Chapter 21 Don't mistake sweet potatoes for bad food!

mall town that embraces both nature and the bustling world. Situated amidst mountains and water, with its back to the serene wilderness and its front to the vibrant human landscape, it's a place that...Jia Yin was playing with a beautiful wild chicken feather. The feather tickled her face as she swept it back and forth, making her laugh and shake her head.

Li Lao's heart skipped a beat, she quickly held her granddaughter in her arms and gave her a hard kiss.

"You absolutely mustn't tell anyone else about this, all of this good fortune is thanks to our little Fu Niao! You go and get the rabbits cleaned up. We'll stew one tonight and smoke the rest for the winter."

She whispered to her son, "Leave the eggs for Hongying to eat. No one is allowed to touch them, and you must make sure Funiu doesn't go hungry."

Li Lao Si responded and was about to leave, but Li Laotai suddenly asked.

Where did Wu Erdog go I haven't seen him these past two days. Remember to find an excuse to get rid of him!

"Mother, didn't Second Sister-in-law tell you Wu Er found a job as an accomplice at a gambling den and went to the county town this morning," Tao Hongying said while drying mushrooms.

Li Lao's brow furrowed. The casino wasn't a good place, but she quickly relaxed.

"It's best he leaves, he's not family. No need to worry about him."

Having said that, she scooped up Jiayin with both arms, gently patting her back, doting on her with every fiber of her being. "With all this effort, you'd be better off spending time with little Funiu."

Jia Yin giggled, wanting to take a good look at her own yard. Unfortunately, her neck was too soft, so she could only lie on Grandma's shoulder and continue drawing her drool map...

The second day, when Lao Si Li was about to go out, Jia Yin repeated yesterday's set of words as usual.

Li Lao Si put his daughter down, and she burst into tears. When he picked her up again, she broke into a smile. Along the way, he smeared his old father's face with glistening saliva.

Li Lao Si was both helpless and delighted, "Mother, look, my daughter kissed me!"

"Oh, fuss about it! My granddaughter kisses me every day."

Li Laotai was very displeased with her son's smug look. She gave him a withering glance and spoke in a sour tone.

"Mother, I'm still going up the mountain today with Fu Niu'er and Lao Si. Let's see if we can pick some more mushrooms."

Tao Hongying quickly helped Zhao Yuru clear the table and said,

Tao Hongying wove a new willow basket yesterday, smoothing all the prickly parts and lining it with a soft little blanket.

This way, the good sound can lie inside, and she can also free up both hands to work.

"Milk, I want to go too!"

"And me, and me!"

Jia An and Jia Xi were excited to join the crowd, jumping and shouting about going up the mountain together.

Lao Li looked at the two lively grandsons and smiled in response.

"Alright, if you want to go, just go. Don't run around everywhere, and take good care of Foxie."

Jia Yin was lying in a willow basket, with a small awning on top to keep the sun off her. She was carried up the mountain by Tao Hongying, swaying gently.

She was pondering how to get the sweet potatoes out of the space when she arrived on the mountain. Tao Hongying was busy and gave a willow basket to Jia Anjiaxi.

Jia An and Jia Xi were sprawled beside the basket, playing with each other. Their two mischievous faces beamed with smiles, causing Jia Yin to chuckle as well.

Jia An carefully lifted the willow basket, with two strips of cloth hanging over her shoulders like a shoulder bag, holding it close to her chest. She lowered her head and could see her younger sister's face.

Jiā'ān carried Jiāyīn around aimlessly, which unexpectedly created good opportunities for Jiāyīn.

She calculated the location and moved half a mu of sweet potatoes planted in the backyard, choosing a hidden spot in the grass.

As expected, Tao Hongying soon started picking mushrooms, oblivious to where she was going.

When she parted the grasses, she was startled by a sight of densely packed half-yellow sweet potato vines.

Look around, there are only footprints left by their family here. There is no trace of anyone else passing by.

This clearly wasn't planted here secretly by someone...

She quickly crouched down and began digging for sweet potatoes.

