Chapter 7 - 7 Chapter 7: Water Chestnut_1 (1/2)

7 Chapter 7: Water Chestnut_1

Translator: 549690339

Jiang Sanlang hummed lightly, scooped up two ladles of water, then pulled the sweat-soaked towel off his shoulder to rinse in the basin. In a few swipes, he washed his face, and wiped his neck and arms.

At last, he felt cool.

Yet, the water in the basin had turned pitch black.

After changing the water, he saw his wife coming over, hand on her waist.

“Sanlang, there’s vegetable soup and flatbreads under the basket. I’ve already eaten with Yingbao. You better eat now,” she said.

“Alright.” Jiang Sanlang nodded, retrieving a large bowl of Shepherds purse soup and five pieces of dark flatbread, plus a boiled goose egg from under the basket.

“Where did this goose egg come from?” Jiang Sanlang asked, sitting at the small table and taking a large bite out of a flatbread.

“Sister Dani brought them.” Chunniang fanned her husband with a palm leaf fan while also fanning Yingbao. “She gave us two. Yingbao and I ate one, the other is for you.”

Jiang Sanlang tasted the soup and took a bite of the flatbread, then exclaimed, “Leave the goose egg for you both tomorrow. They say pregnant women who eat goose eggs will have fair-skinned babies. Why should I, a man, eat such delicacies? It’s a waste!”

Chunniang laughed, “Nonsense, how is it a waste if you eat it? Yingbao and I have boiled eggs every day. Besides, our nephew has been bringing us small shrimps and loaches, we don’t lack just a single goose egg. You better eat now. It’s such a hot day and you are farming under the scorching sun, if you don’t eat some meat and protein, you’ll suffer sunstroke.”

As she spoke, she cracked the goose egg on the table corner, peeled off the shells, and handed it to her husband.

Jiang Sanlang had no choice but to accept and began peeling the shells piece by piece.

While Chunniang seated herself on the high stool, she fanned her husband and daughter. Seeing their two hens crowding around her little girl as if begging for food, she quietly said, “It’s strange, our two hens have gotten fatter lately, and have been laying eggs more diligently, two a day, and all double-yolked.”

Yingbao looked up at Mom, then squatted down to pet the chickens’ heads and stroked their feathery backs.

The two hens clucked, nuzzling their young mistress’s toes affectionately.

At his wife’s words, Jiang Sanlang halted and scrunched his brows, “It must be because they’ve been fed earthworms. Danielle has been bringing Yingbao to collect earthworms for the chickens these days. The chickens are thriving, so of course they lay eggs more frequently.”

“Yeah, that’s right.” Chunniang watched her daughter with a beaming smile, her joy growing the more she looked.

Yingbao was getting more and more beautiful, her entire being was like a delicately carved masterpiece, her refined brows and eyes resembling that of a doll in a New Year picture. Even though she was outdoors all day being exposed to the wind and sun, she hadn’t darkened a bit.

As for the other kids in the village, they were as black as mud loaches as soon as the summer harvest was over, it was unbearable to see.

“Baobao, come here, open your mouth.” Jiang Sanlang held a piece of egg yolk with chopsticks and stuffed it into his daughter’s mouth. He handed another piece to his wife, and then finally started to eat the rest of the goose egg.

After finishing the meal, the family of the three lay down on the mat for a midday nap.

Yingbao couldn’t fall asleep, so when her parents were sound asleep, she snuck out of the house quietly.

The two hens followed her closely.

The three little ones arrived at a little dry ditch.

This was the earthworm haven that Yingbao and Sister Dani frequented. The fertile soil in the ditch was excellent for growing seedlings.

Yingbao squatted down to dig the soil, filling the small bamboo basket with earth rich with fallen leaves, then carried it back and forth to her vegetable patch, scattering it around the seedlings.

After just a few trips, she was panting heavily and had to sit down to rest.

Suddenly remembering something, she smacked her forehead. She had an invisible storage space of her own, didn’t she? Surely, it could be used to transport some soil?

Ah, becoming smaller made her brain rust.

She looked around to find nobody. Everyone was indoors at midday avoiding the heat. Therefore, no matter what she did, no one would see.

Yingbao snapped to attention, picking up the shovel to dig into the soil.

Dig, store, dig, store.

Soon, she had stored a large patch of fertile soil from the ditch.

The two hens, not getting any worms to eat, clucked anxiously, tilting their heads in puzzlement at their mistress.

Yingbao patted them regretfully, promising, “Wait a while, when Sister Dani comes, you’ll have worms to eat.”

She needed to gather more soil while nobody was around to use it for growing seedlings later.

“Baobao, what are you doing?” Not finding his daughter after waking up, Jiang Sanlang rushed out, and there he saw – his little girl, face, hands, and body all covered with deep black soil, squatting in the ditch doing god knows what.

Yingbao jumped up and ran over hastily, followed closely by the two hens. They picked up speed, wings flapping in the process.