The mother and daughter kept walking and soon left those enthusiastic villagers behind and headed towards the back mountain.
Soon, the two arrived at the foot of the mountain.
In front of me is the familiar yet unfamiliar back mountain.
Large patches of weeds almost submerged the path leading up the mountain, and deeper inside was a lush forest with intertwined branches and leaves that almost blocked out the sunlight.
Zhou Fengxia raised her hand to push aside the drooping branches, and looked at Yu Bai beside her. They both saw an irrepressible smile in each other's eyes.
This smile carried a sense of relief and an unprecedented expectation.
There has never been a moment like now when the mother and daughter felt that this mountain, which seemed desolate and overgrown with weeds in the eyes of others, was so... cute!
Speaking of which, the mountain behind the Yu family is nothing but a piece of "chicken ribs" in the eyes of the villagers.
When they divided the family property, Old Man Yu didn't want the mountain, so he forced it on their family.
Others were scrambling to get their hands on the fertile land, but no one wanted to get their hands on this rocky and shrubby hilltop.
The reason is simple. Just looking at the gravel and tangled thorny bushes all over the ground, you can tell how much manpower and resources it would take to clean it up and grow crops and fruit trees.
The Yu family was extremely poor at that time, with several mouths to feed. How could they have the spare money and energy to open up new land?
Even if we grit our teeth and clean up the mountain, the land is barren and nothing can grow well. The harvest is meager and the effort and money invested may not even be worth it.
Since it was a business that was not worth the loss, it was naturally left unused.
In previous years, that is, every spring, when wild vegetables in the mountains sprouted, Zhou Fengxia would bring her children up to dig some fresh amaranth, shepherd's purse, fern, etc. to add some green to the bland dinner table at home.
Another time is when there is plenty of rain in July and August, some wild mushrooms will grow in the woods. If you are lucky, you can pick up a full basket of them, and they can be dried and stored for some time.
Apart from this, few people set foot on this mountain. It lies quietly behind the village, exposed to the wind and rain, and the grass and trees grow wildly.
But now, standing at the foot of the mountain, looking at this once "barren" land, Yu Bai and Zhou Fengxia felt completely different.
In their view, the lush forests and grasses were a natural paradise tailor-made for raising chickens!
"Xiaobai, look,"
Zhou Fengxia pointed at the bushes that were almost as tall as a man, with a gleam in her eyes.
"This forest is deep and the grass is dense. Our chickens can sneak in and outsiders won't be able to find them easily. More importantly,"
She lowered her voice a little, with a hint of excitement.
"The wild grasses, grass seeds, and small insects in the mountains are all chickens' favorite foods! And all those miscellaneous herbs, if they eat them, the chickens will definitely be much stronger than those raised in cages!"
Yu Bai nodded frequently. What her mother said was exactly what she was thinking.
This natural barrier and abundant food source is truly a treasure trove bestowed by God.
Before the excitement wore off, the mother and daughter plunged deeper into the forest, intending to make some careful plans.
The further you go in, the more open the terrain becomes. Although the forest is still lush, the ground is relatively flat.
Zhou Fengxia immediately chose a piece of flat land that was sheltered from the wind and facing the sun. It was about half an acre in size, and there were several big trees around it that could provide shade and shelter from the rain.
"Xiaobai, look here!"
Zhou Fengxia pushed aside the waist-deep mugwort, an unstoppable smile on her face.
"The place is big enough and the terrain is good. We can build a few simple chicken coops here and a small shed for us mother and me to rest. I think it will work!"
The more she spoke, the more excited she became, as if she had already seen the chickens running all over the mountain and herself sitting leisurely under the shed counting eggs.
He was so excited that he slapped his thigh and said, "Why don't I just live on this mountain and watch the chickens from now on! It saves me from running back and forth, and it's more at ease!"
Upon hearing this, Yu Bai didn't say no directly, but he didn't agree either.
The mountains are quiet, but they are also remote. If something happens, it will be difficult to call for help.
"Mom, there's no rush. Living in the mountains is no small matter. We have to consider safety, food, and drink carefully."
"Besides, I have to discuss this matter with my elder brother and the others and listen to their opinions."
Zhou Fengxia also knew that her daughter was right, so she nodded and said, "Indeed, your eldest brother and the others would be happy if they knew about this."
The two continued to wander around the mountain, and soon new problems arose.
"Mom, we can't raise chickens like the villagers do in a rough and tumble manner." Yu Bai stopped and looked serious. "We need electricity for lighting, keeping warm in winter, and even installing surveillance cameras in the future."
Moreover, she will set up a spirit gathering array on the mountain next. The chickens and eggs nourished by the spiritual energy are definitely not ordinary products.
Once this secret is discovered, it is bound to attract covetous people.
She was worried because there was no surveillance.
Zhou Fengxia frowned upon hearing this. "Do we have to pull the line from the bottom of the mountain? Wouldn't that be too much trouble?"
Yu Bai comforted her, "Mom, the electricity must be turned on. This is a long-term plan. Don't think it's too much trouble."
In addition to electricity, water supply is also a big problem.
Fortunately, there was no shortage of water in the mountains, and they soon found several springs bubbling with clear water in a valley.
The spring water is clear and sweet. Take a sip and it has a hint of sweetness.
"This spring water looks clean. The chickens will definitely not get sick if they drink it." Zhou Fengxia is very satisfied with this.
Yu Bai nodded, but he was thinking: Although there are springs, they are in pristine condition, with a thin flow and muddy surroundings. If we want a stable water supply, we need to hire someone to clean it up, deepen and widen it, and then lay a pipe to bring it to the chicken coop.
Finally, and what gave Yu Bai the most headache was the way up the mountain.
The so-called road is just a narrow path trampled out by villagers over the years when they occasionally go up the mountain to pick wild vegetables and mushrooms.
Not only is it steep, but it is also covered with gravel and tangled tree roots, making it extremely difficult to walk on it, with one foot deep and one foot shallow.
"This road... needs to be repaired."
"Otherwise, how will we transport chicks, feed, and eggs down the mountain?"
Obviously Zhou Fengxia had the same idea.
"Mom, this road must be repaired! I don't ask for it to be too wide, but at least it should have steps to make it easier to get on and off. Otherwise, our chicken farm won't be able to develop."
Despite the many problems, there was no sign of retreat in the eyes of the mother and daughter. Instead, they were full of fighting spirit to solve the problems.
In their eyes, this barren mountain is already a piece of unpolished jade waiting to be carved, shining with the light of hope.
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