Chapter 39: Warmth
“As expected!”
With the experience from the previous two times, seeing the ‘rampant’ space again, Su Ning only had the thought that it was indeed so.
On the hilltop for raising livestock, the newly hatched chicks, ducklings, and goslings had all grown up, and the hen moms had diligently hatched several more broods.
The shed was full of the chirping sounds of the little ones, while the eggs left outside seemed to have gotten used to being ignored.
Using spiritual power, she collected the eggs, the grown chickens, ducks, and geese, and the slaughtered pigs, cattle, and sheep into the underground storage room.
Fortunately, things like manure in Peach Blossom Spring would automatically turn into fertilizer and seep into the ground without leaving any odor.
Otherwise, she really wouldn’t have the courage to raise so many guys running all over the hilltop, pooping everywhere.
Dutifully preparing pig feed for the piglets, with just a thought, the stone trough was filled to the brim.
“The method Uncle Li taught for feeding pigs, cattle, and sheep is pretty good; not only do they fatten up quickly, but the meat from those ready for slaughter is also particularly fragrant!”
If there was a chance in the future, she would have to properly thank this warm-hearted uncle.
Thinking of the delicious dishes made from them, she couldn’t help but sigh.
After collecting all the fruits from the fruit mountain, and the big fish, shrimp, and crabs splashing in the river.
Then collecting the grain and vegetables from the field and sowing a new batch of seeds, Su Ning finally finished her work, her stomach starting to growl.
Coming to the kitchen, she took a plate of pepper-salt ribs, stir-fried pork segments, a portion of shrimp and vegetable soup from the table, and served a bowl of white rice, all placed on a tray, then carried it to the stone table in the courtyard to eat!
Delicious food plus fresh sweet fruits afterward was enough to heal everything.
Su Ning, stuffed and with a bulging little belly, slowly strolled along the riverside to aid digestion, looking at the vibrant Peach Blossom Spring Space, a faint sense of regret welling up in her heart.
Days where she could eat whatever she wanted whenever she wanted—if her maternal grandfather and mom were here, how great that would be.
……
The next day, she unusually slept in and didn’t get up early.
Outside the wide-open window, the sun had already climbed into the courtyard, the magnolia flowers on the table swaying their branches, emitting waves of faint elegant fragrance.
Getting out of bed, she took a gray polka-dot short-sleeved shirt from the wardrobe, paired it with blue work pants, and finally grabbed a pair of thick-soled red-edged beige Huili shoes from the crossbar below the wardrobe.
After changing into the clothes and shoes, she ran her hands through her scalp a few times, and with a few deft flips of her flexible hands, two braids hung down in front of her chest.
She tucked the stray hairs by her cheeks and the bangs on her forehead, then took out the pearl hairpin Ying Ying gave her and pinned it to one side.
Only then did Su Ning leave the bedroom and head to the bathroom to wash her face and brush her teeth.
After casually eating some millet porridge with steamed buns from the space in the morning, she took the hoe and went up the fruit mountain.
She had already decided to plant two peach trees, one pear tree, and grapes in the courtyard, so she had to treat them carefully—after all, these would be the sources of her visible fruits in the future.
As for the two kinds of flowers for arranging into a flower wall, she had asked the grandfather and grandmother in the courtyard who loved growing flowers and plants for quite a few cuttings and seeds back then, including Chinese trumpet vine and climbing roses.
But at the time, to let them grow better, she had planted them on the back side of the fruit mountain.
By the time she dug out the fruit tree saplings and the branched flowers she had planted before bed last night, and replanted them in the courtyard, several hours had passed.
Just building the grapevine trellis under the eaves took a lot of time, energy, and effort.
“Knock knock knock~”
“Who is it?”
Su Ning, who had just wiped the sweat from her forehead and slumped onto the bamboo chair in the courtyard to rest, heard the knock on the gate.
“Ning Bao Gai!”
Such a unique name—it was obvious who it was just from hearing it.
She rose with a smile before even speaking and opened the door.
“Good thing I didn’t get the wrong place!”
Seeing the familiar face behind the door, Luo Shuangshuang let out a sigh of relief and showed a big smile. “What are you doing? You’re covered in dirt?”
“Here~”
Stepping aside to let her in, Su Ning pointed to the newly transplanted fruit trees and flowers in the courtyard.
“Wow, impressive!”
When she was young, Luo Shuangshuang had wanted to learn from her mom to raise some flowers and plants she liked, but everything she planted died, so her family kept advising her to stop harming the poor flowers and plants before she completely gave up.
But giving up didn’t mean she didn’t like them.
