Era: Started from raising livestock in the mountains

"Your name is Chen Xin, right? Ask your aunt to give you candy!"

Lin Heng went to the carriage and brought a bag of White Rabbit candies over, looked at the children and said with a smile.

"Uncle!" Chen Xin called shyly.

"Very good, two pills per person, come and get them yourself." Lin Heng said with a laugh.

"Thank you, uncle!"

A group of children from the Chen family all ran over and happily received the candies.

After the candy was distributed, Lin Heng looked at Xiulan: "Where is the horse bolt?"

"Just pull it in and put it in the yard. The carriage will also be pulled in." Chen Changxia, Chen's father, came over to help.

"good."

Lin Heng pulled the horse, Xiulan's father and elder brother helped lift it, and the carriage entered the yard.

After removing some of the tools for pulling the cart from Hong Zao, Lin Heng pulled it and tied it under a cherry tree in the yard.

"Dad, you caught so many fish." Following Xiulan into the house, Lin Heng asked with a smile when he saw a bunch of fish placed under the eaves.

"It's all from Liuhu. It's not much. On good days, I can catch big silver carp and red tail." Xiulan's elder brother Chen Zhidong said with a smile.

"It's much better than ours." Lin Heng said with a smile.

"You want to go, we can take you with us tomorrow." Xiulan's third brother Chen Zhiliang said.

"Okay." Lin Heng nodded in agreement, really interested in going to see Liuhu Lake.

After entering the house, Xiulan's parents quickly arranged for Lin Heng and Xiulan to sit down, poured sugar water for Xiulan, and brought some dried sweet potatoes and dates.

"Xiulan, Lin Heng, you and your dad sit down first, and I'll cook for you." Chen's mother, Wang Zhi, took Lin Heng's arm and said with a smile. The more she looked at this uncle, the more she liked him.

"Okay mom, you should fry this rabbit too, otherwise it will go bad. I got it on the road today." Lin Heng agreed and handed her the big gray rabbit again.

"Okay!" Mother Chen smiled and took the things away.

Father Chen looked at Lin Heng and asked curiously: "I remember you didn't know how to hunt before, right? Not only can you do it now, but you also use a bow and arrow?"

"Yes, I learned it in the past two years." Lin Heng nodded and said with a smile.

"It's a good thing, you can eat for a long time through hunting." Father Chen nodded, thinking that he had really made a mistake at first. This uncle turned out to be a studious and inquiring person, and hunting skills were not easy to learn.

His impression of Lin Heng also changed a lot for a while.

Next to her, Xiulan's sister-in-law Zhang Shuiqin looked at the two and couldn't help but ask: "Lin Heng, can I ask what you do now? You don't feel like farmers anymore?"

Everyone else also looked over. In fact, everyone wanted to ask this when they first met, but they were too embarrassed to ask.

Xiulan took over the conversation: "We must be farmers. Lin Heng made some money from hunting and opened a purchasing station in the town. He barely made some money."

"Buy station, I'm afraid it will cost a lot of money!" Chen's father and others were shocked and looked at the two of them.

No wonder life has become so good, it turns out that we started a business.

Xiulan's eldest brother Chen Zhidong asked with a smile: "The buying station can make money. As long as it can be opened, it can earn several thousand a year, right?"

Zhang Shuiqin and Liu Hua were also shocked. They thought that Lin Heng Xiulan had not come back for a long time and was pretending to be fat. Now it seems that she has really made a fortune.

Several people were immediately envious. Zhang Shuiqin regretted that she had made the relationship so tense before Xiulan got married.

As for third sister-in-law Liu Xue and fourth sister-in-law Liu Hua, they are already thinking about how to have a good relationship with Xiulan.

Xiulan shook her head and said with a wry smile: "We just started the business this year and haven't made any money yet. Lin Heng built a fish pond and wanted to raise fish, but he couldn't get any money at all."

Naturally, she can't say that her family still has more than 6,000 yuan in savings. Her parents may not ask, but her sister-in-law will definitely ask to borrow money.

Her family is now crowded together. They have wanted to build a new house for many years, but the money has never been enough and they have not been able to build it.

Now that she has no money, she can borrow less even if she really has no choice. She told her husband in bed last night not to talk nonsense.

She was reluctant to lend her husband's hard-earned money to her brother, because she was destined not to get it back in a short time.

"It just opened this year." Disappointment flashed in Xiulan's sister-in-law Zhang Shuiqin's eyes.

Xiulan's fourth brother Chen Zhicai asked curiously: "Doesn't that mean we have to compete with other buying stations?"

