Farming Beneath the Changbai Mountains

After hearing what Xue said, Mrs. Chen actually smiled. "What you said is true. We have several girls in our family, and the good ones should be kept in our own family. I remember the boss said it, and Xingjia actually mentioned this before. Okay, Zixuan lives here In our family, these young people meet often. I think we should not mix things up too much. Zixuan is about to take the exam now. He may not have thought for a while that Jinghan and Jingwan in our family are also old. It’s not big, so there’s no need to be too anxious.”

The mother-in-law and daughter-in-law went back to the house laughing and chatting, just as Mrs. Zhu also brought the soaked rice over, and several people started making rice dumplings. Nowadays, life is considered good, so Mrs. Chen said that all the dishes are made with glutinous rice instead of yellow rice. I have bought candied dates a long time ago, and this year I will make more candied dates in rice dumplings. Northerners are not like those in the south, who make rice dumplings with many kinds of fillings, some sweet and some salty. Northerners are not used to eating salty rice dumplings, so generally no one makes them.

Jingya, Jinghan and others also came to help, and everyone worked together, so the package was completed very quickly. "Grandma, actually the beans taste quite good. The more you chew, the more delicious they become." Jinghan said while wrapping the beans.

"Yeah, you couldn't buy candied dates at home before. You just wrapped some beans. Beans from green beans, or big white beans, they taste good. Now that the conditions are a little better, you have to go to a few places where you get along well with others. Give some away, so it can’t just be packed with soybeans. Didn’t you see that we have prepared more candied dates this year? Just keep the soybeans for yourself to try. "The soybeans that Chen said are not soybeans. But another kind. It is larger than adzuki beans and is usually white, but also has red flowers. This kind of beans is used to cook porridge or make stuffing. It is very noodles and tastes very fragrant.

There are also rice dumplings made with jujubes, but Chen thinks the jujubes are a bit sour when cooked, so he doesn't like to use them. On the contrary, they are not as delicious as white beans in them.

The leaves used to tie the rice dumplings are the leaves of a kind of Malan flower. These leaves are picked and dried in the sun. They will be perfect for making rice dumplings the next year. There are a lot of these Malan flowers in the place where Jinghan and others look at ginseng, and every year Zhixin picks some and keeps them for use. Because there were two kinds of fillings, Chen asked the candied jujube ones to be tied individually, while the soybean ones were tied in two or three in a bunch, so that they could be distinguished.

After all, there is strength in numbers, and it took less than an hour and a half to wrap twenty kilograms of rice. "I think we can cook the rice dumplings earlier this year, so that we can give away all the rice dumplings that need to be given away in the afternoon. It's also good to give them away early, so everyone can try them earlier," said Chen.

Of course everyone agreed, so they cooked the rice dumplings. Twenty kilograms of rice dumplings filled a big pot. Mrs. Chen watched the pot boil for about three quarters of an hour, then stopped adding firewood to the stove pit and continued to cook slowly. At the end of the period, Mrs. Chen felt that the rice dumplings should be ready, so she opened the lid of the pot and picked up the rice dumplings.

"Wenhan, take Wenchang with you to give some gifts to your wife's house. We are studying there, and she teaches us very carefully." Mrs. Chen came out of the house and said to Wenhan, who was helping Wencheng with the medicinal materials in the yard.

Wenhan quickly stood up and took what grandma had prepared. There were twenty rice dumplings, twenty eggs, twenty goose eggs, one piece of meat, one fish, two packs of snacks, a box of tea, and a jar of wine. These things filled two full baskets. No wonder Wenhan and Wenchang were asked to go together. "Milk, you've prepared too much, haven't you?"

"What's more? You three are all studying at my master's place, and I don't know how much I've worried about you. What's the point? If you can all take the imperial examination or something like that, I will definitely thank my master." Chen said with a smile.

Wen Han and Wen Chang went out carrying a basket each.

Mrs. Chen asked Wen Cheng to deliver some rice dumplings to Manager Sun, and asked Wen Xuan to deliver them to Qing Nian and Zhide. "Tell your fourth uncle and your sister-in-law to come back tomorrow for the festival."

In previous years, Yue Siyuan would also send some gifts there, but now that the two families are married, it is hard for the Xu family to send them there first. Mrs. Chen had already prepared the gift, so she could only wait until the Yue family delivered it first, and then return the gift.

While I was thinking about this, Yue Pengcheng and the steward of the Yue family came in from outside. Pengcheng stepped forward and greeted Mrs. Chen and Mrs. Xue, "Grandma, mother-in-law." They were engaged, so of course they had to call them mother-in-law. The steward next to them also quickly saluted the two of them.

"Pengcheng, why are you here by yourself? Come on, come in and sit for a while." Mrs. Chen quickly let Pengcheng in.

"Grandma, my mother has prepared these things for the holidays. It's time to take advantage of the occasion." Pengcheng took the things from the steward's hand and put them on the table in front of Chen.

"Hey, it's a Dragon Boat Festival, why bother to prepare so many things? Okay, I've collected the things. Just in time for you to come, take the rice dumplings back. Our family has just cooked the rice dumplings." Mrs. Chen looked at it. After taking a look at Mrs. Xue, Mrs. Xue hurriedly packed up the things she had prepared early in the morning, including the newly baked rice dumplings, and brought them to Pengcheng.

