My 1995 Small Farm.

Chapter 133 Making Sugar Pancakes to Train Pigeons

The weather these past few days hasn't been too hot; the sky is high and the clouds are light, already showing signs of autumn.

After finishing breakfast, Chen Ling went out again.

He went to borrow books for his sister-in-law. Actually, Wang Zhenzhen's excuse of not bringing any books was just that. New textbooks are only issued after the start of the new semester. This girl has been on summer vacation and hasn't started school yet, so where would she get the books?

However, their area is too remote, and sometimes textbooks are not printed on time, so they often have to borrow them from older students.

There aren't many children in Chenwangzhuang who have finished primary school; you could count them on two hands. It's not easy to find third-grade textbooks; I went to several places but couldn't borrow any.

If I can't borrow it, so be it. I can just go to the city to buy it tomorrow. It won't cost much.

When they got home, Wang Zhenzhen had already disappeared. She had gone off to play with Liu Ni'er and her gang of kids, along with a pack of dogs.

Chen Ling accompanied Wang Susu at home to weave straw mats. This thing is not difficult and is easy to learn. You can learn it after being taught a few times. The materials are also easy to find. Straw, reeds and cattails can all be used. It's just that weaving takes a lot of time.

Besides, in addition to the poultry and livestock at home, straw mats also need to be laid on the beds to prevent moisture, so they are used in many places. However, after weaving for half a morning, the two of them had only finished making mats for two dogs and put them in the dog kennels.

Around noon, Wang Chunsheng came to visit Wang Chunyuan before heading back to the county town. He came to say goodbye and mainly wanted to ask if he could help Chunyuan rebuild his house in a while.

Chen Ling naturally refused, saying he would be busy in a while and wouldn't have much time.

This person is honest.

Why is he worrying about something that even his own brothers don't care about?
After he left, Wang Jusheng came over and brought a bag of mooncakes. Then he brought up Wang Chunyuan's story, saying that a few days ago, an old lady died at the township health center. The family made a scene and the center was locked up for several days. After that, it was estimated that no one would dare to go to the hospital anymore. Wang Chunyuan couldn't make a living there anymore and wanted to go back to the village.

However, everyone in the village knew what kind of people he and his wife were, and they couldn't be relied on for anything else. It was only Wang Chunsheng who could find help. He had already asked several families, including Wang Jusheng, but unfortunately no one was willing to help. Some didn't even offer a polite word.

Wang Chunsheng had no other choice but to turn to Chen Ling.

In his memory, Chen Ling was a lazybones. The fact that he came all this way to find him shows that nobody really paid any attention to him.

The three of them stood in the yard talking, while Big Head babbled and ran around chasing rabbits. Now that the yard was bigger, Big Head was chasing so enthusiastically that he tripped and fell several times, but he didn't cry or fuss. He just scrambled to his feet, grinned, showing his incomplete baby teeth, and laughed with great joy.

"Big Head, stop fooling around. Your uncle hasn't made lunch yet. Hurry up and get him to cook. It'll be 12:30 soon. Let's come back another day."

Wang Jusheng walked over, picked up Datou, and prepared to go home. Datou hadn't had enough fun yet, his eyes were still fixed on the little rabbits, and he struggled in his arms, reaching out his little hands to grab them.

"Big Head likes little rabbits, huh? I'll go catch you two so you can take them home to play with, okay?"

Chen Ling grabbed Da Tou's little hand and shook it, laughing.

“Don’t give him the money. We can’t spoil him like this. If we give him whatever he wants, he’ll become unruly.”

Wang Jusheng quickly spoke up to stop him.

He refused to let Chen Ling catch the rabbit. Da Tou didn't cry or make a fuss. After Chen Ling grabbed his hand, he stared at him and giggled. Then he mumbled "Uncle... Uncle..." and opened his arms for Chen Ling to hug him.

"Haven't you had enough of being hugged by your uncle? It's time to go home, your uncle needs to cook dinner."

In front of Chen Ling, Wang Jusheng always felt that he was a failure as a father, so he picked up Da Tou and ran out of the yard.

Chen Ling and Wang Susu were amused by what they saw.

This child is indeed strange; when he comes to our house, he only looks for Chen Ling and never lets Wang Susu hold him.

