Chapter 20 - Transmigration: The Farm Life of a “Fool”

Translator's Note:

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Here you go, and I wish you a good read.

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Pig Feed

 

 

With a basket strapped to his back, Xu Ran led a group of children out the door, setting off in high spirits. Not knowing where to find suitable pig feed, he turned to Dahu and asked, "Dahu, where can we find pig feed?"

 

"I know! Follow me, I'll show you," Dahu shouted, running ahead to guide them.

 

As soon as the children stepped outside, they ran wild, like a herd of untamed colts. Even Tangtang and Guoguo couldn't resist joining in. Thankfully, the roads were empty, so there was no risk of bumping into anyone. Xu Ran let them be, trusting they wouldn't cause too much trouble.

 

In his mind, Xu Ran calculated how much pig feed they'd need—not just for Wu Mei's family, but for the two other households as well. It looked like he would have to put in some hard work this afternoon.

 

Dahu led them to a spot near the back of the mountain. The area was shaded by the mountain itself, sheltered from the sun. The land was wild and overgrown with all kinds of weeds, perfect for gathering. Xu Ran even spotted some wild vegetables among the greenery. While he couldn't keep track of the other children, he could manage his own, so he instructed Tangtang and Guoguo to keep an eye on the others.

 

Although Xu Ran didn't expect the children to do any real work, they were surprisingly eager to help. They gathered around him, enthusiastically picking out edible plants for the pigs.

 

Xu Ran worked quickly. After all, he'd done this kind of thing since childhood. Even though he had a new body, his hands still remembered the skill. He also set aside any wild vegetables they could eat, placing them in a separate pile.

 

Among the plants, Xu Ran found "zhe'ergen," also known as fish mint. This was a valuable find—its roots and leaves were both edible and great for stimulating the appetite. Though the leaves were too old now, the roots were still good. He cut the leaves to use as pig feed and called Tangtang over. "Tangtang, come here."

 

Tangtang had been busy collecting pig feed but ran over immediately when he heard his father call, wiping the sweat from his brow. "Daddy, what is it?"

 

"Tangtang, go back with Dahu and bring a hoe. Daddy found something we can eat. We'll dig it up and have it for dinner tonight."

 

Though Tangtang didn't know what his father had found, he ran off to find Dahu, eager to help.

 

In order to make time for digging up the zhe'ergen, Xu Ran hastened his cutting of the pig feed. When they first arrived, they had two full baskets, but Xu Ran felt certain that wouldn't be enough for the three households. Nevertheless, he focused on filling the two baskets first before cutting a large pile to set aside for later. Whatever he couldn't carry home now, he could fetch after Liu Tong and the others returned in the evening.

 

By the time he had gathered enough for about three full baskets, it had taken him an hour and a half, leaving his hands aching.

 

Yet, in front of the children, Xu Ran kept his discomfort to himself.

 

He picked up the hoe that Tangtang and Dahu had brought back and began to dig for the zhe'ergen, instructing the older children to gather what he unearthed while he focused on digging.

 

"Tangtang, Dahu, make sure to pick the tender ones; toss the old ones into the pig feed, understood?"

 

"Got it, Daddy!"

 

"Uncle Xu, understood!" the two children replied cheerfully.

 

By the time they had gathered a decent amount of zhe'ergen, the sun had already set behind the mountains. In summer, darkness came late, so even after the sun set, they still had a bit of time before it was truly dark.

 

Since they didn't have anything to store the zhe'ergen in, Xu Ran found some long pieces of grass and tied the zhe'ergen into bundles, giving each child one to carry. Meanwhile, he slung a basket of pig feed over his back.

 

Worried that leaving the pig feed behind might invite someone to take it, Guoguo volunteered to stay behind and keep watch.

 

Xu Ran thought that as long as he went and returned quickly, there shouldn't be any issues. So, he agreed and left Liu Qing's son, Gouzi, behind to keep Guoguo company.

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