Chapter 12

Returning to the valley, Yang Lan'er saw from afar that her father and his brothers were still working hard in the sweet potato field. Yang Lan'er smiled knowingly and shook her head. She was happy as long as they were happy.

In front of the cave, Yang's mother was leading her four daughters-in-law to wash and clean up. When He Shi saw Yang Lan'er, she greeted her loudly, "Lan'er, you're back! We saved some food for you in the pot."

Yang Lan'er waved her hand and said, "Thanks, I got it. What are you guys doing?"

"We have nothing to do this afternoon, so we took a bath. It's been a long time since we had such a good time washing up because of the drought." They finished talking and burst into laughter.

Yang's mother looked at her and said, "We're almost done washing our clothes. You should go eat now, or you'll be starving."

Yang Lan'er giggled and said, "Alright, I'll go eat first. You guys keep busy."

She returned to the cave and opened the pot lid, revealing a bowl of sweet potato porridge, a serving of chicken, and shredded potatoes. After finishing her meal, she sorted out the contents of her backpack and lay on the floor, not wanting to move.

Returning to the cave, Yang Laner uncovered the lid of the pot and found a bowl of sweet potato porridge, a serving of chicken, and a plate of shredded potatoes. After finishing her meal, she sorted through her backpack and collapsed onto the bed, feeling too tired to move.

At night, Yang Laner went into her personal space to take a shower and examined her skin in the mirror. She thought it looked a bit whiter, but maybe it was just her imagination. Returning to the cave, she found her family chatting and the children already asleep on the floor.

Yang's father saw her come in and smiled, "Laner, we harvested a lot of sweet potatoes today. We only dug up about 30% of the field, but it already yielded over a thousand kilograms. If we keep going like this, we can expect at least three thousand kilograms from that field."

Yang Laner laughed and suggested, "We can also propagate the sweet potato vines. Cut the vines into sections like this," she demonstrated with her hand, "and plant them in the soil. Water them regularly, and they'll grow. By the time autumn comes, we can harvest even more."

"Great idea! Tomorrow, after we finish harvesting the rest of the field, we'll plant the vines," Yang's third brother, Yang Cunzhi, exclaimed with excitement.

"We can also expand and clear some land nearby, and then plant the sweet potato vines there," added their practical-minded second brother, Yang Cunli.

Their mother, Li, laughed and cautioned, "Let's take it slowly and not overwork ourselves. Rest is important. Tomorrow, I'll ask my second daughter-in-law to cook some chicken to help us all replenish our energy."

After discussing things, Yang Lan'er returned to her corner and looked affectionately at Bei'er who was still sleeping with her mouth open. She lay on the floor, stroking the hard, lumpy cotton quilt and feeling a thousand emotions. After a busy day and exhaustion, she soon fell into a deep sleep.

But then she felt as if something heavy was pressing on her, making it hard for her to breathe. She tried to take a deep breath but couldn't, and suddenly woke up. Looking at Bei'er who was lying on top of her and pinching her nose, she shook her head in helplessness and tried to free herself from his small hand.

"You are so naughty, you even dare to tease your mother. Let me punish you," she said, reaching for his armpit.

"Ha ha... Mommy, Mommy..." Bei'er laughed and begged for mercy.

"You better behave. Do you hear me?" Yang Laner pretended to be fierce, but couldn't help but feel indulgent towards her two little son.

Standing beside the bed, Bai'er looked at his mother and brother, feeling both helpless and doting. It was not easy being both a son and a brother. How could they solve this? He wished their father could come back soon. Little Bai'er was starting to miss his dad again.

As for the military camp on the border, Tan Anjun had been injured during the surprise attack last night. After the military doctor finished dressing his wounds, he gave him a series of instructions.

"Your arm is severely injured and you can't exert yourself until it heals. You can't touch water either. During the recovery period, you must rest and pay attention to your diet... blah blah blah."

Tan Anjun absent-mindedly rubbed his ear, his cold and indifferent face showing impatience. When will this lecture end?

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