Chen Lan and Xiang Xi rushed back to the camp, their foreheads glistening with sweat. They worried that Xu Mingxuan and Er Zhuang might have arrived home before them. When the two arrived back at the camp, panting, Chen Lan scanned the surroundings and saw no sign of the ox cart. She patted her chest, relieved. Luckily, Xu Mingxuan and Er Zhuang hadn't returned yet, otherwise, Xu Mingxuan would have bombarded them with questions.
As soon as the siblings entered the house, they set down their baskets and busied themselves. Chen Lan nimbly crouched down, opened the stove door, and stirred the embers. She added two large pieces of firewood, preparing to boil water to scald the pheasant feathers. Xiang Xi glanced at the large water缸 and noticed it was nearly empty. He bent down, picked up the wooden bucket, and prepared to go out. Just as he reached the doorway with the bucket, ready to fetch water, Xu Mingxuan and Er Zhuang returned, one after the other.
Xiang Xi happily handed the bucket to Er Zhuang, saying, "Er Zhuang, it's better to arrive at the perfect time than too early. The缸 is almost out of water, hurry and help me fetch some. I'm going to help Xiao Lanzi pluck the pheasant feathers. Xiao Lanzi said we're only having two meals today, and we'll have an early, big feast this afternoon."
Er Zhuang took the bucket without a word, took it, and turned to fetch water. Xu Mingxuan rolled up his sleeves, ready to help. As soon as he entered the house, he saw two large baskets overflowing with game. He chuckled and said, "Wow! It's a great harvest today! Lan'er, Xiang Xi, you both worked hard today!"
Hearing Xu Mingxuan's words, Chen Lan added water to the large iron pot and replied with a smile, "It's okay! Not too tiring! Most of this game was hunted by Xiao Xigua! I didn't exert much effort, I was just responsible for carrying it back in the basket."
Xu Mingxuan glanced at Xiang Xi and said, "Xiao Xigua, you worked hard today too!" He then saw Xiang Xi, who was diligently plucking chicken feathers, lift his head with great pride, his mouth split into a grin that nearly reached his ears.
Xu Mingxuan continued, "Lan'er, it was quite a task for you to carry all this game back from so far away."
The couple chatted as they prepared the pheasants, the atmosphere warm and harmonious.
Xiang Xi suddenly spoke up, "Xiao Lanzi, are we eating rabbit or pheasant today?"
Chen Lan replied, "Xiao Xigua, you worked the hardest today. What do you want to eat? You decide."
Xiang Xi, in high spirits, said, "Xiao Lanzi, let's stir-fry diced spicy chicken, braised rabbit, and stew some chicken soup."
Chen Lan readily agreed, "Okay! No problem."
Then, she turned to Xu Mingxuan and asked, "Mingxuan Ge, what do you want for dinner?"
Xu Mingxuan thought for a moment and said, "Lan'er, we've been away for several days, and we'll be leaving again tomorrow. Commander Liu and my comrades have been handling a lot of things at the camp. They've been working really hard during this time. Lan'er, could you prepare a few more dishes to go with the drinks? I'd like to invite them over this afternoon for a drink to thank them properly. What do you think?"
Chen Lan also readily agreed, "No problem! Mingxuan Ge, you go invite them! Besides the three dishes Xiao Xigua ordered, I'll prepare a few more braised dishes to go with the drinks. Oh, right, Mingxuan Ge, what kind of wine are you planning to drink this afternoon?"
Xu Mingxuan chuckled and said, "Lan'er, thank you. We'll be drinking spirits!"
As Xu Mingxuan spoke, he suddenly remembered something and said, "Right, Lan'er, could you also prepare a few more jars of wine for the camp? I want the soldiers to have a drink during the New Year's gathering. That way, they won't miss home so much."
Chen Lan generously agreed, "Mingxuan Ge, no problem. I'll prepare a few more fat pigs for you then, so you can have real kill-pig dishes during the New Year."
Xu Mingxuan, touched, asked, "Lan'er, aren't we almost out of money? Will this be too extravagant?"
At this moment, Xiang Xi couldn't help but interject, "Mingxuan Ge, what's extravagant about it? This is a small matter for Xiao Lanzi! When we go to the other side tomorrow, let's get a few more oil paintings from that Russian painter, what's his name again? Oh yes, that Russian guy is called Vladimir. He's very good at landscape oil paintings. Let Xiao Lanzi give them to our in-laws to sell over there. Xiao Lanzi said that this painter's oil paintings are very valuable at our in-laws', so we'll have money then, won't we? Relax!"
Xu Mingxuan was somewhat skeptical about Xiang Xi's words and asked, "Lan'er, is it true, like Xiao Xigua said, that the oil paintings by that Russian painter, Vladimir, are worth a lot at Father's?"
Chen Lan nodded and said, "Not just his, but the paintings by any famous painters from the past are valuable, and very valuable. Mingxuan Ge, did you know that the paintings by Vladimir aren't even the most valuable! Paintings by famous Chinese painters from earlier eras are even more valuable."
Xiang Xi asked curiously, "Xiao Lanzi, how much can one of Vladimir's landscape paintings sell for at our in-laws'?"
Chen Lan held up three fingers. Xiang Xi saw it and said, "Xiao Lanzi, since you say they're very valuable, I'll guess three hundred yuan, right?"
Chen Lan shook her head, "Too little, guess higher."
Xiang Xi then said, "Too little? Then three thousand yuan, right?"
Chen Lan still shook her head. Xiang Xi continued guessing, three thousand, thirty thousand, then three hundred thousand. When he reached three hundred thousand, he still hadn't guessed correctly. Xiang Xi stopped guessing. Chen Lan kept shaking her head. Finally, Xu Mingxuan couldn't stand it any longer and asked, "Lan'er, just tell us! How much is one of his landscape paintings really worth at Father's?"
Chen Lan revealed the answer, "Thirty million."
As soon as Chen Lan finished speaking, Xu Mingxuan and Xiang Xi gasped. They exclaimed in unison, "One painting, thirty million, how is that possible?"
Chen Lan replied calmly, "There's no other way, that's the fact."
The three chatted as they worked, and soon all the preparations were complete. Chen Lan also placed an order in the system to purchase some braised dishes that Xu Mingxuan and Xiang Xi loved, as well as a large jar of twenty catties of spirits. Xu Mingxuan then went out to find Commander Liu and some of his closer comrades.
It goes without saying that the atmosphere at the dinner table was extremely lively. After a few drinks, Xu Mingxuan's comrades started chatting about everything under the sun, with the most frequent topic being the drought this year and its impact on the harvest.
Xu Mingxuan also took the opportunity to mention his plan to go out again tomorrow to get more grain.