Farming for Three Meals a Day [Farming Life] 82

Chapter 82

After Dragon Boat Festival, it was time for the winter wheat harvest. Lin Jiangshan and Ye Xi didn’t have much land, just over two acres, but Lin Jiangshan had bought fertile land, and the wheat stalks were plump and full. Thanks to his diligence, regularly weeding and tending the furrows, their harvest looked better than others’.

At dawn, after a quick breakfast, they went to the fields with their sickles.

Each taking a furrow, they bent down and started harvesting. Although Ye Xi was a farmer’s son, he wasn’t as fast as Lin Jiangshan, who quickly finished furrow after furrow, leaving Ye Xi far behind.

Ye Xi straightened up, wiping the sweat from his forehead with his sleeve. “You’re too fast, I can’t keep up.”

Lin Jiangshan threw the harvested wheat into a pile. “If I work faster, I can do more, and you’ll have less to do.”

Ye Xi smiled. “You’re so considerate.”

They had harvested over half an acre when other families in the village also started harvesting, the golden waves of wheat in the fields quickly disappearing, replaced by scattered stalks.

The wheat harvest was the happiest time of year for farmers, the reward for their hard work, and more food for the family.

They could hear people calling out from afar, “How’s the harvest this year?”

“Excellent! The wheat is good, we can grind two more bags of flour this year, an extra bun for every meal.”

“The imperial tax is lower this year, after paying the tax, we’ll still have enough for a good year.”

“Let’s hurry and finish, that wealthy Zhang family from the next village is asking for harvesters, I told them I can go tomorrow.”

“Please tell them I can go too.”

The villagers chatted briefly before returning to their work. Ye Xi and Lin Jiangshan focused on their task, and by noon,

Ye Xi took out the steamed buns he had brought from home, and they sat on a rock under the shade of a tree, eating their lunch with pickled vegetables and cured meat.

They broke the buns in half, spread chili oil inside, added pickled vegetables and two slices of oily cured meat, and took a bite, spicy, savory, and filling.

Ye Xi, having a small appetite, only ate one bun, and Lin Jiangshan finished the rest. After lunch, they drank some spring water they brought from home, rested for a while, and then continued working.

“Are your parents harvesting tomorrow?” Lin Jiangshan asked.

Ye Xi wiped his mouth. “They’ll start tomorrow. My brother is busy with the fishpond today, he said he’ll be free tomorrow. He’s been working hard at the fishpond, he’s gotten tanned and thinner.”

Lin Jiangshan said, “We can finish today, and after drying the wheat for a day or two, I’ll help your parents with their harvest, then come back and thresh ours. After our wheat is stored, the family I plowed for invited me to help with their harvest, I’ll work there for a few days.”

It was the busy farming season, and everyone was working non-stop. Ye Xi was grateful for Lin Jiangshan’s willingness to help his family.

The afternoon sun grew stronger, and they finished harvesting the wheat under the scorching sun. Lin Jiangshan bundled the wheat with hemp rope and transported it back home with the ox cart.

The ox cart saved them a lot of effort. Families without ox carts had to use handcarts or carry the wheat on their shoulders, a strenuous task.

While Lin Jiangshan transported the wheat, Ye Xi took care of the household chores, both inside and outside. He let the chickens and ducks out to forage, chopped grass for the pigs, and also had to cut grass for the rabbits.

They worked until nightfall, exhausted. Ye Xi didn’t have much energy to cook, so he made a simple dough drop soup. He heated oil in the wok, added chopped tomatoes from their garden, stir-fried until fragrant and juicy, added chopped scallions, and then water.

The moon rose, dogs barked in the village, and when the water in the pot boiled, he added the dough flakes, stirring gently until it formed a thick soup, then added beaten eggs, soy sauce, sesame oil, and salt.

A simple but warm and filling meal.

They sat on low stools under the eaves, enjoying the freshly made soup, relieving their fatigue.

The wheat they harvested today was spread out in the courtyard to dry, a reassuring sight, a full granary brought peace of mind.

Ye Xi rubbed his sore shoulders and smiled. “I’ve become lazy, I used to do all this farm work at home, but after a day of it, I’m aching all over.”

Lin Jiangshan, feeling sorry for his husband working with him in the fields all day, said, “We’ll earn more money and buy more land, and next year, we’ll hire people to harvest, so you can rest.”

