Chapter 29 029. Do you have something to ask me?
Lei Li's home is at the back edge of Sanlihe Village.
Twenty minutes' walk back from the house is a stretch of endless hills, with the Sanli River gurgling down from the mountains.
The upstream is used for washing vegetables and irrigation, and the downstream is used for washing clothes.
When people came back from the town or county town by ox cart, Liu Xiaocao would drive from the beginning to the end of the village to take them home. Lei Li and Zhou Yi were usually the last ones to arrive.
There are few people living at the end of the village, so there is a large piece of vacant land. Every time Zhou Yi sees that piece of vacant land, the vegetable-growing spirit in his bones is aroused.
Moved.
But not completely moving.
Because Lei Li wouldn't let him move, he covered his eyes and mouth domineeringly, "Don't say it, don't think about it, our family doesn't have any money to give you."
“…”
Zhou Yi nodded with difficulty under Lei Li's control. Looking at the land, he still felt a sense of pity, like a eunuch visiting a brothel who could only look but not touch.
Lei Li asked, "What do you want the land for? We don't have the money to build a house."
“Growing vegetables.”
"Where can we grow so many vegetables?"
"Not now, but there will be later."
Zhou Yi pointed to the plot and said, "We now have three mature five-color pepper trees. We donated three of the ten seedlings to the village chief's family, leaving us with seven, and a thorny hornberry tree."
"Aren't there yam trees in the mountains?"
"If I had an extra piece of land, I could plant a field with yam eggs, sell them, and use them in cooking. I could stew yam with pig's trotters, spareribs, chicken, yam cakes, and yam paste. I could make them for you to try."
"You just want to spend my money to satisfy your own greed. Others steal people, and you eat them..."
Lei Li muttered, "The seeds grown at home are not as expensive as those grown in the mountains. If someone can tell the seeds are fake, they will have to pay for it."
“I’m not trying to sell fake stuff.”
"We don't need that much land to grow yam, and there are only four of us in our family, so we can't eat that much."
Lei Li said, "Wouldn't it be better to raise chickens and pigs? Isn't there a section in the middle of your fish and duck farm that needs to be separated for ducks? Raising ducks can also sell meat and lay eggs."
"That's still early. We only need to pen the ducks separately when we harvest the rice."
Zhou Yi felt that what Lei Li said about eating enough was correct, but one should eat more good food, eat rich food, and have a balanced nutrition within one's ability.
"You used to eat sweet potato rice and wild vegetables, and at most a little pork, and some river shrimp and fish from the river. Because the cooking methods were not perfect, the fish and shrimp were not tasty."
Lei Li looked at him expressionlessly, "I'm almost starving, I don't care whether it tastes good or not."
"So now I just want to improve my family's dining conditions without spending money or spending less."
Zhou Yi explained to him, "I asked the village chief. Although this piece of wasteland is not a farmland but a residential land, it can be used as a backyard to grow some vegetables before the house is built."
"I go with you to the mountains every day to dig herbs, and sell vegetables at the market. I have a rough idea of the prices here, and this homestead isn't very expensive."
"When I save enough money, I'll buy this small piece of land and plant loofah, pumpkin, winter melon, potato, taro, radish, eggplant, beans, peas, and sweet potatoes."
Zhou Yi is full of hope for the future. "If we're lucky, we'll be able to buy this place in three years."
"Three years..."
Lei Li couldn't imagine what it was like at that time, but he felt like he was choking on a pancake. Moreover, Zhou Yi suddenly said so much...
Lei Li narrowed his eyes, "Do you have something to ask of me?"
"Yes, there is one."
Zhou Yi felt a little guilty for some reason. "Isn't there a bamboo forest in the mountains? I want some bamboo..."
"Come back to plant?"
Lei Li looked at Zhou Yi like he was crazy, and before he could say anything, he dismissed him, "No way. Don't tell me how you dug it, just tell me who grows big bamboo at home."
"You have no idea how noisy the squirrels in the bamboo forest are. They even steal sweet potatoes. If we planted a bamboo forest here, they would eat up all the sweet potatoes."
Lei Li really hates squirrels.
Not only did these squirrels steal sweet potatoes, potatoes, and peanuts, they also only took two bites each, which made their parents feel sorry for them. They had to stay awake for several nights, but they still let the potatoes be eaten.
In a fit of anger, Lei Li went to the village chief's house to borrow a dog - the same dog that had brought Xiaobao back from Miao Fulang's family last time, and asked it to keep watch at night.
Finally caught it on the third night.
"That damn squirrel was pregnant. It wouldn't be good to eat it, but I'd be angry if I didn't. But once it died, the other squirrels that wanted to steal food wouldn't dare come."
Lei Li was so angry that his eyebrows were raised.
Although he said that, he still buried the squirrel that was bitten to death in the bamboo forest. You know, it was pregnant and would not let the dog bite it to death.
But you also have to scare it.
Otherwise, who would avenge his sweet potatoes?
"I know you hate squirrels. They're really annoying when they're calling before daybreak."
Zhou Yi quickly said, "But I mean to dig some bamboo shoots, big-headed bamboo shoots."
Ever since his father Lei Dashan picked some small-headed bamboo shoots from the mountains last time, and after learning that there were large-headed bamboo shoots, Zhou Yi took a look at them and became interested in them.
Big-headed bamboo shoots are also called ma bamboo shoots.
