Divorced woman with child travels through time

The oil sizzled in the pan, and Chen Wenfang snapped out of her reverie, adding the green beans. After using half a can of syrup for the sweet pancakes, Chen Wenfang started making the savory ones. She used the same method, but this time she spread meat sauce on them. Once she got busy, she didn't have time to think about anything else.

Chen Wenfang added a handful of firewood to the stove, and the flames licked the bottom of the pot, quickly increasing the fire. There were quite a few green beans, taking up two-thirds of the pot, which Chen Wenfang stir-fried. After stir-frying them until just cooked, she added salt and soy sauce, then a little water and started simmering. While the pot was simmering, she started making flatbreads. After finishing a large bowl of flatbreads, the vegetables were mostly cooked, and finally, she fried a fish. While the fish was simmering, she brought the vegetables to the table in the main room: two large bowls of each vegetable, and three bowls each of eggplant and green beans. There were two large baskets of flatbreads, enough for another day tomorrow if nothing unexpected happened. Chen Wenfang also fried a large plate of peanuts. She washed the pot used for cooking, boiled a large pot of water, and added dandelion and selfheal after it boiled. This was meant to be a refreshing herbal tea for them.

After setting out the dishes, along with bowls and chopsticks, the table was laden with food: a large bowl of braised pork, a large plate of stir-fried pork slices with garlic sprouts (which was essentially a semi-finished twice-cooked pork, just not cooked twice), braised fish, eggplant with minced meat, stir-fried green beans, water spinach, and fried peanuts.

After the brewed tea cooled down a bit, the leaves were filtered out, syrup was added, and it was poured into teacups. They even thoughtfully poured the cooled tea into everyone's rice bowls and set them aside to cool.

After finishing all this, Chen Wenfang saw that it was still early, so she picked up a broom and swept the yard, then laid out the straw mats that Aunt Liu had rolled up nearby. The straw mats were obviously woven by Uncle Tian and his family; they were finely woven, smooth, and wouldn't scratch your hands.

Chen Wenfang laid out two sheets in the yard, and took two more to the flattened area outside, where Uncle Liu Hai had laid them out. She checked them and found they fit perfectly. Just as Chen Wenfang finished, Shi Tou and Chen Xuanyu ran back ahead, each carrying a small cloth bag.

Chen Xuanyu smiled and waved the cloth bag in his hand, saying, "Mom, look at the rice ears I picked." He puffed out his little chest, waiting for Chen Wenfang to praise him.

Chen Wenfang praised as she pleased, "Xuanzai is really amazing, he picked up so many. Come on, pour them onto this mat."

"Alright." Chen Xuanyu tore open the bag and poured the rice ears onto the mat.

Then came Shi Tou. Shi Tou's bag was bigger and filled with more, more than half full. Unlike Chen Xuan Yu, Shi Tou wasn't thick-skinned enough to speak up, so he just said, "Sister-in-law, I picked this up."

Chen Wenfang smiled and praised, "Shitou is not bad, he's a man now, helping with chores around the house. Come on, pour some too."

Shi Tou did as he was told and poured the rice ears onto the mat.

"Thank you for your hard work. Go wash your hands, have some tea, and come upstairs to sit for a while before dinner."

The two little ones went inside in response, washed their hands and came out to see a table full of food. Before long, they couldn't resist going around the table and trying to sneak a bite.

Dazhuang led the way, and then the rest of the group returned. Dazhuang carried a sack, while Uncle Liu Hai and Aunt Lan Hua's husband, Uncle Wu Quan, each carried a large sack of rice, with one in their hand. Aunt Liu and Aunt Lan Hua followed behind, each carrying a sack and another in their hand. Uncle Tian also arrived, carrying a smaller cloth bag.

Seeing that Chen Wenfang had already laid out the mat, Uncle Liu Hai was very happy. This Fangmei was someone who could be trusted to do things properly.

"You're back!" Chen Wenfang greeted them happily.

"You're back. You've had a long journey, Fangmei!" Uncle Liu Hai said, putting down his cloth bag.

"Not at all, you're the ones who are working hard. I'm just cooking a meal." Chen Wenfang helped unload the cloth bag from the side.

