Farming for Three Meals a Day [Farming Life] 62

Chapter 62

Major Cold arrived, only five days away from Chinese New Year’s Eve, and the town’s New Year’s market was about to open. Villagers would be buying New Year’s goods, preparing food and new clothes for the most important festival of the year, and the market would be bustling with activity.

Ye Xi and Lin Jiangshan got up before dawn. They had two loads of goods: one load of charcoal for Lin Jiangshan to sell and another load of cabbages, radishes, and other vegetables from their garden.

The snow was falling heavily today, a true blizzard. Standing in the courtyard for a while, their heads and shoulders would be covered in snow, the wind biting at their faces. Ye Xi wore a thick cotton-padded jacket, his breath forming white clouds in the cold air.

Lin Jiangshan didn’t want him to go. It was dark, the road was long, and the wind and snow would be freezing.

Ye Xi wrapped his head in a cloth, covering his face, only his eyes exposed. He filled a water pouch with hot water and tucked it inside his clothes, against his chest and stomach, for warmth.

“It’s alright, I also want to experience the New Year’s market. If we sell everything today, we can buy some New Year’s goods.”

Lin Jiangshan could only let his husband go, walking in front to shield him from the wind.

When Ye Shan arrived with the ox cart, he was already covered in snow like a snowman. He jumped off the cart and, in the dim light of dawn, helped Lin Jiangshan load the charcoal and vegetables onto the cart, then saw his brother, bundled up tightly.

He smiled. “Xi-ge’er, can you handle this heavy snow? The wind is bone-chilling.”

Lin Jiangshan said helplessly, “I couldn’t persuade him otherwise, he’ll have to endure the cold this time.”

After loading the cart, they set off. Lin Jiangshan and Ye Shan sat in front, and Ye Xi huddled among the baskets, Lin Jiangshan shielding him from the wind.

The snow was thick, and the cart wheels barely made it through the snow-covered mountain path.

Ye Shan’s eyelashes and eyebrows were covered in snow. “It’s been years since we had such heavy snow. The other mountain paths must be blocked, and the roads to other towns impassable. The prices at the market will definitely increase today.”

Lin Jiangshan’s throat was dry from the wind. “The price of charcoal in town has already increased by seven or eight wen, and the prices of pork, cotton cloth, and cotton have also gone up. Many people are complaining about how difficult this winter is.”

Ye Shan smiled, flicking the ox whip. “Thanks to you, brother-in-law, we saved money. And our family is hardworking, while others are losing money, we can still earn some this winter.”

When they arrived in town, the sky was just beginning to lighten, the east showing a hint of pale yellow. The market crowd hadn’t arrived yet, only the vendors setting up their stalls.

Arriving early meant securing a good spot, preferably by the main street. If they were further back, many shoppers would have already bought what they needed and wouldn’t bother walking to the back.

Ye Xi’s fingers were numb from the cold, and Lin Jiangshan had to carry him down from the cart. “My toes are frozen, I can’t feel them.”

Lin Jiangshan, distressed, warmed his hands with his breath. His own nose was red from the cold, but he didn’t care.

After Ye Xi recovered slightly, they quickly set up their stall. Lin Jiangshan’s charcoal was easy, just unloading the baskets. But Ye Xi’s vegetable stall needed to be neatly arranged, and he also helped Ye Shan organize the cured meat and sausages.

After setting up, Ye Xi saw a food stall in the distance, selling radish and lamb offal soup, where one could also soak steamed buns.

Ye Xi said, “I’ll go buy three bowls of hot soup. We’re freezing from the journey, we need something warm.”

Lin Jiangshan nodded. “Buy the ones with meat, don’t save money.”

He and Ye Shan were usually reluctant to spend money on meat soup, just buying a bowl of radish soup with lard for three wen, enough to warm their stomachs.

But Ye Xi had come with them today, and Lin Jiangshan wouldn’t let his husband suffer.

Ye Xi nodded and went to the stall.

Ye Shan took out some money from his pocket. “Xi-ge’er, here’s the money.”

Seeing his brother still treating him like a child, Ye Xi’s eyes curved into a smile. “Brother, I’m married now, do you still have to give me money for a few bowls of soup?”

Ye Shan smiled. “That’s right, Xi-ge’er is not a child anymore, you’re someone else’s husband now.”

Ye Xi walked towards the stall. The radish and lamb offal soup stall was run by an elderly couple, older than his parents. It was still early, and the fire under the pot had just been lit, the soup not yet boiling.

Seeing a customer, the old man quickly greeted him, “Young Master, would you like some soup?”

Ye Xi nodded. “Old shopkeeper, how much is the lamb offal soup?”

“Six wen for a bowl with meat, three wen for a bowl without meat, and four wen for a pancake. You can have refills if it’s not enough.”

Ye Xi said, “Then three bowls with meat, please, and two pancakes.”

