a little better.
“Brother-in-law, Mu Zhaoye said that two more orders have come in at the shop. The customers have chosen the designs, and he brought them back last night. After lunch, remember to go and find him. Don’t rush to do them. Finish the work you have on hand first, and then do these two orders.”
Zhou Lin nodded.
Wen Zhaoran teased, "Brother Qi Qiu is becoming more and more like a shopkeeper's husband."
This made Bai Qiqiu blush deeply.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com