Chapter Forty-two Ancestor and Descendant

  Two o'clock in the morning, seeking pink.

  Lian's eldest grandson is back, and it's autumn harvest again. This lunch will naturally be more sumptuous than usual. Zhangshi, Zhaoshi, and Heshi are all busy in the kitchen, while Lianzhier, Lianmaner, and Lianyuer also lend a hand, picking bean tips, peeling potato skins, and burning fire. Zhou Shi personally supervises and directs, Zhang Shi is the busiest, her knife skills are the best, she is responsible for cutting vegetables, and also stir-fries dishes.

  The front and back doors of the house are wide open, the oil smoke and fragrance of stir-frying dishes spread far away, almost everyone's face is filled with smiles.

  The last dish on the table was a cold dish of cucumber and bean curd strips, three hot dishes: one was green pepper and potato strips, one was dried bean curd stir-fried with pointed peppers, and one was braised pork belly with potatoes and eggplant. There was also a soup made from meat skin and tofu, all served in bowls. This was an extremely sumptuous meal for a common rural household. The staple food had also changed, no longer just coarse grains, but mixed with white flour, making the steamed buns softer and more delicious.

  Still divided into two tables for men and women to eat, the dishes were all served on the table, Gu Shi and Jiang Shi, Lian Hua Er and Lian Duo Er came over from the west room to have dinner.

  There were already many people eating, and with the addition of Jiang's family, it became even more crowded. Lian Wan had just taken a bite of her food and was about to pick up some dishes when she suddenly smelled a strong fishy smell coming from her nose.

  Lian Wan'er turned her head to look at Xiao Qi beside her, and Xiao Qi wrinkled his nose, indicating that he had also smelled it. The two of them lowered their heads along the scent and found that Lian Yu'er, who was sitting opposite them, had stretched out both of her small feet from under the table.

  Lian Wan'er was about to speak up and ask Lian You'er to pull her feet back, as they sat on the kang eating, all with their legs crossed, without the decency of stretching out their legs and putting their toes in front of others. However, looking at He Shi, she was an unreasonable person. Then don't blame her for being impolite.

  Lian Mian'er took advantage of no one noticing. She picked up the chopsticks and fiercely poked Lian Ya's foot once.

  Just then Lian Yu'er let out a loud cry and nearly overturned the dinner table.

  "What's going on? What's happening?"

  "Ouch! Who kicked my foot?" Lian Yu'er cried out in pain and quickly pulled her foot back.

  "Zhou Shi lowered her head and saw it, immediately scolding: "Ya'er, how are you sitting like that? You're getting more and more unrefined." Zhou Shi said as she sniffled, looked at Lian Ya'er's feet again, and then reprimanded He Shi. "Are Ya'er's feet numb from the cold? You should also give her two pairs of socks to wear. Now look what a state she's in."

  Mr. He didn't say anything.

  Lian Man'er quietly put down her chopsticks and only used a spoon to scoop up food.

  "Call Li Si's wife over." said Zhou Shi again. "Give Yaer another wrapping."

  "Just give it to her. Nian'er can take this foot in her mouth. It's shrunk a lot." He Shi quickly picked up a piece of fatty meat and gave it to Lian Nian'er, also picking one for herself.

  Jiang sat beside Gu, who was her aunt. She had a melon-shaped face, big eyes and fine eyebrows. Now she was silently feeding Niu Niu, who was eating another bowl of rice porridge that had been cooked separately. As Jiang fed Niu Niu, she also ate one mouthful at a time herself.

  Everyone quickly finished their meal and was busy clearing the table of bowls and chopsticks.

  Lian Hua was still sitting on the kang. She discussed with Lian Xiu: "Old aunt, tonight I'll come with Duo to keep you company."

  "Come on. I told you to come over and sleep earlier." Lian Xiuer was delighted, "Jizong and the others have returned, your house can't accommodate so many people either."

  After taking a nap, the whole family still had to go down to work. He Shi said she wanted to bandage Lian Niu's feet and wouldn't go to the fields in the afternoon. Zhou Shi nodded and asked Lao Lian again.

  Lao Lao Ye didn't say anything, he just greeted Lian Ji Zu.

  "Follow Grandfather down to the fields."

  Lian Ji Zu looked at Lian Shou Ren and nodded in agreement.

  In the crowd of people working in the fields in the afternoon, there was one less He and one more Lian Jizu. It's not good to wear a straight skirt when going down to work. Lian Jizu took off his straight skirt, Jiang opened the wardrobe, took out a half-new fine cloth jacket and gave it to Lian Jizu to change into, apparently having made preparations earlier.

  "Follow your uncle and help your father with more chores." Before leaving, Lian Shouren also instructed Lian Jizong.

  As I walked along this road in the countryside, I met many fellow villagers who were working in the fields. We all greeted each other and our conversations were similar.

  "Ah, Grandpa is back."

  "Even scholars have to work hard on the land; those who can afford to hire others to work for them are considered fortunate."

  Even the old man couldn't help but chuckle with delight, looking particularly pleased.

  "Will Brother-in-law be able to work?" asked Lian Man'er softly as she walked behind Lian Zhier.

  "You'll know later." Lian Zhier wouldn't say any more, just covering her mouth and laughing.

  They arrived at the field, and Lian Yezi let Lian Jizu take a sickle and work alongside him to cut the sorghum. Because of Lian Zhier's strange attitude, Lian Man'er worked while keeping an eye on Lian Jizu. Lian Jizu wielded his sickle, surprisingly keeping up with Lian Yezi's speed. Upon closer inspection, it became clear that Lian Yezi had already cut the sorghum in front of Lian Jizu's row, and Lian Shouxin, who was on the other side of Lian Jizu, had also helped to cut a considerable amount.

