Chapter 596: Catching Loach
Apart from the small courtyard, many saplings had also been planted on the hill.
But these saplings were still young, it would take at least two or three years for them to flower and bear fruit. Find the newest release on NoveIＦire.net
Qiao Xiaomai looked up at the hill, repeatedly clicking her tongue.
This cycle was a bit too long, it was necessary to find a short-term project that could make money by next year.
Tong Sanlang knew what she was thinking about, and said in a low voice, “The one hundred and fifty acres here are planted with sweet potatoes, sesame, soybeans, and millet, why don’t you come by often and irrigate them with the water from the Spiritual Spring?”
The growth period of fruit trees was long and couldn’t be relied on for now, the only thing that could be relied on were these crops.
These could be harvested by autumn, and if they tasted good, Qiao Xiaomai could make a good profit from them.
As long as the quality was good, Jiwei Ju and Zuixian Building would definitely pay a high price for them.
Upon hearing this, Qiao Xiaomai blinked, then nodded heavily, “Deal!”
Anyway, no matter how much she drank from the water in her storage space, it always remained the same, as if inexhaustible. Thus, she decided to come often.
After walking around the manor and checking on the progress of the construction, Qiao Xiaomai pulled Tong Sanlang over the hill, towards the small river on the other side of the hill.
A small river ran by the three hills, though narrower than the river in the village, it also had loaches and snails.
Qiao Xiaomai carried a wooden bucket and signaled Tong Sanlang to catch loaches from the river.
Loach, also known as the ‘ginseng of the water’, is edible and can be used for medicinal purposes, of which one is to strengthen the kidneys.
Yesterday she forced Tong Sanlang to eat a series of kidney-strengthening foods such as lamb kidneys and pig kidneys, and was planning to continue the same today.
While catching little fish and snails, it was a good idea to catch some loaches as well. No one would think that it was for kidney strengthening.
Although Tong Sanlang was a bit reluctant, considering his physical condition, he obediently took off his shoes and jumped into the river.
For the joyful workout in the evening, he got to it!
So, by the afternoon, four of them returned to the village carrying two buckets full of water.
These things were something Qiao Changshun did not know how to deal with, so the two buckets were taken to the Tong family’s house, and after Qiao Xiaomai finished preparing everything, she would take some to Qiao Changshun and his son.
Once they were home, Tong Sanlang found a water jar and poured all the things from the two buckets into it, so as to remove the mud and sand, making them taste even better.
Soon, the family members returned home one after another.
Qiao Xiaomai washed her hands to prepare dinner, they had had a good meal last night and this morning, so she decided to have a vegetarian meal in the evening and made a bowl of noodles with leek and eggs.
The wonderful taste made up for the Tong family’s craving for meat, and after dinner, while Tong Sanlang was washing dishes and preparing to boil hot water, Qiao Xiaomai was getting ready to go back to her room when Tong Tiehu stopped her.
Both of them stepped out, and Tong Tiehu lowered his voice to mention Mrs. Zhang’s requirements and his considerations.
Upon hearing this, Qiao Xiaomai felt touched.
To be honest, Qiap Xiaomai could agree to Mrs Zhang’s conditions.
Right now she was in debt of ten thousand taels of silver, but Mrs. Zhang had raised Tong Sanlang.
Before her involvement, and before the Tong family’s property had been confiscated, Mrs. Zhang had treated Tong Sanlang fairly well.
So, for the sake of the past, and for Tong Sanlang’s sake, she could agree to all of Mrs. Zhang’s demands.
Whenever her father used to go and visit her grandparents back in his hometown, he would always bring a lot of gifts and give more money compared to his brothers. Having money and using it generously on the elders was something she did not mind at all.
As long as she could keep Mrs. Zhang’s troubles outside the door and not disturb her life, she was willing to give the money.
However, she didn’t expect that Tong Tiehu would consider her and reject Mrs. Zhang.
She appreciated this kindness.
After thinking for a moment, she said, “Grandpa, mother’s request, could also be accommodated. But since you have your considerations, let’s do as you said. From now on, I will give mother one tael of silver every month and teach her some recipes so she can go sell food.”
[Won’t Xiaomai be called a saint for doing this…]