Qin Yue was cooking. The pot was large this time, and the shovel was as tall as she was. Stirring the rice was a bit of a struggle for her.
"Qin Yue, let me help you."
Wu Sheng, tall and strong, saw this and stepped forward to lend a hand.
Qin Yue handed the rice shovel to Wu Sheng. Unexpectedly, their hands brushed against each other, and Qin Yue flinched back as if she had been electrocuted.
She was a widow, and Wu Sheng was a widower. When their bodies touched, both felt a strange sensation.
Wu Sheng scratched his head, his sun-tanned face flushing bright red. He chuckled and went to stir the rice.
Liu Cui was adding firewood to the stove when Liu Ding secretly slipped her a sweet potato, saying:
"Xiao Cui, roast this in the stove until it's thoroughly cooked. It'll be delicious."
"Huh? Isn't this a sweet potato? I saw Young Master Gu eat one before. Where did you get it? Did you steal the seeds?
This won't do. If you're caught, you'll be kicked out of the village."
Liu Ding's eyes widened with alarm. He quickly explained:
"No, it's not! This is what we discussed at our meeting last night about preparing for seed cultivation. Young Master Gu said the temperature is almost right for planting. He's ready to prepare for seed cultivation and farming.
Later, Young Master Gu gave each of us a bag of sweet potatoes and potatoes, asking us to taste them. He said that only by knowing how delicious they are will we be more dedicated to growing them."
"Oh, so that's how it is. You scared me! I know these are seeds, and they're very precious. I heard that planting one mu can yield several thousand jin, enough to feed many people.
Alas, if our village had had such a crop back then, so many people wouldn't have starved to death."
Speaking of her family's plight, and remembering her best friend Guihua who had also starved to death, Liu Cui's eyes turned red.
Liu Ding saw her tears fall and was startled. His mind went blank, and he quickly reached out to wipe them away, saying:
"Don't cry. We've all had a tough life, but we've finally seen some sweetness, haven't we? Stop crying. If you keep crying, your luck will turn bad."
"Hey, why are your hands on my face?"
Liu Cui was surprised that Liu Ding was wiping her tears. In her haste, she slapped his hand away.
Liu Ding recoiled in pain, pulling his hand back and saying:
"I just saw you crying, and I acted impulsively. I can't bear to see you cry!"
Liu Cui couldn't refute him immediately, but Liu Ding's words made her blush.
Liu Cui wasn't an innocent young girl. She had been married and had a child. At this moment, she put on a stern face and said, "Brother Liu, please keep your distance from me in the future!"
"Why?" Liu Ding was confused and a little anxious.
"Haven't you heard that a widow's door attracts gossip? Qin Yue and I depend on each other. I don't want to remarry."
Liu Ding, his intentions seen through and his request rejected, became anxious and said:
"Why won't you remarry? How old are you? You're still young. Do you intend to be a widow forever?
Your husband is gone, and my wife is gone. Neither of us steals or robs. Can't I like you?
How about I go and speak to Young Master Gu, have him propose to you on my behalf, and let you marry me with great fanfare, how about that?"
Liu Ding's actions had a certain manly spirit. What girl wouldn't be captivated by such a man?
Liu Cui's eyes lit up for a moment, but then she said with a sigh:
"No, I don't want to get married. Please leave!"
With that, she turned her face away.
Liu Ding knew that lingering would be pointless, so he slowly walked away from Liu Cui, looking dejected.
The fragrant rice, the rich smell of meat, and the aroma of bone mushroom soup wafted through the village. Liu Ding, who had been hungry earlier, had lost his appetite.
As for Qin Yue, Wu Sheng's confession was met with her also sending him away, saying she didn't want to remarry and that Wu Sheng should find another young girl.
Wu Sheng, a grown man, was heartbroken by the rejection.
He had finally gathered the courage to speak to Qin Yue, only to be scolded by her. He felt utterly dejected.
He came out and bumped into Liu Ding. Both saw that the other's expression was not right. Each harboring their own thoughts, they fell silent.
If such matters succeeded, one could brag about them. But if they failed, what face would one have to speak of them?
Neither of them spoke, but both were weighed down by their worries.
The rice was ready, the meat was cooked, and the large bone mushroom soup was simmering...
On the public dining tables, a large plate of meat and a large pot of bone soup were placed in the center, emitting an enticing aroma.
One table could seat eight people. This time, the village had set up 70 tables, each filled with people.
These tables and chairs had been crafted by the village carpenters over the past month.
The public often held such gatherings, and without tables and chairs, it wouldn't be feasible. Gu Qingcheng couldn't bear to see everyone eating with their bowls in hand, sitting on the ground.
To have human dignity, one must first have table manners and hygiene. Gu Qingcheng was reshaping these villagers, who had been battered by famine, making them live like human beings.
Everyone ate their fill of meat and drank the bone soup. Life felt as blissful as being an immortal.
It was noon, and the warm sun shone on their bodies, making them feel incredibly warm.
Although Gu Qingcheng had never lacked food, the communal meal was truly delicious. The large portions were even more intensely flavorful. In her bowl was half a piece of golden-brown pot-baked rice, which crunched satisfyingly when bitten. Poured over it was thick meat gravy, a divine taste.
Mi Guo took special care of his sister. Knowing she disliked gnawing on bones, he picked out two chicken legs, a rabbit leg, and two pieces of lean meat from the wild boar's hindquarters for her.
These were the most flavorful and tender parts after stewing. Gu Qingcheng's mouth was glistening with oil.
She ate two large bowls of rice and a large bowl of meat in one go. Then, she patted her stomach contentedly. As soon as she put down her bowl, someone promptly took it to wash.
Seeing the joyful expressions on every villager's face and the festive atmosphere, Gu Qingcheng said:
"Fellow villagers, today we can eat our fill of meat. We should properly thank the young men of the hunting team. Come, let's raise our soup in lieu of wine and show them our gratitude."
With that, Gu Qingcheng raised her bowl of bone soup and drank it down in one gulp.
Seeing this, the villagers echoed:
"Thank you, hunting team!"
"We hope you can hunt more prey next time, so we won't have to worry about not having meat to eat!"
The young men of the hunting team beamed with pride at the villagers' praise. No one dared to say they were eating for free or wasting their energy without working anymore.
Men are most charming when they are confident. Seeing their virile appearance, some of the young women and single women couldn't help but feel a peculiar affection for them.
Eyes met, and an ambiguous atmosphere filled the air.
"Raise troops for a thousand days, use them for a single moment." After the hunting team officially set out, they could go out hunting in rotation groups every day.
However, with a hunting team of only 20 people, although they could hunt good prey, their strength was too small to protect the village.
In view of this situation, Gu Qingcheng secretly devised a plan.
She had been waiting for the perfect opportunity to announce this plan so that it wouldn't be met with opposition. Now, it seemed, it was time to reveal it!