Chapter 38 Chapter 38
Huo Xing has been away from home for a month. The spring breeze blew away the floating clouds in the mountains, and the spring atmosphere spread to the entire mountain village. Miao Ying carried a basket and went up the mountain with Ye Feng to pick wild vegetables.
"There are a lot of wild vegetables on this mountain, such as fern, Chinese toon buds, and locust flowers. The aroma they make is so good that it kills people." Ye Feng has lived here for so many years, so he naturally knows where to pick wild vegetables. They don't go deep into the mountains, but in the shallow valleys.
Miao Ying followed behind him, remembering that Ye Feng had said before that he would teach him some physiological knowledge, but he never had the time. During this month, he did business with Wang the peddler, set up a stall at the February 2nd temple fair, and made a small profit of one or two taels of silver.
His days were busy and fulfilling, and he would think about Huo Xing, wondering how he was doing in the capital.
"Brother Feng, didn't you say last time that you would tell me about that special period?" Now that they were alone, he asked without caring about anything else.
"Oh, that's nothing serious. It only happens once a year." Ye Feng slowed down his pace and walked alongside him. "My brother and I have those few days every year when we're, well, how should I put it, pretty restless."
Miao Ying's eyes were filled with confusion: "What's dry? Is it because of internal heat that you have a nosebleed?"
Ye Feng originally wanted to be more tactful, but remembering that Miao Ying was also a married man, he gradually became bolder: "Hey, haven't you felt it yourself?"
Miao Ying shook his head: "I don't know. Can you explain it to me clearly? Will it bleed?" After he said this, his face turned red.
"Why is there bleeding?" Ye Feng saw that he really didn't know anything, and said patiently, "There are just a few days every year when you want it very much, and your mind is full of this thing. These days are also the time when it is very easy to get pregnant. If you don't want a child, you have to pay attention to it."
Miao Ying felt like his brain had crashed. He didn't know what it meant to want it very much, what it meant to be easy to conceive, and what it meant to happen every year. The key point was that he himself didn't even know when his period would come.
"Since you have never had one, you should go see a doctor and regulate your body. After all, you will want children in the future, right?" After saying that, he turned his head to look at Miao Ying, only to see that Miao Ying's face was flushed.
"Oh, you've been married for so long and you're still shy." Ye Feng saw a locust tree and quickly pulled Miao Ying over. "Hurry, I'll climb up and pick the flowers, and you pick them up below."
Ye Feng was very skilled at climbing trees and quickly climbed up the tree. Miao Ying wanted to say that he climbed up by himself, but now he could only pass the basket to him from below.
"Use some lard and add some eggs and fry them. It will be delicious." Ye Feng picked enough flowers and came down from the tree. Seeing that Miao Ying's face was still red, he smiled at him for a while.
Miao Ying asked again: "What about those who are not married?"
"It only happens when you're an adult. It usually lasts three to five days. You can just endure it in your room during those few days before you get married and it will pass." Ye Feng frowned at him, "Are you really not having it? Then you really need to see a doctor."
It shouldn't be that there isn't one, but Miao Ying just doesn't know. Why not wait for Huo Xing to come back and ask him if he knows.
What he learned today was too advanced for Miao Ying. He felt that the locust flowers in his basket were no longer fragrant.
He returned home with a heavy heart. Li Hongying had just returned from the fields. She leaned over to smell the locust flowers in his basket and said, "They smell so good. Ask grandma to make you some locust flower cakes. She makes the best ones."
Miao Ying nodded, and then remembered something: "Mom, I heard from Brother Feng that the Meng School will start classes soon, and I plan to send Xiaobao there."
Li Hongying just remembered this matter: "Yes, I said I forgot something recently." Their minds have been on the fields recently and they have forgotten about this matter.
"As for the salary, what do you think we should give?" Miao Ying was still used to discussing things with her. A family can only live a prosperous life if they discuss and consult with each other.
