After Tan Shi left, peace returned to the backyard.
"Only evil can deal with evil," Yang Ruoqing curled her lips toward the front courtyard kitchen, then turned back to continue washing the nettles in her hands.
Sun Shi rolled up her sleeves and walked over. "Qing'er, take a break. Those nettles sting. Let me do it."
"It's fine, Mom. I'm almost done," Yang Ruoqing said with a grin.
"Then I'll go cook," Sun Shi replied.
"The rice is already on the small stove, just simmering. Once it's done, we can stir-fry two dishes," Yang Ruoqing said casually.
"Well, now, my daughter is getting good at housework. I was only away for a moment checking on your father, and the vegetables are washed, and the rice is already cooking." Sun Shi looked at her with great satisfaction.
Yang Ruoqing shamelessly grinned. She picked up the washed nettles and walked into the kitchen. She spread out a burlap sack on the floor, brought out a chopping board and knife, and started finely chopping the nettles.
"Mom, I've got an idea I want to discuss with you," she said while chopping, glancing at Sun Shi, who was squeezing the bitterness out of the other wild vegetables.
"What is it? Go ahead," Sun Shi replied with a smile as she glanced affectionately at her daughter.
Yang Ruoqing bit her lip and hesitated for a moment, then said, "I want you to keep an eye out for any sows about to give birth. If you hear anything, let's try to get two piglets to raise."
From what Yang Ruoqing understood, in this era, harsh taxes and levies weighed heavily on peasant families.
There was no high-yield hybrid rice from Yuan Longping yet, nor modern fertilizers or pesticides. Crop yields were hard to improve.
If the weather didn't cooperate—floods, droughts, pests, earthquakes—crop failure was likely, and entire harvests could be wiped out.
And taxes still had to be paid regardless. When families couldn't even put food on the table, it wasn't uncommon for them to sell their children.
"Qing'er, didn't our family get two acres of paddy and two acres of dry land in the split? As long as we work hard, even after paying the government, we'll be able to scrape by. Life might be tough, but we won't starve," Sun Shi pondered, then added with a frown, "But we barely have enough grain for ourselves. Where would we get the extra feed pigs? I don't think it's doable."
"If your father's leg weren't like this, we might be able to rent some extra land from that landlord Zhao in the next village. Maybe then we could raise a piglet. But with him the way he is, it's just the two of us women—we couldn't manage the extra land even if we rented it," she said, clearly worried.
Yang Ruoqing smiled and said, "Don't worry, Mom. You just focus on finding the piglets. Once we get them, I'll take Da'an and Xiao'an with me to cut pig grass every day. No matter what, I'll raise those piglets!"
"Our family's land is barely enough to feed the five of us, and we don't have a single coin of spare cash." She continued analyzing: "Dad's medicine costs money. If either of the boys falls sick, that's more expenses. During holidays or when visiting relatives, everything we need costs money."
"Mom, let's endure the hardship now. If we raise the piglets well and sell them later, we'll have money and even meat on the table. Things might be hard for a while, but it'll pay off. What do you say?"
Looking into her daughter's bright, eager eyes and hopeful smile, Sun Shi's heart swelled with emotion.
Her daughter's words filled her with hope. She too wanted to have some ready money—enough to buy decent clothes for the children or supplements for her husband.
But this year, it seemed impossible. The cotton fields all belonged to Qing'er's grandparents. Their third household had practically left the main house with nothing.
"Mom, trust me. If we get two piglets, we won't lose money!" Yang Ruoqing urged again.
Moved by her daughter's determined expression, Sun Shi nodded firmly. "Alright!"
Yang Ruoqing caught the serious look on her mother's face and nearly laughed.
Just two piglets? That was only the tip of the iceberg in her grand plan to make money.
She spread the chopped nettles evenly over the burlap sack, then she and Sun Shi carried it out to the courtyard and laid it over a stone mill to dry.
Once dried, the nettles could be stored long-term without spoiling. This was going to be pure, natural, organic pig feed—nutritious and safe for her future piglets!
After spreading out the nettles to dry, the fragrant aroma of rice cooking wafted from the kitchen.
Yang Ruoqing picked out two dried chili peppers gifted by Aunt Guihua and soaked them in water. She found a chipped clay bowl and two eggs, also from Aunt Guihua.
Crack! Crack!
With two crisp sounds, the eggs were dropped into the bowl. She picked up a pair of bamboo chopsticks and beat the eggs until the golden mixture was smooth and uniform.
Switching to a small frying pan, she added a bit of rapeseed oil, which began to sizzle.
She chopped the rehydrated chilis into a pinkish-red chili paste, smashed a garlic clove, and added both to the egg mixture. After a pinch of salt and another quick stir, she poured it all into the hot oil.
"Zzzzz…"
The cheerful sizzle filled the air as the egg mixture began to solidify at the bottom of the pan, transforming from a thick liquid into a golden omelet.
Yang Ruoqing held the spatula steadily, squatting beside the stove, skillfully and carefully flipping the omelet.
The rich aroma of egg mixed with the sharp spiciness of chili and the fragrance of garlic filled the air, blending into an irresistible scent that made one's mouth water.
Sun Shi stood nearby, dumbfounded. She had cooked dinner last night, but this meal was all her daughter's doing.
She could hardly believe her eyes. Inhaling deeply, she asked, "Qing'er, you've never even held a spatula before. Where did you learn all this?"
Still tending the egg, Yang Ruoqing grinned over her shoulder. "Haven't eaten pork, but at least I've seen pigs walk, right? I watched you cook so many times—I just picked it up!"
Sun Shi was convinced and amazed. Her daughter was truly clever, with such a good memory!
Yang Ruoqing plated the chili egg and rinsed the frying pan clean with water. After pouring it out, she returned the pan to the stove.
She stir-fried some baby bok choy from Aunt Guihua, then made a soup using matsutake mushrooms picked yesterday and fresh wild vegetables from today, garnishing it with some chopped scallions.
Mother and daughter brought all the dishes next door to set up beside Yang Huazhong's bed. He had already woken up and, with Sun Shi's help, was sitting up in bed, wearing his shirt.
"Ah-choo!"
He caught a whiff of the spicy aroma and couldn't help sneezing. The tantalizing smell immediately stirred his appetite.
(End of Chapter)