Gu Sang blinked and couldn't help but think, if this child smiled, wouldn't he be able to fill a cart with fruit and open a fruit shop?
She was so focused that as soon as Li Rong finished making the bed, her gaze met his.
Gu Sang was only ten years old. She suffered from malnutrition for many years and was thin and weak, but her smiling eyes were beautiful and captivating.
A flicker of surprise crossed his calm eyes. Remembering her frail body when he dragged her out that night, Li Rong lowered her eyes and called out to Li Shi in a hoarse voice, "Aunt Li, I've finished making the bed. I'll put it in your room."
Upon hearing this, Li hurriedly came out of the thatched house and said gratefully, "Rong'er, I really thank you this time, otherwise we wouldn't even have a bed."
"Of course." Li Rong's voice was emotionless, and her loose hair cast a shadow: "Aunt Li, I'm going back now. I'll come back tomorrow to make the stove for you."
The thatched house was so dilapidated that, apart from the cramped space inside, there were no basic living necessities.
Even the stove had to be built on-site!
He took a step to leave, but Gu Sang grabbed the hem of his clothes.
Turning around, Gu Sang smiled and held up a fish, shaking it: "Why are you running away? I'll treat you to fish."
The children standing nearby then noticed that in addition to bringing back berries, Gu Sang had also brought back two fish and several sections of lotus root!
Erwa's eyes widened instantly, and he swallowed hard: "Sister, we're having fish tonight!"
The remaining little ones also stared intently at the fish and lotus root.
Siya asked softly, "Sister, what does fish taste like?"
"The fish is very tender and fresh."
Gu Sang spoke with a touch of sadness.
Back in the main courtyard, the children ate mostly rice porridge, wild fruits, and wild vegetables.
They never get a share of the good food and drinks that the Gu family has.
They had never eaten fish before.
Li secretly wiped away her tears and asked, "Sangsang, where did you get the fish?"
In years of famine, let alone fish, even a single grain of wheat is something to be longed for.
The fish and shrimp in the village river have long been caught and all gone!
"We'll talk while we eat."
Gu Sang gathered some firewood and handed it to Li Rong, who was about to leave. She raised an eyebrow and said, "Sanwa and Siya, build a fire with your brother Li. We'll cook lotus root and grill fish."
"Brother Rong, gather firewood."
Upon hearing this, Li Rong silently gathered firewood and piled it together.
The night breeze was a bit chilly.
In front of the dilapidated thatched house, the firewood was burning brightly, and two crucian carp weighing six or seven pounds were roasted until golden brown and delicious. The lotus root soup was made even more delicious with the addition of wild vegetables.
As Gu Sang talked about today's opportunities, she took a sip of lotus root soup.
The eldest child was stunned and asked in disbelief, "Sister, are there really so many lotus roots and fish? And so many fruits?"
Gu Sang nodded: "Yes, we'll go pick lotus roots and catch fish together tomorrow."
"Sister, does that mean we can eat fish again tomorrow?" Si Ya asked expectantly.
Does Siya like to eat fish?
"I love it!" The little girl's eyes lit up. "Grilled fish is the best thing ever!"
“Then we’ll eat it every day from now on!” Gu Sang said, then brought up the matter of reclaiming the wasteland next to the lotus pond, which made Li Shi uneasy.
“Sangsang, should we talk to the village chief and your grandfather about this? After all, the things in these mountains don’t belong to us.”
Li was an honest man, and naturally he felt uneasy about receiving unexpected wealth.
Before Gu Sang could speak, Li Rong explained in a hoarse voice, "Aunt Li, don't worry, the Chu Law stipulates that land cultivated in unclaimed barren mountains is owned by the state."
Gu Sang breathed a sigh of relief after hearing this.
She was not familiar with the ancient regulations regarding farmland and forests, but since there were legal provisions, she would have an explanation if she were ever discovered to be in violation.
She thought for a moment, then instructed her younger siblings, "No matter what, we must keep this a secret. We absolutely must not mention it to outsiders, understand?"
The little ones nodded in unison: "We definitely won't tell anyone!"
Upon hearing this, Li Rong, an "outsider," glanced at Gu Sang, then quickly looked away.
This meal was probably the most filling the children had eaten since Gu Sang's father passed away; they devoured the grilled fish and lotus root soup.
After the meal, Gu Sang saw Li Rong off. She looked at Li Rong, hesitant to speak, then her eyes darted around mischievously as she asked, "Was the grilled fish delicious?"
Li Rongyou's deep eyes flickered, and he nodded almost imperceptibly.
Gu Sang smiled and said, "Then let's come back to eat again tomorrow!"
She winked slyly, like a smug little fox: "But you have to help me clear the land."
No wonder she's cunning!
We really don't have enough manpower.
She was only ten years old, not to mention the older kids.
How can we succeed without swindling some reliable laborers?
Li Rong met her gaze, his thin lips moved slightly, but in the end he did not refuse.
After seeing Li Rong off, the little ones washed up and went to bed. Gu Sang separated the leaves and stems of the frostberry and washed them clean.
The leaves and stems will be dried and ground into powder, and the fruit will be dried by Gu Sang to be eaten as a snack, soaked in alcohol, or used in medicine.
Leave a small portion for your younger siblings to sweeten their mouths.
Gu Sang didn't fall asleep until very late.
the next day.
After Gu Sang finished drying the leaves and stems, the family finished eating and prepared to go up the mountain. As soon as she stepped out the door, she saw Li Rong waiting outside with baskets and tools on her back.
Looking at his attire, Gu Sang felt a strange sense of incongruity, and a smile appeared in her eyes.
However, Siya and the others were very close to him, chattering and laughing around Li Rong.
Gu Sang led his family into the cave. When Li Shi and her younger siblings saw the lotus pond and wild fruit trees, they couldn't help but exclaim in excitement.
"I originally thought it was a barren mountain. The village chief was so worried about selling this Shantou. I never expected it to be such a wonderful place," Li said with emotion.
Gu Sang had no intention of getting something for nothing. She smiled and said, "When my family has money, I'll buy this mountain!"
With the lotus pond and the fertile land that has been reclaimed, thirty strings of cash are definitely a good deal!
After saying that, Gu Sang made the arrangements, and the family started to get to work.
The children were responsible for knocking down fruit trees and picking fruit, Gu Sang and Li Rong were responsible for weeding and clearing wasteland, and Li Shi was responsible for pulling lotus roots and catching fish...
Li and her children are all hardworking and efficient.
Although Gu Sang has the mind of a modern person and lacks practical experience, she is full of ambition to make money!
Li Rong goes without saying.
When Gu Sang was cutting grass, she could see the gloomy and aloof handsome young man doing farm work with a blank expression.
The scene was quite comical.
After a whole day of work, Gu Sang finally stopped when the sun was setting. The children were quite happy, as wild cherries, wild grapes, and wild apricots filled a small hill.
Li was very satisfied. She picked a small portion of the lotus roots from the pond and caught a few fat fish.
Only Gu Sang was so exhausted that she was almost numb. Looking at Li Rong, who remained expressionless beside her, she began to question the meaning of life.
The fruit and lotus root were washed and placed in baskets, then moved into the natural storage room—the cave.
Gu Sang planned to do the moving with Li Shi in the evening, since it would be too conspicuous to do it in front of others.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
