CHAPTER 91: CHAPTER 91: THE TWENTY-NINTH DAY

In the past, Wang Xiang would often come looking for Eryniang without any particular reason. Now that Wang Xiang is bedridden and needs rest, Eryniang takes some time in the afternoons to visit her, keeping her company and chatting.

The Liu family is especially welcoming to them. Liu Yang even bought some candy when he was out buying medicine. Each time Eryniang brings the children over, he gives them a piece.

In the hearts of the Liu family, they are lifesavers.

However, because of this, Eryniang feels a little embarrassed to keep bringing the children over. If Jiang Hu is at home, she leaves the children with him to watch over.

The chilly wind is fierce, and around the twentieth day of the twelfth lunar month, it even rained for several days. The whole sky is gloomily overcast, with late dawns and early nights. Even going out to gather pig fodder leaves one’s fingers freezing red.

Whenever he has time, Jiang Hu takes on most of these tasks himself. Eryniang primarily watches the children, cooks, and tends to household chores.

The couple has a good relationship, caring deeply for each other. Jiang Hu doesn’t want Eryniang to suffer from the cold outdoors, so Eryniang used leftover scraps of fabric to make Jiang Hu two pairs of gloves.

After being on bed rest for over half a month, Wang Xiang is finally recovering without much trouble. However, Liu Yang caught a wild rabbit and asked Jiang Hu to join them on a trip to town to have a doctor give a final check-up.

As for that wild rabbit, it wasn’t given to Jiang Hu. Instead, Jiang Hu took it with them to personally deliver the news to Old Man Ding.

Old Man Ding naturally did not blame them. He merely pretended to coldly take the rabbit and then let them leave.

As for Wang Xiang, according to the doctor, her health is still not great, but the child is currently fine. She needs to rest more and should not exert herself during the pregnancy.

She also needs a period of recuperation afterward, or she will suffer in the future.

Soon, the twenty-fourth day of the twelfth lunar month arrived. All their cabbage and radishes from the field were gone. Even if they sent only twenty to thirty pounds of vegetables to the restaurant each day, they only planted an acre after all.

With just a few days left before the New Year, the couple tilled the field together, added some cow manure, and then let the land rest for ten to fifteen days. When spring comes, they’ll see what to plant then.

The shopkeeper Liu had his eyes on their two pigs, constantly mentioning them for four to five days. Finally, on the twenty-ninth, the day before New Year’s Eve, Jiang Hu delivered them to the restaurant.

Both pigs were small, weighing only about a hundred pounds, as they started raising them during summer.

Along with the two pigs, Jiang Hu also selected a rabbit and a rooster with great difficulty. It wasn’t possible to provide more.

Mainly because Tongfu Restaurant had accepted the New Year’s Eve dinners from two wealthy families, this year, the shopkeeper Liu was unquestionably their benefactor. The rooster and rabbit were a token of appreciation, good for the restaurant’s ambience.

Jiang Hu took them to town in the morning and returned by noon, bringing back twenty pounds of meat, with both fatty and lean meat, as well as ribs and thigh bones.

Not only that, but surprisingly, there were also four piglets!

Eryniang nearly had her eyes pop out seeing the piglets: "Didn’t we say we’d buy piglets after the New Year? Why did you bring them back so early!"

She originally thought that after selling the pigs before the New Year, she wouldn’t have to gather pig fodder and could finally take a good rest.

Who knew that after selling the two big ones, he would bring back four small ones!

Jiang Hu was also helpless: "It was the shopkeeper Liu. When I got there, these little piglets had already been bought by him. He said he bought them yesterday especially for us."

Eryniang: "..."

Soon after, Jiang Hu put the pork and the other items he bought into the kitchen properly, then turned around and brought out two buckets of something.

"Eryniang, look, what’s this?"

The smell was strong, and Eryniang covered her nose as she approached, surprised: "Swill? From the restaurant?"

Jiang Hu nodded: "Yes, the shopkeeper Liu said the family that used to take the swill to raise pigs had their son move them to the county, allowing me to take it every day to feed the pigs, saving us from looking for pig fodder every day."

Eryniang instantly beamed with joy: "That’s wonderful, the restaurant’s swill is rich with nutrients. Feeding the pigs will make them grow fast. Cooking the swill with pig fodder every day will make pig farming much easier."

Pigs eat a lot, and she was worried that with too many pigs, there wouldn’t be enough time to look for pig fodder when busy. Now she could be more at ease.

Jiang Hu carried the swill to the area behind the pigpen designed for cooking pig feed.

Eryniang, no longer worried, looked at the piglets, growing fonder with each glance. When Jiang Hu returned, they lifted the bamboo basket together, placing the piglets into the pen.

Fortunately, Eryniang had already cleaned the pigpen in the morning. She had planned to clean it now, so that when they bought the piglets after the New Year, they could be placed directly in the pen. She didn’t expect it to be used so soon.

The piglets hadn’t eaten since last night and were now even less inclined to eat. They had to be given water before gradually feeding them.

The winter cold was relentless. The piglets were just two months and about thirty pounds, so they couldn’t eat cold or raw food. Eryniang lit the fire while Jiang Hu fetched two buckets of water from the kitchen, preparing to boil some hot water for the pigs before cooking their feed.

By the pigpen, Jiang Hu had also bought a large water vat. Rainwater was collected when it rained, and during dry days, he fetched water from the nearby river.

However, the remaining water was used by Eryniang to wash the pigpen.

Just as the fire was lit, Dawa and Erni came back from the field with Xiaomi and Tiedan.

The four siblings were digging for bugs in the field earlier, and Xiaomi, out of curiosity, joined them.

"Dad, I caught bugs, lots of them. Let’s go fishing!"

Dawa was excited. Even though they had fished before, he was still filled with anticipation.

Jiang Hu glanced at Eryniang.

Tomorrow was New Year’s Eve, and they weren’t too busy today.

Eryniang nodded with a smile: "Go, be careful with the children."

Dawa quickly beat his chest, assuring: "Don’t worry, Mom. I’ll keep an eye on my siblings."

This wasn’t the first time he was taking his siblings with him. Each time their dad went fishing, Xiaomi wanted to tag along. If Xiaomi went, Tiedan would undoubtedly follow too.

Thanks to Xiaomi’s diligence, Tiedan, only eleven months old, could already walk. Though slowly, he was being led by Dawa now.

Jiang Hu extended his big hand and picked up Tiedan in his arms: "Let me get a bamboo basket, and we’ll go fishing."

Xiaomi cheered and ran toward the river, with Dawa quickly following: "Xiaomi, wait, slow down, be careful not to fall."

Chasing after Xiaomi, he didn’t forget to remind Erni: "Erni, walk slowly too, wait for Dad."

He promised Mom he’d take good care of his siblings.

Dawa, being older, quickly caught up to Xiaomi in a few steps, holding her hand: "Xiaomi, you’re naughty again, running so fast alone. The river is dangerous. We need to walk together."

Xiaomi stuck out her tongue at her brother: "I won’t get close, I’ll stay far away."

She just wanted to have fun by the river.

But, when the opportunity arose, she had to figure out a way to sneak to the river alone.