Chapter 22: Digging Wild Vegetables

Chapter 22: Picking Wild Vegetables

"Shui Geer, Li Age!" Yin Hongxue came bounding over, calling out softly before he even got close.

Around this time, everyone in Little River Village, young and old, was busy with spring plowing.

It had been a while since Yin Hongxue had seen the two of them.

He was running so fast that he almost plowed right into them—Gu Li had to catch him to stop him.

"Xue Geer, take it easy." Xu Xiaoshui couldn't help but murmur.

Yin Hongxue chuckled and quickly grabbed Xu Xiaoshui's hand.

"Shui Geer, let me see your hand—has it gotten any better?"

Xu Xiaoshui's hands were covered in chilblains. They weren't so bad in winter, but once spring came and the weather warmed, they thawed out and turned itchy and painful.

Yin Hongxue saw this and worried.

So he secretly scooped some of the chilblain ointment Gu Wen and Chen Youyan had bought him years ago, wrapped it in oil paper, and gave it to Xu Xiaoshui.

Yin Hongxue didn't dare take much—the ointment was pricey, and he was scared Gu Wen and Chen Youyan would find out.

Even if they did find out, he knew his fathers wouldn't blame him. But still, that ointment was precious, and farm folks didn't make money easily. He just couldn't be so bold about it.

Xu Xiaoshui shyly held out his hand for Yin Hongxue to look at.

He said softly, "Xue Geer, thanks for the ointment. My hands are a lot better now."

Xu Xiaoshui had hidden the ointment Xue Geer secretly gave him inside his underclothes.

Every night after washing up, he'd hide from his family and sneak a little bit out to rub on his hands.

He didn't dare use too much—just a pea-sized dab each time.

The ointment really was worth the money—even just that little bit had made his hands a whole lot better than before.

His fingers were rough and dark, with a few cracked sores scattered across them.

Since he'd been out digging wild veggies, there was even mud in the cracks.

But they really did look a lot better than the bloody mess they'd been before. Yin Hongxue looked them over from every angle and finally relaxed.

Honestly, the best thing would be to keep his hands out of cold water.

But Yin Hongxue knew how things were at Xu Xiaoshui's place, so he changed the subject. "I can tell they're doing better. Once it warms up more, they won't hurt as much."

He should've had experience with this, but that was from his past life.

His first year with the Gu family, Chen Youyan and Gu Wen had completely cured his chilblains. So many years had passed since then that Yin Hongxue couldn't really remember anymore.

He just remembered that once it warmed up and he got through the itchiest stretch, it would heal.

Once the two had finished catching up, Gu Li chimed in, "Xue Geer, you're here to pick wild veggies too, right? Go on, get to it."

"Yeah."

Yin Hongxue nodded and glanced back over his shoulder.

Gu Chaoning was a little ways off, head down hunting for wild veggies. Maybe sensing the stare, he looked up and glanced over.

Yin Hongxue turned back to Xu Xiaoshui and Gu Li. "Shui Geer, Li Age, I'm heading back now. When it warms up a little more, I'll come pick wild veggies with you."

"Alright, go on." Xu Xiaoshui and Gu Li both nodded.

Yin Hongxue gave Xu Xiaoshui's hands one more look, then turned and trotted back to Gu Chaoning.

In that short time, Gu Chaoning had already lined the bottom of his basket with wild veggies. Without looking up, he just glanced at Yin Hongxue's shoes. "All done talking?"

Yin Hongxue nodded, squatted down, and started picking wild veggies too. "Yeah, I told you it'd just be a minute."

Yin Hongxue always kept his word, so next time he should get to go chat too.

Gu Chaoning didn't catch Yin Hongxue's hidden meaning.

He picked up a wild veggie, shook off the dirt, and asked, "Why didn't you stay longer?"

"Talking too long would slow down the picking," Yin Hongxue said. He was surprised at how many wild veggies Chaoning Ge had found. He shifted his feet and, without moving, dug up another one. "I'll go hang out with them another time."

Yin Hongxue paused after saying that.

In early spring, wild veggies sold for a good price. Grown-ups would bundle two handfuls together, tie them with dry straw, and sell each bundle for five wen.