After Chen Ling held him for a while and then put him down, he chased rabbits all over the yard.

"Ah Ling, why have there been so many wild pigeons coming to our neighborhood these past few days? They land on the roof every day and we can't shoo them away. Judging from their attitude, they're looking for a place to build their nest here. Should we use a slingshot to shoot them down?"

Chen Ling was chopping vegetables in the kitchen when Wang Susu looked up at the few pigeons on the roof who were carrying leaf stems back and forth, and said with some worry.

Pigeons aren't popular in the mountains. You won't hear of anyone raising pigeons in the surrounding villages. This is mainly because pigeons have a very bad habit: they like to pry open the roof tiles. Are those tiles easy to pry open? What will happen when it rains or snows?
So, while pigeons aren't universally hated here, people will chase away any wild pigeons that land near their homes, or lure them down with grain and catch them to add a meat dish to their meals.

"It's alright, no need to fight them. I'll just scatter some grain to lure them down after we eat. We already have chickens, ducks, and quails, so we might as well add a few pigeons."

Chen Ling said.

These wild pigeons are the ones released from the cave.

Although the outside world couldn't compare to the environment of the cave, the cave was simply too small. Having seen the sky outside, these pigeons refused to go back.

Chen Ling just let them be; since they weren't intelligent, it didn't matter if they were kept outside.

Whether you graze one sheep or a flock of sheep, it's still the same. Now that we have a few more, it's not a big deal.

“Okay, then I’ll build a pigeon coop, lure them down, clip their wings, and keep them locked up for a few days.”

Wang Susu had no doubt about Chen Ling's bird-luring skills.

In fact, most rural boys in the 1970s and 1980s knew how to catch birds. They would set up sieves and traps. With little entertainment, they played with catching birds, fish, and frogs in all sorts of ways. This was considered one of their basic skills.

Chen Ling smiled and said nothing when he heard this. He had raised these pigeons from a young age. They were different from other wild pigeons. He would have to keep them in captivity for a while to tame them.

These past few days, he hasn't wanted to be taken back to the cave, and no matter how much he's called, he won't come down. In the past, as long as Chen Ling whistled twice, he would immediately fly to his side.

So Wang Susu said he wouldn't object to locking them up for a few days, as it would be a good opportunity to temper their temperament and prevent them from becoming too wild.

After lunch, Chen Ling called the two dogs to herd the rabbits back to their burrows. Then he cleaned the yard. With so many rabbits, chickens, and ducks, there was always droppings and urination, so he had to clean it up every day. It was fine on ordinary days, but today was the Mid-Autumn Festival, and he was going to make sugar pancakes in the yard this afternoon.

This is their local custom: during the Mid-Autumn Festival, they make sugar pancakes, also known as reunion pancakes, which symbolize family reunion.

Although Wang Susu still couldn't see her parents, her younger sister was there this Mid-Autumn Festival, so it was a kind of reunion. She started making preparations early. Chen Ling was cleaning the yard, while she was in the kitchen and upstairs.

Making sugar pancakes, eating mooncakes, and steaming big buns—the Mid-Autumn Festival is one of the more important festivals besides the Lunar New Year. The food on this day is usually quite good, and almost every household celebrates it this way.

Wang Susu steamed the big meat buns in the morning; the main thing was to make sugar pancakes.

After tidying up the yard, Chen Ling carried some firewood back from the woodpile across the alley and set up a stove fire in the yard.

A short while later, Wang Zhenzhen also ran back, covered in sweat. She went straight into the house to drink water.

"Brother-in-law, why are you starting a fire again? Didn't we already have lunch?"

"Making sugar pancakes, are you still going out to play? If you're not going out, wash your hands and face, and help your sister make sugar pancakes later."

"Then I won't go out; I'll stay home and help my sister."

This girl is sensible after all; upon hearing Chen Ling's words, she immediately replied.

Then she ran to the well to wash her hands and face. After washing, she rushed to the kitchen to help Wang Susu mix the sugar filling.

The filling contains sugar powder, jujube paste, and sesame seeds, and sometimes also chopped walnuts and longan.

After mixing the sugar filling, Wang Susu brought it out.

