The Lucky Farmgirl
Chapter 233 - 222 Hard Work

Chapter 233: Chapter 222 Hard Work

Old Zhou also thought the same, since this business could be continued, it naturally would be better to do it for a longer period. Although the vegetable garden at home was large, the amount of vegetables inside was limited. Vegetables like bitter greens or water spinach could grow again after being harvested, but the family also needed to eat. It wasn’t possible to sell everything, so planting another patch was indeed a good idea.

However, he didn’t expect his old wife’s actions to be so big. He hesitated and said, "That field is over an acre, isn’t it? If we plant so much, can we really sell it all?"

He glanced at Manbao, who was leaning against Ms.Qian, and asked, "Manbao, was it your idea to give this to your mother?"

Manbao just hid in her mother’s embrace, only her eyes peeking out to stealthily look at him.

Ms.Qian hugged her and said, "Alright, stop scaring the child. I wanted to plant more vegetables from the start. Since the rice in that field was almost completely washed away, it’s useless to leave it be. Better to clear it and plant vegetables."

She originally only intended to clear half of it, after all, they might not be able to sell that much.

But just as Manbao said, if they couldn’t sell them, they could still turn them into pickled vegetables to eat in the winter.

And besides, if they planted more and couldn’t sell it all, they could sell it cheaply to the vegetable farmers, saving themselves a lot of effort.

In fact, Ms.Qian had another plan in mind: if the harvest really wasn’t good this year, the family would definitely have to tighten their belts.

Without enough grain, they wouldn’t die of starvation by eating vegetables, and even if they were really hungry, they could just eat vegetables more often.

Old Zhou then asked, stroking his tobacco pipe, "What about the seeds, do we have so many vegetable seeds at home?"

Old Zhou, who had resumed smoking for only half a year, had in the end reluctantly sold all his tobacco for money, so now he was without tobacco to smoke again.

Whenever the cravings hit, he could only soothe them by holding his tobacco pipe.

Ms.Qian waved her hand dismissively and said, "Don’t worry about it, I have my ways."

As for vegetable seeds, well, she didn’t have any, but other people had plenty.

The next day, while everyone was busy, Ms.Qian started making rounds along the walls and began visiting her neighbors.

She first checked each family’s vegetable garden, and soon she had a clear picture of whose vegetables were doing well.

Good vegetable growth is important, and if a family’s vegetables are growing well, it means they’re well-tended and the seeds are likely good, too.

After making her rounds, Ms.Qian had quite a few seeds in her possession.

Every household had large, dried tree leaves, which they tore off to wrap up some seeds for her. A few households together added up to quite a bit.

Some sent Ms.Qian off with a smile, saying their farewells, "Auntie, next time my daughter-in-law feels unwell, I’ll come to you for some ginger."

Ms.Qian replied with a smile, "You’re welcome to do so. I didn’t know you hadn’t planted it well. When you have time, come by my vegetable garden and dig some to take back. If she has a stomachache, ask my Eldest daughter-in-law for some dried ginger to boil with brown sugar first. That ginger and brown sugar soup is very effective."

The person agreed happily.

Ms.Qian, also pleased, returned home with several small packages of seeds.

When Zhou SiLang saw his mother return with her hands full of leaves wrapped around various things, he curiously asked, "Mother, what’s all this stuff?"

"Vegetable seeds."

Zhou SiLang: ...

Ms.Fang was amazed and whispered to Zhou Si secretly, "Mother is really amazing, where did she get so many vegetable seeds, did everyone give them to her?"

Zhou Si closed his gaping mouth, and with an accustomed expression, said, "Of course, that’s our mother after all."

Basically, whatever his mother set out to do, there was nothing she couldn’t accomplish, just like Manbao.

If anyone said Manbao wasn’t born to his mother, he simply wouldn’t believe it.

So, before Zhou Si’s backside even warmed up, Ms.Qian sent Junior Ms.Qian to take him to plow the field, "An acre of land all planted with vegetables, how long would it take if we depended on hoes alone? The sun has been good these past few days, and the field has almost dried out. Go check whether it’s too muddy or too hard. If it’s just right, have Four plow it so that it will be easier to break up the soil later."

Junior Ms.Qian agreed.

Zhou Si also heard and immediately felt a painful burning on his shoulders. He beseechingly said, "Mother, can I go and help father with catching bugs and weeding in the field? Let Eldest go plow the field."

They didn’t have an ox at home, and he figured he couldn’t borrow one from the Chief, so plowing the field had to be done by pulling the plow by hand. Zhou Si hated pulling the plow the most.

Before her own husband, Junior Ms.Qian, without a second thought, smacked him on the head and scolded with a fierce face, "What nonsense, hurry up and come with me to the field. I still need to go cook for the school soon."

Zhou Si then grimaced, "Sister-in-law, you can’t just be concerned about Eldest, have some pity for me too."

Before Junior Ms.Qian could respond, Ms.Qian glared at him first and said, "You’re a married man now, cut the smooth talk, or I’ll slap you."

Junior Ms.Qian had joined their family when Zhou Si was only seven. Most crucially, before she married into the family, they were cousins. Zhou Si had been pinned to the ground and roughhoused by this cousin as a very young child when he visited his mother’s family.

When his mother spoke up, Zhou Si shrank back and headed outside.

Ms.Fang watched with glee, whispering behind his back, "Serves you right!"

Little Bay, which is where the river bends, and the large piece of land on the opposite bank of the bend, was locally called Little Bay. The Zhou Family owned a little more than five acres of land there, all in Old Zhou’s name.

Back when the land was allocated, there weren’t many people in Qili Village, which is why they were able to get this good plot under his name, though now it could no longer be called good.

It had been sunny for several days, and they had worked hard to drain the water, so the field had dried. Junior Ms.Qian dug with a hoe, and as it was farmland, the soil was not loose and was hard to hoe.

After breaking up the clumps of soil with her foot, she assessed its moisture and said, "We can plow now. Go back and fetch the plow. Have Five help you pull it, and your Second Sister-in-law can guide it for you. I have to go cook, but I’ll come to take over for you after a while."

Zhou Si was startled and hurriedly said, "Sister-in-law, please don’t get me killed. How can you pull the plow? Not to mention Eldest, father and mother would be furious with me."

In their family, with many men, the daughters-in-law never had to pull the plow.

But Junior Ms.Qian saw nothing wrong with it and said, "Mother used to pull it often when she was younger. Hurry up. Ideally, we should get the field broken up today. I’ll have your Eldest sister and your wife come later with hoes to loosen the soil behind you. If we’re quick, we can start planting tomorrow."

At this time of year, seeds germinate easily. With enough water and good sun, sprouts could pop up in just three to five nights.

After Junior Ms.Qian finished assigning the tasks in the field, she hurried to wash her hands in the river, crossed the bridge, and went to the school to cook.

Manbao ran straight to the kitchen upon leaving school, Junior Ms.Qian had just finished cooking, and looking at the ready dishes, she breathed a sigh of relief, grateful she hadn’t fallen behind.

When Manbao barged in and found her own bowl wasn’t served yet, she quickly ran over to help, "Sister-in-law, where did you go?"

Usually, when she arrived, not only was her own bowl filled with food, but Bai Shanbao’s was ready too, and the meals were set out on the table waiting for the students to line up for their food.

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