Imagining the sight of flowers blooming all over the courtyard, Luo Shuangshuang said excitedly.
“When they bloom, I definitely have to come appreciate them properly!”
“No problem, I can even give you a basket.”
“Then it’s settled~”
As the two walked into the courtyard chatting and laughing, Su Ning had already squatted down and pumped the pressure well hard, washing the mud off her hands.
Learning that she had come right after waking up, and that Luo Fussen and his wife had gone to work early, Su Ning directly took her to the kitchen.
“Ning Bao Gai, don’t tell me you can cook too?!”
“I just learned not long ago. Dare to try it?”
Hearing this, Luo Shuangshuang secretly swallowed, thinking of her older brother who, the first time he came back from a business trip, insisted on cooking for them, and that meal almost sent the whole family off.
Even thinking about it now made her scared, with lingering fear.
How to politely refuse this deadly good intention without hurting her self-esteem?
“Heh~”
Her eyebrows twisted almost into caterpillars; Su Ning looked at her face full of obvious little thoughts, both amused and annoyed. “Rest assured, it won’t kill you.”
Luo Shuangshuang, clutching her chest tightly: What to do, even more scared now!
What was that saying about “mountains and rivers seem to bar the way, then willows darken and flowers brighten another village”?
This was it.
The reversal came very quickly and caught her off guard.
……
Looking at the washed rice and the cut vegetables, the two standing in the kitchen looked at each other, each with their own thoughts.
Luo Shuangshuang, inwardly thrilled and delighted: Good, good, dodged a bullet!
Su Ning, realizing too late in her busyness: Now she can’t prove her innocence.
“Hahaha~”
“Hehehe~”
Rubbing her aching belly from laughter, Luo Shuangshuang hooked her arm. “Forget it, I’ll try your cooking next time. Can I treat you today?”
“Sure, but no need for next time. After we eat, I’ll buy coal briquettes and firewood and bring them back, so dinner works?”
“You’re really not letting me off, huh?”
“Gotta let you know that facts beat eloquence.”
Strangely, though they’d only known each other a short time, their rapport was surprisingly good—a tacit understanding where a glance conveyed everything.
Maybe, as someone said, fate matters between people.
And they two were destined to be lifelong friends, with the long years ahead as the best proof.
……
South Gate Street state-run restaurant.
It was right at peak lunch time with lots of people; when they arrived, the hall was already full.
“Ning Bao Gai, you go ask over there if we can share a table. I’ll go order first.”
Afraid she’d beat her to paying with money and ration coupons, Luo Shuangshuang hurried to the ordering window before finishing her words.
Su Ning shook her head with a smile and walked in the direction she had pointed.
“Comrades, hello. Is this seat taken? Can we share the table?”
The two who had been wolfing down their food both looked up simultaneously; the male comrade wearing an army green vest with a blue work short jacket came to his senses first.
Seeing his companion nod in agreement without objection, he immediately hung the water bottle from the empty chair behind him. “No, no one, just us two.”
“Thank you.”
With such a pretty female comrade sitting opposite, the two who had been eating ferociously restrained themselves a bit.
Waving her little hand at Luo Shuangshuang to signal the spot, Su Ning quickly got up to take the large bowl from her hands.
“Today’s special red-braised lion’s head—we came late and missed it, so I ordered two portions of shredded pork rice noodles.”
Luo Shuangshuang set down what she was holding, politely smiled at the table-sharing pair, then turned back to continue saying to her.
“Ning Bao Gai, you haven’t tried our specialty rice noodles yet, right? See if you can get used to them; if not, I’ll swap for something else.”
Round rice noodles topped with shredded pork, wood ear mushrooms, and green and red chili peppers.
One bite was chewy, and with the soup poured over, it was very numbing, spicy, fresh, and fragrant, so delicious it lit up her eyes.
“How is it, how is it?”
“Very delicious!”
“Good as long as you like it.”
Relieved that it matched a good friend’s taste, Luo Shuangshuang beamed, picked up her chopsticks, twirled them in the bowl, rolled up a bite, blew on it, and put it in her mouth.
……
Fu Jiaming, who had finished eating and was preparing to leave, subtly nudged his companion’s arm, not laughing until they left the state-run restaurant.
“Yan Qi, you heard what those two said, right? Such pretty female comrades—how are their parents so clueless?”
Hmm, looking at the backend data, the little cuties from Qidian and Xiaoxiang are way ahead; what about our main site’s little and big cuties?
The pear is a bit cute and silly, waving her paws: Begging for votes~ And thanks to all the supporting sisters, big and small cuties()