The names of the Xiulan brothers and sisters are easy to remember. The last word of the names of the eldest brother, the third brother, and the fourth brother is "the pillar of strength". The second sister's name is Chen Xiuhua, and her name is Chen Xiulan.

"It was like this before, but a few days ago another buying station owner was caught gambling. Maybe he can make more money later." Xiulan shook her head and said.

"This is a good thing. If you manage well in the future, you won't have to suffer from poverty." Father Chen said with a smile. Having a rich uncle is also a good thing for him. If there are no obstacles that he can't overcome, he can still have a place to borrow money.

After chatting for a few more words, Father Chen was left alone to accompany them. Everyone else went to work. The fish would be spoiled if it was not treated.

"Dad, let me help you catch fish. Don't treat Xiulan and me as guests." Lin Heng stood up and said, there was no point in sitting still.

Chen's father quickly pressed him down: "No way, you can't make your clothes dirty, the fish smells very bad."

Xiulan knew that Lin Heng couldn't sit still, so she said, "Dad, just go and do your work. Don't worry about us. I'll take Lin Heng around for a walk."

Father Chen nodded: "That's fine. If you have anything to say, just tell us. Just put your things in my and your mother's room. You can sleep in our room today."

"Okay." Xiulan got up, took her daughter and Lin Heng to her parents' bedroom, and put the bow and arrows on the desk in this room.

After putting the things away, Xiulan looked at Lin Heng and said with a smile: "Let's go, I'll take you out to see."

"Actually, my waist hurts." Lin Heng smiled.

Xiulan glared at him and said unhappily: "It seems like you blame me!"

She took the initiative to repay her husband last night, but only once. Later, he was still in high spirits and asked her to cooperate with some strange postures. She couldn't be blamed for that.

Lin Heng spread his hands, anyway, he couldn't be blamed.

The two took their daughter out to see Xiulan's father and three brothers deal with fish.

The big fish they caught here can be sold directly to fishmongers, and the white strips and the like must be made into dried fish before they can be sold, and some are eaten directly.

Just like most people in Nanping County go up the mountain to collect medicinal herbs and mushrooms, they live by the mountains and water. There is a lot of water here, so many people fish.

There are also people who collect medicinal herbs and hunt, but the number is much less than that in Nanping County.

But because it can rely on both mountains and water, Lushui County is richer than Nanping County. It ranks in the upper middle of the top ten counties in Taibai City, while Nanping County is in the middle and lower reaches.

Of course, because Taibai Mountain is in Nanping County, the further back it is, the greater the value.

"Dad, is there anyone who has contracted Liuhu here?" Lin Heng asked with a smile.

"Of course not. Liuhu is nearly 100 acres and is all public. Anyone who lives nearby can go fishing." Father Chen shook his head.

"Oh." Lin Heng nodded. Now they all rely on fishing for a living. I guess even if they want to contract, it will not be allowed.

After chatting for a while, he went to the kitchen to take a look and brought a basin of water to Hongzao. Hongzao drank one basin and brought another basin. Xiulan went out to get some corn leaves to feed it.

Then the two of them took Xiaoxia for a walk in front of the house, because it was too sunny at noon and they couldn't go out too far.

"Every time I come here, I have to sigh that your home is really flat."

Under a bent jujube tree, Lin Heng looked at it and said with a smile.

The area around Liulin Village is very flat. The Qinling Mountains are one or two kilometers away, and it takes another four or five kilometers to get to the high mountains similar to those in Hongfeng Village.

The environment here is more suitable for raising fish and shrimp than Hongfeng Village, but it is better to do it in your own land these days. If you rashly come to other places to do these, you may lose everything.

"I just think it's good to have mountains." Xiulan said with a smile. She likes mountains, but she thinks this flat land is boring.

"Let's go for a good walk in the afternoon." Lin Heng looked around. The last time he came here was a long time ago in his memory.

"Okay." Xiulan nodded and went back to the house with Lin Heng.

Xiulan's father and several brothers have already packed up the fish and shrimp. Except for the ones to be eaten today, the others have been made into dried fish.

After killing, sprinkle salt and wine to marinate for a while, spread it on a bamboo mat and cover it with a gauze net to dry. If the sun is good, it will be completely dried in four or five days.

This kind of dried fish tastes good, and it is more chewy, which is different from the taste of directly fried fish.

A group of people sat at home and chatted for a while, telling each other about their recent situation.

