Chapter 27
Let's get right to it.
Niu Dali was very strong and quickly dug out the two venomous fangs.
The ginger tree carefully wrapped itself in two large leaves of the mutated plant.
Even though it's dead, who knows if it's still contaminated with poison?
"Ah Zhi, where else should we dig?"
Jiang Zhi thought for a moment, "Let's dig out the poison glands too."
Even if the venom glands are highly toxic, the venom inside can still be used to make weapons.
Neither Jiang Zhi nor her brother knew how to do this job, so they had to rely on Niu Dali.
Snakes' venom glands are usually located on the sides of their heads, above the corners of their mouths, and you can easily get venom on your skin if you're not careful.
Although Niu Dali wasn't good at it, he could still cut off an entire piece of muscle nearby.
Jiang Zhi planned to take it back to Grandpa Jiang for him to handle.
Grandpa Jiang used to be a barefoot doctor, and he processed most of the medicinal herbs at home himself. When he was young, he even caught snakes and removed their venom glands.
Only after Niu Dali finished doing all this did he push the mutated snake's corpse into the river.
On the way back, the mutants sent by the base to provide support had arrived and were heading towards the Danger River.
Fearing complications, the three quickly left, taking a detour to avoid the mutants.
Apart from Jiang Zhi, Jiang Shu and his sister were not injured. They hurried back to the Jiang family home and breathed a sigh of relief.
This day was terrifying; I practically teetered on the brink of death several times.
Upon entering, everyone in the courtyard was startled to see the two men in such a disheveled state.
Wu Xiu's face turned pale. She quickly dropped what she was doing and went over to them. "Azhi, Dashu, what's going on between you two?"
Hearing the noise, Grandma Jiang also came out of the house.
"A-Zhi? You're injured!?"
Jiang Zhi quickly explained, "Grandma, Aunt, don't worry, I just encountered a small mutated beast on the way, and I tripped and fell while running away."
When they returned, Jiangzhi told the two of them that they couldn't tell their families about what happened today, otherwise they would never be able to go out as freely as they did today.
Wu Xiu looked the person over inside and out and, after confirming that it was indeed a flesh wound, breathed a sigh of relief.
She watched Jiangzhi grow up and knew that although the child seemed well-behaved, she was actually quite cunning.
"Did you really fall? You're alright, aren't you?"
As he spoke, he specifically looked at Jiang Shu.
Jiang Shu's eyes darted around. "How could anything happen? We're perfectly fine, aren't we?"
Jiang Shu's last sentence sounded very guilty.
"You little rascal, you can't even lie properly, you're so dishonest!" Old Mrs. Jiang scolded, then came out again with the ointment. "Azhi, come here quickly, let Grandma put some medicine on you. Your grandpa made this last night, just in case you get hurt outside."
Jiang Zhi obediently walked over.
Niu Dali scratched his head and interjected, "Miss Jiang, where should we put this fish?"
Jiang Shu was feeling embarrassed, so he quickly went over.
"Put it in a basin of water."
He filled a container with water and threw the mutated carp in, but it didn't react much after encountering the water.
After completing his task, Niu Dali was eager to go home.
He's afraid that his adoptive parents will come and bully him since only his wife and child are at home now.
"Ms. Jiang, I'll head back now. Please contact me if you need anything."
Jiang Zhi called out to him, "Brother Dali, wait a minute."
After removing the gills and eyes of the mutated carp, she threw half of the carp meat over.
"Brother Dali, thank you for your hard work today."
Niu Dali was momentarily at a loss, unsure whether to hold the fish or put it down. "I... I can't take it... my wife—"
Jiang Shu patted him on the shoulder, "Brother Dali, if it weren't for you today, we wouldn't have been able to catch this fish. Don't be so polite with us."
Moreover, if it weren't for Niu Dali helping to block the snake's final attack today, the brother and sister would have been in grave danger.
Grandma Jiang looked at him gently and said, "Dali, hurry back. Your wife and children must be getting impatient. Take these fish and meat back with you and give them some to eat. Thank you for helping Dashu and Azhi today. You can have your wife bring the children over when you have time. It will keep the children company."
Niu Dali's eyes reddened. He was used to giving unconditionally. From childhood to adulthood, apart from his wife, no one had ever treated him so well.
He never expected that he was simply returning a favor, and that the other party would still remember his family.
"I...I'll come again tomorrow." Afraid of being laughed at, Niu Dali grabbed the fish and ran off as fast as he could.
He didn't say why he came, but the Jiang family all knew that Niu Dali meant he was coming to help with the work.
