Chapter 38: Other People’s Thoughts
Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
"Little Jiang is back. I saw you going to town this morning, but you were walking so quickly that I couldn't call out to you." It was the village chief, Li Mu.
The cloth and food were wrapped into a bundle and carried on Jiang Hu's back. He was still carrying Xiaomi in his arms. This little fellow was heavy and the journey was so long, so only Jiang Hu could carry her.
"Village Chief, Erniang is out of confinement. I wanted to take her to town to take a walk and buy some things. I'm a man and a thoughtless one. It didn't occur to me to buy many things we need at home."
The village chief was not only chosen casually by the villagers, but he had to be registered in the government office in the town to be officially certified.
Li Mu had been around all this while. He was fair and could read and write. He had helped everyone deal with many small problems. Therefore, when they were choosing a village chief, he was elected.
"That's true, but it's not a short journey. I'm afraid it won't be easy to bring the children along."
As the village chief spoke, he sighed. Fu'an Village was too remote. They were allotted this village after others had their turn in choosing where to settle down.
Jiang Hu smiled. "It's alright. We're all resting along the way. It's already afternoon."
The village chief nodded. "Alright, you should go back quickly and rest well. Looking at the weather, I'm afraid there won't be rain for the time being. We still have to continue watering the fields tomorrow."
Jiang Hu's family had watered half of the crops yesterday, and they would be busy with the rest.
"Then we'll leave first." After parting ways with the village chief, Jiang Hu hurried home with his family.
Fortunately, most people were working in the fields at this moment. Even if they saw them, they gave up on coming their way because they were too far away.
After walking a little further, Dawa asked in confusion, "Dad, Mom, why did the village chief stop us? It was just to say a few words."
Erniang changed her grip on Bruiser. "It was to see what we bought. However, your father didn't enter the mountain yesterday afternoon. Everyone else knows that there's no game meat at home, so they aren't curious."
Dawa sighed like a grownup. "Mom, why is everyone so concerned about how much money our family earns and what we buy? Sometimes, when I go out to play, they like to ask me."
"This…" Erniang looked at Jiang Hu for help. She knew why, but she did not know how to explain it to the children.
Jiang Hu did not mind. "That's not just a concern. They're just afraid that we'll earn too much money and live too well. After all, we have many children and not many workers. Everyone thinks that our family has to live a harder life."
Dawa pursed his lips. "Those people are so bad. Why can't our family live a good life? Daddy is so awesome, good at work, and good at catching prey. You can clearly earn a lot of money.
"Besides, Xiaomi and Bruiser are part of our family. If Daddy didn't let them know about the insects and weeds, how could they catch so much prey?"
Dawa was still young and did not understand the intricacies involved. He felt that those people were bad.
Jiang Hu knew that Dawa probably wouldn't understand the finer details. He only smiled. "You don't understand yet. You just have to do as Daddy says. Don't worry about anything else. When you grow up, you'll understand."
"Okay, then. I'll listen to Daddy," Dawa agreed reluctantly. Anyway, when he grew up, he would know a lot of things.
As Erniang listened to Jiang Hu educate the child, she could not help but smile happily. Although the house was not as lively as before, life was easier now.
After surviving the early difficult days, life would only get better now. She believed that as long as they lived conscientiously, it would definitely be better!
When they got home, the couple hurriedly returned to their room and placed Xiaomi and Bruiser on the small bed before changing their diapers.
Dawa and Erni ran to see their hares and chicks. The chicks and hares were still being raised in the house. Jiang Hu had built a fence with bamboo strips and separated them.
The five chicks had all grown up a lot. The second afternoon after they caught the pregnant female hare, she gave birth to six babies. There were now seven hares at home.
The newborn baby hares were pink balls of flesh, but now, they were furry and adorable.
Erni liked these furry and cute little hares the most. She often caught them for Xiaomi to see. She felt that Xiaomi was a girl and would definitely like them.
Xiaomi did like them. Every time she saw the hares, her mind was filled with thoughts of spicy hare meat. She could not control herself at all!
Dawa took a handful of weeds plucked yesterday and fed them to the hares before coming out to look for his parents.
"Mom, it's so warm today. Can the chicks be released?"
Erniang looked at the sky. It would not turn dark for another hour or two. "Let them out. The courtyard door is closed. Just don't let them run out."
"Okay." Then he trotted out again.
After changing the diapers of the two children, Jiang Hu went to boil hot water to wash the children's buttocks.
Before washing the diapers, he scattered the vegetable seeds he bought in the field he had turned over the night before. Then he splashed the diaper-washing water on them.
Erniang packed her things and placed Xiaomi and Bruiser on the small bed for them to sleep. "Dawa, Erni, stop playing. Come and look after your younger siblings. Daddy and Mommy are going to the fields to work for a while more."
"Okay." The two children quickly jogged over.
Erniang instructed them carefully before going out with Jiang Hu.
They planned to water the crops while it was still early. Jiang Hu carried an entire bucket of feces water. Erniang wanted to do the same as him, but Jiang Hu stopped her sternly and only let her pick half a bucket.
Up on the mountain, Jiang Hu picked feces while Erniang watered the fields. Before Jiang Hu arrived on the road, she went to the fields to dig up weeds and pick some tender ones to feed the hare at home.
It was strange that the hares knew how to be picky about their food. They would eat the wild vegetables that grew in the vegetable garden, where diaper water had been splashed, regardless of whether they were old or tender.
However, they would not eat the weeds that were plucked outside. They would only eat some of the more tender ones occasionally.
When it was almost dark, the two of them wrapped up their work. After all, there were four children at home and they lived at the end of the village. If they went back too late, they would be worried.
However, before going home, they went to look at the crops that were watered the day before.
"Eh? Erniang, don't you feel that the crops are much more robust today?"
Erniang took a closer look. "I just watered them yesterday. It's another day of sun today. It's normal for some changes to occur."
Jiang Hu thought about it and agreed. "Look at me, I'm so busy that I've become absent-minded. Let's go home."
When the two of them arrived home, they saw Dawa holding Xiaomi and standing beside the stone vat under the eaves. They were looking into the vat.
"Dawa, Xiaomi, where's Erni and Bruiser?"
"Bruiser is sleeping. Erni is looking after the house. Mom, Xiaomi likes small fish very much. She always wants to see them."
Dawa carried Xiaomi away from the stone vat, and Xiaomi clapped her hands happily.
Daddy, Mommy, I've waited for so long. I've finally found an opportunity. Now the small fish in the space can definitely reproduce!
-- Gift
received