Farming for Three Meals a Day [Farming Life] 96

Chapter 96: Daily Life Raising Children 2

When spring arrived in Shanxiu Village, the mountains were fragrant with peach and plum blossoms, lush and green.

The new year’s spring plowing began.

Ye Xi and Lin Jiangshan had bought a few more mu of land this year; now they were considered well-off landowners, holding more than five mu.

Relying on Lin Jiangshan alone to plow the fields wouldn’t do, so they had to hire help.

Ye Xi was making scallion pancakes in the kitchen, the aroma of scallions and pepper wafting into the courtyard.

Lin Jiangshan was checking the farming tools under the eaves, planning for the spring plowing.

Ye Xi asked him while making pancakes, “Husband, have you thought about how many people to hire for spring plowing?”

Lin Jiangshan sharpened the blades of the farming tools with a whetstone and replied, “We need at least seven or eight people to get everything done. We have to plow the fields and nurture the seedlings before we can plant on the sandy land, we can’t delay either.”

Ye Xi smiled. “We used to work for others during spring plowing, and now we’re hiring people to help us.”

Lin Jiangshan smiled. “Life is getting better, that’s what matters. Someone came to ask about the wages a few days ago, and I don’t want to underpay them, so I offered thirty wen a day, with lunch provided.”

Ye Xi, not a stingy person, nodded. “They’re all farmers working hard to support their families, we can’t exploit them, husband, the wages are reasonable, I’ll cook them a good meal.”

They discussed a few more things, and then their elder son woke up in the room. He stirred and, seeing his younger brother sleeping soundly beside him, kissed his cheek, leaving a wet spot. He doted on his younger brother.

Not seeing his father and little daddy in the room, Lin Yuxi climbed out of bed himself. One of the dogs, seeing him struggling with his short legs, unable to reach the floor, wagged its tail and went under the bed, offering its body as a step for him to climb down.

After getting off the bed, Lin Yuxi patted the dog’s head, then tugged on the fawn’s antlers playfully before leaving the room.

“Daddy!”

Hearing his voice, Lin Jiangshan, under the eaves, looked up and saw his son, sleepy-eyed, standing at the door, calling for him.

He adored his son and put down his tools, washed his hands, and went to pick him up.

“Yu-ge’er, you’re awake?” He couldn’t help but nuzzle his son’s tender cheek with his stubble, making him giggle.

“My brother is still asleep, drooling,” Yu-ge’er said.

Lin Jiangshan chuckled and kissed his cheek. “Your brother is still young, he needs his sleep, Yu-ge’er, be a good boy and don’t disturb him.”

Yu-ge’er nodded and snuggled against his father’s broad shoulder, his arms around Lin Jiangshan’s neck, the silver bracelet on his wrist jingling.

The bracelet wasn’t cheap, many women in the village didn’t even have silver jewelry, let alone giving one to their child, but Yu-ge’er was the apple of Lin Jiangshan and Ye Xi’s eyes, they would give him anything.

Lin Jiangshan carried Yu-ge’er for a while, then took him to the tree in the courtyard to look at the butterflies in the bamboo cage, which Ye Xi had caught for him yesterday.

After watching the butterflies for a while, Ye Xi called them for breakfast.

The scallion pancakes were fragrant and crispy, paired with pumpkin porridge and two simple vegetable dishes. The three of them sat at the small table in the courtyard and ate.

Yu-ge’er was still young and wasn’t very skilled with chopsticks, so Lin Jiangshan made him a wooden spoon, and he ate his food and drank his soup with the spoon, spilling some on the table, but Ye Xi never scolded him, just wiped his mouth with a smile.

“Little Daddy, meat,” Lin Yuxi said, pointing at the dish on the table with his small hand, then pointing at his mouth, opening and closing it.

Ye Xi tapped his little nose and gave him a few pieces of meat, smiling. “Little glutton, if you like meat, eat more, so you can grow taller.”

Lin Jiangshan moved the dish closer to Yu-ge’er and smiled. “Yu-ge’er loves meat, Daddy will buy you more tomorrow, and Little Daddy will cook it for you, we can have it every day if you like.”

Lin Yuxi’s eyes crinkled with a smile, his little legs dangling in the air, the family cat rubbing against him affectionately.

Ye Xi said, “You’re spoiling him.”

Lin Jiangshan said, “We have to spoil our only son, we work hard every day so Yu-ge’er, you, and Little Li’er can have a good life, that’s what motivates me.”

A spring breeze blew through the courtyard. Halfway through their meal, Little Lei Zi and Fuge’er arrived, looking for Yu-ge’er to play.

Ye Xi smiled. “Have you eaten yet? Uncle made pancakes, have some.”

Little Lei Zi shook his head. “No, Uncle, my mother made noodles for me.”

“How about Fuge’er?”

Fuge’er’s stomach was also full. “My daddy brought two bags of pastries from town, and I ate three pieces.”

Ye Xi didn’t insist.

