At noon, the sun is in the middle of the sky.
The scorching sun is scorching the earth.
At this time, everyone working in the fields went back to take a lunch break.
Cheng Wanwan was cooking lunch in the kitchen, and she didn't leave her daughter-in-law idle. She was in charge of serving the dishes, while Wu Huiniang sat on a stool and controlled the fire in the kitchen.
The weather was too hot, so I cooked corn porridge for lunch, served with some wild vegetables and bamboo shoots, and fried an egg pancake.
The two hens at home are quite diligent. They lay eggs for two days and rest for one day. Plus Cheng Wanwan secretly stuffs a few eggs in from time to time. The eggs saved at home are almost ten.
At this time, Sanniu came back from chopping firewood. He was sweating profusely from exhaustion and drank a large bowl of ice powder in one gulp to relieve the heat.
Cheng Wanwan put the food on the table: "I'm going to call Dashan Sidan back for dinner."
I have been busy doing business these two days, and I have neglected the work in the fields. At noon, everyone else went back to rest, but Zhao Dashan was still busy in the fields.
Wearing a knitted straw hat on his head and no shoes on his feet, he was stepping in the mud of the paddy field, with his trouser legs rolled up above his knees. He was bending over to pull weeds in the paddy field. Suddenly there was water, and the weeds grew rapidly. One day If not taken care of, the grass will grow into large patches, robbing the ground of fertilizer.
"Da Shan, put on your shoes first and go back to eat."
Cheng Wanwan threw the straw sandals he brought over on the field ridge.
Zhao Dashan smiled naively: "I'll go back as soon as I finish pulling out the grass in this acre of land."
Cheng Wanwan shook his head: "Come back later when the sun is not so bright. Go back and wash your hands and eat. I'll call Si Dan."
She continued to walk along the field ridge. Their paddy field was five acres, no more, no less. After walking for more than ten steps, she saw Si Dan squatting on the field ridge digging wild vegetables. The kid's backpack next to him was full of food. Endive, and at his feet were weeds he had pulled out of the rice fields.
Cheng Wanwan sighed, these children were so sensible, and it made her feel bad to be so sensible.
She said: "Sidan, the meal is ready. Let's drive the ducks back together. You go over there, I'll be here."
Twenty little ducks swam leisurely in the clear water of the rice field. From time to time they pecked violently, and a grasshopper was swallowed.
The ducks were playing happily, but suddenly they were driven back, jumping around all over the place.
It was Zhao Sidan's first time chasing ducks, and Cheng Wanwan had little experience in raising ducks. The mother and son were in a hurry.
Aunt Wang from the field next door suddenly popped her head: "Oh, why did this duck fly into my field? Sidan, catch it back quickly, don't ruin my rice!"
Zhao Sidan ran over and explained: "Auntie, my ducks don't eat rice, they eat bugs."
As if to prove himself, the little duck flapped its little wings and landed on Aunt Wang's feet, and pecked a grasshopper on her trouser leg.
Ancient people also called grasshoppers locusts. When she saw these things, Aunt Wang's face turned pale: "Why are there locusts in my rice field? Where did they come from?"
Cheng Wanwan's voice was a little deep: "A few days ago, I discovered that there were locusts in the village, but there were not many of them, so I bought some ducklings and came back to guard the rice fields."
The little duck opened its mouth and swallowed the locust, then quickly caught the next one.
Aunt Wang thought about what happened last year. Black locusts flew over the sky like dark clouds. In less than half a day, thousands of acres of rice were eaten clean.
The locust plague is terrible.
Even if there were only a few here and there, her face would turn pale.
She had been pulling weeds and had never noticed that there were locusts in the field. Now that she saw them, it was impossible to ignore them.
It is difficult for people to catch locusts, but she has seen with her own eyes how powerful this little duck is.
She immediately said: "Da Shan Niang, where did you buy the little duck? How much does it cost for one? I will also buy some and put them in the fields to raise."
"I haven't seen anyone selling ducks in Ping'an Town, only in Hekou Town. I'm going to Hekou Town tomorrow. If I see one, I'll bring it back to you."
Aunt Wang was very grateful and even helped drive the little duck back.
With the cooperation of three people, twenty ducks did not dare to fly around anymore and followed them into the yard obediently.
There were chopped wild vegetables on the ground in the yard that Zhao Sanniu had just collected, but the twenty little ducks had already eaten their fill in the rice fields and didn't even look at the chopped wild vegetables.
Zhao Sidan said with a smile: "Ducks can be full by eating worms. There will be no need for Sister Xia Hua to help dig wild vegetables in the future."
Cheng Wanwan nodded. The duck's day's feeding was perfectly solved. There was indeed no need for Xia Hua to come again. However, Xia Hua was a diligent little girl. Leaving Xia Hua behind was of great use. For example, she now had to go out to pick up hay every day and then tied it into The grass dumplings that can be put into the stove are not very technical, but are extremely time-consuming. Maybe they can be left to Xia Hua.
The family sat down to have lunch. Cheng Wanwan was a little uncomfortable with Zhao Ergou's absence.
I don’t know if the county magistrate took Ergou and the others to have something to eat, and I don’t know if Ergou listened to her instructions... I just hope everything goes well.
After lunch, Cheng Wanwan changed into new clothes.
This is the most common and cheapest kind of homespun cloth in rural areas. It rubs the skin a little and is slightly comfortable when worn. But no matter what, these are new clothes. There are no patches, and there is no dirt accumulated over the years on the collar and cuffs. Wearing them on Feeling refreshed and refreshed.
She took a look at the seven or eight wooden barrels and basins placed in the yard, and had no intention of returning them for the time being, so she took some ice powder left over from the morning and walked towards the Zhao family's old house.
At noon, most farmers take a nap, but the weather is too hot to sleep.
Old man Zhao was sitting at the door cutting trees. He chopped a large fir tree into columns more than half a meter long.
Zhao Youyin and Zhao Youcai were weaving straw mats. The two brothers worked together quickly. Sister-in-law Wen and Sun were also busy with various things.
As soon as Cheng Wanwan walked in, everyone in the yard looked up at her.
Sun's eyes flashed, and her sister-in-law was actually wearing new clothes. The khaki color was white, making her look like she was several years younger.
She felt sour in her heart, and her mouth also had a bit of a sour taste: "Sister-in-law has made a lot of money. She is so reckless that she even wears new clothes. She is so enviable."
When Wen heard this and looked at it, she felt a little envious in her heart.
She only gets new clothes during the Chinese New Year, but last year there was a locust plague and it was a tough year, so the whole family didn't get new clothes.
Cheng Wanwan laughed.
She has money, is it possible that she still wears rags every day?
The purpose of making money is to make yourself live a good life, not to be afraid of this or that, or to eat or wear.
"His third aunt was joking, if I make a lot of money, I should buy silk and satin. Who among the rich would wear homespun clothes?" Cheng Wanwan said softly, "Homespun cloth costs two cents per foot. If his third aunt wants to It’s not like I can’t afford to wear new clothes.”
Mrs. Sun was a little annoyed. She had indeed secretly saved more than a hundred copper coins over the years, but asking her to spend ten cents to buy cloth to make clothes was like cutting a piece of flesh off her body. How could she be willing to do so.
Mrs. Zhao said angrily: "Third daughter-in-law, there is a basin of clothes at the back of the house. Go and wash it."
Sun shook hands and went to the back room.
