Chapter 29.2

As Lin’s father and the others came in, the kitchen was quite spacious, enough for two tables. But after they came in, no one took a seat, feeling a bit uneasy.

Ning Shu said, “Dad, Mom, Big Brother, Big Sister-in-law, let’s eat. These are all for you. I’ve already set aside food for the kids.” Ning Shu said, sitting down first. It wasn’t that she wasn’t polite, but everyone from the old house was standing, probably waiting for her to start.

The three kids hadn’t gotten up yet, and Ning Shu hadn’t called them either. It was still early.

“Hey, Old Man, have a seat,” Lin’s mother said, following Ning Shu to sit down.

Then it was Zhang Qinfang’s turn. She wouldn’t be polite here.

Soon, the sound of everyone slurping the sweet potato congee filled the room.

Zhang Qinfang watched as no one reached for the pancakes and boiled eggs. She was the first to reach out, grabbing a pancake and taking a bite.

The taste was different from what she had expected. This pancake had a chewy texture and a particularly fragrant flavor. Then, she grabbed a boiled egg, but she didn’t rush to eat it.

“Don’t be polite. Each person gets one boiled egg. The pancakes won’t taste good when they’re cold, and there’s still sweet potato congee in the pot,” Ning Shu reiterated.

“Don’t worry, we’ll serve ourselves,” Lin’s mother said, serving Lin’s father a piece of pancake and taking one for herself.

Seeing Lin’s mother start, Qian Aifen also began.

The meal became much more harmonious as everyone pitched in.

Seeing that no one was reaching for the boiled eggs anymore, Ning Shu got up and distributed one to each person.

“I don’t need it. Leave it for the three kids,” Lin’s father said.

“You go ahead and eat. Their congee is still hot,” Ning Shu insisted.

Lin’s mother told Lin’s father, “Just eat when you’re told to.” With that, she cracked open a boiled egg for herself.

Zhang Qinfang cracked her own boiled egg and said to Lin Guoliang, “Head of the household, we’ll each take half. Leave yours for Haiquan.”

Lin Guoliang nodded. “Alright.”

Qian Aifen didn’t eat hers. She saved both boiled eggs for the four kids in the main house.

Each of them could have half, well, she thought she’d leave out the youngest.

The people from the old house ate quickly. Ning Shu had barely finished her bowl of congee when they were done.

Lin’s mother said to Lin’s father, “You all can go back first. I’ll stay behind to wash the dishes.”

Lin’s father was about to agree when Ning Shu interjected, “Mom, you go do your work. No need to wash the dishes; I’ll do it myself.”

“Well…” Lin’s mother looked at the few dishes and realized that Ning Shu wasn’t one to be trifled with. “Alright, we’ll head back first.”

Once the people from the old house left, the house quieted down. Ning Shu finished her meal, tidied up, and checked the time. It was just past six o’clock, and by now, everyone was probably awake.

She decided to go buy some chickens.

The chickens had already been ordered from Auntie Zhang, who they usually bought eggs from.

Two of them were old hens, raised for over a year, each weighing a little over three kilograms.

At 1.2 yuan per jin, they cost 9.6 yuan each. Because the hens were still developing, they weren’t very heavy yet.

Although Auntie Zhang had sold two old hens, they had young chicks now, as Ning Shu had made her order in advance.

After paying, Zhang’s family tied up the mother hen, and Ning Shu carried the hen back. Before she reached home, she heard the two kids inside calling out.

“Mom… “

“Mom…?”

The two kids got up and didn’t see their mom, but noticed that the food was ready and started calling out.

“I’m coming.” Ning Shu hurried home.

The two kids saw their mom and just as they were about to speak, they saw the chicken their mom was holding.

“Mom, is this our chicken? It’s so big!” The second kid exclaimed, happily approaching.

He reached out to touch it but then withdrew his hand hesitantly.

“Mom, aren’t we raising baby chicks?” the first kid also wondered.

“Raising big chickens means they’ll lay eggs tomorrow, and these two chickens will be yours in the future.”

Ning Shu put the chickens in the chicken coop made of thatched grass and then untied the grass ropes binding their claws.

“Wow, I’ll go catch bugs today.” Er Bao was thrilled at the thought of the chickens laying eggs tomorrow; he wanted to catch bugs to feed them right away.

“Mom, can we also raise big pigs at home?” Yi Bao suggestion was based on the idea that raising big pigs could be sold sooner for money.

Ning Shu chuckled, “No, only small pigs can be raised. Your grandmother said we can only raise them after the New Year.”

She didn’t know the process of raising pigs, so she relied on Lin Mu for this matter.

“Okay.” Yi Bao curiously looked at the big chicken for a while, then dragged the Er Bao to wash up.

When the two kids finished washing up and were about to wake up the San Bao, Lin Haicai arrived.

Lin Hai came with the kids from the main house.

They carried firewood and baskets filled with wild vegetables.

“Why did you dig wild vegetables today?” Ning Shu was a bit surprised.

