Chapter 77 78: Picking Mushrooms
They had already watered the corn and sorghum fields in front, and the two of them walked through the sweet potato field.
Without rain, the sweet potato vines are growing withered. The crops on the mountain are waiting for a heavy rain to give them a good meal.
"If it doesn't rain, the vines will die."
"That's right. I can't even bring myself to cut some sweet potato vines to feed the pigs!"
When the two men arrived at the corn field, they started working.
Zhang Xiuxiang in front turned around and said, "Chunyan, look, the youngest and second spring are coming down the mountain."
When the two men came closer, Zhao Huifang pointed at Zhou Huaian and said, "It's over. The youngest must have been stung by a bee. Not only has his face become fatter, but his lips are also pouty."
After hearing this, Yang Chunyan looked up and asked, "I wonder if the poison needle has been picked out?"
"They are in the mountains, where can they find needles to pick at?"
"Yan'er, I was stung by a black bee!"
His eyes became squinty, his upper lip was thick and curled up, as if someone had stuck a sausage on it, and his face became fatter. Zhou Huaian, who looked like a swollen green steamed bun, stood in front of a few people.
"Oh my god, hahahaha..." Li Qiuyue laughed so hard that she couldn't straighten her back and almost stepped on a corn plant to death. She hurriedly leaned on the dung scoop and said, "Youngest, you're stealing beehives with only your shells?"
Zhou Huaian rolled his eyes at her, "You're asking even though you already know the answer!"
Yang Chunyan held back her laughter and stepped forward, "Did you pull out the poison needle?"
Zhou Huaian glanced at her, then looked at the women who were laughing so hard that they couldn't straighten their backs, and felt suffocated and didn't want to talk.
Xu Erchun suppressed his laughter and said, "It didn't come out. He took out some mountain-driving whips, crushed them up and applied it. It didn't hurt that much, but the swelling is still quite severe!"
Yang Chunyan looked at Zhou Huaian and said, "Go back and take two pills of the medicine I bought last time. You should be fine."
Zhou Huaian looked at her with dissatisfaction, "Aren't you going back to help me pick out the poison needle?"
Zhao Huifang smiled and said, "Chunyan, we are here. You and Laoyao go back and pick out the poison needles. Get well soon!"
Yang Chunyan had no choice but to follow him back home. Xu Erchun took down the backpack and handed it to Zhou Huaian. "I won't go in. I'll call you to take pictures of the eels when it gets dark."
After saying that, she winked at him, reminding him to remember to talk about his sister-in-law!
No matter where they went, they were not welcomed by the adults. Every time they had a party, they went to Zhou Yiding's house, where no one cared about them or gave them a cold shoulder.
Zhou Huaian nodded, "Call me when you get there."
"Yes!" Xu Erchun waved and left.
Zhou Huaian was carrying a backpack, and the two of them walked into the yard one after the other. Zhou Jiakang was picking plums in the backyard with a bamboo pole. When he saw him come in, he was stunned for a moment before he recognized him.
"Dad, you look so weird!" the little guy said, throwing down the bamboo pole and running to the front yard, "Grandma, grandma, Dad was stung by a bee!"
Yang Chunyan glanced at him and said, "I have already made the bee cap. It's not too late to go harvest honey tomorrow!"
"I don't know if they'll still be there tomorrow!"
"It's fine if he's not here!" Yang Chunyan pursed her lips. "How many stings did you get?"
Zhou Huaian was a little happy when he heard what she said, but when he saw her pursing her lips to hold back her laughter, he glared at her and said, "You cruel woman, you are still laughing even though I am in so much pain!"
The two of them arrived at the front yard. Zhou's mother stood on the steps and saw Zhou Huaian's swollen forehead and lips. She laughed out loud, "Up and down, it looks like it's aimed at the sting!"
Seeing Zhou's mother laughing so hard that her teeth were showing, Zhou Huaian became depressed and looked at her with dissatisfaction, "Mom, did you pick me up from the mountain?"
"I picked it up. I picked it up when I went up the mountain to pick mushrooms!" Zhou's mother smiled and took a wooden basin to fetch water.
Yang Chunyan went back to her room, got a needle, poured out two pills, and said to Zhou Huaian, "Go wash your face. I'll get you some water to take the medicine."
"It's ready, come and wash!" Zhou's mother put the hot water on the eaves.
