Aunt Zhang was looking for her for a small matter. She just wanted to say that tomorrow she’ll be making a trip to the county city, so she asked her if she want to go together?
Of course Lian Fang Zhou wanted to go, but she had more important things to do, so she could only say "next time"!
"Aunt Zhang, I can’t go tomorrow," Lian Fang Zhou smiled and said, "Can I trouble Aunt Zhang to help me buy some things?"
Aunt Zhang did not ask why she’s could not go but frankly nodded and grinned. "Just speak, what do you need to buy, Aunt Zhang ah, promises to buy them while being both of good quality and cheap for you!"
That being said, and both of them burst out laughing.
Actually, Lian Fang Zhou didn’t have any other things to buy, just the hemp paper for the window, some cloth to make clothes, and a pair of shoes for everyone at home.
The others are fine, but when Aunt Zhang heard her mention buying shoes, Aunt Zhang glared at her, saying "You girl, using money is like being on the knife’s blade, there can’t be big hands big feet (meaning loosely handing out money)! What need is there to buy shoes? Isn’t it fine to make them yourselves? There’s plenty of things that money will be needed to be spent on in the future! You can’t be so wasteful! Such a coincidence that I also have to make shoes, so when the time comes, I’ll request for more leftover cloth from the tailor shop’s master. When I’m back, I’ll give you some. I guarantee there will be enough for you. You just need to buy a pack of inner soles and do some needlework!"
"Aunt Zhang, I …" For a moment, Lian Fang Zhou couldn’t speak.
Aunt Zhang talking like this and not treating her like outsider, made her very grateful, grateful from the bottom of her heart. But damn, she doesn’t know how to make shoes ah!
Whatever inner soles were, she had never seen them before ah!
She hadn’t even seen the simple ancient chinese commoner clothing style, so when the time comes, she’ll invite the village aunt or sister who are good at their work to help give pointers and it’ll be fine. Otherwise, she can’t even make clothes ah.
Only the thought that the original Lian Fang Zhou could do it, so for a moment she did not know what to say.
"Oh!" Aunt Zhang gently sighed and said in ‘such a pity’ tone: "No wonder you said it like that. Qing er is still small; you, one person having to manage the family, and also having to work on the field, definitely won’t have much time to make shoes! Let’s not mention anything else, just the inner sole is a lot of work na!"
Lian Fang Zhou mentally sighed out in relief. Although Aunt Zhang misunderstood, such a misunderstanding is what she was begging for!
So she smiled and was about to speak –
Who knew that Aunt Zhang continue on and said, "How about this! Ah Juan and I will help you with the soles! And when you’re free, just stick the front on and it’s done – Ah, you’re not allowed to decline! That’s how it’ll be settled! "
Since Aunt Zhang said it like this, Lian Fang Zhou couldn’t really say any words of rejection, so she only nodded and agreed, giving her thanks.
The next day after breakfast, using a dustpan Lian Fang Zhou and Lian Ze spread out the mushroom which were picked yesterday, left at the front to sun-dry and told Lian Fang Qing and Lian Che to watch the house. If it is going to rain, they had to bring the mushroom into the house; as the sun moves, also move them a bit.
The two of them then went to Mount Xian Teng again.
Sun Zhang Xing went really early to get more time to hunt. They don’t need to hunt and the mountains have plenty of mushrooms, so they don’t need to go out too early.
There were seven-eight consecutive days of good weather, so the two siblings went to Mount Xian Teng every day. Every day they brought back four large bags of mushrooms looking like groundhogs as they transported them home.
Due to walking and exploring the mountains frequently, they also became a lot more familiar with it. Their courage also grew, and, the scope of the activities they completed widened.
The two sibling’s luck was good; later on, they found a lot of Tremella fuciformis, as well as some precious Porcino and Hericium erinaceus. But, they also accidentally found a tremendous amount of Tuber fleeceflower. These are good stuff, making Lian Fang Zhou feel overjoyed.
The two also caught a good amount of river shrimp. Three fingers big fish can also be seen occasionally, but this wild fish is very sneaky and slippery with its streamlined-like body shape and ability to move lightning fast in the water. Lian Fang Zhou and Lian Ze crept around, before they could catch this fish, it already flashed to another place!
They just have to give up.
But with one whole noon, the two caught a palm-sized turtle. The turtle was lying on the shore rock under the sun and easy fell into their hands. They intended to take it home for Lian Fang Qing and Lian Che play with.
In the mountains, wild fruits were countless. In addition to those small jujube trees, there were many mountain chestnuts, pear, wild persimmon, mountain grapes, rose myrtle fruit, another kind of jujube, Elaeagnus fruit, etc., so much that it dazzled the two.