"Is it time to make candy again?" Li Hongying thought for a moment, "Send some candy?"
Miao Ying thought this was a good idea, so he nodded and started to prepare the ingredients for making sugar. However, while his hands were moving, his mind was thinking about other things. It should be April in the Gregorian calendar now, and the rape flowers must have withered, and the rapeseed should be slowly maturing.
What if Huo Xing couldn't come back next month? He would have to go to the mountain and collect the rapeseed himself.
Miao Ying scratched his head. He had only been to the mountain twice. How could he still remember the way clearly? If he went up the mountain to harvest rapeseed, he would definitely have to stay there for a night. Shouldn't it be dangerous?
It was not until he smelled the fragrance that Miao Ying looked up and found that his grandmother had already steamed the locust flower cakes. He raised his hands and saw that his fingers were wrinkled by blisters.
Grandmother and Li Hongying looked at him in a daze and smiled at each other. Huo Xing had been out for a month.
"I don't know how Ah Xing is doing." Li Hongying picked up a piece of pancake for Miao Ying. "This is the first time he's been away from home for so long."
Miao Ying nodded. It was like going out to work. It was just that when he was working, he didn't have any family to worry about him. He cleared his throat and said, "It's okay. He will take good care of himself."
After breakfast and lunch, Miao Ying returned to his room. He bought some paper and pen and began to draw a simple oil pressing tool. It was so inconvenient in ancient times. After drawing it, he had to find a carpenter to make it, and he was not sure whether the carpenter could make it.
He was not very skilled in using a brush, and his hands were covered in ink every time he finished drawing. One of his finished drawings showed a wooden press, which was a thick piece of wood hollowed out in the middle, with a cake filled with rapeseed placed in the middle and then pounded hard.
The basic shape is there, but I still need to put the rapeseed dough in. I think I need to use an iron ring and fill it with straw. Is iron easy to buy now? If not, what can I use as a substitute?
Miao Ying scratched his head in annoyance. If he had known this earlier, he would have studied hard in school. However, it seemed that his school did not teach this, so he still had to figure it out on his own.
Moreover, these things cannot be kept at home, as it would not be good if others saw them, so Miao Ying still planned to bring the oil-pressing equipment up the mountain, and he and Huo Xing would slowly study them there.
Miao Ying put away the drawn paper. He lay on the bed, thinking about what he had to do today. His grandmother said that the vegetables in the field needed watering, and he had to go to Feng Ge's house to get corn seeds. He also had to talk to the teacher at the school about Huo Xiaobao's enrollment.
It was quite busy, but this kind of busyness made Miao Ying feel fulfilled. Miao Ying's eyelids gradually closed, and just before he fell asleep, he was wondering when Huo Xing would come back.
After a quick nap, Huo Xiaobao gently poked his nose with his finger, and Miao Ying woke up rubbing his nose. After getting dressed, the family went to do their own things.
During this time, he had become familiar with the entire village and also knew where the elementary school was. Today, he did not bring his tuition with him, but only brought Huo Xiaobao to let the teacher see if he could go to school.
Master Song's family lived in a densely populated area of the village. Although there were many people, it was easy to find. When they were almost at Master Song's house, Miao Ying squatted down and straightened Huo Xiaobao's clothes. "When the Master asks you questions later, answer them well. If you can't answer them, just say you don't know."
Huo Xiaobao nodded: "Brother, I know."
Afterwards, Miao Yingcai knocked on the door of the Master's house. The afterglow of the New Year on the door seemed to have not yet passed, and the big red word "Fu" still symbolized joy.
The door opened with a creaky sound, and the person in front of him should be Master Song. He was wearing a blue shirt, had a new beard, and there was some majesty in his eyes.
Miao Ying's heart trembled. Even though he had traveled through time, he was still afraid of his teacher deep down.
"What's up?"
Miao Ying quickly pulled Huo Xiaobao over and said, "We've just moved to Rongshu Village. We heard there's a kindergarten in the village, so we wanted to send our children here to learn."