Grandma Jiang shook her head. "This honest child is lucky to have a shrewd daughter-in-law, otherwise it would be hard for him."
Jiang Shu asked curiously, "What's wrong? Brother Dali is so big, how come anyone dares to bully him?"
Grandma Jiang: "I only heard it from the neighbors yesterday. Dali was an orphan when he was little, and was later adopted by the Niu family, who couldn't have a son..."
Before the old lady could finish speaking, Jiang Shu asked curiously, "Shouldn't a family like this cherish their property?"
“At first, he was a precious baby,” Grandma Jiang said as she continued to apply medicine to Niu Dali with ginger twigs. “But then the Niu family had a son, and Niu Dali was disliked. Not only was he often not given food, but he also had to do all the dirty and hard work for the whole family.”
Jiang Shu muttered, "With Brother Dali's strength, the Niu family must be incredibly stupid."
Wu Xiu laughed and said, "He's strong and eats a lot. After he got married, his wife was kind and caring, so Dali's life became a little easier."
Jiang Zhi: "I see that they are living their own lives now."
Grandma Jiang nodded and sighed, "That's right. They exploited Dali's family too much and even let their own grandson bully Dali's children. Dali's wife made a big fuss and they had to cede land and pay reparations before the family was divided up."
Jiang Shu teased the old lady, "Grandma, you're quite educated; you even know the words 'ceding territory and paying reparations'."
Grandma Jiang said irritably, "I know a lot more than that!"
"In short, Dali is a good person. Since Azhi helped them before, they know how to repay kindness. They should help each other in the future."
Things are different now than before; as long as you have money, you can live a good life on your own.
After the Great Cataclysm, the principle of "many hands make light work" applies.
Extra effort might just mean more chances of survival.
Just then, Jiang Hai returned carrying several burlap sacks and two children.
Upon seeing Jiang Zhi injured, Jiang Sui anxiously threw down the snakeskin bag on her back and rushed over, "Auntie, where are you hurt! How serious is it? How did you get hurt?"
Jiang Si burst into tears. "My aunt is injured! Will my aunt die...?"
Jiang Zhi was startled. "Sisi, don't cry. Your aunt just tripped and fell; she can't possibly die so easily!"
Ever since Jiang Hai and his son were injured, Jiang Sui and Jiang Si have been somewhat traumatized by the incident and are most afraid of seeing their family members get hurt.
Jiang Zhi explained her story, which put Jiang Si and Jiang Sui at ease, but they still followed closely behind her.
Whatever Jiangzhi wanted to do, the two little ones would rush to help, afraid of tiring their injured aunt.
In the end, Jiang Zhi was left both amused and exasperated. "I'm really fine. Don't be fooled by these scary wounds; they're just abrasions."
In the end, Jiang Hai led the two children aside, saying, "Alright, stop following your aunt around and go help Grandma pick barley."
Since the family didn't have much staple food, Ye Qingyun discussed it with his parents and decided to exchange some of the brown sugar for enough staple food.
Jiang Hai happened to have some free time, so he went to exchange with some villagers he knew before and brought back about 300 jin (150 kg).
Currently, the barley in the hands of the residents of the base is generally harvested by themselves, but there are too many of them, and they are usually highly mixed, so they have to be picked out by hand bit by bit to remove the highly toxic ones.
These are very cheap and available on the market.
You can get 100 jin with 80 points, and it's already considered good if you can get 30 or 40 jin in the end.
Jiang Sui had no choice but to take Jiang Si back to the hall.
Jiang Si eagerly instructed Jiang Shu, "Uncle, remember to help Auntie with chores often."
Jiang Shu smiled and said, "Don't worry, I'll not only help your aunt with the chores, but I'll also help her eat meat."
Jiang Si's eyes widened immediately. "Uncle, how could you do this?"
"Then give me a massage later, and I'll help you with that, okay?"
Jiang Si was confused by him.
I don't understand how what was clearly helping my aunt reduce her burden turned into helping myself in Jiang Shu's mouth.
The little girl tilted her head and thought for a moment, but couldn't figure it out, so she could only reply, "Okay then, Uncle, remember not to eat Auntie's flesh."
The conversation between the two made Grandma Jiang laugh. "You brat, you just know how to bully children."
Jiang Hai looked at Jiang Zhi: "How did you get hurt?"
Jiang Zhi touched her nose, knowing she couldn't hide it from her uncle, so she had no choice but to tell the truth: "I encountered a mutated snake while catching fish, and I got scratched while trying to dodge it."
Jiang Hai frowned: "You guys are too bold! How dare you go to the riverbank!"
