Time Travel: Volume 1! Starting from a Small Mountain Village

Around 11 a.m., the large iron pot in the kitchen had been simmering for two hours. The rooster inside, roasting over a high flame, gradually emitted an enticing aroma. When Long Lifan gently lifted the lid, a thick plume of smoke rushed out, instantly filling the entire kitchen.

The smoke carried the rich aroma of chicken, the sweetness of radish, and the fragrance of red dates, making one's mouth water. A crowd gathered at the kitchen doorway, inhaling the wafting smoke, seemingly finding it a small way to satisfy their cravings.

Seeing this, Long Lifan smiled slightly, picked up a spoon, and gestured for everyone to prepare their bowls. She skillfully ladled a bowl of steaming chicken soup for each person; the soup was golden in color and had a wonderful aroma. Then, she used several large wooden buckets to scoop out the chicken soup from the pot, preparing to distribute it to the commune members still working in the fields.

"Alright everyone, hurry up! The commune members who are in the fields are waiting!"

Seeing some people holding chicken soup as if it were a precious treasure, their faces beaming with excitement, sipping it slowly as if afraid of drinking all the delicious broth at once, Long Lifan urged them on.

Upon hearing this, everyone exchanged a knowing smile, a hint of embarrassment on their faces, but their mouths moved quickly. A moment later, they had finished the chicken soup, their faces beaming with satisfaction and happiness.

Long Lifan had previously borrowed a handcart from Grandpa Wang, placed the wooden buckets on it, and then began delivering the chicken soup to the fields. Dividing everyone into four groups and having them work separately allowed the villagers to enjoy their chicken soup more quickly.

Walking into a golden cornfield, the sun beat down like fire on the earth, but the villagers seemed oblivious. Under the scorching sun, their hands flew as they husked the corn. Looking at the bountiful harvest before them, every face beamed with satisfaction and happiness. Sweat streamed down their faces, soaking their clothes, but it did nothing to slow their movements.

Standing on the edge of the field, Long Lifan looked at the hardworking and simple farmers and felt a deep respect for them. So she called out loudly, "Everyone, come and have some soup!" Her voice was like sweet rain nourishing the hearts of the villagers, and they immediately put down the corn they were holding and gathered around.

The commune members had heard from the brigade leader that chicken soup would be specially prepared for them during the autumn harvest, so they had been looking forward to it for a long time!

Long Lifan was busy ladling chicken soup for everyone. Each group brought more than a dozen bowls. After all, in this busy autumn harvest season, who would remember to bring a bowl to work? Peeling corn was also done in groups. If there weren't enough bowls, they had to distribute them to each group.

Some people were reluctant to drink, savoring each drop slowly, while Long Lifan smiled and urged them on. After everyone finished drinking, she busied herself collecting and washing the bowls, then led everyone to the next plot of land.

Several women bustled about, pushing wheelbarrows along the field ridges. The sun blazed down, and sweat streamed down their faces. Even so, they knew their work was easier than working in the fields. After what seemed like an eternity, the chicken soup in the buckets was finally distributed. As they emerged from the cornfield, somewhat weary, the groups met up in a spacious spot by the roadside.

Although Yang Qianqian, as the village doctor, didn't have to work in the fields, she stayed by her side to prevent anyone from suffering from heatstroke. Seeing this, Long Lifan quickly ladled out a bowl of chicken soup for her and asked with a smile, "How are you, Yang Qianqian?"

Yang Qianqian took the soup, took a small sip, and smiled with satisfaction: "Hmm, it tastes really good. You should sit down and rest too."

Perhaps because everyone knew they would get chicken soup today, they all persevered with great effort. She stayed there all morning, and not a single person suffered from heatstroke. Seeing Long Lifan sweating profusely as she bustled around, Yang Qianqian quickly pulled her over and told her to sit down and rest.

With a series of crisp whistles, the commune members welcomed the time to finish work. They emerged one after another from the cornfield, their faces showing no signs of fatigue, but rather radiating energy and enthusiasm.

It was as if the chicken soup had not only satisfied their stomachs and palates, but also stirred joy within them. Some members giggled and whispered to each other, describing the deliciousness of the chicken soup, their satisfaction and happiness spreading among them. They talked about the savory aroma of the chicken soup, savoring its unique flavor, as if all the hard work of the morning had been made worthwhile by this bowl of soup.

Lin Guodong, Party Secretary Miao, and the other two stood by the field, gazing at the scene before them. They exchanged a silent glance. Lin Guodong spoke first, his voice tinged with emotion: "This is truly the first time I've seen this. The villagers have worked so hard all morning, yet they still have so much energy!" He shook his head, seemingly unable to believe his eyes.

Secretary Miao nodded in agreement: "Yes, in the past, not to mention the busy farming season, even after work, the villagers were always listless. It's nothing like today."

As he spoke, his gaze fell upon Long, the educated youth who was resting to the side, and he couldn't help but feel a surge of emotion. He had initially thought it was a waste for Long to kill a chicken and make soup, but seeing the smiles and boundless energy on the faces of the commune members, he felt it was all worthwhile.

In the afternoon, Long Lifan decided to try a simpler method. She ran to the brigade warehouse and got a few pounds of mung beans. Thinking that the temperature would be even higher in the afternoon, drinking some mung bean soup would be more suitable, not only to cool down but also to replenish energy. The group discussed it and decided to cook the mung bean soup early in the morning and then set it aside to cool, so that everyone could drink the refreshing mung bean soup during the hottest time of the day.

However, when they finished preparing everything and pushed the cart to distribute the mung bean soup to the members, they found that many members had already brought their own bowls. Their eyes were full of anticipation, as if they were afraid of missing out on this refreshing treat. Long Lifan, seeing this, knew that the members were afraid she would urge them as she had in the morning, and felt a pang of shame.

She and Hu Lili quickly distributed the mung bean soup to the members, following the same procedure as in the morning. Seeing everyone enjoying it so much, Long Lifan felt a sense of satisfaction and joy.

Long Lifan had put a lot of thought into the autumn harvest over the past few days. She knew she couldn't kill any more roosters, or the village head and the others would really get angry. So, she turned her attention to eggs, thinking that making egg drop soup for everyone would be a good option. She mentioned it to the village officials, and Lin Guodong and the others thought it was a good idea and agreed.

Over the next few days, Long Lifan and her team busied themselves preparing egg drop soup for everyone in the mornings, and switched to mung bean soup in the afternoons. Although the members were initially a little disappointed that they wouldn't be able to drink the delicious chicken soup, the egg drop soup tasted quite good, and everyone enjoyed it immensely.

The autumn harvest lasted four days. When the last whistle blew, signaling the official end of the harvest in Dongwan Brigade, the villagers' reactions were somewhat different. In the past, everyone would celebrate excitedly after the harvest, but this time, some people showed regret on their faces, as if they were still reluctant to part with the soup they could drink every day.