Reborn in a small mountain village in 1991

Chapter 4 Seizing the Initiative

"Can we eat meat tomorrow?" Xu Yaomei asked, pointing to the piglets outside.

"Hahaha..." Upon hearing this, the adults laughed again.

"We'll eat meat when the piglets are bigger," Mother Xu said, gently tapping her youngest daughter's head.

Xu Hongjun put down his bowl without saying a word, but then put another egg on Yaomei's plate, distributed the rest to the others, and ate sweet potato rice with pickled radish and houttuynia cordata.

Xu Chunsheng saw this and felt a pang of sadness. He pinched his younger sister's braid and said, "We'll have meat to eat tomorrow."

Everyone assumed Xu Chunsheng was joking and didn't take it seriously.

However, he had some plans in mind, but he couldn't tell his family yet, for fear of ending up with nothing.

After lunch, although the sun was high in the sky, it wasn't as scorching as summer. It was the perfect time to hurry up and turn over the soil to plant crops.

The eldest sister was tidying up the table to wash the dishes. Xu's parents picked up their tools and a pot of coarse tea to go to the fields. Before leaving, they said to Xu Chunsheng, "Go and tidy up the thatched hut, and return Liu Shubing's basket later."

He turned his head and glanced at Xu Yaomei in the corner, then smiled.

"Little pig, little pig, grow up quickly..." Xu Yaomei muttered to herself, staring at the piglets. It seemed she wasn't in the mood to go to the field to catch crickets today.

Xu Chunsheng nodded in agreement and walked a few steps to the thatched hut to tidy up the various things piled up in the pigsty.

Actually, the Xu family has always had a pigsty, but unfortunately they never had the chance to raise pigs. When their mother had a difficult childbirth with their youngest daughter, they borrowed a lot of money from relatives and even sold the pigs that hadn't grown up. They haven't been able to do much work since then, and now they only help weed in the fields.

Moreover, besides paying off the debt, the family used all the extra money for their third brother Xu Chunfeng's schooling, so the matter was delayed, and the pigsty was used to store miscellaneous goods.

Before long, Xu Chunsheng cleaned out the pigpen and had just put the piglets in when his older sister brought over a basket of chopped goose intestines.

It turned out that after the eldest sister finished cleaning up in the kitchen, she saw that Xu Chunsheng didn't need any help, so she went to the vegetable garden to pick some pig feed and chopped it up, which was just right to feed the pigs.

"Big sister, I'm going to return Uncle Liu's basket."

While his eldest sister was holding his youngest sister and watching the piglets eat, Xu Chunsheng picked up a small hoe and sickle hanging by the window, and also grabbed two bags and put them in his basket.

Liu Shubing's house is at the end of the village, near the mountains. After returning the basket, Xu Chunsheng can go to the mountains to take a look.

Xu Chunsheng remembered that there was a shady, low cliff deep in the back mountain, and he wanted to go there to take a look.

He remembered that the price of Ophiopogon japonicus had skyrocketed in the past two years, but he didn't know exactly when.

As for the large patch of wild liriope that was hidden in the back mountain, it had not yet been discovered at this time.

There was a large field of wild Ophiopogon japonicus that was discovered later, after the price of Ophiopogon japonicus had skyrocketed. The ones by the roadside and on the front mountain that were easy to dig up had all been dug up by everyone, so everyone mustered up their courage and headed to the back mountain.

Someone risked going down the cliff and discovered this treasure trove. They sold it for a good price and boasted about it in the village for a long time, which is why Xu Chunsheng remembered it.

Xu Chunsheng thought that since he had been reborn, he should seize the opportunity and dig up everything he could. That way, he could exchange the Ophiopogon japonicus for money tomorrow and buy some meat.

That's why he told his younger sister earlier that they would be able to eat meat tomorrow.

But by evening, none of the family members had seen Xu Chunsheng.

The family began to have doubts. They thought that although Xu Chunsheng was usually lazy, liked to go out and idly, and didn't like to do chores, it was unusual for him to be nowhere to be seen even after dinner.