But unfortunately, home was too far away or else they could bring the two little siblings together to play.
However, the two chose some fruits each day to take back, so it was a good surprise for Lian Fang Qing and Lian Che.
Lian Fang Zhou didn’t want people to know that they went to the Mount Xian Teng, so they told Lian Fang Qing and Lian Che that those wild fruits could only be eaten at home and could not be brought out.
Since the death of their father and mother, the four siblings’ life became bleak, as they suffered a good bit of bullying. The children of the village, whenever they have something delicious or fun, would deliberately and triumphantly show off in the front of Lian Fang Qing and Lian Che.
Lian Fang Qing was once angered until she cried. Now it was her turn to have something good, but Lian Fang Qing with great difficulty managed to hold back the impulse to take it out .
Continuously going out for these many days, Lian Fang Zhou and Lian Ze were tired, and they already gathered a lot of mushrooms. Lian Fang Zhou intends to go to the county city to sell them and have a look at the market before deciding.
This way, re-gathering can also have a comparison – of course, picking those with value to gather!
Not long afterward, the weather cooled down. Once the frost hit, it will be difficult for mushrooms to grow, then there won’t be any mushrooms that can be picked.
The first batch that was brought back has been dried, they just gathered ones that need another two or three days to dry completely. Lian Fang Zhou and Lian Ze already discussed that they would rest two or three days at home, and then go.
In the vegetable patch, the seeds that were sprinkled before have long already sprouted. Every evening, Lian Fang Zhou and Lian Ze will carry two big buckets of water to water the plants at once. Those vegetables not only grew fast, but were also moist and tender.
These two day, there’s fresh green vegetables to eat at home, and then another few days, she can transplant some. There’s also that turned green pepper, can also plucked.
Lian Fang Zhou’s heart thumped, she felt that they should send some to Aunt Zhang’s family. She specifically selected some of the best vegetables and plucked two peppers.
Although it isn’t worth much, nothing beats freshness – at this time other people have not started to sow seeds and pepper has already been long dead.
When Mrs Zhao saw the fresh vegetables and the tender green pepper, her eyes brightened. She happily thanked her, took them, and could not help but say, "This is really rare na! At this time sowing, wouldn’t the seedlings grow moldy? There also peppers, how could there be fresh ones in this season? Fang Zhou how did you do it?"
This small matter, of course, Lian Fang Zhou wouldn’t keep it private. She then laughed and grinned. "Rapeseed can be sprinkled, but the ground must be treated first with ash and mixed well into the soil. You need to use the ready made ash, which were hogweed that was cut off from the mountains and were burned. Do not use the ones from the stove! Sister may not know it, that this pepper after coming to fruition looked like a lost case, but I just loosened the soil, and then fertilize it. Doing so will allow it to bear fruit once again. The second time isn’t as much as the first time, just this big!"
"So it’s like that! I’ll also try it next year!" Mrs Zhao grinned as she nodded and remembered.
Lian Fang Zhou laughed: "Our garden pepper plant has a lot of fruit; if sister likes them, in two days I can send some over!"
Mrs Zhao felt overjoyed and continuously gave her thanks.
Aunt Zhang saw her daughter-in-law like this and could not help but secretly sigh, then could not help but laug.h "Alright Fang Zhou, you ah, are this thoughtful, so sending once is enough. No need to send again! Leave them for yourselves! If you can’t eat them all, leave them to turn red and pick them to be sun dried, or make chili sauce! That way the stuff won’t go bad!"
Lian Fang Zhou: "Aunt Zhang, almost every time you say that I regard you as outsider, now your words really regard me as outsider! Whatever your family has something to eat, don’t you think of me? Sister, later I will sent them over. Do not worry!"
Mrs Zhao froze, then laughed. Originally hearing her mother saying it like this, she was also somewhat embarrassed and unhappy. This time she also very happily answered "Great!" And smiled saying, "Almost forgot, yesterday we just opened an old pumpkin. Wait a bit; I’ll cut a piece for you! Bring it back home and cook some pumpkin rice, or fry some or add water to stew. It’s really sweet!"
Lian Fang Zhou gave her thanks and then stood there waiting.
Aunt Zhang, who heard her say it like this, feeling like she better not say anymore courteous words again, also laughed.
Thinking about it, whatever they own, they give more to them!
Mrs Zhao cut a piece of old pumpkin out and cheerfully handed it to Lian Fang Zhou. Lian Fang Zhou gave her thanks again and took her leave.
At this time, she saw Li Juan coming in from the outside, while she saw Lian Fang Zhou causing her eyes to flash as she said, "Fang Zhou, Fang Zhou! Your family’s Third Aunt came back, and at your uncle and aunt’s home she’s causing a stir at this moment! A lot of people are there to watch the fun!"