"Grandma, you have prepared too much. Save it for Wenxuan and Jingxian." Pengcheng said quickly.

"Isn't this a festival? Besides, relatives are getting closer and closer. These were brought by your fifth uncle a while ago. We don't have some things here. Let's try them. By the way, Jingya seems to I made clothes for you, just wait a moment, she will be here soon." Jingxian was here just now, and she ran to the backyard when she saw Pengcheng coming. She probably went to tell Jingya now.

Sure enough, as soon as Chen finished speaking, Jingya and Jinghan came from behind. Jingya walked in the middle with a red face and a small bundle in her hand. Walking up to Pengcheng, Jingya handed the bundle to Pengcheng, "Well, these are the summer clothes I made for you."

Pengcheng quickly took over the baggage and looked at his beloved girl. Her shy look made his heart bloom with beauty. "Thank you, don't just do needlework, watch your eyes." Pengcheng whispered.

Jingya nodded, "Hey, I know. The same goes for you. Don't just work hard, take care of yourself."

When Pengcheng heard that Jingya was caring about him, he couldn't help but turn up the corners of his mouth. "Okay, I'll be careful, haha." Pengcheng couldn't help but giggle. No matter how smart a man is, once he falls in love, he will inevitably make mistakes.

The Jinghan sisters were secretly laughing at the side, and Mrs. Chen quickly glared at them. The steward of the Yue family next to him coughed and said, "Master, it's getting late. I told you that there are still a few relatives who are leaving."

Pengcheng nodded, hurriedly said goodbye to Chen and Xue, led the steward, and went home with the things prepared by Chen.

As soon as they left, Jinghan and Jingxian couldn't help laughing. "Grandma, mother, brother Pengcheng was so stupid just now."

"You girls, please don't mess around." Ms. Chen scolded her with a smile. "Okay, it's almost night, so hurry up and help your mother prepare dinner."

On the Dragon Boat Festival, Zhide brought his wife and children back to the Xu family, and Qingnian also brought Huixin and Jinghui back. Huixin was now seven months pregnant and had a big belly. Qingnian carefully helped Huixin into the house. "Dad, Mom, we are back."

Ever since Qingnian moved out of Tao's house, the relationship between the two has not eased. Although Qingnian would send some things every New Year, the old man and the old lady of the Tao family ignored them, so Qingnian was really too lazy to say anything to them, and would often just put down his things and leave. Every time there was a festival, Qing Nian would bring his wife and children to the Xu family. For him, Xu Chengkuan and Chen were better than his biological parents.

Qingnian put the things in his hands on the kang, "Dad, here are the tobacco leaves I bought for you. The tobacco seller said this is better than what we grow at home. You can try it. Mom, I bought you some snacks. These are It’s new and very good.”

"Look at you, just come back. What are you going to buy? Our family doesn't lack anything now. Now that Jinghui is getting older, Huixin still has one, so just save what you can. There will be plenty of room to spend money in the future. ." Chen will inevitably have to give some advice.

"Mom, it's okay. Qingnian is now the boss and earns much more than before. We have enough money." Huixin felt heavy and sat directly on the kang, not wanting to move.

"Huixin, your body is getting heavier and heavier, and you can't move. You have to go out for a walk frequently, otherwise it will be difficult to give birth. Why do I look at you like this, as if you are pregnant with a girl? Qing Nian Ah, you didn't check Huixin's pulse. Is she a girl or a boy?" Mrs. Chen said looking at Huixin.

"Mom, you are really amazing. I checked Huixin's pulse. It should be a girl." Qingnian said with a smile. In fact, these old ladies all have some skills and are very experienced in these. "Just right, one boy and one girl, we have both children." Qingnian likes children, whether they are men or women, he likes them all.

Jing Hui on the side also said, "Grandma, I like my sister. I want a very beautiful sister. When the time comes, I will love her well, lead her to play, and don't allow others to bully her." Jing Hui's chubby little face, The solemn look on his face made everyone laugh.

Jinghan squatted in front of Xiao Jinghui and asked, "If you have a sister, you can't be naughty and act like an older brother. If you have something delicious to eat, give your sister something fun to play with. You can't do it in the future." You have to rely on your mother. From now on, you have to support your sister when she learns to walk. If she can't walk, can you carry her on your back? " Jinghan asked deliberately.

Xiao Jinghui seemed to have encountered a big problem. He frowned and thought about it for a long time, and then said, "Okay, I can do it. But, can my sister give me some of my mother's food? I don't need the delicious food." , but I want my mother."

Huixin straightened up on the kang, her eyes a little blurry, "Good son, come over here."

Jing Hui ran to the edge of the kang, climbed onto the kang with all his strength, kicked off his shoes, and sat next to his mother. "Mom, if you have a sister, you will want me too, right?"

Huixin hugged Jing Hui, "Silly son, no matter how many sisters my mother has, she will still want Jing Hui. Jing Hui is my mother's son, and she will be my support in the future."