Chapter 55: Chapter 53 Shopping
Chapter 55: Chapter 53 Shopping
The first month of the year had quietly passed, and all the lotus roots in the lake had been dug up. It was just too cold; people could no longer withstand the freezing temperatures to continue, so they were all dug up ahead of ti.
A portion was kept for personal use, and so lotus root powder was made for consumption at ho.
Co February, with the New Year fast approaching, the plan was to take the kids back to the orphanage to visit the Base Commander and the children, bringing so New Year’s food for them.
They arrived at the transit station early in the morning to wait for the bus, which ran twice a day with the latest departure at two in the afternoon. Any later than that, and the return trip would be too late, with the sky already dark.
By ten in the morning, they were waiting at the entrance of the transit station. The public bus, fueled by coal and the old-fashioned electric trolley powered by firewood, were boarding one by one. Today was a full house, with everyone intending to sell their goods before the New Year and buy so holiday items to take ho.
Li Pan and Liu Qian, along with Xue Dong, were taking a few children back to the base.
The vehicle rocked and swayed, and Li Pan took the opportunity to sleep off the journey until they reached the base.
Once off the bus, they first went to the orphanage to drop off the children.
“Grandpa, we’ve co to see you!”
The mont the children entered, they started making a commotion.
“Ah, you’re back! My, how you’ve grown taller and fatter, your faces all chubby, even sporting double chins!”
The Base Commander burst into joy upon seeing the children; they were obviously well-fed, evidenced by their double chins.
“Hehe! Brother and sister gave us really good food, we have at every al, we also alternate between drinking sheep and cow milk, and we even study and read at night.”
Yang Zhengfei touched his own head and gave a simple, silly grin.
“Co inside, it’s cold out. I figured you’d co to see this old man before the New Year. I recently got so nice seeds and specially kept them for you.”
The Base Commander rembered their kindness to the children; any good thing he got, he didn’t feel like eating or using himself, saving it all for when Xue Dong and Li Pan ca.
“Really? Base Commander, you’re always thinking about . I’ve brought you so at and so grains.”
“No need for grains, we haven’t finished the ones you sent last ti. You took several children to the farm in one go and now there are only seven kids left at ho, all too young to eat much. We are now eating three solid als a day, no longer just wheat bran, thanks to your support. Don’t worry, we have enough food to eat.”
The Base Commander reassured them, promising that his own children could now eat their fill.
“Keep it, then. I won’t be able to co back until around March or April because we will be busy with the spring plowing and I won’t be able to visit as often. You should keep it; otherwise, the children and I will be worried. Besides, this is the children’s way of showing their heart.”
“Alright, I’ll keep it. Let pour you so tea.”
The Base Commander laughed heartily and busied himself with pouring the tea.
This ti, Li Pan brought with him so soybean paste, waterlon jam, pickles, fresh vegetables, a bit of lotus root powder, and a small quantity of dried fruits.
Since fresh vegetables couldn’t be kept for long and they also needed pickles for their own consumption, they prepared so for the Base Commander out of concern that the children might not have enough to eat. They had dried cantaloupe, jam, and ho-canned fruits left for the kids to enjoy as treats, and the lotus root powder could be a good breakfast for the children.
So more grains were sent over in case there were gaps in supply when spring arrived.
With Li Pan and Xue Dong’s help this year, plus the base’s continuous support, the children could finally eat their fill. In just half a year, the children in the orphanage had grown, their faces plumper and no longer skinny and dried out.
“These are the seeds I saved for you. They’re said to still have Life Force; I didn’t quite understand but kept them all. So are seeds of dicinal Herbs.”
“That’s wonderful, Base Commander. Thank you so much. I’ll take them ho and try to cultivate them. If we successfully grow dicinal Materials, they could sell for quite a lot.”
“Exactly. I thought of you being able to cultivate them, so I saved them for you.”
The Base Commander nodded happily, pleased to be of help to Li Pan.
Li Pan played with the children for a while and brought them candies made from fruits, as well as canned at.
There was a surplus of pork, so he made so jarred at, which was fried in oil rather than boiled in water, making it last the whole winter without spoiling when stored outside.
They played for a while before saying goodbye, leaving the children to stay overnight. Tomorrow, they would return with Liu Qian.
Liu Qian was staying for the night, and tomorrow, it would be just right to pick up Zhang Qi and a few others to head back to the base together.
