nice one
The fire in the stove gradually dimmed, leaving only the warm red glow of the charcoal, casting flickering shadows in the dim kitchen.
Ling Zhan's hair was almost dry.
She casually tied her hair back with a smooth wooden hairpin, revealing her well-defined but slightly pale neck.
I changed into clean coarse cloth clothes, which were still thin, but fortunately the evening breeze in April had dispelled the chill.
She didn't linger at the table, but went straight to the huge wicker basket under the eaves and lifted a corner of the oilcloth covering it.
The cold, hard metallic scent mixed with the raw, youthful aroma of vines wafted over me.
The rugged outline of the machete, the heavy texture of the pickaxe, the sharp edge of the iron hoe, the dark and heavy weight of the iron ingot…
They huddled together in a dark, heavy mass, exuding a reassuring sense of strength.
With these, the complete reclamation of the barren slope behind the village is no longer an insurmountable problem.
"Hmph! Got enough looking? Come over for dinner! Waiting for me to treat you?"
A gruff voice came from the kitchen, tinged with lingering annoyance, but more so with a resigned, forced busyness. He was placing a steaming bowl of thick, porridge—so thick it could almost hold chopsticks upright—onto the small dining table with a thud.
On the table sat a small dish of dark, pickled vegetables and a few coarsely steamed cornbread buns, yellowish in color and with a rough texture. This was the main meal for their dinner, shared by more than twenty people. The children's portions had long been divided up and they had been sent out to play—
Shen Yan felt her head buzzing; she really didn't want to listen to a bunch of little sparrows chirping anymore today.
Ling Zhan put down the oilcloth and sat down at the dining table.
The porridge was at the perfect temperature, and a carefully peeled boiled egg lay at the bottom of the bowl. She picked up the bowl and silently took a sip. The rough grains slid down her throat, carrying the most authentic, even slightly harsh, taste of the grain. She thought it was alright; it was filling.
If more white rice were added, the taste would be even better.
Winter wheat.
She swallowed her porridge, looked up at Chen Yan sitting opposite her, whose face still looked like someone owed him eight hundred strings of cash, and asked in a flat tone, as if confirming a given fact, "Is it still early before the ears of grain sprout?"
Shen Yan was holding a cornbread and gnawing on it in a fit of anger when he heard this, and paused for a moment.
She rolled her eyes in annoyance, as if to say, "Is that even a question?"
"Nonsense! It's only been a few months! It will take at least another month, maybe even two, before the wheat heads and grains are ready to be harvested and ground into flour! It's all up to fate, there's no use rushing it!" He spoke sharply, but it was the truth. The winter wheat sown last autumn was currently just sparse patches of tender green in the fields, far from the golden waves that symbolized abundance.
Ling Zhan turned his gaze to the courtyard outside the window, where dusk was gradually falling.
In a corner, a small patch of newly cultivated land was barely enclosed by a sparse fence, and tender green seedlings swayed gently in the cool evening breeze, revealing their vibrant vitality.
“The herbs,” she said, pointing to the swaying new green shoots, “are growing well.”
Mentioning this, the gloom on Shen Yan's face finally faded away like thin clouds blown away by the wind, and even a hint of smugness appeared. He even raised his chin slightly, like a proud little rooster.
He put down the half-eaten cornbread, cleared his throat, and straightened his back a bit: "Of course! You don't even know who personally oversaw and managed it all! Groups of people on duty, with responsibilities assigned to each person! Watering, weeding, pest control, they didn't miss a single one! Tiger and Bean Sprout split into two groups, leading that bunch of teenagers to carry water, their shoulders were all rubbed raw but they never complained!"
Da Niu and Da Ya led their daughters in taking charge of the meticulous work, pulling weeds with incredible care and picking out every insect egg! They've gradually added over a dozen chickens and ducks, and now they're all quite plump and laying eggs diligently, but…”
He suddenly changed the subject, his eyes fixed on Ling Zhan with a hint of probing.
"—With so few eggs, if we distribute them every day, it's simply not enough to feed more than twenty children every day! It's a drop in the ocean!"
Ling Zhan's gaze returned to the bowl. He took another sip of porridge and nodded: "At least thirty eggs a day is indeed too few."
This acknowledges his insistence on the basic standard of at least one egg per child per day.
Upon hearing this, Shen Yan's beautiful peach blossom eyes instantly lit up astonishingly, as if she had received the highest praise!
