As their lives improved, even breakfast became more lavish. Early in the morning, Lu Gu steamed a large bowl of egg custard, drizzling it with sesame oil for a rich aroma. He divided it into bowls, giving Ji Qiuyue a slightly larger portion.
In the past, they would eat breakfast squatting or standing in the yard, but now they mostly sat at the table.
He also heated up some white steamed buns and chopped half a pickled radish into small pieces. Each family member held a bun stuffed with pickled radish in their left hand and used a spoon to eat the egg custard with their right.
In about ten days, when the dog days of summer arrived, the hens and ducks would stop laying eggs regularly. However, with so many chickens at home, they would still collect a few eggs each day.
[狗日子 (gǒu rì zi): Lit. Dog days; Fig. the hottest and most uncomfortable days of summer]
Since Lu Gu’s hen laid its first egg in early spring, three months had passed. From selling eggs and duck eggs alone, he had saved over one tael of silver, earning at least three hundred coins a month.
While this might not seem like much, for a rural fulang without other sources of income, it was a significant sum. If the village men knew, many would envy him.
After seeing the doctor last time, Lu Gu had remembered Shen Xuanqing’s advice and made sure to eat one egg every day.
Since Ji Qiuyue became pregnant, she hadn’t raised any chickens or ducks herself. The old hens and ducks belonged to Wei Lanxiang, so the eggs Ji Qiuyue ate were provided by her mother-in-law. She was never deprived.
Sometimes, when Lu Gu cooked, he felt he had plenty of eggs and didn’t mind sharing. When boiling eggs, he wouldn’t take any from Wei Lanxiang’s basket.
Today, with Shen Xuanqing at home, they had eaten boiled eggs for several days in a row. Steaming egg custard was a nice change.
After breakfast, Wei Lanxiang who was full of enthusiasm, rolled up her sleeves and headed to the kitchen to show off her skills by braising the boar meat.
Lu Gu and Shen Yan shouldered their bamboo baskets and went to gather grass. Ji Qiuyue, bored at home, joined them for a stroll by the river behind the house.
Shen Xuanqing and Shen Yaoqing also had their hands full. They went to the new house to collect the eggs laid by the ducks overnight, let the chickens out into the coop, drove the ducks to the water, and fed the cows and sheep. They also had to clean up the rabbit, cow, and sheep droppings.
The new house had a vegetable garden that needed watering and weeding. The dry fields and paddy fields also required attention to prevent the weeds from choking the crops.
Their busy morning only paused during the hottest part of the day.
The cold pig ears, dressed with spicy oil and sprinkled with green onions, were crisp and flavorful. The heart, liver, lungs, and kidneys were sliced and served cold, accompanied by a plate of peanuts and a plate of cucumber salad. The men clinked their wine cups and drank deeply, feeling utterly satisfied.
Today, Lu Gu also got half a cup of wine. He took a small sip, the strong flavor making him hiss. His face quickly turned red, like the finest rouge. He picked up his chopsticks and focused on the meat and vegetables, not daring to touch the wine again.
No matter how busy or tired they were, good food and drink made everything better, easing their fatigue.
Neither Shen Xuanqing nor Shen Yaoqing were heavy drinkers. At home, they only drank a little to satisfy their cravings.
After resting through the midday heat, the afternoon chores at the new house were light, just feeding the rabbits, cows, and sheep. The weeding could wait. Because of the heat, only Shen Xuanqing and Shen Yaoqing went out to deliver meat to their maternal uncle’s family.
Lu Gu and Wei Lanxiang went to the new house to feed the rabbits and let the ducks and calves out to graze. Da Hui and the other dogs guarded the house, while Guaizi, the most carefree of the dogs, followed Lu Gu everywhere.
Having a dog around was reassuring. Sometimes, when Lu Gu went out alone to gather grass for the rabbits, he felt safe with Guaizi nearby, a habit from his time in the mountains.
“Oh no, there’s blood!” Wei Lanxiang exclaimed as she bent down to feed the rabbits, noticing one with blood on it.
Lu Gu hurried over with his basket. This hutch housed two young male rabbits, and one had a bitten ear. He quickly set down the basket, and together with Wei Lanxiang, they separated the rabbits. With plenty of hutches available, each rabbit could have its own space.
Rabbits could fight fiercely, and these were meant to bring in money. They couldn’t afford to lose any.
“Mother, should I dig up some hemostasis herbs, mash them, and apply them to the wound?” Lu Gu asked, distressed by the bleeding ear.
“That’s a good idea,” Wei Lanxiang agreed.
Lu Gu quickly dug up some hemostasis herbs by the river, mashed them into a paste, and applied it to the rabbit’s ear. Wei Lanxiang cut a strip of cloth and helped bandage it.
The sun was hidden behind clouds, allowing them to open their eyes fully. But soon, the sky darkened, and clouds rolled in, bringing a change in the wind.
They were in the chicken coop collecting eggs when they noticed the weather shifting. Hurriedly, they herded the chickens back into the coop and grabbed the egg basket, rushing to the front of the house.
Raindrops soon pattered on the roof and the ground, quickly turning into a downpour. The dry earth soaked up the water, and streams formed.
“Oh dear, if we’d known it would rain, they wouldn’t have needed to water the vegetable garden this morning,” Wei Lanxiang said, watching the rain.
She was referring to Shen Xuanqing and Shen Yaoqing. Lu Gu asked, “I wonder if they’ve reached Uncle’s house yet.”
“They probably haven’t,” Wei Lanxiang replied with a smile. “They’re young men. A little rain won’t hurt them. They’ll find somewhere to take shelter.”
She glanced at the dark sky and added, “This rain won’t last long. It’ll pass soon.”
Summer rains came and went quickly.
The earthy scent of rain mixed with the heat filled the air, reaching their noses.
There were no raincoats or sewing baskets at the new house, so Lu Gu and Wei Lanxiang sat under the eaves, watching the rain. Guaizi and the other dogs also took shelter, lying or standing around. Guaizi, in particular, tilted his head as if imitating the humans watching the rain, though he was unclear what he saw. He even let out a couple of whines.
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