Chapter 13: 13 is a Life of Poverty

Chapter 13: A Life of Poverty

It was currently the slack season in farming. The men and women of the village, those in their thirties and fifties who were capable of steady labor, had all been called over by Song Sancheng—time waits for no one, and they needed to get everything tidied up now so they could start sowing seeds in the spring.

Song Tan's plan was laid out with absolute clarity—

The grass in the chestnut forest needed clearing; those chestnut trees required fertilizing and pruning. Eventually, mushroom racks would be erected under the trees.

The perimeter also needed to be fenced off to prevent animals or people from wandering in and causing trouble.

Coincidentally, some trees had been felled from the back mountain. The trunks would be cut into sections to inoculate with fungal spores, the branches would be used to build sheds to provide shelter for the pigs, and several feeding troughs would need to be prepared, enclosed by wire mesh.

As for the fields, for the next month or two, they would first plant Chinese milk vetch. Once the vetch bloomed, the timing would be right to plow and till the soil finely in preparation for planting rice and vegetables.

Some seeds could be started in nurseries after a period of time.

There was also the matter of sourcing local free-range chickens and ducks, and coordinating with farmers on when to pick up the piglets. With so many people involved, arranging daily meals was also a task...

Song Sancheng and Wulan were busy spinning in circles every day. And what about their daughter?

It wasn't that she wasn't working; the young girl possessed great strength and had gone up the mountain to help carry logs.

Anyone in the village who saw her couldn't help but offer a word of praise!

But hearing this made Wulan's heart ache!

*What's the point of carrying logs, you silly child! At an age as beautiful as a flower, instead of working in an office, she comes back to farm—what will people say? When the time comes for marriage discussions, where will she find a suitable boy!*

It wasn't that the daughter wasn't idle, but when she was, she would sit in front of a computer researching various things... Once, Wulan went in to check—

Good heavens! She was only just "cramming" now, looking up explanations for scientific farming?!

This, this, this!

Wulan gasped. If the money hadn't already been spent, she would have stopped this madness right then and there.

At night, the couple sat down to do the math: labor, machinery, fungal spores, chickens, ducks, piglets, chemical fertilizers...

Sixty thousand yuan had been thrown into it, and so far, they had nothing to show for it but noise.

Calculating further, this sum would only last until the end of April, at most yielding a single crop of milk vetch.

There was still the sixty thousand yuan Wulan had prepared as savings, but seeing how unreliable her daughter seemed, Wulan couldn't bear the thought of dipping into it!

Sixty thousand yuan—if nothing major happened, it would take the couple two years to save that much!

Song Sancheng and Wulan were so worried their hair was turning white.

They felt that raising children was like carrying a debt; this girl had been obedient and sensible for twenty years, and now that she started something, she was going big. It was stressful!

Yet, strangely enough, the more they worried, the better they slept at night. Song Sancheng, who used to snore like thunder, was now quiet. At Wulan's age, getting five hours of interrupted sleep was considered good, but ever since her daughter returned home, she was in bed by seven or eight and didn't wake up until six.

It was truly...

Wulan complained to Song Sancheng, "I'm telling you, we are destined for poverty. The more money we spend and the more tired we get, the more comfortable we feel!"

Song Sancheng agreed, "Exactly! Look at me, working bent over every day, yet my back pain has actually vanished!"

Inside the room, Song Tan gathered her spiritual energy, hiding her achievements and fame.

Not far away, the grandparents, Song Youde and his wife, had been helping out quite a bit these past few days. Now, Song Youde sat tapping his pipe, feeling quite pleased with himself.

"It's because our Tan Tan went to university and is capable; she knows how to come back and farm."

"For us farmers, as long as there is food in the fields, we always have a way out."

As far as was known, Song Youde came from a standard background of a tenant farmer for a landlord.

In his eyes, nothing was more important than the land.

Wang Lifen held similar views, though from a different angle: "Farming is good; we can still do something to lend the child a hand. Isn't that better than sitting around staring into space?"

"Besides, with children, you only see them a few times a year. Since Tan Tan is back to farm, if she hires help, there will be fewer seasonal workers in autumn, and it brings some life to the village."

Wasn't that true?

At their age, they remembered when their youngest son's family only had Qiaoqiao as a male heir, and they always felt that wasn't enough.

If the son could work, fine, but if he grew old and couldn't walk, who would look after Qiaoqiao?

Now that Tan Tan was back, the family had a pillar of support, and the siblings could spend more time together. If Qiaoqiao grew old, she could at least keep an eye on him.

Otherwise, if she stayed away for too long, even blood ties would fade.

However, as elders who had weathered many storms, Song Youde saw things more clearly than Song Sancheng

"I think Tan Tan has truly learned some skills. Although the fields are busy, she works so hard every day with a smile on her face; she must have a plan in her heart. Perhaps she really can make something of this."

"Of course!" Wang Lifen agreed. "She has been smart and sensible since she was a child. She wouldn't do something if she wasn't sure of it."

Their health hadn't been great these past few years, so the children wouldn't let them farm much; they only managed a small vegetable garden by the door—

It was leisurely, but the old couple couldn't find any spirit.

They would doze off during the day and stay awake at night.

Every day they searched for small tasks to do, and now, seeing the large plots of land being worked, they felt a sense of peace, to say the least.

During the day, they worked according to their strength. Song Youde helped clear weeds in the fields, while Wang Lifen helped her daughter-in-law with cooking. They ate and discussed things together, laughing and talking, feeling even closer to their son's family!

Feeling pleased, Song Youde couldn't help but make more arrangements

"It's cold now, so the chickens lay fewer eggs. Since Tan Tan wants to raise chickens, tell our old hens to brood tomorrow. Let them hatch more chicks to save the girl some money."

"Local chickens are expensive now, and they're hard to find."

Wang Lifen nodded

"It's perfect since we eat more meat in winter. I've been saving the eggs; let's go pick through them under the lamp in a bit."

"And those ducks—there's a family that sells ducklings. Their ducks don't get sick, they grow strong, and they taste good. I'll go ask about them tomorrow."

Song Youde frowned slightly. "Don't get too many. These past few years, it's either this place or that place being locked down due to bird flu or swine fever. Let's take it steady."

How could Wang Lifen not know that?

"Stop worrying. We are in a remote area with good feng shui; when have our chickens, ducks, or geese ever had a plague? Besides, raising chicks doesn't cost much. As long as they don't get sick, if we can't sell them, we can just eat them, right? It saves us from buying them from outside."

There were only four old hens in the house; even if they all brooded, they'd only hatch about a hundred chicks. Once they were released into the mountains or fields, there would be no need to worry. It was so simple!

Song Youde thought it made sense, but he sighed again. "I wonder, if our eldest son and eldest grandson were willing to come back and live in our old house, how wonderful that would be. It could be passed down to them."

Wang Lifen rolled her eyes. "Whoever stays in the village gets it. That old house wouldn't be wanted even for five thousand yuan. Your grandson has two or three apartments in the city; do you think he'd care for this?"

Song Youde muttered sheepishly, "He is, after all, the eldest son and grandson of the Song family..."

Rest assured, there were no major dramas in the family; it was mostly just farming and daily life.

*Note: Using fertilizer does not mean it isn't "green" food! Fertilizer and pesticides are different.*

*Note: There is an extra update today.*

(End of Chapter)