Master Song glanced down at Huo Xiaobao, then shook his head: "Too small."
Huo Xiaobao's eyes nearly turned red. He had already made an appointment with Erniu to go to school together. He said softly, "Master, I'm not a child anymore. I can learn."
Master Song raised his eyebrows: "What can you learn?"
Huo Xiaobao tugged at his clothes and began to recite, "The heavens and the earth are dark yellow, the universe is vast and boundless, and man is born good."
Master Song laughed and said, "Who taught you this?"
Huo Xiaobao opened his eyes wide and pointed at Miao Ying, saying, "My brother taught me. He also taught me how to write."
Miao Ying's scalp tingled. "I just casually mentioned it a few times, but I didn't expect him to learn it. Master, since the child wants to learn so much, please accept him."
"Since the child is so eager to learn, then take him in." Another voice came from the courtyard, and then a man walked up to Master Song. It must be Master Song's husband. "If you think the child is too young to follow your rules, leave him with me first. I'll teach him well and then give him to you."
Hearing what he said, Master Song had no choice but to nod his head: "Then come. Classes will resume in five days. He's so young, and he doesn't need to use pens and ink now. Just come and pick him up every day."
Miao Ying poked Huo Xiaobao's body, and Huo Xiaobao understood and gave the teacher an awkward salute.
After settling Huo Xiaobao's schooling issue, Miao Ying felt the burden on his shoulders was lighter. Instead of going home directly, he turned around and headed to Ye Feng's house.
The two families were now very familiar with each other. Miao Ying entered the yard and found that the elders of the Qin family were selecting corn seeds in the yard. Miao Ying greeted them. Old Mrs. Qin asked them to sit down and said that Ye Feng had gone to feed the chickens and would be back soon.
Sure enough, Ye Feng came back soon. When he saw Miao Ying, he smiled and said, "I was just saying I was going to look for you. The chicks have hatched. Didn't your family say they wanted to raise chickens? I'll catch a few for you."
Miao Ying said, "That's perfect. I came here today to ask you to borrow some corn seeds. You happen to have some chicks, so I'll take them back with you."
"I just picked one." Old Mrs. Qin said, "You can take it back."
Miao Ying counted the money and gave it to Ye Feng. Ye Feng accepted it without hesitation and sent Miao Ying out. Miao Ying said, "When your family harvests the crops, let me know and I'll help."
"Why would I want you? I'm afraid you don't even know how to hold a sickle." Ye Feng laughed and then asked, "Have you seen a doctor? What did the doctor say?"
Miao Ying shook his head. He didn't even go to see a doctor. He just said that he was fine and didn't tell him not to worry.
After going around like this, the sun had already set, and grandmother and Li Hongying also came back. Farm work is always tiring, especially for grandmother, who is old. Although she works very hard, she is still tired after all. Miao Ying did not work, but was responsible for the logistics of the family.
"Mom, I brought back some corn seeds and a few chicks. Where do you think we should keep them?"
Grandma suddenly became motivated again and discussed with Li Hongying how to make a chicken coop. Huo Xiaobao also followed to see the chicks.
Miao Ying went into the kitchen to cook, and smoke slowly rose.
Another busy and fulfilling day passed. After washing up, Miao Yingheyi lay on the bed and planned for tomorrow. He was used to lying alone on this small bed. Originally, he wanted Huo Xiaobao to sleep with him, but Li Hongying did not let Huo Xiaobao come.
Miao Ying fell asleep quickly.
But tonight he slept particularly restlessly, tossing and turning in bed.
His body gradually became hot, as if it was being roasted by a fire, and he could hear a chaotic sound of voices in his ears. He followed the heat and the scene in front of him made him open his eyes wide.
A heavy knife flashed with a cold light and came straight towards him, but when the knife reached him, it was blocked by a figure.
It’s Huo Xing.
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