Chapter 29 - Transmigration: The Farm Life of a “Fool”

Translator's Note:

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Busy Work

 

 

After breakfast, Xu Ran and the children began preparing to dry the chilies. Since they were planning to make chili paste, the chilies needed to be ground into powder. If they weren't dried properly, they wouldn't be easy to grind.

 

After building the house, there was plenty of leftover material. Xu Ran had asked Xu An and a few others to weave some bamboo mats, which were perfect for drying grains or wheat—multi-purpose and convenient.

 

Xu Ran spread out the bamboo mats and had the children place the chilies on them, while he went to fetch the soybeans. The soybeans they had gathered yesterday were still in their pods, and they also needed to be dried before the beans could be extracted. Soybeans were considered rare in this area, and few people ate or grew them.

 

Although tofu* was available, their household didn't have a stone mill, so they had to pay to have it ground elsewhere. Vegetables like cabbage and radishes were much more popular. Xu Ran couldn't help but think how poor this place truly was.

 

[T/N: Tofu, also known as bean curd, is made from soybeans and involves several key steps. The process is relatively simple but traditionally requires specific equipment like a stone mill to grind the soybeans.]

 

The fact that they'd managed to collect soybeans at all was a stroke of luck, and the thought made him smile with satisfaction.

 

The three of them worked for quite a while, carefully spreading everything out on the bamboo mats to dry.

 

Xu Ran left Guoguo in charge of watching the mats to make sure no sparrows came to steal the food, even though there wasn't much worth stealing.

 

Then, Xu Ran took Tangtang to check on the bamboo. When they had built the house, they had used a lot of bamboo, and there were still plenty of good pieces left stored in the yard.

 

Xu Ran selected a few nice bamboo stalks, planning to cut them into sections to store the chili paste.

 

Since they didn't have any glass jars or the money to buy containers, bamboo was their best option.

 

He cut the bamboo at its natural joints, being careful not to pierce the bottom of each section. He only made a small circular opening on one side. Later, they could use a wooden plug to seal the hole, preventing the chili paste from spilling out. This was the simplest method Xu Ran could think of, though he wasn't sure if it would work since he'd never done it before.

 

As Xu Ran cut the bamboo, Tangtang helped by holding the stalk steady. It took quite a while, and considerable effort, but they finally managed to cut a section with the sickle.

 

Next, Xu Ran found a sturdy branch, about the width of his thumb, and drew a circle around the joint of the bamboo. To prevent the bamboo from splitting when they opened it, Xu Ran soaked it in water for a while before slowly chiseling the hole.

 

Once the hole was carved, Xu Ran smoothed the edges and filled the bamboo section with water. He then inserted the wooden plug tightly into the opening, turning the bamboo upside down. After some time, no water leaked out, and Xu Ran knew his method had worked. His face lit up with a smile.

 

Seeing his father so happy, Tangtang beamed too.

 

Xu Ran continued cutting the bamboo into sections, while Tangtang carefully searched for suitable branches. Following Xu Ran's instructions, he even found an unused firestone in the hearth to help mark circles on the bamboo, based on the size of the branches.

 

The task wasn't hard, and with Tangtang being so clever, he worked diligently.

 

Still, Xu Ran worried he might tire, so he let Tangtang and Guoguo take turns helping.

 

By noon, Liu Tong had not yet returned. Xu Ran guessed he wouldn't be back until the afternoon. For lunch, Xu Ran made mashed potatoes for the children—simple but tasty, despite the lack of seasoning. He also saved a large bowl for Liu Tong and boiled some water to cool, knowing that on such a hot day, Liu Tong would surely be thirsty when he returned.

 

Having lived in modern times, Xu Ran was used to avoiding tap water, preferring not to drink it cold. Even though the ancient water wasn't polluted, he remained cautious of bacteria, knowing it was better to be safe than sorry.

 

After lunch, Xu Ran sent Tangtang and Guoguo off for a nap while he continued his work. He believed that sweetness comes only after hardship, and right now, they were in the midst of the hard days. With the goal of a better life in mind, Xu Ran didn't feel tired at all.

 

Liu Tong finally returned in the afternoon, but he hadn't bought much—just some salt, lard, and a bit of candy for the children. It was a meager haul, but that was their current reality. Despite these circumstances, Tangtang and Guoguo were sensible children who never demanded food, and Liu Tong, as their Ah-mo, never let them go without.

 

After Liu Tong had drunk some water and eaten the mashed potatoes Xu Ran had saved for him, Xu Ran proudly showed off his day's work, like a child eager for praise.

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