"Okay, okay, why not? But while you’re excited, try to keep it down a bit, okay? Otherwise, not only will you wear yourself out, but you’ll also affect others, won’t you? Look at Mr. Liu, who just gave birth not long ago, and he’s already looking exhausted. If you startle him again, what are you going to do?" He looked at his silly wife, who was like a cat whose tail had been pulled, with her eyes wide open in astonishment.
After meticulously recounting various stories of her role model, Liu Shuzhen, with great familiarity, she looked at him seven parts of discontent and eight parts of indignation, ready to argue at the slightest disagreement.
Lin Jianguo was also helpless and quickly signaled to Shuzhen and her husband, and then comforted them.
Shuzhen, who had already napped for a couple of hours after the delivery, had regained quite a bit of energy, and she understood immediately. She quickly narrowed her eyes to appear weak and fatigued, and then...
Then that Er Niu girl—well, it should be young wife—immediately fell silent and stopped talking!
Alright, although I don’t know when I gained such a fangirl, it seems like she does admire me a lot, doesn’t she?
If Er Niu knew what Shuzhen was thinking, she would definitely shake her head strongly to correct her: It’s not just a little bit, it’s a lot! You have to know, with that "Worm Farming Manual," her in-laws, who are not very agile and used to just worry when not working and complain when working, managed to make a thriving worm farm at home. They raised thirty chickens, twenty ducks, and twenty geese, and even saved enough bran to raise a pig.
Wow, over the past two years, they’ve earned more than what both of them made working seriously in the production team.
It’s all thanks to Shuzhen and her "Worm Farming Manual." She had thought that with her in-laws being physically weak but extremely long-lived and enduring, they’d drag her down in this chicken-rib marriage. Instead, it turned into a prosperous family, one of the best in the village.
Sympathizing with her difficult situation of marrying into the family, she didn’t jump around trying to cause trouble and split the family after the wedding, nor did she treat her in-laws like a burden like her two former sisters-in-law did. Instead, she calls them dad and mom, treating them like her own parents with respect and filial piety. Seeing them capable of working at home while also protecting the household, even when their sons and daughters-in-law regretted their decision and wanted to show filial piety, the old couple simply beat them with a stick and refused to leave her and her husband.
Because Shuzhen’s "Worm Farming Manual" helped them lead a better life, hearing her inspiring stories made Er Niu’s admiration for her completely natural!
Meeting her role model to express deep gratitude and high respect was a small obsession in Er Niu’s heart. Unfortunately, for the past two years, Shuzhen had been studying at the Worker Peasant Soldier University in Beijing, and just when she returned, Er Niu found herself expecting a baby.
All these reasons delayed her wish to meet her role model, and seeing her unexpectedly today, how could she not be happy?
If not for the sight of Shuzhen’s pale chubby little face, half-open eyes showing extreme fatigue, Er Niu, in her excitement, could have practically taken her out of bed with her small eyes filled with crazy admiration, and talked about worm farming from noon until candlelit night talks without any problem.
Knowing his wife’s nature, Lin Jianguo was afraid that she couldn’t control her inner excitement and would insist on expressing their gratitude and admiration to Lianshan and Liu Shuzhen. So, he dashed like a sprinter to the hospital cafeteria to fetch food, hot water, and the millet porridge and eggs Lianshan specifically requested.
Of course, he didn’t spend a penny of the money and food coupons Lianshan gave him, and even brought back two dishes, pork and sauerkraut with noodles and tofu with potato slices, to go with the steamed buns.
He also wanted to thank the couple for coming up with the idea of an ecological multi-level farming method, which not only brought prosperity to their family but also saved his parents’ old age!
Otherwise, with no income and only able to eat sparingly, his wife might resent them. The old couple, being afraid of being a burden, didn’t dare eat or speak freely at home, and seeing this, as their son, he felt as if his heart was pricked with needles.
Now, with the chickens, ducks, geese, and pigs bringing more income than he and his wife, the satisfaction and happiness were written all over their faces.
The family dynamics and the in-laws and children living harmoniously day after day, and now his wife being pregnant and giving birth to a chubby baby boy, meant they’re living in pure happiness.
Being grateful to the source of one’s benefits, Lin Jianguo felt full of gratitude towards the providers of this happiness.
Although they were in a hospital where things were inconvenient, otherwise they would’ve surely slaughtered a goose and a chicken to treat the couple to a proper meal.
When Shuzhen realized that her worm farming manual had helped the couple on the hospital bed across, she was stunned. Helping people prosper while spreading positive energy, she felt the ecological multi-level farming method was truly worth it.
Seeing the couple’s sincerity in wanting to invite them for a meal, Shuzhen and Lianshan didn’t argue over pennies and dimes.
They simply said that meeting was fate, and that in return for their kindness, they’d give them a small gift.
Sincerely wanting to become their friend, Lin Jianguo argued: "What gifts or returns? We sincerely want to be friends with you. Can’t you just acknowledge that, Brother Lianshan, and not fuss over it with me?"
"Alright then, the return gift is on me, accepting it is up to you two. How could it not work out for you!" Lianshan smiled mischievously: "But the gift we want in return is our expertise, such as cotton growing methods that do well here, cabbage seeds that can yield fifteen thousand to twenty thousand pounds per acre, and radish seeds that yield over ten thousand pounds per acre.
They’re not worth any money, but their value comes from the fact that they’re not yet available in the market and we just happen to have some stock.
We’ll give you two ounces of each. Don’t want them?"
Never imagining the return gift would be such treasure, Lin Jianguo and his wife were thrilled and hurriedly nodded, fearing the slightest hesitation would make Lianshan change his mind: "Want them, of course, we’ll take them! It’s an unexpected good fortune, things you can’t buy! It’s rare that Brother Lianshan is so gracious, how could we refuse?"