The soil was soft, and I dug out two sweet potatoes bigger than my palms in just a few swipes!

Tao Hongying could no longer contain her excitement and hurriedly called Li Laosi over.

Li Laosi was also over the moon, and the couple squatted on the ground, digging furiously.

In a short while, their baskets were full.

Li Laosi wanted to go home but was afraid his wife and children wouldn't be safe in the forest. So he called for Jia Anjiaxi.

"Hurry back home and don't dawdle on the way. Tell your grandma to turn all the bags in the house upside down, then have everyone come quietly and move the sweet potatoes. Remember not to tell anyone! When winter comes, we'll roast them for you, they'll be so sweet and juicy."

Homean and Homejoy were famished, so they quickly agreed, "We definitely won't tell!"

The two boys ran home as fast as they could and told Li Lao Tai about the sweet potato incident.

Li Laotai recalled her granddaughter who had followed her up the mountain, her heart as clear as a mirror.

She quickly called Zhao Yuru to bring out all the bags and baskets, then called Li Laer and Li Laosan, Jia Ren and Jia Yi, and told them all to go up the mountain together.

She also didn't forget to keep an eye on things, early on letting Zhao Yuru find a reason to send Wu Cuifang out.

It was almost lunchtime, and Wu Cuiflower was unwilling to work. Instead, she happily left.

A family, avoiding prying eyes, secretly climbed the mountain.

At the sight of the vast field of sweet potato vines and the pile of freshly dug sweet potatoes unearthed by Li Laosi and Tao Hongying, everyone was dumbfounded.

This could probably dig up seven or eight hundred pounds of sweet potatoes, providing half the winter's food supply for the household.

"Mother, brother, sister-in-law, quickly put things in the bag! Be careful someone sees us!"

Lao Si quickly pulled out the bag and started packing, urging everyone else.

Everyone came to their senses, too excited to express their joy. They rushed to hold their bags and pick up the sweet potatoes, bustling about with feverish energy.

Finally, all the sweet potatoes were dug out and packed into over twenty bags and baskets.

It took the whole family two trips back and forth before everything was moved home.

Li Laotai looked at the mountains of sweet potatoes piled in the warehouse, her smile almost reaching her ears.

With these sweet potatoes, their family won't have to worry about going hungry in the winter. Just chop up a couple and throw them into the porridge pot; it tastes good and is filling!

With such good fortune, there was no need for Jia Yin to appease the crying child. Li Laosi and Tian Hongying would take their daughter up the mountain every day, venturing deeper and deeper into the mountains.

I found a number of red pine trees before, and there's also one walnut tree.

Both husband and wife wanted to pick some, to make some snacks for the children at home.

Li Laosi climbed the tree to hit the bamboo shoot, Tao Hongying was a little worried and guarded below.

Then the girl pointed to a tree hole ahead and cried out. Curious, she pulled aside the grass stuffed in the hole.

The hollow tree was crammed full of chestnuts. She tentatively reached in and pulled out a handful, and the chestnuts poured out like water, endlessly and without end.

She couldn't fill a basket, so she ended up filling a sack as well.

I don't know how this not-very-large tree hollow could hold so many chestnuts.

Jiayin lay in the willow basket, meekly blowing out bubbles of saliva, continuing to search for a suitable spot and laying two more eggs.

The small courtyard raised fourteen or fifteen hens, which could lay ten eggs every day. After three or five days of saving, there were quite a few eggs.

As expected, Tao Hongying soon found the nest behind a tree and was ecstatic with joy.

This wasn't the most surprising part, until Lao Si called out from afar.

"Daughter-in-law, come here quickly and see what good things I've found!"

Tao Hongying hurried over and saw Li Laosi had laid out a heap of bright red apples, dates, and yellow pineapples the size of fists.

Even without taking a bite, the faint scent of sweetness hints that this fruit must be incredibly delicious.

"Where did you find this It looks amazing!"

Tao Hongying lovingly ran her fingers over each one.like there was a layer of window paper between him and the Li family. He knew they should be his family, but after so many years apart, and with his lost memories, it felt awkward.If Li Laosi were par...