"Alright, I was just about to ask if you had any yams. Planting them on the potato trough wouldn't be a waste of the trough I dug. Auntie, you don't need to cultivate them anymore, you can just wait to plant them."
“No one in our village grows Chinese yams, and I don’t know where to find them. I’m infertile. Let’s start from scratch, first cucumbers, then peppers, then squash, winter melon, and pumpkin. Hongmei, do you still have willow branches? We need to cover them with plastic film later.”
"No, then forget it. Auntie, are there any carrot fields nearby? We still have willow branches. That should be enough."
"Never heard of it. Nobody likes to eat that stuff, why do you want to grow it?"
"I'm just curious. We'll ask about it when we go to the market sometime. I want to plant some. The book says that carrots are especially nutritious."
"Okay, if anyone goes out, I'll ask around for you."
Li Cuihua worked quickly and finished planting in no time. Zhang Hongmei watered the plants, and Er Ya helped cover them with plastic film.
"You have to water it every day at noon. Don't forget."
"Don't worry, I won't forget. How do you grow chives, Auntie?"
"Just turn the seedbed over, flatten it with a leveling board, and evenly scatter the chive seeds. Cover it with a layer of manure. If you don't have manure, you can cover it with ash and soil. Once I see you've turned the seedbed over, I'll help you level it and plant the seeds while you watch. You can also plant bok choy and water spinach this way, or you can dig a few furrows and plant them."
"Auntie, I don't have any manure at home, I'll go mix some soil." It's really just a way of saying she finds it disgusting.
"If you have time, have your third uncle haul a cart of dirt for you and I'll help you build the outhouse. Then you'll have manure. It's precious; some people even go out to collect manure."
Zhang Hongmei really wanted to say no to manure, but then she thought the outhouse really did need emptying, and besides, she didn't have any fertilizer in her own space, so she decided to wait until she got some fertilizer before saying no.
In less than fifteen minutes, the chives were planted.
"Third Aunt, you go ahead and get busy. I can plant the bok choy and water spinach myself."
"Okay, I really have to go now. We'll start planting sweet potatoes tomorrow, and you can all start working too. The work isn't tiring, but you'll have to squat a lot. You'll see when you start tomorrow."
Zhang Hongmei decided to cook first. "Sister Erya, don't go back. Eat at my house. I'll make some steamed bean buns."
"No need, I'll go back and help with the cooking, so you'll have to do it all by yourself."
"That's fine, you can try it when you come back this afternoon. I'll keep it warm in the pot for you."
As soon as Zhang Hongmei finished cooking the steamed buns, she took ten of them to the old lady's house.
"Grandma, I'm here. I've brought you something delicious."
The old lady's granddaughter-in-law warmly invited Zhang Hongmei into the house; they were having dinner. Seeing two tables full of people, it truly was a large family.
"What food did you bring me, girl?"
"How about trying these steamed buns made with goat milk and flour? They're delicious!"
"You've made a mess of bean paste?" the old lady teased Zhang Hongmei.
Zhang Hongmei, thick-skinned and self-righteous, said, "Er Ya made the red bean paste today. But I've learned how to make it too. Auntie, find a tool to take the red bean buns out for Grandma. I'm leaving now; I need to go home for dinner."
The old lady picked up a steamed bun with red bean filling, and smelled its sweet aroma even before she took a bite. "I won't keep you here for dinner. The food at home isn't as good as yours. Go back and eat."
The family had gotten used to Zhang Hongmei bringing food to the old lady from time to time. They all thought it was because the girl was grateful that the old lady had helped them last time, so she was being so filial to her.
Little did they know that Zhang Hongmei's act of respecting and being grateful to the old lady was not only one aspect, but also a way to gain favor with the old lady so that she could curry favor with a powerful man.
Zhang Hongmei ate one steamed bun when she got home and was full. She put the rest in a bowl and decided to send them to Liu Maocai's house. There were seven in total, so they could each have one to try.
When they arrived at Liu Maocai's house, they were already eating. Shitou and Sanya stared intently at the steamed buns that Zhang Hongmei brought over. These children rarely ate sweets throughout the year, so it was already a miracle that they didn't reach out and snatch them.
“Auntie, you should try it, it’s delicious. I also sent some to Grandma, and she said it was delicious too.”
"You silly girl, keep the good food for yourself, don't send it to me again."
"Third Aunt, I've never treated you like an outsider, why are you being so formal?"
"Okay, I'm not being polite. I'll accept whatever you offer me as a token of my respect. Have you eaten yet?"
"I've already eaten. Sister Erya even helped me make this bean paste. I've learned how to make it now. You guys eat up, I have to go home and get my tools, the house isn't ready yet."
"Okay, go back. Let Er Ya help you with any chores."
When Zhang Hongmei left, Li Cuihua distributed the steamed buns to everyone. Liu Maocai didn't want them, but Li Cuihua insisted on giving them to him.
Sanya ate in small bites; she had never eaten such delicious food before. It was so sweet, sweeter than sugar.
Shi Tou wolfed down his food, finishing it in just a few bites, but he was also sensible enough not to covet anyone else's. Li Cuihua and Liu Maocai couldn't very well give him theirs; they were all their children, and they couldn't show favoritism.
Er Ya broke her steamed bun in half and handed half to Shi Tou. "You eat so fast, you didn't even taste anything, did you? Like Pigsy eating ginseng fruit."
"Second sister, I don't want it, you eat it."
"Take it if I give it to you."
"Take this stone, it's free, no harm in taking it. Maybe the other person has already eaten it."
No one paid any attention to Liu Daya's sarcastic remarks. They wondered what was wrong with her, as she was always so out of place.
After dinner, Liu Maocai, Li Cuihua, and Liu Jianguo all had to lie down for a while, as they still had to work on the sweet potato rows in the afternoon.
Er Ya picked up the tools, and Da Ya washed the dishes. Da Ya didn't want to do either of these things, but Er Ya told her that if she did, she wouldn't help her. Left with no choice, Liu Da Ya had to do them.
Zhang Hongmei went home, cleaned up the kitchen, fed the sheep, watered them, and then sat down to rest.
Soon Er Ya came over too. With someone to chat with, Zhang Hongmei was no longer sleepy. She wasn't interested in poetry collections, but Er Ya liked them and would pick them up and flip through a few pages from time to time.
Zhang Hongmei hoped that Er Ya would read more books, but she also told her to cherish them. The book was borrowed, and she felt uncomfortable just thinking about Zhang Shouyi's face.
The exams are coming up again soon, and Zhang Hongmei has to cram at the last minute. She'll feel embarrassed if she doesn't do well.
The room was quiet, with only the rustling of pages turning. Neither of them was both distracting the other, each absorbed in their own textbook.
As it grew dark, the two put away their books. Zhang Hongmei wanted to plant the three rows of green beans but refused Er Ya's help, saying she could finish the work herself in a little while. Er Ya still had to go back and cook.
In the evening, I planted tomatoes, green peppers, onions, and carrots in the space.
I haven't been taking vitamin supplements lately. Even though I eat fruit every day, I still feel like I'm missing something.
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