The old man wiped his hands on his apron. “Please wait a moment, Young Master, it’s cold today, it takes a while for the soup to boil.”

Ye Xi found a stool and sat down, blowing on his hands as he waited for the soup and pancakes, the wind and snow strong and biting.

“It will be warmer when it gets brighter later, maybe even some sunshine today,” the old man said with a smile.

Ye Xi said, “If the sun comes out, we should go home early this afternoon.” It was coldest after the snow melted, and the melted snow would make the mountain paths slippery and dangerous for traveling.

The soup in the pot gradually started to steam, showing signs of boiling. There were no other customers, and the elderly couple worked, occasionally chatting with Ye Xi.

Ye Xi noticed that they were using firewood, only the stove under the soup pot lit, the stove for washing dishes not lit, and they were using cold water, their hands blue and purple from the cold.

“Old shopkeeper, why don’t you light the other stove? It’s drafty here, your hands will freeze if you work like this all day.”

The old man’s wrinkled face twitched, and he smiled wryly. “This winter is freezing, heavy snow, the roads are blocked, goods can’t come in, and the prices in town have gone up, especially charcoal and cotton, even more expensive than rice. We’re just trying to make ends meet, we can’t afford to buy those things.”

The old woman brought the soup and pancakes, the steaming hot radish and lamb offal soup topped with chopped green onions. Seeing Ye Xi’s delicate features and gentle demeanor, she said, “We haven’t even made ourselves new cotton-padded jackets this year, and we’re using charcoal sparingly, even burning the old doors and fences for fuel, to save money. We can’t afford to heat water for washing dishes, we just drink cold water.”

Ye Xi’s heart ached hearing this, and he quickly paid over twenty copper coins, took the bowls of soup on a wooden tray, and returned to their stall.

A bowl of steaming hot radish and lamb offal soup was a true blessing in this cold winter. The lamb offal was warming, the radishes soft and tender, and Lin Jiangshan and Ye Shan enjoyed the soup with pancakes, breaking the remaining pancakes into the soup at the end, soaking up the broth, not wasting a single drop.

Ye Xi had a small appetite and didn’t eat the pancakes, just sipping the soup from a small bowl, his eyes downcast.

Lin Jiangshan noticed his husband’s low spirits and leaned closer. “Are you cold?”

Ye Xi shook his head and told him about the elderly couple.

Lin Jiangshan nodded. “Natural disasters and misfortunes always affect the poor the most. Most of the vendors who brave the wind and snow to set up stalls in town are struggling, just trying to survive.”

Ye Xi knew this was common. When he was young, his family was also very poor. During the drought, they didn’t have enough food, and Liu Xiufeng could only make porridge every day, adding all sorts of wild vegetables. Later, even the wild vegetables were gone, leaving only the bitter and tough weeds and roots, which they had to make do with to fill their stomachs, leaving him feeling even hungrier, his mouth watering. Even then, he would try to eat less and save more for his father and brother, who worked in the fields.

“Yes, we’re just ordinary farmers, we can’t help everyone, it’s only because our life has improved in recent years, and I married you, that we’re living a better life, otherwise, I might also be cold and hungry.”

Compared to others, Ye Xi felt he was fortunate. Although he was still a farmer in the mountains, he didn’t have to worry about food or clothing, or firewood, and he had a loving and hardworking husband. Life was simple and happy.

After the three finished their soup and pancakes, the sky had completely brightened, and more and more people came to the market to buy New Year’s goods, the streets gradually becoming crowded and noisy.

People gathered around Ye Shan’s stall, asking about the price of cured meat and sausages, and even more came to Lin Jiangshan’s charcoal stall.

“Charcoal is scarce this year, besides the old stock from last year in the shops, few farmers are selling charcoal, I bet every family doesn’t have enough for themselves. What’s the price, young man?” a man asked.

Lin Jiangshan replied, “Fifteen wen per catty,” three wen lower than the shops.

The man, seeing that he was a farmer from the mountains, tried to bargain. He frowned and said, “That’s expensive, charcoal shouldn’t be fifteen wen, twelve wen is already a high price.”

Lin Jiangshan picked up a piece of charcoal and showed it to him. “High-quality charcoal, burns long and produces little smoke, that’s why I’m selling it for fifteen wen, still lower than the shops. If you think it’s too expensive, I won’t force you, it’s your choice.”

The man examined the charcoal carefully and found it to be good quality, so he bargained again. “Fourteen wen, I’ll buy half a basket.”

Lin Jiangshan shook his head and said in a low voice, “I can’t go any lower, I’ll take it back and use it myself if I can’t sell it.”

Knowing he couldn’t bargain any further, the man said, “Alright, fifteen wen it is, I’ll take half a basket. But can you deliver it to the second alley on East Street? I’ll give you three wen for the trouble.”

It wasn’t far, only a short walk, so Lin Jiangshan agreed and asked Ye Xi and Ye Shan to look after the stall while he made the delivery.