Then she set the table and sat down with Wang Zhenzhen. The little girl rolled out the dough, and Wang Susu put the sugar filling inside, rolled up the edges of the pancake, and sprinkled sesame seeds on the surface of the pancake.

Not only that, Wang Susu also printed many flower and rabbit patterns on it, which looked particularly beautiful.

Chen Ling tended the fire beside him. Making sugar pancakes couldn't be done with a high flame; it had to be done with a medium flame.

The sugar pancakes are considered cooked when they are crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, with both sides golden brown and the aroma of jujube paste and longan wafting out.

Chen Ling brushed a thin layer of oil into the griddle, placed two pancakes in, and flipped them over while watching the heat. Once they were cooked through, the whole yard was filled with the aroma of caramelized jujube paste.

Before long, a similar aroma wafted from every household in the village; they were all making sugar pancakes.

"Don't get the sugar cakes mixed up, Zhenzhen. The ones with flowers and rabbits can't be eaten now. We can only eat them after we've offered them to the Moon Goddess tonight..."

As Wang Susu spoke, she picked out the patterned sugar cakes from the octagonal winnowing basket and set them aside.

"I know, my mother says so every year, how could I be wrong?" Wang Zhenzhen nodded, broke open a sugar cake, the plump sugar filling steaming, and an even richer aroma immediately filled the surroundings.

The little girl blew on it twice, took a big bite, and let out a satisfied hum.

"Brother-in-law, this sugar pancake is so delicious! Where did you learn to make it? Everything you make tastes so good."

"Every meal was delicious, I didn't want to leave."

"Haha, if you don't want to leave, just stay here. It's convenient to go to school in the county town, which is close by. Unlike in the village, where you have to travel a long way to get to school."

Chen Ling smiled and picked out a freshly made sugar pancake. "Here, eat this after you finish this. It's freshly made."

“If you’re staying here, then stay here. You make so much delicious food for your sister every day, and she can’t finish it all. If your brother and parents see this, they’ll definitely scold you. It’s good that I’m here to help you eat.”

As Wang Zhenzhen spoke, she broke off a piece of dough, dipped it in the sugar filling, and stuffed it into her mouth.

Upon hearing this, Chen Ling and Wang Susu exchanged a glance and both smiled.

This girl doesn't know that it's only because she came that we've had meat every day.

Normally, it's just an ordinary meal for the young couple.

Pork, chicken, rabbit, and mutton have been a staple for the past six months. They eat them every day, at every meal, and they're already tired of them. So the two of them are eating a lighter diet. Today, they steamed some meat buns but didn't eat them, saving them specifically for Wang Zhenzhen.

It puzzled her for a while.

I can't understand why my sister and brother-in-law don't eat such good food.

……

We chatted idly while making sugar pancakes, and it took us half an afternoon to finish making them all.

At dusk, Da Ni'er brought over a basket of pomegranates with Liu Ni'er. Yu Qiang's family in the front yard gave some walnuts, and Chen Ling also gave the two families two bushels of peanuts and beans.

It's not a gift for a festival; these are all items for offerings to the emperor. If someone doesn't have any, they just chip in.

As dusk settled, Wang Susu and her sister set up a table in the center of the courtyard, placing sugar cakes, mooncakes, and fruits on it. They also drew pentagonal patterns on the ground around the table with firewood ash, placing a type of grain in each corner, all to pray to the Moon Goddess for a bountiful harvest in the coming year.

When a golden full moon rises from the east.

Wang Susu lit incense and candles and began to worship the Moon Goddess. During the Mid-Autumn Festival, the men didn't have much to do with offerings; it was mainly the women who did it.

Chen Ling didn't have much to help with, but at his sister-in-law's request, he helped her make small lanterns.

He was just too clumsy; he thought it looked terrible halfway through, so in the end, Wang Susu made a little lantern shaped like a rabbit for him.

After the candles were lit, the dim yellow light shone out, making it look very delicate and beautiful.

The little girl absolutely adored it.

"Uncle Fugui, Uncle Fugui, has your little aunt finished eating? We've come to play with her."

Not long after the lanterns were made, little children came calling out, each carrying a different kind of small lantern, standing in the yard looking around.