  "This is...the play he performed that time." Lian Man Er was somewhat speechless.

  "Grandpa just wanted to show everyone, previously it was Big Uncle, later on Eldest Uncle grew up a bit, but Big Uncle wouldn't even do something like this, every time he would send Eldest Uncle instead." Lian Zhier said in a low voice.

  The two sisters were whispering to each other when they suddenly heard their elder brother let out a loud "Ah-yo!"

  "Brother, what's wrong, brother?" Lian Shouxin hastily threw down the work in his hands and rushed to Lian Jizong's side.

  Lian Ji Zu was standing on one leg, his face contorted in pain.

  "Fourth Uncle, I've sprained my ankle."

  "How's that? Isn't it impressive?" Even the old man put down his work and came over to ask.

  "It's okay, I can still work." Jian Jizu bravely put his injured foot on the ground, but immediately let out a cry of pain and stumbled.

  Everyone is ahead of him, and of course they won't let him fall behind.

  "My foot is injured, what can I do? Father, why don't we let Jizong go back and rest?" Lian Shouxin suggested.

  Even Lao Yezi didn't respond immediately.

  "Yes, Uncle is a scholar, Dad, you see which scholar can do farm work." Lian Shouyi said with a smile.

  "Yes, let Jizong go back." Lian Shouli said.

  Lian Ji Zu refused to leave, saying he still wanted to continue helping Lian Lao Ye with his work. Lian Shou Xin and several brothers were by his side trying to persuade him. They said that Lian Ji Zu's injury was not light and he must go back and rest.

  "Father, let the heir go back," the crowd pleaded.

  "All right, then you can go back, rest well, Erlang. You help your uncle back." Lian Laoye finally said.

  So Lian Ji Zu leaned on Lian Jia Er Lang's body and hobbled back.

  This afternoon, Lian Man'er spent her time in a daze, occasionally bursting out laughing, and as a result, she was looked down upon by others one after another, receiving cold stares from Lian Zhier, Zhang Shi, and Lian Shouxin.

  The next day, after breakfast, they were going down to the ground again. Lian Ji had sprained her foot and naturally couldn't go. He Shi said that Lian Yu'er had just wrapped her foot for the second time, and she wanted to stay at home to take care of Lian Yu'er.

  "Let Xiuer take care of her, with so many women at home, can't they even take care of Ya'er?" Lao Yezi immediately rejected without even lifting his head.

  That day, still went to the north side of the field, cut was millet. Millet stem than high sorghum stem slender, panicle also must be longer than sorghum panicle, is loose panicle.

  "This year's millet is growing well." Zhang said with a smile, pinching off a grain of millet.

  The millet that has been shelled is called "dahuangmi" here, which is different from the small yellow millet after the wheat has been shelled. Dahuangmi is sticky and usually reserved for winter. The dahuangmi is finely ground into flour, then mixed with a certain proportion of millet flour and small yellow millet flour to make dough, wrapped around small beans (red bean paste) to make glutinous rice cakes, commonly known as "guoba". This guoba can serve as the staple food for rural families here during winter.

  Lian Man Er remembers that the nutrition of this big yellow rice is very rich, and the best way to eat it is with beans, which can comprehensively supplement nutrition, good for the stomach, strengthen the body, and is also suitable for children to eat during growth and development.

  It's really good stuff, even Lian Man'er thought so in her heart.

  After the rice grains, the awns of the millet are also useful and are used as raw materials for making brooms. The brooms they use to sweep the floor and the kang are made from this. Our family has a large broom made from bamboo branches, which is not locally produced and is considered a rare item.

  "Eldest sister-in-law is like a fairy, every time she eats just that little bit." Lian Zhi'er and Lian Man'er work together, can't help but gossip. This time the topic is Jiang's family.

  "Hua Er Jie and Da Bo Niang also ate very little." Lian Man Er said. "They should not be used to eating coarse grains."

  "I saw Duer carrying someone and eating snacks." said Xiao Qi.

  Lian Miao'er thought that, judging from Lao Ye's attitude, the whole family of Dafang was going to live in the village permanently. They were not used to eating coarse grains, and for a day or two they could still get by on some snacks, but after a long time, it was unknown whether they could hold out.

  It was time to take a break again, and Lian Miao went to carry the water jug. She thought it would take some effort, but she picked it up in one go. The weight of the water jug was very light. Lian Miao shook the water jug and opened the lid, only to find that there was no water inside.

  "Who took the watering can this morning and forgot to water?" asked Lian Man Er.

  "It was Second Aunt who filled the water jar this morning," said Wu Lang.

  "How come there's no water in it? Didn't you spill it on the road?" Heh said with a big smile.

  "Second Aunt, this jar is dry both inside and out." Lian Man'er said, if water had been poured in the morning, it wouldn't be like this.

  He smiled and walked over to take the water jug from Lian Man'er's hand.

  "I'm going home to fetch water." Mr. He took the water jar and was about to head back.

  "Second Master's family, you get down." Lao Yezi called out to He Shi, "Let Man Er and Wu Lang go. We'll rest after the water is delivered back."

  He Shi was unwilling, but did not dare to argue with Lian Laoyezi.

  The rules of the Lian family, once they arrived at their destination, no one could leave without Mr. Lian's permission. Lian Man'er knew that Mr. Lian was aware of He Shi's laziness and was worried that if she went out, it would be unknown when she would return, so he let her go with Wu Lang.

  "Hurry up and come back soon, be careful on the road." Zhang reminded.

  Lian Wan'er and Wu Lang hugged the water tank and walked home.

  As soon as Lian entered the gate of her home, she smelled a strong oily smell.

  "It's too early to cook now, and what's with using so much oil?"