Chapter 6 Quail Eggs
"In early spring, only sprouts grow a little faster. Although they are a little bitter, they can fill our stomachs. The rice jar is almost empty. Starting tomorrow, Yamato, you and your two younger brothers, as well as Tongjin and Tongmu, will go to the town to find some odd jobs.
After all, brown rice is not planted until the end of the month, so we just need to do the work of tilling the soil in the fields. We can earn some money during this period, so that our family can live better. Tomorrow, we can take the eggs to the town to sell them and exchange them for some brown rice."
After saying this, Zhang Jinlan picked up a piece of food with her chopsticks and put it into her eldest son's bowl.
They are called vegetables, but they are nothing more than the leftover mushroom residue from last year when they were dried and sold, and the tender sprouts that were just dug up from the mountains today.
One is tasteless, the other is a bitter frown.
Although the patriarch's family lost half a tael of silver.
But that is life-saving money, I dare not spend it.
"Got it, Mom. I'll take them to town to find work tomorrow morning."
Jiang Dahe responded in a low voice.
Zhang Jinlan nodded, then used a wooden spoon to scoop a spoonful of the thickest brown rice porridge from the basin and put it in her eldest son's bowl.
Next came the second and youngest sons, and two grandsons.
There was almost no water in the five people's bowls, only thick brown rice.
When it was Jiang Shoucun and his grandchildren's turn, the brown rice porridge became thinner, and finally it was the turn of Jiang's daughters-in-law.
Zhang Jinlan's bowl, like her daughters-in-law's, was mostly water. It wasn't that she was partial, but her sons and two older grandsons had to do physical work the next day, and they wouldn't have the energy if they weren't full. She and her daughters-in-law weren't that tired, so it didn't matter if they were hungry.
There was no brown rice porridge in Jiang Fubao's bowl.
She doesn't want to drink.
I only ate two chopsticks of food.
Although it didn't taste good, she didn't waste it and ate it all.
After a meal, the men clean up the tables and chairs while the women wash the pots and dishes. The division of labor is clear.
As the youngest in the Jiang family, Jiang Fubao doesn't have to do anything.
She and her two brothers were taken back to the house by their mother to take a nap.
When I woke up, it was already afternoon.
Farmers don't have the habit of eating three meals a day.
Unless it is the busy farming season.
Will add a meal.
On weekdays, we have one meal in the morning and one meal at noon.
There is no work in the fields in the afternoon.
The Jiang family members either went to the village to chat with others, or went up the mountain to chop firewood and dig wild vegetables.
As Jiang Fubao was too young, he could only sit in the yard and stare blankly.
There is no entertainment here.
Children usually just play games like throwing stones and playing house.
Extremely bored.
Jiang Fubao, who is already 22 years old, doesn't want to hang out with little kids.
"Grandma, I want to go out and play."
Jiang Fubao said to his grandmother who was cleaning the yard.
"Where do you want to go? Grandma will go with you."
My granddaughter almost drowned yesterday.
Zhang Jinlan didn't dare let her go out alone again.
"No, I want to play by myself at the door, grandma, please let me go out and play."
Jiang Fubao's head shook like a wave drum.
She was acting coquettishly.
Zhang Jinlan's heart softened all of a sudden.
"Okay, then don't run too far, just play at the door. If that girl comes looking for you again, call her grandma. Do you hear me?"
Worried that my granddaughter was being deceived again.
Zhang Jinlan gave an instruction with concern.
"Um!"
Jiang Fubao nodded heavily.
She walked out of the Jiang family.
Took a breath of fresh air.
Finally I can go out and get some fresh air by myself.
This body is too small, and I am restricted in every way I go, just like being in prison.
What a hassle.
Jiang Fubao muttered a few words softly and wandered slowly at the door of her house.
I walked around for a full quarter of an hour.
During this time, Zhang Jinlan walked to the door and looked in twice.
I see my granddaughter is not far away.
Only then did I feel relieved and go back to continue cleaning.
After getting familiar with the place, Jiang Fubao went to the foot of the mountain. She hid behind a tree and looked around. Seeing that no one was there, she took out the quail eggs from the space.
Thirty in total.
Because it was kept in the refrigerator, it feels a little cold to the touch.
Having nothing to put the eggs in, Jiang Fubao suddenly had an idea. She lifted up her clothes, put the quail eggs in it and used them as a plastic bag.
For fear of accidentally breaking all the quail eggs, she could only move slowly and carefully towards home.
He also shouted loudly for Zhang Jinlan.
"Grandma——"
"Grandma——"
Zhang Jinlan was so frightened by the two consecutive sounds that she thought her granddaughter was being bullied again.
She picked up the broom and rushed out.
"I want to see who dares to bully my Fubao. Where are you? Get out of here, you little bastard!"
Zhang Jinlan turned her neck.
Looking for the granddaughter.
"Grandma, I'm here." Jiang Fubao shouted again.
"Fubao, why did you run so far? What were you doing at the foot of the mountain? Is Sanniu looking for you again?" Seeing that his granddaughter was far away.
Zhang Jinlan dropped the broom and trotted over.
"No, grandma, I found some bird eggs. Look."
Jiang Fubao quickly explained.
Hearing about bird eggs, Zhang Jinlan walked up to her granddaughter in confusion.
Open her pocket.
"Wow, it really is a bird egg. What kind of egg is this? Damn it! I have never seen it before."
Zhang Jinlan cried out in surprise, her eyes shining.
If I sell so many bird eggs, I can definitely get a bag of brown rice in return.
"This is a quail egg. It's very expensive. One egg costs two cents. Although quail eggs are small, they can be sold for at least five cents each. Rich people love to eat this."
Other members of the Jiang family also rushed over upon hearing the noise.
As the most knowledgeable head of the family, Jiang Shoujia stroked his beard and explained to everyone.
"What? Five cents a piece. My God, such a small bird egg is sold at such a high price. Fubao, give the egg to grandma quickly. Don't drop it. Tomorrow, ask your uncle to take it to the town to sell it. You can get a lot of copper coins from it. Then ask your uncle to buy you a meat bun to satisfy your hunger."
Zhang Jinlan quickly took the quail eggs and carefully put them back. She didn't breathe a sigh of relief until the quail eggs were covered with rags and safely placed in the bamboo basket.
At this time, the Jiang family had already returned home.
Everyone gathered around the bamboo basket and looked down.
"That's thirty pieces, and I sell them for five cents each. My God, I can sell them for at least one hundred and fifty cents! Mom, our family has another source of income."
Jiang Fubao's aunt Zhu Yingqiu smiled brightly.
"Look at my granddaughter's luck. She can earn more than a hundred coins just by picking them up. We go to the mountain every day and have never come across bird eggs. But Fubao happened to pick them up. My granddaughter is a lucky star. She is a blessing from heaven to our Jiang family. Come on, dear, let me hug you."
Zhang Jinlan hugged Jiang Fubao and her gums were exposed when she smiled.
evening.
Because of the unexpected harvest of thirty bird eggs.
The Jiang family had three meals a day for the first time.
Evening is like noon.
Brown rice porridge with sprouts.
Everyone ate until their stomachs were full.
Jiang Fubao walked into the yard, raised his head and looked at the sky.
There are no factories here, let alone pollution. The sunset glow in the sky changes from red to pink, and then to gold, filling the entire sky. It is breathtakingly beautiful.
After having a full meal, the Jiang family went out for a walk.
After the spring, the temperature was not so cold. The villagers could not stay at home after a whole winter, so they all ran outside after dinner.