Wang Zhenzhen couldn't stand it any longer and wanted to run outside, but Wang Susu stopped her and put on a long-sleeved coat: "Don't rush to run outside, it's cold at night, put on a coat before you go to play."

Chen Ling also went out and instructed the children, "Don't run outside the village, there are wolves in the mountains, understand?"

"Uncle Fugui knows, we definitely won't leave the village."

The children all said in unison.

The children in the village love celebrating all kinds of festivals the most, because there are delicious foods and fun activities during festivals.

But I'm afraid they'll go too far. When these mischievous kids get together, they come up with all sorts of crooked ideas for fun, and they're willing to do anything.

Fortunately, it was quite chilly tonight, and the kids all went home in less than an hour.

Just then, the incense and candles in the courtyard ran out. Wang Susu removed the offerings, tidied up, and went back inside to continue making the new clothes that she hadn't finished.

Wang Zhenzhen got tired of playing and went to sleep in the east room early.

Chen Ling sat beside his wife, brewed tea, and read a newly bought novel to her. When he read an exciting part, Wang Susu would chime in with a few words, and the two would chat and laugh for a while.

They didn't turn off the lights and rest until late at night.

This peaceful and heartwarming Mid-Autumn Festival has come to an end.

……

The next morning, Chen Ling went to great lengths to trick the pigeons down.

As soon as they landed beside him, Chen Ling covered them with a basket without saying a word.

These pigeons are becoming increasingly disobedient.

They used to be exceptionally affectionate towards him, without any wariness. Whenever they got tired of flying, they would fly back to him on their own, flapping their wings as if they wanted to return to the cave. These pigeons were still quite young then, and they were reluctant to leave their birthplace. The cave environment was also good, and they were unwilling to leave.

It's not like that now. They fly around with wild pigeons all day long. Their wings have hardened, and their hearts have become wild. They don't even want to go back to their hometown anymore. How can this be allowed?
It needs to be closed for a few days.

Eighty percent of the wild pigeons here are rock pigeons, which mainly inhabit mountain rocks. Rock pigeons are also called wild pigeons. These wild pigeons are very easy to tame. The earliest domestic pigeons were domesticated from rock pigeons. Not to mention that these few of his were raised by people from a young age, making them even easier to tame.

"Brother-in-law, what are you doing?"

Wang Zhenzhen rubbed her eyes as she came out of the house and saw Chen Ling holding a bamboo basket in the yard, with something fluttering and flying around inside.

Two dogs stood nearby, ears perked up, staring at the basket and wagging their tails.

"We caught a few wild pigeons."

The little girl's eyes lit up when she heard this: "Brother-in-law, you're amazing! Are we having stewed pigeon today?"

"Don't eat it. This is meant to be raised. Go find your sister and get some scissors. I'll cut off its wings."

"Okay, I'll get it."

Wang Zhenzhen wasn't disappointed when she heard it wasn't food. She ate meat every day at her sister's house, so a stewed pigeon wouldn't hurt.

Then Wang Susu also got up and came out, each of them holding a pair of scissors. They caught the pigeons, and Wang Zhenzhen held them while her sister cut off the feathers on the pigeons' wings.

Chen Ling then picked one out himself, pressed it to the ground, and cut it.

With two pairs of scissors, it was cut up quickly.

Wang Susu prepared the pigeon coop yesterday.

Next to the chicken coop, a fenced area was built along the yard wall and covered with wire mesh. The plucked pigeons were put in there, and food and water bowls were placed inside and weighed down with bricks. Apart from feeding and watering them every day, they didn't need much care.

Pigeons are gentle birds with little temper. After being kept in captivity for a while and having their feathers trimmed, their temperaments are tempered, and these wild pigeons are no different from domestic pigeons.

"Okay, wash your hands. Dinner will be ready soon. After you finish eating, I'll go to town to buy you textbooks."

Chen Ling clapped his hands and smiled at his sister-in-law, saying, "You're going to school tomorrow, how's that? Are you happy, Zhenzhen?"

Hearing this, the little girl was no longer happy. Her lips pouted so much they could tether a donkey, and she stomped her little feet to complain to Wang Susu.

"Sister, look at him..."

(End of this chapter)