Jiang Zhi: "Uncle, we only dared to go because we saw that Brother Dali was there."
Jiang Hai stared at her for a moment, then said, "This is a one-time exception!"
Jiang Zhi smiled and said, "I knew Uncle was the best to us. Well then—"
Jiang Hai knew exactly what she was trying to say. "I won't tell your dad and the others on my own, but if they find out themselves, they can't blame me."
Jiang Zhi checked the time; it was a little past six in the afternoon. She figured Jiang Shan and the others should be back by now, so she quickly ran back inside. "I'm going to change my clothes!"
Her clothes were torn in several places, and she did look rather frightening.
After Jiang Zhi changed her clothes and came out, Jiang Shan and the others also returned.
They made three trips that day.
There weren't many differences in the collection on the 8th. There were a lot of low bushes. Several men sawed and chopped wood and then carried it back, which took a lot of time, but the harvest was also quite good.
The twelve or thirteen pieces of wood of varying sizes were all carefully selected by Jiang He.
The thickest is 1.5 meters long, and the thinnest is 70 or 80 centimeters long.
Jiang Shu excitedly ran over to take a look.
"Second Uncle, you guys are amazing! You can cut down so much wood in just one day."
Jiang He smiled and said, "There are techniques to cutting down trees. Once you master the techniques, you won't be slow."
During the day, Jiang Hai set up a makeshift shed at home.
The group then placed the wood inside the shed.
Jiang Wen wiped away his sweat, his face flushed red from the heat. He took out a small bag, which contained several mutated mushrooms. "These are what we picked on our way here today. There haven't been many people going to Area 8 lately, and there are quite a lot of mushrooms growing under the tree roots. We can go and collect some tomorrow."
The last sentence was said to Jiang Zhi and her brother.
When Jiang Si saw the oyster mushroom, which was the size of a human face, she happily squatted down and examined it from all angles. "Second Uncle, can we eat this?"
"sure."
Jiang Si clapped her hands, "Great! Today we can eat some dishes we've never tried before!"
These words brought a pang of sadness to everyone present.
These mushrooms, which used to be commonplace, were something this child had never even seen before.
Jiang Wen patted her head. "Okay, I'll have Great-Grandma make mushrooms for you tonight."
Jiang Zhi squatted down to take a look. The two oyster mushrooms were much thicker than before after the mutation. She wondered if the taste had changed. "Are there any other kinds of mushrooms over there?"
Jiang Wen said, "There should be some. Area 8 is near the mountains, with the most trees and relatively few edible things. So, not many people have ever gone there to collect things."
Jiang Shu was already fantasizing about the taste of stir-fried oyster mushrooms, and upon hearing this, he immediately said, "Then let's go to District 8 tomorrow!"
Jiang Shan put the cart down: "We can't let our guard down. Although there are fewer people over there, that's precisely why the base hasn't sent many guards. If something really happens, those mutants might not be able to get there in time."
Jiang Shu said, "Don't worry, Dad. We'll see how things go and try to get as close as possible to the mutants on guard duty. We'll make sure we don't do anything reckless!"
He said that it was only because Jiang Zhi had changed her clothes and the wounds were no longer visible that he was talking; otherwise, she would have been beaten up again.
Upon hearing this, Jiang Hai glanced at Jiang Shu and said, "I'll go with you tomorrow."
Jiang Shu shuddered: "...Uncle, you haven't fully recovered yet, you shouldn't go, and the house needs someone to look after it..."
Jiang Hai waved his hand, "I've been feeling much better these past few days, it's time to get some exercise. Your second uncle will be making furniture at home tomorrow, there's no shortage of people at home."
Wu Xiu hesitated to speak, but in the end she didn't say anything, though the worry in her eyes was unmistakable.
Grandma Jiang knew that she was afraid of what had happened before happening again.
But since the younger generation has all gone, there's no reason for the men in charge to stay at home.
Moreover, Jiang Hai has already gone this far, so the matter can only be settled.
Jiang Zhi knew that Jiang Hai was worried about what happened today, so she jokingly said, "Uncle, if you hold us back tomorrow, we won't take you with us anymore."
Jiang Hai laughed and said, "You little brat, you're starting to look down on your uncle!"
Everyone laughed.
After Jiang Hai ingested the low-toxicity cotton aphids, his health improved considerably. Apart from being a little thinner, his complexion looked about the same as that of an ordinary person.
After Grandpa Jiang and his wife Yuan Ying returned one after another, Grandma Jiang started cooking.
Jiang Shu was starving and was just waiting for dinner.
The others continued processing the wood they had brought back, while Jiang Shu moved a small stool and sat by the kitchen stove, ostensibly to help with the fire.