The eldest sister, Xu Chunhua, remembered that her younger brother had said he was going to return the basket that afternoon, so she guessed that he had gone into the mountains.

This is the time when wild game is in season, and many people go into the mountains to collect it.

However, most of the wild animals that are easy to find on the front mountain have already been picked clean, so if you want to find something, you have to go to the back mountain.

However, wild boars often roam the back mountain, so it's not easy to go there without five or six strong men together.

Xu's mother, holding Xu Yaomei, stamped her feet by the table, "Husband, could something have happened to Erwa in the mountains?"

Father Xu picked up a sickle and said in a deep voice, "You all stay home and lock the doors. I'll go get some help, and we'll go into the mountains together..."

Before they could finish speaking, they heard a thumping sound outside. The family quickly went out to see what was going on and found Xu Chunsheng unloading a nylon bag. The bag was bulging inside, and they didn't know what was inside.

"What have you been doing? It's been so long since you came back." The eldest sister said with a stern face, looking Xu Chunsheng up and down several times. She didn't see any injuries, and then she unconsciously breathed a sigh of relief.

Seeing his family's anxious expressions, Xu Chunsheng realized that he had acted impulsively.

Whether or not you can find it today, you should tell your family in advance so they don't worry.

Xu Chunsheng scratched his head, untied the bag on the ground, took out a handful of "sour grass" flowers and handed them to his younger sister. This grass has brittle stems, small pinkish-white flowers with pointed tips, and a sweet and sour taste when chewed. It is a special snack for rural children in this season.

Xu Chunsheng opened the bag and saw that it contained bundles of Ophiopogon japonicus with the roots still attached.

"I went to the mountains to find Ophiopogon japonicus. I plan to sell it in the county tomorrow to get some money, and also send some living expenses to my younger brother."

Xu Chunsheng took the water that Xu Yaomei brought him, moistened his mouth, and said to his parents.

However, Xu Chunsheng was in a hurry and didn't actually search for them one by one in the mountains. Instead, he simply relied on his memories from his previous life to find large areas of ready-made wild Ophiopogon japonicus.

"There are fewer people growing Ophiopogon japonicus now, so there will be less of it. The stock in pharmacies will eventually run out, and the price will definitely go up."

Xu Chunsheng spoke to his family.

Mr. Xu nodded: "That's right, your idea is good!"

"So, I plan to go to the county tomorrow to see what the situation is like, and if it's appropriate, I'll bring back some Sichuan Ophiopogon japonicus seedlings."

……

The eldest sister looked down at the Ophiopogon japonicus root in her hand, then at her parents who were helping to cut the roots, and was somewhat surprised.

I don't know why, but in just one day, everyone unconsciously listened to the younger brother's words and even forgot to mention that he went to the back mountain.

Indeed, many hands make light work. Xu Chunsheng thought about how he had spent a whole afternoon digging in the mountains and only managed to fill two bags with roots and saplings.

In just a short while, these lilyturf plants have already separated into roots and seedlings.

The real big project is next – cleaning!

Only after the roots of Ophiopogon japonicus are cleaned of mud, dried until semi-dry, and excess roots are trimmed can they fetch a good price. This is why many people are unwilling to collect them even when they see them growing by the roadside, as it is too much trouble.

Xu Chunsheng and his father rolled up their trousers, each carrying a basket, and barefooted, they began to tread on the ophiopogon japonicus inside. Xu's mother and eldest sister each carried a basin and were responsible for rinsing the baskets with water. Xu's youngest sister sat on a stool, occasionally plucking a flower and sucking on it.

"hiss."

The father and son both gasped. Although the weather had warmed up in March, the water they used was drawn from the mountains, and it was still quite cold, especially at night.

The group looked at each other and laughed, their hands and feet moving even faster.

Xu Yaomei jumped off the stool, went inside to get a washcloth, walked up to Xu Chunsheng, and raised her little hand. "Brother, lower your head, let me wipe your sweat."