The rage and resentment he felt by the river just moments before vanished completely, replaced by an immense sense of satisfaction from having his work highly recognized by key leaders. He spoke rapidly and incessantly, as if trying to pour out all his achievements from this period:
"See those newly transplanted shepherd's purse and purslane seedlings under the fence on the east side? The kids spotted them and brought them back from the wild! They're too tender to eat right now, but once they've grown bigger, they'll be a delicious and fresh vegetable dish! And those rows of newly turned, sun-dried soil in the backyard—the clods have all been carefully broken up. We're just waiting for the weather to warm up a bit more so we can sow some radish and leafy green seeds..."
He talked about everything from the children's division of labor and cooperation to the careful raising of poultry and livestock, and then to the utilization of every inch of land in the fields and around the houses. He did everything in great detail and in a clear and organized manner, and his tone was full of pride that "this is all the good thing I did."
Its expression was exactly like that of a male peacock who had just meticulously preened its magnificent tail feathers by the stream, eager to show its mate the abundance of its territory and its excellent governance.
Ling Zhan listened quietly, occasionally nodding very slightly to indicate that she was receiving the information.
She scooped up a spoonful of porridge, her gaze calmly falling on Shen Yan's handsome face, which was slightly glowing with excitement and full of life. Her eyes inadvertently swept over the collar of his coarse cotton-padded jacket, which had been opened due to his talking and movements—below the collar, a section of delicate, fair neck, incongruous with the rough surroundings, was revealed.
As Shen Yan was talking about how well his chickens and ducks fared, he noticed that Ling Zhan's gaze seemed to linger on his collar for a moment. He subconsciously reached out and quickly adjusted his collar! Then he felt that this action seemed too coy and petty, not in line with the demeanor of a "head of the family," so he simply put his hand down and let his collar remain open.
However, the topic took a strange and subtle turn.
“Ahem…Speaking of which, Ling Zhan,” he leaned forward slightly, lowering his voice with a hint of mystery and self-assurance, “look at us now, isn’t our family business…uh, starting to improve a bit? The wasteland has been cleared, valuable herbs have been planted, the land clearing equipment is ready, the children are well-managed, and there are plenty of chickens and ducks…”
He paused, his peach blossom eyes sparkling with anticipation, like they were filled with scattered stars.
"Shouldn't we...be a little more particular about our lives now?"
Ling Zhan looked up at him, his eyes questioning, "Sophisticated?"
"That's right! We should pay more attention to the quality of life!" Shen Yan seemed to have finally found a kindred spirit, excitedly slamming his hand on the table, making the dishes rattle softly. "Look at this thing I'm wearing!" He pulled at his drab, faded, stiff, coarse cotton-padded coat with frayed cuffs, his face full of disgust. "How long have I been wearing this? From last year to this year! It's getting hot, and I don't even have a thin shirt to change into! It's so stiff and rough! It makes me feel uncomfortable all over, and it's even uncomfortable when I turn over in bed at night!"
He became more and more aggrieved as he spoke, his brows furrowed so deeply they could trap a fly, as if these coarse clothes were the root of all evil. “The ‘Ruixiang’ silk shop in town just got a new batch of fine cotton cloth from Jiangnan! I’ve secretly touched it; it’s so soft and absorbent, it feels so comfortable against the skin! And ‘Yunjin Pavilion,’ I heard they recently got a few bolts of fine plain Hangzhou silk. Although the colors aren’t very bright, the material! Tsk tsk, it’s as smooth as water! Shouldn’t we… buy a few feet and at least make a decent set of clothes to change into? It doesn’t have to be extravagant, just two sets for each person to change into! It’ll be respectable and comfortable!”
He emphasized "one person, two bodies" and "decent and comfortable" in an attempt to make the requirement sound less excessive and more like a "necessity".
Ling Zhan didn't speak, but lowered his head, picked up a small piece of dark, pickled vegetable with his chopsticks, and put it in his mouth.
He chewed slowly with a blank expression, making a soft crunching sound.
Seeing that she didn't immediately object with a cold face, but instead silently chewed her pickled vegetables, Shen Yan's courage inflated like a balloon. He continued to paint a beautiful picture, his eyes growing brighter and brighter:
“And this food! Every day it’s either mixed grain porridge or these pickled vegetable buns. The kids are at the age where they’re growing strong and healthy, how can they just eat this? They’re not getting enough nutrition! I also…” He paused, a perfectly timed “grievance” on his face, “I can’t keep eating this bland food all the time, my mouth is getting so dry! I heard that the braised pork hock from ‘Li’s Meat Shop’ at the market entrance is made with their family’s secret broth, it’s stewed until it’s so tender and flavorful, it melts in your mouth! And ‘Fu Man Lou’s’ signature eight-treasure duck, crystal pork jelly… those are all famous hearty dishes in town!”
