Rebirth in Famine: She Thrives by Lucky Space

”Alright, tomorrow Xiao Qiang and I will go grind the cornmeal. You can tidy up at home and fill the jars.”

”No need, if we go tomorrow it’ll be too late. I’m sure the villagers are running low on grain. There will definitely be more people using the grinder tomorrow. Let’s wait until evening, the three of us can go, you just help us with the flashlight.”

”Alright, we should at least grind a bag of cornmeal.”

”Sure, let’s push two bags over there, Jing Chu, let’s raise pigs next year. I see everyone else feeds the husks to their pigs.”

”It’s too smelly.”

”Why don’t we build a pigsty outside the yard in the spring?”

”We might as well raise sheep. Sister Xiaoli is going to have a baby soon; she could drink more sheep’s milk. But I wonder if we’ll be allowed to raise them,” Jing Chu sighed after speaking.

Wang Shulin was also upset about the sheep, more precisely about the sheep’s milk.

The villagers felt uneasy seeing the educated youth always going to milk the sheep, so they complained to him.

”The educated youths are pregnant and not in good health. Besides, they’re paying every day, why are you all whining?”

”Every day they take two big bowls, and my little grandson doesn’t have any milk to drink, they take it all away. What’s my grandson supposed to eat?”

”Nonsense, that’s because you’re too stingy to pay every day, always wanting freebies. That’s how it is.”

”Village chief, can we raise sheep ourselves? Is there a rule against it?”

”There’s no rule, but there’s no approval to raise them either.”

”Village chief, please, my family wants to raise sheep. My two daughters-in-law are about to give birth, I need to prepare. Although I can go to the livestock shed for milking every day, it’s not as convenient as having sheep at home.”

”Yes, village chief, we want to raise sheep too. It’s easier than raising pigs, requires less grain, and they just need grass.”

”Okay, I’ll ask the township for their opinion. If it’s not allowed, then everyone will have to calm down.”

Wang Shulin was willing to let everyone raise sheep, it would reduce complaints a lot. In the village, there are many people, many pregnant women, and many children, so they need more sheep’s milk.

Jing Chu and Zhao Xiaoli cooked together, corn grits porridge, and pancakes.

By this time, Guodong and Xiao Qiang had already stored all the grain that didn’t need to be taken in the jars.

”Brother Guodong, we don’t have enough lids.”

”I’ll go buy some from the carpenter’s place.”

”I’ll go with you, let’s take the cart.”

The two said this and pushed the cart out.

The carpenter’s place was really busy, there were quite a few people like them buying wood boards.

They didn’t need much, and the carpenter had prepared a lot anyway. So they spent one and a half dollars to buy a few boards.

”Brother Guodong, if there’s no one using the grinder tonight, let’s grind a bag of wheat. I went to Li Family Village before and heard they only have one stone mill.”

”I heard from Aunt Jiang that you can take wheat to the township and use the electric mill, the flour ground that way is finer.”

”That sounds pretty good. Brother Guodong, can we learn to drive a tractor?”

Guodong wanted to, but never dared to say it. So he shook his head. ”I don’t know either, let’s wait for Uncle Wei to come back before saying anything, don’t want to trouble Aunt Jiang.”

Xiao Qiang nodded. ”Brother Guodong, I’ve been thinking about learning how to drive a tractor. Watching Chaoyang and the others, I’m really envious.” Zhao Xiaoqiang would be twelve years old by the end of the year, this age of boys liking to drive is normal.

”Alright, we’ll ask when Uncle Wei comes back.”

They genuinely didn’t want to trouble others but couldn’t help the desire in their hearts.

After dinner, Xiao Qiang ran to check the three stone mills in the village. If they could grind now, it would be great.

Just like Brother Guodong said, the three stone mills in the village were all lined up with people waiting to grind grain.

He returned home and told his siblings the news.

”I’ll check again at ten o’clock, by then the stone mills should be free.”

When the time came, Guodong and Xiao Qiang went to the stone mills with a flashlight, and indeed, no one was grinding grain anymore.

The two hurried home, loaded the cart with the two bags of corn, and Jing Chu came out too.

”Let’s go, we need to grind the cornmeal finely,” she said, putting on the prepared basket with a sieve inside, a new broom, a ladle, and two clean burlap bags. She also carried a large dustpan.

Zhao Xiaoqiang carried half a bucket of water. The corn was too dry, making it hard to grind, but they didn’t soak it, just added some water while grinding.

The three left the yard, locked the door, not at ease leaving Zhao Xiaoli alone at home.

The two boys pushed the mill while Jing Chu fed in the corn.

After the first large grits came out, they used a dustpan to clean it, and repeated the process several times. Only then would the corn grits and meal taste good.

After two busy hours, they finally managed to grind half a bag of corn grits and a bag of cornmeal.

They cleaned up and returned home. Since there was no work the next day, they decided to sleep a bit later.

The next morning, Zhao Xiaoli quietly made breakfast by herself. After eating, she didn’t wake up her siblings.

Guodong woke up at eight, washed up, had breakfast, and went to the village chief’s house.

Wang Shulin wasn’t home, Guodong spoke to the village chief’s wife, saying the four of them were leaving today. Then he went back home.

He tied a bag of cornmeal and half a bag of corn grits to his bike and instructed Xiao Qiang to pack up the husks by the afternoon, and store them in a jar.

”Jing Chu, I’ve packed all my stuff, make sure you pack yours too, and store all the grain and oil in the jars.”

”Got it, I’ll arrange it. By the way, did you speak to the village chief?”

Guodong shook his head, ”The village chief went to the township. I told the village chief’s wife, she’ll tell him when he returns.”

”I got it, brother, I’ll take two pounds of brown sugar at noon and visit again, ask the village chief to look after the house.”

”Alright, you and Sister Xiaoli pack up quickly, I’m leaving.”

Guodong rode off. The three at home began to tidy up. They’d be gone for months, better leave the house in order. With so much grain, they definitely didn’t want to attract mice.

Guodong left home at nine thirty, arriving in Li Family Village by ten thirty.

At this time, only Du Fengying and the child were home.

”Guodong, you’re here?”

”Aunt Liu, did Aunt Jiang go to class?”

”Yes, she won’t be back for another hour and a half.

Look at you, sweating all over. Sit down and rest, I’ll pour you some hot water.”

Guodong obediently sat down, ”Aunt Liu, we’re all moving in today.”

”That’s great, it’s been just me and Aunt Jiang with the two kids. It’s been too quiet, it’ll be more lively with you all coming.”