After Old Lady Xu and Mrs. Zhang cleaned up the farm, Xu Ning started thinking about raising a few piglets to eat.
"What should we feed them now? Pigs won't grow meat if they only eat grass." More than a thousand chickens, ducks and geese are already too many. It takes a lot of effort just to feed and clean them every day. So, when Xu Ning mentioned that he wanted to raise pigs, he was rejected by Old Lady Xu.
Xu Ning thought about it and realized that points only came in but never went out. Although he and his family had settled down in the valley, the treasure chest had not reminded him of any new progress, which made it difficult for Xu Ning to do many things.
She sighed and had to give up the idea of raising pigs for the time being. However, she decided to see if there was anything else she could do first.
The valley is vast. Besides the five or six mu of land used for rice cultivation, there's also a smaller area for livestock farms and a fortress in the middle, covering another three or four mu. There's also a small patch of grassland used for cattle and sheep. However, the rest of the land is underutilized.
As Xu Ning pondered this question, she suddenly remembered that she still had some yams left in her space. When she had originally collected these yams, she had originally planned to plant them, but she had only planted a portion in Xianyu Village. Now, this forest was a perfect place to plant the remaining yams.
However, considering that rice planting was about to begin, she decided to finish the work first. After all, time was tight and the growth cycle of the crops could not be delayed.
In the blink of an eye, it was rice planting day. Even before the morning sky was fully light, the Xu family members were already up. They hurried over for breakfast and headed to the paddy fields. Xu Da had already arrived, driving a thresher back and forth across the five or six mu of paddy fields, bustling with activity.
The paddy fields were now covered in organic fertilizer spread yesterday. This fertilizer exuded a pungent odor, and before Xu Ning even set foot in the paddy fields, the stench was overwhelming. The odor, a composted mixture of organic matter like livestock manure, human excrement, and rotting vegetable leaves, was incredibly strong. Xu Ning hurriedly put on two masks, but even that couldn't stop the stench from reaching his nose.
Seeing Xu Ning crying because of the smoke, Old Lady Xu felt a little sorry for her, so she arranged for her and Xu Yuan to go to the rice field to pull out the seedlings.
Xu Ning cultivates the seedlings using a specially designed plastic mold, with each small square housing a seedling. Simply pinching the mold's corners and pulling gently, a mold filled with seedlings can be completely removed. This method is not only quick and convenient, but also ensures the integrity of the seedling's root system.
Xu Ning and Xu Yuan placed the torn seedling molds into a basket and then loaded them onto a shoulder pole. Zhang and Xu An would carry the load and carry the seedlings to the ridge. Then, Old Lady Xu and Xu Feng would stand on the ridge and toss the seedlings into the field, throwing a handful about 40x30cm apart to ensure the proper spacing between each seedling.
Old Man Xu was unable to participate in the rice planting due to health reasons, but he was not idle either. He was mainly responsible for looking after the house, cooking meals and tea, and waiting for everyone to come back and rest.
Since the paddy field had been plowed once, the main task today was to turn the spread fertilizer into the soil and spread it flat. Therefore, Xu Da worked very quickly and it took only one morning to harrow all five or six acres of paddy field.
Xu Ning and Xu Yuan were equally fast. They had a clear division of labor: one was responsible for pulling the mold, and the other was responsible for picking the seedlings. After two days of hard work, all the seedlings were finally planted.
"Grandma, let's kill two geese tonight. We'll stew one and roast the other! We've been exhausted these past two days, so we need to replenish our bodies!" After planting the last seedling, Xu Feng lay down on the grass beside the rice paddy. His clothes were stained with mud, and his face was dirty, but his complexion was rosy and his eyes sparkled brightly.
Seeing that her little grandson had changed so much compared to a year ago, Old Mrs. Xu felt very relieved and she really couldn't bear to refuse this request.
After all, there was a pair of eager eyes looking at her. The owner of these eyes was Xu Ning, who was washing the mud on her hands and feet by the stream, looking at Old Lady Xu with expectation.
"You'll definitely get yours. Later, have your dad catch the fiercest and fattest ones and eat as much as you want!" Xu Ning cheered when he heard Old Lady Xu agree. "Yeah! Yeah! The milk is the best! It's the best milk in the world!"
"Yes, milk is the best milk!" Xu Feng, who was lying on the grass, immediately agreed!
"Hmph, two little flatterers, they'll eat anyone they want!" Old Mrs. Xu had a look of disgust on her face, but the corners of her mouth rose slightly, revealing a barely perceptible smile.
The other members of the Xu family also laughed out loud after hearing this. The laughter echoed throughout the land. The atmosphere was warm and joyful, and everyone's face was filled with happy smiles.
Late at night, moonlight streamed down the earth like water. A bonfire lit outside the tent, warm and bright. The Xu family sat together, enjoying a cozy dinner. The air was filled with the rich aroma of goose meat, making everyone salivate.
Xu Ning and Xu Feng sat nearby, devouring their meat with hearty smiles of contentment. Each of them held a roasted goose leg, their mouths drooling, their mouths brimming with grease, as if forgetting all their worries. Xu Da and Old Man Xu sat across from each other, clinking glasses, their spirits rising and laughter cascading down their cheeks.
Old Mrs. Xu and Mrs. Zhang were chatting quietly on the other side, their faces filled with peaceful smiles. Xu Yuan sat quietly to the side, eating intently, occasionally looking up at everyone, a gentle glint in his eyes.
Xu An was lost in his own world, recalling what he had read during his lunch break. His eyes were sometimes thoughtful, sometimes curious, and he and everyone in the Xu family enjoyed this moment of peace.
"Grandma, let's start planting vegetables tomorrow. Once they're grown, we can start raising piglets!" Xu Ning suddenly spoke, interrupting the conversation. A flicker of anticipation flashed in Xu Ning's eyes, and she imagined all sorts of delicious dishes: braised pork, garlic-flavored spareribs, and stir-fried large intestines. Despite Granny Xu's objections two days ago, she hadn't given up on the idea of raising pigs.
Old Mrs. Xu turned her head and looked at Xu Ning's greasy mouth. She couldn't help but glare at her: "You have such a small head. All you do is eat all day. Can you think of anything else?"
"Of course I was thinking about you, grandma, and the delicious food you made! Hehehe~" Her answer made everyone present burst into laughter.
"I really can't stand you. If you raise piglets, you have to feed them yourself every day." Old Mrs. Xu thought she could persuade Xu Ning to give up, but unexpectedly, Xu Ning jumped up and shouted happily: "No problem, I will definitely raise them to be plump and white!"
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