While Grandma Jiang was preparing the carp, Jiang Zhi walked over and said, "Grandma, I want the fish's eyes and gills."
"What do you want these things for? They don't even taste good."
That's what they said, but they still picked things out.
Upon receiving the ginger twig and hearing the dashboard notification sound again, she couldn't help but laugh: "I have a clever use for it."
Upon hearing this, Jiang Shu knew that these two things were their real target for the day. He immediately forgot about food and followed Jiang Zhi back to the room.
Seeing this, Wu Xiu shook her head with a smile: "These two children, why do they always do such mysterious things?"
Back in the room, Jiang Shu quickly asked, "A-Zhi, are these the golden items you mentioned?"
Jiang Zhi nodded and laid out the fish eyes and gills. "Eating these fish eyes can improve eyesight, the gills can help people breathe underwater, and the belly can increase strength."
Jiang Shu was stunned.
He thought he had misheard.
"Ah Zhi, you gave it to me again?"
Jiang Zhi nodded, "I'm sure, it was that thing that told me."
Jiang Shu gasped.
"That thing" has never made a mistake.
But he quickly grasped the key point: "Ah Zhi, you mean, that thing has been upgraded??"
Jiang Zhi said with a smile, "I don't know why, but it has suddenly become much more useful."
"Holy crap, are we going to get rich so fast?"
Jiang Zhi's mind is practically a treasure-hunting tool; not only will it improve her life, but getting rich is only a matter of time.
Jiang Shu was incredibly excited just thinking about it.
Jiang Zhi glanced at her brother, and after he calmed down, she said, "Choose one yourself."
"Give me?!"
Jiang Zhi said, "We need to go out to collect and scavenge more often in the future. Things like the mutated snake incident today might happen again. These things can improve our strength."
Jiang Shu was deeply moved. He scratched his head and said, "I don't know what's right for me. Azhi, you can help me choose."
Jiang Zhi thought for a moment and handed over the two fish eyes. "Here, take these. You're weak, but if you can see further, you can escape sooner."
Jiang Shu: ...That sounds a bit strange?
Before he could think it over, Jiang Zhi added, "I plan to give the fish belly to Brother Dali."
Jiang Shu was taken aback.
Jiang Zhi explained, "I've thought about it. Brother Dali is strong, and cooperating with him will ensure our safety to a certain extent. Besides, he also contributed today, so it wouldn't be right for us to take the credit for ourselves."
There's one more selfish reason Jiang Zhi didn't mention.
Just now, to avoid worrying her family, she took a little bit of the sharp-toothed rabbit's tooth powder.
In just a moment, not only did his wounds heal instantly, but his mental strength was also restored.
The headache caused by overuse of the dashboard has also improved.
Based on the previous reactions of her family members to low-toxin foods, Jiang Zhi had a guess—it was very likely that no one in the Jiang family except her and Jiang Shu could become mutants.
In other words, the effects of consuming golden items are limited for ordinary people.
Jiang Shu had no objection upon hearing this.
Niu Dali's character is impeccable. He could have left first today, but because he needed to go back to save Jiang Zhi, even knowing the danger, he still went back without hesitation. Just for this one point, Niu Dali is someone you can trust.
He was a little confused about the two fish gills. "A-Zhi, what do you need these fish gills for? The river is so dangerous, you can't go into the river by yourself."
Jiang Zhi recalled the unknown lake behind the cave in Collection Area No. 3.
She had a feeling that she would step into that place someday.
*
It was seven o'clock in the evening, and the sky was getting dark.
With some extra points at home, Grandma Jiang didn't hold back and cooked a thick barley porridge for everyone.
The fish meat is marinated with salt, and the huge fish head is chopped off and thrown into the pot. A small spoonful of rapeseed oil is hit and sizzles, instantly locking in the freshness and aroma.
Ginger slices and scallion segments are then added to the pot, and as they are stir-fried, a fragrant aroma fills the air.
The ginger tree was so stimulated that it kept swallowing its saliva.
He hadn't smelled scallions, garlic, or ginger in a long time.
"Grandma, where did these side dishes come from?"
After stir-frying the ginger until fragrant, Grandma Jiang added enough water to the pot and covered it with the lid.
"I specially traded them from next door. These two items are in high demand, and they cost me a piece of candy." Grandma Jiang said with a pained expression, "If I hadn't seen how hard you all work, I wouldn't have been willing to trade them like this."
Grandma Jiang saw things very clearly.
If you don't have the means, then forget it. But if you do have the means, you should still eat. Isn't the point of living to have a meal?
