Harvesting sweet potatoes is a job that requires absolutely no skill; adults and children alike can do it.
It's simply a matter of following the path that others have dug, digging a little deeper and wider, to find the sweet potatoes that the owner didn't manage to dig up completely.
Xiao Jian and Gao Hu had done this kind of work almost every year, but this was the first time Zhang Huihui had done it.
However, following behind Xiao Jiangao and Hu, she imitated them, but her speed was no faster than theirs.
"Hey, I dug up a big one."
With a gasp from Zhang Huihui, she scooped out a large sweet potato weighing over two pounds.
Looking at the tiny sweet potato in their hands, as thin as a finger, the two silently turned their heads away.
What a fate! How many big sweet potatoes like these can you find in one field? Of course, the owner missed one, and of all things, she dug it up.
"Brother Xiao Jian, Gao Hu, how's mine? Have you ever dug up one this big before?"
Zhang Huihui peeled the soil off the sweet potato and happily showed it off to the two people.
Xiao Jian and Gao Hu exchanged a glance and tacitly chose to remain silent. They continued to diligently dig in the ground.
"Hey, say something, you two idiots, hahaha~~~"
Zhang Huihui, holding up his large sweet potato, jumped and shouted around the two of them. Her joyful laughter echoed across the field.
"Sister Hui, why don't you take a break? I'm getting dizzy from all this spinning."
Gao Hu, with a mournful face, begged Gao Huihui.
"Tiger, you're so clumsy! Do you want your big sister to teach you how to dig bigger?"
Gao Huihui waved the sweet potato in front of his eyes, then quickly put it away.
That girl is so infuriating.
Am I, a grown man, to be taught by a little girl like you?
With the combined efforts of the three, they quickly dug up half a bag of sweet potatoes.
Seeing that it was getting late, they packed up and headed towards their dilapidated cave dwelling.
First, they built a small earthen kiln with clods of earth, and then gathered a lot of dry firewood from all around.
After lighting the fire, wait until the flames have turned the clods of earth red-hot and enough charcoal has accumulated underneath, then pick out a dozen or so sweet potatoes that are a little bigger than a fist and throw them all into the charcoal.
Then they kicked down the earthen kiln made of clods of earth, burying all the sweet potatoes inside.
Cover the outside with loose soil to prevent the heat from dissipating too quickly. After about half an hour, the high temperature inside will bake the sweet potato until it's cooked.
Sweet potatoes roasted this way, without an open flame and relying entirely on residual heat, are even sweeter and more fragrant than those roasted in ovens in the city today.
Furthermore, the exterior won't become mushy, and the interior moisture won't be lost.
In those days, when sweet potatoes were roasted like this, children wouldn't even want to peel off the skin. One bite, and the crispy outside and tender inside was incredibly satisfying.
(Note: The author's description of roasting sweet potatoes is based on his childhood experience. Back then, when he herded sheep for his family, his greatest joy was stealing a few sweet potatoes from the fields and roasting them this way. The child mentioned above who couldn't bear to peel the skin is the author himself. If you have the opportunity, you should try it; it's really delicious, much more fragrant than the roasted sweet potatoes you buy in the city now. This method can be used not only for sweet potatoes, but also for corn, edamame—basically anything that grows in the field can be roasted!)
When the time came, the group couldn't wait to dig up the soil and unearth the roasted sweet potatoes.
Before we even started eating, the enticing aroma filled the air.
"Wow, it smells so good."
Zhang Huihui stared at the sweet potatoes on the ground, her big eyes fluttering.
Xiao Jian picked one up from the ground, blew on it, and then handed it to her.
"Be careful, it's hot."
Zhang Huihui took it, peeled off the outer skin, and began to swallow it in large gulps.
Xiao Jian and Gao Hu also picked one up from the ground and ate it.
A dozen or so sweet potatoes were quickly devoured by several people.
"I'm so full."
Zhang Huihui patted her belly, a satisfied expression on her face.
"Brother Xiao Jian, let's come back for grilling again next time. It's so delicious."
By the time they finished eating, it was completely dark. Taking advantage of the moonlight, Xiao Jian and Gao Hu took Zhang Huihui home.
Back home, lying in the dilapidated cave dwelling, covered with a tattered quilt with exposed cotton, Xiao Jian thought of what Liu Qing had said in his letter.
He didn't believe at all that his good-for-nothing brother would change for the better.
His parents had been gone for more than four years, and his younger brother knew all too well what kind of person that good-for-nothing was.
He was selfish and always ate the best food first, and when there was nothing to eat, he would beat and scold his younger siblings.
Furthermore, he's lazy, addicted to drinking and gambling; such a person is rotten to the core, how could he possibly change for the better? As storytellers often say, "It's easier to change mountains and rivers than to change one's nature."
Xiao Jian really wanted to go back and see how his eldest sister, Xiao Shanshan, and his two younger siblings were doing.
Was she tortured beyond recognition by that scoundrel?
But he can't go back. He can't even take care of himself right now, and he can't even get enough to eat. Even if he went back, how could he save his poor relatives?
It will only add more trouble for them.
Xiao Jian lay on the tattered straw mat, secretly vowing that one day he would make something of himself.
At that time, not only will I take good care of my older sister and younger siblings, but I will also take revenge on that good-for-nothing.
They drove him out into the street and didn't give him any food, so he could experience the hardships his siblings and he had endured over the years.
If I can beat him in a few years, I'll give him a good beating to avenge the time I was forced to leave home.
...
Xiao Weiguo has been staying at the construction site these past few days, so busy he barely has time to rest.
My dear reader, there's more to this chapter! Please click the next page to continue reading—even more exciting content awaits!
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