Traveling back to 1977

Chapter 198: Production as the Standard
The last militia training session was on the 22nd day of the twelfth lunar month. If it's on average once a quarter, the next training session will be on the 22nd day of the third lunar month, which would be in early May.

So long!

Chen Fan couldn't help but feel a little disappointed. In two months, he might have been able to level up his skill to level 3.

Zhang Wenliang could tell what he was thinking at a glance, and couldn't help but say, "What's the rush? After the first month of the lunar calendar, the production team will enter the busy farming season. After the spring, we'll be busy turning the soil, weeding, applying base fertilizer, pest control, and seedling cultivation. There's also endless farm work in each household's vegetable garden. Chili peppers, tomatoes, cucumbers, cowpeas, loofah, bitter melon, winter melon, pumpkin, peas, potatoes... everything that needs to be planted must be planted."

This busy period lasted until mid-to-late April, followed by rice transplanting, topdressing, cotton planting, and rapeseed planting. By the time all that was done, it was almost mid-May, and only then would there be time for militia training.

"Since you've already learned to shoot, we can invite you along on a hunting trip with our militia squad sometime, so you can have some fun. That would be great."

Upon hearing his words, Chen Fan smiled sheepishly. He had been so focused on playing with guns that he had forgotten the busy farming season was approaching in the countryside.

Besides what Zhang Wenliang just mentioned, after the rice seedlings are planted in early May, the rapeseed harvesting time is from late May to early June. After the rapeseed is harvested, dried, and handed over, the double harvesting will begin in July.

The "double rush" refers to the rush to harvest early rice and the rush to plant late rice.

Compared to dike-moving, the double harvest is no less strenuous. Moreover, since the double harvest takes place during the hottest time of the year, for some people it is even more arduous than dike-moving, as the scorching sun can really make people faint.

These days, rural students in schools have special "double harvest leave" so that they can go home and help with farm work.

Even after the double harvest, there's no rest. Threshing, drying, delivering grain to the state, and picking cotton are all done. After that, it's time to harvest late rice and plant winter rapeseed.

In a while, it will be time to harvest the winter rapeseed.

They'll be busy until around December, which is the winter month in the lunar calendar, before they can finally wrap up their year's farm work.

But then other tasks came up.

Repairing water conservancy projects, dike breaching, fishing and pond clearing, lotus root digging, etc.

We won't be able to truly rest until after the twelfth lunar month, when the Lunar New Year is just around the corner.

This is still without too heavy a task of river construction. Otherwise, in the previous month, only the elderly, weak, sick and disabled in the village would have to work slowly, and they would have been busy until the Lunar New Year before they could rest for a few days.

After the Lantern Festival, when spring arrives and flowers bloom, another year of busy work will begin.

Chen Fan clicked his tongue, sighing at the hard work of the farmers, and thought to himself that he must write more news articles to showcase the farmers' spirit.

Seeing that he didn't speak, Zhang Wenliang thought he didn't believe him, so he smiled and said, "It's true. Don't be fooled by the fact that we don't have many mountains here. There are plenty of wild forests, and we can find some weasels, foxes, and rabbits. Other animals may be hard to hunt, but catching a few foxes and rabbits shouldn't be a problem."

Chen Fan snapped out of his reverie and asked curiously, "Isn't it said that you can't hunt in the spring?"

Zhang Wenliang nodded and smiled, "I didn't know you knew about this. You're right, there is indeed such a rule, but it depends on what you're hunting. Weasels and foxes will steal chickens, ducks, geese, and sometimes even smaller livestock. You can hunt these things freely."

There are also rabbits, which give birth to a large litter in their lifetime and can have several litters a year. Those rabbits often eat crops and like to dig burrows on the ridges of fields, and they can dig as much as they want.

"You can't just shoot birds; they eat pests, so you shouldn't. Snakes eat mice, so avoid shooting them if possible. There are other things too, but you'll find out when you come with us."

