Farming for Three Meals a Day [Farming Life] 12

Chapter 12

Since Lin Jiangshan had helped their family again, Liu Xiufeng and Father Ye naturally insisted he stay for dinner.

He couldn’t refuse and stayed for a simple meal.

During dinner, Father Ye said worriedly, “It’s the busy farming season, but my son injured his foot. I don’t know if it will be easy to hire rice harvesters these days.”

Liu Xiufeng sighed. “Shan’er’s recovery is more important. Even if the wages are higher, it’s fine. We don’t have that much land anyway.”

Ye Xi picked at the rice grains with his chopsticks. “I’ll go with Father to harvest rice tomorrow. I’ve known how to do farm work since I was young, I’m not worse than Brother.”

Liu Xiufeng and Father Ye felt sorry for their son. He had just burned his face not long ago, and they didn’t want him to work under the scorching sun in the fields.

After dinner, Lin Jiangshan bid farewell and prepared to go home. Ye Xi saw him off to the fence gate and handed him an earthenware jar.

Lin Jiangshan looked up at him, his dark eyes appearing even deeper in the night.

Ye Xi smiled and said, “This is the spicy dried eggplant I just made, pickled with chili peppers. It’s spicy and goes well with rice or steamed buns. I thought you might be running low on the pickled cucumbers I gave you last time, so take some of this. It’s just a seasonal side dish I made.”

Ye Xi was right. The jar of pickled cucumbers he gave him last time was almost empty. Lin Jiangshan wasn’t good at cooking, he only knew how to cook plain rice, often burning it, and the dishes he stir-fried were hard to swallow. These days, he relied on pickled cucumbers as a side dish. The meal he had at the Ye family tonight was a rare treat with oil and meat for him in recent days.

Lin Jiangshan said in a low voice, “Thank you.”

Ye Xi kindly reminded him, “You can’t keep eating like this. Without oil or meat, you can’t just eat side dishes all the time. Since you know how to hunt and have plenty of meat at home, it would be good to learn how to cook and improve your diet.”

Lin Jiangshan touched his nose, slightly embarrassed. “I’ve been trying, but…”

But the food he cooked was always terrible.

He didn’t finish his sentence, but Ye Xi understood. This man simply couldn’t learn to cook.

Lin Jiangshan didn’t stay any longer, exchanged a few more words with Ye Xi, and disappeared into the night.

Ye Xi went back inside, boiled some water, and brought it to Ye Shan’s room to clean his wound. He then went to the kitchen to decoct the medicine. After everything was settled, he went back to his room and lay down.

On the summer night, the stars twinkled, and the moon was exceptionally bright, its light shining through the paper window of Ye Xi’s room. Lying in bed, Ye Xi listened to the occasional dog barks from the village and the chirping of crickets in the grass outside. His mind was restless, thinking about his brother’s injury and the unharvested rice in the field.

Finally, his thoughts settled on the moment he bumped into Lin Jiangshan earlier today. He unconsciously touched his nose, as if the pain was still there.

Ye Xi turned over. That man was truly strong, his chest firm and hard. Not just his chest, his entire body was covered in firm muscles, looking much stronger than others. Otherwise, how could he carry his brother and run so fast?

But he really couldn’t cook. A grown man eating only pickles and preserved vegetables every day, his health would deteriorate if he continued like this.

If he couldn’t cook, he should find a wife or husband soon to take care of the household chores, cooking and washing clothes. Life would be much better than it was now.

Lying on his side, his head resting on his palm, Ye Xi unconsciously started picking someone for Lin Jiangshan in his mind. There weren’t many unmarried girls in the village. Miss Shen from the wine shop wouldn’t do, she was looking for a husband who would marry into her family.

What about his good friend, Li-ge’er? Ye Xi shook his head. Li-ge’er was still immature and his cooking was average.

After thinking for a long time, Ye Xi couldn’t find a suitable person. Suddenly, he thought of himself and shamelessly felt that he was quite a good match for Lin Jiangshan.

Even though no one was watching, Ye Xi blushed. How could he think of finding a husband for himself?

But as he touched the uneven scar on his left face, his restless thoughts subsided. Lin Jiangshan was so good and straightforward, how could he match someone like him, an ugly freak?

The next morning, Ye Xi got up, prepared himself, took a sickle, and prepared to go to the fields with his parents. Due to the rush, he only had time to make a few pancakes. The family ate a simple breakfast with cold water and hurried to the fields.

Just as they were about to leave, Lin Jiangshan arrived, a sickle tucked into his waist, and pushed open the gate of the Ye family’s courtyard.

Father Ye asked, “Where are you going so early in the morning, lad?”

Lin Jiangshan entered the courtyard. “I’m coming with you to harvest rice.”

Liu Xiufeng and Father Ye exchanged surprised glances. Father Ye stepped forward and said, “You’re coming to help our family harvest rice? Oh my, how can we let you do that? It’s hard work. Even if we hire someone, they might not be willing to do it for low wages.”

Lin Jiangshan smiled heartily. “Isn’t that perfect? I’ll help you harvest and save you the wages.”

Liu Xiufeng exclaimed and quickly said, “If you really want to help us harvest rice, we must pay you. How can we let you work for free!”

Lin Jiangshan smiled. “No need for wages, just provide me with meals. I’m just here for a meal!”

Hearing this, Ye Xi’s heart skipped a beat. He wondered if this man wanted to eat the food he cooked.