The leaves are very large and long, and can be used to wrap rice dumplings and make bamboo leaf dumplings. The bamboo shoots are also very large, and can be eaten when they grow to half a meter. They are crispy and sweet.
The point is—
It is a good raw material for making sour bamboo shoots.
“…”
Lei Li took a deep breath after hearing this, rolled up his sleeves and beat Zhou Yi, cursing as he did so, "I'm telling you, our family has no money, our family has no money, and you still want to make something that costs money, you loser!"
“Just a little bit of salt.”
Zhou Yi didn't dare to fight back even after being beaten. He was in the wrong after all. "Really, just spend some salt!"
"Salt is free? The jar is free? You might even want to buy soy sauce, which is much more expensive than salt—you really want soy sauce? You damn loser!"
Lei Li beat him even harder.
Not satisfied after beating him, he held Zhou Yi's face and almost kissed him to death, but Zhou Yi instigated Lei Li's father Lei Dashan to rebel.
Lei Dashan lived for more than forty years.
In the past, I just ate bland food, but now it suddenly tastes delicious. It is absolutely impossible to go from extravagance to frugality.
Whether it was boiled chicken with sand ginger and soy sauce, or stir-fried snails with pickled five-color peppers, they all won Lei Dashan's heart. When he heard that Zhou Yi was going to make sour bamboo shoots, he secretly used his own private money to sponsor him.
"We'll make it first. If it tastes good, we'll ask your mother and Li Ge'er to eat it together. If it doesn't taste good, we'll eat it too so it doesn't go to waste."
Lei Dashan had a weather-beaten face and a calm expression, but he squatted in the corner very skillfully, pulling Zhou Yi to lower his head, fearing that he would be discovered.
"It's not easy for Li Ge'er to earn money. He doesn't buy it for you, not because he is stingy, nor because he doesn't trust you. We are family, there is no room for rift..."
"He's just used to being poor and knows the hardship of not having money, so he always wants to save more money. As a man, I should take care of my husband more."
"When you have a doll, you'll know."
Lei Dashan looked a little nostalgic. "I didn't have much money before. Whenever I had some spare money, I would spend it all. Your mother took care of me. Later, I had Li Ge'er and this house..."
If he hadn't listened to his father, he would have given the money to his elder brother to build a house and marry a daughter-in-law.
At least leave more for yourself.
"I know."
Zhou Yi naturally knew what he meant.
A little bit of rice is a favor, a peck of rice is a grudge.
He was afraid that Zhou Yi and Lei Li would have a conflict over money. Although he said that it was the silver he had saved, it might be Liu Ye'er who gave it to him and said that.
Two hundred coins.
Although it's a little painful, it's not a big deal. It's much better than Niu Dali betting on his husband. There's no need to make the couple unhappy.
Zhou Yi accepted the two hundred coins, but did not actually spend them secretly.
Execute first and report later?
He was afraid that Lei Li would beat him first and then behead him in public.
Zhou Yi and Lei Li surrendered themselves and handed over the money honestly, saying, "It's all here. I didn't steal a single cent."
"Okay."
Lei Li glanced at him, without counting or taking the money, but pushed it back to him, "Since Dad has asked for it, then go ahead and buy it. Buy a big jar, it's more worthwhile."
Zhou Yi was overjoyed.
If it wasn't too late and unsafe, he really wanted to rush to the mountain and dig all night.
But it's not much better.
Zhou Yi was thinking about the sour bamboo shoots, so he slept for five or six hours and suddenly woke up. Without disturbing Lei Li, he carried a large backpack on his back and went into the mountains.
The big-headed bamboo shoots are very good weaving materials. Many people in the village use them to make bamboo strips. The shoots are produced from May to October, and now is the early stage of the production. If Zhou Yi goes too late, he is afraid that someone else will get there first.
It was dawn.
Zhou Yi had already arrived in the bamboo forest and used his good eyesight to look for bamboo shoots of the right size.
The best bamboo shoots of big-headed bamboo have a root width of 18cm and a height of 45cm, and a width of 20cm and a height of 50-55cm. They should be of suitable shortness so that they are crisp when tender, but too tall so that they are old and not tasty.
Zhou Yi measured it with his palm, picked out the right one, and took out the grass knife.
There are some tips for cutting the bamboo shoots. You can't just cut it casually. You have to cut a little bit on the ground. The bamboo shoots must be processed within three hours of being cut, otherwise they will become old as they lose moisture.
Old bamboo shoots made into sour bamboo shoots will be tough and woody.
Zhou Yi chopped a full basket of bamboo, and still had two in his hands. He wiped the sweat from his forehead, picked up the grass knife, and then walked out of the bamboo forest and headed home.
at this time.
The sun has just come out. According to the modern 24-hour system, it should be a little after nine in the morning, right?
Zhou Yi guessed that he saw Lei Li from a distance and waved towards him, "Lei Li!"
“…”
Lei Li didn't respond.
He looked very bad.
Anyone who wakes up in the morning and happily touches the bed to play, will find that her husband is gone and the bed is cold. When she asks her father and mother, they say they don’t know. When she asks her aunt and uncle, they say they haven’t seen anything.
There was a moment.
Lei Li really thought that Zhou Yi ran away with the money, but when he thought about it, it didn't make sense. It was just two hundred coins, and she endured it for more than a month, and still gave him kisses and hugs?
None of the girls and boys in the brothels in the county town are so stupid.
Calculate...
Two hundred wen to get a man, is that worth it?
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