Jiang Shu smelled the bubbling soup and licked his lips. "Grandma, you're much more generous than my mom."
"If your mother hears you say that, you're sure to get a beating."
Jiang Shu grunted, "I was telling the truth."
At this moment, Jiang Sui, who was sitting in front of another stove, frowned: "Uncle, if you don't add more firewood, the fire will go out!"
Jiang Shu looked and saw that it was true, so he quickly stuffed some branches inside.
The more you plugged it, the faster the fire went out.
The last wisp of black smoke escaped, leaving not a single spark.
Jiang Sui said with dissatisfaction, "Uncle, you'd better not cause trouble here. Go help your second uncle and the others."
Jiang Shu laughed and pinched Jiang Sui's cheek. "You brat, you're even badmouthing me now."
Jiang Sui lowered her voice: "Uncle, don't worry, I'll secretly call you in when it's almost cooked."
Jiang Shu: "Why did you secretly call me in?"
Jiang Sui exclaimed in surprise, "Uncle, aren't you just waiting here to sneak some food? I'll call you when it's almost done cooking! And remember to call Auntie to come along too!"
Jiang Sui spoke in a low voice for the last sentence.
Jiang Shu: ...Does he really like to steal food that much?
Grandma Jiang watched from the side and laughed.
"What are you two whispering about? Hurry up and light the fire!"
Jiang Sui immediately replied, "Great-Grandma, I'll order right now!"
As he spoke, he winked at Jiang Shu.
Watching Jiang Sui deftly take out a few thin pieces of wood and stuff them into the stove, the fire was rekindled in no time.
Jiang Shu smiled, stood up, and patted Jiang Sui's head.
This kid has the potential to be a paparazzi.
He walked out of the kitchen and saw Jiang He and a few others chiseling wood.
Just half an hour later, the silhouette of the cabinet could already be seen on the huge piece of wood.
Lacking iron parts, Jiang Shan and Jiang Hai assisted in making the cabinet doors with mortise and tenon joints.
Wu Xiu and Yuan Ying sat in the courtyard mending clothes for their family members, occasionally gossiping about the neighbors.
For a moment, Jiang Shu was somewhat dazed.
It felt like they had returned to the time when they were still living in their hometown.
I can never get enough of these everyday, lively days.
In the kitchen.
Grandma Jiang tore the washed oyster mushrooms into small pieces, and added them to the fish soup as it gradually turned milky white and thick.
Before long, the steam carrying the rich aroma of fish wafted over.
A pot of mouthwatering fish head soup is ready.
Seeing this, Jiang Sui nudged Xiao Jiang Si, "Little sister, go and call Uncle and Aunt."
Jiang Si immediately ran off, all excited.
Grandma Jiang laughed and said, "You biased little devil, be careful your second uncle gets jealous."
Jiang Sui said matter-of-factly, "Second Uncle is loved by Second Aunt, but Little Uncle isn't loved by Little Aunt. It's only right that we love him more!"
Grandma Jiang laughed heartily.
She served two bowls for Jiang Shu and his sister, saying, "Alright, alright, I've saved some for them. Hurry up and set the table for dinner."
The dining table is newly made and very large, capable of seating more than a dozen people.
This is a family tradition of the Jiang family—the whole family doesn't sit at separate tables; at most, they'll just divide the same dish into several bowls.
Grandma Jiang had reserved a portion for Ye Qingyun, and then brought out a large bowl of fish head soup and another bowl of stir-fried oyster mushrooms with smoked meat.
The smoked meat was made from the mutated beast that Grandpa Lin had given us before.
Although there weren't many dishes, everyone felt very satisfied.
When the bowl of fish head soup was served, the rising steam carried a rich and delicious aroma.
The milky white fish soup rippled gently in the bowl, each ripple exuding an alluring charm.
There were a few bright green bits of wild vegetables on the surface of the soup.
Jiang Zhi noticed that Wu Xiu and Yuan Ying ladled a large bowl of porridge for the men and herself, while everyone else only got a small half bowl. Even the fish soup was served in the same way.
Jiang Zhi pursed her lips, understanding dawning on her.
This prioritizes the household's able-bodied members.
She didn't say anything, but a strong urge rose within her to let her family live a better life as soon as possible.
Grandma Jiang said with a smile, "Qingyun just contacted me and told us to eat first. I also saved her portion. You've had a hard day, so hurry up and eat."
As soon as Grandma Jiang finished speaking, the carefree Jiang Shu couldn't wait to slurp up a mouthful of soup.
The soup was piping hot, but it still couldn't mask the rich and savory flavor of the fish head itself.
