Chapter 93 - 93 Snow
93 Snow
Planting could only be done in spring, but potatoes were different. Potatoes could be planted in October, and then covered with a layer of straw. Next spring, they could be dug, and then two rounds of planting could be carried out.
There were not many potatoes at the moment. Jian Qingqing asked her family to plant all of them, and it was barely enough for one acre. Presumably, it would be enough for the villagers to plant next year.
The weather was getting colder. At the end of November, when Jian Qingqing woke up and opened the window, she saw that a thin layer of snow had fallen in the courtyard. The leaves and grass were all covered in snow. It was a vast expanse of white.
“It’s snowing!” Jian Qingqing said in surprise.
She reached out and caught a snowflake. The snowflake that looked like willow catkins quickly melted in her warm palm, leaving behind a cold and moist patch.
Seeing this, Mother Jian shook her head helplessly and warned, “Big Sister, quickly go in and put on your clothes. Don’t be playful anymore.”
Jian Qingqing giggled when she heard this. She closed the window and ran back inside to put on her clothes.
On a snowy day, it was the best time to eat hotpot. She took out the mutton oil that she had refined a few days ago and prepared to boil the hotpot base material.
The hotpot base material was still more fragrant with butter, but in this era, it was forbidden to kill cows. Only those who were dying of old age could be killed. Therefore, beef was hard to find, so she could only settle for the second best choice, which was mutton oil.
The caked mutton oil was poured into the pot, and when it melted, all kinds of spices were poured in. The most important thing was chilies. Without chilies, hotpot would not be good
The moment the spices were poured into the hot oil, there was a sizzling sound. The hot oil rolled the spices, and the rich aroma instantly exploded and spread in all directions, entering the noses of the pedestrians in an overbearing manner.
The farmer who was in a hurry stopped and looked in the direction of Jian Qingqing’s house. He muttered with longing and envy, “Qingqing, what delicious food is this?”
Jian Qingqing, who was stirring the spices, did not enjoy it as much. The spices were very pungent when she was stirring. She covered her nose with a handkerchief and sneezed while stirring.
When the cooking was completed, her clothes and hair were stained with the smell.
Jian Qingqing scooped out the spice residue inside and put the oil, which had already turned red, into a clay pot. She waited for it to cool and condense again.
The weather was cold, and Jian Qingqing was extremely reluctant to go out. Every time she saw her three younger brothers going to school despite the cold, she would show a gloating smile. Fortunately, she did not have to go.
However, the three younger brothers did not dislike school as much as she thought. Although Xiao Hu did not study very well, he knew that studying was not easy, so he did not want to waste every day that he could go to school. Xiao Ye loved to study, there was no reason for him to feel tired about things that he loved.
Xiao Lang had learned kung fu from Ming Zhiyan, and he seemed to be red hot all the time. He did not feel that it was difficult to get up in winter. Jian Qingqing loved to hug him for warmth during winter.
As Jian Qingqing did not go to the county town anymore, the three of them were brought there by Xiao Hu with the ox-cart. The ox-cart had been changed into a closed carriage, so it was not so cold to sit in it.
It was dark early in the winter, so when Xiao Hu and the others reached home, it was already completely dark. They could only see hazy shadows on the side of the road.
Xiao Hu sat outside driving the ox-cart. He could vaguely see a bright yellow light in front of him, so he shouted, “Sister!”
Jian Qingqing wrapped her body tightly. She held a lantern and waited for them at the entrance of the village. When she saw that they had returned, she shouted, “Hurry up! Let’s go home and eat delicious food!”
Hearing this, Xiao Hu quickly ran over with the ox-cart and rushed home together with Jian Qingqing.
“The weather is so cold and dark early. Why don’t you guys not rush back in the future? Just live in the county town. I’ll get someone to take care of you guys. It’s not safe to rush home like this.”