He swallowed hard, his Adam's apple bobbing, as if the enticing aroma had already filled his nostrils. "We've worked so hard for so long, braving wind and rain, clearing land and farming to feed this whole family. Occasionally... just once in a while, we can treat ourselves and the kids to some meat. That's not too much to ask, is it? We can buy a few bushels of the best white rice, and from now on, we can steam a pot of fragrant, perfectly separated white rice for every meal! Paired with that glistening, trembling braised meat... tsk!"
He smacked his lips, looking completely absorbed, as if a delicious feast was laid out before him.
Ling Zhan finally finished the last mouthful of coarse porridge in his bowl and put down his chopsticks.
She didn't look at Shen Yan's handsome face, which was filled with endless longing for a better life. Her gaze was calm, like a cold probe, first sweeping over the rice jar by the stove, which was half empty and had its brown earthenware bottom exposed, and then turning to the several bulging bags of coarse grains piled up in the corner. Clearly, Shen Yan had been eating mostly refined grains these days, and those bags of coarse grains had hardly been touched.
Finally, the gaze returned to Shen Yan.
"Where's the money?"
She asked, her voice not loud, but like a bucket of ice water drawn from a well, instantly extinguishing all the beautiful flames.
Shen Yan's face, which was full of vivid excitement and longing, filled with fantasies of delicious food and fine clothes, froze instantly.
It was as if an invisible hand had suddenly grabbed his neck. He opened his mouth, and a meaningless, short breath escaped from his throat. His once bright and sparkling peach blossom eyes quickly dimmed, and the braised pork knuckle, fine cotton cloth, and white rice he had described inside burst one after another like soap bubbles in the sunlight, disappearing without a trace.
Yeah...where's the money?
The harsh reality struck him like a heavy hammer, slamming down on the castle in the air that he had just built.
After buying grain and salt in winter, Ling Zhan did give him a considerable amount of money, but in the spring, to support the land reclamation project, the costs of buying better iron tools, acquiring necessary farm implements, and repairing tools nearly emptied the family's savings. The wild vegetable seedlings on the field ridges hadn't even grown to be edible yet, and the eggs laid by the chickens and ducks were distributed daily according to the number of people, leaving no savings. Although the medicinal herbs were growing well and lush, it would still be quite some time before they could be harvested, processed, and sold for a decent price.
There is a food shortage.
These four words are like heavy shackles, firmly locking away the scene at this moment.
"Um... well..."
Shen Yan's imposing aura visibly weakened, like a punctured balloon. He shifted uncomfortably on the rough stool, stubbornly clinging to the last shred of his pride.
"Money...money is not a problem! Don't we still have some hidden treasures?"
He pointed to the huge wicker basket that Ling Zhan had brought back, his eyes filled with hope.
"You've been in the mountains for so long this time, venturing into the old forests. You must have found some rare medicinal herbs that are old and of excellent quality, right? Last time..."
Mentioning the last time he sold medicine, his previously dejected mood was reignited as if by a spark.
"Last time you casually sold those medicinal herbs to that heartless 'Jishetang' shopkeeper in town, and you only got a little bit of grain in return. What a huge loss! It's like casting pearls before swine! What a waste!"
The peacock's tail, which had been drooping with weariness, was about to burst open again. Last time, Ling Zhan went to sell his goods alone, urgently needing to exchange them for grain. The shopkeeper had sold them to him at a low price after a few words, and he only got some grain in return, including a lot of coarse grain and a bag of salt.
Every time he thinks about it, Shen Yan feels a burning hatred, wishing he could rush to town and smash that shady shop with the "Saving the World" sign.
"This time is different!"
Shen Yan suddenly straightened her back, as if injected with a powerful stimulant. A sharp glint of shrewdness, typical of a shrewd businessman, flashed in her eyes. Her entire demeanor instantly shifted from that of a wronged little wife to that of a hunter at the negotiating table. "This time, I'll sell! I guarantee those heartless shopkeepers will obediently return the price difference they ripped off us last time, plus interest, and this 'earnest money'!"
His tone was resolute, carrying a powerful confidence and arrogance that said, "Watch me, this is a piece of cake."
Ling Zhan looked at his instantly changed expression and confident demeanor, and said nothing, but only raised his right eyebrow almost imperceptibly and very slightly.
