ABPUBALC - Chapter 12

 Chapter 12: Busy Farming Season

H-How come he suddenly brought up marriage? Lin Xing was startled and flustered in an instant. In the vast courtyard, only the pounding of his heart could be heard.

It was thunderous, seemingly to the point of deafness.

Seeing that he didn’t reply, Gu Qiming chuckled and said, “Didn’t you already call me your husband in town today? Why have you forgotten now that we’re back home?”

He leaned in closer and said, “Surely you don’t mean to say that you won’t take responsibility, right?” Lin Xing’s face flushed abruptly. He originally thought that Gu Qiming had forgotten about that matter, but who would have thought that the man would be waiting for him to lower his guard before bringing it up now.

He stuttered and said hesitantly, “I...... haven’t forgotten.” Gu Qiming immediately sat up straight: “Then let’s make a deal, I’ll find Aunt Zhang tomorrow to determine an auspicious date, and once we get through with this busy period, we will get married!” If he had a tail, it would have been wagging wildly at this moment.

Lin Xing felt helpless, how could this person be so eager! Blushing, he nodded, but he didn’t dare to raise his head again to look at him.

Upon receiving Lin Xing’s agreement, Gu Qiming felt a surge of energy. Within moments, he had managed to sharpen the sickle to a razor-sharp degree.

The next day, before the first rays of light had even peeked over the horizon, the two rose early.

For breakfast, they ate a simple meal. Half a pot of white rice congee was served alongside a plate of pickles. Lin Xing also cooked a few pancakes. The pancakes were already salty by themselves, so they were perfect for rolling up the pickles and eating them together.

“Let’s buy some eggs on the way back to the village today.” Now is the time to exert effort. Lin Xing had planned to buy a few kilograms of eggs and bring them back yesterday, but unfortunately, he didn’t come across any for sale. The chickens at home won’t lay eggs for another half a year, so if he wants eggs now, his only option is to buy them in the village.

“That’s a good idea. We could buy some duck eggs on the way back and make century eggs too.” Gu Qiming thought it was a good idea. The family should have some chicken and duck eggs at home. It would be convenient to fry some eggs if they did not want to cook a meal. The weather was hot in the summer, and meat would spoil easily, so eggs would be a good choice.[e/n: I had to look it up… freshly laid eggs have a covering called the “bloom,” which is a waxy coating that hens deposit on the outside of the eggshell just before laying. This coating seals the shell pores, prevents bacteria from getting inside the shell, and reduces moisture loss from the egg. With this coating, they could stay fresh for weeks. Commercial eggs (in the US) usually go through washing, and the layer might be replaced with mineral oil during processing.]

By the time the two of them arrived at the fields, many people were already bent over, swinging their sickles to harvest the rice. The faster families had even finished gathering their share.

The weather is good, the rice is ripe- the time for harvesting is truly upon them. If it rains, the rice will rot in the field, and it will be too late for regrets.

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Aunt Zhang’s field was not far from them. Da Niu, Er Niu, and their wives were all there. After quickly greeting each other, everyone began working.

In previous years, Lin Xing alone harvested all the rice from these two mu of paddy fields, which normally took him roughly three days to complete. However, with the addition of a certain muscular man, they were able to harvest a substantial quantity in less than half the time.

The mud underfoot, mixed with water, made walking quite inconvenient; wearing shoes was absolutely out of the question.

The sturdy men working in the field rolled up their trouser legs and brandished their sickles, their bare feet against the earth. The mere thought of being able to eat the newly harvested rice made all the hardship and exhaustion worth it.

Gu Qiming was strong and worked quickly. Once he got the hang of it, he left Lin Xing far behind.

Lin Xing was afraid he was getting tired, so he shouted from behind, telling him to slow down.

The weather in July was extremely ruthless. The sun was scorching hot before noon. The exposed land was so hot it was scalding. The backs of the people toiling in the fields were drenched in sweat.

Lin Xing called Gu Qiming to rest, and took him a towel to help wipe away some of the sweat. It was too hot, and the sweat continued to drip down as they sat.

Gu Qiming uncovered the pot of water they had brought and took a sip, only to find that there wasn’t much water left—just enough to cover the bottom of the clay pot.

After working up a good sweat in the fields, they had already drunk an entire half gallon of water before noon.

“Let’s head back at noon. It’s just in time to bring back the rice for drying. After a good rest, we can continue harvesting without rushing too much.”

“Great, it’s just the right time to head back and have some mung bean soup to beat the heat at noon.” There were only two of them in the family. If they both went to collect the grain, no one would deliver food. When they returned at noon, they would have to cook it themselves.

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In the village, all the men are working in the fields. Only one or two people are left to cook at home. By noon, they eat something in the fields and then go back to work.

It seems to be a routine ingrained into the lives of these villagers.

When noon arrived, Lin Xing borrowed Aunt Zhang’s flatbed cart to transport the rice grains back home. The Lin Da Niu family traditionally began transporting the grains in the evening after finishing their work, expecting others to finish hauling it for them when they arrived.