Father Ye laughed. “Alright, lad, you can eat as much as you want!”

“Have you had breakfast yet?” Ye Xi asked softly.

Lin Jiangshan didn’t hide anything and looked at Ye Xi as he replied, “I ate two steamed potatoes this morning, so I’m not hungry.”

Ye Xi pursed his lips. “Harvesting rice is strenuous work. Potatoes will only keep you full for a while, you’ll get hungry quickly after working. Come to the kitchen and have some pancakes, I made them this morning.”

Liu Xiufeng quickly added, “Yes, yes, yes, go and have some pancakes. Wheat flour foods are more filling.”

Lin Jiangshan couldn’t refuse and followed Ye Xi into the kitchen.

Ye Xi reheated the cold pancakes in the wok, then took an egg from the cupboard, added a pinch of salt, and poured the beaten egg mixture evenly onto the pancake. He cooked it until the egg was set, finally sprinkling some chopped green onions on top.

“Be careful, it’s hot,” Ye Xi said, handing the bowl of pancakes to Lin Jiangshan.

Lin Jiangshan smelled the aroma of wheat and eggs fried in oil, and his appetite was instantly awakened. His stomach, which he thought was full, now rumbled with hunger.

He took a bite of the pancake, and the warm food melted in his mouth.

Ye Xi took the chopped chili peppers he made from the stove and scooped a large spoonful with a porcelain spoon. “Pancakes are bland on their own, eat them with some chopped chili peppers, it’s more flavorful.”

Lin Jiangshan held out his pancake, and Ye Xi spread a large spoonful of chopped red and green chili peppers on it, making it look even more appetizing.

He took another big bite. The fragrance of the pancake combined with the slight spiciness and saltiness of the chili peppers created a unique flavor.

Unconsciously, Lin Jiangshan finished two pancakes, and Ye Xi waited quietly beside him.

After the last bite, Ye Xi handed him a bowl of tea. Lin Jiangshan took it and drank it all in one gulp, then sighed contentedly.

Realizing he had eaten a lot, Lin Jiangshan coughed slightly in embarrassment. “Your pancakes are excellent.”

Ye Xi’s eyes curved into a smile, and he said happily, “I’m glad you like them. We need to make sure you’re full before you help our family harvest rice.”

Lin Jiangshan smiled. “Alright, for these two pancakes, I’ll work extra hard today.”

The corners of Ye Xi’s mouth turned up, revealing faint dimples. “Okay, I’ll make you a delicious lunch and bring it to the fields.”

Lin Jiangshan nodded, and the atmosphere between them inexplicably became a bit awkward.

Fortunately, Father Ye called from outside, and Lin Jiangshan got up, took his sickle, and went out.

The morning sun was still hidden behind the mountains of Shanxiu Village, dew drops clinging to the petals of daisies. Egrets flew out from the woods, their flapping wings stirring up ripples on the river surface. A long and distant cry echoed through the valley, awakening the small village.

The villagers of Shanxiu Village pushed carts, herded water buffaloes, and carried hoes on their shoulders as they headed out to work.

Lin Jiangshan walked along the country road with Father Ye and Liu Xiufeng, encountering many villagers on their way to work.

“Master Ye, going to harvest rice?”

Father Ye nodded and replied, “We haven’t finished harvesting our rice yet, we have to hurry.”

The other villagers greeted them, but their eyes kept glancing at Lin Jiangshan, wondering why the Ye family was associating with this outsider.

Liu Xiufeng, carrying a basket in her arm, said with a smile, “This is a new young man in our village, called Lin Jiangshan. He’s a good person, gets along well with my Ye Shan, they’ve become brothers, so he’s considered family now. Look, he’s even come to help our family harvest rice.”

Hearing this, the villagers’ gazes towards Lin Jiangshan softened. It seemed he wasn’t what they thought, maybe he was a good young man after all.

In the fields, Father Ye and Lin Jiangshan harvested rice, Liu Xiufeng was responsible for tying the rice straw behind them, and Ye Xi, after taking care of the poultry and household chores at home, arrived at the field to pick up fallen rice ears.

The family worked under the scorching sun. Ye Xi’s sweat dripped down his forehead and into his eyes. As he straightened up to wipe his eyes, his gaze fell on Lin Jiangshan. He saw him wielding the sickle with precision and speed, his movements clean and efficient, even surpassing Father Ye.

Liu Xiufeng said, “This Lin lad is capable, he works hard.”

Ye Xi said, “But you said he was a Hu barbarian before and told me to stay away from him. Now you’re praising him.”

Liu Xiufeng chuckled and said, “We’re not gods, we can’t tell good people from bad people at a glance. We didn’t know him before. Now that we’ve interacted with him a few times, we feel that he’s a truly good man.”

Ye Xi said, “Isn’t that right? He’s more diligent than many men in the village and knows how to fish and hunt. He has many skills.”

Liu Xiufeng winked and teased Ye Xi in a low voice, “How about we ask him to be our son-in-law?”

Ye Xi’s cheeks were flushed from the sun, and he wiped the sweat from his face with his sleeve. “Mother, I’ll take these rice ears back to cook.”

“Alright, go ahead. Add some meat to the dishes and make the meal filling!” Liu Xiufeng said with a smile.

Ye Xi replied, “I know, Mother.” He wouldn’t not give him meat.

Besides, what was his mother saying? They didn’t even know if he was willing.