Song Anxin has been living a very regular life these past few days. She gets up early to practice her martial arts, and then she and her family split into two groups: one to cultivate the bacteria and the other to pickle duck eggs, while also collecting the duck eggs.
In the afternoon, I took the boys up the mountain to do their own things. After we finished our work and had dinner, the Lin family's little classroom started, and I told the boys stories in the evening.
Granny Han and Han Xiaohe would come over to help after finishing their own tasks. Stone's mother originally wanted to come too, but Song Anxin persuaded her to go back, saying that her health had just started to improve and she shouldn't overwork herself.
However, Song Anxin did not let them access the core technology of these things. Although these people were all good people, one should always be wary of them.
They always acted with their eyes closed and mouths shut, observing more than asking questions.
With the addition of three capable laborers, Song Anxin's family had nearly finished pickling more than 2,400 duck eggs in four days, except for some mushrooms that had not yet been cultivated.
During this time, Song Anxin also asked Lin Fengshou to go to the county to add ten catties of salt and to the kiln factory to buy a few more jars.
Now Song Anxin really didn't have much money left; she only had about three hundred coins in her hand.
That evening, during dinner, Lin Fengnian said with a grave expression:
"The rice in the field has all finished heading and started to flower, but it's still very hot today, so it probably won't rain."
I discussed it with my uncle, and we'll start fetching water from the East River to irrigate the rice tomorrow, otherwise we won't be able to harvest any grain this year.
Song Anxin's expression darkened upon hearing this, and she said, "We've just finished pickling our duck eggs, so I doubt anyone will be delivering any more for the next few days."
But Meizi, you still need to stay home and watch over things. The rest of us will go fetch water to irrigate the rice tomorrow.”
Everyone nodded in agreement. Rice was the most important food source for the family, and no one would shirk their responsibility.
So for the next seven or eight days, Song Anxin's family went out early and returned late every day to fetch water from the Donghe River to irrigate their rice.
Lin Fengnian and Lin Fengshou were the main labor force, each of them could carry two buckets of water at a time. Song Anxin and Lin Fenghe carried water together, while Lin Fengyao was responsible for filling the buckets with water at the riverbank.
Even so, Song Anxin's shoulders were chafed raw, and it hurt even when she walked.
The original owner, who was always lazy and good-for-nothing, had never done such work before; her skin was delicate and tender all over.
Song Anxin and Lin Fenghe carried the water to the edge of their rice paddy. Lin Fenghe poured the water in, and the water was absorbed by the parched field in no time.
Song Anxin sighed. How long would it take to irrigate? Farming in ancient times was too hard. Without automated equipment, everything had to be done by hand. Fortunately, his field was not far from the river.
Brother Lin's land was much farther away than hers. When the family divided their property, the couple gave her the land that was easier to irrigate.
It wasn't just Song Anxin's family who went to the river to fetch water for irrigation; almost the entire Lin family village mobilized, even Lin the Drunkard, who only knew how to drink heavily, came to fetch water these past few days.
Lin the Drunkard also saw her from afar, snorted through his nose, and walked away cursing.
Song Anxin remained silent. He didn't care, as long as he didn't come looking for trouble with her.
The river was very long, and almost all the people of Linjia Village gathered at a spot with rocks and shallows to fetch water.
When people gather together, it's inevitable to run into acquaintances, especially after Song Anxin's family started collecting duck eggs, which opened up a convenient way for many people in the village to make money.
People no longer avoid Song Anxin like before. Many women greet her, and Song Anxin responds with a smile. Some of her closer acquaintances even chat with her.
Aunt Zhao, who was fetching water nearby, asked, "Fengnian's mother, why are there only five of you? Where's Meizi? Didn't you ask her to come along?"
Song Anxin said, "Meizi is not in good health and is not suitable for such heavy and tiring work, so I let her stay at home to look after the house."
At this moment, many young women who came to fetch water by the river heard this, and they were all so envious that their eyes turned red.
It's said that Aunt Lin is a miser, and even her own mother-in-law said that Zhang Mei's marriage into Aunt Lin's family was like jumping from one fire pit to another.
If this is a pit of fire, then let them burn to death in it. Even if they do burn to death, it will be because of good days.
Aunt Zhao joked, "Meizi is truly blessed to have married into your family. I even want to be your daughter-in-law! Do you think your Fengshou will want me? Hahaha..."
Lin Fengshou happened to be fetching water by the river when he was startled and nearly fell on the bank. He quickly grabbed his bucket and ran away.
Aunt Zhao laughed even louder when she saw this.
Song Anxin smiled helplessly and said, "Aunt Zhao, you're a grandmother now, so please stop teasing him."
She remembered that Aunt Zhao's eldest son, Zhao Damao, was about the same age as Lin Fengnian. He got married last year and had a big, fat grandson this year.
Aunt Zhao stopped laughing and said, "I'm too old for that, but my daughter Daqin is thirteen this year."
"Do you think your family can wait two more years to arrange a marriage? I guarantee I'll marry my daughter Daqin to your family."
Song Anxin didn't brush it off. Zhao Daqin would only be fifteen in two years, and at fourteen she would still be in junior high school.
The thought of marrying into her family and bearing children made Song Anxin's scalp tingle; she didn't want to commit such a sin.
Those who were waiting to see Zhang Mei make a fool of herself were proven wrong; unexpectedly, Lin Ersaozi actually treated Zhang Mei, this barren hen, quite well.
That's true. When I went to deliver the duck eggs before, I noticed that Zhang Mei had gained a lot of weight, which means that Zhang Mei must be doing well at Lin Ersaozi's house.
Now, this Lin Ersaozi is actually not letting her work in the fields. No other mother-in-law in the surrounding ten miles can do that.
Some of the women immediately became lively, and Fengnian's mother became more and more capable. People who never used to work in the fields now knew to care for their sons and help them in the fields.
The family was still running a small business, collecting duck eggs basket after basket. Lin Ersaozi must have had some money, and some people even saw her buying meat to eat.
The women couldn't contain themselves any longer, so they all started acting as matchmakers for Lin Fengshou.
"Fengnian's mother, how long will it take for Aunt Zhao's daughter, Daqin, to grow up? My daughter is fifteen this year, and we still haven't found her a husband."
"Look at that guy fetching water, he's a real workhorse. Doesn't he deserve a good harvest?" a woman carrying a bucket of water said as she approached.
Another woman immediately pushed her aside: "Your daughter is too big and burly to be a match for Fengshou. Second sister-in-law, I have a niece on my family who is very pretty and born in the same year as Fengshou. If you think it's okay, let's find a time to meet her."
"Hey, hey, hey! Who are you calling a big, burly girl?! I've seen your niece before, she looks like a vixen, definitely not the type to settle down."
"Hey, who are you calling a vixen? You're ugly yourself, but you can't say others can be good-looking? Don't you ever look in the mirror? Your daughter looks just as rugged as you, don't you know that?"
“..……..”
When the women around saw the two fighting, they quickly took the opportunity to introduce their own relatives to Song Anxin, including their daughters and nieces.
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