Lin Qingmei smiled, “Haicai said Third Aunt digs wild vegetables every day and loves eating them, we saw them while picking firewood, so we dug some.”

As she spoke, she asked her brother to put the firewood in the utility room and then said, “Auntie San, we’re going back now.”

“Okay.” Ning Shu watched them leave, and then Lin Haicai stayed behind voluntarily and had breakfast with the three kids who had finished washing up.

After breakfast, Ning Shu said to the kids, “Find something to do yourselves, I’m going to the cooperative to buy meat.”

The meat was naturally the locally sourced pork prepared in advance through the app, to be delivered to the old house at noon.

The people from the old house have been coming to build brick embryo houses for several days, chopping trees and preparing thatched grass.

How could just one breakfast be enough?

At this moment, the carpenter came carrying a child’s chair.

“Ning Zhiqing, are you planning to go out? This chair is for the children. It’s not been oiled yet, so it took some time to sand it. Please check.”

“No rush, no rush,” Ning Shu’s eyes lit up when she saw the child’s chair.

Finally, there was a child’s chair. She wouldn’t have to hold San Bao while eating anymore.

You know, when holding San Bao while eating, your arms get really sore.

Saying this, she checked it.

Not only were the edges rounded, but other parts were also sanded very smoothly. Sitting on it, she estimated that even clothes wouldn’t get snagged.

“Thank you, Uncle. How much for this along with the wooden spoon and wooden bowl?”

“Give me three coins,” the carpenter said, “These things have less material, but sanding costs more.”

Ning Shu had Yi Bao and Er Bao move the child’s chair to the kitchen while she went to her room to get the money.

She was quite satisfied with this child’s chair, and it was really well sanded. “Here, and thank you for the two tables as well. Please round off the sharp corners and sand them smooth.”

“No problem.”

After the carpenter left, the children were extremely curious.

“Mom, that chair looks strange. What’s it for?”

“Mom, that chair is so tall, but the seating area is so small.”

“Mom…”

“That’s for San Bao to sit on. With this chair, he won’t need to be held while eating. He can eat by himself using the wooden spoon. Okay, I’m going to the cooperative, and you guys…”

The postal service in this era is extremely slow because it relies on manpower.

So, Ning Shu’s two bottles of tofu took eight days to arrive at the barracks.

Lin Guodong, shirtless, had just finished training, his tanned skin still glistening with sweat.

He was about to go with his comrades to pick up their lunch boxes when he heard someone calling him.

“Lieutenant Lin, your package has arrived,” a young comrade rushed over.

Lin Guodong, 26 years old this year, was promoted to the rank of captain just last month.

After graduating from military academy at the age of 20, he was assigned to the army and directly appointed as deputy platoon leader. At 21, he was promoted to platoon leader for meritorious service and last month, he earned another merit, leading to his promotion to captain.

The biggest difference between soldiers like him who graduated from military academies and regular soldiers is their starting point.

When they are assigned to the army, their starting point is as deputy platoon leaders, while regular soldiers start as privates.

Of course, with a different starting point comes greater responsibility. But apart from that, their promotions follow the same rules.

Every three years, there’s a review, and those who perform well can be promoted, or if they merit, they can be promoted sooner.

Lin Guodong has been promoted three ranks in seven years, all due to meritorious service.

If things had gone normally, it would have taken at least nine years.

If it wasn’t for his sister “selling” him with hair ties, hair clips, and candy, his life should have been shining brightly.

“Thank you,” Lin Guodong took the package, his thick eyebrows raised in surprise and curiosity.

This address, it’s from his hometown. Did his mother send it?

“Captain, did your wife send you something?” the soldiers who hadn’t left yet crowded around, curious.

That’s how it is in the army. If someone receives a package from home, everyone is very envious because they are away from home, guarding the country, and rarely see their families.

They feel lonely and long to be remembered by their loved ones.

However, supplies are scarce these days, so there aren’t many packages sent home. But whenever someone receives a package from their family, they often share it with others.

Lin Guodong: “It’s from my mother.” Did Ning Shu send this to him? She dared to send it, but he didn’t dare to accept it.

“It’s from your wife, Captain. Hurry up and open it. It looks like it’s something to eat.”

“Yeah, Captain, we all get a share when you see what’s inside.”

By size, it might be beef jerky. Everyone was looking forward to it.

With just a small package, as soon as Lin Guodong got back to the dormitory, he quickly opened it with a few snips of the scissors.

Inside were two bottles of creamy white tofu and a letter.

“Is this… tofu?”

“It looks like it, but I’ve never seen tofu like this before.”

“Me neither, I wonder if it tastes good.”

“Sister-in-law must have sent something delicious. Would she send something that doesn’t taste good?”

“That’s true…”

In this era, tofu like this was rare due to low production, especially for the soldiers in the barracks who had likely never seen it before.

“Captain, there are two bottles. One is for you, and we’ll take the other one for adding to lunch later,” they said as they walked away with the tofu, not waiting for Lin Guodong’s response.

Lin Guodong nodded and picked up his bottle, opening the letter at the same time.