Chen Fan realized that their hunting standards were not based on ecological protection, but on whether it would benefit production.

All poaching of poultry and livestock is subject to extermination, while anything that helps control pests, rodents, or other factors detrimental to production is subject to protection.

He nodded immediately. "Sure, let me know in advance when we're going hunting."

He thought to himself, "Perfect timing, I can catch a few broods of wild rabbits alive!"
After chatting for a while, Zhang Wenliang looked around, took out a cigarette and offered one to Chen Fan, asking in a low voice, "Are you still making turtle meat when we go to the market the day after tomorrow?"

Chen Fan immediately shook his head, "No way. I haven't even prepared any turtles, let alone turtle meat."

He looked at Zhang Wenliang and laughed, "I remember you said last time that you were going to set up a stall, you're not really going to do it, are you?" Zhang Wenliang chuckled, "Hey, I'm just going to join in the fun."

Chen Fan nodded, "Sure, by the way, I was going to make turtle meat for you last time. When do you want it ready? I'll come and help you."

He guessed that Zhang Wenliang had come to see him specifically for this reason.

Zhang Wenliang didn't refuse. He had originally intended to ask Chen Fan for the same thing, so he immediately said, "How about the afternoon after tomorrow? We can finish making it and take it over the next morning so it'll be fresh."

Chen Fan: "Okay, I'll go over after I get off work the day after tomorrow afternoon."

It's just a pot of turtle soup; it can be cooked in half an hour and doesn't take much effort.

Seeing Chen Fan's decisiveness, Zhang Wenliang chuckled and said, "After we sell it and make a profit, we'll split it in half."

Chen Fan laughed and said, "Forget it, I'm not taking your money."

After a pause, before Zhang Wenliang could speak, he lowered his head and whispered, "Brother Sanhu, don't say I didn't warn you, there will definitely be a lot of people planning to set up stalls to sell turtles this time. You have to think carefully and not do too much."

Zhang Wenliang nodded repeatedly, "Don't worry, I know what I'm doing."

He then patted Chen Fan's arm and said, "The money is settled then, but of course, we have to be able to make money first."

After saying that, he casually blew a smoke ring and swaggered away.

Chen Fan smiled and shook his head. He went back to the broadcasting station and stayed until 9 o'clock before packing up and going home.

……

Before long, they returned to the educated youth settlement with the foal that had been running wild all morning. The hawk swooped down and landed on the horse's back, making the foal jump around and try to shake off the bad bird on its back.

The hawk, swaying on the horse's back, couldn't stand the jolting and flew to Chen Fan's shoulder, giving the foal a disdainful look and chirping.

The little colt snorted at the falcon and then huddled up to Chen Fan, looking for comfort.

Chen Fan patted the horse's back and led it inside, saying, "Okay, okay, a pat will make it fine."

Sure enough, after being petted a couple of times, the little horse happily swung its hooves and ran back to its kennel. It hadn't eaten anything all morning and was very hungry.

Upon seeing Chen Fan return, Huang Ying and Yang Ju immediately went up to greet him, "Teacher Chen is back!"

In the first few days, they would try to take the cloth bag and water bottle off Chen Fan's shoulder, but after Chen Fan firmly stopped this bad practice, they finally became more restrained and only served tea and water, made the bed and folded the blankets, and there was absolutely no physical contact.

Chen Fan smiled and nodded, then shrugged his shoulders. The falcon flapped its wings and flew back to the small bamboo basket under the eaves, where it perched, but stuck its head out to look outside.

Looking at the two of them, Chen Fan said, "Go and call Xiao Jiang and Xiao Liu. We need to have a short meeting."

Yang Ju immediately turned around and shouted, "Liu Dan, Lili, Teacher Chen is calling a meeting."

A moment later, the two of them walked quickly out of the kitchen. Liu Dan was still wiping her hands with her apron, clearly preparing lunch.

Chen Fan had already entered the room, put his things down, and placed a cup of hot tea beside him.

This life is...

(End of this chapter)