Although the difference is not far, the altitudes of the two places are different, and the situation is not quite the same. The rice below has been harvested, and the rice in the south has just turned yellow.

Lin Heng envied them for having a lot of water and fishing here. They envied Lin Heng for having a lot of mountain delicacies, including matsutake, morel, and hericium. They have very few here, and they can't pick up many every year.

"Lin Heng, is it difficult to hunt with a bow and arrow?" Brother-in-law Chen Zhidong was very interested in this.

"This is much more difficult than using a hunting rifle. It's better to use a hunting rifle if you haven't learned it before." Lin Heng shook his head and said.

You can try your luck with the ball bearing on the hunting rifle to shoot shotgun bullets, but you can't try your luck with bows and arrows.

After a pause, he smiled and said, "Brother-in-law, if you want to experience it, you can come to my house in a few days when winter comes. I will take you to the mountains to experience it."

"That's fine. I'll go when I have time." Chen Zhidong was somewhat tempted.

Third uncle Chen Zhiliang said, "There are many pheasants and ducks by our Liuhu Lake. Lin Heng, you can also try with a bow and arrow."

"That's what I think. I'll go and see with a bow and arrow in the afternoon." Lin Heng said with a smile.

On the other side, the three sisters-in-law also pulled Xiulan to chat. They were so friendly that they seemed like real sisters, and there was no flaw at all.

They surrounded Xiulan and talked most about her clothes, shoes and watches, revealing their unconcealed envy.

Xiulan also brought them a gift, which was the sweet-scented osmanthus soap she made herself. It was not worth much, but it was a very good little gift.

After chatting for a few words, several people went to the kitchen to see their mother.

Not long after, the meal was ready. There were many people in the family, so a large round table was set up.

"The dishes are so rich, too many." Lin Heng praised the dishes served.

There were twelve dishes of different sizes, including vegetables, braised carp, dried crucian carp with chopped pepper, fried white strips, stir-fried rabbit meat and a plate of fried bacon.

It was really rich. Lin Heng was hungry a long time ago, and now his appetite was even greater.

"Haha, these are not good dishes. Come on, let's have a drink first." Father Chen raised his glass with a smile.

After taking a sip of wine, Lin Heng said that the wine was too strong.

However, the dried crucian carp with chopped pepper and fried white strips were too much for his appetite.

"Dad, eat fish!" Xiaoxia got into Lin Heng's arms and pointed at the braised carp with her little hand.

"Come, eat slowly." Lin Heng picked up a piece of carp, picked out the bones repeatedly and fed it to her.

The children in the family would pick up the dishes and take the food out, and never go to the table. This is basically the case in rural areas in this era.

After feeding Xiaoxia, Lin Heng picked up the wine glass again and said with a smile: "Dad, come, I'll toast you a glass."

After he and his father-in-law, mother-in-law and eldest brother drank a glass each, Xiulan spoke. She didn't let him continue drinking, saying that he couldn't drink.

Lin Heng was indeed dizzy, and the few people saw him like this, so they let it go.

Lin Heng sat down and ate a few bites of food to slow himself down. His father-in-law's alcohol was really strong.

After dinner, Chen's mother Wang Zhi remade the bed and let Lin Heng and Xiulan rest for a while at noon.

Lin Heng fell asleep on the bed, and Xiulan took off his shoes.

When he woke up again, he looked at the watch and it was already past four in the afternoon, and his head was a little dizzy.

After putting on his shoes and walking out of the house, he found that no one was there, so he had to go out.

After walking around nearby, he saw Xiulan in the vegetable garden. She and her mother were there, and Xiaoxia was also running around in the vegetable garden.

"Xiulan!" Lin Heng came over and shouted.

"Dad, eat vegetables." Xiaoxia ran towards him with a radish leaf in her hand.

Lin Heng took a look at his good baby and pulled her.

Xiulan came over and said with a smile: "You are awake, then I will take you to walk around nearby."

"You help mom, it's the same if I play here." Lin Heng shook his head and said.

Chen's mother Wang Zhi waved her hand quickly: "I don't need help here, you guys go and walk around."

Xiulan also nodded and said: "I'll talk to mom, let's go."

After that, she took her daughter and Lin Heng out.

"Are you sober? Do you have a headache?" Xiulan looked at him and asked.

"Fortunately, your family is too strong, and you get drunk every time you come." Lin Heng smiled helplessly.

Xiulan squeezed his hand and asked with a smile: "Do you remember the last time you were drunk?"

"Haha, I remember, but I really didn't mean it." Lin Heng laughed.