The oyster mushrooms, soaked in broth, are soft and fluffy; one bite reveals the sweet and savory fish head soup.
The mutated carp has a very large head, and everyone can get a piece of head meat.
The meat in the fish head is tender, especially the meat near the gills and cheeks, which almost melts in your mouth.
Grandma Jiang knew that Jiang Zhi loved to eat fish brains, so she specially put the part with fish brains into her bowl.
Jiang Zhi was somewhat moved.
She used to be the youngest in the family, and Grandma Jiang would always give Jiang Zhi the best part of the dish at every meal.
This is also a custom in the Jiang family.
She's no longer the youngest in the family, but the old lady still does it this way.
Jiangzhi: "Grandma, have you forgotten that we have even younger ones in our family?"
Fish brains are very nutritious, and she shared her share with her two children.
Grandma Jiang laughed and said, "I haven't forgotten."
Jiang Si looked at the extra fish brain and blinked her big eyes: "Auntie, I already have one!"
Jiang Zhi smiled and said, "This is fish brain. My little aunt doesn't like to eat it, so I'll trade it with you."
When I was little, I didn't understand why my parents liked to trade food with me.
Jiang Zhi understands a bit now.
Upon hearing this, Jiang Si handed over hers, saying generously, "Auntie, take it if you like it!"
Jiang Wen teased her, "Sisi is so good to her aunt, what if your second uncle wants to switch places with you?"
Upon hearing this, Jiang Si frowned, her small face contorted in distress, and said, "But...but I only have one..."
Jiang Wen: "Yes, so what should we do?"
Jiang Si hesitated for a while, then finally said, "Then let my brother and second uncle switch. My brother's is delicious too!"
The child's innocent words made everyone laugh again.
Wu Xiu laughed and said, "Sisi, your aunt is lying to you. She has loved eating fish brains since she was a child."
Jiang Si was stunned. "Th-th-then..."
Jiang Hai: "Your aunt will give you food. Remember your aunt next time you have something delicious to eat."
The ginger slices nodded emphatically.
Grandpa Jiang smiled and shook his head. When no one was looking, he shared some of the porridge in his bowl with his wife.
Grandma Jiang glared at him.
Grandpa Jiang said softly, "I didn't work as hard as you today, so you should eat more."
Grandma Jiang felt warm inside and didn't refuse, but instead shared some of the soup from her bowl with him.
"If I drink too much soup at night, I'll have to get up at night, so I'll drink less."
Jiang Sui silently ate the fish brain that Jiang Zhi had given him. The sticky, jelly-like fish brain melted instantly on his tongue.
The fresh aroma lingers on the tip of the nose and the tip of the tongue.
Jiangzhi asked, "Is it delicious?"
Jiang Sui nodded: "Delicious!"
Jiang Zhi smiled.
This is exactly what we look forward to in life.
After dinner, everyone sat in the courtyard to digest their food.
Jiang He is a restless person, and within minutes he was carving on the wooden board again.
Jiang Shu sat leisurely on the stool. Seeing this, he walked over. It looked like the beginning of a battle between a dragon and a tiger, which would really test his skills.
"Second Uncle, aren't we making a cabinet? As long as it works, that's fine. Why do we need such complicated patterns?"
Jiang He smiled and said, "This is our front door. The house is so nicely built, the door can't be shabby either."
Jiang Shu watched for a while, then clicked his tongue a few times, "Second Uncle, it's a pity you're not a carpenter with such skills."
Grandpa Jiang was boiling water to sterilize his needles. In all his years of work, he has never let anyone else do the sterilization of needles.
As he placed the needles into an aluminum box filled with boiling water, he added fuel to the fire: "Your second uncle used to be a carpenter, and his skills were among the best in our village."
Jiang Shu then said, "Then Second Uncle might as well continue being a carpenter; I'm sure many people will ask you to make cabinets."
What was said unintentionally was taken seriously by the listener.
Jiang He hesitated for a moment, "Everyone's not doing too well right now, and nobody wants to hire someone to make cabinets, right..."
Jiang Shu sighed, "How can there be no one here? This is a self-built housing area. The people living here are not rich, but not poor either. They can afford a little processing fee. Besides, not everyone has your skills, Uncle."
In fact, the most tragic victims of this catastrophe were not the rich or the poor, but the seemingly glamorous white-collar workers.
In the past, due to advanced technology in big cities, most middle-class people relied on various human and material resources for their lives and rarely did things themselves, resulting in the degeneration of many life skills.
After the cataclysm, most ordinary people who couldn't become mutants faced even greater hardships.
However, there are also those who make a good living by scavenging and gathering.
