??Chapter 546: 546. Can’t do without
at ho_1
Chapter 546: 546. Can’t do without
at ho_1
“Of course, we’ll need it!”
It goes without saying.
Aunt Wang’s face was full of expectation, “In the spring, when your family planted those black fungus, didn’t you distribute two logs to several of the village elders?”
“Like that day, Aunt Chen from Back Bay, her rice cooker was broken and your uncle went to fix it. When he was leaving, she packed a bowl… Oh my! It was truly delicious! Much better than the cold mixed black fungus dish we had at the banquet.”
Song Tan thought to herself: Of course, initially, to make the black fungus grow better on those chestnut oak trees, she did not skimp on using whatever little Spiritual Energy she had at the beginning.
Even after the logs had been inoculated with spores and distributed for each household to grow their own, the natural growth ant that the quality would be slightly better than those bulk purchased by restaurants. All the more so with the premise of Spiritual Energy!
It was only natural for people to taste a difference, even if it was not significantly better in flavor.
After exchanging these pleasantries, Aunt Wang beca noticeably warr:
“At that ti, I thought to myself, students from prestigious universities like you, must have so tricks up your sleeve when it cos to farming. Otherwise, you wouldn’t have leased Bags Mountain for such a major endeavor, right?”
“Later, when you started growing vegetables, didn’t so people in the village co to you to exchange for so seedlings? We wanted to as well, but it was too early in the season, and we didn’t feel right asking…”
“I went to look at the neighbor’s fields to check out the seedlings they had exchanged with you, and sure enough, those you gave away were growing better!”
“Tantan, if your mom asks like this, then I’ll just be shaless and accept, make sure to leave more for — I see that your family didn’t plant any bitter lons this year. My bitter lons did pretty well, I’ll pick so and bring them over tonight.”
Song Tan: …
Bitter lon tastes quite nice once it’s blanched and the bitterness is reduced, but the problem is that her family has beco quite picky…
She could only politely decline, “No need, Aunt Wang, it’s just a matter of so seeds, and besides, my family doesn’t like bitter lon…”
After repeatedly declining offers of bitter lon, cucumbers, and zucchini, Song Tan returned ho and heard Professor Song sighing to Wu Lan:
“This year’s weather is just too hot. Otherwise, at this ti, we could actually plant so heat-resistant…”
It wasn’t possible to plan out Bags Mountain in such a short ti, but it wasn’t out of the question to start with a section using an excavator.
Indeed!
Wu Lan began to vent, “These days, the few patches of land near the gate, which weren’t even planted in previous years, still had grass growing lush and green, and never once lacked water.”
“But now that we’re seriously farming them, along with the scorching sun, any bit of water quickly evaporates. If it weren’t for the pond near the bamboo grove that allows water to flow through the ditch, the high temperatures would definitely affect the harvest.”
With that, the greens in the garden were completely failing. Only the chili peppers, cowpeas, and eggplants were still barely holding on, but their yield was significantly less than in early sumr.
As for cucumbers, the younger ones were becoming scarce, while the older cucumbers left behind were each more robust and golden than the last.
If this continued, they wouldn’t be able to supply enough for Old Zhao, the vegetable vendor.
“It’s okay.”
Professor Song calculated the ti, “July is the peak of the heat, just the right ti to slowly plan work for the mountain and do so refurbishing.”
It wasn’t that everyone wanted to slow down the pace, but the weather was such that one could only work a few hours a day, and nobody dared to work much longer.
“Co August, I’ll have soone bring over so seeds and seedlings, and we’ll set up so shade shelters to start nurturing the plants.”
That way, once fall arrived and the temperature difference increased, it would be the perfect ti to plant.
“No rush, no rush.”
Wu Lan is now quite carefree.
Although the family hadn’t made a little money in the first half of the year—of course, it’s all spent now—they’d also been on edge, never loosening up.
The hot weather was perfect; no work could be done, so it also gave them a chance to recuperate.
It’s just… when one suddenly has nothing to do, it still feels a bit off.
Song Tan, listening by her side, couldn’t help but suggest, “Mom, since you’re free now, why don’t you and dad go on a trip? I’ll sign you up for a tour.”
She’d choose a leisurely itinerary, with comfortable weather, a bit more comfortable, not so rushed, to let the couple experience different local customs and cultures.
In the past, Wu Lan wouldn’t even consider such a trip, but now, she even dared to think about it.
But then looking out at the intense sun, she lost the courage to even step outside: “Forget it, forget it, going out in this weather is just asking for suffering. Aren’t you waiting to build a house on the mountain? I’ll find out in advance who in the village has ti.”
Who in the village has ti? How many able-bodied adults are there in the village? Wouldn’t that still depend on the construction team?
Song Tan couldn’t help but laugh: “Mom, we wouldn’t choose to build a house at this ti of the year.”
But right now, it’s not like there’s nothing else to do—
“Otherwise, ask around, isn’t the tea on the mountain about to be harvested? Find a couple of people to load it on a truck, and I’ll pull it to the yard. Then hire soone to pick off the old leaves and sun them.”
“Look at you, look at you!” With work to do, Wu Lan imdiately perked up: “I knew I had to be ho. There’s one thing after another, plenty to do! Relying on you, how many people do you know in the village?”
With that, she’s already dialing out: “This is perfect, call them to settle the previous paynt.”
And on the other hand, she’s delighted: “Who would have thought I would end up caring for the elderly in the village when I’m halfway into the grave…”
Song Sancheng paused in picking water chestnuts, and for so reason, he also let out a long, long sigh.
Professor Song, listening on the side, nodded seriously: “When your family’s situation improves, like this, driving the village’s affairs, there’ll be even more of it.”
“And you can do even more, and better.”
However, Wu Lan waved her hands, reverting to her usual brisk manner:
“I wouldn’t dare to dream of that. I’ll help if I can, but if not, I won’t force it. If all burdens were on , I don’t owe them, and the stress on the kids would be too much.”
As she was speaking, the call connected, and since the elderly person on the other side was hard of hearing, she imdiately left to speak loudly on the phone.
“I don’t quite understand…” Inside the house, Yan Ran asked quietly:
“Teacher, isn’t it their family hiring people to work? How co it’s said that they’re looking after the elderly? Does it an they are taking care of the elderly themselves?”
Professor Song’s smile faded, and his expression grew solemn: “Yan Ran, the elderly in the village don’t have pensions, and not everyone can qualify for social security.”
“At their age, they’re still able to work, so their children won’t stay by their side to care for them.”
“But they can’t adapt to smart products and are also past the age for labor jobs—even sanitation services wouldn’t hire such older workers.”
“Even if there are subsidies from above, showing care for the elderly and giving them holiday comforts, that’s already the most they can hope for.”
“Now, imagine having a job right at their doorstep, easy work that soone in their seventies or eighties can do, working with familiar peers, and getting paid imdiately… Would that kind of life be good?”
“That’s what gives them the greatest hope for their lives.”
“But still…” Yan Ran curiously interjected: “Since their family is hiring people to work, and it’s a money-for-work deal, why do I feel like Aunt Wu Lan is quite proud?”
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