1970s: The Orphaned Farm Girl Recruited a Husband and Won Without Trying
1970s: The Orphaned Farm Girl Recruited a Husband and Won Without Trying Chapter 24

Chapter 24 — Let’s See What She’s Up To

Feng Rongrong ran home and told her parents that Auntie’s cooking was really delicious. She said she would come help Auntie with the fire tomorrow and also eat at her house.

Kids in the countryside start working from a very young age, especially girls.

Lu Lan thought Feng Mian’s family was busy and decided to send her daughter over to help out a bit—picking chili peppers or pulling scallions would be good light work.

At night, Feng Mian checked all the doors and windows carefully, then took out the ingredients she needed for the next morning’s breakfast and started preparing.

She had already ordered beans and soaked them in advance.

Tomorrow morning they would drink soy milk, and for lunch and dinner they would eat tofu pudding.

She had also started fermenting the dough early. The weather was cold, so it wouldn’t spoil easily.

After breakfast, she planned to pretend to go to the county town for a while, so as not to raise suspicion if a bunch of food suddenly appeared at her place.

Farmers start work early, so Feng Mian had to get up early too.

She ground the soaked beans into soy milk early, boiled it in a pot, scooped out some soy milk to drink, then used the remaining soy milk in the pot to set tofu.

Before long, Feng Rongrong came knocking at the door.

This little girl really was an early riser.

“Auntie, I’m here to help you!”

“Alright, first have a bowl of soy milk.”

She put some sugar in the bowl to dissolve; for people working at this time, soy milk sweetened with sugar was the best drink.

Feng Rongrong gulped down a big bowl, constantly praising how delicious it was.

Actually, Feng Mian didn’t have much work for her—just asked her to fetch things or mix some small dishes.

Feng Mian herself was slowly roasting vegetable and meat pancakes by the stove.

Red bean pancakes, vegetable and tofu pancakes, scallion oil and minced meat pancakes — she baked a whole basketful.

Soy milk, pancakes, small dishes — this made up their simple breakfast.

Before long, Gu Yuelin and the other two arrived. Feng Mian quickly invited them to sit down and eat.

“Wow, this morning’s soy milk is so sweet. Sister-in-law, you put a lot of sugar in it.”

Feng Mian smiled but said nothing.

“These pancakes are delicious too, how do you make them? They’re so fragrant and crispy.”

“Try the meat pancake — that’s the really tasty one.”

“The meat’s the fragrant part, no need to tell me twice.”

“Sister-in-law, your cooking skills are really good. If you went to work at the state-run restaurant, I might lose my job.”

Feng Mian smiled faintly but thought to herself, “I’m not going to work at a state-run restaurant.”

The young men really could eat — almost the entire basket of pancakes disappeared into their stomachs.

Feng Mian didn’t eat much herself, but she had always been picky with food since childhood.

Even after transmigrating to this era of scarcity, thanks to her “golden finger,” she never let herself go hungry.

Feng Rongrong had been snacking on the pancakes while Feng Mian was still roasting them, eating while roasting, with soy milk to drink. She was already full before the food was even served.

After breakfast, the three young men continued working.

Feng Rongrong offered to wash the dishes — she was already eight years old and often helped with chores at home, so Feng Mian felt comfortable entrusting her with it.

Feng Mian then went to the county town, just pretending to casually stroll around before heading back home.

When she returned, she was carrying a cleaned fish, a cleaned chicken, several pounds of pork ribs, kelp, and more…

Yesterday she had made charcoal-grilled fish, but they hadn’t had enough, so she planned to make another one.

After lunch, a diesel-powered tricycle arrived.

With a rumbling sound, the villagers all came out to watch the commotion.

Feng Mian was a bit stunned because the vehicle was coming to her house.

Leng Chuan put down his tools and walked outside, saying, “They came to buy stones.”

“Why buy stones?” Feng Mian, a total novice at renovations, didn’t understand.

Gu Yuelin explained, “They need to lay the stones and do moisture-proofing, otherwise the wood will get moldy.”

She had thought that just building the joist frame and laying the floorboards would be enough, but she hadn’t expected the process to be so complicated.

They spent the whole afternoon doing the moisture-proofing, laying the stones, and building the joist frame.

Tomorrow, they would come back to lay the floorboards.

Today the diesel truck caused quite a stir.

Zhao Hui and her daughter in Shangyuanzi Village heard about it and started to suspect something.

“Where did she get the money? Hiring a live-in son-in-law costs money, and fixing up that house must have cost a lot.”

Feng Xiaomei said, “I heard that the little aunt left her money—that was the compensation from the uncle’s divorce.”

Zhao Hui clenched her teeth angrily, “I said those two—mother and daughter—aren’t good people. They keep things secret from us. Your little aunt divorced that scoundrel; she must have extorted a big sum from him.”

Feng Xiaomei nodded, “Probably. No wonder the thief comes to her house every day.”

Zhao Hui shot her a glare, “Do you really think she’s a thief?”

“What else? Could she really be that shameless?” Feng Xiaomei was astonished.

She had completely forgotten that she herself was the shameless one—seducing her cousin’s fiancé at the agricultural machinery station, and even getting pregnant.

“Enough, enough. Let’s not talk about this now. Didn’t the Gu family tell you to go eat there tomorrow? When you go, find out about Feng Mian’s partner.”

“What to find out?”

“Find out if he was raised by a stepmother, and also ask what conditions they set.”

She remembered that Feng Zeng’s live-in son-in-law’s wedding had cost a lot.

Since the other side was raised by a stepmother, it probably wouldn’t be cheap either.

“Okay,” Feng Xiaomei agreed.

The next day, Zhao Hui had her eldest son Feng Zheng send Feng Xiaomei to Gu family village.

After they left, she called her youngest daughter Feng Xiaojing over. “Go to Feng Mian’s house and see what they’re up to.”

Feng Xiaojing said, “I heard she’s fixing the house. She’s also getting married on the sixth day of the lunar month.”

“Go when I tell you. Why so much nonsense?”

“But…” Feng Xiaojing glanced at her work and whispered, “My sister is getting married on the sixth, and I haven’t finished making her clothes yet.”

Because the wedding was so soon, she had been rushing to finish the clothes, and her back was almost sore from exhaustion.

They said she had to finish before the sixth or else she’d be in trouble.

Zhao Hui shouted angrily, “You do pointless things all day. Make the clothes at night. Is a pound of kerosene not enough for your lamp?”

Feng Xiaojing got scolded into silence, had to put down her work, and hurried off to Feng Mian’s house in Xia Yuanzi Village.

Feng Mian’s work for the day was done—finally the floor was laid and the bed assembled.

Some people were curious, “Don’t you already have a bed? Why make another one?”

“Ahem, well, since you’re all here and we have the materials, we might as well make one first.”

Leng Chuan casually asked, “Making two beds? Could it be that each of you will sleep on your own?”

Wei Guo knocked him lightly, “Are you stupid? What happens after marriage? Having babies! Next year when they have a chubby baby, that bed will be occupied.”

Leng Chuan chuckled, “You really think ahead, brother.”

Feng Xiaojing came over but didn’t dare enter when she saw several unfamiliar men busy in the main room.

Hearing Feng Mian working in the kitchen, she planned to go in through the back door.

Curious, Leng Chuan said quietly, “Who was that girl just now? She peeked her head in at the door then left.”

“Definitely Sister-in-law’s friend, here to see Sister-in-law.”

@ apricity[Translator]

Immerse yourself in a captivating tale brought to life through my natural and fluid translation—where every emotion, twist, and character shines as vividly as in the original work! ^_^

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