Seeing his friends, Yu-ge’er became impatient, quickly finishing his food, eager to go and play.

“Slow down,” Ye Xi said.

Yu-ge’er took two more bites and then climbed down from his chair. “Let’s go.”

Lin Jiangshan asked, “What are you going to do today?”

Little Lei Zi replied, “We’re going to the village entrance to play ‘sandbag’.”

It was a popular game among the village children, and they often gathered at the village entrance to play.

Ye Xi smiled. “There are a few large pagoda trees at the village entrance, they’re blooming now, very fragrant, pick some for Uncle when you have time, and I’ll make steamed buns with them.”

Little Lei Zi drank a cup of tea. “Alright, I’ll remember, Uncle.”

Lin Jiangshan gave them two wen each. “The peddler is coming to the village today, buy yourselves some candy.”

Little Lei Zi and Fuge’er happily accepted the money, Uncle Lin always gave them pocket money, he doted on them.

Ye Xi gave them a few more instructions. “Alright, go ahead, but be back before dark for dinner.”

“We will, Little Daddy.”

“Don’t worry, Uncle.”

The children ran out of the courtyard happily, the family dogs chasing after them.

Ye Xi and Lin Jiangshan smiled, just as they were about to clear the table, their younger son in the room started crying.

Lin Jiangshan took the dishes from Ye Xi. “Li’er is crying, husband, go and see.”

Ye Xi wiped his hands and went inside to soothe the baby.

Little Li’er was lying in bed, waving his arms and kicking his legs.

Ye Xi smiled and picked him up. “Our little sleepyhead is awake.”

Lin Yuli rarely cried, and now, held in his father’s arms, he giggled.

Ye Xi fed him goat milk, then took him to the bamboo cradle in the courtyard to enjoy the sunshine, while he mended clothes, rocking the cradle occasionally.

Lin Jiangshan finished cleaning the kitchen and came out to see his husband and son basking in the sun in the courtyard, a warm and peaceful family scene.

It filled his heart with joy.

Ye Xi turned around and smiled at him. “What are you staring at? Aren’t you going to the fields?”

Lin Jiangshan smiled. “I am, I’ll dig some wild scallions from the field ridges for you tonight!”

In the evening, Ye Xi, carrying Yuli on his back in a cloth carrier, was feeding the chickens and ducks in the courtyard.

They had recently sold some of their chickens and ducks, planning to buy more chicks and ducklings, and the rabbits had also produced several litters.

“Little Daddy, we’re back!” Lin Yuxi called out.

Ye Xi turned around and saw Little Lei Zi and Fuge’er, dragging a large branch of pagoda tree blossoms, white as snow, the fragrance filling the air.

Lin Yuxi followed behind them, too small to carry the branch, his pockets filled with blossoms, and a garland of pagoda flowers around his neck, looking adorable.

“Oh, you picked so many,” Ye Xi said, quickly putting down the food basin to take the blossoms.

Little Lei Zi dropped the branch in the courtyard, wiped his sweat, took the teapot from the table, and shared a bowl of water with Fuge’er.

Wiping his mouth, he said, “There aren’t many pagoda blossoms this year, we climbed to the top of the tree to pick them, Uncle, will you make buns with them?”

Ye Xi patted Little Lei Zi’s head. “If you want to eat them, I’ll make them tonight.”

The children cheered.

The mountains were quiet, the night lamps flickering.

The aroma of steamed buns filled Ye Xi’s courtyard.

The three children sat obediently at the table, their eyes fixed on the steaming hot buns Ye Xi took from the pot, their mouths watering.

The buns, filled with fragrant pagoda blossoms, were as big as Yu-ge’er’s face. He broke one in half, the filling, mixed with egg and scallions, oozing out.

The children ate happily, and Ye Xi packed a few more for them to take home.

Little Lei Zi and Fuge’er were burping when they left.

Yu-ge’er, having eaten his fill, fell asleep in the chair under the eaves. Ye Xi came out of the kitchen, saw him sleeping soundly, and bent down to carry him back to the room.

Yu-ge’er opened his eyes slightly, still drowsy.

“Little Daddy, the stars in the sky are so beautiful.”

Ye Xi, not knowing if he was dreaming, smiled faintly and looked at the starry night sky, the brightest star directly overhead.

Lin Jiangshan came over and took Yu-ge’er from Ye Xi’s arms, carrying him back to the room.

Yu-ge’er, lying in bed, instinctively reached out to hug his younger brother, Lin Yuli, who was sleeping soundly beside him, and they snuggled together and fell asleep.

Ye Xi and Lin Jiangshan returned after washing up, stood by the bed, and looked at their two sons, their hearts melting.

Lin Jiangshan hugged Ye Xi and smiled. “Yu-ge’er is hugging his brother, and I’m hugging you, it’s perfect, our family of four together!”

Ye Xi smiled. “It’s a good thing our bed is big enough, we can all huddle together and stay warm!”

The mountain breeze blew, the stars twinkled, and the family of four embraced in their warm bed.