That was the first time he was brought home by Xiulan. At that time, they had just confirmed their relationship and held hands, but they didn't do anything else.

He was drunk, and Xiulan went to the room to ask him about the situation. He pressed her against the wall and kissed her, and her father saw it.

Xiulan rolled her eyes at him: "You are still laughing. Your behavior made my father think you are unreliable at the time, and he would never agree to let me marry you."

In this era, how can you press someone's daughter against the wall and kiss her before you get married? The old father was so angry that his teeth broke.

Lin Heng leaned in and whispered: "I can't help it. I like you too much. When I saw you for the first time, I thought you were the kind of person I wanted to marry in my dreams."

After hearing this, Xiulan pouted her lips, and looked at him with a pair of beautiful phoenix eyes, her eyebrows conveying feelings, like autumn water moving the heartstrings.

The two were chatting when a dark-skinned man pulling a buffalo came over. He looked like he was in his twenties or thirties.

He glanced at Xiulan and Lin Heng with a complicated look, and said hello with a smile: "Chen Xiulan, long time no see, you haven't changed at all."

Xiulan smiled and asked: "Are you herding cattle?"

"Yes." The man nodded and walked over with the cattle.

On the way, this was not the first time they met. Several men in their twenties deliberately ignored Lin Heng and only talked to Xiulan.

Lin Heng didn't say anything either, just pulled Xiulan and Xiaoxia and smiled.

Every time at this time, the men's eyes became much more complicated, with a mixture of frustration, regret, loneliness and other emotions.

At the beginning, many people liked Xiulan, and they passed by her every day to say hello and wanted to marry her home.

In the end, they were picked by Lin Heng, a man from another county. How could they not be angry?

What made them even more angry was that Lin Heng returned home with Xiulan in glory. They couldn't help but feel a little lonely. They couldn't give Xiulan this kind of life.

Lin Heng was very heroic and Xiaoxia didn't understand what her father was doing, so she followed him and walked forward with her head held high.

Xiulan rolled her eyes at Lin Heng: "I just said hello, why do you care?"

"I didn't hold you in my arms, which was respect." Lin Heng smiled, he just wanted to show his identity.

"Let's go, I'll take you to the edge of Liuhu Lake." Xiulan was actually very happy in her heart, and reached out to pick a dry leaf off Lin Heng's head.

"Did our father and eldest brother go to the lake?" Lin Heng nodded and asked again.

"Yes, they went to set up fishing nets and traps, and several sisters-in-law went to the fields." Xiulan nodded.

"Then let's go back and take the bows and arrows before going. If we encounter a pheasant or something, we can still fight it."

Lin Heng thought for a while and said.

"Forget it, let's take a walk now. It's still early. If we find something, we can come back and get it." Xiulan shook her head and pulled him forward.

"That's fine." Lin Heng nodded.

The two took their daughter to continue walking. It was just five o'clock and the sun hadn't set yet, but the temperature had dropped a lot.

Liuhu Lake was right next to their village. When they came to the lake, the lake of more than 100 acres looked really spectacular.

But this is actually a lake surrounded by an earth-rock dam. There are many rivers in Lushui County, and there is also a larger Lushui Lake, which covers an area of ​​more than 3,000 acres and is a real big lake.

Walking by the lake, they could see many people riding bamboo rafts and setting nets and traps in the lake.

There were mostly willow trees on the shore, some of which were weeping willows and some were not.

The name of Liulin Village is because there are many willow trees here, many of which are eight or nine meters high.

The big willow trees provide shade, and the lake breeze is rippling, so it's very cool to walk under them.

Lin Heng walked to the surface of the water to see if there were any fish or anything, but of course he couldn't see anything, but the vast waters made him addicted to fishing.

"My dad and the others are back." At this time, Xiulan pointed to a bamboo raft that was paddling quickly in the distance and said.

Chen's father and his men obviously saw them, and they quickly came over on the bamboo raft.

"Dad, have you finished lowering the fishing net?" Lin Heng asked with a smile.

"No, Lin Heng, do you have a bow and arrow?" Chen's father asked in a hurry.

Lin Heng shook his head and asked curiously: "No, what's wrong? Did you find a pheasant or something?"

"Lin Heng, then go back and get the bow and arrow, we found something big!" said the eldest brother-in-law Chen Zhidong hurriedly.

"Yes, it's not as simple as a pheasant! Whether you can catch it depends on your ability." The third brother-in-law Chen Zhiliang said with a smile.

Ah, I haven't fished for three months, and I'm addicted to fishing!