Gu Qiming tied the rope in front to pull the cart, while Lin Xing helped to push it from behind.

Upon arriving home, Lin Xing took out a bamboo mat and spread it out in the courtyard. Together, they poured the rice grains over the bamboo mat, and in this fine weather, they would be dried within two or three days.

Gu Qiming took a round fan and fanned Lin Xing in the courtyard. He had been busy for an entire morning, and it was time for him to rest.

“Just cook some river prawn for lunch today, no need for anything complicated.” Lin Xing thought about it and said, “That works.”

After resting well, Lin Xing scooped a small basin of river prawns from the water tank. Gu Qiming had bought a lot, and there were only the two of them at home, so they could eat quite a few.

After dealing with the river prawn, he picked some loquats and soaked them in well water; they would be perfectly chilled for eating in the afternoon. But now there were almost no fruits left on the loquat tree. Picking it two more times would be enough to clean it out entirely.

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The water here is so clear, the river prawn can be directly put into the pot without much preparation.

Lin Xing used to eat river prawn as a child, but he had long since forgotten what it tasted like.

Gu Qiming stoked the fire under the stove while waiting for the water to boil. Once it did, he added chopped green onions, ginger, and river prawn, then waited for the freshwater shrimps to turn a bright red.

Next, boil a fresh pot of water and add the rolled noodles. The noodles were prepared in the morning. After they are cooked, remove them and run them under cold water. Drizzle with the prepared oil and vinegar sauce for a simple bowl of noodles.

Gu Qiming put together a table under the grape arbor. They each grabbed a stool, sat facing each other, and began to eat.

The river shrimp, soft and tender upon entering the mouth, are delicious and fragrant. After being boiled in plain water, dipping them simply in ginger vinegar makes them irresistibly fresh.

Gu Qiming ate quickly, and as Lin Xing had only eaten a half a bowl, he had already put down his chopsticks.

Gu Qiming then took a few river prawn and placed them in Lin Xing’s bowl, after which he got up to get another bowl for himself.

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In the end, there wasn’t a single prawn or noodle left on the large plate. The two of them had practically licked it all clean.

After lunch, Lin Xing went to the kitchen to wash the dishes, while Gu Qiming fetched the loquat from the well. After eating the loquat, the two of them went to rest.

At the beginning of Shen hour (3-5pm, time of the monkey), the sun was still hanging high in the sky, its dazzling light making it difficult to keep one’s eyes open.

Lin Xing took two straw hats, placing one onto Gu Qiming’s head gingerly. In passing, he had also attached a sweat towel to Gu Qiming’s waist so he could easily wipe off his sweat while working. Only after preparing all that did he pull the cart down to the fields.

The straw hats are about the same as a modern sun hat, which can shade the sun while preserving one’s field of vision. They are not bulky to wear on the head, and when the pair looked upon the village’s fields, almost everyone was wearing one.

The sun was even more scorching than at noon. Gu Qiming had intended to rest a while longer before coming over, but it was too hot to rest properly in the afternoon. So, he came over early.

During the busy farming season, the village had to work hard: they get up earlier than the sun to start work, and even as the sun sets in the west, they’re still out in the fields, toiling away.

As the sun was setting, Aunt Zhang came to deliver water to Da Niu and Er Niu. Feeling sorry that the two young men would have no one to cook for them when they returned home, Aunt Zhang invited Gu Qiming and Lin Xing to eat dinner with her family that evening.

Gu Qiming spent the entire day bent over in the field, harvesting rice. Sitting on the ridge of the field, he felt as though his back was about to break. 

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Even though he had been physically active in his past life, it didn’t compare to the kind of activity that farming entailed. He was more used to working with his wits, and hadn’t yet managed to adapt since beginning the toiling that morning.

Lin Xing took a sip of water, then pressed down on Gu Qiming’s shoulders and gave them a squeeze, making him feel revitalized.

The two of them gathered the rice and loaded it into the cart, heading home first. They planned to return shortly and then follow Da Niu and the others back.

Lin Xing said to Gu Qiming, “Bring some of the green crabs at home, and take some loquats too. If we don’t eat the loquats at home, the birds will have eaten them all.”

Gu Qiming didn’t have any objections of course. He helped Lin Xing pack his things and put them on the cart, then they went back to the fields.

When they arrived, Da Niu and Er Niu had already piled up the rice and were preparing to head home.

“You two should go back and rest first. You’ve worked hard all day and must be tired. There are so many people here, and we only need one cart, so not many are needed.”

Er Niu chimed in, “Mother is busy cooking at home. You should go and see Lin Fu first, so he doesn’t disturb Mother’s cooking.”

Their family owned a lot of land, but they harvested early. With four people working together in the fields, the work was quick, and these few acres were almost completely harvested. At home, only the mother and Lin Fu were left to manage the household chores and take care of the children. Their presence would be a great help in easing some of the burdens.

Gu Qiming nodded, “Then you two should come back early. We’ll go ahead and start preparing the meal.”

