Chapter 39: Heartwarming Snowy Night



For two or three days, we were basically busy with the things I arranged. Some were in charge of the culture medium, some were in charge of the wheat field. Everyone was busy every day, and it took half a day to finish their respective tasks. On the morning of the third day, the adobe bricks were almost dry after two days of exposure to the sun, so I prepared to start making the earthen kang.

First, I used fire to wake up the sea water in the mud jar, then dug a pit in the loess, poured the sea water into it and stirred it. The soil and water mixed and became more sticky. I returned to the mud house under the rock where I sheltered from the rain, moved away all the old beds made of loose soil and hay, and prepared to start building.

First, apply some loess mud on the ground, about two or three centimeters to make the foundation, to make the ground smooth, and then start using adobes to stack them up layer by layer, specially making a "J"-shaped kang hole and the flue in the middle, and filling them with some loess to prevent the kang surface from collapsing.

The kang hole is approximately 30 cm high and 20 cm wide. The upper edge is semicircular, and the rest is stacked normally. Loess mud is spread on the adobe, and then the adobe is covered with another layer of loess mud. This process is repeated in an alternating manner.

Considering that this place is not suitable for being too high, after all, there is a protruding rock above as an eaves to shelter from the rain, the height limit is 1.7m, so it is only 1 meter high, 2 meters long, and about 1.5 meters wide. This is basically the limit. The materials have been used almost the same. After the earthen kang was almost built, I took out the loess that was stuffed in the kang hole and the flue.

In addition, a flue was opened at the end of the kang, and a chimney was built on its left and right. However, the chimney was made of stone, loess mud and stones, and it extended all the way to the outside of the wall. Special measures were taken to prevent rain and snow from falling into the chimney head, and it was sealed from top, leaving four openings.

The kang is almost finished. I go to the campfire to get some charcoal and firewood and put them in the two kang holes to bake them to remove the moisture from the kang and make it ready for people to sleep on as soon as possible.

After finishing these, the work is basically done. The next step is to wait for a day or two to bake and let the soil dry as soon as possible.

It was so cold outside at night, with howling winds and snow, so we hid beside the burning kang to keep warm. The temperature inside the house rose a lot, and with the fire burning, it seemed brighter. We could feel warm just by leaning closer to the kang, which really improved the situation a lot.

"Wow, this earthen kang is very successfully made. I have to admire you, Zhou Bo. If there is any problem with any details, it has to be dismantled and redone. You are really organized." Song Bailu praised.

Judging from his expression, it doesn't seem like a compliment.

I was just about to be proud of myself when I heard Song Yingchun say, "It's good, but a little ugly."

Hearing him say that, I lost interest instantly.

For dinner tonight, we can only take the earthenware jar filled with bone soup. We put some dried black fungus, some wild grass and venison in it, cover it with a lid, and simmer it on the fire. After taking it out, everyone takes a clay bowl and takes a bowl. Probably each person has three or four thin slices of venison meat. Drinking the soup to warm the stomach is considered eating.

This also makes me want to have a full meal even more.

"The earthen kang is basically ready. We'll have a fire burning tomorrow and the day after tomorrow, so we should be able to sleep the day after tomorrow. We'll have to put an end to sleeping in the house for now. As the days go by, it's definitely not a good decision for us to just live off the land. In winter, everything is dormant, and it may take more than a day or two to find food. So starting tomorrow, I plan to start looking for food to prevent us from encountering another food crisis." I said.

"Do you need me to go with you?" Yunwen felt a little uneasy when she heard me say that.

"It's too cold outside. You are weak and have been overworked for some time. You should take some rest recently. When you feel better, I will take you out. Otherwise, if we encounter danger, you will be easily attacked." I said.

"Oh..." Yunwen forced a smile.

"Sister Yunwen, I was wrong before and made you suffer. I have discussed this matter with Brother Zhou Bo. We need to face the outside world with one voice and get by with our lives now. Everyone knows where you stand in Brother Zhou Bo's mind, and I know it too, so don't worry that I will do anything to you again. If you are still unhappy with me, just bring it up tonight and you can vent your anger in any way you want." Song Bailu said.

"Sister Bailu, that's not what I meant. This matter is over, but..." Yunwen said and looked at me.

"Don't worry, Zhou Bo is a former special forces soldier. He has undergone so many life-threatening missions that ordinary people like us can't even imagine. You must be a good wife and help him look after the household, right?" Song Bailu said.

Cough cough cough...

The soup I swallowed went into my trachea by mistake, causing me to cough in panic, and Yunwen had to pat my back.

With the phrases "important psychological position" on the left and "good wife" on the right, it seems as if Zhang Yunwen has already been my married wife. It's really exciting.

"Oh, you're so happy, right? This is a huge bargain." Song Yingchun said sourly.

"Zhou Bo, wait for me." Yunwen said.

I quickly wiped the soup from the corner of my mouth and tried my best to appear decent, so as not to lose my composure as Song Yingchun said.

Not long after, Yunwen brought me a coat that I had worn before, but because it was torn all over by the wolf, I never wore it. Instead, I wore the one that I had taken from someone on the plane.

At this time, I saw that the damaged parts of the coat were sewn up, and my deerskin was sewn on the collar, sleeves, and the entire back of the coat. It fit perfectly, just like my new clothes. It not only added to the ability to keep out the cold, but also increased its beauty. I slowly took it and looked at it for a long time. I couldn't believe it.

Song Yingchun stood up, her eyes showing confusion and displeasure. She snatched the clothes from my hand and said, "Huaving, how did you do it? How did you sew it on without a needle and money? Don't you already have them? Then why don't you just give them to me?"

Yunwen shook her head and smiled, saying, "It was originally in the life-saving kit, but Zhou Bo only took a few items from the kit when he was on the plane. The needle and thread for sewing the wound and the plane crashed into the seabed, so I don't have a needle. I used a more ancient method to do it."

"What method?" Yingchun asked hurriedly.

Yunwen took out her tool from her pocket, which turned out to be a bone spur, probably taken from a deer bone. The needle holes on it were made little by little with stones and the tip of the bayonet. I could recognize some cuts from the bayonet, and the thread was made by her taking apart her own clothes and sewing it for me.

Song Bailu stood up and whispered into Yingchun's ear, "Sister, learn from others. You see, this job should have been yours."

I saw that Song Yingchun became angrier and angrier as she listened. She stamped her feet and her face turned red. It was obvious that she was both ashamed and angry.

"It's so annoying. He's so scheming!" Song Yingchun cursed.

But she could only be angry and there was nothing she could do. After cursing, she continued to drink her soup.

I took off my coat, and Yunwen put on the deerskin coat she had sewn for me. She fiddled with the sleeves, buttons, and collar for me. She came very close to me, and her slender fingers moved around my neck gracefully as if she was playing the piano. Her lips exuded fragrance, and her eyes were filled with the gentleness of a good wife and mother.

If there were no one around, I really want to give you a kiss. Other than that, I really don’t know how to express my feelings right now.

"It's been about half a month since the last time we went out there. Do you still remember the way?" Yunwen asked softly.

"Yes," I replied.

"Remember to go, and remember to come back. I'll be waiting for you here. Be careful..." Yunwen looked at me and said seriously.


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