Chapter 83: Chapter 80: A Close Neighbor Is Better Than a Distant Relative

Li Guizhi thought about the things Lin Lan sold and suddenly remembered the fava beans she had at home. She hesitated a moment before saying, “Lin Lan, I want to talk to you about something. It’s fine if you agree, but no problem if you can’t.”

Seeing her blush with embarrassment, Lin Lan felt that she was nothing like Zhang Yazhen. She smiled. “Go ahead, I’m listening!”

Li Guizhi put the quilt cover into the basin, her face flushed as she looked at Lin Lan. “I’ll be honest with you. I’ve gone to the Eucalyptus Forest a few times to trade for eggs, and I saw you there trading fried fava beans. I have a whole basket of them at home. If you want them, I’d like to exchange them with you.”

Lin Lan noticed she specifically used the word ’exchange,’ and readily nodded. “As long as they’re not rotten or worm-eaten, I’ll take them. Twelve cents a pound.”

Li Guizhi hadn’t expected Lin Lan to be so agreeable. She nodded happily. “I’ll go home and pick out the rotten and worm-eaten ones, then I’ll bring them over.”

Lin Lan smiled and nodded. “Great. Just bring them over whenever.”

Li Guizhi smiled gratefully. “Thank you, Lin Lan. To be honest, this is a much better deal for me. It’s three cents more per pound than at the cooperative.”

Lin Lan smiled. “We’re next-door neighbors, no need to be so formal! I need both fava beans and peas, so just bring them over when you have them.”

Li Guizhi looked at Lin Lan with admiration. “Honestly, I really admire you. You used to be someone who didn’t do a thing, but now you wake up before dawn, go out for fieldwork, and run a stall. You’ve built a life for yourself all on your own.”

Lin Lan gave a wry smile. “I don’t have a choice! I have Little Douzi to think about. If I were still like my old self, doing nothing, we wouldn’t even have sweet potato porridge to eat. And what if one of us got sick… sigh!”

Li Guizhi thought about it and agreed. “That’s true. And how many work points can we women really earn in a year? After working our fingers to the bone, the grain we’re allotted, plus the sweet potatoes and regular potatoes, is barely enough to fill our stomachs. If a child catches a cold, there’s no money for a doctor.” She then smiled. “You were right to start your little business. I don’t know how to do it, or I’d be out there too.”

Lin Lan gave a self-deprecating laugh. “That’s what I thought too, which is why I forced myself into it. If I had any other option, I wouldn’t want to be running myself ragged just to survive.”

The two of them kept talking, their hands never stopping. In just a little while, Lin Lan finished rinsing several articles of clothing. She picked up her basin and smiled. “Sister Li, I’m going to head back now.”

“Okay.” Li Guizhi smiled and looked up, just in time to see Zhang Yazhen hurrying back home, basin in hand. She glanced at Lin Lan and whispered, “Yazhen is very petty. Seeing the two of us here, she must think we’re gossiping about her.”

Lin Lan turned her head to look at Zhang Yazhen. “If your conscience is clear, you have nothing to fear. And if you’ve done something wrong, you can’t be afraid of people talking about it.” With that, she carried her basin up to the tractor path.

Zhang Yazhen might have heard Lin Lan’s words, as she started walking even faster.

Thinking about the things Zhang Yazhen had said, Li Guizhi felt Lin Lan was right. She squatted back down and continued with her washing.

Lin Lan had just finished hanging the clothes to dry at home when Little Douzi came out of the room. “Mama, I have to pee.”

“Go on! After you’re done, let the chicks out.”

“Okay!” Little Dou Ding clutched his pants and ran toward the pigsty.

Lin Lan smiled and went inside. She scooped the boiled eggs out of the water, stir-fried some rapeseed greens, and prepared a small dish of cold pickled radish. By the time she was done, Little Douzi was back.

“Mama, the chicks led the big mother hen into the woods.”

“Wow! My son is so capable!” Lin Lan said, smiling at her much livelier son. She poured two ladles of hot water from a kettle into a washbasin. “Wash your face and hands. It’s time to eat.”

Lin Lan took a washcloth and washed his face for him. As Little Douzi squatted in front of the basin to wash his hands, she went back inside, ladled porridge into their bowls, and placed two pea cakes on a saucer.