Zhou Huaian took the medicine. Yang Chunyan burned the needle and asked him to sit facing the light. She found a black spot as thin as a needle tip on his forehead and upper lip skin and gently picked out the poison needle. "It's okay. The swelling will go down tomorrow."
"There is honey in the urea bag. Go find a jar and I'll cut the pollen and put it in there. I'll send the rest to the city to sell."
"Your face is so swollen, are you going to sell it tomorrow?"
"Put it in a bucket and go to Ning'an the day after tomorrow." Zhou Huaian looked at her and touched his face. "Does it look ugly?"
Yang Chunyan suppressed her laughter and said, "Go back and look in the mirror!"
Zhou Huaian stood up and sat back down, "Forget it, there's definitely no eyes to see."
Yang Chunyan smiled and went back to the house to bring over the small wooden bucket. The two of them picked out the honeycombs and put them in the bucket. "The last time the wild bees didn't sting you, are they very fierce this time?"
Zhou Huaian picked up a piece of intact capped honey. "This kind of honey is found in the gaps between rocks. The ones that produce it are small row bees. Small row bees are docile and don't sting people very often. The one that stung me was a small black bee that produces large hanging honey. I was stung when I was climbing a tree to cut large hanging honey."
Seeing that he was making sense, Yang Chunyan smiled and nodded, "It seems that you know a lot about wild bees. Wait until I make the bee hat for you, and then I will cut the work cloth to make you a dress, so you don't have to worry about wild bee stings when you go up the mountain."
"Ordinary wild bees are fine without work clothes, but if it's a wasp," Zhou Huaian thought for a moment, "I'm afraid it will need the same material as raincoats to prevent it from stinging."
"I gave you work clothes, not for you to catch buffalo bees."
"Don't worry, I won't go to catch ox-glu bees, even if you invite me." Zhou Huaian put the honeycomb with pollen into a small jar, and put some honey in it. "This is the pollen of small black bees. I used to sell honey in the town, and heard from the lady at the purchasing station that this thing is good for women to drink."
"You and Erchun went to cut it together. Wouldn't it be bad if we picked it up?"
"I told Erchun that I cut this piece back on purpose to give it to you to mix with water!"
"Just make it clear, so that there won't be any rifts in people's hearts!"
"It's okay if you don't say it. We brothers are not that stingy!"
Zhou Huaian scraped the honey out of the urea bag and put it into a bucket, then went to the well to fetch water to clean the urea bag. Yang Chunyan took the bucket and jar back to the room and put them away, then went to the kitchen to help Zhou's mother cook.
Zhou Huaian dragged the recliner to the door of the main room, closed his eyes and fell asleep.
The pig intestines were cleaned yesterday, and all you need to do is peel the lettuce and potatoes and braise them.
When Zhou's mother saw her coming, she asked her to go to the field to pick some Chinese spinach and bring it back to make soup and dip it in water.
People who don't like Chinese spinach think it smells like stink bugs, while people who like it think it tastes refreshing and delicious whether eaten cold or in soup.
Yang Chunyan carried a basket to the vegetable field and picked a full basket of Chinese spinach. Her nose was filled with its unique scent.
Eating a moderate amount of Chinese spinach can promote appetite, help digestion and stimulate the appetite, and also promote urination and prevent constipation.
As soon as she came out of the vegetable field, several children swarmed in. Zhou Jiaming was carrying a small backpack, Zhou Xiaoqian was holding a bamboo basket, and Zhou Jialiang and others followed behind them.
Seeing Zhou Xiaolin staggering under Zhou Jialiang's pull, Yang Chunyan hurried forward to hold her hand, "Okay, walk slowly when you get home, don't run!"
Zhou Jiaming turned around and asked her to look into the basket on her back. "Aunt, we cut a lot of half-flowers and gave them to you to sell for money!"
Yang Chunyan smiled and nodded, "Okay, Auntie will buy you some delicious food with the money from the sales!"
Zhou Jialin pointed at the bag and said, "Aunt, eat some fruit!"
Zhou Xiaoqian put down her basket and said, "Look, Auntie, we picked a lot of wild sweet potatoes!"
Yang Chunyan saw that there was half a bag of wild sweet potatoes in the bag, "Is it sweet?"
Zhou Xiaoqian nodded, "Sweet, it's all red!"
Thanks to book friend libbie, 2022...338 for the reward support!
(End of this chapter)
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