Therefore, Jiang Shu believes that there is still a market for carpentry.
Upon hearing this, Jiang Wen said, "We haven't seen any carpenters in this area, but carpenters all have to deal with timber. Doing this means they have to go logging every day. Going to the No. 8 collection area occasionally is fine, but going there too often... isn't safe enough."
In places like Collection Area No. 8, almost no one dares to go alone.
Although wood resources are abundant, food is much scarcer than in other gathering areas, and with fewer people going there, there are fewer mutants on guard duty.
Jiang Shu suddenly realized why his second uncle, despite having a skill, still worked as a helper.
Jiang Zhi said, "We have a lot of people now, so we'll just go twice a month to bring back all the timber we need."
Jiang Shan stroked his chin and asked Jiang Hai, "Second Brother, how much does it cost to make a wooden cabinet?"
"I don't know now, but it used to be a 1.5-meter cabinet for 350 points."
It doesn't sound like much, but apart from being a bit hard work, this job is practically a zero-cost business. If you do ten jobs a month, you can earn three or four thousand points.
Jiang Hai: "I think this is a good idea. Doesn't Awen know Tan Lei? He has a lot of connections, so we can ask him to help promote it."
Jiang He was a little embarrassed: "Well... I'm afraid business is bad and I'll waste everyone's time."
Jiang Shan smiled and said, "Second Brother, with your skills, you'll never have to worry about orders."
Grandpa Jiang also thought it was feasible. "I think it's a good idea. It's not a solution for Azhi and the others to go out to collect and scavenge every day. If something happens one day, we won't have a stable job, and the whole family will starve."
Grandpa Jiang has the mindset of an ordinary person: as long as there is grain at home, there is no need to panic.
If the family had plenty of food stored up, he would be reluctant to let his children venture out of the city.
The more people talked about it, the more they felt it was feasible.
Jiang Hai also said, "Ahe, you can ask Ajun for help then. Although he has no legs, he still has his hands, and his modification skills are quite good. He can be of assistance."
Having said that, Jiang He no longer refused.
"Okay, I'll start taking orders once I've finished making all the cabinets in my house."
Jiang Wen chimed in, "Dad, see what tools you're missing. I'll go to a secondhand store and see if I can buy them cheaply."
"Yes, Uncle, why don't you make a list? Maybe I can modify some things at home."
Jiang He nodded with a smile.
That's how it was settled.
Yuan Ying was happy. Although the previous debt had been paid off, she and her husband still couldn't get over the guilt in their hearts. Now that her husband could earn some points for the family, her guilt was finally relieved.
"Hey, what are you guys talking about? It's so lively!"
When Ye Qingyun returned home from get off work, she saw everyone chatting leisurely in the courtyard, and the fatigue from work immediately eased.
Wu Xiu: "Qingyun, you're finally back! Come on, have some dinner. I've put it in the pot to keep it warm for you."
As she spoke, she turned around and called to Jiang Sui in the kitchen, "Sui Sui, serve your aunt rice. Don't put out the fire, keep boiling water, she'll be taking a bath soon."
Jiang Sui responded.
Ye Qingyun put down the bag and said reproachfully, "Sister-in-law, Sui Sui is still so young, why make him do so much work? Let Da Shu and the others do it."
Wu Xiu: "Da Shu and A Zhi are all tired after a long day. They need to rest when they get back. Besides, these are all small tasks that Sui Sui can handle."
As they were talking, Jiang Sui had already brought out the food.
"Auntie, eat."
Ye Qingyun laughed and said, "Alright, our Sui Sui is so good."
Jiang Shu leaned closer and said, "Mom, let me tell you, this fish is one we caught today, and it's delicious."
Ye Qingyun frowned: "Why did you go to the river again? Didn't the base's inventory say that the river is dangerous? Are you all alright?"
Jiang Shu choked for a moment, "No, not really..."
He looked at Jiang Zhi.
Jiangzhi immediately changed the subject: "Mom, how did you feel about going to work today?"
"What else can we do? Just help change the dressings and stuff."
Jiang Shu: "Are there many people?"
Speaking of this, Ye Qingyun got excited, "There are quite a few, all of them were injured while collecting. In the afternoon, a couple came back from the No. 12 collection area. The man was attacked by a mutated squirrel. The wound was on his buttocks, and he could barely walk, let alone sit."
She slurped up some porridge and continued, "Some were poisoned, either because they were unlucky enough to step on mutated ants or encountered ladybugs."
Speaking of ladybugs, Jiang Shu shuddered. "This person is really unlucky to run into a mutated ladybug."