She sat at the table, tapped an egg on its surface, and rolled it to loosen the shell. Just then, Little Douzi came inside.

Lin Lan pointed at the pea cakes. “Mama made these little cakes yesterday. Eat your porridge and egg first, then you can have one.”

“Okay!” Little Douzi poked one with his finger. “Mama’s new little cakes are so pretty.”

Lin Lan smiled and handed him the egg. “You little sweet-talker!”

Little Douzi accepted the egg, then picked up his spoon and took a large mouthful of porridge.

Just as mother and son finished their meal and cleaned up, Zhou Xiaohong arrived. She grinned and ruffled Little Douzi’s hair. “Lin Lan, I got home and realized I never asked—what exactly is this new item you were talking about?”

Little Douzi looked up. “Auntie Zhou, Mama made pretty little cakes!”

Lin Lan smiled, lifting a carrying basket onto the front step. “Boss Zhou, take a look! See if you’re satisfied!”

Zhou Xiaohong stared at the delicate, pale-yellow pea cakes in the basket, her eyes widening in surprise. “They’re beautiful! Lin Lan, you’re so incredibly talented!”

Lin Lan grinned proudly. “If Lin Lan makes it, it’s a masterpiece!” She said with a cocky air, holding out a saucer. “Try one!”

Zhou Xiaohong picked up a pea cake and took a bite. After swallowing, she nodded repeatedly. “Delicious! Delicious! It’s really delicious!”

Seeing how pleased she was, Lin Lan felt happy too. “I’m glad you like it. Just remember to bring the basket back this afternoon.” She went inside and also handed her the spiced fava beans and kidney bean rolls.

Zhou Xiaohong happily paid her. “I’m off then,” she told Lin Lan. “I’ll buy two more carrying baskets this afternoon and bring them over so we can rotate them.”

Lin Lan nodded. “Sounds good. I also brought back some dried mushrooms. When you come by this afternoon, take some to make soup.”

Zhou Xiaohong smiled. “Will do! Perfect, I’ll buy a chicken on Sunday to make a stew for the kids.”

Lin Lan watched her go, then went back inside. She packed about ten pea cakes into a porcelain crock, then, shouldering her back-basket and holding Little Douzi’s hand, she headed to the old lady’s house.

The old lady was waiting for them with her back door open. She came over and took Little Douzi’s hand. “You go cut your grass. Once I’ve fed the pigs, I’ll bring the chicks and goslings over to you.”

“Okay!” Lin Lan handed her the enamel container. “I made some pea cakes. Please, have a taste.”

“Granny, the little cakes are yummy.”

“Good!” The old lady smiled and nodded. She lifted the lid and glanced inside. “They look delicious. For a stall owner, watching over one item takes as much time as watching over ten. Every new item you add is another stream of income.”

Lin Lan smiled. “You’re right. I need to work hard and make money, hopefully I can pay back everyone I owe this time.”

The old lady looked at her, pleased. “There’s no rush. If you have a use for the money, you use it.”

Lin Lan nodded, glanced at Little Douzi, then turned and headed for Niu Bei Mountain.

When she returned from her work, Li Guizhi and her husband arrived, carrying a large basket between them.

Lin Lan brought out her steelyard scale and weighed the fava beans from the basket in several batches. It came to a total of one hundred and fifteen pounds. “Sister Li, that’s thirteen yuan and eighty cents in total. Does that sound right to you?”

Li Guizhi nodded happily. “Yes, that’s right! Thank you, Lin Lan!”

Lin Lan smiled. “Don’t mention it. We’re next-door neighbors, we should look out for each other.” As she spoke, she counted out the money and handed it to her.

Li Guizhi took the money, nodding repeatedly. “You’re right. As the old saying goes, a distant relative can’t beat a neighbor next door. We should all look out for one another.”

“That’s the truth!”

The two made small talk for a little longer before Li Guizhi left, happy with her money.

Then, Yang Liying showed up again. “Lin Lan, Dehai should be here soon, right?”

Lin Lan smiled. “He should be. Come in and sit for a bit. You can try the new thing I just made.”

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep