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She hurriedly explained, “Do you think I’m joking with you? Or do you think I’ve been eating this for the past two years? You still don’t understand how much I miss this taste. You really shouldn’t doubt it; bamboo shoots are a good thing. Just wait, I’ll cook them for you at noon.”
After saying that, Jian Xiu continued to chop down several more bamboo stalks and brought them back.
Watching Jian Xiu’s excited figure, Zhang Zixuan quickly returned to his thoughts.
“Have you seen enough?” Jian Xiu asked, pulling back seven or eight bamboo stalks.
Zhang Zixuan estimated the distance and nodded, saying, “That should be enough!”
“Great, this whole bamboo forest is full of bamboo shoots. I’ll go pick them. If we can’t finish them, we can make dried shoots. That way, we won’t have to worry about food in the winter.”
“Mm, be careful!” Zhang Zixuan said softly.
For some reason, Jian Xiu gave him a feeling that was both unfamiliar yet comforting.
She didn’t know why she had changed so much, but everything seemed to be moving in a good direction, and that was already enough.
Thinking about this, Zhang Zixuan continued his task.
At this time, Liu Tou and Qi Tou had also woken up.
After opening their sleep-heavy eyes, they were dazed for a while before realizing what was going on.
They looked at each other, then quickly walked outside.
When they saw Zhang Zixuan sitting in a wheelchair and handling the bamboo stalks, both of them became excited immediately.
How long had it been?
How long had it been since they last saw their father able to come out and do work like a normal person?
It had been so long they had almost forgotten what their father looked like while working.
“Dad, let me help you!” Liu Tou smiled and said.
“Awake? Are you hungry? If you are, go make some porridge to drink. Your mother went to the bamboo forest at the back of the mountain.”
“We’re not hungry. Is Mom going to chop these bamboo stalks?”
“No, she’s going to pick bamboo shoots.”
“Bamboo shoots?”
“Yes.”
“Then I’ll go help Mom!” Liu Tou obediently said.
Although he didn’t know what bamboo shoots were, he was sure he could help with picking them.
“I’ll go too, I’ll go too!” Qi Tou smiled and said.
By the time he spoke, he was already following behind Liu Tou.
The bamboo forest was very close, and Zhang Zixuan wasn’t worried about them getting into trouble.
In the bamboo forest.
When Jian Xiu saw that the whole mountain was covered in bamboo shoots, she was overjoyed.
It was now the Spring Festival, the time when bamboo shoots grew rapidly.
Just in this bamboo forest alone, there were enough bamboo shoots for her to ‘have a feast.’
Moreover, there were many more bamboo forests at the foot of the mountain.
Once dried, she could sell them at the market.
Such a delicious food would definitely sell well.
Originally, she had planned to go deep into the mountains today to see if she could find anything else.
But now, it seemed she would have to delay that for a few more days.
At least she needed to finish picking these bamboo shoots, otherwise, they would grow old.
“Mom… Mom, we’re here to help you!”
As she happily thought about this, she heard Liu Tou and Qi Tou’s voices.
The two of them, panting, came forward. Upon seeing the basket on Jian Xiu’s back, they pointed to the bamboo shoots on the ground and asked, “Mom, are we picking these?”
“Yes, we’re picking these.”
“Can we pick all of them like this?”
“Yes, you can pick all of them.”
“Okay, we understand.”
With that, the two of them squatted down.
Meanwhile, Jian Xiu was specifically digging out the larger ones, which were best for drying into dried bamboo shoots.
“Mom, Dad said these bamboo shoots can be eaten. Is that true?”
“Of course it’s true. Tonight, I’ll cook these bamboo shoots for you, how about that?”
“Okay, if they taste good, we can take them to the market and sell them!”
“Mm, that’s what I was thinking too. Once I earn some money, I’ll send both of you to school like Da Tou, okay?”
From the moment she crossed over, she had this thought when she first saw the two children.
Education wasn’t just important in the apocalypse; it was equally important in this time.
In the whole Zhangjia Village, there had been only one scholar in the past few decades.
However, the scholar’s ancestors had all benefited greatly from his title.
It was clear how important educated people were in this era.
Upon hearing Jian Xiu’s words, the two brothers were stunned.
“Mom, is that true?” Qi Tou asked first.
“Of course it’s true. When have I ever lied to you?”
“But, Mom, going to school costs a lot of money. Da Tou’s tuition is almost twenty taels a year, and that’s without the cost of paper, ink, and brushes.”
“Yes, Mom, just send Qi Tou. I don’t want to go, and I don’t like studying,” Liu Tou said softly.
Hearing this, Jian Xiu was stunned.
After a long while, she spoke again, “Give me some more time. I’ll definitely earn enough money to send both of you together.”
“Okay, Mom, we believe in you!”
From then on, the brothers stayed to help while Jian Xiu dug with a hoe.
Once the baskets were full, they would take them back to the small courtyard.
Zhang Zixuan in the yard had already finished handling the bamboo stalks.
When he saw Jian Xiu return with full baskets of bamboo shoots, he casually picked one up and asked, “Do we need to peel these?”
“Yes, we need to peel them all. After peeling, we’ll boil them in clean water. That way, the bitter taste will be removed when we eat them.”
“Mm, then I’ll peel them first and put them in the pot to boil.”
“Dad, I’ll help you!” Er Ya, who had just come out, said in a sweet voice.
“Er Ya, be good. Go play over there. Let Dad handle this,” Zhang Zixuan said.
Being able to freely do manual work was something Zhang Zixuan was very satisfied with.
Looking at the father and daughter working together, Jian Xiu suddenly felt that life was fulfilling.
Compared to the days in the apocalypse when all she knew was the mission, this warm life was what she truly wanted.
Thinking of this, she quickly picked up her basket again and headed back to the bamboo forest.
But just as she stepped outside, she gently patted her chest, feeling it carefully.
She murmured, “Don’t worry, I will take good care of the family.”
She knew this was the feeling from the original owner’s memories.
Yet, she also liked this warm and beautiful feeling.
Since she was using the original owner’s body, it was her responsibility to care for the people the original owner wanted to protect.
She would guard all the people she wanted to protect.
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Alfarcy[Translator]
Hello Readers, I'm Alfarcy translator of various Chinese Novel, I'm Thankful and Grateful for all the support i've receive from you guys.. Thank You!