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For dinner, there was a serving of mixed-grain rice. Aunt Zhang had steamed an entire basket full, each portion scooped into large bowls. After a hard day’s work in the fields, it was only right to enjoy a good meal.

The other dishes consisted of eggs, greens, preserved duck eggs, and the green crabs that Lin Xing had asked Gu Qiming to bring. There was just enough for one crab per person, and even Ah Fu got a share.

The little one was trying this for the first time, his eyes wide with curiosity as he watched his mother peel the meat for him. After tasting a bite, he no longer wanted to eat his rice, just waiting eagerly for the crab.

Da Niu smiled and scolded him as a little glutton. He reached out to grab the crab, but the little fellow slapped his hand open with a “smack,” clenched down on the crab, and refused to give it up.

However, he didn’t notice that the crab meat peeled by his father from his own bowl had also been pushed in front of him.

Watching Lin Fu frolic on the table, Gu Qiming thought to himself that he was truly a treasure. Having a little fellow at home could really liven things up.

After dinner, Gu Qiming sought out Zhang Mama to discuss the marriage arrangements.

“So you’re getting married so soon?” Auntie Zhang burst into joy upon hearing his intentions to marry, “I just knew you two had something going on.”

“Not long ago, Lin Xing hadn’t agreed to my proposal, so I didn’t dare to tell you the truth. It was only recently that we opened up to each other.”

Gu Qiming paused for a moment before saying, “These days, you’ve seen it for yourself. If I don’t marry Lin Xing, I won’t be at ease. Later on, the Lin family might stir up some more trouble. I want to get this wedding done as soon as possible to avoid any potential problems.”

Aunt Zhang was also of the same opinion. Just looking at the disposition of the Lin family, there was no escaping the possibility that they would return in the future to make trouble.

“In that case, the earliest it could be would be August. It’s not auspicious to have weddings in July. In a couple of days, your aunt will find a matchmaker to calculate a perfect date for you. You can rest assured that your wedding will go smoothly.”

Gu Qiming was puzzled: “Why is it not auspicious to get married in July?” Auntie Zhang laughed, saying, “You men don’t understand. There’s this saying that it’s bad luck to marry in June and to wed in July. Oh, these ancient customs handed down by our ancestors couldn’t possibly be wrong.”

Gu Qiming scratched his head, he really didn’t know about such a saying.

The next day, the two of them worked hard in the field again. This year, because of Gu Qiming, the two acres of land were harvested in two days.

After he returned home, Lin Xing flipped the rice. He could start milling the rice in two days.

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He had discussed it with Brother Gu. They planned not to sell their harvest this year. Their family only had two mu of land, and after factoring in taxes, there would not be much left to sell anyway.

Now we have a foundation for our household, but our home is still empty. It’s time to stock up on some food supplies.

Gu Qiming and the soon-to-be-wed Lin Xing had originally planned to help Da Niu with the rice harvest, but Da Niu and Er Niu refused without a second thought. They insisted on waiting until next month to attend their wedding feast, arguing it wouldn’t be proper to have the newlyweds work. Their own harvest had been early and there wasn’t much left to gather anyway. Uncharacteristically, Gu Qiming couldn’t persuade them otherwise and had no choice but to give up on the idea.

Over the last couple of days, things have been hectic at home, and I haven’t even had a chance to wash the clothes we’ve changed out of. Both Gu Qiming and Lin Xing love cleanliness, and in the summer, they change their clothes daily.

In the village, people use a mixture of plant ash and soapberry powder to wash their clothes, while city dwellers prefer using pancreatinUhh, pig pancreas used for washing? https://baike.baidu.com/item/%E8%83%B0%E5%AD%90. However, that substance is expensive, costing several dozen wen for just a small piece, so farmers wouldn’t dream of squandering their hard-earned money on it.

Soapberry powder is made by grinding the soapberries found in the mountains into a fine powder. When mixed with water, it creates abundant bubbles and is also great for cleaning clothes, leaving them very clean. Every time Lin Xing goes up the mountain, he always collects a lot of it to bring back.

Gu Qiming now wears clothes that are personally made by Lin Xing. The fabric used is fine linen, which doesn’t have the harsh abrasiveness of coarse linen. The undergarments are made from pulled cotton, stitched together in a manner that’s both light and breathable. The seams are fine and tight, making it immediately apparent that the person who made the clothes put a lot of effort into their work.

Gu Qiming is usually extremely careful with his belongings to the point of being meticulous. Even when washing clothes, he handles them with utmost caution, as if afraid of causing any damage.

Once the courtyard was used for drying the rice, it became impossible to wash clothes there. Lin Xing moved the basin outside the courtyard, and Gu Qiming fetched several buckets of water, joining Lin Xing in scrubbing the clothes. Unfortunately, there was no moonlight that evening, and it wasn’t feasible to light candles outside, so the two of them ended up washing in the dark. After they finished, they returned without even emptying the water, their hands sore from the work.

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