Chapter 682: 682: Picking Fruits!

The Land Officer’s wife also smiled with pursed lips. These medicinal materials can be used for themselves or can be easily sold outside for money. Plus, they were a present from Ye Lei, which was quite appropriate.

“Alright! Since it is a gift from my dear nephew Ye Lei, I will accept it on behalf of your Uncle Land Officer. As for Elder Di being able to return to the Upper Village to live, we all hope for that to happen!”

“In that case, I must thank my aunt in advance.”

Liu Sisi chatted with the Land Officer’s wife for a while before leaving their home.

In fact, although she called him Uncle Land Officer, he was not a real relative. However, in the countryside, everyone is related through marriage to some extent.

She then went to Zhang Peng’s home. Zhang Peng had gone to the county to work, and Zhang Yun went with him. Only Guihua was at home.

As soon as she saw Liu Sisi’s arrival, her eyes lit up!

“Sisi, why are you here? Come in and sit down.” Guihua excitedly greeted Liu Sisi.

Liu Sisi also happily stepped in: “We’re in-laws. If I don’t come here, where else should I go? What are you doing?”

Liu Sisi peeked at Guihua’s actions.

Guihua hurriedly washed her hands and greeted Liu Sisi straightly: “Well! Isn’t it the time of harvest in the fields? My family also planted some late rice, which has already been put into the grain storage. I went with them to the rice fields by the river, then went to dig loach. Seeing that the fish basket is full, and knowing that you have returned, I hurriedly brought it back, just in time to meet you here… ”

Digging loach has always been a small hobby for the children in this area.

After the rice is harvested, there will be some rice heads left behind in the fields. The children of poor families have to wait until the owners have picked up the rice heads before they can go in to pick them up. Of course, not many rice heads are left in the fields of ordinary farmer families. The fields where more rice heads can be found are those of landlords who hire tenant farmers to harvest the rice.

After picking up the rice heads, it does not mean that there is nothing good left in the fields. There are small fish in the water fields, and eels and loach in the rice fields where the surface is dry but the bottom has silt.

Finding loach in the fields usually involves using a small hoe and a fish basket. When you spot an eel hole, just dig a few times with the hoe, and you can almost always get an eel.

That’s why people here call it “digging loach.”

Of course, the locals don’t really like eating loach. One reason is that it has a strong muddy taste. The other reason is that loach consumes a lot of oil. This one reason has stopped many people from eating it.

However, Guihua knew that Liu Sisi loved to eat loach and eels, so she went out to dig for them before dawn.

“Sister Guihua, please don’t be too busy. I plan to go back to the county later. The children are at home, and I have been out for two days. I can’t delay any longer,” Liu Sisi said hurriedly.

“You’re going back this afternoon? Why are you in such a hurry? Didn’t Brother Ye Lei already go back to the county?”

Guihua obviously didn’t expect Liu Sisi to leave so soon, and the smile on her face disappeared.

“He did, but he has been very busy lately. The new County Magistrate hasn’t arrived yet, and he’s also busy recruiting soldiers and buying horses. He’s practically spinning.”

Liu Sisi also seemed quite troubled.

Di Yelei is now a captain, and according to the imperial edict, Captain Zhiguo can amass a private army of 2,000 soldiers, regardless of cavalry or infantry.

Di Yelei’s efforts to recruit talented individuals have naturally attracted some people to join him, but the expenses of these 2,000 private soldiers are a huge problem, not to mention the cost of supplies. So recently, he has been very worried.

“That’s true! How about this, today at noon you eat lunch at my place, and we’ll have these loaches for lunch. It won’t be too late to go back after lunch.”

Guihua immediately rolled up her sleeves and started to prepare to kill the eels.

“Don’t rush, we just dug up these eels, if we eat them at noon, won’t the muddy taste be too strong?”

Liu Sisi hurriedly stopped her, holding Guihua’s hand with a smile and said, “How about this, I’ll take half of these loaches back later, and we can eat them at the manor. Now, let’s just have a good talk between sisters.”

“That’s fine…”

Guihua reluctantly nodded, knowing that what Liu Sisi said was true.

Suddenly, her eyes lit up, “That’s right! How could I forget? There are quite a few ripe fruits in the orchard behind the house now. I’ll pick some more for you to take back and let YingEr taste some fresh fruits. That child loves these things.”

As Guihua spoke, she was busy searching for a ladder, fruit basket, sickle, and bamboo pole.

Seeing that she couldn’t stop her, Liu Sisi thought for a moment and nodded, “Okay. It’s been a long time since I’ve had freshly picked fruit. I’ll have to savor it this time.”

“What’s the big deal about that? These fruits are not worth money. It’s just giving everyone at home and the children something to look forward to. Actually, you have quite a few fruit trees at your home too, but there aren’t many people in your home, so the children have picked them all.”

“Nevermind, it’s just a few pieces of fruit.”

With that said, the two picked up their tools and happily headed to the back of the house.

In the open spaces in front and behind farmers’ homes, various fruit trees are usually planted. For example, the Di family’s yard has grapes, and outside the courtyard, there are pear trees, peach trees, cherry trees, pomelo trees, etc. However, the Di family doesn’t spend much time at home, so these fruits are eaten by someone else.

There are many fruit trees behind Guihua’s house. Looking up, Liu Sisi first noticed two intertwined jujube trees, laden with red dates, which was very pleasing to the eye.

Meanwhile, Guihua’s focus was not on the red dates, but rather on a large tree nearby, “Do you see? The apricots on this tree ripen late, so they are still here now. But fully ripened apricots are so delicious! They are sweet, fragrant, and crumbly, the taste is simply amazing!”

As she spoke, she set up the ladder, picked up the fruit basket, and prepared to climb the tree.

Er Niu, who was close behind, hurriedly stepped forward, “Mrs. Zhang, are you going to climb the tree? Why not let me do it? It’s more convenient for me to climb the tree, right?”

Guihua agreed, not insisting on climbing herself, but instructing Er Niu, “Er Niu, be careful. The apricot tree is tall, and the ripe apricots are very easy to spoil.”

“Mrs. Zhang, you can rest assured.”

Er Niu did not use the ladder, but instead directly put the basket on his arm, hugged the apricot tree, and started to climb. Soon he reached a branch with many apricots and began picking them.

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