He instructed everyone to pour the rice ears onto the mats, and Uncle Liu went to get an iron rake, while everyone poured the rice ears.

Uncle Liu Hai took an iron rake and spread out the rice ears, saying, "Da Zhuang, go push the cart out. Let's bring the rice back first before we eat."

Dazhuang responded and left.

As Chen Wenfang poured out the rice stalks, she said, "There's tea in here if you're thirsty. Go have a drink of water before you go."

Aunt Liu also turned over the rice stalks, saying, "Go have a drink of water first, we'll take care of the rest, Uncle Tian, ​​you go and rest first."

Uncle Tian nodded; he was getting old and it was indeed a bit too much for him. Aunt Lanhua and Uncle Wu, however, said, "We're fine, not tired at all."

After everyone had finished emptying the rice stalks, they spread out a straw mat.

After taking a sip of water, everyone went back to loading wheat. They had already harvested two acres of land today. They didn't care about the rice stalks for now; they had to get the wheat dried while the sun was still strong.

After two more trips, including using a wheelbarrow, they finally managed to gather all the harvested rice ears and dry them. All four mats were covered with a thick layer of rice, and Dazhuang, Shitou, and Chen Xuanyu now had something to do, taking their rakes and turning the rice ears whenever they had a spare moment. Uncle Liu Hai let them be; after all, the rice needed to be turned over frequently. Perfect.

Everyone washed their hands and ate. One person drank half a bowl of herbal tea first, and the heat of the day was almost completely dispelled.

Aunt Liu took a sip of tea and said, "Fang'er, you brewed this tea so well, there's not a trace of wok hei (wok aroma)."

Chen Wenfang was both amused and exasperated. "What's this 'wok hei'? I don't know anything about it."

Aunt Lan Hua said, "It's the smell of smoke. If the water isn't boiled properly, the smell of smoke will get in."

“Yes, yes.” Uncle Wu and Uncle Tian nodded in agreement. “There was no smell of smoke.”

Chen Wenfang laughed and said, "Is that so? I'm not quite sure either. Maybe it's because I washed the lid too, or maybe it's because your pot is so good, Aunt Liu. Aunt Liu, you're just praising me in different ways."

Aunt Liu smiled and said, "Isn't this what I learned from you?"

Chen Wenfang laughed and said, "You're just learning bad habits from me."

Aunt Liu said, "Who said that? This is learning to be good."

Chen Wenfang then asked Uncle Liu Hai, who was drinking tea nearby, "Uncle Liu, where did you get the chili peppers from your vegetable garden?"

Liu Haibu asked curiously, "What kind of chili pepper? I've never heard of this."

Chen Wenfang explained, "It's that tall, solitary stalk that stands out from the leek patch."

Uncle Liu Hai said, "Oh, this packet of seeds was a few leftovers from when I bought peanut seeds. I just sowed them in the ground and they grew. I've never seen them before, so I wanted to see what they would look like when they grew up."

Chen Wenfang asked, "Just one?"

Uncle Liu Hai said, "Only one has grown. Fang'er, do you like it? I'll save it for you as seeds, and plant a whole plot of land for you next year."

Chen Wenfang smiled and said, "I really like it. Uncle Liu Hai, you must take good care of it for me. Let me know when it bears fruit so I can come and see." Uncle Liu Hai nodded heavily, "Don't worry, Fang'er, I promise I'll grow it well for you."

"Thank you, Uncle Liu. Okay, everyone, let's eat quickly, it's getting a bit cold." Chen Wenfang was very happy.

"This child is too kind. Yes, yes, come on, everyone, let's eat first. You've all worked hard." Uncle Liu and Aunt Liu invited everyone to eat.

Chen Wenfang went to the kitchen and brought out some pancakes, one basket in each hand, and said, "Come on, everyone, eat! These are sweet, and these are savory. Take whichever you want."

"I want something sweet," Chen Xuanyu said first. Shi Tou added, "Me too."

Dazhuang followed behind and also reached for a sweet one. The adults, however, all chose the savory kind. Everyone ate their bread and vegetables, their mouths greasy with oil.