Jiang Sui asked curiously, "Uncle, what happens to people when they become mutated ladybugs?"
Jiang Shu: "It will make you wish you were dead! It will itch to death!"
They had encountered this before when they were surviving in the wild. The mutated ladybugs would secrete a sticky substance when they touched human skin, causing itching all over the body.
Jiang Shu was itchy for three whole days that time, and her skin was almost scratched raw.
Upon hearing this, Grandpa Jiang couldn't help but ask, "Does Liang Sen have the antidote?"
Liang Sen is the same doctor who hired Ye Qingyun.
Grandpa Jiang was also familiar with Liang Sen, knowing that the reason the other man was able to cure the disease was because he was lucky enough to find a mutated slug.
The slug's mucus has a therapeutic effect on skin injuries.
Ye Qingyun shook his head, "No, not either."
Doctor Liang can only treat external injuries and occasionally detoxify, but it's all by sheer luck. If he can cure it, it's considered a stroke of luck. If he can't, ordinary people can't find a good solution. The medicines at the clinic cost thousands of points per vial, and a course of treatment can cost tens of thousands. By the time you're cured, your savings will be depleted.
That's how Jiang Hai and his son were back then.
Jiang Shan glanced at his daughter.
They knew very well how dangerous the wild was, but in recent years, thanks to the help of ginger branches, they had avoided many dangers, but they could not avoid the dangers of insects.
I thought the gathering area would be much safer after the mutants had cleared it out, but I didn't expect that there were still many unknown dangers hidden there.
Jiang Zhi's mental dashboard didn't perceive the insects as a threat. If she hadn't stumbled upon a bone stick, she would probably have been threatened by the mutated insects like everyone else.
Grandpa Jiang sighed, "Alas, Liang Sen's mutated slug has a limited lifespan and will die sooner or later. When that day comes, the nearby residents will suffer even more. In the end, it's because medical care is too backward now. Even the clinic can't provide 100% detoxification and emergency treatment."
Upon hearing this, Jiang Zhi's heart skipped a beat. "Master, is the slug in Doctor Liang's possession rather special?"
"Yes, we're all in the same industry, so I've been following him before. The slug that Liang Sen found could treat external injuries, which caused quite a stir among us back then, even the base leaders came to inquire about it. Later, many people went to look for mutated slugs, but none of them had any therapeutic effect. In the end, Liang Sen didn't hand the slug over to the base, but opened a small clinic in D District himself."
Jiang Zhi seemed to be deep in thought.
If what Grandpa Jiang said is true, then the slug is probably also a golden item.
Ye Qingyun, unaware of Jiang Zhi's thoughts, said to Grandpa Jiang, "I wonder if the mutated herbs still have the effect of treating injuries and detoxifying. It would be great if the base could accelerate the development of medical care, otherwise life would be too difficult for us ordinary people. Although the herbs from Doctor Liang's place are cheaper than those from the clinic, each treatment still costs several hundred points, which is not cheap for us."
Ordinary people are hesitant and timid when looking for food. If they are unlucky enough to get injured, not only will their family be unable to earn money for a while, but they will also have to pay for medical treatment.
In short, it's too difficult to live well in this world.
Fearing that everyone would be discouraged, Jiang Shan said, "We have a doctor and a nurse in our family, which is much better than other families."
Jiang Shu: "That's right, that's right. If we have a headache or fever, our grandparents will help treat it. We just need to be careful when we go out."
Everyone thought about it and agreed.
Their family has a chance to turn their lives around. Many of them have skills, and they will be able to live a good life in the future.
At this moment, Jiangzhi asked, "Grandpa, didn't you used to prescribe medicine for people? Do you know which medicine is better for treating external injuries?"
“Anything will do, like Panax notoginseng or Dipsacus asper,” Grandpa Jiang asked. “Ah Zhi, why are you asking this?”
"Sir, could you draw these medicines? If we see them when we go out in the future, we can bring them back for you to experiment with."
Jiang Zhi had thought it over. Although the tooth powder in her hand was very effective, there wasn't much of it. Using it for everyday injuries was like using a sledgehammer to crack a nut. Jiang Zhi didn't want to use it unless it was absolutely necessary.
However, injuries are inevitable when going out to collect herbs. If we can discover usable medicinal materials, we won't have to worry too much about injuries in the future.
Grandpa Jiang was overjoyed: "That's good. If we can find something useful, our family will have something to rely on."
After chatting in the courtyard for a while, everyone washed up and went back to their rooms.
As soon as Jiang Zhi and her brother entered the house, Jiang Shan put on a stern face.
"Tell me, what happened today?"
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