Chapter 9 Vegetables

For the past three days, I have been continuously making green bricks, firing clay pots, tending to the cave, transferring my superpower to the field, weeding, and keeping busy, which felt very fulfilling. There was a lot to do, but I wasn't tired.

I made a pile of clay pots and such, and the success rate was quite high. For now, there were enough for my needs.

As the three days came to a close and it was time to use water to cool things down, I remembered some tips from a book: you have to feel the temperature of the cave, which should be around sixty degrees before cooling. Too early or too late wouldn't work.

It would still take time for it to cool completely, and I didn't want to just sit and wait. Today, I needed to water the plants. Carrying a bucket, I went off to the fields for watering; by then, the sun had already set.

After sowing, the plants needed to be watered every three or four days, and it depended on the moisture of the soil. You couldn't water too frequently, or the roots would rot. If the moisture was sufficient, watering could be postponed by a day; if it rained, the water needed to be drained promptly. Plants that liked humidity needed water on their leaves, while drought-tolerant ones couldn't be watered on their leaves as it might cause root rot, and could only be watered once they were completely dry.

I wanted to thoroughly check the conditions of the field. The rice paddies needed water and had to be irrigated in time. Some areas were higher and dried out quickly in the sun, so they needed a bit of extra moisture. The lower areas that were still moist could wait a bit longer before watering.

It wasn't that the work was tiring; it was just meticulous.

While I was at it, I weeded a bit more and cut some Stevia to dry. When Xue Dong arrived, we could weigh it.

I kept busy until it was completely dark before going back, lighting a kerosene lamp to brighten things up, and when I checked the cave, to my surprise, the firing was a success. Some of the pieces had cracked, but most turned out alright.

I was elated. With this success, I could fire more green bricks, and I'd need much less cement and sand. The money saved could go towards buying a water pump, batteries, solar panels, and other things, considering there were still many agricultural tools and machines needed.

I had made quite a few green bricks these past days, and tomorrow I could definitely fire up another batch.

I took out the fishing net to check it, planning to go fishing tomorrow and make some smoked fish to save for the winter, which would be lovely.

I estimated that the lake was teeming with fish; casually casting the net could yield a full catch. Since the furnace will be tied up with firing and I can't do much else, I might as well fish and, while guarding the cave opening, clean the fish and prepare them for smoking.

Tomorrow, I'd need to chop some pine or fruitwood to smoke the fish; the wood I had chopped last time was already used up.

I neatly stacked the fired green bricks next to the plank house and covered them with a plastic sheet, saving them to possibly build a wall or pave the yard when constructing the house later.

In the early morning, the fog hung heavy, and the sound of birds chirping awoke me.

After washing up, I thought I would go pick some senna leaves to dry. Anyway, I was going up the mountain to chop wood, so I might as well do it all together.

One person with so much work was overwhelmed and couldn't keep up. When Xue Dong returned, I had to discuss with him whether to hire a long-term worker. Three people should be just about enough to get the work done.

According to the base's standard for ordinary people, a month's contribution points were five hundred, and the salary was one thousand yuan. Superpower users earned fifty percent more. They received no meals but were given twenty kilograms of grain, usually assorted grains.

I provided three meals a day, so I should consider how much grain would be fair to give. It would be best if they had no family to avoid any messy complications later on.

This morning, I made wheat flour lumps for soup. I evenly sprinkled some water on the flour and slowly rubbed it into small lumps with my hands. They couldn't be too large as the texture wouldn't be good; just the size of rice grains was fine.

I added the lumps into boiling water and cooked them for a few minutes, making sure they were well done. Finally, I stirred the eggs into the pot, creating an egg-drop soup, and with just a pinch of salt, the wheat lumps soup was ready.

On the stove, there was a steamed highland barley leavened pancake, which I ate with a salted duck egg and salty shepherd's purse vegetable pickled from the snow.

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There's still half a vat of pickled vegetables left; I estimate they'll hold out until fresh vegetables grow.

After a full meal, I took my basket and tools to the mountain to cut some wood for smoking fish, preferably pine or cypress, or even fruit tree wood. The smoked meat fragranced by fruitwood has a very appealing taste.

I went to the spot I visited last time and picked some tomato leaves, and also found a large patch of dandelion. After checking with my superpower, I found they were positive: cooling, detoxifying, reducing swelling, and dispersing lumps; they were growing exceptionally well.

This farm is truly a blessing; I've discovered so many good things. I haven't explored the farm thoroughly, just walked around generally. I can take my time to check slowly later, there should be more good finds.

I also found shepherd's purse, wild potherb mustard, and there were toona sinensis trees over there.

It was such a right decision to come to this farm. Before the disaster, such a good farm must have been purchased for a significant sum, beyond the means of ordinary people. When I started farming here, I noticed the soil was incredibly fertile.

Seeing all these good things, of course, I had to harvest some to take back. I took out another cloth bag to tie around my waist and gathered some dandelion and wild greens to eat. I'll skip the toona sinensis today since I still have fish to catch; maybe in a few days.

I chopped two bundles of firewood and tied them with vines, carrying one on my back and dragging the other with my hand. With my basket on the front and the cloth bag tied around my waist, I was fully laden with no room for more and reluctantly left.

In these years following the disaster, I've developed a habit: hoarding. Any useful thing can't be thrown away. Whenever I see something useful or edible that's public and unclaimed, I have to take some home.

From morning to night, my hands have to be busy with some chore; sitting to weave baskets or wash clothes is considered rest.

I brought back a bunch of things home and first set out the senna leaves and dandelion to dry.

Then I placed the wild greens to one side, the firewood in the corner, and started a fire on the arranged green bricks. Only then did I pick up a fishing net and some baskets to catch fish.

I caught a full haul in two sweeps of the net, looking to be at least a hundred pounds, mainly carp and grass carp, very large ones.

I put them in the baskets to take them back and clean them. Relying on my strength, lifting these things was quite easy. On my way, I stopped by the fields for a quick look, supplied the plants with superpower, and checked the condition of the seedlings one by one; some had already broken through the soil, showing very small tender shoots, a pleasing sight.

Once home, I put the fish in clay basins to prepare for slaughtering and cleaning, then looked at the green brick cave; the fire was burning well. Once bitten twice shy, this time I was more experienced and felt steadier at heart.

I tended to the cave entrance while sitting and cleaning the fish, getting them washed and sliced, ready for smoking.

For lunch, I had wild greens—all parboiled. I stir-fried dandelion with eggs, made shepherd's purse pancakes, and had cold potherb mustard salad, dressed with Sichuan peppercorn oil, minced garlic, soy sauce, salt, and small red peppers. It was refreshing and went down well with a bowl of millet porridge.

The wild greens of spring are very tender; their crunchiness and tenderness are what I relish.

After a satisfying meal, it was time to smoke the fish. I took out the bamboo nets, lit a fire underneath, using fruitwood first—I planned to smoke some with the fruitwood, then switch to pine and cypress afterwards.

Busy as I was, evening came. As per usual, I had to go to the fields to deliver superpower and check if weeding or watering was needed. Then I gathered more senna leaves and dandelion. I also picked some toona sinensis, which, stir-fried with eggs, was also very fragrant.

Right, these next couple of days I must pickle the eggs; I can't wait any longer, it's getting warm.

Li Pan walked home with her items, pondering her tasks. Being alone does make one busier, there's endless work to do, and I always feel like I can't keep up. I'll start with pickling the salty eggs since I have clay mud ready; fishing can wait.

I went to the kitchen to get everything ready for pickling the eggs, then took out the last jar of liquor; I'd need it in a while.

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