Chapter 127 Divided Equally
Zhang Shuzhen was on the kang (heated brick bed) in the east room, making cotton trousers for Zhou Qinglan.
Zhang Shuzhen has been thinking about this matter ever since Zhou Qinglan left yesterday.
This morning after breakfast, she took out her eldest son's clothes and found a pair of slightly worn work pants, which she took apart and altered to make cotton-padded trousers.
Find some old shirts or something, take them apart and alter them, and use them as linings for cotton pants.
She spent the morning piecing together and sewing, and in the afternoon, after the children went to school, she sat there fluffing cotton.
Hearing a commotion outside, Zhang Shuzhen hurriedly came out of the house and saw that it was Sheng Xiping and the others who had returned.
"Wei Guo, what are you carrying? How come you skinned it on the mountain? It's all bloody and scary."
Zhang Shuzhen had never seen a civet cat before, let alone knew what a civet cat looked like after being skinned.
Looking at the bright red meat, I felt something was off and casually asked a question.
"Mom, that's a lynx, also known as a mountain cat."
After finally calming Erlang Shen and the Black General down, Sheng Xiping turned around and explained to his mother.
"This morning I went to the mountains to walk my rabbits and found that several of them had been gnawed by something."
In a fit of anger, I followed the tracks, killed the guy, and brought him back.
"Oh, it's a mountain fox. I've only heard people talk about it before."
A couple of years ago, the sheepfold in Dajianchang Village was attacked by a wildcat, which killed several sheep.
I thought it would be something big, but it turns out that the mountain raccoon is only this small.
"That thing is quite capable; it can even kill a sheep."
Upon hearing this, Zhang Shuzhen nodded. This wildcat didn't look very big after being skinned, but she didn't expect it to be so capable.
"Mom, don't even mention sheep. If these things get really hungry, they can even kill wolves. They're quite formidable."
Sheng Xiping smiled and went into the house with Chen Weiguo.
"Mom, is there any food at home? Please make me some food, I'm hungry."
"Jianshe and Junzi will be here soon. Whatever they have, we'll just grab a bite."
The lynx was hunted by everyone together, and its skin was peeled off and stored away to be sold and the money divided.
As for the lynx meat, it's edible too. We'll chop it up with an axe later, and each person can take some meat home so their family can also enjoy it.
"Yes, yes, we made two pots of steamed dumplings yesterday, and we also made soup with roe deer bones. I'll heat it up for you right away."
Upon hearing that her son was hungry, Zhang Shuzhen quickly gathered firewood and went back into the house to start a fire and cook.
Zhang Shuzhen prepared a hot meal, while Sheng Xiping found a hand axe and chopped the lynx into pieces.
Just then, Wang Jianshe and his group returned from the Gao family and stuffed fifty yuan into Sheng Xiping's hand.
"This was given to me by Uncle Gao, but I refused to accept it and just stood there awkwardly."
Uncle Gao and Aunt Gao said, "You have to pay, otherwise Haining won't be able to associate with you anymore."
Wang Jianshe was a little nervous, afraid that Sheng Xiping would be unhappy and scold him.
These days, business is prohibited, and no one sells wild game or the like. As for their exact value, nobody really knows.
The two female roe deer weighed about 130 to 140 pounds, along with about ten pheasants and rabbits. The Gao family gave them fifty yuan, which wasn't a small amount.
After all, pork only cost seven or eight cents a pound these days, and no matter how good wild game is, it can't compare to pork.
If pork were readily available, even if wild game were cheap, few people would be willing to eat it.
"Alright, since Uncle Gao gave it to you, you can keep it for now."
We're buddies with Haining, we'll talk about it another time.
Sheng Xiping looked up, but didn't take the money. He just told Wang Jianshe to keep it for now.
He's chopping meat, so he doesn't have a free hand.
"Jianshe, Junzi. Fusheng, hurry up, go into the east room and warm up."
"I've already heated up the food, have a bite to tide you over." Zhang Shuzhen warmly invited Wang Jianshe and the others into the house.
Just then, Sheng Xiping chopped up the meat and put it into several basins. Then he washed his hands, went inside, took off his shoes, and got onto the kang (heated brick bed) to warm his feet.
At this time of year, they don't need cotton shoes; they wear those five-eyed work shoes, just a single layer, when they go into the mountains.
My feet got freezing cold after being outside for a long time.
The Sheng family had no shortage of firewood. They were moving in a few days, so Zhang Shuzhen used a lot of firewood and sticks from the yard to start a fire for lunch.
The kang (heated brick bed) in the east room was quite warm, and it was very comfortable to sit on it.
Sheng Xiping happened to see the cotton trousers that were only half-stitched on the kang (a heated brick bed), and couldn't help but wonder.
A few days ago, my mother took apart and washed all the cotton-padded clothes and trousers in the family and remade them. Who are they for this time?
"Mom, whose cotton-padded trousers are you stitching for?"
Zhang Shuzhen is exceptionally skilled at needlework. Sometimes, when neighbors need help making clothes, they come to her for assistance.
Sheng Xiping assumed that these were cotton-padded trousers that Zhang Shuzhen had made for someone else.
"That was made for Qinglan. She came over yesterday, and I noticed she was dressed quite lightly."
"It's a bit early for her to wear thick cotton-padded trousers now, so I'll find your old trousers and clothes and alter them into a pair for her."
Zhang Shuzhen heated up all the food in the pot, then quickly went inside to gather up the half-stitched cotton trousers so they wouldn't get in the way on the kang (heated brick bed).
Sheng Xiping was stunned for a moment upon hearing this, but Wang Jianshe and the others all grinned slyly and winked at Sheng Xiping.
Sheng Xiping couldn't be bothered with these annoying friends; he just smiled and helped his mother pack her things.
"Mom, after I sell the pine nuts and buy some fabric, you can make Qinglan a cotton-padded jacket when you have time."
The fabric I bought in Songjianghe last time, Zhou Qinglan later had someone make an outer garment for me.
It's getting cold. I should make another cotton-padded coat for my wife. If I don't take care of my own wife, who will?
"Okay, what else is there to say? It should be done anyway."
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