“The young ladies and gentlemen in town don’t have to work in the fields, I’m living like a wealthy landowner’s wife now.”

Lin Jiangshan wanted to pamper Ye Xi, but although they had some savings, they weren’t wealthy yet. However, as long as he worked hard, they would be one day.

After a tiring day and a simple meal, they soaked their feet in the pool in the courtyard, washed up, and went to bed early.

The next day, Lin Jiangshan took his sickle and went to the Ye family’s to help with the wheat harvest.

The families with sons and daughters in the village were envious, such a filial and considerate son-in-law was rare. What was the use of having a son if he couldn’t help his in-laws during the busy farming season?

Seeing Lin Jiangshan working so hard in the Ye family’s field, the Liu family next door said, “That Ye family’s son-in-law is a good one, even better than hired help.”

“Indeed, we used to avoid him, thinking he was an outsider with a shady past, but the Ye family had good judgment, marrying their son to him, their life is getting better and better, and he even helps with the farm work during the busy season.”

Aunt Zhao, bundling wheat in the next field, called out loudly, “They say men are heartless, that’s because we haven’t met a good one. My son has been married for years, and except for festivals, we never see him, and my son-in-law hasn’t even lifted a finger to help us. A son marries out, and he truly becomes someone else’s.”

“That’s true, my daughter’s husband is the same.”

The villagers chatted as they worked.

Liu Xiufeng and Father Ye, hearing this, were very pleased with their hardworking son-in-law, the more they saw of him, the more they liked him.

He even brought his ox cart to help transport the wheat, truly worthy of their kindness and acceptance.

With the men working in the fields, Ye Xi stayed home to accompany Li Ran and help her with the household chores.

Li Ran’s belly was large and round, making it difficult for her to move around.

“Sister-in-law, you rest, let me do it!” Ye Xi said, seeing Li Ran taking the food basin to mix chicken feed, worried she might fall.

Li Ran handed him the basin and smiled. “Everyone is so worried about me, but I don’t feel tired, I’ve been idle for months, I can still help with the chores.”

Her parents-in-law and husband were all working hard in the fields, while she just sat at home.

Ye Xi mixed the chicken feed with water and said, “You’re not idle, you’re pregnant, it’s hard work, we’re only busy for a few days during the harvest, but you’ve been working hard for almost a year, carrying the baby. Just focus on giving birth to a healthy baby.”

Li Ran smiled. “I used to wish he would come out soon, but now that I’m full term, I’m a bit scared.”

Ye Xi, having never given birth, didn’t know how to comfort her, but childbirth was a dangerous experience for both women and young men, often said to be like walking through the gates of hell.

“Don’t be afraid, Sister-in-law, just listen to the midwife.”

Li Ran nodded.

After feeding the poultry, Ye Xi started preparing dinner. While he was chopping vegetables, Li Ran sat by the stove, tending the fire, and noticed Ye Xi yawning, his eyes slightly red and watery.

“Are you tired, Xi-ge’er?”

Ye Xi rubbed his shoulders. “Maybe it’s because I’ve been working too much these past two days, I feel tired and listless.”

He hadn’t even noticed when Lin Jiangshan got up to help with the harvest this morning, sleeping soundly until the fawn nudged the door open and sniffed his hand, waking him up.

Li Ran blinked. “Are you still sleepy? Always feeling tired?”

Ye Xi agreed. “It must be because of Summer Solstice, the weather is getting warmer, and the sun makes me drowsy.”

Li Ran chuckled. “Xi-ge’er, you’re just like me, clueless.”

Ye Xi looked at her, confused.

“I was also sleepy and nauseous, craving spicy and sour food all the time, I didn’t even know I was pregnant, until over two months later, when I finally realized and asked the doctor to check.”

Ye Xi seemed to understand, the cleaver slipping from his hand and clattering onto the chopping board, his mouth slightly agape, his eyes wide with disbelief. “Sister-in-law, are you saying…”

Li Ran wasn’t sure, but seeing his reaction, she was almost certain. “I’m not a doctor, you should still go and have it checked.”

Ye Xi suppressed his excitement. “I’ll go to the village doctor tomorrow and have it checked, just in case, so I don’t get my hopes up for nothing.”

Li Ran smiled. “Alright, go tomorrow, and if it’s true, tell your husband, he’ll be overjoyed!”

Ye Xi instinctively touched his belly, the thought of carrying his and his husband’s child filling his heart with joy.

Their little family would be complete!