After a short rest, they rallied and threw themselves back into the intense mining work.
Big Horn and Big Black seemed to have adapted to the busy rhythm, no longer as carefree as they were in the morning, but working together seamlessly with Lu Fan and An Lan.
Trip after trip, it steadily carried the clay, working tirelessly without complaint.
During the mining process, Lu Fan gradually discovered some patterns.
The clay from different locations exhibits subtle differences in color and texture.
In some places, the clay is darker in color and has a stronger adhesiveness; while in other places it has a slightly grainy texture.
He excitedly told Anlan about these findings, and the two of them discussed them with great interest, speculating on how these differences would affect the firing of bricks.
Every now and then, he would gesture on the ground, outlining the shape of the future bricks.
Before we knew it, the sun was gradually setting in the west, and the sky seemed to have been painted with an overturned palette of colors by nature, with orange-red sunset clouds spreading out freely, like an extremely beautiful oil painting.
Looking at the mountain of clay, Lu Fan and An Lan were filled with a sense of accomplishment.
Although they were exhausted from work today, the thought of getting one step closer to their dream house instantly transformed their fatigue into sweet anticipation.
"That's enough for today, let's keep going tomorrow!"
Lu Fan's voice was slightly hoarse with fatigue, but it was filled with boundless anticipation for the future.
An Lan nodded vigorously, her eyes sparkling: "Great! Today's harvest was such a pleasant surprise. I hope tomorrow goes smoothly!"
They returned home laden with their spoils, along with Big Horn and Big Black.
Along the way, Big Black ran around happily, occasionally looking back at Big Horn, who was carrying clay and moving steadily forward, as if he was proudly showing off his achievements for the day.
Big Horn, with steady and powerful steps, carrying the heavy weight of "hope," walked step by step toward the shelter.
Back at the shelter, Lu Fan and An Lan, without taking a break, immediately began to carefully sort the clay they had mined that day, classifying and storing it according to color and texture, as if they were treasures.
Afterwards, they sat on the floor and began discussing their work plans for the next day.
"Tomorrow we'll try making some simple molds and see what kind of bricks we can make with this clay." Lu Fan's eyes shone with anticipation.
An Lan smiled and agreed, "Great idea! I think we should make some square and rectangular molds first, as they are practical and easy to work with."
The two discussed animatedly while carefully sketching the mold on the ground.
Big Black huddled to the side, tilting its head curiously, occasionally reaching out its paw to scratch at the sketch, as if it also wanted to participate in this "house-building project".
Big Horn stood quietly to the side, occasionally letting out a low growl, as if cheering them on.
As night deepened, the shelter gradually quieted down, and Lu Fan and An Lan lay on the simple bed.
Although my body was exhausted, the thought of tomorrow's plans made my heart flutter with anticipation, and I soon drifted off to sleep with wonderful dreams of the future.
The next morning, sunlight playfully filtered through the leaves, casting dappled patterns of light and shadow on the shelter floor.
Lu Fan and An Lan were still fast asleep, their sleep unusually sweet from the exertion of mining clay the previous day.
Lu Fan didn't open his eyes until the sun was high in the sky. He stretched and his joints cracked.
He muttered, "I slept so soundly, my bones still ache."
Turning to look at An Lan beside him, he found that she was still asleep, with a hint of weariness on her face.
"Anlan, get up! The sun's already high in the sky!" Lu Fan gently nudged Anlan, his voice tinged with amusement.
An Lan sat up sleepily, rubbed her eyes, and yawned, saying, "Ugh, I never expected digging clay to be so tiring. It feels more physically demanding than any other difficulty I've encountered before."
The two slowly got up, washed up and tidied themselves up, and then began to prepare breakfast.
They cut the tender bear meat into small pieces, put them in a pot, and cooked a pot of steaming, fragrant bear meat soup.
As the soup in the pot began to boil, a rich aroma instantly filled the air, awakening their dormant appetites.
"Hmm, this smells delicious. I'll have to drink a few more bowls today to replenish my energy."
As Lu Fan spoke, he ladled out a bowl and carefully handed it to An Lan, his eyes full of tenderness.
After breakfast, Lu Fan was full of energy, as if he had been recharged. He said loudly, "Today we'll officially start making bricks. Once the bricks are done, we'll be one step closer to our warm and cozy house!"
An Lan smiled and nodded in agreement: "Great, let's get started! Our dream home will soon be built bit by bit!"
Lu Fan first called Big Horn and Big Black to his side, gently patted their heads, and led them to drag the clay mined yesterday to the clear water's edge.
The clay piled on the ground resembled a majestic black hill, exuding the rustic charm of earth, as if telling a story of anticipation as it was about to transform into sturdy bricks.
Lu Fan began mixing the clay with water, his focused expression like that of a chef making a top-notch cake, carefully controlling the ratio of water to clay.
He first slowly poured some water into the clay, then picked up a thick wooden stick and stirred it with all his might.
As the stirring continued, the originally dry and hard clay gradually became moist and soft, resembling a large lump of elastic black dough.
"Hey, it feels about right. This texture is just like the mud we played with as kids, but this is a treasure for building houses."
Lu Fan smiled at An Lan, his eyes sparkling with childlike excitement.
The next step is to make the mold.
Lu Fan found some pieces of wood of just the right thickness and, like an experienced professional carpenter, rolled up his sleeves and began hammering away.
He first skillfully cut the wood into suitable lengths, and then tightly bound them together with strong vines.
In no time, a neat rectangular mold was completed.
"Anlan, what do you think of my craftsmanship? This mold may be a bit rudimentary, but it will definitely come in very handy."
Lu Fan proudly displayed his work, a proud smile on his face.
An Lan smiled and said, "Not bad, not bad, it looks quite professional, you can tell it was made with care! With this, our bricks will definitely be neat and tidy."
Lu Fan carefully filled the mold with the mixed clay, pressing it firmly with both hands to ensure that every corner was completely filled.
Then, he gently lifted the mold and placed the finished clay brick on the open ground to the side, his movements as gentle as if he were placing a precious work of art.
"Haha, the first brick in the wilderness has been born! If it's fired, it will definitely be incredibly strong."
Lu Fan looked at his masterpiece with excitement, his eyes filled with wonderful imagination of the house in the future.
Big Black curiously came over and sniffed the freshly made clay bricks with its nose.
Then he stuck out his tongue and licked it, resulting in his mouth being full of clay, making him look very funny, just like a naughty little rascal.
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