Hu Chunhua saw the firewood in the wood shed and thought the girl was really capable, how could there be so much firewood? She must not have been idle, right?
After tethering the sheep, he then carried his belongings back.
Now it was just Su Yuanyuan by herself. She patted the sheep's head and took out a handful of soybeans to feed the sheep.
Only then did she go inside to organize her things. There were really too many good things, she didn't dare leave them at home for fear they would be stolen.
Better to put them all into the space, just leave a kitchen knife, a wood knife, a plate, and a soup basin. These were needed for now.
In the eyes of others, she was already someone in debt. But if she raised the sheep well, they would be profitable too.
She hurried to build a fire and found a broken crock bottom, cleaned it, and kept it for the sheep to drink water.
Thinking the sheep might give birth soon, she poured a cup of Spiritual Spring Water for it.
"Drink up, this is good stuff. You better do well and give birth to the lambs safely. Don't worry, I'll take good care of you."
Animals are particularly sensitive to things with Spiritual Energy. The water was quickly finished, and the sheep bleated at Su Yuanyuan.
"Too greedy isn't good. This is quite a bit already. I'll give you more next time."
Actually, Su Yuanyuan wasn't lying. Having a living creature was like having someone to talk to. A normal person can't live without speaking. But in this family, it was only her. There wasn't even someone to talk to. But having sheep later would be better.
At noon, she ate a bowl meal. It was the most prepared dish, convenient and quick to eat.
After resting for a while, she took the wood knife up the mountain. Firewood never hurt to have more, she had no one to rely on, only herself.
This time, she went up a bit further, where there were plenty of branches and many dead trees.
Su Yuanyuan was delighted, not even bothering with the branches, she headed straight for the dead trees.
As she chopped, she thought, if only she had a saw, it would probably be more useful than an axe or a wood knife.
When it snows and going up the mountain becomes impossible, she'll definitely head to the county and look for a saw, which should be available.
Whole trees were stored in the space, to be sorted out later.
Su Yuanyuan was like a happy little mouse, busy the entire afternoon, altogether chopping ten trees. This was a big haul; it should be enough to burn, right?
On the way back, she also cut two big bundles of dry grass, both for the sheep to eat and to use as kindling.
Back home, not having even had water, she hurried to give the sheep some grass. But it seemed like this fellow was unusually clever, bleating at her. Su Yuanyuan could see ingratiating expressions from its sheepish face.
Resigned, she gave it a cup of Spiritual Spring Water, then brought out all the dried trees. Goodness, only seeing so many when they were all out. Certainly enough to burn.
Su Yuanyuan was delighted, but remembering that Hu Chunhua and his wife might come over tomorrow, and having so many dead trees suddenly wasn't easy to explain, she hurriedly stored them again, placing them in another room where they didn't fit.
Just leave them in the space for now. When she gets a saw, she'll cut them into smaller pieces and bring them out.
Lying under the covers, she initially thought about reflecting on the joys and sorrows of life but fell asleep shortly.
Indeed, with such a frail body, going to the market in the morning and climbing the mountain in the afternoon was really exhausting.
The next morning, she didn't laze in bed and got up early. She had to, since that sheep was about to rebel, bleating constantly.
She added hot water for it and gave it some cornmeal that the little girl had ground herself, still with skins in it, and Su Yuanyuan didn't have the courage to eat. It was just right for the sheep, but it wasn't much; she'd have to grind more herself. From memory, that stone mill was difficult to turn and very arduous.
Just as she finished brushing her teeth, she heard Aunt from Meng Xiangtian's family calling.
"Yuanyuan, I came over yesterday afternoon. Where did you go?"
"Aunt, I went up the mountain to gather firewood yesterday."
She pushed a cart in, bringing over the grain Su Yuanyuan requested, along with twenty cabbages.
"Thank you, Aunt. You even brought me so many cabbages."
"There's also half a sack of radishes, but they're small, the big ones are buried in the radish pit. Can't dig them up now, I'll bring a few big ones for you in spring when we open the pit."
"That would be wonderful."
Su Yuanyuan wanted to help with lifting, but was refused by Meng Xiangtian's family, "No need for such a small amount of grain."
"Aunt, you're really strong."
"You'll be strong too when you grow up."
The grain was placed in a jar in the west room, and Meng Xiangtian's family wheeled away the cart.
Su Yuanyuan kept one cabbage, storing the rest in the space since they couldn't stay outside. There really weren't many vegetables in her space, mostly tomatoes, carrots, and bell peppers, nothing like cabbages.
As a child, she ate cabbage every day, so ever since she lived on her own, she'd eaten very little cabbage.
She didn't know if Hu Chunhua's family would come over today. She preferred going up the mountain; there were still many branches. Su Yuanyuan didn't know she was now picking feathers from geese as they flew. But it couldn't be helped, the girl had nothing at all, truly starting from zero.
After waiting a while, no one came, so she carried a basket up the mountain. This time, just collecting branches without going further up, who knew what danger might lie ahead?
People shouldn't become complacent. The luckier you are, the more low-key you should be. Otherwise, your good fortune might just slip away.
There were even more branches here, all bundled and stored in the space.
She didn't descend the mountain at noon, mainly because one trip up and down was very inconvenient.
At noon, she just leaned against the branches and took a nap. Sleeping outside was mainly because of the nice sunshine. It was just for fifteen minutes; it's not that she didn't want to sleep more, she was afraid of danger. Besides, it was quite cold.
By evening, all the branches from this area had been put in the space, and she was returning with a full basket of dry grass.
Nearly reaching the foot of the mountain, she suddenly thought it better to take out two big bundles of branches.
Sometimes Su Yuanyuan felt she was truly heaven's "dear girl"; otherwise, how could she meet Hu Chunhua outside the courtyard just bringing back branches?
"You girl, how did you gather so much?"
"Aunt, I'm always like this. I'm worried there won't be any way to get firewood when it snows."
Hu Chunhua sighed, cursing Su Daqiang's family in her heart.
She helped bring them into the woodshed, patting the sheep on the head, feeling this child was even more pitiful.
"Yuanyuan, we came over this afternoon, and you weren't home. Don't go up the mountain tomorrow. While it's not frozen yet, hurry and make the sheepfold."
"Okay, I won't go tomorrow. Besides, there's no more cornmeal at home. I have to grind more. I wonder if my uncle has time in the morning or afternoon?"