From now until the wild veggies really started coming in thick, Xu Xiaoshui and Gu Li wouldn't have a spare moment.

Both their families used this window when wild veggies were pricey to make some money selling them.

But honestly, it wasn't really about playing anyway.

Xu Xiaoshui had endless chores all year round, and while Gu Li had it a bit easier, he still had hardly any free time.

When the three of them said they were "playing," they really just meant finding a nice spot to work.

Yin Hongxue then told Gu Chaoning all about it.

He also reflected on himself.

Was he being too lazy? Maybe he should come pick wild veggies with Shui Geer and Li Age too.

Gu Chaoning had just asked casually and didn't really care either way. Seeing the wild veggies here were all picked out, he tugged Yin Hongxue along toward Chen Youyan and Gu Muan.

Gu Chaoning knew about selling wild veggies for cash too—besides Xu Xiaoshui and Gu Li's families, plenty of others in Little River Village did the same.

Five wen a bundle! For farm families who had a hard time making money, that was basically free money.

The wild veggies just grew in the mountains on their own; all they had to do was put in the work.

Farm folks had plenty of muscle—so wasn't it basically free money?

Chen Youyan and Wang Xiuxiu used to do it as well.

But after having kids, when it was just Gu Chaoning, they could still manage some. Once Gu Muan came along, Chen Youyan didn't have free hands anymore.

Then Yin Hongxue joined the family, and with three kids close in age, it was already tough enough.

Gu Daniu and Gu Wen felt bad for their wife and husband, so they made them stop entirely—now they only picked a little each year for the family to eat.

Even though Chen Youyan was up ahead picking wild veggies with Gu Muan, he was keeping an eye on the two kids the whole time.

Seeing the two kids finally show up, he finally let out a sigh of relief.

With Wang Xiuxiu at home cooking, the one adult and three kids dug to their heart's content.

They kept digging until Wang Xiuxiu nearly sent Gu Wen out to look for them, and only then did the oldest lead the younger ones back together.

Gu Wen stood at the door, looking at his dust-covered wife and sons, and couldn't help laughing.

"Did you guys dig up that much?"

At this question, Gu Muan perked up, throwing both hands up high, "Dad, we dug three baskets!"

Chen Youyan had clearly enjoyed the digging too, his eyes crinkling into a smile as he said, "We'll make steamed wild greens buns tonight!"

"Sounds great! I've been wanting that," Wang Xiuxiu responded immediately, bending down to scoop up her little grandson, "I'll mix a dipping sauce with oil, vinegar, garlic, and minced scallions to go with it."

For country folks, there's nothing they love more than this.

Just hearing Wang Xiuxiu say that had the adults' mouths watering.

The kids, with their delicate palates, preferred fine grains and didn't react the same way.

But Yin Hongxue piped up, "Then I'll help wash the veggies!"

Yin Hongxue loved washing veggies—cool, refreshing water in summer, and warm, cozy water in winter.

After washing the veggies and cleaning his hands, he'd apply the hand cream his dad had bought, with a lovely osmanthus scent that made him smell nice all over.

Gu Muan felt he should help too, and after thinking it over, he raised his hand, "Then I'll help Dad taste-test the buns to see if they're done."

With both younger brothers joining in, Gu Chaoning had to raise his hand too, "Then I'll stoke the fire for Dad."

Gu Wen was about to grab that job, but his eldest son beat him to it. He sheepishly lowered his hand, then, as if a lightbulb went off, shot it back up: "Then I'll knead the dough—I've got strong hands!"

Well, that just left Gu Daniu.

Gu Daniu scratched his head. The two tasks he was best at had been snagged by his eldest grandson and his capable son.

He thought and thought, and finally, after a nudge from his second grandson Yin Hongxue, he raised his hand and called out, "I'll peel the garlic for you all!"

With four adults eating a whole pot of wild greens buns, they'd go through a lot of that oil-vinegar-garlic-scallion sauce—so of course, the garlic needed its own dedicated peeler!

Gu Daniu nodded approvingly, then scooped up his sharp second grandson who always got him.

"Alright! Time for lunch!"

Gu Daniu, holding Yin Hongxue aloft, led the way toward the main hall.