Chapter 7: Bamboo Shoots Are Truly Delicious

“Dad, you are exceptionally good. You are the best father in the whole world. Look at our village—how many girls are like us three sisters, able to study for so many years and have such a high level of education?”

Hua Chunli had dropped out of school, yet she remained the girl with the highest level of education in their Hua Village group.

Although it was already the nineties, there were still plenty of people who couldn't afford to study. Many children in their village didn't pass the middle school entrance exams, stayed home for a few years, and once they reached the right age, they either went out to work or got married. How many could be like them, continuing their studies all the way through?

Although Father Hua and Mother Hua were both ordinary farmers, their breadth of vision was beyond that of the average person. In this day and age, which family didn't think that girls were raised for someone else’s family and that spending money to educate them was a waste?

Yet, they never had such thoughts; they only wanted to give them the best.

“So Dad, you must set your mind at ease, don't overthink things, and focus on recovering your health. Watch how we three sisters bring glory to the Hua family and how we make the Hua family live a good life,” Hua Xiali said firmly.

Now that she had returned, and with the blessing of the spiritual spring water, she would definitely be able to let her family live a good life.

Hua Xiali had to say nice things to coax Father Hua, who was currently in a state of near-furious madness; otherwise, the verbal abuse today would never cease.

Because he had such boundless energy, he could curse for hours on end.

Hua Xiali first asked Father Hua if he needed anything. Seeing that he didn't, she went to the backyard to feed the chickens and pigs.

Carrying a wooden bucket, Hua Xiali went out through the small gate in the backyard wall to the village’s public well, drew a bucket of water, and then added a tea mug of spiritual spring water to it. She filled the troughs where the chickens, ducks, and pigs drank with the water mixed with the spiritual spring water.

It wouldn't matter if the chickens, ducks, and pigs grew larger; if anyone asked, she’d just say she fed them diligently!

Afterward, Hua Xiali carried the bucket to water the vegetables, watering the vegetable stalks, potatoes, garlic, and the melons and vegetables that had just been planted after the start of spring.

In her past life, after this place was demolished, everyone lost their space to grow vegetables and had to buy everything with money. Hua Xiali hadn't eaten home-grown fruits and vegetables for many years, and she missed this taste dearly.

She missed her parents and relatives, she missed everything about her home. Now that she was reborn, she would cherish every single day.

After watering, Hua Xiali pinched off all the vegetable stalks, because if she didn't, they would get old and bloom, making them inedible. She left a handful for lunch and put the rest, along with the basket, into the spiritual spring space. She wanted to see if this space could store items; if it could, she wouldn't have to worry about things spoiling in the future.

Mother Hua and Hua Chunli returned mid-morning. The rice seedlings had already been planted, so there wasn't much to do for the time being; they weren't as busy and didn't have to stay in the fields all the time.

At noon, as the mother and three daughters sat together eating, Hua Xiali said, “Mom, I’m planning to go to Fourth Uncle’s house tomorrow.”

Mother Hua asked curiously, “What are you going to Fourth Uncle’s house for?”

“Doesn’t Fourth Uncle have a lot of fruit trees? I want to go get some saplings to plant in front of and behind our house. That way, when they bear fruit, we can sell what we can’t finish eating, which will also bring in a little extra income for the family,” Hua Xiali said.

Mother Hua thought for a moment and said, “Alright. Fruit trees will bear fruit in a few years. Even if we can’t sell them, we can eat them ourselves, which will save us money on buying fruit.”

In her past life, the demolition happened while Hua Xiali’s two sons were in college, meaning it would be about twenty years before this place was demolished. By then, everyone would have to leave.

Hua Xiali wanted to go to Fourth Uncle’s house not just for the fruit trees, but to find a suitable place for her family to live. Fourth Uncle’s house was in the mountains with a good environment and fresh air. They could move there in the future. She could grow tea and fruit there, let her parents retire there, and have the whole family living together in harmony—that would be quite nice.

Hua Xiali raised her eyebrows and tentatively opened her mouth, “Then I’ll go this afternoon and stay the night at Fourth Uncle’s place. Is that okay?”

Anyway, she had an appointment with Huo Beixi to get the money tomorrow night, so that had nothing to do with tonight!

“Fine, why wouldn’t it be?” Mother Hua said helplessly. “Take that old hen that Su Weidong’s grandmother sent over to your Fourth Uncle.”

“Okay.” Hua Xiali nodded with a smile. They didn't have money to buy anything good right now, so the old hen would do. How could she visit relatives empty-handed? Especially since she was asking for a favor!

After the meal, the three women of the Hua family carried Father Hua out of the room and placed him on a mat spread out in the courtyard so he could soak up the sun. Watching his wife and daughters fussing over him, Father Hua’s eyes were filled with hatred.

Hua Xiali didn't understand why her father looked at them like that. She had always thought he was just in a bad mood and had lost his mental balance.

But when she learned the true reason in the future, she regretted it so much she wanted to slap herself to death.

After soaking up the sun for about half an hour, they carried Father Hua back to his room. Hua Xiali tidied herself up, put the old hen in a basket, and headed out.

After walking for twenty minutes, she arrived under the poplar trees by the side of the wide road and stood there waiting for the bus.

Tall poplar trees were planted on both sides of the road, their large, lush green leaves rustling in the spring breeze.

They had minibuses for transport here, so traveling was quite convenient.

After waiting for a while, she saw a minibus approaching, kicking up clouds of dust. Hua Xiali hurriedly reached out to cover her nose and mouth. That was how the dirt roads in the countryside were: dusty in good weather and muddy in bad weather, to the point where you couldn't even take a vehicle. If people wanted to go out, they had to wear boots.

The vehicle stopped and the door opened. After Hua Xiali got on and paid the fare, she went to the back to find a seat.

Fourth Uncle’s house was in the mountains, and there was no direct bus. She had to take it to the bus station in town first, then take a bus that passed near Fourth Uncle’s house, and after getting off, walk for another half hour along a small path to reach his home.

In other words, it would take about an hour and a half to get from her house to Fourth Uncle’s.

At a little past four in the afternoon, Hua Xiali appeared on the stone bridge in front of Fourth Uncle’s house. Below the stone bridge was a two-meter-wide stream. How deep the stream was depended on how much water it held; at this time of year, the water level was only a few dozen centimeters.

Fourth Uncle’s house was a few meters away from the stone bridge. Not far to the right of the door was a well, and to the left was a bamboo forest. Seeing the dense bamboo and bamboo shoots in the forest, Hua Xiali suddenly had a realization.

How could she have forgotten about this!

Bamboo shoots were delicious.

(End of chapter)