Li Pan and Xue Dong went to the mall to look around. This was their first ti heading to the mall in a whole year. They hadn’t co before because the items here were expensive, being deep-processed goods requiring factory machinery. So were not locally produced but were transported from outside, naturally making them especially pricy.
They bought so dried seafood, scallops, and abalone. They planned to buy these to prepare several dishes for the New Year since they had a good harvest this year; at the very least, they would have ten dishes for New Year’s feast.
They purchased an electric grinding stone and wholesaled so personal hygiene items like toilet paper, sanitary pads, underwear, and the like, which are necessities for the girls.
They also bought so baking ingredients. With a breadfruit cave and a fireplace at ho, they could bake breadfruit, each tasting different; the children particularly liked them, often eating bread for breakfast. They planned to buy so other ingredients to make more flavors for everyone to try.
They bought a few pairs of shoes, one for each of the children and one for every other person, along with so coarse cloth. The sheepskin was to be made into sheepskin coats, needing a lining and outer garnt for flexibility, so it could be easily disassembled for cleaning.
They also purchased so toiletries like soap, scented soap, toothpaste, and face cream. They were usually busy, and didn’t always have ti to make shampoo and the like themselves, as it was too much effort; it was easier to just buy them.
They bought so stationery like paper, pens, and notebooks since the children still had to study when they got back ho. They couldn’t really stop studying.
There were online classes on the mobile phones. After signing up and paying the fees, the children could learn. Li Pan bought them courses; they all had to study, and there would be random checks to ensure they did. Fortunately, the kids understood the importance and seized the opportunity to study hard. No one slacked or cheated and took their studies very seriously.
They bought quite a lot of odds and ends, and then they went to visit Zhao Quan, the people at the cultivation area, and their other good friends they knew, dropping by one by one and giving them so New Year’s gifts.
Only then did they finally return to the base.
“Boss, I’m here to see you. I brought so wine and at for you,” Li Pan called out.
The Base Commander looked up and smiled at Pan’er.
“There’s tea; help yourself. It’s good you’re here because you might have to stay for a while. Soone’s asked to arrange for the healing of the injured, and they’re offering a very good price. If you’re willing, I can arrange it for you.”
“Yeah, that’s fine. Just don’t schedule it during the busy farming season. Any other ti works for .”
Li Pan didn’t ask how much money; after all, the Base Commander cared about her and Xue Dong and would never let them be taken advantage of. It’s best not to inquire about things one shouldn’t.
If it’s not yours, don’t worry about it. Just earn your own share and that’s enough.
“Alright, I’ll arrange for soone to go in an hour from now. Do you need to exchange anything else? I can get it exchanged in advance for you.”
“Let’s exchange in the spring; otherwise, we won’t be able to plant anything right now.”
“You better exchange now while everything is available during this cold weather. By the ti spring cos and everyone wants to exchange, you won’t be able to get the good stuff. Once it’s exchanged, I’ll dock it and you can keep it in the warehouse until after the New Year to take it ho. You won’t go wrong.”
The Base Commander was still biased towards the two of them, saving the better items for them first.
“Alright, then I’ll exchange for more dicinal herbs and fruit trees.”
“Sure, the seeds and all for spring planting can be exchanged before spring plowing; there’s ti.”
“Boss, what’s the price for the dicinal herbs when they’re grown?”
“It varies. Expensive ones like ginseng and Lingzhi are priced according to their efficacy; ones that have matured over the years can be very pricy, easily cost over a million. Even ordinary ones are priced by their age; the older they are, the more expensive they get. Why, didn’t you make a loss? Did you grow so?”
“Pan’er grew them really well. Can we harvest them in the spring?”
“I suggest waiting until the autumn to harvest. If you’re not in a rush for money, don’t pick them now. By then, the price will be good and you might cover the capital for both farms in one go.”
“Then I’ll listen to you. Can we plant high-level spiritual plants?”
“Of course, they are all transplanted back here. What do you think High-level superpower users do? They’ve been working on this. Your farm still lacks adult Wood Power Users, those kids are talented but too young, they need ti to grow.”
The Base Commander was truthful, appreciating their support and contribution to the base, but reality was indeed as he said, which was why he favored them.
Li Pan and Xue Dong had indeed helped the base a lot, being the ones at a disadvantage.
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