The Farm Life Of a "Fool"

Chapter 76

Going out for business

It was October, and the weather was soon turning cold. During the winter, villagers began to stockpile food for their livestock.

Cattle usually ate straw, so the villagers just needed to carry home bales of straw directly from the fields and put them away.

The pigweed, as well as the feed for hens and ducks, were all unique. They were essentially impossible to get from outside in the cold. Furthermore, it was far too chilly for anybody to go out and get the feed.

Many families had already purchased piglets by this time. These piglets would grow into large pigs in June or July, allowing them to be sold for a high price.

This benefit was higher than the income of planting crops. Thus these days, some married Ge'ers were seen everywhere carrying baskets on their backs looking for pigweed.

All of this was not a concern for Xu Ran's family. After all, pigs may be slaughtered even in the dead of winter. They may then wait until the next spring to purchase more piglets. During the chilly winter days, the radish leaves saved at home would be fed to Big Black and the Ewe. Xu Ran figured that almost all the chickens and ducks would be prepared for Liu Tong to eat in his confinement, so they didn't have to worry about the feeding of the fowl, either.

At the moment, all Xu Ran's family needed to do was corner firewood. Liu Tong cut all of the firewood last winter, but he was unable to do it this year. The construction crew had almost depleted the branches they had previously chopped.

And, as a result of last year's lesson, Xu Ran realized that they would need to stockpile enough firewood this year, and that each room would require a brazier to keep them warm. In any case, the ash from the braziers would make excellent fertilizer for potatoes and strawberries.

Xu Ran and Gao Quan were the leading firewood cutters this year. Xu Ran stood there, staring at the mountain behind the house he had been planning to buy since the beginning of the year. He wanted to grow fruit trees, but he couldn't since he didn't have enough money.

These forests were not under any special ownership. Anyone with a desire to obtain firewood could climb the mountain. No one would be able to stop them. There was only one stipulation: they couldn't cut down all of the firewood at once.

The mountain Xu Ran decided to go today was the one he had wanted to buy. After he had spare money next year, he would buy the mountain and plant fruit trees.

As Gao Quan advised, Xu Ran also brought Tangtang and Guoguo along. Gao Quan was teaching the two kids fundamental Kungfu techniques. Above all, it was beneficial to their health and practice. As a result, Gao Quan decided to allow them two accompany them around the mountain.

Their four dogs, of course, had to work as well. Two of them were to keep an eye on the house every day, while the others followed Tangtang and Guoguo and safeguarded them.

The two Ge'ers stayed at home and worked on household chores. They were also producing new winter garments. Of course, Shao Yu was the one who did the majority of the job. He was sewing garments for himself, Gao Quan, and Mr. Hu. The new garments for Xu Ran's family were produced by Liu Tong the previous year. These garments appeared to be brand new. Thus they didn't need to have new clothes this year.

Mr. Hu was now very good at playing chess, and he had got a few apprentices. Anyway, whoever had time would come to play chess with him.

As long as they weren't busy, not only the elderly but also many other young men wanted to come watch or play chess with him. Mr. Hu, on the other hand, rarely played chess at home. He didn't want to bother Liu Tong, so he went out to find a spot to play. He was becoming increasingly energised.