The reason she suffered a loss last time was indeed because she was unfamiliar with the medicinal herb market and was driven by the urgency of needing food, which allowed the shopkeeper to take advantage of her.
"There is purple Ganoderma lucidum."
Ling Zhan stood up and walked back to the huge wicker basket. She moved aside some miscellaneous items on the surface and pulled out a separate small wicker basket from the depths of the main basket, covered with a thick layer of dry grass for insulation and moisture protection. Lifting the grass, she carefully lifted out an object that was meticulously wrapped and tightly bound with several layers of oiled paper. Untying the thin ropes and peeling back the layers of oiled paper, a palm-sized Ganoderma lucidum, with a thick, full cap, a deep, noble purplish-brown color, and a smooth, delicate skin that subtly revealed a warm, jade-like luster, lay quietly in Ling Zhan's palm.
Nourished by the clouds and mist on the mountaintop, it is at least fifty years old, in perfect condition, and extremely rare.
Shen Yan's eyes suddenly shone brighter than the last embers in the stove!
He almost held his breath as he leaned forward, carefully taking the purple Ganoderma from Ling Zhan's hands as if it were a rare treasure. His slender fingers gently caressed the thick, velvety cap of the Ganoderma, feeling its unique, firm yet slightly elastic texture and its restrained yet mellow medicinal fragrance, and he couldn't help but click his tongue in admiration.
"What a treasure! It's a once-in-a-century find! The condition, the age... the purple aura... if you send it to the largest 'Renji Hall' in the prefectural city or the 'Huichun Pavilion' in the provincial capital, it would be worth at least that much!"
He made a rather impressive gesture, his eyes burning with confidence in the impending "harvest".
"tomorrow."
Shen Yan took a deep breath, suppressing his excitement, and carefully wrapped the Ganoderma lucidum again with layers of oiled paper, his movements gentle and precious, as if handling a fragile piece of porcelain. The flamboyance on his face completely disappeared, replaced by a calm calculation and a hidden excitement of about to make a great move.
"I'll go to town as soon as the city gates open tomorrow morning."
"That old fox manager of 'Jishetang,' I tried to get close to him a while ago by pretending to buy some liniment for bruises. I also subtly hinted at him about the medicine being sold at a low price last time; he knew he was in the wrong. This time…"
He sneered, his eyes gleaming like a fox eyeing its prey. "I'll make him pay me back the difference he pocketed last time, with interest, plus this 'sincerity'—all of it! Otherwise, hmph, I'll take this treasure to the 'Baohetang' next door!"
Seeing that Ling Zhan still had no expression and was just quietly looking at him, Shen Yan carefully put the wrapped Zizhi back into the small wicker basket, covered it with dry grass, and gently patted the side of the basket, as if to comfort the treasure inside.
He quickly reverted to his somewhat languid demeanor, but his tone was resolute and brooked no argument: "Just wait, Madam Ling. I guarantee that the grain we've traded this time will ensure you and those little brats eat fluffy white rice every meal, until the winter wheat is ripe and stored. You won't have to worry about food anymore! Maybe..."
He deliberately dragged out his words, his beautiful peach blossom eyes glancing at Ling Zhan, his gaze shifting with a sly allure, "If we're lucky and the deal goes well, we might even have some loose change left, enough for us to buy a few yards of that soft, smooth cotton cloth? Moon white, it'll suit you."
Ling Zhan ignored his second half of the sentence, which hinted at the fine cotton cloth, and his subtle, almost imperceptible glance. She simply looked at his confident demeanor, as if he had already secured the rice and money, and then glanced at the nearly empty rice jar in the corner. The faint red light from the stove illuminated her serene face.
A moment later, she nodded very slightly, but very clearly.
Upon receiving this silent yet weighty permission, Shen Yan beamed with joy, as if a spring breeze had dispelled all the gloom.
The dejection I felt from the blows of reality vanished completely, and I radiated with newfound vitality.
He could almost see the granaries overflowing with snow-white rice and feel the soft, comfortable cotton cloth. He hummed a tuneless little tune, and with light steps began to clear the table of dishes, muttering to himself as he planned out the "wealth" that was about to be his.
"...Choose a light, pale white cotton cloth, it'll feel clean and refreshing...For the braised pork hock, choose the cut with a good balance of fat and lean meat, and the skin on, it'll be fragrant and tender...The kids also need some nourishment, buy some pork bones to make soup..."
The last embers in the stove emitted a warm red glow, illuminating his busy yet light figure.
The drab, coarse cotton-padded coat that he had always disliked now seemed less glaring and unbearable on his body.
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