The soybeans have already been planted and are just waiting to be harvested. After this crop is harvested, we won't plant any more to let the land rest.
Let's make the yogurt first; we need to make two batches today. We'll keep one for ourselves.
The next day, I brought the old lady yogurt when I went to fetch water again, but this time the old lady came out herself.
"Grandma, is the yogurt delicious?"
"It's delicious. How could it not be delicious when it's all good stuff? I've heard that people on the grasslands used to eat it like this."
"Grandma, I brought you some more today. Try some, but we're out of canned peaches. I couldn't resist eating them all yesterday because I was craving them."
"It's okay, I've had it before. The original flavor is even better. I have some canned hawthorn here, I'll take it back for you."
"I don't want it. I have canned hawthorn too. I always feel it's too sour to put in there. Here, Grandma, I made a lot today. You should eat more. The book says this is very nourishing and will surely make you live another twenty years."
"Live another twenty years? Wouldn't that make you an old monster? What's the point of living that long? It's exhausting."
"How is it useless? If I get bullied again someday, you can help me get revenge."
"You brat, am I your henchman? Besides, girls shouldn't cause trouble. If they have a bad reputation, they'll never find a husband."
"If I can't find it, I can't find it. It's so much more comfortable to live alone."
"Nonsense, I'll go get you a bowl later." The old lady said as she went home, and came out a moment later with a large bowl. "Hongmei, these are homemade steamed buns with red bean filling, take them home and eat them."
"Okay, Grandma, I was just craving some red bean buns. Last time, Sister Er Ya said she'd make me some red bean paste, so I'll catch her today and ask her to make me a whole pot."
"If you only want to point fingers at others, you have to learn yourself, otherwise you won't know how to make a living in the future."
"I understand, I'll definitely learn how to do it so I can eat it."
Zhang Hongmei went home first before fetching water. After returning home, she continued her unchanging life of reading and practicing calligraphy.
But I'll start preparing the dough today. We'll have steamed buns for lunch, so I'll make a lot today and send some to Liu Maocai's house.
Li Cuihua's protection earned Zhang Hongmei's genuine respect, and she naturally thought of her when there were good things.
After cooking it at noon, I put it in a bowl, covered it with another bowl, and took it to Li Cuihua. "Third Aunt, are you home?"
"Yes," Li Cuihua replied as she came out.
"Auntie, I've brought you some freshly steamed buns. Eat them while they're hot. I haven't eaten yet."
"Take it back and eat it yourself."
"I steamed two pots, that's enough for everyone." He handed the pot to Li Cuihua and left.
Li Cuihua smelled a rich, sweet aroma as soon as she carried the basin, and only went inside after watching Zhang Hongmei walk away.
"Mom, what are you holding? It smells so good!" Sanya and Shitou asked their mother.
"Your sister Hongmei said they're steamed buns. You two go wash your hands, one each." She then went inside. Liu Maocai, lying on the kang (heated brick bed), asked, "What did you take?"
"Hongmei brought these steamed buns." After saying that, she lifted the lid of the bowl, and the aroma became even stronger.
"You should try some too."
"No, keep it for the children. When you have time, go grind some flour and take half a bag to Hongmei." Why not say a whole bag? Because there was only one bag of wheat left at home.
“Okay, in a few days our family will also need to grind the slag. Let’s grind it together. Here, there are fifteen pieces, enough for the children to eat.”
Li Cuihua insisted on giving one to Liu Maocai, but she didn't eat it herself.
Sanya and the other girl came in, each holding one in their hand, and ate them in big bites.
After finishing one bite, Shi Tou glanced longingly at the bowl. But he didn't ask for any more. "Mom, my older brother went outside to play. I'll go call him."
"Okay, go ahead, but don't mention there's food at home. Tell your older sister to come back too."
Sanya ate slowly; by the time she finished eating the stones, she had already run away.
Liu Jianguo was quite puzzled. His younger brother kept telling him to come back, but he didn't know why. When he asked, the younger brother wouldn't say and just ran ahead as fast as he could. Once he entered his own yard and smelled the delicious aroma, he didn't even bother to ask Shi Tou anymore.
"Jianguo, here you go, Hongmei brought you some steamed buns, they're still warm, hurry up and try one."
After Liu Jianguo wolfed down his food, he patted Shi Tou's head, knowing that his younger brother was calling him back for a good meal.
"Mom, how come Hongmei can make such delicious food? That girl used to always keep her head down and never say a word."
"It's normal for a girl to be able to cook now that she's grown up." Li Cuihua didn't think there was anything wrong with it.
That was the last thing said; the children had all gone out to play, and Da Ya hadn't come back.
"Honey, you say Da Ya goes to school, but I've never seen her read a book. Er Ya gets up in the morning to light the fire and has a book in her hand, muttering to herself. How come these two children are so different?"
"Da Ya, just leave it to me. Let her do whatever she wants. Have you found a matchmaker yet?"
"I've asked several people, but no one has replied yet."
"What did you say to the matchmaker?"
"Say that you are of similar age, preferably someone from the city who gets a government-subsidized job."
"From the city?"
“Didn’t this girl tell me she didn’t want to work in the fields and wanted to find a city person who gets a government-subsidized food job?”
"You're listening to her? I told you, we can't find her someone too good. If she suffers, we won't be able to help her. Are you stupid?"
"Okay, I'll go find those matchmakers right now, I understand." Li Cuihua said and ran off. She knew her conditions were difficult, but thinking of her daughter crying and begging her, she softened. Sigh, a debt for life.
Li Cuihua went to each matchmaker to apologize, saying, "Auntie, I was blinded by greed and just wanted to find a good match for my daughter. But then I thought about it and realized that the young men in our village are more reliable. Even if she suffers, her father and I can stand up for her, right?"
"His sister-in-law, that's the thing. It's so good that she's with us, and we can take care of her. This girl is almost fifteen, so it's good to settle her down early and let her develop the relationship slowly."
"That's right. I hadn't thought of that before."
I was busy for ages before I got back, and there was no one home. It's so late, and my eldest daughter still hasn't returned. She's getting more and more unruly. Resigned, I gathered firewood to start a fire and cook.
Even after Er Ya returned, Da Ya still hadn't entered the house. This angered Li Cuihua. "San Ya, go find your eldest sister and bring her back!"
"Mom, my eldest sister said she'll be back soon. She hasn't had enough of chatting with my aunt yet."
Er Ya put her schoolbag down in the room and came out after changing her clothes. "Mom, I'll cook the pig feed. You can rest for a while."
"No need for you. How many roads do you walk every day? You can rest. Aren't you going to Hongmei's house today? Oh, by the way, Hongmei brought over some steamed buns. I'll bake one for you. You eat first."
"No need, Mom, we'll eat together in a bit. I'll go to Hongmei's house after I finish eating; she explains things even more simply and clearly than our teacher."
"Then go ahead, Mom will repay the favor later."
"No need, I'll find a way to pay it back myself. I'll help her with the farm work, and we'll pay it back slowly. There will be a day when we can pay it all back."
Li Cuihua thought the child was very sensible after hearing what her second daughter said.
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