Chapter 182: Chapter 101: Spring Is Here

The two men finally settled on a price—the deal was closed at nine taels of silver.

Huai Zi’s third uncle was extremely satisfied. His sister had told him the Zheng Family were honest folk, so he hadn’t planned on asking for a high price. But to his surprise, Zheng Changhe was truly sincere, insisting on adding another tael of silver. This made the uncle think much more highly of him. Having closed the deal, the two began chatting warmly, feeling as if they were old friends who had just met.

When Huai Zi’s third uncle heard that Zheng Changhe had just cleared some wasteland and was preparing to plant Shanyu, he quickly said, “Don’t you worry about getting any Shanyu seedlings. We’ve got plenty stored in our cellar. You can come over and take some cuttings later. I got such a good deal on this cow; the least I can do is help you with some seedlings.”

Zheng Changhe replied, “That’s a wonderful offer, and it would save me a lot of trouble. But if you won’t take any money for them, how could I possibly accept? I need to plant over ten mu of Shanyu. The cow is a separate matter. The two things are completely unrelated.”

Mrs. Yang came out then. Hearing that the two were about to start arguing again, she said with a smile, “Most people are afraid of getting taken advantage of, but you two are the opposite—both worried the other is losing out. Third Uncle, do you have any Huangdou seeds? If so, I’d like to buy some. And you can just sell us some Shanyu seedlings along with them. You can charge us a little less for them, but how could we take them for free? As for the cow, we know full well that the price was fair. You can stop saying you got too good a deal.”

Huai Zi’s third uncle said happily, “I do have Huangdou seeds! We have the kind that’s ready in the fifth month, the sixth month, and even the eighth month. If you’re buying seeds, then I really can’t charge you for the Shanyu seedlings. Our family has less paddy but plenty of dry land, so we plant a lot of Shanyu every year ourselves. They aren’t worth much, so how could I charge you for helping out with some seedlings? Just pay for the cow and the Huangdou, and that’ll be enough.”

Seeing that Zheng Changhe was about to protest again, Mrs. Yang quickly stopped him. “Third Uncle is being so kind, let’s not argue. We’ll do as he says. We shouldn’t turn a kind gesture into an argument. Juhua, pack up some acorn flour for Third Uncle to take home and try. It’s made from acorns we gathered on the mountain—we didn’t buy them or plant them, so you mustn’t refuse.”

Only then did Zheng Changhe fall silent.

Huai Zi’s third uncle grinned until his eyes were narrow slits, saying repeatedly that he was getting the better end of the deal yet again. Acorn flour was a real hassle to make; his sister had even given his family some before the New Year. Still, he didn’t protest too much and accepted the gift.

This was how country folk were. They acted in ways that gave them peace of mind and wore their hearts on their sleeves. It wasn’t uncommon for someone to take a little extra when offered, but no one would call them petty for it. To a wealthy person, however, such behavior might seem boisterous and miserly.

With everything settled, the uncle and nephew departed happily.

Back home, Zheng Changhe and Qingmu spent two busy days cutting bamboo and branches to build a simple thatched shed for the cow.

Once Qingmu returned to his studies, life on the farm went back to normal. But then, perhaps over a few days, or maybe just overnight—at some point, the feeling of spring grew thick in the air.

On the lawns, on the ridges between paddies, in the crevices of rocks, and along the riverbanks, more green emerged with each passing day. A few rows of chives had just been cut in the small vegetable garden, but two days later a dense layer of new green had already appeared. Tender buds, tiny and delicate, sprouted on tree branches, unfurling after a few days. Figures moved about the fields, and water buffaloes called out, “MOO MOO!” The clucking of chickens and quacking of ducks grew louder. The village children, ignoring the lingering chill, ran wild through the streets.

In a season like this, Juhua felt as if all of nature was impatiently waiting to burst forth. Her own heart was stirring with a similar restlessness, but with a few new ducks and two recently acquired piglets at home, she found herself a bit busier than before.

One morning, as she was feeding the ducklings, Black Dog started barking outside. WOOF WOOF! Nowadays, he barked up a storm at any shadow that passed by, which actually added a bit of life to the Zheng Family’s home.

She heard Liu Xiaomei calling, “Juhua! Juhua!”

Juhua hurried out of the kitchen, greeting her with a smile. “What brings you here today?”

She and Liu Xiaomei truly got along well. Liu Xiaomei always found time to visit her; they were what you might call kindred spirits. The two would often chat about cooking, gardening, and raising poultry, as well as the latest village news. Liu Xiaomei kept Juhua updated on everything, which made Juhua feel much less isolated than before.

As for Meizi and Li Jinxiang, while Juhua got along with them well enough, their conversations were usually just about trivial, girlish things.

Liu Xiaomei had been busy lately and hadn’t visited for several days.

She grinned and handed Juhua several packets of seeds. “Here are the sunflower seeds I picked out for you. You’ll be able to plant them soon. This packet is chili pepper seeds; they have thin skins and a wonderful flavor, not chokingly hot like some others. These are Nangua seeds—the starchy kind, not the watery variety. They’re perfect for thickening corn porridge, and the seeds inside are delicious if you dry and roast them. As for the peach, apricot, and plum saplings, my brother said it’s still too early to plant them. He’ll dig them up for you a bit later.”

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep